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I 





DATE DUE 




















































































1. 


1 



STANFORD UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES 

STANFORD, CALIFORNIA 

94505 



] 



\ 



D WIGHT'S 



JOURNAL OF MUSIC, 



^ f jip^t tfi l^tt xnd ^ittutnt. 



JOHN S. DWIGHT, EDITOR. 



VOLUME XXXV 



B O S T O IS : 

PUBLISHED J»T OI-n'KK DITSOJT AST? COMPAXT. 451 WASHINGTON STREET, 

1877. 



rr 



•-' i ANrORD 



UNivEftsiry 




/».• n 



i 6 )976 






Reprint Edition 1967 

JOHNSON REPRINT CORP. ARNO PRESS, INC. 

New York— London New York, N.Y. 



Library of Congress Catalog Card No. 67-24725 



Manufactured in the U.S.A. by Amo Press Inc. 



VOLUMES XXXV & XXXVI 



1875-1877 



insriDEix. 



AHMrti, DoHMitteoi bU SotMtM 

Alton, B.D.Jil»HuicBlLe«tnTM 1^ 

Asibros, A. W, TnunlatiMi* ftom hUihmM - 
£tee((<r. SOOt tn, S80, MS, m ; hi* Lib 

■DdDMIh.,' „.Z 

AMAicM ColhRa t4 llHie: a K«w Tork 

UmUn^i^t KbMM ,38. B8, 68, 90, 16Z 

Apollo Cliit>,]i>Boa(ciB,11fl. (SaaCoKcnm.) 
Art mnoblf nir. froiB liiruliiii'i '* I.Bitnonn." 



Bwiloir, Ham tob; StatdroIbbCfaaar.M; 
In Itorlis, 1801, 10: 1« Ba«to& 103, 110^ 
lie, I2S. 174, 114; la K(rw TorklSS, 148t 

K. T. .7rrrr;r^...iw 

Icnr, Mid Ua FtaMoforta, 134, !» 

l,CHa an,8W 



Art eniKiMinff, from ImilHg'a , 

S4 ; In Amarlca (•.■O^itood'B AddrM* oi 
C^wftnd).. » 

Art MoMBat, ta Boatcv^ vpaatMc of 

Aatar.LaMbajae^aD; SoMMntatto.... 



Baob,C,P.K. HriPlaaoSoMtai 

Vmok,3.B. Iaflobo(OManH(M,)8;MfroTk 
ioLoIpriK.iSS: bow iatenat for f n Ixn- 
don, in; U* Oixu Marie (H. H. aua- 
kam). IS. (/. aigfi*i, Sn, SDO; Ofcbotrd 
Snitca, ffiV; Piano MmIc, SritM, vtc, 
n ; Do., Hnr Faan'* LacMra on, 91* ; 
ConetrhM, 861, 800; TranacriptloMi lor 
Piano frota fcla TloUn Sonatas and Ca»- 
Utaa, b7 Safnt^aiM, >1S: Cantata*: 
" Gotte* Zeit," atc.S; '*lcli batte Ti«l 
BeknB ium arn l i*," fa Beaton, 300, 307: 
lUgniflcat In D, In CfnolnnaU, 16, in 
Boston, ]SB;d«acrtb*db7 Robert nina, 
IW; Ua Bi BUUhew Pualon Uuk, fn 

BoBton,321: MaMlB B mioor SSI, 244 

Ba]f«: bi* "Tallamia," S4 

Baltimore: Poabodj Inrtltata Concvrhi. IBS, M3 
Band*, and TInatre Orcbaitri*, (J. S. D.). . .SSO 

Ban^el: ht« Onrtnre to " Madea," 100,800 

Batnott, JohnFianeiai hia "Ancient llari 

BaTnntfa :' Waffner Tf'rMrii,'.'.'.'.n^'v','io"l)i, 
101, SS7, SM^ 180, 287, 208, SM, 300. W, 80S, 

800, 800, 810, gi$,no,nt,3u, 81ft, 330, sal. m 



at Cincinnati, 30; (Crrrtal Pat , 

Eroica, 184; Conoeito for nano, ___. 
Sextet, with two honw 143, 190. 807; 
Septat (at CanOridgt), 882; Serenade, 
op. 8, arr. for Orohestia,. 800,407 

Baathorea : JV. Tabu on, SO ; a pilgrimage 
to IB. W^agner), 43,40; note* on, (Vom 
A. W. Tharer. W ; a "Semith Conoerto" 
W, 1401 hi* BlrUidaj at Cnritd Palace 
Coneerti in London, 870; bl* "Paatoi> 
ale" illnatrated, 

Bellini'a Bemt^na, SSI 

Belocea, Anna, SB. 71, 811, 

Bennett, Jo*eph;.on the Wagner Fkatinl at 
Barreotb 818,822,831 

Bennett, Sir Wm. Stamdale: hi* PlanoCon- 
certoin T minor, 137 

BeTginann, Carl : OUtuarj KoUm, SSi 

Tribute to, brDr. Doremn*, S4S 

Berlin : Theatre Statiatlca of, — 

"Bioin": Mr. f. Manhall'i Opraa after 
Macbeth, Loudon Athenvnm, 

Blacaooianti, Elba; an Appeal 

Biahop, Sir H. R, Bta DraiUatio Glee* and 
Bonn, their itorv, tn J. 8. Corwen, 810, 

Blind, The, and Hoale, 148,848; aatunera, 

Boecberinl, Lmd. Mm*. Standard, _. 

and Haydn ( A. W. T. ) 400 

Boleldien; Centannarj Fetea at Rouen, SO 

Boston : Pnblia Library, Hiuicai work* In, 171 
Art Mneeum 901 

Brahma, Job. HI* Flano work*, 80,174 

Hia Cai«er, IflS; hii " Triampb-Liad," 
a5:QiiartetinB-flat,410; " Lbbea-Ued- 

ei^Waltiea, ' 

. Bnu* In*tonnMnt*, ImproTed, 

Bnek, Dudley, 00, hisCoitiinniBl Cantata, 
338,848.861 



Kew BriBbMD, BMMo I«ud, 3>. 1.. 

RimllawiV 

IVew Torfc, 



Carr, MitaA: 

Cqjrfani, Mguora Kapp-Tomg, 910, SH 

Cecilia, Tb«: Choral Societr In Boiton, 

142,114,a07,S8> 
Cnitennlal Cantata^ The: Mr. Lanter"* Ex- 
planation, 143, su, sn 

CantannlBl If uala. The, at Fhiladekthla, 3S9 

34S, 305, ISl, 711, 317 
Central Park Garden Concarta la N, T. 31, IB 
CheroWnl ; hi* "Watei^arrier" In London, 

138:OTertarato'*AHBaba,"US;to»Lo- 

doi^" SCO; Beqaiem for Hale Toioea, SM 
CUckeriog and Son*: fb^ new Concert 

HalllnNew Torit, 181,141; 

their 60,000thpiaBo, 400 

Chime*, Tbe, of FMadiiU, ....13 

Clioir Bojra iB New Tork. Am, 840 

Chopin: hi* nmrie AntaMpgrapUcal (A. 

><««*), 00; C. and Uut {from Ck. 

StrfBoMt) lU 

Chorcb Cbotn In Amariea, Bwttl*h Omar- 

dtaa, 888 

CbnrchHoric: lU Htatory, by Sir F. A, Q, 

Ouseley, 170,19}; fn Hew Tork, 3S8 

InBotton ..i3Bi in Home, 2G0 

Clarinet Concerto, A. Berllot ..316 

Commerce of Uoalo, The, fali Jfoft eoz. ... .U4 
Compoeer and Pabllaber; a Dialogue, Lond. 

ifiuicoi IForld, 308,316 

Concert Halls, Lane and Small, Atlantic 

MojMIi/, «« 

CoKcrcnTS iir BostoM; 

ApnTlonnb, fl, 107, ITSw IT*, MS. »« 

Apunnnu*; Harp Ructuta "" 

BitlleT. Mhi LIHiB 

Bmton PblHiarmonle Club, H3.IH>, 

Ra;lilon ClnV *7, !«.»*.»» 

G»tk'l"CrDMden,"ao., 

Clrina. Dr. V. nd pnpit 

Ctatere nl Katie of jionoaVnUenitr. 141. _ 

Enlpoir. Mm*. ABBMte, H«,4»T,<H 



!.'ii,'vt 
.tm,tn 

CnwfonI, 'fbomM, mi Art In Aminiea, 

(S, Ow«d, IR il), *7 

Cheating 111* Sound, Jfa^ 7VnA Kevfew, S8B 

OrbtofOTl, Bartolomso; BOnnaMd isTantar of 

Um Pianoforte, VH; CMtemdalat 

Mantaa, 130; atriannca, tU 



Daaoe 7ormi, Old. X. Pamer'i Lethrrt m 

Back,..?. M» 

DannrentlMT, E. On the Opera, fiS 

D*i4d, mtefen Cmmt. OUtnary Sift 

Descripdn M Mia. (1 

DeacriptlTB Oratorio, A, by Jfr. Phtttbt. TI 

DLnerd ty of Opinictis about Hnrical Worka, 
JtedUIU.. " 



Hi>n<l«in>dlIiiTdiiSviiMtT: H*Tdn'i ■'Scu< 
■,»;-'Km>li'wltkTle4BnLini"M«MUh" 
'-CreMloD*' M Cbrlaunu, olth Tleijeni, 1», 
K»ur pntommDett; Bacb'i Pu^on M 
MendrliKhn'i "Hnno of mlH''mnd Ron 
flLibit M>ur wllb Tlctlen*; "jDnbiiB" 
Mnii. Vu Zudt, Ac m. ne. "Ma^ili 



,,l.i.dt™. 



■rktrant, H. E. 



Rei-lull 711, 3tr 

IMCAdrUldeklidkltlldK. ! -" 

i.Mikdellnci Plua iUGLUIi>',...^II 
r. ud HiiiVw! H'."'"'n»V3W.'»ti,'» 

tM, m. IM, oil; M3, 3M(tar 



Tui>£», H.Q. Piuo 
Welsh, MlHlU 

Corey's Uill a Park fc 



Botton, A. W.T... 



BMitary ^noAirte InatraoUon, W. 8. 

B.Madie*i* w 

Encore* In Concerts. ■ Ml, 310 

English Ancestors. Onr, OUmpeeaof, BrfiriW- 

PM Herald, lOS 

3li*h Opent, wbatfsit, Xond, Mm. Btwtd, SSO 
p<riF Mme. Annette. IheRnMrian tianiat, 
813, 8M; {JfH«.3VadaSff.)3tB;inBe*. 

ton, 8M, 401, 418, 414 

EateiliMTa, Tbe, and Haydn, C. T, PtlU, 

33S, SS3, MI, S«f 

Exam[natJott*,Uiufoal,atHarTardC(rilen, 108 
'BzceUent Art of Hneich,'' The, Dr. JUtn 

Bhw, 110 

Executant* and Bditora. X. Dono-eaUtr, In 



Pknat, The Lexend la Opaia. TVq^. /. 
Xa«l*,..8; Hnsieto Gaetbe's-'raast," 

M: Sehmnann'* Do., IIS 

Iky, Hia* Amy, tha Pianist,.. ..ISB, 110,314.8110 

Femato TtoHntats, 880 

Pine Art Hnaemn, The. In Boston, SlI, 107 

rorm,MnrieaL & & Mathews, 8» 

mna, Robert: and Liaat, 7B: and tbe Ger- 
man Tirfkstled and ChonJ, by A. SaiM, 
84,88,01,101^,118; hia deaoriptfon of 
Bach's Magnlfloat, 180; Letter to 
Boston Handel and Bndu Society, IIB; 
additional aooompanlraents to tiie 
'■Mesaiah" 300; hUSongs 410 



Gade, Klek : hi* CanUta "Spring's Qraetlng.'' 

142; 4tb Symphony, In B flat. 878,874; 

"Comala." 110; "ThoCmaadeta," 883; 

"Nonletten" for atrlng orDhest^^ 806 

Qadaby, Hanry; his mnide to "AloaatU," 

XoiNt. JVai. Timet, ITS 

Qaitano, HI** Nlta, 3S1, 300^ 808, 4U 

GaanOett. Dr. H. J. OWtaatT, KM; 

what he aaya of "LoheiwrUi'p 40 

Qlttok: hiBOrcrtarelo "Iphl|tuila,''Ml, 880, 

801,400; to "AkMata," 188; hUSaUgi- 
ona Cantata "Le Judgment Dernier" 100 



INDEX 



• •• 
111 



Ooddard, Mroe. Arftbella: in N^w Tork^ 
108, 110; in Boston, 126 

Ooeti: bis Comic Opera, 'Taminc of th« 
Shrew", ....MO, 871 

Gounod. Chtw., his aversion to biff Theatres, 151 

Qregorian Musie, Xond. JTim. Standard^ 250 



Handel : N'otes on a few of bis Operas, 153; 
his • Mcssish," 230; Notes on. by /. 
CVowdy, 148, VA; Franz's accompani- 
ments to, :{50, 800 ; his **Herculcs,*^ 50; 
'Kstber*' 188; "Joshua**, 218,280; 

**Susaana" 290; bis **Thcodora" in 

Portland, He., 286: **Solomon** 202 

Handel and Haydn Society (Boston): Its 
President's annual report, and its early 
history, 55, 01, Annual meetinj;, 247; 
Repertoire from 1815 to 1870, 248; Fes- 
tiTMl Pro|rramme for May, 1877 800 

HansHck, Dr. Edwai-d: From bis Critical 
writings: on Auber, 6f»; on the Grand 
Opera, Paris, ... .81 ; on Wafpier s Tril- 
ogy and Bayrenth Festival, 810, 824, 820; 
on Christine Nilsson 888 

Harris, Horatio: In Hemoriam, (/. 8.) 105 

Harvard Musical Association: 100 Symphony 
Concerts and tlieir Programmes 14, 22 

Hsrrard University: its Musical Pmfessor- 
ship, 78, 04, its musical examinations, 
108; its new Sanders Theatre and Con- 
certs, 260, :i50, 882, 301 , 800 

Hauk, Miss Minnie, in Opera Abroad, 371 

Uauptmann, Moritz: bis Canons for three 
Soprano Voices, 207 ; Sentences iVom 
his Letters 884, 400 

Haydn : his Symphonies, 142, 101, 407 ; 

H. and Boocherini,. .400; his ^'Seasons" 
6, 22 ; New life of, by Pohl, 221 , 800, 308 ; 
H. with the Esterhazys, from Pohrs 
Biography, t2.'>, 28:1, 24 1 , 240 

Helmhoits, Prof., On the Quality of Sounds 

{ W. 8. H. Jf aCAews, ) 85: Practical 

ISearing of his Discoveries ( Oo. ), 01 

Henselt, Adolph 108 

Hillcr, Ferd., on Verdi's Requiem, 100; his 
^'Musical and Personal'* reviewed, 845; 
Sentence from, 401 ; new Symphony by. .400 

Historical Concert^ by G. L. Osgood and 

W» lyOSCOVlCZ, •..•••••...•••..••*•..... .O, wi 

History of Music : Prof. Hitter's. ... 100, 208, 416 
Home Music, as It is and might be, Heture 

iionrt 75 

Honi soit qui mal y pense : a story of Paris- 
ian Life ,48 

Horsier, Charles Edward : Obituanr 105 

'*Howllng Wolves" ibo., Mr. Leouhard and 
ms \^riuGS, *.*•...•« .•••.•••■•••....••.. loo 



Importance of a Local Orchestra in Boston, 

818,801 

Inaudible Sympathy 217 

Instrumentation: of the ''Messiah," com- 

Bleted by R. Franz, 215, 856^ 866; of 
!ach*s St. Matthew Passion 228 

Isouard, Nicolo : his *' Jocond«* 880 



*• Jakderjisatkilleren :«* % '* Wagnerian Te». 
tray logy," from *'Mr. Punch's Pocket 

Book,^' 806,408 

Jensen, Adolf 171 

Joachim, Joseph, 60, 106; his Detractors in 
Berlin, 220; Joachim at Stuttgart, 888; 
In London, 404; his Doctor's Degree at 
Cambridge 416 

Kapp« Young Cappiani, Signora Luisa. .810, 874 
Kastner't Pyropbone, or Flame-Organ {Fan^^ 

nyU,RiiUr) 125 

Keller, Joseph A: in Memoriam. E. B. O. . 88 
Keyed-Stringed Instruments: Sir Robert 

Stewart's Lectures 20, 28, 87, 44, 51 



Laug, B. J., at the New Yor)c Philhamonfc, 

88:), 880 

Lanier, Sidnej : bis Centennial Cantata, 288, 
and his Explanation and Defense, 242; 
Do. reviewed 255, 261 

'' La Prova d'un Opera Soria:" a Reminis- 
cence ( Afme. Rudtndvrff) 114 

Lady Students at Milsn 210 

Leouhard, Hugo, and his Critics, 165; his 
MaUn4es 851 



Lindsu, Paul: his ''Temperate Letters from 

Bavreuth," 820, 825 

Listening to Music ( IK. 0. lieNaught) 201 

Liszt and Robert Franz: Letter from A. 

Kreissmann 78 

Liszt. Franz: in I^eipzig, 128; at a Mating, 
277; what Schumann said of him. 868; 
his " Benediction of God in Solitude." 
15; bis "Prometheus," 27, 128, 2()7; 
Liszt and Chopin, 154; his "Christns" 
in New York, 106; his "Mignon's Song," 
874; Liszt described by Le Charitari. . . .871 

Local Orchestras, tlieir Importance 818, 882 

London ''Monday Popular" Concerts for 
1877, XoMdon Times 404,410 



Macfhrren, G. A. His Oratorio ** The Res- 

urrecwion, .•*..••...••.....■..•..••••• .vi'v 

Male Pari-Songs 176, 858 

Mammoth Wagner College Scheme, in New 

JL OrK . ....•.•*....•■......... .Ov, Oo, ITOi 1*9m 

Martial Music in Germany 177 

Mason, William : his Piano Recitals 812 

Massenet, Jules : his Cantata " Eve," 5 

Materialism in Music 46 

Mendelssohn : his Place in Modem Music ( ff, 
//. Siatham), 161 ; his Birthday at Lon- 
don Crystal Palace, 807* his *'Son and 

Stranger " in Boston 230 

Mcrmet, A., his " Joan of Arc," 224, 227 

Milan : Its Musical Students. 144, 210 

Minuet, Revival of the {N. Y, 7Vi6ime) 188 

Mozart Club in New York 800 

Mozart: Continuations of his ' Zauberflote" 
(/. Sviler), 18; iVom a Physical and Mor- 
al point of view, by V, IrUder, 42; Com- 
plete edition of his works. 248, 284 ; M. 
in Italy {Comhlll Magaxlne), 276; what 

HauptiQsnn wrote of him 884 

Mueller, Theodor : Obituary, Berlin Echo. ... 152 

Music Anno ai>. (See also CoRBEsroNDBVCs : 
A f x-la-Cbs|>elle s 

^^IMfllil'UsK •■•• ••«•■•••■■••••■•••••••••••■•«•••■••« Sto 

^^ si w Wr C S |V «••••■ ••■■•••••••■•■•••■••■■^••••••«« ••• •Blv 

Bayreotli, 71, M, 101, 257. 264, 286 tM. 29S, M2, >^, 

310, SIS, SSee, 324 na, 328. S36, 311 
B«f1ln S1,S4, 98, 212, 218, 228, 228, 218, 371,378 

Aviv IVrKd U •••••«•• •• ••«• •••• ■•••••« •••«•• •••••••• •••. 20V 

llfrmlnii^hfini (Bnsl.) ••• 27it 3IB 

Hri|{nton (Bb^I.) ••• •• ••••••••••••... .384 

Ciiiiibrl<1|(e University (Engl.) ..8,418 

Colofcne 221.86S,4A0 

• 'I J Oil ■■»• •■•■ •■•• ••■• •• ■■ ■■ ■■ •« ■■ m % m 9 ■•••••• •••• •••• JPH 

1 "rCwcicis ••««••■•■•• ■•■••••••«•••••••■•••••••■•■■••• 340 

DUnfieldorf w 

W lOTYIM^ ■• •■ •«•• ••»■ ••••■ •■ *••• •••• «••• ••■••••• 3E4wf «Vv 

Fmiikfortpon-ths Mala ...SM 

^B AID vilrp^ • •■•«••■ •••••■ ■••••••••■■•••••••••••b««s b aSvi 

Ilen'ronl, (Engl ) SSI 

K5iii|ralierif 341 

L«t|«i|r 13. 123, 145, 189. 221, 248, 880, 310. 351, 873 

London, 3. 8, 10, 10, 28, 34. 4&. 8O1 84, 87, 107, 111, 123, 
138, 100, 194, 206, 221, 2?7. 252. 2W, 2n. 284, 317, 833. 
339,341,352,358,357,368,370, 373,814,388,397,404. 

410. 412 

^W llwli ■••• ■••• •••• •• ■■•■ •••■ •••«•• •■ ••••■•••• •■• a44s ZIO 

Paris, 5, 38. 81, 148, 180, 202, 221, 224, 226, 331. 852. 3M, 

872, 373, 406, 408 

••"til" •• ••>•••••••••■••• •■•• ••••••••■■••••• • *03f XDO« 0f3 

SchlcswiK-HoUtefai 08 

Btnttfrnrt 

* IdlnK. ..•...••■.. .«•..•••.•.••••.....••. 18S, ZtO. 

▼T CI Inn F. . ....•...«. ...... .... ■...•• .... .... .... •«•« 

vT icsumuod .... .•••...... .... .... .......... ISO, 281| 

Musical Festivals: at Cincinnati, 7, 25, SB, 
304; in Schleswif-Holstein, 66; at Woi^ 
cester, Msss., 116, 120, )I28; at Aix-la- 
Cliapelle, 262; at Antwerp, 815; aO 
Bristol, Enfrl., 841. (See also under 
BayreuUi and Wagner.) 

Musical Iktelliobkcx: [See also Corbbs- 

POMDENCICI : 

ll«lUinoiv 24.138,147,283 

Ciinibrldffe, Mass 160, 176, 302, 891. 388 

CW«»IP» 131,232 

Cincinnati 7,25,38,338 

PetmU 279 

u<*ri<ianiAwii, pa. ■•.■•••.••............. ........ ..389 

'*rccnwicn, h. a. ..•.....................■*. (.•..,« .131 

ijKwrcnco, juimv .................................... S9 

LtfcchflvUI, Conn 296 

Mew York, 108, 133, 198, 228, 243, 287, 312, 334 338, 347, 

849,380.381,363.380 302 
rhitmlelDliis 112, 136, 221, 288, 268, 296, 888, 392 

* **' ''""'■I SB©.. ... .... ......... .... ................ .S0B 

I*ouglikce|Mle, N. Y 100,400 

Rtilein, MsMi ssf 

8|irinirfleld, III I6O 

Toronto, C. W .... 24 

woHcsiey, MAM. .. ••.....•...•..*••,......., .207. 232 

Worcester. UaM 104. Ill, 118, 120. 232, 327, 386 

Musical Materialism, 46; Precocity, 76; Crit- 
icism: C. K. Salaman's paper on, 182, 



139: I>o., in AUanfit^ 204; Mcecenas in 
Kew York, 152; Works in Boston Pub- 
lic Ubrai7, 171; Artists and their Art 
{Jo§eph Betmetl), 104; Ilyper-CrUicism. 
200; Libraries (AtlanUe), 208; Juggler- 
ies {Londtm MluHcal Slandard)^ 258; 
** Musical Water-pest.'* The, from A. W. 
Ambros, 266, 273, 281 ; Form, Ouseler 
on ( IK. 8. J7. Md/Aews), 805; Pitch : Let- 
ter from Sims Reeves, 382 ; Terms, SUiin- 
ers*s Dictionary of^ 876; Pisno-playinff, 
(Matkewn^) 402 

Musical Professorship : at Cambridge, Engl., 
8; at Harvard University, 78, (M; I)oe- 
tors, how made, 60; Degrees {London 
Concordia) 108 

Musica Peripatetica 270 

Music iir Vol. XXXV: 

No. 2-21. MendcbMha*s "First Wslpurgls- 

Niplit.** 
No 22—28. Psrt-Songs by BchnmsBa sad 

naaptniann. 

Music nr Vol. XXXVI: 

No. 1-28. '* Consls," by N. W. Gsde. 

Music: Purs, tb. Wagnerism (G. L, Otigood,) 
4; Listening to, asOl; of the Past, (Ser- 
mon by Rer. Mr. Foote in King's Chsp- 
el), 18; its Pictorial Power (Jfac/arrra), 
57; at Oxford and Csmbridge, 60; ss a 
Social Bore, 250; In Belgium {E, G.), 
268, 815; as Commerce {Pall Mall GaxX 
124; for the Blind, 148, 211,848; for the 
People ( JE*. Thayer), 876 ; among the low- 
er classes of Saxony and Prussia. 285; 
Gregorian, 250; The Art safe {London 
TlmtM,) 808; a Plethora of, in Boston, 
842: Modem Tendencies of (Haiiptmann, 
Unier, et al.), 401 ; Past and Present, in 
our cities. {N. F. TYmes), 878, 40./; 
Abuse of (U. C. Zima} 400 



Neate, Charles, the oldest living Musicisn 

(C.JT. Salaman) 122,180 

Nibelungen The: Legend of, 250, and Wag* 
ner*s Trilo^. . . .256, 286, 202, 204, 206, 208, 
802, 806, 800, 810, 812, 820, 822, 824, 826, 

828,887 
NUsson (Mme. RouEsnd), Christine : her vis- 
it to her Birthplsce, 852 ; what Hanslick 
says of her in Vientia 888 

Old Dance Forms : Ernst Pauer's lecture on 
Bach's pisno music 210 

Oldest Living Musician, The 122, 180 

Offenbach, in New York, 248; his " Fantaa- 
io,** ''Corsaire Noir,*' etc., described by 
Ambros, 266, 273; his Book on Music in 
America 276, 802 

Opera Abroad: in London, 8, 10, 28, 84, 80, 
87, 08, 107, 188, 205, 221, 287, 260, 277, 
284, 817, 883, 880, 857, 206; in Beriin, 64, 
871, 212, 218 : In Italy, 884; Vienna, 180, 
888; in Rome, 64; in Paris {Hanelick), 
81 : Do .146, 224, 227, 872, 408 

Opera: in Boston; (Tle^ens), 100,200; (Psl- 
mieri, Phillipps, etc.), 228, 281 (Kel- 
logg), 407, 410 ; ( Mendelssohn's * Son and 
Stranger,'*) 280; in New York, 8, 103, 
127, 848, 818, 881, 802; in Chicago, 850; 
in BalUmors, 186 ; in Philadelphia, 112. 

268, 417, 886 

Opera: Mr. Dannrenther's Tiews, 53; from 
the Back (ilreadfaa). 288: English: 
What is It t 880; Decent and Indecent, 
a%; tlie Rise of, 877, 886, 805 

Opera House : New National in London, 107 ; 
M. Strakosch's scheme lor New York. . .888 

Operatic Companies. BoMon Herald, 2; 
Pliiloaopher, the {Dr. GauntUtt) 50 

Oratorio : Recent Attempts at, in France. ... 81 

Oigan Music in Boston, 270; in New York, 
48, 110, 24A ; In Chicago. .40, 181, 280. 844, 406 

OiY^ns: in the Catholic Cathedral, Boston, 
102 : at Trinity Church, Boston 881 

Orchestral Pitch and Tune. Concordia 65 

Orchestras: Importance of a local one in 
Boston, 818, 802; in Theatres, 826; in 
Church Music 858. 861 

Orpheon.The, in Paris: a "Seance Solen- 
nelle," (J.S. D. 1660) 17 

Ortk, John« pianist 231 



Palne, John K: Musical Professor at Har- 
vard, 78; his first Symphony, 178, 175, 
181, 101, 280, 280; Overture to '* As you 
like It," 850, 




Patay. Vme. Zend. 8aJL Programme 84 

PMibody ConseiTfttorTt The, in Baltimore. . .858 
Pedal, The: an old master (Wieck) on ita 

mid 12 

Perkins Institution for the Blind : Director's 

Report on Musio 148,811,848 

. Peripaietio Chaiaoter • of onr Oveheatraa, 

Chibs,eto 870 

PhOlippa, Misses Adelaide and Hathilde, in 

Opera 223, 281 

Phillips, Henrj : Ohitnary. Athmiomm .854 

Pianists as AdVertisIng Aitents 880 

Piano-Forte, the: ita Origin (G, A. Sate), 

188: a "Beformed Key-hoard "for 141 

Piano. Tractice : To Parents and^'Onardians, 

H. C. Lima, 82; Use of Slow, Mathew^ 

881, 408 
Pletorial Power of Mnsio, The. O. A. Jfoe- 

farren 57 

Pitch, Mnsioal. Sims RMves 882 

Plethora of Music, in Boston, 842 

Poxtrt: 

A Monday Hlataffl Drssm ; A FantMla. AmeA . .MS 
An In«iftA{itti<m. Writtea for tbe AnBiud DliuMr 
of the Harvard llasleal AModadon. CP. 

A Bi^pliie'Ode*: Tbo JlnMrleaa Haro» irii 47 

AaKVSt. Sonnet la the Afanlfe, Jr.M, S78 

Berlioa, Llext, Wafner. F^mnw Baymtcmd MfifUr. . 160 
OrntennUI Hynn. Phtlad. Kay 10. ISIS. /. &. 

mmur^ 

Centennial Meditation of ColamMa. Sidnty L^ 

Ww^r «... •••.• •• ........ .... .....■•.. .... .... .... .• 

1 OTinne Goim^mIo. jr. W. JuUm .... •••..•.••.....• «w7 

Lohcnirrin In London, lt75 TS 

liOTO** Reward. F. W. Bem-dinam SO 

Michel An^elo Bnonarottl. O. P. Ormtch 1 

Mnateal Bonnets, from the German of 2>. JV. 

8lrau99 i 104 

National Centennial Ode, Jnly 4, 1810. Bm^ard 

Onebj OiM'(aii|npMted by' an Inddeint In Hajdn*a 

lire^ ^^ 

OrienUl Lyrks. ZWnny Jfayiie n J BUUr 106 

Oar Dead: BarrardCliiaeof *» 181 

Paleatrina. Aimif JKaymeiMl BUIw 108 

SanBnei O. Bovre. Memorial, feb. S, 1070* C T, 

■bM^A* .•»»..»»•»••.»••..•...».....•.••••» ITT 

■< Sweet ia'the'pieaeare." J,a.D 10 

The Daneinit Bear. J,M.LtmM 00 

The Hero (Dr. 8. G. HoweO. J- O, WhUtUr, la 

The MetaaBorphoeto of Plants, ftmn Goethe. 

J,8.D 108 

ne Minatrrl*e Cnree, from Uhland. O. T. Mrooka, Ml 

The'Mnsloal Stadent. Und.Miu.WoHd S8T 

The Pines and the Sea. O.P.Ormneh ISO 

The Sooree of Yerpe. O.T.Srook* 145 

TheSympheny. Stdmtf ItmUr 41 

To a tiilae* r.W.Parmiu 

T» the Tone»Azt. From C. T, D. Schnbart, by 

jr.M.DoU. ^... 

PohLC. F. HisIifoofHaydn 889, 

Potscbun: its Chimes 72 

Pratt, Silas O., as a Composer 40 

Praood^ in Musio 76 

Bamean, Jean Philippe: Festiyal Ui his hon- 
or at Dijon, 801 : his Operas 878 

BaS; Joaehim : his life, 188; " Im Walde " 
Symphony, 10: his Piano Concerto in C* 
minor, 128; <' Alpen-Sinfonie," 180; 
"•Hnnffarian Snite," 205; *'Lenore'^ 
Symphony, 401 ; Symphony in C, Ko. 2. .415 

Bein^lc^ Carl. ......: 168,180 

Bhetoherser, Joseph 171 

Bieta, Jolius: His Orertnre ** Hero and Ler 

ander," 415 

Bimbault, Dr. B. F. Ohitnary .912 

<<Bittffinff*'intheEars 888 

Bitten r« L.» ^B History of Hnsie 208,416 



BiT4, Miss Jnlia, the Pianist, t5, 24, 140, 101, 
216, 272, 804; her Style, Cfdetigo Mas* 
Se9iew 412 

Bosa, Carl : hia Bniclish <>pers Company, 107, 

Bossi^Lauro: hia Opera '^Bioxn" — 806 

Boae-Perkins, Mme. Marie. 89L Frogrammd.l^ 
Bnhinsteili, Anton, 168 ; his " Maecabeea." 
212; "Feramors.V 2)0; Bnbinstein in 
London, 252; his Conoerto in D minon 
258; Bnbinstein as Opera, Oratorio and 
Symphony Composer, Ambro9^ 280. 207; 
his «^Ocean'' Symphony, 280. 401 ; ''Par- 
adise Lost," 207; Quartet in O minor, 
850; what Hanptmann saya of him 401 



Saint-Sa^ns, Camille: his ''Dense Maoahre,'* 
182; Piano Concerto, Ko. 2. in O mfaior, 
188, 214, 406, 414; Concerto for Yicrfon- 
cello, 100; '^Phaeton," Poeme Symphon- 
ique, 100; Variations for two pianos on 
a theme by Beethoyen, 218, 851 ; Tran- 
scriptions from Sonatas, Cantatas, etc, 
of Bach for piano, 218 ; Trio in F, op. 18b 
214: "Le Deluge" 

"Sapphic Ode" of 1775, and Tune of "Bunk- 
er Hill,'* 47, 71 

ScholtE, Hermann 171 

Schopenhauer and Wacner .201 

Schubert. Frans: Kottebohm's Thematic 
Catalofpie of his worls, 1 ; B. D. Allen's 
Lecture on, 142; his Grand Duo, op. 140, 
arranged as Symphony by Joachim, 158; 
Symphony in C, 100; Oyerture to "Alfon- 
so and EstreUa." 857 

Schumann, Mme. Clara, in London 287, 410 

Schumann, Bobert : his "Faustf' musio, 114 » 
'"QenoTcya" at Leipzig, 145; his Piano 
Quartets, 182; Concert Allegro, op. 184, 
100; third Sonata, in F minor, 215; Can- 
tata "Tb9 Sinser's Curse," 268; " Co- 
loinie" Symphony, 808; "Orerture, 
Scheno and FlnaM," 888; his literary 
works 

Seller, Mme. Emma: her School of Vocal 
Art in PhihMlelphIa 

Sherwood, Mr. and Mrs. Wm. H. In Berlin, 
228; in Boston, iSee CohobstsI 818, 842, 850 

Singinff and SingingTeachers, from "Piano 
and Song," by filselE 10 

Slow Piano Practice. IT. 8, B. JfoMaos. . . .821 

Sonata Form, The: its History. W, A. Bar- 
rHi 68, 74 

Sonnd : How to create it Jfas. Trode Bss. .880 

Spontini, Wagner's Beminiscences of (coa- 
ehidedU 11 ; his " Yestale " in Bome 115 

Strausa, Johann: his "Indigo" and "Cami- 
▼al in Rome" desoribea by Ambroa 281 

SusHX "Whistling Song," The 168, 188 



Tambnrini, Antonio: Obitaaiy, 855; hia 

Funenu • 884 

Tendendea of Modem Music: Sentences 

firom Hanptmann. Hiller, etc 884, 401 

Testing Choir Hoys in Ve w York. 5im 840 

Thalbeig, Mile. 2uur4 20 

Thayer, A. W. NotsafW>m 05,400 

Theatre Francais, The, in Paria. H, JamM^Jr. 419 

Theatre Oroheatras, and Bands 

Thomaa, Theodore, and his Orchestra, (See 
CoHOEsn in Boston, also Musical Iir- 
TBLUOxgCB, etc) : his Summer Gacden 



Coneerts in New Tork,4(5, 64, 70;. Popu- 
lar do.. 827, Not to be disbanded .205 

Thursby, Miss Emma C.,. . . 167, 188. 100, 

848, 875, 416 

Three Opiniops: of Musical Progress in 
-America. Brainard?$ Jfvs. WorUL, 878; 
Do^ jr. T, nM$ 405 

Three Opera Debutantea. Xond. Cbaeerdla. . 20 

Tie^ens, Teresa, 00, 06; in New York, 108; 
in Boston, 110, 126 ; in Oratorio, 127, 
228: in Baltimore, 147; in Opera (Boa- 
ton), 100. 200; reappearance m London, 

287. 284, 881 

"Tiemolo," or "Yibrato," The. W. H. 
Cumminffs. 84 

TiMhaikowsky, P. His Qusdrtet in D, 277; 
" Bomeo and Jnliet," 851^ 

Timing: an Oroheatra, W. U. SUme^ 65; Pi- 
anoa, by the Blind 21 1 

Unemployed Managers, Singers, etc, In New 
York, atfoid* ...•.••••••••........... .880 

Upshot of Wagneriam, The. Dr. JT. flansliek.810 

Yaiesi, Mile. Elena 20 

Yassar College Concerts 400 

Yerdi: his Bequiem, 106; "Aida" in London.200 

Yiolinists, Fsmale 

Yocal Art: Mme. Seller's School in Fhila> 
delphla -, 

Wagnerian Flotsam and Jetsam, Load. Jfus. 

World 264 

Wagnerism, Ta. Pure Music, Q,L, 0890od,4; 

an Italian's Opinion 897 

Wagner. Bichard: his Theories (EdMwrg 
Bseieto), 178. 187; sad Schopenhauer, 
201 ; his reminiscences of Spontini, 11 ; 
anticipated by Mehul, 21 ; his " Lohen- 
mrin'' in London, 84; ''Art life and 
Theories" of, translated by E. L. Buri- 
ingame, 88; his " Pilgrimage to Beetho- 
yen." 48, 40 ; his Method {Dr. OauaOstt), 
45, 50 ; FsstlTal and Nlbelungen Trilon^ 
at Bayrenth, 71, 101, 250, 257, 286, M, 
204, too, 298, 802, 806, 800, 810, 818, 820, 
82f . 824, 824, 820, 887, 897: hia "Tristan 
and laolde," 98, 218: " flying Dutch- 
man." 888, 881, 410; hb Faroe, ^ik Capit- 
ulation," 200 ; Centennial Msioh, ttl» 
246 ; An Italian's Opinion, 897; Where 
he has failed {AremMtm), 204; Compared 
by F. HiUer to Napoleon IIL, 210 : at the 
N. York Philharmonic, 847; in the 
Thomaa Concerta, 880, 898; his Letter 
on 01n<dc's Oferture to "Iphigenia," 
885. 808; Hanptmann on hia "Biensi" 
and "Tannhanser," 401; hia Oose Cor* 

poration Opera Flan 408 

Warren, Saml P. His Organ Concerta in 

New York 245 

Wartel, Maitre, and his American pmllB. ... 88 
Weber, C. M. Ton: Characterised by F. Wo- 

5sr... 121,1 

White, Joseph, riolinist 224 

Wleek, Friedrich: on the Use and Abuse of 
the Pedal, 12; on Singing and Singing 
Teachera, 10 ; hia " Flano and Song " 

translated 

Wlllcox, J. H.. Mua. Doc. Obitaaiy notice. . 68 

Wolf sohn, Carl, in Chicago 245 

Woman as a Muaidan, from an'" Art>Hia- 
torical Study" by F. jr. Bitter 864 



i«*- 



i ^ ■ 



11 




toiglfs 




uxul 





Whole No. 887. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, APRIL 17, 1875. 



VoL-XXXY. No.l. 



Kohel Angelo Baonarotti 

[Born March 6tr, 1475.*] 

BT 0. p. CRANCa. 

This \b r rn^jr^d face 
or him who won « plnce 

Above all 1;in^ and lordn ; 
Whose Tanoos nkill and power 
Left Italy a dower 
Kg numbers can compute, n« tongue translate in 
words. 

Patient to train and school 
His genius to the rule 

Art's sternest laws required. 
Yet, by no custom chained. 
His darins^ hand disdained 
The academic forms by tamer souls admired. 

In his interior light 

Awolce those shapes of might. 

Once Icnown, that never die ; 
Forms of Titanic birth, 
The elder brood ef earth. 
That fill the mind more grandly than they charm 
the eye. 

Yet, when the master chose. 
Ideal crraces rose 

Like flowers on gnarled boughs. 
For he was nursed and fed 
At Beautv*s fountain-head. 
And to the goddess pledged his earliest, warmest 

TOWS. 

Entranced in thoughts whose rast 
Imaginations passed 

Into his facile hand. 
By adverse fate unfoiled. 
Through long, long years he toiled — 
Undimmed the eyes that saw, unworn the brain that 
planned. 

A soul the Church's bars, 
The State's disastrous wars 

Kept closer to his youth. 
Though rough the winds and sharp. 
They could not bend or warp 
His soul's ideal forms of l)eauty ana of truth. 

Like some cathedral spire 
Thkt takes the earliest fire 

Of morn, he towered sublime 
O'er names and fames of mark. 
Whose lights to his were dari. 
Facing the east, he caught a glow l>eyond his time. 

Whether he drew or sung. 
Or wrought in stone, or hung 
The Pantheon in the air ; 
Whether he gave to Rome 
Her Sistine walls or dome. 
Or laid the ponderous beams, or lightly wound the 
stair; 

Whether he planned defense 
On Tuscan battlements. 

Fired with the patriot's seal, 
Where San Miniato's glow 
Smiled down upon the foe, 
Till Treason won the gates that mocked the Inva- 
der^s steel ; 

Whether in lonely nights. 
With poesy's delitrhts 

He cheered his solitude ; 
In sculptured sonnets wrought 
His firm and graceful thought. 
Like marble altars in some dark and mystic wood ; 

Still, proudly poised, he stepped 
The way his visions swept. 

And scorned the narrower view ; 
He touched with glory all 
That pope or cardinaf. 
With lower aims than his, allotted him to do. 

•Read at a celebration of Ancelo*s 400th birthday by 
tbe N. E. Women's Club, Boston, March 6tb, 1876. 



A heaven of larcrer zone — 
Not theirs, but his — w«« thrown 
O'er old and wonted themes ; 
The fires within his soul 
Glowed like an aureole 
Around the prophets old and sibyls of his dreams. 

Thus, self contained and bold. 
His glowing: thoughts he told 

On canvas 4»r on stone. 
He needed not to i^eek 
His themes from Jew or (rreek : 
His soul enlarged their forms, his style was all his 
own. 

Ennobled by his hand, 
Florence and Rome shall stand 

Stamped with the signet-ring 
He wore, where kings obeyed 
The laws the artints made. . 
Art was his world, and he was Art's anointed king. 

So stood this Angelo 
Four hundred years atro ; 

So grandly still he stands 
Mid lesser worlds of Art, 
Colossal and apart. 
Like Memnon breathing songs across the desert 
sands. '^IfuUpendenL 



A Schubert Catalogue.* 

{Fnmi Ou "Musical Times,") 

"Not unfrequcntly," says Carlyle, in the 
"Preliminary" of his Sartor Setartui, "the 
Germans have been blamed for an unprofitable 
diligence ; as if they struck into devious courses 
where nothing was to be had but the toil of a 
rough journey: as if, forsaking the gold mines 
of finance, and that political slaughter of fat 
oxen whereby a man himself grows fat, they 
were apt to run goose-hunting into regions of 
bilberries and crowberries, and be swallowed 
up at last into remote peat bogs. . . . Surely 
the plain rule is, let each considerate person 
have his own way and see what it will lead to. 
For not this man and that man, but all men 
make up mankind, and their united tasks the 
task of maiukind. How often have we seen 
some such adventurous, and perhaps much cen- 
sured wanderer light on some out-lying, 
neglected, yet vitally momentous province, the 
hiaden treasures of which he first discovered, 
and kept proclaiming till the general eye and 
effort were directed thither, and the conquest 
was completed ; thereby, in these his seemingly 
so aimless rambles, planting new standards, 
founding new habitaole colonies, in tbe im- 
measurable circumambient realms of Nothing- 
ness and Night." Thus (with a very moderate 
expenditure of capital letters) does the Sage of 
Chelsea vindicate Diogenes TeufelsdrSck, J. 
U. D., &c., his researches into the philosophy 
of clothes, and his six bags of "miscellaneous 

Eaper-masses. " Some such championship might 
ave appeared necessary when another German 
began to burrow for the details required to 
make up the first Thematic Catalogue of a great 
composer's works, and patiently to hunt down 
all the Protean forms which the ingenuity of 
arrangers and transcribers had caused those 
works to assume. Was the game worth the 
candle? Who would buy the book? To what 
use could it be put commensurable with the 
trouble involved i So might lookers-on have 
queried, not without a touch of scorn ; but the 
patient German worked on, and the result was 
that he founded a distinct and increasing class 
of musical literature, the value of which nobody 

* *' 7%emaH»ehe$ TenHeknitt der 4m Dmek ersekimem-' 
fn Werte von. Franm ScAubfrt.** Her}iusgef:eben vnn O. 
Nottebohm. Wicn: Fdedrieh Bchreiber (VonnalsC. A. 
Spina.} 



questions. Evory composer of eminence will 
soon have his Thematic Cntalosrue. Dr. Lud- 
wig von Kochel has achieved the good work 
for Mozart — how completely, some of us are 
thankful to know; an anonymous writer has 
attended to Schumann: Weber has been thor- 
oughly ** done " by F. W. Jahns; and painstak- 
ing Herr Nottebohm has looked after Beetho- 
ven. Nor is this all that Herr Nottebohm has 
accomplished in the snme line; the firm of 
Priedrich Schreiber, in Vienna, is now oflFerinar, 
as the latest result of his patience, a thoroughly 
good catalogue of Schuoert. Togeth»»r with 
every amateur who is interested in Schubert, 
we hail the new work with pleasure and con- 
gratulate Herr Nottebohm upon the mainer in 
which he has discharged a very difixalt task. 
The great essentials of such a book are accura- 
cy and completeness: and when it is remem- 
bered that these qualities have to appear in 
connection with hundreds of compositions 
(many scattered about in MS.), and thousands 
of editions, the high merit of success need not 
be demonstrated. With regard to the accuracy 
of the Catalogue, it is, of course, impossible to 
judge confidently as respects every detail, but 
we have tested the book in many ways, and it 
has passed the ordeal triumphantly. That 
there are no fiaws in its completeness would be 
too much to assert. Herr Nottebohm, for ex- 
ample, leaves unnoticed the few bars of melody 
which were all that Schubert wrote of the 
Scherzo in the eighth (B minor) symphony. 
But, generally speaking, thebopk may be styled 
an exhaustive one; in proof whereof take the 
particulars furnished about Dis Schone MuUerin, 
Besides the details usual to thematic catalogues, 
Herr N'^ttebohm gives us the result of his la- 
bors in tracing those famous songs through all 
their (German) editions and forms, nearly three 
closely-printed pages being devoted to the edi- 
tions alone. The arrangements fill five and 
a-half pages more, the character of the trans- 
cription being specified, and also the author, 
publisher, place of publication, and price. 
When a compiler shows industry such as this, 
we are disposed to trust him, snd accept his 
work. 

In arranging his materials, Herr Nottebohm 
did not attempt the impossible task of settling 
the order in which Schubert's works were 
written. Wherever the date of composition 
can be ascertained it is given, but the Optu 
number guides in making up the first section 
of the book. The compositions included in 
this section, which is devoted to those with an 
Opus number only, are 178, beginning with the 
"£rl King," and ending with six songs for 
voice and pianoforte. This opening and clos- 
ing must strike everybody who examines tbe 
list as significant. Turning over page after 
page, we find little save song after song; and 
even when a break first occurs, it is made by a 
set of waltzes (Op. 9). At Op. 15 we come 
upon the fantasia for pianoforte in C major, 
after which songs and waltzes begin again, till 
Op. 26 introduces the music to Jiosamunde, 
Presently chamber music makes its appearance, 
but the ratio of important works to compara- 
tive trifles is not greatly increased. How 
eloquent is this fact^ especially when looked at 
in connection with Herr Nottebohm's third 
section, which catalogues the compositions 
without Opv-8 number, published after the com- 
poser's death. Here we start with the ninth 
and eighth symphonies, going on with the 
quartets in D minor and major, the pianoforte 
sonata in A minor, and those in C minor, A 
and B flat. After these come four masses, the 
cantata, Laganti, and a host of works nearly 



■■ta 



riMB 



M*^i 



S^E 



i*M 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OP MUSIC. 



equal in imporfance. Tnily, Schubert's is a 
posthumou? fame. A writer of songs and 
waltzes in life: in death he appears among the 
grandest of tone poets. Pity him we must, for 
such a spirit as his, though he labored on re- 
gardless of present renown, could have done no 
other than long after that recognition which 
is, next to its own self-consciousness, the 
sweetest reward of genius. But the moral to 
be drawn from Herr Nottebohm*s Catalogue 
brings comfort after all. Tlie good cannot be 
repressed. That which has in it a spark of the 
divine fire will some day kindle the admiration 
of the world. 

The second section embraces the multitude 
of Lieder published by Dfabelli under the title: 
I ram SchtiherVa naehgeUtMene mimkaliehe Dieht- 
vngenfUr Oemng und Pianoforte-An all fifty 
sets. But to many who avail themselves of this 
welcome volun>e, one of its most interesting 
. divisions will be that which brings the whole 
of the master's compositions under the eye in 
orderly battalions. After reviewing page after 
page of orchestral, chamber, and concerted 
music of various kinds, we come finally upon 
the anny of songs and vocal pieces, only to look 
down their ranks with a sense of utter bewil- 
derment as we remember that the author of all 
these things died at thirty-one. The fecundity 
of Schubert was monstrous, and, in view of it, 
his early death seems the most natural of events. 
He, if ever man did, accomplished the work 
that was appointed him. For this let us be 
thankful, and not for this alone. The grati- 
tude of amateurs who love Schubert is due to 
the plodding, unwearied industry of the Ger- 
man M/tant from whom the book before us has 
come. Herr Nottebohm could never be charged 
with ** goose hunting," or with exploring "re- 
gions of bilberries and crowberries," but, to 
continue the words of Cariyle, he has lighted 
on an outlying and neglected province, the 
treasures of which are now common property. 
Schubert owes bim much on that account. 
We owe bim more. J. B. 



■♦♦•■ 



The T&Tut Legend in Opera. 

(From the Albany Stindaj Fwm.) 
BT PROF. JOHN KAUTZ. 

Of all exciting legends none is of such high 
importance or gives us a deeper insight into 
the internal workings of the soul than the 
legend of Faust. While others, in their 
fundamental ideas move within the pale of a 
distinct nationality, and thence representing 
the true reflection of the character of its people, 
the legend of Faust contains the eml>odimcnt 
of a universal and purely human idea. We 
therefore find it among most of the European 
nationalities, although more or less modified^ 
according to the peculiarities of every distinct 
people, yet in its fundamental idea unchanged. 

To the ancients the Faust idea was of course 
unknown, because they lacked the worldly 
views founded on Christianity. They were 
only acquainted with the immediate motive of 
the Faust legend : the conflict of Light with 
Darkness, Angels with Demons. Only in their 
heaven-towering Titans could we possibly 
find an embodied analogous idea, and there 
only in its crudest outlines. Through the 
doctrine of Christianity, which destroyed their 
belief in a blind ruling destiny, and elevated 
man to a higher and nobler existence, was 
every latent desire awakened to seek after that 
infinitude, which, because of the circumscribed 
and solely to the finite directed bodily and 
spiritual organization of man, must ever to him 
remain the nnattainable. 

The keen and undismayed striving after a 
universality of knowledge, the endeavoring 
of the human mind to unfathom the inmost 
depths of Nature, and the discontent w^ith 
that which is atta:nib*e~all this is peculiar to 
the Faust of every nation. It is thus he falls 
in confiict with himself: it originates in him a 
conflict with the good and bad principle; 
angels and demons follow him, and because 
his desires must ever remain unfulfilled, — 



being antagonistic to the immutable laws of 
Nature, — he seeks and implores superhuman 
agency to grant him that which it cannot. 
Fatist then appeals to another source, to the 
Demon, who willingly offers his services; he 
accepts his guidance. The good principle then, 
having in view the salvation of every soul, 
comes in direct antagonism with the bod 
principle. The ultimate victory remains with 
the good principle, as the Demon can never 
satisfy a great and noble nature. He may 
momentarily intoxicate a Faust i^hile leading 
him through all the labyrinths of error, but 
that which he offers him is but earthly goods 
and not that after which a Faust strives. Only 
through the humiliation of his pride, his meek 
submission to the fixed boundaries of knowl- 
edge, does he at last find redemption. The 
Angel conquers, and leads him to where his 
spirit, too great for earthly barriers, finds peace 
and contentment. 

This Faust idea was naturallv nurtured and 
developed by the Germanic race, in consequence 
of their refiective disposition, although it 
required a genius like Goethe to bring it to a 
consummation. If we examine the Faust 
legends of other races, especially those of the 
French and Spanish, we find in them the same 
human basis clothed in appropriate form, but 
neither race produced a Goethe to perfect it; 
although it did serve them as a subject of many 
important art-creations. Robert of Normandy, 
sumamed the Devil, and Don Juan of Seville, 
are the Fausts of France and Spain. In both 
characters is visible that vaulting ambition 
after human greatness, that stepping out of the 
circumscribed limits of man, ^-consequently 
that same confiict between the good principle 
and the bad. The Norman legend has its 
Robert born from a noble and pious woman and 
the incorporated ** parts of that power which 
ever creates the bad and ever the good.*' Here 
it at once becomes evident, that from Robertas 
birth, there already existed in his breast two 
souls, one endeavoring to subdue the other. 
These two souls find their incarnation in his 
surrounding persons, Alice and Bertram. But 
Robert is a French Norman, consequently his 
ideal is of another form than that of the German 
Faust. He finds it possible to satisfy his desire 
after infinitude in the ultimately attainable 
happiness of the finite. 

The character of Robert is likewise analogous 
to that of the accompanying Demon, therefore 
immensely different from that of Mephisto- 
pheles. Faust is a profound thinker, a man 
of unbounded knowledge, — his devil conse- 
quently must be scholastic, sophistical. 
Robert of Normandy is also a sort of knightly 
hero, a more sensual man, and affected some- 
what by the peculiar romanticism of the middle 
ages; his infernal companion accordingly, is 
but anotl>er of those shadowy formations, like 
the well-known Northern Phantom, without 
horns, hoofs or tail, yet withal an agreeable 
and good-natured fellow. For a Robert, a 
Bertram sufi^ced — a Mephistopheles he would 
not have understood. 

An analagous being to Robert the Devil we 
also find in Germany in the legend of Tann- 
hfiuscr. In him we find the same striving after 
infinitude that appears in Faust, though in a 
much lesser degree, yet his intellectual charac- 
ter is far above that of the French hero. Tann- 
bftuser, like Robert, seeks his delight in a 
gratification of the senses; angels and demons 
also stand near him, only the love through 
which he gets redeemed is a more ideal love 
than that of Robert's. Tannh£user again 
reflects correctly the spirit of his age, of the 
Trobadour. All he speaks, thinks and acts, 
finds expression in the poetry of that age and 
especially in that of Heinrich Von Ofterdingen^ 
from whom Richard Wagner borrowed many 
points and transferred them to his hero. Again 
it is a distinguishing characteristic of the Ger- 
man and French character, that the moral 
spirit of the people can reconcile itself even 
with a Faust or Ro1>ert, while the Spaniard 
permits his Faust, the Don Juan, to go to 



destruction. Their religious fanaticism and 
unbending persistency would not permit an 
ultimate reconciliation, after a misguided 
career. 

The idea of Ormuzd and Ahriman, of angels 
and demons, which form such prominent fea- 
tures in the legend of Faust, is also found in 
the legends of other nationalities — thus, 
instance, in the Bohemian legend of the Fr<)i- 
schutz made use of by Von Weber; but in 
other respects it has little or nothing identical 
with the Faust idea; Max is thoroughly pas- 
sive,— Agathe and Casper act for him, while 
we witness the confiict between heaven and 
hell about a man, who was at best but an im- 
becile. 

The Spanish legend of Don Juan, on account 
of its adaptability, has often been employed 
prior to Mozait^s time by both poets and musi- 
cians; and notably among the latter was the 
great Christopher Gluck himself, who wrote 
the music to the ballet of **Don Juan.*' But 
how incomplete the Faust idea is in the 
legend of Don Juan may be inferred by the 
positions occupied by the women who appear 
therein. From the hero they receive treat- 
ment which, to say the least, is regardless and 
almost brutal, while they seem to exist wholly as 
a testimony of his profligacy. Elvira and Zer- 
line also represent womanhood such as is found 
by the thousand, while in the Faust of Ger- 
many, womanhood is represented as the highest 
type of moral beauty, at the same time forming 
the most important poetic element, such as 
Goethe's portrayal of Mamerite. 

Don Juan, Robert the Devil, and Tannhfiu- 
ser, are the most prominent variations of the 
Faust idea that have attained any success in 
musical representation, and in truth are better 
adapted for artistic treatment than Fanst him- 
self, because they are less spiritualized. The 
positiveness, abstraction and deep refteetion of 
Faust contradicts the whole nature of music — 
therefore cannot receive the proper musical 
expression, while the more incomplete funda- 
mental idea can, because music speaks in an 
indefinite language. The Faust of the compo- 
ser Spohr is consequently not the Faust of 
Goethe; he is but another Don Juan, trans- 
planted to German soil, and like him even a 
lesser embodiment of the Faust idea than Rob- 
ert the Devil and Tannhftuser, — even he cannot 
find redemption. 

It may be said, that since Mozart's time none 
have attempted to express the Fanst idea musi- 
cally with any degree of success ; and it was 
Mozart's great genius alone that led him to 
ffrasp part of its spirit and convey it with tolera- 
ble perfection. As for the Faust of Gounod, it 
is, perhaps, unnecessary to mention that it is but 
an. abortive creation and a burlesque upon 
Goethe's sublime poem. 

> «•» « 

Operatic Campanie^ 

Opera coropanifis having foiled to make money 
for too past two seasons in this coootry, it was gen- 
erally supposed that the poor attendance opon these 
masica) performances was doe to the hard times 
with which we have been afBicted. Such a oondn- 
sioD, however, seems scarcely warrantable now 
that it is asserted that the present seaseo abroad 
has also terminated anfavorably for both singers 
and managers. Troops have oisbanded, and the 
lyric stage may well oe sidd to be in a bankrupt 
cendition. In Berlin the Imperial Opera is declared 
a bad speculation ; the director could not afford to 

E%y the regular prima donna salary, and Madame 
ncca, not believins that '* a half laaf is better than 
no bread," declined to appear, as did alae other 
members of the company. The Imperial Opera at 
Vienna has fared little better, the director having 
announced a deficit or 750.000 francs. At Cairo and 
St. Petersburg the Czar and Khedive respectively 
stand pnrse-bearers to the royal houses ef song, and 
consequently have been called upon to make up the 
deficiencies of the bad term. At other places on 
the coutineot the season has been disastreus, and 
the opera hoiues are reported closed. Only in 
Paris does opera appear to have thrived, and there 
the new opera house and the extreme musical pro- 
clivities of the people contribute to make it an ex- 
ceptional case. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, APRIL 17, 1876. 



Tliese facts we sip^nificant Bat to wbat do they 
point? Evidently somethiniB^ is wrons: with the 
opera or the public. Maretiek was not crushed 
financially last year without cause; neither did 
Strakesch Iosa heavily this season except for reasons 
tliat may be discovered. The trouble seems to bo 
In the csmensc of siii^rs to the mana(;ers and of 
their singing to the public. Strako8ch*s expendi- 
ture on a performance with his last troupe was from 
$2500 to 98600 a ni^ht It takes a f^ood house to 
offset these amounts, and good houses at $8 and $4 
a seat were an impossibility, oonsiderinff that money 
was scarce and the performances only fair. Mdlle. 
Albani demanded flOOO a ni^ht, and was obliged 
to cImc her engagement prematurely because she 
oould not " draw ** sufficiently to earn it Nilsson 
and Lucca before her had been accorded equally 
great sums, and she probably argued that by taking 
less she would CAmpremise her professional position. 
Singers, actors ana lecturers are apt to forget that 
their remuneration must be gauged, not by their 
estimate of themselves, but by the desire ^of the 
multitude to hoar and see them. Thus when the 
relations of managers and artists are of mutual ben- 
efit, they are In a healthful state ; when otherwise, 
«ne or the other is working for less than his or her 
rightful compensation, and a dlssolutiotx of partner- 
ship is then imminent But another party — the 
public — ^Is necessary to a proper mediation between 
these principals, and a successful result of this triple 
relation can only ensue when all the parties are 
working In harmony and each member finds the as- 
sociation advantagflious. No one party will submit 
to repeated loss, or to a disregard of its wishes for 
any length of time, so that the welfare of all con- 
cerned depends on a proper conuderation of each 
other, that the beneficial union may be maintained. 
In view of these facts, then, It seems necessary that 
under the existing operatic diffiultles some com- 

Sromlse should be effected. It Is unhesitatingly 
eclared abroad that concession belongs to the 
singer to whom hitherto everything has been sac- 
rificed — good support, new operas, managerial ben- 
efit and the good will of toe public. It Is only 
reasonable that now, their own course having 
proved destructive— at least to those upon whom 
they depend — thev should content themseWes with 
a more equitable dlTision of profits. If they have 
not the wisdom to do this, they ought certainly to be 
allowed to see whether they can IWe lonj^r without 
singing than the public can without hearing them ; 
for, delicious tlt-blts that they are. It is true also 
they are but luxuries after all — Bumday Htrald, 



-•-•- 



Oualiridge Uniyenity Xniioal 
PiofbMonldp. 

(Fnm " The Timss,** Jfareh 17.) 

The election of a Professor of Music, In the place 
of the late Sir Sterndale Bennett, has resulted In the 
almost unanimous choice of Mr. George Alexander 
Maefarren, the eminent composer. Since the decla- 
ration of the yacancy numerous candidates offered 
themselyes for the yacant Chair, but retired upon 
being informed of the influential support already 
promised to Mr. Maefarren by the residents. Dr. 
Wylde, the Gresham Professor of Music, remained 
in the field as a oandldato ; a London committee was 
formed to promote his election, and up to noon 

Jesterday a contest seemed inevitable. Eyentually 
^r. Wylde withdrew. As a poll had been announced, 
howeyer, the formality was carried out. The Vice- 
Chancellor and Proctors attended at the hour pre- 
ylously appointed, and at eight thlseyenlng declared 
the election to have fallen on Mr. Maefarren. By a 
recent Grace of the Senate, the new Professor will 
receive an annual stipend of £200 ; and, in addition 
to examining the exercises for musical degrees, will 
deliver a course of lectures on Music during each 
academical year. 

(JF^m the Ifueical World, March 20.) 

PALMAU qui tneruU /eroL The old " saw," 
which so many are disposed to regard as a satire 
upon actualities, is but a reflection of the logic of 
eyents. As a rule, he who deserves reward gains 
it The honor may be long in coming; may go 
astray «fi route, like a ml^elivered letter, may 
even be delayed till Death stops in, but, sooner or 
later, it comes. In this respect, the mill of Provi- 
dence grinds slowly, but grinds with exceeding 
fineness, leaving nothing to pass without the impress 
of divine justice. It Is needless to dwell upon this 
fact—one which wise men in all ages have recog- 
nised, but our reference to it comes appropriately 
in view of Mr. Macfarren's election as Mui^ical Pro- 
fessor in the University of Cambridge. Somewhat 



late in life, but not to Into for the probability of 
years of enjoyment sprinflringfroro faithful discharge 
of high duties, the most learned of English musicians 
finds himself in rank, as in acquirement, at the head 
of his profession. Tlian he who is at once Cam- 
bridge Professor and Principal of the Royal Acade- 
my of Music, tiiere can be no greater. Mr. 
Maefarren — apart from the Knighthood which he 
may possibly nave to share with a batch of provin- 
cial mayors, or the Sheriffs of London and Middle- 
sex — has reached the most exalted place open to an 
English musician, and the labors of his life have, In 
this respect, been " crowned.** Very likely no one 
Is surprised at his Cambridge success, or unready 
to deny the possibility of anybody outrunning him 
In the race. Mr. Maefarren needs no more splendid 
testimony to his worth than this general acquies- 
cence In his election ; but, at the same time, it Is 
yery easy to see how he might have been defeated. 
For some reason or other, which does no credit t6 
the wisdom of Alma Mater, the election of Professors 
at Cambridge is vested in a miscellaneous body 
called the Senate. The members of this, no doubt, 
learned and highly respectable corporation, are 
scattered all oyer the country — ^many of them as 
much severed from the University in thought and 
sympathy as they are by distance, and yery few of 
them able to discriminate. If they were disposed to 
try, among the claims of candidates to a special 
dignity such as the Chair of Music. These non- 
resident members are a majority, and a candidate 
favorably circumstanced in the matter of social 
Influence, or endowed with personal qualities such 
as make men favorites, has only to lay himself out 
to secure their yotes In order to acbleye success. 
The danger of this result Is oyer for the present, 
but the risk will have to be run whenever the 
election — abeit om«f»— is repeated ; and its existence 
should be taken into account by those who are de- 
sirous Uiat the best man should win. Of the gen- 
tlemen who came forward as Mr. Macfarren's rivals, 
only one, perhaps, Intended a serious struggle for 
the place. Dr. Wylde evidently meant business, 
and only withdrew at the last moment, when the 
Impossibility of success became obvious. We haye 
nothing to say against Dr. Wylde's candidature, now 
that the Issue aas been determined. A Gresham 
professor has surely the right to try and malte him- 
self a Cambridge professor ; nor can he be accused 
of over-yaultlng ambition. The remaining candi- 
dates may be divided Into two classes ; first, those 
who, like Mr. Barnby, desired chiefly to put them- 
selves en emdenee In the matter of a professorship. 
The post Is one to which a rising musician may 
aspire with perfect fitness, and no rising nusldan 
has a more unquestionable right to connect his name 
with the possibilities of the future in this respect 
than the conductor of the Albert Hall concerts. 
The second class Is made up of those crotchet- 
mongers and ambitious nobodies who are always 
coming to the front when there is an opportunity of 
catching the puolic eye. These characters are 
found everywhere, and not eyen the late Sir Peter 
Laurie could have put them down had he tried. 
Some of them are, or have been, representative men. 
There was a butcher at Tiverton, when Lord Pal- 
merston was member for that Deyonlan burgh, who 
always broke a lance with the statesman at election 
time, and was regularly tumbled In the mud, to the 
yast delight of &e natiyes. And there is still, we 
belieye, a Mr. Jones, for whom, at every choice of 
Lord Mayor and Sheriffs, the liyery of London In 
Common lEIall assembled, look as confidently as for 
east winds in May. Upon such people It Is Impos- 
sible to think seriously, and the best course Is to 
get as much fun out of them as possible. For this 
course some of the recent candidates gave abundant 
opportunity, and answered the end of making the 
world merrier, if not exactly wiser. But the lesson 
of the whole matter is one adapted to encourage. 
Virtually unopposed, the best man has gained the 
prize, and merit wears, as well as deseryos, the 
palm. 

With Mr. Maefarren In the Cambridge Chair of 
Music, we may confidently expect a good return of 
labor done. He Is not likely to l»e satisfied with a 
perfunctory discharge of imperatiye duty, but 
rather to accomplish more than his bond exacts. 
Henceforth, not only will there be musical lectures 
at the junior University, but, we may hope, a quick- 
ened musical life, which shall bring about a'higber 
regard for the art among those who are destined to 
exert vastinfiuence In soaping the public opinion of 
the country. Should results like these follow Mr. 
Macfarren's election, the anticipations of not a few 
will be realised : and, once more, Wisdom will be 
justified of her children. 



Baeh in Boho. 

{From the '* GnardUtn.'^ 

Considering how English In temperament was 
the great Bach, it is strange that English church 
musicians have been so long in learning to appreci- 
ate him. For generations he has been lookea upon 
as " dry," which his vocal music certainly is not, 
unless the embodiment of deep feeling in every 
phase be consistent with the epithet; and held up 
as a wonder of contrapuntal complication, when it 
would be nearer the truth to describe him as a 
master of perfectly Intelligible and enjoyable elabo- 
ration. Bach was not only yery English, but he 
was yery like an Enellsh organist His fingers 
clung to the keyboard while Impatient preachers 
chafed to begin their sermons; he had his differences 
with church officials, and disguised the chorale with 
extemporary yariations, so as to " put out " the con- 
grrgiuon. On the other hand, again, like church 
muMclans nearer home and nearer our own time, 
when he found a sphere In which he could Indulge 
his musical predilections, he threw himself heartily 
Into the work, and had no difficulty In co-operating 
with oongeni^ minds among the clergy. It was in 
his position as organist and director of music at St 
Thomas's, Leipz^, that this side of his character 
came out ^^^ ^^^^ h« not only produced his Immor- 
tal settings of the Passion, but composed nearly 400 
cantatas, or extended anthems, one for every Sunday 
and other festiyal for five successive years. In a 
recently published biography of the composer* we 
read: — 

" Previous to this the motets and cantatas were 
chosen without any regard to their coloring and 
connection with the other portion of the service ; 
but Bach made It his business to acquaint himself 
with the preacher's texts, and the whole bearing of 
the day's service, choosing the theme for his cantata 
accordingly. The most general form of these can- 
tatas was — first, a grand orchestral Introduction, 
alter which followed a fine and Impressive chorus, 
succeeded by recitatives, airs, or duets, the whole 
concluding with a choral, in which all joined. The 
orchestral accompaniments are remarkably fine, and 
quite Independent of the yoloe. Besides the organ, 
strings, flutes, hautboys, and trumpets are em- 
ployed.** 

It Is one of these cantatas or anthems which is 
now being rendered— perhaps in the manner Bach 
himself hi^ them rendered in St Thomas's, Leipzig ; 
certainly In a manner he would haye liked to hear 
them rendered«-on Sunday evenings during Lent 
at St Ann's Church, Soho. We haye had in former 
years to describe orchestral services at this church ; 
they have been of a more ambitious character hith- 
erto; but certainly not more satisfactory. The 
work chosen this Lent Is the cantaU " Gottes Zelt 
iste die Allerbeste Zelt" Eiglished by the Rev. J. 
Troutbeck, of Westminster Abbey, and published 
at Koyello's as " God's Time is the Best'^ As re- 
gards the sentiment of the words, this little work 
appears to have been intended as a New Year's Day, 
or Advent, lesson on the uncertainty of life : there 
Is nothing specislly Lenten in its character ; though 
the absence of any highly wrought passsges, and a 
general quiet and religious sadness, fall In well with 
the present Church season. In construction the 
cantata or anthem answers pretty closely to the 
description we have quoted above of the round of 
works which constituted the great German church 
organist's musical " Christian Year." A ''sonatina" 
of twenty bars, molto adagio, prefigures the tender 
solemnity which penrades the subsequent choral 
writing: the principal subject Is here assigned to 
the flute, an instrument which Bach used largely, 
and In more sust^ned obbligato fashion than is now 
the custom. In St Ann's, a building where musie 
is heard to perfection, the effect of this prelude was 
all that oould be Imagined as desiraole for the 
expression of it* spirit : we never before felt that 
flutes could be so entirely ecclesiastical 

Mr. Barnby has a full and well-drilled choir ; and 
they took the little, lucid, firm-built first chorus, 
*' God's own time is the best" ^^^ <^n air of quiet 
command over its rendering, which, while it satis- 
fied the musician, had the deyotlonal adyantage of 
preyenting any thought of anxiety in the listener as 
to the possibility of fikllure: the singers, In fact 
might have been forgotten In the quiet ease of the 
execution. A tenor solo, " O Lord, Incline us to 
consider that our days are numbered," was sung In 
that true eoeleslastlcal style which draws no atten- 
tion to the performer by Mr. Chas. Wade ; to hear 
whom must go far to disarm those who think that 

• *' Ths Great Tone Poets." By F. Orowast. (London : 
R. Bentiey and Son). 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OP MUSIC. 



all Bolo iinjnng in church is "dinplay." A* fine 
feature of this cantata is the next morenient, for all 
the bass voices, " Set in order thine honse. for thou 
shalt die." accompanied, in piquant contrast, by the 
flute, with quasi arpegr^o pasnafi^, staccato ; and 
an under movement of the strinj^, also staccato. 
The next little section of the work is an example of 
Bach's skill in the beautiful device of floating a treble 
solo upon a rocking sea of counterpoint in the l«w- 
er voice parts ; over these latter, singing the words, 
" It is the old decree, Man, thou art mortal," enters 
presently the voice efa treble chorister, in one of 
the master's most piously tenHer strains, " Yea come. 
Lord Jesus, come." the whole forming: a gem of re- 
ligious musical pathos. The same perfectly undem- 
onstrative, but by DO means unfeeling style, here 
characterized the rendering under Mr. Barnby's 
direction. 

Not the least grateful of the several effects in the 
anthem, is the occasional entrv of the organ alone, 
after the orchestral instruments have had possession ' 
of the ear. This occurs — to mention one of several 
places — at the solo, which in turn the alto voice 
takes. "Into Thy hands my spirit I commend." 
This beautiful number is most expressively sung by 
a lady. In the next movement, a bass solo, " Thou 
Shalt be with roe to-day in Paradise," the alto sec- 
tion of the choir enters, tffter a while, with snatches 
of a choral, overlying, in sustained minims and semi- 
breves, the more rapid passages of the bass, and, in 
the end, taking exclusive possession of the field, the 
solo ceasing. No doubt Bach intended, in starting 
this choral, in give a cue — the expression roust be 
pardoned as the only one available — ^to the congre- 
gation ; and it may well be imagined wh?it a grand 
effect might arise if the cengrogation could only 
take the cue. and, gradually gathering their voices 
together, assume the role designed for them. It is. 
perhaps, hardly necessary to say that no one of the 
congregation at St. Ann's takes up the part. 

A doxejlegical chorus of vigor and dignity con- 
eludes the cantata, the performance of which 
throughout was as near perfection as could well be 
imagined. No church, and no choir, perhaps, could 
be better fitted for a rt;vival ^f the historical scenes 
of musical worship for which the work was orijirinal- 
ly written. As one has often wished, at a Handel 
festival, that Ilandel conld live again to hear his 
massive choruses rendered by hosts of choristers 
such as he must have dreamed of when he scared 
them, so one could but foolishly long for the impos- 
sible possibility of the dear old Leipsic organist — 
who was so much more than an organist — being a 
hearer of one of his own church cantatas, performed 
in quiet perfection, as this is. with flnteH and violg, 
and by white-iobed choristers, as an edifying adjunct 
to Worship. 

The choir numbers sixty-one voices ; the instru- 
ments employed are two flutes, two first violins, two 
second violins, two violas, two violoncellos, two 
double basses, and the organ. Mr. J. Coward, jnn., 
is organist, and employs his instrument with rare 
and commendable abstinence. The church last Sun- 
day was crowded to such an extent that standing 
room was hardly to be found. J. C. 



in]t« not to enter the sensuous pofson of roorlem exainrer. 
atton. threatening to sap the very life of genuine musical 
sense. 



Pure Knsio va Wagneriim. 

In the 7Vansm|>^ of April 9th, appears the follow, 
ing letter by Mr. George L. Osgood, in answer to 
certain critics of the Wagnerite persuasion, who 
have found matter of offence in one of his " Histori- 
cal Notes." We copy it without the sensational 
heading which the TranMcript gives it, and for which 
we presume the writer is not responsible. 

7b the Editor of the Trafucnpi : A paragraph 
of the historical notes on the programme of the 
third historical concert on Friday last has evoked 
from certain well-known musical critics expressions 
which the writer feels called upon to meet. The 
paragraph in question is as follows : 

Here we see, then how vital wns the Infloenoe of Bach 
snd Hsindel upon the whole after periocl of the art of mu- 
sic. Neither of these masters Influenced very essentially 
his own age; but the coraponltions of later masters aseeit 
vigorously the presence of their genial spirit, and the 
boundless grandeur of their genius. In the province of 
pianoforte and vocal chamber music [of which these pro- 
grammes treat] is the influence of the great Sebastian 
Bach especially paramount. Through his son Emanuel, 
to Haydn, to Moxart, *i> Beethoven, and so to Schubert 
to Chopin, and M endeisaohn, Schumann and Rob. Franz 
runs the line tbrouifh which the olectrie eorrent of ibis 
wonderful genius brines the past and present toeether 
Iiiilv«d, from Bach to Kob. Fmnz seems but a st«p. The 
iiah^t* of the Voilcslled and the polyphony of Bach com- 
bine to mike Rob. Franx. In this Renlal atmosphere of 
musical parity the noiay din of modem effeet-ronsic can- 
not breathe. In this sanetam of true s«iiJs, the Muse per- 



One writer in particnlar tolls as : "The parairraph 
evidently meant more than the words said, being a 
sweeping assertion with such manifestly large incln- 
siveness, as seemed entirely out of ipood taste, and 
betokened a wiffid ignorance of the beauties of what 
was termed " modern effect-music." The iUlics are 
our own. 

Whether the paragraph in question was in good 
taste is left to the decision of others ; but such a 
public accusation of" wilful ignorance " touches our 
character as a musician, to which we are compelled 
to reply. 

That Richard Wagn«r was meant in the quotation 
given must be obvious to all who follow with inter- 
est the unmusical tendency of most modern compo- 
sitions. We do not exclude from our programme 
Brahms and Raff, as one writar would imply, thus 
anticipating onr fourth programme. But we do 
draw a sharp line between the Wasmer musico- 
draroatic works and the pure music of Bach, Handel, 
Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven. Wherein does the 
great distinction lie ? On the one hand is the ideal- 
izin? of reality. 

Personality in its purest form proceeds first from 
exMrience. from things and facts. Its development, 
at first, therefore, is in a realistic sense. But from 
this soil springs up and blossoms an ideal life. Thus 
Beethoven, in whom culminates a whole series of 
great Ulents, demonstrates what direction idealism 
in art takes, when left to a development wholly 
unrestrained by personal feeling and hopes; or sel- 
fish bitterness asrainst a large portion of mankind. 
In Beethoven, whom we select as a spiritual arUype. 
IS the individual nature of such an exalted kind that 
we feel in the productions of his genius, not a spec- 
ial, one-sided, selfish expression, but the pulse of a 
noble humanity. •• Only he, who like Beethoven, 
bore within himself a whole world, could express a 
world's emotions." The continuity of thematic and 
contrapuntal development; the principle that a 
genuine musical motive is a germ which unfolds 
Itself according to certain innate and vital laws of 
musical growth, are axioms npon which r»«t« the 
whole superstructure of music as an art. Let us 
see, then, if the Wagner compositions are teat pro<»f. 
From a review, hv the present writer, of a Waw! 
ner pamphlet on "Judaism in Music." fSee Dwighfn 
Journal of Mu»ir, May 22. 1869.] we will make a few 
quoUtions: First, to show the tendency of the 
Wagnerian spirit; second, to prove more eondu- 
eively the tennbility of the i»round we have assumed. 
We pass over the first portion of the review, where 
Wagner, in bitterly relentless and vindictive terms, 
is seen working himself and the reader up to a great 
pitch of excitement by ennmerating all the bad 
points in Jewish history, raising int^ broad day- 
liKlit all their disagreeable and repulsive qualities ; 
telling us the Jew is worse than a brute ; that he 
never had art, nor poetry, feeling nor taste, even 
ftirfirettinfir that great " Kinif of the Jews." from 
whom emanates the whole poetry of the Christian 
religion. Not one gixnl trait, not a single redoem- 
ing feature of the Jew and his relations to hnmnnity 
and to art, is to be found in the whole pamphlet of 
fifty pages. But having carefully prepared the way 
by insidiously prejudicing the mind of the read- 
er, he suddenly and most ungenerously exclaims, 
" There are no noble germs in them." 

Having demolished all their pretensions to emo 
tion, poetic feeling and art in general, Wagner now 
comes to the main point " The Jew has done noth- 
ing and can do nothing but imitate. Even this im- 
itation is at the most superficial. His whole life is 
superficial ; hence his compositions are heterogene- 
ous, cold, indifferent, unnatural, distorted, so that 
they often give us the same impression as the red- 
Ution of a poem of Goethe in the Jewish jargon. 
Just as in this jargon the words and construction go 
tumbling over each other in amazing confusion, fust 
so does the Jewish com^K>ser tumble together all' the 
different forms and styles of all roasters' and periods. 
We find the peculiarities of form of all the schools 
heaped up in the liveliest chaos." 

Let ns Uke these very words of Wagner and ap- 
ply them to his own compositions. With what re- 
sult ? The characteristics of these same ones whom 
ho relentlessly decries, Wagner has made Me men, 
ami to such an extent that they are tedious man- 
neri^s. Just as in the Meyerbeer melodies the 
oft-occurring modem aeeiacahtra not only over an 
interval of the major and minor second, but over 
any interval at the option of the composer; just as 
this peculiarity and its variation? are characteris- 
tics which we recognize as belonging to Meyerbeer, 



just so has the dnppia aeeiarainra, or the full modem 
ffn*ppefto, taken snch insidious possession of the 
Wagrner themes that, whether in his earlier " Rien- 
zi " and "FIvinsr I>utrhman," or in his later "Tann- 
h«user." '• Lohenirrin," and " Tristan and Isolde." 
or in the " Meistersingt^r," there is tlie same senti- 
mental, tedious mannerism, robbing his heroes and 
heroines alike of all individual character. 

We refer t> the followinur examples, among many 
others, in verification of this assertion : In the theme 
of the mixed chorus. " Lohensri in," first act. third 
scene. In the introduction to the same opera, theme 
in the second act. second scone. Theme in the pro- 
cession after church, second act. where in the short 
space of six measures the gruppetto mannerism oc- 
curs three times. Theme of the dnet of Elsa and 
Ortmd. second act, second scene. The eongr of El- 
•a after the duel, first act. last scene. In the duel 
scene, where not the tp^uppetlo but the same tedious 
groupinir of four notes in constant repetition over 
chromatic progressions, which latter we shall find 
to he another sentimental manneri<<m. We refer 
furtKer to the principal theme of the introduction 
and overture to " Kienzi," principal theme of RIenci 
in his song to the conspirators, theme of the proces- 
sion in act 4 ; al^o, of the dnet in act 6 : also of the 
prayer in act 5. Theme of the "Tannhanser" 
march. Theme of Elizabeth, in " TannhaQser." act 
2, scene 2. Theme of duet between Elizabeth and 
Tannhauwr. act 2. Theme of a sons: of Wolfram's 
in the Samrerkriee, same opera. Wolfram's " Song 
to the Evening SUr," act 8. Theme of the postlude 
of Elizabeth's prayer, act 8, and others. JlieM »re 
from well-known portions. Another peculiar and 
noticeable feature of these themes is the fact that 
the <mipprttf> cannot be left ont of them without de- 
stroying their very essence. 

This sentimental fyruppetto, which is bnt an em- 
bellishment in previous masters. b>ecomee an indis- 
pensable factor of verv many of the most prominent 
melodic themes of Wagner. Whichever hero or 
heroine Wagner may introduce to ns. wo see the 
same sentimental face, wherein conventionality in 
place of deep feeling dwells. Shortened forms of 
this same manner'sm are n^ed as well. See theme 
of Wolfram's solo in the septet, act 1, of TannhaQ- 
ser. Theme of TannhsQser's prize song of Venna 
In the theme of the bridal procession in act 8 ; of 
Elsa in act 2, scene 2 ; of Ortrad, act 2. scene 4. 

"Just so does the Jewish composer tumble to- 
gether all the diflerent forms and styles of all mas- 
ters and periods," says Wagner in the qootatioo 
given above. 

Let ns turn again his own words npon him. What 
next mannerism' do we find ? Is it ttn imitation of 
the diatonic prosrression. so marked a featnre in the 
bass of Von Weber ? No, indeed. It is naoght else 
than the most flasrrant imitation of the c*iromatic 
progression of this verv Jew. Meyerbeer, the only 
diffiprence being that Meyerbeer uses it comparative- 
ly seldom, whereas Wagner infnses it into almost 
the whole of all his wi itin^a Wo refer to almost 
any paire of his operas. Perhaps many may recall 
the song of Venus in the second act of " Tannhiia- 
ser ; " the theme of the overtore to the same opera ; 
the introduction to " Lohen<rrin." as examples. 

Let ns qnote again from the review of the War- 
ner pamphlet; he says of Mendelssohn. "This 
person has shown us that a Jew can have the rich- 
est abundance of specific ronsical talent, can poesess 
the finest and most liberal edncation, as well m the 
finest sense of honor, without being able to move us, 
no, not even onee, with that deep heart and sool- 
etirring emotion which we expect of the art, and 
which we know it to be capable of; an emotion we 
have felt times without number, when a hero of our 
art, so to speak, has opened his month to Ulk to 
ns." 

And further on. " Where the feeMnjir ^"mI to com© 
from a deeper eonrce than mere sentimentality, 
Mendelssohn's musical productive power ceased. 
The dissolution and capricioosness of oar musfcal 
style, though perhaps not introd-jced by him, have 
vet been raised thronsrh Mendels!*f>hn'8 means to the 
highest point of unmeaning and empty porporjb." 
And again he tells us Mendelssohn, whose reputa- 
tion he »o envies, is the consnmmation of "coldness, 
indifference, triviality, absurdity." And yet again, 
" Meyerbeer's life has been wasted in catering to a 
pacing, bnt second-class public." 

But again do we find Wagner following him. Note 
in all the Wagner operas the reckoned ef^ of 
sharp contrast of extreme hiifh with extreme low 
pitch ; of the softest pianissimo vith the utmost 
fortissimo. Who does not see in the finale of the 
second act of " Taonhaiiser^ almost the reflection of 
the tremendous and sodden effect produced under 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, APRIL 17, 1875. 



similar drcnrnstnnces In the fifth act of Meyerbeer's 
** Huguenots,** where, too, the dist^int voices break 
out suddenly into the Lutheran choral ? Another 
mannerism, not orii;ina1 with Warner, is the use of 
the cliord of the ninth. It is a feature, which, oc- 
curring quite prominently in the Weber music, has 
become a tiresome habit with Waccner. As our 
article is already 1on$;er than we anticipated at the 
outset, we refer only to the first act of ** Tannhaiis- 
er" aa affordin«y examples enoM^^h of this feature. 

Startling:, indeed, is the indisputable fact that 
Wagner, who declares himself the open opponent of 
all musical trivialities, should be found moulding a 
style based upon a most artful use of them. Among 
these, is further, that backnied manner of Rossini, 
Bellini, Donisetti, Verdi, and sentimental song wri- 
ters, known as the suspension of the sixth before the 
following fifth, over the chord of the dominant 
seventh. Compare with the close of the introduc- 
tion to " Lohengrin;** with the r61e of King Henry, 
act 1, scene 1 ; his prayer in scene 8 ; EUa, act 1, 
scene 2 ; chorus in scene 8 ; Elsa again.— ditto ; 
Elsa, act 2, scene 2 ; Elsa and Lehengrin, act 8, 
scene 2 ; and very numerous others, in any of the 
operas, as the musical reader may easily discover. 
We see. then, in all this, a want of sincerity on the 

Sart of Wagner. Hear again, what ho says of that 
[everbeer who has furnished him so often with the 
means by which he produces many of his realistic 
effects: " Our theatres are filled mostly with that 
portion of our society whose sole reason for going 
18 enwii." 

The disease of ennui, however, cannot be cured 
by anv artistic enjoyment, for it cannot be design- 
edly dissipated, but only deceived, by another kind 
of ennvi. It is the preparing of such a deception 
as this that the noted opera composer has made his 
life mission in art It is needless to point out more 
definitely the means he made use of to reach this 
desired object of his life. Enough, that he under- 
stood completely how to deceive, as we see from the 
result he accomplished by imposing upon bis wea- 
ried audience the jargon we have already character- 
ized as modern, piouant expression of all that is 
trivial, and which already has been heard in all its 
natural absurdity. This " deceitful composer goes 
so far as to deceive himself; and this, perhaps, just 
as designedly as he deceives his wearied audience.** 
Wagner says this of another ; but who will deny 
that the aentiroental mannerisms which Wagner has 
appropriated from others, whom he would have us 
believe to bo worse than mere ciphers; what musi- 
cian can deny them to be purely realistic, and a 
conventional concession to tne excitable senses of 
those who form the majority of a theatre public ? 

In the quotation from our " Historical Notes.*' 
given at the beginning of this article, reference was 
made to the noisy din of modern effect-music. In 
addition to what we have already given in evidence 
of the purely realistic tendencies of Wagner, we call 
the attention of the musical reader to certain points 
in the instrumentation of Wagner, where he pro- 
duces eftect by sheer physical excitement of the 
nerves. Take the well-lcnown music of ** Tannhniis- 
er.** Is not the never-ending movement of that 
rapid violin figure with its ceaseless mechanical rep- 
etition enough to affect the nerves throu7h pure 
exhaustion ? Again, in the introduction of "Lohen- 
grin,** we are fairly wrought upon physically by 
that endless series of simple triads in the highest 
positions of the violins, alternating with the chords 
of the highest wind instruments. These are but 
single examples of Wagner's habit. 

Another and most fatal — fatal to the art of pure 
music — feature in Wagner*s orchestration, is the 
want of musical form. The form, such as it is in the 
Wagner instrumentation, is radically opposed to 
those indefinable axioms upon which is based pure 
music as an art. The attempt to paint in orchestral 
coloring every new turn of the words of the de- 
claiming singer, stifles in the bud the very germ of 
musical lire, viz: organic development of a theme; 
and we see here Wat^ner precipitating himself into 
the depths of sharply defined realism. We refer the 
reader to the score of the *' Mei^tersinger,** and 
again, to the first act of " Lohengrin.** Would there 
were space here to comment at length upon the 
libretti of Wagner, and their asthetical purport. A 
strong oonvictien of a tremendous, sensuous under 
current will take possession of him who reads them, 
not fur the words merely, but their suggestions. 

To the physical sense, both in word and in tone. 
Wagner speaks. This is the very ground-work of 
his creatioas. Nor do we like the manner of their 
presentation. We are told in the scores as well as 
in prf^amme notes — invalnable in their place sure- 
ly — to believe thus and so of the Wagner composi- 



tions, and woe to the nnbeliover I The overpower- 
ing conceit of the osroism of Wagner threatens to 
absorb in itself the independent opinion of every 
musician. Waarner's disciples would force us to say 
yes when we think and mean no. Let no one sup- 
pose us unmindful of the great talents of Wagner. 
Concerning the genuineness of them there is but 
one opinion. It is of their tendency that we now 
speak. 

It was our'lot to be reared in a household where 
Bach. Handel, Haydn, Moxart and Beethoven were 
looked upon as gods. From earliest childhood the 
•' Well-Tempered Clavichord** of Bach, and the 
sonatas of Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven instilled 
into our young mind a love for the untold beauties 
of that musical fairy-land where the imagination 
chases unrestrainedly the exquisite fancies which 
this language of the emotions suggeRtn, which never 
come to the reality of thought, but tell the heart of 
a noble expansion into some great beyond. In the 
present period of musical whirl the writer grate- 
fully returns to the principles taught in days long 
gone by, aa the only safe ground upon which to 
stand. 

Years of study do bnt strengthen a thousand fold 
the conviction that musical purity can be preserved 
t4> us only by following the maxims of these masters. 
In taking leave of them with whom in our histori- 
cal concerts we have in the past few months spent 
many delightful hours, the approach to the atmos- 
phere of modern effect-music was chilling. The 
passing tribute which we paid to these heroes of 
music was but the natural and uppermost feeling in 
our own nature, and a logical res^ult of the lessons 
we had always learned from their delightfully srenial 
teachings. Gcoeob L. Osgood. 

April 6. 



-»-# 



M. Jules Kassenet*! "Eve." 

[Ck>rretpoadenoe of the London Ha«Ical Standard.] 

Paris, March 23rd. 

' *' Eve : a Mystery, " M. Jnles Massenet^s latest 
prodnction, is a musical translation of a remark- 
able poem from the pen of M. Louis Qallet, 
who may fairly claim a large share of the 
applause which greeted the cantata on Thurs- 
day last at the Cirque d*Etd. Let me endeavor 
to ^ve you an outline of the story from which 
M. Massenet has drawn inspiration. In the 

?ioem M. Gallet has borrowed but sparingly 
rom the book of Genesis. His imagination 
clothes the simple, wonderful history of our 
first parents in a dress at once French, free and 
effective, but certainly fanciful. Th^ dramatiB 
peraoTUB of the Mystery are Adam, Eve, and the 
Narrator, and the conflicting spirits of good 
and evil, who, for the better carrying out of 
the author^s idea, are happily divided into Les 
Voix du Ciel, Les Voix de la Nature (fonning 
the Angelic element) ; IjCS Voix de la Nuit and 
les Eaprits d TAbime (the infernal element or 
Satan). These voices of heaven, nature, night, 
and spirits of the deep, are of course rendered 
by the chorus. 

The cantata opens with a subdued introduc- 
tion by the orchestra descriptive of the serenity 
of nature during the sleep of Adam. The mu- 
sic of the organ and strings rises and falls, 
swells for an instant and sinks again in a series 
of beautiful modulations, and the chorus sings 
(piano) — 

L*Homroe nommellle nous 1e« palmet; 

Des parfums montent dans les a1r«: 

Sous le^ splendenni dew grands deax oalmea 

TWiiaiUent la terre et he mere. 

DanH la solitude proml^re 

Oh 8*est endormi rHomme-rol 

S'^banche an Aire faf t de grIUse et de luml^re . • • 

Homtne, tu a*e«< plue eeul, lAve-M, iHe-toi. 

Where the italics appear, the voices change 
from piano to forte, and at the concluding 
^* L^ve-toi ** Adam awakes and finds that he has 
a companion. I have only one reproach to 
make M. Massenet concerning the whole of this 
very fine prologue, and that is, an occasional 
want of onginality, as in the line 

Dans la solitude premMre . . . 
which recalls memories of Gounod. Then fol- 
lows a long scene between Adam and Eve, who 
lose no time in forming themselves into a lim- 
ited mutual admiration society (if I may say so 
without failing in respect to the cliarminj^ stan- 
zas of M. Gallet.) Example: — 



(Adam.) Ton vluuce e«t brillant oomme la f ralehe anrore ; 
Te<4 yeux bicnx •»onC pnreflH k Tazur de la mor. 
(Eve.) C e^t d'nn reflet du olel que ton front f e colore. 
Je vols dans tea regardv fuire on vivant telair. 

Here the composer has written a duo which, 
with one exception, is the loveliest thing in the 
Mystery. 

The exception is the number that succeeds it, 
after a short recitative by the Narrator. A con- 
fuse, low, blurred prelude by the strings 
(which include two harps), leads up to a purely 
exquisite chorus, sung by the voices of nature. 
It IS so fresh, so joyous and graceful, that I 
make no apology for again quoting from the 
libretto (to which we are indeoted for it) : — 

An premier soar! re de Eve 

II s*«l«re 
Conme nn long f remtnsement. 
Par lea moots et par le« plainea 

Des halelnes 
Bo parlent Joyeuscment. 



Bt des livres de la Femme 

Une flamme 
Bur tons les Strcs descend. 
La crtotion divine 

SMllamioe 
De son regard caressant. 

With this the first part of ** Eve »' closes. 

Part IL is devoted to the temptation of wo- 
man by Satan. In the voluptuous stillness of 
a summer night Eve is pensively wandering 
alone in the forest, while her husband sleeps. 
She is happy, and yet vaguely conscious of 
there being something, she knows not what, 
lacking in her happiness. Then comes to her 
the Serpent, not in the vulgar, literal shape, 
but in the far more dangerous and insidious, 
because formless, form of the voices of the 
night, and offers to reveal to her the secret of 
her being. Eve listens, and the Tempter bids 
her eat of the fruit of the tree of knowledge, 
that is to say, according to M. Gallet, passion. 

Venx-tn poiseder la pnisiance humaine? 
Femme, Pamour seul te la donnera. 

This quotation gives the key-note to the whole 
of the second part, which falls far below the 
standard of the first in every way. It is doubt- 
ful whether M. Massenet would care to dis- 
claim the impeachment of its being too dramat- 
ic, but such IS the case. The conception of it 
is that of an operatic writer, and every note 
might have been written rather for a sta^e 
Marguerite than for Eve. This is not surpris- 
ing; indeed, the matter for wonder is rather 
that the composer has been able to shake off 
the theatrical shackles so utterly in the first 
part, than that he should have failed to do so 
in the second (and third) — acts (?) 

The last part of the cantata treats of the 
Fall, and of the quickly following curse and 
banishment from Eden. The same qualities 
which mar the preceding portion of the work 
here re-appear yet more strongly. Despite the 
warning of the Narrator (who is a sort of 
guardian angel) Eve succumbs to the seductive 
voice of Satan, and in her turn communicates 
her newly acquired knowledge to Adam. He 
is not proof against its fascination, and under 
the sinister auspices of the powers of darkness 
man and woman learn to love (for the which 
sad blunder posterity has since suffered). Here 
another duo by Adam and Eve is characterized 
by much force and passion, and the introduc- 
tion of the harps has a pleasing effect. Of the 
epilogue, *'La Malediction," the less said the 
better. It is artistically worthless, and could 
be shortly described as pantomime music. The 
theme of the *'Dies irte" appears in it by fits 
and starts, accompanied by a din of drums, 
cymbals, and trumpets calculated to make the 
very meekest worm turn in disapproval. What 
I remember most clearly in the ^* malediction " 
is a terrific crash, as of a hundred cannons be- 
ing discharged, with which the final phrase of 
a chorus of the ^^Voix de la Nature** was 
emphasized by the orchestra. As an honest 
chronicler I must record that this noise seemed, 
however, quite to the taslte of the audience, 
which called loudly for M. Massenet, who, 
with a modesty very creditable to him, 'bowed 
his acknowledgments and retired. 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OP MUSIC. 



The soloists, M. Lfissalle, of thcoper»(Adam), 
Mdme. Brunet-Lafleur (Eve), and M. Prunet 
(Narrator), also came in for their share of ap- 
plause. Mdme. Brunet Lafleur has a sympa- 
thetic, well-trained voice, admirably suited to 
her rdle; but both she and M. Prunet found 
their powers rather overtaxed by the size of the 
hall. The chorus, under the direction of M. 
Lamoureux, left nothing to be desired; and 
the orchestra was well up to the mark, as 
usual. 

Example is contagious in music as in most 
things. There are more cantatas promised us 
shortly, conspicuous amongst them one by M. 
Baint-Baens, entitled ** Sampson," and a work 
of M. Gounod, ** Jesus on the Lake of Tiberi- 
as:*' both announced for performance at the 
Concert du Chatelet next Friday, together 
with the finale of Beethoven's ** Choral Sym- 
phony." The whole of the last-mentioned gi- 
gantic work was executed at the Conservatoire 
on Sunday. 

M. Pranck's oratorio "Redemption," given 
recently at the Salle Ventadour, is commented 
on favorably by the critics. Good Priday will 
be celebrated in the churches here by the per- 
formance of Haydn's ** Seven Words of Christ," 
at the Eglise St. Paul, and bv the execution of 
the unfailing **Stabat Mater" at St. Eustache. 
A version of the ** Sept Paroles de Christ" is 
also promised at the Madeleine . 

As to the **Fete d' Alexandre," in consequence 
of the success of **Eve," and of M. Gounod's 
*' Gallia," its production this season may be 
looked upon as problematical. 



gfoi g|fs laamal of M ^sk 

BOSTON, APRIL 17, 1875. 



Haydn's SeaMiit. 

The Handkl axd Hatdn Sociktt, tfter giving us 
a very pleasant taste of" Spring * in their last May 
Festival, are now ready to fhlfil the promise and, 
with the chamn of Haydn's music, lead us round the 
circle of the " Seasons.'* It may help to interest 
some, who are meaning to attend the concert of 
liVednesday evening, April 28, to add here a few 
words about the work, — not altogether new, nor 
could anything now be easily said. Still these hints 
may be a reminder of suroe of the g^ood things in a 
work long oat ef mind. 

The " Seasons " was the last work of Haydn, com- 
])08ed about the year 1798, when he was nearly sev- 
enty years old, and certainly displays a marvellons 
deg^e of vig^r and vivacity of fancy. In some re- 
spects it is more interesting than the " Creation," 
though many of its passages are only reproduced 
from that and sound, with all their elegance, but toe 
familiar. As a whole, it plainly suffers from its am- 
biguity of character, beinsr secular, pastoral, almost 
operatic in its real inspiration, prompted by the im- 
pnlse to paint the changing phases of Nature and the 
simple joys of country life, while at the same time 
striving to secure some of the dignity of Oratorio. 
It is in just these gpraver and would-be grander parts 
that it is weakest. The more elaborate contrapun- 
tal choruses certainly do not compare with " The 
Heavens are telling** and the ether grander mo- 
ments in the " Credtion.** But in the lighter and 
descriptive portions, which form nine-tenths of the 
work. We find it richer than the Oratorio. And 
what variety and contrast ! 

The Overture, portraying the passage from Win- 
ter to Spring, is a fine orchestral piece, answering 
its purpose well ; though less quickening to the 
fancy than Mendelssohn's treatment of the same sub- 
ject in the prelude to the *' Walpurgis Nij^ht.** 
The chorus: "Come, gentle Spring." is simply 
perfect, the very breath and soul of Spring is in 
those fresh, delicious harmonies. The homely bass 



<« 



<f 



«« 



air of Simon, describing the husbandman in the field, 
old as it sounds, recalls the character to the life ; 
all the more that its phrases are familiar, that the 
tune is almost the pame that Raesinl caught again 
from nature afterwards, at a quicker tempo, in his 
ZiUi, niii, and that the orchestra, so richly occupied 
(how friendlily the baasoon runs along by the side 
of the voice I), borrows a hacknied subject from the 
Surprise** Symphony. The Trio and Chorus: 
Be propitious,' the Duet of Jane and Lucas: 
Spring, her lovely charms unfolding,** the chorus 
of girls and youths, in short all of this Spring music 
is delicate and full of Spring; and the dosing cho- 
rus of thanksgiving is impressive in spite of what 
we have said above. 

In the " Summer," the salient point is the Thun- 
der Storm, so skilfully prepared with recitatives and 
lowering accompaniment, and worked up to a ter- 
rific climax with chorus and orchestra. The transi- 
tion to the softer chorus sfler the passing of the 
storm : " Welcome, gentle sleep I " seems too abrupt, 
and lacks the true sense of Beethoven. But the 
"Summer" has many very fine traits. The bass 
air about the shepherd driving out his flock, the 
glorious mounting of the Sun (trio and chorus) ; and 
especially the tenor Gavatina and recitative about 
the intense heat : " Distressful nsture fainting sinks." 
are, taken with the instrumental figures, singularly 
graphic. 

In the " Autumn " we have the most stirring of 
hunting choruses, followed by the still more rousing 
Wine chorus, with the imitation of the bagpipe ani 
the fiddle : is there not wonderful vivacity and pow- 
er here for an old man of seventy 1 But perhaps 
the original thing of all is the song and chorus of 
the "Spinning Wheel" in the "Winter;" the 
" "ll^eel moves gaily," but the mood is minor and the 
pensive mind broods on. The instrumental picture 
of the approach of Winter, and the tenor air de- 
scribing the traveller perplexed and lost amid the 
snow, are quite as characteristic as the music of the 
other seasons. 



HiitorieAl Concerts 

The second and third Concerts of Messrs. Osgood 
and Bosoovrrs, (Feb. 25 and April 2), were interest- 
ing and iBStruetive. Of course, limited as they are 
to the pianoforte alone, the specimens of instrumen- 
tal music (without the viol family, for instance, 
which played so important a part from Bach's and 
C!orelli*s time), ceuld only partially illustrate the 
stages of development. In the department of Songs 
it was easier to do; snd in that of choral music, 
with the aid of the well-trained small choir, signifi- 
cant examples, though necessarily few and far be- 
tween fbr want of much mere time, could be, and 
were presented. In the very nature of the case It 
would be unreasonable to expect much more than 
scattered, desultory hints, instead of full and satis- 
factory illustration, of the music of these centuries. 
Some ef the instances too, quite naturally, would 
seem more quaint and curious, than really signifi- 
cant. Still, with the help of Mr. Osgood's well 
considered " Historical Notes,'* to furnish the con- 
necling links, the chain of continuity was obvious. 

The second concert wss largely occupied with 
Songs, (some of which had been passed over in the 
preceding concert). A long and curious string of 
them, and some of them quite quaint and sweet in 
their simplicity, now playful and n%ive, now full of 
tender pathos! Such were the various German 
VoUaludtr, seven of them, from the ISth t« the 16th 
century, melodies which sprang up like wildflowers, 
no one knows how, nor ju^t precisely when ; bear- 
ing no author's names ; the music of a "rad sinceri- 
ty" snd joy alike sincere, a quality which grows 
more and more rare in modern song composing. 



Mr. Osgood seemed to catch the character and spirit 
of each little song, and roproduced it to a charm. 
The same may be said of the more artistic Italian 
songs by Carissimi, Salvator Rosa, and the elder 
Scariattl (1660-1700). 

These are more conventional in stvle, more forrosi 
and artistic, with perhaps less individualit}', and 
yet qnaint and graceful ; but the wild strawberry 
flavor has become tamer in the fl:arden fruit. 

Most interesting of all was the melody from a 
Olee by Ilassler (1601) : "A prvtty face has turned 
my head"; for the reason that the tune of the Cho- 
rale : " Herslich thnt niich verlangen," which occurs 
so often, harmonized so variously, in Bach's Passion 
Music, Is evidently borrowed from it; when the 
choir sang the Chorale, there was no mistaking it! 
and yet how diffiBrent the expression under Its new 
harmonic dress I 

Besides the Bsch Chorale, the work of the choir 
was limited to three short specimens: a five- part 
chorus: "Blessed are they'" by Helnrich SchQts 
(1686); a Miurere by Caldara (1720), and a RegvM 
Angdonan hy Durante (1740),— nil good, effective 
pieces of hsrmony, especially the second. They 
were beautifnily sung. 

Mr. Boscovits, who has the art of making these 
old things interesting, — even the more dry and for- 
mal of them, — ^by a certain piquancy of touch, and 
perhaps more light and shade than they have any 
pretention to in themselves, chose, for his first exam- 
ple, and by far the most important and the best, 
the not quite unfamiliar. " Chromatic Fantalsie and 
Fugue" by J. S. Bach ; then a Prelude and Fugue 
by Kimberger, one of the most genial as well as 
contrapuntally learned of Bach's immediate auccos- 
sors ; then a Chaconne, an Air, and a Hornpipe out 
of Handel's SvUti ; a so-called "Sonata" by the 
younger Scarlatti, very slight in respect of musical 
contents, but made to be very swiftly, deftly played, 
as an astonishing display of skill in the finger virt- 
uoso of that day. He ended the concert with a 
ConoaHo per U Cemhah, by Bach's son Philip Eman- 
uel (1714-1788); If we could remember our impres- 
sion we would try to give it I 

In the third programme we find ourselves In what 
may be called the Sonata period of piano music. 
The Sonata through Emanuel Bach and Haydn had 
become a developed form, reaching its highest ex- 
pression in Beethoven. Mr. Boscovits played first 
several smaller pieces, single movements, tending 
that way (a strong, if somewhat formal Prelude and 
Capriocio by that learned theorist, Marpurg, 1718- 
1795 ; a Bourie^ a bright and pretty play of fancy, 
by Krebs ; a Sludio by Grazioli, and a Fantasia by 
Turini). Then, jumping Haydn ; jumping Mozart 
SO fkr as the full Sonata was concerned, but playing 
en poMMnt his first>charming Rondo in C, and the 
Turkish March from one of his Sonatas, — the latter 
in the extravagant transcription by Tanaig, so that 
it was in fact no representation of Mozart, — he gave 
us the Sonata in Its glory d la Beethoven. It was 
the third Sonsta, Op. 10, In D, that with the sub- 
lime y slow movement (Zofyo) in D minor, which 
made a profound impression. There could be no 
Sonata after that (except from the same exhaustlesa 
source) ; and Mr. Boscovits went to the opposite 
extreme in his remaining illustration, that of a 
merely conventional and utteri}' empty Sonata by 
the French M6hul (1768-1817), who could write a 
good opera of " Jotmph and his Brethren," and, like 
all musicians of his time, could put some graceful 
finger exercises into a Sonata form for pupils, with- 
out much thought of contents {JnhaU), The selec- 
tion really served no purpose, unless it were to show 
that Sonata- writing was a matter of course with mu- 
sicians in that day ; but where it was creation, po- 
etry, with one or two, it was manufacture with the 
hundreds. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, APRIL 17, 1875. 



The Choral pieces were: one in five parts by 
H#ydn: *'Lo, my Shepherd's hand divine,** which 
did not strike ns as one of the choice gerM of Haydn*s 
art, as did the Mozart Avt verum, which is a 
moat satisfying and perfect piece of rich, pure, de- 
voat harmony. For the rest, the concert dosed 
with smaller part-songs: a beautiful and tranquil 
one by Kuhlan ("Over all the tree-tops is rest ") ; 
then a three-part Canon for male voices, which 
Beethoven composed when a pupil with Albrechts- 
berger, but which is hardly worth more as an illus- 
tration than the classical "Three blind mice;" 
probably a thin^ ho wrote down idly on the back of 
the bill of fare after dinner t — finally two rather or- 
dinary part-songs, one a Yolkslied : " Holy Night," 
the other, " German Consecration Song" by Meth- 
lessel. 

Mr. Osgood sang two of the less familiar and 
moat charming Canzonets of Haydn : *' Sympathy " 
and "Piercing eyes; " Beethoven's sweetly solemn, 
beautiful setting of Mignoo's "Knowst thou the 
land T " ; and three well contrasted soni^s by Schu- 
bert : the " Barcarolle," " Am Meer " (By the Sea). 
and " Frijhlingsglaube " (Spring faith.) It seemed 
to ns he never sang with truer feeling and with finer 
taste ; -and as he had Mr. Dbicsel for accompanist, 
all of these song^ had fiilleat justice done them. 

The fourth and last Historical Concert will be 
April SO. 

Kniioal Fegtival in Cinoinnati 

Encouraged by the success of their first experi- 
ment in 1878, the Cincinnati Committee have been 
very busily engaged in preparing and in heralding 
a second great Musical Festival, which, according to 
the "ofiicial " programme, filing a pamphlet of fifty 
pages, seems to be relied upon to outshine all that 
has been done there or elsewhere heretofore. It 
will occupy four days (May 11, 12, IS and 14). Its 
inspiration has come this time, as before, from 
Theodore Thomas, who is to direct the whole, and 
whom his loyal Committee, in their pamphlet, glo- 
rify M the man to whom we in this country owe all 
our "appreciation and love of what is purest and 
beat in music," even " what is known as dame mu- 
sic," (though not a few of ns remember at least 
fancying we loved it before he was born). 

Mr. Thomas has for adjutants, Mr. Otto Singer, 
master of the chorus, whioh is very large, and Mr. 
Dudley Buck as organist The principal vocal per- 
formers are Mrs. H. M. Smith, Miss Abbie Whinery, 
Miss Annie Louise Cary, Miss Emma Cranch, Mr. 
Wm. J. Winch, Mr. H. Alex. Bischoff, Mr. M. W. 
Whitney, and Frans Remmertz, — largely drawn 
ftrom Boston. There is also to be a chorus from the 
public schools. The orchestra, carefully enlarged, 
numbers 16 first violins, 16 second, 10 violas, 10 
'cellos, 9 double basses, S flutes, besides piccolo, 4 
oboes and English horn, 4 clarionets, 1 bass clari- 
onet, 4 bassoons. 4 horns, 12 cornets, (probnbly for 
the heralds in " Lohengrin"), 8 trombones, 2 tubas, 
drums, etc 

Hie soheme embraces four evening Concerts and 
three Matinees. Brahms heads the grand tone-pro- 
cession, on the opening night, with his " Triumphal 
Hymn," op. 66, for baritone solo, eight-part cliorus, 
organ and orchestra ; and the Seventh Symphony 
of Beethoven follows. Then an intermission of from 
half an hour to an hour, for promenade, etc., and the 
sooond part consists of the Prelude and selected 
soenea fh>m " Lohengrin." 

FirF.t Matindo. Wednesday. Second Overture to 
Zeofiore, Beethoven ; " In native Worth," from the 
CrtatUm, (W. J. Winch^ Aria from Mozart's Tito; 
" Parto ma tn ben mio," (Miss Cranch, with clarion- 
et obligate); Scherzo from Mendelssohn's " Refor- 
mation" Symphony : Aria from Meyerbeer's VEtoiU 
dn Nord, (Mrs. Smith); Hungarian Dances, Brahms. 
— ^Aft<)r Intermission.: Overture and Wolfram's Ro- 
mance from Tannklhutr; a n«w "Meditation" by 
Gounod, payed by all the violins, with Corno 



Anglais obligate; Air from Mignon, (Miss Cary); 
Trio from William TeU, sung by Messrs. Bischoff, 
Remmertz and Whitney ; Overture to 7elL 

Second Nighf, Oratorio Mijah, Mendelssohn 
The Solos by Mrs. Smith, Miss Whinery, Miss Cary 
Miss Cranch, Mr. Whitney (as the Prophet), Mr. 
Winch and Mr. Bischoff. 

Btcond MaiinU, with chorus of the school child- 
ren, who are to sing a Prayer by Glnok ; " Night 
shades no longer," by Rossini ; a Cantata In " Praise 
of Friendship" by Mozart, with solos by Mrs. 
Smith, Miss Whinery and Miss Cranch ; " Strike 
the Cymbal," by Pucitta ; and " My country, 'tis of 
thee." Mrs. Smith sings the "Spirit Song" by 
Haydn, and "Springtime" by Fesca; Miss Whinery, 
"Infelice" (Concert Aria), by Mendelssohn; Miss 
Cranch, " Vaga Donna" from the Eugum%oU ; Mr. 
Bischoff, Schubert's " Die Allmacht," and Aria from 
" Tell"; and Mr. Whitney, the Pedlar's Song from 
Mendelssohn's " Son and Stranger." The orchestra 
plays a Festival Overture, by Ed. Lawcn, " Huldi- 
gnng's Marsch,** by Wagner, and the " Devil's Darn- 
ing Needle," which is a Strauss waltz. 

Third Night, Thurtday, offers two great works : 
Bach's Magnificai in D, (first time in America), for 
solo voices, chorus, orchestra and organ ; and the 
Ninth Symphony. Who would not like to be there 
and hear ! 

Third MaHnU. Beethoven's Overture, op. 124, 
(" Consecration of the House"); Beethofen*s Arietta : 
" In quesU tomba," (Whitney> Mozart's " Dove 
Sono" (Miss Whinery); " Be thou faithful," from 8L 
Paul (Winch); "Che Far6," from Orfeo (Miss 
Cranch); Introduction to Sd act, Walther's Prize 
Song, and the Overture, to Wngnor'a MeitUr^ingtr, 
— Second part: Overture to Oberon, followed by 
Quartet from the same : "Over the darkblue waters'* 
(Miss Whinery, Miss Cranch, Messrs. Winch and 
Bischoff); "Pieti," from Ze Pn>pMU (Miss Cary); 
" Oh ruddier than the cherry," Handel, (Whitney); 
Liszt's Rhapsodic Hongroise. No. 2. for orchestra ; 
Quartet by Verdi (Mrs. Smith, Miss Cary, Messrs. 
Bischoff and Whitney). . 

The fourth evening Concert begins with Schu- 
bert's great Symphony, No. 9, in C, of the " heav- 
enly length", after which Wotan sings farewell to 
Brunhildc, and stirs up his m<igic wilj^l fire. After 
the Inttfrmission, the Festival concludes, as it began, 
with one of the prophets of the New School, name- 
ly Liszt, whose Symphonic Poem "Prometheus," 
with solo voices, chorus and orchestra, will be 
performed. 

Surely variety enough, and much that will be 
most interesting 1 The " classics" of the Future (if 
they live long enough, they may earn the title), have 
almost the lion's share ; but whether they tend to 
'' elevate the standard" in music, whether in excit- 
ing wonder and sensation, they at the same time 
serve the " Religion of Art," (as the programme 
book has it), lacks as yet the full test of experience. 
The term is not too strong a one for such love as one 
may feel for music of Beethoven, Bach, etc.; are 
there, perhaps, tufo Religions, wide apart as these 
and Wagner, and will they ever meet^ one going 
East, the other West T 

The pamphlet abounds in all needed information 
about the artists, the works to be performed, the 
hall and all the arrang«*ment9. and spares not the 
superlatives, with a pride quite natural to so formid- 
able an enterprise. The Festival will no doubt ex- 
cite attention far and wide, and will repay a pilgrim- 
age to our sister city of— not now the West — but 
Centre. 



"Paradise axd the Psri." The repetition of 
Schumann's beautiful Cantata, as announced to be 
sung by The Cecilia, with the Harvard Orchestra, 
in the Music Hall, had to be abandoned for the pres- 



ent season ; and for the simple reason that the mu- 
sic-loving public, probably from sheer satiety after 
so much musical excitement, seemed quite indifiSsr- 
ent to so rare an opportunity. To have given it 
again, at so unpropitlons a moment, would have en- 
tailed a serious loss. Strange, that crowds can still 
be drawn by the tom-foolery of " spelling matches " 
(were Wagner here, he might compose a spelling 
opera, — ^the MriMter-tpeUer), while a great musical 
work of genius lacks audience I 

But Cecilia had her revenge, In a more private 
social way, by inviting her friends to Horticultural 
Hall, on Wednesday evening, and there singing it 
with simply 'the pianoforte accompaniment. And 
the entertainment was really delightful. What 
was lost in some degree in the great spacea of the 
Mn^c Hall, was here appreciated more nearly at its 
full value. The remarkably fine voices which com- 
pose this chorus, were at least fairly heard for once, 
and the excellence of their singing was appreciated ; 
their sound was neither covered up by an overpow- 
ering orchestra, nor lost in space. The singers, 
too, had given il (hrther practice, and felt more at 
home in the music ; and it was sung much better 
than before. The chorus with Soprano solo at the 
end of the second pEK: " Sleep on," was as pure 
and perfect a piece of chorus singing as we ever 
heard ; equally fine was the solo in it by Miss Bbebx, 
(who sang the part of the Peri throughout with 
great sweetness of voice, purity of style, and true 
artistic feeling) ; and how rich the undercurrent of 
the bass voices as they came in with their suggest- 
ive independent motive 1 The series of choruses 
with solos which compose the grand exciting scene 
at the end of the first part, were given with great 
spirit ; and the light romantic choruses of the Genii 
of the Nile, the Houris, Ac., were exquisite. 

The solos, with the exception of Miss Beebe, were 
given as before, and all won merited applause. Miss 
Ita Welsh still growing into favor. The principal 
solo for the baritone : "And now o'er Syria's rosy 
plain," omitted before, was beautifully sung by Mr. 
WixcB ; if it produced no marked effect, it was be- 
cause the music is of a quality which (like many of 
the finest passages of .the work), requires a doser 
knowledge for the appreciation of its beauty. 
—Altogether, the performance was a remarkable 
success, and nobod3' will doubt now that The Cecil- 
la is one of our musical forces by all means worth 
preserving. It has shown what it can do ; we look 
for still better things from it another year. 

The only drawback in this repetition was, as we 
have said, the want of an orchestra. Mr. Lang's 
attention had to be divided between conducting and 
playing at the piano, in which latter task he was 
relieved from time to time by Mr. Tucker and Mr. 
Arthur Foots, a graduate of the last class at Har- 
vard. 

New York, April 12. At the fifth concert of the 
N. T. Philharmonic Society, on Saturday evening 
March 20, the following programme was g^ven: 

PART I. 

Bympbony No. 1, InT) Ifocart. 

1. Adagio ed Allegro. 2. Andante. 3. Finale 

— Pnwto. 

Concerto for tbe violin [new] Bamroflch. 

Dr. L<H>poId DamroBcl'* 
Overtore, ** Leonoi-a,*'^ No. 8 Beethoven. 

PART IT, 

Symphony No. 8, In A minor, op. 06 [Sooteh.l 

Menaelfltohn. 
Overture, " Flying Dutchman " V,':y r^ror. 

In Mcart's flrracef ul work passaires of airy playfulness 
alternate with themen of ^rave tenderness, almost Badneti 
Although In all of Moiart^s music there in a kmlle behind 
the tears. The If endeleaohn Symphony it the outcome of 
what the composer called his " misty Scotch mood ;** and 
a wonderfully MnKffenUve mood it is. There is no finer, 
piece of tone-palntinji;. 

Both these works, na well as the "Leonora'* overture, 
were well performe I. An attempt to play the o\ertiire 
to the "F>iii{; Dutchman," an interesting ^eclmen of 
Wagner's earliest style, resulted In utter ftilurr, the 

Siece being distorted almost beyond reo(^tnItfon. It Is no 
isicrace not to be able to play Wagner's music, which 
opens a field of special study and demands an Immense 



8 



DWIGHT'S JOUKNAL OF MUSIC. 



amount of practice, but it is unfair to give perfonnances 
which are merely a burlesque of the composer's style. 
[Xi it not sometimes a burlesque on itself? Ed.] 

Dr. Dararosch Is sn excellent yiolinist, and a nmsiclan 
who has rendered y^uable rerrice in the advnncement of 
mnnic in oar olty; butthemoetindulg^ent of his hearers 
must have found his violin concerto disappointing and 
wearisome. A good deal of skill and ingenuity as well as 
hard stuiy were shown in its construction; but the work 
Is not artistic nor well balanced. 

Next on the oonoert-list came Theodore Thomas' sixth 
and last Symphony Concert of the season, which took 
place at Steinway Hall on Saturday evening, April 10th ; 
two symphonies were performed in each of which the com* 
poser was represented at his best. Mozart by his Sym- 
phony in O, called " Jupiter," and Beethoven by the sub- 
lime seventh symphony, which is the very crystalization of 
the fulness of his powers. Both of these great works 
were splendidly interpreted, and the concert was such as 
befits the close of a season of more than ordinary success 
and artistic sifrntflcKnce. The only remaining number 
upon the programme was Rubinstein's new Coucerto for 
piano and orchestra. Ko. 6, in B flat, Op. 1M, played by 
Mme. Madeline Schiller. It is a work to be read between 
the lines and not hastily Judged; the themes as a rule are 
given out boldly by the orchextra, repeated by the piano, 
and elaborated In a manner which would fairly test the 
powers of such a Titan among planleu a« Rubinstein. 
Mme. Schiller played the Concerto intelligently and well, 
receiving two rounds of applause after her performance. 

We have had a week of Bngli'h opera, st the Acsdemy» 
by the Kellogg troupe, beginning March 29th and termi- 
nating April 3d. Balfe's posthumous Opera, *'TheTal- 
ismsn,'* was among the works represented. The attend- 
ance w^s small and the perfbrmanees do not call for 
extended notice. These representations are patronized 
••hlefly by a class of people who, whUe regarding the legit- 
imate Italian Opera as but little better than a device of 
the evil one, take to it kindly, on local or patriotic 
grounds, when it is clothed in ill fitting English and inter- 
preted by American singers. I csn imagine a kind of 
English Opera which would be a very pleasing addition to 
our fund of entertainments and doubtless we may some- 
time have a theatre, like the Op^ra Comique in Paris, 
where the performances are artistic and reflned without 
being stilted, and where the singers attempt no more than 
they can fsirly perform. Hl*s Kellogg is admirably fitted 
to take part in such an enterprise, ss all know who have 
heard her sing in " Crisp no " or " Fra Diavolo," and kin- 
dred works. 

Max Maretiek began a brief season of Italian Opera on 
Friday last with Flotow's* L'Ombra." This opera which 
I s written for four voices o ily, without chorus, is snid to 
bear a striking resemblan « to *' Martha.'* The affair 
seems to be arranged for the purpose of enabling two 
young debutants to sing in public on the stage, and it is 
probably highly gratifying to all concerned. 

Tlie Mendels>sohn Glee Club gave their third concert 
[ninth seA^on] tin Tue!>day evening last. These concerts, 
being privste affnlrs, do not come within the line of news- 
paper notice ; but I msy say that the programme was very 
inters ting, embracing M>ngs by Schumann, Mendelssohn, 
Schubert, Wagner and others. At this concert I heard 
several picc<9A of Chopln-muslc charroindy played by Mr. 
Richard Hoffhian, who also played two of his own compo- 
sitions. 

Mr. Thomas announces two extra concerts, the Isst of 
the season, for Friday evening April 16th and Saturday 
afternoon April 17th. At the evening concert Beethoven's 
symphony No. 2 in D will be performed, and at the ma^ 
in^e Mendelssohn's "Reformation" symphony. Miss 
Annie Louise Cary will sing at both concerts. 

Am JLm C. 



-•— • 



■-♦- 



Eoyal Italian Opera (Covent Oarden.) 

(From the Musical World.) 
Mr. Oye has issued hia prospectus of the cemf ng 
season, which will begin en Easter Tuesday, with a 
performance of Onillaume Tell — a good begin ning» 
as far as choice of opera goes, and a vast improve- 
ment upon the 7rovalore and Traviitta of a few 
years back. The document will strike every one as 
almost stern in its biisinebs simplicity. No com- 
mercial *' report " could be less marked by gush. 
Nothing, save the orchestra, has a word «f praise ; 
and even the prime dorme are passed with a simple 
mention of their names. This is as it should be, for 
two reasons ; first, because only thus can the oper- 
atic prospectus redeem its character; and next, 
because the public do not want to be told through 
iis means who and what they are to admire. Fa- 
miliar operas and well-known artists have had their 
merits apnraised already ; while with regard to new 
works and dehntanfit, the pri>of of the pudding is in 
the eating, and not in the words of those who have 



interests at stake. We commend the reticence of 
Mr. Gye's announcement, therefore, and hope it may 
be accepted as a model for all future time. 

The mana&:er, it will he observed, has not added 
many fresh names to his list of artists. Nor. on the 
other hand, has he taken any away from last sea- 
son's roll. In point of fact it may be said that, sub- 
stantially, the troupe of 1876 is that of 1874. How 
much this statement involves need scarcely be 
pointed out. It means Patti. Albani, Yilda, Mart- 
mon. D'Angeri. Sinico, Scalchi, Nicolini, Bolis, 
Bettini, Graziani, Manrel, Cotogni, Faure, Bagai^c- 
lo, Capponi, Ciampi — ^not a bad company, we believe, 
and one that many a subventioned manager would 
give his eyes to possess. The season might run its 
course very well with such a band of artists, but, aa 
the public look for some new faces, Mr. Oye prom- 
ises five fiihttantg, respectinsr whom nothing is said 
and nothing known. The chiel of them. Indeed, 
Mdlle. Thalberg. has never yet app<^red on any 
stage, but comes to us. so to speak out of the dark. 
It is not the fault of this young lady that much is 
expected of her. She cannot help being the child 
of hf»r parents, but, nevertheless, their re lUtatioa 
will be present to the minds of the sndience when 
she appears ; and in proportion will they raise their 
hopes. Report goes that Mdlle. Thalberg possesses 
the requisites of eminence in her profession. This, 
we trust, will prove to be the case, for the sake of 
the name she bears, as much as for that of the the- 
atre which will run the risk of her dibuL The re- 
maining new comers — Mdlle. Proch, Signor D« 
Sanctis, Herr Seideman, and Signor Tamagno — 
arouse no feeling of any sort. They will be patient- 
ly waited for, and. no doubt, received with the cold- 
ness shown by a Covent Garden audience towards 
all absolutely unknown people. 

In other respects, the pertonnd of (he establish- 
ment remains unchanged. Signor Vianesi and 
Signor Bevignani continue at their post as joint 
conductors : Mdlle. Girod will be again the princi- 
pal dancer, in association with two strangers, Mdlle. 
Ricci and Travelli ; Mr. Carrodus 'Meads" the 
orchestra, Mr. B«*tjeroaun the ballet ; Mr. Pittman is 
again organist; Signor Corsi superintends the cho- 
rus, and M. Desplaces acts as stage-manager. With 
regard to the chorus and orchestra, Mr. Gye bids 
us look for considerable augmentation on particular 
occasions, which means, it is to be presnmcd, when 
Ilerr Richard Wagner dominates the scene. Other- 
wise, these important bodies will he in numbers as 
in excellence, what they have been in seasons past. 
It must be granted that Mr. Gye has done well to 
keep his " old guard " about him. They have done 
their deyoir in by-gone campaigns, and nobody who 
owns a f word of proof lightly throws it away for a 
new weapon, however the virgin steel may glitter. 

Turning to the repertoire of the season we find a 
list of four operas, concerning which it is said that 
at least three will be produced. Two of the four are 
revivals: Gounod's Romeo el JulietUXmtifL promised 
af er a retirement of seven years; and Semiramide 
after a much longer withdrawal. Rossini's opera is 
often played at the other houses, and, therefore, 
will hardiy excite curiosity, even with Mdme. Yilda 
as the Queen, and M. Faure as A^sur. The case is 
different with regard to Romeo el Julirtle. We have, 
its true, no longer d Mario to look and act the 
lover in perfection ; bnt Nicolini is a good substi- 
tute as times go, and Patti remains, a better Juli- 
ette, if possible, than ever. For others rea<K)ns it is 
well that Mr. G^ye has succeeded in removing the 
obstacles to our further acquaintance with an im- 
portaht, and. in some respefts, very interesting 
work. Herold's Le Prf» atix CUra is the third 
opera promised, but we fear that our chances of 
hearing it are not great. Mr. Gye announces no 
cast, neither does he say to whom the labor of 
adapting the opera for an Italian s^age has been 
entrusted. This disappointment, however, can be 
borne, provided the promise of Wagner's Zohenffrin 
be faithfully carriea out. Hardly, we imagine, 
would an manager venture now to trifle with the 
public curiosity about Wagner's operas. Time was 
when only a few cared foi them, the rest being con- 
tent to remain in ignorance. But now amateurs are 
in earnest, and indisposed to put up with further 
disappointment. 

Mr. Gye, we feel sure, will do what he has said 
he will ; and the evr-nt of the season, the talk of the 
season, we may, perhaps, add the success of the sea- 
son, cannot fail to be Loheytgrin, In the cast we 
find the names of Albani, D'Angeri, Proch, Manrel, 
Ba^agiolo, and Nicolini ; and as scenery and deco- 
rations will, doubtless, prove worthy of the Royal 
Italian Opera, we may expect a performance' of 
merit such as the composer himself would applaud. 



Spuial Itatitts. 



DB.4CRIPTnrB LIST OF THX 

T, A. T -n Q 'T Xt.C'CrSZO, 
P«bllok«« br Oliver Oltaeai 4k C«. 

Yooal, with Piano AeeempaaiiBent 

Mr. Yarley's Songs. ea. 40 

No. 10. No more. 8. Ctog. BooU, 

** Barth looked like Heaven, a UtUe whfle, 
And then, — no more V* 

All Mr. Varioy's selections are characterised bv a 
very perfect taste, and tills Is no exocptlon to &• 
rule. 

Sleep On. (Cradle Song). 4 G to a. Warren. 80 

*' Sleep on. sweet babe. 
The utorm dies slowly away." 

Melody a*id aeonmpanimeni fit together to a 
ehnrm. and the eoof is worth slnffloff to the best 
baby in the land. 

Down in the dewy Dell. Trio. 4. A6 to f . 

8marL 60 
"And the tender blue harebell. 
Bends 'neath the Zephyr's wiag ." 
An elegant trio for ladles* voieaa. 

Ten, Sister, tefl. Dnet 4. F to f. WMJU. 60 

** Rnnnd about the earth we rove. 
Weaving spells of Joy and love." 

One of the prMttfe«t of fairy doets. Would bo 
very taking la a school concert or ezhibitioo. 

AmSlift. or Boman Charioteer. 4. C to e. 

MUtard. 80 

"^nlalldelpenelerr 
ItAlUn and En^lliih wordx. Already noticed in 
tt« Soprano aimnsement, hut Is become no famous 
as to need the Cotctralto arrangemeot with slm- 
pltfled aeoompaolflBent. 

To the Meadow. (D Prato). 4. Abton. 

MaainL 80 

'* Ola nrl delo smiea stella. 
Lo I the fHendly star of eventnu.** 

The words have the advsntage of Mr. T. T. Bar- 
ker's fine talen^ for translstion. and thin and iimllar 
sones are heartlYv eommended as havinsr the irraee 
and easy flow of Italian maaie without lu naual dJf* 
flcul^. 

Instraneiital. 

Ch.nrminf( Compositiona of Terem Carreno. 

No. 8. Danoe de Gnome. (Octaye Stndy). 

4. C minor. 40 

Aomewhcre about the Mb puce of this, to rest his 
arhlna wrists the plaver will natnrallv «itop. and 
turn to the title to mm If it really ssys 'charming.*' 
Bnt It U splendid " wrist" practioe, and good 
music after li la learned. 

LaFayorite Galop. 2. G. ArcfueiL 40 

ComiiK^ncee In C, and ends in O. Very neat and 
bright Galop. 

Meadow Pink. Brilliant pieces easily an*, by 

Cha$, F. CUnf, ecu 80 

8. £6 

2. G. 

2. G. 

2. C. 

of Perfeetion*' for easy 
plecee. Intt* nded. perbaps, for beginners, but are 
g(x>d enouj^h for snybody. 

Oh ! Soft Sunshine. Idylle. 8. F. Liehner. 40 

An exeeedinfly irracefnl end nest piece snch as 
one mlffht •npnose to have been written umlcr the 
influence of the soft, hasy sunshine of May or 
Oetolier. 

Waltz and Polka. 2. G. Jto^e CoggenhaR, SO 

Two phort piec^ ; the ** Hope Walts,*' and the 
<* Spring Flower Polka." Botn very musical and 
spirited. 

Beauties of Ruy Bias. Marchettl. 

No. 8. Waltz. 8. G. Knight, 80 

A bright waits with a favorite air for basis. 

Bookit 

LomS KoBLER^B PlAKO ST17I»TK8. 

Op. 166. Teohnics for Middle Classes. 

Book 1. Scale Studies, $2.00. 

*' 2. Studif s in Chord Form, 2.00. 

One mntt eonnlder KShier a tescher of frreat ex- 
perience -ind great succees. None provide better 
thsn he for the techiiicni needs ox scholars. In 
Book l«t are Acale passages, arranged "o as to give 
an immense deal or practice in a short time. In 
Book 2d are Chords. Arpeggios, etc., skilAilly 
adapted to the same end. 

Tlie books are warmly eomroonded to tbo notleo 
of practical teachers. 

ABBREVTATioxs.^Dejrrees of difficulty are marked 
1 to 7. The ib>y IS mark* d with a canital letter: as C, B 
flat, *c. A small Roman letter marks the highest note, 
if on the staff, an iiulic letter the hi^^est note, If above 
the suff. 



No. 1. Mazurka. 
" ». Wal*z. 
" 8. Po'ka. 
** 4. Quickstep. 
Truly the "Plnklnss 



^ 




toij|fs 




0EniaI 





Whole No. 888. 



BOSTON; SATURDAY, MAY 1, 1875. 



Vol. XXXV. No. 2. 



To A 

BT TnOVAt W. PAR80!rt. 

L!1ac, in whose niirple well 
Youth tM p^rpetuo finth dwell. 
My fancy feels thy fragrant spell. 

Of all that morninir dew-drops feed, 
All flowers of e^arden, field or mead« 
Thou art the first in childhood's creed ; 

And even to me thy breath, in spring, 
Hath power, a little while, to bring 
Back to my heart its blossoming. 

1 seem again, with papiVs pace, 
And happy, shining, morning face. 

Bound school-ward, running learning's race. 

Thoo. too, recairst the tender time. 

After my primer, ere my prime, 

When love was born and life was rhyme. 

My morning ramble, all alone ; 
My m<ionlit walk by hannted stone ; 
My love, that ere it fledged was flown I 

At noon, tired oat with hateful task, 
I fling aside my worldling's mask. 
And for my banch of lilac aslL 

At vesper-time Celestial tea 
Hath no refreshment like to thee. 
Whose breath is nourishment to me. 

At midnight, when my friends are gone, 

And I sit down to ponder on 

The day, what it hath lost or wen-~ 

Thy perfame, like a flageolet 
That once, by dark Bolsena's lake. 

What time the sun made golden set» 

I heard (and seem to hear it yet) I 
A thousand memories doth awake: 
Of busied boyhood's vanished powers ; 

Of voung ambition flashed with praise ; 
Of old companions, and of hours 

That haa the sunshine of whole days : 

Of Italy and Roman ways ; 
Of Tuscan ladies, courteous, and fair. 
And kind as beautiful, — forbear. 
O Memory, those impassioned eyes I 
Beware, for that way madness lies I 

Sweet lilac, thou art come to June, 
And all our orioles are in tune: 
Thy doom is — ^to be withering soon. 

And so, farewell I for other flowers 
Must have their day ; and mortal powers 
Cannot love all things at all heursw 

Soon I shall have my JUtwer cfe ffie«. 
And the proad peony, whose use 
It is to teach me pride's abuse. 

For proud am I as proud can be ; 
But when that crimson gand I see, 
My lilae's memory comes to me I 



I iOi < 



The Eeligioa of Beantj. 

(Fron the flnt nnmber (July, 1M») of ** Tbo Dial.**) 

The devoat mind is a lover of nature. Where 
there is beaaty it feels at home . It haa not 
then to shttt the windows of the senses, and 
take refuge from the world within its own 
thoughts, to find eternal life. Beauty never 
limits us, never degrades us. We are free spir- 
its when with nature. The outward scenery 
of our life, when we feel it to be beautiful, is 
always commensurate with the grandeur of our 
inward ideal aspiration ; it reflects encouraging- 
ly the heart's hiffhest, brightest dreams; it does 
not contradict the soul's convictions of a high- 
er life; it tells us that we are safe in belieymg 
the thought which to us seems noblest. If 
we haye no sense of beauty, the world is noth- 



ing more than a place to keep us in. But when 
the skies and woods reveal their loveliness, 
then nature seems a glorious picture, of which 
our own inmost soul is the painter, and our 
own loves and longings the subject. It is the 
apt accompaniment to the silent song of -the 
beholder's neart. 

The greatest blessing, which could be be- 
stowed on the weary multitude, would be to 
give them the sense of beauty ; to open their 
eyes for them, and let them see how richly we 
are here surrounded, what a glorious temple 
we inhabit, how every part of it is eloquent of 
God. The loye of nature grows with the growth 
of the soul. Religion makes man sensible to 
beauty ; and beauty in its turn disposes to relig- 
ion. Beauty is the revelation of the soul to the 
senses. In all this outward beauty, — these soft 
swells and curves of the landscape, which seem 
to be the earth^s smile ; — this inexhaustible va- 
riety of forms and colors and motion, not pro- 
miscuous, but woven together in as natural a 
harmony as the thoughts in a poem ; this mys- 
teri'^us hiisroglyphic of the flowers : this running 
alphabet of tangled vine and bending grass 
studded with golden points; this all-embracing 
perspective of distance rounding all together 
into one rainbow-colored sphere, so perfect that 
the senses and the soul roam abroad over it un- 
sated, ' feeling the presence and perfection of 
the whole in each part : this perfect accord of 
sights, sounds, motions, and fragrance, all 
tuned to one harmony, out of which run melo- 
dies inexhaustible of every mood and measure; 
— in all this, man first feels that God is with- 
out him, as well as within him, that nature too 
is holy; and can he bear to find himself the 
sole exception f 

Does not the season, then, does not nature, 
does not the spontaneous impulse of an open 
heart, which has held such sublime worstiip 
through its senses, more than justify an attempt 
to show how the relij^ous sentiments may be 
nourished by a cultivation of the sense of 
beauty f 

This should be a part of our religious educa- 
tion. Tlie heart pines and sickens, or grows 
hard and contracted and unbelieving, when it 
cannot have beauty. The love of nature ends 
in the loye of God. It is impossible to feel 
beauty, and not feel that there is a spirit there. 
The sensualist, the materialist, the worshipper 
of chance, is cheated of his doubts, the moment 
this mystery overtakiM him in his walks. This 
surrounding presence of beautiful nature keeps 
the soul buoyed up forever into its element of 
freedom, where its action is cheerful, healthful, 
and unwearied; where duty becomes lovely, 
and the call to worship, either by prayer or by 
self-sacrifice, is music to it. He, in whom this 
sense is open, is put, as it were, in a magnetic 
communication with a life like his own, which 
flows in afound him, go where Ks may. In 
nature we Iforget our loneliness. In nature we 
feel the same Spirit, who made it and pervades 
it, holding fM up also. Through the open sense 
of beauty, all we see preaches and prophesies 
to us. Without it, when no such sensibility 
exists, how hard a task is faith 1 how hard to 
feel that God is here! how unlovely looks re- 
ligion! As without the air, the body could 
not breathe ; so without beauty, the heart and 
religious nature seem to want an element to 
live in. Beauty is the moral atmosphere. The 
close, unseemly school-house, in which our in- 
fancy was cramped,— of how much natural 
faith did it not rob usl In how unlovely a 

Sirb did we first see Knowledge and Virtue I 
ow uninteresting seemed Truth, how un- 
friendly looked Lutruction; with what mean 



associations were the names of God and Wis- 
dom connected in our memory! What a vio- 
lation of nature^s peace seemed Duty! what an 
intrusion upon the mind^s rights! What rebel- 
lion has been nurtured within us by -the ugly 
confinements to which artificial life and educa- 
tion have accustomed us! How insensible and 
cold it has made us to the expressive features 
of God^s works, always around us, always in- 
viting us to high, refreshing converse! 

I hold, then, that without a cultivation of 
the sense of beauty, chiefiy to be drunken from 
the open fountains of nature, there can be no 
healthy and sound moral development. The 
man so educated lacks something most essen- 
tial. He is one-sided, not of a piece with na* 
ture; and however correct, however much 
master of himself, he will be uninteresting,- 
unencouraging,, and uninviting. To the stu- 
dent of ancient history, the warm-hearted, 
graceful Greek, all alive to nature, who made 
beauty almost his religion, is a more refreshing 
object, than the ^Id, formal Jew. And here 
around us, resist it as we may, our hearts are 
always drawn towards the open, graceful child- 
ren of impulse, in preference to the stifE, insen- 
sible patterns of virtue. The latter may be 
very unexceptionable, but at the same time 
very unreal. The former, though purposeless 
and careless they play through life, yet have 
trusted themselves to nature, and been ravished 
by her beauty, and nature will not let them be- 
come very bad. 

C<)nsider a few of the practical effects upon 
the whole character of a growing love of beaaty 
in the young mind. 

It disposes to order. It g^yes birth in the 
mind to an instinct of propriety. It sugg^esti 
imperceptibly, it inclines gently, but irresisti- 
bly, to the At action, to the word in season. 
The beauty which we see and feel plants its 
seeds in us. Gazing with delight on nature, 
our will imperceptibly becomes attuned to the 
same harmony. The sense of beauty is attend- 
ed with a certain reyerence; we dare not mar 
what looks so perfect. This sense, too, has a 
something like conscience contained in it; 
we feel bound to do and be ourselves 
something worthy of the beauty we are permit- 
ted to admire. This feeling, while it makes 
alive and quickens, yet is eminently conserva- 
tive, in the best sense. He, who has it, is 
always interested on the side of order, and of 
all dear and hallowed associations. He, who 
wants it, is as destructive as a Goth. The 
presence of beauty, like that of nature, as soon 
as we feel it at all overcomes us with respect, 
and a certain sensitive dread of all yiolence, 
mischief, or discord. The beautiful ideal piece 
of architecture bears no mark of wanton pen- 
knife. The handsome school-room makes the 
cliildrec neat The instinct of obedience, of 
conciliation, of decorum, reverence, and har- 
mony, flows into the soul with beauty,. The 
calm spirit of the landscape takes possession of 
the humble, yet soul-exalted aamirer. Its 
harmony compels the jangling chords within 
liimself into smoother modulations. Therefore 
*'walk out,'* like Isaac, *'at even-tide to med- 
itate,** and let nature, with her divine stillness, 
take possession of thee. She shall give thee 
back to thyself better, more spiritual, more 
sensible of thy relationship with all things, 
and that in wronging any thou but woundest 
thyself. 

Another grace of character, which the sense 
of beauty gives the mind, is freedom — ^the free- 
dom of fond obedience, not of loose desire^ 
The man, whose eyes and soul are open ta the 
beiuity there is around him, seM everywhere 



10 



DWIGIIT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



encouragement. To him the touch of nature's 
hand is wann and genial. The air does not 
seem to pinch him, as it does most narrow- 
minded oueSf who can see no good in anything 
but gain ; to whose utilitarian vision most that 
is natural looks hostile. lie is not c^>ntracted 
into himself by cautious fear and suspicion, 
afraid to let his words flow freely, or his face 
relax in confldcnce, or his limbs move grace- 
fully, or bis actions come out whole and hearty. 
He trusts nature; for he has kissed her loveli- 
ness ; he knows that she smiles encouragement 
to him. Now think what it is that makes vir- 
tue so much shunned. Partly, our depraviiy, 
if you please. But partly, also, her numerous 
ungraceful specimens. For it is the instinctive 
expectation of all minds, that what is excellent 
shall also be beautifnl, lovely, natural, and 
free. Most of the piety, we see about us, is 
more or less the product of restraint and fear. 
It stands there in spectral contrast with nature. 
Approve it we may; but we cannot love it. It 
does not bear the divine stamp ; it chills, not 
converts. The love of nature wakes in us an 
ideal of moral beauty, of an elevation of char- 
acter which shall look free and lovely, some- 
thing that shall take its place naturally and as 
a matter of course in the centre of nature, as the 
life of Jesus did. 

Again, the love of beauty awakens higher 
aspirations in us. He, who has felt the beauty 
of a summer like this, has drunk in an infinite 
restlessness, a yearning to be perfect, and by 
obedience free. He can never more rest con- 
tented with what he is. And here is the place, 
to attempt some account of the true signifi- 
cance of beauty, and of what is its office to the 
soul. 

Beauty always suggests the thought of the 
perfect. The smallest beautiful object is as 
infinite as the whole world of stars above us. 
So we feel it. Everything beautiful is emblem- 
atic of something spiritual. Itself limited, its 
meanings and suggestions are infinite. In it 
we seem to see all in one. Each beautiful 
thing, each dew-drop, each leaf, each true work 
of painter^s, poet^s, or musician's art, seems an 
epitome of the creation. Is it not -God revealed 
through the senses ? Is not every beautiful 
thing a divine hint thrown out to us? Does 
not the soul begin to dream of its own bound- 
less capacities, when it has felt beauty? Does 
not immortality then, for the first time, cease 
to be a name, a doctrine, and become a present 
experience? When the leaves fall in autumns 
they turn golden as they drop. The cold wind, 
tell us of coming winter and death; but they 
tell it in music. All is sipfnificant of decay ; 
but the deep, still, harmonious beauty surpass- 
es all felt in summer or spring before. We 
look on it, and feel that it cannot die. The 
Eternal speaks to us from tlie midst of decay. 
We feel a melancholy ; but it is a sweet, relig- 
ious melancholy, lifting us in imagination 
above death — since above the grave of the sum- 
mer so much real beauty lingers. 

The beautiful, then, is the spiritual aspect of 
nature. By cherishing a delicate sensibility to 
it, we make nature preach us a constant lesson 
of faith; w*e find all around an illustration of 
the life of the spirit. We surround ourselves 
with a constant cheerful exhortation to duty. 
We render duty lovely and inviting. We find 
the sours deep inexpressible thoughts written 
around us in the skies, the far blue hills, and 
swelling waters. 

But then to this desirable result one stern 
condition must be observed. If the sense of 
beauty disposes to purity of heart ; so equally 
purity of heart is all that can keep the sense of 
beauty open. All influences work mutually. 
**One hand must wash the other,'' said the po- 
et. The world is loveliest to him, who looks 
out on it through pure eyes. 

^wect is the ploMure, 

Ittielf cannut spoil I 
Is not true lelsai'P 

Ooewiih true toil? 

Thou that wouldst taste It, 

Still do thy best; 
Vae it, not waste it, 

Else '^ no rest. | 



WouMut behold beauty 
Xo:ir tho«'? all round? 

Only hath <liity 
ducli a eight found. 

Rent is not quitting 

Thi' busy caroer; 
Rent is tho flttinir 

Of lielf to its sphere. 

Tis the brook's motion, 
Clenr, without strife, 

Fleeing to ocean 
After itn life. 

Deeper devotion 
Nowhere hath knelt ; 

Fuller emotion 
lluart never felt. 

*Ti« lovlne anri serving? 

The HiicheKt and Kest! 
»Tl8 On wards! ntihwcrving, 

And that la true rest. 



-•-♦■ 



The New College of Music. 

(From the New York Tribune, April 17.) 

The mysterious hints of the purposes and 
preparations of the unknown benefactor who 
IS getting ready to give us a free college of 
music in this city leave no doubt that the 
scheme is well advanced, and that money in 
abundance will be supplied to put it in opera- 
tion. The endowment, we are assured, is likely 
to be the largest ever given to a musical in- 
stitute in any part of the world ; and if money 
alcne could create a great school of art we 
should feel a reasonable certainty that New 
York would soon rival Paris and Leipsic as a 
centre of musical culture. So much depends, 
however, upon intelligent direction, that we 
confess we look upon the promised gift with 
no slight apprehension. It is offered as abless- 
sing ; it may easily be converted into a curse. 
Instead of advancing art it may encourage char- 
latanism, debase the popular taste, and make 
us the laughing stock oi the world. So much 
money expended on one branch of festhetics 
will either do great good or incalculable harm, 
and we deroutly hope the kind-hearted and 
public-spirited founder will put his money 
into the hands of trustees or directors who un- 
derstand art as well as finance, and who realize 
what it is that our people really need. 

After all, it lAay be questioned whether our 
progress in music is retarded so much by the 
want of schools as by the i^orance and indif- 
ference of the general public. The country is 
full of singers and pianists who have acquired 
in one way or another, some at home and some 
abroad, a good musical education, yet are do- 
ing nothing for art, and earning neither wealth 
nor credit by the exercise of their special gift, 
merely because they find no market for their 
best work. . Any of our readers could name at 
this moment twenty or thirty musical perform- 
ers in New York alone whose names are forever 
on concert programmes, and whose ability as 
executants is beyond question ; but how many 
of them are making any permanent impression 
upon the public, or doing anything to improve 
the general taste or raise the standard of musi- 
cal culture? The quality of their performance 
is not regulated by their previous education, 
but by the applause of the concert-room, and 
so nine-tenths of them sink at once to the 
level of the community out of which they get 
their living. Perhaps what we really need is a 
Conservatory which shall instruct audiences as 
well as performers; teach young people the 
technicality and theory of art, and at the same 
time show the world the value of such lessons 
in practice. 

Incidentally we know the new college prom- 
ises to attempt this, but in the wrong way. 
The pupils are to give public performances, 
with the proceeds of which it is supposed the 
institution can be supported. This is a mis- 
take from every point of view. The effect 
would be equally bad upon the pupils, the pub- 
lic taste, and the exchequer of the college. 
But if there could be established in connection 
with the Conservatory a regular annual series 
of the best classical concerts — and perhaps op- 
eratic performances likewise — with the finest 
orchestra and chorus that could be brought 



together; if it couhi be a5»sured that here from 
week to week — or why not from (l;iy to day? — 
the masterpieces of music should be* executed in 
perfection under an able director and at a mod- 
erate charge to the public, music in America 
would receive a new impulse. We should have 
enlightened audiences and ambitious perform- 
ers, an appreciative reception for deserving 
works of art, a field for the employment of 
whatever talent the chisses of the Conservat<jry 
might develop, a standard for the measurement 
of hiimbugs, and the nucleus of a truly musical 
public. All the rest would be easy. 



The Opera Season in London. 

The In'teriob of Covbxt Gahdbn — A Brilliant 
Spectacle — London Society i» Layrrs — Dkca- 
DKNCE OF Opera in England — A Gloomy Criti. 

CI»)f. 

Correspondeoce of the Boston Post. 

London, April 1, 1875. 
In Paris everybody who aspires to the designa- 
tion of " bon ton " considers it an essential point to 
be present at the first representation of a new opera 
or play. Especially is this the case when in the 
early autumn the Grand Opera is reopened for the 
season. Then you sec Parisian toilettes at their 
best, and Parisian notabilities in greatest number ; 
and nothing, in a social point of view, is more 
brilliant than the opera house on an opening night. 
The managers bring out on that o<'ca8ion the choic- 
est selection from their repertoires and parade their 
trump cards in the way •f artists and artistes. The 
first night is a sort of advertisement of the whole 
ensuing season. It decides the fate of a new play, 
and gives prophecy of what the lyrical season is to 
be. It is very different in more prosaic London. 
Everybody is ^lad when Coven t Garden and Her 
Majesty's open in the early Spring; but nobody is 
especially anxious to be present on the opening 
night Messrs. Gye and Mapleson precede tne sea- 
son by a great flourish of trumpets, with pronunci- 
amentofl which take up a column in the Times, and 
which make the ears tingle with anticipatory har- 
monies. But they begin their actual work with 
modesty and moderation. The first night, with 
them, IS by ne means a "great night." The opera 
chosen for the occasion is not that intended to be 
the sensation of the season ; the star prima donna 
is not called upon to appear; the season reaches its 
climax by a gradaal ascent. Yet the first night, as 
all nights, is apt to be profitable to the managers, 
for it is rarely that you wilt see a vacant seat in 
Covent Garden, vast as it is, after the performance 
has begun. The first performance at this house for 
the present season took place nis:ht before last. The 
opera chosen was Rossini's " William Tell," and in 
the role of performers there was not a single name 
ever heard of in England three years ago. Yet 
there was one of those eminently satisfactory houses 
which the eye of one interested in observinir London 
society in gala delights to range over. There was 
n» cramming and jamming crowd such as fiocks to 
Covent Garden on a first night of Patti or Nilsson ; 
the house was just full, and here you have an epit- 
ome of every grade of British society, except that 
which honorable gentlemen in the House of Com- 
mons are in the habit of characterizing as the 
" lower classes." Majesty sits in tho satin-draped 
boxes which you see on the right of the stage, 
with the royal coat of arms above them. The 
greater nobility occupy the larger boxes near and 
opposite. Then, in the lower range of boxes sweep- 
ing round the semi-circle, which we should call the 
balcony, are the nobilfiy in general, the wealthier 
gentry, with here and there a sprinkling of gold- 
gorged " city-men." What we should call the " par- 
quei " and the English the " stalls " are occupied by 
people in the " best society," hero and there a man 
and woman of title, in some part bachelor club 
loungers, and dowagers, and other ** detached '' folks 
of high life who have not enough of a family to jus- 
tify a box. The " stalls " are comfortable, red-cush- 
ioned, single seats, ranged in straight lines across 
the floor ; and " evening dress " is the regulation 
which must absolutely and positively be ooserved 
by those who wish to occupy them. Rising to the 
second and third galleries (the ten shilling, seven- 
and-six-pence, and five shilling places), you find 
eminent but untitled respectability. If Belgravia 
and Eaton square are found in the boxes and stalls, 
Bloomsbury and Russell square may be said to 
swarm in the second and third tiers. There is still 
one step, in one sense higher and in another lower. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, MAY 1, 1875. 



11 



( 



The amphitheatre is the Olympus of the people. 
It is always crammed. It is only to be reached by 
fnUin:; in queue in the street an hour or so before 
the performance begins. It is hero that one may 
listen to the divinest music, and witness the most 
ethereal of ballet dancing for the moderate sum of 
" 'alf-a-crown/* or sixty-two cents. Here you will 
find clerks and cads of all sorts, small shop-keepers 
with wives and daughters, counterjumpers and com- 
mercial travellers with sisters and sweethearts. I 
verily believe that the amphitheatre is the happiest 
portion of the three thousand listeners to. the works 
of the niantri. To get a front seat in the amphithe- 
atre requires work and patience ; and a man enjoys 
a thing more that be has worked for, especially if 
it is an amusement. When there is an encore, it 
starts in the stalls, and is echoed with tenfold vol- 
ume in the amphitheatre. In the intervals between 
the acts — ^hich at Covent Garden are frightfully 
long — you ^e a curious sight in the corridors and 
ante-rooms. For once every shade of English soci- 
ety melts into the others. Princes eat ices cheek 
by jowl with haberdashers. You know not wheth- 
er you are jostling a Duke or a draper. People 
meet on a common ground of sympathy for ice cream 
and coffee cake. It is a reunion to which all the 
world is invited, and to which all the world goes. 
As I sit among the eminently respectable in the 
second tier. I look along the line of boxes, and up 
and down the wide balcony, and mentally contrast 
the British physique and toilettes with the physique 
and toilettes I have so often studied in the Rue 
Lepelletier and on the Boulevard des Italiens. 
Here is fatness, redness, gaudiness; there was 
swarthiness, piquancy, litheness, and indefinable 
taste and grace. This seems destined to be a season 
for new operatic experiments. On Tuesday evening 
the role of Matilda in " William Tell " was Uken by 
a pleasant but by no means brilliant young artist. 
Mile. Bianchi, who made her first appearance on 
the boards of Covent Garden last year as the page 
in " Un Ballo en Maschiera." Mile. Zara Thalberg 
will make her first appearance on any stage on Sat- 
urday we<^k, assuming the difficult part of Zerlina 
in '*Don Gievanni," and thus having to contest the 
palm with the memory of Patti, Kellogg, Piccolom- 
ini and Lucca in the same part Uerr Seidemann, 
a German basso of some reputation, will make his 
debut on Monday as Bertramo in "Roberto II Dia- 
volo," and Senor De Sanctis appears for the first 
time on Saturday night as the Duke in " Un Ballo." 
Mile. Bianchi appears for the second time on Thurs- 
day as Inez in " L' Africaine." M. Maurel has taken, 
as far as he can, the place el the great Faure, and, 
though he does unquestionably wen, he is far from 
the equal of the famous French basso. 

OPKRA IN ENOLAVD. 

There is a great deal of talk about the decline of 
opera in England ; and certainly those who remem- 
ber what I may call its golden age, which may be 
regarded aa between 1850 and 1870, cannot but 
perceive a considerable falling off. An eminent 
critic recently wrot« as follows on this subject: 
" The present condition of the lyrical drama in 
England may fairly be set down aa deplorable. 
Italian opera has always, it is true, been like an ex- 
otic^ among us, supported by artificial means, and 
having no locus standi except as a fashionable amuse- 
ment. Yet we doubt whether at its lowest ebb it 
ever fell so low as now. It has ceased to be an af- 
fair of art in order to become an affair of artists ; 
and ita managers, if they would succeed, must think 
D-.ore of fine voices and pretty faces than of the cre- 
ations of musical genius. There were great singers 
in the past who had honors freely lavished upon 
them ; but they were not greater than the art they 
served, and the records of the time are full of evi- 
/ deuce that the public cherished a love for music as 
well as admiration for its professors. We have 
changed all that, and the alteration is not for the 
better. If anybody doubt, lot him study the histo- 
ry of the few past operatic seasons and observe how 
little has been done actually on behalf of music, and 
how completely personal considerations have pre- 
vailed.^ There is some truth in this; yet I think 
it exaggerates the situation. The managers still re- 
sist the temptation to turn aside from the great 
masteroieces, and reject them for sensational works. 
Opera has certainly not sunk so low as the drama in 
England. Mozart and Rossini are to lyrical music 
what Shakespeare and Sheridan are to the theatre ; 
yet, while the latter are eschewed for burleaque, 
realistic plays and Boucicault sensations, the public 
still insist that " Don Giovanni," " The Marriage of 
Figaro," " William Tell " and " The HuguonoU * 
should be kept on the boards to the exclusion of 
" Lohengrin '^ and the later scbooL Covent Garden 



draws full houses, even when the roles in the great 
masterpieces are taken by debutants. The critic I 
have quoted does not, however, wholly despair of 
the opera. He says, *' the lyric drama cannot die, 
and every indication of its present weakness is the 
precursor of a change to vigorous life under other 
conditions. It may be that the immediate future 
has something in reserve even for our own national 
opera, more strange mutations having astonished 
the world than that which would build the English 
lyric stage on the ruinn of its rival and erstwhile 
conqueror. At present English opera seems to be 
no better than a valley of dry bones ; but d»ad fash- 
ions have a wonderful habit of coming to life, and 
whatever is true in art, though it may lie dormant, 
cannot perish." He admits that, considering music 
in its wider field, there is a marked advance all 
along the line aa recrards the character of concert 
programmes, and it is perfectly true that St. James's 
Hall, Exeter Hall and the Hanover Square Rooms 
have in the past few years pushed the opera hard in 
point of popularity. Bow Bvllb. 



♦-^ 



Eiohard Wagner's Eeminifloences of 

Spontini. 

(Concluded from Vol. xxxiv, Page 401.) 



<i 



. . D^autre part, etant avisS que, depuis 
''La Vettale,^ Un'^a point He ecrite une note qui 
ne f at volee dans mes partitions''^ . . . To prove 
that tbis accusation of plagiarism, levelled 
against his professional brethren, was not a 
merely accidental phrase, bat founded upon 
facts scientifically corroborated, Spontini ap- 

Eealed to the testimony of his wife. This laciy 
ad had in her hands a voluminous essay writ- 
ten on the subject by one of the most illustri- 
ous members of the French Academy. In this 
essay, which, for personal reasons had not been 
published, the author had proved conclusively, 
we w^re informed, by the most irrefutable ar- 
guments, that, without the prolongation of the 
sixth invented by Spontini, and employed by 
him in La VestaU, modern melody would not 
exist, and that consequently all new melodic 
forms had simply been borrowed from his mu- 
sic. These singular pretensions caused in me 
a feeling of painful surprise, and I attempted 
to convert the composer to other sentiments. 
Admitting with him that the state of things 
was really such as his Academical apologist as- 
serted, I ventured to enquire whether he would 
cot feel capable of discovering new musical 
forms, supposing anyone submitted to him a 
libretto oi a completely novel poetic tendency, 
and of a dramatic import hitherto unknown. 
Smiling with an air of pity, he observed that 
nothing could be more aosurd than such a sup- 
position. **Dan8Xa Veitale*'* — he said — **j'ai 
compost an sujet Romain ; dans Femand Cor- 
^, un sujet Espagnol-Mexicain ; dans Olympie, 
un sujet Gr6co-Mac6donien ; enfin, dans Agnis 
deHohenstaufeny un sujet Allemand ; tout le reste 
ne vautrien." He hoped, however, that, when 
speaking about a piece of new tendencies, I 
had not in my head anything of the so-called 
romantic school — that is, anything like Der 
FreyachUtt, Such childish absurdities, he de- 
clared, were unworthy of a man with any self- 
respect. Art was something essentially serious, 
ana in this style, he said^ he had created every- 
thing. Besides, he asked, from what nation, 
from what people was the man to spring capa- 
ble of measuring his strength with him? He 
treated the Italians purely and simply as 
*'cochons" (**p»g8"); the French confined 
themselves to imitating the Italians ; and the 
Germans could not tear themselves loose from 
their puerile reveries. They had, it is true, 
given some grounds for hope, but it was not 
long before they had compromised themselves 
utterly by their dealings with the Jews. **0h 1 
croyez-moi" — he exclaimed — **il y avait de 
Tespoir pour TAllemagne, lorsque j'^tais em- 
pereur de la musique ft Berlin ; mais depuis que 
le Roi de Prusse a livr^ sa musique au d6sordre, 
par les deux iuifs errants qu'il a attires, tout 
espoir est perau." * At this point our amiable 

*It la scarotiy neeenaary to remark Uiat the two Wan* 
aerine Jews to whom Spontini referred were Meyerbeer 
and Hendeleaohn. 



I hostess thought she would do well to attempt 
to divert the mind of the composer from th*? 
train of thought into which he had fallen. 
The theatre was only a fpw paces off from the 
house, and, as Antigone happened to be given 
that evening, she fancied sne would interest 
Spontini by letting him see the plan adopted 
by Semper, the architect, to give the stage the 
form and aspect of an ancient theatre. At first, 
he thanked her, pretending that he knew all 
about it, and had done the same thing in his 
Olympie, At last, however, he yielded and 
went off with one of the company. But his ab- 
sence was not long, and he returned with a 
smile of contempt on his lips. He had, he said, 
seen more than enough to be completely edified. 
His companion afterwards informed us that 
they had selected seats in the amphitheatre 
which was nearly empty. Scarcely bad Spon- 
tini heard the first few bars of the chorus to 
Bacchus, before he rose, saying aloud as he did 
so : *' C*est de la Berliner Sing-Aeademe; allons- 
nous-en I " 

Nevertheless, amid his high-flown notions, 
we clearly perceived that the composer was al- 
lowing his mind to be invaded by a fixed idea, 
that of stopping some time at Dresden, in order 
to get up, one after the other, his principal 
works. But, far from being taken by this idea, 
Mad. Schroder-Devrient, guided by her liking 
for Spontini, thought it would be advisable to 
avoid a fresh performance of La Vestale while 
he was still in Dresden. She foresaw that the 
success would not come up to his expectations, 
and that the second attempt would simply re- 
sult in a second disappointment. She pretend- 
ed, therefore, to be suffering from indisposi- 
tion. As for me, I received from the manage • 
roent the passably disagreeable order to inform 
the composer that the next performance of his 
opera was indefinitelp adjourned, as the suppo- 
sititious illness of the principal actress in it did 
not permit us to hope that it could be speedily 
repeated. This mission was so painful to me, 
that I resolved our Musical Director should 
share the responsibility of it. Like myself, 
Rockel had gained the composer^s good graces, 
and, moreover, enjoyed the advantage of ex- 
pressing hiniself in French with more facitity 
than I could . It was in trembling that we went 
to Spontini^s lodgings. We guessed too easily 
beforehand the disagreeable reception which 
awaited us. What was our surprise on seeing 
the composer, who had already been apprised 
of the state of matters by a note from Mad. 
Schrdder, advance towards us with outstretched 
hand and smiling face. In a few words he told 
us he was obliged to leave without delay for 
Paris, whence he expected to proceed immedi- 
ately to Rome. In the latter capital, the holy 
Father, who had just conferred on him the title 
of Count de St. Andr6, was awaiting his arri- 
val. At the same time he showed us a second 
and not less precious document, by which the 
King of Denmark had bestowed on him letters 
of nobility. In reality, the Danish Sovereign 
had sent him the patent of the Order of the 
Elephant, which carries with it noble rank, but 
Spontini never mentioned the decoration, con- 
sidering such marks of distinction as of only 
mediocre importance. What especially flat- 
tered him was his new-fledged nobility. The 
satisfaction and the joy caused him by the news 
vented themselves in transports of child-like 
rapture. The touch of an enchanter's wand 
had suddenly transported him from out the 
narrow circle of the labors accomplished in the 
Dresden Theatre. With the calmness and se- 
renity of a man supremely happy, he looked at 
us from the height of his ^lory, and cast upon 
us a glance of mild compassion. It may easily 
be supposed that Rdckel and myself were pro- 
fuse in our bene4ictions on the Pope and the 
King of Denmark. Satisfied with the happy 
conclusion of our mission, we bade Spontini 
farewell, but we did not separate from hioo 
without emotion. To put the finishing touct 
to the joy of this extraordinary man, I promisee 
him that I would maturely weigh his advice, 
and think, at my leisure, over the reasons h 



13 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



had adduced to tarn me from the career of a 
dramatic composer. 

This was the last time I saw him. A few 
years later, I was informed of hts death by a 
letter from Berlioz, who assisted him in his 
last moments, and remained faithfully at his 
bedside when he was dying. Berlioz told me 
that, on the approach of death, Spontini strug- 
gled long, ana endeavored to hold fast the lite 
which he felt was escaping from him. ^^ Je ne 
Teax pas mourir; " he exclaimed, ** Je ne veux 
pas raonrirl " In one of these moments of an- 
guish, Berlioz, thinking to console him, said : 
— ** Comment pouvez-yons penser ft mourir, 
▼ous, raon mattre, oui dtes immortell" ^*Ne 
faites pas d'esprit t " — ^replied the old man, in a 
tone of irritation. 

The fatal news reached me at Zurich, where 
I then resided,* and affected me profoundly, 
despite the singular reminiscences which had 
been left by our interview at Dresden. I wrote 
an article for a local paper, directing attention 
in it to the loss which music had sustained . I 
insisted principally upon one point, namely, 
that Spontini, pursuing an opposite course to 
that followed by Meyeroeer and Rossini, was 
always distingnished for the deep faith he had 
in his art and in his own genius. This faith in 
himself degenerated, it is true, during his later 
years, into absolute idolatry — into a singular 
supentition. I had seen a striking example of 
this weakness, but I did not then allow myself 
to dwell upon it. 

Immediately after Spontini^s departure, my 
occupations in the Dresden Theatre did not 
leave me leisure to reflect on the strange im- 
pressions I had received; and I do not recol- 
lect feeling the want of the slightest effort to 
make them agree with the high esteem which 
I professed for the author of La VeitdU, and 
which I felt growing stronger in me every day. 
It is very evident that I had become acquainted 
with only the caricature of the illustrious com- 
poser. The exaggerated outbursts of his amour 
artf, however, enabled us to judge what he 
been in the dajs of his strength and youth. 
When I saw him his judgment was weakened, 
and his mind, so to speak, had lapsed into sec- 
ond childhood. This appeared only too clear- 
ly from the passionate energy with which he 
laid claim to certain pretended discoveries of 
no importence, while he was silent upon his 
real merite. But all this could not after my 
admiration for his works, nor diminish their 

freat value. Shall I state frankly the truth ? 
felt inclined to excuse his unbounded vanity 
and his unbridled pride, when I reflected that 
they were inspired by the comparison he drew 
between his own value and that of his succes- 
sors. When remarking the contempt he mani- 
fested for those who then swayed the musical 
sceptre, I felt that, in the depths of my soul, 
my thouffhts and his met ; and I instinctively 
perceived that my opinions and his agreed more 
closely than I should then have dared to con- 
fess.t The result was that, notwithstanding 
the ridiculous side of his visit to Dresden, I 
felt invaded, despite myself, and with a sort of 
terror, by profound sympathy for this strange 
man. I have never seen any one like him. 

Richard WagnAr. 

•The rasder nsj reoMmber that, nfter the event* of 
ISIS, Richard Wacner was oompellad to flee to Switser- 
land. lNot« by M. Victor Wilder.] 

tl must here remind the reader that It ta oMrely Roesl- 
iil and Meyerbeer to whom reference is here made. [Note 
by M.yietor Wilder.] 






Aa Old Kaiter on the Uw of the Pedal* 

OH TBB PKDAL. 

I have just returaeH ezhansted aiid anBihllAted 
ftrom a concert, where I have beea hearing the pi- 
ano pounded. Two mnd bravoura movements 
ha?e been thundered off, with the pedal continnally 
raised ; and then were suddenly snccecded by a soft 
murmuring passage, dnring which the thirteen con- 
vulsed and quivering bass notes of the /ortiMnmo 

•From Advanced Sheets of "Flaao aad Btmgi How to 
TSacb and how to Laam." Translated from the German 
.of ftesnsicn Wibok, bj KAmv P. STjobols. BoetMi: 
]h7«s, JBolmee • Co. 



were all the time resonnding. It was only by the 
aid of the concert programme that my tortured ears 
Cfinld arrive at the conclneion that this confusion 6f 
tones was meant to represent two pieces by Dohler 
and Thalberg. 

Cruel fate that invented the pedal f I mean the 
pedal which raises the dampers on the piano. A 
grand acquisition, indeed, for modern times I Good 
heavens f Our piano performers muflt have lost 
their sense of hearing ! What is all this i^owlini^ 
and buzsinf^ ? Alas, it is only the groanini^ of the 
wretched piano-forte, upon which one of the mod- 
ern WrfMOfoe, with a heavy beard and long hang- 
inf[ locks, whose hearing has deserted him, is blas- 
tering away on a bravoura piece, with the pedal 
incessantly raised, — with inward satisfaction and 
vain self^ssertion I Truly time brings into use a 
great deal that is far from beautiful : does, then, 
this raging piano revolutionist think it beautiful to 
brini; the pedal into use at every bar ? Unhappy 
delusion. 

But enouf^h of this eerions {esting. Hummel 
never used the pedal. He was an extremist ; and. 
in his graceful, clear, elegant, neat, though not 
grand playing, often lost fine effects, which would 
have been produced by the cerrect and judicious 
use of the pedal ; particularly on the instruments 
of Stein, Brodroann, Conrad Graff, and others then 
in use, which were usually lightly leathered, and 
bad a thin, sharp tone. The use of the pedal, of 
course always alfowin|r it to fall frequently with 
precision, was especially desirable in the upper 
treble, in cases where the changes of the harmony 
were- not very frequent; for the tone of those in- 
struments, although sweet and agreeable, had not 
much depth, and the action had but little strength 
and elasticity. But on our instruments, frequently 
too softly leathered, which have a full tone, and are 
BO strong and penetrating, especially in the bass, it 
is enough to endanger one's sense of hearing to be 
subjected to such a senseless, incesssnt, ridiculous, 
deafening use of the pedal ; frequently, moreover, 
combined with a hard, stiff touch, and an unsound, 
incorrect technique. A musical interpretation in 
any degree tolerable is out of the question. You 
cannot call that art, it cannot even be called manual 
labor: it is a freak of insanity I 

A few words to the better sort of players. The 
foot-piece to the right on the piano-forte raises the 
dampers, and in that way makes the tones resound 
and sing, and takes from them the dryness, short- 
ness, and want of fulness, which is always the 
objection to the piano-forte, especially to those of 
the esrlier construction. This is certainly an ad- 
vantage ; the more the tone of the piano-forte re- 
sembles singing, the more beautiful it is. But, In 
order not to injure the distinctness and detract 
from the clear phrasing of the performance, a very 
skilful and prudent use of the pedal is necesssry in 
rapid chan^ of harmony, particularly in the mid- 
dle and lower portion of the instrument. 

You all use the pedal too much and too often, 
especially on large, fine concert pianos of the new 
construction, which, with their heavy stringing, 
have in themselves a fuller, more vibrating tone; 
at least you do not let it fall frequently enough, 
and with precision. You must listen to what yon 
are playing. You do not play for yourselves alone ; 
frequently you play to hearera who are listening 
for the first time to the pieces yon are performing. 
Try a few passages without pedal, — ^for instsnoe, 
those in which the changes of the harmony succeed 
each other nl(>idly, even in the highest treble, — 
and see what repose, what serene enjoyment, what 
refreshment is afforded, what delicate shading is 
'brought out. Or at first listc^n, and try to feel it in 
the playing of othera ; for your habit is so deeply 
rooted that yon no longer know when and how 
often you use the pedal. Chopin, that highly gift- 
ed, elegant, sensitive composer and performer, may 
ser/e as -a model for you here. His widely dispersd, 
artistic harmonies, with the boldest and most strik- 
ing suspensions, for which the fundamental bass is 
essential, certainly require the frequent use of the 
pedal for fine harmonic effect But. if you examine 
and observe the minute, critical directions in his 
compositions, you can obtain from him complete 
instruction for the nice and correct use of the 
pedal. 

By way of episode to my sorrowful lecture on 
the pedal, we will take a walk through the streets 
some beautiful evening. What is it that we hear 
in almost every house ? Unquestionably it is 
piano-playing ; but what playing I It is generally 
nothing but a continual ooonision of different 
chords; without close, without psnse; slovenly 
passsgss, screened by the raisea psdiil; 



Z3C 



by an empty, stiff, weak touch, relying opon the 
pedal for weiglit. We will escape into die next 
street. Oh, borrore! what a thundering on this 

f Piano, which, by the way, is sadly out of tune f 
t is a grand — ^that is, a long, heavy — 6t ude, with 
the most involved passages, snd a peculiar style 
of composition, probably with the title *' On the 
Ocean," or " In Hades," or ^ Fancies of the Insane ;" 
p<iunded off with the pedal raised through the most 
marvellons changes of hsrraonies. Finally, the 
strings snap, the pedal creaks snd moans ; conclu- 
sion, — e, e sharp, d, d sharp resound together 
through a few exhausted bars, and at last die away 
in the warm, soft, delicious air. Universal applause 
from the open windows I But who is the frantic 
musician who is venting his rage on this piano f 
It is a Parisian or other travelling composer, lately 
arrived with letters of recommendation, who has 
just been giving a little rehearsal of what we may 
expect to hear shortly in a concert at the " Hdtel «e 
Scnmers." 

TRK sorr-raDAL sxirnMsirr. 

You exclaim: "What is that? — a sentiment 
for the soft pedsl f a sentiment of any kind in our 
times I most of all, a musical sentiment I I have 
not heard of such a thing in a concert-room for a 
long time I " 

When the foot-piece to the left on the piano is 
pressed down, the key-board is thereby moved to 
the right ; so thst, in playing, the hamroere strike 
only two of the three strings, in some pianos only 
one. In that wsy the tone is made weaker, thinner, 
but more singing and more tender. What follows 
from this ? Many performere, seised with a piano 
madness, play a {rrand bravoura piece, excite them- 
selves fearfully, clatter up and down through seven 
octaves of runs, with the pedal constantly raised, ~ 
bang away, put the best piano out of tune in the 
firat twenty hare, — snap the strings, knock the ham- 
mere off their bearings, perapire, stroke the hair out 
of their eyes, ogle the audience, and make love to 
theniselves. Suddenly they tre seized with a sen- 
timent I They come to a piano or iitanistimo, and, 
no longer content with one pedal, they take the soft 
pedal while the loud pedal is still resonndins:. Oh, 
what languishing ! what soft murmuring, and what 
a sweet tinkling of bells I what tenderness of feel- 
ing ! what a soft-pedal sentiment f The ladies fall 
into teare, enraptured by the pale, long-luiired young 
artist 

I describe here the period of piano mania, which 
has just passed its crisis ; a period which it is nec- 
essary to have lived through, in order to believe in 
the possibility of such follies. When, in the begin- 
ning of this century, the piano attained such con- 
spicuous excellence and increased power, greater 
technical skill could not fail to he called ont ; but, 
after a few yeare, this degenerated into a heartless 
and worthless dexterity of the fingere, which was 
carried to the point of absurdity and resulted in in- 
tellectual death. Instead of aiming to acquire, 
before all things, a beautiful, full tone on these rich- 
sounding instruments, which admit of so much and 
such delicate shading, essential to troe excellence 
of performance, the object was only to increase 
mechanical facility, and to cultivate almost exclu- 
sively so immoderately powerful and unnatural 
touch, and to improve the fingering in order to 
make possible the execution of passages, roolades, 
finger-gymnastics, and stretehes, which no one be- 
fore had imagined or considered necessary. From 
this period dates the introduction of vhrtmom per- 
formances with their glittering tawdriness, without 
substance and without music, and of the frightfol 
eccentricities in art, aoeompanied by immeasurable 
vanity and self-conoeit, — the age of '* finger-heroes." 
It is indeed a melancholy reflation, for all who ra- 
taiu their senses, that this charlatanry Is made the 
solitary aim of numberless ignoble performers^ sot- 
tained by the applause of teachere and composers 
equally base. It is sad to see how, engaged in arti- 
ficial formalisms and in erroneoos mecnanieal stod- 
ies, playere have forgotten the study of tone and of 
correct delivery, and that few teachere seek to im- 

Srove either themselves or their popHs therein, 
otherwise they weald see and nnderstand that, on 
a good piano, sneh as are naw to be found almost 
everywhere, it is possible with correct playing, 
faonded on a right method, to play, witbaot exter- 
nal aids, forU, ftriunmo, pia»o, p ia m im mo, — in a 
word, with every deg^ree at shading, and with at 
least formal expression ; and that this style of play- 
ing, with the requisite mechanical skill, sounds far 
more pare, and is more satisfactory than when a 
feeline is affected through the erade, imskilful, and 
ahanrtl use of the pedal, especially of the soft pedal 
of whisb we ars now speaking. This a ffs ct ation 






I'T ' 0^ 



BOSTON, SATUBDAY, MAY 1, 1876. 



11 



only givea one more proof of onr unhealthy, stnpid, 
and unmusical infancy in pitino performancoa. A 
good-natured public, drummed np and brongfht to> 
gether by patient pcrsuaBion and by urgent recom- 
mendations, of which virtnonot can obtain an abun- 
dance (for the tormented cities which tliey have 
visited cannot otherwise get rid of them), attend 
these concerts and listen to dozens of such inexperi- 
enced piano-players. One plays exactly lik% anotlier, 
with more or less faulty moclmnical execution ; and 
none of them are able, with all their thumpinji^ and 
caressing: of the Iceys, to bring out from the instru- 
ment a broad, healthy, full, and beautiful tone, 
delicately shaded and distinct even to the softest pp. 
But, instead of this, they fall into a pedal sentiment ; 
f.«., they play with outside pretension, and with in- 
trinsic emptiness. 

Yoo unworthy performers, who have so disgusted 
the artistic public with pianft-playing that they will 
no longer listen to fine, intelligent, sensible artists, 
whose dignity does not permit them to force them- 
selves into the concert-hall, or to drag peopld into 
it from the streets I you base mortals, who have ex- 
posed this beautiful art to shame I I implore you 
to abandon the concert platform, your battle-field I 
Hack at the piano no longer ! Find poeitions on a 
railroad or in a factory. There yon may perhaps 
make yourselves useful ; while by the lessons you 
give (for it usually comes to that, after you have 
travelled all over the world) you will only ruin our 
young people, now growing up with promising tal- 
ent for piano-playing, and will produce successors 
like yourselves, but not artists. 

I must whisper one thing more in your ear. I 
will say nothing about simple truthfulness, about 
tenderness and sincerity of feeling, or wholesome 
refinement, about poetry, inspiration, or truly im- 
passioned playing. But, if your ears are not already 
too much blunt^, yon should be able to discover, 
at least in a very few minutes, on aAy instrument, 
unless it is of the worst sort, or has already been 
battered to pieces by you, how fnr you can carry 
the pianisntno and fortiuimo^ and still preserve the 
tone within the limits of beauty ana simplicity. 
Ton will thus be able to interpret a piece with at 
least superficial correctness, without mortally 
wounding a cultivated ear by exaggerations and 
by maltreatment of the instrument and its two 
pedals. 

This style of playing has nevertheless found its 
numerous defenders and admirers in onr century, 
which has made every thing possible. This sense- 
less enslavement and abuse of the piano has been 
said to be '* all the rage ; " a fine expresiion of our 
piano critics to justify insane stamping and soft-pedal 
sentimentality. 

How far what I have here said relates to our 
modern errors in singing, and how far it may be 
applied to them, I leave to the iatelli!;ence of my 
readers and to my explanations in subsequent chap- 
ters. 

To return to my theme : I have still one word on 
this subject for rational players. Even they use 
the soft pedal too much and too often, and at un- 
suitable places ; for instance, in the midst of a piece, 
without any preparatory pause ; in melodies which 
require to oe lightly executed ; or in rapid passages 
which are to be played piano. This is especially to 
be noticed with players who are obliged to use in- 
struments of a powerful tone and stiff, heavy action, 
on which it is difficult to insure a delicate shading 
in piano and/oWtf. For this reason, a sensible and 
experienced teacher, whose sole aim is the true and 
the beautiful, should make the attainment of an 
elastic touch and well-grounded style of playing an 
indispensable requirement. I prefer that the soft 
pedal should be used but seldom, and, if the pedal 
which raises the dampers is used at the same time, 
it must be only with the greatest nicety. The soft 
pedal may be used in an echo ; but should be pre- 
ceded by a slight panse, and then should be em- 
ployed throughout the period, because the ear must 
accustom itself gradually to this tender, maidenly, 
sentimental tone. There mu^t again be a slight 
pause before the transition to the usual more mas- 
culine tone, with the three strings. The soft pedal 
is, moreover, moat effective in slow movements with 
full chords, which allow time to bring out the sing- 
ing tone, in which consists the advantage of the 
stroke of the hammers on two strings alone. 



>4»» < 



The Muaio of the Part. 

BKEMOirs wrrH illustratioxs nr nyo*8 ghapkl — ^lattv 

HTlUrS AND OBEM AN OHORALB. 

No place in this city is more richly endowed with 
old asaooiationa and soft, soggastiye reminiscence, 



impressive aids to the proper rendering of this 
church music, than King's chapel. Invested with 
the blessing of two creeds, one cannot sit within 
its honored walls and not feel something of the in- 
.fluence that its age bestows. There is nothing of 
the blazonry of modern churches inside this edi- 
fice ; the pews are not narrow and uncomfortable, 
the pulpit looms up as a relic, the organ is old and 
sweet. 

A series of sermons on church music, from the 
earliest times to the present, illustrated by the 
music itself, was given during last December. The 
Rev. Mr. Foote, the pastor, delivered a sermon 
touching on the circumstances and surroundings 
of the royal Psalmist, King David, and the spirit 
of his psalms. The choir sang in illustration sev- 
eral of the representative hymns from the Old Tes- 
tament, and also a few from the New. The music 
at this service was not confined to any particular 
periods, but was selected with a view faithfully to 
represent the spirit of the hymn. This service was, 
however, more of an introduction, and the next came 
nearer to the idea of illustrations of the church mu- 
sic of the past. The first hymn, translated from the 
old Latin by Mrs. Charles, " Chricte, qui lux es," 
was written during the seventh century ; the melo- 
dy was taken from the music of the eighth. The 
*'*Te Deum " sung on the occasion is ascribed by 
tradition to Ambrosius, archbishop of Milan, A. D. 
880. The melody is supposed to be the oldest known. 
It was adapted to the version in use in King's chap- 
el by the organist, Mr. J. W. Tufts. In his adapta- 
tion, of course, modern harmony was supplied, yet 
keeping as near to the theme as possible, and never 
overburdening it so as to lose sight of it Naturally 
the melody was very peculiar, and in every in- 
stance the prolonged cadence was retained. A 
" Veni Creator Spiritus,'* credited to Gregory the 
Oreat, about A. b. 600, the melody ascribed to 
Charlemagne, A. D. 742-814, or Charles the Fat, A. 
D. 884-887, was sung in the place of the Magnificat 
Then followed the " Crusaders' Hymn," Ix^nning 
" Fairest Lord Jesus," which is more familiar than 
the other selections. The translation was by Wil- 
lis. At the close was given a " Da Nobis Pacem ** 
set to music, written close after Gregory's time. 
The entire illustrations were rendered by a double 
quartet under the direction of Mr. Tufts.in a way 
well worthy of the immortal music, and the sermon 
was most instructively interesting. The third of 
the most marked services was given on last Sun- 
day, and the music was also from the magnificent 
German chorales. With the exception of the last, 
they were all sung without accompaniment, the or- 
ganist merely playing as a prelude four measures of 
the choral music. They all belonged to the magnifi- 
cent collection of figured chorales, and included the 
following: "O Haupt voll Blut und Wunden,"— 
"O sacred Head, now wounded,** words by Gor- 
hardt, 1607-76, melody by Schrin,(?^ 1621, harmon- 
ized by Bach ; " Wer nur den Iteben Gott," — 
" Leave God to order all thy ways,'* melody by 
Gastorius, 1675, harmonized by Bach; "In alien 
meinen Staten,** — " Wher'eer I go, what'eer my 
task," by Fleming, 16S1 ; " Alles ist an Gottes 
Segen," — " All things hang on our possessing," au- 
thor unknown, from the Nuremberg hymn book, 
1676; and " Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott"— " A 
mighty fortress is our God," Luther, 1488-1646, 
melody by Luther, harmonized by Bach and trans- 
lated by the Rev. P. H. Hedge, D. D. In the. ren- 
dition of these the regular choir of the church were 
unassisted. 

Another illustrative service will be given tomor- 
row afternoon, when a specially interesting pro- 
gramme will be rendered. It will include a "Gloria 
m Excelsis " and an " Adoramus Te " by Palestrina, 
an " Ave Vernm '' by Mozart, and five selections 
from Mozart's Requiem illustrating the " Dies Irs." 
Tliese include " Tuba Mirum," " Liber Scriptns," 
" Judex Ergo " and " Quid sum Miser." Pergolesi's 
" Quis est Homo " and " Quando Corpus, Amen," il- 
lustrating the Stabat Mater, will conclude the ser- 
vices. Of the services yet to be given another 
afternoon will be devoted to German chorales, one 
to English church music after the time of Henry 
VIII., and one to modern American music. The 
regular choir consists of Mrs. O. T. Kimball, sopra- 
no ; Mrs. Flora E. Barry, alto ; Mr. Charles Clark, 
tenor ; and Mr. D. E. Spencer, bass. Mr. John W. 
TufU is organist and director. — AdosrtUer, April 24. 

Kiuie to Goethe's "Fanrt." 

(If^nn ihs " Lnpnger TaaehUUt und Anztigtr " of 

March 22.^ 
To-day and to-morrow both porta of Goethe's 
" Faust ^ will bo performod on our stage: the first 



with the music of Prince Radzi will an i Llodpalnter, 
the second with that of Pierson. 

Among the most thankless tasks in the way of 
composition must unquestionably be reckoned mu- 
sic to plays. The puolic concentrates its attention 
fully upon the suoject and representation of the 
piece. Music however draws off the attention or 
interrupts the action of the play ; at best, a pretty 
march or dance finds favor, or some of those move- 
ments which respond to the frame of mind excited 
by the piece, but least of all entr'acte music, because 
between the acts people like to refresh themselves. 
Also in regard to the preparation of it, such music 
will, as a rule, be treated with want of tenderness, 
and often arranged with but meagre strength of 
voices and band. The conductor's and manager's 
red pencil work away with extreme activity on that 
account, and often enough the music falls a victim 
to it, even in those Nos. which are spared, precisely 
at that point where, so to speak, the composer was 
warminff to his work, and getting into train. In 
short, the greater part of such play music, if it be 
new, and not shielded by a celeb|;ated name, plays a 
lamentable " Cinderella rdle," which lets the compo- 
ser appear as a martyr to his thankless task in so 
far as that he must generally confine himself to hold- 
ing the candle to the pUywriter, and must oontinu- 
alfy let his fancy be cast down for fear of hindering 
the dramatic action with his music. On this ae- 
oount few composers but those of the long-suffering 
German race have undertaken such tasks. 

Amongst those authors who have written music 
to Goethe's "Faust" at any length Robert Schumann 
must unqualifiedly be named before all others, but 
he cannot be considered in connection with stage 
performances, because he treated isolated scenes for 
the concert ball as he chose, and with unrestricted 
freedom. The comprehensive music of Radziwill, 
too, is hardly intended for the stage ; yet certain 
Nus. of It have made th^ir way, and obtained for 
their author on this occasion a word of notice. 

Anton Heinrich, prince Radziwill, born Dith June, 
1776, Stadtholder of. the Grand Duchy of Posen^ 
Knight of the Black Eagle, Ac, was an ardent pat- 
ron and fiirtherer of music, and through him many 
a distressed man of talent was brought into notice, 
and in the most friendly manner assisted by word 
and deed, Prince Radziwitz, who from his youth np 
had enjoyed the society and instruction of the most 
distinguished Berlin musical artists, was not only 
an ardent composer, but also possessed a beautiful 
tenor voice, ana was a considerable amateur violon- 
cello player. As an intimate friend of Zelter, and 
manager of the Berlin singing academy, he wrote 
for this latter his Faust music, to which he devoted 
the greater part of his life. This music made dur- 
ing 1880-40 no small sensation in Berlin, but one 
must not on that account be deoeivod as to its worth. 
Though much that was attractive was discovered in 
it, it is }fbt, on the whole, the work of a princely 
dilettante, though certainly of a clever man, and 
shows both in design and execution striking meagre- 
ness and weakness. In stage representations the 
Easter chorus " Christ has risen," one of the most 
spirited Nos., and the Soldier's chorus, were chiefly 
made use of. 

Further we must mention the Faust music of the 
court conductor of Stuttgart, Peter Joseph Llnd- 

J>aintner, born 8th Dec., 1791, at Coblenz, a 
iavorite director and song writer (e, g. " The Stan- 
dard bearer,") in addition to many distinctions en- 
nobled. Lindpaintner wrote 20 operas, music to 
many plays, 6 masses and other church music, mel- 
odramas, ballads, concert!, Ac. His invention is 
devoid of genius and un wieldly, conventional, prosy, 
but his music betrays everywhere the mature musi- 
cian. Of his Faust music the overture and the 
entr'acte have chiefly made their way. 

Unquestionably higher and more akin to modem 
views on the other band is Pierson's mnsic to the 
second part, which on this account deserves higher 

and more willing estimation Gf 

talent thoroughly original, Pierson was singularly 
in advance of his age ; nis music frequentiy approach- 
es near to the style of a Schumann, a Liszt, or 
Wagner, and that» at a time when Schumann's and 
Wagner's important creations were only just emerg- 
ing, and when Liszt had written scaroaly a note of 
his symphonic works. 

If Pierson was not dowerod with the eopions gift- 
edness, the intense coining power of thought, or the 
sovereign boldness or power of such spirits to a like 
degree, the spiritual Kinship to them remains, a 
most surprising one ; and, indeed, his often striking, 
enchaining characteristic style, and the earnestness 
and nobility with which he handled bis task merit 
much warmer reoognition than fell to his lot^ ospoo- 



14 



DWIGHT'S JOURI^^AL OF MUSIC 



ially in his later years. Authorities liko Robert 
Schumann and others spoke earlier with remarka- 
ble warmth of his works. As especially regards 
such a prominent creation as his Faust mnsic, the 
element of ori^nality and tendency towards rhap- 
sody in his nature steps forth most unyeilodly in 
the overture, where he has been probably led on by 
the kaleidoscopic graphic style of Goethe*^ work. 
Proportionately, therein, the mystic introduction, 
and the angelically glorified conclusion, which, how- 
ever, one could wish a little more festive, exhibit 
most genius. In a still more favorable light does 
the first highly fragrant and extensive vocal piece. 
Ariel and Chorus of Elves, show the composer. 
While the march to the introduction of the Kaiser 
draws with a few powerful strokes the pompous dis- 
solving character of the court and government, a 
protracted intermezzo illustrates in attractive style 
the appearance of Paris and Helena. The introduc- 
tion to the second act unites with masterly touches 
the leading features of the overture ; and the rise o^ 
the Horounculus is enveloped by the chorus of ele- 
ment spirits in mysterious vapors. 

One of the most winning sketches is the introduc- 
tion to the third act, and in like manner the female 
chorus following enchants us with its attractive mel- 
ody. Also the later march and chorus is a splendid 
piece, full of lustre and freshness: One of the most 
symmetrically worked out pieces is the intermezzo 
which follows, full of melody ; but unquestionably 
one of the most brilliant Nos., is the lovely closing 
chorus '* Sound immortal harp.** In the fourth act 
are prominently characteristic the introduction and 
the somewhat protracted battle music. The " Te 
Deum ** is most original. In all probability the de- 
cline of the German empire at that period swept be- 
fore the composer's vision, so characteristically do 
traces of splendor alternate with decay. Tlie intro- 
duction to the fifth act is most tellinsr from its deli- 
cately lofty design. The song or the warder if ren- 
dered with confidence and freshness, cannot fail to 
enchain through its judicious coloring, and just as 
striking is the piece of inatrumental coloring at the 
entrance of " Want,'' " Guilt," and " Necessity." 
Among the following Nos., stands prominent the 
ideally glorified delineation of the ansrel-choirs ; 
also the chorus of anchorites and the double chorus 
contain features of true worth. The final chorus, 
though it does not possess any very considerable 
verve, constitutes, when perfectly performed, with 
two slight curtailments, a worthy and noble endinsr. 
It is to be regretted that Pierson's music can hardly 
be done full justice to on the stage, partly because 
the composer commonly writes at such length that 
curtailment^ are unavoidable, and thereby much 
that is good has to be left out. partly because at 
times very considerable demands are made by him 
on the resources of the theatre, and one can seldom 
find a choir sufficiently strong to meet all his de- 
mands. On this account, as a rule, man,^ brilliant 
choral Nos. must be omitted from the performanoe. 
aasssssss ■■■ i ■ ■ — — 

BOSTON, MAY I, 1875. 

One Hundred Sjrmphony Goncerta 

The Harvard Musical Association has just com- 
pleted its tenth Concert Season, having given in 
all one hundred classical orchestral concerts. The 
first course (1865-66) was an experiment; but it 
was well guarantied by the members of the Associ- 
ation among themselves, who with their families 
and friends composed the nucleus, and indeed by 
far the larger part, of an appreciative, fit audience. 
They intended " that this City shonld have one se- 
ries of concerts every winter, which 'should be unex- 
ceptionable in tone, and which should take the field 
BO well guarantied as to be independent, and have 
no motive for catering to any interest except the 
higher one of Art ; " — " Concerts purely artistic in 
their motive, and as good in matter and in execu- 
tion as the orchestral means of Boston would allow.** 
It was thought " that one successful season on this 
plan would pave the way to a permanent organiza- 
tion of Orchestra] Concerts, wnose certain periodi- 
cal recurrence, and high uncompromising character 
may be always counted on in future by the friends 
of good music in Boston.** And so the announce- 
ment of the first experimental series, of eiz Sympho- 
ny Concerts, contained the pledge of an orchestra 
oi fifty instramenta, as wdl as of pare programmes: 



" Symphonies and Overtures to be secured first ; 
Concertos, Solos, vocal and instrumental, to depend 
on the sale of tickets, but in no case to be intro- 
duced to the injury of the general tone and unity of^ 
the programme." 

The experiment was so successful that the nnm- 
ber of subscription concerts for the second and the 
third year was incrensed to eifthi. A " three-fold 
guaranty " was oflFored : " 1 . of pure programmes ; 
2. of the riglii audience^ oli which there could be no 
better nucleus thon the members of the Harvard 
Association and their friends; 3. of di*inttrr»frd 
management, — the concerts to be given not for indi- 
vidual profit, but for Art." *' The programmes were 
controlled entirely by the Concert Committee. The 
Subscription was kept at first wholly within the 
circle of the H. M. A. ; and not until its members 
had pledged themselves for season tickets enough to 
make the financial success of the Concerts reasona- 
bly certain was the list opened to the public. Fi- 
nally the whole income of the concerts was either 
invested in the concerts themselves (in making them 
more perfect, increasing the orchestra, the amount 
of rehearsal, Ac.,) or reserved — a moderate portion 
of it — in the treasury of the Association as a partial 
guaranty for future concerta." (This reserved fund, 
steadily growing for eight years, has made good the 
losses of the last two seasons, and doubtless it will 
still suffice, if needed, for several season^ more, 
until the concerts shall havn fairly tided over all 
temporary obstacles of outside competition, hard 
times, changing tastes and fashions, in music as in 
all things.) In the fourth year the number of con- 
certs was raised to ten^ which has remained the 
number to this day. Durin&r the earlier years sev- 
eral extra concerts were given as complimentary 
benefits, or in aid of humane causes, such as the last 
struggle of the Cretan<t, the musical education of the 
Blind, (fee. ; these make the number up to the full 
hundred May the second hundred prove as good 
in matter, in artistic spirit and in influence, as they 
certiiinly will prove much better in the manner of 
per' .mance I 

It is a good time now to look back and realize 
what an amount of noble music, for the most part 
of the very highest, these one hundred concerts 
have given us. Of the manner of performance, the 
orchestra, and several other aspects of the concerts 
we shall speak another time ; our concern is now 
merely witn the matter of one hundred programmes ; 
which may be summed up as follows under the 
names of the several composers, indicatinsr the num- 
ber of times each work has been given (when more 
than once) by a figure after its title. To those 
which were given in Boston for the first time we 
prefix a stor. 

J. S. Bach. 

Orchestral Suite in D (Overture, Aria and Gavotte) 

6 times. 
Organ works: * Toccata in F, arranged for Orches- 
tra by Esser, 4 ; ♦ Passacaglia in C minor, do. ; 

Do', on the Organ (J. K. Paine); Grand Prelude 

and Fugue in A minor (Do.) 
Piano-Forte: ♦Chromatic Fantasia and Fugue, D- 

minor and F (Miss Marie Krebs) ; — ♦ Organ Prel. 

and Fugue in G minor, arr. by Liszt (Miss Anna 

Mehlig) ; Do. in A minor (Do.) 
Violin : Chaconne in XX minor, 8, (Carl Rosa 2, B. 

Listemann.) 
Arias : ♦ " Erbarme dich," Alto, from the Passion 

music, with violin obligate, 2, (Mrs, F. E. Barry); 

Alto Aria: *" Well done," from a CanUta (Mrs. 

Barry) ; Cradle Song from Christmas Oratorio, 2, 

(Do. and Miss Alice Fairman) ; " My heart ever 

faithful " (Do.) 

♦ Bass : '* Give me back my dearest Master," from 
Passion Music, 2. (M. W. "Whitney), with Violin 
(Listemann) ; — * " Grief and Pain," Alto, Passion 
Music, (Mrs. Barry). 

Haxdkl. 

• 

♦ Concerto, for Oboe, in G minor (A Kutzleb.) 

Pastorale, from " Messiah." 

Arias from Italian Operas : • " Sonmi Dei," from 
" Radamisto " (Mis« A. S. Whitten) ; • '• II vostro 
Maggio," from " Rinaldo "(Do.) ; ♦ " Gia««hd mo- 
rir non posso," from ** Radamisto " (Mrs. Barry) , 

* " Son confuaapaatorelU," 8, from "Poro " (Do.); 



♦••Verdi Prati," from " Alcina." (Do); ♦"Con 
ranco mormorio." from " R«)delinda," (D'>.) ; 

♦ •• Cangio d'aspetto," from " Admeto " (Miss 
Fairman). 

Air from " Israel in Esrvpt : " *' The enemy said " 
(Nelson Varley); Tenor Airs from "L' Allegro" 
(G. L. Osffood). 

Durantb: ♦Magnificat, in D. for chor., soli and 
orch.. 2. (first time under Mr. Kreissmann ; sec- 
ond time by The Cecilia, under B. J. Lang.) 

TnoicAS Wkklkbs: ♦Six-Parfc Madrigal: "When 
Tboralis delights to walk" (Cecilia.) 

Gluck. 

Overture to " Tphigenia in Aulis." 8 ; Tenor Aria 
from Do. : " Nur ein Wnnsch" (A. Kreissmann) ; 

♦ Rec. and Aria from " Orfco : " •' Ad<lio, O miei 
sospiri" (Mrs. Barry); ♦ Chaconne from "Orfeo," 
f«»r orchestra. 

Tartini: Violin SonaU, "La Trille du Diable" 
(Listemann). 

IIatdx. 

Symphonies (Breitk. A H. ed.): No 1, E flat, 2; 
No. 2. D; ♦No. 3, E flat; No. 4. D ; No. 5, D ; 
♦No. 8, B flat. 3; ♦No. 9. D minor ; No. 11. 
"MiliUire," in G ; No. 12, B flat; No. 13, in G, 
4 — Of the Wtillner edition : ♦No. 1, in B major 
(very short) ; ♦ No. 2, in G, (" Oxford.") 
Serenade, from the Quartet, by all the Strinir*, 2. 
♦Cantata: " Ariadne at Naxos," 2, (Mme. Ruders- 
dorfll) 

Mozart. 

Symphonies: No. 1, in D. 3; No, 2. G minor. 2; 
No. 3, E flat, 3 ; No. 4 (•* Jupiter,") C, 8 ; ♦ No. 
6. C, 2 ; ♦ No. 9, (" French.") D. 

Overtures : ♦ Idomeneo ; Marriage of Fijr ro ; Zau- 
berflote, 8 ; ♦ Tito, 2.— Marches from Figaro and 
Zauberflote. 

Pianoforte : ♦ Concerto for two Pianos, in E flat, 2, 
(Lang and Parker); ♦Concerto, No. 20, in D. (H. 
Dauni); Concerto, No. 8. D minor, 2, (Miss Meh- 
lig, Rich. Hoffman) ; ♦ Cone, in C minor, Kochel, 
491, (H. Leonhard); ♦Cone, in B flat (J. C. D. 
Parker.) 

Violin: ♦SinfoniaConcertante for Violin and viola, 
with orch., in E flat. (C. N. Allen and 11. Heindl) ; 
♦Cone, in D, Kochel, 218, (Camilla Trso.) 

Chorus with Orch. "Ave verum corpus;" *' O 
Isis." Priests in Zauberflote, 3. 

Vocal Solos with Orch.—" Deh vieni," from Fi- 
garo, 2, (Mrs. Barry.) 

Concert Aria : " Non temer," with violin obliga- 
to, (Miss J. E. Houston.) 

♦ Song of the Harem Keeper from " The Serag- 
lio" (P. H. Powers); "Non piii andrai," from 
Figaro (F. J. Rudolphson); Tenor Aria: "Cos- 
tanze!" from "The Seraglio" (G. L. Osgood); 
" Non pia di fiori," 7^, 2. (Mrs. Kempton ; Miss 
Ryan); ♦Song: "Loin de toi" (Miss Anna S. 
Whitten): Song: " Quando miro *' (Mrs. Barry); 
Aria from Zauherfiote : " Ah I lo so" (Miss Wiiit- 
ten) : ♦ Cone. Aria. Bass : " Mentre ti la«cio " (M. 
W. Whitney): ♦Cone. Aria, No. 6, "Ch'io mi 
scordi," with piano and orchestra, 2. (Mrs. Barry, 
Mme. Rudersdorff) ; ♦ Cone. Aria. Tenor : " Mise- 
lo. o sogno, o son destro?" 2, (Nelson Varley) ; 
♦Cone. Aria, Bass: " Alcandro, lo confesso" (M. 
W. Whitney) ; ♦ Aria from Tito : " Dch, per qnesto 
istAnte " (Miss Clara Doria) ; Tenor Aria from Don 
Giovanni: " Dalla sua pace "(Osgood.) 

Bkktiiovex. 

Symvhonifg: First, in C; Second, D, 2; Third, 
" Eroica." E flat, 4 ; Fourth, B flat, « ; fifth, C mi- 
nor, 6 ; sixth, Pastoral, F, 3 ; seventh. A, 7 ; eighth, 
F, 6; ninth (Choral), D minor. 2, (Chorus from 
Handel and Haydn Society. 

Overtures : " Men of Prometheus," 2 ; " Coriolan," 7 ; 
" Ejfmont," 6 ; ♦*• Leonore." No. 1 , 8 ; ♦" Leonoi'e," 
No. 2 ; Do. No. 8. 10; " Fidelio," 2 ; ♦ " Namens- 
feier," op. 115, in C, 2 ; ♦ " Weihe des Hauses," 
op. 124, C, 6. 

Afierfl^aneoue Orefteetral : Adagio and Andante from 
" Prometheus," 4 ; Turkish March, 2 ; March from 
" Fidelio." 

Piano vfUh OrcA.— ♦First Concerto, in C, (B.J. 
Lang); ♦ second, in B flat. 2. (Lang); third, C- 
minor, 8, (Lang, Miss Alice Durton, Parker); 
♦fourth, in G, 6, (H. Leonhard); fifth, in E flat, 
6, (Otto Dresel, E. Perabo, 2, Miss Mehlig, Miss 
Krebs, Mme. Schiller); ♦Triple Concerto (piano, 
violin and 'cello), 8,- (Lang, Perabo, 2); Choral 
Fantasia, piano (Perabo) chorus and orch. ; ♦Fan- 
tasia on " Ruins of Athens," arr. by Liszt,' piano 
(Miss Alide Topp) with orch.- 

piano Solo : ♦ Polonaise, op. 89, in C, (Miss Krebs); 
♦Thirty-two Variations on Theme in C minor (J 
C. D. Parker). 



uc 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, MAY 1, 1875. 



15 



Violin ('oiirrrto, in D. first tnovi'mont, 4, (Carl Ho- 

^n. Mmo. rr«<». T>, T/i8^(»mann. 2.) 
Chovtut with Orrh. — ('liorn* of iVrvishps from " Ru- 

\x\^ of Athens," 2 ; *' Hallelujah " from " Mount of 

OIJVOS." 

Rer. and Aria, wUh orrh.. from Fidolio: " Abf»chen- 
lurher!" 2, (Miss Whitten, Mme. Johannsen); 
•Duot from Ruins of Athens; Sacred Sonjjfs to 
words by GHiert, op. 48, Nos. 4 and 6 (M. W. 
Whitney); Qnartt't from Fidelio; Sonsr: "Ado- 
laide." 2, (C. GIoijijnjr-CastelH, Nelson Varley.) 

— But we find wonre in for a more formidable job 
than we anticipated. To save any room for other 
matter, wc ron^t Rtop here, and leave the completion 
of the list for another time. 



Chamber Concerta 

Mr. B. J. TiAXo pjavc the first of two Concertj^, at 
Mechanics' Hall, last Thursday afternoon (April 22), 
which drew the lar^rc audience which his concerts 
abvays command ; and it was a concert full of inter- 
est. Mr. Lansf was assisted by Miss It a Welsh and 
Miss Grack Sampsom. The latter, a promising pu- 
pil of his. ft young lady of modest, prepossessing 
appearance, who seemed entirely intent upon her 
music, opened the Concert with her teacher; the 
two »>;ivin<i: us a very finished and artistic rendering 
of Mozart's Sonata in D for two pianofortes. We 
arc not sure that it has been fiven here before ; at 
all events it was as fresh as anything in the familiar 
Mor.art st^'le could be. It has three movements: a 
spirited Allegro, starting with a bold and simple 
theme; an Audani^, very melodious, rich in harmo- 
ny, and tender in feeling; and a Finale (-<4//«7ro mol- 
/o), which is exceedingly graceful, buoyant and light- 
hearted, keeping up its pla3'ful humor with exhaust- 
less fancy. The whole work sparkles with fine 
thoughts, set off to advantage, and must have been 
quite a bravoura piece in its day. It is thoroughly 
genial ; the only drawback is that the movements 
are all long. Miss Sampson's touch is nice, her ex- 
ecution clean and even, and her whole performance 
had not a little of the fineness as well as the vi^jor 
of her master's. 

Liszt's " Bene<liction of God in Solitude," from 
his '* Harmonies Po^tiques et Religieuses," was first 
played here by Mr. Lang a few years ago. Th& key 
to it is in these verses : 

D'od me vient, A mon DIeu, cette paix qui mMnnnde? 
D'od roe vient cette foi dont mon coenr Hurabonde, 
A mot qal tout k Phcure, inccrtnin, ntrit^, 
Et sur les flotn du douce k tout vent ballott^, 
rhcrchais le blen, le vral, dam ies rdves des sagen, 
Be la paix dans di-s coBura rctontisAant d'orages ? 
A peine iiur mon front que^ques jours ont glfa«4, 
II me semble qn*un Mltefc el qu'un monde ont pass^i 
Et que. s^par^ d*eux par un !il>ime immeDAC, 
Un uouvef bomino en moi renalt et rocommenoe. 

The peace of a new life is surely a great theme ; 
whether the Abbato felt it all within him we can 
hardly tell from this music. There is a certain 
depth of sentiment in the first half of it, serene, rich 
and full in harmony, as if in sympathy with all 
around; this is sustained to a good length and comes 
to a pause ; when with a new and quicker rhythm 
memories of the storms of passion and of trials past 
seem to return ; and finally the " new man '' congrat- 
ulates himself. For Liszt thesentiment is deep and 
earnest ; but compare it with one of the later Sona- 
tas of Beethoven I What promised nobly in the be- 
ginning seems to lose unity and to continue itself 
vaguely and unsatisfactorily for the mere sake of con- 
tinuance, toward the end. It is very difficult, 
abounds in fine effects of sonority and light and 
shade ; and Mr. Lang played it with remarkable del- 
cacy and grasp of its full breadth. — His next selec- 
tions were Chopin's Impromptu in F sharp minor, 
op. 86, and a strong, hearty, joyous BourrSe, in G, 
by Handel, both effectively and characteristically 
presented. Finally, the brilliant ConcerUluck in G, 
op. 92, by Schumann, which has been before twice 
played by him with orchestra. This time the orches- 
tra was represented on a second piano, played by the 
{mpil. It was well worth recalling and extremely 
nteresting even so, and very admirably given. 

Miss Welsh evidently suffered from a cold, and 
sang with more exertion than when she won such 
favor in " Paradise and the Peri." This was most 
apparent in her first two pieces : Beethoven's " In 
questa tomba oscura " (for which her voice seemed 
too light and child-like) and Schumann's " Er der 
Herrlichste ton alien," — or, as she sang it in Eng- 
lish, '' The Noblest." In the two ballads : Sterndale 
Bennett's " The Pa3t,'* and Schumann's " A red, red 
rose," she was more successful. There her admira- 
ble distinctness of enunciation came well in play. 
If Miss Welsh, who is yet very young, shows sj'mp- 



tom«« of one dftuircr more than another, it is that of 
the Irrmtdo — not yet di»<tpcssintif. but how cftfiilv it 
may become so ! Musical feeling, quick apprehen- 
.sion, and siiontaneous exprensiou she appears to 
have beyonci the common. 



Mmr. Madkuvr Sciiillp.r gave a concert in the 
same hall on Tuesday afternoon, April 27, which 
was largely attended, and with every manifestation 
of deep interest. This lady, in the two years that 
she has resided here, has quietly and steadily won 
recognition as tne equal, we had almont said the su- 
perior, of any of our pianists in the technical 
command of all the resources of the instrument," 
which she appears to wield with perfect ease and 
certainty ; nor is this by any means her only claim 
to a place among the very foremost. There is noth- 
ing which phe cannot execute with exquisite precis- 
ion, with ta^^tc, with delicacy, and with sustained 
power. Iler readings are always careful, honest, 
and utterly without affectation ; she does not place 
herself before her music. That her understanding, 
her poetic insight, depth of nature is equal to fath- 
oming the full depth of meaning and of passion in 
the profoundest works of Beethoven, we do not say ; 
how many have that power? Nor do we always 
feel that she evinces the best judgment — or tact, 
rather — in her selections ; if she onlv did, her con- 
certs, we imagine, would be always crowded; for it is 
indeed a rare, peculiar pleasure to hear her and to 
see her as she sits at the piano. Her programme 
was as follows: 

Beethoven.— Sonata in .\. flnt M(\)or. Op. tlO. 

Moderate Canlahile.— Allejrro molto. 
Adagio ma non troppo.— Puga. 
Chopin.— Variatfon-i.—^'Je venda dcs BcapulalfM.** 

Op. 12. 
J. K. Paine.— Tiio In D minor. Fimt time, 
IDf dfcated to Mr. John Ft*kf]. 
Allegro.— Adneio.— Allegro glojnao. 
Schubert.— Impromptu in B flnt Bfajor. Op. 142, No. 3. 
Beethoven.— PolonaUe In C MdOoi** ^P* ^• 
ll4'i neck e.— Variations on a thtrme by Bach. Op. 52. 
Schubert.- Valae lllostr^e par Llzat. Soirees de 
Vlenne, No. 3. 

That Beethoven Sonata is certainly one of the 
deepest in its interior springs of feeling, spiritual 
longing, and imaginative suggesttion, as well as one 
of the most beautiful. This, too, is a meditation, 
"poetique et religiente" in a far\leeper and more real 
sense than that work by the Abbe Liszt of which 
we have spoken above. Its tenderness and pathos 
are of the sweetest, noblest, manliest ; the wound is 
deep ; " the heart knoweth its own sorrow," its own 
unquenchable love and faith likewise, and like 
Prometheus chained to his rock, it can b}' the aid of 
genius, summon around itself airy counsellors and 
pvmpathizors, beautiful, bright thoughts, and fond 
diversion*, which so enrich, relieve, but not evade or 
hide the serious confession. How calmly, sweetly 
it begins I Then comes that sudden flight of soft 
and luminous arpeggios of gossimer lightness, all 
over the keyboard, which Mme. Schiller can give 
with such perfect evenness and lightness, and then 
the singing monologue goes on again, continually 
giving out such delicate and fleeting coruscations^ 
the "heat lightning" of the brain I The AUegro 
ffioUo^ answering for a Scherzo, was beautifully 
played. The wonderful Atlagio, so deeply impas- 
sioned, now recitative-like, now eaniubde (Anoso 
Dolenie), fitful, yet in perfect keeping with itself, 
seems almost beyond the power of adequately ex- 
pressive rendering through material means. How 
naturally it comes to a close, lingering thoughtfully 
on the last note, and then the quick Fugue begins 
in circling six-eight rhythm ; the mournful melody 
returns, and then the Fugue theme, inverted, brings 
the Sonata to a close. Mme. Schiller's rendering 
was all that could be desired in the way of execu- 
tion ; no wonder she could not enter into and inter- 
pret all its depth of passion and of meaning, as only 
kindred genius can. 

The Chopin Variations, on an air Arora one of Hal^vv^ 
operaa, are comparatively insi gniflcant among his works, 
but full of briliiancyi variety and grace, and call for 
great command of technique, which m this caae waa not 
wanting. Nothing more exquisitely perfect, more fault- 
lessly even and connected than her rapid runs and figu- 
rative passages of all form8» have we ever wltneaaed : and 
there it always delicate and tasteful shading. The Schu- 
bert Impromptu was made perhaps a little prolix by coax- 
ing out Its sentiment; the Relnecke Variations did not re- 
quire that to make them both prolix and tedious. The 
Polonidso by Beethoven, played onoo In a Symphony Cou- 
cert by Misa Krebs, Is brilliant, qut not much for Beetho- 
ven. The Schubert Volte waa a most agreeable relief after 
the Varlatlena upon Bach, and, being played superbly^ 
made an effective ending of the Ck>noert. 

Kir. PAliTB's Trio, Cin the performance of which Mme. 
Schiller was asslated by Mr. C. N. Allsn and Mr. Wulf 
Fbibh), we listened to with much intereat, and It waa re- 
ceived with cordial applause. Wo will not attempt to give 
an impre«8lon of It without at least a aeoond hearing. 



Chicaoo, April 17. One of the most interesting 
concerts of the season was that of the Beethoven 
Society, last niijht, under the direction of Mr. Carl 
Wolfsohn. The Chorus numbered perhaps nearly 
two hundred, and the orchestra about thirty. The 
programme was as follow.^ : 

Part I. 

The First Walpurela Nl^ht. . . .'. Mendeiasohn. 

Soprano solo, Mra. Slacey ; Alto, Mr^. Johasoii, 

and baas, Mr. Jas. Gill. 

Part U. 

1. Qunrtet from "Fidelio," (All the m><c««). Beethoven. 

2. Larghetto for ' Cello and orcheatra Mozart. 

Mr. BIcheim. 

3. Spinning Chorua from *' Flying Dutchman.'* 

Wagner. 

4. March and Chorus from " TannhXuaer.'* 



ti 



The " Wnlpurgis Night " was well done, the cho- 
rus manifesting precision of attack, generally good 
intonation, and being for the most part well 
balanced. The creteendot and diminuendoB were 
not, on the whole, as perfect as they might 
have been. It is to Mr. Wolfsohn's praise that the 
orchestra was made to play so softly as not to over- 
power the not strong solo voices. The solos them- 
selves, although not undertaken by voices of excep- 
tional compass and volume, were done in correct 
pitch (so far as I observed), distinct enunciation of 
the words, and intelligent conception of the music. 
The second part of the programme requires little 
comment except in regard to the first number, which 
in my opinion is unsuited to the use here made of 
it, although for anything I know to the contrary it 
may be useful practice for the singers. As this was 
my first acquaintance with this cantata of Mendels- 
solm''', I may perhaps be pardoned for expressing 
my sense of its light and genial character ; but es- 
pecially I am struck with the weakness of Memlels- 
sohn's imagination as compared with that of Schu- 
mann, which immediately appears when we seek in 
it for individuality in the various parts. For 
although these are by no means alike, tney are very 
far from manifesting that " humoristic fancy " (as 
Brendel calls it) which is such a marked feature of 
all of Schumann's music. 

Mr. Wolfsohn's Schumann recitals still continue. 
The fourth and fifth were these : 

Fourth. 
Nove'letten. Op. 21, Koa. 1 and 2. 
Blumen StUck Op. 19. 
Carnava), Op. 9. 

Fifth. 
Novelletten. Op. 21, Noa.3 and 4. 
Arabeske. Op. 18. 
Song: " Belshazzar.** 

Mr. C. T. Root. 
Sonata, F slmrp minor, Op. 11. 

The son^s in the fourth recital I do not just now 
recall. In both these Mr. Wolfsohn's playing has 
been better than I described it the other day. Es- 
pecially was this true of the Camavai and the So- 
nata, in both which his readings were intelligent 
and interesting, and I am happy to ^o on record as 
not so ultra refined in my taste as to be unable to 
derive pleasure from such music as this of Schu- 
mann's, even though I might be able here and there 
to point to some slip in the execution, or some con- 
ception not entirely consonant with my notion. 

The Apollo Club gave a concert about ten days 
ago under the direction of Mr. Bergstein. The pro- 
gramme included part songs by Riicken, Mendels- 
sohn, and one by the conductor himself, Mr. Carl 
Bergstein, which was well received. The solo per- 
formances were those of Mrs. Jones (soprano), and 
four pieces played on the pianoforte by Miss Julia 
Rive of Cincinnati, 

The Club had about fifty voices and san'^ in good 
tune and with tas^^, though, as will be seen they 
were not put to any very seyere test. The must 
notable feature of ttiis concert was the playing of 
Miss Rive. Her selections were varied in character 
and performed with a clearness and beauty of exe- 
cution such as I have never seen surpassed, espec- 
ially in the TannfubiBrr March and second Hungari 
an Rhapsody. Whether this young lady is an 
artiste in the sense of being an authoritative expo- 
nent of such music as that of Schumann and 
Beethoven I do not know ; but as a pianist at all 
events she must be accorded a place witli the most 
accomplished. Mrs. Jones, a soprano here, received 
an imperative encore, which I confess surprised me, 
inasmuch as the singer was suffering from a very 
bad cold, in consequence of which she made a 
marked departure from true intonation on the very 
note which brought down the house. Verily the 
public " is curis." Dbr FRiTscut^TS. 



16 



dwig'ht's journal of music. 



Nbw York, Apeil 26, 1875. — The last fortnight, 
bringing the musical season to a close, has been 
crowded with concerts, so that a brief notice of 
some of the best of them is all that I can give. 
Beginning with the two concerts by the Thomas 
Orchestra, at Stein way Hall, on Friday evening, 
April 16, and Saturday afternoon, April 17, we 
find two programmes, which, though of lighter 
character than those of the Symphony Concerts, 
lire yet very Interesting. 

The evening concert opened with a performance 
of Beethoven's Second Symphony in D, op. 86. A 
work, the whole of which is seldom played in New 
York, although the second movement, (Larghetto). 
is well known here. The rendering seemed to be 
exceptionally fine, even for the Thomas Orchestra, 
with which perfection is an every day matter. An 
instrumental novelty was an orchestral setting, by 
Carl Reinecke, of R. Schumann's delightful series of 
"Bilder aus Osten." for the piano, (four hands). 
The adaptation is such as to preserve the exact 
spirit of the original music, while its gorgeous 
Oriental coloring is intensified by ingenious orches- 
tration. It is " Lalla Rookh " in music. 

Berlioz's bright little Scherzo, " La Reine Mab, 
on la Fee des songes," which we have heard at the 
garden concerts, was the next instrumental piece, 
and the concert ended with three selections from 
Wagner's " Meistersinger," namely, The Introduc- 
tion to the 8d act, Walther's Prize Song, and the 
Overture. The Introduction and Prize Song are 
new to us. The magnifipent overture we have 
heard many times, but cannot hear too often*. 
The beautiful prize song of Walther was entrusted 
to Mr. H. A. BischoiT, tenor, who proved to be any- 
thing but a "Meistersinger," for he pitched his 
voice too Uw at the outset, and had a painful strug- 
gle with the music. Nor did he succeed with 
" Siegmund's Love Song," (from " Walkuere,") an- 
other novelty which came earlier in the evening. 
Of course we have to consider the difficulty which 
all singers find in Wagner's music, and it is said 
that Mr. Bischoff did much hotter at the mating, 
when the same selections were given. 

Two pieces, sung by Mlsa Annio Louise Cary, 
completed the bill of the evening. One was the 
famous "Che faro senza Euridice," from Gluck's 
" Orpheus,** and the other the well known arietta, 
by Beethoven, *' In questa tomba oscura." Miss 
Cary was in good voice, and sang well, as indeed 
she always does. 

At the Saturday Mating, Mendelssohn's Refor- 
mation Symphony was performed. We have not 
heard it in full for several years past, although the 
Scherzo has been frequently played. The composer, 
who was an excellent critic of his own works, an- 
ticipated the verdict of posterity upon this sym- 
phony, and effectually disarmed criticism ; but it is 
too good to be wholly lost to our ears, and ought to 
be occasionally played. 

T* continue the bill, Schumann's " Abendlied," 
and a serenade, by Haydn, were performed by the 
strings. The Wagner music of the evening previ- 
ous was repeated. Beethoven's " Leonora " over- 
ture was played, and Miss Cary sang Mozart's 
" Vol che sapete," and the Romanza *' Non conosci,*' 
from Mignon. The name of the last piece always 
brings a thought of an artist who left us not very 
long ago, and the splinters (t sic.) of musical sense 

are still too fresh and fine for us patiently to hear 
the same piece sung even by so cnarming a singer 
as Miss Cary. 

This brought the season of Thomas Concerts in 
New York to a close, and the great Conductor, with 
his orchestra, has gone West, not to return until the 
season for opening the garden concerts. There has 
been some needless alarm lest these delightful sum- 
mer nights entertainments should be discontinued ; 

• YerUjr there is no acoountlng for tastes 1~kd, 



only those who are obliged to remain in the city 
during the long, hot season, can fully realize the 
great satisfaction snd grood to be got from the Cen- 
tral Park Garden, and how like our daily bread 
it has become. 

I g^ve below the programmes of the six Symphony 
Concerts which Mr. Thomas gave during the season 
just ended. 

FIKST COVCKaT. 

Harold Symphony Berlioz 

Piano-forte Concerto, Op. 16 (new) Orleg 

' Mr. F. BoseOThZ. 
Heroic Symphony, No. 3 Beethoven 

SKCOXP cnircKHT. 

Bnf te in B-mlnor, [flr9t time] Bsch 

Adagio and Rondo brllliinte, A-ms^or Huminel 

Mr. H H. Tfmm. 

Symphony No. f, In B flat Behnmann 

Trto, " Tremnte, emni '* [flmt time] Beethoven 

Miss Lasar, Mr. Rrftsch, Mr. Bemerti. 
Symphonic Poem, ** Die Ideale." Liszt 

Tlffno CO^CEKT 

Overture-'* Paris and Helen »' [flnit time] OInck 

Bvmphony No. S, D-ralnor [new] Baft 

Wotan* AlMchied and Feuerzaaber [first tImeO 

Wagner 
Vocal part by Mr. Remmertz. 
Symphony No. 5, C-mlnor Beethoren 

FOITRTH OONOEBT. 

Symphony No. 4. B-flat Beethoven 

Coni-erto for two violins and orobestra [first timel. 

Ksch 

Hunprarlan Danoet [new] Brahms 

Piano-forte concerto [new] Ruff 

Mme. Schiller. 
Frithlof Symphony [new] Hofmann 

FIFTH CONCERT. 

Oxford Symphony, O-maJor Havdn 

Slofonla, Recitative and Aria from " Semele ".Handel 
Mile. Anna Drasdll. 

Overture. " Leonora,** No. 9 Beethoven 

Dramatic Symphony, No. 4 [new] Rubinstein 

SIXTH CONCERT. 

Jnplter Symphony Mozart 

Piano-forte Concerto In K-fiat [new] Rubinstein 

Mme. Schiller. 
Ssrmpbony in A. No. 7 Beethoven 

The last concert of the Brooklyn Philharmonic 

Society took place on Saturday evening, April 17th. 
The attendance was large, and has been so through- 
out the season. 

The followinflT selections were performed under the 
direction of Theodore Thomas : 

1. Symphony In B-fiat, Kdcbel— 643~[flnt time]. 

Motart 
S. a. Part Song «* How Sweet the Moonlight'* 

H. Leslie 

b. Olee. <* The HnntlofT Sftnir.'* J.Benedict 

The Olee and Madrigal Society of Brooklyn. 
8. Concerto In C-mlnor, Op. 37» [fint movement. 

Beethoven 
Mr. Richard Hoffman and erchestra. 

4. Faniit.— Chnracterbild— On. 68 Rnblnstein 

ft. BnTcarole. [from the fourth concerto. W. S. Bennett 
Mr. Richard Hoffman. 

0. a. Part Sonfr " Sands of Dee.** Maef arren 

b. Lullaby of Life H. Leslie 

The Olee and Madrigal Society. 
7. Symphonic Poem, Taaso ,..LIsxt 

The Mozart Symphony is one of the three best of 
the series, and contain the most popular of all the 
Minuettos. It was comp'>sed in 1766. in Vienna. 

The Rubinstein "Character Bild," has been 
played by the Thomas Orchestra in New York, only 
once or twice i^ithin my recollection. The Sym- 
phonic Poem " Tasso,** is one of the best of Lisst's 
compositions, It is really suberb, as far as Instrn- 
mentatioD goes, though it is a noticeable fact that the 
only bit of pure melody contained in the work is a 
text not claimed by the composer as his own. It is 
a song of the Venetian gondoliers ; a melody to 
which the first strophes of the " Jerusalem ** are 
chanted upon the lagoons. 

" Canto Tarmi pletose e'l capltano 
Che*I gran Sepolcro llber6 di Crisio.'* 

Still we have to thank Lisst for a setting of this 
form, such as perhaps no other man could give. 

The singing of the past songs and glee were well 
enough, although the music was obviously inappro- 
priate upon such an occasion. Bnt, our Brooklyn 
triends have their own way of doing things, and 
doubtless were satisfied with the arrangement. I 
could not keep wishing, for my part, that some of 
the songs which took up so much time, and were 
repeated in two instances, had been left out, and an 
opportunity thus afforded Mr. Richard Hoffiman to 
play the whole of Beethoven's Concerto, of which 
only the first movement was given. Once in each 
year this artist comes to the front, is heard with 
breathless attention, and immediately returns to 
private life, which he prefers, probably because he 
nas already many of those honors for which a 
capricious public often exacts a long and toilsome 
service. 

[The remainder of this letter next time.] 



DKBORIPTIVB LIST OF THB 
Pablloke^ bj 01lT«ir WHtmmm 4k 0«. 



Vtfoalf with Piano leeempaaimant 
Good Night 8. G to nr. Olaver, 86 

*' Partlnif la mich sweet aorrow. 

That I shall say ' good night* till the morrow.'* 

Shakspeare said those sweet words* and Uie niasie 
is equally sweet. 

Bonum Est. (It it ft good thing). Qaartet 

or chorus. S. Ebtog. Campiglio. 50 

An excellent oompoaltion by a New Orleaua 
organist. 

Sing not of the Past 8. F to f. TrdteU. 40 

** Kach remembered note reei>IU, 
Life*! young hopes and fean." 

Pine poem. Fine song. 

She neyer flirts. (Fairy Queen), 8. E& to e. 

HendU, 80 
*' Bnt she'd eloped with a eireus man." 
A pretty oomlo song, f^ll of surprises. 

The Cragsman. 8. A minor to e. Mottoif. 86 

** The oolden crested eagle's wing 
Shall deck her nut brown hair." 

A wild, strange long of the egg-hnnter and hia 
periU. 

Frogtown Spellers. Eommick Song and 

Koruss. 2. G to e. Beg, 80 

** An orfnl spell la ore ns kast." 

Jaat In time fbr the prevailing mania. Aa ttiis 
w\ll only last fiir a spell» hasten to en)oy the flin. 

Longing. Canzonetta. 4. B6 to il Barker. 85 

** Over the tranquil aea, 
Where the bright moon Is shining." 
Alao arranged for Contralto In O, and In either 
key a beautiful aong. , 

Old sweet Story. 8. Eft toe. Xdtdscty. 86 

" And the fbreats heard, and the leaflets 
WhUpercd It down to the flowera." 
Sxoeedlngly sweet, whaterer It was; for at tbs 
eloae we are left la d«inbL 

My fairest Angel. (Biondina Bella). 4. 

C'to t Gounod. 40 

'* n Teetlrel dl bianco tutu gnanlo." 
The iranalatlon may be ** BeauUfnl Blonde" and 
(he comparison to a white robed ang^ la prettily 
carried out, raising thla In sentiment above the 
average of Italian songs. Fine Oounod mnalc. 

Waking at early Day. ( BaUad Singer). 8. 

£6 to f. Lbiteif. 80 

" Tonthfbl hesrta I cheer, 

Age dellKhU to hear." 

A moat cheerful and "nice" song. Try it, 

lastniflieBtal. 

Happy play-days. (Frohe Spiele). 4. C. 

Lange. 60 

May, perhapa. be marked 3 for difflcalty. bat Aie 
delicate and pr*ttcy mn«ical thoughta with which 
Mr. Lange has filled It require an equally delicate 
and downy touch, which only belonga to a 4th de- 
gree player. 

Fille de Madame Angot Fantosio. 4. Eft. 

Lange, 75 

The fantaale la mnch better than the mvale It ia 
founded on ; — and that la very good. 

'* Petit Camiyal." No. 2. Polka. 4 hands. 

1 C. Streabbog. 85 

*' Home Treasures." Ko. 0. Gypsey Countess. 
2. G. SmaUwootL 40 

Eaay and pretty inatmeUve pieces. 
" Highland Gems." Pape. 

No. 7. Annie Laurie, and Who'll be King 

but Charlie? 6. Eft 75 

The previous pieces have been noticed, and tbla, 
with the reat, Is among the beat piecea pubilahad 
for ahow playing. 

Chaconne. 8. C. Durand, 40 

A good, hearty, honest piece, whieh refreabea yoQ 
lohMir. 

Subscriber's Walts. 8. Sbrauee, 00 

** The Subscriber** with others, agree that this ia 
a good Strauaa Walts. 

Harpe Aeolienne. Tone Picture. 4. D. 

Xcpi^e. 86 

While It la a pretty piece, it ia alao an ezeellent 
atudy, OS the right hand pUys almost ezdualvely, 
chorda or ozteiMlona. 



ABBBXvtATioKS.— Degrees of diflicnlty are maiked 
1 to 7. The kejfa markM with a capital letter: as C, B 
flat, ao. A small Boman letter mans the highest note, 
If on the staff, an UaUc letter the higheat note, if above 
the staff. 




toij|f5 




mxml 





Whole No. 889. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, MAY 15, 1875. 



Vol. XXXV. No. 3. 



A "Seanoe Solennelle*" of the "OrpheoA*' 

in ParU 

(From old BiHiorfal CorrespondeneB.) 

Paris, Aagnst 10, 1860. 

My short visit to Paris is in the unmusical 
season of the year; a mere lingering to make 
' what may be made of chance opportunity, to 
see what may be seen and hear what may be 
heard on the way through to other countries. 
Brushing quickly past the gay flowers, and 
chiefly occupied in seeing, I had not thought to 
gather musical honey for these letters. But I 
have seemed to meet on all sides symptoms of 
a new musical impulse in France, Certainly 
the French have not home hitherto the highest 
musical reputation ; the French taste, even the 
French ear has not been reported very true to 
concert pitch ; and the French as a people have 
been proverbially famed for singing out of 
tone. This is a slander so far as my small ex- 
perience of the past fortnight goes. In the 
churches at Rouen, in the operas, the eafts 
ehantanti, the Conservatoire, and above all the 
singing classes of **the million," in Paris, one 
could not but be struck by the very opposite, 
by just that same exactness in regard to tune 
and time, which makes the whole every day 
movement of this most orderly and military 
nation. Here every thing goes in procession ; 
all partakes of the controlling military rhythm ; 
and with whatever latent discontent there is 
(doubtless not a little) under the purest des- 
potism, there is still a certain lyric sense of 
glory and of pride in power, in art, in order 
and in beauty, which, goes well with music. 
There is a great educational work in progress 
over all France in respect to music The peo- 
ple are becoming singera, in a more real and 
substantial sense (I cannot help thinking) than 
we were wont to boast of with our swarms of 
money-making singing masters and *^ profes- 
sors " in New England. Here a great musical 
movement, real and sincere, seems to have 
sprung up in the people, and to have a living 
soul in it. It enjoys the fostering care of gov- 
ernment. The empire, which styles itself 
^^ Peace, '^ is shrewd enough at least to show 
that it is also Art, and also Music. And it 
does look as if that power, which, while it 
turns Paris into a camp, at the same time unites 
the Louvre with the Tuileries, builds noble 
palaces and boulevards and bridges, redeems 
to sight the beautiful old tower of St Jacques, 
long bidden in a dirty mass of buildings, re- 
stores and renovates the glorious old cathe- 
drals, and other monuments of Gothic archi- 
tecture throughout France, — doing in fact 
everywhere a great ssthetic work and cultivat- 
ing the artistic glory of the land, — was at the 
same time quickening a new musical impulse 
and preparing a new musical era in its people. 

What I witnessed last Sunday was signifi- 
cant. *' Orph^on ^' is the collective name of a 
great system of popular singing societies, for 
both sexes and all ages, within a few years or- 



ganized, and still spreading out its branches 
over all France. The reports are still fresh of 
the impression which a delegation of some thou- 
sands of the male Orph^onists made on their 
visit to the Crystal Palace in England some 
weeks since. It was my good fortune to re- 
ceive an invitation in company with an intelli- 
gent amateur of our town, to what was styled 
a Seance SolenneUe of the Orphean {VUle de Par- 
if), held in the vast round of the Cirque Napo- 
leon, at 2 P. M., on Sunday, August 5th. This 
''solemn session" was a free grand concert; 
there were no tickets sold ; it was the people^s 
own affair and open to the people, subject only 
to the limitation, for the sake of comfort and 
of order, (for here the rule is absolute and uni- 
versal, in theatres, in cars, in omnibuses, never 
to admit one person over and above the actual 
number of seats) of invitations dated from the 
Prefecture of the Seine. 

The assembly was immense. There could 
not have been fewer than five thousand guests ; 
and these ranged in circle above circle (to the 
number of twenty circles), from the spacious 
area below to half way up the richly decorated 
walls of the great circus, made a most brilliant 
and lively spectacle, in itself enough to occupy 
the hour we were kept waiting. All classes 
were assembled, but chiefly of the people ; me- 
chanics with their wives and daughters, a vast 
brilliant flower bed of kaleidoscopic colors; 
here and there an actcal blue blouse, or the 
picturesque Arabic costume of the Zouave. A 
wide section of the round, from top to bottom, 
was filled or filling with the sipgers, number- 
ing one thousand or twelve hundred voices in 
all. Above, on one side, sat the basses and 
the tenors, and below them the women. On 
the other side, the boys and girls. At the foot 
of air a patch of the tenderest plants, silvery- 
voiced youngest girls, found room upon the 
central area. The rest of this was occupied by 
dignitaries and distinguished guests in stately 
arm-chairs, such as Auber, who moved about a 
sort of oracle among them, and others of the 
musical celebrities of France; M. le Prefdt 
also, whose entrance was unanimously greeted, 
as was that of several others; all scrupulously 
dressed, too, as if it were indeed a great occa- 
sion, and as if in solemn honor to what they 
recognized as a great cause. 

Here and there among the younger singers 
stood their teachers, to refiect the hints of tem- 
po and expression from the conductor, who 
stood below, upon their immediate neighbor- 
hood . There was much affectionate enth usiasm 
manifested towards some of these among the 
boys. For everything spoke out here; the 
scene was thoroughly French : and what a noise 
there wasl what an infinite babblement of ani- 
mated tongues, over the whole space, but es- 
pecially among the boy singers as they came 
rushing down into their seats, and ** thought 
aloud '^ of everything that passed before the call 
to order. They were bright-looking, handsome, 



intelligent boys for the most part; the hand- 
somer for carrying so i^uch of the air of cheer- 
ful discipline in their faces and in all their 
movements ; lively, happy, noisy, but not rude ; 
one is pleasantly struck by the faces and the 
manners of the boys in all the streets of Paris. 
If I could only sketch that quaint old figure of 
a teacher who stands up there on my left, an- 
swering the laughing, eager questions of a 
dozen tip-toe boys at once! He was a subject 
for a Cruickshank. With his back turned he 
seems the very image of a Scotch or Yankee 
country schoolmaster; but when he turns round 
the face is one of those picturesque oddities you 
only find in Europe ; very tall and lank and 
bony; an old mav with bushy- grey hair and 
long g^y moustache, a fabulously long beaked 
nose, and very high retreating forehead ; face 

red, and full at once of routine, discipline and 
good-natured humor, and of that enthusiasm in a 
good work which preserves youth: altogether 
a picturesque, quaint specimen! I think it M^as 
he, who, when the moment for commencing 
was announced, stepped downward a few steps, 
and placing a wreath of immortelles upon a 
bust, said in a clear voice: A la memoire de 
WilhelmI he being the patron saint as it were 
of tlie Orph^on, since of Wilhelm^s singing 
classes for the million (now imitated by Main- 
zer in England) this Orpheon is the natural 
fruit. There was the clapping of hands and 
the enthusiasm, immense of course, after 
the French way; they always have a senti- 
ment. 

The conductor of the first part, M. Baztn, a 
remarkably intelligent and wholesome looking 
man, gave the sign, when all rose, and the few 
chords of the brief introductory Domine $alpum 
instantly revealed a wonderfully pure, sonorous, 
musical ensemble of tone. The pieces were all 
unaccompanied. No. 1 was for the whole 
choir, Veni Creator^ by Besozzi, a dignified 
composition in contrapuntal church style, and 
was sung perfectly, as regards purity of inton- 
ation, precision of outline in the coming in 'of 
different sets of voices, light and bhade, and 
all the qualities of good choral singing. The 
parts of the hamiony were nicely balanced, and 
all the voices told. We do not think we ever 
heard so large a mass of vocal tone that was so 
pure, so fresh, so vivid ; the molten mass ran 
(iright and without dross. No. 2 was humor- 
ous, a fable of Fontaine, set very happily to 
music by M. Bazin, in Op6ra Comique style, 
about the two physicians. Dr. Tant-pu and Dr. 
Tant-mieux (so-much-the-better ana so-much- 
the-worse). It was rendered with most deli- 
cate s^prit. 

No. 8. DAngdmy by Papin, was a chorus of 
children's voices; a sweet religious strain, flow- 
ing in upon an accompaniment of boy contralti, 
imitating church bells. The quality of tone 
was lovdy, especially where the tender, silver 
soprano of these youngest girls took up the 
strain by itself, and t£e boy voices did not 
shout and blart in that offensive, overwhelm- 
ing manner which was once a fault in our mu- 
sical school festivals in Boston. Insatiable ap- 
plause, especially on the part of the grown up 
singers, compelled a repetition of this. Then 
the men took their turn and sang, in four parts, 
a delightful littlie $taooiUo chorus from Gr§try ; 
Tja garde pane^ representing the watch going 
the round of the streets at midnight, and warn- 
ing everybody to go into the house and keep 
silence. The lightly marked, distinct pianini- 



£.*. 



18 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



mo tramp of footsteps in the beginning was 
most perfect. The sense of near approach, 
conveyed by the cre^eendo^ from verse to verse, 
equally so; and the retreat. Machinery could 
not do the thing so nicely as those five hun- 
dred voices. The children then returned the 
compliment of clapping, backed by 'the whole 
audience. No. 4 was a respectable church 

Eiece, short, in contrapuntal style, by M. Au- 
er. No. 6, for full chorus, by FIal6vy, and in 
his most characteristic and dramatic style, full 
of modulations, interminglings and responses, 
had essentially the same poetic subject with 
the piece by Gr^try, and was called Ze Couwre- 
fev : — very effective and completely rendered. 
It is a chorus from his Jxtif errant^ an opera 
which he produced while the interest in Eugene 
Sue's novel was yet fresh, but which had not 
at all the same success as La Juive, 

Part second was conducted by a plump, lit- 
tle, bustling, blonde individual, full of gestic- 
ulation, yet efficient, M. Pasdeloup, and 
opened with a clever composition of his own, 
a Prayer, for all the voices. Next came a 
** Spring Song," being one of those sweet and 
rather sentimental German-Italian part-songs 
for male voices, by de Call. But to our mind 
the freshest, happiest and most interesting 
morceau in the day's selection was a vintage 
song {Le* Vendanges) from old Orlando Lasso, 
to which very pretty and poetic French rhymes 
had been adapted. There is a rare touch of 
fine, imaginative, graceful play in the music, 
which many would not expect from that 
** learned," ** scientific" old fellow, that pio- 
neer in contrapuntal art; and it was beautiful- 
ly sung. So was the next piece. No. 10, one 
of a very diiferent character and perhaps the 
next most interesting in the programme, by a 
living French composer, Gounod : a chorus for 
male voices from M. Fauttt, martial, stirring, 
grandiose in style, startling in modulations, 
and laid out evidently upon a large orchestral 
background. The unaided voices made the 
most of it. A Cantique by Haydn, one of his 
elegant and faultless common-places, followed, 
and the seance closed with an enthusiastic Vive 
VEmpereur ! vigorously composed by Gounod, 
and sung apparently with a will, to words 
which couple the occasion and the whole artis- 
tic impulse of the land with his name : 
C eet P^lQ de la France; 

n fut son Muveur, 
n ouvre an temple k Tlndiutriey 
Aux beaux-arta U rena leur splendeur, 
A nos drapeaax leur vloil honneur; 
A la France U rend ton ghtie (/) 

And so ended one of the most intereBting and 
exciting musical occasions at which I ever have 
been present. Of course it is a greater thing to 
hear greater compositions. But one could not 
hear that singing, and feel that audience, with- 
out feeling also that it has a future in it; that 
the Oiph6on really is a sound, live, vigorous 
musical movement, springing out of the life of 
the people and destined to identify itself with 
all that people's enthusiasms. It is pregnant 
with a great musical activity, hereauer; and 
whether it is to call forth composers of the tnie 
imaginative, creative stamp or not, it is at 
least moulding the ear and the soul of the 
French nation to a fine appreciation and a deep 
love of the art of music. There is more of Fu- 
ture in that, we fancy, than in all the theoretic 
products of the Wagners, Liszts and Berliozes ; 
and we are far from thinking that the Art owes 



nothing 
named. 



to those men. 



especially the first 

D. 



Contmuations of Die Zauberfloete.* 

Among Mozart's more important operas, apart 
from his youthful efforts, Die Zaulerflote is the 
one which, from the very outset, boasted of 
the most decided success. The dying master 
enjoyed, at least partially, thecnthusiustic wel- 
come which his last operatic score, written with 



tinued, "^tvithout change, to be the portion of 
Die Zavherflote up to the prcseut day — despite 
the stupid libretto which defies all criticism. 
This libretto is unquestionably the worst Mo- 
zart ever glorified by his divine mnsic, and, as 
& literary production, is far inferior, in inven- 
tion as in style, to the libretto of Con fan 
Tutte, 

At first sight, the book of Die Zauberflote 
appears to be the creation of an inflamed brain ; 
of a mind which probably never moved in the 
normal track. A momentary fit of delirium 
might, perhaps, have brought forth something 
similarly eccentric — but never anything so ab- 
solutely flat and worthless. Tl e entire story 
resembles a confused and irregular dream, 
without any intimation either of the time or 
locality in which the shadowy action takes 
place. The personages are represented if not 
without invention at least without character 
or national color. The separate scenes are de- 
ficient in aught like organic connection, and 
are held together by a merely apparent link. 
In addition to this, a fearful want of poetry 
reigns supreme in the form. The dialogue ex- 
cites our indignation by its triviality, and the 
verses appear imitated from the mottoes of the 
cracker maker. The jokes running through 
the text are low and insipid — without a spark 
of true wit. 

Down to the most recent period, there has 
been no want of interpreters, who have endeav- 
ored to discover a red thread in this web of 
absurdity, an illuminating point in this chaos 
of insipidity. But their explanations differed 
vastly from each other, most of the writers 
seeking deep worldly wisdom under the gro- 
tesque outer envelope, and each one striving to 
discover and value it after his own fashion. It 
was even supposed that political secrets and 
diplomatic artifices might be gleaned, like 
grains of gold, from the sterile medley. Poor 
Schikaneder was said not to have l>een the au- 
thor, but merely to have given his name to the 
work of some one in a very high position— per- 
haps the Emperor Joseph II. himself. Others 
went so far as to scent Jesuitico-Rosicrucian 
mysteries beneath the veil of our common moth- 
er Isis. At last, the majority of oneirocritics, 
guided by the well-known catch- words, agreed 
in adopting the conclusion generally accepted 
at the present day, namely: that the book of 
Die Zauberflote is an apotheosis of the order of 
Freemasonry, in the holy halls of which Mozart, 
as well as Schikaneder, is known to have been 
at home. And, indeed, it is only this fact 
which enables us to understand how the com- 
poser of Don Juan, of higaro, and of Idomeneo, 
could throw away his magnificent strains on 
such a hodge-podge of Viennese jokes, lofty 
philosophy, and ridiculous marvels. 

That, however, such an apotheosis might 
have been treated in a more noble manner, even 
for a Vienna public, is proved by the Sonnenfest 
dtr Bramiiien, which appeared shortly after Mo- 
zart's death, and for which the well-known 
Wenzel Milller wrote the now long since for- 
gotten music. 

Be this, however, as it may, it was soon evi- 
dent that the book of Die Zauberjlote was not 
only totally deficient in artistic finish, but that 
the actual end was wanting. It is true that 
the wonderful story at length stopped, but ter- 
minated or completed it certainly was not. 
What might not still happen to Sarastix); to 
Tamino and his lady : nay, to Papageno and 
his little wife? Just as these strange person- 
ages had accidentally, without any kind of 
demonstrable motive, met, loved, and followed 
each other, so, after the knot had been, well 
or badly, cleft through. Princes, Magicians, 
Priests, Queens, Bird-Catchers and Moors 
passed, vanished —through the bronze gates of 
the Temple of Wi >dom, or, by the common high 
road, ad antra. 

After the first intoxicatiig out burst of enthu- 
siasm had evaporated, the vunt of purport and 



his ebbing heartVblood, met with in Ihc lirbt , , - ,,-.,, ^ 

theatres oi Germany. This popularity has con- form in these shadows, w.iich p:)ssed without 

• VTomlYi^. Nate Berlin fr Matik^cUung. (Tranblai»Nl ii J ®^J«<^^ Or any kind of esonable tendency, 
the London Musical World.) I over tlic boards representin .f the world, neces- 



sarily became palpable to all, as did, likewise, 
the incomplete and fragmentary nature of the 
entire play. It was only Mozart's wondrous 
music, and, it is true, the esi>ccial interest of 
Freemasonry in conjunction with it, which 
could preserve the empty will-o'-the-wisp of 
this comedy of fog, puppets, and animals, from 
being speedily extinguished. This was felt by 
every reasonable man, — not excepting even the 
manufacturers of Viennese farces. 

They endeavored, therefore, to patch up, to 
emendate, and to elucidate the production, and 
thus there sprang into existence continuations 
and second parts of Die Zauherflote. These, 
written with more or less skill, were played for 
a time in the theatres of Vienna, Munich, and 
Mannheim, and then entirely disappeared with- 
out leaving a trace. Meanwhile, Mozart, who 
could have breathed the breath of life into tliese 
phantasms^ had gone to those lofty halls where, 
in truth, revenge, envy, and — poverty, are 
unknown. 

Of all these posthumous pieces of wonder 
and magic, the one which produced the great- 
est sensation was a ** grand heroic-comic opera, " 
with a libretto supplied by the inevitable 
Schikaneder himself. It was expressly an- 
nounced as a ** Continuation of Die Zauherflote,^^ 
and entitled: Die Piramiden von Babilon {lite 
Pi/ram ids of Bahylon). It was first produced at 
Schikaneder's Theatre in 1797. 

Why not one of the numerous composers of 
folk's operas (W. Miiller, Job. Schenk, Kauer, 
SQssmayer, Weigl, etc.), then resident in Vi- 
enna, set these i^VamifZen to music must remain 
an open question. They dreaded, probably, 
Mozart's crushing rivalry. A few years later 
(1801), however, SUssmayer brought out upon 
the stage a piece in the style of Die Zauberflote, 
under the title : Phasma, oder die Erst^einungen 
in VerscJiwiegenheitstempd. The Piramiden von 
Babilon were set by the Bohemian Mederitsch 
(under the name of Johann Gallus) in conjunc- 
tion with Peter von Winter, Gallus taking the 
first act and the overture, and Winter the sec- 
ond act. 

The pianoforte arrangement of this opera now 
lies before me. In consequence of the absence 
of the dialogue I can say nothing positive con- 
cerning the course of the plot — supposing there 
to have been one — and must, therefore, confine 
myself to a few hints about the music. This is 
in the first act unquestionably superior to what 
it is in the second, which does not, in the re- 
motest degree, remind us of the composer of 
Das untei-brochene Oper/est, The first act by 
Gallus, on the contrary, displays a certain en- 
ergy, and an excellent working out of the most 
interesting motives. The extremely boisterous 
overture (in C major) brings in rather intru- 
sively the inevitable blasts on the trombone, as 
well as the mysterious knocking. 'Ihe entire 
work is, however, thoroughly homophouous — 
and does not remind us in the slightest degree 
of the manner of Mozart. The air of Seuides: 
'* Sendet uns, ihr guten Gotter," is, on the con- 
trary, evidently formed upon that of Sarastro. 
A pompous and effective march of Priests, too, 
though not so simple and dignified as that in 
Die Zauberflote, stands out advantageously. In 
the second act (by Winter), we have Cremona's 
grand bravura air (A minor — A major), **Ha! 
da ist die Piramid 1 ". It strikes the hearer at 
once as a copy of the bravura air in Die Zauber- 
flote, In like manner we find, very tnie to na- 
ture, the bird-catcher in the little songs: 
^^Wenn ich nur alle MOdchen wUsste/' and 
^^VoUer Angst und voller Schrecken." Gallus, 
too, has copied him and his wife very well in 
the duet : ' ' Heute sind es gerade drei Wochen, 
Wo ich mich ohne Weib noch befand." But, 
notwithstanding this and everything else, these 
Babylonian Pyramids have 16ng since disa])- 
peared without leaving a trace behind. Save 
the musical historian, scarcely anyone knows 
even their name. 

A still less satisfactory res ilt must have been 
achieved by a continuation uudertnken, in the 
year 1798, by Winter alone, under the title. 
Das Labyiinthj oder der Ka uj*f n.it den Elemen- 



teny though Schik4nedcr had the pianoforte ar- 
rangement illustrated with twelve copperplate 
engravings. Gerber himself (Neues Lexicon^ 
part IV. p. 598), can tell us nothing more about 
this score than that: *^It is said to contain 
much that is beautiful." The spirit of Mozart 
did not hover, illuminating, warming, and viv- 
ifying, over these troubled waters — so they ran 
out and dried up before their time. And yet it 
was time they did I 

Finally, towards the commencement of the 
present century, Goethe wrote his fragment: 
Der Zauberjldte zweiter Theil {Second part of the 
Magic Flute.) More than anyone else was he, 
the universal poet, and first among the initiated, 
competent and fitted to execute such a work. 
But the very first sketch assumed such vast di- 
mensions that even the cleverest composer 
could scarcely hope to manage musically the 
entire work when completed. Then, again, 
there was the fact that the aristocratic and ab- 
solutist tendencies apparent in this fragment, 
as in everything Goethe did, could scarcely in- 
spire a musician with enthusiasm for the won- 
derful poem. Goethe perceived in time both 
these evils, and thus this Second Magic Flute 
remained a fragment. Isolated portions have 
been set by Zelt«r, J. F . Reichardt, C. L6we, 
Keissiger, and others — ^but, as far as I know, 
without especial success. 

In Robert's opera Die Sylphen^ to which F. 
H. Himmel, Reichardt's successor, wrote admi- 
rable music, we find Papageno, Papagena, and 
Leporello, introduced as episodical personages, 
so that this work, also, if not exactly a contin- 
uation, may be called an echo of Die Zauber- 
jldte. 

In conclusion, a word must be said concern- 
ing the source whence was derived the text of 
Die Zavberjlole^ as well as of all the continua- 
tions and imitations of it, with the exception 
of that of Die Sylphen, which is founded on a 
fairy tale by Gozzi. This common source is 
the Histoire de Sethosavec Anecdotes de Vancienne 
Egi/pte, a work published at Amsterdam, 
MDCCXXXII, and purporting to be translated 
from a Greco-Egyptian original. This apocry- 
phal and bungling production was translated 
into German, in 1777, under the name (falsely 
affixed to it, perhaps) of Matthias Klaudius. 
It was this version which Schikaneder evident- 
ly employed throughout, sometimes — for the 
apothegms— copying it word for word. But 
the shadowy comic forms in Die Zavherjlote are 
indisputably his '^wn property. There is not 
the slightest trace of them in the Qeschickte des 
8e(hoa, Joseph Seiler. 



> «•> < 



BafTs " Im Walde " in London. 

(From the Dally Telegraph, April 13.) 

Thb Philharmonio Socibtt. 

The second coDcert of the present season took 
place in St. James's Hall on Monday night, and was 
made specially interesting to lovers of novelty by*a 
performance of RoflTs third 83'm phony, entitled Im 
WaUle. This work has never been heard in Eng- 
land before, althougli it is accounted its composer's 
masterpiece, and has been some years before the 
world. English ignorance of a symphony, howev- 
er, is no argument against it. Though we are grad- 
ually acquiring a healthy curiosity aoout things of 
the kind, we care less to enlarge the scope of our 
musical acquaintance than to dwell admiringly up- 
on the excellencies of old friends. Besides, we are 
distrustful, not without excuse, of the school to which 
Raff belongs, ani shrink somewhat from contact 
with its teaching. These considerations explain, if 
they do not iustify the fact, why the composer and 
his Im Walae have so tardily made their appearance 
in our concert-rooms. It was, doubtless, very wrong 
of our indifferentism t« keep them out, and hence 
we had a double reason to rejoice on Monday night 
— we enlarged our knowledge, and took Kaff in. 
The title of the symphony at.once suggests that it 
belongs to the order of " programme music," and is 
simply illustrative. So far, the work holds a sec- 
ondary rank am«ng its kind ; for even now, when 
the tendency is to proclaim the need of a defined 
poetic basis, few will venture to assert that the no- 
blest example of programme music— Beethoven's 
Pastoral Symphony — ^is equal to the same compo- 



ser's symphony in C minor. "Pure" music, self- 
sufficient, and in all respects self-contained, must 
ever come before that which needs an interpreter, 
and which has no meanin^npart from certain moral 
or physical phenomena. liut, while this is the case, 
nobody disputes the legitimacy of the descriptive 
in musical art. Words like Im Walde have their 
rightful place, and he who can produce a " Pastoral " 
is second only to him who creates a "C minor.'* 
There are some regulations, however, upon which, 
if programme music is not to run riot and become a 
nuisance, it will be necessary to insist. In the first 
place, its meaning should oe definite, or, failing 
that, it must, as music, be capable of exciting pleas- 
ure. We scarcely need stop to argue this proposi- 
tion, because music that is neither intelligible nor 
agreeable has no champions even among the many 
who seem disposed to fight for any artistic folly. 
The rule laid down is just that which the Pastoral 
Symphony satisfies. From beginning to end of 
Beethoven's descriptive work not a passage conveys 
a doubtful impression. All is as clear as the waters 
of the brook it shows us, while, regarded as music, 
it can be heard with delight for its own sake. Here, 
then, we have a standard by which to test every 
work of the kind, and so tried. Raff's Im Walde is 
found wofully deficient. The composer divides his 
symphony into three parts — " Day." " Twilight," 
and " Night ; " throughout all of which we are, of 
course, assumed to be " in the Forest," and subject 
to the influences of a scene that imagination can 
easily depict. An allegro, entitled " Impressions 
and Feelings," constitutes the first part ; the second 
is made up of a l^rgo, ** dreamins^," and an allegro 
assai, " Dance of Dryads ; " while in the third we 
are told to look to a final allegro for " Busy stillness 
of Night in the Forest — Arrival and departure of the 
Wild Hunt, with Frau Holle and Wotan— Day- 
break." Here is, verily, an ambitious programme, 
but we need not test its execution in detail. It will 
suffice if we indicate the last movement as enough 
to condemn the work when tested by the standard 
of Beethoven. Some may quarrel with Raff about 
his choice of suhjpcU, and ask what gain can come 
to music from nssocintlon with the glui<*ilincsH of 
his Leiu>re^ or the devilry of the Wild Hunt in Ln 
Walde. But upon this we will not insist. If a man 
wishes to make music sketch a gibbet, or a spectral 
bloodhound, by all means let him indulge his fancy. 
We do, however, complain that Raff's picture is, as 
to its wahxWQMB finaltf no picture at all, but a great 
smudge of vivid color made in the dark, as it would 
seem, with the brush of a house-painter. Witness- 
ing it, the eye is dazzled by glare without being 
conscious of form. We want to know what this 
means, what that is intended to convey, why our 
senses are harrowed in one place, and soothed in 
another; but we ask vainly, notwithstanding our 
acquaintance with the composer's general idea. 
Other portions of the work are more happy. There 
are some charming glimpses of forest life in the 
opening movement, and both the Largo and Scherzo 
have points of interest and attra^ion. But tho Fi- 
nale, like that in Lenore^ ruins the work, and pro- 
claims it, as an example of programme music, to be 
a failure. We will not criticize Im Walde as music 
per «e, further than to say that, with many happy 
effects, and great skill in use of the orchestra, it is 
chiefly remarkable for a bold defiance of rules sanc- 
tioned by the highest genius, the result being often 
of a character which leaves Raff without excuse for 
his daring. We do not advocate finality in music, 
but innovation should at least be in the direction of 
improvement, and not suggest change for the sake 
of change. On the whole, Im Walde cannot be said 
to have advanced ics composer's position in this 
country. A majority of the audience received it 
with coldness, and, we believe, were right i* doins 
so. The performance, taken for all in all, reflected 
credit upon Mr. Cusins and his orchestra, who 
deserve none the less praise because they had a 
thankless task. 

Over the rest of the concert we must pass verv 
briefly. The second symphony was Beethoven s 
No. 8, and the concluding overture Spohr's /e^omia. 
Mdlle. Krebs played Schumann's concerto with 
splendid effect, overcoming its many difficulties, and 
reading the work like a consummate artist. The 
vocalist was M«111e. Levier, who sang Roschen's 
great air from Spohr's FatMt most effectivel}'. 



-•♦♦■ 



Father Wieck on Sins^ing and Singing- 

Teaohera. 

From Advanced Sheets of " Piano and Son^:: How to 
Teach and how to Loarn.'^ Translated from the German 
of Fbiedrich Wigok, by Mary P. Nichols. Boston: 
Noyes, Holmes & Co. 



(A Letter to a Young Lady Singer,) 

MtdbarMiss , — You are endowed with an 

admirable gift for singing, and 3'our agreeable 
though not naturally powerful voice has vivacity 
and youthful charm, as well as a fine tone : you 
also possess much talent in execution ; yet you 
nevertheless share the lot of almost all your sisters 
in art, who, whether in Vienna, Paris, or Italy, find 
only teachers who are rapidly helping to annihilate 
the opera throughout Europe, and are ruling out of 
court the simple, noble, refined, and true art of 
singing. This modern, unnatural style of art, 
which merely aspires to superficial effects, and con- 
sists only in mannerisms, and which must ruin the 
voice in a short time, before it reaches its highest 
perfection, has already laid claim to yon. It is 
scarcely possible to rescue your talent, unless, con- 
vinced that you have been falsely guided, you stop 
entirely for a time, and allow your voice to rest 
during several months, and then, by correct artistic 
studies, and with a voice never forced or strong, 
often indeed weak, you improve your method of 
attack by the use of much less and never audible 
breathing, and acquire a correct, quiet fcuidance of 
the tones. You must also make use of the voice in 
the middle resrister, and strengthen the good head- 
tones by skilfully lowering them ; you must equal- 
ize the registers of the voice by a correct and varied 
use of the head-tones, and bv dilisrent practice of 
solfeggio. You must restore tfie unnaturally extend- 
ed registers to their proper limits ; and you have 
still other points to reform. Are you not aware 
that this firequent tremulousness of the voice, this 
immoderate forcing of its compass, by which the 
chest-register is made to interfere with the head- 
tones, this coquetting with the deep chest-tones, this 
affected, offensive, and almost inaudible nasal 
pianissimo, the aimless jerking out of single tones, 
and, in general, this whole false mode of vocal exe- 
cution, must continually shock the natural senti- 
ment of a cultivated, unpreiudiced hearer, as well 
as of the composer and stni^ng-teachcr ? What 
mnst be the effect on a voice in the middle register, 
when its extreme limits are forced in such a reck- 
less manner, and when you expend as much breath 
for a few lines of a song as a correctly educated 
singer would require for h whole aria ? How long 
will it be before your voice, already weakened, and 
almost always forced beyond the limits of beauty, 
shall degenerate into a hollow, dull, guttural tone, 
and even into that explosive or tremulous sound, 
which proclaims irremediable injury? Is your 
beautiful voice and your talent to disappear like a 
meteor, as others have done ? or do you hope that 
the soft air of Italy will in time restore a voice once 
ruined ? I fall into a rage when I think of the msny 
beautiful voices which have been spoiled, and have 
dwindled away without leaving a trace during the 
last forty years ; and I vent my overflowing heart in 
a brief notice of the many singing-teachers, whose 
rise and influence I have watched for twenty years 
past. 

The so-called singing-teachers whom we usually 
find, even in large cities and in musical institu- 
tions, I exempt from any special criticism, for they 
would not be able to understand my views. They 
permit (>oprano voices to sing scales in all the five 
voweis at once ; begin with e instead off; allow a 
long holding of the notes, " in order to bring out 
the voice," until the poor victim rolls her eyes 
and grows dizzy. They talk only of the fine chest- 
tones which must be elicited, will have nothing to 
do with the head-tones, will not even listen to them, 
recognize them, or learn to distinguish tliem. Their 
highest principle is : '* Fudge ! we don't want any 
rubbish of Tochner, Miksch, and Wieck. Sing in 
your own plain way : what is the use of this mur- 
muring without taking breath ? For what do you 
have lungs if you are not to use them ? Come, try 
this aria: 'Gr&ce,' 'Grdcel' Produce an effect! 
Down on your knees ! " 

There are again others who allow screaming, — 
" the more the better," — in order to produce power 
and expression in the voice, and to make it service- 
able for public performances. They may, indeed, 
require the singing of solfeggio, and prattle about 
the requisite equality of the tones ; and they con- 
sequently make the pupil practise diligently and 
strongly on the two-lined a, b flot, b, where kind 
Nature does not at first place the voice, becuuse 
she has reserved for herself the slow and careful 
development of it. As for the unfortunate gasp- 
ins: medium voices, which are still less docile, and 
which sigh in the throat, and atter all can only 
speak, such teachers postpone the cultivation of 
the:*e to the future, or ehe thoy excl«im in a sat- 
isfied way, " Now we will sing at sight I Hit the 



20 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OP MUSIC. 



notes ! Let ns have classical music ! " Of these, 
also, I forbear t<> speak. 

And a.s for tbo sinj^n^^-teachers, whose business it 
is to educate the voice for ** the opera of the fnture," 
I am really nnable to write about them. In the first 
place, I know notbinjs^ ab^nt " the fiiture," the un- 
born ; and, in the second place, I have more than 
enough to do with the present. 

And now I come to those who honestly wish to 
teach better, and who in a measure do so. But 
even they are too pedantic : with prejudiced views, 
thoy pursue one-sided aims. Without looking: 
arouna to the right or to the left or forwards, and 
without daily learning, reflecting, and striving, they 
run in a groove, always ride their particular hobby, 
cut everything after one pattern, and use up the 
time in secondary matters, in incredible trifles. 
For the formation of a fine tone, not a minute 
should be lost, particularly with lady singers, who 
are not strong, and nsnatly cannot or ought not to 
sing more than twenty days in a month, and who 
surely ought to be allowed to use their time in 
a reasonable manner. Bloreover, these are the 
teachers whom it is most difficult to comprehend. 
Thout;h they use only seven tones, tney are 
plnnsfed in impenetrable mysteries, in incompre- 
hensible knowledge and a multitude of so-called 
secrets, out of which, indeed, nothing can ever 
be brought to light For this, however, they do 
not consider themselves to blame, not even tbeir 
hobby-horses ; but, as they say, ** the higher 
powers." We will, for once, suppose that three- 
ifourths of the measures which they are accus- 
tomed to employ in their treatment of the voice 
and of the individual are good and correct (the 
same is true of many piano-teachers); but the 
remaining fourth is siifllicient to ruin the voice, or 
to prevent its proper development, and therefore 
nothing correct is to be gained. There are other 
teachers who never can get beyond the formation 
of the tone, and are lost in the pursuit of perfee- 
tifm, — ^that " terrestrial valley of tears." Truly a 
beautiful country, but which is only to be found in 
Paradise I 

Others, instead of thinking, " I will try for the 

{>resent to do better than ethers have done," so 
larass and torment the poor mortal voices with 
their aim at perfect equality and perfect beauty of 
tone, the result often is that erery thing becomes 
unequal and far from beautiful. Some teachers 
make their pupils so anxious and troubled that, 
owing to tbeir close attention to the tone, and the 
breath, and the pronunciation, they sing their songs 
in an utterly wooden manner, and so in fact they, 
too, are lost in optimism and in tears ; whereas, for 
singing, a happy confidence in the ability to suc- 
ceed is essential. Others pursue an opposite course, 
and are guilty of worse faults, as yon will see if you 
look around. Some of them have no standard of 
perfection, but use up the time in an exchange of 
ideas with their pupils, with mysterious and con- 
ceited " ifs " and ** huts." They are very positive, 
but only within the narrow circle of their own ideas. 
They make no advance in a correct medium path. 
Some allow pupils to practise only Uaeeaio^ and 
others only legato^ aiming thereby at nobody knows 
what Some allow them to sing too loud, others 
too feebly ; some philosophize earnestly about beau- 
ty in the voice, and others grumble about unpleas- 
antness in the same ; some are enthusiastic about 
extraordinary talents, others fret about the want of 
talent ; some have a passion for making all the so- 
pranos sing alto, others do just the reverse ; some 
prefer a shadowy, others a clear voice. They all 
rest their opinions upon the authority of some fa- 
mous screaming-roaster who has written a singing- 
system. Upon like authoritv some cultivate chiefly 
the deep tones, because it is very fine, and '* cre- 
ates an effect," for soprano voices to be able sudden- 
ly to sing like men, or rather to growl, and because 
it is the ^shion in Paris. Others, on the contrary, 
pride themselves upon the head tones; but they 
are none of them willing to pay much attention to 
the medium voices ; that is too critical and too deli 
cate a matter, and requires too much trouble, for 
the modern art of singing. As a last resort, they 
bethink themselves of kind Nature, and lay the 
blame upon her. 

Well, I will say no more upon this point, but 
will proceed. Have I not already, in my piano in- 
structions, insisted on the importance of a gradual 
and careful use of every proper expedient to extend, 
strengthen, beautify, and preserve the voice ? I am 
thought, however, to infringe upon the office of the 
singing-masters, who hold their position to be much 
more exalted than that of the poor piano-teacher. 
Still, I must be allowed to repeat that voices are 



much more easily injured than fingers ; and that 
broken, rigid voices are much worse than stiff, un- 
manageable fingers, unless, after all, they amount 
to the same thing. I demand of sinsing-tcachers 
that they show themselves worthy of their position, 
and allow no more voices to go to destruction, and 
that they give us some sattsfnctnry results. I be- 
lieve in fact, in my homely simplicity, that the 
whqile thing may be accomplished without any mys- 
tery, without trading in secrets or charlatanry : 
without the aid of modern anatomical improvement, 
or rather destruction, of the worn-out throat, 
through shortening or increasing the flexibility of 
the palate, through the removal of the nnnecessar}' 
glands or by attempts to lengthen the vocal passage, 
or by remedying 4 great many other thinfrs in which 
Nature has made a mistake, and on which special 
doctors for the voice, in Paris and London, are now 
employed. 

We supply the want of all these by the following 
little rule : — 

Three trifles are essential for a good piano or 
singi ng-teacher, — 

Thefineti tnfie, 
7%e defpeH fedinff. 
The mo»t delicate ear, 

and, in addition, the requisite knowledsre, energy, 
and some practice. Voild tmtU I I cannot devote 
myself to the treatment of the throat, for which 1 
have neither time nor fitness ; and my lady singers 
are so busy with the formation of true tone, and in 
attention to the care and preservation of tbeir 
voices, that they only wish to open their months 
for that object, and not for anatomical purposes. 
In piano-playing also, I require no cutting of the 
interdigital fold, no mechanical hand support, no 
accelerator for the fingers or stretching machine : 
and not even the " finger-rack " invented and used, 
without my knowledge, by a famous pupil* of 
mine, for the proper raising of the third and fourth 
fingers. 

My dear young lady, if the Creator has made the 
throat badly for singing, he alone is responsible. 
I cannot come, to his assistance by destroying the 
throat with lunar caustic, and then reconstructing 
it. If the thniat is really worn out, may it not per 
haps be owing to the teacher, and to his mistaken 
management. 

Nature does many thines well, and before the in- 
tri>duction of this modern fashion of singin? produced 
many beautiful voices : has she all at once become 
incapable of doing any thing right ? 

We will, then, simply return to the /Atve irifiee 
above-mentioned; and in 'these we will live and 
work *' with all our heart, with all our soul, and 
with all our mind." 

* Referitnce Is here made to Robert Schumann, who, In 
order t4» fartlltato the use of the weaker fingers, emp)oye<l 
a macblne for ralstng the fingers artificially, which result- 
ed In loss of power over them, and necessitated the ahan- 
domnent of piano-playing.— TV. 



i «0> I 

Kesred-Btringvd Infltminientt of Hnaie. 

Sir Robkrt Stpwart's Lbcturks at Dubun 
uxivbrsitt.* 

I 

On Saturday (March 18) Sir Robert Stewart de- 
livered the first of a course of lectures upon " Keyed- 
stringed Instruments of Music," in the usual place — 
the Examination Hall (a handsome room capable of 
containing some 600 or 700 persons). Long before 
the hour lor commencing the proceedings the hall 
waM filled with an auditory about equally composed 
of both sexes. The raised dais at the upper end was 
devoted to purposes of illustration ; on one table 
were placed an Indian harmonicon of ironwood, a 
dulcimer, and t#o zithers ; upon another were ar- 
ranged various photog^phs of instruments of the 
harp, lyre, and dulcimer class, both ancient and 
moaem. A grand pianoforte occupied the centre. 
Along the side of the hall were suspended large di- 
agrams — figures of life size, representing players 
upon the " kinnor," Assyrian dulcimer, and similar 
instruments. 

After paying a tribute to the memory of Sterndale 
Bennett, he said : — 

I daresay you have all heard the origin of music 
referred to in the wind whistling among the reeds, 
or the dried sinevrs of animals, or to men imitating 
the songs of birds — theories equally stale and unten- 
able. To anyone who gives the subject a little 
thought it will be evident that music arises from the 
speech of man. which, by raising and the sustaining 
of the voice, at once becomes a song. The horn of 

* Reported in the Mueical Standard, 



an animal, or even a reed, would supply a rude sort 
of pi|>e, while the first stretched titrin^ that sounded 
was a type of the lyre, nor could it fail to be per- 
ceived that the sound was rendered more acute by 
increasing the tension. Referring to the Bible ac- 
count of Jubal, who was, we are told *' the father 
(or chief) of all that handle the harp or organ,'* 
these words, Sir Robert said, like most of the musi- 
cal terms in the authorized translation, were very 
loosely rendered, mere representing such iuHtru- 
mento as were common in the time of Edward Vf. 
and James I. The " Kin nor " and " Nebel " were 
harps. " Ugab " some sort of pipe. The lecturer 
quoted the various and sometimes conflicting opin- 
ions of Adam Clarke, Jebb, and Dr. Stainer, amongst 
moderns; and of Josephus. amongst early writers, 
upon the subject. The " kinnor ** was generally be- 
lieved to have been a small triangular harp for solos ; 
larger instruments were used to accompany chorus- 
es. Of the lyre and the harp extremely varied and 
numerous forms i«xist-ed. Six hundred of these had 
been examined by Montfaucon, who, professed he 
itaw but little real distinction between any of them. 
In addition to the Jewish " kinnor." they would 
perceive representations of lyres ornamented with 
birds and other animals. These, at least, could not 
have been Jewish instruments, for the Israelites 
were strictly forbidden to make graven images, lest 
they might fall into idolatory ; and the ibis, ' 8t4>rk, 
hawk, and crane, were, as is well-known, worshipped 
by the surrf>unding nations. The " plectrum,** with 
which many of the lyres of antiquity were touched, 
was either a quill, a piece of metal, or the tooth of a 
lion or tiger. Josephus thought the triangular harp, 
the '* kinnor," was played with a plectrum ; but if, 
as was generally supposed, this was the harp used 
by David, Josephus must be wrong, as it Is distinct- 
ly recorded, that David played with his hand. The 
ancient Irish hrrpers used a natural plectrum, and 
played not with the fleshy tips of their fingers, but 
with their nails, suffered to grow for tho purpose. 
Sir R. Stewart referred to an example of the dulci- 
mer, upon which he would play a few notes ; this, 
one of the oldest instrumenU^ in the world, still 
maintained its place, and might be heard now and 
then in one of the by -streets of the Strand in Lon- 
don. Dulcimers had, not long ago, been skilfully 
played by clever urchins in the streets of Dublin. 
That the clulcimer was a word familiar to all persons, 
being found in the Bible, was apparent to him, while 
engaging in searching for old instruments for these 
lectures ; thus few people knew in what a spinet or 
harpsichord differed from a piano ; but every one 
seemed to have heard of the dulcimer, just as the 
old lady, who, not understanding, what the sermon 
was about, had yet derived much comfort from "that 
blessed word, Mesopotamia.** (Laughter.) (A 
Scotch melody was here performed upon the dulci- 
mer by the lecturer, who apologized for his own 
want of skill in performance). Reference was ma^ 
to the various instruments referred to in the tenth 
chapter of Ist Samuel, aed also to the transposed 
enumeration of the instruments, as played when 
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, refused to wor- 
ship the golden image (supposed to be Baal). The 
words, instead of sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, 
should really be harp, dulcimer, and bagpipe. The 
lecture was concluded by a reference to the zither, 
a little instrument much used in Germany and Aus- 
tria. It was capable of peculiar and beautiful 
effects ; two ladies had kindly lent him specimens ; 
but although more than a dozen persons in Dublin 
had practised the zither, none of them could be in- 
duced to perform the simplest melody upon it. It 
was, to some extent, a reproduction of the lyre of 
antiquity, played with a thimble plectrum. Some 
of its peculiar eflfects had been imitated in a little 
pianoforte piece by his valued friend. Dr. Ferdinnnd 
Hilter. of Cologne, called " Zur Ouitarre.** The del- 
icate arpeggios and gentle glissandos of the zither 
would be recognized Dy all who had hoard the little 
instrument. A young lady here played Dr. Hiller's 
sketch, and the lecture was concluded. 



n. 

Thb second of this course was given on Saturday 
(March 20). when the hall and even the lofty gal- 
lery (where is erected the ancient organ said to have 
been captured in the Spanish Armada), was quite 
filled. Visitors were even seated upon the ground 
at the steps of the dais. The diagrams of the form- 
er lecture had not been removed, but facing them 
were a number of others upon large sheets of draw 
ing-paper representing the spinet, harp-shaped and 
on tressels, as it were ; the clavichord, box-shaped, 
and showing the keys ; a female figure playing the 
Elixabethan Virginal; a king, or other crowned 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, MAY 16, 1875. 



21 



figare playing the Paaltery, which wo.** pressed np 
to the breast, and various photographed representa- 
tions of instruments, from the South Kensington 
collection. Upon the platform was placed a modern 
grand piano ; on a table were a tiger's teeth, a dul- 
cimer, a bagpipe, a Viola d' Amour (an instrument 
which the lecturer subsequently explained had been 
sometimes called erroneously by the appellation of 
Psaltery), and an ancient spinet of Queen Anne*s 
day, made by the well-known virginal maker, Ste- 

f»hen Keen, and lent for exhibition by the owner, a 
ady in Dublin. At two o'clock Sir Robert Stewart 
came forward, and said : — 

Last week we took note of some of the earlier 
members of the stringed-instrument family, the an- 
cestry, so to speak, of the pianoforte of our own 
times. Of these, perhaps, as many were made to 
vibrate with the plectrum, as with the fingers ; for 
as the world grew older, however the form of 
strinnred Instruments might alter, there was but lit- 
tle difference in the method of exciting their vibra- 
tions ; some were touched with the teeth of wild 
animals — some with the fingers alone. Such (said 
the lecturer) is evidently the case with the little in- 
strument represented in the drawing nearest to me 
on the left, and copied frem a manuscript of the 14th 
century, in the BiblioOuqw. ImperiaU of Paris. You 
will perceive it is played while laid upon the ground, 
or (like the modern zither) upon the knees of the 
performer, or a table. This was far from being 
always the case, for in a grotesque alphabet of a. d. 
1466, one hundred years later, a rustic (of the type 
of Gurth in Ivanhoe) is represented holding an ex- 
actly similar instrument up to his breast, and play- 
ing upon it with both hands. M. de Goussemaker 
(to wnose researches all musical antiquaries are so 
deeply indebted) gives in his Enai nir let Irutru- 
menU de JfuaiqiM du Moyen Age, a representation of 
a crowned figure, holding and performing on an in- 
strument of the same form, in the same manner. A 
friend had very kindly copied this for them on a 
large diagram towards his (Sir Robert Stewart's) 
right hand. The figure was from a MS. of the 14th 
century, in the Boulogne Library. This was the 
" Psaltery " referred to by Chaucer and other con- 
temporary writers, but from the unsettled nature of 
English orthography in those early times, there was 
now some difficulty in recognizing the word, so va- 
riously was it oxpressed, as saltelre, sawtrey, sau- 
trie, and psaltery. As an instance of the provoking- 
ly loose manner in which musical terms always 
were, and doubtless always would be employed, this 
word Psaltery had been applied to the *' Viola 
d'Amour," a six-string^ instrument of the Viola 
family, played with the ordinary bow. It had been 
so announced when Julian's famous orchestra visited 
Dublin thirty years ago, or more, when solos were 
played upon it- The Viola d*Amour (of which a 
fine specimen was before them, kindly lent by t 
friend for this lecture) had been introauced in the 
" Huguenots ** by Meyerbeer, where, in Raoitte first 
recitative, its arpegzio effects (which Berlioz had 
described as " seraphic," " angelic," and so forth) 
were singularly beautiful. Its aeeordaiura was pe- 
culiar, altogether formed of the chord of D major. 
But such an instrument in no way resembled the 
Psaltery-— a term which had been variously traced 
to the word psallo, rendered by Kircher to " strike 
with finger-tips," but by Adam Clarke (who was no- 
toriously hostile to the use of instruments in Divine 
service) &8 merely "to sing." It has been even 
referred to the Latin word eaUare, in allusion to the 
religious dances of early times. A certain onoma- 
topoeia might be traced in the term psaltery to the 
word >Piao, of which the sound had oeen compared 
to the twitch a carpenter gives when he pulls a 
chalked line in order to mane with it It was also, 
probably, connected with the Chaldean " stnteer," 
to which the Egyptians would add the article " pi " 
(pesanteer), and the Assyrians would tack on the 
termination " in ''•^pesantArin : the very word trans- 
lated in Daniel iii. as the Psaltery. A similar onom- 
atopoeia miffht be observed in the word rendered 
" flute," in the same place, " sharak " — a shrieking, 
or piercing-toned pipe. We shall not (continu^ 
the lecturer) now dwell further upon these matters. 
At the end of the lecture yon shall hear a combina- 
tion of what we may term "Nebuchadnezzar's 
orchestra," consisting of the pipe (sharak), 'the dul- 
cimer (or psaltery), and the bagpipe — in lieu of the 
residue included as " all kinds of music," the gong 
— a never-failing concomitant of heathen orgies — 
shall be also sounded. Quite similar to the psaltery 
was the " citole," a little box, across which 10 or 16 
strings were strained. This, which waa also played 
on the player's knees, and twanged with the fingers, 
is referred to in Chaucer's " Knight's Tale," when 



speaking of Venus, he f>ays — * 

" A citole in her right hand had she.'* 
" Citolers " are further enumerated among the musi- 
cians of Edward III. All these instruments were, 
however, deficient in one respect — ^vcry few notes 
could be sounded on them at once. The harp was 
indeed capable of harmony, but from neither psal- 
tery, dnlcimer, or citole could more than two notes 
at a time be produced. The keyboard (which, like 
many o^her improvements, has been attributed to 
Guido the monk) was in existence since the 12th 
century. B flat it had from the cutset, F sharp 
was added in the 1 4th century, C sharp and E flat 
early in the 16th century, and later on in the same 
century the G sharp appeared. The first attempt 
at a keyed stringed instrument seems to have been 
made by attaching in a rude sort of way quills 
worked by keys to catgut strings. This ( A.D. 1 160 
to 1200) was the " clavicytherium " (keyed kithara, 
or harp). It was probably by accident that the 
next discovery was made. I allude to the " clavi- 
chord." which for six centuries played an important 
part in the history of music. Taking its rise in the 
12th century, it was only when the pianoforte be- 
came almost perfect, towards the close of the 18th, 
that the clavichord crave way to it However, It 
continued to be used in remote German districts bv 
village schoolmasters and others, and was well 
known in England, as we learn from the "Delany 
Correspondence," 1760 to 1770. Mr. Bernard Gran- 
ville (for whom a fine MS. collection of Handel's 
works was copied out by Smith, under the direction 
of the composer) was a famous clavichord player. 
The " clavier," to which in the life and letters of 
Mozart such frequent reference is made, was the 
clavichord. For ttiis instrument, too, were composed 
most of the expressive preludes and fixgues in the 
" 48 " of J. Seb. Bach ; there are others of this fa- 
mous collection in which the influence ot the bolder 
and mare vigorous harpsichord might be plainly 
traced. [Here the lecturer played a few bars of 
two preludes of varied styles. J It was for the clav- 
ichord that the concerto which, to the astonishment 
of his father, the infant Mozart when but six years 
of age, had composed, when he said, " It is a con- 
certo, papa, and must be practised to be properly 
played ! " The lecturer here described the construc- 
tion of the clavichord, as explained by that admira- 
ble musician, Herr Dannreuther, with its key-tan- 
gents and other peculiarities, which Dr. Burney had 
noticed in the playing of Charles Philip Emanuel 
Bach. The English historian had remarked how 
that performer produced from his clavichord, made 
by Silbermann, a " cry, as it were, of sorrow and 
complaint." Sir R. Stewart also read extracts from 
the treatises of Turk and Wolff, musicians of the 18th 
century, referring to these peculiar clavichord ef- 
fects, which he (the lecturer) had himself plaii^ly 
traced in the *' six sonatas " of Seb. Bach for the 
double clavichord with pedals, and also in Chopin's 
variations on " La ci darem " (Op. 2). as well as in 
those works of Beethoven referred to by Herr Dann- 
reuther. Dr. Griepenkerl, one of the ripest musi- 
cians of Germany, did not seem to have perceived 
this clavichord " Bebnng ** effect, and FStis professed 
himself quite unable to account for Chopin s design 
in so fingering the passage to which he (Sir R. Stew- 
art) referred. In Kuhnau's clavichord piece, " The 
Battle of David and Goliath," the terror of the 
Israelites had been attempted to be expressed by 
the '* Bebung " accent (Here, as no clavichord 
could be discovered in Ireland at the present day, 
Mr. Healy imitated upon his violin, the peculiar 
rhythmical accent referred to in the Bach Sonatas, 
and in Kuhnau's " Biblical Story.") The clavichord, 
with its brass tangents, was, in fact, " key-violin 
playing," the piece of brass referred to, acting in a 
dojible capacity — as a stop on the string, and also a 
means of feebly setting it in vibration. Its powers 
of expression, however, made it a favorite with J. S. 
Bach, and after him with Mozart At first there 
was but one string for each note, and the semitones 
next above ; thus one sound both for C and C sharp, 
there being a tangent for each on a different part of 
the string. It was not till 1720 that a German 
named Faber made clavichords with a separate string 
for every note in their scale. Nothing was more 
singular in the history of keyed instruments than 
the fact, that, with the hammers of the dulcimer on 
the one hand, and the feeble, but expreesive clavi- 
chord with its complete keyboard on the other be- 
fore them, our forefathers never stumbled on the 
idea of a piano till a comparatively recent date ; yet 
so it was-— dissatisfied with the dull tones produced 
from catgut by quills, and the weak " tangent music" 
of their clavichords ; they — like a pack of hounds at 
£aalt— tried back, and once more had recourse to 



the auill plectra, now, however, applied to wires In- 
stead of catgut Thus arose the '* Virginal," a box- 
shaped instrument laid on the table, and the spinet, 
a similar one, but more like a harp on its side — 
resting on slender and somewhat shatcy-looking legs. 
The virginal was the favorite instrument of Henry 
VIII. and of both his dauffhters, Elizabeth and 
Mary Queen of Scotland. That king, who bore such 
a bad character in his latter years, was in his youth 
a generous and highly accomplished prince, who paid 
particular attention to languages, to manly sports, 
and to music A facsimile of some pages of King 
Henry's music-book would be exhibit-ed after the 
conclusion of the lecture. It formed part of vol. xlL 
of the '* Archaeolog^a," and had been communicated 
to the Society of Antiauaries by Mr. Chappell, to 
whose kindness he (Sir R. Stewart) was indebted 
for these rare and interesting documents. The 
lecturer here read the account given by Sir J. Mel- 
vil (Ambassador from Mary Queen of Scots to Eliz- 
beth in 1664) of his interview with the foundress of 
Dublin University, of her coquetry, and her skill on 
the virs^nal ; part of her preference for this little 
keyed instrument might be traced to the fact that 
Elizabeth (who with all her sonnd sense was not 
without a woman's weakness, and dearly loved ad- 
miration) had beautiful hands, snow white, and 
covered with rings: Sir R. Stewart now played, 
partly on the spinet, and partly on the pianoforte, 
some pieces from the " Virginal-Book " of Elizabeth 
— a volume of more than 400 pages, filled with mu- 
sic by Tallia, Gibbons, and Byrd (whose music they 
so often heard sung in the acljoining chapel). The 
music consisted of Dr. Bull's variations on the six 
notes of the hexachord, and Byrd's " carman's 
whistie." Much amusement was caused by the sin- 
gular tone of the spinet, one of Stephen Keen's in- 
struments, as old as the days of Queen Anne. Pre- 
vious to playing on the instrument. Sir Robert 
entered into an explanation of the various meaninsrs 
of the word "Jack," reading Shakespeare's 128th 
sonnet, and also other early writers, where the 
"jacks," by means of which the spinet was played, 
were referred to. It was not impossible (he said) 
that the toy called " Jack-in-a-box " had been de- 
rived from the jumping np of the spinet mechanism. 
As the spinet had no efortatido — no difference in the 
tone— composers for it were accustomed, whenever 
they desired to direct particular attention to any 
note, to precede it with a beat, or short and rapid 
shake. 'The works of Couperin (one of the distin- 
guished family of davecinists, who were to France 
like the Bachs to Germany) absolutely bristled with 
these littie " beats." 

A young lady here played " Les Moissoneurs," a 
rondo of Frangois Couperin, with much neatness. 
The lecture was concluded by a march played on 
flute, dulcimer, bag-pipe, and Chinese gong, in com- 
bination, which was redomanded. Next week Sir 
Rabert said he wouM devote to the harpsichord, of 
which a perfect specimen would be exhibited. 



Wagner Antieipated. 

In Zd Guide Miuieal appears an article to 
show that M^hal, infiuenced by Gluck, antici- 
pated the theories of Wagner. I defy the 
world to mention (says the writer) among the 
most noisy disciples of the Wagnerian school, 
any com poser more imperturbably attached than 
M^hul to the practice of the system : — 

Have you ever heard of a one-act comic opera en- 
titied, "Uthal T " I doubt it very much ; and yet, 
though a person would scarcely believe it, this sim- 
ple comic opera, in one act onty, into the bargain, 
was big with all' the theories which we have since 
seen breaking over us with such hubbub. " Uthal 1 " 
It strikes you at once as having something of a sham- 
epopceia about it Tou fancy you recognize in the 
title the heroic precursor of "Tannh&user" and 
V Lohengrin." The action takes place in the good 
old times of Ossian ; and M^hul, considering that it 
was not sufficient for his music that he should 
merely apply himself to the study of character, be- 
lieving, ltke*Cnsar, that nothing is done while anv 
thing remains to be done, resolved to g^ve the world 
something in the way of historical, or, still better, 
local coloring. To produce a monotonous music, 
tinged with crepuscular melancholy, a sort of 
ffrisaUIe, similar in its eftect to the dull ocean vapors 
which envelop in fog the Caledonian coast, such 
was his set pnrpoM in this work, "imitated from 
Ossian," as we read on the title page of the engraved 
score, the system being so delioerstely carried out 
that we see Mm, though it is almost impossible to 
imagine such a thing now-a-days, pnah the scruples 



-*— ^ 



T*r 



22 



DWIGHT'S JOURITAL OF MUSIC. 



of temperance to the length of refraining from the 
use of Tiolins, which he excludes from his orchestra 
as too Venetian in their coloring for such a subject 
" In the execution of this work the violins must be 
replaced by tenors." He takes care to explain his 
theory by way of preface. The flutes, oboes, clari- 
nets/ bassoons, and four horns, with the tenors 
iquinlef), constitute the orchestra, which is inexora- 
bly confined to one grey key. We must not forget, 
however, a stroke on the gong, struck at the right 
moment, and ev^n less must we forget the harps, 
which cannot fail to be present, seeing that in an 
opera imitated from Ossian there are always bards. 
I think that no one ever sacrificed with greater con 
viction and austerity to the divine idol called dram- 
atic truth. But the work failed ; neither connois- 
seurs nor public would have aught to do with it. 
Every one acknowledsred readily enough that, 
viewed In the lisfht of fidelity of expression, it was 
sublime, but no one returned to hear it a second 
time. 

After speaking of ** Joseph," the writer goes 
on to observe that when he reflects on the con- 
dition of a work like this, and hears the noise 
made about the theories of Richard Wagner, 
he fancies he must be dreaming : — 

What is there new. I should like to know in them ? 
What organic law of modern opera do all these pre- 
tended prophets of the Future advance which has 
not been carried out by this musician of the Past ? 
Listen to that orchestra always purposely moderate, 
where modulation is introduced only at the call of 
dramatic truth ; listen to that accompaniment always 
in keeping with the nature of the subject, and then 
ask yourself whether it is true, as we are informed, 
that such simultaneity of expression is a discovery 
of our own time. From the instrumentation let us 
proceed to the portrayal of the characters ; another 
invention for which some individuals are pleased to 
claim the credit. Do we find that Joseph, Simeon, 
Benjamin, and Jacob are figures wanting plasticity, 
impersonal and abstract figures, heroes of classical 
traffedy such as were imagined at the same epoch 
by Marie Joseph Ch^nier ? Let these figures sing, 
and, like the philosopher who, to prove the exist- 
ence of movement, walked, they will forthwith con- 
vince you of their musical individuality. The rem- 
iniscences and the melancholy of Joseph, the remorse 
and repentance of Simeon, the candor of Benjamin, 
the sorrow of the old man, Jacob; his rage and his 
joy, are so many admirable motives treated with the 
inspiration and the talent of a master never found 
deficient in any of the principles really appertaining 
to his art. 



S%l/s |0nrnal d Slwsk 



BOSTON, MAY 16, 1876. 



One Handred Symphony GoncertB. 

(Continued from Page 16.) 
— ^We have to complete our list of the composi- 
tions which have figured, in the programmes of the 
first ten yeara of the Harvard Symphony Concerts ; 
having already enumerated those by Bach, Handel, 
Durante, Weelkes. Gluck, Tartini, Haydn (12 Sym- 
phonies), Mozart (6 do.), and Beethoven (9 do.). 
Next in Chronological order (nearly) come : 

Chxrubtxi. 

Overtures: ♦Anacreon, 6 times; The Water-Car- 
rier, 6 ; Les Abencerrages, 8 ; * Medea, 6 ; 
♦ Faniska, 3 ; • Lodoiska. 

Introduction to fourth act of " Medea. ** 

Hummel. 

Piano Concerto, A minor, (Parker). 
Septet, Piano, Ac, (Perabo,) 2. 

Spohr. 

Symphony : " Weihe der Tone." 
Overtures : Jossonda, 2 ; ♦ Faust 

Schubert. 

Symphonies: No. 9. in C, 6; Unfinished. B minor, 2. 

Overtures : * Fierabww , 6 ; ♦ Alfonso and Estrella, 3. 

•Fantasia, ©p. 16, for piano, arr. with orch. by 
Liszt (Lang, 2). 

Songs: ♦"Suleika," 2, (Osgood); ♦"Wohin?" 
from Die SehSru MuUerin (Miss Doria) ; *" Love's 
Message,** from Schwanengetangy No. 1, (Osgood) ; 



» " Nahe des Geliftbten," op. 5, No. 2, (Do.) ; 'Sei 
mir gegrusst " (Do.) 

Spontini. • Overture to " La Vestale." 

Weber. 

Overtures : ♦ " Rnler of the Spirits,** 2 ; Prcciosa ; 

Freyschutz ; Oberon, 6 ; Euryanthe, 7 ; Jubilee, 2. 
Piano with Orch. — ConcertstUck, 2 (Miss Alice Dut- 

ton. Miss Mehlig). 

* Clarinet Concerto, in A flat (G. Weber). 

* Finale from first act of Euryanthe, for Soprano 

(Miss Whinery), Chorus (Cecilia) and orch. 

MoscHELES. * Piano Concerto, G minor, 2, (Patk- 
er) ; " Les Contrastes,'* 2 pianos, (Dresel, Perabo, 
Lang and Leonhard). 

Rossnn. Overture to " Tell," 2 ; Romance : " Selva 
opaca,'* from Do., (Miss Doria). 

Mendelssohn. 

Symphonies: No. 3, A minor, 8; No. 4, A major, 
2 ; ♦ " Reformation ** Symphony,** D minor ; 
Scherzo from Do. 8. 

Overtures: Midsummer Night*s Dream, 2; Hebri- 
des, 4 ; Melusina, 7 ; Ruy Bias, 5 : Meeresstille, 
Ac, 7; Athalie, 2; *" Trumpet** Overture. 

War March of Priests, from Athalie, 2. 

Piano with Orch.— Concerto in G minor, 2 (Lang, 
Parker); Concerto in D minor, 8 (Dresel, Parker, 
Miss Mehlig) ; * Serenade and Allegro giojoso, 2, 
Parker, Leonhard): * Rondo, op. 29 (Per)bo); 
Capriccio, B minor, op. 22 (Miss Finkenstadt). 

Violin Concerto, E minor, 4 (Carl Rosa, Camilla 
Urso, Miss Teresa Liebe). 

Chorus, with Orch. — ** Midsummer Night's Dream ** 
music (B. J. Lang, conductor) ; ** First Walpur- 
gis Night,** 2, (Cecilia) ; " Hear us, Bacchus," and 
" Wonders in Nature,** double chor., from Antig- 
one ; " Thou hast come, O stranger,** from Oediptu; 

* " Lorelei ** fragmtents (Cecilia). 

Part-Songs : " Huntsmen*s Farewell ** with horns, 
Ac); *' The Lark ; ** Canon, (Cecilia) ; Abendlied. 

Songs with Piano : Cradle Song (Mrs. Barry) ; 
Hunting Song (Mrs. Kempton) ; Wanderlied (MIm 
Whitten) ; " Song of Spring " Mrs. Barry) ; "Mor- 
gengruss** (Miss Addie Rvan). 

Concert Aria, with Orch., "Infelice** (Miss Whin- 
ery). 

Schumann. 

Symphonies: No. 1, B flat, 4; No. 2, C, 6; » No. 
8, "Cologne,** E flat, 4; No. 4, D minor, 4; 
♦Overture, Scherzo and Finale. 

Overtures: *Genoveva. 9; ♦Manfred, 8; ♦Entr'- 
acte and " Incantation,** from 3fan/red, 6. 

Piano with Orch. — Concerto, A minor, 6, (Dresel, 
Leonhard 8, Miss Krebs) ; ♦ ConcertstUck, in G, 
op. 92, 2 (Lang.) 

Piano Solo: ♦"Etudes Symphoniques,** op 18, 2, (Per- 
abo, Miss Mehlif?) ; 6anon (Dresel). 

* Cantata : " Paradise and the Peri" (Cecilia). 

Choruses: "Gypsey Life** (A. Kreis.smann con- 
ducting) ; Forester's Chorus from " Pilgrimage of 
the Rose " (Do). 

Songs : ♦ Schone Fremde,'* 2, (Osgood) ; " Two 
Grenadiers** (M. W. Whitney); Dichterliebe 
(Kreissmann); ♦"Rose, Meer und Sonne** (Mrs. 
Barry) ; ♦ " The Soldier*s Bride ** (Mrs. Barry) ; 

♦ Requiem : Old Latin Hymn of H^loise, op. 90, 
(Mi!»8 Doria); Fruhlingsnacht (Do.); ♦"The 
Hidalgo** (Nelson Varley); ♦ S«renade, op. 36 
(Do.); ♦ Wanderer's Song, op. 86 (Do.) 

Chopin. 

Piano with Orch. — Concerto, E minor, 6, (Leonhard 
2, Miss Alide Topp, Miss Mehlig, Mme Schiller) ; 
Concerto in F minor, 3 (Miss Mehlig, Leonhard, 
G. W. Sumner); Andante spianato and Polo- 
naise, op. 22, (Leonhard) ; ♦ Krakowiak, op. i3, 
2, (Do.) 

Piano Solo: Rondo, E flat, op. 16 (Dresel); Fan- 
taisie Impromptu, C-sharp minor, (C. Petersilea) ; 
Polonaise, in A flat, op. 63, 2 (Miss Krebs, Rich- 
ard Hoffman); Nocturne in B, op. 32 (Hoffman); 
Nocturne (?), (Miss Mehlig) ; Tarantella, op 48, 
A flat (Miss Mehlig). 

Lachner, Franz. — * First Orchestral Suite, D mi- 
nor, op. 118. 

Henselt: ♦Piano CJoncerto, F minor (Petersilea). 

LiazT. 

Symphonic Poems : " Les Preludes ; ** " Tasso : La- 

mento e Tri^nfo.** 
Piano, arr. with Orch. — Weber's Polonaise in E, 8, 

(Lang 2, Miss Topp) ; ♦ Fantasia on Beethoven's 

" Ruins of Athens " (Do.) ; Schubert's Fantasia, 

op. 16, 2 (Lang). 



Pinno Solo: Rhapsodic Hongroise (Miss Topp); 

Paganini*s *' Campanella ** (Mias Mehlig,) 2 ; 
Transcription of ** Mid.summer Night's Dream '* 
(Mme. Schiller); Do. of Bach's Organ Prelude and 
Fuffue, in G minor (Miss Mehlig); Do., Do., Prel. 
and Fugue, A minor (Do.) 

Gadb. 

Symphonies: No. 1. C minor, 4; ♦No. 2, E, 2; 

♦ No. 3, A minor : No. 4, B flat. 

Overtures : ♦ " Nachklange ans Ossian,** 3 ; ♦ " Im 
Hochland,** 4 ; ♦ Concert Ov., op. 14. 

NoRBERT BuROMUELLER : ♦*' Sympliouy, No. 2. in D ; 

♦ Piano Concerto, in F-sharp minor, 2 (Perabo). 

Sterndalb Bennett. 

Overtures: "Naiades.** 8; ♦ " Wo^ Nymph,** 3; 

♦ •' Paradise and the Peri.** 

Piano with Orch. — ^♦Concerto, No. 4, in F minor, 
(Perabo); ♦Capriccio in E (Lang). 

Taitbert, — ♦ Overture : " Tnusend und Eine Nacht ;** 

♦ Song : " Baucrlein ** (Miss Doria). 

Jul. Ribtz. — Concert Overture, 4 ; ♦ Oboe Concerto, 
F minor (A. Kutzleb). 

LiPiNSKi: Military Concerto, Violin, in D, first 
movement (B. Listemann). 

ViEuxTEMPs: Ballade et Polonaise, violin with 
orch., 2 (Camilla Urso). 

Ernst : Violin Solo : " Elegie ** (Camilla Urso). 

Fbrd. David : ♦ Andante ot Scherzo, violin with 
orch.. op. 16 (Terese Liebe). — Violin Solos: 

♦ '• Hungarian Air ; ** ♦ " Am Springquell ** (Rosa.) 

LiynnLAD: ♦Song of a Maiden from Dalecarlia** 
(Miss Doria). ' 

Dbssauer : ♦ Song: " Allurement " (Mrs. Kempton). 

RrcHARD Waoxer: Overture to "Tannhiiuser ; ** 
Vorspiel to " Lohengrin." 

Robert Franz. 

Songs: "Weil auf mir, du dunkles Ange** (Mrs. 
Barry) ; ♦ " Wandl' irh in dom Wahl' dcs Abends" 
(Do.); ♦Rom fl nee: " A rider thro' the valley rode " 
(M. W. Whitney); ♦" In the Spring," 'op. 22, 
(Mrs. Barry); Goethe's '* Mailied." " 2, [Do]; 
♦ " April-Launen,*' op. 44, [Do.] , Ave Mnri- 
[with Quartet accomp.], [Do.] ; Serenade : •* Do 
Mond ist schlafen ffanrren.** op. 17 [Miss Doria] ; 
"Stille Sicherheit*' [O. L. Ofijrood] ; "Nun die 
Schatten dunkeln " [Do.]; " Eveninsr.** op. 16, 
[Do.]; TiecVs " Schlummerlied - [Miss Abbie 
Whinery] ; *' Er ist gekommen** [DoJ. 

Otto Dresel : Sons: : " Come into the garden, Maud** 
[Mrs. Barry], — ♦Longfellow's Ballad on Agassiz's 
60th birthday, with orch. 

Carl Reinecke : ♦ Overture to " Dame Kobold.** 

Joachim: ♦Hungfarian Concerto, for Violin, D mi- 
nor, Ist movement [B. List«mann] ; ♦ Schumann's 
" Abendlied,* arr. for violin. 

J. Raff: ♦ Symphony, No. 2, in C ; Suite, in C, op. 
101, for orchestra. 

AwT. Rubinstein: ♦"Ocean Symphony; ♦Piano 
Concerto, No. 8, in G [Lang]. 

Bargiel : Overture to ** Medea.** 

Goldmark: ♦Overture to " Sakuntala,** 3. 

GoLTERMANN : ♦ Concerto for Violoncello, A minor, 
[A. Hartdeg^n.] 

Gernsheim, Fe. — * Piano Concerto, C minor [Pera- 
bo]. 

Dudley Buck : ♦ Overture to " Don Munio." 

SvENDSEN, J. S. — ♦Violin Concerto in A, op. 6, 
[Aug. Fries]. 



GoncertB of the last Fortnight 

HA!n>EL AND Haydn Society. The enthusiasm 
with which the revival of Haydn*s melodious and 
wonderfully descriptive Cantata, " The Seasons,** 
was received by the eager audience who nearly 
filled the Music Hall on Wednesday evening, April 
28, muct be taken as a pymptom of a wholesome re- 
action in favor of a sound, classical, pure style of 
music, — music which is a law unto itself, [because 
the vital principles of form are really intrinsic, lie 
in the very soul of Music], and which without try- 



^L. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, MAY 15. 1875. 



23 



ing to shake off old forms, moves with far more of 
the freedom of genius and Inspiration, than any of 
the •' new ** music with which we have been dosed 
and drugged of late. Tired of excitement and as- 
tonishment, we sfo back for somethino: we can love 
in music. — But not so fust ! we do injustice to our 
true musical public, by confounding^ them with the 
half musical and the unmusical who are carried 
away so easily; the true musical public never has 
been much delijjhted with the new school, and stood 
in no need of reaction. Bnt the tinje was with us 
when Haydn, as compared with Beethoven, Men- 
delssohn. Schumann. &c., had came to seem tame 
and too amiably all alike ; now Wagoner and Berli- 
oz and Raff, Brahms, Yolkmann, <&c., have made 
him fresh a^in, in vocal forms, as he has long been 
in Symphony. 

The "Seasons" had of course more novelty for 
us than " The Creation," and though it is less great 
than that, yet what wonderful variety and beauty it 
contains I How faithful the whole expression and 
atmosphere of the music, and all the imitative hints, 
to the texts of every season I The orchestral pre- 
ludes and accompaniment are exquisite ; it must bo 
owned they suffered somwhat in performance, the 
orchestra sounding at once thin and coarse and show- 
ing need of more rehearsal ; yet portions enough 
were so fairly rendered that it did net spoil the 
general impression of the work. 

The choruses were for the most part finely sung I 
and most of the audience mu!*t have been most 
agreeably|surprised by their great variety of power 
and beauty, their poetic suggestion, and vivid, im- 
asrinative characterizMtion. Not to speak of the 
familiar *' Come, gentle Spring," with its fine con- 
trast of female and male voices, which went very 
perCectly, what could be more impressive than the 
" deep, tremendous voice " of the thunder storm 
chorus, prepared as it has been by music so expres- 
sive of the heat and languor of the Summer, espe- 
cially the recitative immediately preceding, through 
which " a boding silence reigns," with the more 
bodeful rumble of the deep sob-bass of the -Organ, 
until the voices burst forth, and "to its foundations 
the solid globe is shook." If with some this chorus 
fell short of the expectation raised in the beginning, 
it was no doubt partly owing to the cutting out of 
80 much of the middle portion ; the storm was 
incomplete. In the Autumn we have the strong 
chorus in praise of Industry ; the ringing, echoing 
Hunting Cnorus, full of vigor, likewise most sugges- 
tively introduced by fragments of recitative, and 
little bits of figurative instrumentation, which make 
you see the pack of hounds on scent. Then, best 
of all, the very remarkable " Wine Chorus, with its 
episodical bagpipe and dance movement (exquisite 
dance melody for an old man of seventy I) But 
this too was weakened by the omission of some of 
the finest music in the middle, whereby the piece 
lost its symmetry, and the great cUmax at the end, 
its justification.' • In the Winter we have the fascina- 
ting minor chorus of the Spinning Wheel, alternat- 
ing with Soprano Solo, full of serious suggestion. 
The final chorus: " The overlastin/^ gates of life," 
has grandeur, but it was made to jump to its ccm- 
clusion, by leaving out the middle portion, which is 
a fugue, not perhaps a great one but a good one. 
Putting head and tail together does not make a 
body. Brevity of course was the moti^^e of these 
cuts, for the work is very long ; but if we remember 
rightly, these choruses were given in their integrity 
when Mr. Lang brought out the " Seasons " some 
ten years ago, and we do not remember any sense 
of weariness. 

The solos, duets, trios, so many and so beautiful, 
were admirably sung. Miss Bbkbb had 'precisely 
the voice, the execution and the culture for the So- 
prano melody, which is full of delicate embellish- 
ment, and in parts brilliant. We may name, among 
other numbers, the long descriptive Recitative: 
" O, welcome now, ye groves," and the Air follow- 
ing : " O, how pleas'ing to the senses." Mr. Wm. J. 
Winch was in fine voice, and sang the tenor solos 
with fine taste and expression ; particularly the 
Recitative ond Cavatina describing the sultry mid- 
summer heat : " Tis noon, and how intense the sun," 
and " Distressful nature fainting sinks,"; and after- 
wards in opposite contrast, the Winter picture of 
the traveller lost in the snow storm, where the stac- 
cato figures of the violins seem to fill the air with flut- 



tering flakes. Equally welcome w^as the grand Bass 
of Mr. M. W. WiIitxet, just arrived from London 
on a short visit home ; who gave a most satisfactory 
rendering of the part of Simon. In truth the Society 
could not have secured a finer trio of principal 
vocalists ; and the result was, in spite of the two 
drawbacks above mentioned, a very delightful feast 
of pure and noble music. 



Ma. B. J, Lano*s second Concert, Thursday after- 
noon. April 29. was a fit pendant to the first, and 
this the proii^ramme: 

Duet for two piano-fortes, " Hommage k H»nr1e1.*' 

Mojicheles. 
Arin M\A flcherzn from Sonata No. 1, op. 2.Sclininnnn. 

Rong nf Scpanittnn Mozart. 

Sonata, op. 46, " The Maid of OrleanH." 

Sterndale Bonnett. 

1. Andante Pastomlc. 

In the Field*. 
•' In fnnocenne I led my sheep 
A down the raountain'i sllont steep.'* 

2. Allegro Marziale. 

In the Field. 
" Tho c1ang'n« tnimpetA sound ; the chargers rear; 
And the loud war cry thuuders in my car." 

3. Ada;:io P.itetico. 

In Prison. 
" Hear me, O Ood. In mine extremlly! 
In fervent supplication no to Thi-e. 
Up to Thy heaven above I send my soul." 

4. Moto Di Pastfione. 

The end. 
'* Brief Ik the sorrow ; endleRS 1« the loy ; 

a^«». i ^^y Rone Stcrndale'Rennett. 

^^^ff^JThi' Asra Rubln-tHn. 

Concerto In P-»har;) minor, op. 60...Ferdlnard Hlller. 

Moderato ma con enorcrine con ftioco— Andante 

espregtlvo— Allegro con fUoco. 



■♦♦■ 



For Dwight*B Journal of Muaie. 

In Hemoriam. 

Mr. Editor, — Although I hailed with delijjht the 
few lines appearing: in your Journal some months 
aa:o, from the pen of Gen. H. K. Oliver, concerning 
JosRi'H A. Kkllrr, I have since felt jEcreatly disap- 
pointed that they have been followed by no corro- 
spondiuf? and similarly appreciative words, from 
some of his many pupils and friends, who must have 
felt his noble influence in the days of his success. 
It may not however, be unwelcome to them to hear 
from a pupil who admired and loved his master, 
some of his impressions concerning him. 

In the spring of 1837, my father, wishing to se- 
cure for me the best musical instruction that this 
country could afford, placed me under the tuition 
of Mr. J. A. Keller, and that I might enjoy his more 
especial and immediate care, I became a member 
of his family. 

In the two succeeding years, all my expectations 
in him were realized, in every respect, as I found in 
him not only a most superior teacher but a model 
in gentlemanly deportment, and a shining example 
for me in purity of life and manners. In subsequent 
years, the impressions made upon me by him at the 
early age of fifteen, have been indelible, and 
although I afterwards enjoyed the best instructions 
in Germany, I found cause for ever increasing grat- 
itude, and to regret nothing received from him. 

Recallins: the admiration excited in me at that 
time by his knowledge and skill, I wonder now at 
the extraordinary versatility of his brilliant genius. 
When seated at the Organ, one could say, h<^ be- 
longs there, let him never come down from the 
organ bench, where he so wonderfully calls forth 
devotional aspirations, and elicits the praise of God 
from the most insensible hearts. 

So at the Piano, he possessed an unrivalled deli- 
cacy of touch, a smoothness and beauty of execution 
rarely heard, and in free fantasie, showed himself a 
perfect master of the laws of harmony, and always 
obedient to the strict rules of musical composition. 
It is scarcely credible, however, that in addition to 
this, ho possessed wonderful skill upon the violin 
and violoncello, which more than all others were 
his favorite instruments, as is proved by those 
many sweet toned treasures that he collected during 
his life, and left silent at his death. 

The trumpet, clarinet and flute also spoke with 
as sweet and pure tones from his lips, as from those 



of our most skilled performers, and many other 
orchestral in.struments T have heard him use in a 
manner that would put to shame most of our public 
soloists. 

His vocal training must also have been far supe- 
rior to that of most of our teachers of hin^hcst re- 
pute. For, as at the organ he seemed to be inspired 
by direct teaching and communication from Bach 
himself, in the instructions received in later years 

from the illustrious and venerable " Father 
Miekseh," and his pupil Kisse, I noticed with sur- 
prise that the rules for Vocal Culture derived from 
Mr. Keller, were all corroborated and confirmed, 
makin<r it appear that his vocal education must 
have come in a direct line from that celebrated 
school of Bologna, from which were diffused those 
established principles that still govern the genuine 
world of song. 

As a conductor of orchestra, he had few if any 
equals, possessing in a high descree, that magfnetic 
charm which drew every performer with him by its 
subtle influence, and an electric fervor of soul tf^at 
was an inspiration to all who formed the musical 
circle around him. 

Reference need only be made to the records of the 
old " Boston Academy of Music," for evidence of his 
noble efforts to give the fine and classical works o1 
his father land a hearing in Boston. To such influ- 
ence how much do we owe, at the present day, o( 
the educated t-aste that enables us to enjoy music of 
such an elevated character, and to appreciate any 
above the most common musical works ! 

Of Joseph A. Keller it may truly be said, no good 
vTAn ever knew him but to honor and admire, and 
whatever enemies he had he honestly earned by de- 
termined and unshrinking opposition to Irearkery 
and hnmbitff in every form. To such men, who have 
labored and struggled with trial and sorrow in their 
most aggravating aspects, and maintained a pure 
and upright life, it is due that their memory be 
honored, and not allowed to die without suitable 
reco}i:nition of their claims to the gratitude and re- 
spect of all who reverence the good, true and beau- 
tiful in the noble Art of Music. E.B.O. 



^'^^\^\r\^s.y 



Bayreuth. — The following intelligence from a re- 
sponsible source, has been transmitted to us for 
publication. Jt will interest our young friends who 
contemplate a pilgrimage to this Saxon Mecca of 
** The Future,*' where they may worship all their 
moral gods. Thor, Wotan. Freia, and the rest, who 
have great Richard for their prophet. 

Bbrlxn, April 12. 

Dear Sir:— I wrote to Wagner the other day, suggest- 
ing that, by {giving his great entertainment, at Bayreuth 
In July, 1876, he would fail almost entirely of the attend- 
ance of Americans, since all citizens of the United States 
would aim to be at home, at that time, for the Centennial. 
I added, that in ordinary eeasont, he might rely upon 
several thousand dollars from American travelers in sup- 
port of hi* undertaking, and urg'vi that he should defer 
the main performances until September. 

In acknowledging the value of the suggestion, Wagner 
wrote that It would be impossible to have performances 
BO late as September, beoauta his artists will be available 
only in July and August, the vacation months of their 
several theatres : but with a view to accommodate Amer- 
ican travelers, he will have a repetition of all the main 
performances in the last week of August, 1876. 

At his request, and for the information of my country- 
men, I beg you to give this fact publicity through the 
MmIcoI Joumaiy and to ask other papers to extend the 
notice as widely as possible. 

The musical world of Berlin is tn high expectation of 

the Concert to be giveu next week, at which Wagrer will 

in person lead the orchestra in the interpretation of por- 

Uons of his latest work. 

Yours, truly, 



J. P. T. 



-•-<-« 



«♦-»- 



(Concluded from Page 16.) 

Nkw York, April 26. Mr. Hoffman's perform- 
ance of the Beethoven Concerto was marked by 
great clearness and delicacy of handling, and by a 
poetic fire such as I have seldom known lufused into 
the composition. In the second part of the pro- 
gramme his treatment of the Barcarole (from Ben- 
nett's Fourth Concerto, in F minor Op. 19) was so 
refined and artistic that an encore was a matter of 
course. 

I give the Repertoire of the Philharmonic Soci- 
ety of Brooklyn — Seventeenth Season. 



24 



DWIGHT'S JOURIS'AL OP MUSIC. 



SYMPHOXIES. 

Bkbttcovex— Xo. 6 In C Minor, Op. 67, 
RoiirMAXN— Nn. 1 In B Plat Op. 38. 
RrnrBEnT— B Minor funflnUhed.] 
MBvm?L««oHV— Xo. 3 'n A Minor. 
HAVny- Oxford [flr«t time 1 
Brktuovev— No. 6, Pa<torrl« In F M^or, 
MOZA.RT-E Flat, KSchel 643 [first ttme.] 

Bach— Stulte in B Minor [flmt time]. 
Ll«ZT— Svraphonic Poem— Orpheus. 
BAon— Ciaoonne [new] Adapted for orchestra by J. 

Kaff. 
Liszt— Srmphonic Poem— Tasso. Lamento e Trionfo. 
RoniNSTKiN- Bin MuslkalUhes Characterblld, Op. 68 

liivnt time]. 
Brahms— Hniigarlan Dances [new]. 
Wagxkb— K'iser Msrrh. 
BBAa>CS— Theme and Varlntlnns. Op. 18 [first time]. 

CONCERTOS. 

Befthove^— C Minor. Op. 37 [firit movement]. 

Raff— Opu* 158 [new]. 

Bennett— Barcarole from Fonrth Concerto. 

OVERTURES. 

Waowek— Eine Fannt Overtnro. 
RuBiNSTBix— Trlomphale, Op. 43 [new]. 
BEFTHOVEif— Leonore. No. 3. 
BcHuaLANK— Bride of Meraina. 

VOCAL SELECTIONS. 

Heroli>— Arin from '* Le PrA nux Clercs." 
Thomas— PolaccA from " Mifrnon." 
Beethoven- *• In questa tomba oscnra." 
Ro«.sixi— Tancredl— '* Dl tnnll palpiti.** 
RnBiVJH'EiM-*' E Dunque verr* Op. 68. 
Reinecre— Miriam's Sonfr of Victory, Op. 74. 
Waoneb— Wotan's Abschled und Feurzauber [flrst 

lime]. 
Meyebbeer— " PIet4. plet4,»' from «* Le Proph^le." 
Mozart— BattI batti. from " Pon OiovRnnl/' 
Lpjilie, H.— " How Sweet the Moonlight 1 " 
Benedict, J.— Hiintlns: Song. 
LP.fli.lE. H.— Lullsbv of Life. 
Macfarbbn— Sands o' Dee. 

For want of space I cannot jrlve a detailed acconnt 
of a number of concerts in New York which deserve 
notice. They mast wait over until my next letter. 
And for the same reason I can give only a brief na- 
tice of the last concert of the N. T. Philharmonic 
Society, which was given last Saturday evening. 

I give the pro£:ramme. 

Part I. 

Overture. "Manfired" Schumann 

Soena and Aria, '* Ah perttdo ! " Beethoven 

Miss Annie J. Borte. 

Piano-forte concerto In E flat. No. 1 Lisst 

Miss Julia Rive. 
Fantaisie— Overture, " Paradise and the Perl/* Op. 42 

(first time) W. S. Bennett 

Introduction : moderato Cchoral). 
Ist scene. 2d scene. 3d scene. 

Part II. 

Overture, <* Le« Frances JufEes,** in F Berllos 

Faschinffsswank aiu. Wlen Sobumann 

Misri Julia Rive. 
Symphony lo C minor, No. 6 Beethoven 

The orchestra, it seemed to me, did not play aa 
well as usual, for there was a terrible blemish in the 
performance of the fii^t movement of the Sympho- 
ny, caused by one of the violins coming in some 
measures ahead of time. 

The best feature af the evening was the piano- 
forte playing of Miss Julia Rive, a young lady who 
I believe has but recently returned from abroad, 
where she has finished her studies under Liszt. 
She has played at concerts in some of the Western 
cities, and I have heard enthusiastic accounts of her 
from there, but I hardly anticipated the very favor- 
able reception which awaited her here. It is not 
too much to say that this young lady, who came to 
us so quietly and modestly, achieved a great artis- 
tic success upon her first appearance. She played 
the magnificent concerto of Liszt's from the first 
note to the last without a slip or a blemish. She 

not only gave a correct rendering of the piece but 
a poetic'rendering. Her playing was not that of a 
prize pupil but of a mature artist. She made light 
of the immense difficulties which invest this piece 
like a hedge of thorns, and she did this without the 
slightest sign of self-consciousness or of being con- 
scious of anything save the music 

The Schumann " Fantasiebilder,** her second 
piece, was a little too good even for a Philharmonic 
audience ; but her playing was appreciated to the 
extent of an encore, to which she responded with 
Liszts' second Hungarian Rhapsody, which she 
played with such effect that there was a /f<ror in 
the audience and even orchestra and conductor 
joined in the applause when, at the close of her 
performance, she was recalled time after time to the 
statue. You will certainly he«r much of her in the 
future. A. A. C. 



Toronto, c. w. Randog^er's Cantata " Fridolin " 
(of whicli we have already had a description in this 
Jonrn.al) was twice performed here some six weeks 
ajfo, under the direction of Mr. Torrintfton, well 
known in Boston. According to the Toronto Liber- 
al, it was a great success, especially the second 
time. 

Mrs. Dow*s fine nopmno voice showed to better advan- 
tage than ever, and after the recitative and song of the 
Countess, she received round after round of well-merited 

appIauM*. The Huntera* Chorun waa performe<l In a bril- 
liant and spirited manner, and wnn asrain enthuslastlcnlly 
encored. This fine chorud l>ld« fair to become a Infttina 
fivorite with Toronto audlenceft. The H.indmaidcns^ 
Choni* evinced le»M ■ii^n of improvement than any of the 
othfl>'s. the alto l>elnfr nimon too faint to be h^ard at the 
further end of the auditorium. The Choni* of Villagers 
In thf Forext Gl.nde wsa exceedingly beamlful. and well 
executed, while the grandent and mc>f«t difllcult of nil, the 
Chonis of Smiths, showed a marlced Improvement over 
the corresponding part of the previous eveninir's perform- 
ance. Both choruA and orchestra deserve the highest 
praise fur the manner In whitrh they executed this con- 
fessedly difllcult piece of combined vocalisation and in- 
strumentation. 

During the recess the Beethoven Quintette Club again 
played a piece not on the nrogrnmme— Theme and varia- 
tions from the '* Kaiser Qiiartet," by Haydn. The ex- 
oulwlte cliaracter of the perxormanoe kept the nu^Joritj of 
the audience In breathless stlllne»s, as If afraid to lose ev- 
en a ulnale note of the munlc. The ai plause and eucnre 
with which It was greeti-d were responded to by the per- 
fominnce of Schumann's " Trftumerei," wbleh so enchant- 
ed the sudienct' the evening before. 

Mr. Torrington wielded the baton with his usual skill 
and enerey, keeping choriia and orchestra perfectly under 
control throuifb ev«n the most dllBcult passages. Only 
once did even an spproach to a serious error occur, and 
then it was scarcely perceptible. 

Balfb's " TALiBifAN " (nlso given in this city when 
the Kellogg troupe were here) is thus neatly, and 
fairly, hit off by the Baitimore BullHin, May 1. 

TKt Talimum is Balfe's posthu mons opera. It is easy to 
see the reason why posthumous ; for as long as life flick- 
ered In that senile breaat, he had sense enough not to 
bring It out. But It may be that he died In giving bf rth 
to it. It is difficult to conceive anything more limp and 
washy than tlie music: so tepid In its passion, so tame In 
its furies. It may roughly be described as BofUmitm Oirl 
and water, slightly colored with Lydia Thompson lan- 
guors and flavored with the negro serenaders. It waa In- 
deed a cruel thing for Balfe's literary executors to permit 
its produetion ; but man is frail, and a new opera well 
puffed has " money In It." 

The music, tame as It waa, was tamely rendered. Mr. 

Maas was "Sir Kenneth, the Knight of the L^'opsrd." 
He waa a dear little love of a leopard, with bis mane oiled 
and parted In the middle, and his Ull freshly i^Ieased 
from the ourt-pspers. He roared you gently as any suck- 
ing dove. The niiman mind cannot possibly accept dear 
little Mr. Maas as a stalwart crusader, any more than It 
can accept the two exciescences on the shins of " Necto- 
banns'* as typical of any known physical deformity. 
*' Xectobanus *' should bave been a malicious cripple, but 
he was not. He waa gontle, and showed an untrue fond- 
ness for the prompter's box, where he seemed to have one 
of his feet nailed down to tbe stage. Mr. Carleton's 
'* Richard Cesur de Lion,*' and Miss Kellogg's <* Etlitb 
Plantagenet," alone saved the opera from the open deri- 
sion and Jeers of the populace. Yet Miss Kellogg*s only 
success was when she abandoned the score and Inserted a 
ballad by Olay: "She Wandered Down the Mountain 
Side.'* Nothing could give a Juster Idea of the value of 
the music of the opera than that this little song, by anoth- 
er composer, seemed like a bright patch on the dreary 
background. It met with some little success, but It was 
the only moment during the evening when Uie baskets of 
fluwers which had been prepared for the occasinn could 
with any posslbll ty have been presented. 

Tlie opera, in addition to Its sbort-oorolngs as music, is 
wholly bare of dramatic sltUMtions and of plot. The lead- 
ing characters come in one after another, as nt a variety 
show, and sing their solos, and then meander off again ; 
nothing leads to anything else. There is no musical dec- 
lamation, dialogue or concerted rouslo worth mention— 
nothing but the tpectaeft. Now a spectacular opera ought 
to be spectacular. Pompous processionings, haughty 
kings and princes, svunptuous costumes and CMdum lights 
will make very poor stuff go off moderately well; but 
when a spectacular opera Is conducted rather with a view 
to economy than to show, the effect is not apt to be Impos- 
ing. Thus It fared with the TWiaman as presented by 
Miss Kellocg's cf>inpany. ** Bdith Plantagenet " had some 

Eretty clothes, and " Kenneth," the raging leopard, also 
ad a shiny helmet and spangled shcKis ; but tfie rest of 
the kings and dukes and earls of high degree appeared to 
have been born of poor but i onest parents— humble In- 
deed, but knowing their place. The only thing like ac- 
tion iu the whole opera is where six supcs on one side 
and five on the other, representing the armies of England 
and Austria, closed In deadly combat, and clashed feebly 
their pasteboard battie-sxes. takinggreat care not to In- 
jure the tin foil, until the '' Klne ofFrance." looking like 
an ubese Jack of Club<i In reduced circumstances, ap- 

ftcared suddenly and put an end to the carnage— seeming 
ike a right bower played by some Invisible nand whien 
had Uken the trick. 

Such was the Taiimnan. as presented at the Academy 
of Music last Friday night, to one of the largest andlences 
that ever assembled there. In Justice to that audience we 
must say that we never saw a full house so cold, so utter* 
ly unrippled by applaui>^e. They were, on the whole, 

Eatient and well bebaved, so that we hardly ever saw a 
etter audience or a worse peilormanco. 



Spttial Slotites. 



DESGRIPTIVB LIST OF THE 
»«bltoh«« Uy Oliver Dlto«B * €•• 



Old Folks at Home. Qnurtet. 2. D to cL 

arr» by Fairbcak, 25 

A simple 4 part arrangement. 

The Elower GirL (LaFloraja]. 6. Eft to 5. 

BevignctnL 75 
•' Chi vuol fiori eecoral qoA." 
" Who wl<thes flowers ? Hither eome.*' 

V<*Ty bright and flowing concert song. 

The Clang of the Wooden Shoon. 3. 

C minor to o. Mollay. 40 

" Oh t the dance and the merry tune.*' 
Those who have heard the clatter of the wooden 
sabots of the -ol^f countries," will be pleased with 
this, which is, in a curious way, a vocal clogdanee. 

Staccato Polka. BraToura piece. 6. F to 6. 

Mulder, 75 

A true brsvoura, which will make a sensation 
when brightly snng. 

Otto Lob*s Sacred Trios. ea. 85 

No. I. Lord thy Glory. (Sop. Alto, Tenor). 

A.Gtog. Weber. 

No. S. Praise thou the Lord. (Mezz^ 

Sop. Tenor, Baas). 4. Eh to a- M^huU 
No. 3. Loud Proclaim. (Sop. Tenor^ Bass). 
6. Dfttof. Spohr, 

No. 4. Bow down thine ear. (Alto, 

Tenor, Bass). 4. C to g. Wagner, 

These sre trios of a high classical character, and 
of some diiflcnlty. And these reasons oommond 
them to quartet ehoirs. 

I fear those beaming Eyes. S. F to f. Glover. 90 
" I fear to touch that hand." 
A musical elAisIon for a plaintive lover. 

I will lore thee, (tot'amero). 6. Dtod. 

Counpana. 90 

" Thee will I love. 
When swallows are returning." 
Melodious, aa tbe author's pieces are wont to be. 

laatraasckBtal* 

Flight of the Nightingales. Commencement 

March. 8. I>. WhUnev- 85 

Powerful. Grand. Many oetaveM introduced. 

Beyerie. 0. E6. Lange. CO 

An elegant arrangement of a Reverie by Vleux- 
temps. 

Fandango. Morsean Caracteristique. 5. "DK 

8. Sinilh, 75 

Very bright, as it mast be, being made by Sidney 
Smith. 

Capt Folsom's March. 8. Eb. JKeeses. 40 

A spirited composition. 

Little Beanty Walts. 2. P. Turner. 30 

A little beauty of a Walts. 

On the Wing. Galop. 2. C. Faust, SO 

A brilliant Faust galop. 

L'Esperance Wsltz. 8. D&. F^raeer. 40 

A rich and mellow composition. 

A Night in Jnne. Idyl. 4. Ah. WiUcn. 60 

Very neat picture title, and will probably be pro- 
nouuc«d one of the sweetest of this writer's sweet 
Idyls. 

Home, Sweet Home. 6. B& Kuhe. GO 

Sweet Home on ihe 4th of July, evidently, as it la 
full of musical fireworks. Spleudld piece. 

loebrook Galop. 2. C. Speck. 40 

Played with great snooess by LaFlsvorlU Orches- 
tra. 

Firm Step March. 8. G. Steiner. 80 

A firm, poweifUl march. 

Beauties of Buy Bias. 8. G. Knight SO 

One of Mr. Knight's brOliaat arrangemenu of 
Dsvorite airs. 

La Posts aux Grelots. Galop de Concert 

4. D6. Bonemntz. 75 

Very spirited, bright, and rather powerful ftM- a 
galop. 

Adbrettatxons.— l>egrees of difficulty are marked 
1 to 7. The key is marked with a caulul letter: ss C,.B 
fiat,ac. A small Roman letter maivs tbo highest note, 
if on Uie suff, an italic letter the highest not^, if above 
the staff. 



*«- 



^f- — A^ 




toiglfs 




0ttnial 





Wfiole No. 890. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, MAY 29, 1875. 



Vol. XXXV. No. 4. 



The Gindimati Hniical FestivaL 

FIRST NIOHT, TUESDAY, MAY 11. 
(From Ck>rrefl|K>iid6nce of the Baltimore BuUetim,') 

CiNCiNMATT, May 13. Therfe is a sketch 
hanging in the windows around town, which 
not inaptly represents the present high pressure 
musical excitement of the city. It is a battle 
pcene. A strongly entrenched height at the 
bade, whose salients bear the names of Liszt, 
Wagner, Schubert, &c., is keeping up a de- 
structive fire of musical notes upon the assail- 
ants below. Crotchets and quavers are explod- 
ing in every direction. Theodore Thomas, 
mounted upon a prancing steed, is leading up 
a solid phalanx of fiddlers to the assault, and 
a heavy battery of trombones and ophicleidea 
is hurling bass notes into the forts. 

The whole town is decorated. Not merely 
the streets l«;ading out to the Industrial Hall, 
but the whole business part of the town is hung 
with flags, festooned with gay cambrics, and 
wreathed with greens. The city may well take 
pride in the festival ; for it has spared no pains 
in the grand affair. 

The musical hall is an unpretending room, 
having, however, the merit of rare acoustic 
qualities and capacity for eight thousand lis- 
teners. The ena of the room slopes up in a 
steep incline with seats for about seven hun- 
di^d singers. The middle and top of the in- 
cline is occupied by the organ. A* large horse- 
shoe, on a lower level, is scooped out of the 
incline where a grand orchestra sits — an orches- 
tra built on a scale of t«n double-basses, and 
quite plastic under the wand of Theodore 
Thomas. On either side of him stand the 
soloists, Mrs. Smith — a lively soprano voice. 
Miss Oranch, Miss Whinnery, Miss Gary, Mes- 
srs. Bischoff, Remmertz and Whitney — a rare 
collection of fine artists. 

The chorus has been in training for six 
mouths or more, under the very able direction 
of Mr. Otto Singer. He is a man who has not 
only a sound musical culture, but a tremendous 
enthusiasm. He is evidently deep in the affec- 
tions of his chorus, for they applaud him most 
affectionately whenever he takes the stand. 
When Mr. Thomas is conducting, Sin^r roams 
the field. He is everywhere at once, singing all 
the parts, and by gesture and facial expression 
and violent contortion, imploring, beseeching, 
commanding and expostulating with the cho- 
rus . When things go smoothly, his face beams ; 
if there is a roughness he is the picture of woe. 
At one moment ne is found leading a dashing 
charge of tenors ; at another he is holding back 
a torrent of impetuous bass that threatens to 
carry everything before it. It is easy to see 
tha\ Otto Singer is one of the phenomena that 
account for the great art excitement in Cincin- 
nati. 

The Cincinnati chorus is 

almost wholly American. I had been led to 
expect a large preponderance of German socie- 
ties, but I fiud that not dve per cent, are Ger- 
man. The voices are decidedly American in 
quality, and all the chorals are sung in Eng- 
lish. The ladies are mostly youn^, and their 
voices have a freshness an^ punty that are 
charming. They belong largely to the best 
classes of society, and they sing with a grace, 
intelligence and spirit that show their own 
enjoyment in the art. The piano and ptanU- 
iimo of the female voices are of heavenly sweet- 
ness. 

There is another thing of interest. This 
chorus is almost wholly of Cincinnati. I had 
expected to find the choral societies of Chicago 
and St. Louis represented, but it is not so. Nu 



other city sends a delegation. This shows what 
a single city can do when it has art love in its 
heart, and sound businessmen who back it up, 
seeing clearly that art payi. This Festival, 
with its excitements, decorations and illumina- 
tions, pays — pays Cincinnati. 

The Triumphlied of Brahms, which opened 
the Festival last night, is a work of great gen- 
ius, and written on the highest key of exulta- 
tion and triumph; and it is of immense diflfi- 
culty. The fact that this chorus has been 
able to produce such a work in such splendid 
style is sufficient evidence of its excellence and 
of its devotion to work. It is more difficult 
than Handel or Bach ; a chorus that can sing 
this need fear nothing. It is an eight-voice 
choral. There are two choirs, which are kept 
distinct in every movement but one, where 
they are massed for a short time. The two 
choirs answer each other, in dialogue and re- 
iteration, and echo in the most intricate en- 
tanglements of harmonies. Moreover, each of 
the eight parts is full of difficulties, and re- 
quires a voice of good compass and good train- 
ing. In short, it is a composition whose suc- 
cessful production taxes the very highest pow- 
ers of a chorus. Thev achieved in it a success 
so marked and decided as to establish their 
fame, even should they do nothing else. The 
house was full but not crowded. There were a 
little less than eight thousand listeners— but 
when eight thousand people burst into applause, 
it sets things jarring. 

This was followed by the Seventh Symphony 
of Beethoven, played by the orchestra. The 
orchestra has been increased to a little over 
one hundred players, and some of the additions 
are ex-members of the orchestra, and well 
grounded in its traditions. To say that the 
symphony was rendered with the utmost refine- 
ment and finish is to say not half. 

[We are sorry that the writer does not give w 
the other, larger half; for then perhaps he woald 
inform us whether Thomas rushed the quick move- 
ments through at the unfeeling rate he did in Bos- 
ton.] 

« « « Those who are accustomed to see 
Thomas conduct his own orchestra, and note 
the calm composure and grace of his leadership, 
ought to see him on his war-horse, when he 
leads a vast chorus in addition. He is indeed 
a master of the situation, through all excite- 
ment, violent in gesture, imperious, impetuous, 
striking with his baton, beating out with both 
arms, stamping his feet like a big drum, even 
shouting out the word of command ; he seems 
to centre in himself the passion and the energy 
of the chorus. He fixes the eyes of all the 
singers on himself, and carries them with him 
in the rush of his rapture. [8ie. >^Rush of 
his rapture*' is good I] All the singers say 
how excited he makes them: he is a born 
leader. 

A sad misadventure spoiled what was ex- 
pected to be the great feature of the opening 
night — Loheftgrin. Just as it was about to be- 
gin, a violent storm came up and made such 
noise on the roof as to render the delicate parts 
of the music inaudible. After two abortive 
starts, Mr. Thomas put it to the vote of the 
house whether to go on or wait for the storm to 
blow over. But though we waited and waited 
until we were worn out, the storm continued 
with unimpaired cheerfulness. At last the 
music had to go on, but the audience had 
cooled down, and the music fell somewhat flat. 
Wagner cannot fall flat. He is sublime or 
uothing. Mr. Bischoff sang the ** Swan Song. ** 
Mr. Whitney sang the **£ing*s Invocation ** 



very grandly, and the ouintet with Mrs. Smith, 
Miss Cary, BischoiC, Remmertz and Whitney, 
supported by the superb chorus, wanned the 
house up again. There was waving of hats and 
scarfs, and tlinnder. noise and shoutings of ap- 
plause. It seemed indeed a triumph over the 
tempest outside. But jthe tempest took a mean 
revenge — the moment that Lohengrin ended it 
cleared up. I. R. 



SECOND DAY, MAY 12 . 
(From a Staff Correfpondent of the New Yoik Trtlmne.) 

Cincinnati, May Id. The first matinde of 
the festival was given this afternoon at 2 o^clock, 
with an audience of about 4,000 persons. The 
programme was good, though it contained 
notuing novel and nothing of very high impor- 
tance, if we except Beethoven^s ** Second Leo- 
nore Overture" and the ** Overture to Tann- 
hftuser," followed by the '* Romance of the 
Evening Star," which Mr. Remmertz sang 
beautifully. Besides these we had the '* Hun- 
garian Dances" by Brahms, the *'New Medi- 
tation" by Gounod, with 80 violins playing 
the melody; the trio from ** William Tell," 

g'ven with admirable effect by Messrs. Bischoff, 
smmertz, and Whitney; the Beethoven trio 
— "Tremate, Empo" — and vocal selections by 
Miss Cranch, Miss Cary, Mrs. Smith, and Mr. 
Winch. A miscellaneous programme of this 
kind is proper and pleasant enough as an 
amusement for the afternoon, but it is not in 
such selections that the serious value of the 
celebration consists. The real work of the fes- 
tival is done at the evening concerts. The first 
part of the performance this afternoon was ru- 
ined by the noise of late arrivals. All through 
the Leonore Overture they tramped along the 
aisles, and they nearly destroyed the effect of 
Mr. Winches sympathetic delivery of his aria 
from **The Creation." They were still 
tramping when Miss Cranch began her Mozart 
aria. At last Thomas stopped the performance 
and warned the people that if they did not 
keep quiet it would be necessary to shorten the 
programme, ^he remonstrance was not made 
a moment too soon. The audience ^ve the di- 
rector three hearty rounds of applause, and for 
a while there was peace; but I am sorry to say 
that after the intermission the noise was re- 
newed. A part of the confusion to-day was 
caused by a misunderstanding as to the hour for 
begrinning the performance; but after all it is 
no easy task to Keep 4,000 people quiet. 

This evening the attendance was more 
prompt, but Thomas was nevertheless obliged 
to oraer a pause after the third number. The 
crowd was much greater than at either of the 
previous performances, and the enthusiasm was 
also unlimited. Mendelssohn's " Elijah " con- 
stituted the entertainment, and, considering 
what else the chorus had to go through this 
week, it was probably the best possible selec- 
tion. It makes no extraordinary demand upon 
the powers of the vocalists, and it is sure to 
please the great multitude of the inexperienced 
to whom Brahms is a puzzle, and even Bach 
will possibly l>e something of an enigma. 

Last night I was more struck by the magnifi- 
cent triumphs of the chorus in overcoming un- 
heard-of difficulties than by any conspicuous 
excellence in the voices. I have already ex- 
plained why a great volume of tone ought not 
to have been expected in the eight-part song 
of triumph ; but besides that, there was a lack 
of fresh color, especially in the male voices, 
which I was in doubt how to account for. It 
was plain to-night, howevep, what the trouble 
was; it was merely fatigue. The great exer- 



^ 



26 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OP MUSIC. 



tion of incessant rehearsals carries its unavoid • 
able penalty, and I have no doubt that the cho- 
ras has been a little over-trained. A day of 
rest has nearly cured the hundreds of inflamed 
throats, so in the solid harmonies of ** Elijah '* 
the voices came pouring forth with a richness, 
as well as volume, which left nothing to be de- 
sired. They first showed their fine quality in 
that majestic passage, *^ His Mercies on Thou- 
sands fall," and thence to the intermission 
there was a succession of superb choruses, with 
hardly a weak page to interrupt them. I have 
rarely, if ever, neard those three famous num- 
bers, *^ Blessed are the Men," ** Baal we Cry to 
Thee," and '* Thanks be to God" better than 
they were sung to-night. The second in par- 
ticular, which derives so much splendor from 
its orchestral accompaniment^ maae a remarka- 
ble impression. I suppose the chorus had a 
pleasant consciousness of its own success when 
it greeted Theodore Thomas with a round of 
applause on his iBsuming the stand after the 
intermission. 

In the second part of the Oratorio there was 
no falling back from the high point of excel- 
lence reached in the first. On the contrary, 
the chorus went on increasing in spirit, precis- 
ion, and sonorousness, from one beautiful 
number to another. In the *^ Be not Afraid," 
in the '*He Watching over Israel," in the 
** Holy ! Holy ! " — in all those familiar choruses 
which have made the Elijah loved wherever 
music is cultivated, these singers covered them- 
selves with glory. I hope the audience under- 
stood how good the performance was. I feel 
as if I could hardly pradse it too warmly. The 
delicious accompaniment by the band had of 
course a great deal to do with the grand effect ; 
but we have heard Thomas play it in New -York, 
and we know what he can do with it. The 
organ also contributed in no slight degree to 
the successful result. It seems to be a good 
instrument for the purpose to which it is here 
put, for it has a grand pedal bass, and a good, 
rich, full tone in the upper register. More im- 
portant still, it was admirably played by Mr. 
Dudley Buck, and I ought not to forget to say 
that the same gentleman did remarkable ser- 
vice last night in the *^ Triumphal Hymn," 
when he supplied a perfect organ part from the 
orchestral score. Brahms used the organ when 
he directed this work of his in Cologne ; but, 
strange to say, the part was not written out, or 
at any rate has not been published. 

Mr. Whitney to-night sang the music of the 
''Prophet " with all the taste, dignity and cor- 
r ct dramatic instinct which we have so often 
admired, though in one or two of the solos bis 
voice was not quite so clear as usual. The so- 
prano solos were divided between Miss Whin- 
nery, who appeared in the first part, and Mrs. 
Smith who had the principal work to do in the 
second. The alto was likewise divided. Miss 
Cninch singing the ^*Woe unto them," and 
Miss Caiy, '' O Rest in the Lord." Mr. Winch 
gave a highly refined and truthful interpreta- 
tion of the tenor solos, showing himself to be 
an artist of rare sensibility ; but he, like Mr. 
Whitney, seemed a little fatigued. Those two 
little gems, the ^'Quartet of An tfels^" '*Casl 
Thy Burden upon the Lord/' and the tenetto 
** Lift Thine Eyes," were charmingly sung, and 
the double quartet, '' For He shall give his An- 
gels " — intrusted to a little choir of 15 persons 
— was executed almost without a fault. 

There is no doubt now that the festival will 
meet all the expectations of its most sanguine 
friends. The expense of the whole affair is 
about $40,000, and the receipts already amount 
to $30,000, with the certainty of an enormous 
increase to-morrow, when the Ninth Symphony 
is to be given. There will be no need to touch 
the guarantee fund. There is serious talk of a 
similar febtival next ye&r at Chicago, and I 
think it is highly probable that before long 
there will be a great musical gathering every 
year in om of the cities of this region, Cincin- 
nati, Chicago, and perhaps Indianapolis, taking 
turn in the good work, The whole country is 



beginning to taste the fruit that Theodore 
Thomas has been so long cultivating. 

J. R. O. H. 



THIRD DAT, MAY 13. 
CFrom the Same.] 

Cincinnati, May 18. The matinee to-day 
was the festival of the school children. About 
1,200 of the little sonptcrs filled the chorus 
benches and two sections of the gallery, all 
prettily dressed — the boys in the rear; the girls 
in white gowns and gay ribbons blooming in 
the front. They were all in a flutter of excite- 
ment and tremendously elated at the prospect 
of singing under Theodore Thomas, whom they 
regard with profound awe as the greatest and 
most celebrated musician in all this world. I 
think if they had known that a great and cele- 
brated soldier — I mean Gen. Sherman — was 
moreover listening to them, the weight of so 
much accumulated honor would have broken 
them down. A great crowd of people came to 
hear the performance, many of them as usual 
coming very late, and making a great clatter 
about it. The first chorus was a prayer ar- 
ranged from Gluck. The next was the favorite, 
** Night Shades no Longer," from Rossini's 
** Moses in Egypt." They were charmingly 
sung, not only with correct intonation, but 
with a beauty of shading which is extremely 
rare in children's singing, while the freshness 
and purity of the multitude of young voices 
had a peculiar effect which maturer art can 
never imitate. I am opposed to encores on 
principle, but I could not help feeling glad 
when the little folks stood up to repeat the 
Rossini chorus, after the whole house had in- 
sisted upon it. Subsequently they sang the 
choruses in Mozart's miniature cantata, origi- 
nally written for a Masonic celebration, and 
entitled in English: ** Praise of Friendship." 
The three solo parts were taken by Mrs. H. M. 
Smith, Miss Whinnery, and Miss Cranch. The 
juvenile performances were interspersed, dur- 
ing the rest of the concert, with orchestral se- 
lections and some good vocal solos by Mrs. 
Smith, Miss Whinnery, Miss Cranch, Mr. Bis- 
choff and Mr. Whitney. 

The evening performance was the culmina- 
tion cf the festiral. It was for t bis that Chorus, 
Orchestra, and Conductor had worked with 
greatest zeal; and toward it the public had 
looked forward with greatest eagerness. The 

Erogramme consisted of Bach's '•^Magnificat in 
>," never before performed in this country, 
and Beethoven's Ninth Symphony. 

BACn'B MAONTPICAT. 

The ** Magnificat" was given, as nearly all 
Bach's principal vocal works must be given 
nowadays, with the additional accompaniments 
by Robert Franz. The invaluable labors of 
this scholarly musician upon the scores of Bach 
and Handel are entirely unlike the unfortunate 
attempts to modernize the older masters which 
we arc occasionally called upon to lament. 
Bach left but the merest sketch of an accont- 
paniment for his great vocal compositions, 
supplying a few parts for flutes, hautboys, 
strings, and now and then one or two other 
instruments, together with the monotonous 
eontinito^ and a figured bass which he filled up 
extemporaneously on the organ. The secret of 
clothing these skeleton scores with life 
and beauty of outline died with him, and Franz 
discovered it only after long and patient study. 
He has harmonized the whole in the polyphon- 
ic style of which Bach is the great model, and 
has added instniroents to the orchestra with 
such taste, moderation, and clear insight into 
the composer's intentions that one couM almost 
believe the improved score to be entirely the 
work of Bach himself. He retains the organ, 
though of course it no longer asserts itself so 
prominently in tho accompaniment as it had to 
do in the composer*s time, when the orchestra 
had not yet been developed. Bach wrote parts 
for 2 fiutes, 2 hautboys, 2 oboi d'^more, 8 trum- 
pets, tympani, Ist and 24 Tiolins, viola, and 
bass strings (the continuo) ; to these Franz adds 



only clarinets (using them partly as substitutes 
for the obsolete oboe d'amore), bassoons, and, 
very sparingly, the bass trombone. A good ex- 
ample both of the necessity for his work and the 
manner in which he has performed it is shown 
in the noble bass solo, ** Quia fecit." As Bach 
left it, with only an organ and eontinuo accom- 
paniment, this aria was almost impracticable ; 
out Franz, supplying the string quintet, with 
2 clarinets and two bassoons, besides the oi^n, 
throws upon it a pure bright light, which sets 
out all its beauty, and makes clear its meaning. 
The terzetto *'Suscepit Israel," for two sopra- 
nos and alto, would also have been impossible 
without the aid of Franz, for the only accom- 
paniment in the original score consists of two 
hautboys in unison, violoocelli 9erun viokme e 
hasaoni, and organ. Franz re-enforces the haut- 
boys with two clarinets in unison, and supplies 
a harmony by first and second violins, viola, 
and violoncello solo, with very soft organ. In 
some parts of the work be redistributes more 
or less of the accompaniment — ^as for example 
in the opening chorus, where he assigns to the 
clarinets certain passages which Bach, who had 
no clarinets, gave to the trumpets ; but wher- 
ever it is practicable he adheres to the original 
instrumentation as far as it goes. 

The Magnificat in D consists of 12 short num- 
bers, as follows: 1. Introduction and Chorus, 
'^ Magnificat anima mea." 2. Aria, 2d sopra- 
no, *^£t exultavit." 8. Aria, 1st soprano, 
"Quia respexit." 4. Chorus, **Omnes gener- 
ationes." 5. Aria, bass, "Quia fecit." 6. Du- 
et, alto and tenor, "Etniisericordia." 7. Cho- 
rus, ** Fecit potentiam." 8. Aria, tenor, 
"Deposuit potcntes." 9. Aria, alto, "Esuri- 
cntes." 10. Terzetto, 2 sopranos and alto, 
"Suscepit Israel." 11. Chorus, "Sicut locu- 
tus est." 12. Chorus, "Gloria Patri." All 
the choruses are in five parts — ^two sopranos, 
alto, tenor, and bass. There is a short instru- 
mental introduction. The florid and joyful 
opening chorus was given correctly and fluent- 
ly, though with not enough spirit. The deli- 
cious ana for second soprano was almost lost 
in the noise of the unquiet audience, but in the 
snatches of it which I heard. Miss Whinnery 
seemed to be singing with unusual sentiment 
and taste. There was a long pause after the 
fourth number, and the rest of the work, al- 
though it was sometimes disturbed in an un- 
pardonable manner, was at least audible. 

I can spare time for only a few words of gen- 
eral praise for the artists, Mrs. Smith, Miss 
Whinnery, Miss Cary, Mr. Winch, and Mr. 
Whitney, whose privilege it was to sing in this 
divine work at its first representation in Amer- 
ica. They caught its exquisite spirit and its 
deep religious sentiment, and gave it forth 
with a conscientiousness and eloquence whit h 
I cannot commend too warmly. If I must sin- 
gle out any numbers for especial mention they 
must be the exquisite alto and tenor duet, and 
the alto solo, with ,obbligato accompaniment, 
for two flutes. Both these are gems of purest 
ray serene in Bach's most characteristic vein. 
But it is hardly fair to particularize where ev- 
erything is so noble. The choruses are all 
marvels of polyphonic harmony, and they cul- 
minate in an outburst of grandeur on the words 
"Gloria Patri," which have hardly a parallel 
in sacred music. Then the work closes with a 
repetition of the opening chorus. There was 
no weakness in any of these choruses except 
the first. They all went on superbly, and I 
must say that the work gave me more delight 
than anything I have heard for many a day. 

THE mWTH STMPUONT. 

(From tbtt GiDctnnaU Oasette.) 
It was evident that the audience bad a bad attack 
of NiDth Sympho-mania. So soon as the clan^ng 
of the bell annouoced the end of the intermlseion, 
there was a hurrying to and fro in the crowded 
aisles, and a crush through the doors leading into 
the ball fearfnily destmctive to silk hats, ladies' 
presses, and human tempera. It took quite a long 
time for the fortunate owners of reserved seats to 
regain possession of them, but after this was done, 
a nosh, an unnatural silence came over the immense 
assemblage which spoke well for the character of 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, MAY 29, 1876. 



27 



the audience. The impressions of two years a^jo in 
some cases, and the conviction that the inner sanct- 
uary of the divine art was to be entered, exerted a 
power over ail which held them in almost breathless 
silence. Not a bar of the music was lost ; the trem- 
ulous whisper of the strinf^s in the massive first 
movement, the bated accents of the first violins as 
they dropped the strangely sugcrestive figure which 
imparts to the movem^^nt its chief characteristic, all 
were borne to the furthermost recesses of the hall. 
How so many people stood throughout eacn lon^ 
movement without shifting in their positions is al- 
most a mystery. We had been leu by a study of 
the first movement t« expect some sign of weari- 
ness or ennnl long before its completion, but the 
reality was gratifying — disappointment. All their 
senses seemed to have flocked into their ears, and 
they hung upon each sound as though it was a voice 
from the spirit world proclaiming to them things 
upon whicti defiended life and death. Superlatives 
are idle in attempting to describe the work of the 
orchestra; it was simply perfect. Every note in 
the delirious whirl of the Scherxo as well as the in 
tricacies of the extraordinary variations of the 
Adagio and AtidarUe themes,dropped from the strings 
with a crisp clearness and brilliancy which almost 
shut out the belief that fifteen first violins and not 
one were executing the music. It was certainly the 
most extraordinary revelation of artistic and me- 
chanical perfection ever experienced in this city. 

Naturally enough there was no great outburst of 
enthusiasm after the performance of the first move- 
ment. The realistic [?] manner in which its apparent 
design and meaning: are portrayed make it almost 
tedious to all save those who are far enough initiat- 
ed into the mysteries of the musical art to become 
engrossed with its wonderful internal structure and 
developmpnt. It depicts more powerfully, than 
anything in music within our recollection, a contin- 
uous, desperate struggle for something which ap- 
pears to be unattainable. 

It is a mass of musical tones put in violent agita- 
tion by the power of a will too weak to accomplish 
thfct which it attempts — to evolve order out of cha- 
os. Amid the pregnant trembling of the second 
violins und violoncellos the reeds discover a germ 
of melody, a sweet and promising strain ; but hard- 
ly does it appear before it is seized by the serried 
ranks of brass and strings and plunged into the 
foamless abyss. 

The whole movement is made up of these strug- 
gles; promising beginnings, a brief development, 
and a disastrous, despairing end. When its last 
minor chord is hurled out by all the instruments, 
no feeling of satisfaction or even of relief comes over 
the mind of the listener. He must needs wait for 
the giddy mazes of the Scherzo to obliterate the 
vague, restless impression made and left on the 
mind of the vain longings and efforts of the firi&t 
movement The influence extended by the Scherzo 
is widely diflferent. The mind is taken captive and 
whirled off into the world of pleasure. He can not 
pause ; the power that bears him onward is irresist- 
ible, he is powerless as against it. It cannot be 
said to prepare him for the movement which follows 
the Aaagio with its celestial voices, but it does 
place him in a mood which enables him to appreci- 
ate and receive its benign Influences. In fact, try 
as we may, we cannot connect the first three move- 
ments until the key is not only furnished, but the 
unification itself accomplished in the choral finale. 
It is this fact, so plainly apparent, which has 
prompted the critics to deny that the work has any 
unity in design. Of the transporting beauties of the 
Adoffio and Andante themes, and their wondrous 
yariations and treatment, what shall we say T Are 
they not typical of the highest beauty, the purest 
and most fasting joys ? Can any one listen to them 
without feeling his soul expanding with love toward 
all the world ? Are they at all unmeaning or am- 
biguous ? Let those answer who have been swayed 
by their influence. Both of these movements were 
received with bursts of honest applause such as well 
they deserved, for a more finished performance per- 
haps never was heard. 

But now the Finale was reached and the expectant 
huah grew awfully impressive. Mr. Thomas appeared 
to be completely under some strange magnetic influ- 
ence ; we never saw him direct with such earnest- 
ness or heard so prompt and significant a response. 
The souls of the plaj^ers appeared to be infused into 
the 'cellos and basses as they declaimed the recita- 
tives which bridge the chasm between purely instru- 
mental and vocal music, and when Mr. Remmertz, 
with his powerful voice, took up the strain first giv- 
en out by the ambitious instruments, and clothed 
it with the words of Beethoven, a sympathetic 



thrill seemed to run through the listening thou- 
sands. There is something incxplicsble in the pow- 
er of the simple theme to which Beethoven has 
dared to set the beautiful words of Schiller's ode. 
It appears to be too trivial to be in keeping with 
the grandeur of the sentiments which the words ex- 
press, yet its power is irresistible. Perhaps, how- 
ever, the most effective part is the chorale set to 
the words : 

Ihr eiuerzt nieder, JlliUionen, Ahnesi du den Sehtep- 
fer. Well f or, as the words are tamely translated : 

" Then, ye millions, kneel and praying, fear the 
Mvker of the world." 

Its solemn grandeur is overwhelming. One of it« 
beautiful effects, however, we find is destroyed, as is 
the entire beautiful ode, by the translation. The 
setting of the line is as follows : 




The literal translation of the German line is " Ye 
fall down,** and it will be observed that Beethoven 
in the realistic spirit which pervades the whole 
symphony [?] has suited the music to the action de- 
scril^ed. The melody and harmony, not only of the 
chorus but also of the accompanying instruments, 
flutes, clarionets, violas and violoncellos, describe 
the fall, and the effect is heightened by the sudden 
hush and staccato rendering of the last notes, and 
then opening in the harmony. In the English ver- 
sion this excellent effect is entirely lost, since the 
line in itself describes no action as the original 
does. 

The chorus attacked the diflicnlt music with a 
spirit which served to carry it through to a success- 
ful end. The sopranos especially showed a deal of 
pluck. In the severe strain of holding high A 
through thirteen bars they did not falter, and even 
succeeded in tnaking the nnanccn in other high pas- 
sages very gracefully. As the conclusion of the 
part approached, however, the severe strain which 
the voices of those who sang had undergone told 
upon them, and there was a falling off in fire, 
strength, and precision. All the massive choral 
passages were grandly rendered. There is hardly 
any work in all the range of vocal music so tyran- 
nous to the voice as the solo parts of this symphony. 
Mrs. Smith, Miss Gary, and Messrs. Wincn and 
Remmertz did them justice, however. Only once 
did Mr. Winch's smooth, sweet voice falter after a 
strain of musical difliculty even in the Ninth Sym- 
phony. Mrs. Smith's voice scaled the lofty heights 
with the clearness which it always possesses, and 
held them with its old power. 

As a whole, though tne performance was excellent 
and eminently satisfactory, it did not equal that of 
two years ago. Then the chorus sang as though it 
was composed of people who were more than hu- 
man. The applause last night was not such a spon- 
taneous and overwhelming outburst of enthusiasm 
as that which is still fresh in our memories. True, 
there was a storm of applause and a thunder of 
" bravos," and calls for 'Thomas and Singer, but it 
sounded more like a token of appreciation for the 
excellent work done, and the plucky manner in 
which difficulties had been vanquished, rather than 
a display of wild enthusiasm. Perhaps it was be- 
cause to very many of those present the work had 
lost its novelty, and they were, therefore, better 
prepared to listen with critical ear than when every 
oar was a musical revelation. But when Mr. Thom- 
as appeared and forced Mr. Singer to mount the 
platform with him, the joyous tumult with which 
the two were greeted was extraordinary. Hats and 
handkerchiefs were waved, and the volume of sound 
almost threatened to lifL off the roof. 



CLOSING DAT. 

[From a Staff Correspondent of the New York Tribune.] 

CiifciKNATi. Mat 14. The festival closed this 
evening, and Cincinnati will long remember it as a 
bright chapter in the history of Western culture. 
It has accomplished more [?] than any previous musi- 
cal celebration in America, and though it can hardly 
be denied that the principal selections have been 
rather above the comprehension of the maiority of 
the audiences, and that the public zeal has been in- 
I spired sometimes by local pride much more than by 



musical appreciation, yet one can hardly give too 
much credit to this beautiful and enthusiastic city 
for the noble work which it has done in such a 
noble manner. It is to the high honor of the Festi- 
val Committee and of Theodore Thomas that they 
did choose works like the " Song of Triumph " and 
Bach's '* Magnificat," which are as yet far above the 
apprehension 'of the public; and it is to the honor of 
the people that, though they did not pretend to rel- 
ish all these things, they never allowea their interest 
to flag in the slightest decree. The sesthetic devel- 
opment of such a population as this will go on with 
a rapidity which must soon astonish the world. 
Fortunately, there is a circle of highly-cultivated 
and public-spirited people in Cincinnati, who are 
making a much better use of their money and time 
than the corresponding social circle in New York. 

The matinde this afternoon was the best of the 
week. The principal selections were Beethoven's 
overture, " Consecration of the House," the superb 
Meistersinger selections, in which Mr. Bischoff made 
a brilliant success with his " Walther's Prize Song," 
and the orchestral arrangement of Liszt's second 
** Hungarian Rhapsody," by which the vast audi- 
ence was almost carried away. Mr. Whitney sang 
Beethoven's " In Questa Tomba," with Thomas's ar- 
rangement of the accompaniment for wind instru- 
ments, more beautifully than I ever before heard 
.him. 

The programme to-night was as follows : 

PART I. 

Symphony Nu 9, In C Schubert 

Wotan*s Farewell and Magic Fire Scene, firom tho 

"WalkTlre" Wagner 

Vucal part by Mr. Franx Remmertz. 

PART II. 

Svmphonic Poem. " Prometheus *' Tilsst 

itusio to Herder's " Proincthena ** Liszt 

Solo voices, chorus, and orchestra. 

The only novelty in this fine programme — at 
least to a New-Yorker — ^is in the second part. Liszt's 
symphonic poem of** Prometheus *' is known by our 
audiences, but the vocal music which he wrote for 
Herder's poem on the same subject is as yet a sealed 
book to us in its complete form, though the Lieder- 
kranz has sung some extracts from it. The pro- 
gramme calls it a cantata ; but it is not a cantata ; 
it is a series of musical illustrations of the poem, 
mostly choruses with a few solo passages inter-, 
spersed, intended to accompany a recitation of the 
text, as Schumann's music was written to accompany 
and relieve a reading of Byron's ** Manfred." Nor 
is there any connection between the vocal composi- 
tion and the symphonic poem except the identity of 
subject. They were written many years apart; 
but their collocation is of course natural and logical, 
and the earlier work serves very properly and ef- 
fectively as an overture to the latnr one. To those 
who know Liszt only by his instrumental works, 
the sweetness of this melodious vocal composition 
will be a great surprise. The most delicate vein of 
poetry runs all through it, imparting to the whole 
an appearance of grace and refinement quite as re- 
markable as its strong dramatic character. The po- 
etic basis is always conspicuous in Liszt's songs and 
choruses ; but here the union between the melody 
and the poem eeems to be particularly close. One 
beautiful conception follows another with the most 
rapid step, but each is perfect and distinct. The 
divinities of the ocean and the nymphs of the grove, 
the blithe reapers and the jovial cultivators of the 
vine, the spirits of the Undfer World, and the muses 
on Olympus, all have their appropriate and clearly 
discriminated numbers, and all move before us like 
the living figures in a drama. The soprano and al- 
to solos are short ; in fact are little more than frag- 
ments of sweet melodic phrases. The male solos — 
two tenors and two basses — are more important, and 
in the latter part of the work are intrusted with a 
noble quartet. It is in the varying and always fas- 
cinating choruses, however, that the principal charm 
of tho composition lies. The orchestra not only 
embroiders the vocal parts with a rich and delicate 
ornament, but combines with them to form a com- 
pact and carefully planned texture, and carries on 
so beautifully the spirit, if not the musical motives, 
of the symphonic poem which has been adopted as 
the introduction, that we can hardly realize that we 
listen to two independent compositions. 

The performance of the entire Prometheus music 
was directed by Mr. Otto Singer, and when he took 
his place at the desk there was a curious scene. It 
seems that nearly all the chorus singers had small 
bouquets concealed about their persons, and Mr. 
Singer's appearance was the signal for a rain of 
flowers, which was prolonged for some time. They 
soon gave abundant reason for their partiality 
toward the accomplished musician under whom they 



28 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



learned the " Prometheus ; ** for their execation of 
the work under bin sympathetic hand was ene of 
the rooet glorious successes of the festival. The tone 
was magnificent ; the shading and expression were 
extremelv nice; the ever-changing nuances, from 
which Liszt's mneic derives so much of its effect, 
were observed with perfection ; the singing was 
equally admirable for technical precision and for 
fine intelligence. The solo parts were all excellent- 
ly rendered by Mrs. Smith, Miss Gary, Mr. Winch, 
Mr. Bischoff, Mr. Reromertz. and Mr. Whitney. 

The first part of the concert, of course, was di- 
rected by Mr. Thomas in persr>n. I have said that 
it oftered nothing actually novel, but perhaps I am 
wrong. The great Schubert Symphony was a nov- 
elty in one sense ; for such a performance of it has 
probably never been heard in this country, and I do 
not believe a better one is possible anywhere. It 
fairly blazed with splendor, and the tremendous fi- 
nale was given with a magnificence which roused 
the whole house so that at the close the audience 
rose in their places and cheered. The music of the 
"Walknere," which I supposed to be almost un- 
known in Cincinnati, was also presented wl*Ji unu- 
sual brilliancy, and made a very strong impression. 
It was better sung and better played than I ever 
beard it in New York, Mr. Remmerts being at his 
very best, while the increase in the orchestra added 
much more to the effect than I should have ex- 
pected. 

The attendance to-night was overwhelming — 
nearly an great, in fact, as it was last night, and the 
festival broke up in the midst of -an indescribable 
scene of enthusiasm, singers and audience all hur- 
rahing together, and loud shouts for Thomas rising 
above the din. 



•*^^ 



Eesred-Stringed Iiiftnimentt of Hude. 

Sir Robket Stbwart^s Lboturbs at Dubux 
Univxbsitt.* 

m. 

•Reported In the London Mutieai Standard, 

Last week, I alluded to the dlfiiculty in aoconnt- 

ing for the " vir|rinal ** beinff so named, that instrn- 

roent having bAn in use before the reign of the 

Royal Virgin who founded this ancient universit}*. 

The tuning of the virginal had been alluded to in a 

wall inscription or " proverb ** at the manor house 

of Leekingfield, Yorkshire, which dated from the 

time of Henry VIL : — 

▲ slack string is a Vtrglna], It sonndeth not «Hgtit» 
It doth abide no wrMting, it 1« so looee and light. 

The derivation of the " clavichord ** was readily 
traced to " clavii*," a key (not the tuning key as 
some had supposed, for this was common to the narp 
also), and *' chordon," a string. An expression con- 
stantly in use for clavichords and virginals demand- 
ed some notice. One of these was constantly de- 
scribed as " a pair," not that there was any bi-form 
construction in eitVer, but that it was the practioe 
thus to call many things in the ordinary social life 
of England at the time. Thus they spoke of '* a 
pair of organs ** not (said Sir Robert Stewart) like 
that large instrument in yonder gallery, with its 
choir organ standing out in front, nor like the onran 
in the College Chapel. These may, indeed, be called 
*' double organs," with their carved and gilded cases 
divided into two separate parts. It was not, how- 
ever, to such instruments our forefathers alluded 
when they spoke of " a payre of organs." The ex- 
pression merely meant an orean ^th more pipes 
than one— « clavichord or virginal, with more strings 
than one. In Jonson and Heywood, and their con- 
temporaries, we find a " pair of beads," ** a pair of 
chessmen," of " stars," of " stairs," of " steps," just 
as we speak of a " pair of tongs" or a " pair of beK 
lows." And this is the form of expression emploved 
in the extract from the *' Pilgnm*s Progress " to 
which I alluded laat week. The family ai e in Mr. 
Interpreter's bouse, and having been shown many 
curiositiea, including " Eve's Apple," " Jacob's Lad- 
der," He., Prudence takes them '* into a dining-room, 
where stood a pair of virginals, so she played upon 
them, and turned what she had showed them into 
this excellent song." Singular to say, although 
there waa little or no difference between the spinet 
and virginal, no one ever spoke of " a pair of spin- 
ets ;** the expression was never employed. He (Sir 
R. Stewart) would direct their attention to the 
many beautifnl photographs of spinets and virginals 
which bad been lent by the South Kensington au- 
thorities ; some of these instruments were profusely 
ornamented with precious stones, one (which had 
been purchased for £1,200 at the Paris Exhibition) 
contained 1,928 jewels ofrarious sorts. One spinet 
wai of the date of 1741 ; of this, the owner, Mr. I 



Rogers, ef Limerick Cathedral, had kindly contrib- 
uted a photograph, which was suspended on the 
adjoining wall, and had over the key-board the In- 
scription — 

Intaetam sileo: percnte, dnlce cano. 

It had been customary to inscribe similar quaint 
mottoes upon these instruments. Thus the follow- 
ing was found on an old virginal : — 

I once was living in the woods. 

Bat now I am cat down 

By stroke of cruel axe, indeed. 

But yet in mv renown. 

For while I lived I ipake nought else 

But wh:it the bolateroas wind 

Comp<*lled my murmurinjg stnilns unto. 

But dead, I please the mind 

And ears of sach as hear me sing. 

Bo pleasant Is my mnsic'e ring. 

The pitch of ancient keyed inf truments had been 
by no means uniform ; many spinets were tuned a 
fifth above, and one, called " Ottavlno," even an oc- 
tave above the customary tuning. There did nut 
seem to have been any standard of pitch like what 
prevails at present, and some authorities (amongst 
them Mr. Chas. Salanian, to whose taste and skilled 
research the subject ewes a great deal of the light 
thrown upon it of late years), thought the pitch of 
the 16th and 17th centuries was about a third low- 
er than ours ; if so, it was diflScult to account for 
the deep vocal bass parts of those days. The Inqui- 
ry was, in truth, surrounded by dimculties. Some 
years ago, when passing a few days with Sir Fred- 
eric Ouseley, at Tenbury, he (the lecturer) had re- 
marked that Sir Fredenc's harpsichord was about 
a third below the correct pitch. Of this, a fine in- 
strument with two rows of keys, they could see two 
photographed views which the distinguished Oxford 
professor had kindly contributed for these lectures. 
It had been made in 1778 by B. Shudi, predecessor 
of the eminent firm of Messrs. Broad wood, who had 
presented it to Sir F. Ouseley. The harpsichord 
was, in fact, only a large spinet ; the latter had but 
one string to each note, while ** harpslcors " (the 
old appellation of the harpsichord) hacl two, three, 
and even more. He (Sir R. Stewart) had last week 
explained to them the way the tone of the spinet 
was produced, each string being twanged with a 
quill, and hence the name spinet, from apina, a 
** thorn " or *' point." Exen F. Couperin, one of the 
greatest composers and players upon these instru- 
ments, had oamplained ol: their monotony. With a 
view to remedy this tlvB pledra badbeen formed of 
brass, steel, ivory « and leather of various sorts, 
while the various rows of "jacks "so fitted were 
brought into play by atops like the organ, or by 
levers worked by the performer^e knee. But witn 
all these contrivances, %hich were called 1st and 2nd 
unison, octave stop, lute, mandolin, flageolet, oboe 
or violin, there was really not uiuch difference in 
the tone produced, which continued to be just what 
Dr. Burney had caustically described it — via., " A 
scratch with a sound at the end of iV." It was, 
doubtless. In allusion to these fancied imitations of 
various instruments that an essayist In No. 153 of 
Ths ladtr had described the harpsichord as "a 
consort (or concert, as the word was spelled in mod- 
ern days) in itself." They were fortunate in having 
a real harpsichord to examine that day — a beautiful 
old instrument, which probably had cost £100 or 
£120 originally, but had been purchased last year 
for an absurdly small sum at the sale of Archdeacon 
Agar's effects In St. Stephens-green, and had bs- 
longed to Lord Nornumton, formerly Archbishop of 
Dublin. Fortunately it had now fallen into the 
hands of a gentleman of taste, who, having cleaned 
the fine mahogany case and rich brasa work hinges 
of the instrumenti^ had requilled a few of the jacks, 
and very kindly lent It to them to-day. As a proof 
that music of its own epoch and style was capable 
of produdng a good effect upon it, !:Ur Robert now 
played a portion of one of Handel's concertos. Ue 
also quoted a little poem of Bishop Atterbary (who 
was accused of favoring the Pretender) — " Lines in 
praise of a goose quill, and alluding to the harpsi- 
chord — 

The quill of the goose is a very slight thing, 
Yei it feathera the arrow that flies from the string, 
Malces iho bird It belongs to rise Mgh in its flight, 
And the Jack it hae oiled ugainfft dinner go right. 
Make* the Marpttehord vooo/, wAicA §Ue wouUTbt madi. 
And enlivens the sound, the sweet sound of the flute. 

The harpsichord before them had been built by 
Ferdinand weber, a German artist, bom 171ft, who 
resided in Mecklenburgh street, Dublin, nearly a. 
century ago. The testimonial given to Herr We- 
ber when quitting the atelier of his German roaster, 
Herr Hahlen. was now read in extenm, and caused 
much amusement, being a moat voluminous docu- 
ment, engrossed on parchment. Attested as it wai 



by seals and ofilcial signatures, it finished an inter- 
esting relic of the ancient guilds of Europe, by 
which, in feudal times, every art and mystery of 
trade was fenced about. It began by reciting some 
twenty or thirty titles of honor belonging to Fred- 
eric Augustus, King of Poland. The lecturer would 
direct the attention ef his hearers to this curieus 
legal instrument of the year 1735, which, framed 
and glased, and suspended on the wall to his right, 
was scarcely less worthy of their notice than the 
more musical instruments (spinet and harpsichord) 
up<m the left. Some intereeting details wrre here 
given referring to the necessity of keeping harpsi- 
chord lids raised in order to let their tinkling sounds 
escape, and also to admit of the louvret of tlie Vene- 
tian swell being opened, which was done by a lever 
worked with the player's knee. In allusion to this 
custom of raising the lid an anecdote was recorded 
of a leader of the Covent Garden band having once 
asked Dr. Arne, (as if in hopes of discovering the 
secret of his snccess in Artaxerxes) — " Dr. Arne, 
when yon composed your fine opera, whether did 
you write it with the lid of your narpsichord up or 
down ? " It became the custom to paint the lids of 
some instruments elaborately, both within and with- 
out. Thus had Salvator Rosa once wagered that 
he would render a worthless harpsichord valuable ; 
and he bad made good his assertion, for the instru- 
ment fetched a thousand Mct4di from the manner in 
which it had been embellished by bis pencil. Vis- 
oount Powerscourt's harpsichord (of which a phoio- 
irraph hung on the wall close by) bad thus been 
decorated by Vander Menlin. the great Belgian 
painter, who had celebrated so many of the events 
of the reign of Louis XIV. He (Sir Robert Stew- 
art) had, for the lecture of this day, obtained from 
a friend a number of fine eos^ved portraits of this 
painter, of Queen Elizabeth, of Mary Queen of Scots, 
of Henry Pnrcell, and of the unfortunate Marie An- 
toinette — she, to whom had once belonged this 
beautiful relic. noW in the possession of Lord Pow- 
erscourt, had been always musical, and in her youth 
was associated with Mozart, for when that child- 
musician slipped npon the polished floor of the pal- 
ace at Vienna, and fell to the ground, Marie Antoin- 
ette stopped, and asaiRted him to risp, while another 
young archduchess parsed on. Little Moaart was 
so affected by this Kindness on the part of the fu- 
tnre Qneen of Prance that he declared to her that he 
" would nuirry her ** forthwi'h. A small portion of 
the wire with which this beaotifiiHy painted harpsi- 
chord had been strung waa well worth inspectioo, 
and had been framed along with the photograph, 
like that of Sir Frederick Ous^ey. It was of un- 
common fineness; but when the hammers of the 
pianoforte came into use, the strings received such 
powerful blows, that fine wire of this sort proved 
incapable of resisting them, and hence the heavy 
stringing of modern days^ This instromfut, made 
in 1612, had been restored by Pascal Taskin in 1774 ; 
not being now in playable order, it bad little save 
Vander Meolin's paintings and the menK>ry of Marie 
Antoinette to reoomraend it. The case and legs 
were all gilded, so that the wood waa nowhere visi- 
ble. It hiad two rows of keys, four sets of jacka, and 
a compass of S octaves, F to F, and had been exhib- 
ited at South Kensington within the last few years. 
Sir R. Stewart now briefly alluded to the harpsi- 
chord works of Rameau (whose ingenious system of 
harmony had been fully developed in our day by 
Logler), and to Franks Cbuperin, also to Soanatti^ 
and the amusing rencontre between him and the 
Irish musician, Thomas Rosingrave, who compared 
his playing to ten hundred devils. Rosingrave's 
father Daniel, had been organist of SI. Patrick's 
Cathedral ; eonelodlng with an allusion to Henry 
Purcell, the most original musieal genius England 
bad eyer prodnoed. Pnrcell had died before kfe 
time, it was said from the efl^ots of a sold brought 
on by exposure outside tlie door of Ills own house, 
his wife having refused to admit her tnuint lord 
when returning home from some oooviylal party. 

The musicd illustrations inclnded faeces by 
Rameau, Couperin, D. Sonriatti, and H. Purcell, per- 
formed by the lecturer and some of his pupils, asd 
one lady sang with much aweetness a little cAfWiaon 
composed by Queen Marie Antoinette. Sir Robert 
said that this lecture would conelode his notices 
of the harpsichord and spinet. Next week the sub- 

Jeet of the pianoforte would be entered upon. 

(Tb be Cootlnned.) 

1 «#t I 



Three Opera Debntaatea 

[From the First Number of *< Ooneordia,** the new Lon* 
don Journal ot Maslo and the Bister Arts, May 1, 1875.] 

Mice, according to the proverb, amuse themselves 
in the absence of the eat; and, thoqgh there Is a 



I ^- 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, MAY 29, 1875. 



29 



marked difTerenco, especUUy m re^j^nrds Toico, bo- 
tween a cat and a prima donna, the early n^ambols of 
light and heavy sopranoa at the Royal Italian Op-* 
efa have been generally kept up on the understand- 
in^i^, expressed or implied, that they were to come to 
an end on the arrival of the chief warblers of the 
establishment. At Her Majesty's Opera, too, allow- 
ances have, before now, had to be mode for the 
debiUatUe9 of the first part of the season. Mdlle. 
Titiens we have alwavs among as, and all the so- 
called ** dramatic parts, both in Italian and German 
opera, are filled by this artist as by no other. But 
the light parts are frequently made vehicles for ex- 
periments ; and the experiments with which we have 
oeen favored this season, putting together those at 
the Royal Italian Opera have been unnsually numer- 
ous, and, without exception, successful. 

The Mutante* of the present season are all re- 
markable for their vouth ; and, by a friendly under- 
standing between the two rival managers, it seems 
to have been arranged that the youngest among 
them should come before the public first. From the 
abundant statisticjil information published in con- 
nexion with Mdlle. Zar« Thalberg, Mdile. Elena 
Varesi, and Mdlle. Anna Belocca, it appears that 
the united ages of these three ladies amount to 57 
or 58. Mdlle. Thalberg, the most juvenile of the 
new-oomers, carries her certificate of birth in her 
countenance — perliaps, also, in her charmingly 
fresh voice, but not in her style of singing, which is 
already formed. It seems strange that a child of 
not quite seventeen should come out, without any 
preliminary trial, in a part which one associates 
with so many vocalists of the highest distinction ; 
and it is gratifying to see that when so many rights 
are denied to women, that of appearing at the age 
of sixteen in the character ofZerlinaand delighting 
an audience of upwards of two thousand persons in 
one of the first operatic theatres in the world still 
belongs to them. We have heard doubts expressed 
as to the prudence of Mdlle. Thalberg's advisers in 
allowing tier, child as she is, te appear in public 
when she would be better employed in continuing 
her studies away from the excitement of the stare, 
and from the risk of straining her young voice by 
singing in an immense theatre. If, however, Mdlle. 
Thalberff is able to stand this excitement and this 
supposed strain, she cannot do better than perse- 
vere, without more interruption than wiU, from 
time to time, as a matter of course occur, in the cfi> 
reer for which she has already proved herself so 
well fitted, and in which a high place is evidently 
reserved for her. It is only on the stage that the 
art of acting can be learned, and it can scarcely be 
learned too soon. According to some authorities 
Mdlle. Thalberg never stood before the footlights 
until a fortnight ago, when for the first time in pub- 
lic she sang the part of Zerlina. Others of equal 
weight assure us that Mdlle. Thalberg has been in 
the nabit of acting from the time when she first be- 
gan to walk. All that really concerns us in the 
matter is the fact that she is, at this moment, a 
charming little actress, whether the histrionic talent 
she undoubtedly possesses has been slowly devel- 
oped, or whether it displayed itself suddenly the 
other evening at one unpremeditated burst 

After all, though it may be a little out of the or- 
dinary way, there is nothing unprecedented in the 
fact of a girl of seventeen appearing with success in 
the character of Zerlina. Young women of genius 
come of age earlier than others ; and at least two of 
the most 'popular prima daniat of the present day, 
Mdlle. Titiens and Madame Patti, were on the stage 
and singing with brilliant success when they were 
no older than Mdlle. Thalberg is now. It will be 
interesting to see in what character Mdlle. Thalberg 
will next appear. A pretty girl with a beautiful 
voice, a Uilent for singing and some knowledge of 
the atflge can always get on well enough in the sim- 
ple, melodious part of Zerlina, which is so singable 
that it, so to say, sings itself, How would the in- 
teresting dMmtanie acquit herself in the character of 
Amina^or of Dinorah— -both of which are said to be 
in the repertory of her intentions T Here it will oc- 
cur to many, that although there are great advan- 
tages there are also some disadvantages for a 
? roung /vima donna inji/ining a company so strong 
n artists of the highest merit as that of the Royal 
Italian Opera. The part of Amina, for instance, at 
this establishment, belongs to Mdlle. Albani, that of 
Dinorah to Madame Patti ; and if any part suitable 
to Mdlle. Thalberg be named, which can be claimed 
neither by Madame Patti nor by Mdlle. Albani, it 
will probably be found to belong to Mdlle. Marimon. 
Already, we fancy, the nights on which Mdlle. 
Thalberg' can be allowed to appear ai Zerlina are 
numbered. Even the most absolute of "absolute 



prima donnas " is not, it seems, privileged to main- 
tain exclusive rights in a part unless she can and 
does, present herself in person to exercise them. As 
long as Mad.ame Patti remains away Mdlle. Thalberg 
may continue to play the psrt of Zerlina. But as 
Zerlina happens to be one of Madame Patti's most 
popular, as it is also one of her most charming im- 

Eersonatiens, it Is diflicult to believe that she will 
e asked to give It up to a beginner — even to a be- 
ginner who has begun so well as Mdlle. Thalberg 
has done. When the Marriag€ of I^garo is next 
brought out at the Royal Italian Opera, why should 
cot the present Zerlina appear as Cherubino ? 

Our second dibtitanie is Mdlle. Varesi, who has 
already been heard in two different characters, first, 
in that of Gilda, secondly in that of Lucia. Mdlle. 
Varesi is, like Mdlle. Thalberg, of good musical 
parentage ; and there was a cert^iin appropriateness 
in the daughter of the original Rigoletto appearing 
as Gilda. Twenty is the number of years assigned 
by the most accredited musical historiographers to 
Mdlle. Varesi. Her voice is of about that age ; but 
by her execution we should take Mdlle. Vuresi to 
be older than Mdlle. Thalberg by a good deal more 
than three years. However, as Mdlle. Thalberg 
has been heard only in Zerlina*s simple airs, it 
would not be altogether fair to assume her inability 
to sing in a style which she has hitherto not at- 
tempted. Indeed Mdlle. Varesi did not prove her- 
self to be the consummate vocalist she in fact Is 
until, after singing twice as Gilda, she undertook 
for her third appearance in England the part of Lu- 
cia. Mdlle. Varesi is not the possessor ef one of 
those full rich voices which impress the great body 
of the public. But she has a voice and a style which 
will be appreciated by musicians and by educated 
amateurs ; and the brilliancy of her singing in the 
mad scene of Lw^a excited an enthusiasm which 
need riot be undervalued because it scarcely extend- 
ed beyond the stalls and boxes. Mdlle. Varesi's 
voice is pnre and penetrating ; somewhat thin, but 
remarkably clear, and never, in the highest regions, 
either uncertain or shrill. Without being eitner a 
Bosio or a Persiani, she sang Gilda's graceful and 
expressive music with something of B^ie*s charm, 
and in Lucia's difficult soena displayed such flexibil- 
ity of voice and such skill as reminded many of 
Persiani's so-called " agility.** Even if it were nec- 
essary it would not be possible to divide the great 
mass of sopranos into "light and agile,** on the one 
hand, " athletic and robust ** on the other. But ad- 
mitting such a classification Mdlle. Varesi could only 
be placed in the first of the two groups. 

D^buUnte No. 8, Mdlle. de Bellokh by her fami- 
ly name, Mdlle. Bellocca by her chosen stage appel- 
lation, could not be definitively assigned either to 
the *' light and agile ** or to the " athletic and ro- 
bust " division. sTnginiBf the music of Rosina with 
variations which Rossini would scarcely have rec- 
ognized, but singing everything which she either 
finds in the part, or imports into it with great brill- 
iancy, she might certainly demand to m received 
among the " tight and agile.** But she would prob- 
ably not remain with them. Does she not, In this 
very character of Rosina, introduce Maffeo Orsini*s 
Brindisi from Lucrma Borgia^ and does she not sing 
it with a fulness of tone and an amount of verve 
which prove her fitness for dramatic parts whenever 
nhe may feel inclined to assume them T We will say 
nothing about the droll effect that ons:ht to be pro- 
duced by Bartolo*s well-watched ward breaking out 
suddenly into a voluptuous drinking song of which 
the following is the French original: — 

AmU, vive rorvlel 

J'alme la folle nait; 

Bt le vin et le bruit, 
Et 1a nappa rougfe; Sm., fto. 

That is certainly a nice song for a very carefully 
brought up young girl of fifteen or sixteien ; which 
we take to have been the age of the unmarried but 
eminently marriageable Rosina, regard being had to 
the fact that she was a Spanish young lady. Mdlle. 
Bellocca, too, siug^ it as if she meant it; which if 
she sing^ it all, is of course quite right. 

We have said that, tojudfl^ by her singing of the 
Brindisi from Luerrezia Barpiaf Mdlle. Bellocca 
must be quite capable of taking dramatic parts with 
vigor and effect. Meanwhile she gives direct proof, 
by her performance ss Rosina, that she possesses in 
the hignest degree all the neoesaary Qualifications 
for playing elegant comedy. That indeed is fully 
expressed when it is said that Mdlle. Bellooea's im- 
personation of Beaumarchai8*s lively heroine is 
marked by vivacity, distinction and grace. In short, 
a more charming Rosina than the one presented to 
us by Mdlle. &llocca could scarcely be named. 
And this new Roaina will remain. Mdlle. Thalberg 



will play the part of Zerlina until the arrival of 
Madame Adelina Patti. Mdlle. Varesi may be ex- 
pected to appear as Lucia until the return of Mad- 
ame Nilsson. But no artist will come to Her Maj- 
esty*s Theatre who can possibly be substituted for 
Mdlle. Bellocca in the character of Rosina. 



I «»» < 



K. Taine on Beethoven. 

(From the "Life and Opinions of M. Frederic 
Thomas Graindorge, Doctor of Philosophy of the 
University of Jena, special partner in the house of 
Graindorge A Co., Oils and Salt Pork, CincinnaU, 
U. S. A.") 

I turned over the leaves of the poor, sheep-coy- 
ered German volume, in which the faithful com- 
panion of Beethoven, a true German famulus, a sort 
of Wagner, pupil of another Faust, has gathered all 
the details he nas heard or seen of his life. These 
minute details seemed no longer vulgar to me. The 
soul ennobled all its surroundings. I saw, once 
more, the man in his old great coat, with his bat- 
tered hat, his broad shoulders, his untrimmed beard, 
his thick hair on end. walking with naked feet in 
the morning dew ; writing Fidelio, and Christ in the 
Garden of Olives, on a stump, from which grew out 
two oak trunks; going straight ahead without notic- 
ing the obstacles in his path, or heeding the bad 
weather ; turning in the evening to his disordered 
chamber, the floor covered with books and music, 
pell mell, empty bottles, the remains of his breakfast 
and his press-proofe in a pile in a corner, the mass 
in re serving for wrapping paper in the kitchen ; 
usually sombre, hypochondriacal, but suddenly 
startled by attacks or strange gayety, running over 
the key -board with a formidable grimace ; silent, re- 
served, listening to operas with the immobility of 
an idol : disproportioned in everything, and unable 
to accommodate himself to life. But I felt, also, 
that these strange freaks sprang from an overflow- 
ing generosity and grandeur of soul His love- 
letters, among the phrases of the day, bore theae 
sublime words, " My immortal beloved.** He lived 
in the ideal world which Petrarch and Dante de- 
scribed, and his passion took nothing from his aus- 
terity. Unable to marry, he remained chaste, and 
he loved as purely as he wrote. He hated licentious 
speech, and blamed the Don Giovanni of Mozart, 
not only because of its Italian manner, but still 
more " because a thing so holy as art should not so 
prostitute itself as to serve to fink together so scan- 
dalous a story.** He carried the same elevation of 
soul into the other great interests of life ; always 
proud before princes, waiting for them to salute 
nim first, keeping the same manner before the gfreat- 
est ; holding the politeness and condesoenslon of the 
world to be but treason and falsehood, and, like a 
Rousseau or a Plato, earnestly hoping for a republic 
which would make citizens and heroes of all man- 
kind. In the innermost depths of his heart, as in a 
sanctuary, there dwelt an instinct yet more sublime, 
that of the divine. To his eyes, neither the yarions 
arts nor the languages of man gave it expression ; 
music alone in its secret essence had some corres- 
pondence to it, and he would not be questioned on 
the one or the other subject Just then I read this 
inscription, which he had copied from a statue of 
Isis, " I am all that is, that has b#Bu, that shall be. 
No mortal man has lifted my veil." Only the wis- 
dom of the Pharaohs has found a word as august as 
its thought. 

WilheTm played for more than an hour, but I cer- 
tainly did not look at the dock. He first played 
two or three complete sonatas, then some parts of 
symphonies, fragments of sonatas for piano and 
violin, an air from Fidelio, some other pieces, the 
name of which I did not know. He bound them 
together with chords and pauses, as a man who, 
opening his favorite poet, reads now in the middle, 
now from the end of the volume, choosing here and 
there a verse, according to the feeling of the mo- 
ment. I listened, motionless, with eyes fixed upon 
the hearth, and I followed, as on a living counten- 
ance, the movement of this grand, lifeless spirit ; 
dead only for itself: for us it still lives, and we have 
it all entire in this pile of blackened paper. How 
unjust public renown has been te him I He is ac- 
knowleoged as sovereign in the realms of the gigan- 
tic and the ead. There would they set the bounds 
of his kingdoRL His domain they would limit to a 
desert land, swept by hurricanes, desolate and grand, 
such a land as that where Dante dwells. The soli- 
itude is his, and no other emperor but he may enter 
it ; but he has other domains than this. All that is 
richest and in fullest bloom in the aboundfng fields, 
all that ia aofteat and most smiling in shaded fmd 
flowery yalaa, all (hat ii fireahest and moat original in 



30 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



the early, timid dawn — all these are his also. Only, 
amid them all, his soul is not at peace. Joy as well 
as grief moves it in its deepest recesses ; his sensa- 
tions of delight are too intense. He is not simply 
happy, he is ravished with pleasure; his is the 
thought of the man who, after a night of anguish, 
panting, suffering, looking forward to a still more 
painful day, sees all at once some ^uiet morning 
landscape spread before his sight ; his hands trem- 
ble, a deep sigh of relief escapes from his bosom ; all 
his bent and crushed forces rise up afresh, and the 
spring of his felicity is as irresistible as the fall of 
his despair. 

There is zest in each of his pleasures ; his happi- 
ness is poignant, not soft. His allea^ro movements 
bound like young colts let loose, stamping upon and 
crushing the fair meadows where they are at play. 
His presto movements, still more vehement, more 
violent, are wild frolics, short and trembling stops, 
irregular gallops which hammer the keyboard with 
their resounding tread. At times, in the midst of 
his insensate joy, the serious and tragic rush in, and 
without change of movement, with the same^ fury, 
his spirit dashes forward as to a combat, intoxicated 
by the impetuosity of its speed, and with such 
strange leaps and such variety of fancy, that the 
spectator pauses, almost terrified by the wild exu- 
berance of this savage nature, by the dizzy fertility 
of his invention, by the short, crisp movements, the 
fury of the unfol<)ing rhythm, unexpected, broken 
and redoubled, beyond power of conception, always 
expressing, yet never exhausting bis thought. 

" Now,*^ said Wilhelm, •* listen." And he he^AH 
the last part of the last sonata, (opus CXI.) It is a 
phrase of a single line, slow and of infinite sadness, 
which comes and goes ceaselessly, like a long and 
protracted sob ; beneath it, smothered sounds drag 
themselves along; each ascent is prolonged beneath 
those which follow it, and dies silently away, as a 
cry subsiding in a sigh ; so ordered that each new 
burst of suffering has its train of old complaint ; and 
these are heard through the supreme lamentation, 
the fading echoes of the early grief. There is noth- 
ing bitter in this complaint ; neither anger nor re- 
volt of spirit The heart from which it sprung, 
says, not that it is wretched, but that joy is beyond 
its reach ; and finds its peace in resignation. So, 
some poor wretch, mangled by disaster in the desert, 
lying in the sand and seeing the sparkling jewels of 
heaven studding the dome of his last night, is slowly 
lifted from himself, forgets his own existence, no 
longer dreams of avoiding the inevitable ; the di- 
vine calmness of nature pours over him its secret 
balm, and opening bis arms, powerless to raise his 
crippled body, he stretches them toward the ineffa- 
ble oeauty which sheds its lustre across the mystic 
universe. Insensibly the tears of suffering make 
room for those of ecstasy, or, more truly, the two 
are melted in mingled anguish and delight. At 
times despair bursts forth, but is quickly followp^i 
by a rush of poetic thought, and the saddest modu- 
lations are exhaled, wrapped in such wonderful 
and magnificent chords, that the sublime overflows 
and covers all with its piercing harmony. At the 
close, after a grand tumnlt and struggle, the sublime 
alone remains ; the complaint changes te a hymn, 
which rolls in massire sound, swept on in a stream 
of triumphant nfites. All around the song, above, 
below, in hurrying crowds, interlaced, enfolded, 
there rolls a chorus of acclamation which increases, 
swelling as it goes, constantly doubling its dash and 
Joyousneas. The keyboard is no longer eaual to the 
task ; there is no voice which does not take its part 
in this festival, the deepest with its thunder, the 
highest with its warbles, all gathered together in 
one, grand and multiple as that radiant rose which 
Dante saw, whose every leaf was a happy soul. A 
song of twenty notes holds in itself all these con- 
trary emotions. 



BOSTON, MAY 29, 1875. 



The Cinciiiiiftti Huiieal FestivaL 

The Cincinnati Thomas Festival was evidently a 
great success. The reports of each day*s proceed- 
ings, which we have brought together from various 
sources, are but fair speclmena of the glowing, all- 
accepting eulogy with which the whole Press has 
proclidmed it both before and after. The hero-wor- 
ship knows no bounds; Thomas is set upon a ped- 
estal aa one more than mortal. There was no 



doubt a superlative orchestra, an admirable chorus, 
thorough drill and able leadership, excellent solo- 
singers, consummate business management, with 
trumpets, both ef the Wagner and the paper kind, 
ad libitum ; and there was the e$prU de corpt of a 
whole city roused, and vast enthusiasm. No doubt 
there was sincere and wide spread enjoyment, and 
music is held in more general respect throughout 
the West than it was before. Much of the feast, too, 
was in the highest sense artistic, the programmes 
containing much of the very best, though mingled 
with a greater proportion of the new and strange 
and questionable (we do not pretend to say without 
worth or merit) 

It is curious to see how these reporters swallow it 
all whole. In one sentence they group Bach and 
Beethoven in the same constellation with Liszt, 
Brahms and Wagner, as if they were stars of equal 
magnittde and glory. And one of the influences of 
such a festival, among a population rather new to 
music, will be, we fear, to fill them with tliis false 
impression that the gods of the new worship have 
really and finally taken their places in the same 
third heaven, and sit on equal star thrones with the 
great before them. For observe, this scheme of pro- 
grammes, while h includes great works of Bach, 
Beethoven, Mendelssohn, opens with the imposing 
TriumpMied by Brahms, and ends with Liszt's 
" Prometheus." Its Alpha and Omega, we might say 
its keynote, is furnished by the New School. But 
have the Titans won Olympus yet T 

Curiously again, the Western press, in setting 
forth the transcendant glory of the enterprise have 
shown a strange desire to make it appear an alto- 
gether finer and truer thing than 6ilmore*s " Ju- 
bilees,** which he chose to inflict on Boston. Why 
compare it with them ? Has Boston had no other 
Festivals 1 No festivals of the same rank, and on 
the same scale, with this, only less mixed T Yet 
one telegraphs : *' Boston will have to yield the mu- 
sical palm to Cincinnati ; Mendelssohn, Bach, Beet- 
hoven and Liszt have taken root on the Ohio and 
are yielding triumphant fruitage. ** And one of the 
local critics writes : " Boston has not yet worked up 
any single festival in which so many great and difli- 
cult works have been produced." Indeed I Let us 
see: — 

The Handel and Haydn Festival ef 18*74 was but 
one of half a dozen of nearly or equal magnitude, 
in years preceding. Now a comparison of this with 
the Cincinnati Festival, as to the number of great 
works presented, g^ves the following result : 

Cincinnati, for Oratorio, gave Elijah, Boston 
gave, besides Elijah, Jttdaa Afaceahatu, the Meniah, 
and (for a new work) Mr. Paine's 8L Peter, 

Of Bach, Gncinnati boasts the MagnificaL ; here 

we had a far greater, and more deeply appreciated 

work of Bach, the MaJUhew Fassion, The former is 

no doubt great; but hear the critic of the New 

York Timn: 

Grand as it is, it failed to impress the audience fa- 
vorably, and it was coldly received ; and, to own 
the truth, fell flat. It is toe severe in style, and, it 
must be confessed, roeoeo, if not antiquated, for a ' 
miscellaneous audience, even at a musical festival. 

Of other choral works Cincinnati had : the Brahms 
"Hymn of Triumph,** scenes from XoAm^n, Liszt*s 
PromethettM and Mozart's Cantata: "Praise of 
Friendship." Here we had the " Spring ** from 
Haydn's 8ea90fu, Mendelssohn's Chrittfit, and "Hear 
my Prayer," besides Mr. Buck's Psalm. 

Beethoven's Ninth Symphony was a feature in 

both festivals, as it had been here in several before ; 
and here the orchestra must have been nearly equal, 
since it included Thomas's whole force. The other 
Symphonic works at Cincinnati were Beethoven's 
No. 7, and the great Schubert in C : to which we 
offsel here : Schumann in B flat, Schubert's " Unfin- 
ished," Raff's " Leonere" and Liszt's " Tasso " (par- 
don the indiscriminate grouping). 



The Overtures at Cincinnati were : Beethoven's 
Leonore, No. 2, and Weihe den liaimex ; Weber's 
Oheron; Rossini's Trll ; 'WA:^\er*6 Lohfint/Hn, Tann- 
hdtuter and Meinlertiinger ; and a Feat Overture by 
Lassen. On our side the list stanis: EnrifarUhe, 
"Midsummer Night's Dream. JeMondt (Spohr), 
Ijihtgenia (Glnck), Coriolan (Beethoven); FtvMl 
(Wagner), *• Magic Flute," Schumann's Otnoveva^ 
and Wagner's 3fei*Unittffer, 

— ^We have no room to follow the comparison into 
smaller details ; but this is enough to show that the 
weight of great material is on our side,— at least so 
far as classical music is concerned. The peculiar 
forte of the Thomas festival lay in the ncif compo- 
sers. 



Concert Eeview. 

[We resume our notes upon some of the last Con- 
certs of our season, at a point where they were 
suddenly cut off, in the very beginning of our re- 
marks upon tvlr. Lansr's second Concert, by the 
printers cry of " All full I " The text got in. but 
not the sermon ; the programme, but not the rest, 
which follows here.] 

It is the peculiarity of this programme that its 
larger selections are all drawn from composers of a 
somewhat paler ca^t, men of genius in a certain half 
sense it may be. but of mezzo earattere, — Moscheles, 
Bennett, Hiller ; fine musicians, genial composers, 
not to be neglected, but not great, not magnetic, 
like Beethoven, or even Schumann, who forms the 
exception here. But if we must go outside of the 
circle of the Dii majores, we for our part thank Mr. 
Lang for turning to these, rather than following the 
fashion of the times in " giving a chance " to the 
" new " challengers wherever it may lead. Are we 
(the learning public, yet a child in music), so thor- 
oughly well versed in the music of the great mas- 
ters, those works of highest genius which are called 
" classics," simply because they are of no age, — are 
we 80*settled in our taste, that these heaven-stormers, 
piling Ossa upon Polion, can expect us to spend all 
the precious spare time we can save for music, in 
settling their tremendous claims T 

The " Hommage & HAendel " was very finely 
played by Mr. Lakq, with his pupil Miss Gracs 
SAifPsoir. The two middle movements from Schu- 
mann's "Florestan and Eusebius" Sonata (the Aria, 
ot exquisite and tender melody, and the rapid frolic 
Scherzo) were rendered by Mr. Lang, the former 
with great delicacy and the latter with a bold, free 
humor ; and this Scherzo has a jocose Intermezzo 
which warrants it. Bennett's last Sonata did not 
disappoint us, since we expected only Bennett. It 
is all refined and elegant, and in a quiet tone without 
extravagance ; in the pastoral first part, he could not 
but succeed ; but we felt no peculiar force of char- 
acterization in the other scenes ; the adagio patetieo 
is the sweetest part : the martial movement is not 
exciting, nor the molo di pastione much impassioned 
— at least, not with the passion ef a deep nature. We 
were glad to hear it for once, if only because of its 
English fame ; and of course it lost nothing in the 
interpretation. The Hiller Concerto, very capitally 
plaj'ed by Mr. Lang, with a sketch of the orchestral 
accompaniments given on a second piano, by Miss 
Sampson, confirmed the good impression which the 

work made in a Symphony Concert; the Rondo 
finale is a particularly fresh and piquant move- 
ment. 

Miss Ita Wxlsh gave such full and tender expres- 
sion to the song by Mozart, that she had to repeat 
it; and in all her songs she succeeded admiraoly, 
showing strong dramatic pathos in the one by Ru- 
binstein. 



Mr. H. G. Tuckbr's Concert at Mechanics Hall 
(Wednesday evening. May 6), was an occasion of 
considerable interest, pis programme was as fol- 
lows: 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, MAY 29. 1875. 



31 



Piaoo-Forta Sonata in F-mlnor, op. 6. 

Johannes Brahms. 
Allegro maestoso.— Anrlanto. — Scherzo.— Intermezzo. 

Finale. 

Song of Nlgrht. Schumann. 

Polonaise. {[Pantasie.] in A-llat maj. op, 61. 

Ohopin. 
Piano-FortA Solos. 

Etude. [Gnomenrelgenl Llnzt. 

PhantarMiestuckc, op. 12, [Grillen.] .... Schuminn. 

a^^.»^ (Ifaldof Gances MondelMohn. 

°^^e^- jSpringTIme Fosca. 

Piano-Forte, Paraphrase on a theme fromRigoletto. 

Ll«zt. 

Mr. Tucker, well known as one of the most accom- 
plished pupils of Mr. Lang, gave ample evidence of 
steadfast improvement in all these various render- 
ings. He is an earnest student, and quite unaffected ; 
and his groat strength, which serves him so well, is 
accompanied by great self-possession, and is becom- 
in;;^ al.so more refined into a delicacy of style re- 
sembling his master's. Ilis execution is indeed 
quite remarkable, and often brilliant. The Sonata 
by Brahma, an early work, seemed more a thing of 
suggestions, and of ambitions aspirations, than a 
clear, balanced, complete master work. 

The songs were sung by Da. L.\NaMAiD, and in his 
sweetest, mbst expressive style. The selection, too, 
was choice ; and furthermore enriched by his beau- 
tiful singing of that pure and heavenly strain : Dn 
but die Ruh' (" Theu art the Rest,**) of Schubert. 



IIisTOBicAL CovcRRTS. The fourth and last of the 
interesting series of Concerts by Messrs. Osgood and 
RoscoviTZ (Thursday, May 13). offered the following 
Selections : 

1. Songs Mendelssohn 

a. •' NIcht Song." 

b. ** Old Germnn Spring Song.'* 

2. a. Snng Wi thottt Words Mendelssohn 

ft. V<>lk»1ief1. 

3. Four-Part 5^ngs Mendelssohn 

a. *' Farewell to the forest.*' 
ft. ** Spring Song.** 

4. <i. Crndle Song, ) 

ft. Grillen, S Schumann 

c. Des Abends, ) 

B. Songs from the ** Poet*s Love." Sehnm nnn 

6. a. Trio tor female voices 8chum.tnn 

** Of loving will the tok^n," from <Tho Pilgrlm- 
sge of The Bo»e." 

ft. Four-Pnrt Chorus for Female voices. 
*' The Spanish Tambourine Girl." 
Nocturne. 
Mezourkn, op. 17. Xo. 1. ' 



T. a. 
ft. 
c. 

d, 

e. 



" 2. 
4. 



(( 



I. Be 



' 



.Chopin 



Nocturne, *' a2, 
Berceuse, " 57. 
Mnzourka, *« h3. 
Barcarolle, *' 60. 

Songs Rob. Franz 

a. " Evening." 

ft. " Mid the wheat and the com.'* 

c. " The rose complained." 

d. ** The Hurry of Spring." 

9. Bnllade. Op. fi2 Cbopln 

10. Four-Part ** May Song." Rob. Franz 

11. a. Nocturne John Field 

ft. Spring Song Henselt 

V. £t«uiie ..................*.......*....•...■ TV *'*u 

dm Album-Lo&f ..•......•«...> ilafr 

«. Humoreske Griegg 

12. Sougt. 

a. " Spanish Flcrenade.** Brahms 

ft. " Tbon'rt like nnu> a (lower.** . .Rubinstein 

13. Rhapsodle. Hongroise No. 12 Liszt 

Mr. Osgood's two opening songs from Mendels- 
sohn were happily chosen and well sung. Those 
from Schumann, though altogether characteristic, 
are of the most familiar in our concert rooms, and 
many of them mere breaths or snatches of melody ; 
that cannot be said, however, of the one marked /, 
" AllnHchtlich ini Trftume,** which has a deep and 
mystical expression. The singer entered truly into 
the spirit of each one of them. The four songs by 
Franz are very fine ones and weie beautifully ren- 
dered ; these, and the preceding, having the advan- 
tage of Mr. Dresers accompaniment But we should 
have liked, in such a concert, to have heard one o^ 
two of the more bold and striking specimens both 
of Schumann and of Franz ; sav, of the latter, the 
wild and granc^ " Gewitternacht" 
C The four-part song^, too, wore interesting and 
very beautifully rendered by the well-trained little 
chorus. But "Farewell to the Forest" was taken 
altogether too slow. The " Spani&h Tambourine 
Girl," by Schumann, was quite unique and taking. 

But the most fresh and delightful of them all was 
the May Song by Franz, in which the voices blended 



exquisitely. This was the last piece we were able 
to hear, as the concert was unusually long. We 
could have endured Franz songs for some time 
longer, but in truth so many piano-forte pieces be- 
came wearisome, and that seemed to be the general 
experience. Ma Boscovitz of course played with 
all his usual finesse and brilliancy ; only the num- 
ber and variety of pieces were too great for one 
occasion of the kind, and several of them were long ; 
for instance the Baliade by Chopin.— one which we 
do not remember to have heard before, and which 
we would have gladly heard with fresh senses. 

Mr. Osgood's Historical Notes appended to this 
programme were particularly sugc^estive, and we 
regret the want of room for tnem here. In closing 
them he expresses the hope that " while our four pro- 
grammes have, of necessity, been limited, they may 
not have failed to afiford the listener an acceptably 
clear idea of the connecting links in the chain of 
development of piano-forte and vocal chamber-music, 
from tne medinvnl masters down to the best com- 
posers of modern times. Perhaps they may suggest 
to those who control the necessary material, histo- 
rical programmes in the province of quartet, orches- 
tral, and oratorio music." 



Opening of Central-Park Garden. 

New York, Mat 24. This popular place of re- 
sort opened for the season on Monday evening. May 
17. The interior has been slightly changed since 
last year. The corridor at tlie entrance is made 
wider; the promenade in the Garden newly laid 
out and brilliantly illuminated; and vaHous im- 
provements ha/e been made, which will bo appre- 
ciated by the habitues of the summer-concerts. The 
Central-Park Garden is now the most popular place 
of resort in America, and the proprietor will take 
care that it shall continue to be so. Among the 
great concert gardens of Europe I do not know of 
one which combines so many attractive features. 
In most of the beer-gardens of Germany the music 
is below the standard which is maintained by Thom- 
as; and in the famous summer concerts in the 
Champs Elys^es at Paris half of the effect of the 
music is lost because it is played in the open air. 
It is encouraging to note the increase of attention, 
and consequently of good manners, on the part of 
our audiences from year to year. Of course the 
talker, usually a woman, who sits in the front seats 
and annoys every one, conductor and orchestra in« 
eluded, is still there ; but there is certainly more 
decorum in the audience, during the performance of 
the music, this year than ever before. The main 
body of the auditorium, at such a time, presents an 
appearance something like a concert hall on the 
occasion of a symphony soiree. The audience is 
closely seated, silent and attentive. The tables are 
banished to the bock of the hall and with them the 
l)eer-drlnking and smoking by tacit understanding, 
although no rules are laid down by the management 
in regard to these matters. From the concert- 
room it is but a step to the cool garden with its 
long rows of tables where one can enjoy a cigar 
while watching an endless procession of gay prom- 
enaders filing under the gas lights. The pauses in 
conversation are filled in with the musical clink- 
clink of countless glasses and the softened strains of 
the orchestra. This is the elysium of talkers. The 
hall is the paradise of listeners. 

But to return to my subject, which is the opening 

night. On this occasion the weather was anything 

but Spring-like It was chilly, damp and disagree- 
able ; overcoats were in order, but let no one sup- 
pose that this made any difference. I really believe 
that a snow storm would not have induced one in 
that audience to remain at home. The place was 
filled to its utmost capacity. It was in the nature 
of an ovation to Thomas, fresh from his triumphs in 
Cincinnati. The programme was attractive. It 
contained among other novelties Gounod's Ballet- 
music to ** Romeo and Juliet," written for the Royal 
Opera House in Vienna. 



On Thursday evening. May 20, the fiimous Coro- 
nation Marsch by Svendsen came first on the pro- 
gramme, and was followed by the Three Hungarian 
Dances by Brahms, which have became quite 
popular through frequent repetitions, by the Thom- 
as orchestra, during the winter. Next came Beet- 
hoven's lovely Romanza in G, op. 40, and Wagner's 
Tannhduser Overture, which closed the first part of 
the list. Part second was entirely taken up with 
I Schubert's Symphony of " heavenly length " (No. 9 
in C), which the Orchestra gave in all its beauty, 
without a blemish in the performance. Such a ren* 
dering of such a work is an event in a life-time. 
After the second intermission a Strauss Waltz was 
played ; then Gounod's Ballet Music to " Romeo 
and Juliet" and Rubinstein's "Triumphal Over- 
ture," which ended the programme. 

Among the selections which have been played 
during the past week are the following: 

Overture : " Wedding of Comacho," Mendels- 
sohn, (first time); Finale, "Prometheus," Beetho- 
ven ; Selections from Lohettgrin^ Wagner ; Fantasio 
Caprice, Vieuxteriips ; The second Rhaptodu Hon 
groiMf Liszt, (arranged for Orchestra); Overture 
Masaniello, Aubor; Overture, William Tell, Rossi- 
ni ; Kaiser Overture, (first time), Westmay^er ; 
Scherzo, " Reformation Symphony," Mendelssohn ; 
Overture and Nocturne, " Midsummer Kighto* 
Dream," Mendelssohn ; Allegretto of 8th Symphony, 
Beethoven ; Allegretto of 7th Symphony, Beetho- 
ven ; Marehe fferoique, St Saens, Ac, Ac. The 
coming season promises to be one of great interest 
and pleasure to all lovers of good music. These 
Concerts will take place every evening during the 
summer. 

Among the concerts which came at the end of the 
regular season are two which deserve notice. One 
is the annual concert of Mr. F. Bcrgner, April 19, 
at Steinway's; on which occasion Beethoven's 
String quartet in F major (Op. 18. No. 1), was fine- 
ly performed by Messrs. Brandt, Mntzka, Schwartz 
and Bergncr. Mr. S. B. Mills played one of Liszt's 
Rhapsodies; and Master H. Rietzo], a pupil of Mr. 
Mills, made his debut as a pianist in the first move- 
ment of Beethoven's C minor Trio. The little fel- 
low played surprisingly well for one so ^'onng. (he 
Is only twelve years old) and gives great promise. 

The other concert was given by Mr. R. Goldbeck, 
the well known pianist and composer. The pro- 
gramme consisted largely of vocal selections from 
Mr. Goldbeck's compositions. I was prevented 
from attending this concert but have heard some of 
the pieces highly praised. A. A. C. 



-•-4- 



Uaxdbl IX Bbrlix. Speaking of the close of the 
musical season, the Echo counts up the Oratorios, 
•kc, by Handel which have been performed in Ber- 
lin during the present year. A copious list 1 To- 
wit: Israel in Egypt, by the Singakademie ; the 
Meuiah, by Stern's society ; Hercnlei, at the Con- 
servatoire ; Aei» and Galathea, by the Bach Society ; 

Semele, by the Cecilien-Verein ; finally, Shunaon, by 
the Schnapfscher-Verein ; and this is not all, for, 
to bring the season to a worthy close, the Conserv- 
atoire has just given Satd, So the music of the 
great Saxon master gains ground even in Germany, 
where one would luive supposed that it had no more 
conquests to make. 

Eeoent Attempts at Oratorio in Franoe. 

A remarkable article on the present state of oratorio in 
France appears in our Parts oontemporary, VArt AfuslcaL 
from the pen of M. L^n Bscndler. Like all good Pronch 
writing on saoh sabjects, espeolally whore thera Is an 
element of sail re, tho oxpressions and delicate tarns of 
irony cannot l>e fully rendered In a translation ; but the 
following is a gist of the article. The writer says: 

Oratorio was great; it was the highest expres- 
sion of musical religious thought. It is in oratario, 
more or less extended in form, that the art dcvel- 
opcvl itself. This is an historical fact. At present, 
in this century of progress, this period of musical 
meteors, of sublime empiric inventions, oratorio, 
alas ! having been over cultivated, is in rapid de- 



32 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



dine. It is so strange, (we should say " comic " 
if we were speaklna: of an ordinary thinsr; let us 
be content to say so monstrous,) that we devote a 
few moments to fi^lancinfr at it. 

First, what is oratorio? If I may be permitted 
to quote an article from my DuUonnaire de Muaic^ 
a work which cost many years of work and re- 
search : " Oratorio is a kind of drama ; the subject 
of which is reliflrieus, and which is designed -to be 
performed by singers with orchestral accompani- 
ment. The old composers had only one object to 
which they could ccnsrcrate the inspirations of their 
genius: religiim. So they did not confiiie them- 
selves to the setting to music the words of the mass, 
or canticles ; a kind of religious drama was imag- 
ined. Oratorio, at fintt, was only a simple allegory, 
a cantata for several persons, which was executed 
either at church, or at a theatre, as a concert piece. 
Eventually, oratorios became more developed, and 
acquired all the proportions of an actual drama, ex- 
cept the tinsel of costumes and theatrical pomp."* 

Now we have made no mistake in saying above, 
that oratorio imr« great The musical stage was in 
Its infancy, and for a long time oratorio inspired 
masterpieces. And this is easily explained when 
the force that religious sentiment gave to the artistic 
movement of the renaissance is remembered. It 
was the first real form of musical art. Oratorio 
has had a fine career ; but now, what has it be- 
come ? Its last manifestation is entitled '' Eve ; " a 
pleasant prank [mi^vrerie aimable], which displays 
neither force, nor belief, nor true dramatic senti- 
ment; neither conviction, nor powerful inspiration. 
•• Eve " is a graceful priwilU. Several months ago, 
we had " Marie Magdalene.** with the same pleasing 
flavor, the same absence of power. We have, also, 
had " Ruth,** a wearisome and dull composition, by 
a musician of great talent ; then, " Redemption ; ** 
then, '' Samson : ** without reckoning *' Gallia " and 
" Le Lac de Tib^riade," works of the same stamp ; 
remarkable chiefly fur their pretension, in which 
process se<'k8 to hide the absence of inspiration ; 
where the orchestra seems to forget that the human 
yoice is the supreme instrument. 

But, at the same time, enthusiasts have been giv- 
ing us the masterpieces of H&ndel, Beethoven, 
Haydn, Bach, Mozart, and Mendelssohn. The 
crushing of the young school has been complete ; 
and their little anodynes have been carried away 
by the wind. Of all of them there is nought re- 
maining ; not a single work will take its place, in 
the great popular library, by the side of the orato- 
rios of the masters. The young men, whoie sacred 
compositions we have iust mentioned, are learned 
musicians, who have written some charming things ; 
but sacred music is beyond their conception. And 
what do they do then? They seek to bring this 
gtwrt to the level of their own temperament To 
achieve this, they stick at nothing — not even a 
travesty of biblical text, such as we should term 
profanation, if we were giving a complete criticism 
of some of the works. 

Who, for instance, was this Marie Magdalene; 
who was this Christ whom* M. Massenet has made 
to sigh so tenderly ? We neither recognized the 
repentant woman, nor the divine Nazarene. Re- 
duced, in fact, to the proportions of opera-comique 
they are both as insipid as possible. And in this 
last work — in this " Eve," which we condemn with- 
out reserve, without mercy, — what we do remark ? 
Briefly : extreme coolness, with which the poet and 
musician have mutilated a grand ))oem ; equally 
admired by atheists and fanatics. They have re- 
duced this splendid mystery of the origin of man- 
kind, into a petty amorous nocturn which two levers 
might sing to the moon. Is this incapacity or soep- 
ticism ? No doubt, alas ! a little of both. 

It is sad, not to say culpable, to have thus under- 
stood the admirable faith of the first woman. You 
have made " Eve " a sort of nervous female ; hay- 
ing when the weather is stormy, vague aspirations 
towards — that which she cannot define. My good 
young men, there was no need to ge to the Eden of 
the Bible for this : a young flower girl, walking in 
the evening with the shopman of her heart, would 
haye inspired you as well ; and her amorous or ner- 
vous aspirations would have been much the same 
thing. To treat in this manner a subject so im- 
mense and so respected, is like a child throwing the 
ink over a masterpiece of the pen. 

But why write oratorios, young men, when faith 
and power both fail you ? Why, thiia, parody the 
sublime Bible? Why, indeed? Perhaps the an- 
swer should be something of this sort: — Because, 
not buying the power which a symphony demands, 
you make " suites d'orchestre ; '^ because being de- 
void of scenic sentiment, you seek to make a concert 



a theatre. When you approach the stage yon meet 
with failure, because you have fslse mnnical ideas, 
because you unceasingly fis:ht against tlie good that 
is in you. Then you attempt to apply your petty 
processes to oratorio, as you appliea them to sym- 
phony. But to do this it is necessary to lower your 
subject to your own level, and yon do not hesitate 
to do it 

It is sad, very. It is but a deplorable business 
you follow, messieurs. Tour lab->r will bring you 
neither glory nor profit ; it will add nothing to the 
common store ; and, believe me, yon will meet with 
no mercy, you who do not fear to turn the Bible 
into small verse and set it to asthmatic melodies. — 
XondL SfutUal Standard. 



" Ambrican Collkob of Music" The Neie York 
Tribune has the following account of the progress 
of the scheme : 

Since it first became known to the public that a 
proposal was on foot to fonnd and endow in this 
city an American College of Music the greatest cn- 
riosity has prevailed in all quarters to ai»cortain all 
the facts connected with the subject The scheme 
has reached stich a stage that it is expected that in 
a short time the College will be actually in exist- 
ence. Its founder is a gentleman stated to be worth 
about $0,000,000. Of this sum he prttposes to devote 
about 91,000,000 to start the College. Further 
grants will probably come after, as well as endow- 
ments from other sources. A number of wealthy 
and prominent citizens have been cnlled in to asitist 
in the plan and act as trustees. The names of the 
trustees already chosen and who havo sii;nifipd their 
willingness to serve are Dr. Elmer, Henry O. Steb- 
bins, William Vanderbilt. Marshall O. Roberta, 
Alfred Simmison, Charles L. Tiflfany, ex-Oov. Mor- 
gan, Judge Jewett, Attorney-General Edwards 
Pierrepont and D. Kingslanc). These gentlemen 
have met and consulted together, but are not yet 
properly organized into a hoard. A few more gen- 
tlemen will be added to their number, and the Board 
of Trustees, when constituted, will talce the building 
arrangements and formations of committees entirely 
into their hands. A bill has been presented to the 
Legislature asking that the Park Commissioners be 
employed to designate a site for the proposed Col- 
le^ in Central Park. The bill is already upon its 
third reading, and there is said to be every proba- 
bility of its passage. 

The site proposed for the buildingis in the plot of 
ground between Seventy-ninth and rlighty-fifth-sts., 
where the new Museum of Art Is building, the Len- 
ox Library being close by. The College will be at-' 
tached to the Museum of Art, and will be in keeping 
with it in construction and appearance. In addition 
to the class-rooms for pupils, the building will con- 
tain halls and galleries for painting and statuary. 
Attached to it will be an opera-house. For lady 
students there will be apartments provided, where 
they live as at school, paying for their board and 
lessons. Male students will not be allowed to reside 
in the college. Payment for lessons, board. Ac, 
will be demanded of all who can afford it. But pu- 
pils who show cajMcity. but are without means, will 
receive lessons free of charge. This provision is 
only for the advantage of children of American 
parentage. 

One of the most attractive features of the college 
will be a floral park, where an artificial temperature 
may be maintainei for singers, especially during the 
trying months of March and April. The park will 
be of considerable extent, ana will be filled with 
fiowers, trees, statuary and decorations. Open-air 
concerts will be given In it 

All questions of allotment of ground for the Col- 
lege are left to the decision of the Park Commission- 
era. The financial ailkirs will be entirely in the 
hands of experienced business men. The gentlemen 
who have the matter in hand are constantly receiv- 
ing assurances of support from every side. One 
ffentleman who had long cherished the idea of 
founding just such a college oflered $600,000 in the 
hope ofheooming himself the founder. It was final- 
ly arranged that the sum should be as a gift to the 
genera] fund. Another gentleman only yesterday 
offered $100,000 as a loan, to be repaid to him as 
soon as the College would be in such a condition as 
to be self-supporting. The ofler was accepted. 
Within the coming week the trustees will be organ- 
ized into a board. Final action will then be taken. 
The building will be begun as soon as the plair shall 
have been decided upon, the plans being open to all 
architects for competition. The College itself will 
be open, in the Fall, when some building, to be se- 
lected by the trustees, will bo used temporarily. 



S^trial |lati(t». 



DE8CBIPTIVB LIST OF THX 



^ T B S T _ 

»«Mtoli«»« bjr Oliver lMto«i 

■ » ■ 






Voeali wHh Piaao AooompaaiaisBt 

So oft rye haard of Loye's sweet pain. 8. 

G to d. UppiL ao 

•• Hetgho f Helgho I I tboairht ft 
Somethiny, something not Uke thU.'* 
Vary pretty, Frencby, seml-coinlc •oay. 

Sing, Sweet Bird. For Contralto. 6. A to e. 

Gam, 40 
A contralto arningenient of a very favorite song. 

Old Oaken Bucket. 2. B6 to d. Kiabnark. 30 

The dear familiar air, nlcoly arranged wllh a solo 
and ch •rus. 

Golden Locks are Silver Now. 3. B6 to f . 

r-ratL 40 

Song and Cbomw. Fine illuntrated pletare title, 
which appropriately ornamenta a very popular 
song. 

Foreboding. !k C minor to e. Etcftberg. 8& 

*' The wild Tfne erimsonaon the old gray stone. 
The nUrs of winter riae." 

Words by Cella Thaxter, and finely picture the 
d.iyn of the drrar November, as doea Ur. Bich- 
bcrg*s well- wrought harmony. 

Happy Moments. Duet. 3. D to f. Deenis. 80 

" I love to roam on some fnlr Isle, 
Where nature gn*cia me with a smile." 
A very fp*»cerul and •mootbly going duet. 

Christmas Bells at Sea. 4. D6 to d. SuIUwol 80 



<c 



Bofily pealinir, gently Pfeitling. 
" HI 



SllvVy belU In volleye ringing.'* 

BonutlfttI fancy of anaesD belle ringing Chriat- 
mn« Clilmea at aea. 

Wait tiU the Moonlight falls. 8. C to e. 

BagncUL 80 

** Waking ap the diekev birds, 
Before the dawn of day." 

lively popular ballad." 
Colinette, a D to e. Aiary, 80 

** Oh I poor Colineite 1" 
" Pauvre CoUnette.*' 

Keat, nat^, sweet French ballad. Preneh and 
English words. 

AU. — 



Jennie's Old Song. 3. G to d. 



«( 



Young Jennie sat slngtng an old, old soog. 
One eve at her cottage door." 

Uncommonly pretQr ballad, with no nonsense ia 



It. 

lastnmental* 
Splendid Night 4. A6 



ChbbaerU. 86 



A Nocturne to be sure, but awakening Instead 
of sooth lug In character, and svggests a brilliant 
starlight. 

Sounds fr. the Heart Waltzes. (Gemiithstone.) 

8. Pi^ke, 76 

Rightly named, for altboogh they havo the gay 
" daiiee*^ quality, there is alao a certain delicacy 
and refinement of expression, which adds to the 
pleaaure of playing. 

Celebrated Marches. arr. by Maylath, 

No. 1. Marches from Jeptha A Saul. 3. D. 40 
'* 2. War March of Priests. (Mendels- 
sohn). 3. F. 40 
" 4. Racozcv'ii March. (Liszt). G min. 35 
" 5. March from Fidelio. (Beethoven). 

3. Bh. 80 

" 0. Funeral March fr. Beethoven. 2. E. 80 

Eaaler .'not veiy eaay), arraagemenU of well- 
known marchea. 

Meadow Pink Schottische. 3. Bb. Cloy, 30 
Eaay, sweet and In excellent taate. 

Spring. Easy pieces by Maylath^ eo. 25 

No. 0. AmanrUis. (Air du Roi, Louis XIU). 

" 15. Aida'Waatz. 2. G. 
Neat arrangementa of fitvorita aire. 

Home Traaaures. SfnetUwood^ ecu 40 

Ko. 7. The Bridge. 2. P. 

Melodv of a popular long, sweetly and simply 
arranged. 

Abbrrviatioxs.— Degrees of difficulty are marked 
1 to 7. The kfjf}^ marked with a capital letter: as C, B 
flat, ac. A small Roman letter marks the highest note. 
If on the staff, an italic letter the highest note, if above 
the sufl. 





uxnl 





Wholb No. 891. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, JUNE 12, 1875. 



XXXV, 



Sxeeatantt and Sditon 

(Prom <* Concordia,* London.) 
•* Ctotf yonr mind of cant, Blr/'^Mimmti t§ B^mdL 

Since the advent of Kant^s critical philosophy, 
men have becomu cautions in dealing with ab- 
stnust notions. The wish to see things as they 
really are, the desire for precise and detailed 
knowledge, has increased greatly. Scientific 
thinkers are agreed that to understand any 
phenomenon truly, it is necessary to distecl it, 
examine its component parts minutely, and 
then build up the conception of it anew. And 
this modem tendency towards an enlightened 
criticism has borne good fruit in the field of 
music. 

From this point of view then, I hope the fol- 
lowing fragments may appear tolerably consist- 
ent, and may tend to throw some little light 
upon a few questions much debated of late, as 
to whether or not certain novel readings, ar- 
rangements, editions, are to be recognised as 
aothoritative. 

It is a matter of duly experience that the 
observations of average minds not specially 
trained to ol>serve prove worthless; they act 
like convex mirrors, transforming, or luther 
malforroing, whatever passes througli them. 
And in the presence of this fact it seems evi- 
dent that no candid musician can refrain from 
doubting the calibre of the greater part of 
whatever is dished up to him as **oral tradi- 
tion.*^ Snch tradition, as a rule, has no prac- 
tical value whatever; and anyone who has met 
with half-a-dozen ioi-dUant pupils of Chopin, 
and heard them play bits of his compositions, 
wilj, I am sure, *' subscribe to my advice.'^ 

Take the works of Beethoven, many of his 
later and most original productions were not 
performed at all under his supervision, others 
again be presented to the public with one 
rehearsal 1 And these works were at the time 
ahtohUdf nmc in thought and expression, and 
of almost insuperable technical diiBculty. Di- 
rectly after his decease, the pianoforte players 
who had come into immediate contact with the 
master, quarrelled about the temfd and the 
proper expression of his sonatas; and one of 
the most eminent among them, Moschel'* ffnes 
to the leuffth of differing with hiroscit ; for in 
his second edition of the Sonatas, published in 
Stuttgart, his indications afe, in many respects, 
diametrically opposed to his first — many years 
eariler^London edition. 

It has, therefore, become the duty of all mu- 
sicians, who are not content with blindly fol- 
lowing the blind, to construct for themselves 
a correct and coosistcnt style for the rendering 
of Beethoven, Weber, Schubert, Chopin, Ac, 
much as Mendelssohn reconceived Bach*s 
''Passion Music,** and Liszt. Von BQlow, and 
Joachim, Bach's inM;ruraental solos. It lias 
moreover become their duty to construct such 
a style not only for some immediate practical 
purpose, bat also to iwmf it with all detoiled 
accuracy for future use. For music ought 'to 
appeal, and in truth does appeal, quite as mu:h 
to our immediate sensuous perception as to our 
imaginsftion; aad in accordance with this, the 
best living executants and editors, chiefly 
pianists— Liszt, Henselt, Von Bttlow, Klind- 
worth —are siriviB|f with all tiMsir might to 
leave nothing unsaid or undone, which may 
help to transplant the works they are Interpiet- 
ing from a more or less vague region of abstrac- 
tion and incomplete suggestion, to the clear 
light of the liearers* sensuous perception. 
^ I *m aware that by doubting tradition and 
commending attempts at constructing a model 
style, solely upon the basis of theoretical infer- 



ences, from scanty indications in the original 
copies, I lay myself open to being twitted with 
that irrepressible story of the German professor 
who evolved the idea of a camel from his 
** inner consciousness.*^ But it is encouraging 
to find the facts, on the negative side of my 
position at all events, so completely favorable. 

Take Sebastian Baches works. He habitual- 
ly neglected to give hints concerning tempo, 
phrasing, light and shade, Ac. ; even the actu- 
al pitch in which certain of his eariier works 
are to be played, is open to doubt, and can on- 
ly be got at by a complicated process of com- 
parison between the amount of transposition 
in the notation of some of the wind-instruments, 
the pitch of which is known, and the pitch of 
the organs he wrote for, most of which are still 
extant; and which, by the way, were in some 
cases tuned a full third above the usual **cham- 
ber pitch." 

It is easy to conceive the mental position Se- 
bastian Bach must have taken up if lie troubled 
himself at all about the notation of nuances of 
expression. He had a circle of articled pupils 
who could not help being familiar with his 
mode of execution. The amateur element in 
his time was very small; only people with 
means and leisure could afford to take up mu- 
sic for a recreation. There was little or no so- 
cial influence to be gained with true musical 
attainment, certainly no momentary success. 
And so no one dreamt of encountering the diffi- 
culties of the art, unless propelled by genuine 
love for it; which, as a rule, implies some 
degree of talent. Thus amateur and profes- 
sional were virtcallv in unison; and Bacri may 
have said to himself: " Ho who, after having 
heard myself or my disciples play some of my 
music, is still puzzled with its peculiar spirit, 
had better leave it alone altogether." 

Then again it must be borne in mind that 
before Beethoven musical productions, no mat- 
ter of what dimension or now elaborate, were 
usually written for some particular occasion, 
when the master was peraonally present, and by 
voice and look could animate everything. The 
monumental character, duly and truly ascribed 
to many older works by nineteenth century 
criticism, would probably have astonished their 
originators. 

And we must also not lose si^ht of the fact 
that the range of craftsmanship in Baches time 
was clearly defined, and always kept within 
manageable limits. For instance he could af- 
ford to trust to his executants being f ullv mas- 
ter of the art of accompanying from a figured 
bass. But in Haydn and Mozart's time, when 
ijiusic advanced with such large strides in the 
direction of personal sentiment, when the influ- 
ence of the stage was felt on all sides, when the 
technique for the expression olF sentiment was 
enlarged day by day, the 'craftsman's art of 
thorough bass was gradually superseded. Mu- 
sical shorthand proved less reliable, tradition 
lost whatever of precision it may have had, and 
composers were compelled to take a little more 
care to note the evanescent details of expres- 
sion, and to %Drite out thHr aearet more eomjMitdy. 
If in many cases Haydn and Mozart were con- 
tent to abide by the customary absence of 
dynamical inflections — if they continued to 
trust with more than naive confidence in the 
sagacity of executants — if they neglected to 
take account of the humiliating fact that an 
individual of a later generation, no matter how 
gifted, is necessarily reared in a different emo- 
tional atmosphere, and therefore cannot be 
expected to comprehend at once and intuitively 
that which is probably uncongenial both to his 
individuality and to his training, these works 



have hitherto suffered in proportion to thflr 
negligence. Would it not have been infinitely 
better if Haydn and Mozart, especially the lat* 
ter, had taken the trouble to indicate their in- 
tentions more minutely t 

But if Baches works, or even Beethoven^s, are 
in some sense riddles difficult of solution, our 
perplexity is increased tenfold, when we come 
to deal with works wherein the composer has 
vouchsafed no direction whatever as to execu- 
tion, and where suggestive contemporary com- 
ments are not forthcoming. 

Take any work by Palestrina. There is no 
indication of tempo or sentiment; the actual 
pitch is left to the aiscrimination of the singers ; 
chromatic inflections are not indicated (though 
doubtless no contemporary craftsman hesitated 
as to their proper introduction). Is it not a 
matter of serious regrret, that a clear method 
of dynamical notation was not then thought 
off 

Experiments have for some time been made 
at Berlin, Regensburg, Munich, and elsewhere, 
with a view to reconstruct the proper method 
of rendering Palestrina; but I know not wheth- 
er any definite result has atttended them. I am 
aware that a claim to the pure tradition of the 
true style for singing Palestrina is put forward 
by the members of the Papal choir at Rome ; 
and though such a thing is prima fade not im- 
probable, I still venture to doubt its authentic- 
ity — as much as that of the authenticity of the 
embellimenti introduced by the Papnl singe i^ 
into Allegrri*8 *' Miserere*^ which Mendelssohn 

Suotes, in a letter to Zelter, is doubted by him. 
>y the way does Mozart*s copy of these embel- 
lishments tally with Mendelssohn^s f 

It is true that tradition formerly stood a bet* 
ter chance of remaining untarnished than it 
does now. Up to about the middle of the 
eighteenth century, when Mozart began his 
European pilgrimage, tradition was confined 
within narrow limits. The physical boundaries, 
wherein any particular style of execution was 
cultivated, were not national; tncy were rather 
limited to particular counties, and even towns. 
And certainly as long as a craftsman worked 
under the pressure of the laws and beliefs of a 
particular guild only, and was nowise touched 
oy those of other guilds, tradition flourished ; 
but even here it must be admitted that from 
generation to generation one continually meets 
with tl:e old complaints al>out the degeneration 
of craft, and the decay of art. 

But with us, when the idea of artistic guilds, 
of associated craftsmanship, is almost entirely 
lost sight of; when free trade in the arts has 
given us a professional proletariat^ only slightly 
above the level of helpless and floundering 
dilettantism; when young musicians, instead 
of being reared in a master^s atelier, are made 
to practise the comet-IUpistons in the back 
kitchen, the plea of *' classical tradition^' has 
not a leg left to stand upon. If the expression 
have any meaning at all, it must signify that 
the present Philistine thinks it likely that his 
grandfather was a Philistine also, and in that 
generation behaved after his kind. 

Meo voto^ the point for us poor latter-day 
singers i^ this: Seeing that no ** acting copies,'* 
no *' stage directions" are gi'ven us, we must 
attempt what actors are said to do — *' oreate" 
a part Correct reading of the text, as far as 
the notes go, is ever insufficient. The execu- 
tant must employ the scientific method; he 
must dissect the text, construct his notions of 
the entire piece from a minute examination of 
the parts, and then, from the Platonic idea of 
the whole, find the proper expression for all 
details. Thus a g^at player, like a gtetX ac- 



:u 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OP MUSfC. 



tor, is, in some sense, creative^ and on a level 
w ith composer and poet. And as everybody is 
ready to admit that the secret of a telling per- 
fonnance lies in the individuality of the execu- 
tant, I would ask, why commit the suicidal 
mistake of tying him down to the ijmmina 
verba of authentic dynamical nuancs, or rath- 
er, as is most frequently the case, the total ab- 
sence thereof ? Why should one continually 
be told about a pcrfonnance or an edition ? 
*' This is all very tine, but it is not Bach! or it 
is not Beethoven ! " Indeed ! What is it then? 

" Mdn FTi'imrt. die Ze ten tier Ve)-|i:angenhelt 
Sind unK efn Rnch mit iilebcn Si^s^ln; 
Wa.* ihr den «c-ii«t dcr Zeiten lielHSt 
D;ip1>(t iiii Gnittd der Herron elxnor QelBt, 
In dein die ZelU*n slch beApleircln, 
Pa IstN denn wahrllrh oft cln Jammer! 
Munn liiufi vuch bet doro enten Blick davon.** 

FauvL 

If execatsnts arc admonished to stick to the 
letter and not hing but the letter— which, by the 
way, now and then includes queer misprints, 
wh: t litenil ntuY*i*'tp»c, what chimerical beast, 
shall not be foisted in upon us some day, with 
all the alarming authoiity of ^'classical tradi- 
tion? ^ Edward Daknreutuer. 

(To be Contfnovd.) 



» <»> 4 



ZfOhengrin in London. 

{Froffi the ** Daily Ttlegraphr) 

At last, after years of waiting — weary wait- 
ing, perhaps, we may not call it — the English 
opera-goer has seen and hoard Richard Wagner. 
There is reason for c<mgratulation in the fact 
itself, stripp>f>d of all attendant significance. 
Evei since the reformer of opera began to make 
a noise in the world, hehas oeen to us a vague- 
ly -defined and shadowy personality . Now and 
then, in concert-rooms, we have caught a 
glimpse of a figure which, we were told, resem- 
bled him very slightly; and once, on the stage 
of Drury-lanc Theatre, appeared a strange, but 
not unattractive, personality which Wagner's 
friends said was a representation of his imma- 
ture youth. Otherwise, the great man has re- 
sembled to us one of Ossian's shadowy heroes, 
** orating ' from a distant mountain-top, while 
his form loomed vaguely and mysteriously 
through a fog. For a long time English ama- 
teurs cared little about the matter. They had 
their Beethoven and Blozart, their Rossini and 
Meyerbeer, their Donizetti and Auber — operatic 
compoi>ers quite good enough for them; and so 
it happened that, if ever their eyes rested upon 
the misty outlines f»f Wagner's figure, no spec- 
ial desire was excited. liut men and women 
cannot long sec anything dangled just out of 
their reach without wishing to grasp it. For 
this reason, if not on account of an intelligent 
interest in the question which Wagner repre- 
sents, there grew up amongst us a real curiosity 
to know what the most notorious of modem 
musicians really is. The extent and depth of 
that curiosity may be measured by the fact that 
Mr. Oye now counts upon it to repay an expen- 
diture of some £4,000 upon the production of 
Lohengrin, It was well, therefore, to have it 
appeased. But what Wagner did the people 
go out for to see on Saturday night? There are 
many forms of him. Here he shows himself 
barely distinguishable from the mass who labor 
in the same field of art. There he is recognized 
by wearing a kind of motley, half conformable 
to usage, half eccentric, if not wholly new. 
Yonder he stands alone in his glory, bearing no 
likeness to anything in heaven above or in the 
earth beneath. The revelation of this latest 
development would perhaps have been too 
much for us, and it was foriunate that Mr. Gye 
presented Wagner in an earlier aud less strange 
&^pect. There are some things, and Wagneriatn 
is one, up to which men must be educated. The 
eye accustomed to darkness is blinded by a ruali 
of light. It needs to pass gradually into the 
full glory of day. So must the musical ama- 
teurs of our benighted nation — Philistine, we 
believe, is the appropriate term — progress 
towards the complete VVagiier. T\\e NiUlangen 
Trilogy would confound us. The milder dose 



of Lohengrin may do us good. Let us see how 
the dose was mixed, administered, and re- 
ceived. 

Nearing Covent Garden we are sensible of a 
special occasion. The long **rank,* the hur- 
rying of visitors on foot, the prevalence of 
** scores" appropriately b>und in the loudest 
of colors, and the feverish activity of those 
who sell books of the words **in both lan- 
guages, " all bespeak a great night . The lobby 
is crowded, and long before the time when 
Signor Vianesi lifts his baton the unreserved 
parts of the house are crowded to excess. A 
good look at the packed amphitheatre and gal- 
lery, the tenants of which will ** assist," in no 
conventional meaning of the term, at the per- 
formance, repays trouble. The Teutonic ele- 
ment is there in strong force, signalized by 
round florid faces, a profusion of straw-colored 
bcanls, many spectacles, and a prevailing 
expression of that solemn thorougliness which 
characterizes tlie worshipping Oennan mind. 
It is a great occasion with our cousins. Tliey 
arc in earnest, and, should the indifference of 
Englishmen be very conspicuous, may wax an- 
gry — a grave matter in these times, if not a 
eakun belli. Lower down, the reserved seats fill 
quicker than they are wont to do, and even 
there a certain gravity prevails. Eyes that 
most often have opera-glasi.'^s glued to them arc 
fixed u]>on unfamiliar pages ; heads that usually 
nod to a circle of acquaintances are quiescent 
in the act of trying to comprehend the **myth- 
inatter," which, as we have lately been told, 
represents to us, who are only ** compounds of 
consecutive generations," the **pure symbols 
of primeval forces." Even Royalty basks in 
the dawning light of the day of future opera. 
First to enter the Royal box are the Duchess of 
Cambridge and the Duke and Duchess of Teck, 
after whom come the Prince and Princess of 
Wales and the Duke of Connaught with their 
respective suites. But much more conspicuous 
to discerning eyes than these ** dignitaries" is 
the gathering of men and women fanaous in the 
worlds of literature and art. ** Everybody is 
here who can claim to be anybody," a magnifi- 
cent compliment to Wagner, which should 
gratify his ambition, even though his opera be 
hissed* off the stage. But now appears Signor 
Vianesi, •with a shade of care upon his face, 
whirh those who know what Wagnerian opera 
exacts can readily understand. A minute's 
pause, and then the prelude begins. We do 
not like the manner of its beginning. Liszt 
describes the opening bars as a 'Waporous 
ether," but we find them neither vaporous nor 
ethereal, but simply a commonplace sequence 
of chords for violins, in eight parts, played 
much too loudly. This ill-advised opening les- 
sens the effect of the crescendo which illustrates 
the descent of the Holy Grail. Wagner him- 
self says of this prelude that it suggests a 
'Mniraculous troop of angels bearing in their 
midst the sacred vessel." He goes on: **The 
holy procession draws nearer; the heart of the 
elect of God gradually exalts itself, it enlarges, 
it dilates ; ineffable aspirations awaken in him ; 
he experiences incrf'asing happiness in finding 
himself attracted by the luminous apparition, 
and when, at last, the Holy Grail itself appears 
in the midst of the sacred eorUge^ he falls into 
ecstatic adoration, as though the entire world 
had suddenly disappeared. " All this is hidden 
from the bulk of the audience, who recognize 
no more than a highly-colored but vaguely sug- 
gestive movement, wherein the orchestra is 
handled with consummate skill. The Teutons 
aloft are, of course, an exception. With them 
^*the entire world had suddenly disappeared," 
and they like vacuum so much as to clamor for 
its renewal, which boon Signor Vianesi oblig- 
ingly grants. Then the curtain rises, and we 
are translated to the banks of the Scheldt, near 
Antwerp, nine hundred years ago — a splendid 
picture, and one that does infinite credit to 
Messrs. Dayes and Caney. Over the foreground 
stretch the arms of royal oaks, and in the dis- 
tance, bordered by rushes, flows the **lazy" 
river, while a bright sun aheds its glory upon 



all. But the proper study of mankind is man ; 
and we turn from the natural features of the 
scene to the glittering array of princes, knights, 
and soldiers, drawn up around King Henry the 
Fowler. The action soon l>cgins. Four trum- 
peted— there arc sixteen somewhere about the 
theatre, and all are not good— execute a fan- 
fare, and a Herald (Signor Capponi) steps for- 
ward to explain why the King has summoned 
his vassals. The vassals say they are ready to 
fight, and the King (Herr Seidemann), in a 
voice which suggests that the damp air of the 
Low Countries scarcely agrees with him, gives 
particulars, winding up by demanding of Fred- 
eric of Telramund (M. Maurel) why disunion 
and strife prevail in those parts. Frederic 
steps forward to say that Elsa (Mdlle. Albani), 
his ward, and daughter of the late Duke of 
Brabant, was strongly 8U8|>cctcd of having 
made away with her brother Gottfned. On 
this account, he (Frederic) could not marry 
her as had been arranged, but had chosen Or- 
trud (Mdlle. d'Angeri), whom he presents to 
the monarch. Frederic winds up by charging 
Elsa with fratricide, and claiming the Duchy as 
his own. All this (13 pasres) goes on mostly in 
such recitative as proves the truth of what was 
said of Tannhduser— ** the four-and -twenty keys 
do n0t afford a good basis for the ear. " A Ger- 
man critic once wrote, dpropoi to the music of 
this scene: ** It is mere bungling— nay, it is 
filth, the most despicable violation of the rules 
of art; and if any one should cry out and tell 
us that we are stupid because this music does 
not please us, we apf^eal to a far more certain 
organ than the brtiin, and reply, ' You cannot 
possess ears if you are fond of revelling in such 
disconl.' " We will hardly go so far as this 
writer, but in good sooth Wagner's wild shrieks 
of liberty from the dominion of the tone-family 
are distressing enough to make us ask hin^ for 
an explanation. He is ready, of course, and 
tells us, referring to the discovery of the rela- 
tionship of all tones, that ** music shot up into 
an immense and varied expanse, in which the 
absolute musician, swimming about without an 
object and without repose, began to lose cour- 
age. Before him he saw naught but an endless 
heaving massof possibilities, but was conscious 
of no object within himself to determine them. 

Thus the musician almost felt 

obliged to regret his immense swimming capa- 
bilities; he yearned for the still creeks of his 
original home again, where, between narrow 
banks, the water flowed tranquilly in one defi- 
nite stream." Hence the sway of the limited 
tone-family, from which a strong swimmer like 
Wagner is of course free. He can plunge about, 
shooting rapids, tumbliifg down cataiacts, and 
gyrating in whiripools, with an immunity of 
which Captain Boy ton never dreamed— and he 
does it. But the action of the drama goes on. 
Henry detennines to sit in judgment then and 
there upon Elsa, whom the Herald summons to 
appear. The royal maid is supposed to be 
wandering that way. At any rate, she hears 
the trumpeters (as we do empliatwally), and 
enters, attended by her women. The King 
asks if she will be judged by him. Elsa con- 
sents, and goes on to tell, in dreamy fashion, 
of a resplendent knight and champion, whom 
visions have made known to her. The music 
is here full of tenderness and beauty. It is 
melodious besides, and the ear rejoices in it as 
the eye, after long gazing at sandy desolation, 
revels in the sight of verdant fields and tower- 
ing palms. Moreover, Mdlle. Albani sings 
charmingly, and gives a foretaste of the excel- 
lence which will characterize her performance 
as a whole. Moved by the favorable impresMon 
which Elsa has produced, Frederic claims the 
ordeal of single combat. The King consents, 
and, the lists having been prepared in solemn 
form, calls up<m Elsa to name her champion. 
She chooses the hero of her dreams, vowing 
that his shall be her hand and crown; where- 
upon the Herald, backed by his noisy trumpet- 
en, again and again calls for the favored war- 
rior without avail. In an agony of apprehen- 
sion Elsa and her ladies fall upon their knees 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, JUNE 12, 1875. 



35 



to pray for his advent. As they do so, the 
crowd nearest the river utter words of astonish-^ 
ment, and presently is seen, in a sraall boat 
drawn by a swan, a Knif]^ht covered with re- 
splendent silver armor. It is Lohengrin (Sig- 
nor Nicolini), who comes, not in visions now, 
to fight for the cause of innocence and beauty. 
A wonderful double chorus expresses the aston- 
ishment of the on-lookers — such a chorus as 
only genius could have written ; because sug- 
gestive in itself, without help from words, of 
the tumultuous feelings incidental to the situa- 
tion. Here, not the Germans up aloft merely, 
but everybody is delighted, and, in response 
to loud applause, Signor Vianesi repeats the 
chorus. Well for him that Wagner is not pres- 
ent to witness the dramatic absurdity of a crowd 
making believe to see an apparition in the dis- 
tance, when, all the time, it is waiting only a 
few feet off. The assembly welcomes Lohen- 
grin in a few jubilant bars, after which the 
strange Khight dismisses his swan, and comes 
to the front as a short chorus is sung in his 
honor. At this point recitative begins again. 
Lohengrin is accepted by Elsaas her champion 
and husband, subject to the condition of ask- 
ing no questions about his name, race, or coun- 
try. This matter arranged, Lohengrin denies 
the charge of Frederic, and the two knights 
prepare for combat, while the Herald warnd all 
and sundry not to interfere. But, before the 
struggle, it is necessary to invoke the justice of 
Heaven ; Henry descends from his throne to 
act as priest as well as king ; and another vast 
entemhte echoes his prayer. The episode is 
grandly conceived and worked out, but its ex- 
ecution is a sad busihess ; ears already shocked 
enough by Wagner's doings among the **endles8 
heaving mass of possibilities." being tortured 
by singing not even approximately in tune. 

We now watch the encounter with breathless 
interest. Frederic is worsted, of course; and, 
as he creeps away, Elsa begins a song of tri- 
umph, which expands into a lengthened and 
elaborate finale of a common-place character, 
and productive of no more than vulgar effects. 
Upon this the curtain descends amid roars of 
applause that ouly cease when the principal 
performers have twice bowed their acknowledg- 
ments. So far the opera is a success. We are 
dazzled by the splendor and chivalry of the 
scene, impressed by the poetic beauty of the 
story, and, hardly less, by the novel character 
of its musical treatment. But are we satisfied 
as well as excited? Some of us, at least, 
must answer, **No." Weary of blazing 
tone-color, endless surprises, unmelodious dec- 
lamation, and the constant strain at which the 
composer works, we doubt — while calling to 
mina the dungeon scene in Fiddio, and the 
supper scene in Don Giovanni — if this be the 
only true dramatic music. 

The curtain rises for the second time upon the 
Palace and Minster of Antwerp. It is nignt, and 
we can just discern the figures of Frederic and Or- 
trud clad in sombre garments and seated on the 
steps of the church. A long orchestral introdaction 
is supposed to describe their feelings, and certainly 
manages to be lugubrious with facility ; after which 
comes an extended duet Here we find Wagner's 
theory of the absolute subordination of music car- 
ried out to the bitter end, and productive of nothing 
but *' a continuous sur^ng of shapeless, and, as it 
were, fluid sounds." One result is, however, that we 
are forced back upon the story, to discover that the 
husband and wife, after calling each other hard 
names, agree not to abandon hope. Ortrud, a ser- 
ceress and a Pagan, undertakes the work of revensfe 
upon Elsa and Lohengrin, and fortune aids her by 
sending the Boyal maiden to breathe the early 
morning air on the balcony of the Palace. In a 
charminff strain — one of those gems of melody 
which okow that Wagner might have worn the 
mantle of Weber as heiMi of the romantic school — 
Elsa expresses her joy, and then Ortrud, who has 
sent Frederic away, appeals to her compassion. 
Anotlier long duet ensues, but it does not weary us 
like the first, because Elsa is present, and around 
her Wagner preserves an atmosphere ol tenderness 
and beauty, sometimes inexpressibly grateful to the 
senses. The music, moreover, aiiiy suggests the 
contrast betweea the two characters, and so sustains 



its interest to the end. Thona:h the plot is not far 
advanced by nil this, the seeds of mischief are sown 
when Ortrud caution'* Elsa ajjaVnst her lover's de- 
ceit, and urges the fatal step of di«*coverins:hi3 nnmft 
and lineftsje, Elsa rejects the connsol with minified 
pride and pity, but her enemy is confident enoujjh 
to end the scene with a burst of triumph. Mdlle. 
D'Ansferi plays her nart effectually here, and again 
Mdlle. Albani surprises us by the excellence of her 
singing^ and her truthful, engaging: conceptitm of the 
character. She had done nothing so well before. 
The duets over, we enter upon another scene of 
pomp and splendor. Day breaks to the noise of 
multiplied trumpets, and its business begins with a 
vijforous double chorus, which is interrupted by our 
friend the Herald and his attendant wind instru- 
ments, who come to place Frederic under ban, and 
proclaim Lohene:rin, Guardian of Brabant The 
multitude of knight-s, and soldiers acquiesce in both 
proceedings, after which the Herald announces the 
immediate ronrriafre of Lohengrin and Elsa. to be 
followed by the departure of all for the wars. Here 
is occasion for another vi{;orous chorus, while four 
kni(rlits hold aloof and errumble among themselves 
at the favor nhown to a stranger. With these Fred- 
eric makes common cause, promising to unmask his 
conqueror, f«)r whose crowning fortune preparations 
are now visible. The wedding procession of " Lo- 
hen&rrin '* has been so often heard in concert-rooms 
lately that we permit its familiar beauty to pass 
almost unnoticed as our eyes rest upon one of the 
most splendid scei.es ever shown within the walls of 
the " Garden." Each of the dreses of the ladies is a 
study in its way, and the coup ^all presented by the 
glowing masses of color and the sheen of burnished 
armor cannot readily bo forffotten. Among those 
who stand aside to let Elsa precede them into the 
church \si Ortrud. but the trial to her pride is more 
than she can bear. Fiercely she confronts Elsa at 
the door of the minster, and hurls at her bitter scorn, 
contemptuously demandins?, amid the exclamations 
of the on-lookers, who the bridegroom ii and whence 
he comes. The scene is prolonged without lack of 
viaror till the Kinir and Lohensrrin enter. Reassured 
by their prewnce and their reproof of Ortrud, 
another attempt is made to enter the church. But 
now Frederic confronts the procession, and once 
more altercation b^^gins. this time being carried on 
throusrhout a lengthy and turbulent ensemble which, 
however it may aid the dramatic effect, cannot boast 
of great mui*ica1 value. As it goes on, Frederic finds 
opportunity to instil more doubt into the mind of 
Elsa, and with a perturbed spirit the Royal bride 
for the third time ascends the steps of the* minster, 
pursued by Ortrud's vencccful looks. At this point 
the curtain falls, and ipallery and amphitheatre thun- 
<lcr a second approval, louder, if poftsible, than the 
first. The principal artists again acknowledge the 
applau<«e, to which some of them at least have a 
good risrht. First among the«o is Mdlle. Albani — a 
true Elsa under all circumstances — and after come 
Mdlle. d*Angeri, M. Maurel, and Signor Nioolini, 
who, as far as looks ?oes,is a Lohengrin wnM reproche. 

We are now within half-an-honr of midnight, and 
numerous departures from boxes and stalls take 
place. But tne enthusiasts up above hold out, and 
in sc«ircc^^' diminished numbers address themselves 
to what yet remains of the work. 

Every amateur knows the very bright and effec- 
tive introduction to the third act, and will, there- 
fore, not be surprised to hear that it was encored in 
spite of the lateness of the hour. The pretty chorus 
sung by the attendants of the wedded pair as they 
conduct them to thdr chamber is not well rendered, 
and makes no effect, scarcely any applause following 
the retiring fo(»tsteps of the singers. Elsa and Lo- 
hengrin are now alone for the first time, and we 
have a love duet marked here and there with pas- 
sacres of such exquisite beauty that the veriest 
stickler for accepted form might pardon its absence 
on their account.. In the course of this duet Elsa 

fmts the fatal question as to her husband's name, and 
nsists, notwitlistttU ling his entreaties, upon an an- 
swer. At this moment Frederic and his four knights 
burst into the room, but Lohengrin passes his sword 
through the leader, dismisses the followers with con- 
tempt, summons Elsa's ladies to conduct her to her 
own apartments, and declares his intention of re- 
vealing who he is and whence he came at the place 
and under the circumstances which witnessed his 
arrival. The rush of these events is great after the 
calm of the long love duet, and the music, albeit 
full of characteristic passages, has a nervous force 
impossible to overlook. A chani^e of scene takes us 
again to the banks of the Scheldt, and once more 
Wagner revels in trumpets. The strident instru- 
ments are heard everywhere, clashing against each 



other, and stirring the pulses of the listeners, as 
knight alter knight, all mounted, and attended by 
squires and men-at-arms, arrive upon the scene. 
Finally, the King enters, and German chivalry is 
ready "to march against the enemies of Fatherland. 
Nay, not quite ready. Lohensrrin, the chosen lead- 
er, has not come, and great is the wonder at his 
tarryinsr. Elsa next appears sa 1 and weeping, and 
then Lohengrin. In a few words, the knight declines 
to proceed with the campaign, announcing that EU 
sa has been false to her allegiance. He then, in a 
long and trying solo, declares himself a servant of 
the Holy Grail, sent on the mission he had per- 
formed, hut now bound to return because hi:* name 
and character htd been revealed. Amid the won- 
dering exclamations of the crowd and Elsa's remorse- 
ful entreaties, the swan meanwhile again appearing, 
Lohengrin prepares to bid farewell, bequeathing to 
Elsa*s brother, should that missing youth return, 
his sword, horn, and ring. As he steps towards the 
shore, Ortrud pursues him with reproaches, boasting 
that she hy sorcery had transformed the young heir 
of Brabant into the swan, and that had Lohengrin 
tarried the spell would have been undone. But her 
triumph is shortlived. The dove of the Holy Grail 
descends, and hovers over the head of Lohengrin, 
who loosens the chain from the swan's neck. Im- 
mediately the bird disappears, and in Its place we 
see the missing lad, now restored to Elsa*s arms. 
Lohengrin looks sadly upon their joy, and, harness- 
ing the dove to his boat, is drawn away, while the 
music of the prelude drowns the death-shriek of Or- 
trud, as the curtain descends for the last time. It 
is now nearly one o'clock, and the house has thinned, 
but tho.'e are enongh enthusiasts left to keep up a 
stentorian roar of approval, to cheer Mdlle. Albani, 
Signor Nicolini, ana Signor Vianesi as they deserve, 
and to put a final stamp of success upon the even- 
ing's w(»rk. Success in many respects has, no doubt, 
been richly deserved. The splendor of the miseen- 
scitte, the stage management of M. Desplaces, the 
remarkable attraction of Albani's Elsa, the earnest 
efforts of the other principals, and the comparative 
excellence of the orchestra, are features well worthy 
of approval. On the other hand, the chorus oft«n 
sang distressingly out of tune, and there were fre- 
quent eontretenipt of a nature to call for precautions 
against repetition. 

And now the qnestion arises: Will " Lohengrin" 
commend itself to the taste of English opera-goers, 
and establish Wagner amongst us ? Of its present 
success we have no doubt. It will be the feature of 
the season. But how as to future seasons — how as 
to the theories it illustrates ? Can our amateurs 
transfer their allegiance to music without form ; to 
music as the slave of poetry ; to music which is me- 
lodious only by snatches, and is charmingonly in 
the degree in which it is a violation of Wagner's 
advanced opinions ? They may do so, and it is even 
possible that Beethoven, Mozart, Rossini, Weber, 
and the rest, may vanish frpm our lyric stage in 
favor of an entertainment which dazzles and excites 
without satisfying the higher faculties of mind and 
intellect. But success of such a nature could only 
be temporary. Music is not an affair of declamation, 
tremolos, trumpets, chromatics, and general swim- 
ming about in the vast ocean of tone. Music is tune, 
form, key-relation )hip, and adherence to those con- 
trapuntal laws whicn can never be violated with 
impunity because they spring from a natural ueces- 
sity. Wagner may triumph awhile, but the masters 
will return to their old place, and after all, tempo- 
rary good fortune means little. " Success," writes 
the German critic already quoted, " certainly does 
prove something for Wagner; it proves that we 
nave to do with no insignificant person, but ¥rith one 
distinguished by varied intelligence and endowed 
with energetic mental powers, for without these such 
success and such works would be impossible. But 
a man may be still richer in gifts of this description, 
and yet knock in vain for luimittance at the gate 
within which eternal art resides." 



(From tho Pall Mall CFasoUe.) 

A king, two knights (one good, the other bad), a 
virtuous princess, a wicked enchantress, a swan, and 
a dove are the active personages in this drama, 
which introduces three states of ecstasy, including 
two visions; several miracles (including one mirac- 
ulous transformation), one tournament, one attempt 
at murder, one death from stabbing, three marches, 
four grand pageants, and five horses. The piece is 
full of tumult.picturesqneness, character, and color. 
All that is pure in the play is presented in symboli- 
cal white. The miraculous swan, the mystic (|ove, 
are of course white. The girlish little lad into 
whom the swan is ultimately changed, or rather 



36 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



retransformed, shines )o white armor, and whiter 
siilE. Lohenj^in wears a silver helmet, surmounted 
by a silver swan, carries a silver shield, is encased 
in silver armor, and has nothing unsflvery about 
him but his little horn of g^old, and a black heart- 
shapefl escutcheon on his breast, frera which stands 
out an emblematic swan — once niore in silver. El.-^a, 
typical maiden of ancient ballads, suflbrins^ under 
foul cfllumoy, but spotless as snow, is clad in whit«, 
in white and stiver and in white and gold. The 
King, too, ridefi a white horse, which Wagner would 
not have allowed him to do if he bad not intended 
to show that he considered hira a lirood King at 
heart. The bad characters, on the other hand, are 
ill dressed in dark brown or in dull red. The vile 
Frederic of Telramnnd is exhibited in the garb of a 
begsrar ; and the wicked Ortnid flaunts about in 
crimson and spangles. 

Whatever else it may be, " Lohengrin " is not 
dull. Apart from the beauty of much of the music 
and from the general interest of the drama, it is full 
of passages which strike the eye, the heart, the im- 
agination, or all three togetfker. Nothing can be 
grander than the combination of sights and sounds 
in the scene where, while a procession of soldiers in 
gorgeous uniforms and priests in the brightest of 
robes iDoves acroas the stage in the midst of a crowd 
waving brancbes on all sides, the ringing of church 
bells and the pealiDg of the cathedral organ are 
heard simultaneously with the raried tones of the 
many voiced orchestra. This and other scenes like 
it in an opera which abounds in pageantry may ren- 
der *' Lohengrin '* open to the charge of sensationa- 
lism — ^for the amount of pure art which goes to the 
composition of such scenes is very small. But there 
are also scenes of the crreatcst simplicity for Elsa, 
for Lohengrin, and for Elsa and Lohengrin together, 
scenes which are full of emotion and which, apart 
from scenery and with the commonest costumes, 
could not bnt effect the listener. "Lohengrin " ib, in 
fact, a highly poetical melodrama, in which the 
mystical and the actual are strangely blended togeth- 
er, though not more strangely, perhaps, than in some 
of the plays of Shakapeare and of the great Spanish 
draraatista It Is full of the most delicate subtleties 
and of the most palpable realities ; fisrhts on the 
stage and suggestions of spiritual influences, over- 
powering blasts of trombones and luminous appari- 
tions, real horses in the Astley style, and visions of 
miraculous troops of angels. Liszt's rhapsodical 
description of one of the most striking scenes of the 
opera — that of Elsa's bridal procession, to which 
Wagner has composed music worthy of Weber and 
quite in Weber^s style — may be quoted as an exam- 
ple of tho sort of enthusiasm with which Wagner in 
nis best moments inspires his fanatical admirers. 
" During this scene,'* says Liszt, *' £Ua reappears at 
her balcony, and passes along the galleries of the 
palace before descending to the street. Behind her 
slowly posses a long Cf>rt^ge to music of a soft but 
earnest character, admirably in keeping with the 
approaching religious ceremonial. Tremblin^^ with 
emotion, the Princess advances, looking more lovely 
than ever in her crown and silver-mounted robes. 
The passionate strains of the orchrstra are inspired 
at once by love and devotion, but so mingled that 
it is imp(»8sible to discriminate between the two. 
The Princess, at once a saint and a woman, walks 
with downcast eyes ; vet the strains of the music 
seem to reveal her thoughta, and in the vague mys- 
tic aritor of its majestic crescendo we may read how 
burning and yet how chaste are the glances which 
are concealed beneath the drooping eyelids." That 
is, of course, extravagant. But it seems to us less 
extravagant now than it did two days ago, when 
we had not seen " Lohengrin" at the Royal Italian 
Opera, and Mdlle. Albani as Elsa. Elsa is the soul 
of the work— or, perhaps, it would be juster to say 
the heart and soul of the work are Lohengrin and 
Elsa together. Both characters are perfectly played 
at the Royal Italian Opera. 

The grief of Elsa, falsi.-ly accnsed, her ecstatic vis- 
ion, and the mysterious arrival of Lohengrin, Elsa*s 
Era3*er and Lohengrin's victory (in Act I), Elsa's 
ridal procession (in Act 2). the orchestral intro- 
duction and bridal chorus, the duet for Lohengrin 
and Elsa, and finally Lohengrin's declaration, fare- 
well, and departure (in Act 2) are the scenes and 
incidents that chiefly stamp themselves on the mem- 
ory. If we also remember the singing of Ortmd 
and of Frederic, singly and t^ogether, it is to wish 
we had not heard it. The vocal utterances of these 
diabolical personages, represented, we feel sure, with 
great ability by Mdlle. D'Angeri and M. Maurel — 
though witfi an ability we are unable to appreciate 
— are obviously intended to contrast with and to 
enhance the beauty of the melodious phrases assigned 



to the angelic cuiple, Lohengrin and Elsa. Set to 
music as Herr Wagner basset them, the cries of the 
false knight and of the malicious enchantress who 
is urging him on his villainous course suggest not 
the wicked so much as the wearisome. The so-called 
singing of this objectionable couple is both harsh 
and tedious, and about half the second act is filled 
with it. Is it absolutely necessary that bad char- 
acters should sing bad music? We think not. 
Bertram in " Robert le Diable,'' Mephistophelea in 
" Faust," sing melodies which are no doubt of a sin- 
ister character, but are melodies all the same. 
Kaspar, again, in " Der Freischiitz " is at once tune- 
ful and grotesque. Ortrud and Frederic, however, 
seem to be, not singing, but grumbling and grunting, 
spitting, cursing, and swearing in music ; which is 
neither nice nor necessary. To Elsa and to Lohen- 
grin the cora|>oser, as of right, gave bis best. 

To Ortrud and Frederic, however, he has given 
neither his best music nor his worst. He has i\ot 
given them music at all, but only certain unrnuMcal 
sequences of musical sounds. The duet between 
Ortrud and Frederic at the beginning of the long 
second act is something terrible. The succeeding 
duet between Ortrud and Elsa is a little better by 
reason of the passages for Elsa. But Ortrud's defi- 
ance and Freaeric's accusation in the same intermi- 
nable act are odious. Neither the first nor the third 
act should be touched, both being full of beautiful 
music for Elsa and for Lohengrin. But the second 
act is nearly half as long again as either of the two 
others, and what makes it so long are Ortrud's and 
Frederic's very disagreeable solos and duets. 

The part of the King was feebly sung by Herr 
Seideman, a new arrival from Oermany, wnose voice, 
under a Ions: course of Wagner, seems ti> have giv- 
en way. Signer Capponi, perhaps because he has 
been trained in anotner school, but probably for 
more simple reasons, and because he poasesses a 
naturally magnificent voice, did full justice to the 
Herald's music. The chorus, shaky at the onset, 
g«it firmer as it went on ; but it has yet to familiar- 
ize itself with a stylo of music the like of which it 
had never known until ** Lohengrin ** was placed 
before it. It is required to ejaculate, to declaim, to 
express emotion in various ways, but not, as a rule, 
to sing. The ttrchestra was perfect, and the con- 
ductor, Signor Vianesi, well aeserved the special 
summons with which he was honored at the end of 
the performance. Wagner's orchestration is known 
to be one of his strong itoints ; and the effect of his 
various combinations of instruments, which are often 
made not for their own sake but to serve from time 
to time as a characteristic accompaniment to the 
personages on the stage, was sure not to be missed. 
More worthy of remark was the style in which the 
instrumental introductions or preludes were played. 
The soft, spiritual prelude to Act 1 and the vigorous 
quajii-martial prelude to Act 8 were both encored. 
Elsa was also compelled to repeat her beautiful 
prayer — rather a mistake from a Wagnerian point 
of view, since by the Wagnerian doctrine all '* re- 
pents " are forbidden ; and Lohengrin had to arrive 
twice over, for the sake of the wonderful orches:ral 
rush by which his miraculous approach is indicated. 
This was clearly absurd. Bnt a great deal of what 
a mad doctor might call " furor Teutunicus " was 
raging in the galleries; and it seemed probable 
enough at one time that every piece, or rather every 
distinguishable beauty in every scene, would be re- 
demanded. Yet some of the finest things even in 
the first act, when admiration was fresh and fervent, 
had to be passed over. It was impossible, for in- 
stance, to call upon Mdlle. Albani to give a second 
time the eloquent outburst of icratitude and joy with 
which poor Elsa hails the victory of her champion, 
the Knight of the Swan, over Frederic, her accuser. 
This was one of Mdlle. Albani's most dramatic points 
— though it is not for particular points here and 
there, but for her general conception of the part, 
that she deserves praise. The fair-haired heroine 
of the mediieval legend, calm under calumny, strong 
in her innocence, full of devotion to her deliverer, 
but urged by a fatal curiosity to put to him tl|e 
question which he must not answer, is perfectly rep- 
resented by this admirable artist, whose voice, 
moreover, gives raehxly to phrases which are not 
always in themselves melodious. Mdlle. Albani has 
had the advantage of studying the part of Elsa under 
Herr Wiillner. the Kapellmeister of the Court The- 
atre at Munich, and to his intelligent and careful 
instruction much of her success in this difficult but 
far from ungrateful character may be attributed. 

The moral of '* Loheng^rin " seems to be that if a 
husband treats his wife well she should not be too 
inquisitive about his private affairs, apart from her; 
and also that to be able to resist his enemies a man 



must be perfect at all points. Lohengrin, if be looeo 
one atom of his flesh, will be at the n>ercy of every 
one. Let him. however, preserve his boaily integ- 
rity and he may defy attacks from all sides. This 
can only mean that the true knight, like Lohen^in, 
must be careful of bis honor. Once touched it is 
gone. 

" Lohengrin " may be viewed in a great many 
different lights — as an opera in the ordinary sense 
of the word, as a spectacular piece, as an interesting 
drama, as a sort of roirade plsy* full of naivete, 
quaintnsss, and symbolism of all kinds. Its restless 
character will tell against it here, till English audi- 
ences acquire a degree of hardihood to which they 
have vet to be disciplined ; but no one who is capa- 
ble of taking an interest in things dramatic can rail 
to ba moved by it in some way ; and most persons 
must carry away from its representation a deep 
impression of its beauty. If we except the well 
known introduction to the third act. with Its vigo- 
rous melody for trombones aooompaoied by a twit- 
tering of violins; the graceful music of Elsa's bridal 
procession, which is *' tuneful in the ordinary sense 
of the word, and the thoroughly beautiful ''prelude," 
none of the ** Lotiengrin " music ought ever to be 
heard apart from the drama to which it belongs. 
But the work, as a whole, is very effective, and 
Elsa and Lohengrin are the two moat poetical fig- 
urea of the modern stage. 



(From tbe Mudeal Standacd, May Sft.) 

The most important part of his theory, and the 
roost prominent feature of " Lohenirrin," la his 
fondness for recitative and aria partanie. The Ital- 
ians designate aria parlaute as that species of eatUi- 
Una which lies between air and recitative a tempo. 
There is nothing new about the form ; Handel fre- 
quently used it. and the greater part of Purcell's 
famous song of " Mad Bess ** is written in this de 
clamstory style. It unquestionably has its advan- 
tages, one of which is to allow the ear to re|x>se 
after the fatig^ie occasioned by long continued or 
too strongly a«*«entuated rhythm. But it may be 
carried to excess, and this is the great point in which 
Wagner so grievously sinSb Hundreds of pages, Ifli- 
deeu almost a whole opera, of aria parlanUt consti- 
tutes a weariness almost insupportable. Half an 
hour's discourse in no particular key, and accom- 
panied with apparently purposeless modulations, 
will not make up for a patent lack of melody, what- 
ever the most uncompromising partisans may say 
au contraire. The paucity of melodic airs Is not an 
improvement, and the substitution of aria parlanU 
does not constitute any pleasing advance in art. 
Melody is a gift that is but sparingly possessed by 
Wagner ; but to pretend that this is an advantage, 
and to sneer at piettiness — a^i is done by some of his 
adherents — ^is as ridiculous as was Berlioz's pretend- 
ed dislike of the fngal form. One is insensibly re« 
minded of Cherubini's sharp comment on this, **Tes, 
he dislikes fugue becouse it dislikHS him." 

And yet there is melody in "Lohengrin," and some 
beautiful music ; but these p«>rtions are just Uiose 
that the Wagneri'es protest against, and r^i^rd as 
weaknesses of the composer's immature youth in- 
volving principles which in his later works he has 
entirely cast away. What success attended the per- 
formances of '* Lohengrin " on Saturdav and Mon- 
day last is, we believe, to be ascribed solely to these 
fragments. It would be affectation, which the mcMt 
pronounced adherent would hardly be guilty of, to 
pretend that the interminable recitatives met with 
the slightest favor. The house was filled with Ten- 
tons rallied to the support of their countryman, but 
even they could scarcely raise a hand in support of 
these dreary restless things. The inherent good in 
the work shines out all the more brilliantly l>y the 
contrast with xXaXsariapttrlante ; and contrast — that 
most valuable feature of music — lent a certain 
amount of charm to the gems, and unquestionably 
increased their brilliancy by comparison wi^h the 
dulness of preceding parts. 

Excepting the arioM parlanU$, or recitative, as 
some may prefer to call it, the solos in the work are 
insignificant. The same may be said of the chorus- 
es with but trifline exceptions. They are for the 
most part short, jerky, very ugly, and very bard to 
sing The orchestral preludes, Ac., are, though 
small in number and limited in scope, interesting, 
and In some cases novel ; bnt Wagner does D<«t be- 
lieve in pure abstract music, and so, with the excep- 
tion of the attempted illustration of the descent of 
the Holy Orail, to be found in the opening prelude, 
he places little reliance on these mere Instmroental 
movements. We may dismiss ttie concerted music 
for the soli voices without remark ; It Is of no Im- 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, JUNE 12, 1875 



37 



portAnce, save for its absence of reco^ized form, 
and its sin^larly harsh unvocal phrase*. One pe- 
cnlinrity is certainly worthy of note. Wa^er nas 
succeeded in dotn^ one thin^ that no boroposer has 
ever done before: he has written a daet for one 
voice. The whole of the first scene in the second 
act — ^ranninir to 24 pasres in the vocal score copy — 
is taken up with a duet between Frederick and Or- 
trnd, who are seated on the steps of the minster. 
Each character sin<|^ alone, and thoun^h they plot 
lonir enoucrh to overthrow a dynasty, they never 
sinf( tncrether, save in the last'SS bars, and here 
they sini( in unison I This is surely the most origi- 
nal duet extant in music. 

Tested by Wasrner's own principles, we have 
shown that his mnsic faiN ; examined from a more 
sensnons poini. of view — ^that of pleasinft the ear — ^it 
is equally at fault To a &rreat extent, Wairner has 
been taken on trust in this country ; no first-class 
mnsician, no prominent amateur, no noted critic has 
definitely declared in his favor. It is now the duty 
of the small, but ardent ciVcle of his admirers to ex- 
plain the cause of his failure ; and. as they can pour 
nut words ati libilum^ no doubt this will be done. 
Happily there are not enou 'h Baal worshippers 
here fnr thin country to bow the knee to the hew 
idol. Neither the principles nor the materials of 
which '* Lohensrrin ** consists will find acceptance in 
England. To maintain that they represent a desir- 
able advance in art, would be to glorify chaos; to 
place ugliness on a pedestal and worship it as a 
virtue. 

SomethlnflT more, too, than pretty scenes, rich 
dre<«ses. a lar^e outlay of money, fine singing, and 
thousrhtful actinsT, is neseii^ary to constitute an opera 
which shall take rank, and retain it. on the stage. 
Musicians demand a sound and intelligent construc- 
tion ; and to that must be added, artistic beauty. 
Neither of these essentials does " Lohengrin " pos- 
sess in a sufficiently ample degree. Wagner is a 
sort of musical chameleon, and so almost all that 
has been written about him possesses a certain 
amount of truth. Hin muwicis occasionally beauti- 
ful, and yet often intensely uglv ; tender, and yet 
noisy ; powerful, and yet puerile ; suggestive, and 
yet Incoherent and meaningless ; his orchestration 
streporous and yet ethereal Rameau, GInck, and 
M^hul have preceded him In theory ; Cherubini and 
Meyerbeer have supplied him with examples of 
" laying out and treatment " that he has made good 
use of; while his orchestration is largely borrowed 
from Weber and Berlioi. His vocal writing is, 
unhappily, copied from no one ; indeed, so singular 
is it, that one might almost term " Lohengrin " an 
orchestral opera with a vocal accompaniment, and 
frequently the vocal parts quite spoil the highly 
colored orchestral writing. 



Ceyed-Btringed Inftmments of Mmia 

8» RoacBT Strwart*s Lbctuebs at Dublin 
Univbbsitt.* 

IV. 

The fourth lecture on keyed instruments, which 
took place on Saturday, April 8, was the most fully 
attended of the series. The body of the ball was 
filled, also the platform reserved for the families of 
the College "dons", and the performers who illus- 
trated the lecture. The crowa still increasing, how- 
ever, the organ gallery was opened and soon occu- 
pied. At two o*clock Sir Robert Stewart came for- 
ward and said- 
Such of my auditors as heard the lecture of last 
Saturday, and can recall the singular tones produced 
by the quills on the strings of the harpsichord, may 
have, perhaps, felt surprise that our forefathers could 
have so long endured, much less admired, anytldng 
so different from the keyed instruments of our day. 
But, in such matters, allowance must be made both 
for the effect of habit in the hearers and difference 
in the instnimenta themselves; for, although we 
were fortunate in obtaining a spinet and a harpsi- 
chord for you to hear (and I do not think that in the 
whole of Ireland there now exists one other), still 
we cannot be said to have heard the harpsichord to 
advantage, the tuners who understood the proper 
quilling of these instruments having long departed, 
and the proper style of touching the keys being, to 
some extent^ lost. Custom is indeed all-powerful. 
To borrow an illustration from dress— can we con- 
ceive anything more unbecoming than the fashions 
of ladiee' dress from 1780 to 1820? When young 
people of the present day are shown (ashion^books 
published between the dates I have named, they 
smile incredulously, and are slow to admit that such 

•Reported In the London MuHeal Standard, 



dresses could ever have existed, much less that la- 
dies thus attired were just as attractive, if not more 
so, than they are now. We may the more readily 
understand our ancestors' admiration for the thin 
and biting ptectrum-twang (here Sir Robert first 
touched the strings of the piano with his finger-nails, 
and then struck the keys in the ordinary manner) 
bv reflecting that they were accustomed to this sort 
of tone in their other instruments. Thus their 
shawm, chalumeau. or shalmy (derived from the 
eaiamut, or reed), their hautboy, bassoon, and bag- 
pipe — ail partook of this quality. The early English 
stringed instruments, too, those " chests of viols." 
in which they deliflrhted, were of nasal timhre, and 
not at all what we should call mellow. Of this there 
is amusinflT evidence in the catch written by Henry 
Pnrcell (whose portrait hangs on yonder wall) in 
ridicule of the viol-dl-Gamba, or knee- viol, of the 
Rev. Mr. .Gostlinfl: (the bass singer admired by 
Charles IL) The burden of this catch ran thus :^ 

Whet, what, whet, 
Aweep, sweep, sweep; 
Zingte. zinfrle, sing, 
Zit, can, sounds I 

Even so lately as 1768, when Zumpe, a German 
harpsichord-maker, began to make pianos in Lon- 
don, he son<;ht to imitate the harpsicnord tone ; and 
when old John Broad wood, by using a thicker cov- 
ering for his hammers, produced a softer HmHre, the 
harpsichord players found fault with it as " tubby 
and dull." If, however, our tastes have change<l, 
even if we are wiser than our fathers, it seems a 
pity to destroy their work so ruthlessly as we do. 
Among the lectures on Irish mnsic read in this hall 
two years asro, one was devoted to the harp, in which 
I drew attention to the wholesale destruction of 
those instruments, a demolition so wanton and so 
sweeping that except the ancient and beautiful spec- 
imen fortunately preserved in our own College Mu- 
seum, scarcely one antique harp can be found in 
Ireland. Much the same may be said of the harpsi- 
chord and spinet Those who possess specimens 
(and they are very few) have either permitted the 
''jacks" to be pulled out by children, or converted 
the instruments to even baser uses. One lady I 
know to have employed the case of her harpsichord 
as a pantry-press, and kept butter and eggs in it, 
the jacks and strings being destroyed. Some of the 
letters I received on this subject would excite a 
smile. Here is one : — " Sir — In reply to your ad- 
vertisement I beg to say I have got a harpsichord, 
which you can have for £2 ; it is in capital condi- 
tion, but the insides is all gone 1 " In several in- 
stances where it was reported that harpsichords ex- 
isted, such as at Castleti>wn House, in the county of 
Dublin, and at Ballycoms, on the borders of the 
Wicklow hills, it turned out that the so-called harp- 
sichords were only old pianos with dates of 1790 tn 
1800. Again two of my former pupils had married 
into ancient Irish county families; both ladies 
thought there was a harpsichord somewhere. At 
leni^h one was fonnd in a harness. room in a remote 
paK of the building — the other in a dark cellar. 
Both the instruments had been utterly destroyed by 
damp and neglect. I trust, however, that by direct- 
ing attention to the matter, some of these once-val- 
ued old instnimenta (for in some families spinets 
were left by will to particularly musical individuals), 
may yet be rescued from their neglected state and 
rendered playable. Many harpsichords had been 
destroyed for the sake of their beautifully painted 
panels. I myself was witness to this process of 
destr'iction, for when visiting Erard*s factory last 
year I saw a set of panels, representing nymphs, 
shepherds, and satyrs, about to be fastened outside 
the works of a new grand piano. I thought how 
much better to have left the antique instrument in 
its own anaintly ornamented case, and to have 
enclosed tne magnificent Erard work in their usual 
plain but elegant envelope of rosewood. In England 
people are not generally so destructive ; it is a 
conservative soil, and about forty of these old relics 
were recently oollected at South Kensington. It is 
intereating to recall such descriptions of old 
instruments as that of Bnrney: " The moat magnifi- 
cent harpsichord made by Snndi for Frederick the 
Oreat.all silver and tortoiseshell," (what has become 
of itr). I find (continued Sir Robert Stewart), that 
the old harpsicnord on which Queen Hortense, the 
mother of Mapoleon 1 1 1. practised, is still religion dy 
preserved at the Chateau of Arenenberg. Tou will 
recollect that to this lady (a scholar of Madame 
Campan) is attributed the well-known air, " Partant 
pour la Syria " (a few bars of the air were here 
played). Most visitors to the Interesting " Hotel 
de Cluny " will recollect the curious Italian spinets 
included In that collection. When Logger visited 



Berlin in 1824, he too, found the harpsichord of 
Fasch (founder of the Singakademie there) still 
preserved, and has recorded his conviction that the 
Berliners would not have exchanged it for the finest 
Broadwood Grand which England could produce. 

Let us (continued the lecturer) reoal the names of 
some of the virtuosi who, in England and abroad, 
were famous for their manner of touching the keya 
of these old relics. There were the German Bacha 
— a numerous tribe — of whom John Sebastian and 
his son John Christian were chief. Later on too 
there was Moiart. Of the French Couperins there 
were ten, all famous, though none so great as Fran- 
cois, called Le Grand. Our French list would not 
be complete without Madame Lagnerre, chamber 
musician to Mdme. Montespan (1680 — 17S1). ' Of 
Fasch, harpsichordist to Frederic the Great, we 
have just spoken. Then, in England, there was 
Handel, and Kel way, whom old Mrs. Delany thought 
little inferior to him. Travers, also, and Battishill 
— cathedral writers as well as harpsichordists— and 
Worgan, and wild Tom Rosingrave, who, the son of 
an Englishman, became, as usual, *' more Irish than 
the Irish themselves." He it was who oompared 
Scarlatti's transcendent harpsichord execution to 
" ten hundred devils at the instrument." Nay, even 
bis subsequent love-making was characteristic of the 
man ; for when jilted by the lady of his choice, he 
borrowed a simile from the harpsichord, and declared 
that he distinctly peroeived his heart-strings eraek 
the moment she rejected him; this he called his 
erepaUim^ fancifully deriving his sensations from the 
Italian verb erepmre, ** to crack." Indeed he some- 
times believed that Satan played upon this fanciful 
stringed instrument In Ireland the Hon. Garret 
Wesley (or Welleslsy), second Lord Morniogton, 
and the Hon. Mr. Brownlow, afterwards Lord Lur- 
gan, were famous harpsichordists. Three more 
^mous players — ladies — must conclude our list 
Lady Hamilton (Nelson*s friend), who had a fine 
Shndi harpsichord at Naples, and was, besides, 
described by Mosart*s father as a " most expressive 
clavier player." Mrs. Billington. who performed in 
public at six years of age, and of whoee Uaato Salo- 
man (who brought Haydn to England) said, " Sare, 
she nnff9 wit her fingares ! " Lastly, the Princess 
Czartoryski, consort of the Polish noble of that name. 
This laay— one of thcr most attractive women of her 
time— was born in 1748. She visited London in 
company with the Russian Ambassador. She was 
also admired by the Due de Lausun, the French 
Ambassador; accompanied by both, she quitted 
England for Belgium. There the two Ambassadors 
fell out and had a duel about her. So national was 
she, that she turnod her palace into a hospital for 
the wounded, during the Polish Revolution of 1830; 
she died at an advanced age In 1884. Her portrait, 
including that of her favorite harpsichord, engraved 
during her visit to London in 1770, hangs yonder, 
adjoining that of Mrs. Billington. Sir Robert 
Stewart now dealt with the names of Tabel (a Flem- 
ish emigrant, who was the first to manufacture 
harpsichords, in England ; he had learned the art 
from Rucker's successor), also mentioning his two 
workmen, Bnrkhardt Shudl (the founder of the great 
firm of Broadwood), and Kirkmann. The latter, 
who married Tabel's widow, seems to have secured 
the lady by a sort of cohv de main^ fpving her but 
half an hour to decide whether she would have him 
or not but swearing that married he had resolved 
to be that very morning. The lady consented, and 
by this union of two fond hearts, itirkmann having 
secured not only the good- will of the house, but a 
stock of seaaoned timber, and every reouisite for 
harpsichord manufacture, soon rose to wealth. When 
guitars came into fashion to the detriment of the 
harpsichord trade, Kirkmann shrewdly averted ruin, 
and caused a revolution in taste by presenting all 
the milliner's apprentices and maids with guitars. 
He had them also taught to play. This degraded 
the guitar from its place among Mshionable accom- 

{>lishments, and restored the harpsichord to public 
isvor. In the 17th and 18th centuries there was less 
attention paid to expression in music ; such refine- 
ments as forte, piano, slurs, and doubly-dotted notes, 
rarely written down, were taught by the conductor 
at rehearsal. But as the 18th century advanced, 
and expression became more sought men were no 
longer satisfied with the harpsichord. It baa been 
oft^ remarked that whenever social or political 
wants are experienced they are generally supplied 
in various placee, and nearly at the same time,— 
'* the hour * in ihort " produces the man." So it 
was with the pianoforte ; within a fewyears of each 
other, in Italy, France, Germany, and England, were 
produced instruments closely resembling the piano- 
forte as we see it The priority of date, however, 



38 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL* OF MUSIC. 



belongs to the Itnlian inventor. Bartolemeo 
Christofali, who, in 1711, first struck the strintr with 
hammers, and called his invention by an Italian 
name. Marias, of Paris, produced his " Clavecin a 
Mailiete*' in 1716. Schroeter seems to have hit on 
his "Hammer Clavier" in the following year at 
Dresden. From the imperfect communication which 
then existed between various European countries, 
and from an examination of the evidence adduced, it 
is unlilwely that any of these three talented men 
borrowed from the others. To Dr. Rimbault belongs 
the credit Affixing the date, and by him the evidence 
of the priority of the Italian invention is clearly 
•stablisned. 8o heedlessly, however, had this been 
treated that not nnfreqnently some one of the three 
names— Christofali, Marins. or Schroeter — had been 
altagether omitted by writers on the subject. Id 
the pianoforte action it was necessary altojorether to 
sever the connection between the key and the ham> 
mer after the blow has been given ; this did not 
exist in the ordinary mechanism for ri naming bells, 
nor in the organ, clavichord, or harpsichord ; but 
it formed the great difficulty in the pianoforte 
mechanism. To remedy this had been also the ob- 
ject of the English inventor. Rev. William Mason, 
Canon Residentiary of York, a friend of the poet 
Gray, and also a poet, an essayist, and a most in- 
genioas mechanic. Mas<m had invented the "celes- 
tinette," a little keyed-instrument, alluded to in the 
" Delany Correspondence,'* and passed with many 
persons as also inventor of the piano in England. 

The musical illustrations of the lecturer included 
one of the pedal clavichord sonatas of Seb. Bach, 
composed for W. Friedemann Bach in 1723 ; also 
Schumann's study No. 1, in C major, for the pedal 
piano ; these were played as trios for violoncello, 
narmonium, and piano, in the absence of a pedal in- 
strument. A lady also played the allegro from 
Bach's "Concerto in the Italian Style," and the 
lecture was concluded by the members of the 
University Choral Society singing " Lord of all 
power," a little anthem composed by the Rev. W. 
Mason, above alluded to. There will be two more 
lectures delivered, dealincr with the modern grand 
piano, and the various novelties introduced, from 
time to time, in keye<l instruments. 

[To be Contlnned.] 



tm^ » 



A yidt to Xaitre Wartel—Amerioan Op- 
eratic Singeri in Europe. 

We reprint from the Chicago THmen a portion of a 
Paris letter describing an interview with M. Wartel, 
the great singing master. 

Paris, May 7. — We drew up before the door of S9 
Rue de la Chansse D'Antin. That is where Profes- 
sor Wartel lives, and we were going to call on the 
old teacher and hear him give a lesson. I steppe<l 
up to the concierge, who 5s ver}* po'ite, and he, di- 
vining my inquiry and seeing a roll of music, said, 
" Mailre Wartel f Yes, he's at home; third floor, 
first door to the right — entrance from the inner 
court" He smiled, and we walked toward the court. 
You see, any one that g^s to 89 either wishes a 
lesson or a stylish dress made, and the old porter 
knows when the " folks look musical," and when 
they have an eye to the latest modes. Our appear- 
ance evidently said " Wartel " plainer than any 
French could nave done, and following directions, 
we soon found ourselves pulling a dark bell-rope 
and awaiting entrance to tne famous study-rooms of 
the more famous French singing teacher. The 
door opened, I felt a queer sensation creep over me, 
something as if I were abont to be magnetized. 
Have you ever been to a fortune-teller's f Well, I 
suppose not ; I haven*t either, but I have heard all 
about such things and imagine one's feelings must 
be something very smiilar to those that steal over 
one when entering the room on the third floor of 
89. A dark-haired maid answered our ring and 
told us that Professor Wartel would see us directly. 
I looked at her and again felt those queer sensa- 
tions. She said, " Come this way," and we strag- 
gled by a table laden down with lowers and pretty 
nick-nacks into a narrow, dark and very long corri- 
dor, that took us past three large rooms into a little 
ante-chamber, or salon for visitors, where we sat 
down on an old-fashioned sofa, and awaited the com- 
ing of the " Master." 

You see Miss Emma Abbott had invited us to 
hear her lesson, and the appointment being for 8 
o'clock precisely, I looked up at the cuckoo's house, 
and saw that we were five minutes ahead of time. Two 
minutes passed ; three, four, and we heard dainty 
footsteps in the corridor. As the door opened, and 
the cuckoo sang the first of its three notes for 
the hour, in tripped Patti's little protegee with a 



smile on her face, and a few bright words of wel- 
come, prompt as usual to the minnt«. 

" Emma,*' said I, lookin x at the clock, " this is 
what I call being on time; are you in the habit of 
making your entr6e with that other bird ? " 

"Oh," she said, laughingly ; " I usnally manage to 
get hero just the moment the pupil before me finish- 
es her hour, as I never ''are to lose any time ; but 
here comes Wartel, and I'll introduce you." 

I looked up, and saw standing berore me Nils- 
son's professor, P. Wart«l, the man that holds his 
pupils as with an enchanters power, and teaches 
them how in their turn to enchain and fascinate 
others. As he stands before me, a pen picture of 
him may not be uninteresting to you. He is very 
tall, «ith strhight form and broad shoulders. The 
hair is tinged with gray, while the beard is quite 
white. The eyes are black, brilliant and shrewd, 
yet a kindly expression flashes from out their depths 
and lights up the old face with a transient glory 
that seems to tell something of that wondrous mag- 
netic power that he exercises over each and every 
person who enters his apartment. The cheeks arc 
snnken, and the complexion is pale and dark. The 
forehead is very broad and high, and his slight bald- 
ness near either tAmple makes it look still broader. 
His voice is low, and he speaks with a searching 
kind of undertone running through every not« of it 
that makes one feel as if "the whole truth, and 
nothing but the truth," could ever be told him with 
impunity. 

The moment I saw Emma move. I knew that she 
was ready to commence her work ; so we left the 
little salon and went into the music-room where 
Professor James, the aecompoffnaUur, was already 
seated at the piano. I am not going to tell ynu 
how Miss Abbott sang, as you all know that sho 
sings beautifully, but I snail desrril>ft Wartel's 
method, his manner of teaching, and his rr)oms. 
The pupil stands beside the piano, and he seats 
himself directly opposite*, where he can watch ev«»ry 
move, every gesture, hear every tone, and direct 
things in general. The pupil commt^nces to sine, 
and Wartol begins to move his head in time with 
the music, humming with the scholar a bar here 
and there, sometimos in unison, sometimes in bar- 
mony, always in perfect accord. Sometimes at 
every other measure the student is interrupted 
with such expres8i«)ns as " Softer, my child ; " 
*• More legato, my little cat ; " " Louder, more ex- 
pression," etc., etc. It must take no small amount 
of composnre tf> be able to have one screaming at 
you e^ery other moment, and yet keep steadily on 
singing, changing the tone and style according to 
the teacher's directions ; but all of Wartel's scholars 
get nsed t^o this, and it is astonishing how they can 
obey the tones of his voice. 

His great specialty is posing the voice. Tenor 
and soprano, oass and contralto sing after the one 
methoa, but, strange to say, his most successful 
scholars have been ladies. Somehow or other he 
knows how to train and pose the female voice to 
perfection, as all acknowledge that Wartel's pufdls 
know how to sing in tune, and to execute honestlv 
and smoothly the most difficult florid music. He 
evidently believes in the old saying, " slow but 
sure," as his scholars often study years before taking 
up an opera. He has great Ifaith in the vocalvth^ 
which are really songs without words, and are from 
the first interesting to the pupil. He uses the stud- 
ies of H. Panofka as the first series; next those of 
M. Masset, and afterward, for the most advanced 
scholars, the vocalu^n of Righini and Damereax, 
which are quite as difficnlt as any opera that could 
grace either the ancient or modern repertory. The 
pupils all study with him at a certain hour of each 
day, and at another honr they have a lesson with 
Professor James, who has been with Wartel eighteen 
years, and who teaches all of the operas and takes 
them through with the voealiah. Wartel himself 
never hears them sing in opera, unless just before a 
pupil leaves she might wish to show the perfection 
of ner voice and style to her dear professor. Then 
she chooses some aria, or scene, and the old man 
hears in the selected piece the great good his in- 
terminable scales and exercises nave done toward 
forming the voice and preparing her for the more 
ambitious work of learning Verdi or Mozart. One 
day the scholar sings nothing but scales, and the 
next day nothing but the vwsalitih. Two pupils 
have an hour together, and one sings ten minutes 
while the other resta, making the lesson of each 
one-half an hour in length ; this is all they sing dur- 
ing that time, though of course the advice he gives 
to the other during the alternate ten minutes is the 
same as a lesson to one who cares to learn from ob- 
servation. Besides, using the voice hard ten min- 



utes at a time, half an hour is quite enough of exer- 
cises for the strongest throat That is where War- 
tel is wise, aod really his method is too hard on any 
voice to sine: even that amount every day year in and 
year out, without taking away all of its freshness and 
b<»auty before it is what he calls " |>crfectly posed." 
However, if scholars Htiidy with sense, I do not 
think they could find a better person to train and 
" place " the voice (to express properly the meaning 
of the word " pose " as it is uxed in this sense.) 

To quote the exact words of one of his most prom- 
ising pupils, " he makes you hit the notes just like 
a hammer, and that is what poses the voice and 
maVes the intonation perfect.'* Some voicea are 
naturally posed, and forsnch as these Wartel's meth- 
od could have in A very short time only the effect of 
harden! ni; it, — a thing which is never agreeable, 
and .which is only necessary for those who have a 
constant tremolo. 

Wartel is a irreat teacher, let people say what 
they may ; as evidence of his work ne has given 
to the world some great singers, and one alone 
was sufficient to make his reputation as a teacher. 
This year. Miss Julia Gaylord. afl^r only a few 
months' study, was engaged by Carl Rosa for Eng- 
lish opera, and has had great success. She is an 
American girl, who will no doubt have a distin- 
guished career as a prima donna, either in English 
or Italian opera. Her personal attractions are as 
rare as charming, while nor voice is bell-like, and 
it already shows some careful cultivation. She is 
creating guit« a furore in the British provinces, and 
aUo in the larger cities of Liverpool. Dublin and 
Glasgow. She has great dramatic ability, and we 
wish her every success. 

Stoigljt's |0nrnal of Pnsk 

BOSTON, JUNE 12, 1875. 

Traiulations from Writers about Mofia 

" Art Lirx axd Thborib8 or Richard Wagnkr,*' 
selected from his Writings and Translated by 
Edward L. Burlingam b, is the title of a handsome 
duodecimo of 800 pages, just from the press of Henry 
Holt A Co., Now York. It forms one of their "Am- 
ateur Series," which has already g^ven us the 
Diaries and Correspondence of Moscheles, and the 
Autobiography and Memoirs of H. F. Chorley. It 
is to be followed by a similar volume of translations 
from the Autobiography and Musical Grotesques of 
Hector Berlioz, by W. F. Apthorp. 

In the book now before ns, the American reader 
will find copious and truly representative selections 
from the nine octavo volumes of Wagner's collected 
writings, hitherto a sealed book to those not famil- 
iar with the German language. The selections are 
made with judgment, so as to afford a good idea of 
Wagner's literary faculty under various phases, as 
well as of Wagner as a man and what he means, 
what he is striving to accomplish. His ideals, his 
extravaganzas, his egotism, his sharp power of crit- 
icism and of satire, his sincere admiration of Beet- 
hoven, Weber, and other great masters, whom he 

seems so ambitious to supplant, speak for themselves, 
for the work of the translator is faithfully done. 

First comes his short Autobiography, simply told, 
in a brief and pithy st\'le, beginning : " My name 
is Wilhelm Richard Wagner, and I was born in 
Leipzig on the twenty-second day of May, 1818; ** but 
it comes down only to the year 1842 : a brief record 
of his subsequent life is supplied by the translator. 
Then follows a series of his earlier writings, fantas 
tical, romantic, or satirical, which form the lighter 
and most readable portion of the book. The first 
is " The Love-Veto," the story of the first perform- 
ance of a youthful attempt at opera, with t wild plot 
suggested by Shakspeare's " Measure for Measure." 
The cleverest of them all is " A Pilgrimage to 
Beethoven." told as if it were bis own, though it is 
purely ImsLginary, and full of humorous description, 
particularly of the hated " Englishman," who haun 
ted him on the way to Vienna, drawn thither by 
the same magnet, and who clune to his skirts until 
he finally gained admission to the inaccessible mas- 
ter. He draws Beethoven into conversation about 
Opera, and in the coolest way makes him discourse 
flat Wagnerism I In the next piece, "An End in 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, JUNE 12, 1875. 



Pdri*." thr voiins ItoGth jven cntliai'lBat Is no Inncpr 
prfsentcd in Uip first iHT««n, but 1^ trawc! to the 
melnnrliolv end of nnnpprenUtpil iind orsuil (renlus 
111 tlie erert city. " Drr FreyspliQti in PmU" la 

nwit trenchant Bnil HmnMni! ratire upon the mnn- 

r In wliirh Wpbor'a roniRntic mniiterpiccs was 
hriiiiulit init Ht the Grnni] Opera, with full rtcitn- 
tivi-s hv HbpIIoz, In enpplv the place of the upolten 
dinloewm oftheoricindl.tWebj reducing the Ari«a 
"jj inwcniflmnt proportions. 

Now cornea harder reading. Warner <« allowed 
to prpscnt tjie iiloni anhstance of his crlliclsm on the 
exlAllng Opera and hU conatrncllie theory of the 
Drama or Art-Wori of the Fature. in the compara- 
tively short form of his letter to a French friend. 
nued as a preface In a prn«e tranalation nf some of 
hiH Libretti ; he adopts the titln tpren by his crit- 
■ i: ■■TheMiiBlcoftheFutnrB." This is the essay 

which wi- translated an alilo review by Ferdinand 
Hiller in this journal a year since. From that re- 
view (lar readers may hnve piwiessed thei' Kelvea nf 
the lesdinc ideas set forth in Wiener's letter; hiit 
It will be better to read them here presented in full. 
n his nwn order, in sentences iis deaf no doubt as 

may be heavy rearlini, bnt It will repay ; and it ix 
askms a comparatively sllghl cffurt on th" imrl «f 
one who wishes to hnow l1ie drift of the reformer's 
thought, to (five fa<m tliis to read instead of the 
mui'h more bnlhy, formidable and less temperate 
" Optr unJ Dyanui.'' This is the jiiirt tU mii'titm 
of the volume.— Shorter pieces follow, on : "The 
Production of Tannliiin>er in Paris;" " The Piirp<«e 
of the Opera ;" nnd " Musical Criticism.' And the 
remainder of the selections relate to Warner's 
■■ Niebelungen Trilt^j " (or rather Tetralnftyl. nnd 

to the irrcnt perfnrmanee thereof to eoir* -"' ' 

year at Bayrenth. These Include, first, 
af the " Leicend nf the Nlebelun^n." out of which 
Ihe |ilot ofthe trilogy is wuven, — about as mystical, 
bewildering', full nf vast, vactuc shadowy beings, as 
ivthiitozy we ever attempted lo uiideretand ; 
lid seem to lack the human intcreat which is 
lentlal to opera, and for which the Greek my- 
thology and hero period afford a better field : but 
after tiayreuth. we shall be'ter know. Then come 
descriptions of the Opera House at Bayreuth, with 
the circiimstnncea leading to its inception, the 
formation of Ihe Wsgnpr-ARsodations, and a history 
of the progrees nisde In the erection of the edifiee. 
with several drnwings to illustrate ita plan.— The 
book is further enriched by a complete ' '' 



dallv practice, hnt rather by a ri«aonahle amonnt 
of prnetice well directed, tailing thines only in the 
right ppngre»tive order. ITcailV"; " 1 am conntant- 
ly asked : ' flow many hours a day do your dntigh- 
l*rs practise f If the nnmher of hour" spent in 

I ciirlona unl manellnna ealilUtlnns alnlrl<into-Mp? 
tanvB nntv to ptny niDslrall; and lieiutlfnll]-, snil tn 



«?' 




r-"SMrr.. 


































asrw. 














HLsa 


H»r)Fp.IJlclH>ls),.ndllls 




luall 



catalogue of Wagner's published works, by Mr. W. 

" Apthorp, —Surety the SnElish reader will not 

' lack the means of onderstinding Wneni 



)s he himself has set them forth in 
words. We too, in this Journal, for more than 
twenty years past, hire nqt been inattentive to the 
new phenomenon, translsiing more or less from 
Wagner's writings, as well as from his elowing 
adv'irate, Lisxt, besides reproducing the ablest crit 
ical abstracts, jiro anifiwt, that we Could find, by 
lendins musical inlharlties in Oermany and Enft- 
tand. Wagner lileratnre is getting lolerablv well 
-'-rnUted. This, fallowed up by "Tannhftuser" and 
.ohengrin," likewise by Thomas, has dona the 
skirmishing ; now lar tlte musical new era to pro- 
ceed from Bavreuth ; now fur the concrete veritable 
Art-Work of the Futural 

"Pi*!<o*snS«so: How to Teach. How to Lcsrn, 
and How to Form a ,ludgment of Musicnl Perform- 
ances." transUtt-d from the German of Priediich 
Wiici. Bosltin : Lockwood, Brrmks A Co. 

Thiiia a pithy, entertaining and in«riictlve little 
book, long popuUr In Germany, in wliich the fa- 
-ODS old teacher WiecH. o( Dresden. Ihe father nnd 
acher of Hme. Clara Schumann and of Marie 
Wieck, has given as his Ideas about learning to jilay 
the piano and to sing, his criticisms upon false 
teachers, ahallunr ezutlstical virtuosos, the fashion- 
' le affectations aod vaniUea of pupils flattered by 

id parents, Ac, Ac. In a style often very quaint 

d homely, and amusingly satirical. In a series 
of papers, various in form, partly didsctic. partly In 
dialogue, where he himself takes the name of li<im- 
inle and relates bis experience at divers musical 
laaiily parties, Ihe book contains many auund ideas, 
butli with regard to the techniqoe of tlia two srta, 
and to true laate and eipression in performance, or 
the idesi interpretation of good compositions. Sniiie 
of bis ideas are peculiar. For instance, he would 
first have the yuungheginner make hiiuoelt at home 
on the keyboard and the riglit use of the lingers, for 
several months, before learnlnt!; anything aboul the 
printed notes. He does not believe that artislo lu 
piano plaj ing become so by • very large amount of 



A Park for BiMton.— Corey'i Hill. 

Before the r|uestinn of a PuOUc Park had bezun 
to be serion sly agitated,— namely in August, 1857, 
—our friend " The Diarist,'- (Beethoven's blogra- 
plier. A. W. Thayer), suggested in this Journal the 
importnnce of obtaining that beautiful commanding 
hill in Brookline, as a plaue of public resort for the 
■•rnwlng popnlat'on of our city. At that time the 
filling op of the Back Bay was not beenn ; and our 
friend. If he should retnrn now. would he surprised 
to see how rnucli of his vision of the " noble Hvenue," 
which he pm|ect«d Itito the far future, is alreadv 
renlind. Still we lack the park, and Corey's hill 
will soon be cut up into pri vate Iota, if prompt sli^ 
be not taken to redeem and save It for the public 
cood. We think the advantages of such a spot, the 
inestimable worth of such an opportunity, could 
hardly be set forth more convincingly, than they 
were at that time bv onr friend. 

Let u« have Corey's Hill by all means,— and onr 
dear old Common too, without which Boston would 
be s)inrn of more than half its cbsrm and glory: (we 
can better afford several more Great Fires than we 
esn to lose lhat'i—\ti US keep every Inch of it as a 
sacred and inalienable posaesaion of the people 1 
And when we have the hill, then possibly, now that 
the restless " prohibition" ghost Is laid, some enter- 
prising miislc'loving German, If not American, may 
obtain leave to erect a lleht hall with saloon and 
promenaile amnuK the cool treea on Its slope, whith- 
er the tired prisoners of our hot streets in the sum- 
mer evenings may resort for Garden Concerts, such 
as Theodore Til nmas gives thim every evening in 
New York. Nothing conld more contribute to the 
refreshment and Esthetic culture of the people in 
Ihe summer months, when Boston suffers from an 
litter dearth of all refined amuaemeni, Morcsver. 
with a vIbw simply to the Improvement of onr mu- 
sical means, such concerts woidd afford employment 
to an ornheatra whose members could be kept 
gether the year round, kept In constant prattle 
good mnsic, and the effect would certainly be felt 
in the greater excellence of our Symphony orclias- 
Ira in the winter- 
But let the " Diarist" state hla case once more; the 
subject Is 'up" as it was not then, and he will now 
be heard ; 

• • • * IhanUkensirangrnlalelrtomytsTorlie 
point ot view, lar the psnoriima of Boston and Its envl- 

cama upnn Ihe ap» of Carey's bill, leaped from tlie vebi- 
ele. He w» so ilruek wllh Ibe rlohneis and beaat; af 



pon the obaerraUiry 
avenixe, lined villi rows or irei 
d'-n Linden," In Berlin, tioTdered 



ly'shtli, neean tne 
at trees, wider ths 
irdered with mac" 11! 

id stretching dlrtetlyoii 



V plai 



all the 



n irblcli 






ruba. Ttie oali In Ita »varal species, Intcrmlied wll 
intllul clumpt of plnrs. Bra and hem^ocki-Chat nobl 
«!— btckortea and ehesinuu, maplea and ash m, all i 
iilr places-all beautiful In them selve-, alt silll mai 

la spot the fragrant UHnfras, In that Oa iweet fen 
ere the Isoms iHninin, and bare again tlie swut brlai 
>scch nf ilie kalmlm laEI Folia refreihei the tjtan iheoi 






9 other. 



re driving out In long pro- 
ber Uie milldam, wlodlntc up ihe side af Corej's, 
lunKlD.>klngBt thBKlories below and around, 
n upon Itaeother >ide, and bcneslb lbs ibade ot 
me old elms which line tbe •treeta, they drive on 
ind avenue— the " Boulevard " ot Iho elly. This 
< become to Besten more than Itjrda Park li lo 
Down smonj; the groves and shul>1>ery of tbe 
a thauund poor mothers with tbclr chlldtcn are 
,Dd drlnkini In the Kene wllh emoiloni which 
they do not understand, bat which on the Greit Rook 
redlt of him ot whom It Is written, 
onaldemb the poor and needj." 






enlight- 



ened tnati'. Thiil ii..l.1c-rii.-»ofillstOsllla 

purrhn-f iif Mils l.iil :md lt» improvement for a pntillc r*- 
Cinmiin j.jnrler.snd th^hroad acres Itehiw as, then open 
fliM-. .19 hnvlnx iwen anOrtsnitor Ihe recreailon of the 
V'\i'« Rut now, with this dinsepnonlatlon, and wtib 
n<. -.iiii.-.l,l<- provi.lnn in the way ofnarke and putric 
pI'M-iKv' Ei-Dundi. what conld the people do wlUwMt Ibli 

pnii'h compsiinl wtth ih<) nulille aroanda of tureign cities 
— hilt iiien itiH views li sfPinls are osuperb aa lo more 
than make up foribesnullnesa ol Ita extent. Indeed, I 
eonaider sncb a siwt as this as one of tbe nnblatt of *dn- 
eailonal instltntlans. Thepeop'earc taught rallnemont 
who some here; their souls are tooclied liy tbe ssnllmeDt 
of Iwanlr; the; acqulrenewldeaaut the gnnileurot civ- 
il society, ns thef look down tlpon the vast hDmao hire, 
andihev leamto feel the importance of aider, ths neees- 
■liy of nbsdisnce to Ihe IBwe, and the vsioe or nodAl harmo- 
n;i'. They sea the rleb pus bj them In showy vehloles. 
hut reOect thst tbev share Ibe pleasures of Iha rich, and 
that from tliem Huir prlvtleg* of oeming bither vtai o1>- 

And' now Che sun Is slnklnK behind the h llsof Walthnm, 
and lighUnK up Boston, and CsRihrl.tge. and Chsrleaiown, 

dellibt at the msgieal chsntes <it color In earth, air and 

sslton In beard: Ihe senso of beauty liarossed In all; the 

spire snif hosse-top; and new crowds are wending tbeir 

tire to their dWDllingi. perliap' In hinea and alleys, but 

Krandeu'^IhoBorXenamr 
and Appletoo. and Ptabidt'; 

and school enilowmeiital looked wllh kindly eye upon tiM 
Inborer and m.-ciisnlo, and gave of his abundance, tbnt 

the lanorer'i wife ana child aSou Id forever have this raac- 

nlSfvnt anAt fhr th#fr rw>F>iillnn knH tf.,i- ih* it«o>TAA.».r* 



Ing generation, would 
could Ihey be InduOi d t< 


e debt at urMltude which succeed- 




nds 


andUy 


U>em out for a public p 


k forever. 






1 looked tOTWard in fi 


icy to the lime whsr 






ronndlni country, tar 


as the heautlful ni 


P« 




which limit tba view, a 


sll he ailed with hi 






tioua, nnd relteeted ap 


n tbelMilngswhicI 


the 




swell the breast af th 


•trmnger, who from ti 


. potn 


shosld look down upni 


th. wide spread city 






be told that Ihl. .pot. w 


len sll other helirbu 




idBas- 


ton hsd become private 


lir^perty, wa> houjthi by the wisi 


md liberal milHonalre. 


it lii-, and given to 




ise, rec 


reaitonanrtdellBhtoft 


e poor man. 







could spprerlate s 



r tile public 



lasical Carresponlrtnte. 



CniCAOO. JuNi 1. The last week In April brought 
ua Thee. Thomas and his people, who gave Svar 
eoncerU In large audiences. The best things were 
Henilelasohn's Scotch Symphony, Schubert's un- 
aniahed fymphonv, the liach Concerto for two 
vislina, Braiims's tlungarlan Daacea, Beethoven's 
Pastoral Symphony, a gotid deal of Wagner, the 
Barh ChacontiB arrangwl for Orchestra by Half, 
and Inr^ selections from Gluck's Orpheus, the 
latter with a chorus of a hundred and fifty or so. 
On the whole this orchestra has nerer played so 
well here before, nor has Mr. Tliomaa ever done h> 
well by us for programmes. One pretty tough nut 
we did have to crack in the shape of about an hour 
and a half of Wagner alter the PiiKtoral %mphony. 
Although 1 am an admirer of Wagner, I confess 
that something less of his at one sitting would liave 
quite sufficed me. 1 am not sufficienlly cultivated 
to enjoy IL This coutlnually wrestling with disso- 
nances and ippealin); churda for the half liunr 
together Is a weariness tuthemu^cal fleah. 



40 



DWIGHT»S JOURNAL OF MUSIC, 



The Ginck chorus wm trained b}' Mr. Orlando 
Blackman, and x-ery wMl trained too. This g^cntle- 
man is an admirable drill-master and a risin;^ man. 
I hear him spoken of in connection with the 
" Apollo Clab," bat I should think a little prema- 
turely. Of the music of " Orpheus " I do not need 
to speak. It was well received. 

The Apollo Club gave their closing concert of the 
season this week. They sang Abt's "Break of 
Mom," Frei's " How came Love " Wandlcr's " Come 
in the stilly night" and Mohring's *' How I loved 
thee, native land." The dub sing with very good 
expression and intonation. The other elements of 
the programme were *' Hear ye Israel," from " Eli- 
jah " and the duet from " Creation," sung by Mrs. J. 
C. Wenham and Mr. Bergstein, which were not 
performances such as I like to criticise. De tnortuh 
hU nui bonum. Mrs. L. H. Watson played on the 
piano a Nocturne of Chopin, a Volkslied of Mendels- 
sohn, and Tansig's arrangement of Weber^s '* Invi- 
tation to the Dance." As this lady was a pupil of 
Tausig I heard her with great interest. She plays 
in a refined and elegant manner, but is not of the 
artistic build for success in concert. The Mrs. Rice 
of whom I spoke before, and who strangely enough 
haa not been beard here in public this winter, is a 
far more brilliant performer. Nevertheless I should 
say that Mrs. Watjon was a valuable addition to our 
stock of good players, whom alast we are far from 
appreciating in proportion to their goodnesa in Art, 
and I hope she will do well. Nevertheless having 
lost Goldbeck to St Louis and not adequately recog- 
nising some of the best of those we have left, I 
should say Chicago was not a very good field for 
pianists. Another feature of this concert (and the 
great popular success) was the slnoring of the " Qua- 
ker City Quartette" formerly with the Ritchings 
troupe. This was certainly excellent. 

Mr. Wolfsohn*s Schumann recite Is closed last Sat- 
urday. The last three recitals were : 

ElOHTH. 

Toccata, Op. 7. _ 

Bunta BlMtter. Op. W. Nos. 1, S and 3;. 

Sonas: '* Po6i*s Love," 15 no*. 

Mr*. 8tA0^. 
Fantaale Stttcke, Op. 13, Bk I. 

Nnm. 

KachtPtttcke, Op. SB. 
Bonte BlXtter, No*. 11 and 9l 
Hon^. MlM Hsfkell. 
Faotasie Sttteke, Op. 12. Bk 8. 

Tekth. 

Bcheno, Olme and Rnmaaee, Op. St. 
Fantaslo 8tUck«, Op. 111. 
Bongs. Miss Whire. 
Krelslerlaea, Op. 16. 

The playing as usual was very uneven. The " toc- 
cata," for instance, and the second number of the 
Kreisleriana went extremely welt. Many other 
things not so well. Nevertheless this series of 
recitals was a very memorable one. giving so perfect 
an outline of the Schumann pianoforte cuUmm. That 
many of us should here have first become acquaint- 
ed with such works as the Sonata in F sharp, the 
DavidsbQndler, the Etudea Symphonlquea and the 
KreisleriauA ia enough to mark any winter with a 
white stone. It is also pleasant to record that the 
attendance has been unusually encouraging, I should 
say an audience ranging from two to four hundred. 
On the whole therefore we can congratulate Mr. 
Wolfsohn with having done an excellent season's 
work for Art here, while he on his part has seen in 
his appreciative audience the best omen for its ulti- 
mate usefulness. 

Mr. H. C. Eddy begins a series of ortran recitals 
this week which will present works of the first order, 
and from what I know of his " play " I am sure in a 
manner to invite the closest scrutiny. As this gen- 
tleman is a poor hand at Auber overtures and La 
Orand Duchnu^ he will confine himself to the bounds 
of the legitimate. 

The Beethoven Society gave a piivate testimonial 
concert last week to Mr. Wm. Lewis, the violinist. 



and presented him with an elegant $900 violin— his 
awn having been burned in our great fire (which 
perhaps you heard of before). A nice programme 
was played, embracing a Bargiel trio, etc. And this 
was certainly a nice thin^: t« do, for Mr. Lftwis is 
really an artist, and one ofthestannchest advocates 
of good music we have in the city. 

I observe that some party in New York has taken 
up cudgels in behalf of ouf fellow-tewnsroan, Mr. 
Silas G. Pratt, the young composer. Ho speaks 
highly of Pratt's ambition, whirh is all very well. 
Now I for one have no disposition t« cry a man 
down because he disgraces himself so far as to write 
Symphonies and Operas. On the contrary I bid him 
God-speed. And were Mr. Pratt's works offered us 
as a kind of first-fruits of a h rvest as yet far from 
ripe (indeed a part of it scarcely planted), it wauld 
certainly be unkind to speak of them as critics have. 
Competent partiea who have examined the scores 
speak of them as " showing talont," " better than 
they expected," " really clever," etc. And so no 
doubt they are. But here we have Mr. Pratt ignor- 
ing the long apprenticeship at orchestration, the 
forming the ear to the effect of Instruments In com- 
bination, such as were served by Haydn for sixty 
years before he finally wrote the Creation, and by 
Beethoven while he was assistant director of the 
theatre orchestra at Boon from his thirteenth to 
nineteenth years, and then again at Vienna until the 
year 1800 when at length his first symphony ap- 
peared. Beethoven's first symphony, although now 
it appears small beside the remaining eight, was 
preceded by such works as the pianoforte sanatas 
including the opus 14, the trios (strings) op. 8 and 
9, the sonatas for piano and violin op. 12, the gre*t 
septet op. 20. besides a large number of smaller 
things in various combinations of instruments by all 
of which Beethoven was getting ready to venture in 
the important experiment of symphony. Yet the 
result was so unsatisfactory that we find him pro- 
ducing a symphony only at long intervals until the 
fifth, which came in 1808, after the sonata appasaion- 
ata (itself a symphony for pianoforte). At this 
p«int Beethoven seems to have developed such a 
richness of fancy as made the pianoforte forever 
afterwards somewhat distasteful to him, notwith- 
standing the wonderful results attained in op. 111. 
And It is only afcer this time that he wrote the 
remaining four symphonies, so heavenly beautiful. 

Now here in the case of Pratt we have a yoonsr 
man, ambitious, to be sure, and studious. But his 
experience has not made him a master of instru- 
mental effects or particularly choice in them. Be- 
sides which, and a more fatal lack, he has neither a 
specially rich ftincy nor a very expert handling of 
his material, all of which dlsadvantasres must be 
scored against the first symphony of the Pratt euL 
iMt. Now if he shall continue to study, and, as all 
other composers have done, write small things for 
various instruments in order to learn practically 
what is good and what is bad, he will perhaps in 
time produce art-works of permanent value, or at 
any rat^e have the satisfaction of having tried his 
best— which trial of his own powers will itself be 
hi* sufficient reward. I think the two or three 
careful writers who have spoken unfavorably to Mr. 
Pratt's efr irt feel about it as I do. If he is a Samson 
•fi poue, his hair seems to us not yet fully grown. 

Besides this, I would say to Mr. Pratt and all 
other •' unappreciated" and " unsympathiied-with " 
individuals of the artistic persuasion, while appreci- 
ation and sympathy are very well, they are after all 
pretty thin rewardis for an artist to hang his hopes 
upon. Schubert never heard his symphonies. 
Beethoven never heard the three last c»f his (as he 
was then quite deaf). To diligently order one's 
footsteps in the inner light of the spirit brings for 
itself an exceediigly great reward. If one hears 
the voice of God in the soul, one ha^ no need of hu- 
man applause in the outer ears. All of which Is put 
on record for the satisfaction of my grand-children, 
who may like to knew that their grand- pa was not 
one of the " cnt-and slash " critics who tried to snub 
the Grkat Coifpoaca Pratt, born in Chicago in 1860 
or thereabouts. Dkr FasYscuf^TX. 



S|?etial Sl0tues. 



DBffCBIPnVX LIST OF THB 



iMta1i«i« l»j eilvsiv 1»lta«« * C«. 



I *m I 



V«e«1« wttb n 



The Maiden's Rose, or, So the Story goM. 

8. F to f. Baffm, 85 

A very »w«H and taklnir ballad, (hat glldea eadlj 
and nnoothly from the lips. 

Joys of the Futnre. (La Gloja del Fntnro). 

Duet for two Sopr'n. 5. F to a. OiugUnL 00 

**0 p«nftferdel mlo irlntm.** 
" Oomm then, hsppj days.*' 

An uneomnvinhr niM Ttsffan daet with prettv, 
often n-cnrrlnflT mnalmil nhmses. which five the 
earapoaltlon a piquant and eharminff expression. 

The Letter in the Candle. Song and Cho. 

2. A to e. Coote, 80 

*' How the llttln flT-ftrk Is uhlaing. 
It points direet to me.'* 

Fnondod nn a pn»tiv snp^r»tltlon. whieh In verT 
nmtiv taken op In the verses. Kasy aod prettj 
melodj. 

Bose Aylmer. 8. 'Ehtf^ti- BooU. 80 

*< \ niaht nf m4nn *ri«w nnd of sighs, 
I eonwoerste to thee.** 

Pars and eloquent word* to masie of the same 
ehnnioter. 

Merry Day, sing the Merry Day. 4. F to <7. 

O/fenhofh. 80 

Fr«im *' Tia Joi|«« Parfeumeuse," and has Freneh 
and En^lliih words. 

Old Hpown's Danzhter. 2. Eft to e. Uimt 80 
"Old Rmwn's Pta«hter 's as fair as anj pearl.** 
Vsry llvelj and funny. 

Iaiatrm«i«mtal« 

ZULMA. 
S. D. arr. by Harvey D. 80 

The '* Zulms" Is n dsnee which has spmnc at 
once to armt fnvnr: so mneh m> that manr call* In 
advanee of puhUcAtion were made for the piece. 
Take it while lt*s hot I 

Banker Hill Grand Centennial Marob. 

a F. X. Marnn. 80 

Appears in time for the great event, now close at 

Memory. (HI. Title). IdyL 4. Eft. mUon. 60 

Squal to the hMt of Mr. W*t pleo«a. ainadv pub- 
lished. Contains fewer srpeievfos than nwMt' of th« 
others, and a larger proportion of a fUIl continuous 

Farewell. (Scheidegruss). 4 hands. 3. Ah. 

Lange, 40 
Still Wisbes. (Stilte WQnsche). 3. Efr. « 40 

ThoM two belong to the set enlled " The Insepa- 
rables/* which contains about 40 Ane 4-hand pi«<c««. 
Ther are wery crMeful, andt with other renentlr 

{Mibliahed productions of T<anK«. render It doobt- 
ul if he knows how to write a poor picoe. 



The Popular. 



Voix da Coenr. 



4. C. 



Aubert, 00 



A *' Romance" from the opera of '< L'Belair**aod 
ia a fine air beautlAilly arrangiid. 

L*Ombre. (The Shadow). Potpourri. 8. 

May lath. 1.00 
" L'Ombeb." an opera by Tlotow, appears to be 
like '* Martha." a rlcn sucee s slon of pleasing melo- 
dies, simple aod sweet enough to pleiiae everybody. 
14 airs are Included In the Potpourri. 

Sailing in the Tirilight 4. A min. Correno. .60 

Commences with a simple, pensire air. quite snit- 
able to the excursion and the nour, bat soon merges 
Into rune and successions of 8d*s and Sths. whl^ 
rsqufre fingers with a good " double action/' which 
renders the melody doublj sweet. 

Celebrated Marcbes. Maylaih, 

Ko. 8. Cbopin's Funeral Mareb. Simpli- 
fied. 4. O minor. 85 
*' 7. Marob from A-Flat Sonata. 

BeetboTen. 8. O. 86 

Simpllflsd, with a atrong trnwor of the original. 
Spring Leaves. Walts. 8. E. Uarggraf. 80 

The delicate fancy which selectn a taking title. Is 
ri>ry apt to nhow Itself In the music; and this walta 
is very suggesUre of ** thoughu of Spring.'* 



ABnnBTiATiavs.— Degrees of dlfllcnlty are marked 
1 to 7. The hey\% marked vrith a capital letter: as G, B 
flat, *c. A small Roman letter marks the highest note. 
If on the staff, an iUMc letter the highest note, if above 
the staff. 




toigbfs 




mxml 





u$ir> 



Whole No. 892. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, JUKE 26, 1875. 



Vol. XXXV. No, 6. 



The Symphony 

DT 8XDHRT LANIKB. 

[From Lfppincott*s Iffof^azino for June] 

*• O Trade ! O Trade ! would th.m wort dead ! 

TIic a^e needfl heart — 'tis* tired of head. 

WeVe all for love," the violinti wiid. 

" Of what avail the rifrorous tale 

Of coin for coin and box for bale T 

Grant theo, Trade I thine utti>rmoat hope, 

Level red i^old with blue 8ky-8lo{)e, 

And base it deei» as devils (2:rope, 

When alVs done what hast tiiou won 

Of the only sweet tliat's under the sun ? 

Ay, canst thou buy a single sit^h 

Of true love's least, least ecstasy ? ** 

Then all the mightier stnngs, assemblinn^. 

Foil a-cremblini;, with a tremlilinsf 

Bridcfi^room's iicart-bcats qni«:k reneinblin^; 

Rnns^ed them f»n the violin's Ride 

Likrt a brldoffroom by his bride. 

And, heart iii voice, tojijether cried : 

" Yea, what avail the endless talc 

Of sain by cunning; and plus by sale ? 

Look up the land, look down i)\e land — 

The poor, the poor, the poor they stand 

Wedsred by the pressina^ of Trade's hand 

A^inst an inward-opening door 

That pressure tii^htcns ever more : 

They sigh, with a monstrous foul-air sigh, 

For the outside heaven of liberty. 

Where Art, swoet lark, translates the sky- 

Into a heavenly melody. 

' Each day, all day ' (these poor folks say), 

' In the same old year-lone, drear-Ions^ way, 

We weave in the mills and heave in the kilns, 

We sieve mine-meshes under the hills. 

And thieve much gold from the Devil's bank tills, 

To relieve, O God. what manner of ills ? — 

Such manner of ills as brute flesh thrills. 

The beasts, they hunger, eat, sleep, die, 

And so do we, and our world's a sty ; 

And, fellow-swine, why nuzzle and cry ? 

Swiiuhood hath ttever a remedy: 

The rich man says, and passes by, 

And clamps his nostril and shuts his eye. 

Did God say once in God's sweet tone, 

Man shall not live by bread alone. 

But by all that cometh fn>m Ills white throne f 

Yea : God said so. 

But the mills say No, 
And the kilns and the strong bank-tills say No : 
Ther^e plmly thai eon, if you eanX Oo to : 
Move out, ifyoH think you're underpaid. 
The poor are p*:lft/tc ; w^re not afraid ; 
Burineu it hue^Um ; a tradt it a trade : 
Over and over the mills have sliid. 

And then these passionate hot protestins^s 
Changed to less vehement moods, until 

They sank to sad snggestings 
And request! ngs sadder still : 

" And oh, if the world might some time see 

^Tis not a law of necessity 

That a trade just nought but a trade must be I 

Does business mean, Die, you—live. If 

Then ' business is business ' phrases a lie : 

Tis only war grown miserly. 

If Traffic is battle, name it so. 

War-crimes less will shame it so. 

And we victims less will blame it so. 

But oh, for the poor to have some part 

In the sweeter half of life called Art, 

Is not a problem of head, but of heart 

Vainly might Plato's head revolve it: 

Plainly the heart of a child could solve It." 

And then, as when our words seem all too rude 
We cease from speech, to take our thought and 

brood 
Back in our heart's great dark and solitude, 
So sank the strings to heart wise throbbing 
Of long chords change-marked with sobbing — 
Motherlv sobbing, not distlnctlier heard 
Than half wing-openings of the sleeping bird, 
Some dream of danger to her young haih stirred. 



Then stirring and domnrring ceased, and lo I 
Kvcr}- Icnst rinjilc of the strings' song-flow 
Dicil to a level with each level bow, 
And made a great chord tranquil-surfaced so 
As a bro(»k boncath his curving bank doth go 
To Hni^or in the sacrod dark and green 
Whoro many boughs the still pool overloan, 
And many leaves make shadow with their sheen. 

But presently 
A velvet flute-note fell down pleasantly 
Upon the bosom of that harmony, 
And sailed and sailed incessantly. 
As if a petal from a wild-rose blown 
Had fluttered down upon that pool of tone, 
And boatwise droppeo o* the convex side 
And .floated down tne glassy tide. 
And clarified and glorified 
Tlie solemn spaces where the shadows bide. 
Frf>m the velvet convex of that fluted note 
Somcwiist half song, half odor, forth did float — 
Aft if God turned a rose into a throat — 
*' When Nature from her far-off glen 
Flutes her soft messages to men, 
The flute can say them o'er again ; 
Yea, Nature, singing sweet and lone. 
Breathes through life's strident polyphone 
The flute-voice in the world of tone. 

Sweet friends 

Man's love ascends 
To finer and diviner end-^ 
Than man's mere thought e'er comprehends. 

For T, e'en I, 

As here I lie, 
A petal on a harmony. 
Demand of Science whence and why 
Man's tender pain, man's inward cry. 
When he doth gaze on earth and sky ? 
Behold. I grow more bold : 

I bold 
Full powers from Nature manifold. 
I speak for each no-tongudd tree. 
That, spring by spring, doth nobler be. 
And dumbly and most wistfully 
His mighty prayerful arms outspreads 
Above men's oft-unheeding heads, 
And his big blessing downward sheds. 

I speak for all-shaped blooms and loaves, 

Lichens on stones and moss on eaves. 

Grasses and grains in ranks and sheaves ; 

Broad-fronded ferns and keen-leaved canes. 

And briery mazes bounding lanes. 

And marsh-plants, thirsty-cupped for rains, 

And milky stems and sugary veins ; 

For every long-armed woman-vine 

That round a piteous tree doth twine ; 

For passionate odors, and divine 

Pistils, and petals crystalline ; 

All purities of shady springs. 

All shynesses of film-Mring^ things 

That fly from tree-trunks and bark-rings ; 

All modesties of mountain-fawns 

That leap to covert from wild lawns, 

And tremble if the day but dawns ; 

All sparklings of smaft beady eyes 

Of birds, and sidelong glances wise 

Wherewith the jay hints tragedies ; 

All piquancies of prickly burs. 

And smoothnesses of downs and furs. 

Of eiders and of minevers ; 

All limpid honeys that do lie 

At stamen-bases, nor deny 

The humming-birds' fine roguery, 

Bee-thighs, nor any butterfly ; 

All gracious curves of slender wings, 

Bark-mottlings, fibre-spiralings, 

Fern-wavings and loaf-flickcnngs ; 

Each dial-marked leaf and flower-bell 

Wherewith in every lonesome dell 

Time to himself his hours doth tell ; 

All tree-sounds, rustlings of pine-con e-s. 

Wind-sighing^, doves' melodious moans. 

And night's unearthly undertones ; 

All placid lakes and waveless deeps, 

All cool reposing mountain -steeps. 

Vale-calms and tranquil lotos-sleeps ; -^ 

Yea, all fair forms, and sounds, and lights, 



And warmths, and mysteries, and mights. 

Of Nature's utmost depths and heights, — 

— These doth my timid tongue present. 

Their mouthpiece and leal instrument 

And servant, all love-eloquent. 

I heard, when * All for love* the violins cried : 

Nature through me doth take their human side. 

That soul is like a groom without a bride 

That ne'er by Nature in great love hath sighed. 

Much time is run, and man hath changed his ways, 

Since Nature, In the antiaue fable days. 

Was hid from man's true love by proxy fays, 

False fauns and rascal gods that stole her praise. 

The nymphs, cold creatures of man's colder brain, 

ChUled Nature's streams till man's warm heart was 

fain 
Never to lave it4 love in them again. 
Later, a sweet Voice Love thy neighbor said ; 
Then first the bounds of neighborhood outspread 
Beyond all confines of old ethnic dread. 
Vainly the Jew might wag his covenant head: 
' All men are neiffhbort,' so the sweet Voice said. 
So. when man's arms had measure as man's race, 
The liberal compass of his warm embrace 
Stretched bigger yet in the dark bounds of space ; 
With hands a-grope he felt smooth Nature's grace. 
Drew her to breast and kissed her sweetheart face ; 
His heart found neighbors in great hills and trees 
And streams and clouds and suns and birds and bees. 
And throbbed with neighbor-loves in loving these. 
But oh, the poor ! the poor ! the poor ! 
That stand by the inward-opening door 
Trade's hand doth tighten ever more. 
And sigh with a monstrous foul-air sigh 
For the outside heaven of liberty. 
Where Nature spreads her wild blue sky 
For Art to make into melody 1 
Thou Trade ! thou king of the modern days ; 

Change thy ways. 

Change thy ways ; 
Let the sweaty laborers file 

A little while, 

A little while. 
Where Art and Nature sing and smile. 
Trade 1 is thy heart all dead, all dead T 
And hast thou nothing but a head ? 
Tm all for heart," the fiute-voice said, 
And into sudden silence fled. 
Like as a blush that while 'tis red 
Dies to a still, still white instead. 

Thereto a thrilling calm succeeds. 
Till presently the silence breeds 
A lifitle breeze among the reeds 
That seems to blow by sea-march weeds ; 
Then from the gentle air and fret 
Sings out the melting clarionet. 
Like as a lady sing^ while yet 
Her eyes with salty tears are wet 
" O Trade ! O Trade ! " the lady said, 
" I too will wish thee utterly dead 
If all thy heart is in thy head. 
For O my God 1 and O my God ! 
What shameful ways have women trod 
At beckoning of Trade's golden rod I 
AIas, when sighs are trader's lies, 
And heart's-ease eyes and violet eyes 

Are merchandise ! 
O purchased lips that kiss with pain I 
O cheeks coin-spotted with smirch and stain ! 

trafficked hearts that break in twain I 

— ^And yet what wonder at my sisters' crime f 
So hath Trade withered up Love's sinewy prime, 
Men love not women as in olden time. 
Ah, not in these cold merchantable days 
Deem men their life an opal gray, where plays 
The one red sweet of gracious ladies' praise. 
Now comes a suitor with sharp prying eye — 
Says, Here, you lady, ifyou^U •«/, FU buy : 
Come, heart for heart^-^ trade f What I weepinff f 

vihyt 
Shamo on such wooers' dapper mercery ! 

1 would my lover kneeling at my feet 

In humble manliness should cry, O tweet I 
J kiuno v>l if thy heart my heart will meet : 
I a»k not if thy love my love can greet : 
Whatever my worthipful tojt tongue ihall tay. 



I 



i 



42 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OP MUSIC. 



rU kig8 thine ansK^, be it yea or nay : 

I do biU know J love thee, and I pray 

lo be thy kniffht until my di/iny day. 

Woe him that cunninjj trades in hearts contrives ! 

Base love jrood women to base loving drives. 

If men loved larger, larger were our lives ; ^ 

And wooed they nobler, won they nobler wives." 

There thrust the bold straightforward horn 
To battle for that lady lorn ; 
With hitirteome voice of mellow scorn. 
Like any knight in knighthood's morn. 

** Now, comfort thee,** said ho, 
*' Fair Ladye. 
Soon shall God right thy grievous wrong. 
Soon shall man sinir theo a trne-love song, 
Voiced in net his whole life long, 

Yea. all Ihy sweet life long, 
Fair Lad^-e. 
Where's he that craftily hath said 
The day of chivalry is dead ? 
ril prove that lie upon his head, 

Or I will die instead. 
Fair Ladye. 
Is Honor gone inio his ffrnve? 
Hath Faith become a caitift' knave. 
And Selfhood turned into a slave 

To work in Mammon's cave, 
Fair Ladye? 
Will Truth's long blade ne'er gleam again? 
Ilath Giant Trade in dungeons slain 
All great contempts of mean-got gain 

And hates of inward stain. 
Fair Ladye ? 
For aye shall Name and Fame be sold. 
And Place be hugged for the soke ol gold. 
And smirch-robed Justice feebly scold 

At Crime all money-bold, 
Fair Ladye ? 
S^all self- wrapt* husbands aye forgot 
Kiss-pardons for the daily fret 
Wherewith sweet wifely eyes are wet — 

Blind to lip!<i kisa-wiseset, 
. Fair Ladye ? 
Shall lovers higgle, heart for heart, 
Till wooing grows a trading mart 
Where much for little, and all for part. 

Make love a cheapening art, 
Fair Ladye ? 
Shall woman scorch for a single sin 
That her betrayer can revel in, 
And she be burnt, and be but grin 

When that the flunieB begin. 
Fair Ladye ? 
Shall ne*er prevail the woman's plea: 
We maidx would far, far vhiter be 
If thai o«r (ye» sometimes miglU see 

Attn maids in purity , 
Fair Ladye ? 
Shall Trade aye salve his conscience- aches 
With jibes at Chivalry's old misUkes, 
The wars that o'er hot knighthood makes 

For Christ's and ladies' sakea. 
Fair Ladye ? 
Now by each knight that e*er hath prayed 
To fight like a man and love like a maid, 
Since Pembroke's life, as Pembroke's blade, 

1* the scabbard, death, was laid. 
Fair Ladye, 
I dare avouch my faith is bright 
That God doth right and God hath iright, 
Nor time hath changed His hair to white. 

Nor His dear love to spite, 
Fair Ladye. 
I doubt no doubts : I strive, and shrive mr clay. 
And tight my light in the patient modern way^ 
For true love and for thee — ah me 1 and prayj 

To be thy knight until my dying day. 
Fair Ladye :— " 
Said that knightly horn, and spurred away 
Into the thick of the melodious fiay. 

And then the hantboy played and smiled. 
And sang like a little large-e^ed cbild,^ 
Cool-hearted and all undeitiled. 

" Huge Trade ! " he said, 
" Would thou wouldst lift me np on thy head, 
And run where'er my finger led ! 
Once said a Man — and wise was He — 
A ever shall thou the heave^is see. 
Save as a little child thou be.'* 

Then o'er sea-lashings of commingling tunes 
The-ancient wise bassoons, 

Like weird 

Gray* beard 
Old harpers sitting on the wild sea dunes. 

Chanted runes : 



I* 



Bright- waved gain, gray-wavetl loss, 
The sea of all doth lash and toss. 
One wave forwanl and one across, 
But now 'was trough, now 'tis crosl. 
And worst doth foam and flash to best. 
And curst to blest. 

" Life ! Life ! thou sea-fugue, writ from east to west. 

Love, Love alone can pore 

On thy dissolvino: score 

Of wild hnlf-phra-^ings, 
Bh»ttcd ere writ, 

And double ernsings 
Of tune.«i full lit. 
Yen, Love, sole mu.sic-niaster blest. 
May read thy weltering palimpsest. 
To follow Time's dying melodies through, 
And never to lose the old in the new, 
And ever to solve the discords true — 

Love alone can do. 
And ever Love hears the poor-folks' crying, 
And ever Love hears the women's ^'ighinl;, 
And ever sweet kniijhthood's death-defying, 
And ever wi.se childhood's deep implying. 
And never a trader's glozing and lying. 

" And yet f*h«ll Love himself be heard. 
Though long deferred, though long deferred ; 
O'er the modern waste a dove hath whirred : 
Music is Love in search of a Word." 



Mozart 

FllOM A PHYSICAL AND A MORAL POINT OP 

VIEW.* 

We firc acquainted with six Authentic por- 
tmitfl of Moznrt, which represent him after he 
had attained the age of manhood. Tlie first, 
painted by Delia Croce, forms part of the fam- 
ly picture, now in the Mozarteum, Salzburg; a 
lithograph of the second is to be found in Nis- 
sen's book; the third by Lange, Mozart's 
brother-in-law, was never finished. The fourth 
i.s by Doris Stock, sister-in-law of KOrner, the 
poet; two other likenesses, in our opinion, 
more characteristic than any of the others, are 
a medallion carved by Posth, in which the 
head is taken in profile, and a picture printed 
by Tischbein, in London, in October 1790; the 
last in date is probably the best. At any rate, 
Posch's medallion and Tischbein's picture mu- 
tually supplement each other, and enable us to 
reconstruct the composer's physiognomy, such 
as we find it in the testimony of his contempo- 
raries. At first sight, it possesses nothing to 
impress the spectator; nothing to reveal the 
man of genius. The lines are correct, but 
somewhat effeminate; the nose alone, abnor- 
mally prominent, breaks their monotony. The 
curve of the eyebrows is elegant and graceful. 
The eyes large and fine, but the look, uncertain 
and absent. Mozart, short and thin, had that 
pale tint which, in an artist, or a writer, fre- 
quently betrays the fatigue of midnight efforts 
and the tempests of thought. His limbs were 
well shaped and harmoniously proportioned; 
his head, however, broad and big, was not in 
keeping with his slender and delicate figure. 
He was rather vain of the small size of his foot, 
and of his plump little hands. 

He was lively and restless, continually strik- 
ing chords and executing scales upon an imag- 
inary instrument; but his fingers, so marvellous- 
ly skilful on the harpsichord, were singularly 
ill-suited for anything else. At table, for in- 
stance, he could not cut up his food without 
the risk of wounding himself, and it was abso- 
lutely necessary for his wife to wait upon him 
as though upon a child. He was exceedingly 
particular about his person, and fond of dress- 
ing with great care, and displaying the jewels 
due to the liberality of Princes. His father 
used to laugh at him for his coquetry in this 
respect, and Clementi, who did not know him, 
when they met for the first time at the Imperial 
Court, took him for the major-domo of the pal- 
ace, so elegantly was he attired. His imagina- 
tion never rested. For this reason he preferred 
bodily exercises which do not require the as- 
sistance of the intelligence, and which do not 
interrupt the train of ideas. He was fc n I of 
riding on horseback, and of a morning took 

•Translated from Z< Mtnestrel^ May 1874, for the Lon- 
don iJusiaU World, 



long equestrian excursions, which his absence 
of mind rendered dangerous, if his steed 'wiis 
shy or badly trained. At Pniguc, while writ- 
ing his Don Oiotanni^ he was fond of playing 
at skittles in his friend Dussek's garden. 
Seated at a nistic table, he rose when his turn 
came round, fiuug the ball, not unskilfully, 
and sat down again to his work, following the 
game with one eye, and keeping the other fixed 
on his music. 

He had, however, a marked predilection for 
billiards, and was a first-mte player. There 
was a table in his own lodgings, and, in the 
absence of an opponent, he used to practise on 
it alone. Hummel, who was a pupil of his, 
tells us how he would sometimes interrupt the 
lesson he had begun giving to propose a game. 
It was an excellent expedient for him, when 
suddenly attacked by a musical idea. The 
game enabled him to give the reins to his 
imagination and to elaborate motives. We all 
know that is was in this manner he composed 
the delicious quintet in Die Zaulterjlote. 

He was passionately fond of dancing, which 
he studied very successfully. He is said to have 
executed the minuet in an incomparable style. 
He boasted, moreover, of being a pupil of Ves- 
tris, and asserted most gravely that he was a 
better dancer than composer; hence he never 
lost an opportunity of exhibiting his talent. 
He was an enthusiastic frequenter of balls, and 
always reserved for himself an important part, 
preferring that of Arlequin in preference to 
any other, in the ballets perfonned at parties 
in Vienna; he frequently tmcedout the plot and 
composed the music for them. 

These, it must be allowed, were very inno- 
cent amusements, and Mozart had no others. 
If we examine his generous nature — if we dive 
into his sim])lc and honest soul — and no one 
ever lived more openly than he — we shall not 
find a vice or a serious defect to tarnish its pu- 
rity. The public has a stninge mania for iden- 
tifying great men with their heroes; it never 
imagines that the life of a poet, or that of a 
composer is dualistic. While the artist soars 
into the lofty regions of fancy, the man is often 
struggling in the mire of existence. It is, per- 
haps, because he composed Don Giovanni^ that 
people have attributed to Mozart the tastes and 
adventures of the chief character in the opera. 
Nothing could be more opposed to the facts, 
just as it is false that he sometimes left his 
senses at the bottom of the bottle. He liked 
wine, and entertained a certain tenderness for 
a glass of punch ; the latter was indisputably a 
salutary cordial, which supported him in his 
heavy labors and refreshed his ideas. 

At Vienna he resided for a long time close 
to a friend, the Councillor Martin Lorbl, from 
whom he was separated only by a thin parti- 
tion. This honest Gennan, a great lover of 
wine, possessed a fine cellar, and was fond of 
doing the honors of it with a liberality not free 
from vanity. The instant he heard Mozart's 
harpsichord, he went down into his cellar, se- 
lected one of the oldest bottles there, and, com- 
ing up again, silently passed it upon his neigh- 
bor's table. Grateful for this mark of attention, 
Mozart would express his thanks by a nod, 
pour out a little Tokay, and then resume his 
work, without troubling himself any more 
about the precious liquor, which was escaping 
in vapor from its crystal prison. During his 
journey to Paris, under the care of his mother, 
the latter wrote to her husband : ** Do not feel 
anxious abont any excesses at table ; you know 
as well as I do that Wolfgang can restrain him- 
self." Indeed, Mozart says in his own letter: 
** At my meals I drink nothing but water, and 
only take a glass of wine with the fruit, to 
combat its crudity." 

These are decidedly not the habits of an in- 
temperate person, and his contemptuous words 
when blaming, on more than one occasion, the 
inebriety of his comrades, would alone have 
suflficed to make us suspect so stupid and per- 
fidious an accusation. 

Shall we now speak of the qualities of his 
heart ? Never was there a more respectful son. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, JUNE 26, 1875. 



43 



while his affection for his sister was not less 
ardent and constant. He never failed to claim 
his share in her sorrows, little and prreat, and, 
even when the bunlen of life weighed heaviest 
on his own shoulders, he offered to receive 
Marianne in his own house, till her betrothed 
was in a position to marry her as, he desired. 

He was no less devoted to his friends and 
comrades, and, more than once, was the victim 
of his own generosity. Anton Stradler, the 
clarinettist, for whom Mozart wrote his admi- 
rable quiutet, was not ashamed to take unfair 
advantage of that generosity. One day, know- 
ing that Mozart had received 50 ducats from 
the Emperor, Stradler, with tears in his eyes, 
came and begged tlie composer to lend him 
that sum. Mozart, hard pressed himself, could 
not do without it, but, not liking to refuse, 
1 ;nt Stradler two large repeaters, on which a 
pawnbroker advanced the cash. At the expi- 
ration of the time for which the watches were 
pledged, Stradler was, of course, unprepared, 
and Mozart was obliged to find the 50 ducats 
himself. Unfortunately, he was imprudent 
enough to entrust the money to his debtor, who 
unscrupulously put it in his pocket, and left 
his too confiding friend to get out of the dilem- 
ma in the best way he could. 

Lessons like this did not render him more 
circumspect. He could not resist the impulses 
of his heart, and frequently endured privation 
himself that he might give to others who were 
not so badly off. He was naturally generous. 
One day at Lcipsic, where he had given a con- 
ceit, he remembered, just as he was about 
starting, that he had not paid his tuner. 

**How much do I owe you?" he asked. 

**May it please your Imperial Majesty," rc- 

Elied the old man, overwhelmed with confusion 
y the presence of the Chapelmaster of his 
Majesty the Emperor, **I do not know — I have 
come very often — I should be satisfied with a 

thaler " 

**A thaler! " exclaimed Mozart, **No, No! 
it shall never be said that an honest fellow 
like you put yourself out of the way for such a 
trifle as that, " and with these words he handed 
him two ducats. 

Mozart was not liberal with his money only, 
but with his genius as well. As regards the 
latter, he always gave without counting, and 
was never tired of pouring forth the treasures 
of his imagination to accommodate singers, or 
satisfy their caprices. Victor Wilder. 



A Pilgrimage to BeethoveiL* 

O Want and Misery, protecting deities of the 
German musician (unless indeed he happens to 
be the Capcllmeister of a court theatre) — Want 
and Misery — ^you shall have the first and the 
most honorable mention at the very beginning 
of even this reminiscence of my life! Let me 
sing your praises, steadfast companions of mine ! 
You have kept faith with me and never left 
me! You have kept from me with your sturdy 
hands all happy changes of fate, and sheltered 
me from the oppressive sunbeams of fortune! 
You have ever cast a black shadow over the 
Tain goods of this world ; receive my thanks 
for your most unwearying devotion ! Yet, if 
you can so arrange it, I beseech you to seek 
out by and by some other prot(!g6, for I would 
fain see, from very curiosity, how I could per- 
haps get on without you. At the least I beg 
you to descend with special force on those po- 
litical dreamers of ours — those madmen who 
seek to unite Gemiany under one sceptre : — for 
then there would be but one court theatre, but 
one single Capellmeister ! What would become 
of my prospects then ! Of my only hopes, that 
even now seem dim and dreary to me, — even 
now, when there are still many German court 
theatres? But — I see that I am growing wick- 
edly audacious; pardon, O goddesses, the rash 
wish that I liavc uttered 1 You know my heart, 
and know how I am devoted to you, and how 
I would remain ybur devotee though there 

• From Art Life and TtitorUn of Bichabd Wagneb. 
Translated by E. L. Burlinij^ame. 



should be in Germany a thousand court theatres. 
Amen. 

Before this daily prayer of mine T begin noth- 
ing — not even the story of my Pilgrimage to 
Beethoven. 

In case this important document should be 
published after my death, I believe it necessary 
to explain who I am, for without such an ex- 

Elanation much that is contained herein might 
e utterly unintelligible. Listen then, all the 
world, and you, ye executors of testaments. 

My native town is a commonplace city of 
central Germany. I hardly know for what I 
was originally intended; I only remember that 
I heard one evening a symphony of Beethoven ; 
that I thereupon fell ill' of a fever ; and that 
when I recovered I was — a musician. Perhaps 
it may be the result of this circumstance that 
even after I had become acquainted with much 
other nobler music I still loved, honored, and 
idolized Beethoven more than all. I knew no 
greater pleasure than to bury myself in the 
depths of this great genius, until at length I 
imagined myself a part of it ; and began to 
honor myself as this little part, — ^to gain high- 
er conceptions and views ; in brief, to become 
that which the wise are wont to call — a fool. 
But my madness was of an amiable sort, and 
injured no one ; the bread that I ate while I 
was in this condition was very dry, the drink 
that I drank w^as very thin ; for giving lessons 
is not a very profitable business with us, O hon- 
ored world and executors! 

So I lived for awhile in my garret, until it 
suddenly occurred to me that the man whose 
creations I most honored —was still alive! I 
did not comprehend why I had not thought of' 
this before. It had not for a moment suggest- 
ed itself to me that Beethoven still existed ; 
that he could eat bread and breathe the air like 
one of us ; yet this Beethoven still lived in Vi- 
enna, and was also a poor German musician ! 

And now my peace of mind was over. All 
my thoughts tended toward one wish, — to see 
Beethoven! No Mussulman ever longed more 
faithfully to make his pilgrimage to the grave 
of the prophet, than I to to the room in which 
Beethoven lived. 

But how should I bring about the execution 
of my purposed It was a long journey to Vien- 
na, ana I should need money to make it; I, an 
unfortunate, who hardly made enough to keep 
life in his body ! I must devise some extraor- 
dinary means to gain the necessary sum. I 
carried to a publisher a few piano sonatas that 
I had composed after the model of the master, 
and speedily convinced the man that I was a 
lunatic. Nevertheless he was good enough to 
advise me, that if I wanted to earn a few tha- 
lers by my compositions I had better set to 
work to gain a small reputation by galops and 
potpourris. I shuddered; but my longing to 
see Beethoven won the day; I composed the 
galops and potpourris, but I could not bring 
myself to cast a glance at Beethoven during 
this period — for I feared to alienate him 
utterly. 

To my grief, however, I was not even paid 
for this first sacrifice of my purity ; for the pub- 
lisher explained to me that the first thing to be 
done was to make myself something of a name. 
I shuddered again, and fell into despair. But 
this state of mind nevertheless produced sever- 
al excellent galops. I really received some 
money for these, and at last believed I had 
enough to carry out my project. Two years 
had passed, however, and I had lived in perpet- 
ual fear that Beethoven might die before I had 
earned a reputation by galops and potpourris. 
But, thank God, he has outlived the bnlliancy 
of my renown! Glorious Beethoven, forgive 
me this reputation! It was made solely that I 
might behold thee! 

Ah, what bliss! my goal was reached. Who 
was happier than I? I could pack my bundle, 
and take up my journey to Beethoven ! A holy 
awe oppressed me as I passed out at the gate 
and turned me toward the south. I would 
gladly have taken a place in the diligence — 
not because I cared for the hardship of pedes- 



trianism — for what fatigues would I not go 
through for such an object? — but because I 
could reach Beethoven ttie sooner so. But I 
had done too little for my reputation as a com- 
poser of galops to have secured money enough 
to pay my fare. I bore all difficulties, and 
deemed myself happy that I had progressed so 
far that these could lead me to my goal. What 
emotions I felt — what dreams! No lover could 
be happier who, after a long parting turned 
back toward the love of his youth. 

So I came into beautiful Bohemia, the land 
of harpers and roadside singers. In a little 
town I came upon a company of travelling mu- 
sicians; they formed a little orchestra, made 
up of a bass-viol, two violins, two horns, a 
clarinet, and a flute, and there were two women 
who played the harp, and two female singers 
with sweet voices. They played dances and 
sang ballads; money was given to them, and 
they went on. I met them again in a shady 
place by the roadside; they were encamped 
there, and were dining. I joined them, said 
that I, too, was a wandering musician, and we 
were soon friends. As they played their dances, 
I asked thcni timidly if they could play my 
galops. The blessed people! they did not 
know them. Ah, what a happiness that was 
for me ! 

I asked them if they did not play other mu- 
sic besides dances. **Most certainly," they 
said; '^but only for ourselves, and not for the 
fastidious people." They unpacked their mu- 
sic. I caught sight of Beethoven^s great Sep- 
tuor; in amazement I asked them ifthev played 
tJifUy too? **Why not?" replied the eldest. 
^* Joseph has a lame hand and cannot play the 
second violin just now; otherwise we would 
enjoy playing it for you." 

Beside myself, I forthwith seized Joseph's 
violin, promised to supply his place as far as I 
could ; — and we began the Septuor. 

Ah, what a delight it was ! Here, beside the 
Bohemian highway, under the open sky, the 
Septuor of Beethoven was performed with a 
clearness, a precision, and a deep expression, 
such as one seldom finds among the most mas- 
terly of virtuosos! O great Beethoven, we 
brought to thee a worthy sacrifice ! 

We were just at the finale, when — for the 
road passed up a steep hill just here — an ele- 
gant travelling-carriage drew near us, slowly 
and noiselessly, and at last stopped beside us. 
An amazingly tall and wonderfully fair young 
man lay stretched out in the vehicle ; he listened 
with considerable attention to our music, took 
out his pocket-book, and wrote a few words in 
it. Then he let fall a gold piece from the car- 
riage, and drove on, speaking a few words of 
English to his servant — from which I discov- 
ercd that he must be an Englishman. 

This occurrence threw us into a discord; 
luckily we had finished the performance of the 
Septuor. I embraced my friends, and would 
have accompanied them; but they explained 
that they must leave the highway here and 
strike into a path across the fields to reach their 
home. If Beethoven himself had not been 
waiting for me, I would have gone thither with 
them. As it was, we separated with no little 
emotion, and parted. Later it occurred to me 
that no one had picked up the Englishman's 
gold-piece. 

In the next inn, which I entered to refresh 
myself, I found the Englishman seated at an 
excellent repast. He looked at me for a long 
while, and at last addressed me in passable 
German. 

** Where are your companions? " he asked. 

** They have gone home," said I. 

* ' Take your violin, * * he continued, * *and play 
something. Here is some money." 

I was offended at this, and explained that I 
did not play for money ; further, that I had no 
violin; and I briefly related to him how I had 
met the musicians. 

**They were good musicians," said the Eng- 
lishman, "and the Beethoven symphony was 
also good." 



44 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OP MUSIC. 



This observation stnick me ; I asked whether 
he himself was musical. 

* * Yes, " he answered ; * * I play the flu te twice 
a week ; on Thursday I play the French horn ; 
and on Sundays I compose." 

That was certainly a good deal; I stood 
amazed. I had never in my life heard of trav- 
elling English musicians. I decided, therefore, 
that they must be in a most excellent position 
if they could make their wanderings with such 
line equipages. I asked if he was a musician 
by profession. 

For some time I received no reply ; at last he 
answered slowly that he was very wealthy. 

My error was plain ; I had certainly offended 
him by my inquiry. Somewhat confused I 
remained silent, and went on with my simple 
meal. 

The Englishman, who again took a long look 
at me, began again. *^Do you know Beetho- 
ven?" he asked. 

I replied that I had never been in Vienna, 
but I was at this moment on the way thitherto 
satisfy the keen longing that I felt to see the 
idolized master. 

** Where do you come from?" he asked. 

* * From L ? That is not far. I come from 

England, and also desire to know Beethoven. 
We will both make his acquaintance; he is a 
very celebrated composer." 

What an extraordinary meeting! I thought. 
Great master, what different people you attract! 
On foot and in carriages they make their pil- 
grimages to you! . My Englishman interested 
me greatly, but I confess that I envied him very 
little on account of his fine carriage. It seemed 
■ to me that my ditlicult pilgrimage was more 
holy and loyal, and that its goal must give me 
more pleasure than him who went in pride and 
splendor. 

The postilion blew his horn ; the Englishman 
drove on, calling to me that he would see Beet- 
hoven sooner than I. 

I had gone but a few miles further when I 
unexpectedly came upon him again. This time 
it was on the road. One of the wheels of hi.H car- 
riage had broken ; but he still sat within in majes- 
tic calm, his servant behind him, in spite of the 
fact that the wagon hung far over to one side. 
I discovered that they were waiting for the pos- 
tilion, who had gone on to a village a consid- 
erable distance in advance to bring a wheel- 
wright. They had waited a long while; and as 
the servant only spoke English, I determined 
to go forward myself to the village to hurry the 
postilion and the wheelwright back. I found 
the former in a tavern, where he was sitting 
over his brandy, not troubling himself espec- 
ially about the Englishman; but I nevertheless 
succeeded in speedily taking him back with 
the mechanic to the broken carriage. The 
damage was soon repaired; the Englishman 
promised to announce me at Beethoven's, and 
drove away. 

What was my amazement to overtake him 
the next day again. This time he had not bro- 
ken a wheel, but had halted calmly in the mid- 
dle of the road, and was reading a book ; and 
he appeared quite pleased as he saw me again 
approaching. 

•*I have waited some hours," said he, ** be- 
cause it occurred to me just here that I had 
done wrong not to invite you to drive with me 
to Beethoven^s. Driving is far better than 
walking. Come into the carriage." 

I was amazed. For a moment I hesitated 
whether I should not accept his offer; but I 
remembered the vow that I had made the day 
before when I saw the Englishman drive away : 
— I had vowed that no matter what might hap- 

Fen I would make my pilgrimage on foot, 
declared this to be my resolution, and now it 
was the Englishman's turn to be astonished. 
He repeated his offer, and that he had waited 
hours for ine, in spite of the fact that he had 
had his wheel thoroughly repaired at the place 
where he had passed the night, and had been 
mucii delayed thereby. I remained firm, how- 
ever, and he drove away. 
Tj tell ihc truth I had a secret prejudice | 



against him« for a peculiar feeling forced itself 
upon me that this Englishman would some time 
or other bring me into great embarrassment. 
Besides, his admiration of Beethoven and his 
intention to make his acquaintance impressed 
mo as rather the impertinent mood of a rich 
aristocrat than as the deep and earnest yearning 
of an enthusiastic soul. For these reasons I 
felt an inclination to avoid him, that I might 
not debase my own pious longing by his com- 
panionship. 

But as though my fate were trying to reveal 
to me into what a dangerous connection with 
this man I should some day come, I met him 
again on the evening of the same day, stopped 
before an inn and apparently waiting for me a 
second time — for he sat backwards in his car- 
riage and looked back along the road in my 
direction. 

'* Sir," said he, *'I have again been waiting 
some hours for you. Will you ride with me to 
see Beethoven ? " 

This time my surprise was joined with a cer- 
tain disgust. This extraordinary persistency 
in serving me could be only interpreted in one 
way — that the Englishman, perceiving my 
growini^ dislike for him, was endeavoring to 
force himself upon me for my own injury. I 
again refused his offer, with unconcealed irri- 
tation. He cried out haughtily, * ^Damn it, you 
seem to care very little for Beethoven," and 
drove rapidly away. 

This was, as it turned out, the last time that 
I met the islander during the whole of the jour- 
ney that remained before reaching Vienna. At 
last I trod the streets of the city ; the end of 
my pilgrimage was reached. With what emo- 
tions I entered this Mecca of my faith! All 
the difficulties of the long and weary journey 
were forgotten ; I was at my goal — within the 
walls that surrounded Beethoven. 

I was too deeply moved to think of the im- 
mediate fulfilment of my project. I at once 
inquired, it is true, for Beethoven's dwelling, 
but only to take up my quarters in his neigh- 
borhood. Almost opposite the house in which 
the master lived, there was a hotel, not too ex- 
pensive for me ; here I hired a little room in the 
fifth story, and prepared myself for the great- 
est event of my life — a visit to Beethoven. 

After I had rested for t^o days, and had 
fasted and prayed, but had not taken a single 
look at Vienna, I summoned up my courage, 
left the hotel, and crossed obliquely to the 
marvellous house. I was told that Beethoven 
was not at home. This rather pleased me than 
otherwise, for I gained time to collect myself. 
But when the same answer was given to me four 
times before night, — and with a certain height- 
ened tone, — I decided that this was an unlucky 
day, and gave up my visit in despair. 

Ae I went back to the hotel, wno should nod 
to me with considerable cordiality from a win- 
dow of the first story but — my Englishman! 

'* Have you seen Beethoven?" be called to 
me. 

** Not yet; he was not in," I answered, sur- 
prised at this repeated encounter. He met me 
on the steps and insisted with remarkable cor- 
diality on my going to his room. 

**Sir," said he, **I have seen you go to 
Beethoven's house five times to-day. I have 
been here a number of days, and took lodgings 
in this wretched hotel in order to be near him. 
Believe me, it is a very difficult task to get at 
Beethoven ; the gentleman has many caprices. 
I called on him six times when I was first here, 
and was always refused. Now I have taken to 
getting up very early and sitting at the window 
until late in the evening, to see when he goes 
out. But the gentleman never seems to go 
out." 

**you think then that Beethoven was at 
home to-day, but denied himself to me? "cried 
I, excitedly. 

*'Undoubtedlv; vou and I have both been 
turned away. And it is especially disagreea- 
ble to me, for I didn't come to see Vienna, but 
Beethoven.'* 



This was very sad news forme. Nevertheless 

I made the experiment again the next day — but 

again in vain. The gates of heaven were shut 

against me. 

(Concluaion next time.) 



Seyed-Stringed Instrameiits of Moiic. 

Sir Robert STRWARfs Lrcturbs at Dublim 

UXIVKRSITT,* 



Last week wo had arrived at an important fact in 
the history of keyed inAtnimcnts— that the Italian, 
Bartolonieo Cristofali (1711), the Frenchman, Mari- 
as (1716), and the German, Schroctcr (1717), had 
each at nearly the same period hit upon the inven- 
tion of the pianoforte hammers. The French ond 
Italians, with a poco-curantism characteristic of 
their respective nations, had suffered the invention 
to lapse. The Germans behaved differently ; the 
invention of Schroeter having beentakenup by Sil- 
bermann (6om 1684); Stein, of Au^^sberi; (1728); 
Spaett and Froderict (1712); Hildebrand (1751); 
Lcnkler (1760); Scoffcrt (1731); and Streicher 
(176n. Of all these. Stein is perhaps the best known, 
fn>m nis being alluded to in the correspondenoe of 
Mozart I shall not, said the lecturer, take np yonr 
time by referring to the well-known interview of J. 
S. Bacn with Frederic the Great in reference to Sil- 
bermann's pianos (of which that royal Virtnoso had 
accumulated some fifteen at Potsdam), but merely 
allude to the fact that when Silbermann, having care- 
fully finished two pianofortes, submitted them 
to ^. S. Bach, that truly honest artist at first had 
withheld his approval until the manufacturer reme- 
died some defects in the instruments. Of these one 
was a fault, found even in the pianos of our day, 
vis., a weakness in the medium-treble — ^notthe very 
high notes. After repeated trials. Bach at last ad- 
mitted Silbermann's pianos to be '* vrithout fault" 
— a valuable testimony, indeed, when we remember 
from whom it emanated. Into the merits of Stein's 
instruments Mozart's letters enter freely. Their 
touch, their escapements, their standing in tune, 
their pedals (which, by a sort of " bull," were said 
by Mozart to have been acted on by the knees), all 
come in for the praises of the great musician, who, 
moreover, describes with much gusto the grimaoM 
and blunders of the pianoforte-maker's cUughter, 
little Nanette Stein (who subsequently marriecl the 
well-known maker, Streicher, of Vienna, and was 
the faithful friend and adviser of Beethoven). He 
(Sir Robert) would here remark that the pianoforte, 
as an instrument, was not at first very socoeasfnl ; 
it was a novelty, and the public are distrustful of 
anything new; besides, the new instruments de- 
manded quite a different style of playing from the 
old harpsichords: that there were, in short, two 
styles of touch recoenized, is made evident by the 
testy remark made by old John Cramer, at an exam- 
ination of Logier's pupils, held in London in 1816 — 
" that is harpsichord playing, not pianoforte touch." 
" Exactly so," chimed in the bystanders. Yet, 
although many of Bach's pieces, designed for the 
harpsichord, did noi demand all the expressive and 
sympathetic touch of Mozart's music, we should by 
no means underrate the services rendered to keyed 
instrument playing by the inventions of John Seb. 
Bach. The principles of touch, as carried out by 
Mozart's father in the playin? of his immortal son, 
were, in fact, chiefly those of J. S. Bach, of whose 
method of play he (Sir R. Stewart) would now read 
for them a description. 

Before doing so, he would remind his hearers (of 
whom, doubtless, many were themselves performers 
on keyed instruments) that until J. S. Bach's time, 
the thumb was rarely employed. F. Ck>uperin^ In- 
deed, made some use of it, but by no means to the 
same extent as the Leipzig artist. It was then the 
custom to play scales, with alternating passages, 
with both hands, thus : — [Here the lecturer played 
a fiorid pe;»sage, formed of the scale of B fiat, from 
Bach's Grand Toccata in D minor, which was per- 
formed Without the thumb, the first, second, third, 
and fourth fingers of each hand alone being em- 
'ployed.] As a proof of this custom, it would be 
recollected that in Carlo Dolci's picture of St. Ce- 
cilia, the saint's first, second, third, and fourth fin- 
gers alone are placed upon the keys, while her 
thumbs hang idly down According to J. S. Bach's 
theoiy of touch, onl}*^ the first finger (t.^., that which 
begins the passage) was placed on the key. Those 
which follow are not all placed upon it ; but they, 
as it were, spring in, the preceding finger being 

* Reported in tbe London Mtuicat Standard, 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, JUNE 26, 1875 



45 






drawn back qaickly. The finder which keeps down 
the key serves as a support for that suitable pres- 
sure oAhe lower arm required for the keeping down 
the key, but it is under the influence of the inten- 
tion to continue this pressure to the following fin- 
ger. Hence it is like a spring, which would instant- 
ly fly. back to the interior of the hand, if the pres- 
sure were diminished, though but a little. This is 
done at the moment the following finger (which, of 
course, is kept prepared) shall serve as a support 
for the pressure of the lower arm. The finger, in 
eliding from the kev, does not remain drawn back, 
out resumes immediately its natural position, sus- 
pended quietly over the keys until wanted again. 

These words of Dr. Griepenkerl descriptive of 
the Bach touch (which was long a secret confined to 
that school) are most valuable to all players on 
keyed instruments. He continues : — " The energy 
and elasticity of the Bach touch is marvellous. Lit- 
tle or no movement of the fingers is apparent, and 
the rest of the body Is motionless. Even the hand 
does not seem strained, nor are the fingers bent, 
claw-like, but suspended in a natural curve over the 
keys. It also spares the sudorific toll which ren- 
ders so many players objects rather of compassion 
than of admiration. Contemporaries of J. S. Bach 
have told us that his playing (even with coupled or- 
gan claviers) never seemed laborious, and, in conse- 
quence, many attributed to him unusual strength of 
arm and hand. But this was not so : he only car- 
ried into effect the touch here described, and which 
was invented by him." As specimens of the two 
styles — the expressive or Mozartian style, and what 
Herr Pauer has so graphically called the " mailed 
style " — Sir R. Stewart now played from memory 
the adagio in £ flat from a Mozart sonata, and a 
prelude in C minor from the 48 preludes and fugues 
of J. S. Bach. 

The fifteen Silbermann pianos which Frederick 
the Great had collected at Potsdam, were stunted- 
looking, square-formed instruments, not unlike spin- 
ets. Mr. Henry Fowler Broadwood had seen them 
there some 25 years ago, but in very bad repair. 
The regular succession of pianoforte makers would 
seem to have been continued by two apprentices of 
old Silbermann of Strasburg. Kirkman (Kirchman) 
and Erard (Ehrardt) were both Alsatians, not 
Frenchmen ; and he (Sir R. Stewart) need not re- 
mind his hearers that the provinces Alsace and 
Lorraine, recently wrested from France by Germa- 
ny, had always been German territory until the 
reign of Louis XIV. Pleyel, another French house 
of repute, had come from Austria, where Ignaz 
Pleyel was born near Vienna In 1757. Another 
honored name in the annals of the piano was that of 
John Broadwood, a young Scotchman, who came to 
London in 1751, obtaioeoa prominent place in the 
employ of Shudi, the harpsichord maker, and mar- 
rying his master's daughter, succeeded to his busi- 
ness. This by the way seemed the regular course 
with them all. Kirkman had married Tabel's wid- 
ow (and, as they would recollect, only gave her an 
hour or two to make up her mind). 

Streieher, of Vienna, whose noble factory he (Sir 
R. Stewart) had recently visited, also had married 
the daughter of his master. Stein ; and now we find 
John Broadwood had done likewise. No firm has 
ever been more eminent than this latter truly noble 
English house. Their instruments are of world- 
wide repute, while their liberality and high artistic 
feeling are equal to their manufacturing skilL To 
name one example, it was at the sole cost of Broad- 
wood's house that the late Sterndale Bennett was 
sent to study the musical art at Leipzig in his youth. 
Their instruments were chosen above all others for 
performance by the greatest players — Charles Hall^, 
Ernst Pauer, and Arabella Goddard. 

The founder of the great rival house of Erard was 
born in 1752. Sebastian Erard was a man of tran- 
scendent mechanical talent and daring. When a 
child he ascended to an elevation of 474 feet the lof- 
ty steeple of Strasburg, his native town, a feat typ- 
ical of his future artistic eminence. Sir R. Stewart 
alluded to his first visit to Paris at 16 years of age ; 
his dismissal from the employment of one harpsi- 
chord maker for displaying unprecedented curiosity 
— ^for being, as it were, troublesomely clever ; his 
engagement with another firm, where be seemed to 
monopolize all the brains of the rest; his patronage 
by Madame de Villeroy, who fitted up fur him an 
atelier even in her own chateau. His improvements 
in the pedal harp, and that piece of wonderful piano- 
forte mechanism known as the " Erard action " were 
also highly landed by the lecturer. This latter 
invention had been produced in 1824, in which year 
it was described by the father of the great Franz 
Liszt as " the most important service of the day 



towards the improvement of the piano; only one 
little peculiarity (continued the elder Liszt) I will 
mention. The touch is light, nevertheless you can 
give to the tone (which is very good) every different 
expression. After striking a chord you can make it 
sound loud or soft, without raising the hand. It is 
really astonishing." Similar testimony would be 
found in the evidence of the well-known civil engi- 
neer, Mr. John Farey, who says of Erard's piano in 
1851, " The hammer is at all times under the ctm- 
trol of the key, so that the smallest impulse can be 
at once communicated to the string. In Erard's 
action there is a spring applied which exists In no 
other action for pianofortes." By the kindness of 
the Great London firms he (Sir R. Stewart) was 
enabled to exhibit working models of most of these 
actions of Hopkinson, Erard, and Broadwood, which 
were most ingenious examples of encrineering on a 
minute scale. The grand pianos of Erard had been 
identified with the performances of Thalberg (now 
unfortunately deceased), and of Franz Liszt, who 
was still alive, but had of late years become an Abb6 
and given up [7] the world, living in retirement at 
Weimar. It was of Liszt and the Erard piano that 
Heine had thus spoken in the year 1842, "He is 
here," said the caustic Jew-poet, the " Attila — ^the 
scourge of God to all Erard pianos : which tremble 
at the first news of his coming, and which now again 
shiver and bleed, and whimper under his hand, till 
it becomes a fair case for the ' society for prevent- 
ing cruelty to animals I * " Yet, in spite of all the 
extravagance of his manner and his music, there 
was something inexpressibly attractive about Liszt, 
something above and behind that marvellous execu- 
tive skill which put him at the head of all pianoforte 
players. There was leally a great deal noble and 
chivalrous about this man, who, disgusted at the 
tardiness of those that undertook to gather funds for 
the monument of Beethoven, resolved to become 
personally responsible for the completion of the me- 
morial, and carried out his views too, giving concert 
after concert for the purpose, nor resting till he 
stood proudly before the completed statue to Beetho- 
ven, which (mainly by Liszt's exertions) was reared 
to the great German musician in the market-plaoe 
of Bonn his native town. It was during the tours 
given by Liszt for this pnrposs that the enthusiasm 
of his votaries reached its climax. Thus we read 
how enthusiastic German girls had worn bracelets 
formed of the strings broken by Franz Liszt during 
his concert tours, during each of which he was jest- 
ingly said to have demolished two or three of Erard's 
Grands. Nay, so extravagant had been the enthu- 
siasm that some of them had been seen to drink the 
water of the pianist's finger glasses after Liszt had 
dipped his fino^ers in them. He (Sir R. Stewart) had 
stood beside Liszt when in Dublin in 1841, and well 
recollected the astounding execution he displayed in 
his transcription of the overture to "Guillanme 
Tell ;" he remembered his singular demeanor when 
seated at the instrument, the manner in which he 
toMed aside his long yellow hair when it fell across 
his forehead ; nay, even his sportively tearing the 
thumb out of his glove did not escape the eyes of 
the boy who sfoml by and admired the eccentric 
Hungarian. Even the most trifling traits of famous 
men were interesting. Were we not grateful to Dr. 
Burney for recording even how Handel drank off 
his coffee 7 It had been intended (Sir R. Stewart 
said) that one of Liszt's pieces should hern, by way 
of example, have been plaj^ed, but it would be de- 
ferred to another opportunity. 

There had been two schools of pianoforte touch, 
mainly influenced by the nature ot the instruments 
on which the artists played. The Vienna piano- 
fortes, of which the touch was so light that Hummel 
and Czerny used the characteristic expression *' to 
breathe upon the keys," and the English school of 
playing, represented by Clementi, John Cramer, 
and subsequently Sterndale Bennett. The English 
instruments had a deeper fall and a far more power- 
ful blow for the hammer; they were therefore well 
adapted for passages in octaves, thirds and sixths, 
in which Clementi excelled, and for Cramer's four- 
part phrases. But when the " Concert-stijck " of 
Weber was first published, the English critics ridi- 
culed the idea of executing the gliMandon which oc- 
cur in it. This style of playing (they said^ is only 
practicable on German instruments, the light and 
shallow touch of which hardly requires the strength 
of a child ; whoever attempts them on an English 
piano will retire from service with wounded fingeral" 
What was then impossible is now easily done upon 
English pianos, so vastly is the mechanism im- 
proved. 

Here the lecturer played the long gUhsando, and a 
few bars of the March in Weber's piece, which it 



introduces. The lecture was concluded by piling 
a rondo of Clementi (born 1762), the founder of the 
famous firm, Clementi, Collard and Collard. 



I f > i 



Wagnxr's Method. Here is what an English 
musician (H. J. Gauntlett) says of " Lohengria" in 
the Concordia : 

There is so much marvellous talent in the dramat- 
ic music of Wagner, that we listen and forgive him 
the strain upon our patience. But neither our pulse 
nor our heart move with him in what we may term, 
" coincidental vibrations ; " and these, as our readers 
well know, are the essence and foundation of harmo> 
ny. We decline all " synchronism " with his tones, 
and almost doubt the propriety of his concords, few 
and rare as they appear. His stock of ideas is by 
no means wealthy, and he spreads them over much 
canvas ; his oolor is generally high, and there is no 
repose. His style is of the school of decadence— 
commonplace thought with no deep meaning ; every- 
thing tricked out and made gorgeous, until, at times, 
it falls little short of stilted bombast and downright 
valgarity. There is no room for growth, for noth- 
ing is simple, and much is not sensible. His eleva- 
tion is caricature, and oftentimes painful and affect- 
ed. In place of " casting off bondage,*^ he has vol- 
untarily put on the manacles. But his chief error 
lies in his system of ignoring the presence and pow- 
er of language-rhythms. He is setting to music, 
thought, feeling, and language expressed in poetical 
music-forms, which at times display the glorious 
alliteration, or jingle of rhyme. Poetry has its wr- 
tiM or turn ; it holds its measure or metre, and these 
appear inside the rhythms. All these essent^lities 
of poetry have been considered In reference to song : 
and the " to and fro " of verse has been splendidly 
and admirably fitted into a classical framework of 
music. The reposes and cadences of poetry have 
been adjusted to the reposes and cadences of the 
gamut, and where " the turn " comes in poetry, the 
well educated ear expects to hear " the turn " in the 
music. Ancient poetry wa« not in rhyme, hardly 
in measure, but its true strength lay in the parallels 
of the idea, the consequent replying to the antece- 
dent And this parallel of idea was the foundation 
of all musical composition, and remains so to this 
day. " Correspondency " in mental imaginative in- 
vention is the grand secret of all fine art. Now let 
our readers take the finale of any opera by Mozart, 
of the F^ddio by Beethoven, and compare it side by 
side with the finale by Wagner. With Mozart and 
Beethoven, there is A constant analogy between mu- 
sic and language; the persona express themselves 
strongly but naturally— there is unity, the one thinp 
of more importance than all others, ri^ht subordi- 
nates, orderly succession, consistent radiation, and 
all governed by the wisest of all motive powers — 
the time when and where to stop. The art-order of 
the verse quantities is ever maintained in the 
tehetnata of the music. In Wagner we find a prodi- 
gality of progressions which leaves no impress. As 
to parallel there is none, and even the link and the 
call are not readily discovered. There is the most 
inordinate use of chromatic chords, and meaning- 
less employ of that •* refuge for the destitute," the 
chord of the three minor thirds, which with Wagner 
means restlessness, indecision, and ceaseless turmoil. 
Writing upon the temperament, he is thoroughly 
indifferent as to his notation, which is careless, and 
oftentimes ungrammatical. His music exhibits 
such a confusion of keys that tonality may be said 
to be non-exictent. Lohenarin illustrates an illimi- 
table disregard of tonal relationship. Its cadences 
arc rarely symmetrical, and they present themselves 
in defiance of the calls and analogies of the words. 
Old poetry was made to be sung — modern poetry is 
made to be read ; but no poetry on earth has been 
made to corresjK>nd to the Wagner processes. The 
heart and the lungs are the common and twin time- 
beaters of the human frame ; and " the to and fro," 
the law of nature's kinaU, passes onwards te lan- 
guage, poetry, and music. In the latter we have 
the isochronous motion, but with "the flow and ebb," 
as with the human pulse ; and there is a hidden syn- 
chronism with all three. Wagner's system is atom- 
ic. The atoms have no correspondency, but are 
engaged in one everlasting conflict. The forms of 
his language-melodies — ^if melodies they may be 
termed — are modelled on one last ; and as his poetio 
line is oftentimes of ten syllables, this pattern is, 
on constant repetition, irritating to the highest 
degree. This antagonism of Wagner, this fight 
. between song and tlie secondary chords which he 
commonly employs, is the true cause of his non- 
popularity. He may have made the materials ha 
uses for his music the necessity of his system, but 



I 



4(5 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



the system Is no real advance, and is one inconsistent 
with real |i:rowth in art. It is only a corner of the 
field, and by this time a used-up corner. Still, the 
wonderful vip^or and tact of this Emperor of orches- 
tras may keep it for some time before the public, 
and he may find not a few admirers. But Ijohcngrin 
is not " a joy " in Covent Garden, for the principals 
are as troubled to hold their parts as on the first 
niifht ; and the clever instrumentalists, on each rep- 
etition, discover Uieir affection for it is by no means 
on the increase. 



Dr. Hanft-Ouido Von BaelofW. 

(From the Concordia.) 

The enormous popularity of the pianoforte as a 
domestic instrument, has rendered the position of 
the professional pianist at once easy and difficult. 
Easy, because he appeals to what is most familiar ; 
but difficult, because that very familiarity is apt to 
breed a certain indifference to his art How can he 
cope with this? How is he, over and above the 
obvious attraction of fine music, to become interest- 
ing T The answer is in one word — Individuality. 

Every player who is more than an accomplished 
artist, " places " himself by this one quality. Men- 
delssohn, Liszt, Thalberg, Chopin, Mdme. Schu- 
mann, Rubinstein, and, lastly, Von Biilow, have 
easily taken the front rank by force of Individnality. 

Critics may say what they like ; grave heads may 
shake and look dubious ; but a certain personal force 
will, in the end, silence detraction and shame envy. 
Meanwhile, picking holes in great reputations seems 
still to be a lucrative profession, but it never can 
answer in the long run. Who cares whether a con- 
secutive fifth caii or cannot be found in S. Bach's 
music, or an illegal resolution in Schumann's ; who 
wants to know whether Joachim ever forgot his part, 
or Sims Reeves ever sang out of tune, or whether 
Rubinstein thumps, or Von Biilow has ever hap- 
pened to leave out a not« ? Why, it no more matters, 
pace the critics, than whether Beethoven was or was 
not in the habit of picking his teeth with the snuffers 
after dinner. 

Dr. Von Biilow is the son of the novelist, Baron 
E. Von Biilow, and was born at Dresden, January 
8. 1880. He studied music ns an amateur nndr-r F. 
Wieck — a name illustrious in England through Mad- 
ame Schumann {nee Wieck). In 1848, the year after 
Mendelssohn's death, he went to Leipslc and then to 
Berlin, to study law at the University ; but though 
endowed with splendid intellectual abilities, and a 
force of character which would doubtless have com- 
manded success in many another sphere, his impe- 
riously musical organization carried the day, and, 
after consulting Li(>zt and Wagner, he accepted the 
post of ekef fTorchetlre at Zurich, and early became 
identified with those startling developments of the 
dramatic and musical art then going on under Wag- 
ner, and of which we, in England, are slowly begin- 
ning to take notice. The incomparable Liszt has, 
throughout, been his guide and instructor on the 

Eianoforte, and the mantle, happily not yet dropped 
y that prodigious arti&t, may be said to cover his 
great disciple; though it is doubtful whether so 
powerful and original a personage as Von Biilow can 
ever be quite classed as any one's disciple, so entire- 
ly has he become his own master. 

He appeared as a public pianist for the first time 
in June, 1852, at the Ballenstadt Musical Festival 
under Liszt. About the same time he composed the 
music to Juliitt C<nar for the Weimar Court Theatre, 
and began to throw himself with impetuosity into 
the great controvery which has been raging ever 
since between the older schools of the Present and 
what has been somewhat maliciously called the mu- 
sic of the Future. His articles in the Leipeie Musi- 
ecX OateUe may be described as slashing and funda- 
mental, and early proved to the world that Dr. Von 
Biilow knows the philosophy of his art, and is pre- 
pared to hold the lists against all comers. 

On a concert tour through Vienna and Hungsry 
he established and extended his growing reputation, 
achieving an immense success at Pesth, Hanover, 
Brunswick and Hamburg. In 1854 he succeeded 
KuUak as first Professor of the Piano at the Conser- 
vatoire, and after another concert tour through 
Breslau, Posen,and Dantzic, he settled down at Ber- 
lin in 1865. In 1869-60, he visited Paris and played 
with great 6clat to the most critical audience in the 

world. 

In 1864, Dr. Von Biilow was invited to Munich to 
conduct Wagner's opera TriMan und Isolde. In 1867 
he was commanded by the King of Bavaria to found, 
with Wagner's cooperation, a School of Music at 
Munich, and was then appointed first Capellmeister 
to the opera, and under his direction all Wagner's 



operas were given without curtailment. In 1869 he 
relinquished his post at Munich owing to ill health 
and resided for two years in Florence. 

In 1878, yielding it is said to the persuasive pow- 
er of our countryman, Mr. Griineiaen, Dr. Von Bii- 
low was induced to cross the Channel for the first 
time. 

The public soon became familiar with those pro- 
digious programmes, embracing the most complex 
pianoforte music of schools ancient and modern, in- 
variably played from memory with unerring accu 
racy and with hardly any rest. One recital after 
another drew crowded audiences to St. James Hall, 
with no other attraction besides Dr. Von Biilow and 
a grand Broadwood piano, and the verdict was uni- 
versal, that since Liszt's appearance (for Rubinstein 
can hardly be said to have appeared) no piano play- 
ing of equal calibre had been heard in England. 

H. R. Haweis. 

Jiragjjfs lournal d W^mit. 

BOSTON, JUNE 26, 1876. 

Musical Materialimt 

Musical Art, in this country, and perhaps the 
world over, seems to be forgetting its own soul and 
growing quite materialistic. This shows itself in 
various wa^'s, and mostly in what it is the fashion 
to proclaim as "progress." What progress has the 
present age to show in music T What besides an 
unprecedented finish and perfection in performance, 
technical execution, and some startling (but speed- 
ily fatiguing) novelties of effect f — ^both, virtually, 
confessions of a bla»k condition of the musical tem- 
perament, and of an exhausted, barren period in mu- 
sical creation. Where are the inspired ones ? the 
men of great original genius, whom the world will 
always return to with delight as we do to Bach and 
Beethoven, to the "classics" so called because they 
never grow old? Where are the great musical 
creators f We have great ambitions ; great arts of 
rSdame^ wonderful g^ft for advertising t wonderful 
performers. But has not Art, true Art, sincere, 
poetic, inspired Art, a soul distinct from and un- 
speakably above all that we call virtuosity ^ — ^that 
charm of beautiful "remoteness," so often felt in a 
fine person or a fine poem, — remote from nothing 
so much as the effect music of the day, whose chief 
skill lies in its persistent forcing of itself upon you, 
with a terrible n«am«M, leaving nothing to your 
own imagination, no room for any free subjective 
cooperation of the hearer's mind in the production 
of the musical impression, and therefore planting 
no fine fire-seeds in his breast, no memories to haunt 
him like a lover with a divine sweet unrest 7 In 
short how shall one proceed to fall in love with the 
intruder ? What Is the heaven storming new com- 
poser's fame to our sincere contented love of music? 
The fashion-monger's patterns, changing with the 
seasons, like the new music, may astonish and ex- 
cite, but can they win one from the ideal beauty, 
who has ever felt it ? 

— We do not feel that we succeed in fairly ex- 
pressing what we mean. Suffice it to say : we 
charge the modern effect music' with materialism, 
first, because, being comparatively poor and often 
vulgar in ideas, it seeks to cover the defect by an 
imposing rhetoric ; a grandiose and pompous man- 
ner ; clothing weak outline, form that is mean or 
mcaniugless, with a deceptive wealth of coloring. 
It delights in exaggeration of contrasts ; it abounds 
in affectations, sentimental pianissimos alternating 
with stupendous crises, which are simply physical 
and lack intensity of the intrinsic sort, the intensity 
of the "still, small voice," which also it affects 
sometimes. Then as for intensity of feeling, do we 
not have to go back to our dear great masters to' 
find that? Declamation takes its place to-day, a 
muscular energy resembling passion, only failing to 



impart it; or a sickly, soft, melodious pathos which 
puts hearty sympathies to flight 

It IS not necessary to deny all right in original 
ideas, all beauty, power or individuality to all the 
host of new composers, in order to make out our 
charge of a materialistic tendency in music. The 
modern music puts the means before the end ; or 
rather, it constructs an end Aut of the newly devel- 
oped means and instruments of musical perform- 
ance. This began with the solo-playing virtuosos. 
They invented music for themselves to play; they 
did not first create ideal music, and then study how 
to play it, to express it Their brilliant fantasias, 
transcriptions, variations, for a time, threw the clas- 
sical Sonatas, the sincere tone-poems of whatever 
form, into the shade; the dazzling magician, the 
performer, planted himself before the music, stood 
between you and music, and* the applause meant 
Aim. And now this tide, which has in a great 
measure exhausted itself and receded in the solo ar- 
tists, who now pride themselves on their classical 
programmes, it being their ambition to be regarded 
as " interpreters " (for no pianist now-a-days is ever 
known to play ; he " inteiprets," even if it be varia- 
tions upon " Shoo fly,")— this tendency, we say. is 
now invading the large musical ensembles, orches- 
tras especially, and e^en Choral bodies. We have 
had such admirable examples of technical perfection 
of orchestral execution in the travelling organization 
which has visited our principal cities in their turn 
for half a dozen years, lingering in places where the 
love of great music for pure music's sake has labored 
most to build up some means of its own for the un- 
failing return of such delights, that now the public 
taste has grown marvellously fastidious and exacting 
in the matt«r of performance, — we should say the 
manner. Once we loved fine music ; now we seem 
to care more about the way in which it is presented. 
Once we were thankful to get at the soul and mean- 
ing of a noble composition through whatever means 
of most inadequate performance, by slow degrees, 
striving to meet the intention half way, thun exer- 
cising our own brain and feeling, spelling out the 
divine word from an obscure and faded copy with a 
perseverance pretty sure to be rewarded with an 
undying love of the ideal treasure when we had once 
reached it. It was in this way that that remarka- 
able love and sincere appreciation of the Beethoven 
Symphonies in what formed so long ago par excel- 
lence the Boston musical public, or only circle if yon 
please, became a social fact. We of the past gener- 
ation here owe all our love of Beethoven to the rep- 
etition year after year of — not indifferent, for they 
were hearty — ^but of quite imperfect performances. 
Nor could the most technically perfect rendering of 
a Symphony by the ideal orchestra, say that of 
Thomas, add one iota to the love and feeling for it 
in which these persons had grown up before. Nay 
many of them loved those Symphonies too well — 
(not technical musicians either)— not to be able to 
convict the Thomas renderings — in spite of all their 
wonderful precision, their searching accent, their 
euphonious blending of pure tone qualities, their 
light and shade, their exquisite elegance of finish, — 
of frequent perveraions of the spirit, f^mpo and in- 
tention of their movements ; a photograph may be 
wonderfully fine as such, and yet reproduce the dear 
face as we never wish to see it. 

Far be it from us to undervalue the importance of 
fine execution. The model which has been set to the 
whole country in that respect is indeed invaluable. 
But there is such a thing as carrying this demand 
to an unreasonable excess ; as making the technically 
perfect execution of a work of so much account that 
one becomes comparatively indifferent to the beauty 
and the meaning of the composition In itself. One 
effect of the delight and admiration caused by the 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, JUNE 26, 1875. 



47 



finiRhcd performance of nn exceptionally perfect or- 
chestra, is to make poople like that music best which 
is played best, till they learn to estimate the beauty 
or the {▼randeur of a composition by the degree in 
which it brings out the brilliant and startling, or 
the delicate and subtile qualities of the orchestra. 
Programmes are motived upon that ; there is indis- 
criminate minjjling of sensational matter with the in- 
trinsically beautiful, of startling extravaganzas with 
the masterpieoes of pure music. The well-bred m^u- 
sician, the cultured amateur with settled tastes, is 
proof against this influence perhaps, and he may 
gratify his curiosity to hear *' the new music ** with- 
out danger to himself. But the public is a child in 
Art ; the public listens and is astonished and excited 
with a new strange joy and wonder ; the sound of 
the orchestra transoorts it to the third heavens, and 
it thinks the music in itself, the composition, is di- 
vine ; its simple imagination proceeds forthwith to 
invest the author, the composer with all the glory 
and the halo of that marvellous performance. Per- 
haps in course of time this child will begin to dis- 
criminate and to perceive an everwidening difference 

of high and low, of pure and meretricious, true and 
false between Beethoven, Bach, Schumann on the 
one side, and (»therj» that shall be nameless on the 
other; but it is quite uncertain. Meanwhile there 
is another class of music-lovers, another public, 
which from a child has enjoyed advantages, less 
brilliant peihaps, but more intrinsic, for the forma- 
tion of an appreciative taste in music, and in a more 
humble, quiet, earnest, groping way ; seeking ac- 
quaintance before all with what is best, in music, 
most instinct with truth and beauty and nobility with 
the inspired works of the greatest masters, with the 
classic models of the Art. And these have been 
lovers and devout admirers of tlie great Symphonies 
<feo., have in a sense learned to know them, in their 
heart<4. if not with the technical and analytical under- 
standing. — and all this without ever In their lives 
having heard anything like the model orchestra of 
this day, or any very near approach to a |»€rfectly 
clear and faultless interpretation. Which class, in 
the long run, will have had the richest, deepest, 
purest and intensest joy in music? Can any extra 
grace of performance make the latter love a Beetho- 
ven symphony more truly than he did before ? //«, 
through repeated hearing of indifferent perform- 
ances, has somehow worked his way to the very 
henrt and menn'n'; of the composition, and knows 
how tjreat it is. The other, taken at a later day, is 
all at once surprised and overwhelmed with a sono- 
rous beauty and splendor which he had not dreamed 
that instruments or music had the secret of produc- 
ing ; to him it IS all alike, all beautiful and perfect, 
Beethoven no better than Berlioz or Brahma or 
Raff. Where will it end ? We fancy we can see 
which way it is leading. The former class is doubt- 
less much the smallest; those have come to it by a 
sort of " natural sfflection, ' by a certain " elective 
affinity,** inasmuch as they were called to it by an 
inward calling. Now the crowd hears everything, 
and the taste, the culture becomes less reserved, re- 
ligious and sincere, and more a thing of fashions and 
of crowds. Everybody can go to see Beethoven, 
Mozart. Schubert elegantly dressed, made perfectly 
presentible among a whole ball room rabble full as 
exquisite (perhaps more " stunning,*") but how many 
really meet and feel the man. 

In short we wonder whether our concert audien- 
ces to-day, listening to the finely finished, brilliant 
renderings of a peripatetic model orchestra, really 
enjoy, f^el, appreciate a great work, say a Beetho- 
ven Symphony, as deeply and as truly aa did 
Boston audiences in their "day of small things" in 
the way of execution, albeit great in the "ideal con- 
tents'* of the programmes kept religiously before 
them, ten and even twenty years ago. laudaiar 
iempm'is acti is by no means our motto. We are for 
progress in all things, musical execution as well as 
musical culture in the inward and more spiritual 
sense. Yet we cannot help mistrusting that Boston 
cares less for the muX of music now, than it did some 
years ago; that, having earned a reputation for 
loyalty and earnestness of musical taste and feeling, 
it has been its fate to draw to itself, as to a tempt- 
ing field of speculation, seductive influences and 
formidable means that tend to merge the deeper love 
of the comparatively few in a more general and indis- 
criminate and loudly demonstrative enthusiasm, — to 
turn the current into a new and less sincere direc- 



tion. When perfect execution becomes so indispen- 
sable to true enjoyment of great music, we begin to 
have our doubts about the quality, the depth of the 
enjoyment. Is it necessary that a Symphony must 
be executed with an absolute) precision, finely car- 
ried out and shaped in every minutest leaf and ten- 
dril ? May not something be left to the imagina- 
tion, to the active cooperation of the hearer's own 
mind ? Is it not better on the whole that the mind 
should meet the intention of the music half way ? 
And is not this the greatest benefit of which a work 
of Art can be to us, that it excite our own imagina- 
tive faculty, and make us in some sense, while we 
list«n, co-creators with itself? 

But if we have it all done for us, if we become 
mere passive recipients, what has become of the 
soul of the composition ? what is it to us more than 
a sensation of tne moment, more than the gloss of 
costly wine which we have drunk. No, our appre- 
ciation of a Symphony is not merely in pro- 
portion to the perfection with which its every 
detail is rendered. A beautiful, a most efTective 
ornament has, in a very simple way, been put upon 
our beautiful city ; that gilded dome upon the State 
House is a " thing of beauty ** from whatever point 
it can be seen ; now if you could smooth out every 
dent and inequality upon the shining surface and 
make it perfect as a crystal, would it become a 
whit more beautiful ? The truth is you nee it per- 
fect as it is ; the ideal form is present to your mind, 
and that is all you want 

We repeat then, what wo have said once inciden- 
tally before : that in Music, as in all Art, the mo 
ment tYi^manner, the execution, comes to be thought 
of more account than the matter , than the composi- 
tion, the ideal contents of the work, — the rendering 
than the programme, — that moment we are making 
progress in the decadence in Art. And this is what 
we mean b}* musical materialism. 



A " Sapphic Ode/' 

Tut Ambrican Hero — 1Y76. 
Some grand old verses, re-published in the news- 
paper on the approach of our glorious Cont.ennnial 
should have been sung at Bunker Hill that 
day. They have the true poetic inspiration, and 
glow with the holiest fire of patriotism. The Ad- 
vertUer gives this brief account of them : " On the 
arrival of the news of the battle of Bunker Ilill, 
Judge Nathaniel Niles of Vermont wrote, by the 
light of his hearthstone fire, a " Sapphic ode," which 
was sung in all American churches during the Rev- 
olution, to the tune called * Bunker Hill.* " It became 
as great a favorite amor.g the soldiers of the conti- 
nental army as 'John Brown's Body' among those 
of the Union army in the late war.'* 

What the tune of " Bunker Hill " wem one might 
be curious to know. And it seems very strange 
that 80 grand an ode, sung in the churches and t!»e 
army all that time, could have grown obsolete; 
surely it was worthy of a place among the best in 
all collections of American poetry. It is Horatian 
in its spirit as well as its rhythm, being plainly 
modelled upon " Integer vita ncelerinoue punttt,'* which 
is sung by all our male part-song clubs as composed 
by Flemming. Thou-^h that simple composition is 
no work of genius, it is pure and dignified, and 
these words sung to it by the Apollo Club on that 
occasion would have been inspiring. Of course 
Flemniing*s music did not exist at the time of the 
Revolution, nor is the " Sapphic ** found among the 
old P;aalm Book metres. The Ode is as follows:— 

Why should vain mortals tremble at the sight of 
Death and destruction in the field of battle. 
Where blood and carnage clothe the ground in 
crimson, 

Sounding with death groans ? 

Death will invade us by the means appointed, 
And we must all bow to the king of terrors; 
Nor am I anxious, if I am prepared. 
What shape he comes in. 

Infinite goodness teaches us submission. 
Bids as be quiet under all his dealings ; 
Never repining, but forever praising 

God our Creator. 
Well may we praise him ; all his ways are perfect ; 
Though a resplendence infinitely glowing, 
Dazzles in glory on the sight of mortals, 

Struck blind by lustre I 

Good is Jehovah in bestowing sunshine ; 
Nor less his goodness in the storm and thunder ; 
Mercies and judgments both proceed from kindness, 
Infinite kindness 1 



then exult, that God forever reigneth 1 
Clouds which around him hinder our perception 
Bind us the stronger to exalt his name, and 

Shout louder praises I 

Then to the wisdom of my Lord and Master 

1 will commit all that I have or wish for ; 
Sweetly as babes sleep will I give my life up 

When call'd to yield it 

Now Afars, I dare thee, clad in smoky pillars. 
Bursting from bomb shells, roaring from the cannon. 
Rattling in crfApe shot, like a storm of hail stones. 
Torturing iEther I 

Up the bleak heavens let the spreading flames rise. 
Breaking like iEtna thronifh the smoking columns, 
Low'ring like Egypt o'er the falling city, 
Wantonly burnt down. 

While all their hearts quick palpitate for havoc. 
Let slip your bloodhounds, nam'd the British lions ; 
Dauntless as death-stares, [?] nimble as the whirl- 
wind. 

Dreadful as demons I 

Let oceans waft on all vour floating castles. 
Fraught with destruction horrible to nature ; 
Then, with your sails fiU'I by a storm of vengeance, 
Bear down to battle I 

From the dire caverns made by ghostly miners. 
Let the explosion, dreadful as volcanoes. 
Heave the oroad town,with all its wealth and people. 
Quick to destruction 1 

Still shall the banner of the King of heaven 
Never advance where I'm afraid to follow ; 
While what precedes me, with an open bosom. 
War, I defy thee I 

Fame and dear freedom hire me on to battle, 
While a fell despot, primmer than a death's head, 
Slinffs me with serpents, fiercer than Medusa's, 
To the encounter. 

Life for my country and the cause of freedom 
Is but a trifle for a worm to part with ; 
And if preserved in so great a contest. 
Life is redoubled. 



4 mmt 



(Crowded out laet time.) 

Pab'T-Soko Clubs. During the past weeks our two 
principal Clubs of male voices, the Apollo, and the 
BoTLSTON, hav« each f^ven two Concerts to admiring 
crowds in the great Music Hall. The slnglnf^ of the form- 
er,— a well selected, solid, and well balanced b6dy uf 67 
voices,— oven surpassed t eir own high standard of past 
years. The sweet, pure, rich en«em!)le of tone. Its vital 
resonance, was most remarkable ; and the execution, in 
all points of precision, light and sha le. &'%, was 8lng:ular< 
ly perfect. There were symptoms of wearl ness, to be sure, 
in some of the high tenors In the last piece, that noble 
double chorus from Mendelssohn's ** Oedipus," and yet 
the effect as a whole was very grand. <' Evening Ro8t,'* 
by Hamma, was exquisitely wun^. Schubert's " Die All- 
macht," arranged by Liszt fir tenor solo and chorus, we 
unfortanately lost. The rest of the pro^^ramme was of the 
usual order, and of course very popular. There wis ex- 
cellent BOlo-din^ng by Dr. Laxohaid and Sf r. .Tonx F. 
Winch ; and Mr. Laxo, the Condncror of the Club, with 
Mr. SuMXBR, played a Rondo of Ciioptn for two pianos. 
—The second concert was a repetition of the first, with the 
exception of the solos, Mr. J. P. Winch slnnjiug " March 
Onward" by Faure, anl Mr. W. J. Winch a couple of 
songs by Franz. The "Oadlpus" choiois went to a charm 
this time. 

The Boylston Club sung this time under their new Con- 
ductor, Mr Gbobqb L. Osgood, who h\d been with them 
only a few weeks, so that the results of his training could 
hardly yet be very marked. In the repetition of the Cuu- 
cort the improvement was decided. There is a fine body 
of fresh youn;; voice*, and they sing with spirit. The 
more Important pieces were *'The Mornlufc Walk" by E-" 
ser, Schum mn's ^'Oipsey Life," arranged for male voices, 
and Dudley Buck's stno^ng March: "Hark! the trumpet,*' 
which was encored. There was effective solo singing by 
Mr. W. C. Tower, Mr. Harry Gates, Mr. Reod and Mr. 

Hay, aiid Mr. Colbum. Mr. Petersilea played on the 
pUnoforte Liszt's '* Faust " Waltz, arranjced by Gounod. 



Handbl axd Haydn Socirty. The annual meeting 
of the Haiulel and HaydnSociuty for the choice of a Board 
of Ooverument for the ensuing year wa« held In Bumstoad 
Hall. Loring B. Barnes preitiding. The treasurer'ii report 
shows thu expenditures to have been for the year 
$10,66617; Income, $10,207; deflcU, $1459 17. President 
Barnes, who had declined the nomination for re^ ectioti, 
presentei a report givinf; a resume of the socloty'^ hixt'i- 
ry. and speaking particularly of his personal relations 
with it. which extended back twenty vears. During the 
period last speciAe 1 he was secrettiry nfteen years, direc- 
tor tbreo years and president four years. 



48 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC 



During the past seiison there have been thirty-flve re~ 
' the attcndanre upon these has averaeeil i 

■ „ ,. ly, 

was now In a hotter condition than ever before The defl- 



» pi 

hearsalii, and the attcndanre upon these has ave'raeeil 300 
members-. He thought the society, an a musical bodi 



ctt shown In the treasarer*s re|)ort arises not In any de- 
cree from losses by concerts, but from the occupation of 
Beethoven Hail and the system of associate membership 
now In vogue. 

With but two or three exceptions the vote for members 
of the Board of Government was unanimous, the newly- 
elected president. Mr. Charles C. Ferlclns, receiving the 
entire ballot for the office, which was eii^bty votes. The 
other gentlemen elected are the following-named : Vice 
President— George H. Ghlckering; Secrt>tary— A. Parker 
Browne; Treasurer— Geoi^ W. Palmer; Librarian— John 
H. Stioknev. Directors— W. O. Perkinn. J. B. Bnwver. R. 
Beeching, F. H. Jenks. M. G. Daniell,W.F. Bradbury, A. 
H. Wilson, Geoi^ T. Brown. 



-•-♦ 



Qrg^aii Mnsio in New Ycxrk. 

Mr. Editor: — Oar musical people cannot com- 
plain of a lack of opportunities to hear good music 
during the past season. — ^The Philharmonic Society 
has g^ven its six concerts and eighteen public re- 
hearsals; Theo. Thomas's perfect orcheatra has given 
six regular concerts and public rehearsals, besides 
occasional concerts and matinees; Dr. Damrosch 
and his Chorus have given several Oratorios ; <fec., 
Ac. But we have had something new in the way 
of musical performances, viz : Organ Music. In the 
winter of 1870, Mr. Samuel P. Warren gave a series 
of organ recitals, but since then no one has attempt- 
ed anything of the kind. However, they did excel- 
lent service at the time, and gave an impetus to 
organ playing in our City, which has manifested it- 
self ever since in a greater interest in this kind of 
music. You have probably hoard of younsr Dr. 
Tyng^s new church, with its fine organ built by Mr. 
Hilborue Roosevelt. It is undoubtedly the largest 
and most effective org^n in our city. It conteiua a 
number of new contrivances; perhaps the most 
striking is that of having the reeds of the great or- 
gan enclosed in the swell box, — ^by which a tremen- 
dous but gradual crescendo may be obtained. 

It was decided to give weekly organ concerto, 
under the management of the Director and organist 
of the church, Mr. S. P. Warren. A -great degpree 
of interest has been manifested in these concerto, 
especially by orgaoisto and amateurs. When I say 
arffonitU I do not mean those who play the piano all 
the week and take an organ on Sunday to help along; 
but those who make the study of the organ a spec- 
iality. Organisto of various degrees of ability have 
performed at these concerto, but tone and character 
have been g^ven to them by their director, Mr. 
Warren. His progprammes conUin the most diffi- 
cult as well as the finest works for the organ. Let 
me mention some of the leading works : Reubke's 
Sonata in C minor — which undoubtedly contolns 
more technical difficulties for manual an J pedal than 
any other single organ composition ; Schumann's 
and Lisit's Fugues on B. A. C. H. ; Thiele's Varia- 
tions in A flat. Concert Pieces in C minor, E flat 
minor, No. S in C minor (manuscript), and Adagio 
in A flat (manuscript) ; an entire Bach programme, 
eontoining some of the author's gpreatest works, — 
besides the many fugues, trios and chorals given 
during the series ; Haupt's Fug^e in C (manuscript) ; 
Tan Eyken's SonaU in A minor; Rheinberger's 
Sonata, Op. 65 ; besides selections by Krebs, Merkel, 
Ritter, Volckmar, Oade, Carl Piatti, Guilmant, £. 
J. Hopkins, Ac,, Ac. 

As yon may readily see, this is a noble contribn- 
Uon to the cause of organ music snd real org^n 
playing, — both of which are comparatively so little 
understood. Many of the works are played for the 
first time in our city, and some of the most difficult 
for the first time in this country. Such efforto can- 
not be too highly appreciated, — they certainly are 
by the audiences which have attended the series. 
Even more enjoyable are the free weekly recitels 
which Mr. Warrun is now giving during this month. 
Every programme presento new works of the same 
high order of music. — So much for the character of 



the works ; now for their actual porformance. Mr. 
Warren's technique is superb. His rendering is 
bold, masterly, and full of spirit; or delicate, grace- 
ful and poetical, according as the work iu hand de- 
mands, and his conception artistic and comprehen- 
sive. J. A. 
New York, June 10, 1875. 



Dbtroit, JuxR 16. — The enclosed programme of 
music, WAS performed on Friday evening, by the pu- 
pils of Prof. Ilahn of this city. It speaks for iteelf. 
We sincerely hope the example set by this worthy 
instructor in holding fast to high sUndards may be 
followed more generally both in the East and the 
West, till the works of the great masters become 
with us, as in Germany, household wordSb 

Concerto— In D Mi nor Bach. 

With Quartoi accompaniment. 

Miss Kato Jocobs. 

Concerto— In G Minor, Ost Movement). Mendelssohn. 

With Quintet and 2d Piano Accompauiment. 

Miss Eliza Jenking. 

Largbetto— Arom Second Symphony Beethoven. 

Two Pianos— ifiiirht Hands. 
Misses Scrnsburg, Harris, Warner. Pope. 

Concerto— in G Minor Beethoven. 

(1 Movement, with Cadenza by Moscheles.) 

Quintet and 2d Piano Accompaniment. 

Miss Jennie H. Baxter. 

String Quartet— I«ro. l Cherublnl. 

Messrs. Luderer, Chandler, B. <& II. Siieil. 

Concerto— in F Minor, Op. 19 Bennett. 

(11 and 111 Movements.) 

With Quintet Accompaniment. 

Miss Ellen B. Baxter. 



HoNi soiT QUI If AL T PBxsc The incident which 
follows is relatod in a letter from a Paris corres- 
pondent of the New York World, which appeared as 
long ago as 1869. Our readers will thank the one 
who cut it out and saved it all this time for them. 

Here !s a thoroughly characteristic story of Paris- 
ian life from the carnival just ended, showing how 
near together lie the springs of laughter and of tears 
in the mobile, generous, noble, but dramatic nature 
of the Gaul. Late in the night of Shrove Tuesday 
(or early in the morning of Ash Wednesday) a band 
•f masquers, stndento and ^isettes. were going to 
their homes in the Latin Quarter. They had spent 
the night at the masked ball of the Cnatelet. and 
they were improvising Chatelet dances along the 
streeto as they went. Suddenly, in the Carrefour 
Buci, they citme upon a poor, half sterved creature 
wandering helpleasly about with a sick child in her 
arms. One of their number, a young girl (perhaps 
not a wholly commendable 3*oung girl), halted tne 
company, and, snatching the pointed white hat of a 
ridiculous Pierrot from his ridiculous head, she 
handed it from one to another of her gay compan- 
ions. Each answered the mute appeal with a piece 
of silver, and the young girl, tying the contributions 
hastily into her handkerchiuf, presented it thus 
filled to the poor vagrant. Ere the astonished and 
tearful woman could steramer out her thanks, one 
of the young revellers snatched the handkercliief 
out of her hand and, to the astonishment and indig- 
nation of his comrades, quietly unknotted it and 
took out the money. Then teking out his pocket- 
book, he wrapped the silver in a bank-note, returned 
it thus enveloped to the poor woman, and, carefully 
folding up the handkerchief, put it in his bosom as 
a souvenir and led the company off again homewards 
to an air from ** La Perichole." There are a great 
many excellent people in MASSAcnusRTTS ; but we 
doubt whether such an incident ha this would be 
likely to happen to a company of young Bostoncse 
returning from a Thanksgiving dance. Every peo- 
ple has ito own ways of being g^d and bad. 



What is a " Classic ?" James Russell Lowell, 
in his admirable paper in the Horih American Re- 
view, on Spenser, gives this definition, which will 
apply £8 well to Music as to Poetry : 

" A classic is properly a book which mainteins 
itself by virtue of that happy coalescence of matter 
and style, that innate and exquisite sympathy be- 
tween the thought that gives lite and the form which 

consente to every mood of grace and dignity, which 
can be simple without being vulgar, elevated with- 
out being distant, and whicn is something neither 
ancient nor modern, always new, and incapable of 
growing old." 



* 

DSSCBIPTIVE LIST OF THK 
1P«l»lla1i«i« bjr Oliver DltoOM * €•• 

> !• > I 

Vooal, with Piano Aooompaniment. 

Down the Shadowed Lane she goes. 5. F to f. 

Osgood. 40 

** Shadowy lanoe and del la among, 
With wild flowers laden." 

Hf ny appear to be easier than the 5th deflree. bat 
renniroii a meilow, cnltlv:itefl, flexible voice for its 
full effSect. A fine composition. 

Waiting for the Swallows. 4. d to e. Pinsutu 60 

" 8ln« on, aing on, ye happy Mrdt, 
The freah young leaves bend o'er yon.*' 

Like many others of Ftnsuti't oompoaltion. It It 
a very fine Bnffllah song, with an Italian finish. 
Full of bird melodlee. 

Five o'clock 'Bus. 8. 6 to d. Tounfj. 33 

*' My name it Is Stokes and at Putney I dwell.*' 
A comic song with oonslderable wit In it. 

Which is the properest Day to drink. Glee. 

3. G to (i Dr. Ame, 30 

An old Ensrllsih oomic glee. Melody al>out the 
same ns that of the children's " Wliinh is the pnip- 
orent way to slug." which wonla may be eOHlly 
substituted for the others. 

A River thro' each winding Glade. 3. G to d. 

WrigJUon. 30 

" So flows thro' all life's mazv paths. 
My steadfast love for thee.**^ 

A smooth going song with a rich melody. 

Dreams of the Past. S'g and Cho. 3. Ahtof. 

FeUan. 30 

*'OcomA to-night: 
Cheer me again with yonr visions bright.** 

Very elfoctive solo, and a flno chorus. 

Upon a stormy Sunday. 3. D&. Carpenter. 30 

" Laddie I Why dinna ye wear your plaid ; 
Who kens but It may rain." 

A very charming Scotch ballad. 

The Family Bmseambile, 3. F to 7. 

Qfenbaeh, 85 

** My father wns a prettv man.*' 
" Mon pere 4tait un bel homme." 

Verv lively, and the <* Family BruiieAmbtle" It 
pnflbd very zealously. From the " JoUe Parfeu- 
meuse." 

There site a Bird on yonder Tree. 4. Ah tog. 

Sk^ffingtan, 35 

** O stoop from thine Eyrie down. 
And nestle thee near'my heart.*' 

A flrst-class song every way. 
InstnunsBtali 

First Kiss Waltz. (Le promier baiser). 3. C. 

Lamothe. 75 

Bright and entjrtaining mnidr, which corresponds 
welt to the sweetness of the title. 

Massa's in the Cold, Cold Ground. Fantasie 
de Concert 6. G. Pope. 1.00 

Sabbath Evening Chimes. Fantasie on '* The 

Bells of Aberdovy. 6. £& Pope. 1.00 

Mr. Pape has done a verv good work In bringing 
out pieces of tbiw class, funded oA ikvorite meh 
odios, they are with the omameotations which are 
in good tasto and ingeniousiv arranged, some of 
the iiest of concert or exhibition pieces, and Just 
within the ronch of a numl>er of the best players 
In seminaries, and of skilftil musical amateurs 
everywhere. 

The Red Cross March. 3. £6. G. D. WH8<m. 75 

It seems Mr. Wilson has been found worthv of 
knighthood, and proves himself a wonhy Knight 
Templar by the prodaction of this extra-flne march. 
Richly colored title page. 

Ocean Spray Polka. 3. Aft. Spinning, 30 

Dedicated to Mr. S's.pnplls, who will not fall to 
dash through It with a zest su^^efted by the sultry 
weather, and the refreshing quality of the music 

Promenade Militaire. Marche Caractoris- 

tique. 3. D to Eb, NeustedL 50 

A beautiful nurchof considerable variety. 



ABBRBviATioirs.~DegTeee of difficulty are marked 
1 to 7. The Jtey IS marked with a capital letter: as C, 15 
flat, *c. A small Roman letter marks the highest noto, 
if on Uie staff, an Ualic letter the highest note, if above 
the staff. 





mxml 





Whole No. 893. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, JULY 10, 1875. 



XXXV, 



WagBtr^i Xmaifiiuury Pilgrimage to 
Beethoven.* 

(Concluded from Page 44.) 

The Englishman, who always watched my 
attempt with excited attention from his win- 
dow, had at last receired positive information 
that BeethoYen was really not to be approached. 
Hu was thoroughly vexed, but immeasarably 
persevering. My patience, however, was soon 
exhausted, for I had more reason for it than he. 
A week had gradually slipped away without 
the attainment of my object ; and the income 
from my galops by no means permitted mo a 
long residence in Vienna. I gradually began 
to despair. 

I communicated my sorrows to the landlord 
of the hotel. Ho smiled, and promised to tell 
me the reason of my woes if I would swear not 
to betray it to the Englishman. Foreseeing 
disaster, I made the vow demanded of me. 

''You see,^* said the trusty landlord, '* hoste 
of Englishmen come here to see Herr von Beet- 
hoven and make his acquaintence. This annoys 
Herr von Beethoven so much, and he has been 
in such a rage at the impertinence of these peo- 
ple, that he makes it absolutely impossible for 
any stranger to get admittance to him. He is 
a singular man, and this may be pardoned in 
him. It is an excellent thing for my hotel, 
however, for it is generally liberally patronized 
by Englishmen, who are compel lea by their 
anxiety to see Herr Beethoven to remain my 
gpieste longer than they otherwise would. Since 
you promise me, however, not to betray me to 
these gentlemen,.! hope to find a means to se- 
cure your admission to Herr Beethoven.'^ 

This was refreshing; so I had not reached 
the g(Mtlt because I — poor devil — paued for an 
Englishman ! My presentiment was justiftt^d — 
the Englishman was my ruin I I would have 
left the house at once, for of course every one 
that lodged there was teken for an Englishman 
at Beethoven's, and I was already outlawed for 
this reason; but the landlord's promise re- 
strained me, — that he would bring about an op- 
portunity to see and speak with the master. 
The Englishman, whom I detested from my 
soul, had meanwhile begun all sorts of intrigues 
and bribes, but without result. 

So several more fruitless days slippM away, 
during which the receipts from my galops visi- 
bly diminished ; till at last the landlord confid- 
ed to me that I could not fail to meet Beetho- 
ven if I would go into a narticular beer-garden, 
whither he went almost oaily at a certain hour. 
At the same time I received from my counsel- 
lor certain unmistakable descriptions of the per- 
sonal appearance of the great master, which 
would enable me to recognize him. I roused 
myself, and determined not to put off my hap- 
piness Until to-morrow. It was impossible to 
catoh Beethoven as he went put, tor he always 
left his house by a back way; so there wfw 
nothing left for me but the beer-garden. tJn- 
fortunately» however, I looked there for the 
master both on this and the two following days 
without success. 

At last on the fourth day, as I again directed 
my steps to the momentous beer-garden at the 
appointed hour, I perceived to my horror that 
the Englishman was cautiously and observant- 
ly following me at a distance. The wreteh, 
perpetually watehing at his window, had not 
let the fact escape him that I went out every 
day at the same hour and in the same direction. 
He had been struck by this, and at once sus- 
pecting that I had found some clue by which 

* From Art life amd ThearUt €/ Biohabd Waoitkb. 
Tianslated by S. L. BurUngame. 



to trace out Beethoven, he had decided to take 
advantage of my presumed discovery. He told 
me all this ^ith the greatest frankness, and 
forthwith declared that he proposed to follow 
me everywhere. In vain wero all my endeav- 
ors to deceive him, or to make him believe that 
I had no other purpose in view than to visit, for 
my own refreshment, a beer-garden that was 
far too unfashionable to be worth the consider- 
ation of a gentleman like him ; he kept stead- 
fastly to Ins resolution, and I had my luck to 
curse for it. At last I tried rudeness, and 
sought to rid myself of him by insolence; far 
from letting himself bo influenced by this, how- 
ever, he contented himself with a gentle smile. 
His fixed idea was — to »ee Beethoven; nothing 
else disturbed him in the least. 

In truth, it was to be ; on this day I was for 
the first time to behold the great Beethoven. 
No words can picture my ecstasy— or at the 
same time describe my rage— as, seated beside 
my ''gentleman," I saw approaching a man 
whose carriage and appearance fullv bore out 
the description that the landlord had g^ven 
me of the master. The long blue overcoat, the 
tengled. bristling grey hair, and more than 
these the features, tlie expression of the face, 
as they had long hovered before my imagina- 
tion, pictured from an excellent portrait. Ko 
misteke was possible; I had recognized him in 
an instant! He passed us with short and hur- 
ried steps; surprise and reverence enchained 
my senses. 

The Englishman missed none of my move- 
mente; he looked with curiosity at the new- 
comer, who withdrew into the most secluded 
corner of the beer-garden, — at this hour almost 
deserted.— ordered wine, and then remained 
for'a time in an attitude of deep thought. My 
beating heart said to me — " It is he ! *' For a 
moment I forgot my neighbor, and looked with 
curious eye and unspeakable emotion upon the 
man whose genius had alone ruled over all my 
thoughts and feelings since I had learned to 
think and feel. Involuntarily I began to mur- 
mur softly to myself, and fell into a kind of 
soliloquy that ended with the but too distinct- 
ly uttered words — ''Beethoven— it is thou, 
then, whom I seel " 

Nothing escaped my accursed neighbor, who, 
bending close beside me, had listened with 
bated breath to my murmuring. I was roused 
in horror from my deep ecstasy by the words 
— ' ' Yes, this gentlemni is Beethoven ! Ck>me, 
let us introduce ourselves at once! " 

Filled with anxiety and disgust I held the 
cursed Englishman back by the arm. 

"What are you going to do? " I cried — "do 
yon mean to disgrace us? Here— in such a 
place-^so utterly without regard to common 
courtesy? " 

"Oh," responded he, "it's a capital oppor- 
tunity; we shan't easily find a better one." 

With this he drew a kind of note-book from 
his pocket, and would have rushed forthwith 
upon the man in the blue overcoat. Beside 
myself, I seized the lunatic by the skirts of his 
coat, and cried out furiously, " Are you stork 
mad?" 

This proceeding had attracted the attention 
of the stranger. ~ He seemed to guess, with 
punful annoyance, that he was the subject of 
our excitement, and after he had hastily emptied 
his glass he rose to go away. Hardly had the 
Englishman perceived this than he tore himself 
from me with such force that he left one of his 
coat-skirto in my hand, and threw himself in 
Beethoven's path. The latter sought to avoid 
him ; but the wretch was before him, and mak- 
ing him a marvellous bow according to the lat- 



est English fashion, addressed him as follows: 

" I have the honor to introduce myself to that 
very famous composer and most estimable man 
— Herr Beethoven." 

He had no need to add anything further, for 
with his first words Beethoven, casting a sin- 
gle glance upon me, had turned a^^ay with a 
hasty start to one side, and had vanished from 
the garden with the speed of lightning. Not 
the less did the irrepressible Briton show his 
intention to pursue the fugitive, when I seized, 
in a fury of rage, on the remnant of his coat 
skirts. Somewhat astonished, he checked him- 
self, and cried out in a singular tone : 

" Damn it! This gentleman is worthy to be 
an Englishman, and I sliall certoinly make no 
delay in forming his acquaintence! " 

I stood there stupefied ; this terrible adven- 
ture put an end to every hope of mine to see the 
dearest wish of my heart fulfilled 1 

It was very clear to me that from this time 
forth every attempt to approach Beethoven in 
an ordinary fashion must he perfectly vain. In 
my ruinous ciroumstences I had only to decide 
whether I would at once enter upon my home- 
ward journey with my object unaccomplished, 
or whether I should make one last desperate 
endeavor to reach my goal. At the first alter- 
native I shuddered to the bottom of my soul. 
Who, so near as this to the gates of the holy of 
holies, could see them close upon him without 
being fairly annihilated ? Before I gave up the 
salvation of my soul, then, I would make one 
more desperate attempt. But what step was 
there for me to teke — what way left for me to 
pursue ? For a long time I could think of 
nothing definite. Alas, all consciousness was 
benumbed; nothing presented itself to my im- 
agination but the remembrance of what I had 
passed through when I held the vile English- 
man's coat-skirta in my hands. Beethoven's 
side glance at my unlucky self during this 
frightful catastrophe had not escaped me; I 
felt what such a glance must mean ; he had — 
teken me for an Englishman! * 

What should I do then, to elude the wrath 
of the master? Everything depended on in- 
forming him that I was a simple German soul, 
full of worldly poverty, but more than worldly 
enthusiasm. 

So I decided at last to pour out my heart, — 
to write. I did so ; told him briefly the histo- 
ry of my life; how I had become a musician: 
how I idolized him ; how I hsd longed to make 
his acquaintence; how I had given up two years 
to gaining a reputetion as a composer of ^1- 
ops; how I haa begun and ended my pilgrim 
age; what woes the Englishman had brought 
upon me, and in what a cruel situation I now 
found myself. As I felt m^ heart grow con- 
sciously lighter during this summary of my 
griefs, I even passed into a certein degree of con- 
fidence, from the pleasure of this feeling; I 
mingled in my letter some' frank and rather 
decided complainto of the unjust cruelty with 
which I, poor devil, had been treated by the 
master. I closed my letter with absolute en- 
thusiasm; my eyes swam as I wrote the ad- 
dress — "to Herr Ludwig von Beethoven." I 
uttered a silent prayer, and myself delivered 
the letter at Beethoven's house. 

As I returned to my hotel, full of enthusiasm 
— great Heaven! what brought the horrible 
Englishman again before my eyes ? He had 
watehed this last errand also from his window ; 
he had seen on my features the happiness of 
hope, and this was enough to deliver me again 
into his power. He stopped me on the steps 
with the question, '' Gooa news ? When shall 
we see Beethoven? " 



T"*- 



50 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



** Never! never! " cried I in despair — **Beet- 
hoven will never in his life see you again ! Let 
me go, villain! We have nothing in com- 
mon!" 

**Most decidedly we have something in com- 
mon," responded he, coldly; ** where is the 
skirt of my coat, sir ? Who" authorized you to 
forcibly deprive me of it ? Do you know, sir, 
that you are to blame for the behavior of Beet- 
hoven toward me ? How was he to find it en 
regie to permit the acquaintance of a gentleman 
with only one coat-skirt ? " 

Furious at seeing the fault thus cast upon 
me, I cried — **You shall have the coat-skirt 
back, sir I Treasure it up as a shameful re- 
minder of the way in which you insulted the 
great Beethoven, and ruined a poor musician! 
— Farewell! may we never see each other 
again! " 

He sought to restrain me, and to pacify me 
by assuring me that he had still a large num- 
ber of coats in the best possible condition ; I 
must tell him when Beetnoven would receive 
us. But I rushed past him up into my fifth 
story ; and there I locked myself in and waited 
for Beethoven^s answer. 

But how shall I describe what passed within 
me — around me — ^when I really received within 
an hour a little piece of note-paper on which 

was hastily written — * * Pardon me, Herr R , 

if I ask you to call for the first time to-morrow 
morning; for I am at work to get off a packet 
of music by post. I expect you to-morrow. 
Beethoven." 

First of all I sank upon my knees and thanked 
Heaven for this marvellous boon ; my eyes were 
clouded with burning tears. But at length my 
emotions broke loose in the wildest joy; I 
sprang up and danced about my little bedroom 
like a madman. I hardly know what I danced ; 
but I remember that to my infinite shame I 
suddenly became aware that I was accompany- 
ing myself by whistling a galop. This unhap- 
py discovery brought me to myself again; I 
left my room and the hotel, and rushed into 
the streets of Vienna fairly drunken with de- 
light 

Heavens! My woes had made me utterly 
forget that I was in Vienna! How the lively 
stir of the people of the imperial city delighted 
me ! I was in an enthusiastic mood, and si\w 
eveiything with enthusiastic eyes. The some- 
what superficial sensuousness of the Viennese 
seemed the fresh warmth of life ; their frivolous 
and not very fastidious pursuit of pleasure 
passed for natural and frank appreciation of 
the beautiful. I looked over the five daily 
theatre-bills ; on one of them I saw announced 
** FideHoj — opera by Beethoven." 

I must go to the theatre, be the receipts from 
my galops ever so sadly lessened ! As I came 
into the parquette the overture began. This 
was the rearrangement of the opera that had 
once — ^to the honor of the highly critical public 
of Vienna — failed, under the title of *^Leo- 
nore." Even in this later form I had nowhere 
been able to produce it ; and the delight may 
be imagined, which I experienced as I now 
heard for the first time this glorious novelty . 
A very young girl rendered the rdle of Leonore ; 
yet this singer seemed even in her early youth 
to have fairly wed herself to the genius of Beet- 
hoven. With what ardor, poetic feeling, deep 
emotion did she depict this wonderful woman ! 
Her name was Wilhelmine Schr5der. She had 
gained for herself the noble merit of opening 
Beethoven^s work to the German public ; for I 
saw that evening, that even the superficial 
Viennese were roused to thorough enthusiasm. 
For me the very heavens were opened ; all was 
illuminated for me, and I bowea down before 
the Genius that had led me like Florestan — 
from night and chains to light and liberty. 

That night I could not sleep. What I had 
just gone through and what awaited me on the 
morrow, was too great and overwhelming to 
have let me carry it quietly into my dreams. I 
lay awake ; I wandered ; I prepared myself to 
appear before Beethoven. At last the day ap- 
peared; I WAii(B4 with impatience for a time 



suitable for a morning call; it came, and I 
started forth. The most important event of 
my life stood before me; I trembled at the 
thought. 

But I was to pass through a terrible trial. 

Leaning against Beethoven^s door-post there 
awaited me with great sang-froid, my demon — 
the Englishmaifi ! The villain had bribed ev- 
erybody — finally even the landlord. The latter 
had read Beethoven's open note before I had 
seen it myself, and had c>etrayed its contents to 
the Briton. 

A cold sweat burst from me at the sight. All 
romance, all divine ecstasy disappeared. I was 
again in hie power. 

**Come," said the wretch, ** let us introduce 
ourselves to Beethoven ! " 

At first I thought of helping myself out of 
the difficulty with a lie, and asserting that I 
was not on the way to Beethoven at all. But 
he at once deprived me of all possibility of 
refuge, by explaining to me with the greatest 
candor that he had discovered my secret ; and 
declaring that he would not leave me till we had 
seen Beethoven. I sought at first to dissuade 
him good-humoredly from his design ; — in vain. 
I fell into a rage; — in vain. Finally I hoped 
to escape him by fleetness of foot. I fiew up 
the steps like an arrow, and jerked at the bell 
like a madman. But before the door was 
opened the man stood beside me, seized the 
skirt of my coat and said: ^^Don^t run away 
from me! I have a right to your coat-skirts, 
and I'll hold fast by them until we stand in 
Beethoven's presence." 

I turned upon him in a fury, and struggled 
to free myself; I even felt tempted to defend 
myself by physical force against the proud son 
of Albion — when suddenly the door was opened. 
An old servant appeared, frowning as she dis- 
covered us in our extraordinary position ; and 
seemed about to shut the door again upon us. 
In my anxiety I called my name aloud, and af- 
firmed that I had been invited by Herr Beetho- 
ven himself. 

The old woman was still in doubt, for the 
sight of the Englishman seemed to rouse in her 
a very just suspicion, — when suddenly, as tuck 
would have it, Beethoven himself appeared at 
the door of his study. Taking advantage of 
this moment, I rushed quickly in, and sought 
to approach the master to excuse myself. But 
I dragged in the Englishman with me, for he 
clung to me still. He carried out his purpose, 
and did not let me go until we stood before 
Beethoven. I bowed, and stammered out my 
name ; and though be certainly did not under- 
stand it, he seemed to know that I was the one 
who had written to him. He motioned to me 
to go into his room ; and without being in the 
least disturbed by Beethoven's amaz^ look, 
my companion slipped hastily in after me. 

Here I was — in the sanctuary ; but the horri- 
ble embarrassment into which the villainous 
Britisher had led me robbed me of all that 
beneficent mood that was necessary to worthily 
enjoy my good fortune. Beethoven's appear- 
ance was certainly not in itself adapted to have 
an agreeable and soothing effect. He was in a 
somewhat disorderly dishabille : he wore a red 
woollen belt around his body ; long, stiff, gray 
hair hung in disorder about his head ; and his 
gloomy, repellent expression did not tend to 
allay my confusion. We sat down at a table 
covered with pens and paper. 

There was a decided feeling of awkwardness; 
no one spoke. Beethoven was evidently out of 
temper at having to receive two persons instead 
of one. 

At last he began by saying in a harsh voice 
— ** You come from L ? " 

I was about to answer, but he interrupted 
me ; laying a pencil and sheet of paper before 
me, he added: — " Write; I cannot hear." 

I knew of Beethoven's deafness, and had pre- 
pared myself for it. Nevertheless it went 
through my heart like a pang when I heard his 
harsh and broken voice say **I cannot hear." 
To live in the world joyless a^d in poverty ; to 
find one's only exalted happiness in the power 



of music — and to have to say **I cannot hear!' 
In one moment there came to me the full un- 
derstanding of Beethoven's manner, of the deep 
sorrow in his face, of the gloomy sadness of his 
glance, of the firm-set haughtiness of his lips: 
— ?ie eouUl not Jiear! 

Confused, and without knowing what I said, 
I wrote an entreaty for his pardon and a brief 
explanation of the circumstances that had forced 
me to appear in the company of the English- 
man. The latter sat silent and contented op- 
posite Beethoven, who, when he had read my 
words, turned to him rather sharply with the 
inquiry what he desired from him? 

** I have the honor " — replied the Briton. 

** I can't undeistand you," cried Beethoven, 
hastily intemipting him. *^ I cannot hear, and 
I can speak but little. Write down what you 
want with me." 

The Englishman quietly reflected for a mo- 
ment, then drew an elegant music-book from 
his pocket, and said to me **Good. — Write — I 
recjuest Herr Beethoven to look at this compo- 
sition of mine ; if he find a passage that does 
not please him, he will have the kindness to 
mark a cross against it." 

I wrote down his request literally, in the hope 
that we might thus get rid of him. And such 
was really the result. After Beethoven had 
read it, he laid the Englishman's composition 
on the table with a peculiar smile, nodded ab- 
ruptly, and said **I will send it to you." 

With this my ^'gentleman" was content. 
He rose, made an csiiecially magnificent bow, 
and took his leave. I drew a long breath ; — he 
wa9 gone. 

Now for the first time I felt myself in the 
very sanctuary. Even Beethoven's features 
grew obviously brighter; he looked quietly at 
me for a moment, and began : 

'*The Engl isti man has caused you no little 
trouble?" said he. *^Find consolation with 
me; these travel ling Englishmen have tortured 
me to death. They come to-day to see a poor 
musician as they would go to-morrow to look 
at some rare animal. I am heartily sorry to 
have confounded yon with him. — You wrote 
me that you were pleased with my composi- 
tions. I am glad of that, for I have little con- 
fidence now in pleasing people with my pro- 
ductions." 

This cordiality in addressing me soon did 
away with all my embarrassment ; a thrill of 
joy ran thnmgh me at these simple words. I 
wrote that I was by no means the only one 
filled with such ardent enthusiasm for every 
one of his creations, as to have no dearer wish 
than, for instance, to gain for my native city 
the happiness of seeing him once in its midst; 
— that he might then convince himself what 
effect his works produced upon the public. 

**I can well believe," he answered, **that 
my compositions are more appreciated in North 
Germany. The Viennese often provoke me; 
they hear too much wretched stuff every day, 
to be always in the mood to take an earnest in- 
terest in anything serious." 

I sought to combat this view, and instanced 
the fact that I had yesterday attended a per- 
formance of **Fidelio," which the Viennese 
public had received with the mo^t obvious en- 
thusiasm. 

**Hm! Hm!" muttered the master, — "Tike 
'*• Fidelio ! ' But I know that the people only 
applaud it out of vanity, after all, for they im- 
agine that in my rearrangement of the opera I 
only followed their advice. So they seek to re- 
ward me for my trouble, and cry bravo ! It's 
a good-natured, uneducated populace; so I 
like better to be among it than among wise peo- 
ple. Does ' Fidelio ' please you? " 

I told him of the impression that the per- 
formance of the day before had made upon 
me^ and remarked that the whole had gained 
most gloriously by the additions that had been 
made to it. 

** It is vexatious work," said Beethoven; **I 
am no composer of operas ; at least I know of 
no theatre in the world for which I would care 
to compose an opera again. If I should make 



BOSTON. SATUKDAY, JULY 10, 1875. 



61 



an opera accordinpf to my own conception, the 
people would absolutely flee from it : for there 
would be no airs, ducts, trios, and all that non- 
sense to be found in it, with which operas arc 
stitched tojjjether nowadays; — and what I 
would substitute for these no singer would sing 
and no audience hear. They all know nothing 
deeper than brilliant falsehoods, sparkling 
nonsense, and sugar-coated dulness. The man 
who created a true musical drama would be 
looked upon as a fool — and would be one in 
very tnith if he did not keep such a thing to 
himself, but wanted to bring it before the pub- 
lic." 

** And how should one go to work," I asked 
excitedly, *' to produce such a musical drama?" 

''As Shakespeare did when he wrote his 
plays " — was the almost angry answer. Then 
ho continued: '* The man who has to trouble 
himself with fitting all sorts of brilliant prattle 
to women with passable voices, so that they 
may gain applause by it, should make himself 
a Pansian man-milliner, not a dramatic com- 
poser. For myself, I am not made for such 
trifling. I know very well that certain wise- 
acres say of mo for this reason that though I 
have some ability in instrumentation I should 
never be at home in vocal music. They are 
right — for they understand by vocal music only 
operatic music; and as for my being at home in 
that — Heaven forbid ! " 

I ventured to ask if he really thought that 
anyone, after hearing his ''Adelaide," would 
dare to deny him the most brilliant genius for 
vocal music also t " 

" Well," he said after a short pause, " * Ade- 
laide ' and things of that kind are small mat- 
ters, after all, that soon fall into the hands of 
the professional virtuosi— to serve them as op- 
portunities to bring out their brilliant art- 
touches. Why should not vocal music form a 
great and serious genre by itself as well as in- 
strumental, — that should receive as much re- 
spect from the frivolous tribe of singers in its 
execution, as is demanded of an orchestra in 
the production of a symphony. The human 
voice exists. It is a far more beautiful and 
noble organ of tone than any instrument of an 
orchestra. Ought it not to be brought into as 
independent use as this latter? What new re- 
sults might not be gained by such a method! 
For it is precisely the character of the human 
voice, utterly different by nature from the pe- 
culiarities of an instrument, that could be 
brought out and retained, and could be capable 
of the most varying combinations. In instru- 
ments, the primal organs of creation and nature 
And their representation ; they cannot be sharp- 
ly determined and defined, for they but repeat 
primal feelings as they came forth from the 
chaos of the first creation, when there were per- 
haps no human beings in existence to receive 
them in their hearts. With the genius of the 
human voice it is entirely otherwise; this 
represents the human heart, and its isolated, 
individual emotion. Its character is therefore 
limited, but fixed and defined. Let these two 
elements be brought together, then ; let them 
be united I Let those wild primal emotions 
that stretch out into the infinite, that arc repre- 
sented by Instruments, be contrasted with the 
clear, definite emotions of the human heart, 
represented by the human voice. The addition 
of the second element will work beneficently 
and soothingly upon the confiict of the elemen- 
tal emotions, and give to their course a well- 
defined and united channel; and the human 
heart itself, in receiving these elemental emo- 
tions, will be immeasurably strengthened and 
broadened ; and made capable of deling clear- 
ly what was before an uncertain presage of the 
highest ideal, now changed into a divine 
knowledge." 

Beethoven paused here a moment, as if fa- 
tigued. Then, with a light sigh, he continued : 
— *' It is true that many obstacles are met with 
in the attempt to solve this problem ; in order 
to sing one has need of words. But what man 
could put into words the poetry that must form 
the basis of such a union of elements ? Poetry 



must stand aside here ; for words are too weak 
things for this task. — You will soon hear anew 
composition of mine which will remind you of 
what I am now explaining. It is a symphony 
with choruses. I call your attention to the 
difiSculty I had in this, in getting over the ob- 
stacle of the inadequacy of the poetry which I 
required to help me. Finally I decided to 
choose our Schiller*8 beautiful " Hymn to Joy ;" 
this is at least a noble and elevating creation, 
even though it is far from expressing what in 
this case, it is true, no verses in the world 
could express." 

Even now I can hardly comprehend the hap- 
piness that I enjoyed in the fact that Beethoven 
himself should thus help me by these explana- 
tions to the full understanding of his last giant 
symphony, which at that time must have been 
barely finished, but which was as yet known to 
no one. I expressed to him my enthusiastic 
thanks for this certainly rare condescension. 
At the same time I expressed the delighted sur- 
prise that he had given me in this news that 
the appearance of a new and great work of his 
composition might soon be looked for. Tears 
stood in my eyes — I could have kneeled before 
him. 

Beethoven seemed to perceive my emotion. 
He looked at me half sorrowfully, half with a 
mocking smile, as he said: " You will be able 
to be my defender when my new work is spoken 
of — think of me then ; the wise people will be- 
lieve me mad — at all events they will call me 

so. Yet you see, Herr R , that I am not 

exactly a madman,— though I might be unhap- 
py enough to be one. People demand of me 
that I shall write according to their conception 
of what is beautiful and good; but they do not 
reflect that I, the poor deaf man, must have 
thoughts that are all my own, — ^that it is im- 
possiole for me to compose otherwise than as I 
feel. And that I cannot think and feel the 
things that they deem beautiful," he added 
ironically, " that is my misfortune I " 

With this he rose and strode up and down the 
room with short, quick strides. Deeply moved 
as I was, I also rose — I felt myself trembling. 
It would have been impossible for me to con- 
tinue the conversation either by pantomime or 
writing. I perceived that the time had ccme 
when my visit might grow burdensome to the 
master. To write my deep-felt thanks and my 
farewell, seemed cold; I contented myself by 
taking my hat, standing before Beethoven, and 
letting him read in my eyes what was passing 
within me. 

He seemed to understand me. " You are 
going? " he asked. " Do you remain any time 
longer in Vienna ? " 

I wrote that I had no other aim in this jour- 
ney than to become acquainted with him ; that 
as he had deemed me worthy of such an unusu- 
al reception, I was more than happy to find my 
goal reached, and should start the next day on 
my return. 

He answered, smiling, "You wrote to me 
how you furnished yourself with money for 
this journey. You should stay here in Vienna 
and make galops — they are popular wares 
here." 

I declared that all that was over for me, for 
that I knew nothing that could ever again seem 
to me to deserve such a sacrifice. 

'•Well, well," he said, "perhaps something 
will yet be found t I — fool that I am— should 
be far better off if I made galops ; if I go on as 
I have hitherto, I shall always be in want. 
Bon voyage ! " he went on ; " bear me in mind, 
and console yourself with me in all your 
trials I " 

Deeply moved, and with tears in my eyes, I 
was about to take my leave, when he called to 
me — "Wait I Let us finish up the musical 
Englishman. Let us see where the crosses come 
in." 

With this he seized the Englishman's music- 
book, and smilingly looked through it; then he 
carefully folded it up again, wrapped it in pa- 
per, took up a heavy music-pen, and drew a 
gigantic cross across the whole wrapper. And 



then he handed it to me with the remark, 
"Kindly return the fortunate being his master- 
piece. He is an ass — and yet I envy him his 
long ears. Farewell, mein Lieber, and remem- 
ber me in kindness." 

With this he dismissed me. Deeply agita- 
ted, I passed out of the room and from the 
house. 

At the hotel I met the Englishman's servant, 
as he was arranging his master's trunk in the 
travelling carriage. His goal, too. had been 
reached ; I was compelled to confess that he 
too had shown persistency. I hurried to my 
room and made my preparations to begin, the 
next day, my pedestrian journey back again. 
I had to laugh, as I looked at the cross on the 
wrapper of'* the Englishman's composition. Yet 
the cross was a memorial of Beethoven, and I 
begrudged it to the evil demon of my pilgrim- 
age. My decision was quickly made. I took 
the wrapper off, took out my gallops, and 
wrapped them instead in this condemnatory 
covering. I returned the Englishman his com- 
position without a wrapper, and accompanied 
it with a note in whicn I informed him that 
Beethoven envied him, and that he declared 
he did not know where to put a cross on such 
a work. 

As I left the hotel I saw my wretched com- 
panion getting into his carriage. 

* ' Good -by " — he shouted : — • ' You have done 
me a great service. I am delighted to have 
made Herr Beethoven's acquaintance. Will 
you go to Italy with me ? " 

"What are you after there ? " asked I in re- 
ply. 

" I want to make the acquaintance of Rossi- 
ni — he is a very celebrated composer." 

"Good luck! " I called, "/know Beetho- 
ven ; and with that I have enough for all my 
life." 

We parted. I cast one longing look towards 
Beethoven's house, and turned to the north- 
ward — exalted and ennobled in heart. 



-•-* 



Keyed-Strinfl^ Initnunenti of Musio. 

Sea RoBcaT Stewabt's Lbcturcs at Dublix 
UHivaasiTY.* 

VL 

Sir Robert Stewart's sixth and last lecture on 
keyed instruaieiits was read on Saturday, April 17. 
That the interest had not diminished was made evi- 
dent by the crowds who, for an hoar or more, wait- 
ed patiently for the doors to be opened. Within 
the hall the dais was hung ruand with engraved 
portraits of Bach, Mendelssohn, Chopin, Mozart, 
Parcell, Lolly, Stanley, Samuel Wesley, Qneen 
Elizabeth, Mary Queen of Scots, Marie Antoinette, 
Rev. W. Mason (of York), Mrs. Anastasia Robinson, 
Mrs. Billington, Princess Gzartoryski. and others 
associated with keyed instruments. Large dia<vrams 
of the lyre, psaltery, dalcimer, spinet, virginal and 
clavichord, were suspended on cither side. There 
was a small band of amateur instrumentalists, led 
by Herr Berzon, who executed the accompaniments 
to Mendelssohn's piano concerto in D minor (op. 
40). The lecture was farther illustrated by the per- 
formance of two of Chopin's pieces. The Stndc in 
A minor (played from memory by Miss A. Way- 
land) as an example of his vigorous style, when 
studying under Professor Jos. Eisner, at War- 
saw, in 1830 ; and the Berceuse in D flat (played by 
Miss M. Jones), produced in Paris ten years later, 
when the composer was suffering from the disease 
which ultimately destroyed him. Sir R. Stewart 
said: — 

They had traced the history of keyed instruments 
from yonder representation of the lyre and dulcimer 
of antiquity, on through the spinet and harpsichord, 
until the subject culminated in the modern piano- 
forte. Indeed, they would need a musical Darwin 
to traue the " origin of species " from the trigon or 
little three-cornered harp, to the noble Erard grand, 
of which an example stood before them to-day. The 
domain of expression had been vastly increased by 
the adoption ol the damper pedal ; which, alluded 
to by St*ibeltX1755— 1823), in his op. 35, as a nov- 
ol invention, had, in fact, changed the whole style 
of pianoforte playing. The early sonatas of Haydn 

•Reported in the London MuHoal Standard. 



52 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



partook of the tinkling school, but Becthoren soon 
oo^Q to develop novelties. In hU first sonata In F 
minor, dedicated to Haydn, there were rapid alter- 
nating; chords oi forte Andpinno, and in a passap^ in 
A flat in one of the " Bagatelles," examples of new 
damper i>eda1 effects occurred. (The lectnrer here 
played hoth these passafi^). The whole method of 
Thalberg was directly traceable to the damper ped- 
al, as were those pieces for left hand alone, with 
which Dreyshock, Rudolf Willmer and others, had 
enriched the piano repertoire. He (Sir R. Stewart) 
would refer to a further example of a damper pedal 
effect — a very charming one too, in *' Au bord de 
la roer," of the late lamented W. V. Wallace, an 
Irishman, and a famous pianist, born in Waterford. 
(The passage alluded to was played, and consisted 
of a tenor cantabile, accompanied softiv with arpeg- 
gioed treble chords.) The style of that truly great 
artist, Frederic Chopin, wns similarly' modelled, and 
was rich in pedal effi^cls drawn by the composer from 
Pleyers pianos — instruments whose shallow touch 
and veiled sonorousness had always an especial 
charm for the great Polish musician. (Here, by way 
of comparison of the two manners — the vigorons and 
dreamy styles of Chopin — the " Study in A minor," 
and the " Berceuse " were played.) 

The compass of keyed instruments had been vari- 
ous ; the early clavichord and virginal had about 
three octaves each ; Bach's instruments four octayes 
from violoncello C in the bass ; yet, although most 
of the 48 preludes and fugues were contained within 
these limits, the 44th fucfue (of which the subject 
resembled Handel's " And with His stripes we are 
healed") descended to the bass A below. These 
limits for keyed instruments were, however, some- 
what arbitrary ; in some of Bach*s organ works, 
notes were found which he (Sir R. Stewart) had 
never met with in any organ either in England or 
abroad. Thus in the 6 major Fantasia, the pedal 
descended to the low B natural, and a variation on 
" In dulci jubilo,* was written up to the high F- 
sharp, limits to which, in Bach's day, no pedal-board 
extended. In pianofortes, the five upper semitones 
from F to C, aaded at the suggestion of Francis Par- 
normo by Messrs. Broadwood, about 1797, were first 
used at a concert at the Rotunda in Dublin ; Con- 
stantine, Ferdinand, and Francis Panoriro were all 
premiere fierce players in those days. The Weber 
harpsichord (1784), exhibited at a former lecture, 
had but five octaves and two notes, F below to 6 
above; yet the Shudi harpsichord of Sir F. Ouseley, 
dating 1778, had reached the low C. Harpsichords 
continued to be made in England until about 1798, 
although the pianoforte hi^ then existed twenty 
years. 

The performance of Schroeter (1790) seems to have 
first brought the piano into general favor, and made 
the harpsichord give way. The piano was introduced 
upon tiSe stage in London as a newly invented in- 
strument in 1767 by Dibdin, and in Dublin by 
Michael Arne in 1779. It had been customary thus 
to introduce keyed instruments into the theatrical 
orchestra. A picture of the performance at Ver- 
sailles in honor of the marriage of Louis XVI. and 
Marie Antoinette shows this, the harpsichord hav- 
ing the lid raised. Mozart did likewise at Milan in 
1771 ; and even so lately as 1826 " Weber *' presid- 
ed at the pianoforte," when " Oberon ** was produced 
at Covent Garden, although, as that opera had no 
recitatives (heingr only ** a drama with Aongs,") it is 
not ve^^ cUnii- U,y v.ii.ii rli«' in«-t:i'.iii.'nt hinl b»r»*i'. in- 



II' 



truuitced. S«y';.r- <tih<-i<*>) iiyv.M^ :v«mi rnaci'i to :} 
])rovrt-»f Oi" ili«i jiiarK) ill Uuolifi v\jrh pMisormo nod 
Michael Ariif. li.- ^S.r 11. S.^wurr) would r»*fer tt» 
one well-known Irhli arti'^t, Wm. S'»uHj\vt*)l, who 
had rendered great se: vicea to the nianut'tiuture of 
the instrument, having improved the dampers, ex- 
tended the compass, and invented the upright, then 
termed a " cabinet piano." The upright instrument 
had altogether superseded the square piano in these 
islands, and even to some extent the grand. The 
*' Irish damper.** as invented by Wm Southwell, was 
also famous. His patents date 1794. 1798, 1807 (the 
cabinet) 1811, 1821. and 1887. It is interesting for 
Dublin people to recall those days. There were 
many makers of keyed instruments in this city, al- 
though it was but a small town at the time. Now, 
with all our increased wealth and size, there is not 
one. We find Ferdinand Weber, harpsichord ma- 
ker, 71, Mariborough-Btreet(1784) ; Wm. Southwell, 
26, Fleet-street (1784). Southwell's house appears 
at Marlborouffh-street, Duke-street^ and Abbey- 
street, until about 40 years ago. There were Ed- 
mund Lee, harpsichord maker. 2, Dame-street, 1787 ; 
Robert Wofiington, 9, William-street (1788, and un- 
til 40 years ago); Alex., Jas., and Daniel Macdon- 
nell, harpsichord and piano makers. Church-lane, 



and Fleet-street (1795. and for many years after); 
Jacob Pemberton (1797); David Schroeter. Town- 
send-street (1798); Thomas Kenny. Mercer-street 
(1794); Wm. Cooke, Summer-hill (1797). The lec- 
turer could himself recollect Morland, a manufactn 
rer, whose workshops were in Mecklenburgh-street ; 
but the trade must have been lansruishing, for in 
1821, when King George IV. visited Dublin, it was 
openly stated that Morland did not make ten pianos 
per annum ; whereas last year, in London alone, 
Mr. Brinsmead sets down ten per week to each ma- 
ker, and a prodigious aggregate of 104,000 per an- 
num I Herr Pauer'a estimate, in 1871, was, bowev* 
er, but 23,000. Nevertheless, these figures repre^ 
sent, in any case, a thriving industry. 

Sir R. Stewart now entered into some interesting 
details with respect to the enormous strain exerted 
by the strings of a full grand piano— « strain esti- 
mated by that eminent artist, Mr. A. J. Hipkins, of 
Broad wood's, at 1fi| tons. Mnch of this strain was 
attributable to the thick and higrhly tenacious mod- 
ern English wire now employed, the longest bass 
string in the old grands only equalling the shortest 
treble string in the modern one. This wire could 
bear a pull equal to 162 lb., while the old wire would 
only stand a strain of 50lb. One great difficulty in 
grand pianos was in what manner to enable the in- 
strument to bo braced, and yet to leave room for 
the deep gap extending across the entire instrument 
where the hammer^ passed through. In the cottage 
piano this difficulty did not exist, the strings heinir 
struck by the hammers upon their upper surface ; 
hence arose the cheapness and simplicity of this form 
of piano, there being no solution of continuity to be 
provided for. The American pianoforte makers, 
repref^ented by two famous honses, Chickering and 
Steinway. had directed their efforts to abolish the 
solid bed and bracing of timber which marked En- 
ropean grands ; they were so open below the sound 
board, that one could touch that portion of the 
instrument by passing the hand under the belly of 
the piano. The necessary solidity in the string- 
frame, and its power of resisting the pull to which 
reference has been made, was obtained in the United 
States by casting a sort cf harp-shaped frame, in one 
solid piece of metal, to which the strings were made 
fast. At the first three lectures of the present course, 
one of these Steinway instruments had been used. 
It was of admirable quality, and faultless touch ; but 
although the American pianos were said to be very 
powerful, he did not consider them exceptionally 
so. At the New York Exposition of 1864, the first 
prize was awarded to Erard in the most brilliant 
manner, by the American judges themselves: with, 
however, the reservation that the American instru- 
ments were better suited for their own climate, and 
its alternations of high and low temperature, than 
any European grand piano. Sir R. Stewart said the 
American instruments were also remarkable for an 
ingenious arrangement by which increased lensrth 
was secured for some of the bass strings, by nmning 
them diagonally under the rest, for a method of 
causing the hammers to strike the strintrs either 
closely or at a distance ; also for various adjustment 
of the string near the tuning-pins, and for some nov- 
elties in tone, such as the *' Dolce Campana attach- 
ment" or sweet bell tone. 

The lecturer referred to " color pianos,'* of which 
the " ocular harpsichord." of the Jesuit Louis Cas- 
tel, in 1767, was the earliest example. More mod- 
ern r«Tere!)ci* to this «nbje«*t hnd Hepn made by Me«^ 
-TJ-. Jj'iiiesnn, (rarvliner of I..eice»ter, and quite re- 
cently by Mr. George B. Allen, an Irish musician 
f*'om Annngh. He (Sir R Stewart) also spdke of 
" Sostiriente" pianos. designr*d to remedy one chief 
drawback in the in.<4trument, the im])ossibilitv of 
prolonging the tone after the key had been struck. 
Of these devices that of the Rev. Wm. Mason (1766) 
was among the earliest ; that of Adam Walker and 
of Mott came later. The latter (patented in 1817) 
had been exhibited many years ago in the house of 
Mrs. Howard in Merrion-square, Dublin. There 
had been many " Sostinente " inventions. Keyed 
instruments had l>een also made to act on plates of 
glass ; of this sort was the " Harmonica," so admired 
by Benjamin Franklin.^ Probably we were now 
upon the eve of a discovery in keyed instruments 
which would revolutionize this department of the 
art. He (Sir R. Stewart) alluded to the very inter- 
esting results recently attained by Mr. Baillie 
Hamilton in connection with strings and harmonium 
reeds. 

To most persons, the keyboard in ordinary use, 
with its seven white and five black notes, was so fa- 
miliar that it never occurred to them that more 
sounds than twelve in an octave could be sought for. 
One of the first and, perhaps, the most familiar ex- 



ample of an effort to obtain a juster intonation, 
the well-known division of the semitones in the or- 
gan jf the Temple church, London, where G sharp 
and D sharp were divided, and a portion tuned for 
A flat and E flat. As this arrangement of the key- 
board he (Sir R. Stewart) believed now no longer 
existed in the Temple organ, it might interest them 
to examine the adjoining lan^e diagram drawn by a 
young lady for the present lectures, and showing a 
portion of the Temple keyboard. A piano by 
Hawkes (1808) had 17 sounds in the octave; one by 
Loeschmann (1809) had 24; Mr. Liston (1812), and 
Colonel P. Thompson (1829) had also been distin- 
guished by their efforts t« obtain a juster iotonation, 
and to abolish the usual teropereu scale on keyed 
instruments ; but after all, custom was so powerful, 
that it was not likely these complicated kcyboania 
would ever become general, althongh in the use oX. 
colored keys, and keyboards furnished with quarrils, 
digitals, buttons, and flntals. uncommon ingnonuity 
had been shown by the Inventors. 

Among subjects closely connected with pianoforte 
touch was a consideration of the various mechanical 
appliances which had been invented in order to pro- 
mote independence of finger. In harpsichord p«ay- 
ing little oeyond distinctness and accuracy were 
sought for, but the innumerable niceties of treatment 
of which the hammer instrument was sosoeptible, 
called for a corresponding increase of power and va- 
riety of touch. This question hod early engaged 
the attention of the musical woild. In Bohemia, 
about the year 1780. a sort of frame had been used 
t/) prevent the pupils' hands being unduly elevated. 
Dr. Forkel, of Gottingen, the biographer of J. 8. 
Bach, had attached weights to the players' wrists 
for a similar purpose. The " Chiroplast " ^f M. 
Logier, which had been first produced in Dtiblio 
about the Year 1816, was familiar to many of those 
who were present. A portion of it had subsequent- 
ly been made use of, as the "sTuide mains" of iCalk- 
brenner. The late Robert Schnmatn had, by the 
indiscreet employment of some mechanism iH the 
sort, so injured his hand as forever to debar him 
from playing in public. The Dactylion of Henri 
Herz, pl^oduoed in Paris about 1846. consisted of a 
set of rings, one for each finger, suspended over the 
keys from springs, after the manner of a fishing rod. 
The practices of 1,000 exercises sold along with the 
Dactylion was further recommended. This ma- 
chine had been satirized by the lively Parisians, 
who represented mice jumping throu^ its rings. 
The Chirogymnast, which was vigorously puffed 
about 1842, consistisd of a small frame some 2 feet 
by 18 inches, on which were arranged various 
pieces of mechanism to develop power of stroke, inde- 
pendent of action. He (Sir R. Stewart) had pur- 
chased at Pleyel's, in Paris, one of the most usual 
mechanical aids called " Piano Muet." This dumb 
piano had been referred to in an amusing article 
from the Leiptig Signate, as *' an instrament for 
which, it is to be lamented, that so little has been 
composed ! " Schumann had said of such things — 
'* Try them, so as to sca how little thev avail ; for 
you cannot learn speech from the dumb." Cramer, 
Hummel, Moscheles, Czemy, and other artists gen- 
erally disapproved of such mechanical aids, the em- 
ployment of which might, however, in special in- 
stances, be attended with decided advantage. 

In treating the last section of his subject — the 
oombination of the pianoforte with other instruments 
— Sir R. Stewart referred to Hector Berlioz's p>ro- 
posed employment of the acute octaves of the piano- 
forte as a novel quality of orchestral tone ; to this, 
however, there was a serious objection in the cum- 
brous natnre of the pianoforte, even one grand piano 
making serious calls upon the limited space in an 
orchestral platform. Hector Berlioz only fyropoeed 
to make the instrument accessory ; it had, however, 
been long before elevated to the rank of a principal 
in the noble concertos of Beethoven, Mozart, Weber, 
Schumann, Mendelssohn, and Sterndale Bennett ; 
and although Hoffmann, who disliked all piano con- 
certos, had called these works "symphonies with 
piano obligate,*' they really formed a most interest- 
ing contribution to the music for keyed instruments. 
Sir R. Stewart said, the present lecture would be 
terminated by a performance of Mendelssohn's finest 
work of this class, written at Bingen on the Rhine, 
in 1887. The concerto displayed much of the influ- 
ence of J. 8. Bach in the recitative passages for pi- 
ano solo with which it began. Furtb^ on. the 
treatment of the instrument showed a perfect mas- 
tery of the Thalberg manner in passage-writing ; the 
slow movement (perhaps the g^m of the work) was 
Mozartian in form and beauty, and the finale, a 
eeherzo in D major, was from first to last a perfect 
torrent of exultation. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, JULY 10, 1875. 



53 



The Inrtiirpr havlni; prevlnnsly eipUtned >nd i1- 
liifitratcd tho iwllpTit pninta of this fine compogltion. 
the cnni-ertn fnUowetl: & Bmall urcheatri. ted by 
Hi'rr Carl Bermn, sccrmpmying it Tha plinofort* 

S«rt WH played *lth much aplmA by Hiu Adeline 
'heeler. ■ atndeat of the Iriah Academy of Music, 
■nd a mere child. After the cnncerlo hvl concluded 
the three alndenla, Mesdimcs Jones. Wayland. and 
Wheeler, were publicly presented hy Mra, Lloyd 
(Provoet's House), with handsomely bound volume* 
of the worka of Chopin. Bach, and Hendelaaoha. 
Sir R. SU-wart then mnde hla acknowUdKmenta to 
the numema* Individusla and firma in Ireland. Eng. 
land and the United States, who had aided him by 
pictures, mndels, music. Information, and jcood 
nfflcea. erpecinlly referring to Mr. Hini^ton, ofTrld. 
Ity CdII^^, who had suspended the pictures aod ar- 
ranmd the inatrmenta Tur each oF the six lectures. 
and the proceedings terminated with cheers (or the 
lectoTcr from the insmbled atndoatA. 



Sumrenther on the OpenL 

(rrom the Lonilon Uaali^ Btandaid.) 
Hr. Dannreuther's paper on Opera in MafmiUari, 
Mngnzint for this month embodies the same viowa 
which be haaalready eipreaeed in hia Waf^ner pam- 
phlet, tl contilna some atriklnj;, and often true. 
but generally exonerated, cliaracterliatinns of rom- 
poaera and atyles. We need not go bock with him 
to the origin oFopern.-and thine vague statements 
about Gref:h plnyn and the Renaiaaiince which so 
many writers repeal, b'lt which have no more bear- 
ing on the opera of ttMliy than the "Fri^" of 
Arirtophanea npon Riihertsonian comedy. What 
he has to say upon Weber is worth quoting. He 
remarks: — 

" And DOW, before I iDrn. nr latber relum (o the Mto- 
lonH hide of (he nuuier— to the anicar ptnma and Hrewurk* 

aUapiHfridnof Ifnerbeer; tlie con-can ar6lTenbacli -bo- 

erut and ijimiial maiLclim left to ep«ic ot— Cu-I Uaria 
Von Weber. 

-Teber Is tli« originator ot tHe G -v.: 

Iih Unw aitrent revival waigoln^ ■■" r-, i ;.;,„ .], i,.. i. 

re- Inopposltlon to tbjcUuli i-iii .,1 1; i:i<i ijii 

mda, Oermnn pueta hemn to 1< -W :•■ iiir ilkUijoti^ r>r 
Ir own nnllon far snlject-maitn- -r],^' r.':...,i.,>- .,r 
llBTal munnvrs and finpentkl<<ii^ v^^rr illinnjr.Lr".! 



(Ddenclea ili 



] there 



.10 (Dialled romaatic 



phra. 



' reapecta the |r«nni of Waffner'i. He haa 
rt or dramatic compoalUon Tu inaoy difTer- 
_— .,_. --. inblaoaae. aalnCllncli'a, thefaci must be 
ailralit*(l that he did not take Ihe lasl and ileelsive step 
towards the conatmctlnn ot a real mualcal drama, tbonKh 
be WH at tlmaa very near to It. HedldnotHo thatii wqb 
the proTlnoe ot ihe dnmatlc poet to dictate the tonna, 
and of Ihe moalcian to lend emotional expreaalon only. 
He tried to conalnict the whole drama on llio bail* of bla 
Teatonio melodjri and in the WDik wherein he ilrOTe 
moat eamcaUT fur tbla end, EMTifanihe, hli- largeal ajid bis 
bTorlte opan, be (ailed moat dMldedlr." 

In the above peeps out that strange infatnation 
'"" " ""-•--'- — ^jths" and " German people-song" 



which aeema to piiaseis 
which, we Buppoae, the 
grin" is 



B Wagn, 

liculoua story of " Lohcn- 
ently Ur. Dannreuther 

alio morau b; asllppiry aulrouc, on Che InSt tten of 
which I picture to myself Veriir> " Tratlala " Iwklni 
down opon Otfcnl ■- - - - - .-...< 

onthefandlnRU 

llesC uf the froap of Italli 
hare In Tlew. 'HaD of 

iHly to hare pf 

""^ . Tin fact la. tbat in nvarly 

. earzbeallT atrlven for bj uib oreal 

sebool of Qlnok and CntniUnl, Is ifauoefulu nid^ected, 
add the o|>era eonslats ot operatlr — '-■ '-■ ■>-■■ — • =-'■- 

mann eharaotsilied RoaelnVa niel . .. 

phor-n>laal«)« FUitM ohm oem IHnh d la Tldan, 
wllbout aplrltl. When Boh B mann said Ihia, he probablf 

r meiodf , but of Bieliid]' In the diM- 
ord, not ot that aottle and nflned trpe 
ind a1mr»t InTariablT In the mailer- 
id Weber, Ii Isaklnd n( melod; enn- 



JIA 



la hia view of R'^slni. 



-le Aral and ear- 

n and French coni oaera t now 
genius aa ha oertalniT waa. be 

— r-aaeaeed atkchalblngaaan artta- 

. The fact la. tbat in nearly an hla works 









DdTiT and rtajthmloaJ i 









■trancs contraaC la the 

tempted u> ImA^lne the CO 



idulfjina In a little private baOttiagt wUh tba 

Fmm Ihe tragic looks and geatloulalloiia on 

..i_i natter of fashion 

and via Ibriot- 

letiineae good as anotberT 

- jtio proprkfT, ot the like an- 

tlrinatod rubbish? It the public ot one tnwn liked lone 
..J • .. anolher awoot canUlaia, of a third 



Ihensae- , 

Ihanofart. A piece tasted for ._ _ 

ten; perhaps bo warmed up blu of It. *".'' 
'nd who eared about dramatic i 
[uatod rubbish? It tl ■' 

endleu crrtwuA, o'r the 
■eent.andr 

im far froc 

poloni, for au 
dliappe.ired 

acaltered for. 



r^d'ssi' 



re work tor. 

umade ot rubber." 



of hla thirty operia, ao 

[IT ilnicle lovelr 



aake, end that hla oc 



This asaenament is, on the whole, not nnjust; ear- 
neatneaa Is exceptional in Roasial. Bat It muat be 
Imagine, tbat those whose 
pon hia girt oF tune, oi ' 
peraiatently hard npon him. 
Dannreuther proceeda to tell as that Rossinl'a sue- 
cesaors— Bellini, 'DoniieCti, and Verdi, all men of 
very real musical gifta — do not demand mtich at- 
lentiiin. They merely metamnrphoaad Rosslni'a 
melody. Bellini rendered it sickly and aentimenUl ; 
DnnlietU more declamatory and commonplace; Ver- 
di blatant and violent. Aa For the drama they left 
it. IF anything, in a worse plight than It had been 
before. He conaiders that— 






netody HI 






are not elemallj 
ig between highl) 



ao apt to be extravagant; and irrench compoaeta of nnic- 
dnllUt Kid aphv camlqiuii ttom Isouard nod Bolaldlaa 

mark BUppUedbj their libtettlats- I look upon Aubcr'a 
spHjtblly tones aa the (sou iif^ ot botb characterliUs 

Shsaea of Frenoh muile-tbe ookdU and thii tonlrrdann. 
'renehmen bive InailnctlTClr felt the representative char- 

■towed EhelT Bpecint favor more npon hla nomeroua pro- 
ductions for the opim ootniipu than npon hia veritable 
maslerpleca, £a JfMOa |J< A>rMt:<. wherein he takes ■ flight 

fact. iroHatello, aa thowDrklBealled1nBn(land, la,inaa 



li aa lutenaity of etFect 



Feet and oiMnal 
1, tar bnondtlM 
frencD operas. 



nary verve and Are, and the pel 



InaBty - 

— 3t» narrow ibongh 
operas. Tbe eitraor- 



.Dber manipnlaled hla matariala, i 






oxposWon, whli 



It Is against Meyerbeer, as has been the case be- 
fore, that Mr. Dannreuther and his Frlenda expreae 
moat bittemeaa. If, he aafs. Roasini's artistic eon- 
acience was of ■ very elaatic nature, it may be aa- 
aerted with at least cijtial truth that Heyerlwer did 
not possess such a thing at alL He wanted to anc- 
ceed at any risk or coat, and he managed to succeed 



pcordiogfy :— 



.p and gllttai 
Ie?beSVCi 
Id poweTfully emotion! 



7:1 ;- 



jflecls hfl nroducea 

r Prvphtie, one la aston- 
lon, how poor tbs melo- 



Ishad ID and. onc^wTM 
dlone kernel " 

excessively., 

clan can giinfrom the example oFpiedeeenore and si 
leinporaHea. ho quickly asalmllMed. From the ICalli 
he derived tlia popnlarmanueTOt treating the bam 
voice: from the Frsnoh and Oertnaue the refined auo 
complieatad metbod orbandUnethe or.>hestn. And In 
tbe nurse of a pmlracied experfenre. tn dint of Inoewaot 
I'Xertlon, be manaced to develop hla keen insUnot Ibr 

eltfeCs. Into a nuat tonnldable dramaUc power. 

" HeyerlMfr beian taia aaresr with saerad odea to Klop- 
•tock'e texts, and with ao oratorio. His fli« opera, Am- 
Ua't DiagUtr, was Itself a Beoil-oratoila. When aboul 
1H8 be came to lutly and lound Boaalnl'a star In tbe Sis- 
candant, he quickly cbaaged bis tactha, and DanDtaetared 
operas in tho Italian a^le. When In IR31 JioAerf waa (Iv- 
an In Parlijhe had aoaln adopted an entire ahanre of 
proeednre. There be Irtee la aniie Oaman soianoe with 
* -Han melody andFreDOhrqMiuinmf. Bla rapid chanise 
naibetle creed werenot Uie rsanltafany organk de- 



nt of hla i 



I lUiay were Binch mon a 



iHire : May were nacn 

a ebiborste atlenplst. .__ 

sots of the opera— rood and bad— aide by aide. Into 
gornona and danilnrwt-wiirrl. remind one of tite 
' oftbenowly-tiBptlttd^rk who liked tbe wine which 
- ' - -elMon did not forbid, bat who ebose to aa- 
withal ■■ 



D> t^ veij fni 



aa a nile, dlstlnntsbed by 1 

fngeoloaa use otatage effects and 

apparent abmnce of efKirt In the 



he concocted for Meyerbeer. Scrlbo aeeme to have Imt 
naluTFtl eane and spontaneity, he worries and Cortu 
h.maelF and hla public with extravagance after CKira 
ganca, with affoit nCtar effort, all brought forward 



to create a aensstlon at any eoat, and with IliOa or no rrt- 
erenca to tbo original Ideaofthe piece. It Is not to be aup- 
poaad tbat an experienced and nn dramatist like Bcrlbe 
would have so tranllsally tnulilad hlmaeir, had not that 



waa asaoelated Imperaavaly required so esceniiic a can. 
vas tor his Intrinsically dry- yet pretentious, mtulc. 
Teebnloally considered, Kelmr* fa MoMa Is the moat Im- 

p-AFiiint of Meyerbear'i worka, thauirh Iheatrlde In ad- 
tb" lr.twr, hehnsrep™teil1vrCBc!bo'di.cllmaiof itrnmaUo 
■IT . I •iieb sinelthsr hehlmeelfnorany oneelselir ws 

1y 'llirr-rrntends^haa again attainail or aarpoesed. But 
JloVri inntieuratcd a new ei> at the OronJ Opem-ihe 
eri ..f Ihe greateet splendor end tbe greatest t«ittenne*a. 
" tl Ibe ime when » tert to JNoiff waa wiliun, the 
Fr. \v r, .■colt rBminHqae. with Victor Hobo at the heodi 
hi.'in rullbloom. The Indnenceof Bynm and HtAmsn 
■ ,'- rt'li Hnd BCknowledeed liy all claimants to portleal 
hi<ri"rs. nhoni and devlla. fierce IDVB. bale, muiileir aoJ 

el 111' {ilsv. Tbe reading public waa (TSedy of eccentrlel' 

si.'|.'.'i'i[,- to™ tnrreia"' lt°wu'la Htlafr the envlng to* 
Bi,.|^ nii!;hiyiauanedBanUniantal food tbat Scribe l>e«ri 



maalo, andcxiilltlwdtdm, withanbeard-ofaplerulDrattbe 

• u'i< run-.! give Mej'crb<!i>r rTcA\l Tjr having onderetood 
Ih< iiinr,^]. or rather Im mural wnnia of bla tine to perfoo- 

Ini;. Tmiiy, ihehiRlilyipiPed and unvflioiesoms food d»- 



k]»)e ttpnoaltion to tbe atuimf f M I abuses 1 
I- thnt baa at lenj^b grown Inlii arevulul 
'^ deallned to clear tbe raoiioal stage, 



This, again, has some truth ; though it Is troth 
put spitefully Would it not be more modeat, and 
even more prudent. If Wagner's friends spoke mora 
reapectFuIIy of other operatic composers T When 
one haa read, both from the master and his follow- 
era. those bitter caricatures of other mcn'a work, it 
ia hard to approach their own creations without > 
prejudice arising fi-om a natural reaentment of their 
arrogant denunciation of othsn. IfHayerbeer waa 
ready to get a aenaatlon " at any ooat,' some oF us 
may think tbat Wa(^er la willing to pay somethlog 
for sensation also, when ws rsflect that "Loheiigrin," 
If not precisely fall oF " ghoata and devils, fierce 
lovea, hate, murder, and madness," had its vlalona, 
its magical metamorphosea, its quantum of love, a 
rather strong dose nf hate (in Ortrnd), and an at- 
tempted mnrder foiled by a juatlfiable homicide ; 
and when we farther remember what fantastic hor- 
rors, according to Dr. Uulfer, are in ators for ua in 
the Nibelnn gen -Ring. " Intrinsically dry, yet pre- 
tentloas." is Mr. Dannreuther's expression In regard 
to Meyerbeer's music. Some people think that tho 
selfsame words may very aptly apply to Wagner. 
Serloualy, la it not time, and would It not be far 
better, to write more gently on this subject 1 The 
English musical critics do not rave at Wagner in 
this style; why ahouM he and hia advoealev write 
so noisily at everybody else T We never read what 
these gentlemen write, without feeling inclined to 
aay, " Hush I my dear fellow; deu't talk so loud; 
we can bear yon. Take a glass of water." 



JStl's Iwrnd df mm. 



BOSTON, JULY 



1815. 



The 



C(dl«ge In Hew 
Tork. 

"Tbere'amllllonalnh."— CM. S^ltn. 
The newspapers tbronghont the land keep her- 
alding the coming College of Huale, ica which a 
wealthy old bachelor In New York, aaonymona, 
(some hint apocryphal, like Mrs. Harris), Is aald 
to have pledged hie whole Foi^nne of jCiw mWioK 
JoUari ; the first million to be spent In the erection 
of a magnificent building in the Central Park. A 
bill granting land for the purpose in that locality 



tho College meanwhile to go into operation In some 
■imporary quartera- It all reads very grand, and 
. .1 . . ..■^ 



le very vague and fanclFuL 



64 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OP MUSIC. 



We hare many times for years past, in those col- 
amns, expressed our wonder that it sliould be so 
difficult to procure even a few thousands of dollars 
to endow some modest, sensible and sound beg^in- 
fling of a true school, or even a single professorship 
of music in one of our old Universities, or our large 
cities. Splendid donations and bequests are made 
continnally in aid of almost every branch of science, 
literature and art, — ^branches often, in which few 
can possibly be interested; but do one gives for 
music, in which now nearly all are interested, and 
which has come to be recognized as an important 
element and influence in the whole life and culture 
of our people. Nobody gives say fifty or a hundred 
thousand to endow a musical professorship, or found 
a school in a modest, real way, enabling one live, 
quickening man to plant in a corner something 
which may grow to be of public consequence; but 
now, after long waiting and wanting, we have mif- 
lioM tossed down seemingly at random, with no 
doubt an honest, but an ignorant and wild ambi- 
tion to do a grand, a sumptuous, unprecedented 
thing, and conjure up as if by magic in a day an 
institution which shall place this giant young re- 
public at the head of all the world in Music as in all 
things. Millions, we say, (assuming that the whole 
story is not after all a myth, a cunning speculative 
hoax), are tossed down only to be scrambled for and 
captured outright by the most forward, enterprise 
ing partisans or mere speculators in the great grow- 
ing bii»ine$8 of music. For here we have an anon- 
ymous millionaire, wishing to do a generous, a pat- 
riotic thing for music, but with the most indefinite 
idea of what it is he wanta, and probably quite ig- 
norant of music, a board of trustees . whose names 
have never been associated with music, and, for the 
one thing needful, in the conception of these wor- 
thy people, money in unlimited abundance. The 
fir9t thing is to build, they think ; to build to the 
outermost circumference of a plan, of an education 
full-grown and realized ; how to put life and soul, 
and quickening genius into the huge structure seems 
to be postponed as an afler-thought. Is not this be- 
ginning at the wrong end ? Did any great school, 
university, art museum or academy, ever grow up 
in this way in this world ? Great institutions grow 
from germs planted in a quiet, unpretending way. 
One man who has the gift, the genius for it, one 
Mendelssohn for instance, beginning quietly in his 
own way, and gathering a few kindred spirits round 
him, as he did in Leipzig, wields a greater power, 
and certainly a better, than all your millions, your 
ambitions plans, your sumptuous buildings and con- 
summate apparatus; and one such true school, 
teaching a few, may do more for Art, than all these 
grandiloquent invitations to indefinite thousands of 
pupils. 

As we remarked before, this magnificent project, 
or rather opportunity, is instantly forestalled, cap- 
tured by a party, before the musical world at large 
has had a hint of it. All the persons mentioned as 
the first to be called upon to take part in the edu- 
cational work 80 lavishly provided for, are fol- 
lowers of the new departure, of the Wagner school 
in music; those who happened to stand near at hand 
and to be much the fashion just now. And after 
many mysterious hints about the startling name 
that would in due time be announced for the grand 
head and manager in chief of the whole institution, 
it finally came out that no less a personage than 
Richard Wagner himself is to be invited or entreat- 
ed to enthrone himself on this commanding central 
eminence, and be the very Pope of musical Amer- 
ica, controlling the whole musical education — of the 
daughters chiefly, though pupils of the other sex 
will be admitted — that is a shrewd way of reaching 

all ! So then, the whole musical education of this 
continent is to be based from the outset on the 



excrptional in music, on what are still dut/nUed claimM, 
at war with all the classical traditions and the ac- 
knowledged greatest masters and models of the 
Art ! Whether Waarncr comes or not, the Wagner 
party seems to have intercepted this great building 
fund, so far as we are yet publicly informed — always 
provided that the whole story be not a mare's 
nest! 

But will he come ? Will he abandon Bayreuth, 
and forsake his gods, his Niebelungen Scandinavian 
mythology, on which he systematically and opcnl}' 
builds his whole " Art-work of the future.** to come 
over here and begin all again under wholly changed 
circumstances ? Will he renounce Wotan and 
Freia, Thor and Siegfried, to come to America and 
teach girls? Leaving his mythology behind him, 
what could he find here to take the place of it ? 
He would have to fall back upon " Lo the poor 
Indian ! " 

In any case, does any serious musical person, in 
his sober senses, think it would be ^ell that the 
great central musical institution of the country, 
which this aims to be, — that the whole musical ed- 
ucation of our Republic, so far as these millions and 
these administrators of the fund have influence, 
should be founded upon Wagnerism, and controlled 
purely in the interest not of Art, but of a young 
aergreMsive, revolutionizing, and in truth very bigot- 
ed and narrow party ! 

With millions at disposal it is so easy to build , 
from the outside ! The whole creative thought and 
energy of the conception expends itself in an Alad- 
din's palace, ready made, whcreinto musical educa- 
tion, on a supposed complete scale, has to fit itself 
and make itself at home and useful. It presupposes 
that such a complete and perfect education, fully 
carried out in great and little, knows beforehand 
just what sort of a house or body it will want to 
occupy; the educating spirit, the informing, ani- 
mating soul and life of the great complex organism 
is to be put in afterwards, as if all true growth were 
not from within, beginning from the life, the vital 
germ. The College, in the dream of the founder 
and his associates, seems to consist in money and a 
spacious edifice, besides a vague hope of enticing 
into it for teachers and professors the greatest mas- 
ters and musicians of the world. It is so easy to 
build on paper ! So grand to " have a College," O 
editors, reporters, all so eloquent, without the least 
idea tchal College ! 

We presume all have read some of the glowing 
descriptions of the luxury and splendor of this pro 
posed palace of music in the Central Park. Think 
of the spacious halls and corridors, the surrounding 
gardens, the galleries of sculpture and of painting, 
the beautiful concert rooms and theatres, the stud- 
ied comforts for the organs of the sensitive singing 
birds, the winter garden artificially warmed, Ac, 
Ac. But if it is to be a Wagner palace, if the Wag- 
nerian idea and ambition is to be the informing 
genius of the place, it will need many more con- 
veniences. There must be cool streams in which 
the Rhino Daughters may practice their swimming 
exercises, without getting sca-sick while they sing, 
as it is said they do when the " Rheingold " is per- 
formed in Germany. There must be fine swings 
and hobby horses in a true blue celestial cloudland, 
where the Walkurie maidens, fateful equestrians, 
may learn to nde on air. There must be a theatre 
for spelling matches, where the young Mei»ter-spel- 
ler may practice to their hearts* content hard words 
out of the Master's most original librettos. Then 
there must be picturesque medinval shores, where 
all the devout young pupils and candidates for "Art 
work in the Future," may longingly await the Swan 
of their idolatory, the delivering knight in silver 

armor. And surely somewhere in the hidden heart 
and centre of this umbrageous garden of Armida 



there must bo a Venusberg ; no Wagner paradise 
without that ! 

For teachers, professors, and musical conductors, 
in all branches, having Wagner, and Thomas for his 
chief adjutant, the college would have all ; they 
with their followers are legion. A few things more, 
perhaps, would make the model universal school 
complete, (and, by the way, should there not bo a 
place in it for Gilmore?) A professorship of Oratory 
there certainly should be ; and until some one can 
suggest a better, we venture to offer the name of 
Mr. George Francis Train. Then the Wagner 
theory of music has one peculiar clement which 
must not be neglected, thatof Politics ; " Music and 
Politics ** is one of Richard's favorite topics ; there 
must be a political profeseor, or whole fnculty, by 
all means. Now Massachnsetta has a famous poli- 
tician, whom she would willingly part withal, to 
bo the Dean in that department ; from such new 
height of glory, seen of all men. how serenely ho 
would smile upon the disappointed ambitions of the 
past ; and for our " College," wliat more would bo 
wanting to make the Niebelungen ring complete. 



Art Ennobling. 

(From Ltaainffa " Laocdon,"*) 

Even the civil power itself in Greece was thought 
to be not unworthily employed ic confining t!ie ar- 
tist within his proper sphere ; and a Theban law, 
as is well known, punished the representation of 
deformity. We laugh when we hear of this, but 
we laugh unwisely. Undoubtedly, the laws have 
no pretensions to any control over the motions o f 
science ; for the object of science is truth, and thai 
is indispensable. But the object of the fine arts is 
pleasure, which is not indispensable. 

jVbfe by DcQnincey. 

It is hardly possible to crowd together into one 
sentence a greater amount of error, or error of 
more dangerous quality. First, the right of the 
state to interfere with the Fine Arts is asserted 
upon the ground that they can be dispensed with, 
i. e., that they are of no important use; which 
ground is abandoned in the next sentence, where 
important influences upon the national condition 
are ascribed to one class of the Fine Arts, and mo^^ 
than this can hardly be involved in the character of 
indispensable, as attached to the sciences. Secondly, 
apart from this contradiction, the following dilem- 
ma arises ; the Fine Arts have, or have not, impor. 
tant results for human happiness. In the first place, 
it is dangerous to concede a right of interference 
with them to the state (that is a right to cripple or 
defeat them) ; in the second case it is vexations. * * 
Thirdly, unless the government are to misdirect 
themselves to that particular study, in which case 
they abandon their own appropriate functions, 
they must surrender themaelves to the guidance of 
a body of artists : * * * Fourthly, it is not true that 
science is in any other or higher sense * indispensa- 
ble * than the arts ; the fact is that the gifts of sci- 
ence would be a most dangerous possession for any 
nation which was not guided in the use of them by 
a moral culture derived from manners, institutions 
and the arts. 

Fifthly the fundamental error lies in affirming the 
final object of the Fine Arts to be pleasure. Every 
man, however, would shrink from describing 
Aeschylus or Phidias, Milton or Michael Angelo as 
working for a common end with a tumbler or a rc^)e- 
dancer. ' No,' he would say the pleasure from the 
fine arts is ennobling, which the other Is^t* Pre- 
cisely so ; and hence it appears tha^ not pleasure, 
but the sense of power ana the illimitable, incarnat- 
ed, as it were, in pleasure, is the true object of the 
Fine Arts; and their final purpose, therefore, as 
truly as that of Science, and much more directi}', 
the exaltation of our human nature ; which, being 
the very highest conceivable purpose of man, is 
least of all a fit subject for the caprices or experi- 
ments of the magistrates. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, JULY 10, 1875. 



65 



IIandrl and Haydn Socikty.— The ncMrcss of 
tho retiring President, Mr. Lorino B. Barnrs, 
made on the sixtieth anniversary of the Society, 
May SI, 1875, has been printed in a neat pamphlet, 
at the request of the members It presents an in- 
tcrestinfit review of the wiiole history of the Society, 
with which Mr. Barnes has been officially connected 
more than twenty years, and all the while a zealous 
and effective laborer. Tho whole address i§ well 
worth reading, and we regret that wo have room 
now only for a few extracts relating to the earlier 
history before tho period of festivals. 

It can hardly be supposed that the gentlemen 
who met in Mr. Graupner'si little hall on Franklin 
street, on the evening of April 18, 1815, and who 
selected the names of the two great German coin- 
pf^ers, Handel and Haydn, — names which, when 
combined, were considered appropriate for the litle 
of the new society which was then and there 
formed, — could have anticipated the measure of re- 
nown, which, in later years, should attach to the 
now honored name of the Handel and Haydn Soci- 
ety, — an organisation which has become famous 
both in this country and in Europe, no less for its 
honorable record as a sacred music society than 
for the high standard adopted and well maintained 
in all its performances through the long series of 
years referred to. * ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ 

In its earlier days, the Society enjoyed a high de- 
jfree of prosperity ; the performances at Boylston 
Hall being, as a rule, crowded with eager listeners, 
while numbers unable to g^in admittance were often 
forced to drink in the much coveted musical strains 
as best they might from their position on the oppo- 
site sidewalk, when through the open windows the 
choral numbers found their way to tho listening 
crowds thus congregated, impaired, it may bo by 
distance, and yet welcome under the circumstances. 
In later years, and before the removal of the Soci- 
ety to tiie more spaciou) and elegant Melodeon 
Hall, I myself, then a young lad, was often a listen- 
er among the crowds outside the hall, and always 
there, unless admitted to the hall by some kind 
friend. 

For the first twenty years, the performances of 
the Society were confined mainly to Handel's "Mes- 
siah," and Haydn's "Creation," in whole or id part, 
with selections of like character from well-known 
authors. Thus it will be seen that the music per- 
formed at these concerts was in character far in ad- 
vance of that in general use ; and the Society was 
even then making immense strides into the regions 
of art from the standpoint which then prevailed. 

Neukomm's oiatorio, "David," first performed 
February 28, 1886, and which became popular with 
the Society and its patrons, proved a very profita- 
ble venture. It was performed no less than seven 
times in the first season of its introduction ; and 
thereafter, for many years, it was the favorite with 
all patrons of the society. « « ♦ • 

No salaries were paid for Tocal assistance, which 
is quite in contrast with the present custom ; but, 
in searching the records, I find the following under 
date of June A, 1837: " Voted, To allow Marcus Col- 
burn five dollars per evening for his services in the 
oratorio of 'David;' he having sung the part of 
David nine times during the season." 

That sum, however did not appear to be satisfac- 
tory to Mr. Colburn ; and the amount was doubled 
at a subsequent meeting of the Board. 

As it does not appear that any other gratuities 
were voted, it is presumed that this sum was consid- 
ered very liberal ; but as the price of admission to 
the performances was uniformly ^//y cenUt, and tho 
sealing capacity of Boylston Hall was circumscribed 
in size, the Society could hardly be expected to ex- 
hibit any very great degree of liberality in payment 
of salaries. *♦♦♦♦♦ ♦ ♦ 

The removal of the Society to the new and com- 
modious Melodeon Hall, which occurred in Decem- 
ber, 1839, proved to be a fortunate enterprise ; and 
many of the greatest successes of the Society are 
there recorded. 

Handera " Samson " was first brought out by the 
Society in January, 1845, under the administration 
of Jonas Chickering, and was given, during the re- 
mainder of that season, thirteen times, filling the 
ball on every Sunday evening consecutively, as 
" David " had in the old hall. And here I may add 
that the eminent musician, the late Mr. A. U. Hayter 
rendered valuable aid in its production. 

The solos of the oratorios, even at that period, 
were, as a rule, taken by members of the Society ; 



and when the names of Anna Stone (who URunlly 
sang both the Soprano and Contralto rdlcsf of the 
oratorios ; for no contraltos could he found in those 
days), Marcus Colburn, Marshall Johnson. Leonard 
Marshall. Samuel Richard'son. Charlps W. Lovett, 
John Dodd. Incrcsse S. Withinsrton, Thomas Ball. J. 
Q. Wetherbee, B. F. Baker. N, C, Byrnm, and Henry 
M. Aiken, are given as principal vocnliRts. no doubt 
can exist of the efficient manner in which the solos 
were presented. 

One well-remembered instance is recorded when a 
deviaiion from that custom took place in the substi- 
tution of the great English Baritone, Henry Phil- 
lips, then on a professional visit to this country, for 
that of Mr. Baker in the role of Harapha, in "Sara- 
son." The occasion was a memorable one ; and the 
impression produced on all listeners by his artistic 
treatment of the difficulties of the rdle is remem- 
bered. 

Kminent artists have from time to time been en 
gaged to assist the Society in its performances, as 
the subjoined list shows, many of whom have often 
appeared, and some at not very remote periods. 

A partial list embraces the names of John Brah- 
nm, Henry Phillips. Carl Formes, Cesare Radiali, 
Siff. Mario, Mme. Grisi, Mme. Caradori-Allen, Mme. 
Spohr-Znnn, Mm". Henrietta Sontag. Mme. Catha- 
rine Hayes. Mme. Rudersdorff, Mme. Parepa-Rosa, 
Miss Adelaide Phillips, Miss Annie Louise Cary, 
Christine Nilsson. and many others of greater or 
lesser renown, as well as those of more recent date 
who sang under the title of the " Dolby Company," 
and which included the names of those eminent 
artists, Mme. Paty, Miss Wynne, Mr. Cummings and 
Mr. Charles Santley. 

Still another important event may be referred to 
in the production of the " Elijah " (if Mendelssohn, 
first performed in this country and by this Society, 
in February. 1848; the "St. Paul" by the same 
author, having received its first representation five 
years earlier. Thomas Ball, the now eminent sculp- 
tor, was the original " Elijah " in this country. 

But " Elijah " was thou.jht by many to be " de- 
ficient in melody ;" and it failed Ui win for itspU 
that degree of popularity which all were ready to 
record to " Samson." We may well ask at this 
period, which of the two works named might he 
considered the greater favorite with the Society and 
the public ; and we hazard nothing in saying that 
time which often works great changes, has reversed 
the opinions then expressed. 

But the progress of the Society in the production 
of the great works of the masters up to the intro- 
duction of the "St. Matthew Passion" of John Se- 
bastian Bach, by far the greatest of all the compo 
sitions of this style of writing known to exist (a 
work which it is confidently hoped may be heard in 
its entirety during the coming season), cannot be 
traced without extending these remarks to an un- 
usual length. 

» «•» < 

Music in Hew York. 

New York, July 5. The popularity of the Thom- 
as Garden Concerts continues undiminished and 
the attendance there is as large as ever, despite the 
industrious efforts of some of our newspapers to cre- 
ate an impression to the contrary. The possibility 
of Thomas being " run out " by such an enterprise 
as Gilmore's monstrosity does not deserve serious 
consideration. It is conceded that by far the larg- 
er portion of the audience at the Central Park Gar- 
den is now composed of people who come to hear 
the music. These persons are not likely to be en- 
ticed away by the strains of a brass band, or the 
theatrical splendors of a cascade of " real water " I 
don't know how many feet in height Besides, on 
the ground of mere comfort, most people prefer a 
cool resort in which to pass a summer evening. 
Now there are certain corners, known to those who 
frequent the Thomas Garden, where, in the warm- 
est weather, there is always a cool breeze. If there 
is any such spot in the Hippodrome I have never 
found it. In moderate weather the vast enclosure 
is warm ; in hot weather it is unbearable. So much 
for the relative advantages of the so called rival in- 
stitutions. That the Gilmore concerts should draw 
well is not surprising. They are patronized by 

thousands every evening and, as the music is not 
of a character to " interrompt ze general conversa- 
tion," it is to be hoped that certain garrulous pa- 



trons of the Thomas concerts will betake themselves 
thither. I am sure that Thomas would gladly be 
rid of them, for not a week passes without some 
scathing rebuke from him to these ill bred and ig- 
norant people who keep up a continual buzzing dur- 
ing the performance of the music, to the annoyance 
of all decent folk. These animals can roam at large 
over nine tenths of the area of the Garden giving 
offence to no one, but there is a little space in the 
hall directly in front of the orchestra, and there 
the disciples of music usually assemble. For hear- 
ing, it is the worst place in the building, the disci- 
ple knows this, but meekly accepts the situation, as 
though he should say : " Take the greater part of 
the hall ; take the best seats ; take the best position 
for hearing, even though you will not listen ; only 
I pray you, leave me this little corner where I can 
listen and be at peace." 

Tho little band of listeners is assembled, hushed 
and attentive. The music begins. Then straight 
to the sacred spot comes the talker, accompanied by 
the female of his species. They select the seats 
farthest from the aisle, so as to oblige the greatest 
number of people to make way for them, and, being 
snugly ensconced where they can do the most harm, 
they sit during the remainder of the evening and 
" feebly fabulate and paddle about in the social 
slush " with infinite complacency. 

The orchestra is playing the Andante to Schu- 
bert's Symphony in C.-^-A wonderful landscape lies 
before us in lisrht and shade and dorde violet hues. 
Is it so far, so far away ? or only dim through the 
mist of many tears ? A sharp, quick grief is tug. 
ging at the violins. A sustained chord rolls away 
and dies like a sob, and then — " We fry ourt in but- 
ler / " 

Sic transit gloria ! 

Now, after allowing the talkers more space than 
they deserve, let me give a list of the pieces pla^'ed 
on Thursday evenings since I last wrote. 

THURSDAY IVKNINO, MAY 27. 

PreUidlum, [tlruttlmel Bach 

Impromptu, C inhior, Op. 90, [new] Scbubcrt 

Bilder nnn Osten, op. 66 Schumann 

Rhapsodic Hon|r«'oJ''<*t No. 1, [new] Liszt 

Sympliniiy. No. 0, " r.-tstoraie " Beethoven 

ifitrortuotlnn, ) 

Nu ptinl rhoruD, } :<d act Lohengrin Wagner 

Marcch Tempo. > 

Waltz Du uml Du StraUBS 

Festival Overture LaMvn 

THURSDAY EVBXINO, JUXE 3. 

Overture, AbcncfroKen Chet nbfni 

Vnrlatlonii, op. 56, on a Tlu-me by Haydn Krahms 

Po^me Syraphonlqne, op. 31, [new] Saint Sauns 

" Lc Rouet d'OmphaSe." 

Kaiacr Marsch vvnpnor 

Symphonv, No. 5, Lenore Kaff 

Rhap<todie Hongroise, No. 1. in P T j^zt 

Nouvelle Medit'ition Oounod 

Bolo part bv Sixteen Violins. 

EngliMh Horn ObliKato by Mr. J. Eller. 

Waltz, Telci;rams Struues 

THURSDAY EVBNIXO. JUXK 10. 

Overture: " Conaecration of the Hon»e ". . .Beethoven 
BouiT^! } 'rom Suite In C. No. I Bach 

Enter-acte, No. 1 , " Rosainunde '* Schubert 

Symphony, B flat, No 1 Schmnnnn 

SelectiouH from l»t act Lohengrin Wafj^ner 

Waltz [new] Vienna Strausu 

Saltarello Gounod 

THURSDAY BVBXIXG, JUNE 17. 

Cavalry March 8chiil»ert 

Synipliony No 1 in D Weber 

Overture: "Le Carnavai Rtnaain." 

Fi nTler"^''' } " ™"*-"" ■"** '•*»^*^® " Wap.er 

Rhapiodle Hongroise In D, No. 3 Liszt 

Ballet music, Faust 6 Gounod 

Romanza in G Beet ho ve n 

Overture: " Siege of Corluth *' Uossini 

Mr. Dudley Buck is now acting as assistant con- 
ductor at the garden concerts. This gentleman is 
well known as a distinguished musician and an ex- 
cellent composer, while his manner of conducting 
an orchestra is in every respect satisfactory, and 
meets with great favor. 

Concerning the great variety of new -music which 
Mr. Thomas has performed this season, I will write 
in my next letter. A. A. C. 



56 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



The Boieldien Centenary Fetei at Eouen. 

(Correipotidenee of the London MuHcal Standard,) 

Rouen, June 14. 

The qnnint, beautiful old city from which I to-day 
date my letter has been since Saturday last in a 
state of enthusiastic excitement bordering on frensy, 
and only to be fully understood by the Ronennais 
whose pride it is to call themselves the fellow- 
townsmen of BoiSldieu. For some days past tens of 
thousands of eager pleasure-seekers and patriots 
have been flocking hither from every side, all bent 
upon taking-part in the long-expected ftfttes of which 
the centenary of the favorite — (the people here have 
it "the immortal") — composer of the '^Danie 
Blanche ** and many another less known but almost 
equally tuneful work has been the occasion. On all 
sides resound the noise of beating drams, the echoes 
of blatant fanfares, and the songs of hundreds upon 
hundreds of orpheonists. In the streets traffic is 
rendered almost impossible for passing vehicles ow- 
ing to the masses of spectators and the continual 
marching and countermarching of processions. One 
moment it is a choral society from Cherbourg, 
which walks past singing with all its lungs ; the 
next, a band of fanfarists from Havre makes day un- 
pleasant by its ungentle music ; or a troop of sold- 
iers comes marching along, preceded by the 'rata- 
plan of half-a-dozen drummers. Sometimes, at very 
awful moments, several processions arriving from 
different quarters of the town will meet, with an ef- 
fect the reverse of harmonious, but wonderfully stir- 
ring and exciting. The houses are hung with flags, 
decorated with lanterns, glaring with devices of ev- 
ery sort, all in honor of a man who, though a hun- 
dred years have come and gpone since his birth, is 
to-day the hero of the hour, his name on everyone's 
tongue, and his likeness on every breast 

It must be acknowledged that when Frenchmen 
do give a f&te they give it brilliantlr. The official 

{programme of the BoiSldieu commemoration isj so 
engthy that It required eight closely-printed quarto 
pages to set forth the plain details of the many fes- 
tivals that have taken or will take place during the 
four days set apart for the rejoicings by the civic 
authorities here. Not to linger on other matters 
than the purely musical, the celebration began on 
Saturday with a grand military concert, given by 
the various troops of Rouen ami of St. Germain In 
front of the statue of Boieldieu on the quay. Yes- 
terday (Sunday) was devoted to the monster Con- 
cours des Orphtonistes. In the early morning, 
some thousand sinsrers, variously calculated at from 
three to five thousand, and composed of deputations 
from most of the leading amateur choral societies of 
France, assembled on the scene of the previous 
night's concert to execute Ambroise 'Thomas's 
" flommage A la Boieldieu,** the cantata composed 
by the author of ** Mignon" specially for the occa- 
sion. I was unfortunately absent from the town at 
the time, and missed this performance, which is said 
to have been remarkably fine. However, as the 
cantata will be repeated to-morrow at the Theatre 
du Cirque, with all the invaluable aid of M. Lam- 
onreux and the Soci6t^ de rHarmon!e Sacr^e, I 
shall be able to give you a report a little later. 
With great diificultv I succeeded in attending the 
most interesting of the many erpheon competitions 
yesterday, — ^tbat of the Theatre des Arts. Four so- 
cieties met here to contest the first prise, consisting 
of a golden wreath (presented by the Academic des 
siciences. Arts, et Belles-Lettres de Rouen V, and a 
money gift of l,600f. The chorus selected as the 
test of excellence was entitled " Le Retour d'Amer- 
ique,** and emanates from the pen of M . Adrien 
Boieldieu, son of the great musician. Each of the 
choirs was compelled to execute this composition, 
and in addition one other chorus of its own reper- 
toire, of which the choice was optional. The pro- 
gramme was as follows, selected by the different 
societies :— 1. Soci^t^ Ste. Cecils de Cherbourg, 60 
executants, under direction of M. Barri^re, *'La 
Koce du Village" (Laurent de Rill6). 8. Les Or- 
phtenistes Lillois, 110 executants, conductor, M. 
Boulanger, " Le Carnaval de Rome " (Amb. Thom- 
as)— winners of the wreath. S. Les Orph^onlstes 
d'Amlens, 60 exec., conductor, M. Grigny. "La 
Danse des Sylphes ** (Tb. Semet). 4. Les Enfants 



do Lnt^ce (Pari«») 85 exec, conductor. M. Gaubert, 
" Hvmne du Matin '* (J. Hauwwns). Compulsory 
piece, " Le Retour d'Ameriqne " (M. Adrien Boiel- 
dieu). The latter is a bold taking composition, cast 
in a semi-patriotic mould, and deviR<»d so as to put 
the power of its interpreters to a tolentbly severe 
trial. It affords several opportunities for the dis. 
play of that rather unnatural French bonefu furttiie 
singine: so much In vo«:ue here. The results pro- 
duced by this method of rendering pianos and pian- 
issimos differ greatly according to the degree of 
perfection attained in it by each society. In some 
instances a capital imitation of very soft pockct- 
comb-and-paper music was attained. In others the 
chorus arrived at delicious effects, as of inferior vi- 
olins played in the remote distance. Joking apart, 
I cannot say I greatly admire the system : it smacks 
of artistic trickery ; and though at first by its pecu- 
liarity it charms, after a while one wearies of those 
abrupt transitions from fff to ppp. which seem to 
form the basis of all the effects. The performances 
of the four societies were very unequal, but the first 
in ever7 way, as regards execution, training, and 
ensembte, was most undoubtedly the Lille choir. 
Not only were the voices of this orph^on finer, es- 
pecially in the tenors, but the subject selected by it 
was infinitely better fitted to show its strength than 
those clio€en by its rivals. The precision and ease 
with which M.* Thomas's " Carnaval de Rome " was 
given reflected the highest credit on conductor and 
choir. Next in order of merit, but a long distance 
behind, came the Paris Chorale. In the rendition 
of the compulsory subject, it was perhaps not far 
behind the Lille Society ; but in the " Hymne du 
Matin " the Enfants de Lut^e had made an unfor- 
tunate choice. The Amiens and Cherbourg Orph6- 
onistes cannot be named in a breath with the two 
foregoing chorales, which are certainly the best in 
the conntry. By the by, I remarked that the ban- 
ner carried by the Cherbourg deputation bore the 
Inscription, '* Offerte par sa Majesty la Reine d'An- 
gleterre." 

While this concours was progressing at the The- 
atre des Arts, similar competitions were going on in 
the Theatre Francais, and iu four or five other halls. 
Of these want of time and space does not allow me 
to speak. This was not by any means all that the 
day accomplished. Simultaneously with the orphd- 
on contest, were held the concours of the numerous 
brass bands and Fanfares at the Cirque and In the 
squares and public places of the town. In the ev- 
ening the distribution of prixes took place in front 
of the Hotel de Ville. 'The jury was compoe<Hl of 
many of the leading French musicians, amongst 
others MM. Leo Delibes, Lenepveu, Pasdclonp, 
Danbd, Paladiihe, Ac, Ac. President : M. Ambroise 
Thomas. The golden wreath competed for by the 
Fanfares fell to the lot of a Belgian society, the Cer- 
cle des XV de Binche. This will serve to show the 
deep interest which has been roused throughout 
French-speaking countries by these f&tes. Not on- 
Iv have the neisfhboring towns sent their deputa- 
tions of musicians, but from the far-away South, 
from Toulouse and Cannes, from the East, from Par- 
is, from Havre and Dieppe, and in the North from 
Lille, Valenciennes, ana Belgium, have oome scores 
and hundreds of competitors. 

This evening a grand gala performance Is to be 
given at the Theatre des Arts. The programme 
will be made up of BoiSldieu's " Le Nouveau Seig- 
neur du Village,** and two acts of the " Dame 
Blanche," interpreted by MM. Nathan, Barr^, 
Mdmes. Brunet, Lafleur, Ducasse, and Mdlle. lUvil- 
ly. At the conclusion of the representation a short 
pUee de dreonMtance will be reciced by M. Maubaut 
at the Commie Francaise. 

To-morrow will witness the last act in the festi- 
val, and perhaps the most interesting from an artis- 
tic point of view. . In the morning a Messe Solen- 
nelie at the Cathedral, under the direcUon of M. 
Lamoureux, and in the evening a grand' miscellane- 
ous concert by the Soci^l^ de I'Harmonie Sacrde at 
the Theatre du Cirque (terminating with the canta- 
ta " Hommage A Boieldieu,") will worthily close a 
series of f&tes which have been projected and so far 
carried out with remarkable spirit and success. It 
was hoped that Madame Carvalho would haye taken 
part, in to-morrow's proceedings, but unfortunately 
a miserable question of money has led to a rupture 
and refusal. M. Lamoureux went up to Paris to-day 
expressly to endeavor to induce a change in Mad- 
ame Carvalho's determination ; with what result I 
cannot say, though I hear that his mission has not 
been successful. If this be the case, the prima don- 
na will be replaced by some more public-spirited 
and perhaps equally capable cantatrice from the 
Opera or 0|)era Coniique. I 



Special mUtn. 



DBSCBIPTIYX LIST OF THB 



P«»ltok«i« »j OItv«v 1»ltii«n * C«. 



» <•» I 



Vooali with Piaao Aooompaaimsal 
Hy Father's Bible. 8. A6 to e. mcharda. 90 

" FV>nd mmnnry oft recslleth 
The (Iavs of early vouth.'* 
A bright melody and boaiitlful song. 

That's what's the Matter. 2. B&toe. SlraighL 90 

«'T— n— A— T Th»f» 
Merry comic song for ** the boys." 

Mem'ry's Golden Crown. Song and Cho. 8. 

B6 to d. DankB. 85 

" Mother. I<nr« nnd holy blemfncs, 
On« snil all nm rentlntr there.** 
All saeh *nnr« nim to h^ popular favorites, and 
tlii« one fully deserves to be. 

Take me back to Home and Mother. Song 

and Cho. 8. Xhtof, Hunikf* 35 
'* F r on earth thero i« no other 
Kindness like a mother's onre ** 
Beaatiltal Hone long. Don't fall to tin g It. 

Darkness turned to Light. 111. Title. Song 

and Cho. 2. D to e. DanJba. 40 

'* How lllce a benediction shone 
The riory on hi* face.'* 
One of those tender, ailhctlng ballads ttiat It to 
good to sing and hoar. 

Poor Ellen. 4. £ minor and major to e. 

PiMM. 85 

'* She listened— a well known voice to he'^r, 
Twas noncht bat the ra«ih of the startled deer.*' 
Kflhetlve and pathetic. 

Ky Love has gone a-sailing. 2. E&toe. 

MoUov. 85 

*< The sails uproad out their white wf nga, 
And fist th«* shin sped on.>* 
A real good old Ikshioned sea song. Sing H by 
the ocean side. 

Within the Cellar's depths I sit. 8. F to f . 

Fi»cher, 80 

«* Im tlefen Keller slU leh hier." 
A bats or baritone song in praise of Blieln-wliM. 

Peplta, the merry Gipsey Maid. 4. G minor 
and miU'or to f. Ktdght, 85 

"Viva lahella, 
La Zlngarella." 
Capital song, which begins a little soberly, and 
ends very merrily. 

lastnuneatali 

Home Treasures. fhnaUwoodf ml 40 

No. 7. The Bridge. 2. F. 

Melody of a popular song, sweetly and simply 
arranged. 

On the Train. Galop. 8. B5 Famaid. 80 

People do not nanally **gn1op*' on a train, but If 
they do, here Is the very best mnslo for them. 

Moonlight Serenade. 4. D6. Rlehard». 40 

Very bright moonlight, evidently, as the mosie 
sngiretts all sorts of bright thincs. and haa the 
merit, for a serenade, of keeping the people awake 
. to hear it. 

Petit CamivaL 6 easy Dances for 4 hands. 

Streabbog, 
No. 8. Sohottische. 2. G. 9!i 

5. Galop. 2. F. 85 

Easy and pretty Inttmetlve pleoea. 
Old Folks at Home. Varied. 4. Vb, Grobe, 75 

If r. nrohe*a mriatlons are made " by one rule." 
which happens to 1^ a rery good one. and this 
piece, which It numbered Op. IMS, Is quite attract- 
ive. 

Danse Neapolitaine. 4 hands. 5. Dft. 

8. Smith, 1.00 
ThU would not be dlillcalt were It not for the 
Presto movement. It to a rapid, exdclDg Taran- 
telle. 

Cheer Up I Galop. 2. G. LoioeU. 80 

One of the very sweetest and Tery easiest of 
Oalops. 

Clear Blue Sky. Op. 104. a G. Uchner. 80 

A dear, sweet melody, elegantly arranged. 

La Fille du Regiment Fantasle. 6. Ab 

8, Smith, 1.00 
As the original melodies are brilliant, this must 
be oonatdered more than that, or a •nper-briUiant 
ftintasla. 



Abbrbyiations.— Degrses of dMBcnlty are marked 
1 to 7. The kfy\B marked with a capital letter: as C, H 
flat, *e. A small Roman letter marks the highest note. 
If on the stair, an italic letter the highest note, if above 
the staff. 



. ! 




totgbfs 




aurtial 





Wholb No. 894. 



BOSTOX, SATURDAY, JULY 24, 1875. 



Vol. XXXV. No. 8. 



The Piotorial Power of Hnsio. 

BT O. A. HACFAKREN. 

In days gone by, when hopes were fresh that 
have been disappointed or ful Ailed, and when 
expectations were for a future that has now 
become past or present, folks used to talk of 
** descriptive music," as a class of composition 
which was either above or below other writing, 
according as the estimator was younger or old- 
er at heart, according as he thought of what 
was to come, or of what, having been, was 
ever to remain. The term is now-a-days sup- 
planted in the sentences of many essayists by 
*'program-fiM music," with the French redun- 
dant syllable, as if to attest the foreign source 
of th« definition ; and this is used in opposition 
to ** abstract music," which latter refers to 
pieces without a title, but implies pieces with- 
out a distinct non-technical meaning. Wheth- 
er "descriptive" or **program-«i45" be the 
better epithet, matters little ; either defines such 
compositions as avowedly represent some idea 
that is extra to the notes, some thought that is 
apart from the melodies and the harmonies and 
the modulations, but is yet contained in them. 
Let us then consider how long it is that com- 
posers have sometimes acknowledged such a 
Curpose in their works, how far such a purpose 
elongs alone to vocal music, or is limited in 
this by the direct statement in the words that 
arc set, how far it is exercised in instrumental 
music also, and how far there is still an expres- 
sion, though unacknowledged, and even though 
unknown to the producer, in the whole mass of 
music. These points are worth consideration, 
M illustrating the respect due to the imagina- 
tive or poetical element in our art, in addition 
to the artistry evinced in the rhythmical divi- 
sions, the contrivance of the parts, the more 
or less sudden changes of key, and the conduct 
of the plan, besides the copious machinery of 
coloring, by means of the various tones of 'dif- 
ferent instruments, and the varieties induced 
in these by difference in their combination. 

Not to seek among the musty traditions of 
earlier time, one may refer to the extant works 
of two nsusicians of so long ago as to bear a 
high antiquity in comparison with the very far 
later development of music than of the other 
arU. Firstly, Dietrich Buxtehude, the re- 
nowned organist of St. Mary's Church in Lu- 
beck, lived from 1688 till 1707, and left in 

Srint, besides a multitude of other works, seven 
uites de Pieces for the harpsichord, represent- 
ing the several characters of the seven planets; 
a flight of fancy the subtlety of whose aim has 
not been exceeded. Seondly, the Abbate An- 
tonio Vivaldi, commonly called ** II Prete 
rosso," because of the hue of his hair, died at 
a round old age, in 1748; and he published 
twelve Concertos for string instrument, depict- 
ing the qualities and impressions of the four 
seasons; and another piece which is familiar as 
the ''Cuckoo Concerto," wherein the notes of 
the " wandering voice " are conspicuously set 
down; anticipating thus the thesis of a Sym- 
phony by Spohr, and the appropriation of nat- 
ural sounds to art use by Beethoven. Then 
there is the Capriccio by Bach for the harpsi- 
chord, written in 1704, representing the dis- 
suasion of a beloved brother from a hazardous 
journey, his resistance of the same, and his de- 
parture, and concluding with a fugue on the 
notes of the postboy's horn ; and what can be 
more modem in purpose than this, more de- 
scriptive, ormoreprogrammatical ? There are 
the same composer's Pastoral Symphony in his 
Christmas Oratorio, and Handel's piece of the 
same name in his Messiah, both figuring the 



shephenls at watch in the briarht starlight on 
the night of the Nativity. There is the Sym- 
phony in Samson, to represent the fnl liner of 
the building overthrown by the miraculous 
strength of the blind hero— almost the single 
instance of Handel's use of chromatic passing 
notes — and that in Belshazzar, which is quaint- 
ly, but characteristically marked ''Allegro 
postillions," to accompany the supposed hur- 
ried entrance of the throng of wise men sum- 
moned to interpret the prophetic writing on the 
wall ; and need one look m the works of any 
age for a truer image of the feeling prevalent 
among the dramatic persons than the Dead 
March in Saul or the Jubilant March in Judas 
Maccabseus ? Haydn's representation of the 
earthquake in his Seven Last Words, and of 
chaos in his Creation, bring the art of descrip- 
tive instrumental music a generation nearer to 
our own age. Even Beethoven, the accredited 
inventor of the practice, was forestalled by a 
few y^rs in his desii^i of the Sinfonia Pasto- 
rale, the earlier conception of portraying pasto- 
ral life in orchestral music being due to one 
Enecht, an obscure composer, who wrought in 
a place, little less unknown, called Biberach. 
Glorious specimens of descriptive music are 
Beethoven's Overtures, all four of them, to 
Leonore, that to Coriolan. and that to Egmont ; 
and his Sonata representing a farewell, absence, 
and a return, belongs to the same category. 
Rossini worked with the brush of a scene- 
painter in his Overture to Guillaume Tell and 
in the representations of a storm that divide the 
action of the second act in the Barbiere, Ma- 
tilda di Shabran, and other of his comic Operas. 
Spohr evinced his descriptive power in his 
Symphonies, the Consecration of Souni, the 
Contention between Earthliness and Godliness 
in the soul of man, and the Seasons, and in his 
Overture to Azor and Zemira, representing the 
storm, the wreck of the merchant's vessel, and 
his magical rescue. Weber's Concert Stiick 
tells a complete story of anxiety in absence, 
a knight's return, his true love's eager rush to 
meet him, and their rapture in each other's 
embrace. The success of Mendelssohn has been 
equal to that of the best of them in his Over- 
tures, and in his Reformation Symphony and 
in those two orchestral works recording his 
impressions in Scotland and in Italy. The 
tone-pictures by Stemdale Bennett, namely, 
the NaTades, the Wood-Nymphs, and Paradise 
and the Peri, are each a masterpiece. Latest, 
if not last, the Abbd Liszt and Herr Raff are 
writing symphonic poems and Symphonies 
without the assumption of poetry, purposing to 
paint in tones the pictures announced in the 
titles they choose. 

Thus much for the pictorial in music for in- 
struments. It is the admitted province of com- 
positions for voices, from the close of the six- 
teenth century at least, to express the words to 
which they are set. Many and many an author 
has been uncontent to limit this word, express, 
to the sense of declaim, and has found means 
to illustrate bis text by figures of his own im- 
agining, fully as metaphorical as anything that 
graces the verse of a poet. Think of the weighty 
wall of waters and the rippling of the harmless 
waves against it, in the chorus " He led them 
through the deep," the sense of substance as in 
our London fogs in " He sent a thick darkness," 
the oppression as of a heavy mass of ice at 
" congealed in the heart of the sea," all in Is- 
rael in Egypt ; and again, of the helpless grop- 
ing, where hands have to fulfil the eyes' office, 
in " The people that walked," in the Messiah 
of the same master; and say, but with no hope 
for credence, that the music paints not, with 



power unmistakable, very far more than is 
stated in the words. Who can say that tho^c 
howling notes, with tlieir peculiar instrumen- 
tation, convev no meaning, that accompany tlie 
mention of Cerberus in the chorus of Elvsian 
spirits in Gl nek's Orfeo ? There is the incident 
in Fidelio of the waving of the lamp before the 
eyes of the swooning Florestan, to find, by 
their sensitiveness to the light, whether he 
still lives; and the streaming phrase for the 
hautboy as much suggests the moving brightness 
as it recalls the captive's last uttered thoughts 
of his Leonore. Every song of Schubert shows 
the entire surroundings of the songster, whetli 
er in the turning of the wheel while Gretchen 
plies her spinning, or in the violent rushing of 
the horse, the night wind and the agitated 
father's thoughts in the Erl King, or in count- 
less not less beautiful instances. Except, how- 
ever, from all cases to be admired, the curious 
specimens of objective imitation that abound 
in the Creation, and wonder the while that so 
great a master as he who wrote the work should 
be so little of a poet. 

The questionless perspicuity of these vocal 
instances of which the words indicate the pur- 
pose, proves that instrumental music may be 
equally full of meaning though this have no 
external indication. 

Descriptive instrumental music has its worst 
side outwards in the so-called " Battle Pieces " 
and other things of the class, that were more in 
vogue from fifty to a hundred years ago than 
they are now, beginning with Kotswara^s Bat- 
tle of Prague, that was erewhile as certainly to 
be found m a ladies' boarding school as a back 
board or a French "mark;" including Dus- 
sek's Sorrows of Marie Antoinette that ends 
with a glissando descent from the top to th3 
bottom of the pianoforte to picture the fall of 
the guillotine ; and not omitting the work of 
Beethoven himself that was designed, not 
merely to commemorate, but to describe Wel- 
lington's success at Vittoria. In these and 
such as these, the description is of prior consid- 
eration to the music, and, to prevent the possi- 
bility of any portion of this being misunder- 
stood, the staves are interlined, in most cases, 
with indications as evident as "The cries of the 
wounded," " the agony of the royal lady when 
her infant son is torn from her arms," and so 
forth. To another species of delineation be- 
longs the notable piece by Cesti, wherein the 
purpose to represent a rainbow is effected by 
the successive entry of all the instruments in 
the score, beginning with that on the lowest 
staff and ending with that on the highest, each 
for a single note, followed by the reverse of the 
succession, with which image if the eye be sat- 
isfied, it is possible the ear may not. All these 
compositions, from the meanest upwards, ad- 
dress but a low order of intelligence, and their 
littleness gives licence to many effective sallies 
against the pretence to address the sight 
through the hearing or to set forth visible ob- 
jects by means of sounds. 

Indisputably, all musical images are vague, 
and are susceptible of various interpretation by 
different hearers. It is more than forty years 
ago that a party of young musicians met, of 
whom some have proved their right to the 
world's esteem and fiave won due acknowledg- 
ment, who discussed the point in question. 
Two, in particular, affirmed that the Overture 
to Oberon told a tale as graphically as words 
could relate it. In support of their view, they 
each separately went apart with a third person, 
and stated to him, from phrase to phrase, the 
course of incidents that Weber's imaginative 
piece portrayed ; and then, the holder of both 






58 



DWIGHT'S JOUKNAL OF MUSIC. 



their confidences revealed the two to the rest 

Hof the company, and showed thus that in no 
single point did the several translations of the 
unmistakable narrative accord, save and except 
only that the first three notes, and the same 
phrase when it recurs in the key of E, stand for 
the charmed horn of the le^jend, which verily 
they do as truthfully as anythin<? in art or na- 
ture can stand for itself. Beyond this, the 
rushing waters of the one were the armed 
knights of the other, the ardent love of this 
picture was embodied in the Elfin antics of 
that, and so on, and so on to the end of the 
chapter. The exception has been stated and 
exemplified; let it be answered by the fact that 
herein lies the pre-eminence of music over other 
arts as a medium of poetical expression. That 
the witness of a work of art is a necessary party 
in the explication of what it signifies, makes 
him to some extent a partner in the artistry ; 
and this also gives to the fabricator of the work 
a wider range of appeal to sympathy, than he 
can have who speaks more definitely. It is a 
distinction between science and art., between 
fact and imagination, that the things which 
belong to the former are definite, positive, real, 
while those which peitain to the latter are to 
some extent misty, vngue, insubstantial ; the 
precision of outline which verifies the first is 
rounded or clouded off so as to give the second 
the air of a vignette instead of a framed draw- 
ing. So long as the work in question falls not 
into obscurity, the greater the elasticity of its 
expression, the higher its poetry. The sign- 
board that exhibits an indisputable red cow or 
blue lion is less considerable as a work of art 
than a painting by Landseer that suggests to 
the spectator a long train of fancies as to the 
feelings, all but human, of the animal it pre- 
sents, excited by the circumstances in which 
the brute is involved. A newspaper notice of 
a royal visit to the city or elsewhere may be as 
accurate as a trades-man^s invoice, but has no 
halo of possibilities and probabilities as to co- 
incidences and consequences of the occasion: 
the Duke of York's description of the entry 
into London of the triumphant Bolingbroke 
and the falling Richard conjures up a thousand 
suppositions of the characters of the two, of the 
fickleness of the people, and of the fate of 
England past and to come. Still more free is 
the power of musical suggestion, still wider is 
its scope, and still higher on this account should 
be its estimation. 

In needing a title to make its purpose com- 
prehensible, a piece of music exceeds in degree 
perhaps, but certainly not in fact, a painting 
or a drama. For example : — in an exhibition 
of pictures, two friends, who had no catalogue, 
admired a certain painting, but were at a loss 
as to what might be its subject; a beautiful 
youthful figure held a dissevered human head, 
and this the beholders surmised must be the 
daughter of Herodias with King Herod's reluc- 
tant gift of the head of the Baptist, wondering 
the while at the shortness of the damsel's gar- 
ments, but accounting for this as designed for 
the display of her recent dancing, and applaud- 
ing it as a happy suggestion of the artist ; the 
description in the book was, **No. 811, David 
with the head of Goliath.*' Again:— in a the- 
atre, other two friends, who had no playbill, 
were witnessing a performance of Pizarro, when 
an actor's illness had necessitated the change 
from Brutus, of which latter our playgoers had 
read the announcement ; they were bewildered, 
as well they might be, by the discrepancy be- 
tween the incidents before them and their his- 
torical recollections, but they ingeniously en- 
deavored to fit the one on to the other, strangely 
wondering, however, at the hoary age of Oroz- 
embo when the Spanish tyrant orders the exe- 
cution of the venerable Peruvian, naively say- 
ing that they thought it was his son whom 
Lucius Junius condemned to death, and this 
old gentleman looked more like his father. 
Just in like manner would the Pastoral Sym- 
phony or the Overture to A Midsummer Night's 
Dream lose its representative power on him 
who knew not its title, and who might in his 



ignorance ascribe to it a meaning different from 
that which filled the mind of the artist. 

Musicians have always been singularly retic- 
ent, in comparison with literatists and limners, 
as to the extra- technical purpose of their work. 
Whereas, every book that is printed and every 
picture that is shown bears a name to define its 
subject, the result of a musician's labors is in 
almost all cases **a deed without a name." 
By no means on this account is every piece of 
music subjectless or written without regartl to 
particular expression, whatever may be the pe- 
culiar diffidence or bad shame of the artist in 
hiding from the world the thesis of his inspira- 
tion. Haydn's biographers state of him that 
he always conceived a story before he wrote a 
Symphony, such as of a sea voyage with the 
vicissitudes of prosperity and tempest, of a 
course of true love which never yet ran smooth, 
or of a departure to battle and a victorious re- 
turn, and that the music is the language wherein 
these unacknowledged tales are told. Haydn 
is not the single instance of a composer who has 
pa.ssed through such a mental process. It sig- 
nifies nothing to the argument whether the 
artist be the inventor or only the illustrator of 
his theme ; Shakspeare's Tempest may be before 
his mind's eye when he paints his fanciful tone- 
portrait, or a conceit of a storm at sea with its 
results that never had action outside his own 
thoughts, or the loss of the Medusa, or any 
other veritable shipwreck ; and he may amuse 
himself, if no one else, by making his music 
wild or tranquil, agitated or serene, according 
as bad or good weather prevails in his imagina- 
tion, and as the fears or hopes arc paramount 
of the voyagers. This is not all ; without ad- 
mitting, even to himself, a plot, he is yet a 
narrator, if only of the thoughts and feelings 
that live and work within him during his peri- 
od of composition. The same man will pro- 
duce a graver work or a gayer, a calmer or a 
more agitated, a month sooner or later in his 
life, according to the passions that sway his 
heart, and be unconscious all the while' that he 
is setting down an autobiography. It is hard 
to believe, indeed, that any artistic work can 
be all expressionless, save only a scholastic ex- 
ercise ; nay, perhaps not even this, for the man's 
patience or his want of it, his resignation or his 
eagerness will speak out in the smoothness or 
roughness of his lines, in the formality or 
quaintness of his words, in the fluency or an- 
gularity of his counterpoint. 

The analogy of painting and music has been 
many a time expounded. Some points of it, 
however, have not always been noticed, and 
may be worth recapitulation. The term com- 
position holds good in both, and in the latter 
art more particularly has its synonym in con- 
struction, design, plan. The current of mod- 
ulations, their relation to an original or prin- 
cipal tonic, the chief prevalence of this and its 
recurrence at necessary periods, have their com- 
plete likeness in the reference of all the points 
m a picture to its principal light and in the 
just arrangement of all its forms. Thus far, a 
literary work comes equally into the compari- 
son, which must have its beginning, its middle, 
and its end, its centre whence all events and 
arguments radiate, whence all the characters 
are developed, quite as much as has a pictorial 
or a musical production. 

To pass from generality to detail, the em- 
ployment of harmony to characterize a melody 
or give point to a certain cote, and the broad 
boldness that is attained by its occasional ab- 
sence when all the parts at command, whether 
voices or instruments, proceed in grand unison, 
or the delicate lightness when all but one cease 
to sound, and this one proceeds with more or 
less grace or volubility alone, are entirely com- 
parable with the expression in a drawing, 
whether of the faces of a figure piece or of the 
manifold forms in a landscape. How endless 
is the variety of character and significance that 
may be given to the same melody by difference 
of harmonization and by the timely appropria- 
tion of a single chord to a particular note of 
the tune, and l»ow variously may portraits of 



the same face be made to express all the emo- 
tions to wh'ch the fare's owner may be subject, 
and as variously may representations of the 
same view express gloom or cheerfulness or any 
other temper that rules the artist while on his 
work! 

The non-musician is scarcely aware of the 
boundless power this resource of harmony af- 
fords to the artist, who by its means makes his 
most delicate touches and his grandest, conveys 
his subtlest meaning and his broadest. Every 
chord, nay each inversion of a chord, has a sig- 
nificance of its own, but it is as impossible to 
define all these capabilities of expression, as it 
is to state the meaning of every modification of 
a curve or inflection of a line. To attempt a 
dictionary that should assign a verbal power to 
every harmonic combination or to every linear 
convolution, would be preposterous in itself 
and fatal in its results in proportion as it ap- 
proximated to success, since it would change 
ifancy into convention, subvert truth into dog- 
ma, and limit beauty by prescription, if not 
annul it fully. Another means of musical ex- 
pression analagous to the resources of the 
draughtsman, is the difference of figure with 
which a melody may be accompanied, either in 
sustained or repeated or dispersed chords, or in 
an intermixture of passing-notes with essential 
notes, an invaluable accessory to the more im- 
portant elements of melody and harmony, 
which adds largely to the significance of both. 
So too does the manner of casting a shadow 
over this or that side of a face, or of a project- 
ing rock, or of a pool, or of a turret, whether 
in a plain mass of color, or in a cluster of lines 
or of dots or of whatever configurations may 
better be described, all of which palpably bear 
on the expression of the passage. 

Thus far, our picture may be in block and 
white or in the diverse degrees of shade and 
light of any one hue; and thus far, one piece 
of music may be for a single instrument or for 
several instruments of the same quality of tone. 
Then come in the gorgeous varieties of color to 
the pictorial artist, and the orchestra with its 
many diversities of tone is the rainbow of the 
musician. The variegation of blue and red and 
yellow and all the grades between them, is not 
greater than that of violins and trombones and 
flutes and tnimpets and bassoons aftd drums of 
all kinds. In the Sextet in Don Giovanni, 
when the torchbearers enter, and when the key 
is changed from E flat to D, how totally dif- 
ferent a color is given to the whole orchestra by 
the tone, unused before, of the trumpet! This 
is but one of countless instances in which or- 
chestral coloring is obvious to every perception. 
The relationship in effect between a piece for 
many instruments and a pianoforte arrangement 
of the same, and that between a picture in 
many colors and an engraving or a photograph 
of the same, are completely analagous. In- 
strumentation is in itself a deep study. It be- 
gins in giving prominence to a melody over its 
accompaniment, by playing the two with dif- 
ferent qualities or degrees of tone on the piano- 
forte. It is practised in assigning to a tenor 
voice, in a vocal quartet, notes that are wanted 
to be more obvious than those in the lower 
register of the female voices that are really 
sounded above the former. It reaches its per- 
fection in that delicious art which Mozart may 
be said to have originated and perfected. It 
is abused, (let us hope to the utmost) in the 
writings of some living Germans who set many 
brass instruments to play in unisons and eighths 
if they wish to give distinctness to a cantilena, 
and who suffocate the voice by the sustained 
harmony of double basses and soft wind instru- 
ments. Were a painter to use jet block for his 
chief shadows, leaf gold for his principal lights, 
and o coating of the eighth of on inch thick 
for his transparent hues, he might produce sim- 
ilor effects. Nevertheless, some of the compo- 
sers alluded to ore extolled as masters of or- 
chestration, and sobie of them propose to im- 
prove the coloring of the greatest masters ; but, 
happily, their method ond their self-assurance 
hove not yet on analogue in the sister art. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, JULY 24, 1875. 



59 



A beautiful comparison has been made of the 
respective capabilities of poetry and statuary 
as exemplifiea in Virgil's description of the 
death of Laocoon and the antique sculpture of 
the same subject. The present discussion ad- 
mits of a corresponding illustration, in a par- 
allel between the scene in Bach's setting of the 
Matthew Passion where Jesus declares that 
one of the twelve will betray Him, and Leon- 
ardo's picture of the Last Supper. In the 
former, the anxious question, .*' Is it I ? " passes 
from lip to lip, while yet the painful feeling 
which prompts it continues in each member of 
the group ; a loving spirit of fidelity pervades 
all hearts but one, and the anguish is. common 
to them all at the possibility that either of them 
can be treacherous to Him who is the centre 
of their devotion ; as the utterance is prolonged 
by repetition so is the pang extended in each 
heart that quivers under its torment. In the 
masterpiece of da Vinci, it is for the spectator 
to dilate the sufferings of the assembled apos- 
tles by lengthening his gaze upon its presenta- 
tion in each separate countenance, ana his fur- 
ther contemplation of the general attitude of 
the company. The music expresses the contin- 
uous, the painting shows the instantaneous 
working of the same emotion. The effect of 
the one upon us might approximate to that of 
the other, were it gradually unrolled so as to 

Eass fiom side to side like a moving diorama; 
ut then it would share the disadvantage of 
music in its transiency, in its being come and 
gone without giving time for investi^tion. 

It is now, lastly and chiefly, to consider what 
is described, or pictured, or, to refer to the 
phrase of the day, pro^phed in music. A 
music lover, after this kind, once said that he 
liked **that portion in Beethoven^s Pastoral 
Symphony which represented the windmills*' 
— but this was not the artist's aim, nor is it his 
end. Neither are the jagged rocks or the 
dashing waters of the Hebrides exhibited in 
Mendelssohn's Isles of Fingal, nor the forms 
and groupings of the insects in Handel's **He 
sent all manner of flies," nor the skeletons of 
the deer and the hunters in Weber's Wild Chase 
in the Air, nor the wretch who learned to pray 
from the innocence of the child in Bennett's 
Paradise and the Peri. Most epigrammatii ally 
and most completely was the whole purpose of 
this class of music set forth in Beethoven's an- 
nouncement of the great work which stands 
foremost in everybody's thought of the matter 
— **Mehr Ausdruck der J2mpfindung als Mah- 
lerei," (More the expression of feeling than a 
painting). There is and there can be no pre- 
tence in any work of the kind to show more or 
less than what would be the artist's impressions 
under the circumstances supposed, and this is 
shown in his own language, which happily is 
one without a glossary, that depends for its 
free translation on the perceptivity of the hear- 
er. Who has basked in the sunshine and felt 
the kiss of the soft beeezes in the open country, 
who has mused beside a running stream and 
noted the rippling of the current and the rust- 
ling of the leaves and the chirping of the birds, 
who has watched villagers at their merry-mak- 
ing, who has witnessed the rise and climax and 
culmination of a storm, and who has seen the 
returning peace of nature with the outburst of 
gratitude that flows from all animate and even 
inanimate existences — he has in his own breast 
the key to Beethoven's imaginings, and he may 
unlock the magical casket and he at one with 
all its images. Already has been suggested 
that every work of art is a subjective picture, 
a confession of the joys or sorrow^s of him who 
produces it. In this respect, an unentitled 
piece of music somewhat resembles a landscape 
or a pastoral poem, which possesses a personal 
character, in so far as it may express the feel- 
ings of the author, beyond the positive facts of 
which it is a statement, namely, that there is a 
tree to the right hand, or a brook to the left, 
or a hill in the distance, or the warm glow of a 
summer heaven pervading the whole. To-day, 
one may regard these objects with grateful de- 
votion ; to-morrow, with regret for the compan- 



ion with whom he once viewed them ; again, 
in the overflow of animal spirits springing from 
health or from some fortune apart from the 
scene; at another time, in the indifference of a 
purposeless hour; anon, in the despair of frus- 
trated endeavor. Whatever the mood, this 
will bespeak itself in the description, and, 
whether in lines, in words, or in notes, the in- 
dividualitv of the artist will be evident in his 
work, and the program will be traceable, even 
though it may not have been prescribed. 

These remarks are the wild growth of a fer- 
tile theme. With cultivation it would yield a 
rich harvest to the thinker, but even these ran- 
dom words may indicate that there is store of 
fruit for the gathering. 

— Musical Times {London,) 



• ♦ • 



Handera ' Hercnles." 

A correspondent of the 7\me»y describing the 
Diisseldorf Musical Festival, states that Whit Mon- 
day, the central day of the Festival, was also the 
moat interesting from a musical point of view : it 
brought a performance — or practically two perform- 
ances—of Handers magnificent oratorio of** Hercu- 
les." The writer says : — 

Though this is in many respects one of thecompo 
ser's finest works, the world seems to have been 
content to let it sleep during by far the greater part 
of the 130 years that have elapsed since it was com- 
posed. It seems to have been performed only four 
times during Handel's lifetime, and since then its 
history is, as far as T know, a blank, till we reach its 
revival by Herr Joachim at Berlin last autumn, 
when it was twice performed. If some of the lovers 
of Handel in England had been present on Monday 
they would perhaps have felt that they saw the 
greatest master for the first time In a fresh light ; 
for both the work selected and the manner of per- 
forming it were admirably calculated to bring out 
one of his greatest faculties — his dramatic power, a 
feature in his works which is too much kept in the 
background in English performances of them. Dr. 
Chrysander tells us how Handel, in his earlier life, 
acquired and matured two styles — the dramatic in 
his operas, the serious in his anthems ; how, when 
he was driven from the stage by jealousy and in- 
trigues, he confined himself for a few years to com- 
paratively undramatic works, such as the "Allegro," 
** The Ode on St. Cecilia's Day," and the " Funeral 
Anthem ; " and how afterwards, the dramatic in- 
stinct reviving in him, he united his two earlier 
styles into one, and reached the highest summit of 
his art in the serious dramas or oratorios, to the 
composition of which all his later years were devoted. 
Certainly, from this point of view, ** Hercules " is 
one of the most striking of his works, and it is, curi- 
ously enough, the only one to which the title of 
" musical drama " was given .at its first publication. 
In spite of the similarity of musical language (for 
Handel must be Handel everywhere), one feels in 
quite a different atmosphere from that of the great 
national Old Testament oratorios. Except in the 
choruses, " O filial piety," and *' Let none despair,** 
contrapuntal writing is sparingly employed, there 
is greater passion and elaboration in the recitatives; 
while (as Professor Gervinus has observed) the na- 
ture of the classical drama is preserved by the posi- 
tion of the chorus, as lookers-on comparatively 
unaffected by the results — not like the Jews march- 
ing to battle with Judas Maccabicus, or the Christ- 
ians praying for Theodora's release. 

As for the performance of this great work I will 
venture to express my opinion that Herr Joachim's 
reading of Handel is as near perfection as anything 
could well be. Two essential points may be men- 
tioned ; in the first place, the tempo is never hur- 
ried; and, in the second place, the work is performed, 
as to instrumentation, as nearly as possible in the 
way in which Handel himself would nave performed 
it. No instrnments were used at all which do not 
appear in some part or other of Handel's score, 
while, excepting the necessary additions of violins, 
where merely a bass accompanies the voice in the 
original, and of an organ part to the choruses 
(which was, no doubt, done at the first performances 
of the oratorio), almost the only features added were 
a horn part to the air, " How blest the maid ; " an 
oboe part to the air, *' From celestial seats descend- 
ing ; and an organ part to lole's lovely song, "My 
breast with tender pity swells." If an improvement 
might be suggested it would be in the shape of a 
still further approximation to Handel's practice by 
multiplying the oboes and bassoons. There are 



several passages where ten or twelve oboes instead 
of four would produce a real effect of instrumental 
coloring (of which, by the way, the fully-scored 
chorus, " Crown with festal pomp," is, perhaps, one 
of the best examples to be found in Handel's 
works.) 

Comparing the general execution with what mischt 
be expected in our own country, the correspondent 
thinks the choruses were probably rather less well 
done ; the singers hung fire a little, especially when 
they had to take up a fugal subject, and there was 
an unfortunate tendency to sing flat at the end of 
the splendid chorus, " Tyrants now no more." The 
recitatives, he says, were sung with infinitely great- 
er Qre and vigor than is usual in England. He goes 
on to say : — 

Probably the love of Wagner has stood even Han- 
del in good stead in this particular ; while it has, no 
doubt, produced the fondness for musical declama- 
tion which made the audience receive the recit<ativ6s 
(including under that name the two great scenas for 
Hercules and Deianira) with as great favor as any 
part of the work. It must be added that the unnc- 
companied recitatives could not have been listened 
to with half the pleasure had it not been for the 
happy device (employed, I believe, by Mr. Otto 
Golddchmidt at the perlormance of the " Allegro " 
in 1863) of using with them both the piano and a 
basso continue on the double bass. 

The part of Deianira (mezzo-soprano) was sung 
with the greatest possible feeling and intelligence 
by Fran Joachim ; there are probably few artists 
who could surmount so successfully the difficulties 
of the last grand scena, owing to its great length and 
the compass of voice required — nearly two octaves. 
Madame Pesclika-Lcutner created a very favorable 
impression in the part of lole (soprano), and Herr 
von Witt a decidedly less favorable one in the part 
of Hyllus (tenor) ; but we had a very talented young 
Hercules (bass) in Herr Hendschel, and his master, 
Herr Schultz^ professor in the High School of Mu- 
sic at Berlin, came all the way thence to sing the 
small amount of music allotted to the Priest of Jupi- 
ter. The part of Lichas, the herald (alto) — shorn, 
however, of several of its best airs — was fairly per- 
formed by Fraulein Asmann, from Berlin. Judging 
from the applause which greeted the appearance of 
" Hercules," the German public are not likely to al- 
low it to sleep again. I only hope that the English 
public will soon have a chance of hearing it in the 
original language. 



><•> i 



The Operatic Philosopher, 

(IVom the "aoncord4a.") 

In olden days artists were content to be called 
artists; the sculptor, painter, engraver, set them- 
selves to their work, and talked but little and wrote 
still less of the principles or reasons of their work. 
Invention is a matter of feeling and too tender and 
solemn a thought to share with strangers. The first 
impress on the brain of an artist is an emanation 
from the spirit, and around this germ ideas ftfe 
gathered together. The affection has been secured, 
the imaginative power employed; then schooling 
and knowledge of one's business, design, structure, 
and that which Gluck called metier, and Handel 
connterpoint, severally aid to bring into perfect life 
and bein^ the thing called a work of art — the grand 
thing — wnich is to be rejoiced over and to live for 
ever. Our Philosophers have taken up music, or 
rather a corner of music, and occupy themselves in 
telling the world how Mozart manufactured his op- 
eras — as Goethe dryly remarked, just as a baker 
makes his bread and biscuit. Mozart, it appears, 
lived in mistakes and shams; he altogether mis- 
apprehended his vocation ; ho knew nothing of the 
right way of applying music to the operatic drama I 
He was wrong m his subject, and wrong in his 
method I The only theme fit and proper for the 
operatic drama is that of legend — and legend out- 
lying Christianity. What has been called the reflex 
operation of Chnstianitv upon fine art is to be dis- 
carded and abhorred in modern musical drama I 
Our eesthetical writers for the last fifty years are 
decried, and their essays put on one side as so much 
literary lumber. New ground of thought has been 
broken up, the seed has been strown for a real per- 
ception of music in drama, some fruit has appeared 
in the Wagnerian opera, and a direct onslaught 
made on the idols and faUo gods of the last century I 
The musical philosopher'-^ mode of action is simple 
but severe. Destroy Handel who perfected the 
song of the situation in opera; destroy Rameau 
who taught Gluck how to make an opera-chorus ; 
destroy Mozart and Haydn who made the ensembles. 



60 



DWIGHT'S JOUKNAL OF MUSIC 



" Ah,** said Haydn to one who told him of the joy 
he felt in hearing his quartets and other instronien- 
tal music, " but you should have heard my operas !" 
— works consumed in the fire that destroyed the 
whole of his theatrical labors for thirty years. Then, 
a^ftin, destroy Beethoven who made the grandly- 
dramatic trio and quartet. Having swept away 
these follies and delusions of our forefathers, let us 
bejdn with legend and accompanied declamation ! 
•* Begin with legend ! '* why legend has been tried 
and miled three hundred years past. Is not Rinal- 
do legend T Armida ? Jupiter here, Jupiter there, 
Jupiter everywhere. Old opera is old myth, and 
ola myth in opera never has lived, and never will 
live. If in future we are to ignore Christianity and 
resuscitate pagan thought-s, fefelings and actions, let 
us send at once for the old Indian myths — ^the Bur- 
mah and Slam operas, and drink from the first- 
opened fountains. At this hour the theory of Wag- 
ner is to be seen and heard in Burmah — the sing- 
song declamation with the twang-twang of what is 
called a harp. 

There is, nowever, a difficulty in importing and 
naturalizing the myth-opera of the East. The ori- 
ental prima donna knows nothing of " the word- 
tone.** She little dreams that at the bottom of her 
" tweedle-dum and tweedle-dee " lies the root-vibra 
tions of language in embryo. And not to know the 
*• word-tone ** is not to know music. We are told 
song is the root of which music is the branch. But 
deeper than song — deeper than root — cxista the 
word ; and inside the word, as the kernel inside the 
shell, lodges the tone, the life of the word. Now, 
the musician who has not dug down and reached 
the word and the tone is no musician at all. Even 
ignorance of this or^fer of genealogy in language and 
music is fatal to the composer. We find that the 
true cause of the failure of Bach in the Passion, 
Handel in the Messiah and Mendelssohn in Elijah is 
their ignorance of the meaning of the v>ord I These 
composers imagined song was branch and nuiaic 
was root — ic fatal error. They governed their mu- 
sic by their feet, followed the forms of march and 
dance I This ruinous mistake stopped Beethoven in 
his grand career. These musicians never once 
thought of people's mouths, from which alone pr«>- 
ceeds the absolute and abstract expresbion ! JMur^ic 
is simply the means of expression ; it has its exter- 
nal rhythm ; but if used solely to exhibit external 
rhythm, it is made a demoralizer of thf inner, or 
word, rhythm ; and proves itself to be the bane of 
all grand opera and legitimate drama ! Thus our 
modern philosopher settles the question ; but it may 
be urged IhtX if in the operatic-drama the Aria is to 
go, the Duet, Trio, and Quartet to depart, how is 
the story of the opera to continue to interest the 
auditor T Everybody knows the story of the Son- 
nambula — the story of Leonora ; but let us imagine 
these operas set, not in the way of Bellini or Beet- 
hoven, but in that of the inner-tone or word-tone 
fashion. When the story has become familiar, 
where lies the interest of the opera ? The grand 
interest in these operas is the fine art demonstrated 
ii» them, the spirit of love shown ; the full emotion ; 
the majesty and propriety of the ideas ; the perfect 
unity ; the orderly and harmonious design, and the 
perfect workmanship in all its details. What can 
possibly prow out of declaimed words ? If genius is 
to be forbidden the iteration of language as a means 
of powerful and varied expression ; and if it is to be 
forhidden the treatment of the truly supernatural — 
the rereiations of the Deity to humanity — is told to 
avoid the god-like and the Christian in man, woman, 
and child ; from whence is high elevation to come ? 
whence the inspirations of genius? whence the por 
traiture of the noblest passions of our nature? Is 
thy servant a dog thtt he should believe this thing? 
is thy servant a dog that he should do this thing ? 
Go on your ways, most sedate philosopher, and 
altogether irrevocably mad musician, but your ways 
shitU not be our ways, your thoughts not our 
thoughts, your ends of the matter not our ends of 
the matter. Let song be root or stem, let word or 
word-tone be primarj', secondary, or tertiary depos- 
it, grand music has been made before your theories 
were ever thought of; it has flashed into the soul 
and sunk deep into the heart, whilst not a line of 
the new philosophy, not a bar of the new music has 
ever been engraven on the memory or for one mo- 
ment influenced the flow of the pulse. 

The new " word-tone opera " has the very small- 
est claims to invention or novelty ; and yet it is 
asserted that " all past musicians have for the most 
part employed their energies to bad purpose," and 
" not one single musician has seen the right connec- 
tion and everlasting difference between words and 
mubic.*' The conclusion reached by this writer is 



most just as far as regards himself—" Little or 
nothing is known about music, for music cannot be 
considered much other than an unknown art' 
Such is the notion of the musician of the higher 
development The philosopher, when starting, hon- 
estly admit*} that his conceptions of music are '* ha- 
zy and unsteady," and declines offering any solution 
of the new musical puzzle until something more 
certain is known of chord, sequence, rhythm, and 
modulation; or, in other words, until he has re- 
ceived from the baker the recipe for making the 
bread and the biscuit What follows if the blind 
lead the blind? If the philosopher and musician 
be both ignorant of music what can their criticisms 
be worth ? A knowledge of the grammar of music 
may be helpful in demonstrating the order of 
thought and idea in musical composition ; but 

f ranting that the critic is in possession of the 
nowledge of these rules governing the facts by 
which music is supposed to exist, yet he may be a 
somnambulist, walking in the dark when attempting 
to decipher the heraldry of genius in its emblazonry 
of tones as affections^ and the means of daguereotyp- 
ing the imaginative ideal. Philosophy has no nec- 
essary connection with music, for how can it deal 
with insensibility or insincerity, the longings of the 
artistic heart, or that depth of passion — that stead- 
fastness of right purpose which from the first half- 
caught emotion has worked out life, beauty, and 
immortality, through impulses which defy all trace 
and are above ail investigation? Mendelssohn, 
when writing on the spirit and intention of the true 
music-maker, observes — " Sacred music does not 
stand higher than other music, because all music 
ought in its own way to tend to the glory of God. 
. . . . If the composer can only move the im- 
aginative power of his hearers and call up one 
iniage, some one thought, it matters not, he has ob- 
tained his object" And when commentating on the 
middle part, as it is called, of a movement, he writes 
— " If heaven gives good thoughts the musician 
ought to be able to develop them properly. Devel- 
opment in composition is just the one thing in which 
kfxery man is left to himself. Neither nature, nor 
talent, not even the greatest, can help him. He has 
nothing but his own will. No musician can make 
his thoughts or his talents different to what heaven 
has made them." The Mendelssohnian recipe is 
short and clear — mind, intention, and inspiration ; 
or man, will, and love. Here is grand scope for the 
emotional, and no one need fear for the future of 
music if our composers cleave to the principles and 
motives for action ao simply and so courageously 
expressed by the great Christian musician of this 
epoch. H. J. Gauntlett. 



» <• > < 



The Lait DayB of Anber. 

(From the London Musical World, June 120 
" When " — says the Berlin Echo — " just four years 
ago, on the 18th May, 1871, the telegraph, in a few 
common-place words, flashed through the world the 
news that the composer of Za Muetie de PorUei was 
dead, the fact created no particular impression 
either in France or abroad, and it was only uie class 

{papers which thought of dedicating a more or less 
ong obituary notice to the hero of the operatic 
itage. The eyes of the rest of the world were too 
intently fixed on the theatre of war, and every one 
was anxiously awaiting the latest accounts of the 
great campaign. W hat mattered then a single hu- 
man life, when Death was mowing down his thou- 
sands, and when everyone was trembling lest some 
member of his own family had fallen beneath the 
destroyer's sharp and ever busy scythe ? " Auber 
died under circumstances which placed him without 
the sphere of universal sorrow, and it was not until 
after some ^'ears that the world was destined to feel 
to its full extent the greatness of his loss. It was 
no young life, full of hopes, which had been cut 
prematurely short ; he whose death was announced 
had already possed the limit assigned to human 
existence. His task on earth appeared nearly 
accomplished even when, venerable laureate as he 
was, he brought out at the age of 86, in 1868, amid 
the acclamations ot his fellow countrymen, who once 
more had occasion to admire and applaud him, his 
Premier Jour de Bonhenr, the day on which he did 
so being the last day of happiness, perhaps, for him. 
In a state of things like that which supervened dur- 
ing the years 1870 and 1871, men's deeper feelings 
of sympathy are generally restricted to the narrow 
family circle, and family Auber had iione. The 
conventional condolence, therefore, which those 
more distantly affected are accustomed to offer 
nearly-related survivors was not forthcoming. The 
journals, too, which above all others would have 



beed called on to dilate in pompous articles on the 
master of French art, had, in the gloomy and terri- 
ble period of the siege of Paris, suspended their 
publication, which they did not resume until more 
peaceful times. 

Thus it came to pass that, up to the present mo- 
ment, we know next to nothing concerning the last 
days of Auber, and it was left to the imagination to 
paint them in as fearful colors as possible. This gap 
lias now been filled up by Ed. Ilanslick, who has 
been staying for some weeks past in the French cap- 
ital, and we here subjoin the article which he has 
forwarded on the subject to the Vienna Nette Ereie 
Presse: — 

HANS LICK ON AUBEB. 

" The stranger who, after a lapse of several years, 
revisits a city which he has grown to love, feels 
more acutely than a regular inhabitant the absence 
of prominent men once dear to him, but who have 
since died. On the spot, their death affects hiin, 
and him only, as a painful novelty. In the all en- 
gulphing whirlpool of Parisian life, who has now 
much to say of Auber, Rossini, or B^^rlioz, leaving 
out of consideration the nmny less celebrated hot 
charming artists with whom we spent po glorious a 
time in the brilliant Exhibition Year of 1867 ? 

' Dans ee pays-ct, quinze Jours, Je le sals, 
Font d'une mort r^oente une vlelle nouvelle.* 

" Alfred de Musset speaks but too truly in these 
mournful lines. For myself, however, as I stood 
before the deserted residences of the three roasters, 
it seemed as though I was standing before three 
freshly made graves; my intercourse with those 
three masters I gratefully reckon among the happi- 
est incidents of my life. 

*' I instituted the mos^resaing enquiriee about 
Auber's last days; we had, in Germany, received 
such scanty and uncertain information "respecting 
them. Even as regards the day of his death, the 
papers did not agree. Auber died in the night of 
the 12th to the 13th May, 1871, half an hour after 
midnight Amid the political thunder-claps of the 
time, his death excited scarcely any attention, almost 
as Donizetti's did in 1848. T^he liews of Donizetti's 
death died away in Germany and France amid the 
joy -cries of new born freedom. Who, during the 
general intoxication of that spring-time for the na- 
tions, troubled himself about a solitary coffin as it 
was silently borne past him to the g^ve I Yet 
there lay in it one who, highly honored and beloved, 
had. by his melodies, delighted thousands and thou- 
sands in every country thousands of times. Doni- 
zetti died at the wrong moment So did Auber, 
only with this difference, that his last gasps were 
drowned not by the universal joy-cry of nations, but 
by the horrors of a terrific political catastrophe. 
* Toute exaggeration est une faute.' he said in his 
last illness. * We must not be guilty of excess in 
anything, and a man must not, like me, live too 
long.' It 18, by the way, a very general mistake to 
suppose that Auber died alone and deserted ; Am- 
broise Thomas, his faithful friend and pupil, who, 
during the siege and the reign of the Commune, 
never left Paris an Instant, was with him every day 
and cloeed his eyes. 

" From the lipe of Arobroise Thomas I learned 
the following particulars : — Auber's greatest source 
of expense was luxurious carriages and horses. Ex- 
cept his horses, he really cared for no living creat- 
ure. When famine overtook the beleagured city, 
the Communards everywhere placed horses of all 
kinds under requisition, for the purpose of slaught- 
ering them, giving in exchange a very insignificant 
amount. Of four valuable horses which Auber then 
had in his stables, they began by taking three. He 
was deeply grieved by this, but without complain- 
ing or raising the slightest objection. They now 
came to fetch away the last of the four, a black Eng- 
glish horse of great yal ne. Arobroi se Thomas wan t- 
ed to take measures for the purpose of inducing the 
authorities, out ot respect for the celebrated and 

frey -headed master, to make an exception, and leave 
im his last and favorite horse. But Auber would 
hear of no such thing. * Cest la loi,' he repeated 
with unshaken resolution, although his griel at the 
idea that the horse would be slaughtered nearly un- 
manned him. An'.brolse Thomas hit upon a happy 
expedient. He begged and obtained permission 
from an influential official of the Commune to sub- 
stitute another horse for Auber's. Thomas's inti- 
mate friend, Augusts Wolf, head of the celebrated 
pianoforte manufactory of Pleyel db Wolf, had been 
allowed, out of his ten or fifteen horses, to keep three 
for the most urgent work of his factory at St Denis. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, JULY 24, 1875. 



61 



One of these was secretly taken to Aaber's court- 
yard, while his own favorite horse, harnessed to a 
cart filled with planks, trotted off to the factory. 
Exactly the same as many a story of the preserva- 
tion of human beinj^s ! Every day did Auber, tor- 
tured by constantly increasing agony, inquire 
whether his horse was alive and well tended. He 
did so the evening* before his death. His mind, 
though he was nearly ninety, remained remarkably 
clear during his last aud painful illness. He at- 
tempted to write a piece of chamber music, and sent 
for some quartets by Mozart and Beethoven frem 
his library. ' A glance at the works,* he observed, 
smiling, ' will, it is to be hoped, induce me to burn 
what I have just written.' A life of such uninter- 
rupted happiness aa that of Auber falls to the lot of 
few mortald ; still the day at length arrived for him 
to pay his debt of suffering. The fate of France 
caused him anxiety and grief; the sway of the Com- 
munards filled him with boundless disgust. No one 
could then offer him political consolation ; for con- 
solation of a religious nature he did not ask. Thus 
ended the composer of Fra Diavolo; ever 3'oung, 
even at a patriarchal age, tortured by bodily pain 
and oppressed with sorrow for his countrymen and 
anxiety for Paris, which he loved above aught else, 
and which, in summer or winter, he never feilt. The 
Communards wanted to take advantage of his death 
for getting up a demagogical manifestation, propos- 
ing to convey the body to the grave with red flags 
and blaring military music. The demagogues hated 
Auber, whom they called " le musicien aristocrat- 
ique,' and would not have failed to seize on such an 
occasion for indulging in hostile demonstratitms. 
Ambroise Thomas, to whom these people were quite 
as repugnant as to his deceased master, determined, 
at any price, to prevent a demonstration, and pre- 
serve the body till it could be borne to the grave in 
a more honorable manner in more peaceful times. 
He insisted that the funeral ought to be deferred till 
the composer's sole relatives, two nieces residing in 
the country, could come to Paris. On this, pretext 
he succeeded in obtaining permission to remove the 
corpse secretly from Auber's house, in the Rue St 
Georges, to a vault of the Ste.Trinit^ Church. 
There it lay three months. It was not till after the 
entry of the French army into Paris, on the 16th 
July, 1871, that the body waa solemnly transported 
to P^re-Lachaise, when Ambroise Thomas, Alexan- 
dre Dumas, and others, uttered some glowing and 
ennobling words at the open grave. But the latter 
is simply temporary, and the composer's remains 
will not rest in it always. A short time since, his 
friends and colleagues purchased the freehold of 
another, and are now collecting subscriptions for a 
fitting memorial Ambroise Thomas and the highly 
respected principal of the musical firm of Brandus, 
pnt themselves at the head of the movement, and 
made an appeal to the general public. Out of grat- 
itude for the monuments which Aubur raised in his 
works to the Nation, the latter is now called upon to 
erect a fitting monument in return. I saw the sub- 
scription list at M. Brandus'a. It contuns the names 
of nearly every celebrated composer. It struck me 
as a touching £ict that the first persons to sign the 
paper, and for the largest amounts, were the wid- 
ows of Auber's deceased friends (Mad. Scribe, Mad. 
Hal^vy, Mad. Meyerbeer, Mad. G. Kastner, etc.) 
A genuine instance of the sacred and reverential af- 
fection of woman t 

" General astonishment was excited that the cost 
of the tomb should have to be defrayed by a public 
subscription. ' What I ' people exclaimed ; ' has a 
grand gentleman, with an income like Auber's, who 
had no one to provide for, not left sufficient even for 
this ? ' The explanation given is that — firstly, Au- 
ber spent nearly all his income on himself and his 
various fancies; and, secondly, that his income was 
not so considerable as it was believed to be. At 
the period of his greatest theatrical succeaaes, the 
pay and per-centage of composers had not reached 
the height to which they have since attained. In 
four or five years Auber has frequently not made so 
much as Offenbach has over and over again received 
in a month. On the approach of old age, too, Au- 
ber had commuted his author's right for a moderate 
annuity. Thus he left only a modest sum, which 
went to two nieces— old devotees, who were never 
on particularly friendly terms with him, and . who 
resided in the country. At no distant epoch, a 
monument in Pdre-Lachaise will mark the resting- 
ing place of the master whose brilliant talent was 
surpassed only by his indefatigable capacity for 
work. France, who knows how to honor her great 
men, both in life and death, has thus done her duty. 
Despite of this, however, we cannot avoid thinking 
that) during his last days and after his death, fate 



avenged the egotistical cold-heartedness of Auber aa 
a man. Streams of admiring and admirable elo- 
quence flowed by his grave — but no tears flowed 
with them. His indifference towards his fellow-men 
is paid back now he has gone, and his death appears 
to nave left no void in Parisian hearts." 



Handel and Haydn Sodety.—Pnrther Ex- 
tracts from Mr. Barnes's Addreis. 

THE FIRST MUSICAL FESTIVAL. 

Perhaps no more important event in the history 
of the Society can be recorded, or one fraught with 
greater results bearing on its prosperity, than that 
of the Musical Festival of 1867, originated and suc- 
cessfully carried through by the President, C. F. 
Chickering, Esq., with the assistance of those asso- 
ciated with him in the Board of Trustees, as the 
government of the Society was then styled. 

The festival was three days in duration. The 
oratorios performed were the ** Creation," " Elijah," 
and " Messiah." The chorus numbered six hundred 
voices, increased to this number by invitations to 
members of church choirs and othera; and the or- 
chestra, by engagements in New York and in other 
cities, numbered eighty performers. It opened with 

an address, admirably conceived and eloquently ex- 
pressed, by the Hon. Robert C. Winthrop, an hono- 
rary member of the Society. 

This festival stands as a monument to the wise 
policy and comprehensive foresight of Mr. Chicker- 
ing, the President of the Society ; but his wise 
counsels and energetic efforts in the interests of the 
Society durin^ his two years of presidency were by 
no means confined to this one act. 

This festival, though experimental, was but the 
banning of a series of similar gatherings, which, 
after a lapse of eight years, were inaugurated by the 
observance of the half-centennial of the existence of 
the Society in a grand musical festival, which took 
place in May, 1865, under the administration of J. 
Baxter Upham, and which have since been continued 
triennially. 

THE TRIENNIAL FESTIVALS 

Of the Society, and the character of the works pro- 
duced, have already gone into history ; and no 
words of mine can add anything to their value or 
importance. They are periods to which the longing 
soul, athirst for now musical experiences and enjoy- 
ments, turns for refreshment with a certainty of 
realizing all that its most sanguine expectatlans have 
pictured. 

The walls of our Music Hall have never vibrated 
to more inspirincr strains than on those occasions ; 
and, indeed, our greatest triumphs have been real- 
ized in that beautiful hall, to wnich the Society re- 
moved in 1852. 

The prosperous periods of the Society only have 
thus far been referred to ; but distracting influences, 
culminating in the withdrawal of members, and the 
establishment of rival organizations, are well re- 
membered as having occurred on several occasions 
within its history. I shall only refer, however, to 
that of 1887, when a society was formed under the 
title of the Boston Musical Inslitute, composed 
mainly of meml>ers of this Society, among the most 
active of whom was its President ' of the previous 
year, Bartholomew Brown ; and none of whom con- 
sidered it necessary to withdraw from this Society 
before taking action for the formation of another. 
The conseouence was, that all of the members, with 
one exception, so conducting themselves, were ex- 
pelled : thus weakening our ranks very materially, 
as the members expelled were among the most vfu- 
aable in' the Society in point of vocal eflidenoy. 
The new oi^nization diea a lingering ieath, how- 
ever, after two or three seasons of unprofitable 
struggle for the public patronage, and through in- 
ternal dissensions as welL 

The history of other rival, or, more properly 
speaking, opposition societies, might be similarly 
traced ; and tne lesson thus derived would be this : 
that no society organised for purposes like those 
which call us together can prosperously exist with- 
out harmony of action and sentiment. The very 
name of discord is fatal to the well-being of a musi- 
cal organization ; and, however circumstanced in 
the future, no dissensions or inharmonious actions 
by any of the members of this honored association 
should be countenanced by any who desire its per- 
petuity and its continued usefulness. 



Like many other similar organisations scattered 
throughout the country, whether in art, literature, 
or music, the Society has had its days of trial and 
adversity; sometimes consequent upon divided 
counsels, and internal dissensions, and sometimes, 
as it hae been shown, with powerful opponents to 
divide with us the public patronage and support. 

On assuming the position of Secretary oi the So- 
ciety, an office which I entered upon in 1856, I 
found, beyond the faithful few, which included the 
most active and influential of its members, and who 
have, through good report and through evil report, 
ever stood by the fortunes of the Society, but little 
interest existing. A large |>ortion were indifferent 
to its future ; and not a few openly expressed the 
belief t^t its mission had been accomplishe<l and 
its days numbered. This I say without reflection 
upon the management of any of my predecessors in 
office, who, witDout doubt, were actuated by as no- 
ble devotion to its interests as any of those who suc- 
seeded them, but as a matter of fact which was 
known to exist. 

I was unwilling to accept such a conclusion, attach- 
ing as it did to a society with the brilliant record 
whieh even then adorned the pages of its history, 
rendered illustrious by those who gave it birth, aud 
who had handed it down to us, their successors, 
through many paosperous administrations as a 
precious legacy ; and at once commenced upon a 
work which I conceived to be in my line of duty, 
—of creating, aa far as possible, an interest where 
little had previously existed, and cheering the dis- 
heartened and indifferent. 

Though the Festival of 1857 was a powerful aux- 
iliary towards an increased interest so much desired, 
it was apparent that only by incessant toil among 
the lukewarm and indifferent could the Society be 
brought back to its former glory. But I need not 
recount the day, months, and I may in truth say 
yean, of personal labor devoted to its interests in 
this direction, — labors entirely distinct and apart 
from the regular routine busineaa of a concert sea- 
son ; nor need I allude to the deep gratification 
which all interested experienced as increasing evi- 
dences of prosperity gradually developed. 

The Society has won an honorable record for its 
readiness in responding to calls for charity and 
patriotism, and on occasions of mourning. 

Its contributions, through its musiod perform- 
ances, to " the poor of Boston." and the aid thus 
rendered in supplying necessary equipments to at 
least one renment of our country's defenders when 
marshalled Into the service by the late lamented 
Gen. Thomas E. Chickering, then President of the 
Society, and to the Sanitary and Christian Com- 
missions then ill operation, are recorded to its credit 
The days of mourning may be referred to in the 
performance of appropriate music, on invitation 
from the Municipal or State authorities, on the 
occasions of the oosequies attending those of Presi- 
dents Harriscm and Lincoln, and of our two great 
statesmen, Ex.-President J. Q. Adams and Daniel 
Webster, as well as those of our own £x.-Prosident, 
Gen. Chickering. 

THE PAST SEASON 

Has not been specially remarkable for any very 
brilliant deeds ; but the operations of the Society 
may be considered progressive. 

About the usual nuniber of public performances, 
as compared with those of past seasons, have been 
given, during the present, including one work of 
much beauty, — the " Seasons " of Haydn. 

The " Messiah " was performed at Christmas-tide, 
and, later in the season, the ** St. Paul " of Mendels- 
sohn, and the " Cireation " of Haydn, the latter on 
Easter Sunday. 

In sddition to the above, a concert of a miscella- 
neous nature was g^ven, specially designed for the 
associate members of the Society. The plan of as- 
sociate membership, through which we were encour- 
aged into the engagement of Beethoven Hall for 
purposes of rehearsal, proved but partially success- 
ful, as the requisite number was not obtained. I am 
firmly of opinion, however, that with some modifi- 
cations of the present plan, which may be author- 
ized by a slight change in the By-Laws, whereby 
greater privileges may oe secured to the associates, 
whether the Society shall continue, as now, in the 
Beethoven Hall, or in any other locality, a sufficient 
number of ladies and eentlemen may be found ready 
to co-operate in the advancement of the interests of 
the Society, by enrolment of their names among the 
list of associates, and the payment of the mere nom- 
inal sum required. With this assistance frem the 
friends of the Society, we shall be doubly useful to 
them and to the public at large. 



62 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



Jfeigjl's lirarnal of St«sm 



BOSTON, JULY 24, 1876. 

On the Diversity of Opinions about 

Works. 

[In these vacatioii days of short but glorious mldram- 
mer, we make no apoloinr to oor readers for thankfully 
■ceepttng the following snggestlon and contribation from 
a kind and thoughtAit friend. We are sure it will read 
better than anything we could otter of our own.] 

BosTOir, July 11, 1875. 

Dear Mr. Editor.— Perhaps at the season when there are 
no concerts to report and criticise, it may eeem to you not 
out of place, to endeavor to prepare your readers to listen 
with more earnestness and more artistically to music, 
when the time shall again come Ibr it. I have translated 
some pages of Fbibdrich Rochlttz, published in *'^*Ilr 
Freunde der TbntimsC,** which I should be glad to lay be- 
fore your musical readers. As thero is so little musical 
literature, either scientific or SBSthetic, in the English lan- 
guage, it seems to be necessary to resort, for American 
education, to the more advanced German writers. 

I send you an eisay, which is at your service, if you are 
inclined to print it in the ** Journal of Music." 

Perhaps it would be well to inform general readers thst 
Rochlltz was, for many years, the editor of the " LHptlger 
Attffemeine Mutikaliiche Zsttim^," which exerted great 
influence in directing musical taste, in the past and pres- 
ent generations in Germany, k. 

There is no department of art in which so great 
a variety of opinion is expressed as in that of mu- 
sic ; and this is easily accounted for. Musical pro' 
dnctions are so various in their character, that 
every taste is g^tified ; they are moreover brought 
before the general public, and every one can become 
familiar with them. The number of those who con- 
stitute themselves judges in any art increases with 
the number who take an interest in it, since very 
few renounce the right of jud^ent, and the diver- 
sity of their judgments is in proportion to the vari- 
ety of their tastes. For music, too, there exists no 
model or original type in the external world, to 
which the individual judgment is obliged to conform. 
However various the opinions pronounced with re- 
gard to the painting of a branch of roses, in one 
main point they must agree ; for everyone has seen 
natural roses and can compare with them the paint- 
ed ones ; and though his judgment may be very 
inartistic, it is impossible that it shall be utterly 
mistaken. It is true, we often read that the ideal 
and type of music are implanted in the sentiment of 
every human soul ; but even if we are obliged to 
concede this provisionally, (since the cemplete in- 
veetigation necessary for the decision of this ques- 
tion is almost discouraging) even then every one 
must recognize the frequent changes in his circum- 
stances and states of feeling ; he must acquire the 
habit of becoming conscious of these, even while 
he is forming his Judgment, and must possess the 
difficult faculty of defining them, if he wishes to 
form a judgment of their effects, or at least, if he 
would express it in words. It is not necessary for 
us to say that this is not, and cannot .be, universally 
the ease. It may be said that " one who cannot do 
this, has no right to judge ;" this may be true, but 
nevertheless U U done. In fact, the far greater part 
of mankind, in accordance with a well-known human 
weakness, judge of nothing more willingly or more 
hastily, than of that which they do not understand ; 
for in that with which they are acquainted, they 
know the difficulties, not only of the work itself, but 
also those which attend the formation of a judgment 
about it We hear it said that " everyone ought to 
do boldly and confidently what seems to him good, 
without troubling himself with regard to the opin- 
ion of the public I " That you may have said when 
you were twenty years old, or perhaps a little later ; 
but when yon are forty, you speak quite different- 
ly ; and when yon are sixty, you either laugh at or 



repent ever having thus spoken. At the same time, 
it is not our intention to dwell Ions: upon the opin- 
ion of the universal public ; we will let that pass ; 
but in order not to part without a farewell greeting 
to so numerous a company, we will only state a 
well-recognized truth : — that a work of art which 
has no effect on the sensitive faculties of thfl multi- 
tude, whatever the standing of the latter may be in 
point of art, is certainly not excellent, although not, 
on that account, necessarily bad; and also, that 
which does affect them is certainl}' not valueless, 
although not, on that account, necessarily good ; 
but that with which they are. at once, entirely 
satisfied, is assuredly, not of superior excellence. 

We must first turn to the judgments of those who 
are classed under the name of musicians and artists, 
of connoisseurs and lovers of music, consequently of 
those who have sensitive appreciation, not only of 
art in general, but especially of music, who have 
had more or less experience of its effects upon them- 
selves, and who possess more or less knowled?® ^f 
the means by which this art produces its effects. 
Should we not expect from these some unanimity in 
their judgments of musical productions? Experi- 
ence teaches us quite the contrary. When they are 
found to agree on some important points in a few 
pre-eminent works, it is usually a forced judgment, 
produced after the lapse of a considerable time. 
Cases of this are so common and well-known, that 
no particular instances need be alleged. Whence 
then arises this diversity of opinion in all circles, 
unless it is the result of the differences in the indi- 
viduals who compose them ? 

Sterne, in his Sentimental Journey, divides trav- 
eller! into four classes. The first, according to him, 
includes the most pitiable, those who travel from 
vanity or in obedience to fashion. The second is 
composed of scholars, who travel to obtain change 
and distraction, and who aim less to enjoy, than to 
digest and comprehend what they have already ac- 
quired. In the third class, we see those who travel 
with the eye of a landscape painter ; and in the 
fourth, thoee who direct not only an artistic, but a 
religious eye upon creation, who turn this spiritual 
gaze upon the blooming world, and who see the 
Creator in his creation. In the same way, we may 
divide musical hearers and critics into these four 
classes ; and it is no derogation to our reflections 
on this subject, that much which we have to 
remark applies equally to other arts and, in fact, to 
life itself. 

We shall not concern ourselves greatly with the 
first class, who listen to and criticize music, and also 
make music, from motives of vanity and in pursuit 
of fashion ; they certainly will not concern them- 
selves much with us. For them, the opera house 
and concert room, (and even the church), are only 
looked upon as a scene, where well-dressed people 
may assemble without molestation, in order to have 
been there, and to be able to talk about it. They 
are more interested in the way the singer bears 
herself and in her style of dress, than in her music 
and style of singing. They ar? able to listen to a 
concerto of Mozart, without finding anything more 
interesting in it than their surprise that so small 
and feeble a man should have composed so great 
and powerful a work. Everything in the music is 
either good or bad to them, which is pronounced to 
be either good or bad in circles of society of a cer- 
tain tone; the correct tone being that which the 
favorite lady or most important gentleman has set 
as the fashion. This, with the majority, is not nar- 
row-mindedness, but voluntary prejudice. They 
have no desire to be better informed, even if it were 
in their power. Th<)y have no evil intentions; 
they, in fact, have no opinion whatever. In gener- 
al, these lovers of music are to be found among the 
rich and respectable of both sexes in large cities. 



In the second class belong those who listen at- 
tentively, but, if we may so express it, only with 
the intellect. They wish to be considered judges 
of art, and not infrequently attain their object. 
Many of them disapprove of everything which is 
written at the present day, a<) well a«« the mode of 
execution at present prevailing. Thny dislike it all ; 
and why ? Because it is not exactly as it was forty 
or fifty years ago. or in some other past a^. As 
with certain men of letters, who completed their 
course for life in the days of their youth, that which 
they formerly enjoyed, and perhaps quite rightly, 
seems alone good to them. With their predilections, 
which it is so difficult for them to abandon, the 
present music, being of so different a style, can move 
them but little. They mislead themsel ves honestly, 
and dwell only upon the slight eftect of the present 
music, in comparison with the infinitely more pow- 
erful and more intense music of former times ; but 
they do not reflect that their judgment is derived 
merely from the effect upon th^nnnelve* ; that the 
foundation for it lies in, them. Their susceptibility 
is diminished, their feolinars have grown colder, and 
they suppose that it is the music which is wantin'j 
in charm and expressive power. " But," they say, 
" the music of my youth still excites mo, whenever 
I hear it" Is it, then, the music which still delights 
them, or is it not, rather, the associations of their 
youth, which the music enables them to recall? 
their youth, with its thousand sweet remembrances, 
which, though unconsciously, afFects the*n more 
powerfully, for its very dimness. But this is the 
way with man, when he allows himself to be led 
merely by his fancy. Others of this class, who. 
though fewer in number, are th^ m'>re odious, are 
the senseless, c^>nceited grammarians in music, who 
are nothing beyond mere grammirlans. They are 
careful not to omit to listen to the performance of a 
new musical work, simply in order that they may 
detect in it some error or some neglect of the rules, 
eiren though it be a customary one. A slight pla- 
giarism, a hidden fifth, a forbidden octave, is a 
precious discovery for them, es[>ecially in a noted 
composer ; and they shrug their shoulders over the 
wonderfully (glorious Finale to the first act in Mo- 
zart*s Titus, because such a fault occurs in the in- 
version of one of the accompanying figures. They 
are like the critics who, in a beautiful poem, can 
'only call attention to a false rhvme ; or like that 
critic in Wilhelm Meister. who found nothing wor> 
thy of remark in Wilhelm*s personation of Hamlet, 
except the white string that peeped out beneath his 
black dress, during the contest with Laertes. "But 
would it not have been better if the false rhyme, the 
white string, had not been there?" Certainly it 
would have been better, and you are quite right. 
These last two orders of critics are to be found prin- 
cipally, in fact almost wholly, among elderly musi- 
cians and rather obscure judges of art ; in the nature 
of the case, we do not meet with them among 
women. There also belong to this class those vir- 
tuosos or musical performers who are nothing more 
than virtuosos. They are interested only, or chief- 
ly, in difficult, hazardous feats of execution ; just 
as rope-dancers by profession enjoy most the pss- 
sage over a wire. That which is easily executed is 
quite uninteresting to them ; that which is simple 
and natural they find commonplace and dull. Cer- 
tainly the conquest of difficulties is an essential ele- 
ment, especially with virtuosos, but oniy as a means 
to the end ; these critics, however, seldom take note 
of this; they concern themselves solely with the 
meant f and desire nothing more. And in truth, 
(human nature works in such various ways, and the 
domain of art is accessible from so many sides), we 
will honestly acknowledge that the possession of 

great skill, combined, if not with genius, yet with 
spirit and talent, may serve a good purpose, — at 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, JULY 10, 1875. 



63 



leiwt to a certain degree, nndcp favorable circum- 
stances, and nt happy momenta ; but not in all cases. 
Since, now, the skill of distin<7uiahed virtuosos re" 
quire"? p^reat industry and kindred qualities, which 
are very hii^hly valued by men ; since these virtu- 
osos find ^rcat numbers who cannot do, but very 
srladly would do, what tkctf can ; since they receive 
everywhere admiration and praise, if not sympathy 
and satisfaction, (the former beiu^ more loudly an d 
vehemently expressed than the latter); since the 
vanity and self-love of men is only too easily aroused 
by vehement and noisy applause, ef^pecially at mo- 
ments when, by their arduous efforts, they are ex- 
cited to self-satisfaction ; hence we may easily ex- 
plain their usual decisions concerning; that in which 
they do not trade themselves, their enthusiasm only 
for that in which they are concerned, and their hos- 
tile criticisms restiu'^ solely on their own authority. 
At the present time, there flitter, usually, amonp^ 
those virtuosos, almost as many women as men. 

The third class embraces hearers and critics of 
musical performances, who are susceptible and ani- 
mated, perhaps even enthusiastic, but who listen 
only with the oar, and judi^e accordingly. They 
are fond of mnsic because it makes their blood cir- 
culate mure rapidly, and puts them into a comforta- 
ble roool. and because music, whether in solitude 
or society, serves as an expedient, always at hand, 
" to fill up the vacant hours and the weary, endless 
time." They value and extol those compositions 
which promote this object; accordingly, as they 
are competent to their performance, they take up 
the smaller or the lart^er, the trivial or the more 
important compositions, or even those of pre-emi- 
nent excellence, provided only they serve this aim. 
How enormous this class is, we may learn from the 
publishers of pretty dances and variations on favor- 
ite melodies ; from the etraiB^t^ling performers of 
military music, and from the buyers of operas ar- 
rani>:ed for almost all instruments, now even with- 
out text ; or by observinsf in concerts the different 
decrees of attention awakened, for example, in a 
symphony of Maydn, by the adagio and the ncher- 
xan<lo; by the latter of which the clapping of hands 
is especially excited. We will refrain from ridicul- 
ing or despising these, not merely from policy, be- 
cause we may happen to be artists, to whom their 
appreciation is indispensable, seeing; that this class 
is made up chiefly of the young, both male and fe- 
male ; ana youths everywhere possesses the loudest 
voice. Alrhfuigh their approval may not be per- 
manent, still it is necessary for the musician, who 
at the moment is greatly sustained by it. We value 
this class, because its members really possess sus- 
ceptibility and love for muxic, and take pleasure in 
it. They lean to that which is the essential end of 
music and help to advance it, even while they only 
satisfy their own wishes, as with few exceptions 
they should do. Moreover, it is safe to trust to a 
healthy human nature ; whoever, with a susceptible, 
loving spirit, approaches to an appreciation of any 
Work of art. must unconsciously receive into him- 
self a portion of its better qualities. Only give 
them what is good ; give it earnestly and perse ver- 
ingly. Their darkness will be enlightened, their 
knowledge and desire will he awakened, — to a cer- 
tain decree ; and with this we must content our- 
selves, in general, in all that we give. Above all, 
we must learn to wait. With how many of us ar- 
tists, even, was the case different in our earlier 
{rears ? Is the world to be overturned because we 
lave been converted ? We believe not I This is 
all so evident, that I shall be considered trifling, be- 
cause I state it here. It is thought to be unimpor- 
tant how often we overlook this truth, and how often 
we consequently offer music which is inappropriate, 
and which renults in injury instead of benetit ; or 
even, in our dissatisfaction, give no music at all. 

In the fourth class, finally, belong a few, usually 
quiet listeners, whose criticism is seldom expressly 
sought for, but who nevertheless arc not unrecog- 
nized or without influence ; who listen with their 
whole soul. In the pleasure of the senses they also 
seek siiiritual enjoyment ; in listening they also look 
for feeling, and in both also thought ; for reflection 
is likewise an enjoyment to them. With them, both 
|>oetry and music, and in fact, every art is a way, 



throujyli the purity of enjoyment, to the purity of 
love ; and throngh a purified love to the perfecting 
of the race. They consider that art has the same 
cflect through the feelings, that knowledge produces 
through the convictions. If science directs his view 
to the highest, art makes him more inclined to ac- 
cept it. If the former teaches the way, the latter 
makes it smooth. Many of you recoarnize in music 
a second language, like speech, graciously bestowed 
by God, to distinguish mankind from all other 
earthly beings: to rnise him higher and to bring 
him nearer to his final destination. These listeners 
perceive in the melody, not merely the melody, but 
also the infinite spirit of love and peace; in the 
harmony, not merely the harmony, but the original 
fountain of unity, and the accordance of all differ- 
ences ; the final aim of evervthing, which though 
divided, strives to be united; the consecrated en- 
trance into the fullness of peace: the reconciliation 
of everything unlike and apparently distinct. If 
they should be told, this is all fancy and new-fash- 
ioned mysticism, they make no reply ; or, at most, 
point to Plato among their books. He who is accus- 
tomed to reflect, knows how to discriminate ; and 
consequently, listeners of this fourth class discrimi- 
nate music which is subservient to true art, from 
that which merely affords a transient entertainment. 
They look only for the spirit, of whatever nature 
^nd in whatever form it may appear ; for without 
the spirit, the performance is only a sport, fitted for 
little children. Consequently, Rousseau's song of 
three notes is worth more to them than many a long 
opera which is only sound , and Handel's Prayer for 
Peace, of scarcely more tones, is more valuable than 
a merely correctly calculated fugue ; just as also, 
one who can play well and with taste is dearer to 
him than one who can execute brilliantly a series of 
bravoura airs. He does not despise the accidental 
excellencies in music, nor even mere skilfulness in 
it. but both are indifferent to him, if they are not 
subservient to a higher aim; and he withdraws 
himself from that which is indifferent to him, and 
merely absorbs his time. He is attached neither to 
the new nor to the old, but solely to the good, which 
aims at and approaches the highest end ; and more 
especially to that sublime music which has already 
attained this end. He does not scorn the judgment 
of the second class, but merely quietly assigns to it 
its own place ; he is not disdainful of that of the 
third class, but kindly indulges it. His verdict of- 
ten agrees with that of both ; his point of view, 
never. He easily understands them both, but is 
understood by them with difficulty. Still, if thev 
show themselves tolerant, they also are tolerated. 
In general, he holds the proverb : De gustibus non 
est dispntandum, for empty folly, and arguments, 
except among those who are of similar opinions, for 
profitless labor. 

" Alas, where can we find such hearers and 
critics r 

Do yon understand and love such ? Then, my 
friend, you belong among them { or at least, you 
are on the road to them, if you only desire it. 

That " Collioe of Musio " ag.4in. We are as- 
sured by one, who has had opportunity of knowing, 
that, the " wealth v old bachelor ,** a man of over 
eighty, is no " myth," and that, after consulting his 
physician (Dr. Elmer) as to the best way of immor- 
talizing his name in connection with some good 
work, he haa verily devoted his whole fortune of 
some five or six millions to the foundation of a 

" College," with a magnificent building, for the mu- 
sical education of the daughters of America. This 
scheme, our informant furthermore deposes, has been 
developed into a free fantasia by the writers in the 
newspapers, making the wish father to the thought, 
and that all the reports about calling upon Ricliard 
Wagner to become the head of the institution, as 
well as about Thomas and other prospective profes- 
sors, are purely the invention of said writers. We 
trust that it is so ; for the idea of placing Wagner at 
the head of musical education in America, with un- 
bounded millions at his disposal, is too absurd for 
serious consideration. A College for the unlearning 
of Music were perhaps a truer title. 

Taking the reports as we found them, and trying 
to realize to our imagination the dazzling descrip- 
tions of the proposed building in the Central Park, 
with Wagner throned there as the geinu* loci, we 
in a free and playful way, 3-et logical, began to 
develop a little of the "tale without an end" im- 
plied in that suggestive theme ; it was too tempting, 
and we could have gone on much further ; but im- 
agination shrinks ex haunted from the task. One 



thing, however, we omitted when we spoke of possi- 
ble professorships: the department of Morah would 
of course be kept in the exclupivo charge of the 
great head himself, (" Music and Morals " doubtless 
in his thought are one) ; with this assurance need 
any mother in our Israel hesitate to entrust her 
daughter to so excellent a school ! 

— But, Wagner or no Wagner. looking at the mat- 
ter proctically, here are five million dollars, more or 
less,^ to be devoted, with the best will no doubt, to 
musical instruction in this country ; and it is indeed 
most creditable to the projector that he so well ap- 
preciates the vital worth of such an element of cul- 
ture in our great young Republic. What is the wise 
way of doing it ? What were the safest investment 
of so vast a sum for such a noble object ? Is it pre- 
cisely prudent to risk the whole in one vague ambi- 
tious venture ? Might not more good be realized by 
distributing it among several more modest and more 
definite experiments ? Here, for example, is Bos- 
ton, is every city in the Union, with the exception 
of New York, without a permanent Orchestra ; a 
fund of a few hundred thousands for such a purpose, 
in each musical centre, would be an invaluable 
means of culture. Or, again, suppose that Harvard 
University, and Yale, and Cornell, and more, could 
have a few hundred thousands for the endowment 
not merely of a professorship, but of a full Faculty 
of Music, — would not this be a more practical and 
sure way of beginning the good worlc, at several 
points at once, each with its own distinct and com- 
passable aim? Among a dozen such plantings 
there would be a reasonable chance that two or three 
at least would actually take root and yield increase. 
In two or three, if not in all, the providential man 
might turn up, the man with the right organizing, 
quickening genius for the work ; and two or three 
successes, or one only, would be a blessing to the 
country and a gain for Art Whereas, invest«d in 
a single showy institution, with parties plotting, 
clamoring for management — there are parties in 
Music, and some of them mean ** business " more 
than they mean music — the danger is not slight that 
the munificent endowment would be all thrown 



away. 



tmm » 



John Henry Willooz, Mm. Boc. 



(From Lootidit'a MuHcal and Haeonie Journal t New 

Haven, Ct.) 

** Died, Sunday, Juna 20, Dr. John H. Willcox, 47." 

Such was the simple announcement to the musical cir- 
cles of Boston, that one of their nuMt gifted members had 
pasMd away. Dr. Willcox was so well known and appre- 
ciated in New Haven, that somo notice of him seems due 
his memory. He was bom in New Orleans, La., was for 
some time a pnpll of the late Dr. Bdward Hodges, organ- 
ist of Trinltv Cbarch. N. Y. He waa for two years a stu- 
dent in Yale, and dnring that time organist of Trinity 
Cbarch, in this city. Ho completed his eollejro course at 
Trinity College, Hartford, wheru he was graduated in 
IMS. While at Hartford, he was organist at St. John's 
Church. 

He returned to New Haven in '49, succeeding the late 
Willinm Ives as organist at St. Panl's Church. Under his 
direction, the present organ in that church was built, and 
'< opened " in *fiO. 

During the few years he remained at St. Paul's, he con* 
trlbutectin no small degree to the development and im- 
provement of taste in church music in this city; and the 
music of tliat church, while under his direction, was instru- 
mental in brinaing many under the influence of the 
Church, and to the enjoyment of its vrivilofres. A clerg}'- 
man told the writer, some tim«f since, that he attrlbnted 
his becoming a churchman, and a clergyman, mainly to 
John Willcox. 

In 1852 Dr. W. removed to Boston, and was organist for 
a term of years at Orace and St. Panl*s Churches. About 
12 years ago he was appointed organist and director of 
music at " The Church of the Immaculate Conception, 
(K. C.)," havinerecently been baptized and confirmed in 
the flalth of the Roman Catholic Church. During his ad- 
ministration In that parish, the music attained a reputa- 
tion second to none in the country . The selections were of 
the highest order. Masi^s and Motets of Haydn, Mosart. 
Hummel, Beethoven, Weber, and others, were rendered 
by competent artista and choruit, and, on festivals, with 
the additional aid of fUll orchestra. 

Dr. W. was at one time a partner with W. B. Simmonds, 
in the manuracture of organs, and was for several years 
connected with E. & O. G. Hook, thougli nut a partner, 
as haa been erroneously stated. His i-zqnlsite taste was 
of great benefit to the latter firm, and several of the or- 
gans in this citv passed under his critical supervision. 

As an orannUt, Dr. Willcox was without a superior In 
the particular school which he preferred A few surpassed 
him in techniquet but no one in this country coulu rival 
him in exhibiting the capabilities and resources of the in- 
strument. Abounding In melody, fertile in Imagination, 
peculiarly happy in combining registers, (as a succesMful 
artist combines colors), his audience at once was thor- 
oughly in sympathy with him. 

His personal guai.ities were those of the born gentleman, 
free from profensloual Jealousy, generous, noHpltnble, 
quicic to recovnlze merit in others, and kindly critical, 
when his advice or opinion was solicited. 

lie received the de;;ree of Mus. Doc. from the George* 
town College, Georgetown, D. C. 

lie married Miss Anna Chiclcurinff, dnnghter of the late 
Jonas Chickering, the celebrated piano manufacturer. 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



Opera In Berlin. 

The operatic ■euon Jt the Rovkl Operahnnse wiu 
brought to 1 clnw with R. W>kd*i"b Lahtngriii. 
The credit or the fullowihg •tittUtioal returns, pub- 
liHheci in the Heat Berliner AfmHofiluog, Is due to 
Herr Fordimnd Gumbert, the wtll-known critio of 
IjournsI, The leries of 208 oiiernlic perform- 
Bs given In German, from AuKu-it Hth, IST4, to 
e nth. \»1&. comprised 41 different works, by 
23 different composera. The novelties were — 
" irio (three «ct«). Wilhelm Tuuberl; A-iuff-foM 
en nets). Richsrd Wiirst; and Die vVowoiAr 
eescts). AnLun Rubinstein. Of the atoch oper- 
as, Obmn was played 1 1 timed ; Caario. A-ing-fo-hi, 
TanH/uiiier, and toheiiar'n. 10; Der Frruc/iull. La 
JJamt Blanrht, aod It Trovatore, 0; Le Ifoat d't Fi- 
garo, Dm iuttigoi Weibrr van Winibar, Aida. and 
"i ZmdterJIim. 8; La ffofunuta, 7; It Birhi.rt 
] OuiUaumt Trll.i; FIMia. BelikoiOt '.wt Cm 
in. Don Joan. Iijiigaiiaiit Taurit, L'Africaint, 
Le Prophite, and FauMl. E ; Dii AtamJtttT. Rimii, 
and Martha, i ; Roierl It DiabU, Bit JltuleriiMier 
ton IfiirnbtTp. Dal Kathllager in OrajuuLa, Lt Lot 
im Fta. Mignnn, and L Bli-ir cfAmort. 8; Stradtl. 
la, JbitjA en Egupte. Fra Diaro/o, and Henani, 2 ; 
' Der Fliegende NoBdnJer. Euryanthe, Ctaar uiid 
nrmunn, La MurUr. Jemonda, and the Ftnale 
frum Loriity, once. Moreover—Richard Waf^nei 
was repre«ented on 29 evening, by G works: Mo 
aart on 28. by 4 ; Weber on 21. by S ; Meyi 



peanandsTownhlsinacbeiT: "■sonrtHomlniiai lotradll 
la patrla." all the spectatnn bnr« forth. Ilka an many 
vnleanoea, and every voice iIdk* In nnitoB with that of 
iln anlBi. Hands an clanpwl nnd feot »« «tJinipert with 
franilo enthnsla-ni ; theTadles' hanilkerahlefti Boat Ilk* 
oriflamniH all round Ibe Tarlaun Dora; there la an Infer- 
nal bnbbah, afearflilnolHin whk:h•Tervouel■k«■>■'<' 
thtlpit| tbeboiea.iheninsleUD'tn iheorehwira.anc 



SpetisI Btlires. 



DBaCBIPTCVE LIST OP THE 
ZiA-XESX KCTTSIO, 



n ao, by 4 ; Verdi on IB, by 3 ; Bosslnl on 12, by 
; Tanbert on 10, by 1 ; WUrst on 10, by 1 ; Bol- 
eldieu on 9, by 1 : NicoUi on S, hy 1 ; Auber - * 



by B ; Flotow on 8, by i ; Beethoven on 0, by 1 ; 
Olnck on K, by 1 ; Qonnod on B, by I ; Rabinstein 
I. by 1 ; Kreatier on 3, by I ; Ambrolse Thom- 
as on 3, by 1 ; Donizetti on 3, by 1 ; Mfihnl on 2, 
by I ; Spohr on 1, by 1 ; Mendeluoba od 1, by 1 ; 
LortzlDK 00 I, by 1. 
The above list does not include Sve perronnances 

B'ven In Italian by the company under Seflur and 
ad. Padllla. of Flotow's Ombre (twice). Clmarosa's 
Sfalrimotio Seyrelo (twice), and Duniiettl's Dan Piu- 
it ; nor does It inclode Goethe's Fa-of, with mu- 
sic hy Llndpalntner and Prince RadtiwIU ; Goethe's 
Eipiioiit. with mnalc by Beethoven ; Shakspeare's 
S/idiummtr SighCt Drmm, with mnsio by Mendela- 
~ ' i; and Raimand'i VtrtehynttuUT, with music by 
radin Kreutier. Apropos of Goethe's tragedy, 
vaa exactly one hindred years on the 13th 
Jane aince the birth of Prince Anton Heiorich von 
Radilwill. The Prince was very fond of mnsic, and 
a good Tloloncelllst. Thongh hie "Fault Mnsic" 
no longer boaela of the exagf(erate>d repotation it 
enjoyed in a past generation, it ia still frequently 
heard, and its performance on the IStb of this month 
may be reitarded as a aort of centenary memorial In 
honor of ila aristocratic composer. 

After the conclusion of the operatic season, the 

theatre remained open a week longer for ballets, bnt 

cloaed finally on the IBth inaUnt, and will not be 

re^opened before the IBth Octol>er. During the time 

It Is shnt. a new electrico-pnenmatic method for 

tlghttiig the ([as is to be prepared. Thia method, 

which diminishei the chances ofexploelon, ia the 

invention of Herr C. Bsrrot, maaler-carpenter at the 

Sladuheater, Vienna, who will himself aaperin lend 

I application. — Herren Niemann. Beti, and Fricke, 

ifore returning to this capital, proceed to Baireuth, 

take part in the rehearaata of Wagner'a Ring der 

yUMimgen. 

At Kroll's Theatre we have had Der FriuchU'i, 
Don (Jiovanni, Martha, and 11 Trcvalore. Thla fa- 
vnrite resort appeara to have loat none of its attrac- 
tion. The firM novelty will Im Lm Dragom de VU- 
Urt, by U^llart. 

The Berlin .ScAodenleea report, lately circnlaled 
that Albert Lortiin^a CTave In the Nener Sophlen- 
Kirchof was in a dilapidated condition. Whatever 
may have been the case formerly, the resting>plaee 
of the composer la now acmpulously kopL Very 
different is the state of Otto Nlcolat's graye. in the 
Dorotheen-al&dtlscher Chnrchyard (Lie»enstrasae). 
Here nt^lect and denolatlon reign supreme. 



OrEBjL-OOBBS ni THB Xtunal Citt. 
read that tbe Italian pnhlio listen onlf 
do and never tail to iDdnlRe In tolnablr nolay annverM- 
between Iwo eavallnat- Tbia mij, perhaps, have 
tnis In the Urns of ClnuiHi and Palilailo, bnt 
[« are verj mncb cbvged ta-daj'. Lei ns uk«, fnr 
nee, a perfsrmanee of Alda at Lhe TeaCro Apollo, 
Roma. Itbeglni ai elflil o'clock prsciMI}. five mlnntu 
brturetbe rising of the curtain the bonaeli crammed, and, 
at the Ant ittuke or the bow, a r^llelous tllcnce iMgnm 
aronad. Dniliw Uie flnt act tnttanalasm la kept down 



■■ an heard or 

ratoKispberr 



ibllna w^t^h « 



Hid of Ih« perfomMnsa, alMUt midnliht, tbe musical le- 
vi lireaki oni men vhilentiv than ever. Bvervwheri'— 
in the •talnuee of the theatre, In the veatiliule. In ih«< 
itneu— Verdramsiodieaareniiln audible, and are oar- 
ied into evvry part of the city. Ult the hour for npoae at 
enph wmei to ealn down lhe Bfleatlnn, and illeaco the 
ciiOMorthaenlbuilaailevocallita.— JTiMA^fiVvui. 

rcLLiER, mniloal orltlo ot le Frantale, 
I Oorrtipondence. At Ta 



H. ADOLPHI 

liBi discovered 
ima of Qrimi 



"TbeanVrroa* 



n why (he t 
H Opera, Is 






Lbte and 
Inilpld. 



iDirodaoe a tallel wllhont sLopplns the 
noeiitl]>. without each time distnifinE 

^L .-.i. jUrLJiolomav amid the marriage leallvltlea 
anoes of Ibe KlOEofNawn. The contrast of ap- 
patont tranqulllly, a iraoqalHlv to be fullowed by tueb 
trlihlfal crlme>-tbU mixiare of llbertlnliini and cruelty 
- ildjIflkoowanKhlaltbeartafaiovlnRthepaailoni, 

I of yoor ever seel n* anything ot itit kind u the 
1. nor that anyone whoM bualneai It l> can even con- 
ttae e(teclwb1ohiBl(htliecliaii pnidumd. They Rive 

our tbeatras thlnas tltt«d onlv for children, because 

tlMv know they are not p1ayin|>-* ._j .t.. — 



eitalDt 






liidl|(nl'T and a 
When we lecollect that. In the original tketch of the op- 
•ra, Cailiarlna dl Kedlcl benelf Bgnred on the siage, and 
sot laplaoed tin enbseqoentlyby the Imafinary Saint 
I, we panselvt that, wlUioDt, perhapa, knowlnf It, 
be completely named outlbe Idea ot the Qennan crit- 
ic— XoiiAiii Muetcal World. 



TaoiLXM't OAmDRn i 
ay eveniof ptogiammas i 



a 32. 



Tocali with Plaao AcsompaaliamiL 

Choral Echoes. Sacred piece* by JV. T. II. SmIIJL 

Ko. 1. O rest In the Lord. A. E6 to (. 40 

And be ataill iclva th<ii< thy hasn't denlren." 
Solo and Qunnet from M-!ndeLs»liu'i " BUJab." 



Ko. 2. Come thou Fount of every BleMiog. 
Hymn by 4W. t A1 to f. 
Bok>, Dnat aad Qnarlet. fur the Choir or HOfB< 
No. 4 FAther of Uerciea. Quartet and 
Solo. Aht. 4 F to f. 
" 5. Come s^id Jesua' Sacred Voice. 
Solo Md Quu'tet BaUtMU. 4. 



83 



40 



Lmino 



of. 



31 

DonCarloi, by Verdi. Tmns. hy T. T. Barker. 
Ko. 11. A aeorot Terror. (Terror arc^tio 
iDvado). Duetto. Sop. ft Ten. 4. D^ to b. 1.0? 

Dan Cirlui It atragia Opern with 'powerful" 
The duetto it hlKta.olaaa and 



ffljult. 



Canpana. 3^ 




Symphony No. «. In C Bohnbeit 

BeleetlonsfronUia" Walkn're" Wtsner 

Wo tan's Karawell to Brnnhlide, 
Miglc nre Soma, tkom the Orst night of the Nleb- 
einniten Binir. 
Vocal panljv ilr. Frsna Remmerti. 

Tnrklih Kirch: '■ Rnlnt of Albeni " BsetbOTan 

BeleottDOS from ' Die Uetslanlnpir Von Nuemhenf.'' 

InUodnctlou, 3d ut, 
Waltben' Frtae Sont. 

Vocal part by Mr. H. H. BlMSboS. 

RhapsodlaKongroiae, No. Mtttlme Ll«t 

IPestherCarnlvsl.l 

Honvelle Usdllallon OoiuiDd 

Walti; "Canwvale-bllder," I o»_„.. 

Harch, Ferslan. J ^traoss 

TsnasntT avninia, nnrt 34. 

Overture: "Rolns of Alhen." Beethoven 

81nfonlatl«,Op. 188, [oawj lUff 

Teat Fraelndlam. [new]. aioneneohnalder 

"niemeaod vartatlosi, Op. IS Brahma 

Strlnjc Orefaetln. 

"BlneFaOftOvertun" Wagner 

RhapKMlle Hongrolae, No. «. [new] Xint 

Ava^srla Schobert 

Haicba iDdienne : "L'Afrlealne" llejerkeer 

TuvaaiiAT ivaxlKO. iult 1. 

Overtone "Iphlrenla In Anils" Ellack 

^>idabyB. Wapiar. 
Chaconne. ladsplnd (ocorcbesliaby J-Rsff]... Bneh 

Troll DintM Allemandet, op. U Barglel 

Jp^J^'"'''"'' ! "Trlitan and Isolde" Warner 

Qymphonie DrmmaLlque. Op. MS. ........... Rnblntlelo 

Bhapwdla Honffrolsa, No. 3 InD LlatI 

B^nnSe..!''y.."."i'.".'.':'..:.''".''"y.!'.:.'.....ai,^a 

BcberiD, oii. IB, [adapted tar orcbestra by H. Hutf- 

mmn] Hnidelu..hn 

Turkl*hl£ueh Beethoven 



Ltly Dale, with VAdalioiu. 6. B6. Barbt. 16 

Tba line malody landt ItHit voir kindly to the 
hand* of the variation -maker. The pleca, aa 

tloo ia iha beat kind of prmatlce. 

IDndeTsceneD. (Soeuea of Childhood.) By 
Ro6erl ScAtunonn. 
Ko. 1. AboutBtraDgeCoiiDtrle*. 1-5 

" 1. Curioiu Story. 20 

Chifd'iSeseeclilDK. { ^ 

" 4. HappliMM Enough. 20 

" 6. Important Occurrenoe. | an 

TraumerBi. J ^ 

" S. By the Fireeide. I „, 

EjiightsofHobbyhoiM. J ^ 

" 7. Almost too Serioiu. 20 

" a Prffchteniag. 20 

" e. Child falling aaieep. 30 

" la The Poet 8peaks. 10 

Soenea Complete. I.OO 
These are rrHvfgl little Ibooitlila itf a great 
maaier. who thua sandeeoenda %o play with tha 
ehlldna. 0( tha 9d and (prlndpally) U degree 
of dlOouliy. ' ' 

Devil a Darning Needle. Polka Maiurka. 
8. D. SIraitsi. 3S. 

Bmm tha ordinary BtraoH excel lewilea, and 
alio a peculiar ansp, which remluda one of the 
flint and flaah ol Dnfon-IIy Wlngt. 

Ballad. 3. Q. Min Preaeott. SO 

A simple plann aonf , minus words. 
FngrantRoaea. (Dnf tende Roae). 2. C. Doi«. SO 

Orvefnl Uile to a neat and aweet polbi. 
On the Wingaoriiove. Waltx. (AutSohwing- 
en der Liebe}- S. D. Bohni. 60 

Hallow, rich mono. 
Jotie Pai^euraeuae. Potponri, 8. itaylath. 75 

Very merry Freneh malodlea, 

AsBaevtiTiiivs.— Degrees of dlfflculty are marked 

n-it. ac. A am ill ICnmin letter m irV« Che hl;;haat note. 
If nn the scan i an MoIielenarttMlilEhest note. It above 




toiglfs 




uxul 





Whole No. 895. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, AUG. 7, 1875. 



Vol. XXXV. No. 9, 



On Tuning an Orchestra. 

(From tbe Concordia.) 

It 18 singular that this essential preliminary 
to correct orchestral playing; should have hith- 
erto attracted comparatively little notice, in 
our country at least. No doubt the first and 
almost instinctive act of every player on en- 
tering the concert-mom, is to try to pitch his 
instrument by touching a few notes at ran- 
dom; with this, however, he too often rests 
satisfied, and the result is, that the first bars 
of the performance disclose the incompleteness 
of the adjustment. Moreover, this important 
preparative is usually left to the last moment, 
when many players arrive at the same time, 
each of whom performs some familiar flourish 
fartUumo^ and simultaneously with his neigh- 
bors. The delicacy of the ear is overwhelmed 
with discordant notes, no standard of pitch is 
referred to, the various instruments have not 
had time to attain the temperature of the 
room, and the noise itself tends to force them 
for the moment into an apparent agreement, 
which ceases directly they play independently 
of one another. The conductor, on arriving, 
takes it for granted that the band is in tune, 
and it is often only after a considerable interval 
that tbe united forces shake down into com- 
plete accuracy and its consequent sonorous- 
ness. Abroad, a better custom prevails; there 
being a standard tuning-fork beside the con- 
ductor's desk, to which each player is expected 
to accommodate himself. One of Dr. Von 
Bulow's many merits is attention to this detail, 
although his careful solicitude has been occa- 
sionally misrepresented and received with re- 
sentment. The chief boast of the Conserva- 
toire band in Paris, is the ''premier coup 
d'archet." 

The matter is not (^oite so simple as it at 
first sight appears, and it deserves consideration 
under a threefold aspect — physiological, me- 
chanical, and practical. 

In a physiological point of view, it is im- 
portant to notice that there is considerable 
difference in even cultivated ears as to the 
appreciation of minute shades of pitch ; some 
being much more sensitive than others; many 
possessing a personal peculiarity similar to 
what is tenned ''personal error" in astrono 
mical observation, by virtue of which they 
adopt slightly different estimates of concord 
or even unison. In great observatories a figure 
is set against the name of each observer which 
is tolerably constant, and indicates that he will 
note the transit of a star over the wires of the 
telescope, or even the beat of a clock, by an 
appreciable interval before or after another of 
his colleagues. I have little doubt, from ex- 
tended experiments, that there exists a similar 
phenomenon in the ear as in the eye. . We 
have indeed a means of correcting it in the 
former case which we have not in the latter, 
nanM'ly, by the beats or interferences; but what 
musicians, except pianoforte or organ-tuners, 
ever employ these? Corresponding shades of 
sharpness and flatness elude even this test, and 
are often difilcult to distinguish except by 
exaggeration. This tolerance of discord in- 
creases enormously when instruments of very 
different timbre or quality are compared. I 
was myself surprised at the amount of tolerance 
in making some observations which I commu- 
nicated to a musical periodical last year, re- 
specting the so-called French pitch at the two 
opera houses ; the difference TOtween the oboe 
and clarinet for instance, which was marked 
when both were compared with a tuning-fork 
held to the ear, did not strike it painfully when 



unassisted by the unvarying standard.* 

Slight dissonances are more audible at a dis- 
tance than in their immediate neighborhood. 
In this respect, the plan adopted by orgsm- 
builders of placing a listener in a remote part 
of the building, to guide the tuner, might with 
advantage be imitated. Sharp notes, more- 
over, have a predominant power over the ear. 
If two notes be struck at nearly the same time, 
a player is almost certain to tune to the sharp- 
er of the two. No doubt this is one great cause 
of the constant tendency to sharpen, which is 
the plague of our modern orchestras, and has 
necessitated the enforced adoption of a lower 
diapason. 

In a mechanical light, there is some difficulty 
in establishing an invariable standard of pitch. 
The oboe has the prescriptive right handed 
down from ancient times, of tuning the band. 
This, no doubt, depends on the fact that in 
HandePs days it was almost the only wind 
instrument extensively used. But it is far from 
being the best for the purpose. Like all double 
reed instruments, its pitch is susceptible of 
great variation according to the state of the 
lip muscles. It is not, therefore, uncommon 
to find a player give at the outset a tuning 
note much sharper than that he afterwards 
plays to. The clarinet is infinitely. less easy to 
tune to various pitches, on account of its single 
reed, and from the fact that a slight pulling in 
and out of the mouthpiece socket, which is the 
only method of tuning open to it, tells more 
upon the " throat notes '* than on other parts 
of its scale, and thus makes it disagree with 
itself. On the other hand, it rises with the 
warmth of the breath more than any instru- 
ment. In very cold weather I* have found the 
difference in the B& clarinet to amount to a 
whole semitone. Players seem hardly to ap- 
preciate the extent of this rise. To this fact, 
also, no doubt much of the tendency to sharp- 
en orchestral pitch is due. The brass instru- 
ments, and metal flutes, rapidly cool again and 
sink to their original pitch; but the solid 
wood of the clarinet and wooden flute retains 
heat, and may continue to sharpen for a whole 
evening. If the pitch is to be taken from any 
orchestral instrument, I think the one chosen 
ought to be the clarinet, on the ground of its 
inability to alter; but it should be well warmed 
first, and closely watched afterwards, to coun- 
teract the tendency to sharpen. Players often 
show great unwillingness to tune down their 
clarinets, apparently not knowing that warmth 
mainly affects the upper parts of the bore, and 
that slight lengthening of a warm instrument 
improves its accuracy. It is in pianoforte con- 
certos that this defect of the wood- wind, and 
particularly of the clarinets, is most noticable ; 
principally on account of the rise of the wind, 
but also a little from the sinking of the metal 
strings of the piaYio by dilation with heat. On 
this fall in pitch of stretched metal strings 
under heat, or the passage of an electric cur- 
rent, I have commented elsewhere {TranmetioM 
of Phytieal Society, 1874). 

The Organ is not devoid of the same souroe 
of error. A diapason pipe, fed with cold and 
hot air, varies considerably, even to the extent 
of a quarter tone. Few organ builders, with' 
the notable exception of Mr. Willis and Mr. 
Lewis, pay sufficient attention to this fact. 
The large, flat, and unwieldy organ at Exeter 

* A remarkable eonflnnatfon «o9iiwr«oof the atatement 
bere made, ia furnished me by Mr. Hlpklni. He informs 
me Uiat if two pianos of different quality be aoearately 
tuned In nnlsoo, by means of beats, and placed aide by 
side in a room; even the mont practised musician, on 
trying them consecutively » will declare the suiter toned 
instrument to be the flatter of tbe two. 



Hall, for instance, is fed by wind from the cold 
stone corridors and staircases below it, which 
communicate almost directly with the outer 
air. Consequently, at the beginning of a per- 
formance, when the air of the room itself is 
well heated and dried by the abundant gas in 
the roof, the organ is very flat, as it is drawing 
a denser supply from below and outside, whose 
undulations are calculably different from those 
in the rarified medium in which the clarineta, 
contra-fagottos, and others are breathing and 
expiring. If all external apertures at the back 
were shut, and the bellows made to draw their 
wind from the hot dry air near the ceiling, by 
means of a large air trunk or wind sail, the 
organ would rise in pitch, and would cypher 
much less than It now does in damp weather. 
Besides this, the very defective ventilation of 
the room would be improved. 

The best standard of pitch, however, is in 
my opinion, a free reed. This, though pro- 
ducing a poor musical note, is very little affected 
by changes of temperature, especially if made 
of a metal like German silver, which is well 
known from electrical experiments to alter its 
molecular condition very slightly for a given 
increment of heat. The thinness of the tone, 
and the facility with which ** beats" are pro- 
duced, though ssthetical defects, are in the case 
before, us converted into advantages. All in- 
struments should tune to open notes, whether 
strings or wind; and the standard of pitch 
should possess not only the A usually employed, 
but several others ; notably the D in the bass. 
This latter I consider on the whole a better 
note to tune to than the A; certainly it is so 
for the bass instruments. If the perfect fifth 
of D A be sounded together, even the fiddles 
will hardly be able to tune sharp, owinjj^ to the 
marked dissonance which accompanies any 
augmentation of that interval. The D is more- 
over the middle string of thejdouble basses, as 
used in our English orchestras ; and this being 
fixed, a fourth on either side is more easily 
found than if two such intervals are built up 
from the lowest and least brilliant string. 

In all orchestral tuning, the double basses 
require an attention which they have not yet re- 
ceived. They appear to have an immunity 
from rule or censure. This is due, in part, to 
the fact that long and special training of the 
ear is required to enable it to realize small 
differences in very grave notes. I have never 
yet known a case wliere the double-basses were 
called to account for their pitch ; and yet, as 
a rule, they tune sharp. The most ludicrous 
case of this kind occurred in the late futile 
attempt to introduce French pitch at the operas. 
I ain not aware that any change was msde in 
the double-basses, although an expensive and 
very bad set of wind instruments was procured 
from abroad. The basses simply slackened 
their ordinary thin strings, instead of putting 
on a full set of- stouter strings in proportion to 
the diminished rate of vibration. Of course 
the bow transmitted an instinctive sense of 
lessened tension very unpleasant to practised 
players, ai^d in a few minutes they were up to 
their old discarded pitch; the treble instru- 
ments, attacked as being flat, were obliged to 
meet the difilculty by having a$ many as four 
9ueee$»ives\\oeB hacked off their new outfit. In 
less than a month I found the pitch as high as 
it had formerly been. Two other instruments 
are commonly responsible for sharpness of the 
bass, namely, the G bass trombone, and the 
drums; the former is usually in the hands of a 
military player, accustomed to the foolishly 
sharp pitch to which our Guards^ bands have 
risen, but the latter Lb the more serious cause 



66 



DWIGHT'S JOURiq^AL OF MUSIC. 



of discord. According to the arrangement of 
modern English orchestras, in most of which 
four-string double basses and other instruments, 
such as the contra-fagotto, of 16-foot tone, 
are ignored, the kettle-drum stands alone in 
possessing two, or at the most three, notes of 
this octave. When these are correct, the effect 
is very fine; but many of our English copper- 
made drums are so deep in the kettle, and so 
large in the head, that the note they give is 
very complex, more resembling a gong or a 
bell than an orchestral intrument ; and as the 
drummer has to change their pitch frequently, 
by means of a clumsy mechanism, of key and 
screws, during the performance, it requires 
great tact and experience to keep them even 
moderately near the proper note. The tendency 
to tune a shade sharp is more marked with 
drums than even with the double basses, and 
they are still more commonly overlooked at 
the outset. Where great changes of key occur, 
the kettle drummer should always be provided 
with a third, and sometimes even with a fourth 
drum. An octave of 16-foot reeds, in the 
form of a simple harmonium, placed within 
his reach, for comparison, would often prevent 
a mysterious but very painful toolfing, which 
we have at all times noticed, but which, like 
inaccurate tuning of the double basses, is very 
difficult to localize by the unassisted ear. 

One other point requires notice, and that is, 
that on the occurrence of sudden enharmonie 
changes from flat to sharp keys the necessary 
difference of pitch is often only gradually and 
imperfectly arrived at. It principally occurs 
in the change from flats to sharps, at which 
time the wind instruments should as a rule 
flatten somewhat ; in the opposite change from 
sharps to flats the natural tendency to rise is 
sufficient. The strings have of course the 
matter in their own power, except as regards 
open notes. 

A great deal might be accomplished by very 
simple means, if conductors would consider it 
their duty to run through the principal instru- 
ments one by one against a trustworthy stand- 
ard, but that not, if possible, a tuning-fork. 
The note of even the best tuning-fork is so 
feeble and evanescent that it is not fitted for 
the noise and bustle of the concert-room, and 
moreover it is greatly under the influence of 
temperature. A free reed would be far better. 
The comparison of pitch should not be limited 
to a few treble instruments, but should begin 
with drums and double-basses, and so proceed 
upwards. The process, lastly, should not be 
carried on by compelling all to tune up to the 
sharpest, but by bringing the sharper instru- 
ments slightly down to a medium pitch ; this 
would obviate the constant need for cutting 
instruments to pieces, which is now felt, and 
prevent the steady tendency to sharpen, which 
18 ruining our voices, and^rendering much clas- 
sical music impossible to all but singers of rare 
and exceptional organization, 

W. H. Stonb, M.A., F.R.C.P., Ac. 



*-•- 



The WorkB of Chopin. 

To the Xdiioro/the Monthly Musical Recobd, (London.) 

Sir : — If we analyze the interest we take in 
Chopin's music, we shall find it to be a mainly 
human interest. The reading of his music be- 
comes a psychological study. The smaller 
pieces especially are like leaves from an auto- 
biography ; they are outpourings of the heart, 
and truer pictures of states of his mind than 
photography ever produced of outward form. 

His art was only the interpreter of his feel- 
ings, it did not exist for its own sake. Now 
compare the loose leaves of the subjective artist 
who writes the story of his life with his heart's 
blood, with Goethe's autobiography, which ho 
calls characteristically **Wahrheit und Dich- 
tung." He dooii not write on the spur of the 
moment, at the time of the emotion; he lets it 
pass by and thea places H before his mind as a 
sculptor places before him a blocl^ of giifpl))^, 
chipping and polishing it til) it has reached his 
idea of th« bwttW«l» But, ftitbcugh be^nty 



and art gain, truth suffers, — ^perhaps not the 
highest kind of truth, that we may call ideal 
truth, still a kind of truth one would not like 
to miss. 

The man of this moment is a stranger to the 
previous moment: for the circumstances are 
no longer the same : his way of thinking has 
been modified by the experience of the past. 
Thus every moment becomes the genitor of a 
new man. Now, it is in the interest of truth 
to have a faithful record of men's actual emo- 
tions, and not only of what they appeared to 
the cold reasoner or the imaginative artist after- 
wards. It is this which makes subjective art 
so precious. 

And now let us try to define the position 
Chopin occupies among subjective composers. 
To do this, we will compare him with one who, 
although a subjective artist, is in some respects 
his antipode. I mean Beethoven. In him there 
seems to be focused the mind and heart of a 
whole century, of a whole world, with its 
yearnings, struggles, and noble aspirations, 
with its unfathomable grief, its heaven-high 
hopes, and all this crowned with his unbounded 
love : — 

** Reld timsehlnnsren, Mlllionen, 
Diesen Kusa der ganzen Welt." 

There is a divinely mysterious power in his 
music, reminding one of the poet's description 
of the mountain-torrent, that bursts from the 
rocks with the noise of thunder, tearing along 
with the trees and boulders, filling the wan- 
derer, who knows not whence it comes, with 
delightful awe. 

Whilst Beethoven's subjectivism embraces, 
as we have seen, the whole of humanity, that 
of Chopin is confined to himself, rarely going 
beyond this, never beyond his nation. Not- 
withstanding this shortcoming, few who get 
acquainted with him can resist the fascination 
of his manner and the amiability and refine- 
ment of his feelings. ** Selfish and amiable " 
seems to be a contradiction, but only ** seems,*' 
in reality it is not. His selfishness was not a 
vice, not a fault of the heart, but rather a con- 
stitutional weakness ; it was not aggressive but 
passive, manifesting itself not by acts but by 
inaction. We are willing enough to forgive it, 
especially where there are so many charming 
qualities to redeem any shortcoming. 

Chopin is, indeed, a very dangerous acquain- 
tance. The morbidity of his feelings, easily im- 
parted to those that too exclusively communi- 
cate with him, relaxes our nature and vitiates 
our taste. A sculptor or painter might as well 
make the diseased and abnormal appearances of 
physical nature — which may and generally do 
in some respect possess surprising beauties — 
the principal object of his study, as a musician 
Chopin. His influence is so subtle, that I am 
almost tempted to call it feminine. He capti- 
vates us by throwing wreaths of flowers around 
us, which prove, on trial, stronger than iron 
chains. We require a counterpoise, which is 
to be found in strong and healthy men like 
Beethoven, Bach, and others of the same cali- 
bre. Conjointly with these, Chopin will teach 
and profit us much, show us many a by-road 
they have missed, many a heart's corner they 
have not penetrated. 

I have characterized the interest we take in 
Chopin as mainly human, but this does not 
preclude that also from a purely artistic point 
of view we find much to aamire. "V^o knows 
not how be has enriched the technical re- 
sources of the pianoforte, how he has ennobled 
and animated, if not created, the minor forms 
of the pianoforte literature? Who has not been 
surprised, and again and again delighted, with 
his originalities of harmony and rhythm? 
. All this is no matter of wonder, if we have 
once conceded the originality and peculiar 
genius of the man Chopin. In his manner, 
Parisian elegance and finish are unmistakable ; 
but there is much more in it that is truly Chop- 
inesque, individually human. I cannot help 
thinking that we overestimate the influencing 
pow§p of owr surroundings. True, our man- 
ners, Q«r 4pe99, ftre moulded and faJ^^ipned by 



them, but the matter is hardlv touched. At 
leadt, where there is an individuality worth 
mentioning, it will not only defend itself 
against them, but conquer them in proportion 
to its strength, even in these externals. Then 
it may be said of Chopin, that he lived rather 
in than wWi the Parisian society. His music 
is of a private nature, it shuns the publicity of 
the concert room and the conventionalities of 
the salon. Chopin in his closet alone, or with 
his friends, is without an equal in his peculiar 
way; but whenever he oversteps this, nis do- 
main, enters the world, poses before an audi- 
ence, becomes an artist in the more limited 
sense of the word, and allows his artistic 
faculties the precedence over nature pure and 
simple as it wells from his heart, then I say he 
loses his superiority. Thus his compositions 
may be estimated according to the more or less 
constraint he puts upon himself. 

Sometimes Parisian elegance gets the better 
of him, and fills the foreground, but Chopin 
in the background preserves the picture from 
being a mere bit of glitter. There are instanc- 
es where one is tempted to think ** this jewel 
would have gained by a plainer setting." But 
these temptations are neither strong nor fre- 
quent. 

What has been said of Clementi is true of 
Chopin : the pianoforte is with him not a mere 
instrument, it is an organ, a part of himself. 
Both masters share also the same fate in their 
orchestral writing. To say that the tutti of 
the orchestra afte** the pianoforte soli, precipi- 
tate the hearer from the beatified regions of 
imagination and fancy into the dreary actual, 
that like Satan he is '* hurl'd headlong flaming 
from the ethereal sky," may be exaggeration; 
but even his greatest admirers, amon^ whom I 
am proud to reckon myself, will admit that his 
writing for other instruments than the piano- 
forte IS not very happy. Be this as it may, 
Chopin, and with him I must join Schumann, 
are the most striking musical individualities of 
this century. Both presuppose Beethoven, and 
are, as it were, branches of one tree, galleries 
of one mine. Yours, &c., Fr. Nirckb. 



Sketch of the History and Progrew of the 

Sonata Form. 

Read before the London College of Organbts, by W. A. 
Barrett, Mob. Bae. 

The word Sonata is supposed to be derived from 
the Italian word " sonare," to sound, but this deri- 
vation although plausible is not completely satis- 
factory. 

The similarity of the words " Sonets " and "SonaU" 
would seem to suggest the notion of a common 
origin. The Sone^ or Sonnet of the present day, 
almost the same as it was in the days of Petrarch, 
maintains its original character of treating, in one 
verse, one idea in various aspects, while the Sonata 
has become expanded and developed, and is no 
longer confined to the limit of elaborating one idea. 
It is true that the first Sonatas were not unlike in 
music what the Sonnet is in poetry, a varied treat- 
ment of one subject ; and the characteristic of the 
most perfect modern Sonatas is that the greatest 
variety is given to the chosen themes of the several 
movements, less with regard to their independent 
character, than with the respect to their relation to 
the whole idea of the movement 

The term Sonata or Suonata, as applied to a mus- 
ical composition, was first used about the beginning 
of the 17th century. Those of that time so-called 
bad, as has already been intimated, but one move- 
ment ; they were in fact, simply ain arranged in 
parts, for an instrument or instruments. Some of 
the Sonatas of Frescobaldi (1591-1640), of Froh- 
berger (1637-1695), of Kuhnau (1667-1712), and of 
others of that period, are of this nature, although 
there are frequent changes of tempo, the germ of 
contrasted movements. When, in subsequent Son* 
atas, two or more movements were employed, those 
most favored were a Canzona or something in Can- 
zona style, and a dance tune, such as a Pavan, an 
Allemande, or a Coranto. The Canzona was proba- 
bly selected by the composer as a vehicle for the 
display of art and skill, and the dance tune was 
offered as a conciliation to the taste of his hearers. 
Long after the form was fixed, compositions bearing 
the name of Sonatas, constructed on the principles, 



;dibj^&^Uiai.aaHBMk«M 



BOSTON, SATUEDAY, AUG. 7, 1875. 



67 



aad according to the models of older times, were pub- 
lislied. some as late as the end of the last century, 
as a comparison of the Sonatas of Marpurg (1*718- 
1796) with those of the early writers will show. 

The growth of tho form has, like most things in 
mnsic, been very gradual, and to trace it step by 
step would be the labor of a lifetime ; it will be 
sufficient for the present purpose to indicate the suc- 
cessive stages it has passed through, and to speak, 
though in a rapid and cursory manner, 'of the chief 
writers who have aided the development of the 
Sonata form. 

The changes of tempo in the earliest composi- 
tions of this kind probably suggested a division 
into separate movements, the treatment being influ- 
enced by the fanc^' of the writer, and not by any 
recognized rule. Inherent musical feeling would 
doubtless prompt the composer to make the one or 
the several movements oner as much contrast as 
possible, and the variety thus introduced would be 
accepted as the first canon of this class of compo- 
sition. 

The arrangement of the earliest "Suites des 
pieces," may be studied with advantage in reference 
to this point. In the "P'eces de Clavecin " by Fran- 
cois Couperin (1713), there is a set in C minor, 
consisting of an Allemande, followed by a first and 
second Courante, then a Sarabande, a Gavotte, and 
finally a Minuet, each movement varying in tempo 
«8 well as in character, though not in key. 

The number of movements in a Suite alternated 
between five and seven for many years ; but by de- 
grees they became lessened in number, and as melo- 
dic form obtained prominence over mere contra- 
puntal device, the Sonata was guided in its con- 
struction by certain convenient rules, out of which 
that now known as Sonata form arose, was recog- 
nized and adopted. Although the names of dance 
tun«8 ceased to be attached to the several move- 
ments, it was easy to see that much of their char- 
acter was retained ; for as composers began to feel 
that the measure of the dance tune had a tendency 
to cramp their musical thoughts, their models were 
retained or abandoned, and they expanded their 
movements at pleasure, without reference to the 
needs of the dance. Later, when three movements 
were adopted, the dance tune was restored, a prefer- 
ence being given to the Minuet or something tn that 
stvle ; and this, with a slow and quick movement, for 
a long time made up the recognized constitution of 
a Sonata. Beethoven added a fourth movement, 
Scherzo, which he used sometimes instead of, some- 
times in addition to, the Minuet; but he was not, as 
some say, the inventor of that movement, as Haydn 
in his quartets, and Bach in his Suites had previ- 
ously ehaployed a movement called Scherzo. 

The title of atr« already mentioned was given to 
some Sonatas as lato a^ 1770, for in Hoyle's " Dic- 
tionarium musica" of that date voce "Suouata," 
we read " of Corelli's Musick. the first and third 
operas are Church Sonatas, and the second and 
fourth Chamber Sonatas ; though the common dis- 
tinction among us is made by the name ef air:" 

Other terms were occasionally used to describe 
compositions identical in character with those called 
Sonatas, such as Consorts, Ayres, Lessons, Fanta- 
sies or Fancies, " so made as they must be plaid 
and not sung," and " Ayerie Fancies, that may be 
as well sung as plaid.** 

Sir John Hawkins in his History of Music, says 
these were disused about the middle of the 17th 
century, when the new forms of concerted pieces of 
a more elegant character came into vogue ; these 
were "the Sonata di Chiesa and the Sonata di 
Camera;" the first of these, as being adapted to 
Church Service, was grave and solemn, consisting 
of slow movements, intermixed with fugues ; the 
other admitted of a variety of airs to regular 
measures, such as the Allemande, the Courant, the 
Sarabande and others. 

The slow movements "intermixed with fugues" 
arose from the Introduction of the Canzona, and Sir 
John Hawkins in mentioning this as. a characteris- 
tic of the Sonata, unconsciously proves that the in- 
fluence of the Canzona etyle hod not weakened or 
fisded at the time he wrote. 

The connection of the Canzona with the Sonata 
is to a certein extent indicated in the pieces by Fres- 
cobaldi, published at Venice (1634). " Canzone da 
Sonare a una, due, tre, et quattro con il basso con- 
tinuo," which are exactly similar in style to the 
compositions recorded in early times as Sonatas. 

Fre8cobaldi*8 Ctiuzone consist of only one move- 
ment, with various changes of time, opening with 
the first phrase in what may be called for Jack of 
a better term, the Canzona style, that is to say in 



fugal imitetion, one of the meanings of the word 
canzona being banter or mocking. 

The earliest compositions to which the title of 
Sonata or Suonata were attached, were written by 
Bonifacio Graziani, Marc Antonio Cesti, and other 
writers of the 17th century. It is presumed that 
some of the works of these musicians were those 
brought to England by John Jenkins, who after- 
wards, upon the models so suggested, published in 
1660 in London "Twelve Sonatas for two violins 
and a bass, with a thorough bass for the organ." 
These were the first compositions of the kind by an 
Englishman. Jenkins was already well known as 
an agreeable writer of " Fancies for viols," and his 
Sonatas show a certain amount of artistic progress 
in the arrangement of contrasted movemente. Most 
writers on musical history declare that Francis 
Henry Biber was the first who published a work 
with the title of a Sonata, but his compositions 
did not appear until 1681, more than twenty years 
after those by Jenkins with the same title, and 
there were also the still earlier Italian writers named 
above, from whom Jenkins confessedly obtained 
the idea. Considering the variety of the German 
tongue and the unwillingness of the German people 
to use a foreign term, when a native equivalent can 
be found, it is scarcely likely that the term Sonata 
would be first attached to a German composition by 
a German composer; therefore it is reasonable to 
assume that the word would have been adopted by 
the musicians of the country to which it belongs. 
Graziani. Cesti, and Colonna, who died before the 
time Biber published his sonatas, each used the 
term to describe certain of their compositions; but 
supposing the honor belonged to a German, then 
there is Johann Rosenmiiller, who published at Ven- 
ice, XII. senate a camera, a 6 stromentl, in 1677, 
who has a prior claim to Biber. 

Henry Purcell, who was one of the earliest Eng- 
lish writers of sonatas, has almost as strong a claim 
to an early use of the word as Biber. Purcell com- 
posed sonatas which were published in 1683, with 
the title of " Twelve s<matas of three parts, two 
violins and a base, to the o^an or harpsychord." 
These were issued in separate parte, and in the sixth 
sonata of this set is the melody whose character has 
given rise to an erroneous statement that Purcell 
composed the air upon which " God save the king," 
is founded. Furthermore, tbose whose delight it is 
to go hunting for mares' nesta, declare that there is 
evidence in the construction of this set of sonatas, 
that Purcell was indebted to Corelli for his ideas. 
If there was a sufiicient similarity of style to war- 
rant the assertion, there still remains the doubt 
whether Purcell could have seen the work of his 
Italian contemporary before his own was published, 
as both seta were issued in the same year, and com- 
munication, especially with a foreign country, was 
not BO rapid as now. 

In the preface to this book of sonatas, Purcell 
states that " he has faithfully endeavored a just 
imitation of the most famed Italian masters, princi- 
pally to bring the seriousness and gravity of that 
sort of music into vogne and reputation among our 
countrymen, whose numor 'ti^ time now should 
begin to loath the levity and balladry of our neigh- 
bors." He further states " he is not ashamed to own 
his unskillful ness in the Italian language, but that 
is the linhappiness of his education, which cannot 
justly be counted his fault ; however, he thinks he 
may warrantably affirm he is not mistaken in the 
power of the Italian notes, or elegancy of their 
compositions." If Purcell benefitted by the writ- 
ings of any one of the Italian musicians, it could 
not have been those of Corelli. 

Purcell also composed a second set about the same 
time, but they were not printed until after his 
death. 

The movemente of PurcelVs sonatas are each 
short, and there is but little indication of that which 
is known in sonata form in either, though each is 
written in a form regular enough in itself,' for every 
device of imitatiop, inversion, and augmentation of 
the subjecta propdsed is employed freely though not 
to great extent LuUy. Pachelbel, Bnononcinl(1658- 
1702), the great Arcangelo Corelli, and Kuhnau may 
be mentioned as sonata writers contemporary with 
Purcell, Kuhnau being, perhaps, next to Corelli the 
most remarkable. His early sonatas were in three 
movemente — an allegro, andante, and allegro, dnd 
for this reason his claim to merit as the suj^estor of 
the modern form has been made out. There is not 
any attempt in either of his sonatas, to introduce a 
subject of sufficiently marked character to justify 
ite being called a second or distinctive theme. — 
There are some minuete by Gottlieb Muffatt, which, 
though having only one subject in each movement. 



show the next stage of progress towards the sonata 
form, in that those in minor modes havA the half 
close on the relative tonic. The volume in which 
these were contained was published in 1724. 

The yearning after a fixed form, and the sugges- 
tion of the treatment which became expandud into 
the sonata form, may certainly be traced in Kuhnau*s 
" Frische clavier fruchte," seven sonatas, published 
in 1703 (not in 1696, as some allege). In melodic 
treatment and expansion of subject, these show a 
decided advance. That which m Frescobaldi ap- 
peared to be a mere cnp>icious change of iempo^ in 
Kuhnau became developed into movements of respec- 
table length, but still without any remarkable util- 
ization oi chosen themes. Kuhnau often makes the 
first subject of some of his movements heard in the 
dominant (whether the suit-c is in a major or in a 
minor key) in the middle of a movement, but does 
not call, as it were, special attention to the fact by 
means of a double bar or a repeat. Johann Matthe- 
son frequently imitates his first subject in the second 
movement by inversion, but occasionally shows that 
he contributed somethino^ towards the settlement of 
form by the manner in wnich he treate his " gigues." 
His sonata, published in 1713, and dedicated "to 
the person who shall b'^t perform it," is in one 
movement only, and is capriccio like in treatment 
It may be here mentioned as an interesting fact that 
in the majority of the suites a gigue is chosen as 
the concluding movement, and in ite lively charac- 
ter as woU as m the style of ite construction is more 
in accordance with modern sonata form than any 
other portion ; this was the method employed by 
Bach, Handel, and others to a later time. The 
thirty sonatas of Alessandro Scarlatti, the next 
writer of importance after Mattheson, have each 
two movemente, in which may be described a still 
further attempt to fix the style, and to impart some 

degree of unity. 

(Oondasion next time.) 



^ 



Thomaa Crawford and Art in America. 

[Extracts from an Addresa before the New York Historl- 
calSoclety, upon the Reception of Grawford'a Stalue of 
the Indian, presented by Frederic De {Peyst^r, L.L.D., 
President, April 6, 1875, by Samuel Osoood, D.D., 
L.L.D. Published by order of the Society.] 

Intensely individual in his personality, and broad 
and universal in his sympathy, he was able to unite 
the two elemente in his art, and to present the spirit 
of the ages in the speaking vitality of his creations. 
This is perhaps the first essential of the artist, that 
whatever he touches must have the breath of per- 
sonal life and the breadth of universal fellowship. 
The lonely little fiower that blooms up from under 
the shelter of an Alpine peak and catehes the gleam 
of sunshine among those icy banks, has ite own 
pertinacious organism, true in every tint and fibre 
to the record and the banner of its clan ; yet it is 
one with universal nature, and when the painter 
pute it upon canvas he brings out the catholicit}*^ of 
iU solitary confession and makes it tell its whispers 
with the winds, ite banquets with the dews and 
rains, and ite messages of love from the rocks of the 
earth to the stars of heaven. Crawford had this 
power in an art less free than the painter's, and 
under the touch of his chisel the sheaf of California 
wheat became personal, and ite full blades were swell- 
ing with the magnificence of the Pacific domain and 
even glowing with the gold of the mines that seemed 
to ask the grain to signal their hidden splendor to 
the world. 

In one respect Crawford deserves honorable and 
conspicuous name among the leaders of our modern 
culture, and ite master-spirit Groethe would not have 
been ashamed to call him brother for what I call his 
next marked characteristic. He is one of the spirite 
of peace who are bringing the two great schools of 
civiliisatioii together — the classic school that insiste 
most upon the l)ody and form of things, and the 
romantic school, that insiste most upon the soul and 
spirit of things — or the Greek and the Gothic. 
When Crawford began his career these two powers 
were at war. as in fact they have generally been, 
but their ant^onism was coming to a head. The 
Greek spirit was trying to set up again the rule of 
the body, and the age of industry combined with 
the restless muscle of the young nations to restore 
the dynasty of the legs and arms, and to net the 
gymnast above the philosopher and the devotee. 
This muscular creed was met by its ascetic antago- 
nist, the Mediaeval devotee; and Pugin's churches 
and Pusey's tracte made a dead set against the 
Turner's leg and club law and the secularists' whole 
code of culture. Thus it was Greek against Goth — 
body against soul. We saw the antagonism some- 



68 



DWIGHT»S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



times in buildiogs on opposite sides of the same 
street, Here a bank in not always cheap imitation 
of the Parthenon, and there a lath and plaster 
Gothic church in very cheap imitation of York 
Minster or Cologne Cathedral. These extreme con- 
trasts marked schools of culture, not always ex- 
treme or extrayagant in their thought and enter- 
prise, the classic and the romantic. Goethe in his 
Fanst called for the end of this qnarrel, and in 
Euphorion, the child of the marriage of Faust and 
Helena, he predicted the imion of the classic and 
romantic schools in our rising literature. 

Now I do not say that Crawford cared much 
about this literary quarrel, or meant to have his 
hand in the fray, but I am sure he felt the painful 
difference and was moved to do his part towards the 
result. His chief productions unite classic strength 
with romantic spirituality. He is Greek and Gothic 
or German too. He gives us the body and soul of 
man and nature. His first great work, his Orpheus, 
is example of this union, and when I saw the noble 
figure thirty-four years ago in Boston, it seemed to 
me to settle the question that sculpture is a modern 
art and allows the modern inward life to show itself 
with the antique strength of form. Orpheus is a 
Greek and a Christian too, and he faces towards the 
Shades of Erebus with limbs trained in the palss- 
tra and with a soul illuminated by the light that 
is not of this world. This work is a prouhecy of 
our coming literature as well as art It is one of 
the signs of the new age of Germanic inwardness 
and Greek outwardness. We are not to have muscle 
and materialism on one hand and spindling pietism 
on the other, but body and soul are to go together. 
Architecture and sculpture are not to be behind in 
the reconciliation. Sculpture especially is to rebuke 
alike the ghostly shadow and the fleshy materialism 
that confront each other, and to show that person- 
ality requires soul and body ; that within nature 
there is a mysterious life ; and all in art should in- 
terpret the indwelling spirit and bring it out in 
fitting form. This thought is the key-note to our 
most characteristic and hopeful culture, and it 
throws bright light upon the new age now opening 
upon us. Crawford threw its radiance on every 
sphere of nature and life, and under his hand the 
wheat and the wild-fiowers, playful children and 
merry youth, as well as heroic men, were trans- 
figpired by his touch. • • • • • 

The lesson of Crawford's life to us, his country- 
men, cannot be easily misunderstood. It tells us 
to accept the true idea of the art which he followed, 
to carry it out in the education of our children, and 
to make it tell upon the public spirit of the nation. 

The true idea of art — what is tnat ? There have 
been definitions of art without number, but the}' all 
amount to very much the same thing. Art is the 
way to do things, and fine art is tne way to do 
things finely ; the way to put soul into body, to lift 
the actual to the ideal, to see and bring out the 
spirit that is in nature and life, and to exalt the 
things that are seen to the standard of the beauty 
that is unseen. All depends npon following the 
method of the Creator, and in accepting the two 
facts of soul and body wisely and effectively. With- 
out soul we have clay and flesh and b)ood without 
life, and without body we have only notions, shad- 
ows, dreams so far as present evfdences can go. 
The point is to study carefully the reality of things, 
and to express the truth in the form of beauty, 
understanding by beanty not prettiness or pleas- 
antness merely, but whatever belongs to the true 
harmony and unites the many particulars with the 
supreme perfection. In this sense art is not any 
one craft, whether architecture, sculpture, painting, 
that U5C the bands and appeal to the eye, nor poetry, 
music, oratory, that use the voice and appeal to the 
ear; but it is all good work that beautifies and 
exalts life, and raises nature and man up to the ideal 
standard. There is fine art in manners, in society, 
in influence over schools and nations, in teachers 
and statcMnen, in the pioneers v>f civilization, and 
in the ministers of religion. Whatever sees the 
truth of things and works out their possible beauty 
is of the essence of beautiful art. The mother, who 
refines her home and moulds her children and ele- 
vp.tes her family and helps Christianize her neigh- 
borhood, is sister of the Muses, and none of the 
Nine need be ashamed of her company. The cap- 
tain who subdues the reckless animalism of his 
crew and wins them to order, gentleneas, loyalty, 
and reverence, is brother to the sculptor who strikes 
intelligence into shape from the rough marble by 
his touch, and makes it tell to nil time its lesson. 

We need to accept this generous definition of 
art, and to broaden ita fellowship in order to show 
the narrowness of the mere craftsmen who wrong 



beauty, just as priestcraft wrongs religion, by claim- 
ing the exclusive right to its spirituality. The 
artist, like the preacher, needs to be one among men, 
not apart from them, and the more he is a represen- 
tative brother and the less an official lord, so much 
the better for him and them. There is no danger 
that art, any more than religion, will decline under 
this true fellowship of souls. Taking this view we 
must be willing to appreciate all attempts to adorn 
life and to bring the supreme beauty to bear upon 
the world. We must be willing to see the spirit of art 
where its implements are poorly ma8tered,and to be* 
lieve that our stout fathers and frugal mothers were 
working America into shape before sculpture and 
painting appeared ; that many an Isaac carved the 
image of his Rebecca out of the rough fortune with 
which he struggled for her sake, and many a Jacob 

Eainted his Rachel upon streams and clouds during 
is long service for her hand, and made the picture 
solace him by the way likn a Madonna face at the 
strttioDs upon the pilgrim's path. In time the spirit 
of beauty took more organic shape, and we had 
painters, sculptors, architects, as well as orators, 
poets, and singers of our own. Perhaps free speech 
was the first of our American fine arts in order of 
time, and the eloquence of rising liberty brought 
the spirit of grace earliest to our land. Before 
printing had made love to painting here, and engrav- 
ing was born of their marriage, a printer's boy be- 
gan the arts of beauty, and Franklin's prose style 
had nothing to learn of the scholars of England or 
the wits of France. ♦••♦•• 

It is a fine remark of Saint Benve that itute i» the 
fivt eisential of crWeitm, and when we judge a book, 
as when we eat an apple, it is more important to 
taste its Quality well than to analyze its elements 
scientifically. According to this idea it is impor- 
tant to cultivate a living and just taste in our chil- 
dren, and this is to be done not by treatises on 
Ksthetics, but by accustoming them to observe and 
to enjoy the best things for themselves. All the 
senses are to be properly trained, and instead of 
making children plod over books and cram their 
memories with words, they should be taught to 
touch, and hear and see nature and art for them- 
selves. Object teaching should go before letter 
teaching, and it is perhaps best that they should 
have nothing to do with books and verbal lessons 
before they are seven years old. This is evidently 
the method of nature, and Froebel with his Kinder- 
garten is the prophet of a good time coming for 
the emancipation of children from the yoke of the 
old pedagogues and of their admittance to the new 
liberty of nature and art. All the senses are to be 
educated in connection with their proper objects, 
and form, color, mass, perspective are to be known 
and interpreted in themselves, and not in lifeless 
print and prosy description. By wise selection and 
adaptation, all the senses may be developed into a 
true sense of the beautiful, and may open into a 
practical judgment that is not only the foundation 
of the critical faculty, but also an essential condi- 
tion of all practical good sense. 

We neea, not only for professional artists, but for 
all well educated people, a certain judgment that 
cannot be looked for too early, and which in matters 
of taste holds the 9ame placr thai comdence holdt in 
the sphere of morals. It is as unwise to limit this 
judgment to artists and professional critics as to 
limit conscience or the religious sentiment to the 
clerical class or to ethical and theological writers ; 
for just as all true men are called to have ethical 
and religious convictions, so all cultivated people 
are bound to have a due sense of the beautiful and 
fair judgment upon the best examples of beautiful 
art. This judgment, like the moral sense, depends 
more upon wholesome associations than upon theory, 
and when childreiA are accustomed in see beautiful 
objects, to walk among flowers and birds, lawns and 
groves, by rivers and lakes, to look npon good pic- 
tures and statues, and to be among people of gentle 
speech and graceful manners, they catch the spirit 
of beauty, both as a sentiment and a conviction ; 
and their pleasure in the taste, like the flavor of the 
strawberry and the peach, passes into the very con- 
stitution, and the sweetness on the lips is light in 
the brain and in its chambers of imagery. We want 
in all our education more of that fine element in 
reason that feeds on the beautiful and transfigures 
its sweetness into light. Any one who has gone 
with bright children into the gardens of the art 
galleries and seen the quick intuitions that flash up 
from their ready perceptions, will discern at once 
what I mean by this intellectual influence of beauty, 
and he will not re^'nrd Edmund Spenser a dreamer 
for cnlling thus upon Heavenly Beautie in his 
Hym^e: 



" Conse, then, rov toncmc! and lend unto mv mynd 
T^ave to bethink how i^reat that Jtesiutiu is, 
Whose utmont pnris no beautiful I find-, 
How mnch more thode psucntial parts of His. 
His tnith. His love, His wUdome, and His blls. 
His (i:race,'Hls doome. Hi* mcrcv and (lis ntlghC, 
By wbich He lands us of Hims«Ue a sight I " 



» «•»< 



The Schleswig-Holstein Mudcal Festival * 

Concerning the compositions selected, namely : 
Handel's Samaon, on the first day, June 27th, and — 
besides two grand airs by Mozart — Scliumann's A- 
minor Concerto, Bach's "Chaconne," the Oba-on 
Overture, Mendelssohn's WdlpurffixnacfU, and to con- 
clude, his symphony in C-minor, there is no need 
to discant at length, na they arc so well known. 
The programme was. evidently, drawn up with taste 
and intelligence. The composers of the different 
works who were iniroduced to the public ar»i lead- 
ing representatives of music. Ilanacl's SarMon is 
especially well calculated to attract and excite the 
enthusiasm of the great masses, as well as of a more 
refined public, and to inspire them with a lasting 
interest in the grand style of oratorio. The singers 
numbered nearly 800 sopranos and contraltos, 67 
tenors, and 84 basses. The orchestra included 32 
first and second violins, 12 tenors, 12 violoncellos, 
and 9 double-basses, with the necessary wind in- 
struments, kettle-drums, and trumpets. From the 
list we learn that among the instrumentalists were 
many well-known music directors. Court musicians, 
Capellmeixter, and Court and other CtntcertinftiUtr. 
Herr J. Bole, the popular Concertmeitter of Altona, 
who, with his brother in-law, Horr von Konigslow, 
Concertmeintfr from Cologne, acted as leader, and 
rendered important service in the formation of the 
orchestra. He conducted, also, the Ottermi Over- 
ture, and several smaller tilings on the second day, 
when Joachim appeared as a soloist and played 
Bach's Chaconne. The ladies' chorus was placed 
above a large niche at the south end of the con- 
cert hall ; the middle of the platform was occupied 
by the orchestra, while behind them, in the niche, 
were ranged tenors and basses. In front, and vis- 
ible from every side, stood Joachim, on an elevated 
tribune. During the rehearsals the great artist fre- 
quently expressed his astonishment and admiration 
at the admirable way in which the choruses had 
been trained. At the last rehearsal of SatnuKm^ 
when the audience burst out, on one occasion, into 
a storm of applause, he actually could not refrain 
from joining in it himself. The directors of the 
various associations who, with the members under 
their command, had worked so hard during the 
winter, now sang with the rank and file. The solo 
vocalists were well selected, including Ilenschel and 
Krolop, from Berlin, as Manoah and Harapha ; Herr 
von W itt, from Dresden, as Samson ; Mad. Schmitt, 
from Sweden, as Delilah; and Kol Kling, from 
Schwalbach. as Micha, who all sustained their char- 
acters, from a musical point of view, exceedingly 
well. Especially effective was the chorus of Isra- 
elites, ** Hor ', Jacob's Oott, Jehovah, hor * ; Mano- 
ah's air, " Wie willig trigt mein Vaterherz ; " the 
chorus at the overthrow of the Temple ; the funeral 
march, which blends so wonderfully with the funeral 
chorus of the Israelites ; and the mighty final cho- 
rus. " Laut stirome ein, du ganze Hiramelschaar I " 
Another particularly effective piece was the air, 
" Kommt all ihr Seraphim, ' preceding the above 
chorus, and sung by Mad. Schmitt, with obUig^tto 
trumpet accompaniment. Soch trumpeters as he 
who played this accompaniment are, we should 
fancy, scarce. It was a contest between the human 
voice and the trumpet to see which was the more 
beautiful. The feeling of satisfaction, that a great 
success had been achieved with the oratorio, was 
universal. The phrase: HoUalia noti eatUaf, was 
forever refuted. The perfomiance of the chorus 
proved that the members of the latter might enter 
the lists with anyone. Even during the rehearsals, 
the admirable composition of the programme, and 
the decided conviction that everything would go 
well, filled the singers, the instrumentalists, and 
the public with joyous confidence. This feeling 
constituted the fundamental tone at the meetings 
held, sometimes at Belle vue, in sight of the sea, 
and sometimes in the garden near the Concert Hall. 
To this we must add the favorable weather, with 
its splendid sunshine during the Festival, and the 
kindness of the people ot Kiel, who overwhelmed 
us with attention, and received with warm cordi- 
ality the visitors, though, in many cases, the latter 
were utter strangers to them. The Kit^lites are 
ambitious. The victory achieved by Schlcswig-Hol- 
stcin, with her first Musical Festival, redounded to 

•Abrigod from the Schto^Ucher Jferkur, iortho London 
Musical Wor/d. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, AUG. 7, 1876. 



69 



the honor of them all, though the Tery high prices 
of RclmUnion necedsnrily prevented many of them 
from taking part in the proceedings. Bat the read- 
er mnst not suppose from this that the Festival was 
not well attended. People floclccd in from far and 
wide. Of the 2,500 seats not one was vacant at the 
performances themselves, and the hall was certainly 
quite as well filled at the rehearsals, admission to 
which was also paid for. After the performance of 
Samxon, a few ladies of the chorns flung Joachim 
some flowers, and, immediately afterwards, there 
was a rain of flowers from every side. This scene 
was repeated, with even more enthusiasm, on Mon- 
day, the 28t.h, when it became known it was Joa- 
chim's birthday. He was received with a perfect 
bombardment of. flowers ; and a laurel wreath, to- 
gether with the most splendid bouquets, were laid 
upon his music-stand. The choras had an easier 
task on the 28th than on the previous day. They 
were engaged only in the Wdlpurffitniu^ht. The re- 
hearsal in the morning afforded the first real oppor- 
tunity for Joachim to show his talent as a conductor. 
The C-minor Symphony was again gone through 
with the most scrupulous care, all the necessary 
delicate touches of light and shade being frequently 
repeated two or three times. The performance be- 
gan at 6 p.m., and lasted till 10. Alter the Oberon 
Overture, executed with magic beauty, the two 
great features were Joachim's violin-playing, and 
the rendering of Schumann's A-minor concerto, by 
Madame Clara Schumann. As regards myself, I 
am not particularly fond of pianoforte concertos, 
but I must confess I never heard anything finer 
than this exhibition of Madame Clara Schumann's, 
in which full justice was done to every tone and to 
every ^ note. The lady played superbly. The cho- 
ruses in the WalpurgiMnacfU were, like those on the 
day before, magnificently sung, especially the final 
chorus : " Dein Licht, wer kann os rauben ? " The 
whole wound up with the C-minor Symphony, 
which evoked a perfect storm of applause. Joa- 
chim's directions were punctually carried out. All 
the performers seemed electrified, and, from the 
gentlest pianimmo to the proud and lofty song of 
triumph in the fourth movement, everything was 
executed to perfection. The festively decorated hall 
was now deserted by the audience, many of whom 
had agreed to pass the evening together. Upwards 
of eight hundred ladies and gentlemen sat (£)wn to 
supper, the meal being enlivened by numerous 
toasts. Among the persons who received special 
invitations to the Festival were the Admiral and 
other oflScers of the American squadron lying in 
Kiel harbor. The first Schleswig-Holstein Musical 
Festival will certainly not be the last, but no one 
who was present will ever forget the memorable 
days of the 26th, 27th, and 28th June, 1876. 



I i%% < 



How Borne Moa Boot, are Hade. 

(To the Editor of the London <• Musical Standard.") 

Dbae Sie : — Some time ago I haw an advertise- 
ment relating to the procuring of degrees in abten- 
tid by an ag^nt in London, i was interested in the 
matter and applied to the advertiser for farther in- 
formation, being* anxious to discover the actual 
value of these diplomas. In reply I received the 
following: 

Oxford Btreot. London, Uaj «Oth, 1876. 

Dbab Sib:— I can procure for vou without delay the de- 
gree yon mention [Mus. Bac. or Mas. Doc.] fh>m the Liv- 
ingstone Unlvendty of America. The ezpenee of obtain- 
ing the tame will be £10. Should thli auit your purpoce- 
lurther particulars will be fumiflhed on application. 
Yoare, respectfully, etc 

Having imderstood that these degrees were sold 
on the Dutch auction principle, i.«., that the price 
came down to suit customers, I replied that I could 
not afford £10, but asked for furtner particulars as 
to the mode of procedure in obtaining the degree. 
The next letter I received was as follows : — 

Oxford Street. London, May Mth, 1875. 
Dear Sia :— We should require to write an es»»y, and 
forward the same to me. Should this prove •atlefactory, 
you oould obtain the diploma without delay ; should the 
essay not prove entirely satisfactory, we should require 
you to come up to London for examination. The suuject 
of the esa«y will be forwarded upon npplieation. 

Tours, respectfully, etc 

Encosed with this letter was a circular relating 
to the Livingstone University of America. This 
documeat contained a long list of professors and 
some common-place information, the only matter re- 
lating to these degrees in aUentia being that " spe- 
cial examinations are held and degrees conferred 
upon properly qualified persons who shall be recom- 
mended to the trustees by the faculty of the depart- 
ment from which the degree is to be'granted." The 
musical professor is advertised as one Muller, Mus. 



Doc. The roost suspicious part of this circular is 
the address of the secretary, who, instead of dating 
from the " University," desires that all communi- 
cations maybe addressed to " Box 15, Haddon-field, 
New-Jersey, U. S." Another enclosure in this let- 
ter was a rough engraving of the Livingstone Uni- 
versity, which, according to this picture, is a sort 
of magnified pepper-box surrounded by Hyde Park 
railings. If this be a university sample of drawing 
and architecture, both of whicn sciences have pro- 
fessors in the building, it does not say much for one 
or the other. In this picture perspective is more 
than a little askew, and the style of the design 
altotrether dubious. I was not, therefore, very strong- 
ly impressed with the appearance of my intended 
musical alma mater, but resolved to continue ray 
enquiries to the end. Now commences in earnest 
the comic business of the matter. In reply to my 
request for the subject of an essay or exercise, I re- 
ceived the following: — 

Oxford Street. London, May 2Mh, 1875. 
Dbatc Sir:— The essay is to be forwarded to me In Lon- 
don. Length of essay, not less than 10 pages: subject: 
'* Cystitis, or Inflammation of the Bladder.^ 

Tours, respeetfhlly, etc. 

Truly a bladder may be taken as a good repre- 
sentation of this precious University and its agent, 
only requiring a pinhole to burst it, and I was half 
inclined to spend a shilling on a short visit to an 
Anatomical Museum in Liverpool, gather materinl 
for the not very extensive suoject given, and pro- 
ceed to obtain the diploma of M.D., as well as that 
of Mus. Doc. However, I thought better of it. and 
transferred this doty to an amateur and unqualified 
medico who will probably make known the results 
of his examination in the medical journals. 

Now it comes to light that this agency is a more 
imposing affair, and that a secretary is kept ; for on 
my writing again to point out the mistake. I re- 
ceived the following, wliich is, oddly enough, in the 
same handwriting as the previous letters : 

Oxford Street, London. Juno 4th, 1875. 
Dear Sir:— It was an oversight on the part cf my sec- 
retary that a medical subject for an essay was sent to yon. 
Please excuse it. The subject for a musical degree will 
be " Vocal Music,*' or you may write an exercise, select- 
ing any theme you please. Let it be short [either esaay or 
exercise]. I remain, yours, respectihllyi etc. 

The wofding of this was somewhat doubtful, and 
I was half inclined to g^vo up the game there and 
then, as the exposure was, I thought, suflSciently 
complete. Prompted, however, by the spirit of mis- 
chief, I determined to push the matter further, and 
wrote an exercise of a few bars, stating that I sent 
them as a sample of what I could do, and offering 
to enlarge upon them if needful. In this precious 
''exercise" there is hardly a correct bar. Some 
of its features may be described as follows : — ^The C 
clarinet in a most awkward key, (E four sharps) 
when the instrument in A ought to have been used, 
and going up to a high F sharp, a note which is almost 
impracticable ; the oboes in a wrong position, and 
grunting out notes at the bottom of their scale, with 
the clarinet riding rampant over them ; horns in A, 
instead of their own key, and notes in their part 
which would puxzle even Paqnis with his clever 
hand to make ; hermaphrodite cornets and an eupho- 
nium to represent the rest of the brass, and an 
omnium aatherum of parchment without rhyme or 
reason ; double stops on the fourth string of the 
violin ; and the viola written in the wrong clef and 
below its compass. It was too much trouble to 
write a special flute part, so the simple " col primo** 
plan was adopted. In the yocal score, consecutive 
and covered fifths and octavea are inserted in de- 
lightrul disregard of the laws of harmony ; and al- 
t<^ther the " exercise " would have been a disgrace 
to the veriest tryo in the art of composifion. It is 
truly marvellous that their patiently studied incor- 
rectness was not apparent to the "examiners.** 
After sending this absurd sample to Londou, I 
thought that I had carried the business too far, and 
might be held up t^ ridicule. Judge, then, of my 
surprise at receiving the following: 

Oxfbrd Street, London. June 16th, 1875. 
Dear Sir :— Tour note and exercise duly to hand. The 
exercise will do very well; it is quite long enough. We 
can judge from it as well as from more. You may obtain 
the ilefi:ree without delay. Please send me the name In 
fall that you wish inserted In the parchment. With regard 
to the fee, our usual custom b that the candidate anall 
send ha'f a Bank of England note, upon thn receipt of 
which the diploma and certiflcate wiJl be forwarded. 
Upon receiving the diploma, the candidate forwards the 
remaining hau note. If this will salt you please let me 
know. Yours, respectAilly, ete. 

I need hardly say that I did not send the bank 
note, and have not heard further on the subject 
Comment on the whole affair is needless, and I leave 
the matter in your hands with the simple remark I 



that I shall for the present be content to remain 
an unqualified practitioner. Possibly when degrees ' 
are coi ferred at our own universities at something 
less than what is to many a prohibitive cost, I may 
attempt to obtain one. 

I am, dear sir, yours faithfully, 

W. I. Aroi NT. 
Liverpool, July 2nd, 1876. 

Oonoerniiig Spain and Old Saored Mosia * 

All the great musicians of whom Spain could 
boast, during the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, 
studied either at Montserrat or at the Escurial, 
though these were far from being the only conser- 
vatories and academies in the Peninsula. An Acad- 
emy of Music was founded and endowed in Sala- 
manca by Alfonso X., King of Castile, as far back as 
1254. The Chapter of the Cathedral of Toledo pos- 
sesses a manuscript containing airs composed by 
that sovereign, and written down according to the 
system then recently invented by Guido d^Arezao. 
In the following century, Juan I., King of Arragon, 
established a school of Music in Barcelona. The 
same impulse was felt all over the Peninsula. In 
every town, even in towns of not much importance, 
there were guilds or societies which aent forth mu- 
sicians of merit, not bent, however, on seeking re- 
nown abroad, but anxious, rather to promote the 
cause of music where they lived. It is this fact 
which has mislead certain critics into bringing a 
charge of mediocrity against Spanish sacred music. 
Such critics were ignorant that Spanish composers 
did not attempt to win celebrity among foreign 
nations, each one being contented, like Bach, to 
create for himself, in the town where his church or 
chapel stood, a little world of his own, and a band 
of performers, muslcallv irreproachable and sincere- 
ly artistic within the Umita of sacred music. 

The roost hearty welcome awaited all travelling 
musicians. They were listened to on the organ ; 
their own music was performed ; and we still find 
preserved in the archives of many churches, man- 
uscript copies of the sacred music these strangers 
brought with them. Antoine F^vin, a native of 
Orleans, makes a brilliant figure in such archives, a 
fact which has caused many Spanish scholars to 
believe him to have been their fellow-countryman. 

The Chapel of Fontarabia always enjoyed a high 
renown, and at the very outlet, IxMsted of a musi- 
cian, Andres de Sylva, still famous. The festivals 
of days gtme-bv are still honorably remembered in 
Fontarabia, and it Is especially in religious ceremo- 
ni<^ that all the old traditions of the place re-appear. 
We have seen certaia very curious specimens of the 
kind, reminding us of the Mysteries of the Middle 
Ages. We then hear, alternating with ancient 
sacred music, popular melodies applied to religious 
subjects as they have been handed down through 
centuries. This still occurs in the second-class 
towns of Portugal and Spain, as well as in certain 
towns of the South of France, such as Perpignan, 
Port-Vendres, CoUioure, Narbonne, Banyuls-sur- 
Mer, and all along the west side of the Pyrenees. 
On the feast of the Epiphany, the procession of the 
Wise Men of the East is represented by a grotesque- 
ly dressed band. These sham Orientals, with their 
faces blackened, carry on their shoulders a litter 
dec«>rated with flowers and foliage. Hidden under 
a veil is a child representing the infant Jesus. On 
Corpus Christi Day there is another apparently 
carnevalistic but sincerely religious ceremony. The 
town musicians, accompanying what is called the 
" CatHUet du Btm Meu^ play a flourish of the high- 
est antiquity and exactly resembling that which 
Weber resuscitated and introduced into the first act 
of Der FmchuU, w.hen the marksmen return from 
the shooting-match. 

On Good Friday people bring forth from myste- 
rious arsenals old suits of armour, antique cuirasses* 
and secular casques, which are donned by the in- 
habitants dressed up to represent the Roman sol- 
diers charged with watching over Christ. At the 
various places where the procession rests, you hear 
the bands of the town, and then the choir strikes 
up the old sacred strains, which never fail to pro- 
duce their due effect in the midst of these religious 
services, attended as they are by the whole popa- 
lation, piously prepared for them. 

MAURfCB Crist AL. 

[•Extracted fVom « Boccherini et la Mnsique en Espa- 
gne,'* in Le Menstrel.] 



■ » ■ 



Oxford, Cambridge and Mane. 

As regards mnsic, the story of her connection with 
either university can only be described as one of 
shame and pain. In the old Catholic days, found- 



70 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OP MUSIC. 



era left funds to provide for a masical staff in their 
college chapels. Hence, as the art progressed a set 
of resident musicians was coni^regaied ; and music 
Memin|>f to flourisli on academic soil, King James I. 
granted faculties in that art, constituting the uni- 
versities, in effect, public examining boards. Alas, 
however, for poor St. Cecilia! The governing 
bodies of the colleges filched away in large lumps 
the stipends assigned by pious founders for the sup- 
port of musicians. The artists themselves were not 
only robbed, but trampled upon^-consigned to social 
ostracism, insulted. At Oxford — and this too, in 
the reign of Queen Victoria — the doctora of music 
were ignominiously turned out of their seats in the 
theatre at commemoration, while the very degrees 
were tampered with by ignorant, unsympathetic and 
reckless Jacks in office. These are assertions. Out 
of the multiplicity of proofs ready to hand, it will 
not be difiicult to justify them. Some two centuries 
back, in the bonny days of the merry monarch, 
when beauty was banning to emerge from the black 
veil of Puritanism which for the nonce had stifled 
her, one Dr. Benjamin Rogera was organist of Mag- 
dalen College, Oxford. The man was not merely an 
executant, but also a composer of rare merit for the 
age in which he lived. £fe may rank fairly between 
Orlando Gibbons and Dr. Aldrich. His strains still 
resound in our cathedrals, from Exeter to Carlisle, 
from Norwich to Bangor. His history may be easily 
summarized — as concisely in effect, as that of many 
another injured soul. He was illegally ejected from 
his small preferment, because— and the cause itself 
is significant of the small esteem in! which music 
was then held — ^his pretty daughter bad the hardi- 
hood to fiirt with a gentleman commoner of the col- 
lege. Having thus been deprived of subsistence, the 
poor artist left Oxford, ana shortly afterwards died 
in extreme indigence. Than a history so sad as this 
nothing can raid simpler, and it would seem but 
righteous to condemn the high-handed oppression 
and cold heartlessness which could thus harry an 
artist of eminence to starvation. The univeraities, 
however, remain unchanged. A similar spirit to 
that which animated the fellows of Magdalen in the 
days of Charles II. prevails generally up to the pre- 
sent hoar. Enough to state that Sterndale Bennett, 
the friend of Mendelssohn, the one English composer 
who has succeeded in enrapturing, by the force of a 
splendid genins, nations more assuietically apprecia- 
ti/e than ourselves, received from theg^eat and nig- 
gardly Univeraity of Cambridge, for shedding lustre 
on her not very brilliant professoriate, the pitifiil 
stipend of £100 per annum- a sum which would not 
have been offered without a blnsh to a college under- 
butler or an assistant cook. Nor does Cambridge 
lack a rival in supreme parsimony. The same stip- 
end was the price at which the professorial services 
of Sir Henry Bishop were assessed by Oxford. The 
same stipend is all, out of an endowment of £400,- 
000 per annum, she can spare to Sir Henry's succes- 
sor Sir F. A. G. Ouseley, whose zeal and self-sacrifice 
for art are only paralleled by his profound knowl- 
edge and unquestionable talent. 

[From Bulfravla.] 



Jiwgl^'s Irarnal d SJnsk 



BOSTON, AUGUST Y, 1875. 



Dr. Ham von Buelow. 

This famous pianist, who as a public virtuoso has 
for some yeara worn the mantle of Liszt, and was 
for some years too his son-in-law, and, though no 
longer that, is still his friend, will be one of the 
chief attractions of our coming musical season. It 
is understood that he will make his first bow before 
an American audience at the opening of the new 
Chickering Hall in New York, some time in Octo- 
ber, and that he will visit Boston in November. 
Probably no one of the great European Pianists, 
now that we have all heard Rubinstein, his only 
peer, and seeing that the Abbate Liszt himself 
makes no more concert tours, could excite so much 
curiosity tmong our people. Whether the spell 
will work as widely and as long as that of the fiery, 
strong young Russian, remains to be seen. 

Billow is just in the full maturity of his powers, 
having been bom in Dresden on the 8th of January, 



1830. Among his earliest teachers in music, was 
Fr. Wieck, the father of Mme. Clara Schumann. 
At the age of sixteen he went to the gymnadum at 
Stuttgart, and in 1848 to the University of Leipzig, 
for the study of law, where at the same time he re- 
ceived instructions in musical theory from Haupt- 
mann. After passing his legal studies for another 
year or two at Berlin, he decided to devote himself 
entirely to music, and, much against the wishes of 
his parents, betook himself to Zurich, where he 
could be near Richard Wagner, then living there 
in stately exile ; ho had already fallen under his 
influence in Dresden. Wagner approved of his de- 
cision, and schooled him to the functions of Condnc- 
torship in the Zurich theatre. In June 1861 he 
went to Weimar, where Liszt prepared him and 
inducted him into his career of virtuoso. He 
studied with Liszt about two years, and then made 
his first appearance in Vienna and Hungary. In 
1865 he took up his abode at Berlin as piano teach- 
er in the Conservatory of Stern and Marx ; in 1858 
he was appointed Court Pianist to the King of 
Prussia ; soon afterwards he was maie a knight of 
the Order of the Crown, and received the degree of 
Doctor of Philosophy from the University at Jena. 

In 1867 he had mairied Cosima, Liszt's gifted 
daughter. In 1864 he was won away from Berlin 
to Munich by the art-loving King Louis of Bava- 
ria, to be his kapellmeister. The newspapers have 
kept us all well informed of his doings, his comings 
and goings, since ; they have told us how he es- 
poused the Wagner crusade with all his might and 
main ; how under his direction, and often for the 
private gratification of the royal young enthusiast 
and himself alone, the Wagner operas — we beg 
pardon, dramas, " odionM," — were so sumptuously 
brought out in Munich ; how he afterwards settled 
for a time in Florence, and made German music 
palatable to Italians: how he developed a smart 
literary talent likewise, particularly in the line of 
controveraial satire, as witness his unsparing on- 
slaught upon Verdi's Requiem Mass and the Italian 
music generally. And now the enterprising concert 
speculators have him for a season, and have booked 
him for America; and all the under-speculatora, 
ticket-sellers concert btokera, who know the ins and 
outs of music halls, in each several city, are bidding 
eagerly for their share of this '* big bonanza ; " so 
that before the winter passes we shall have a chance 
to taka the measure of the wonderful art of Billow 
as compared with that of Rubinstein. 

It was in Berlin, in the winter of 1861 that we 
had the privilege of meeting and of hearing BUlow. 
We were ei^oying our first and only interview with 
Liszt, who had come for a day or two to the old 
Hotel de Brandebourg, where we were living all 
that winter. On the sofa sat his daughter, Mme. 
von Billow, bearing the unmistakable impress her 
features; the welcome was cordial, and the con- 
versation on the part of both of them was lively 
and most interesting; chiefly, of course, it was 
about music, artists, Ac; and nothing delighted 
us more than the hearty high appreciation which 
Liszt expressed of Robert Franz, then' (strange as 
it may seem) but very little recognized in Germany, 
nowhere so much as here in Boston, — ^thanks to one 
man t Of some other composers he seemed inclined 
to speak ironically and even bitterly, as if smarting 
under some disappointment, perhaps at the unre- 
ceptive mood of the Berliners toward his own Sym- 
phonic Poems, to whose glories Biilow had been 
laboring to convert them. Before we had a chance 
to hint of one hope long dererred, that of hear- 
ing Liszt play, he asked : " Have you heard Biilomr 
alluding to him more than once as the pianist to be 
heard, his representative and heir, on whom his 
mantle verily had fallen. Thinking it possible 



that there was some new grand composition by 
some one of his young diciples to be brought out, 
and that he had come to Berlin to stand god-father as 
it were to that, we modestly ventured to inquire : he 
smilingly replied : *' No, I am here literally as god- 
father, having come to the christening of my grand- 
child." Presently the conversation was interrupted 
by a rap at the door, and in came with lively step 
a little man, who threw open the furs in which he 
was buried, Berlin fashion, and approache<l the pres- 
ence, bowed his head to the ])aternal laying on of 
hands, and we were introduced to Herr von BUlow. 

Shortly afterwards we were present at several of 
the concerts which von Biilow gave there in the 
hall of the Singakademie. In these he was the 
sole performer ; the piano, a fine Bechstein Flugei, 
if we remember rightly, was placed near the mid- 
dle of the floor, and there he sat surrounded by a 
large host of admirers, plainly a select and highly 
cultivated audience. His programmes, like those of 
Rubinstein when he was here, covered the whole 
range of the higher pianoforte literature from Bach 
to Liszt, and Liszt's successor in prcpriA penond; 
only he did not crowd such extravagant quantities 
of solid things — five Beethoven Sonatas, for in- 
stance — ^into one evening, as Rubinstein did here 
sometimes ; he was content to give tftougK. One 
of these prt^rammos we have preserved : 

Toccata, in Cmlnor, Bnch. 

BultCtln E minor, op. 72 Raff. 

Bonata: *' Lm Adieux,*' Ac Beethoven. 

Venezia e Napoll, [M^. .- Urat. 

Praeludium. from op, do ( w.,i«i— «k« 

Two Lledcr ohne Worte, Book 6 | "•nae>"Ohn. 

Bhapsodie Honsroise. No. 8 Liszt. 

Other works given in the series were : 

J. S. Bach : — Bourr6e, A minor ; Gig^e and Ga- 
votte, G minor. 

Ph. En. Bach : — Rondo, B minor. 

BxKTuovBN ' — ^Fantaisie, Op. 77. 

HumiEL : — Sonata. F sharp minor. Op. 81. 

Chopin : — BerQeuse. 
Concert Alleg^. 

Schumann: — Etudes Symphoniques. Op. 18. 

LiBZT : — Eclogue. 

An Lac de Wallenstedt 
An Bord d* one Source. 
Schiller Marsch {nach Megerheer.) 
B-minor Sonata, in one movement. 
Tannhauser Overture (transcription.) 

A. Rubinstein :— Prelude and Fugue, Op. 68. 

H. V. BtLow (selbst) :— Die Elfenjagd. 
Impromptu, Op. 14. 
Mazurka, Op. 4. 

Compare this with one of his London program- 
mes of this last spring, and we find the general 
character of the Biilow programme still essentially 
the same, although John Bull gets rather the more 
solid dose : — 

Bach : — Organ Prelude and Fugue in B minor, 

arr. by Liszt 
Schumann: — ^Fantaisie in C. Op. 17. 
Rait: — Metamorphose, Op. 74, No. 2. 
Brahms : — Scherzo. Op. 4. 
Rhrinberoer: — Andante and Toccata, Op. 12, 

(dedicated to Bulow). 
Beethoven : — Sonata, Op. 101. 

" 88 Variations on a Waltz by Diabelli. 

Many of those Beriin selections were quite new 
then ; now they have nearly all of them become 
somewhat familiar here in Boston. 

He played all from memory, — a power less com- 
mon then than it is now ; but Bulow, we believe, ex- 
ceeds all others, not excepting Rubinstein, not only 
in his accurate, retentive memory of vast reper- 
toires of music, orchestral and vocal scores included, 
but also in the rapidity with which he learns a 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, AUG. 7, 1875. 



71 



piece by heort, sometimes by simply hearing it per- 
formed two or three times. 

He impressed as somewhat as Charles Halle 
did in London, as a cool player ; remarkably self- 
possessed, sure and careful in his renderings, and 
essentially intellectual, thoughtful, thoroughly con- 
vinced in his conception and interpretation of the 
composer and the work in hand. None of that al- 
most wild impetuosity of Rubinstein ; less of that 
personal magnetic power ; less wilfulness of moody 
moments, which led the latter into various tempos 
and shadings of the same thing at different times. 
Nothing that Biilow does is not thoroughly studied 
and thought out ; while his technique seemed, even 
then, perfect be^'ond our power to conceive of aught 
beyond. And yet we enjoyed, felt Madame Schu- 
mann's playing more. Of course von Biilow was, 
and is, a growing man, and doubtless greatly in ad- 
vance to-day of what he then was, not only as pi- 
anist, but still more as artist and musician in the 
broad sense. As a Conductor of Orchestra and cho- 
rus, he stands among the formost of our day. Prob- 
ably we shall have opportunities of witnessing his 
skill in that capacity, as well &8 in piano-playing, 
with and without orchestral accompaniment. 



■ » * 



That "'Sapphic Ode'' again, and the Tone of 

''BnnkerHUL'' 

A few weeks since we copied Judge Nile's noble 
Ode, with the Advertiser^t remark, that it was sung 
l* during the war of the Revolution to the tunc of 
"Bunker Hill", and was as popular among our 
soldiers as the " John Brown" song during the late 
war At the same time we expressed some curiosity 
to know what the tune *' Banker Hill" might be ; 
what old New England psalm tone was there that 
would go to that Horatian metre, the Sapphic and 
Adonian stanza of Integer vUmf We are indebted 
to several kind friends since, for reminiscences and 
copies of the tune. 

1. The earliest form In which we find it is in 
an old psalm book, 7he M<u$achu9€U» Harmony, 
published not later than the year 1784, " being a 
New Collectioa of Psalm Tunes, Foges, and An- 
thems, from the teost Approved Authors, Ancient 
and Modern. By a Lover of Harmony." The " most 
approved authors " are nameless, and most of them 
may well remain so. The tune in qoesUon is given 
in four parts, in the key of A-minor, but with no 
sign to show that the 6 should anywhere be sharp. 
Stranger still, in the signature of the upper or 
tenor staff, there is Ajlal upon the middle line, here 
meant for B. The melody is dirge-like, and with 
the crude and here and there false harmony, dismal 
in the extreme. Whether our soldiers sharped the 
6 instinctively In singing, despite printed notes to 
the contrary, the reader may conjecture from what 
follows. 

2. One who writes from Hartford, sends us the 

melody merely, adding : 

** My father was a Vermonter; and I have heard him sing 
the tune of Bunker Hill so many times wheu I was a boy- 
that I have a perfect recollection of It tut he sums it; and 
I have taken the liberty to send you a copy, transcribed 
from memory. You will notice that the 7th is minor as 
well a« the 3d., which was quite a common way of sing- 
ing the minor mode in the more primitive days of music 
in this country.** 

Their music must have been as rugged as their 
life i 

8. Another kindly writes it out for us in three 
parta, precisely as in the old book, without the Con- 
tralto part. He writes from Portland, in a singu- 
larly clear and beautiful hand for an old man : 

«* I am happy to give you a copy of " Bunker Hill," 
which I have copied just as I found it in an old manu- 



script book, more than fifty years ago. Had it been for 
one who had * tteaanulated more ignorance * than I have 
in musical matters, I should have inserted a few sharps 
on the seventh, but think better to send it to you with 
all its imperfections on its bead. 

'< At one time M-hen they were singing it at my father^s, 
I asked an uncle who had served in the revolutionary 
army, if they played that tune at Bunker Hill— to which 
he replied, " When they marched on they did ** ; and I 
had concluded that the Ode was written and became 
known he/ore the battle, and that the flfers took the tune 
to march by as a sort of ' Marsellaise '—which does not 
accord with the statement that it was written on receiv- 
ing the Uk ws of the battte.** 

4. But the best form in which we find the tune 
is in an octavo volume, filled with a report of the 
celebration of the two hundredth anniversary of 
the settlement of Norwich, Connecticut, in 1859. 
This report gives a somewhat different account from 
the Adverli»er*e of the way in which the Ode itself 
originated. It is a part of the Historical Discourse 
delivered upon that occasion by Daniel Coit Oilman, 
Librarian of Yale College, and is as follows: 

" Some wise writer has n marked that he cared not who 
made the laws of a nation if he could write the songs. 

When the war of the revoluUon broke out, there was 
resident in Norwich, among other choice spirits, Mr. 
Nathaniel Niies, now almost equally famous as a pollUcal 
and theological writer, known in early life as Rev. Mr. 
Niies, (though ho was never ordained), and later as Judge 
Nlles of Vermont. He had graduated at Princeton, In 1766, 
and studied theology with Rev. Dr. Bellamy. He excelled 
as a preacher, but was never settled lu the ministry, pro- 
bably on account of his infirm health. Removing to Nor- 
wich, ho married there a daughter of Mr. Elijah Lathrop, 
and engaged in manuflMturlng. He often represented the 
town in the general assembly, until ho removed to Ver- 
mont, where he died In 1828, aged 88. 

While living In Norwich he wrote an Ode which was set 
to music, and become as great a fttvorite among the sol- 
diers of the continental army as the Marseillaise in France. 
It was composed at his own fireside the very evening of 
the news of the battle of Bunker's Hill reached Norwich. 



" I remember,* says his son, " in my early youth, hearing 
an aged negro servant who followed my father's family 
to 'N^rroont, repeatedly describe the emotions of the 



whole family while he read that impromptu production 

- " - oung must* 



time by candle light." If the y 
vich wish to isee in the faces of ol( 



for the first , „ n. 

clans of Norwich wish to isee in the faces of older singers, 
who regulated their note«i wif^ the old fashioned pitch 
pipe, such aglow of enthusiasm, as plotsant recollections 
alone call forth, let them ask the question, '< Do you re- 
member the ' American Hero,' an Ode which was often 
sung in tha revolutionary army?" Perhaps It will be 
their pleasure, as it has been mine, to hoar the answer, 
*' I have not sung it for many a year, but I never can for- 
get lu stirring melody." It begins : 

Why should vain mortals tremble at the sight of 
Death and D^tructlon in the field of battle. 
Where blood and carnage clothe the ground in crimson, 

Bounding with death groans? 

The tune was called *' Bunker Hill.'' 

[Governor Buckingham, the President of the day, here 
interrupted the speaker and said,—" The first impres»ion 
on my mind of the battle of Bunker's Hilt was made by 
hearing sung this Ode. Perhaps it may produce a similar 
emotion In the minds of the audience, which it did in my 
own. I should like to have it tried." The choir then 
sang the Ode, with thrilling effect, many of the older i>er- 
sons Joining with them.] 

And then follows the tune: "The American 
Hero," {alia$ Bunker Hill), " A Sapphic Ode," bar- 
monized by some one who had at least some knowl- 
edge of the principles of four-part writing. To 
gratify the curious reader we transcribe it, bringing 
the parts together so that they can conveniently be 
pla^^ed on the piano, and leave it to his own imagina- 
tion whetiier such a tune played by the " filers " 
on that midnight march could have fired the patriot 
heart like another " Marseillaise." 



i^^lpp^ij 



^^^^^m^ 



^m^mMm^ 



1 .(•-! 



^mt^^\m 




M^^^i^i 




> ^•« 



'The Tri-logical Tetralogy at BayreutL'' 

The name is the invention of an ingenious corres- 
pondent of the London Jfuncal World, himself re- 
joicing in the name of " Gifford Scoop." In a letter 
dated Bayreuth, July 16, he reports progress as fol- 
lows : 

The rehearsals of Wagner's Ntbdungen-Tetralogie 
have at length begun in earnest Herr linger, the 
tenor selected as the temporary representative of 
Siegfried, has been here for some time studying his 
part Herr Albert Niemann, Mesdes. Friederiko 
Griin, and Friedrich-Materna, will have arrived be- 
fore these lines appear in print Herr Brandt, the 
celebrated stage machinist, from the Grand-Ducal 
Theatre, Darmstadt, is busily engaged in putting 
up the machinery. The musicians will not arrive 

till wanted for the general orchestral rehearsals, 
which are fixed for (he beginning of August. Those 

fontlcmen will receive a daily sum jf five florins, 
ome of the inhabitants lodge them gratuitously, in 
return for the privilege of attending, in due time, 
the grand general rehearsals, on the same moder- 
ate terms. A matter of great moment was settled 
a short time since. This was the weighty sublect 
of costume. Professor Doplerj of Berlin, brought 
the principal sketches — ^the Flgnrineu^ as they are 
termed — executed in color, for all the characters in 
the four musical dramas. Wagner was delighted 
with tlie manner in which his poetical conceptions 
have been carried out ; for the task was one beset 
with difficulty. The glittering forms of the Rhine 
Nymphs, in their long, flowing garments, with the 
reeds, water-lilies, and other strange productions of 
the mysterious river-depths, surround the Wall- 
kyres, with their winged helmets, whence their 
blonde locks flow down, and their formidable equip- 
ment. Then, too, we have Wotan, armed cap-a-jne, 
with his runic spear, and, under his armor, a blue 
mantle, allegorically representing the canopy of 
heaven ; Sic^ried, the young hero ; and Alberich, 
the odious dwarf. All are in especially character- 
istic costumes, so to speak ; every inch and every 
touch are scrupulously exact. Wagner may esteem 
himself fortunate in meeting with such an interpre- 
ter of the creatures of his ima|2:i nation. Besides 
supplying the sketches. Dopier will himself see that 
they are truthfully carried out. The greater part 
will be made in Berlin. A small number, however, 
will be prepared at Meiningen, where, thanks to 
the Duke's taste, ingenious eoaiumurt abound, espe- 
cially for the imitation of antioue weapons, meti 1 
vessels, and ornaments. But tnere is a questicn 
apart — namely, that of lodging some 2,000 visitors, 
exclusive of those professionally engaged, expected 
next year. Bayreuth is not a large town, and just 
now would experience considerable difficulty in 
finding accommodation for such an addition to its 
r(^ular population. It has, therefore, been pro- 
posed to erect a grand hotel, at the estimated cost 
of 220,000 florins, or £22,000. The corporation 
have offered to subscribe one-half this sum ; and, if 
the remainder can be raised in shares, or even only 
guaranteed, bpilding operations will commence im- 
mediately. The Bayreuth Palaces are to be pre- 
pared for Princely visitors. 



■ ♦ • 



Anna De Belooca. 

[From the " Graphic." 
This new " star " in the operatic firmament is of 
Russian origin. Her father, M. de Belloka, is an 
Imperial Councellor of State. There was no neces- 



*•: 



72 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OP MUSIC. 



ilty whatever for Mdlle Anna to eirn her liTine by 
«ny proreeaioniil pnriuit; but from her w " 
youth she eTinced ■ diaposltion (sr music "o mi 
that. 1ii8(«ad of Wins diuDadeiJ. she wh encnaraced 
by those immediately abnat her. to cultivate that 
most Mdadivs of arta. Born at St. Peteraburg; on 
the '4th January, ISM, Hdlle de Belocca Is now io 
her iSnd year. She began learning music under 
Had. Nlsaon Salaman. In the Russian capital, and 
afterwards coatinaed ber studies In Paris, under 
S^pr Nicolas LaWsnche (son of " the jreat La- 
inche "). Her GnUhlni; leSBOna. however, were 
undertaken by H Maurice Strakoih — brother-is- 
law. and formerly artistic adviser of Adellns Fatti. 
Under the auspices of this profesKir, Hdlle de Be- 
locca made her dtiul at the Paris lulian Opera 
(ThMtre Ventadour). last snmmer. as Rossini, in 
the Barbitn di Stmi/lia. Her success was brilliant, 
and at once sckuowledged by the Psrlsiana. whose 
enthnaiasm was not aurpassed even by that of the 
large number of her compatriots who. naturally 
enoufb on such an occasion, formed part of the au 
dieue*. Hdlle de Belocca's ueitopora in Paris was 
la OmmloU (again Roosini), in which she received 
I less applause ; and her third essay was with 
imiramide (oi'ce more Rossini}. Tn the last her 
irfbrmance of Arsaoe, a part which has been the 
eroclal test with so many renowned artist*, from 
Brambilla to Alboni, and fmm Alboni to Trebell 
Bettini. proved her oapabillty to shine in serious as 
well as in oomic opera. Araace, followed by the last 
act of Ramto e (/iulieOit of Vaccaj. in which she ss- 
■umed the character of Romeo, at a mlBCellnncnas 
entertainment for her benefit, put the seal on her 
Parisian trlumpha. The hme of these speedily 
reached London, and the offer of an engnirement 
from Mr. Mapleson. for a limited namlMr of nig^hts 
at Her Majesty's opera, during the present season, 
being accepted. Mdlle de Belocca made her first np- 
pettrance before a London audience, in her maiden 
part of Roaina. on the 24th of April. Her voice 
atrack every amateur by i's peculiar freahness and 
quality. It was not absolntely a amlrallo, nnr abso- 
lulutely a tneaoioprano; but, in a iroat aEreeable 
mer. blended the characteristics of both. In the 
liiia, " Una voce poco fa." it was a pnre mma- 
aoprano; whereas in the briniiin fmm Lueniia Bor- 
gia ( " II s^reto per eiser fellcn "), it was as pare 
a lofilrallo. In any ease, the einginit and acting nf 
Mdlle de Belocca. as the lively heroine of Benmnar- 
ehiai and Rossini, was each as to win entire sym- 
pathy, and ensure an undisputed snccess. Shortly 
-*9r. the new singer played Cherubino. In the 
IK Ji figaro of Moiart, and by her Impersuna- 
n of this character advanced another step in 
public estimation. The Rnsslau lady is now on Ihe 
thmhold of Tame ; and the greatest hopes are en- 
tertained of her future career. That theae hopes 
may be fully realiied, is the earnest wish of every 
amateur : for it la long since a young artist with 
grester artiatie promise and greater personal attrao- 
' 18 hai appeared on the stage of the Ilallan Opera. 



Th« ChimM of Potwbn. 



every hslt^honr, 
etghili ban* — ' 
RllSHed and 

bio, "Toiy 
Unt Uu; sar 



wltb ■ Joyc 



I " trlokemal." How I 

i>le. ibDn«l> Iher did not 



n deep, msJesllG U 



awertul kin r oF l' "ry"- 
Then agsln. n flipple 
iHt onto th^ life'! end 

wondering tiow people eould be so tharonglily dlabansst 
u* some to\\u on %*, who m i»c beyond thr sonnd af 
tbsM cMmM^leli preach In the nuwl pcnaanlve limn 

ooTBied that mv ctalmei, my worshlppisl. revered. niy»tl- 
cal, musiail cbfreoM Ihenselve', in denance nf IM^Lr Xi^nf 
poaltlDn and Ihairstrlotiy moral teaehinpi, t„l(l n iv^^ 
hood every hoar, yea, ■ downrlBbt. |»lpal>lr IN', i > i to 
l» at Itut station at It.OB. I stuled early, fm I to 

■Inll UrnURh the ir»t«(iil shade o( the p«rL 
cbarcb. A refreibinfnlD In th* night made thi 









bridge and innlher 



nneh a sign-lmard said 



1,.f( -Irte ot the wmn 



rnianvprwhire I belonir^.bui ihr ilniacbke cnacbmen 
nly whlitpfi no their half-starved hkir-«s and Iw" * " 



n|.,.ri,.i .vid the niberlni iWBwd wri!" liroo^t to ado-'i 
h;ilr Willie patfint|yw,|iinr I rJiunc,',! lotorn myovo 
loiheaimlnn clock, snd there w» l!i<- "^'j™* 'iT'^'l^ 
Than 1 BfH Indignant. Who wnuMn't alter mnnlnE 
hlBwelf ftlo I (ever but and maklnv -iich s saeetuclo of 
blmieir. all n.r a wished Msebofld. I iiurrled tack, de- 



ported by ilout Iron proF 



basglne, II* de<er*pll Mr 



h "kf*" 'l'"'h ' 



>r down.tbst all tbn people ralabi ' 
nuch this old tree had seen and I'nil 

I feam, the old cfalnoa had alvaya repeated 



.pM up hli body In "t 
■ tail tuppotli I his fet 

at the ehloica play at 



tbeiFcnnber-haTmH. ' iThat Ood doeslswell 
ibitlmied. Tna.T hnve hi-snl (he moomfnl in 
>nr good Vlnfi Frsdenek William m.. an-i hi 
trick William IV., Qnocn BlIiabeHi, hia wUa 
my lime will •oon lie here." 



or eonrae no 
aonnds It aipiln 1 



' Iher played that aoni 
di ten, end Ilia Botyei 

r It ilrikaa tba fnffln 



end of - 



™ lilm tn pler^a, 
lokHwtbodir- 

Why, soraibody muai 
ijself over thliloesl 









]. (rink 



rnld lore, and n 
to pnnle out some t 
ll^oatlDg ibe Idea of st 



nllaledln thelngenloni plnytlilnr. Unior Abbnil ,;:-.t% 
description of these musloal ktir* In bla "ITairatUi' of 



ty Imm Herat to K 

odlaionalaoruentwaw 
ted 1^ a tl[dlt SErinf;. f, 

airing upon Ihn nprleht dligonil rece 



night, Ihe nlTect is that of aerial moj^c, niai 
t full of melancholr Inioteal." We r-ureeat t 
B sxpeiimimtatlve jrouthe ihst tbey equip i1i 



. was dlanaarded 



la tvu handt on ibo honest 
) warning of my (alUmil 
e, It was snubbed and abut 



isr IhepanK.. „ 

ni as well as one could Im eipeoled to 
~ n of tigbtly tlvd-back drapery, 



amid some dellEhtfal scoiiBiy, my itlentloii waa ar- 
I by the Bwret voloei,* a peauuitKirl, who wu osnr- 
haaket laden with flnwera and vcgolablas. The pUln- 

pllcliv. ihit ibr malod; at once cauj;hi my tansy. I ao- 

aaked for ibo nnnear ihcaong. whleusbe rfialA not give 
ma, hathavlTiEasllehtknowliidgiiot maslc myaell, barely 
anoDgh for the purpoae. I rsqut*te<l her to repeal Ibe 
sir. wblob she dH. while 1 dotted down the notea aa lieat 
I Bonld. It was the air which suntealed the wonla of 
' Home, eireei Home,' both at wblcK I sent to Rlsbop at 
the timi t was preparing the opera of 'Clarl' lor Mr. 
Kemble Hlohnp happened to k'low the air pertectly well, 
and adapted the muuc to the words. 



_S|erial Jlttitts. 



Vaoa), with Plane ADeoinps: 



good taate 



throngbout. 
Because I do. S. D tn f. 

-■ The Koa ablnea bark In beai 
BecsiiM It loves ll>e blue." 



The Dance of Love {La Danu 'I'Amore). 

4. E6 to 7. MnrUoti. 75 

- Bl<la hy aid*, wk (IMo blithely." 
■■T>iieclanHifdiM.'" 
A Vocal Walls nf creel beanlv. and lolie with- 
in tha roach of elu(«r> of averaie al.llliy. 
Jennie in the Orchitnl. 3. F to f. Atdf. 35 

'-The apples we™ not half aa bright 



" Fsrewi.ii, Airrvrell I Wo part In teai 
Lovo Md hit aleepleu Head. 3. D tc 



rowB. which Ibe very cardeas chambcnr 
left, tbonu and all. 
Tea. 4. C to e. SlumniUiiI. 40 

" Ceaae, mv heart, whot meana ibia doubting, 
Can'stnoi read my fair arlcht?" 
A most •kllAllly cnn'Inielod -ont; ahnoM be. 
wlHiii aung with (iroper aipraaslon, execvdlDgly 

InstniBeatal. 
Swediah Wedding M'ch. 3. F. SSdemum. Solo 3( 
4 hnnda 35 

One of the pratOeac of WMdIiig Uamhf 
ahunl.i nl onwi iwadupied by muilcal (rli 
proapoctlvi' brides. 
Nocturne RomantiqQB. 4. DA W. O. BmUJt. SS 
The flmltba are hat becoming a uioalsal family. 
W. O. 9. )w been very an«»saful In Ibis "ronian- 
tlqae" pl««, wbleh Is richly mrlodloas. 
Willie rape's HJgliUnd Gems. ettch 75 

No. 4. Auld tang Syne, uid Clutrlie Is my 
Ditrtlng. e. Ab 
Like Ihe r»t of the serlea, admliably pUnned 
and an eierllent ahow piece. The seeoud air la 
InlKHliieed eariler than neual. 
Grand March ot Liberty, ITIO-lfflS. 3. E5 

AnitA. 35 
Eaaantlslly gra^d In charaolor. Flaca li among 



Indigo. orTbe 40 Thievea. Opertit by Straaaa. 
"1. a Galop. 3. P. arr. by MntflaUi. 35 

A bright galop, conipDiaJ of fragmenta from ibe 



Meadow Pink. No. 6. Galop. S. G. Cloy. 30 
Theae Pinks are all aa pretiy aa ihay can be. 

Maid of Orleans. Sonata. 5. Ab 

W. 8. Bennett. 5.60 
Oompneed tor ICadame Arabella Oodilard, In 

leeUon of ne.t''8oBau'mue'lcf*Tl Is a aorl'of 
Manoforto Hym phony : only, InsMdofbelngdlil- 
ded Into Andanla. Allegro, etc.. It follows tha 
chan^ea of a iperhapa unwrlttoB) opera, Joan ot 
An, or Ibo Held of Orliaos. 
Books. 
National Hmif and Tunk Book. For 
Con^gationa, Schools (for opening and 
closing) and tlie Home. 40 cte. 9& per lOOi 
An ei»lient booh/Qr ibe nsoa above indlonittS, 
and contilna a flnu eelocllon or the best sacred 
nmalc, wItU appropriate bymna. Words ansoota- 

OERHAItPoUR-FABTSoNOS. PoT MIIEdToICKS. 

Price 11.50. Compiled by N, H, Allbit. 

An nnnonally bright aaaemblnge at Qennan 
gleea or qnaneia, moatly from the meat racent 
oompoaara, and therefnn ■■ up lo the Hmea," 
CaoRUB Choir. A Collection of Anthems. 
HoCeCa, Chants, etc., etc. ForChoim. Choral 
Societies and Conventinna. Sielecled from 
Eminent Composers by Ebeit. ToUBJKi. 
Prine 918.00 per dosen. 

Abbuviatiorb.— Degreee of dUBculty are matkM 
» T. Tbe tfjt^i mnrkt-d with s capital letter: as C, It 
.c, AC, A imal Romnn letter marks the hlohut note, 
on Ibe aUtr, an lUiUc letter tbe hlgheat no&, U atiove 





uxul 





BOSTON, SATURDAY, AUG. 21, 1875. Vol. XXXV. No. 10. 



Whole No. 896. 



<< Lohengrin'' in London, 1875. 

(From the " lUutiraUd Sporting and Dramatic New.") 

Waicneriteal your fond petitions 

Were Inoesaant for audltlOM 
Of the •* Miule of the Futare *'— to cacophony akin: 

Now rent ye, and be thankful ! 

8h(*d of frratefUl team a tank fall— 
The RJ.O. and H.M,0. have each played Lohengrin. 

How the note of preparation 

8tlrr*d the pnlsoa of the nation I 
Ramor eald the rival manaKere cared not for pelf a pin. 

If ICapleaon spent mllllone, 

Gye would certainly spend billfoni— 
Bach quite willing to be bankrupt for the siiko of Lohen- 
grin. 

*Twaa said that Vlancsl 

Wan mightily onaisy, 
And Marched the score for " tunea " all night, hit hand 
nponhia chin; 

While the contclentiona Coata 

In a single month had lost a 
Stone of flesh, while eonatantty devouring Lohengrin. 

The leaaee of aaeient Dmry 
gald, for hie part, he was aure, he 
Quite pitied those condemned to hear the Covent Garden 
din; 
Whll • he of Covent Garden 
Said he dldn*t care a fiurden 
For the weak attempt «' acroas the way" to hash ap 
Lohengrin. 

The managerial rivals, 

Both l^elievers in '• revlvala," 
Found the new production answer;— for "the world" 
came Hooking in. 

Led, by fatal eurloalty, 

Tb endure the aad verbosity 
Of the aingera, " obbligato " to the band, in Lohongrin. . 

Henry, snmamod " the Fowler," 

Was a melancholy howler; 
The Herald was ao tuneleaa, that to alay Mm were no aln ; 

And Frederic and Ortmd 

(If to say so wont be thought rude) 
Though cheerful, brilliant beluga, faUed to brighten 
Lohengrin. 

At the one hooso KlooUai, 

At the other Gampanini, 
Heroleally struggled (all In vain) encores to wUi; 

While Nilaaon and Albanl, 

As Blaa, without bla(r)ney. 
Sang divinely I Blae, a slender obanoe had Wagner's 
Lohengrin. 

The Teutons (gifted creatores I) 
Decked with smiles their aandy features. 
The soul-less Anglo-Saxons asked " When will the tune 
begin?*' 
They found, to their oonfnaion, 
No beginning nor conclusion ! 
So May eame to the conelusiou ** to aleep out this Lohem- 
grin." 

Tet the music, though somniferous, 
Produced results auriferous; 
F. Gye and J. H. Hapleson sent Wagner " heaps of 
tin »»(??) 

Those impreaaril wUy 
Nudge each other's elbow silly ; 
Sach hugs his banker's pass-book ;— and they whisper 
low, and grin. 

— Henry Heroee. 



Bach's Oigan Mnsia 

(From the <' Concordia," (London.) 

Times have changed here, in regard to the 
works of the Cantor of Leipzig, since the day 
when Dr. Barney invited dear old Sam. Wes- 
ley to inspect, as a novelty, the mutilated edi- 
tion of the first half of the WoM-tempirirte 



KlavieTy referred to so sarcastically in the first 
of the series of letters to Mr. Jacob. Not only 
have English musicians recognized the great- 
ness and popularity of Bach's genius* but we 
seem threatened with a kind of Bach mania, 
not of the most critical or considerate type, in 
our drawing-room circles, where fair g^rls of 
the eesthetic persuasion may be heard to express 
their profound admiration for the composer, 
on the strength perhaps of a couple of 
** Gavottes,^* which bear about the same propor- 
tion to the works which are the real pillars of 
Bach*s fame as the sonnets of Shakspeare bear 
to Lear and OtheUo^ with a full security that 
they are saying the right thing. Performances 
of the Pa$non have become the resort of men of 
eminence in art, literature, and science, who 
will point out to you the superiority of Bach's 
concentrated dramatic method over the vain 
and unmeaning repetitions of HandePs chonis- 
es. By such fiowers of criticism we learn that 
Bach has become the fashion, and have room 
to think that he may eventually be under- 
stood. 

In the meantime it may be doubted whether 
sufficient prominence is being given, even by 
musicians, to the works which after all form 
the most characteristic and unique exposition of 
the composer's genius. The organ was to Bach 
what the pianoforte was to Beethoven ; the in- 
strument on which he specially excelled, and 
for which he wrote, therefore, with the strong- 
est sympathy and interest. He was proud of 
his excellence as an executant ; having, like all 
musicians of a healthy type of genins, a dash 
of the virtuoio element in bis nature — a sense of 
the pleasure in vanquishing difficulties which 
(whatever philosophic critics may say) has had 
a place in all art that is worth the name. 
Moreover, the organ was the one medium for 
the expression of his greater music which exist- 
ed in as complete a form, with regard to essen- 
tials, as at present. The orchestra was then in 
its infancy, the pianoforte was represented by 
the spinet, and g^eat choral gatherings, on a 
scale to do justice to such works as the Pastion 
and the B minor Mass, were not. In such 
works Bach wrote for the future ; in his oi^n 
music he wrote for his own day, and for instru- 
ments which, however their mechanism miffht 
be scoffed at by the modem Paris or London 
manufacturers, possessed all the greatness of 
scale and weight of tone which made Schumann 
speak of the sounds of the organ as ** the om- 
nipotence of music." 

The modem English organist experiences 
none cf Wesley's difficulties in unearthing and 
reading the organ-music of Bach ; the complete 
and beautifully-engraved edition of Herren 
Gricpenkerl and Roitzsch being now accessible 
at an almost nominal price. And with some 
of the finest of the contents of these eight vol- 
umes the public have been made to a certain 
extent familiar. Evei^ one has heard of the 
**St. Ann "fugue, which in fact was worked 
so hard by the first introducers of the organ 
fugues in England that it is now tacitly dropped 
as hackneyea. The greater of the G minor 
fugues is at present the pQw de ruUtanee with 
classically-minded players; and others which 
are more or less frequently heard are the Pre- 
lude and Fu^ue in G, the Toccata in D minor, 
and the brilliant ** show fugue " in D (all in the 
fourth vol. of Griepenkerrs edition). These 
and one or two others stsnd now as represen- 
tatives to audiences of Bach*s organ works, 
much as the Pathetique^ the PoMtordUy the Moanr 
light, and the FuTiercil March sonatas some time 
ago represented Beethoven's works to the ma- 
jority of amateurs, and were repeated continu- 



ally as if no others had been written. The 
works named above are among the finest in the 
volumes of Bach ; but others greater than any 
of them are very rarely heard. How many or- 
ganists, for instance, ever play the '* Toccata 
and fugue in the Doric mode" (so-called, 
though in fact the flat sixth is so constantly in- 
troduced that the divergence from the normal 
'^ D minor " is rather nominal than real) ? A 
composition which, in its sustained grandeur 
of style — its antiphonal responses rising to so 
grand k climax in the prelude, its chain of sus- 
pensions and imitations unfolding as if by some 
necessary law of logical progression in the 
fugue — produces on the mind the impression 
of a setting forth of the primordial elements of 
music, unadulterated by any of the accidental 
embroidery with which passing fashions have 
disguised it. Or, if it is difficult to get an au- 
dience equal to such severely abstract music, 
there is the great E minor fugue (Griepenkerl, 
Vol. n. No. 9) with its symmetrically con- 
structed prelude giving opportunity for the 
most delicate effects of contrast in reg^tering, 
and with its extraordinarily individual and in- 
cisive principal subject which arrests the atten- 
tion at once, and contrasts so remarkably, too, 
with the brilliant passages, quite modem in 
style, in what might be termed the intermeuo. 
A performance of this fugue, embodying all 
the contrast and variety of effect of which it is 
capable on a large organ, would be one to call 
forth the highest manipulative and aesthetic 
powers of a fine player. Scarcely inferior is 
the beautiful work in B minor which follows it 
in the Leipziji^ edition ; and in the prelude of 
this again it is observable what scope is afford- 
ed to the player who will take the trouble to 
study with this end for the most refined and 
even piquant effects of registering. The ade- 
quate performance of such works would cer- 
tainly be received with enthusiasm by any 
educated musical audience; though in those 
Hrata of musical society which fashion dom- 
inates, it 18 amusing to observe that people will 
listen with admiration to the performance of 
Liszt's pianoforte ** transcriptions" of these 
works by an eminent pianist, who would not 
go a step out of their way to hear the same 
compositions played with their true effect on 
the mstrament they were written for. Among 
other specimens of Bach's organ music, almost 
entirely neglected, may be named the Prelude 
and Fugue m F minor (Vol. II, No. 5), remark- 
able for the clear and flowing character of the 
prelude ; and the still finer one in C minor (No. 
6 of the same volume), in which the prelude 
has all the fire and variety of color of an orches- 
tral composition, susceptible of every shade of 
effect and climax. Another work in the same 
key (a favorite one with writers for the organ't 
is that numbered 6 in Vol. Ill, a composition 
which the German editors rightly characterize 
as one of the most excellent of Bach's works 
that we possess, the prelude being a most sci- 
entific and yet expresbive movement, and the 
fug^e notable, among other points, for one of 
the grandest passages in the whole range of 
organ music, (that where a subsidiary chromat- 
ic subject is introduced,) as well as for the fine 
and effective maimer in which the retum to 
the principal theme is led up to. Of this work 
it may be pretty roundly affirmed that it is 
never playea. Almost the same degree of neg- 
lect seems to befall the beautiful composition 
which has been placed by the German editors, 
though on no sufficient evidence, as the prelude 
to the '' St. Ann " fugue, and which combines 
with some of the highest qualities of Bach's 
writings a grace and tunefulness of melody 



74 



DWIGHT'S JOURN^AL OP MUSIC. 



such as we usually connect rather with the 
name of Mozart.' This composition ought to 
become a favorite even with *' popular" audi- 
ences, if they ever had a chance of giving their 
verdict on it. 

The intimate connection of Bach, through 
his organ playing, with the Lutheran church 
music of his day, led to the production of a 
very noble and interesting class of t ompositions 
embodying in one form or another many of the 
chorales of Lutheran Germany. Mendelssohn, 
in 1845, edited a collection of all of these 
which he could find, subsequently re-issued in 
England byMessis. Coventry and Hollier; and 
though, of course, these are included in the 
Leipzig edition, it is scarcely possible to men- 
tion them without recognizing the earlier eflPort 
of Mendelssohn to bring them into notice. It 
is singular that while the fashion of introduc- 
ing chorale melodies, so common in contempo- 
rary icstrumental compositions, is entirely 
derived from Bach (through Mendelssohn and 
Schumann), his organ movements, based on the 
same kind of theme, seem to be completely a 
dead letter. No one T>lays them, no one seems 
to know of them. They are not perhaps, as 
was affirmed with a little more zeal than judg- 
ment in the musical columns of a literary con- 
temporary, the greatest works for the organ 
which Bach has left. Of the Mendelssohn 
volume, which represents probably but a glean- 
ing of the kind of thing that Bach was extem- 
porizing every Sunday to somewhat unappreci- 
ative congregations, nearly one half is occupied 
by short preludes, consisting of a harmonizing 
of the chorale with a more or less elaborate 
counterpoint, many of which are chiefly valua- 
ble now as studies of four and five part writing. 
Among the most noteworthy is a remarkable 
setting of the old melody **In dulci jubilo," in 
double canon, the melody forming one canon, 
(between the right hand and the pedal), and 
an elaborate counterpoint figure in triplets, 
between the two hands, the other. In this 
case, as in some other of these chorale compo- 
sitions, the pedal plays the tenor part on eight- 
foot stops, and the real bass is the counterpoint 
played oy the left hand. Baches power of 
inventing *' figures" for counterpoint is, how- 
ever, wonderfully shown in these short pieces, 
more than forty in number. But among the 
larger works of the class are some in the great- 
est style of organ music. The grand prelude 
in F on the old melody **Komm, heiliger 
Geist," in which the hands carry on a fugued 
allegro movement on a brilliant and flowing 
subject, while the pedal slowly thunders out 
at intervals the separate phrases of the chorale^ 
is one of those things for which there are hard- 
ly, perhaps, either organs or audiences to be 
found in England. It demands an instrument 
of the greatest scale, producing volume and 
power without noUe^ something very different 
from the combinations of steam-whistles which 
arc placed in our large music halls under the 
title of ** organs." Among the quieter move- 
ments of this class is that one of which Men- 
delssohn in one of his letters speaks with such 
enthusiasm, *'Schm{lcke dich, O Hebe Seele," 
which ho said **sent a tremor through him," 
whenever he began to play it. Almost equal 
to this in beauty is that in G, ''An wasser- 
fl&ssen Babylons," in which, as in the greater 
one on ** Nun dankct alio Herm," the counter- 
point repeats, so to speak, the leading lines of 
the principal melody, producing a remarkable 
effect of unity in the whole. A highly elabo- 
rated trio in G for two manuals and pedal is 
another important work coming under the 
present category in virtue of the introduction 
of a chorale melody on the pedal just at the 
close of the movement. One of the most 
remarkable of these compositions is the setting, 
in three ** verses," of the hymn, **0 Gottes 
Lamm unschuldig," the same which is intro- 
duced, though in a rather different form, in 
the opening chorus of the Pamon, As a spec- 
imen of climax this is unsurpassed in organ 
music. The first verse la a simple setting of 
the melody In the treble with a flowing coun- 



terpoint in three parts for manuals only. In 
the second verse the melody is in the inner part, 
and though written as for manuals, would be 
most effective if the melody were played on the 
high notes of the pedal with 8-ft. stops, as it is 
not unlikely that Bach did play it. In the 
third verse, where the time is changed from 
8-2 to 9-4 and the chorale introduced on the 
pedal, the full powers of the largest organ are 
demanded, ana the striking fanfare phrase 
introduced as a fresh counterpoint in the mid- 
dle of the verse would give suitable employment 
for the most brilliant modem $olo reeds. The 
climax of this verse, on a grand organ and in 
the hands of a player who knew how to make 
the most of it, would be something magnificent ; 
yet it is as absolutely neglected as if it had no 
existence. It is of no use, however, to expect 
to realize the effect of such music on the regu- 
lation ** church organ" of this country : it is 
designed for an instrument on a great scale. 
Among the early works of this class is a very 
quaint and singular setting of **Nun danket 
alle Herm " in three parts, requiring very deli- 
cate treatment to realize its effect, which should 
be distant and subdued. There exists also an 
elaborate set of eleven variations on the chorale 
** Sei gegrfisset Jesu giitig, " in G minor, afford- 
ing scope for almost every variety of treatment 
in registering, and of bringing in those more 
delicate effects which the introduction of the 
swell has made possible in modem organ play- 
ing. Variations 7 and 8 are especially piquant 
and effective. The 10th variation, reminding 
one at its commencement of the style of Han- 
ders concertos, ie expanded into a lengthened 
movement, introducing the ehoralein the treble 
in long notes (one to a bar), subsequently 
appearing in passages of thirds, d 2 doo, and 
affording a legitimate occasion for the employ- 
ment of the solo reed on a heavy wind, which 
is one of the most valuable inventions of mod- 
em organ-building, though often misused for 
mere purposes of noise. 

One of the most remarkable of all these 
chorale movements was unknown to Mendels- 
sohn when he compiled his edition; that on 
** Aus tiefer Noth," with a double pedal part, 
first made known in England in the collection 
edited by Mr. Best, under the title ** Organ 
Compositions, Ancient and Modem." In this 
extraordinary example of complex musical 
reasoning, the phrases of the chorale are 
successively treated in close imitation in six 
parts, two on the pedal ; the upper pedal part 
giving the subject in augmentation. There 
can hardly be a doubt, however, that this was 
intended for an organ with a double pedal- 
board (of which several exist on the continent) 
with the upper pedal strengthened to bring 
out the augmented subject, and that its effect 
could not be realized otherwise. It might be 
worth while for modern builders to try their 
hands at arranging a double pedal-board so as 
to be easily available by the player; it would 
supply new combinations, though it is probable 
that few players would value it in these days 
when so much stress is laid on mere rapidity 
in pedalling, and when the organ is tumed so 
much from its best use as the exponent of the 
higher forms of intellectual music to a mere 
machine for creating effects. The treatment 
of Baches music on modem organs is a question 
of considerable interest in itself; for while 
it would be out of keeping, no doubt, to 
transform its character by giving it too modem 
a style of coloring, no one, on the other hand, 
who has noted the piquancy of Baches orches- 
tration with the few instraments at his com- 
mand, would believe that he meant his organ 
compositions to be played in the colorless and 
dull style in which they are frequently, and 
till lately were invariably ** ground " through. 
Tlie old German organs for which he wrote 
were, many of them, rich in variations of tim- 
bre and in solo stops of a marked and fanciful 
character, of which it must be supposed some 
use was made. Many of the fugues are suscep- 
tible of admirable effect when treated quietly 
and with variations of registering. One that 



we used to find particularly suggestive in this 
way is the beautiful early one in B minor, in 
vol. 4, of the Leipzig edition, with its counter 
subject reminding one so curiously of Corel li. 
If our best players would devote a little more 
time and trouble towards doing justice to Bach 
in this way, and thereby making him better 
** understanded of the people," they would be 
doing a good deal more for art than in getting 
up orchestral overtures, to show what the 
organ can not do. The whole system of concert 
organ-playing requires another Wagner to 
purify it. Were there no such thing as the 
Orchestra, the constant efforts at giving 
increased ** brilliancy " and increased facilities 
of mechanism to the organ, might be a g^in. 
As it is, they are only enabling the Organ to do 
badly what the Orchestra can do well, and 
entirely taking it out of the sphere of its real 
triumphs, in which nothing else can imitate or 
compete with it. A more conscientious study 
and exposition of the works written by the 
greatest master of the instmment would per- 
haps do something to improve the popular 
taste in this respect and lead the musical pub- 
lic to see that there is something better to be 
got from the organ than the *' storms " and Vox 
hvmana effects which the organists of the 
French school rejoice in, and which are fit for 
nothing but to amuse children. 

H. H. Statham. 



« # ■ 



Sketch of the Hii tory and Prog r cie of the 

Sonata Form. 

Read before fhe London College of Organists, by W. A. 
Barret, ICus. Bac. 

(Coneliided from Page 67.) 

Contemporary with Scarlatti was Tomaso Albo- 
nini, whose Sonatas were at one time bo popular in 
England that the common fiddlers were able to play 
movementa from them ; bat there is little indication 
of sonata form in any one of his compositions. 
Donienico Alberti, whose name is associated with 
the arpeggio bass, said to have been invented, 
certainly very freely nsed by him, was one among 
the first, if not the very first, who emploved the 
nearest approach to modern sonata form that had 
as yet been made. In his " VIII. Sonate per 
Cembalo ** (1737), each one has two movements, and 
nearlv each movement two tangible subjects, prop- 
erly Introduced. 

In the works of these earlier writers, fncloding 
those of Corelli, the sonata form may be traced, for 
in more than one there is a close upon the dominant 
in the first section, and the original snbject is 
announced in the key of the dominant at the com 
men cement of the second section, but there is little 
indication, if any at all, of what might be called a 
second or subsidiary theme. 

In five out of eight of the sonatas of Domenico 
Alberti, the sonata form is strictly observed in the 
first movement, and often in the second, and there 
are no compositions, either for voices or instru- 
ments, of better construction, of earlier date than 
his " sonata in stilo nuovo** (1787). 

Albertl's sonatas arc in two movements only, like 
those of many of those of his contemporaries and 
immediate successors, particularly those by Dr. 
Croft (1679-1727), Nicolo Porpora (1685-1767). Dr. 
Boyce (1710-1779). Fedeli (1715-1762), Carlo Tes- 
serine (1715-1766), Frederic Theodor Schumann 
(1729-1760). Valentin Roeser (1740-1787), Ac. 
Francesco Durante (1684-1755), who, as a teacher, 
enjoyed a bi^h and honorable reputation, as a writer 
of sonatas displays a refined and correct taste, but 
with little originality of conception, many of his 
thoughts being based npon the ideas of Scarlatti 
his roaster. The sonatas and clavecin compositions 
of Domenico Scarlatti (1«88-1767), were, according 
to Burney, ** the wonder and delight of every hearer 
who had a spark of enthusiasm aboathim, and could 
feel new and bold effects, intrepidly produced by 
the breach of almost all the old and established rules 
of composition,*' but they contributed little towards 
a settlement of form. 

It is probable that Handel noted the growth of the 
form, and occasionally employed it, some of the 
movements in his "Suites'* having the orthodox 
first and second subject, while others have only a 
single subject in each section. Some of the songs 
in his Italian operas are almost in sonata form, 
wanting only the observance of certain points which 
it might be easy to supply were it needful. A 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, AUG. 21, 1875. 



75 



1 



faniiliar PXAmple from his best known work, ** The 
Messifth." the air. ** I know that my Redeemer liv- 
eth," will show his treatment of the form. If he had 
made his second subject appear in the dominant key 
first, and marked the close in B major as the conclu- 
sion of the first section, nothing more would have 
been needed. 

Some of the sonatas of Christopher Waj^enseil 
(1688-1779) are in correct form, thou|;:h the second 
subject is timidly introduced and employed in the 
movements. The lint^erin^jc fondness for the same 
tf)nHlity, which is the characteristic of the suites, 
and the earliest .sonatas, is to be found in Waj^enseil ; 
one of his sonatnA in the key of F. a fair specimen 
of his work in this style, has an ailegro atuait as the 
first movement, an andante <frazio»a as the second, 
and a minuet as the third. The first and last move- 
ments are in F major, nnd the andante in F minor. 
Each commences with the first subject without 
introduction, and proceeds in tolerably correct form, 
the major movements ending the half close on the 
dominant, and the minor movement in the relative 
major. The collection in which this sonata is to bo 
found was published between 1740 and 1750, a time 
when the sonata form was being recognized, but not 
universally and invariably adopted. 

A disregard for the rules of " sonata form ' may 
even bo traced in Cherubini's compositions with this 
title. 

The "Clavier Uebung." of J. S. Bach, published 
singly between 1726 and 1730, marked in Iloff- 
meister's edition as (Euvre I., No. i., containing six 
Suites in various keys, offers a very remarkable 
series of studies, inasmuch as they show the master 
mind yielding to the custom of his time in the order 
and style of the arrangements of his Suites and 
Sonatas, but as free from conventionality as possi- 
ble, and pointing in the direction so worthily 
followed by later writers. It would be tedious to 
give a description of the whole six that you may 
form an idea of the influence Bach possessed over 
ills own and future generations of musicians and how 
far he worked t^) wards helping to fix the form now 
under consideration ; but a notice of one may not 
be uninteresting, because of the early appearance of 
a title which has been supposed to tie of later date. 
This is the third stnte* in A minor, which opens 
with a Fantasie, followed by an AUemande, which 
is succeeded by a Courant«, more or less free in 
treatment, the next piece being a Sarabande in 
good form, then a Burlesca, next a schkrzo in duple 
time, and the concluding movement is a Gigue in 
fantasia style. In the third book of the second set, 
" xweiter Theil der Clavier-uebung," there is a min- 
uet in B minor which, instead of a second minuet in 
the relative major according to custom, has a 
" trio " in B minor ; this is noteworthy, as it is 
probably the earliest instance of the nse of the word 
in such a connection. The construction and arrange- 
ment of this second set is so similar to the first, 
that, with the exception just now pointed out, 
thnre is little or no point of difference to call for 
special remark. The like adoption or rejection of 
more modern form, in his suites, showing how 
Bach knew of its existence, and employed it or not 
as the fancy moved his mind or be thought it fit for 
his purpose. 

The " Sechsleichte Clavier Sonaten," of C. Philipp 
Emanuel Bach (1711-1788), published at Leipsic 
1766, contain each the orthodox three movements, 
a moderate, a slow, and a quick ; and the first, and 
sometimes the last movement of each is written in 
sonata form, with the exception of No. 6, which 
begins with a movement in rondo form. Not one 
has the name of a dance tune attached to any por- 
tion, though there are several which would answer 
all needs, were they so named. Many of the sona- 
tas of his brother, Wilhelm Friedemann Bach,though 
cleverly and ably written, show a less regard for 
85'mmetrical form, so characteristic of the works of 
Philipp Emannel. More than one of Friedemann's 
sonatas are like those of the older writers, are com- 
prised within a continuous movement, with a 
frequent change of tempo, rhythm, and tonality. 
Some portions fulfil all the requirements of form, 
but they are not marked for repetition. There are 
no separate and distinct movements, and the form 
chosen might be called, if not a caprice, at all 
events an original idea of the rondo, for after many 
and varied contrasts of time and subject, the sonata 
concludes with the phrase originally riven out 

Emanuel Bach is the composer who is said to have 
been the first who systematically employed the true 
modem form of the sonata ; but contrasted move- 
ments were also adopted by Schobert, who, in 1741, 
published " 6 Sonates pour le Clavecin ** the year 

•Partlhu 



before Bach i.ssued his six sonates dedicated to the 
King of Pru9.sia. 

Five out of six of Schobert's sonatas obey every 
rule: there are only two of Bach's in correct mod- 
ern form. Schobert's works were at one time the 
most popular of any composer in England, Dr. 
Bnrney having introduced them here in 1766. 
Tho learned doctor makes a mistake when ho states 
that Schobert published nothing until 1764, for he 
was already well known as a composer when he 
was invited to become " Musician to the Prince de 
Conti " in 1760, and copies of hi'* sonatas were in 
the hands of every harpsichord player before that 
time. Emanuel Bach knew Schobert's value as a 
musician, for Dr. Burney states that his (Bach's) 
party allowed Schobcrt to be a man of genius, but 
spoiled by his affectation of a new and extraordinary 
style. rhey further accused him of frequently 
copying himself." His writing is perfectly individ- 
ual, is fresh nnd novel, and more like an anticipa- 
tion of Haydn and Mozart than Bach, from whom 
all the musicians of the time were wont to copy. 

It is scarcely necessary to pursue the question 
further, or to enter into any elaborate argument in 
support of the claim of any particular musician to 
the invention of that in which probably all have 
contributed more or less. For by the period of time 
to which our inquiries have led the sonatas of Hay- 
dn and Mozart became the recognized form of this 
species of composition, and they are happily so well 
known that a particular description is unnecessary. 
Still, notwithstanding the existence of such noble 
models, not every composer of a sonata cared to use 
the recognized or sonata form, but by an occasional 
disregard of it probably showed a desire to develop 
it further, in many cases without success, for the 
new forms were simply old arrangements ; as Chau- 
cer says : — 

" Out of the old fields, aa men salth, 
Cometh all this new com from yere to yere, 
So out of the old books in good faith 
Cometh all this new science that men lere.'* 

It is unnecessary, perhaps, to say that Haydn and' 
Mozart expanded and developed the sonata, which 
was further brought to the perfection it now stands 
in by Beethoven. The works of Clementi, the 
father of nianoforte playing, Dussek, Hummel, 
Weber, Field, Onslow, Moscheles, and Schubert 
show no further advance in progress in the develop- 
ment of form, and until a greater genius than either 
of the above named arises, the sonata must stand 
where it has been left by Beethoven — a model of 
beauty, symmetry, fancy, and feeling. 

The sum and substance, the whole tendency of 
my discourse has been to call attention to one of the 
most beautiful uses of form in music. The advantage 
of form needs no advocacy of mine. It is felt and 
experienced by all. Chords may nr.ake sounds, but 
mere sounds will not give continued pleasure. Ar- 
range sounds into some form or shape, and you have 
a great delight, such as all minds not warped by 
unhealthy prejudice can heartily and continuously 
enjoy, f hold that form is a greater essential in 
music than even harmony. For mere repetition of 
chords do not, to my mind, make music. Form 
binds and connects musical ideas together, giving 
them contour and outline, two qualities which if 
they are not absolute beauty, at all events go a 
great way towards realizing our notions of beauty. 
If we regard music only so far as it is of common 
use to us, that is to say, so far as it can be made 
available for such every day purposes as the con- 
struction of dance tunes, form is absolutely indis- 
pensable, and as one of the chief values of music lies 
in its power of giving and imparting pleasure, if the 
element of form is to be divorced from musical con- 
struction, we shall have chaos, disorder, and confu- 
sion in the stead of shapeliness, regularity, and or- 
der in our compositions of the future. 



» <♦» < 



Home Mofio— As it Ii, and as it lOght be. 

(From an Bngliah magazine, ** The Leisure Hoar.") 



The dictionary defines music as ** the science of 
combining sounds in an agreeable manner, — vocal 
or instrumental harmony ; ** in private life, how- 
ever, the word has a far more limited application. 
When Jones's daughter tells us that she learns 
music, we are not to understand that she is taking 
lessons on the harp, or in singing, or in harmony 
and counterpoint, but that she is devotinj; her 
attentioa to the study of the ptanofof te, which haa 
contrived of late years entirel j to monopolize the 
term. In fact, to most Englisnmea the word music 
simply calls up a vision of h grand or a 9quare, with 



a mornin;^ governess, a tuner, a masic-stool, and 
finisliins; lessons at two guineas a quarter ; while 
at the very mention of the word their ears arc filled 
with scales in C major, and arrangement) of " The 
Last Rose of Summer/* mingled in wild confusion 
with five-finger exercises, and the daily studies of 
Czerny and Bertini. 

Notwithstanding that every English girl under- 
goes a more or less extensive, and expensive, train- 
ing on the pianoforte, it can hardly be said that 
English domestic music is improving, or even that 
it is so good as it was before the omnipresent 
instrument was invented; on the contrary, it may 
be fairly argued that the pianoforte has really been 
the indirect cause of the decline and fall of music 
as a welcome home recreation We appeal to our 
readers : Where the pianoforte exists, is there not 
much more practititff (this word has also acquired 
a sense of its own) than playing? When a piece 
(also in a technical sense) is ready for perform- 
ance in the family circle, does it not always fall flat 
and stale on the ears of those whose fate it has been 
tohear the weeks of thumping that have preceded ita 
final consummation ? 

The question will arise. What has brought the 
piano into such prominence in English domestic 
life ? The reason is this : in the first place it forms 
a most convenient accompaniment for solo songs, 
one of the positions it fills to the best advantage ; 
in the next place, a whole tune, by which we moan 
an air completely harmonized, may be produced by 
one person on one instrument; while, thirdly and 
chiefly, nearly every one, persons possessed of little, 
or even absolutely devoid of any musical taste, may 
by dint of practice play a tune passably, provided 
that it requires no more expression than can bo 
produced by a judicious use of the right-hand 
pedal. Besides, owing to the facility of the execu- 
tion in certain combinations — for instance, common 
chords arpeggioed in rapid notes — an air may be 
arranged so as to be at once brilliant, or what is 
so-called, and yet tolerably easy. Accordingly a 
demand, and, we are sorry to add, an unfailing sup: 
ply of these jingling, expressionless ;»/e<^ is created, 
and thus it is that w^sh}' opera airs, set in orna- 
mental filijrrees of demisemiquavers, common waltz 
tunes in the form of Morceattx BriUanU pour StUott, 
and tortured versions of the " Bluebells of Scot- 
land," disguised as Orandea faniaUiet »ur un tiun.9 
Bco8Aai», are poured forth on the unresisting world 
for the sake of girls who, possessed of the digital 
dexterity requisite for tbeir performance and noth- 
ing more, believe that in playing them they are 
making music, and eatertaining their fellow-creat- 
ures. 

When a girl has received her early training in a 
school like this, she finds it almost impossible to 
adopt a more rational style. Not only is the taste 
vitiated, but the left hand, which has been compar- 
atively untrained, will either be physically unable 
to execute the bass part in the sonatas of Beethoven, 
or will drop from the keyboard tired out before 
the middle of the first movement The eflect so 
easily procured by merely mechanical means in the 
pieces of the day, cannot be obtained in the works 
of the great masters without a sympathetic mind 
and a cultivated taste ; in short, the soul must play 
as well as the fingers. How absolutely painful it is 
to hear a player nourished on the ordinary board- 
ing-school pieces, attempt an adagio of Beethoven, 
notably that which commences his " Moonlight So- 
nata,** (No. 14). She will carefully give each trip, 
let its exact metronome time, play steadily, calmly, 
and cold-bloodedly (if the term may be used, 
through to the end, with no passion, with no ex- 
pression ; and then wonder, as well she may, what 
people can ever find to admire in classical music. 
The consequence is that fathers, brothers and other 
relations, except perhaps the admiring mamma, who 
has resolved that all her daughters, whether musi- 
cally inclined or not, shall be possessed of the 
accomplishment, wearied by the horrible sameness 
attending every performance, never ask for a tune, 
and stealthily retire from the room if they perceive 
the signs of an impending encounter with the much- 
endunng instrument. 

With the piano the accompanied ballad has grown 
up, and here, too, a supply of the most inferior 
trash is produced, usurping the place of the old 
glees, catches, canons and rounds, which, not long 
ago, might be heard in every house in the country. 
The part-song still finds its votaries among the 
choral societies, but at home the alto, tenor and 
bass would feel that they were being eclipsed by 
the soprano, were they to take the trouble to get 
np a part in " Crabbed Age and Youth," or ** Down 
in a Flowery Dale." Alto, tenor and bass ballads 



76 



DWIGIIT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



may be had, and the poorer the sinprer the leadier 
to show off in a solo. Thus we find the tenor revel- 
ling in the mawkish sentiment uf " Kiss me, mother, 
ere I leave thee, nevermore to meet again," or an 
almost voiceless bass attemptin<; the jubilant strains 
of " Oh, gay is the life of a brigand bold," with 
perhaps a shake on the lust note but one. How is 
it, by the way, thai the untrained amateur always 
does try to shake ? 

When a glee is attempted, the great aim seems to 
be to stand np and sing something. It matters not 
that there is no tenor present, that there are five 
basses and six sopranos, but only one alto ; that 
some are not only unable to sing from music, but 
have never seen the glee before. Some Vandal 
voiceless baritone smoothes all these diflicuities 
with " Oh, Miss B will play the accompaniment, 
yon know, and it will be all right ; " the performers 
shout it through somehow, wandering into each 
othcr^s parts, and think themselves perfect if they 
come in more or less together at the end, and then 
usually blandly encore themselves with " Let's have 
another try, and mind the marks of expression." 
The custom of publishing accompaniments to elees 
that were never intended to be sung with them, 
cannot be too highly reprobated as a concession to 
the low ebb of modern vocal culture. 

TV hat a loss is the art of glee-ainsing when the 
time for pic-nics arrives 1 The pianoforte is imprac- 
ticable, the guitar no longer studied, and the banjo 
prjhibited in polity society. Solo song^ are thus 
for the most part unavailable. Concerted vocal 
muaic alwa} s sounds delicious under the canopy of 
heiven ; those only who have heard Mendelssohn's 
beautiful open-air songs can imagine the delight 
and pleasure they furnish at a summer out-of-door 
gathering ; but thanks to the rise of the ruthless 
piano, that lovely p!c-nic music, for so it may be 
c :11ed, is a sealed book to all but a very few. Its 
place is probably taken by a song (volunteered by 
tlie humorous man of the company) with what he 
facetiously styles a cariout, in which the company, 
<on his invitation, join in unison. 

It will be admitted that domestic music is gener- 
ally looked upon at best as a mere pastime, taken 
up to fill an idle moment, or as an agreeable sup- 
plement to the conversation at the stately evening 
party of middle-class society, and from tins view of 
the subject some awkward mistakes are likely to 
occur. The wrifter well remembers being present 
some years ago at a friend's house, where it was 
customar}' for a few amateurs to meet for the sake 
of performing and listening to good classical mnsic. 
On the evening in question, two friends of the host, 
but strangers to the rest of the company, were pres- 
ent, and under the above erroneous impression as 
to the use of "the divine art,** annoyed every one 
by carrying on a vehement political debate during 
the first movement of a quintet of Mozart's. At 
the conclusion of the allegro, they were politely 
asked by the host if they did not find the room too 
hot, and if they would not like to walk in the gar- 
den, but replied no ; thev preferred to listen to the 
muaic, which was accorcTingly finished with an ob- 
ligato political accompaniment In the next piece, 
however, which was a solo sonata of Beethoven's, 
they discovered their mistake. They endeavored 
to continue their conversation with the string play- 
ers, who were now at liberty ; but finding that their 
queries were met by whispered answers, while their 
observations were left unresponded to, at last real- 
ised the position, and for the remainder of the even- 
1 ig formed a moat decorous, if not an appreciative 
audience. 

n 

With regard to the second part of our title, 
" Home music as it might be," let us adopt as our 
lending maxim, that the violin is as much an in- 
strument for girls as the pianoforte, and abolish the 
absnrd notion that there is anything fast or forward 
in a violin-playing lady. Fast and forward it may 
be to adopt the slang, the smoking, and other bad 
habits of the other sex ; but there is nothing more 
blameworthy in a girl's learning the violin, than in 
her working a telegraph, or exercising any other 
rational occupation which it has been the custom 
to consider, though without just grounds, the exclu- 
sive property of men. As an instrument, the violin 
is, in fact, more suitable for girls than boys, requir- 
ing as it does, in a higher degree than any other, 
that delicacy of manipulation, that careful attention 
to matters of detail, and that neatness of execution 
with which a girl w naturally endowed more liber- 
nlly than a boy. The brothers will take to the vio- 
loncello if the 'sisters will only learn the violin and 
viola, and then what a feast of music is opened as 



soon as a moderate pro^^ress is made. Ilaydn wrote 
eii'hty-three string quartets, and Mozart twenty- 
seven, few of which require any exceptional degree 
of skill to play, and all of which might be compassed 
with half the labor and five times the effect bestowed 
on and gained from the senseless pearl and diamond 
stj'le of modern piano music. Necessarily requiring 
a deeper knowledge and sound contrapuntal skill, 
quartet- writing cculd not fall into the hands of those 
who write down to the capacities, and so vitiate the 
tastes of the learner. It is objected with much bit- 
ternesb that beginners on the violin incommode the 
household with scraping. Granted; but the 
scraping never lasts longer than a few months at 
the most; the violinist soon gets a firm tone, 
while on the piano, even with a great artiste, the 
discordant exercises and thumping scales are 
an unceasing bugbear to dwellers in the same 
house. 

The pianoforte, when music exists w. it should 
be, will be for the most part relegated to it« most 
becoming duty— that is, of supporting a song, or 
will appear almost as a new instrument in Mozart's 
and Beethoven's delicious quartets, quintets, and 
trios for piano and strings, where it forms a beau- 
tiful and unobtrusive groundwork for the more 
marked phrases of the stringed instruments, varied 
now and then by tasteful solo passages ; or will be 
heard as a solo instrument in the sublime sonatas 
of Beethoven, and the tender " Lieder ohne Worte " 
of Mendelssohn, to a taste for which the habit of 
accompanying and listening to violin music cannot 
fail to pave the way. 

The word "Classical" if approached through 
the lively string music of Hayan, soon loses its 
terrors. The father of modern music abounds in 
light gay melodies as pretty and fanciful as any 
of the present day, supported, moreover, by the 
most fascinating, and at the same time scientific 
harmonies. Haydn leads to the tender, pathetic 
Mozart, and Mozart, by a somewhat longer but still 
an easy step, to Beethoven, and classical becomes 
no longer synonymous with heavy. Played by an 
unsympathetic hand, Beethoven may sound dull ; 
but when approached by a cultivated taste, he has 
more beanties to show than any two other com- 
posers ; while as a master of the grand and sublime 
in music, always excepting Handel, he is absolutely 
incomparable. 

Let it, then, be adopted as a rule, that one pian- 
ist in a household is sufficient, and that the extra 
talent, if any, shall be drafted to the violin ; and 
then one family would soon be able to produce an 
entertainment as interesting if not so highly finished 
as the Popular Concerts. 

With regard to the singing of the present day, 
the root of the evil is the ever-increasing neglect 
of the art of sight vocalization, Amateurs think 
it so much easier to learn each new song by ear, 
with the aid of the pis no, than once for all to mas- 
ter the principles of vocalization. Even the sing- 
ing-master, instead of going through a ri^forous 
course of in!>truction with his pupils, lets them learn 
an air by thrumming it on the piano, and then gives 
a few hints as to style, phrasing, and the manage- 
ment of the breath ; putting on the roof, in fact, 
before the foundations are laid. It cannot be denied 
that solfeggi and interval practice are tedious and 
uninteresting even to those who have a natural 
taste for the art. but yet every child in Germany 
makes a good night-singer; and the plan which 
succeeds there would be perfectly feasible here. 
The school children there, although they cannot 
read music, and however young, nave the notes 
before them, either on the black board or on paper, 
whenever they sing ; so that a child singing oy ear 
learns to identify certain progressions of sounds 
with the corresponding series of printed notes, and 
with the help of a few explanations soon recognizes 
and understands the whole principle, without much 
necessity of interval practice. This is probably 
enough the way in which our forefathers learned 
the art in the days of Elizabeth, James, and the 
Charleses, when the glee, madrigal, and catch-book 
were to be found in use round the fire-side every 
winter's evening. When sight-singing becomes 
universal again, then will part-singing once more 
flourish in the domestic circle, for really good sing- 
ers are never so anxious to be heard in solo pieces 
as thoM who have i»pent weeks in getting up a song, 
and are resolutely determined to let it off when an 
opportunity presents itself. At present, if we wish 
to hear one of Bennet's or Marenzio's evergreen 
madrigals, or Stevens' or Webbe's genial glees, we 
must pay a handsome price at a public concert, a 
pleasure that few of us can indulge in more than 
three or four times a year. 



In conclusion, we would desire to impress it on 
our readers' minds, that music can be made some- 
thing more than a mere pastime ; it can soothe and 
benefit the mind of a listener, more than one who is 
a stranger to the great masters can imagine, besides 
forming: for its cultivator an intellectual, but at the 
same time, always an interesting pursuit. 



Muncal Precocity. 

[From the " OazzetU Mualcole di ICilano.*'] 

Cases of boys and of mere children possessing 
marvellous aptitude as musical pzecutanta are not 
only not as rare as is generally snpposed, but are 
absolutely very frequent. The history of musical 
art ccmtains an exceedingly large number of in- 
stances. 

Concert-players, aged nine, eight, or seven, 
respectively, are to be counted by fifties rather than 
by dozens. But this is far from all. 

A child named Benincori (born at Brescia, in 
1779) performed a violin concerto before the Court 
of Parma, when he was only six and a half years 
old. A child named Cianchcttini (born in London, 
of Roman parents, in 1799) perfonne<l at the Italian 
Operahonse a concerto of his own composing, and 
extemporized on themes suggested by the public, 
when he had not attained his sixth year. A boy 
named Berwald (born at Stockholm, in 1788) besran 
learning the violin when he was three, and in thir- 
teen months played at a public concert. Young 
Crotch (born at Norwich, in 1776) publicly per- 
formed on the organ the National Anthem of " God 
Save the King," and the then famous " Minuet de la 
Cour," when he was only three. A boy named An- 
dr£(born at Offenbach, in 177S) having commenced 
his studies at the age of two, was, at eight, a pian- 
ist, a violinist, a singer, and a composer. A boy 
named Marque (born at Paris, in 1781) was a violin- 
ist distinguished — as his biographers inform us — 
for the marvellous correctness of his tone, at the 
age of six. A boy named Kellner (born at Windsor, 
in 1798) performed, when he was five years and a 
few months old, with all the certainty of an experi- 
enced artist, the most difficult sonatas of Handel. 
And there are many and many more such. 

In the generation of those who have now attained 
maturity, there are very many who pow^essed 
extraordinarily precocious musical powers. Among 
these (to mention only the most famous) is Miss 
Wood, who was a composer at the age of five; 
Arriaga. Gatayes, Londicer, all of whom also com- 
posed ; Herz, Liszt, Gerke, Jaell, and Geiger. pian- 
ists ; Ancot, Dancla, Bott, Vienxtemps, and Milan- 
olio, violinists ; Gonvy, harpist ; Verronst, oboist ; 
the brothers Carlo and Antonio de Kontski, and 
their sister, Eugenia (the first a violinist, and pian- 
ists the two others), who gave a concert at Warsaw, 
in 1822, when their united asres amounted only to 
seventeen years and six months. 

After these cnme Brahms, St. Snens, Michelange- 
lo Rnsso, Carreno, Ijotto, Benoni, N^cciarone, Stan- 
zieri, Merli, Neruda, the Brothers Perry, the 
Brothers Vianesi. and Rendano. 

And after the usual marvels have been accom- 
plished, and the usual exclamations spoken and 
written, we are, at the present day awaiting the 
ultimate result in the case of not a few others; such 
as the Signorita Gallone, a pianist, who, four ynars 
since, sent the Milanese into ecstacies by her play- 
ing at the Conservatory, of which she then was, 
and, perhaps, now is, a pupil ; the Brothers 
Napoleone and Vittorio Fantoni, the first a pianist, 
ana the second a violinist, who were greatly 
applauded in 1872, at the Teatro Apollo, Venice ; 
Romeo Dionesi, a singer when he* was only five, 
•• A true prodigy of musical art," (wrote the New 
York Eco (T Italia) " who has attracted the attention 
of the public in many cities of Europe and of South 
America ; " Clomentino del Ponte, who, when he 
played at Moncalvo. three years ago, was really 
seventeen, but the performance was no common one ; 
for the VeBtillo d Italia then wrote : " Del Ponte 
possesses a singular memory; the dexterity and 
certainty almost of an old artist; a delicacy of 
execution which causes one to feci the most reined 
gradations of the ideas, and of the most exquisite 
and recondite modulations of the passions, and most 
varied and effective color, by means of which he 
transports one from the gentle and almost inaudible 
arpegsrio of a distant lute to the rumbling of the 
thunder and the furious crashing of the storm I ** 

Still more recently we have had Benedetto Pal- 
mieri, of whom our friend Filip(ii wrote : " Little 
Palmieri possesses gifts which excite hopes of a 
future great artist ; he reads well at tight ; he ac- 
companies intelligently, and executes the most 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, AUG. 21, 1876. 



77 



astonndln^ difficu1tie8, so that it is quite marvellous 
to see him with those tiny hands of his, wliich, 
when stretched out, do not, from the thumb to the 
little iin^cr, f^rasp five keys. In Addition to s^ood 
mechanism, ho boasts ot delicate musical feelincf; 
he accentuates well ; and colors and interprets with 
rare appreciation." We have, furthermore, had 
Cesare Auij^usto Lancellotti, applauded as a pianist 
at Rome and Florence ; and the Sisters Hess, of 
New York, one a pianist and the other a violinist, 
who, in 1873, made the severe frequenters of the 
Gewandhaus, Leipsic, raise their eyebrows; and 
little llichter, who, likewise in 1873, played at Oo- 
log^ne with such splendid success that the Wochfn- 
blatt declared her to be no less extraordinarily and 
miraculously gifted than Mozart I 

Mozart, we will say as thoug^h in parenthesis, 
sitands by himself among the instances of precocious 
genius. No one was ever more favored by nature ; 
no one ever fulfilled so completely and so splendid- 
ly what he promised. The story of his childhood is 
in a different sphere, but not in a different degree, 
a repetition of the story, wonderful as it was, of 
Pico della Mirandola. At the age of four Mozart 
played the piano ; when he was five he composed ; 
and, not yet knowing how to hold a pen, dictated 
to his master or to his father. When he was six he 
gave a public specimen in Vienna of what he could 
do as a pianoforte player ; at the age of eight, with> 
out any one knowiug how or when he had studied, 
be was a skilful violinist, highly popular at the 
Court of Munich ; and, six months afterwards, he 
was most highly applauded at the French Court as 
an organist. When he was eight he sent, for the 
first time, his compositions to the press. He extem- 
porized for hours together, either as his fancy dic- 
tated, or upon given themea, and in the fiigued style, 
though he had not then studied counterpoint. He 
executed mentally, and more rapidly than others 
with a pen, the moet complicated arithmetical 
questions. He was endowed with so tenacious a 
memory as to be able to repeat an entire piece of 
music, without making a mistake in a single note, 
of^r hearing the piece only once. When he was 
tweWe he spoke and wrote — besides German — 
French and Italian ; wrote comedies in Latin, and 
composed his first melodrama. La Finta semplice. 

The above cases of precocity are scarcely a tenth 
of those with which we have met in oar studies, 
and which we might have cited. And who knows 
how many we have missed ? How many, too, were 
missed by the historians and the writers whom we 
have consulted ? * 

Having established thus much, the conclusion to 
which we come is that ; taken one by one, the cases 
of which we are treating cannot fail to excite our 
wonder, but that, when studied in hietory mhere 
we come across them at every page, and where 
they are nearly continuous, our wonder entirely 
ceases, and it does so to make way for a veiy different 
feeling. 

With history in hand, then, what really surprises 
us is not the abundance and excellence of the natu- 
ral tendencies, nor their precocious development, 
bnt the fact of their bearing such mediocre and mea- 
gre fruit, and of their finally resulting nearly 
always in nothing. 

This is a most appropriate place for observing 
that anyone who studies the history of music is 
struck no less frequently and no less strongly by 
cases of an opposite kind, namely, cases in which 
he finds musicians, not simply capable and enjoying 
a fair reputation, but illustrious and truly great, 
princes of art, and, as they are called, geniuses, 
whose gifts and natural aptitude remained as though 
latent, all through their childhood and youth, and 
even longer. 

Gr6try, for iustance, now considered one of the 
fathers of French comic opera, and whose works, 
Jiiehard, ZSmire H Ator^ and JJAtm de la Maiton, 
are universally esteemed masterpieces, entered as a 
boy the choir of the cathedral at Li6ge, and was 
sent away almost immediately, at pouesnnff no ap- 
titude for the attidy of nweie. W hen he entered 
Casali*s school at Rome, some years afterwards, 
the same sentence was again pronounced on him. 

A sentence in no way differing from this was 
that uttered by Rey on another prince of French 

* If we consider the question carefully, we shall find 
that the abominable traflle In boys (Vom Calabria and the 
AbruzzI, whioh, during recent tlrae«t no moved the civil- 
ized world, and la now said to have ceased, had, as its 
starting point, the precocious developroeut of the musical 
faculties. The poor boys knew notninfi: of ronsie or of 
anything else; but they possessed ears ; they tuned their 
mde instruments most admirably; their fingers displayed 
great agility; they duly observed measure and rhythm : 
and, when they sang, they sang in tune, and phrased 
agreeably. 



comic opera, Berton, composer of Aline, Franfoiee 
de Foix, and Montano H Stiphanie. 

Of Pietro Guglielmi (the father), when he was a 
pupil at the Conservatory of the Madonna di Loret- 
to at Naples, It was said for some time by his 
fellow-students, and occasionally by some of his 
masters as well, that he had the ears of an ate / Tet 
Pietro Guglielmi, author of a hundred operas, of 
which forty, or more, were highly popular, was the 
competitor snd emulator of Paisiello and Cimarosa. 

In Beethoven, as a pupil and a boy, no sign or 
indication of natural aptitude at all unusual was 
perceived by Van der Ed<kn, Neefe, Haydn, Salieri, 
or Albrechtsberger. 

Besides B6r6soi»sy and Onslow, each of whom 
gained for himself a celebrated name, Rameau, Han- 
del, and Gluck were slow in developing their talent. 
They were not the grand artists and composers 
whom we now so much admire until the appearance 
of works which they wrote at a mature age, Ra- 
meau, when he was forty-nine ; Handd, wnen he 
was forty ; and Gluck. when he was fifty-seven. 

How shall we explain these anomalies and results, 
so contrary to all promises and expectations ? 

In our opinion (but we are ready t-o retract if 
proved to be wrong), they can be explained only in 
one manner, which is by putting forward the fact 
that, in order to judge a person's natural gifts and 
aptitude for music, we start in ninety-nine cases out 
of a hundred, from an erroneous and superlatively 
false principle. 

By the public (and as to the public, they are not 
so much to blame), by musicians, and even by 
teachers, by directors of Conservatories and schools, 
attention is paid only to the material and mechani- 
cal part of art. Of the other elements, which we 
will call lesthetic, people do not even speak. 

To cultivate the art of music we all agree in oon- 
sidrring that a good ear ; a proper appreciation of 
rhythm; a quick and tenacious memory; and, 
according to the particular case, active hands, or a 
robust, well-sounding voice of extensive compass, 
are ahtobUdy neceaaary gualitiea^ and that, witnout 
them, no one can become anything, no matter what 
he may do, or how he may study. 

But. when this has been said, recognized, and 
admitted, we must further say, recognize, and 
admit that all the above qualities put together do 
not possess the slightest artistic value unless they 
are accompanied, fertilized, and rendered valuable 
by the aesthetic faculties ; by a noble and elevated 
mind ; by a lively and just sentiment of the Beauti- 
ful ; by warmth of feeling ; by a fervid imagina- 
tion ; and by a fondness for poetry. 

From our not noticing how different is the nature 
of the mechanical from that of the nsthetic faculties, 
and from our not troubling ourselves about the lat- 
ter, while we foster the former, there results the 
exceedingly frequent appearance of precocious 
children, and, notwithstanding this, the continually 
increasing infertility of the schools ; the scarcity, 
likewise continually on the increase, of real artists, 
and the crowd, so numerous and compact, so rest- 
less, so hurtful to art, and yet deserving our pity, 
3f the unsuccessful, the mediocre, and the incapa- 
ble. 

We have gone through the twenty or thirty 
plans put forth, these last few years, for the re-or- 
ganization and reform of our Conservatories, but 
we have never found a word nor a hint referring to 
the necessity of distinguishing one kind of aptitude 
from another. When their ear, their memory, 
their hands, and their voice have been tried, the 
candidates are admitted without more ado. 

To convince ourselves of the artistic worthless- 
nes9 of mechanical aptitude, when, as we have 
already said, it is alone, we need merely observe 
that it may very well be found, and that it actually 
is found — as proved by countless examples — in per- 
sons who are really born antagonistic to the muses ; 
persons who do not feel, who do not understand, 
and who do not like either music or any other fine 
art — and that it may be, and is, found in persons 
devoid of the most common and vulgar mental gifts, 
and even, we are inclined to say, in idiots and cre- 
tins ; such was the case with the Boy Tom, who 
was blind into the bargain, and who, some few years 
ago, created such a sensation in Paris, London, and 
the principal cities of America.! 

t The Boy Tom, there is no doubt, after hearing a cab- 
aletta, a polka* or a mazurka only once, could repeat It 
without making a mistake in asinsle note, either of the 
melody or of the aooompaniment. Bat the instinct of iro- 
itatln<7 and repeating all he beard was in him so powerful, 
while hs reason was so limited and weak that, for in- 
stance, it was utterly impossible to make him comprehend 
that, in theatres and concert-rooms, though he was to 
repMt the music played over to bim, he was not to repeat 



There is, too, this fact to be added : in everything 
relating to musical meehaniem, persons of mediocre 
and vulgar minds make frequently great and rapid 
progress, of which their masters are often as proud 
as they are. But, on observing closely, we find 
that all this great progress is due to the fact that 
their attention is not diverted by their own feelings 
and ideas, that they are not pre-occupied by inward 
aspirations, and that they feel always most certain 
of and contented with themselves, because they do 
not see and do not measure the height of art. 

With persons possessing minds endowed with 
nsthetic faculties, things often take an opposite 
course. Such persons perceive the height ot art ; 
they feel its nobleness ; they are perpetually agita- 
ted and moved by the visions of the imagination 
and of the heart; oy the tumult of ideas and aspi- 
rations ; they er deavor, not to copy or imitate, but 
to make evident, to bring out, and to render in notes 
what they feel within their own breast. It is easy 
to understand that, with such a state of things, 
purely mechanical processes are found to be tire- 
some, nay, sometimes insupportable or even odious. 

To this and this alone must be attributed, accord- 
ing to our '.view of the subject, the cases of tardy 
development cited above. G. A. Biaooi. 



A Deaoriptive Oratorio bj Mr. Phanix 

CJVom the (XneintaaH Tntettiffeneer.) 
Did yo\i ever hear that impressive oratorio, 7^ 
Plaina, by Mr. Phoenix, of California T For breadth, 
and depth, and grasp of subject, it is probably un- 
equalled. The symphony opens upon the wi<}e and 
boundless plains, in longitude 160* W., latitude 
85' 21' 08** N., and about sixty miles from the west 
bank of Pitt River. These data are beautifully and 
clearly expressed by a long (topographically) drawn 
note ^om an £ flat clarionet. Tne sandy nature of 
the soil, sparsely dotted with bunches of cactus, 
the extended view, flat and unbroken to the horiion, 
save by the rising smoke in the extreme verge, de- 
noting the vicinity of a Pi-Utah village, are repre* 
sented by the baas drum. A few notes on the pic- 
colo call the attention to a solitary antelope, picking 
up mescal beans in the foreground. The sun, having 
an altitude of 86*27, blazes down upon the scene in 
indescribable majesty. Gradually the sounds roll 
forth In a song of rejoicing to the Qod ot Day : — 

"Of thy intensity 
And great immensity 

Now then we sing ; 
Behold in gratitude 
Thee in this latitude 

Curious thing ** — 

— which swells out Into "Hey Jim along; Jim 
along Joeey," then deereaeendo^ mda o menoa, poeo 
pocita, dies away and dries up. Suddenly we hear 
approaching a ^in from Pike county, consisting of 
seven families, with forty-six wagons, each drawn 
by thirteen oxen. Each family consists of a man in 
butter-nut-colored clothing, driving the oxen ; a 
wife in butter-nut-colored clothing, riding in the 
wagon, holding a butter-nut baby, and seventeen 
butter-nut children running promiscuously about 
the establishment ; — all are barefooted, dirty, and 
smell unpleasantly. These circumstances are ex- 
pressed by pretty rapid fiddling for some minutes, 
winding up with a puff from the ophlcleide, played 
by an intoxicated Teuton with an atrocious breath. 
It is impossible to misunderstand the description. 
Now rises o'er the plains, in mellifluous accents, the 
grand Pike County chorus : — 

" Oh, well soon be thar 
In the land of gold, 
Through the forest old. 
O'er the mounting cold, 
With spirits bold— 
Oh, we come, we come, 
And we'll soon be thar, 
Gee up, Bolly I whoo hap, whoo haw ! " 

The train now encamps. The unpacking of the 
kettles and mess-pans, the unyoking of the oxen, 
the gathering about the various camp-fires, the frix- 
xing of the pork, are so clearly expressed by the 
music, that the most untutored savage could readily 
comprehend it Indeed, so vivid and life-like was 
the representation, that a lady sitting near us invol- 
untarily exclaimed aloud at a certain passage, 
" Thar, that pork's burning I ; " and it was truly 

the applause with which the public rewarded him after he 
had aone so. This he could never understand. No soon- 
er had he left oif playing, than he an>se from tlie piano, 
clapping his hands, stamping, and shouting: "Bravo,*' 
like the pabllo. 



11 



78 



DWIGHT'S JOUBl^^AL OF MUSIC. 



interesting to watch the gratiiied expression of her 
face when, through a few notes of the guitar, the 
pan was removed from the fire, and the biasing 
poik extinguished. This was followed by the beau- 
tiful aria^ ** Oh, marm, I want a pancake," followed 
by the touching recitation, "Shet up, or I will 
spank you," to which succeeds a grand creiteendo 
movement, representing the flight of the child with 
the pancake, the pursuit of the mother, and the final 
arrest and summary punishment of the former, rep- 
resented by rapid and successive strokes of Casta- 
net The turning in for the night follows, and the 
deep and stentorious breathing of the encampment 
is well given by the bassoon ; while the sufferings 
and trials of an unhappy father, with a fretful infant, 
are toucliingly set forth by the comet-dpUton. 

PaH Second.— TYiQ night attack of the Pi-Utahs ; 
the fearful cries of the demoniac Indians ; the shrieks 
of the females and children ; the rapid and effective 
fire of the rifles ; the stampede of the oxen ; their 
recovery and final repulse; the Pi-Utahs being 
routed after a loss of thirty-six killed and wounded, 
while the Pikes lost but one scalp from an old fel- 
low, who wore a wig and lost it m the scufile ; — are 
faithfully g^ven, and excite intense interest in the 
minds of hearers ; the emotions of fear, admiration, 
and delight succeeding each other with painful 
rapidity. Then follows the chorus — 

"Oh I we give them fits, 
The Injun UUhs, 
"With our six-shooters — 
We give *em particular fits." 

Morning succeeds. The sun rises magnificently, 
(octave flute)— breakfast is eaten — in a rapid move- 
ment on three sharps; the oxen are caight and 
yoked up — with a small drum and triangle; the 
watches, purses, and other valuables of the con- 
quered Pi-Utahs are stored away in a camp kettle, 
to a small movement on the piccolo, and tne train 
moves oa with the chorus— 

" We'll soon be thar. 
Gee up, BoUy ! Whoo hup I Whoop haw ! *' 

The whole concludes with the grand choral hymn — 

" When wo die well go to Benton, 

Whoop I whoo, haw t 
The greatest man that e*er land saw, 

Geel 
Who this little airth was sent on, 

Whup I whoo haw I 
To tell a hawk from a hand saw, 
Geel" 

BOSTON, AUGUST 21, 1876. 

A Musical ProfeMonhip at Harvard. 

I. 

At last our Tenerable University has made ap her 
mind to establish a Professorship of Music,->on a 
full and equal footing, as to dignity at least, with 
t'le existing chairs of literature and science. The 
'' President and Fellows " made the proposition, and 
the board of Overseers, at their last meeting, voted 
that it should be done. After long waiting, and 
nearly forty years of agitation of the subject on the 
part of the Harvard Musical Association, of which 
this professorship was one of the ideal aims and 
motives from the first, — ^forty years, during which 
time, even to this day, no wealthy friend of culture 
has ever yet presented the endowment fund, — 
the idea has finally got into the head of the alumni 
and the rulers of old Harvard, as something which 
has been postponed too long and must be realized 
at last For the material where-withal, the funds, 
it may safely go for granted that thtse will prompt- 
ly be forthcoming, now that Alma Mater has given 
notice to her sons and to the world, that she must 
have Music formally installed and recognized among 
the rest of the " humanities" with equal honor. 

Who is to be the man ? Although some formal 
steps are wanting (during the vacation period) to 
complete the action, it is perfectly well understood 
that he will be no other than the learned, earnest, 
and devoted musician, yet in the prime of life, who 
has for the past fourteen years labored so assiduous 
ly, in spite of very moderate encouragement, as 



musical instructor in the College, (holding for 
the past year the rank of Assistant Profcasor), — Mr. 
Jonx Knowlks Painb. So far as a single man may 
fill the place, we know not one who would be more 
competent. He certainly has earned his title to it 
there, having made the most of the small means and 
narrow opportunities at his disposal. At home in 
all the science and the ready use of counterpoint ; a 
composer, who has produced his proofs in many of 
the largest forms of composition with a good meas- 
ure of success, he was prepared to teach, if there 
were any ready to be taught. There may be others 
of a more brilliant genius, a more marked individu- 
ality, a more quickening, magnetic power, more 
tact and ready art in intercourse with men ; of 
this we do not presume to judge ; but there is that in 
his deep, earnest love of art, his thorough training 
and bis knowledge, his singleness of purpose and 
simplicity of character, his fidelity to the high 
nwrcLte of his calling, and his hearty love of work, 
which goes far to ofTset all that may be imagined to 
be wanting. — Of course this musical professorship 
will be what he will make it; he has to create it as the 
sculptor moulds the clay ; indeed he has been creat- 
ing it these fourteen years, by humble means and 
processes, which it is to be hoped will now blossom 
to the light and bear good fruit. 

Here then is a good beginning, — a first bond fide 
University professorship of Music; not hastily ar- 
rived at, not at all premature ; not an emptv name, 
the cheap resolution of an ignorant ambition, such 
as has hitherto conferred d^rees of Doctor in Mu- 
sic on the part of Colleges by no means musical; 
but a live fact, well rooted, that has grown up from 
the germ. But we trust it will be considered only 
the beginning. Music, to be fitly and fully repre- 
sented in the University, needs more than one pro' 
fessor, needs in fact a complete Faculty, or School, 
as fully equipped as those of Law and Medicine 
and Natural History are now. To this end the lit- 
tle amateur association of music-loving sons of Har- 
vard, to which we have alluded, has been, in its 
quiet, private, social way, more or less consciously 
and definitely working. The agitation and indoc- 
trination began here, and to this day has proceeded 
chiefly from this little circle. To this end have its 
Symphony Concerts, its Library, its appeals by pen 
and mouth, all tended. This Library, these Con- 
certs, in the ideal of its leading, organizing spirits, 
find one of their chief motives in the future ; they, 
as they become firmly established, will stand all 
ready as so many columns for the temple of a com- 
plete school of music under the protecting wing of 
a disinterested, wise, respected University. The 
aeademie motive of these concerts, which has in 
some sense kept their programmes " so exclusive," 
has not been sufficiently understood by those who 
would force them into competition, in the way of 
ad captandum novelties and dazzling exhibitions of 
i^hniquef with other concerts of a more speculative 
origin and spirit. There is some education derived, 
of course, from the whole multifarious opera and 
concert business, from the hearing of so much music 
g^od, bad and indifferent. There is also a loosening 
of the soil, over wide tracts where naught would 
grow before, by means of the numerous " Conserv- 
atories,*' so called, which have sprung up in this 
country of late years, some of which count their 
pupils by thousands. But numben are of too 
great account with them, and "business," far 
more than Art or Culture, seems to be the genius 
and the mainspring of their organization. Let 
these do all the good they can in their own 

way ; but there is still wanting an autfiority ; 
something established, and renpectcd, far above 
mercenary motives, which may set a higher tone 
and an example for them also, so that there may 
be something to refer to, something standard. 



in the midst of all their differences, and suporficinli- 
ities and caterings to the fashions and the idols of 
a day. Where can this be found so well as in an 
ancient University, where it will enjoy the guaran- 
ty of character and of disinterestedness; where 
culture is pursued purely, and for its own sake ; a 
University so placed as to be as far above and inde- 
pendent of all speculative, more business arts and 
influences, as any Church can be? Here Music 
would possess at least one independent sanctuary, 

which the moncv -changers could not profane. Here 
all tenchiug could at least have the guaranty of a 
disinterested motive. Here the standard of pure 
taste would not have to be dragged down into the 
market place continually, to compete with the new 
fashions, the passing excitements and cheap popu- 
larities of those with whom enlerprUe is regarded 
as the one thing needful, and constitutes their entire 
talent Moreover, in the University, Music will 
dwell in sweet companionship with sister arts, and 
stand in living, daily, true relationship with all the 
branches of a many-sided universal culture. The 
study of the Art could hardly fail, in such a liberal 
and genial sphere, where all is well approved and 
earnest, to aspire and tend continually to the high- 
est standard of pure taste ; Truth, before popular 
ej^'rct, would be its motto and its practice. 

We have opened a great subject, and one which, 
to discuss fully, would lead us far beyond our pres- 
ent means or purpose. Yet, in another paper, we 
hope to develop the theme a little further, as well as 
to give some brief account of how much actually 
hat been accomplished in the university at Cam- 
bridge toward building up a musical character for 
itself. 



-•«•- 



Liist and Bobert Franz. 

We had occasion lately to allude to the warm in- 
terest which Liszt has always taken in the Songs of 
Franz. A letter lies before us now from our own 
Boston singer, Mr. Kreissm ann, to whom more than 
to any other singer we owe here our acquaintance 
with the beauty of those songs, and who, in one of 
the happier intervals of his still uncertain state of 
health, visited the musical Abbate at his home in 
Weimar in June last, and sang Franz songs at his 
request. We are permitted to translate a portion 
of his glowing letter. Liszt had hoard of him before 
as one of the most zealous and truest interpreters 
of Franz, and complimented him on having done so 
good a work. The letter then proceeds : 

When we were taking leave, he said to me : "Yon 
probably know that every Snnday morning, from 
11 to 1 o*clock, I hold my musical mating here in 
my rooms ; you and your lady are invited to the 
same, and will be always welcome during 3*our 
stay in Weimar." Quite delighted at sncli a recep- 
tion, and full of expectation, we took onr leave, and 
I could scarcely sleep the whole nightlong from the 
excitement. Punctually at eleven we found ourselves 
again at Liszt's, where a select company were 
already assembled. All his pupils of ooth sexes, 
whose number is unusually lar^re just now (from all 
parts of the world, the rising young pianists, and 
composers too, stream to this musical Mecca, as 
soon as the great prophet lets himself be seen and 
takes up his abode here for some time ; and it is 
America that furnishes the largest contingent.) 
one after another found themselves together here. 
The others present were followers and worshippers 
of the great master from the ^\\U* of the musical 
world here, and among them must be counted the 
Grand Duke, who is not only a cultivated and artis- 
tic amateur of music, but one of Liszt's particular 
admirers. There were also other artists, either at 
home in Weimar, or, like myself, temporarily there 
for the sake of making the great master's aconain- 
tance and observing him in nis'own honsehola sur- 
roundings. The Grand Duke was accompanied by 
his adjutant, and moved about in the company with 
the air of a simple citizen without the least preten- 
tion. (Indeed I was struck by the absence of all 
etiquette ; the ladies appeared in their usual cos- 
tume, the gentlemen without dress coat, <&c., nor 
was the Grand Duke distinguishable from others by 
his dress). When he had seated himself, the rest 
did likewise, and now began the various perform- 
ances. 

Several young lady pupils played the piano; 
among whom Miss Kate Gaftl, from Baltimore, dis* 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, AUG. 21, 1875. 



79 



tin^uishc'd herself above all by her expressive, ten- 
der, beautiful tuuch, her ripe and sound conception 
and soulful rendering of a Nocturne bv Chopin. 
Two young ladies san^ — nothing remarkable ; both 
were young and have yet to learn ; moreover, a lad 
of fourteen, pupil in the orchestral school here, 
played a violin solo, which interested me but little, 
but now at last came Master Liszt himself. At first 
he pla^'cd for four hands with one of his pupils, who 
is at the same time a talented composer, a composi- 
tion of the latter; then he played alone a strini:: of 
his own compositions, and of other works. That 
indeed was compensation for the insignificant things 
I had been hearing; and os he seemed to be in very 
good mood, and to feel like playing, he enchanted 
every one, and carried all away with him. Never 
in my life shall I forget that day. 

But what must remain for nie the most unfor- 
gettable experience of that day, I have now to re- 
late. When Liszt had done playing, he rose, and 
searched about over the room with his eyes as if he 
wished to find somebody. I sat back in a corner ; 
and when at last his eyes fell on me, he nodded^ to 
me and said in a friendly, smiling manner : *' Now 
we will hear some of the beautiful songs of Rodcrt 
Franz, which they say you are so fond of, and sing 
so admirably.*' The appeal was bo unexpected and 
80 surprised me that, for sheer confusion, I could 
hardly utter the excuse, that, having never dreamed 
of such an invitation, I had brought no music with 
me. " That's easily remedied," replied Liszt, while 
from a heap of music that lay on tno piauo he drew 
forth several sets of Franz songs and handed them 
to me ; " Here, choose to your own liking," While 
I turned over the leaves to make a selection, he had 
seated himself again at the piano, and looking round 
with an expectant, friendly smile, he began to pre- 
lude. So Liszt himself was going to accompany 
me? 

I cannot describe to yon what a feeling came 
upon me at that thought and inspired me. For 
years it had been my earnest wish to have sometime 
an opportunity to sing at least some songs oi Frauz 
before Liszt^-before him, who through his little pam- 
phlet about these songs, has shown in what a nigh 
esteem he holds them, and how deeply he had rec- 
ognized and felt the infinite beauties of these mas- 
ter creations. But I had never in the remotest de- 
gree believed in the possibility of the fulfilment of 
this wish, or dared to hope for it ; and now, all un- 
expectedly, this boldest of all wishes was to be real- 
ized, and the immortal master himself was waiting 
there, of his own accord, to play my accompani- 
ment I 

This feeling raised my mood to a height I had 
never felt before ; proud and full of confidence I 
stood there over Liszt, and aft«r the first two or 
three bars had assured me that I was in good voice, 
I gave myself up freely and entirely to my feeling, 
and I sang, I do believe, more beautifully than ever 
in my life before. Liszt thanked me very heartily, 
appeared quite delighted,- and bestowed on me much 
praise and recognition. The Grand Duke also had 
me presented, and thanked me with equal warmth 
aud friendliness for the exquisite enjoyment which 
my singing hud given him. Then he spoke with 
praise of the freshness and beauty of my voice 
(" which seemed indeed just made for these songs"); 
of my distinct enunciation, ('*hc had understood 
every word"); but particularly of my expressive and 
intelligent delivery. " The songs you sang were 
eutirely new to me," he continuea,"and I should like, 
if I may ask the favor, to hear you in some 
songs with which I am familiar." Schumann's 
songs were better known to him ; and so I selected 
** AUnachilidi in Trdume*' and *' Fruhlingsnacht" 
These too were most successful. 

When I had ended, the Grand Duke arose from 
his seat and, as he hastily approached me, exclaimed 
aloud : " Au9gezeichnjet^ tcftnder»chdnf You have 
quite enchanted me." Then he continued : " These- 
songs I have heard here often and by different 
singers of both sexes, but never have I heard them 
sung so perfectly and so enchantingly as by you ; 
and I thank you most sincerely for it. You seem 
to give yourself completely out in these songs ; one 
wonld tifiink you were the poet and composer both 
in one." — After this he inquired about ray earlier 
history ; then came upon my life and work in Bos- 
ton: then we talked aoout the musical condition of 
America in general ; and, after conversing with me 
for full a quarter of an hour, immediately took his 
leave." 



and l8 now residing In its suburbs, taking a summer rest, 
prior to a grnml Concert tour through the United States 
and Canaifa, after which she will return to England. 

Mine. Goddnrd's only appearnnce In our city hitherto 
was in the Gihnore Jubilee, which placed an ortl«t of her 
r:mk in kg falne a position, that both for her own sake and 
for our's, wo Hhall be giad to hear her under more auspi- 
cious clrcumsiances. 



• ♦■ 



Madame Arabella. Goddard. This famous English 

Slanist. we are requested to state, will visit Boston next 
ovember and give several concert* here. She has re- 
cently l>eeu playing with great success In ban Frauclsoo, 



Miuic at the Central Park Ckirden. 

New York, August 9. — Besides the regular clas- 
sical Thursday evening concerts, Mr. Thomas is now 
giving on Tuesday evenings a series of programmes 
each of which is made up entirely from the works 
of one composer ; thus we have already had a Wag- 
ner night, and a Beethoven night as follows ; 

Wagnfir Nipht, July 27. 
Overture: "The Phantom Ship.** 
Introduction and Finale; " Tristan and Isolde." 
KalBer Mantch. 
Eine Fuuwt Overture. 
Der RItt der Walkueren, ) 
Wotan's Farewuii, \ from the " Walknore.** 

Magic Fire Scene. ) 

Voc.ll part by Mr. Franz Remmerts. 
Vorsplel : " Loiienprin.** 
Albumblatt: Bolo fur Violin. 

M'-. S. E. Jacobsohn. 

0?mure.' "^"^^"'"^ ^^'■'" I " Tannhaeuser.« 
Mr. Franz Remmertz. 

Btethoven Night, Avff. 3. 

Selections from Ballet muMic : " Prometheus,'* op. 43. 

[Overture, Adagio. March.] 

Violoncello obligato by Mr. Ch. Hemann. 

Septet, op 20. 

tTheme and Variations, Scherzo, Finale.] 
Overture: •« Coriolan," op. 62. 
Symphony No. 5, in C minor, op. 67. 
Overture: ** Leonora.'' No. 3. 
Romanze, In G, op. 40. 

Played by ail the first Violins. 
Turkish March: V Ruins of Athens.'* 

Most of the Wagner music is already familiar to 
us, but the Albumblatt was heard for the first time. 
It is a real melody, and it was played by Mr. Jacob- 
sohn with remarkable skill and refinement. A 
repetition of this piece was demanded, but the sec- 
ond performance was cut short by the breaking of 
a string in Mr. Jacobsohn's violin. The ** Evening 
Star ** Romance from 7annMtiser was rendered with 
good effect by Mr. Remmertz, whose fine, full voice 
and dignified style always make a favorable impres- 
sion. 

In the ballet music from Beethoven's Prometheus 
the violoncello obligato was remarkably well per- 
formed by Mr. Hemann. 

The attendance at both concerts was very large ; 
and the Thursday evening concerts are also well 
patronized. The audience on other nights is not so 
largo; but the patronage is fair considering the 
number of people who are out of town. The pro- 
gramme for each evening is made up with so much 

care and so skillfully arranged that it is hard to 
make a distinction, even in favor of Thursday even- 
ings, the only difference now being that a Sympho- 
ny is usually added to the list. 

Continuing the summary of these programmes 
from the point at which I left it, we liave the fol- 
lowing : 

Thursday Evening^ July 8. 
Prelude, ) 

Choral, \ adapted for orchestra by J. J. Abert. .Bach 
Fugue, ) 

German Dances [adapted hy J. Horbeck] . . . .Schubert 
Rom»nze: Horn Quartet and Orchestra, [new.] 

Dudley Buck 
Messrs. Schmitz, Pieper, Kusstenmacher and Elicr. 

Overture: "Sakuntala" Goldmark 

Symphony, No. 2, in D, Op. 30 Be^Mhoven 

Selections : «• Phantom Ship »• Wacner 

Polonaise: Strueusee Meyerbeer 

wSldl?«*'M.n*. }MIU.»mmornlgl.f.D«.m. 

Mendelssohn 

Mr. Dudley Buck acted as conduct<»r in the ab- 
aenco of M r. Thomas. His Horn Quartet has already 
become quite popular, both on account ©f its merit 
and of the masterly performance of the horn players. 
It is a bold, romantic conception, scored with re- 
markable talent, and the orchestral part is very 
nicely balanced and finely harmonized, producing 
a beautiful effe6t. 

The backbone of the programme was, of course, 
the Beethoven Symphony-, which was very well 
rendered, thanks to the discretion of the orchestra 
which followed the first violin headed by Mr. 
Jacobsohn, and was followed in turn much of the 
time by the conductor's b&ton. The Bach music 



was particularly interesting and the adaptation is 

good. The Struetuee Polonaise, part of the music 

written to illustrate the tragedy by Michael Beer> 

is very effective and has found place in the pro- 

grcmmes frequently of late. 

Thursday Evening^ July 16. 

Overture: <* Magic FJute " Mozart 

Serenade, op. 8, [new! Beethoven 

Vorsplel : " Loreley *' Max Bruch 

March for the Goethe Festival Liszt 

Symphony : «« Fritbjof '* op. 22 HofTtaaann 

Overture: " William Tell '^ Rossini 

Ave Maria Bach-Gounod 

Ballet: "RIenzI** Wagner 

The •' Frithjof " symphony was first performed 
at one of the symphony concerts last winter and 
recognized with that glad surprise which greet.<« a 
work of true genius. Tliere is something in the 
instrumentation of this Symphony which approach- 
es the wonderful st^le of Raff: but the spirit of the 
composition is entirely original. The delightful 
intermezzo (" Elves of light and Frost Giants,") is 
a picturesque, half-comical delineation, which has 
already become a freqiient and welcome addition to 
the repertoire of the Garden Concerts. 

Thursday Evening, July 22. 

Overture : " Al^este *' [new] .' Gluck 

Passacaclia, [adapted for oruho»tra by H. EsAerl.Bach 

Hungarian Dances, [new] Hoffmann 

Selections fVom 3d act of the '* Melstersinger.*' 

Wagner 
Symphony No. 4, ['« Cons cration of Tone *'].... Spohr 

Rhapsodic Hongroise, No. 1 Liszt 

Romance, op. 40, in G Beethoven 

Tuikish March Mozart 

Spohr's work is wonderfully well done. In fact, 

it is painfully so. " Faultily faultless ; ** — one tires 

at last of this suave uninterrupted flow of melody. 
And yet it is a composition of too much merit to be 
consigned to the limbo of oblivion, for Spohr had 
every gift except the divine one. So let us hear 
his music occasionally. Too much of it is like a 
diet composed exclusively of honey. 

Thursday Evening^ July 29. 

Suite, No. 3. in D Baeh 

Overture, Air, Gavotte, Bourr6e, Gigue. 

Drei rharnctiTStuecke, fnew] H. Hoffmann 

Overture: "Genoveva" Sebumann 

Unflnfohed Symphony Schubert 

Symphonic Poem : *' Les Preludes ** Liszt 

Overture : " The Neighbors " H. Horn 

Fantasle : " Visions in a Dream " Lnmbye 

With Soio for Zither. 
Huldigung's Marsch Wagner 

I have seldom heard Bach's music executed with 
the precision and clearness which signalized this 
performance of the Suite, and I can imagine nothing 
more fascinating than the music. 

The character pieces by Hoffmann are remarkably 
well scored. The first is a charming meditation en- 
titled " Ruhe in Schattcn einer Ruine.** The second 
a Ballade, and the third a Scherzo called '* la 
Sonnenschein :" 

" And soon the buzzing knows no end 
****** 

Soprano mosquitos and the crickets ; 
The dragon-flies, a varied throng. 
In Alto raise their swelling song. 
Blue flies and bees in Tenor quaver, 
In deep-toned bass the lively chafer.'' 

Poor Schubert I your life was itself an ''unfinished 
symphony ; " but the missing chords will be sup- 
plied by those who love you in every land where 
music is known. You have indeed touched the 
stars with your forehead. A. A. C. 

The Garden Concerts* New York. 

(From the Tribune, Aug. 14.] 

Since the sudden disappearance of the lessee of the Cen- 
tral Park Garden three weeks ago, leaving; a uurober of 
claims unsatlsfiedi that favorite establishment has been 
beset with embarrassments. The public, however, has 
seen nothing of the internal perplexities ; the perform- 
ances—thanks to Thomas's energy and pluck— have been 
kept at their usual high level; and now, ail lovers of mu- 
sic will be glad to know, the troubles are over and the 
fortunes of the rest of the season are assured. It would 
have been an Irreparable public misfortune if the oonoerts 
bad been allowed to stop. Meanwhile, the programmes 
have been unoommonly rf oh. The plan of giving special 
nights to great composers has been pursued with brilliant 
results. Last Toesday was devoted to Sebnbert, the 
Tuesday previous to Beethoven, and next Tuesday is set 

apart for Mozart* when some peculiar novelties are to be 
preiiented. On last Thursday, In spite of the rainy weath- 
er, there was a good house, with the following interesting 
bill: 



PAST I. 

Maestoso, ) ^, , 

Molto Lento, { [new] Gluck 

Chaconne. ) « w i ,. 

German Dancee Bcmi bert 

Symphony in D, No. 6 • • .Mozart 

1 Allegro eon splrito, 2 Andante, 

8 Heooetto, 4 Prcato. 

PART II. 

Overture, " Anacreon " Cherubim 

8eptet,Op.20 ^..Beethoven 

Theme and Variations— Scherzo— Finale. 
Overture, ••Manfred" Schumann 

PART III 

Rhapeodle Hongrolse, No. 3 Usxt 

Bymphonlc Poem, " Le Rouet d*Omphale.*' 
' '^ Saint-Silent 

Fairy Overture, " Aladdin '» Homemann 

The first nnmb'^r on this programme Is taken from the 
balletrmusic which Oluck added to bis '* Orpheus " when 
he revised that opera for the Paris stage. The three 
movements follow one another without break, and with 
a climax of force, interest and beauty which the least 
experienced listener can hardly fail to appreciate. Such 
pure and noble music can never grow old. How finely, 
too, it was matched by the elegant and exquisitely fin- 
ished overture of Cherubini's, and how deliffhtfnllv con- 
trasted wlih Herbeck's arrangement of the Schubert 
dances, and the superb Beethoven Septet, arranged for 
the orchestra. All these selecUons. as well as Schu- 
mann*s grand overture to " Manfred," were played with 
unusual spirit and refinement. The Mozart Symphony 
was in sonre respects the most interesting feature of the 
concert, not so much for iu intrinsic merit, though 
that is very high, as because of a curious restoration 
which Thomas nu been enabled to make to the score. 
He has added from an old and authentic manuscript copy 
in his possession, the parU for flutes and clartneU 
which Mozart wrote, but which have hitherto been 
omitted. Even the latest edition of Mozart's Sympho- 
nies, by Breitkopf and Hlirtel, does rot contain those im- 
portant parts. The Symphony has not been heard re- 
Mntly In New York, but it richly deserves frequent repe- 
tition, if only for the sake of the vigorous flrat movement. 
How Mozart^B contemporaries must have wondered when 
they first heard these bold and original strains, so unlike 
the opening of every symphony before them. Even to-day, 
though their novelty has been taken away, their freehness 
remalnsi and the music is not less ramarkable Ibr strong 
effects than for that rare combination of dignity with an 
indefinable grace and loveliness which distinguishes all 
the best work of this charming master. 

Lawrknok, Mass. Here are the programmes, 
very good ones, of some " Free Orgao Recitals '* 
given in various churches or the city by Mr. Gkorgk 
Chadwick, with the vocal assistance of Mrs. G. M. 
CuxMiNGS, Mr. Rbudbn Mkrrill and Mr. H. P. 
Parsons. They were the first ever given in Law- 
rence. and we hear that thoy were well attended 
and appreciated. 

1. TTiursdaif, June 24. 
1 Prelude and Fugue in C major yj^^^^ 

3 Adagio from O minor Sonata Merkel 

S Aria, '* O Best in the Lord," from Elijah. 

Mendelssohn 
Mrs. Cummings. 

4 Variations in A fiat I®**? 

5 PastoraleInF • ........Bach 

6 Song, ** There is a green hill far away *'.... Oounod 

Mrs. Cummings. 

7 Fugue mB fiat. "St. Anns** Bach 

2. 7%ur«diay, Jid^ 1. 

1 Fugue in C minor Bach 

2 Sludien. on. M. No. 4 .; .•..;••.• .. .Schumann 

Z Aria. '*6 Ood. have merry.** St. Paul.Mendelssohn 

Mr. Merrill. 

4 Fugue in O minor, Bk. 2, No. 4 Bach 

5 VariAilonsinAmaJuT ..Hesse 

C Song.** Guardian Angels'* Gounod 

* Mr. Merrill. 

7 Skizzen, op. B8,Nos. Iand2 Schumann 

3. Thursday, July 8. 

1 Fugue in A minor Bach 

2 Vorspiele • Bach 

a. HerzUch thut mich verlangen. 

b. Es ist das Hell. 

8 Aria, *' Lord Ood of Abraham," fh>m " Elijah." 

Mendelssohn 
Mr. Parsons. 
4 Variations. "HellDlr.** Op.«7 Hesse 

6 Sonate, No. 1. [first movement] Bach 

e Song, 'Nazareth" Gounod 

Mr. Parsons. 

7 Concertsatz inCminor ....Thiele 

8 Skizzen, NoB.4and2 Schumann 

WoRCRSTiR, MAsa. The Boston Globe has an in- 
teresting descriptive and historical account, with 
illustrations, of the beautiful old city which lies at 
*' the heart of the Commonwealth." Among other 
things, its musical advantages are thus enumerated : 

The musical reputation of Worcester is superior to that 
of most other cities. The music in the public schools la 
under the direction of Mr. B. B. Nason, who, by his untir- 
ing labor and long ezperienoe, has gained a well-deserved 
repuUtlon. He Is very ably aisbted by Miss C. H. Met- 
oalf . There are three musical associations, with head- 
quarters at Worcester, called the Worcester County Mu- 
sical Association, the Singing Society "Frohsinn," and the 
Worcester Choral Union, as well as a music school. The 
Worcister County Association holds a grand annual fes- 



tival each year with a vlow to the improvement of choirs 
In the performance of church music, the formation uf an 
elevated musical taste through study In tho htghext de- 
partments, and a social, genial reunion of all lovurs of 
music. The festival continues five days and four grand 
concerts are given. The music school Is under the entire 
supervision of Mr. G. W. Sumner. Among the fine corps 
of teachers engagi^d In this Institution are Messre. B. D. 
Allen, O. R. Hayden, F. F. Ford, E. L. Sumner and Mrs. 
M. J. Sumner. Tho following Is a lidt of the officers of 
tho Worcester County Musical Association : 

President, Hon. William R. Hill; Vice Presidents. Wil- 
ham Sumner, B. D.Allen, A. C. Monroe, L. Stockwetl, 
Anson Rice; Secretary, S. Richarda, Assi., I. N. Metcalf; 
Treasurer, J. E. Benchley ; Librarian, G. W. Elkins, Asst., 
J. Q, Adams. 

There are four brass and two string bands. Among the 
most prominent music teachers are C. P. Morrison, E. L. 
Sumner, M. J. Sumner, J. A. Broad, George Burt, H. L. 
Ainsworth, H. T. Boardman, Eila Van Voast, Addle S. 
Holman and Emma Dunbar. 



• ♦ » 



Eoyal Italian Opera, London. 

From the aoth of March to tho 17thof July— tlie opening 
night and the closing night— there were 83 performances, 
60 conducted by Signor Vianesi and 24 by Bignor Bevlg- 
nanl. Both conductors must have shown exemplary dili- 
gence, seeing that no less than 29 different operas were 
produced, and for the greater part in the most effective 
manner. We need not catalogue them, tho record of the 
season having been given, from week to week, In sufficient- 
ly accurate detail. It is worth mentioning, however, that 
the largest number of representations (15) were devoted to 
three of Mozart's operas— DKm Oiovanni, H Fkmto Magico^ 
and Le Konee di Figaro; Meyerbeer (14) coming next, 
with Robert le ZHabU, the Huguenote, ZHnoraht and L'XioUe 
du Jford; Verdi next (10), Rossini next (9); Auber, Doni- 
zetti, and Gounod eaoti counting seven.' So, notwtthstand* 
ing the IdcH prevalent, here and there, that the advent of 
Wagner, with his Lohengrin^ was to be at least the tempo- 
rary annihilation of our old and cherished masterpieces, 
the reverse has proved to be the case. Mozart, Meyer- 
beer, Rossini, and Verdi are more than ever popular ; and, 
though Mozart died In 1791, Rossini left off composing for 
the theatre in 1829, and the ffuguenote was produced In 
1886, they are likely to retain the popularity po well earned 
by their compositions, in which rhythmical melody, the 
essence and noul of music, everywhere prevails. 

At the same time it cannot be denied that the first pro- 
duction of Lohengrin in this country, for which we are 
indebted to Mr. C*ye. has been the " curiosity "and in cer- 
tain respects the prominent attraction of the season. No 
work has for a long period been talked about so much In 
every cirele where operatic music Is discussed, and no 
work has fdven rise to so many differences of opin'on; 
some extolling it to the nkles, as the ne jAue ultra of lyrl- 
co-dramatic art; others accepting it cum grano, with 
reservations; while others have rejected it in toto^ as em- 
bodylrg a theory which. If succesf>fiilly carried out, rauMt 
eventually do away altogether with opera, as it has been 
known and understood among us time out of mind. Our 
own opinion ha* been expressed on several oocashins ; and 
wo may add (deferentially, for we are speaking of Wag- 
ner) that further experience has given ns no chuso to 
chanpre or modify It. A largo number of the public has 
accorded a hearty welcome to Lohengrin, ana this fact 
must not be overlooked. AnoUier fact, however, must 
equally be borne in mind. LohMigrin. as the author of 
the ** Ari-u>ork of the Future " himself implies, is not the 
expression of nla last word: the works that follow it— 
Trieton und leoide, with Rheingold, the Trilogy of the 
yibelungen, and, lastly, Pertiml (or <* Parcivalfy which, 
looming in the distance, is already disturbing the contem- 
plative master's brain— are destined to carry out his the- 
ory to the utmost, and to make or mar it, In tho eyes of 
those competent to Judge and able to compete argumen- 
tatively with such an intellectual giant In polemics. 
Enough that eight performances were ifivon by Mr. Gvo, 
to whom tho highest credit Is due for tho lavish spleiKior 
with which the opera was placed on tho stage ; and toMdIle. 
Emma Albanl, for her chaiToing impersonation of Elsa, 
which advanced her several steps In public opinion; and 
to Signor Vianesi fbr the pains he took in vetting up the 
performance, and— supported by a thorougnly competent 
orehestra, with Mr. Carrodus, our foremost ^glish 
violinist, at the head— the ability with which he directed 
it. 

There is little more to add. That Madame Adelina 
PattI, on legitimate grounds, enloys more than ever the 
favor of the public is an unquestionable fact; how Mdlle. 
Albanl has progressed, and is progressing, has been 
recorded on more than one occasion, as also how M. Faure 
maintains hi« position as the first dramatic barytone bass 
of the period. Upon the rest of the company— among 
whom were some of the long-tried Covent Garden veter- 
ans, together with new-comers, like the tenors. Signers de 
Sanctis and Carpi— it is unnecessary to dwell. We must 
except, nevertheless, Mdlle. D'Angeri, who, In her first 
impersonation of Leonora (Fldelio), as a young and rising 
arflst, did herself infinite credit; and Mdlle. Rlanchl, who, 
as Susanna, in the If&eee di Flgraro, showed how gradual- 
ly and surely she is advancing, and who at the last repre- 
sentation of Mozart's comic masterpiece (if " comio^' it 
may be entitled) more than lustiflcd, in the beautiful ser- 
enade, <* Deh I vieni non tardar,** the Oficomiums bestowed 
upon her on a previous occasion. Mdlle. Zar4 Thalberg, 
Mr. Gye*s youngest artist, although she has only appeared 
In three characters, may be looked upon as his most prom- 
ising recent acquisition. In each part she has made a 
highly favorable Impression.— TYiims. 



« 



DBSCRIPTIVB LIST OF THB 

Z^J^TSST 2^T78 Z O , 
Pabllehwd bj OIlTer mtnom * C*. 

» <•» « 

Vooal, with Piano AooompanliDent. 
DEBORAH. A Lyric Opera, by fT. Millard. 

No. 5. O horrid midnifrht. Recit. and 

Aria. 0. £ to ft. $1.00 

6. He comes. Cnbaletta. 6. Eft to 5. 50 

7. How soft the thrill. Duet. 5. 

D6 to a. 60 

" 8. U tho ffods in pity. Cabaletta. 6. 

Ftoo. 75 

** 0. Perchance an AngeL CaTatina. 

A. £ to f. 60 

'' 10. Doflt thou not hear. Duet. 6. 

E to a. 1.00 

" 11. To words of his. Cho. and Solo. 

4. G&tof. 25 

" 12. Now sad moment. Cho. 4. B6 to g. 25 
** 13. He's free. now. Quintette and 

Cho. 5. 'Ebtob. 75 

** 14. Oh, true Love. Romansetta. 5. 

Eft and Aft to a. 75 

"15. O loved Folly. Chorus. 4. C to flr. 50 
** 16. Like a svren. Romance. 5. B/> to a. 35 
'' 17. What I His loved wife. Stretta. 

6. Eft to ft. 75 

" 18. By eVry hope. Aria. 5. Aft to a. 75 

Mr. Millard's opera has 37 numbers, part of them, 
as will be seen, contalninfi; difficult music of great 
compass. Bui there is sImo much within the reach 
of singers of average powers. Oct •• number, and 
Judge of this new American opera. 

In a leafy Nook so shady. 3. F to f. HaiUm, SO 

" And the waterfall before ns. 
Dripping, dripping, never stopping." 

Elegant words and music. 

Forget me not 3. to c. Gatty. 30 

** For all the world you've been to me. 
And half the world yon take away." 

One of Mr. Oatty*s superfine ballads. 

Instrvmental* 

Evangeline. Melodic Varioe. 4. Eft. Maylath. 40 
A pleasing melody, neatly varied. 

L' Adieu du Kerger. (Shepherd's Farewell). 

Morceau Elegant 4. £ft. Maylath. 50 

An elegant melody, such as Shepherds may be 
supposcato have warbled, ornamented with arpeg- 
fCios, chords and octave runs. 

La Belle Zingara. Fantasie Mamrka. 4. Eft 

Maylath. 40 

A wild, musical air, with quite varied arrange- 
ments. 

Palisade Waltz. 3. Eft Preacott. 35 

Oay music, which msy help in the chcerAil pas- 
sing away of time on the Palisadrs as elsewhere. 

Indigo, or the 40 Thieves. Oper'ta by Strauss. 

No. 2. March. arr. by Maylaih. 35 

Introduces three airs from the operetta, and 
though from a thieves opera, will ansirer nicely for 
honest people to march to. 

Joyous Moments. Morceau de Salon. 5. F. 

S. Smith. 75 

8pend an amrions hour or two in learning it, after 
which Joyous moments will be forever at your dis- 
posal. 

Tliree Compo'ns for Piano. Jfiss PreseoU, ea. 80 

No. 1. Shepherd's Song. 3. F. 

<' 2. Crocus. Polka. a Bft 

The Polka has a btight <' snap " to it, and the 
Shepherd sings in a very spirited lay. Brilliant 
pieces. 

Sleigh Ride Galop. 3. C. AroMen. 40 

A little In advance of tho season, hot the music 
Is bright and attractive enough for any time. 

Yogesen March. 3. Eft. ZUcoff. 35 

A quick tf arch or Quickstep, and may be classed 
among the best. 

Lohengrin, by Wagner. Potpourri 4. Cramer. 16 

The decidedly romantic music of the opera artis- 
tically put together. 

Days that are past Tone Picture. 4. Eft 

Lange. 50 

*'Tone Pictures** are better than tho ** imitative 
pieces" (which they succeed), since the latter in* 
elude considerable clap-irap, while these are legit- 
imate '* descriptions" of graoeftil UioughtB. 



ABBBBviATXoirs.— Degrees of difficulty are marked 
1 to 7. The keyw marked with a capital letter: as C, 'B 
flat, *c. A small Roman letter marks the highest note, 
if on the staff, an italic letter the highest note, if above 
the staff. 




toiglfs 




mml 





Wholk No. 897. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, SEPT. 4, 1876. Vol. XXXV. No, 11. 



Lo7e'i Bewiurd. 

For Love I labored all the day, 
Through morninji^ chill aod midday heat, 

For surely with the evening gray, 

I thought, Love's guerdon shall be sweet. 

At evenltde, with weary limb, 
I brought my labors to the spot 

Where Love had bid me eome to him ; 
Thither I came, but found him not 

For he with idle folk had gone 
To dance the hours of night away ; 

And I that toiled was led aUme, 
Too weary now to dance or plsy. 

— F.W^ouBDiLLOX, in September Atlanile. 

The .Daadng Bear. 

Far over Elf-land poets stretch their sway. 

And win their dearest crowns beyond the goal 

Of their own conscious purpose ; they control 

With gossamer threads wide-flown our fancy's play, 

And so our action. On my walk to-day 

A wallowing bear begged clumsily his toll, 

When straight a vision rose of Atta Troll, 

And scenes ideal witched mine eyes away. 

" Merci, Motneu / " the astonished bear-ward cried, 

Grateful for thrice his hope to me, the slave 

Of partial memory, seeing at his side 

A bear immortal ; the glad dole I gave 

Was none of mine ; poor Heine o'er the wide 

Atlantic welter reached it from his grave. 

— jAMte KnssBLL Lowsix, in September Atlantic. 

. ♦ * I 

Dc BAndiek on the Qrand Opera» Parit. 

[We are Indebted, as we have been many times before, 
to the London *' Mu«icai World *' for saving us the labor 
of translating (and, it is no falsa mod«sty to add, for do- 
ing It better than we should have done) thu celcbratc'd 
Anstrtan erittc's bright and animated deseriplion of the 
new Orand Operahouse, which appeared originally In the 
Vienna " Neoe Freie ProMe."] 

I have reserved to the last my opinion of the 
Grand Opera. I wanted to wait until I was a 
little less dazzled by its magnificence and a 
little more edified by its performances. I 
found, however, small inducements to visit it 
often. You might live five months in IParis, 
and yet see, in exactly Ave evenings, the entire 
repertory of the New Operahouse. Since it 
was opened on the 5th January, 1875 (the 
anniversary of the bombardment of Paris), only 
five operas have been produced: La Juice, 
Ouittaume TeU, Bandet^ La Fawrite^ and, to 
wind up the list. Lei HuguenaU. Independent 
ballets, filling the entire evening, are no long- 
er given, but Donizetti's FavarUe, on account 
of its shortness, has often two acts of an old 
ballet. La Source, tacked to it. The '* majestic 
slowness ^^ which, from time immemorial, 
always distinguished the Paris Grand Opera, 
like some indelible characteristic, or like a 
kind of priestly consecration, is now greater 
than ever, thanks to the necessity of new scen- 
ery. Our own Imperial Operahouse in Vienna 
produced, during the first five months of its 
existence, three times as many operas as the 
Grand Operahouse, Paris, in the same period, 
and that,^ too, with a company employed (al- 
ternately in the old and new house) every day. 
There are only four performances a week at the 
Paris Operahouse, three of them being included 
in the subscription. That the management 
does not make iip its mind to give at least a 



fifth, is something surprising, as the public 
fiock in an extraordinary manner to the per- 
formances, and every place is taken a week in 
advance. But those who purchase a box or a 
stall are guaranteed only a particular evening, 
and not a particular opera. It is the new house 
and not the performance which, for the pres- 
ent, attracts all attention. Let M. Halanzier 
give what he chooses, his theatre, provided 
there is some brilliantly lighted music between 
the acts, will be filled to the ceiling — golden 
days for a manager. A regular take of 19,000 
francs, which rises, when the subscription list 
is suspended, to 21 or 22, 000; and, in addition 
to this, an annual State grant of nearly a mil- 
lion! With the opening of the new house, 
however, the French Government adopted the 
sensible plan of regulating this grant according 
to a sliding scale; the grant is cut down im- 
mediately the receipts exceed a certain sum. 

The architecture of the new Operahouse, and 
the mode in which the edifice has been deco- 
rated inside with frescoes, statues, and mosa- 
ics, has often been described at length. A de- 
scription of all this may the more properly be 
omitted here, as I am not competent to speak 
authoritatively on such matters, and can do no 
more than record the impression made on my- 
self individually. The new theatre is a mag- 
nificent structure, of which the Parisians have 
just cause to be proud. It was fourteen years 
building, or double the time required for the 
erection of the Vienna Operahouse. The bril- 
liancy of the internal arrangements eclips js the 
effect of the edifice itself, the principal front 
of which appears rather crushed and pinched 
up, though the repeated contemplation of it 
continually reveals fresh beauties. The only 
objects that stnick me as objectionable were 
the two gigantic golden genii on the attica, 
each of which raises one arm and both wings 
perpendicularly towards the sky; and, with its 
outlines, totally deficient in repose, and visible 
from a great distance, pureues the spectator in 
all directions. Directly he enters, the visitor 
is struck by one of the principal beauties of 
the new theatre : the large dimensions of all 
the localities attached to the auditorium, among 
them being the spacious grand vestibule, with 
the statues, in a sitting posture, of celebrated 
composera ; the imposing crush room, support- 
ed on columns; and the entrance to the pay- 
places, where the attendants, decked out in 
massy ofllcial chains, preside with the dignity 
of judges over all who come in or go out. As 
with us in Vienna, the magnificent staircase, 
with its broad flights of steps, constitutes the 
gem of the building, and after this comes the 
foyer, or saloon. The latter is far larger and 
more brilliant than the one in Vienna, and so 
lofty that the visitor dislocates* his neck in the 
vain attempt to make out, on the ceiling painted 
by Baudry, the connection between the vari'^us 
figures tumbling and sprawling over each other. 
You fancy you will be blinded by the walls 
streaming with gold, the chandeliers sparkling 
with their hundred lights, and the gigantic 
mirrors, which indefinitely refiect all the gor- 
geousness of the confused mass. Cloyed with 
this fflittering magnificence, you turn from the 
grand saloon into the Atant-Foyer. The walls 
of this are decorated with mythological pictures 
executed in costly mosaic; it seems as though 
a piece of the Byzantine splendor of St. Mark's 
had been mislaid and found its way here. 
Mosaic is the special fancy of Gamier, the ar- 
chitect of the theatre. He was obliged to send 
for workmen from Venice, as there were none 
in Pi^ris who underetood this branch of art. 
Though marvellously carried out, these mosa- 



ics strike one in their present situation as a 
motiveless improvisation. Indeed, the whole, 
generally, is, to my taste, too luxurious, too 
heavy with gold, and, in a word, too loud in 
color, especially for a theatre, in which the 
accessory portions, though beautiful and con- 
venient, should not be the principal considera- 
tion, and attract everyone's entire attention. 
Such decoration strikes me as greatly overatep- 
ping the limits of artistic beauty, and as sug- 
gesting the swagger of the spendthrift. We 
think first of the millionaire ana only afterwards 
of the artist. The staircase of the Vienna Op- 
erahouse, with its white marble and fine archi- 
tectural proportions, and onr foyer, with its 
cheerful elegance, and its highly poetical fres- 
coes, are not so dazzling in their effect, but 
they are more stately and noble. The mural 
paintings of our never to-be-foi^tten Schwind 
illustrate well-known scenes from the most cel- 
ebrated operas which have made their mark in 
Vienna. It is something of this kind, some- 
thing historical, which I grievously miss in the 
pictorial decoration of the Paris Operahouse. 
Mythology, nothing save mythology, reigns 
there. From the Muses (reduced to eight 
because funds for the ninth were forgotten) to 
the largo ceiling-pictures of ** Harmony and 
Melody" ** Apollo's Victory over Marayas," 
etc., naught but allegorical and mythological 
figures ! There would have been plenty of room 
left for these, even if one hall, or one saloon, 
had been devoted to the great and important 
persons and events in whom and in which the 
history of French opera is richer than any other. 
Heavy magnificence, bristling with gold, char- 
acterises, also, the auditorium, especially the 
proscenium and the stage-boxes. Such a num- 
ber of massive gold relievi, gold lyres, gold 
trump-blowing genii, etc.. producus an effect 
which oppresses the spectator, while it diverts 
his attention. Much of this, may, though in 
time, be diminished, partly from the force of 
habit among the public, and partly by the 
gradual softening down of all the glitter 
itself. 

In the way of comfort the auditorium is 
nearly perfection. The fauteuils are wide ; the 
rows of seats have plenty of space between 
them ; and access to all the places is easy. A 
large carpet coven the entire fiooring, rendcra 
inaudible the footsteps of those who are con- 
tinually coming or going, and gives the par- 
quet the appearance of an elegant saloon. The 
ventilation is not for a moment to be compared 
with the system (which cannot be too highly 
praised) adopted in the Vienna Operahouse. 
In the midst of so much comfort and luxury, 
there are two evils in the Paris Operahouse 
which are inexplicable. These are the cloak- 
room and the refreshment-room. The ideal of 
a cloak-room has. never yet been realized. 
Crowding, draughts, and confusion, seem to be 
the sponsorial gifts bestowed by Fate upon all 
such institutions, even in the dearest theatre in 
the world— namely, the Italian Operahouse, 
London. The most spacious and l>est sheltered 
cloak-room in existence is that of which the 
Vienna Operahouse boasts. In Paris the cloak- 
rooms for the pit consist of three or four small 
compartments, at the countera of which only 
three gentlemen can stand and be served at one 
time. Still more frightful — nay, when com- 
pared to the brilliant/oy«r next to it, almost 
ghostly — is the refreshment-room ; a melancholy 
and badly lighted passage, with naked grey 
walls, and scarcely any fittings. The convic- 
tion that such a room, out of place anywhere 
save in old barracks or a prison, is only provis- 
ional, forces itself involuntarily upon one. 



82 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



Th'8, indeed, is the fact. Nothing but money 
is wanting to carry out the original elegant de- 
sign. There is little hope, however, of the 
hole being improved for a considerable period, 
though it ought not to have been tolerated, es- 
pecially in Pari.s, for a single week. 

The signal for the rising of the curtain, the 
three heavy blows on a wooden block, is heard 
— certainly an antediluvian substitute for the 
sound of the bell ; but, on account of a credi- 
ble tradition connected with it. still retained 
all over France. These three blows, and the 
date, 1669, prominently displayed in large fig- 
ures over the stage, are — if we exclude the 
busts of a few ccmposers — all that reminds us 
of the two hundred years that the AcadCmie 
Nationale de Muniqne has been in existence. 
The curtain — a ** curtain " in the strict accep- 
tation of the term, purple, with a white lace 
border, without any figures — goes up. The 
opera given is Let Huguenots. We observe 
with satisfaction that the fiddle-bows of the 
violinists never come between our eyes and the 
stage, and that the instruments do not drown 
the voices of the singers; the orchestra lies 
lower than ours: this is right. The acoustic 
qualities of the house are good, if not so excel- 
lent as in the house which was burnt down in 
the Rue Le Pelletier, and which was mostly 
constructed of wood. The new house is more 
favorable to the singers than to the instrumen- 
talists, from whom we should have expected 
more vigor and brilliancy. The defect is at- 
tributable, not to the more than usually low 
level of the orchestra, but to its numbers, 
which are insufllicient for so large a space. 
With ten or fifteen more violins the defect 
would be remedied. And now about the per- 
formance itself. We are bound to state openly 
and fearlessly that the musical execution at the 
new Operahouse is not in any way corapanible 
to the magnificence and grandeur of the build- 
ing. The singing birds are not worth such a 
bejewelled and golden cage. On the stage, 
nearlv all that I considered excellent, and of 
any value, was the scenery, costumes, ballets, 
and processions. With the exception of one 
or two, the singers individually can lay no 
claim to be considered first-class artists, worthy 
of the Grand Paris Operahouse; which, how- 
ever, has the right, and is bound to have the 
very best of everything. Two facts, unrrserv- 
edly communicated to me, prove, more forcibly 
than any description of mine could prove, the 
musical deterioration of the fnmous institution. 
Gounod will not allow his Polyeuete, and Verdi 
will not allow his Aida to be played there as 
long as the company is constituted as at pres- 
ent. Villaret, the tenor, sang the part of Ra- 
oul — Villaret, an aged and corpulent cad 
{Philhter\ all whose mimic power consists in a 
permanent stupidly-knowing smile, and all 
whose action is restricted to two stereotyped 
movements of the arms. His voice is still 
strong, though no longer mellow nor fresh. 
He never knew anything about the art of sing- 
ing; and the first romance (** Plus blanche,") 
which must not be screamed, is beyond him. 
In a character such as that of Raou'l his mere 
appearance produces a comical impression. I 
could not help continually glancing over to 
Roger, who was in the pit," contemplating this 
Raoul with a truly elegiac mien. What must 
have been going on in the breast of so clever 
and amiable an artist, who, in the same char- 
acter, has touched and entranced every heart! 
Mdlle. Gabriele Krsuss sang the music of Val- 
entine in the hollow tremulous voice which we 
know so well in Vienna. A good musician, 
intelligent, and experienced as she is, she gets 
through the part respectably, without, however, 
once carrying away her audience. To speak 
tnith, the public, who, as a rule, leave the 
daque to do the applause, though they throw 
off their reserve in the case of their favorites, 
such as Faure, Miolan, and some others, as- 
sumed a rather passive attitude towards her. 
Even the Parisian critics, usually so good- 
natured, especially for Mdlle. Krauss, indulged 
in anxiously palliative terms about her Valen- 



tine. For Paris, this lady's principal merit is, 
there can be no doubt, the correctness and cer- 
tainty with which she speaks French. Mad. 
Miolan-Carvalho, a lady between forty and 
fifty, with well preserved remainsof beauty and 
voice, was the Queen, She sings also the char 
ters of Gretchen, Julia, and Ophelia, and was 
thus a perfect godsend when she winged her 
fiight from the Op6ra-Comique to the Grand 
Opera. She is an admirable adept in husband- 
ing her resources; and if her efforts want the 
depth and power of passion, they enlist the 
sympathies of the public by thechann of sober 
and elegant art. The Parisians evince a feel- 
ing of pious and tender regard for their artists; 
and the recollection of Mad. Miolan in her 
prime acts for them as a sounding-boanl, which 
strengthens her voice of to-day. In Paris more 
particularly, therefore, the respect manifested 
for this fair artist is intelligible and justifiable. 

As Mad. Miolan towers artistically above all 
the other ladies of the Grand Opera, so does 
the popular baritone, Faure, tower above the 
men. His easy and elegant style of acting still 
shows that he came from the Op€ra-Coinique. 
In the noble development of the tone, and in 
the perfect blending of the latter with the 
clearly articulated words, in all the artistic re- 
sources of vocalization and expressive cantilena, 
Faure is not to he surpassed. It is only when 
anything depends upon iron energy and force 
of voice that he is behind our own Beck in the 
results obtained. Faure's Don Juan ends just 
about where Beck's Don Juan begins: in the 
banquet scene of the second. ^w/ife. Such parts 
as that of Nevers, in Z« Hugitenots. become, in 
Faure*s hands, without his putting himself in- 
tnisively forward, central points of interest in 
the drama. Marcel is still sung valiantly by 
old Bclval, the Paris Draxler. In AmbVoise 
Thomas's HamUt Faure plays the part of the 
hero with intelligence and delicate feeling, and 
Mad. Miolan that of Ophelia with quiet graco. 
They are supported very unworthily by Mad. 
Gueymard, a veteran songstress without a voice, 
or the least trace of talent, as Queen Gertrude ; 
by a very middling King Claudius (Ponsard) ; 
and by a melancholy little tenor (Bosquin) as 
Laertes. 

I hearrl a different set of artists in Halfiw's 
Jnite. Mdlle. Manduit as Rachel, the most in- 
significant and uninteresting sinprer it is possi- 
ble to conceive. She appears in the first act 
with blond hair combed upwards, and a broad 
plait round her forehead, without turban or 
veil. Her whole performance was not even 
bad ; it wns a nullity. The representative of 
Eleazar, Monsieur Solomon, soon won the sym- 
pathies of the audience, who, the day hi fore, 
had put up with M. Villaret, as Raoul. A vig- 
orous, well-grown young man. with a soft and 
8onon)us tenor voice, which, though somewhat 
veiled and not quite taking enough in the high 
notr»«. 8onnds as healthy as his stvle ib simple 
and straightforward. We prophesy for this 
beginner, so liberally endowed by nature, a 
fine career, provided he possesses sufficient 
industrv and intelligence. There was certain- 
ly nothing of the latter quality to be discov- 
ered in his Eleazar, for he had not the leiist 
notion of the part. Neither the national char- 
acteristic of the Jew, nor his fanatirnl disposi- 
tion, thirsting for revenge, were indicated by 
a single look. M. Solomon played the w^hole 
part with his head majestically erect, in an 
unctuous manner, as mild as buttermilk, and 
as though he wanted to bless all Christer.dom 
— a perifect apostle. Never have I witnessed 
such a dramatic mistake. Mad. Daram, a lit- 
tle person, tolerably devoid of personal chann, 
who played also the Pa^re in Les JTttgitenofji^ 
sang the music of Eudoxie very resp ctably. 
with a flexible little voice. Prince I c opotd 
(Bosq^uin) was evidently a Saxon schoolmaster 
in disguise, and performed with the most 
exhilarating effect. The operatic performances 
in Vienna are certainly defective in many 
respects; but when one is at the Grand Opera, 
Paris, and thinks of voices like tho.se of Mesdes. 
, Ehnn, Matcrna, Wilt; of Herren Beck, Roki- 



tansky, Muller. Labatf, and others, one feels a 
pleasant patriotic feeling ])enneate one's breast. 
Let us, hovever. turn rather to the sunny side 
of the Pans Opera. I mean the mue-en-srene^ 
employing the word in its widest acceptation. 
First comes the scenery. This does not belong 
to the obtrusive kind, in which the painter 
strives to obtain effects of color and brilliancy 
at any price; it consists of poetically-conceived 
pictures, full of character. How beautiful, 
and marked by sombre feeling, is the snow-clad 
landscape and terrace in the first act of Hamlet^ 
how regally cheerful the Pare de Chenonceaux 
in the second act of />« H^igvenotn^ with its 
monumental fligYit of steps, on which are pic- 
torial ly arranged a battalion of pages, ladies of 
the Court, and halberdiers! How charming, 
and. at the same time, how grand, is the open 
stretch of meadow, where the tournament is 
held, in the third act of //i Jnive, with the 
knightly castle and the mountain mnge in the 
background I The art displayed in the scenery 
finds a pendant in the rich, picturesque, and 
historically-true costumes, and the effective 
arrangement of the groups and processions. 
The entry of the Emperor in the first act of Im 
Juire, as well as the tournament and ballet in 
the third, must be classed among the most 
perfect scenic specimens of the kind. An un- 
usually charming idyllic picture opens the 
fourth act of HamUt — the nistic dance, with 
which Ophelia's original songs are so gracefully 
interwoven. The ballets exhibit tasteful splen- 
dor and great precision of movement. I could 
not perceive in them any vast store of female 
beauty, though (or, hecanse?\ being in the 
mnnager's box, which is on the stage itself,^ I 
had the ladies close to me. I enjoyed a still 
nearer view of them in the celebrated ** Foyer 
de la Danse^ " an elegant apartment, where the 
fair dancers congregate in full ballet ostume, 
and receive the homage of the Jennesw (and 
VieUettse) doree. This is a right which the male 
subscribers would not give up at any price, and 
which can be exercised only in dress coat and 
white necktie. A gem of the new Operahouse, 
and, perhaps, the most precious innovation 
connected with it. is to be found — unknown 
and unappreciated by the public — on the fifth 
story. 1 allude to the library and archives of 
the Grand Openi, preserved in a magnificent 
locale, and in the most exemplary order. In 
this respect the new Paris Operahouse is a 
model for all the theatres in the world, and, 
some day or other, I will beg my readers to 
climb up with me to the fifth story aforesaid. 



I i%% i 



To Parents and Gnardiana 

BY HENRT C. LUNN. 

T recollect once being told by a celebrated 
Professor that in his clas.se3 there was always 

• 

one pupil who profited by every lesson, and 
that was himself. So conscientious an admis- 
sion as this is indeed rare from one constantly 
engaged in tnition: but all who know how 
much more difilcult it is to teach than to learn 
must feel that every year adds to their store of 
experience, and cannot but admire the genu- 
ineness of the reply given by an eminent pianist 
to a lady, who applied to him for *' finishing*' 
lessons, that **he would be happy to do his 
best, but that he had not vet finished himself." 
The truth is th?it, as a rule, although i>erson9 
may admit the necessity of bestowing time and 
attention upon the acquisition of an art, they 
do not consider that an almost equal amount of 
time and attentifm is necessary to study how to 
convey a knowledge of that art to others; and 
thus it is that, trading upon the ignorance of 
parents and guardians who desire that those en- 
trusted to their care shall " learn music, " showy 
pianists, unfonned singers, and shallow theo- 
rists often make a lietter income than those 
who have always zealousl ; labored to place 
their pupils in the right path, unmoved by the 
gentle admonitions directly or indirectly con- 
veyed to them during their coui^e of instruc* 
tion. Let the truth not be disguised that at 
many private seminaries Professors of music 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, SEPT. 4, 1875. 



83 



are cngjaffed, not because they are talented and 
hold a hipjh position in the world of art, but 
because they can ** introduce a pupil." At 
others, ladies who have studied music as an 
accomplishment arc themselves the proprietors 
and teachers of the establishment, placing, 
however, the name of an eminent player or 
sin^rer in the prospectus, at ruinous terms, if 
such instruction **be desired:" and at some 
schools it is well known that so little is music 
regarded that even those who send their daugh- 
ters there are not aware by whom they are 
taught. To enlarge therefore upon the utter 
want of musical knowledge displayed by the 
majority of amateurs whilst the opportunities 
for acquiring it are so limited, would be mani- 
festly absurd ; but a few observations upon the 
subjects most commonly ignored or misunder- 
stood in early training may perhaps meet the 
eyes of those who select Professors, or have 
them selected for them, and lead them to make 
enquiries before committing a pupil to their 
charge. 

.In the firsf place, as our hands are not formed 
for the Pianoforte, it is obvious that we have 
to form them. Four fingers and a thumb are 
not easily brought under such perfect subjec- 
tion as to ensure equality of execution, with- 
out a long course of diligent and patient study; 
and at the commencement, therefore, it is as 
necessary to be taught how to hold our fingers 
over the key-board, in order to play, as to be 
taught hi)w to hold our pen over the paper in 
order to write. It is true that the fingers may 
be dabbed down on the key-board, so as to 
produce a sound, as the pen may be dashed on 
the paper to produce a mark ; but the intelli- 
gent master foresees the necessity of preparing 
for rapid execution in the one case, and for 
rapid writing in the other, and will not there- 
fore allow a pupil to commence in a position 
which he knows to be a wrong one. Seeing 
that the thumb is short, strong, and separated 
from the fingers, like an unruly child, it will 
unquestionably baflle all attempts at discipline, 
if vigorous measures be not adopted at first. 
**Five finger exercises " are all very well if 
practised in all keys, and so that a coin placed 
upon the hand shall remain undisturbed ; and 
remain there until it is wanted again, how long 
will it be before the four fingers can be joined 
with a fifth? ** Practising the scales" every 
day is usually considered as easy a matter as 
going out to take a walk ; but the truth is that 
it requires a trained ear to detect whether two 
consecutive notes, even, are played with pre- 
cisely the same tone. How much more difld- 
cult then to play three, and pass the thumb 
under upon the fourth without the slightest 
perceptible jerk to the player or listener: and 
yet this is what children are permitted to at- 
tempt, either without any supervision at all, 
or under the direction of a Governess who, 
although a ** brilliant pianist" has never per- 
haps studied even the elements of the art she 
professes to teach. No wonder, then, that 
'* playing the scales " is too often regarded by 
children as a sort of treadmill for the fingers, 
to which they are condemned for the crime of 
being young; and the fact of their ardently 
longing for the time of their emancipation is 
pretty evident from their almost invariably 
Ignoring scale practice as soon as they possibly 
can ; Indeed I was once told by a pianist of the 
ripe age t>f thirteen, that her little sister *' ran 
up tier scales," but' that she had ** got beyond 
them." That in the majority of schools the 
great aim is to ** play fast " may be proved by 
the number of Exercises for ''velocity," and 
the very few for ** equality," which are used; 
and as rapid music, with juvenile players, 
always generates rapid practice, there can be 
no wonder why the touch is oft<»n irretrievably 
destroyed at an age when it should be steadily 
in the process of formation. All this is, of 
course, oad enough ; and hard, indeed, is the 
task of the master who is called upon in after 
years to ''finish^ what has never been com- 
menced ; but when we consider the blank state 
of the young pupils mind upon the principles 



of the art on leaving school, it would in truth 
be strange, even supposing that her executive 
powers had been carefully trained, if she could 
give the slightest meaning to the simplest piece 
until she had been, bar by bar, coached up in 
it by a teacher who would continue to think 
for her. Such a statement may seem strange 
to many; but I speak from experience, and an 
oflicial investigation on the subject (which 
must some day come) will prove that at nu- 
merous Educational Establishments where the 
highest terms are paid, the pupils, who have 
for years scrambled through pieces in imitation 
of the manner in which thev have heard them 
performed by their master, are utterly ignorant 
of what key they are playing in, the value of 
notes and rcst«, the various species of time, the 
merest rudiments of phrasing, or the correct 
method of executing any one of the various 
embellishments to be met with in the simplest 
composition. 

And now, to take these subjects in the order 
here mentioned. I would ask how any accurate 
knowledge is to be gained by the method in 
which they are usunllv attempted to be taught 
in schools. A pupil is told to look at the sig- 
nature of a piece in order to know what key it 
is in, and always to believe that it is in a major 
key, unloss she finds that the fifth (which is 
not the fifth, but the seventh) is continually 
raised. Of course, if she had never been 
** taught" there would be some hope for her, 
as she would then have no confused ideas about 
the ''relative minor," and simply name the 
note upon which the whole piece is founded, 
reckomncr whether the third from it is large or 
small. Beethoven's Sonata pathetiq^ie^ for ex- 
ample, would be said by anv child to be " in 
C" (if she were not tempted by her "teaching" 
to say that it is in E flat major), and it would 
then require but small calculation to find that 
the third is minor, according to the signature. 
That the minor key is constructed out of the 
materials used for what is tenned its " relative 
maior" is a matter of musical hi.story, with 
which a pupil should have nothing to do at 
first. The fn^it is, that in modern music the 
question should be whether a piece is in a cer- 
tain tonic major or minor, and it is absurd to 
suppose that there is any difiUculty in deter- 
mining this. Granted that by adopting this 
method we get rid of many time-honored no- 
tions inseparably bound up with obsolete scales, 
we at least teach in accordance with the age 
we live in; and from experience I can say that 
I never heard a young pupil succeed in naming 
the key by adhering to the old system, and 
never heanl her fail by following the new. 

Were we to sec a child throwing down shil- 
lings, sixpences, florins, half-crowns, and 
threepenny pieces in a heap upon the table, 
and, without noticing their relative differences, 
pettishly exclaiming that she "cannot ihake 
up a pound's worth of silver," we should cer- 
tainly reprove her and say that her task will be 
hopeless unless she patiently counts the precise 
value of each piece of money, and thoroughly 
understands the fact that twenty shillings make 
a pound. Yet this is what is daily going on at 
many of our schools with notes instead of coins. 
Minims, crotchets, quavers, dots, double dots, 
rests, &c., convey no idea to the performer, 
because she has never been taught from the 
first to count them ; and when, thoroughly dis- 
heartened, she exc\aims that she "never can 
play in time," she really means that her exper- 
iment of ascertaining the value of notes without 
counting them has been unsuccessful. To help 
her over this difiRculty, and make both herself 
and her parents believe that she is "getting 
on," the passages are often played to her, and 
her imitation of what she hears (like a drawing 
" touched up " by the master) passes with those 
who know no better as the result of the excel- 
lent teaching she is receiving. Counting, in 
learning to play, like spelling, in learning to 
read, is merely a means to an end ; and an ex- 
perienced performer, therefore, can dispense 
with the first, as an experienced reader can 
dispense with the second : but both are neces- 



sary in early training; and were a child taught 
that the value of a note is as important as its 
pitch, no misapprehension on the subject could 
ever occur; indeed it may be said that any 
young player who pursues the method of care- 
fully counting every note and rest will find 
that the real difilculty is to play out of time. 

Coming now to the subject usually headed in 
instruction-books "The various species of time," 
it can scarcely be imagined that much sound 
knowledge can exist upon the matter, consid- 
ering that, in reality, it has nothing whatever 
to do with the " time" in which a piece is to 
be played, but merely relates to the measure, 
or rhythm. As the word itself, then, conveys 
no meaning to students, it is not likely that the 
two figures usually placed at the commencement 
will help them in doing more than arriving at 
a knowledge of the number of notes contained 
in a bar; so that 2 means 2, 6 means 6, 12 
means 12, and 9 means 9 ; the rhythm (of course 
represented by the grouping, which is utterly 
ignored) being, although the most important 
matter, scarcely spoken of. Ask a child what 
6.8 time is, and you will be told (if she remem- 
ber the words she has been taught) that it is 
six quavers in the bar, which is of course like 
saying that 6.8 signifies 6.8. Tell her that it 
has two beats in the bar, and she will wonder 
what you mean ; for she will of course imagine 
that six quavers, made up anyhow, must be 
6.8 time. All this false teaching arises from 
the fact of the quantity instead of the measure 
(in "compound time," as it is termed) being 
represented by the upper of the two figures. 
Were it ever the custom to teach that you may 
take four, two or three notes of any kind in the 
bar — that when these notes are without dots 
they must each move in ttDog, and when with 
dots they must move in threes^ there would be 
nothing more to learn, for the licence of writ- 
ing triplets in simple time is known to every 
child. That any young pupil will arrive at this 
fact herself I am inclined to doubt, for in the 
little teaching she has had, the truth (as far as 
compound time at least is concerned) is care- 
fully hidden. How, for instance, can she dis- 
cover that 6.4 or 6.8 is merely moving in two 
triplets in the bar, in the same time as two 
doublets, when she is impressed with the con- 
viction that, in all cases, a "dot after a note 
makes it half as long again? " 

Were pupils taught to unbar their music in 
order to get at the phrasing intended by the 
composer, they would at once be able to sing 
with their fingers as they should sing with the 
voice; but whilst the lingering notion prevails 
that the bar lines do more than regulate the 
measure, there can be little hope of any clear 
ideas on the subject. To finger a passage as 
you phrase it, it is necessary to know how you 
should phrase it ; and although this is clearly 
enough expressed upon the paper, we rarely 
find that pupils do more than imitate the mas- 
ter, because they are not taught those princi- 
ples which can ever make the music come from 
themselves. Take, for instance, the second 
subject in Beethoven's Sonata in G minor (Op. 
49, No. 1) — ^a well-known school piece — and 
were it taught as a child would be taught to 
read a book — in phrases instead of single notes 
— it could be fingered in no other way than 
with the fourth finger on the first F in the sec- 
ond bar, and the thumb on the next F, because 
the first ends a phrase and the second begins 
one ; but the pupil who even fingers it correct- 
ly, having no reason for so doing, plays both 
F's with precisely the same touch, because all 
she knows is ^hat she has been told — that the 
" principal accent takes place on the first of the 
bar," and can scarcely comprehend that the 
beginning or end of a phrase can occur in any 
part of the bar that the composer pleases: 
indeed that the first note of a bar is often the 
last note of a phrase never enters the mind, 
and the listener therefore hears each sentence 
chopped up into bars, precisely as he often 
hears a beautiful piece of poetrv chopped up 
into lines, ihemeasure^of course, with untrained 



84 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OP MUSIC. 



pupils, in both inBtances taking precedence of, 
and therefore obscuring, the sense. 

The manner of performing the numerous em- 
bellishments in the music both of the past and 
present time is so little S3'8tematized in teach- 
ing that the pupils seem left to grope out a 
method for themselves; so that turns and 
shakes are usually played rather as interrup- 
tions than as ornaments to the flow of a passage. 
Appog^aturas, too, are often performed as 
aedaecaturat^ and aceiaeeaturas as appoggiatura»; 
indeed in the majority of Instruction Books 
the two are positively confounded together. 
If this igui^rance then exist in the teacher, how 
can we wonder at the ignorance of the pupil? 
Turns, direct and inverted, over notes and 
over dots; shakes, beats, &c., are no doubt 
easily explained, but they are more easily 
played, by the master; and a pupil generally 
prefers hearing a thing done to being told the 
theory of doing it. 

Of course I could extend these observations 
to a much greater length — for the theme is 
sufficiently fertile — ^but my object, as I have 
already said, is simply to draw the attention of 
those who have the care of young people, to 
the manner in which much of the musical edu- 
cation in this country is now conducted. The 
day may come when the possession of a diplo- 
ma, granted by competent authorities, shall be 
considered — ns in the medical profession — the 
only proof of thorough competence; but this 
time lias not yet arrived, and it behoves parents 
and guardians, therefore, to think for them- 
selves in the matter, and to exercise a little care 
in the choice of masters for a branch of educa- 
tion which is now rapidly ceasing to be treated, 
even in fashionable society, as a mere showy 
accomplishment. A sound musical training 
should be guaranteed in every establishment of 
any position; and this cannot be expected 
whilst either apathy or ignorance is permitted 
or overlooked at the lessons; for to ensure 
steady and satisfactory progress in the pupil, 
it is necessary that the master shall not only 
teach all he knows, but that he shall know all 
he teaches. — London Musical Time$. 



-•-♦' 



•♦^-•- 



The "Yilnntto," (aliat "TtfmAa," alias 

"Wobble.") 

The following letter to the London Afutieal Stan- 
dard (from our excellent friend Wiluam H. Cum- 
MiNOB?), tonches many of onr own singers, as well 
as those in England ; although we think we can 
B«y that the evil practice has considerably abated 
here of late. 

TO THE EDITOR OF THE " MUSICAL STAHDARD." 

Sir, — During the past musical season a tendency 
to indulge in " vibrato" singing on the part of many 
vocalists who have occupied prominent positions 
has been only too frequent, and, so far as I have 
seen, the press has passed by this terrible ftfiling 
without the censure it assuredly deserves. 

In the case of the quartett of vocalists bronght 
here by Verdi to sing in his Reqniera, and who pre- 
sented so many admirable qualities in their singing, 
the public press seemed deaf and blind to the fatal 
fault to which I have referred. The soprano was 
quite incapable of sustaining with a steaoy tone A 
above the staff, and 1 heard, dnring one of the Re- 
quiem performances, a lady near me, remark, "what 
I a beautiful shake the vocalist had," when composer 
^ and singer were guiltless of any intention to intro- 
duce a shake. 

Now all true and well educated vocalists know 
that a shaking or trembling voice i; not a desirable 
thing to cultivate, but the very reverse, and that it 
is also a sure indication of insufficient or false train- 
ing, or of taxing the vocal organs beyond their nat- 
ural capabilities. It is. of conrse, sometimes the 
result of failing powers from old age, and frequently 
in such cases we can admire the skill of the artist 
who, triumphing over his physical failings, causes 
ns to regard chiefly his ripened judgment and men- 
tal superiority ; but when youth begins to imitate 
the pahies of old age it is time for those who stand 
by to raise a warning voice. Yours, Ac, 

W. H. C. 
The Standard ed'iUmnWy endorses the complaint, 
and carries it still farther, thus : | 



Our corrrespondent W. H. C. is entitled to speak 
with authority, and his warnins: a^inst the con- 
stant indulj^ence of the vibrato should eniirasre, not 
only the serious attention of vocaliaU themselves, 
but the careful consideration of the musical profes- 
sion and public. A conple of yearn afi^o we ourselves 
attacked the evil, and now that thfre is no sigrn of 
the diminution of the disease, it is hisrh time asrain 
to comment on it, and protest against the pernicious 
practice. Like many current vici^s. it mi;;ht have 
nad its origrin in what — for the nonce — ^we may term 
a virtue. It is probable that a singer, carriod away 
by intense feelins: at some specially dramatic sitna- 
tion, may have flrst employed the vibrato, (o inten- 
sify the effect of the music. And this wns only in 
accordance with the dictates of nature, for the 
voice ir. variably trembles with deep passionate feel- 
ing Used in this unaffected and natural way. the 
vibrato is charmins:, and unquestionably heightens 
the effect of the situation thus treated. But we 
may have too much even of the best thin^. and the 
misuse of this grace, and the exafifgeration into 
which it has prown, have now assumed alarminc: 
proportions. That which crave a thrillins: intensity 
to certain notes in particular passages, has devel- 
oped into a lachrymose tremblinsf on every note 
snnfT ; and now the abuse of a useful featnre has 
created in unsophisticated minds a strong objection 
to ita employment at all. This indeed is not to be 
wondered at, for the vice is spreading no wid<»lv, 
and rapidly becoming so fashionable, that, unless 
checked, we sholl soon have our musicians imitatinsr 
" the palsies of old aife," as W. H. C. puts it, instead 
of interpreting their art with robust strength. Let 
it be clearly understood that a tremblinjgr voice is a 
blemish, not a beauty; and that the unpleasant 
feature is not a thing to be desired, but a defect to 
be regretted. Its constant use denotes not only bad 
taste, but bad training, or else a worn out voice. 
Hitherto this detestable style has been exclusively 
confined to foreign singers — chiefly French — biit 
there are sifirns of its adoption by some of our 
young English singers. There is no need to men- 
tion names, but concert goers of the present season 
must have heard more than one aspirant for the 
palsied r6U. The«e yoiins: vocalists would soon 
abandon the practice could they but appreciate the 
sorry exhibition that they make of themselves: thev 
should reflect that this vocal asthma eliminates all 
healthy vi^or from music, and only supplies in its 
place, a feeble enervating effect that quickly palls 
on the ear, and soon excites weariness and disgust. 

But the evil takes a wider range than even our 
correspondent pointa out: it has extended very 
considerably into the instrumental world of music. 
Solo players on the violin have not been permitted 
its exclusive use, but all the members of the strinqred 
family freely employ it. The various kinds of wind 
instruments are following suit: from the gentle flute 
to the brazen ophicleide, all seem afllicted with the 
senseless wobble. The street cornet player is erreat 
in the tremolo ; as to the precise kind of taste which 
causes its employment here, we care not to enquire. 
Ever, the majestic organ has become addicted to the 
vice ; meeiianieal tremnlants, and registers of the 
"Unda Maris" and "Voix celeste" qualities find 
favor amon^ the admirers of this nnifiance. Of 
course the harmonium has coarsely imitated the 
feature; and very distressinsr it is to hear some 
choice ditty wobtiling its shaky len^h alon&r on the 
sixteen feet stop to which the tremolo is attached. 
The evil has thus become so f^eneral, that, unless 
a chans:e ^«kes place, the nninstructed public will 
fancy the whjle body of musicians to be suffering 
from a sprt of St. Vitus's dance. 



»-•- 



Madame Patey. 

(From the "Saturday Programme,** London,) 

What opera is to Italy, so are oratorio and the 
British ballads to England. Durin&r the last ten 
years Eni^lish opera, properly so-called, has been 
sadly nesrlected in London, bnt we have kept up our 
taste for ballets and oratorios with a vengeance. 
Our repertory in each department is a most exten- 
sive one. while, so far as artists and choralists are 
concerned, we are equal to any nation on the face 
of the glo^.e. In Germany the taste for oratorios is 
shared with that for operas. In Italy oratorios are 
almost unknown. The Americans do not at present 
possess our opportunities and resources in this re- 
spect, though they are fast making up for lost time ; 
while the tastes for oratorio in France, long dormant, 
is now apparently only about to be revived. In 
England the case is different. Not only in London, 
where we have upwards of thirty amateur choral 
societies, but in every town of any importance in the 



provinces may be found associations of amateurs 
who practise and perform oratorir>e and other choral 
works. The love of this branch of the art is, in 
fact, general througliout the country, and the nu- 
merous performances of oratorios given in the course 
of the winter season ofTord employment to almost as 
many artists as can be found for the work. This 
being the cose, it almost becomes a matter of course 
that the name of a great and popular English vocal- 
ist should be peculiarly identified with oratorio. 
And so it is in tner case of Madame Patey. First as 
Miss Whytock, afterwards as Madame Patey- 
Whytock, and still more recently as Madame Patey, 
the lady has been for many yeors celebrated as an 
oratorio sins^er. Since the retirement of Madame 
Sainton-Dolby. Madame Patey has come still more 
into prominent notice, and she now stands, without 
fear of rivalry, the leading contralto of England. 
There is no artist, Ensflish or foreign, before the 
public who can approach her on her own in'onnd, 
and in oratorio Madame Patey unquestionably 
stands the first contralto vocalist of the day. 

When la.st year the energetic and talented M. 
Lamourenx made a vijrorous and hisrhly successful 
attempt to reintroduce oratorio into France, it was 
to Madame Patey that he opplied to become his 
chief conti*alto Sf)loist. Jealous as French musicians 
naturally are of the supposed pre-eminence of their 
own country in all musical matters, the utter absence 
of a French contralto vocalist of adequate talent and 
experience for the performance of oratorio wos per- 
force admitted, and Madame Patey was offere<l. and 
accepted, a special fee to cross the Channel to sing 
the Af^MiJih in French. All the articles, critical or 
adulatory, that could be written, and all the ap- 
plnuse gained in her own country, cannot proclaim 
Madame Patey*s hisrh talent better than this simple 
fact. Few, very few, English artists are able to 
make a name on the Continent ; but Madame Pat- 
ey's success in Paris was so great that she was spec- 
ially retained to sins: before the highly critichl 
andi'^nce of the Soci^ti des Concerts (better known 
as the Conservatoire Concerts), the performance of 
which, amateurs need hardly he reminded, rank on 
the Continent equal only to those of the Gewand- 
haus Concerts of Leipzig and the Philharmonic 
Concerts of Vienna. In America, too, Madame 
Patey is a trreat favorite, and this, notwithstandins: 
that the New World possesses some highly-gifted 
contralto vocal i.<«ts of its own. 

As a ballad-singer Madame Patey has also a hisrh 
and well-merited reputation. It has been said, and 
with some degree of trnth, that many vocalists of 
high talent cannot sing a simple ballad. This is, to 
a certain extent, a fact, so far as many foreic?n 
artists are concerned, but most Ensrlish vocalists can 
sins; ballads. Madame Patey*s fame, in this respect, 
therefore, needs no special comment ; she has for 
many years leen the chief contralto vocalist at Mr. 
John Boosey's ballad concerts, while, for every im- 
portant concert given in London or the provinces, 
at every musical festival, and wherever there is 
English music to be snng. we find Madame Patry'a 
name at the head of the list of contraHos. In the 
English provinces Madame Patey's popularity has 
long ago been assured. A distinguished Enorlish 
amateur once said he had heard a preat many Eng- 
lish and foreign artists in the provinces, some were 
hit^hly popular : some were much admired for spec- 
ial sfifts of nature or of training ; some drew lari^e 
audiences for brilliancy of vocalization ; bnt the 
name of Madame Patey was held thronirhont the 
country with a lireneral feeling of the deepest respect. 
This is true. The lady is greatly admired as an 
artist, but it is still more flattering mark of regard 
to say that Madame Patey is universally respected 
as an Ensrlish woman. 

It has been the custom at this season of the year, 
for some years past, for Madame Patey to take 
round the provinces a representative troupe of 
Enfrlish vocalists. Other troupes, both Ensrlish and 
foreign, go the rounds, some to give concerts, others 
to give performances of operas ; but, thousrh they 
often attract large and brilliant audiences, Madame 
PateyV concert party never suffers in popularity by 
competition. It appeals especially to a very large 
class of provincial amateurs, who love to hear Eng- 
lish music sung by English vocalists; and Madame 
Patey^s concert troupe finds nightly employment in 
the large towns until the winter performances of 
oratorio interfere with the arrangements of the in« 
dividual members of the company, and it is com- 
pelled to be temporarily disbanded. It moy surprise 
many amateurs to hear, although the directors of 
country choral societies and other provincial entre* 
pretieure are fully aware of the fact, that, notwith- 
standing the large number of English vocalists 



BOSTON*, SATURDAY, SEPT. 4, 1875. 



85 



available for the purpose, so great is the demand at 
Christmas time, that the enflregements with the 
principal artists have to be made in Joly, and that, 
except for spmal occasions, it is almost hopeless to 
retain the services of the leading English vocalists 
after September or October. 

In any notice of Madame Patey it wonid be im- 
possible to avoid mentioning the name of her hos- 
oand, Mr. J. G. Patey. As a theoretical and prac- 
tical musician Mr. Patey holds a very high position ; 
so high, indeed, that if he had been gifted by nature 
as he is gifted in art he wonld have been able to 
make for himself a great name in English history. 
How much each of this talented couple owes to the 
other only their private friends can tell ; nor does 
it so far concern the public to know. Madame 
Patey is now in her prime as an artist By dint of 
hard work and great talent she has raised herself to 
the high position she now occupies, and when (we 
hope many years hence) she. following the example 
of her eminent predecessor, Madame Sainton-Dolby, 
chooses to relinquish the more active duties of her 
profession, and to seek repose in honorable retire- 
ment, she will enjoy the consciousness that she has 
done her duty to her art, and has fairly earned the 
right to the proud title of a representative English 
vocalist. 



■ ♦ * 



Helmholti on the duality of Sounds 

(From " CKurch*9 Musical Viniorr) 

I. 

It is perhaps not new to the reader that Professor 
Helm hoi tz. of Berlin, has been encraged for a num- 
ber of years in carefully investigating the nature of 
sound. The results of his experiments and deduc- 
tions make up his work, called " Tanempjindunj^en" 
which was the source of a large part of Tyndall's 
" Sound," and the clever little book by Mr. Sedley 
Taylor, called "The Science of Music" (lately 
published by the Appletons, price |1). Tlie piteh 
of HelmhoUz's discoveries lies, perhaps, in the mat- 
ter of " partial tones,** and " combination tones.** 

A musical sound — i. f., one having definite pitch 
— Helmholtz calls a " klang,** the word " tone** con- 
veying the idea of a pure and simple sound ; whereas 
few musical sounds are simple tones, but rather 
combinations of several sounds, which- together form 
a chord. This complexity of klang is roost easily 
recognized in the hum of a bell. For example, the 
great bell of " Notre Dame " College, at South 
Bend, Indiana (presented by Napoleon III.), pro- 
longs its clang for some five minutes after being 
struck, during the most of which time it sounds ex- 
actly like a full chord on a very large organ. Let 
us understand, then, that almost every musical 
klang consists of a more or less audible chief tone, 
along with which are heard a number of ''harmonic 
over-tones.** The fundamental tone is commonly 
much stronger than the other " partial tones ** of the 
klang. By *' klang-tint" is meant that element of 
the klang which enables one to distinguish between 
the tone of a violin and the tone of a flute or any 
other instrument. The full assortment of over- 
harmonics reaches as high as ten or twelve. For 
instance : 

-3- » • 4 •^ 6 6 7 8 t 10 



The figures give the number of vibrations of each 
partial tone, as compared with the fiindamentaL 

But not eveiy klang has all these partial tones. 
The klang of a stopped organ-pipe bliwn at a low 
wind pressure, gives scarcely any trace of partial 
tones. The tone of the violin is full of partial tones. 
Again, the partial tones may be of greater or less 
intensity, as compared with the fundamental note of 
the klang. It is the number and relative inieneitv of 
the parHal tonft which gives every musical sound its 
characteristic quality. Even with but four partial 
tones, and two degrees of intensity, the variation in 
quality becomes very great. For instance, let / 
and p be the deirrees of intensity. With one tone 
soft, we. have fffp. ffpf, fpff, pfff. With two 
tones p, we have fppp^ P/pP* fWP* /PPP- Total 14. 
But as a slight variation in the relative Intensity of 
a single partial tone makes a perceptible change in 
the quality of the klang, four partial tones would in 
}aet give us a very large number of variations of 
color. 

The unaccustomed ear will of course be nnable to 
detect the presence of partial tones In the klang, 
still less to determine accurately exactly what tones 



are present, and in what degree of intensity. 
Helmholtx employs what he calls a " resonator ** — 
a hollow sphere of brass, with a small funnel at one 
opening, opposite which is a smaller tube to insert 
into the ear. Such. a resonator is in effect a hear- 
ing trumpet, tuned to n particular pitch. With a 
series of such resonators, tuned to different pitchts, 
he was able to determine accurately the presence or 
absence of eriven partial tones in any klang. The 
sum of the " partial-tone " discovery is, then, that 
every tone-quality is due to the presence of certain 
specified " partial tones,** and their relative intensi- 
ty — every orchestral instrument having its own 
ideal pattern of klang, the individual specimens of 
the same kind more or less closely approximating 
the standard. 

Having hit upon this theory of the real natnre of 
tone-color, and thus solved a conundrum which ev- 
ery investigator before him had been compelled to 
give up. it remained to demonstrate the truth of his 
theory by the production of tones of different and 
determinate quality from the same apparatus, which 
apparatus seems to me wonderfully ingenious. The 
key to his apparatus is the fact that a tuning- 
fork produces a tone almost inaudible, except when 
its vibrations are communicated to a sounding 
board (as, e. (gr., a table or box). Helmholtz discov- 
ered that if the vibrating fork be held over the end 
of a tube of suitable length, the tone would come 
out clear and strong. For producing each partial 
tone he employed, therefore, a tuning-fork, fixed 
opposite a resonating tube, with an 0(>ening which 
could be closed by the interposition of a little dam- 
per, or screen, between the tube and the fork, 
whereby the tube no longer acts as a resonator. 
The tone comes ont clear in proportion as the screen 
is fully withdrawn. The fork stands vertical on a 
little table. In order to secure continuous vibra- 
tion of the fork, he placed its prongs between the 
poles of an electro-magnet, in such a way that the 
vibrating prongs would open and close the magnet- 
ic circuit. The magnetic current itself was not 
constant ; for If it had been, no vibration could have 
taken place, since the magnet would have continu- 
ally attracted the prongs of the fork. At the same 
time it was indispensable that the interruptions of 
the cnrrent should synchronize with the vibration- 
times of the fork, since, if the fork vibrate at all, it 
must do so at its own rate per second. The mech- 
anism by which he accomplished this determinate 
interruption of the current, was very simple and 
ingenious. He fixed a large tuning-fork, the funda- 
mental tone of his desired xlang, l^tween the poles 
of an electro-magnet. Each prong of the fork bears 
a platinum wire, dipping into a cup of mercury, one 
of which is so adjusted tnat at the extreme point of 
each vibration, the platinum wire is drawn ont of 
the mercury. 

The current enters through one prong of the fork, 
say at a (A, tuning-fork), passes round to 6, thence 

c» 



-{ 



to the electro-magnet e^, which, becoming magnetic, 
draws the prongs of the fork asunder, and so breaks 
the circuit, by withdrawing the prong a f^om its 
cup of mercury. The circuit broken, the electro- 
magnet ^ loses its power, and the circuit is again 
made, as at first, when instantly it is again broken, 
and so on with every ▼ibration of the fork. 

Helroboltz*s apparatus, then, for the synthesis of 
sound, consisted of a battery of twelve forks, with 
resonating tubes, like that at first described, tuned 
to the following pitches : 

^-^Z 




-*- 



1 



^^ 



[y g ^ 



1:3: 






• f 10 11 11 



The whole set In operation by a galvanic current, 
interrupted by the vibrations of the fork tuned to 
the fundamental tone of the klang, B flat, as already 
descril>ed. 

With this apparatus he was able to imitate the 
vowels of human speech, and most qualities of sound 
found in organ-pipes and various orchestral instru- 
ments. His first trials were made with the first 
eight forks. U, O, and o, he obtained quite easily, 
except that the latter was a little dull for want of the 
higher partial tones tT and <!***. The fundamental 
tone, B flat, gave a very dull U. A very beautiful 
tone^ resulted from giving the eighth partial tone 



strong and the fourth, sixth, and tenth weaker, the 
fundamental tone being somewhat diminished. 
When he suddenly removed the screen, so that the 
fundamental tone, B flat, came out good and strong, 
the apparatus immediately and plainly changed its 
O into U. The vowels ah and a required the high- 
er partial tones (the fifth to eighth) to be stronger, 
the others weaker. 

The clarinet tone was characterized by the pres- 
ence of the odd harmonics only — the third, fifth, 
seventh, and ninth, etc. Oboe, bassoon, horn, etc., 
had all the partial tones, but of course in varying 
intensity. The diapason pipes of the organ give aU 
the harmonics np to the fourth. Narrow pipes, 
such as the " salicional '* and ** viol da gamba.'^^gave 
as high as six harmonics. Stopped wooden pipes 
gave especially the third and fifth partial tones. 
Pipes with bell openings bring ont especially the 
high harmonics, from the fifth to the seventh, 
stronger than the lower. The klang Helmholtx 
characterizes as " empty but bright** Instruments 
of the violin family have the first harmonics weaker 
than in the piano or guitar ; the upper ones (sixth 
to tenth), on the contrary, being much stronger and 
plainer. 

When two or more sounds are heard at the same 
time, there result "combination tones" (or, as I 
have formerly called them, " nnder-harmonics.**) 
In the caseof two klanffs sounding together, there 
will be one resulting combination tone — namely, the 
" greatest common measure ** of the series of vibra- 
tions pr()ducing the two klangs. 

These may easily be heard if a few thirds are 
played loudly on the reed organ. For instance : 

OBOAX. 




jg — g_g_ 



1 



OOMBIXATIOX TOXX8. 

When three klangs are sounded together, there 
result three combination tones. For instance, the 
triad, e-ff-e, contains three intervals, the third e-fjf, 
the fourth ff-e, and the sixth e-e ; or, in notes thus, 
giving rise to the combination tones below : 



p33=*i3; 



:sr. 



-^. 



■L_^. 



I 



So that from this chord there arise these 
combination tones: 



three 




In short, the principle prevails that every chord 
gives rise to as many partial tones as the chord con- 
tains intervals.' The reader who would know more, 
is referred to " Tyndall on Sound.** Sedley Taylor's 
" Science of Music," and especially Helmholts's 
"Die Lehre wm Tonempjinaunffen** (Brunswick, 
Fred. Vieweg A Son). 

The practical significance of the discovery of the 
actual nature of tone-quality la very great» and of 
that I will speak hereafter. 

W. S. B. Mathkwb. 



■ ♦ » 



Thx Poitic Clairvotanck. — What is the poefs 
condition when writing ? If Shakespeare called it 
a "fine frenzy," a modern psychologist would be 
quite as likely to say it is a kind of clairvoyance. 
The poet is a medium, and he has always recognized 
himself as such ever since and long before the invo- 
cation which begins the great early epic. He holds 
the pen. and the divinity, the muse, the inspiration, 
the genius, the spirit-in^uence, — whatever the time 
may choose to call it, — shapes the characters. The 
dimrence in this. In the " medium " commonly 
so called, the mechanical process of writing Is auto- 
matically performed by the muscles, In ob^ience to 
an impulse not recognized as proceeding from the 
will. In poetical composition the will is first called 
in requisition to exclude interfering outward im- 
pressions and alien trains of thought. After a cer- 
tain time the second state or adjustment of the 
poet's double consciousness (for he has two states, 
just as the somnambulists have) sets np its own au- 
tomatic movement, with Its special trains of ideas 
and feelings in the thinking and emotional cen- 
tres. As soon as the fine frenzy or qwati trance- 
state is fairly established, the consciousness watches 
the torrent of thoughts and arrests the ones wanted, 
singly with their fitting expression, or in groups of 
fortunate sequences which he cannot beUer by after 
treatment As the poetical vocabulary la limited 



■*»■■ 



86 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



and its pUsticity lends itself only to certoin moulds, 
the mind works under ^reat dlfficolty, at least until 
it has acquired by practice such handling of lan- 
guajje that every possibility of rhythm or rhyme 
offers itself actually or potentially to the clairvoy- 
ant perception simultaneously with the thought it 
is to embody. Thus poetical composition is the 
most intense, the most exciting, and therefore the 
most exhaust! ns: of mental exercises. It is exciting 
because its mental states are a series of revelations 
and surprises; intense on account of the double 
strain upon the attention. The poet is not the 
same man who seated himself an hour ago at his 
desk, with the dust-cart and the gutter, or the duck- 
pond and the hay-stack and the barn-yard fowls be- 
neath his window. He is in the forest with the 
song-birds ; he is on the mountain top with the ea- 
gles. He sat down in rusty broadcloth, he is ar- 
rayed in the imperial purple of. his singing-robert. 
Let him alone now, if you are wise, for you might 
as well ha<re pushed the arm that was finishing the 
smile of a Madonna, or laid a rail before a train that 
had a queen on board, as thrust your untimely ques- 
tion on this half cataleptic child of the muse, who 
hardly knows whether he is in the body or out of 
the body. And do not wonder if, when the fit is 
over, he is in some respects l*ke one who is recov- 
ering after an excess of the baser stimulants. — From 
" Exotienr hy Oliver Wkndbll Holmes, in Septem- 
ber Atlantic, 

Jmt's Sffurnal jf Pusk. 

BOSTON, SEPT. 4, 1876. 

Robert Franz and the German Volkalied 

and ChoraL 

We cannot forbear translating and presenting 
to our readers the principal portions of an 
essay, recently published at Leipzig, which 
we feel to be a masterpiece and model of sound, 
appreciative musical criticism, while it gives a 
most instructive insight into the whole devel- 
opment of the most important period of musi- 
cal history: ** Robert Franz und das deutsehe 
VolkS'Und Kirckenlied^^^ von August Saran. 
The writer, who studied theology in Halle, as 
well as music with Robert Franz, has already 
become known here by a remarkable Sonata 
(Fantasia) and other very original and beauti- 
ful piano compositions. In the present writ- 
ing he pays the most intelligent tribute to the 
grenius of his master which has yet appeared, 
though Liszt and Ambros hare written on the 
same theme with enthusiasm. Saran here 
shows us precisely wherein the individuality 
of Franz and the peculiar characteristic of his 
Songs and all his work consists. He traces the 
wonderful rich stream back to its quickening 
spring in the cradle of the Reformation, — to 
the old German people^s melodies and to the 
Protestant Choral; and, in so doing, sheds a 
flood of light upon the peculiar nature and the 
pregnant principle of that old melody, which 
contained the germ of polyphonic harmony, 
and shows the secret of the art of Bach and 
Handel, and of so much that is greatest and 
most sure to live in modern German music; 
while it clearly differentiates two tendencies in 
great German art, — that of Bach and Handel 
on the one hand, that of HTiydn and Mozart 
on the other. 

We propose to translate by instalments so 
much as we find practicable without much use 
of music type. The book has a musical appen- 
dix, containing Six Chorals for mixed choir, 
and Six Old German Songs for one voice, ar- 
ranged with pianoforte accompaniment by 
Franz: — all most interesting as showing the 
remarkable family likeness between this old 



melody and that of Franz himself, besides ex- 
emplifying the inimitable art which Franz has 
of harmonizing and accompanying such things 
according to their nature. — We begin with the 
biographical portion, showing how Franz grew 
up under the influence of this old music. 



The Songs of Robert Franz have enjoyed for 
some time a steadily growing sympathy, as well on 
the part of the musical public, as on the part of 
criticism. Outward circumstances may perhaps 
have contributed to bring the name and the works 
of this composer nearer to many circles, which hith- 
erto have stood aloof from them. But the warm 
interest for the artist would hardly find sufiicient 
explanation here, if something did not meet us in 
his songs, which enchains every deep soul with an 
irresistible magic. 

Criticism has sought to define this something in 
different ways. Franz Liszt particularly, and A. 
W. Ambros, and finally Heinr. M. Schuster have 
said what is sound and full of intelligent apprecia- 
tion about our composer. [The papers of the first 
two have been translated in this Journal]. And 
yet these writers do not seem to us to have drawn 
the specific and peculiar essence of the Franz muse 
to the light with perfect clearness. To be sure they 
elucidate it on several sides in the most striking 
manner; nevertheless the}* have not succeeded in 
referring all the manifold particulars, which come 
in question, to one all penetrating central point of 
view, from which they all derive their I'.ght. Yet 
this is absolutely necessary for the right apprecia- 
tion of Franz's compositions, — and fortunately too 
it is quite possible, as we here hope to show. 

In fact we maintain, and we shall endeavor to 
prove : that ifte »pecific essence of the lyric art of /?o6- 
ert Franz lies in its intimate relationship to the Ger- 
man Volkslied and Church song, as it has developed 
Uself down to Sebastian Bach. The German Protest- 
ant Choral is the mother's lap out of which the 
Franz song was born. All the other elements, 
which the artist may have assimilated to himself in 
his development, form as it were only the woof to 
that warp. 

The whole course of the composer's life points 
with all distinctness to this end. Franz has made 
interesting communications to us, partly by letter, 
parti}' by word of mouth in the most private friend- 
ly circle, about his early life ; those of them which 
belong to the purpose of the present tssay we are 
tempted to relate. 

" My first musical impression,** he says in a letter, 

" of which to be sure I can form only a very vague 

idea now," (Franz was at that time something over 

two years old) " goes back to the festival of the 

three hundredth anniversary of the Reformation. 
In Halle, too, high festival was held, and I imagine 
still, as in a dream, that I can hear a choir of trom- 
bones (which, as I was only afterwards informed of 
course, was executing Luther's immortal hymn : 
Mn* feste Burg isi unser Gott) sounding down from 
the warder's towers of our principal and city 
church." 

After some years we find the boy in still content- 
ment sitting at the feet of his father, while he sang 
to his children a " countless number " of beautiful 
Chorals. Franz's father was born in the middle of 
the last century ; accordingly at a time when the 
church song represented an incomparably more liv- 
ing power among the people than it does in our 
days ; especially in Halle, the chief seat of pietism, 
which, together with the awakening of inward piety, 
also cherished sacred song with warmest interest. 
Hence although Franz's futher, perhaps in conse- 
quence of pietistic youthful impressions, had im- 
bibed the prejudices then prevailing in town circles 
against " breadless arts," and therefore was not the 
man to talk with of the son's later calling, yet he 
must have been not without musical endowment. 
For he intoned the aforesaid Chorals with infallible 
certainty, and he understood how to reproduce their 



singular melodic phrases {Melismai) through an 
accentuation suited to the words. Franz remem- 
bered two hymns in particular : Lasset uns den Tier- 
ren preisen und vermehren seinen Rtihm, and O doss 
ich tauscnd Znngen Mtte, whose peculiar figure work 
on the repetitions of the text still rang distinctly in 
his ears. As often as the children found the father 
in the mood for it — which to be sure he was not 
always — he had to sing to them : and probably our 
Robert, who actually was never tired of listening, 
formed the most interested portion of the audience. 

Years passed, and by degrees these artistic enjoy- 
ments fell off more and more, since Franz's father 
was one of those exceptional personages who love 
to occupy themselves with little children rather 
than with those grown up. On the other hand the 
boy now entered the public school. Here his mu- 
sical reminiscences reduce themselves essentially to 
the characteristic fact, that his irresistible propen- 
sity for adding a second part to the Choral melodies 
which were practised in the singing hours, drew 
down on him many a chastisement from the weighty 
hand of the singing master. 

Franz had already reached his fourteenth year, 
when he suddenly conceived a lively desire for some 
regtilar musical instruction. At first his parents 
would hear nothing of it, but they finally gave in 
to it. Only the teachers, who were given to him, 
left a great deal to be desired. In spite of that, his 
talent broke the way for itself. Very soon the in- 
clination came again to occupy himself with Cho- 
rals; the consequence of which was that, among 
friends and acquaintances, he selected those who 
were animated by a similar passion. At that time 
(1825-SO) individuals so constituted were more easi- 
ly found and broughi; together, than is now the case. 
Each one gave proofs of his facility in Choral play- 
ing, and there must at times have been variety 
enough. For Franz the chief gain consisted in the 
fact, that from this time forward a steadily growii 
inclination for church music gained possession Oi 
him. That also drew him with all power to the 
Organ bench ; " he ran," as Liszt says, " on Sundays 
from one church to another, to help out the several 
organists on single Choral verses." 

In his twentieth year Franz left his native city 
" to study music " with Friedrich Schneider in Des- 
sau. There fate brought him together with a com- 
panion with whom he had already made a passing 
acquaint-ance at the gymnasium of the Orphan house 
in Halle. It was a certain Roupsch, a young man, 
who possessed an altogether uncommon gift for or- 
gan improvisation, which he employed almost ex- 
clusively in the treatment of the Choral. But in this 
department his achievements must have been quite 
extraordinary. Franz has repeatedly assured us, 
that Reupsch could play with wonderful facility, 
using any Choral melody he pleased as cMivsJirmus, 
and furnishing it with the richest basses, and with 
corresponding figure work. Often had he listened 
motionless to his improvisation, and he reckoned 
these hours among the most unforgettable of his 
life. Naturally he began to make attempts himself 
to emulate this model, and, with the energy of his 
peculiar bias, we niay well assume, that he acquired 
thereby a respectable facility in the handling of free 
counterpoint. 

Friedrich Schneider's systematic schooling 
brought order and proportion into this unbridled 
play of fancy. His artistic direction may not in 
other respects have been much to our friend's lik* 
ing ; but anyhow it gave him an excellent teehmqfte, 
which seems in our day to become continually 
rarer. 

Returning to Halle, the incipient artist found 
right away the opportunity to cultivate his decided 
fundaroent«l tendency still fuHher. He joined a 
circle which, formed on the model of that of Thi- 
baut in Heidelberg, occupied itself only with the 
old Italian and old German art, closing the latter 



BOSTOlf, SATURDAY, SEP,T. 4, 1875. 



with Bach and Hand*!. Here for the firrt time 
tlierc- rose n liglit for hiin over SKbiiBtian Bach ; It 
the "plciidid M..tct h>r double chorus : Kiirehlr. 
d'<h uickl. If* i;« bti dir. From lliat time Jloch's 
coinpiwltlonB, but espi-cially the Chornli. buciime 
his doily fond. Frsni hai assured us llint he owe* 
]>oiit part of his muaical ability to Ibuir uninter- 
rupted itudy. 

At the Mme time he bfcnme nrqnninted vllh 
Schubert's ciiRipoi<iiiuns, which he devoured with ■ 
feverish hanser. Now hi:* fate was derided. Tlie 
InfinKrly excilint; nnJ fructifying power of Schu- 
'9 music kindled the crenlive S]>ark that slum- 
bered In liim. and there arose a aeries of songa 
(/.tVrfnii wnrf Octdngm). which elearly bear the im- 
s of their model. Frani. with a aelf-denini ael. 
dom met witli In our time. Iifis kept them In his 
desk. He felt that his apeciEo individuality had 
not yet reached in them iU full eipreaslon. For 
(his he needed first a reconciling pruceai between 
the (ltd and the new dements, which he had Uken 
up into himself; and this indeed did not come acci- 
dentally, but with an Inward necessitv at the hand 
if the works of Mendelssohn and Schumann, who 
were at that time beginning to control the musical 
vorld. Hence the first [■riiited works of our author 
show clear tracea of the epncli to which tlicy owe 
their origin: particularly In their harmony. In the 
melodic shaping, on the coi,trnry. we recognize from 
beforuiiand ■ specific individual character, which 
aeiiea more and mure decidedly upon hia whole 
manner of composition, and whirh has its atarling 
point nowhere else but In the German Choral. 

But before we come to the exact proof of this, we 
must remind the reader, that Franz for many years 
has been nn organist and, as we have often eiiouirh 
occasion to convincn onr^elves, availed himself 
most richly oF the opportunity thus ofTered him, to 
illustrate Choral melodies in Ihe ureatest variety of 
rays, now simple and now fii^urntive. Moreover 
e has for many years directed the Halle Sinijrakad- 
niie. an Inalilution which has devoted itnell almost 
exclusively to the older, above all the Bach and 
Handel music. 

In spile oral] tliis. our composer's affinity with 
the Church song would not be adequitety explained, 
ras we took into the account, with these outward 
iimstanees of his life, Ihe atronjj stamp of a 
dividual mental and moral constitution (eint thr 
muptpritjU OfimAia-tlagi). Franils a personality 
entirely directed toward the inward and ideal. The 
pliiloHophical movement, wliich proceeded from 
Halle in the tiiird and fourth decades of this cent 
ury, has drawn him deeply Into its circle and im 
pressed its stamp upon liis turn of inin'1. But whih 
In many others it degenerated into pcj1ilk'o.«i>cial 
and religious radical i'm, it lina become vlnriKerl in 
hini tunnidcalnsthetic wayoTliiukinfattbe world. 
From '.ho bottom of his heart a linler of all outward 
show and all desire to push liimself forwanl, it lav 
always outside of our friend's circle of viBion to think 
of pluekiiiic virtuoso wrenlhs or other artist laurels 
lor himself; in the quiet circle ol his native town. 

devoti.^ to tiie duties ■•( his calling, he has worke^l 
incca<antly. until his hearit^ has become impaired 
BO aa Ui make nny sort of musical activity impossi- 
ble. With the ahorpestperceplionof the only field 
of art that correKponiled to hia individaallty, he liaa 
gone on composing, without letting himself be led 
lielray by diaparnging criticisms, merelv Urdtrnud 
OtiSHge: a selMinjitatlon which, with his Uiidoubt 
edly conspicuous talent, certainly deserves our ad- 
miration. Thnt so decidedly lyric and contempla. 
tive a nature ahoaid feel iliielf (irawn with especial 
preference to the old ProtesMnt music, will seem 
•trange lo nn one who considers the wonderful maj- 
esty and splendor of this music and Frani's early 
musical impressioni- 

I)nt It is' lime lo take a nearer view of the affini- 
ties to which we have alluded, and to adduce our 

(TobeConCInuea.) 



The Hasical Season. 



Iilanks, to-wli the profrsmmei, mnlcularly of the 
phony and Oraiorio Hiies. 

'l-he protpecu of the maBleal season of IBTS-Tt strl 
SB exceptlonnll]' ttrtlllant. nnd if Ihe Islier year were so 
fortunate as to locluile a Handel and Hsfdn Triennial. IU 
totnl r«ord mlghl perh^ips be unsurpassed. The arrival 
ofiwo of the crenttst musical arU«ti know lo Europe ti 
almost ditly anticipated. The name of Dr. Uans^nldo 
Von BUI0W flrst elnlm* sltenlion. Bom in Dresden In 
IS30, an en- ly pnpll of Friedricta WIeck— the •lietingulilied 
len<'her and father of Cinrn Schumann-then a stndent of 
law and phllocaphj' at tl>e Unlversllles of Lalpilg and 
Meriln, Uie love ofmuilcsoon ilrewia luett Ihe enti™ 
iDlelleclnal lurcc at n man who miRht have dlslin|nl>hcd 
hlniHlf In any pmKvulDn. Hl> infplratlon wna flnt 
drawn, however, fmm Lint, nf whom " 

votrti Irle. • ' 

ine Ihe co 

Ll<tl'a n iclnal and fertlllsinK 

pul-heAblmseltasarrlllraiiriei 

Ihe ildeoILhsi and Wnmer and iha ■•■■ew oehnnl," and 

j„i, i.t '- -•Tin«t aa rtntteroBslY as wllh notet. 

ining n Unt nlsee In hia own eonu- 
.-...jrmrhoitlie Porln, and tn lln tat the 

Ensland. vdcTs hia perAinnar 

intbnHRun. It wnubf tw oeltl 
itrnnih hnirH7 



I of Ihe I 



ihest 



ha ve the ocrn.ional help of achomidrlijeiiby MrTsiiar- 
•rme of hi. emceru. 'in lhe''kindred depanni"ntof cfsm- 

Hsmm has been taken by ihe excellent rlollnisi, Ur. C. 
u .. _. i .. ._ .._ pi)iij|,nnnn' ■ - ■ 



'^:s. 



to ^ve In Bumnlead Hall 



a planlat, alter wl 






-. nf The mrthod nf this srsnd ■ 

pared with Rnhlnneln, the best oplDlnn i 
Ne that whnphabaalesaaf the eMtrannt 
•ha tasclnallmi which helang tn Ih* ■■•••i 
leHi ttlifnl and eaiirichiiis and M 









mi 're falthfiil ami 

InU'llretiul (nrcr ... _ .. 
■prLngs from rharaeter, ( 
inw Is )>mrlnhned ta be w 
l> aaid never t" have been 



!mBaiow'i>nr.tn-rfomanc«ln Ami 



ill win l>e iclven In the Mu'lc 

y. OetoherIB nnrlu 

ZDih.KI, l:id.Wih. 
. Vnn nu low's nost 
-eiMlonorur.PMk, 
eachofihem. 
ime Ter sa Tletjen 



lull orchestra will 



>r the most celehraWd 
~ by Mr. Blrs- 

ihe fnunh ofOctolier. 



being'in'aile' at fltelnwa; Hall, 

_ _. early liiiJoTi-I.. _.... _ 

arromp'^hed lady waa bnm Id Hamburg in 1S34. and. 



i Enilan 



I ytmra. and 



latter cnnntry »be hai 
has been recognlud as nun <,i iim u<>d 
orttorin and opera, and her aivle Is 
nounced lo have a breadth. intelllg«T 
neu which demand Iha eolthet '• nia« 
Tli!i]en'» voice hn« nndoulrtollv low s< 
InnI pnriiy and awectnevi durlni; ihe 

dorjnt the period of her hiirhe*l vocal enilawmenli bill 
her alnglng will undoiilitedlv alvi veir ^'e:it plexanre In 
culllTniedTlatonera, Mr, Sirakoacli has not vet engaii-d 
the eompsnv who aie t-i assalat Mailamc TIcilena, snd wo 
inppoae he Inlrndi lo do » In Arnerlca. 

Ital one regular opera troupe haa as yet been ornnlied 
for the Kenaoa, and Ihnl la M(aa Kellogg'i Enellih corps, 
which will give performance* in the vernseular at the 
Knaton Theatre eariT In the wmlrr. Ulsa KetlogE's Hat 
of arilila Includes, beaidea herMlf. Maclama Van Zauill, 
MlaaHonlaiDcand Miss Beaunionta* soprani; Ills* An- 
nandaleaacontralta; Ur. CastWandMr.lfAasM Innort; 
Mr. Carleinn as baTylone, Mr, Cnnly and Mr. Peakes aa 
haases, wllA Mr. Behrens «• enndaetsr. The only new 
opera which aopean in hrr reperlolre la llenrdlei*> " Lily 
of Kiramey." The conuarntlvely nnhmlllar names of 
"The Hugiienow" and '■The Sur ol .he Nnnh"nre 
fhond upon her list, where wo hnpe they will not be lefi 

compsny will d'ouhilMa be col lo.Teltai'r t.^r the sake ol 

Boa'on Thcntr ' Opera Kiifte Is Slrendv"rerlwenled In 
New Yrtrk by a company, of which the B<iirllah Ui s Jella 
Uaihewi Is the Irailing linger, and her chirmt uf to ce 
and aetloa are warmly pnUsed liy some at iha si'Uaitlve 
critloa of the cnmmereial metrouotii. The nianairera of 
the Lyceum Theatre are llirealenlnetn Import Mile. -ludli-, 
the qnf-n regnant of the opera bmifFe in Fails ; and II Is 
Imxoiislhle !■• aay how much of Ihta raueaaa-vnlced and 
lond-mannered talent may be poored down upon ut befute 
the close of the season . 

The aupply nf Symphony miialc will he l.irge In qnantl- 
IT. and we have no leaaon lo suppoaa otlierwlae than cj- 
rellent In qaallir. The Harvard In ualcnl Auociiitlon will 

Sve Kiulr reicurar leu concerts la the Uuxlc Kail on the 
'•I and ihlrdThnrHlaysoCNoveniberand the tear fol- 
lowing mniiiha. Ihe only variation from ihia arramrement 
bi-lngiln the case of ihe eecond cDiieerl tn December, 
wliish isket place on Friday the iwi'nly-fourth. Ur. The- 
odore 'Hiona- will give all autMCriiHlon oneertson Wed- 
ni'aday eveolnga, bei^nning on the acventeeiilh of Vovem. 
ber, and con tin Hi ni! .11 unit every rhlnlweek. Mr.Thomai 
and hij orcheatri will l« heard fur ihu (1 «| time ihia • a- 
son In Hi-w England in the Kliot Hall, h'en-ton. »n the 
•ei-ond of Noi-ember. No programme, fnt ellher of llinn 
courses of concerts have yet liuea arrnuged, but It Is Ihe 



I nf Now-m 

-... thev will hi 

■ and die Temple qua 






Thi' Himdel and Haydn Soeleiy promlae nothing further 
than the gIvlngntlheiruaualChrratmaa and Esaler ora- 
lorioa: hat It b saftfora prudent Ysinkee lo ■' gtiesa " 
that they will nnl neciTt "ly o|iponimltv for aecLirlni 
the service* of Madame Tleijen^ for al lexiii iko or thcfr 

iwrfonnances. The f 'I ■■i;l v' ■■ ■■ ■ ■ ■ 

hy Mr. EU-hbergnnlli 

lor the dellilit nftri,!, ' .:. i . . .. i 



London. 

Revival ovSkousrOfbra. Eveiy English amileor 
Ihe " Telegraph " romarlci, Icdows that when Ur. Carl Ro. 
■a and Uadame Parepa-Roaa closed their very succeaaru 

with Ihenied Idea of reviving English open amonritus, 

boi, while nan proposes. It ia Ood who dlspoaei. In tht 
mlrlat of the preparationa for an oprnlag campaign at Dru- 

paled Ihe preaeni aucceaa of " Lohengrin," Madame 
Parepa-Rosa waa taken awayby death, and the bervaved 

He did so. however, only for a lime. La« winter. Mr 
Carl Rogi, wllh an rfll'ilent ciimpsav of EaEllRh-speaklng 
singers, went the round of the leading provinula^ towiia 



Theatre will wlmeaa the be^nnlnK of a leveii weeka' cam- 
paign. Those who know Ihe IburoBgh-itoIng principles 
upon which Mr. Roaa Invarlahly carries out tali public 
duties need no asaurance Ihst the prcjected aitempt lo 
revive Eng Iih opera hot been serlonaiy determined uiw, 
and will Sb carried out In a like splKi. They expect u> 
hcnr of the ulinoit poa*ll>la <nicieney in every depart- 






Idofchofce' 



"• "heir lyric 



» which will he perfbrrn 



llSh mualdsne, he wll] 
English dnsa, and a-i I 

f imlllar. Amonirihe 

" Slegeof Bo«helle."oneof thoi flnetil compowr'a most 
dramatic omtribnUona tn the Kniillsh lyric nti.gr: Chein- 
lilnl'B " Water Carrier," lielter known aa " l.o> Oeui 
.louni«ef," nnder which name It waa nnee nr twice iwr- 
fonneil In 1810, durlmc Ur. George Wood's Intercallng 
seiaon Bi DrnrT-laneTbeain-! the ''Dobeminn Olrl." as 
prepared hy Ballb far l>Brl>; "Le Noue cil Fli.'nm," 
always wdeorae in whatever shape; and a oew oners hy 
raaaonl ilie sBiry of which ts founded u|mn ' TTie Por- 
ler'o Knot." Tnralngtn.ni Ihl- sppeililngeertinn of ihe 
rfpfTtalrtXuMT. Rnan'i eiecnllve remurcea. we iind an 
orcheslra of forty efllclent playpn. amoiq; whom are 
MesTB Carrwtna. nnji'maiin Zcriiini,Hnwoll. Hvemlaen, 
Hutciilnaa. anil Reyniwls, i«prei«nlliiE the " pick "ni the 
Iinilan opem hamfa. Tho rhnrua hna brcn I'boeen with 
M|nal car*, and ths entiagemrat el 8 gnor £aplnn«i as 
hallei-inaaierjmararieeH eflle'ency In annther 'muortaat 
respect. Noaiaiemenllnfnlllayel pualble with legard 

imnfhli'ntly— Ihnsc of Mid Rosa Harsee and Mr. dnni'iey. 
tn imrta salted to Ihe nnns of a'- tight aonnmo," Ml-a 
KonWD k«v«i very II. lie Indeed tn deaire. 8he la an ei- 
erllent alnger, nao a slqnant :,nd MtraetlTe aeiress. wor- 
my loholitihepnafllVmofanrfMarfaiiaa In Mr. Rnsa'a 

_.. — ,|, ^„ i„ Yer nilleaaiies. •" - 

«d not r>r nun than that 

..._-... _rbaekloihelTrlcatagcwhitM wii'mci 

Innnevlldny. Our aeeimiplisheil bariioBe Itia aeirl.Hill 
a'sume In CBtii>inl> o|H'm the port which, iu the orlvlnal 
drama, wai played liy R bson. 

TnKi(l*.-ii«!ii«glve«asaconnm>-itlon of Its alatemenl 
that Itcrr Wagner's theory liaa not deal roye^i ihtpnaUi/* 
of Ihe ordinary opera, as haa been allniod. a list of thu 
works peitormeil during the minih of .May in iho two Im- 
perial theatres of Auatrlu and of rmisla. 

or8B¥Ule"ai''d" Wi'lliain"'{e[l''" ufltoaalni'; Hit, "TroCa^ 



88 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



tore " of Hienor Verdi : " Lm Dame Blanche " of Boleldleu ; 
«• Der Frie-chUtx •* and " Oberon '• of Weber; the "None 
di Figaro'* and «' Flauto Maisteo " of Mosart; *|»* /j ^'"7 
caine"and " Hiieuenots " of Meyerbeer; the ••FIdello 
of Beethoven; the *' Marta** of Herr Yon Flotow; and the 
" Lobenzrin »'and "Tannhttuwr »' of Herr Wagner, be^dee 
six balleu— ** Flick and Flock," •' Bardanapalua," ** Fan- 
tasca," •• Santanella/' ♦• Ellii.pr.'» wid '* *!<>C»»n»- „ l^ 
Venice seven operaa were performed-the " MIgnon by 
If. Ambrolae Thomas; " The Merry WIvea of Windsor' 
by Otto Nicolal ; " Oberon »♦ by Weber ; 'Romeo and Ju- 
liet " by M. Oounod; " L'Btoile du Nord •' of Meyerbeer; 
and the ** Flying Dutchman •» of Herr Wagner, beeldee 
three ballete^** KlUnor," " fe>atanella," and '* Sardanapa- 
lue.** In Italy, France, Spain, and Belgium not a Wagner 
opera has been performed. 

Sims Ruvbs's BENsriT Coxckat. The Mutieal 
Standard, Augntt 1, says : 

Mr. Sims Reeves's grand concert on Saturday afternoon 
brought the musical season for the CrysUl Palace to a 
dose with ielat; but after all, the *' recess '* at Sydenham 
is a very brief one, and two months hence we shall be 
again at work. The concert derived additional interest 
from the faet that Mdlle. Tltlens on Saturday made her 
last appearance in England before her departure for 
America. We annex the scheme:— 

PART I. 

1. Overture. " Masanlello •» Auber 

2. Part Song. '* Strike the Lyre *' T. Cooke 

The London Vocal Union. 

8. Song, " Home of my heart '* (Lurllne). . . .Wallace 

Mr. Edward Lloyd. 

4. Scena, •• Emanl Involamr* Verdi 

Mdlle. Tietjens. 
ft. Reeit., " Deeper and deeper still,** and Air, " Waft 

her, AngeU'* Handel 

Mr. Sims Reeves. 

6. Air, '* Let the bright Seraphim " (Samson). Handel 

Madame Christine Nilsoon. 
Trumr4>t Obligato .. .. Mr. T.Harper. 

7. Ballad, " The Shadow of the Cross *' O. Barrl 

Signer Foil. 

8. Song. '* There Is a gret>n hill*' Oounod 

Madame Patey. 

9. (a) Novelette in F Schumann 

(b)Valseln Dflat Chopin 

Mr. Charles Halle. 

10. Duet,"Parigi, ocara" Verdi 

Madame Christine Nilssnn and Mr. Sims Reeves. 

11. Masque music, " The Merchant of Veaioe,** 

Sullivan 

PART n. 

1. Part Song. ** Take thy banner** Coward 

The London Vocal Union. 

2. Ballad, ** Kathleen Mavouineen " Crouch 

Mdlle. Tietjens. 

8. Ballad, *< When other lips'* (Bohemian Oirl).Baife 

Mr. Edward Lloyd. 

4. New Ballad, " Let me dream again '* Sullivan 

Madame Christine Nllsson. 

6. Pianoforte Solos, (a) Mouvement Musical. Schubert 

(b) Caprictt in D flat Heller 

Mr. Charles Halle. 
0. Ballad, '* By the sad sea waves*' (Brides of Venloe,) 

Benedict 
Madame Patey. 

7. Bong, " Heart of oak » Boyce 

* Signer FoU. 

8. Ave Maria Oounod 

Madame Christine Nilsson. 

Violfn, Pianoforte, and Harmonium Obligato— Mr. 

Watson, Mr. S. Naylor. and Mr. J. Coward. 

9. Kautk»l iSong, " The Bay of Biscay »* Davy 

Mr. Sims Reeves. 
10. finale— March, ** Le Proph6te ** Meyerbeer 

Conductors-MB. AUGUST MANNS and Mb. ARTHUR 

SULLIVAN. 



DESCRIPTIVB LIST OF THE 



Mdllb. TrrxBVS' Ooncbbt. Mdllo. Tltiens gave a 

grani farewell concert at the Albert Hall on Wednesday 

se'nntght. She was twice recalled after the ** Inflamma- 

tus,*' from the *' Stabat Mater,** and took the soprano 

part of the duet from Verdl*s *' Requiem,** the " Agnus 

Del," which has been pronounced to be the gem of the 
work; Mdrae. Trebelll-Betilbl snng the contralto part. 
Mdme. Christine Nilsson sang '* Angels ever bright and 
fair,'* and ** Aula Robin Grey:** she also volunteered two 
Swedisn songs on encores. Mdme Trebelll-Bettlnl re- 
peated the *' Brindlsl *' by desire, and Mr. Slm<« Reeves 
accepted the Ms both for Blshop*8 song, " The pilgrim o( 
love,^ and '* Tom Bowling." Mr. Ohaa. HalM plaved 



Schubert's Impromptu m A flat. Heller's Caprice m D flat, 
and three of the *' Lieder ohne Wortn,**— the well known 
one in B minor, the delicious spring-morning song in A 
major, and the one In C from Book VI, a fkvorite of 
Mdme. Arabella God .axd.—Ibid 

A OOXCEBT in aid of the sufferers from the recent floods 

in France was held at Langham Hall on the evening of 

the 37th July, under the patronage of the Lord Mayor. 

Madame Llobhart, Mr. Nelion Varley, Miss Fairman, 

Madame Bernhardt, and Mdlle. Renard lent their valua- 
ble aid as vocatlsu. Madame Llebbart was raptorounly 
applauded, a.nd encored in a new song of O. B. Allen, 
** LiUle birds so sweetly slnirinic." Herr Lehmeyer and 
Mr. J. W. Bernhardt led off the soirte wi«h a duet for 
pianoforte and harmonium on * Lurline,*' brilliantly per- 
formed ; Miss L. Aibrecht played Ketterer*s grand Gal- 
lop de Concert; Herr Franks a v olln solo of Vieuztemps, 
and Miss Bes^'** Ri^hn*^* (with Herr Daubert) a duet of 
Chopin, his * Inlfodaetton and Polonaise Brillante.** Mr. 
J. F. Barnetf* taiivM.iu, on "The Ancient Mariner,** 
played by himself, was an event of the concert. The con- 
ductors were Herr Lehmeyer, Mr. W. Macfarren,aod Mr. 
Quit,— Ibid, 



PaMlaheid bj Oliver l»lta«m * C*. 



> *mt I 



Vooal, witk Piaao AoeempaBiment. 
Her Name is Mary Ann. 2. D to e. Straight, 30 

" A smiling mug 
And muscle like a real man.*^ 
Very comical. 

My dear and only Loye. 4. £6 to f. Sullivan. 40 

" I'll make thee fnmons by my pen, 
And glorious by my swora." 
Word* by the Marquis or Montrose, In the vear 
IMO. Are fitlll fk-esh and beautiful, and are fitted 
to a swHCt melody. 

Fm an Orphan. (L'Orfanello). Bomanza. 

4. 6 minor to f. Hackensollner. 85 

** I am hungry, I am homeless.** 
" Non un pane, non nn letto.** 
Has that neat, soft, graceful quality, which ren- 
ders a pretty Italian minor song something else 
than minor in its etfoct. 

The Bunch of Violets. (II maazolin delle 

Yiola). 4. £6 to f. PinmUL 50 

" Shlnlnc like pearls so dear." 
* Come du peria.'* 
A beautiful '< Flower Song" sung by Marie Bishop. 

Sweet Good-Night, dear Father. Song and 

Cho. 3. aS to f. Chr&tabeL 80 

** Come, hear me say my little prayer.'* 
One of the sweet, homely, home songs that so 
touch one*s heart. 

Yesper Hymn. Qnartet and Solo tr. Batiste. 
4. E minor to g, M, F, H. Smith, 80 

" Arms strengthened here by hymn and prayer. 
Lay doMm the burden and the care." 

From the set called '* Choral Kchoes,** and is a 
very nice vocal arrangement of one of Batiste's 
organ pieces. 

Erening at Sea. 4. O m^jor and minor to g, 

BltuMUBchein, 85 

"And to their couch the waves retire 
And slumber in repose.** 
Finely elaborated, and interprets finely the senll- 
ments of the poem. 

Ecce Panis. Motet for 4 Toices. 4. G to <i. 

Dm Mouchel, 90 

"Ecce pants angelorum.** 
Latin words only, and those not commonly sung, 
which is a recommendation. A smooth, beantifbl, 
classical piece. 

He roamed in the Forest. (Der Knab' ging 

sum Walde). 4. D to d. (TLeary, 85 

" He f^hloned a flute from a willow spray, 
To S4>e if within It the sweet lane lay.** 
A dreamy, poetic thoucht by the SweaUh poet 
BJiimsen, well set to music. German and Snglish 
words. 

The Watchman Contralto or Baritone. 8. 

£6 to e. KnighL 40 

'* What of the night, brave Watchman ? ** 
Most efltective and touching narration of the 
watchman and his little daughter. 

She is handsome as a Dream. 8. Ctof. 

Speck, 80 

•' The roguish eyes, so bright and blue.** 
Very bright, popular ballad. 

The Forest Witch. (Waldhexe). 4. C minor 

to e. Ruherutebi, 40 

" A horseman rides at wildest speed.*' 
" Vorbel. vorbel, dnrch Feld and Wald.'* 
A wild, unearthly ballad, which reminds une of 
the ** Erl King,'' with equally wiM mualo. 

Biaritana, gay Gitana. 4. D to f. Levetf. 60 

"wild and free. 
0*er the hills of Spain I wander,** 
Somehow Italian composers are making the finest 
Bngllsh songs— and some who speak English do 
better than Spaniards in Spain,— as witness this 
sueoesslbl half-Moorish, half-Spanish lay. 

Yachtsmen's Song (and Chorus.) 4. TDbtog, 

WeU. 40 
" Our yacht is on the tide.** 
A spirited glee, which musical Yachtsmen will 
not be slow to appreciate. 

Thoa whom my Heart adoreth. 8. C to e. 

Bamby, 80 

" Must I then strive so ofl in vain 
Thy wayward heart to prove ?*' 
Capable ox great expression, and very effbctlve. 

That dear Song I loved the hest 3. £6 to f. 

Hyde, 80 

" In the twilight we would wander. 
When the forest trees were green.*' 
A very attractive theme. Richly mosical. 

It goes against the grain. 8. G to e. Coote. 80 

** Tho* very slow to declare It, 
We have to grin and bear It.** 
A very good sentiment, combined with attraefive 
music. 



Special Notices. Continued. 

Initmmsiital. 

Indigo, or 40 Thieves. By Strauss. 

arr. by Maylath. 

No. I. Potpourri. 8. '1.00 

14 InseiOQs melodies are stirred Into this musical 
dish, which thus becomes tmustudly sweet and 
savory. 

Colored Leaves. 6 Easy Pieces. Lange, ea, 35 
No. 1. On the Water. ( Auf dem Wasser). 

2. C 
'*2, Yjolet's Greeting. (Yeilchengmss). 

2. C. 
"4. Contentment (Seelenfroh). 8. D. 
Extremely graceful and capital instructive pieces. 

Wig-Wag Polka. 8. F. /. S. Smith. 40 

Zig-Zag Galop. 8. G. '* " 85 

The titles Indicate eccentric pieces, and they are 



such, but bright, attractive, and nunc the worse ibr 
being original. 

What Fun. Polka. 8. C. Wheeler. 80 

A rollicking aflhlr. One of those pieces that 
feels so Jolly It does n*t know what to do wlih Itself. 

Beethoven's March from Ruins of Athens. 

6 hands. 2. C. 00 



The 6 hand arrangement la very easy, and the 

Juality of the music Is not i^Jnrea. Arranged by 
^ubensteln. 



March iVom Tannhauser. 8. B. Liazt. 1.00 



Players who do not like easv pieces will be pleased 
with this, whli-h Is sufBciently craggy to the per- 
former, and very brilliant when conquered. "The 



entrance of gnesU at the Wartburg,'^ is the part of 
the opera used for tlie march. 

On the Meadow. (Auf der WIese). 8. G. 

lAehner. 80 

A musical thought, happily expressed. 

Summer Nights Dream on the Hudson. 

Barcarolle. 4. A. Haevemiek. 80 

Not on a steamboat, you understand, but on some 
gentle, rocking boat, on a moonlight night, in a 
co<>l. shndy nook In tJie Highlands. At least such 
is the Idea one gathers from the pleee, which Is a 
charming one. 

A Hundred Years ago. Quickstep. 8. G. 

Rice. 40 
A quickstep whiceh commences a hundred years 
ago, will have to hurry to ** catch up.** A very 
bright affair, lit for any festive or patriotto occas- 
ion. The air is from ''^Bvangellne.'* 

Our lovely Hudson. Waltzes. 8. Aronsen. 75 

A good title is a sort uf Inspiration, and the three 
brilliant walties are quite worthy of It. 

Les Dragons de la Reine. Moroeau elegante. 

4. Db Maylath. 40 

A kind of brilliant cavalry march, '^dragons'* In 
French meaning the same as **dragoons** in Sngw 
llsh. 

Imperial Galop. 8. C. Hayner, 85 

Would do for a **double quick** march. as It Is pow- 
erful, very brilliant, and roll of octaves. A flute or 
piccolo may play the "choice notes.'* 

Only one Word. (Auf die Wort). Galop. 

2. A. FutuL 85 

Literally «• On the word,'* and it has a character 
of extreme ** staccato** promptness throughout. 

La Joyeuse. Gavotte. 8. A. Stiehl, 80 

Perhaps you do not know what a Oavotte Is, and 
this will not Inform yon, but bo assured it Is in this 
Case original, strange, and entertaining music. 

Don Juan. Op. 118. No. 14. 4. C. Leybach. 75 

One of the *< (Euvres CeMbrta,** and is a very 
graoeftil -'resume** of the best music of*' Don Oio- 
vanni." 

Hungarian Dances. 4 hands. 4. Brahma, 2.00 

These are already well known, having been nlaved 
bv Thomas's famous orchestra. They are wild but 
pleasing airs. 

English Pearls. Fantasias by Willie Pape. ea. 75 

No. 1. Oh I the Oak, the Ash, and bonny 

Ivy tree, and Vicar of Bray. 0. G. 

A new series of fantasias, on favorite national 
airs. They sre sll among the very best pieces to 
play for exhibitions. 

Rondo Capriccio. Op. 118. No. 17. 5. A. 

Leybach, 00 
An Impromptu, it seems, but doubtless cost some 
reflection, as it is very delicately and correctly or- 
ganised. 

Air de la Bourree. 8. G. Brocccu 85 

Arranged from Handel. Full of life. Requires 
a legato touch, and would be a good organ piece. 
Belongs to the set ** Perles Muslcales.** 

Jolly Fellows. (Fidele Bursche). Waltc 8. 

StrauaB. 76 
By Edward Strauss. A welcome addition to the 
long list of Strauss pieces. 

A BBBKVTATioirs.— Degrees of dlfBcnlty are marked 
1 to 7. The Areyis marked with a canlul letter: as C, B 
flat, *c. A small Roman letter marks the highest note, 
if on the staff, an Ualie letter the highest note, if above 
the staff. 



^^ 



brf. 





mnl 





MIL 



Wholb No. 898. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, SEPT- 18, 1875. Vol. XXXV. No. 12. 



A. Baraa on Bobert Pnni and the Old 
a«nnan YdDnUed and ChoraL* 

(Ooiitlnii«d from Page ST.) 

Let US now cast a hasty glance npon the old 
Oerman Song and its history.— Its origin is 
veiled in obscurity. Only so much seems cer- 
tain: that it developed itself at quite an eariy 
period in opposition to the Gregorian Church 
Song, both as sacred and as secular VoUMed^ 
or People's Song. 

[In Ml Appendix SariMi glveetwo speoimens of the 
relifiloas Volkslted, emmfced, at bis request, in foor-part 
harmonj by Bobert Fnon.] 

The bloom of the secular people's song was 
in the'^f ouri^enth and fifteenth century. Un- 
fortunately but very meagre remains of the 
luxurious richness of the popular melodies of 
that time have been handed down to us in 
their original form. The most we have is 
found— probably with free modifications- In 
contrapuntal elaborations (B€arbeUun{fm) by 
the great tone-masters of the fifteenth and six- 
teenth century, who, well appreciating the high 
value of the popular melodies, frequently made 
them the foundation as eantn$Jlrmui for church 
compositions. But a few years since a collec- 
tion of melodies for one voice from the middle 
of the fifteenth century was discovered by Pr. 
Arnold, and has been published in Chrysan- 
\ der's JaMfiichem, Vol. II. These undoubted- 
ly belong to the oldest songs that we possess 
in notes, and therefore are of eminent import- 
ance. In Arnold's opinion, to be sure, the 
melodies contained in this collection are to be 
regarded not as People's, but as Art Songs. 
Nevertheless they shed a clear light on the 
Volkslied of that tim^. For, apart from the 
fact that many of the melodies agree in their 
essential character with accepted VoUBdiedem, 
it may safely be assumed, that the composers of 
those days, in their high esteem for the Volks- 
lied, took it for the model of their own song 
compositions. Moreover no one to this day 
has succeeded in establishing precisely what 
then passed for VMdied and what for Kwut- 
Ued (Art-Song), or wherein the distinction be- 
tween the the two consists. 

Accordingly, if we may be permitted to ap- 
ply what Arnold says of the characteristic traits 
of the melodies in this old **Lochheimer Lied- 
erbuch,** to the old German song in general, 
the fundamental features were about as fol- 
lows: — 

1. The pregnant construction of the princi- 
pal melodic motive, and the strictly thematic 
carrying out of the same. * *A melodic thought, 
even if not of much significance, yet long-wind- 
ed and admitting of development, extending 
through four, or at the least two measures, 
stands sharply stamped at the head ; then fol- 
lows the after-period, formed with strictest 
musical consistency out of the first motive. 
And now begin, for the first time, a series of 

• TransUted for Dwioht^ Jodbval op Kusio. 



transpositions, in which the rule was that the 
other keys were to be touched according to 
the degree of their relationship, 'without intro- 
ducing the same cadence twice. After this the 
motive is shortened or amplified, according to 
the changing rhythm of what is to be sung ; 
and a melodic clause, already used as middle 
passage in the connecting work, commonly 
forms the conclusion." (Arnold^ page 28.) 

3. The melody is polyphonic. ** Every 
tone contains in itself at the same time a defi- 
nite harmony; or, as von Liliencron in his 
^Lieder und Spruche au$ der leUtm Zeit det 
Minnegesanges^ ex^TeaseB it: 'Evjry succession 
of tones is at the same time a succession of lat- 
ent harmonies of such importance, besides 
being of such easy fiexibility, that they 
are infinitely superior to the usual trivial chords 
of an accompaniment." (Arnold^ page 28.) 

Compare, for example, the following (homo- 
phonous) Italian popular melody: 




iJBardaU, by B. Banmstark and W. v. Valdbrtthl, p. 16.) 
with the polyphonous Choral: **Vater unser 
im Himmelreich : " 



m 



Sfct' 



( 






s 



"] — jlZetc.z: 



^-T#, 



^ •0- \ ) 



:r rr 



The former is based on two chords; in the 
latter every tone progression demands inexor- 
ably its own significant harmony;. it obliges 
the Bass also to become a characteristic melodic 
**part" or voice. 

8. The key has its foothold on the old 
Church system; but it shows already a strong 
tendency to the modern Major and Minor. (Ar- 
nold, p. 20.) 

4. The rhythm of the melody adheres close- 
ly to the verbal accent; the most intimate in- 
terpenetration of word and tone, even to the 
finest details, is perceptible throughout. (Ar- 
mMyp, 24.) 

This, substantially, was the German Song in 
its first period, while it was yet untouched by 
the Contrapuntal art, which afterwards took 
possession of it and illustrated it in the richest 
manner, though to be sure, with the limited 
means of that time, in a somewhat clumsy and, 
for us of later birth, more or less unenjoyable 
form. Robert Franz hlw— also at our desire- 
arranged two pieces from the LtHihheifMr LM- 
erlmeh in modem form, for a single voice with 
piano accompaniment. ( Qioen in Appendix II. ) 



The Reformation was of epoch-making sig- 
nificance also for the Volkslied. If we may 
believe Arnold, the greater part of the Protest- 
ant Chorals down to 1570 are borrowed from 
the old folk-songs. But these underwent me- 
lodic and rhythmical modifications in the 
religious service. Thus in the singing of the 
congregation (however rhythmical this may 
have been in the beginning) the more animated 
rhythm of the melodies, corresponding with 
the verbal accent, must have l)een smoothed 
away, so that the chorals very early acquired 
that more calm and even' step, in which they 
are now sung. But also in regard to the pro- 
gression of intervals, many changes occurred : 
for the people never allows itself, not even 
to-day— in spite of all.the pains of our histori- 
ans and organists— to be deprived of its right 
to vary the melodies according to its own need 
or taste. 

But also in this form the Volksliod (now 
church song) became for the second time the 
starting point for the richest and grandest de- 
velopment of Art. On the one hand they com- 
posed, with this for their pattern, numbcriess 
chorals; but on the other hand there sprang 
from it the two great main streams of the vocal 
and instrumental music of the seventeenth and 
eighteenth century: the Motet and Organists' 
School from John Eccard to Sebastian Bach. 
Here the Choral was employed, in a similar 
manner with the secular Volkslied before, as 
the melodic foundation for the mightiest con- 
trapuntal creations; and hence we may regard 
the Choral as the very mother s lap of all the 
Bach and Handel music. 

This is put still more beyond a doubt, when 
we consider finally the third epoch of the his- 
tory of the sacred Volkslied. While the cho- 
ral in that artistic treatment retained essenl iHlly 
the traditional form, we see it since the end of 
the seventeenth century, plainly under the 
infiuence of the native schools and of the new- 
ly rising Italian opera, put fgrth still a last 
splendid blossom— in the so-called Freyling- 
haueenU Hymn Booh. 

This remarkable book, which first appeared 
in 1704 and 1714 in two parts, contains in its 
later editions, edited by G. A. Francke, son 
of the celebrated Aug. Herm. Francke, (1741 
and 1771), 1581 hymns with 609 melodies. The 
latter are partly the old ones long in use— yet 
with many sorts of embellishments; partly 
they are Uken from the Darmstadt hymn book 
which appeared in 1698; and partly again, as 
the preface says, they are "composed for it 
anew by Christian and experienced musicians 
here upon the spot (that is, in Halle.**) 

Now these new melodies, as well as those 
taken from the Darmstadt book, bear a wholly 
different character from the old ones. If the 
latter are essentially to be regarded as the plain 
and sublime expression of the objective church 
consciousness, the »» Halle" melodies corres- 
pond entirely to the subjective pietistic tenden- 



^x. 



90 



DWIGHT'S JOUKN^AL OF MUSIC. 



cy, to which they owe their origin. Hence an 
exuberant fullness of melodic charm, even to 
sickly sentimentality. We note in them also 
an especial partiality to the 3-4 measure, at 
times bordering even on the dance style. And 
finally a broadly laid out structure of the stro- 
phes (or stanzas), with innumerable symmetri- 
cal limbs and smaller members (repetition of 
lines, &c.), wherein the influence of the Aria 
form is unmistakable. Hence we are by no 
means inclined to be answerable for all the 
numbers of the book. But there are also a 
great many among them fully up to the most 
exacting claims. 

Lin proof of thi», Saran irlvea four more Chorals, ex- 
pressly hannonized for a mixed choir by Franz.] 

But what is most interesting in these pieces 
of music, is the striking affinity which they 
show with the structure of Bach's melody, — 
80 striking that, from of old, Bach has been sus- 
pected of the direct authorship of most of them. 
This conjecture may now be considered as final- 
ly set at rest through the conclusive investiga- 
tions of Spitta {Joh. Seb, Bach, Band I. 8. 865 

ff.) 

But all the more interesting is the light shed 
by this Freylinghau8€rC9che Oesanghuch on Seb. 
Bach and his contemporaries. We see, the 
melody of this book is in a certain sense the 
common property of the epoch. And even 
Bach and Handel, greatly as they tower above 
all their contemporaries in other respects, draw 
from this gushing spring of living waters, and 
arc rooted in the midst of the musical move- 
ment of the century. 

Now, after what we have said about the 
very relative distinction in the older times 
between the People's- song and the Art-song, 
we have not the least hesitation in ascribing 
the ** Halle melodies" to the People's Song in 
the wider sense; and this the more confidently, 
since these melodies, in spite of the warning 
protest of the Orthodox-Lutheran Faculty of 
Wittenberg, have spread with wild rapidity 
over Germany, so that the Freylinghauaen ^tche 
Oesanghuch became the favorite one of the whole 
last century. Regarded from this point of view 
Sebastian Bach, — who is more deeply rooted 
than any other man, with all his fibres, in the 
mother soil of the religious Volkslied — appears 
to us in fact (to use Spitta's fine expression) 
as the incarnate musical genius of the German 
people. 

For in him and his contemporaries the church 
Volkslied had completed its peculiar history. 
After Seb. Bach not another important Choral- 
composer has appeared. The few beautiful 
tunes from the second hal f of the last and from 
our present century cannot affect the account 
at all. 

Anyhow, with Bach the old North German 
Protestant musical development is essentially 
concluded. Having its footing upon entirely 
different foundations, and drawing from quite 
different sources, has the later so-called classi- 
cal, 1. e. the South German Catholic school of 
music (Haydn, Mozart, &c.), developed itself. 
Here there is no trace to be discovered of the 
older Volkslied or the Choral. 

Only since Mendelssohn has the most recent 
time formed a new tie with Bach and Handel, 
and so taken up the old North German tradi 



tion anew. But no one is more deeply rooted 

in it than Robert Franz. 

(To be Continued.) 



• ♦ » 



Titiens Abitura. 

[From a Correspondent of the London " Maslcal 

Standard."] 

There is a period in the duration of every 
good voice, when it is possessed of an especial 
charm. The particular time of its occurrence 
and the length of its continuance are uncertain. 
With some it is early, with others comparative- 
ly late. With some too it is brief, with others, 
again, somewhat lasting. No certain rule can 
be given when to look for it, as in this matter 
Nature is capricious; but mostly, though not 
always, it is to be found before the voice has 
attained its full ripeness. In this case, though 
the voice subsequently would be pronounced 
finer, the particular fresh charm or bloom 
mi^/ti be wanting. The word '* bloom" must 
not on any account be accepted as the synonyme 
of **veil," which is essentially different, as its 
cause and effect are different. 

It would be invidious to point to all those 
public singers who are now in the possession 
of this charm of voice. Suffice it to say that 
Mdlle. Titiens possesses it. She is an example 
of those who retain it for a lengthened dura- 
tion. And possibly in her case a long course 
of singing had to be gone through ere that pe- 
culiar bright tinge of color came. It is to be 
hoped that when our friends across the Atlan- 
tic hear her for the first time, the gifted lady 
will be in perfect health, and free from both 
bodily and mental fatigue, as this freedom is 
a condition, generally speaking, of the exist- 
ence of this charm. Then will America know 
in a measure what an artist England has been 
enjoying since 1858, when the late Mr. Lum- 
ley first introduced the lady to the subscribers 
to the Opera held at Her Majesty's late Theatre. 
It will, however, but be in a measure that the 
greatness of the Titiens will be known, as, if 
report be correct, the lady will not appear on 
the stage, but only in the concert room and in 
oratorios. America, therefore, will be incapa- 
ble of fully realizing the portrait, musical and 
dramatic, of the devoted wife (Fidelio), with 
which English amateurs are familiar, and which 
again and again they can picture to their mind's 
eye, so indelibly impressed is it upon their im- 
agination, owing to the exceeding power with 
which it was first presented to their intelligence . 
In like manner that country will be incapable 
of comprehending the pictures, appreciable 
from several points of view, of Lucrezia, Val- 
entine, Semiramide, Medea, and Norma, among 
a few others, which opera frequenters have for 
long admiringly looked at, until their sense of 
admiration has become either heart-sympathy 
or awe, this latter emotion being particularly 
excited by'the Ortruda which the great artist 
presented, leaving upon the remembrance of 
all who witnessed it (especially those who were 
present at Dniry Lane on the Saturday evening 
when Lohengrin was produced) an impress as 
if the very letters of the character were cast in 
fire, whilst those of the character of Elsa were 
moulded in the purity of angels' wings. 

But in the conceii; room to which, it may be, 
Titiens will confine her talents, there will be 
enough to fill all listeners with delight. There 
will be the majestic tones, $tea^y^ grand, rich, 
well-modulated, and tinted with the charm 
already alluded to, but which it is beyond the 
power of any one adequately to describe. 
There will be the noble conception of all the 
great songs she undertakes. Added to this 
will be her vocal resources, her executive skill, 
her coloratura^ her variety of tone-color indica- 
tive of the sentiments by which she will seem 
to be animated ; as such an artist will not give 
utterance to a thought or feeling in musical 
cadence which will not carry with it the proper 
tone-shade, telling its spontaneity, ana pro- 
claiming it as warm and fresh from the heart. 

Whilst she is away the English people — who 
never cross the fathomless ocean, and who 



shrink with something of terror from the 
thought of those long days and long nights 
where nothing is to be seen but sky and water, 
save when a distant ship is descried, an object 
of excitement to all on boaril, especially to 
those traversing the boundless deep for the 
first time— will be with her in imagination, 
anticipating her triumphs, anxious to read the 
earliest reports of her reception, and of the 
enthusiasm she will have occasioned, and 
desiring most of all her happy return, crowned 
with the laurel of the tens of thousands of our 
appreciating friends across the Atlantic, who 
are as we are, speak the English language, and 
take no greater pleasure than in sympathising 
with us in everything that is great and noble, 
whether it be in acts of policy, deeds of war, 
the adaptation of science, or the exaltation of 
art. F. P. 



Ba3rreath. 

WAGKER'S new OPERA-IIOrSE AND RERIDEXCE — TWO 
BEAUTIFUL CHATEAUX — DATREUTH IX THE EIGHTEENTH 
CBNTURT. 

[Correspondence of the Cincinnati Gazette.] 

Bayreuth, once the residence of the splendor- 
lovini; Margrravcs of Blandenburer, is now a dull 
and lifeless cit}', waiting for its birth into new life 
by the appearance of the Niebelungen in the summer 
o\ '76. 

It still wears the vestiores of the ancient mran- 
denr, for which it is indebted to Map^ravcs Chris- 
tian, George William, and Frederic, husband of 
Wilhelmina, the gifted sister of Frederick tlie 
Great. The majority of the very oldest bi»ildini;8 
were destroyed durinjs^ the siefre of the Hussites in 
1430. The old palace, built in 1454, escaped the 
j^eneral devastation, and is now used for pnblic 
ofiices ; the new palace, as it is called, built in 1753 
by Mari;rave Frederic, has been fitted up for the 
King of Bavaria. The town seemed bo void of life 
as we drove from the depot to the hotel, and the 
few people we did meet appeared so curions as to 
the movements of strangeis, that one could readily 
fancy he had dropped back into the middle ages. 
There seem to have been but two new buildings 
erected in this century, the spacious and modern 
residence of Richard Wagner, and his famous opera- 
bouse. 

I have never looked at the great composer with- 
out admiring the intense amount of faith he has in 
his own efforts; but since I have visited Bayreuth 
and its surroundincrs, seen the superannuated town 
in one corner of a little plain, and the Parnassus of 
the Wagnerian temple way off in another distant 
corner, reached only by a miry, mnddy road, sur- 
rounded as you approach it by a bed of coal-tar 
refuse that sticks to your shoes, soils your clothes 
and fire9 your temper, and remembered that this 
man, in the face of all these obstacles, had under- 
taken this work and very nearly brought it to a 
successful consummation, with as much confidence 
as though he were placing it in the centre of a pop- 
ulous city, I not only admire the man, but I am as- 
tounded at the audocity of the undertaking. How 
he ever expects to fill it with an appreciative audi- 
ence, even at the representation of the "Niebelun- 
gen,** is a mystery, out to make it afterward a pay- 
mfr investment is a still ^eater wonder. Wagner, 
of course, does not look at the matter in so com- 
mon-place a lif^ht or take so material a view of it 
as to reckon it in the way of t balers and groschens, 
though he has hard labor and care enough to raise 
a sum sufficient to complete it. Perhaps after the 
strangely- constructed building has served the one 
great end for which it is erected, the representation 
of the master work of ttie artist, he will consider it 
as a ten) pie of harmony in a great desert, where 
every composer must make a pilgrimage, who would 
have their new works brought out under the influ- 
ence of this wonderful acoustic ; or he may be sat- 
isfied to let it add another to the monuments of de- 
cayed grandeur, of which Bayreuth now possesses 
BO many. It will be a fitting accompaniment to 
the sumptuous opera house, built in 1747, in which 
Princess Wilhclmina introduced Italian opera and 
French comedy, and drew the best talent out of 
Paris — the cele'brated Clairon and the noted panto- 
mimidts, Heurtaud and Lekain — and out of Italy t.he 
maestro Porporino, the lovely Consuelo, the Fingers 
Leonard! andGrassi, the ballet dancers Baibi Bigat- 
ti, and couducted an opera-house that emulated the 
largest in the world. This splendid bulldinLC is now 



BOSTOl^, SATURDAY, SEPT. 18, 1875. 



91 



in ft most dilapidated condition, but even in its 
empty and deserted state calls forth admiration from 
every spectator. It is said Wagoner conceived the 
idea of building his new opera- house and bringing 
out his Niebeluuj^en from the old building, erected 
in such sumptuous style, and which has been the 
scene of so much departed glory. 

In outward appearance the new buildin^i: does 
not at all resemble the old one, nor. Indeed, any 
other that one has ever seen. Fancy a large build- 
ing, whose whimsical owner has added a wing 
here, a rounded corner there, a covered piazza some 
place else, with two or three extra vestibules, and 
you will have a fair idea of the irregular external 
appearance of the new opera house. The inside 
when completed will be nuperb. The stage is im- 
mense, occupying fully half the building. There 
are no 8id«5 boxes to obstruct the view, and the par- 
quet runs up like an amphitheatre. There are but 
twenty-nine rows of seats, and these are arranged 
in a three quarter circle, touching the stage at eith- 
er end, and yill seat 2200 people. A gallery runs 
around tlie circle at some aistance above, but there 
is but little provision made for seats here, as they 
would be very undesirable. 

The King^s box is io the front of the stage, just 
beyond tl»c parquet The peculiarity of the in- 
ternal arrangement lies in placing the orchestra out 
of sight of the audience. To accomplish this they 
are seated at a proper distance below the stage, and 
surrounded by a railing that is high enough to 
screen them, but does not obstruct the view from the 
lowest tier of seats. The effect of hearing the mu- 
sic without seeing the movement of the instruments 
will undoubtedly add greatly to the int^frest of the 
performance. We, unfortunately, arrived at the 
building just five minutes too late. As we entered, 
Herr Wagner and his best two female singers came 
out. Thev had been trying the acoustic, which the 
gentlemanly superintendent, who so kindly showed 
and explaine(\ to os the arrangement of the building, 
told us was truly magnificent and perfectly satis- 
factory in every way. This we could have imag- 
ined from the gratified expression on the face of the 
composer, who came out bowing and smiling, while 
the ladies were still humming some airs of the 
opera, and tripping along as gayly and happy as 
birds. 

If theie be no further lack of funds, there is 
every prospect of the house being in readiness for 
the summer of *76. Plastering, painting and deco- 
rating are not yet commenced, and the stage, with 
its immense net-work of hanging ropes, resembles 
the masts and spars of a shipping port, but the su- 
perintendent assured us all was progressing favora- 
bly, and he expected to deliver the keys before the 
appointed time. 

Herr Wagner's residence is a handsome square, 
modern house, in the building of which he has been 
ignobly accused of appropriating some of the funds 
contributed for the opera-house. He has earned for 
himself a comfortable home, but, if report be true, 
Madame W. does not allow him much quiet enjoy- 
ment of it. 

In the suburbs of Bayreuth are two beautiful 
ehateaus, the Ermitage and Fantasia. The first, 
built by the Margrave George William, in 1715, is 
surrounded by fine gardens and parks, containing 
numerous cool fountains and artificial rivers. 
Among the family portraits in the chateau are one 
of Frederick the Great as a child, one as a king, 
and one very fine of his sister, the Margravine. 
There is a portrait also of the Countess Orlomunde, 
the original of the White Lady who died in the 
year 1800, but who still haunta the palace in Ber- 
lin, appearing always before the death of a member 
of the royal family. As the countess was buribd in 
a church at Himmelkron, a small village on the 
road leading to Beam berg, we are willing to believe 
disembodied spirits make their visitations at such 
distant points without being subjected to all the 
annoyances of modern travellers. Were it other- 
wise, there would have been long before this an im- 
provement in the system of hotel-keeping. 

The Fantasia belongs to the Duke Alexander of 
Wurtemburg. and is at present occupied by him. 
After we had walked over the beoutiful and well- 
kept grounds, the duke wa9 obliging enough to 
vacate his rooms that wo might inspect them, we 
wishing particularly to see some statuary made by 
his mother, the Duchess Marie, n6e Princess of Or- 
leans, daughter of Louis Philippe. The sculpture 
was in every way worthy of the praise we had heard 
bestowed upon it, a bust of Joan of Arc and a sup- 
pliant angel being remarkably fine. The rooms 
are furnished in exquisite taste, and admirably in 
keeping with the beautiful surroundings. As we 



left the palace there strolled leisurely up one of the 
shaded walks a lovely woman, dressed in a charm- 
ing blue robe. Her maid brought her a piece of 
bread, and as she strewed it around her the gray 
and white pigeons came from all directions and 
cooed about her, pecking at her pretty feet, alight- 
ing on her shoulders, caressing her, and begi^ing 
for more. Passing soon after one of the embowered 
summer-houses where she sat, the duke entered and 
said : '* You are looking remarkably well to-day." 
To which pretty speech she retorted : " Compli- 
mentary as usual, Herr Graf," but in a tone that 
showed how thoroughly she appreciated the re- 
mark. 

The grounds, the fountains, the walks with in- 
terlacing trees trimmed in stiff French style, the 
cooing pigeons, the handsome duke, the pretty wo- 
man, all combined to carry us back to the past cent- 
ury, when Maria Theresa played shepherdess, and 
the prince and princesses strolled through her 
parks with broad-orimmed hats and graceful crooks 
to do the biddinaj of their pretty but wilful mistress, 
or converted themselves into nymphs and sat3'r3 to 
enable her to while away a weary hour in admiring 
their transformation. 

Bayreuth, under the regime of the talented Wil- 
helmina, was a witness of similar gayeties and fes- 
tivities. The whole court was ordered in imitation 
of the French; indeed, it was French, the master 
of ceremonies was a nobleman from Versailles; all 
the knights and cavaliers were from the best French 
families. Voltaire, as guest, was received with 
royal honors, and the vain poet revelled in the 
homage bestowed upon him by the Margrave and 
Margravine, and acted himself in his tragedy of the 
" Death of CaBsar." The music director was a Count 
Mirabeau. from the same family out of which after- 
ward came the Mirabeau of the revolution. Another 
French officer was superintendent of the Margra- 
vine's theatre, and when the palace was reduced to 
ashes by the insatiable flames, it was under his 
direction that it was rebuilt in all its former splen- 
dor. 

The princely cuisine was supplied with three mas- 
ters of the kitchen, two head cooks, four pastry 
cooks, two cooks for the cavaliers, an assistant 
cook, and one who did nothing bnt roast the meats, 
together with a small army of underlings, both 
male and female. The army, a hussar corps, a 
body guard battalion, seven musketeer companies, 
the artillery, and a landwehr regiment, surpassed 
in the elegance and splendor of their uniforms the 
soldiers of Frederic the Great Frederic and Wil- 
helmina, rulers over a province that contained but 
S00,000 souls, lavished in their capital, that at the 
foot of the Fichtclgebirge lay remote from all other 
great cities, a luxury and splendor that appalled 
Frederic the Great, and on the occasion of a visit 
to them, he reproachfully exclaimed : " Where 
do you gather all the necessary gold — I cannot do 

In great festivities the large salon of the palace 
was converted into a forest by the building in at 
one end a large addition out of the bark of trees. 
This was hung with colored lights, and the Prince 
and Princess did the honors of the house at a table 
glittering in gold and silver. When the bountiful 
repast was over, the noble lords and ladies mingled 
with each other, clothed in masquerade costumes of 
so great a value, from their rich texture and costly 
graven shields, that the price of one should have 
supported for a year many a poor peasant family 
that groaned uncler the heavy tax imposed upon 
them by their thoughtless rulers. 

Upon the Margrave's birthday the great salon 
was transformed into the Mount of Parnassus. A 
celebrated singer acted Apollo upon a throne erec- 
ted for the purpose, from where he sang a cantata 
filled with allegories, and besought the Muses, 
wine, beautiful women, to prize the happy day, 
and the arts and sciences that would be represent- 
ed before them. At the side of the theatre stood 
the banquet table arranged with 160 seats, and ar- 
rayed in all imaginable splendor. The walls of the 
room were hung with French proverbs framed in 
wreaths of green. The assembled court formed the 
followers of tjie gods, and paraded around in a fit- 
ting costume. On the succeeding Sundays the 
officiating priest never failed to denounce the god- 
less gayeties, and placed before them the future 
pains and torments they would suffer for their 
wicked behavior ; but where Voltaire erected an 
altar and sacrificed to the gods the good man's 
threats and reproofs were in vain ; even the white 
lady could find no rest in her grave, an unearthly 
noise filled the corridors every night, ghastly fig- 
ures flitted through the rooms, and unholy blood 



flowed from the sarcophagi in the princely mauso- 
leum ; but, with all these frightful warnings, the 
festivities still went on. 

It was in this palace, every room of which was 
ornamented with Oriental splendor, that Wilhel- 
mina wrote her memoirs. Here she exchanged 
with Voltaire letters replete with sparkling witti- 
cisms. Here she conceived the idea of founding a 
university, at the consecration of which, in 1743, 
she selected the opening theme, and gave the Spin- 
oza idea: "That the material can think." Hero, 
crushed and suffering from great physical pain, she 
grieved over the fall of her house, and resolved not 
to survive the coalition of Austria, Russia and Swe- 
den, that threatened to overthrow her idolized 
brother, Frederic the Great Here, with the spec- 
ulations of Descartes, she sought to drown the deep- 
est sorrow of her life, and passed through a bitter 
conflict, when she learned that her husband, whom 
she truly loved, had, fascinated by one of her court 
ladies, proved false to her, and a lady to whom she 
was not alone princess, but a confiding friend. 
Upon a column in the park was engraven: "Thou 
art more deeply buried in my heart than in this 
stone." This sentence the princess, in her agony, 
oft repeated. With the death of Frederic and Wil- 
helmina the glory of Bayreuth passed awav, and 
had the reverend father lived to see her broken 
spirit, he could well have believed his denuncia- 
tions had proven true before her departure to another 
world. 

So Bayreuth looked in the eighteenth century. 
Shall I spoil the picture by relating how it appeared 
to five strong-minded women of the nineteenth ? 
Arriving at the station we found three omnibuses 
awaiting the train. With the usual feminine weak- 
ness we chose the one with the brightest paint and 
the reddest cushions. It landed us at an unpretend- 
ing hotel ; it could not well have been otherwise. 
The landlord seemed so astonished to have such an 
Inroad of guests that I think his dumpy legs must 
still ache from the amount of waddling around he 
did. I rather imagine he fulfilled the manifold du- 
ties of landlord, clerk, head waiter, boots, and pos- 
sibly lent a hand in cooking, from the way he puffed 
up and down stairs to know if we wot>ld nave coffee 
or tea, eggs soft or hard, cutlets or ham, and when 
our whole order was centred into the one article of 
an English beefsteak, the poor man's anxiety was 
really ludicrous to witne.«i3. We managed, however, 
to get food enough to refresh us, walked over the 
lifeless old town, smothered under some feather- 
beds, and left at 4 o'clock in the morning, minus 
five thalers, in addition to an extravagant bill. In 
benighted Bavaria they still use guldens and kreut- 
zers in putting the account into marks and gros- 
chens. The good man got the better of us, which 
we did not discover until we were many miles away. 
We consoled ourselves by fancying that it was a de- 
scendant of one of Wilhelmina's ground-down 
burghers revenging himself on the fair philosopher- 
ess by cheating her foreign sisters. Still, upon our 
return, it would not be wise for any of you to ask 
us, " How we like Bayreuth ? " L. A.B. 



* » ■ 



Practical Bearing of Helmholtafi 
Discoveries. 

(From " Church's Jfuaieal VtfUorr) 

In the former paper. I gave an outline of Helm- 
holtz's discoveries in the matter of sound- color, the 
substance of which was that the quality of a sound 
depends upon the number and relative intensity of 
the partial tones associated in the clang. I also 
gave a description of his ingenious apparatus of 
tuning-forks by which he imitated at will, not only 
the characteristic tones of the various orchestral 
instruments, but also, and more wonderful still, the 
vowels of human speech. Those who have read 
Tyndall on " Sound,^ have found in his book this 
theory of Helmholtz's announced; but for some 
reason Tyndall gives no account of the apparatus by 
means of which Helmholtz placed his theory beyond 
dispute. For it is evident that when he claims the 
characteristic quality of a violin tone to consist of 
harmonies as high as the tenth partial tone, the last 
four being very clear and bright, but the lower six 
somewhat suppressed, and then turning to his ap- 
paratus which has not one element of a violin about 
it, and after suitably adjusting its resonators, pro- 
duces a distinctly characteristic violin tone, lacking 
July the bite of the bow on the string, he has placed 
his theory beyond dispute. 

Rather funnily, and as might have been foreseen, 
Helmholtz has been distinctly contradicted by an 
Englishman named Chappel, who pooh-poohs the 



92 



DWIGHT'S JOUBNAL OP MUSIC. 



whole theory, and thereby cute a ridicnlofm figure, 
which he would have l>een spared had Tyndall 
taken the tronble to describe the tuning-fork appar- 
atus and the experiments with it (extending over 
some eight years), in the course of which Helmholtz 
abundantly demonstrated the absolute certainty of 
bis theory. 

The practical ralne of this knowledge of soand 
does not yet appear. Thus far it seems to be used 
merely as a toy, or to gratify an idle curiosity. Kev 
ertheiess, it* has a Tery decided promise for the fu- 
ture, certainly for the' pianoforte, organ, and reed- 
organ, and probably in voice-training. 

f . Trk PiAifOFOKTic The crucial problems of the 
piano-maker, are three: 1. Tenacity of tune; 2. 
Prolonged tone ; 8. Quality of tone. The first de- 
sideratum has been quite snccesafolly dealt with. 
Notwithstanding the fearful strain upon a seven- 
ocUve piano, there are many of them tnat hold their 
pitch extremely well. For instance, \ gave lessons 
on a piano last winter that kept in very grood tune 
through two months or more of boardiuflr-school use, 
which, of course, is worse than six months in a par- 
lor. Jjast summer I used a Grand that travelled a 
cotiple of thousand miles or so with Rubinstein, and 
after a month's hard use, and twelve miles' ride in a 
wai^n, it was still in very good tune, although a 
little "rough" in the unisons. 

Still, it is a fact that some of the best pianos seem 
to «;et out of tune sooner than other poorer instru- 
mcMits : especially is this true of the uprights. This, 
however, is onty apparent; just in proportion as 
tho tone becomes free and resonant, and prolongs 
itself in a good singing quality, just in that propor- 
tion the piano becomes extremely sensitive to being 
in perfect tune. For where the tones are so pro- 
longed, it gives time for every little imperrection in 
tho tuning to show itself. Suppose, ror instance, 
th it the "beats" which occur between two strings 
or a unison not in perfect tune, occur so seldom as 
on ) a second. If now the tone ceases within the 
s 'cond, the beat may not take place at all ; but if 
th 3 tone be prolonged ^ve seconds, five beats will 
ta'ce place, and the dissonance becomes palpable. 
This is true of all uprighte; for all these have more 
singing tone than the squares of the same make. 

[n regard £b the prolongation of tone, the piano 
is at a great disadvantage, especially if we require 
the prolonged singing tone, unmarred bv the impact 
of the hammer which on some pianos so disagreeably 
iMipresses itself on the player's consciousness ; for 
the vibration of the piano tone has its inception in 
a 4teel wire, firmly struck by a hammer. It neces- 
s.rily follows, therefore, that the first moment of 
the tone is the strongest; thus we have always the 
tftnando, an accent and a rapid diminuendo. In 
spite of this inherent depravity of the pianoforte, 
the makers have so contrived to brace and support 
the sounding-board, and have so improved its qual- 
ity, that the tone is prolonged plainly for many sec- 
onds, frequently with very little loes of power for 
q lite a long time. 

But after all, the great question is : Has the piano 
a good tone, and is it uniform in quality throughout 
the various registers ? 

At present there is no standard of quality in the 
t inc of the piano. Different makers have different 
ideas. Each one has his own ideal of a fine tone, 
which he realizes as closely as he can. Compare, 
f«.r instance, the tones of the grard pianos of Stein- 
way, Decker, Weber, Hallet A Davis, and Chicker- 
iiiff. The Wel>er tone is brilliant, very pleasing at 
ri distance, and very powerful. It deri ves its bright- 
nuss from the presence in the clang of certain very 
high harmonics, some of which are dissonant. For 

{)laying a Liszt piece, I should doubt whether it 
i:id a superior. The tone of the Steinway is less 
voluminous, and has less of a certain reckless bril 
( liincy, nevertheless, in the hands of a good player, 
i i susceptible of the loveliest effects. The Chicker- 
ings, again, have a different ideal of tone. We find 
it In all their pianos — a clear, sweet tone, pure, 
easily to be tuned ; but, on the whole, not brilliant 
enough. Strictly speaking, it is too consonant. It 
lacks some of the partial tones necessary to sparkle 
ill the tone. The Boston makers generally seem to 
have the Chickering tone for their ideal. 

On what depenSs this variety of tone-color in 
different instruments ? I answer, on the point at 
\^ hich the hammer strikes the string, the shape and 
quality of the hammer, the quality of the sounding- 
bjard, etc., etc. After the piano is made, the tone 
1:3 " voiced," as it is called, by doctoring the ham- 
mers until the voicer thinks the tone is even. He 
^••eks a uniform Quality throughout the piano^ But 
his only guide is his poor fallible ear. What he 
needs is a manageable resonator which will tell him 



with scientific precision what partial tones exist in 
the clang, and in what prominence. Knowing this, 
it will not be impossible to reinforce some and sup- 
press others until the true effect is reached. The 
failure of many piano-makers is a failure of ear. I 
know personally a number of piano-makers and 
org^n-makers who, I believe, seek honestly to pro- 
duce the best possible. But their ears do not treat 
them well, and they never will make good instru- 
ments until they learn to trust the judgment of mu- 
sical ears, or depend on the' infallible testimony of a 
scientific analysis of the tone. I fully believe the 
success of the foremost piano-makers depended 
largely on the deference they paid to honest criticism 
on their earlier efforts. 

II. Thk Organ. But it is the organ that has the 
most to hope from Helroholtz's discoveries. At 
present organ-pipes are voiced entirely by guess. 
The voicer has a very vague and distant ideal of 
some " gamba " or *' diapason " or " oboe " he has 
somewhere heard, and toward thin ideal he works 
pipe by pipe. A bad dinner or a nicrht's dissipation 
plays havoc with his ideal. What is needed is a 
copy of Helmholtz's apparatus in ever/ organ fac- 
tory. Let a good " gamba " be accurately analj'zed, 
and then we have something definite to go on. The 
voicer can then at any moment test the accuracy of 
his work, and then in time we may reach what we 
have not yel — a perfectly even stop ; that is, one in 
which every note gives the same kind of a sound as 
the others, and all are alike true to the standard. 
What wonderful voicing we find now in some or- 
gans ! Still there is a great improvement in late 
years. Hook, Johnson, Pomplitz, Steer, and 'Tur- 
ner, and many others are sparine no efforts to excel 
in this art. JSut so far it depends solely upon the 
accident of their employing certain men who hap- 
pen to cc»mbine acute ears and practical skill. Some 
day it will come to pass that standards of voicing 
will be acknowledged, and all work will be scientifi. 
cally analyzed and compared with the standard. 

liL Trk Voice. I dislike to meddle with a sub- 

1'ect I know so little alout as the voicA. And per- 
laps the coming " compound resonator " has but a 
small field in the singer's province. Nevertheless, 
I notice that every voice has its own quality, which 
is, when you come to think of it, the predominance 
of a particular vowel sound which enters into and 
discolors all the utterances of that voice. The pro- 
vailing color of the voice must be noted and prac- 
tice given in those vowels which will bring out the 
partial tones habitnslly wanting in the clang. One 
voice is all oo, anothor all &il-&-h. Another has a 
pinched, flat sound. The great, vague oo must 
pinch up to the a (in faM); and the pinched-up a 
must round out into o and oo. Purity of vowel 
clangs is one of the radical things of voice-training, 
and one of things commonly forgotten entirely. 

As it is now, one teacher knows no vowel but 
oA ; another none but oo ; another only 6. There 
is too little discriminiition and adaptation of means 
to ends. 

These are a few of the practical bearings of Helm- 
holtz's discoveries. They reach out also into har- 
mony and the whole doctrine of musical theory, and 
in many respects singularly confirm the empirical 
observations of the ancients which in the early days 
of scientific knowledge were discredited. For ex- 
ample, Helmholtz shows wherein the dissonance of 
the perfect fourth consists — namely, in the inter- 
ference of the partial tones. The same book also 
gives a beautiful account of the ear, and its wonder- 
ful mechanism. But this part has been translated. 

W. S. B. Mathkws. 



How One Eztreme begets its Opposite. 

The London Mtmeal World prints the following 

translation of an article found in a recent number of 
the Art MnneaL of Paris. So here we have it : on 

the one side, Wagnerite fanaticism, with its aggres- 
sive arrogance ; on the other merciless French hate. 

Thb Tbicplb at Batrbuth. 

" It cannot be a theatre ; it is a temple erected in 
honor of a god by the god himself. On one occasion 
onlv will the deity exhibit himself to the eyes of 
believers. After that he will ascend to the spheres 
of eternity, leaving behind him a luminous track on 
our unhappy world. Once will the NVtdungm daz- 
zle our souls, and then Bayreuth and its temple will 
retnrn to chaos. One single type of the ideal mas- 
terpiece will issue from the sacred mould ; the mould 
will then'be shattered or carried away by angels. 
The act of faith will have cost eome millions of 
francs, but with what glory it will cover the holy 



people who had the ineffable grace to produce Rich- 
ard Wagner I 

" Suen is the substance of the hymns now being 
sung by the fanatics. We French, who in questions 
not involving politics, are gifted with robust com- 
mon sense, ask whether the whole business is a mvs- 
tification or a proof of insanity. 

" A letter publirthed by M. Edmond Neukomm, 
in the XI Xe Siicle, furnishen us with details of the 
edifice at Bayreuth. It is large, uniform, and reg- 
ular, like an immense barn, or an enormous shed at 
a fair. The auditorium is dwarfed, while the height 
of the stage reaches ninety -six feet. The interior is 
repulsively naked and monotonous. No boxes or 
luxurious places; the whole is a kind of amphi- 
theatre separated from the stage by a chasm in 
which will be concealed the orchestra, out of sight 
of the spectators. Herr Wagner, who has invented 
and directed everything, calls this chasm the ' mys- 
tic space.' 

" The Nthehinffen will be performed in four even- 
inGTs. for the opera ^hich the Pontifofthc Fntureis 
about to administer to his fanatics is qua<lrnp]e. 
Then, as we said above, Ba3'reuth will relapse into 
silence, and the temple will be turned int^ a maga- 
zine for forage, unless it is burnt, so that its ashes 
may be scattered to the four quarters of Germany. 
Lastly, the NtMunpen will re-ascend to the clouds, 
or oonstitnte the glory of the Musico-Oerman Fath- 
erland — ^if they do not fall flat the fourth evening, 
leaving behind them only the recollection of the 
most gisrantic mystification of modern times, for. we 
repeat it, the whole business is either a mystifica- 
tion or a proof of insanity. 

" We have no reason to spare Herr Waffner. 
Whether speaking as Frenchmen or cosmopolitan 
critics, we find for him only words of indignation. 
This man whom Nature endowed with marvellous 
gifts ; this man who ought to have become a great 
musician, and shed lustre upon the epoch in which 
he lived, has done nothing l>ut heap up ruins around 
him. His absorbing, envious, and malevolent spir- 
it has attacked everything beautiful and deserving 
respect; on the remains of the splendid school 
founded by the masters of music and even by great 
poets, he has attempted to raise himself a throne, 
and, were he allowed to do so, nothing would remain 
standing of whatever has rendered famous the nine- 
teenth century and the end of the eivrhteenth ; 
everything would be dominated and wiped out bv 
his invading personality, by that fatal face in which 
hate displays its most odious grimaces. A false 
admirer of the Antique, which he arranges aft«r his 
own fashion ; an utt«r contemner of what is modern ; 
admiring only himself, but doing so without cessa- 
tion and without restraint, Herr Wagner, we hope, 
will leave behind him nothing more than the recol- 
lection of an artistic monstrosity. 

" Both as a politician and as a man of the world, 
Herr Wagner would, certainly, furnish matter for a 
study the reverse of flattering, but we will speak of 
him only as a musician. We shall find ample 
grounds to account for our antipathy. 

"The musician, who began with works full of 
promise, and was endowed with the qualities to pro- 
duce a roaster, has fallen, thanks to liis pride, into 
the balderdash of exaggeration. In the first place 
he thought : * I will not do as others have done. 
My genius shall strike out a new road.' This road 
was scarcely aught hut a narrow path, encumbered 
with weeds and stones. He then thought: "The 
road by which I was the first to pass, must be the 
only good road, the only road to be followed.' He 
then attacked, with savage brutality, everythinsr he 
had previously admired. He saw nothing but Him- 
self; Himself; always Himself I The pride of the 
artist, a pride pushed to madness, rendered execra- 
ble a man who was naturally bad. This man has 
Leen stubborn and cruel in his hat«. He has gone 
so far as to forget the time when he gained his live- 
lihood among us, and was always well treated in 
Paris. For this he will render an account to 
Heaven. 

"To all of us, French, Italians, and even Germans, 
he is bound to render an account for the miserable 
state to which he has endeavored to reduce musical 
art. His genius for intrigue, his audacity, and his 
art as an actor, have procured for him such support- 
ers, that he has imperilled oar ffreat art and, for a 
time, obstructed its prf^ress. Italy will be saved 
by the vigor of her temperament ; as for Germany, 
she will remain unproductive an. I foggy so long as 
she chooses to imbibe the Wagnerian poison. Let 
her. But we French cannot entertain for this false 
reformer too much hatred. 

" He has perverted the musical feeling of our 
youth ; he is the cause, to a great extent, why they 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, SEPT. 18, 1876. 



93 



prodace nothing that will Hve ; he has poisoned the 
yoans; school by his anti-mnsical doctrioes ; he has 
robbed it of its respect for the masters, and has 
doomed it to protracted sterility. Had not onr pub- 
lic opposed, with their cold enerary. an insurmount- 
able barrier to the Wagnerian encroachments, our 
national art would now be in the most pitiable con- 
dition. But the public were on their guard, and 
are so still. We are the more sure of them because 
it is their nature itself which renists. In their in- 
vincible repnsrnance to this false music there is 
nothing' to show a preconceived purpose. The pub- 
lic consider the new Wnfi:nerian manner to be l)ide- 
ous and irritating. They reject it, and disown 
works from which it seems to peep forth. That is 
all. 

** Yet. in days gone by, we applauded some superb 
pages signed Kichard Wagner, and, had he not tor- 
tured his muKical genius, so as to render it as mon- 
strous as his intellect, we should, doubtless, applaud 
him still. But his bad feelings have become more 
strongly marked and exaggerated ; he has produced 
tiresome, soporific, and unhealthy works. We have 
had the Atrisiertinffer, that summary of his musical 
life up to the present, and the MetMiertinger^ a gen- 
nine mystification, has not been able to succeed any- 
where. 

"Now come the Temple of Bayreuth and the 
Nihetuiufen^ an opera in four evenings — the maddest 
enterprise ever yet conceived by an artist or a 
patient escaped from Charenton. Everything is 
oeing prepared; the chorus is studying; the solo 
sinjjers are ready ; the orchestra is rehearsing under 
the direction of "the composer, who has declared he 
is the only person worthy of conducting the im- 
mense work, which, like the ' De Profundis' of 
Mastei Barnabas, 'is destined to inter all the 
others.' 

" Let ns await the result. If it is such as we sup- 
pose it will be, the Theatre at Bayreuth may, with- 
out any very great modifications, be turned into a 
lunatic asylum. 

" Gome what may, however, we determined not 
to let slip the opportunity of expressing our opin- 
ion about Hcrr Richard Wagner, and his Temple. 
Richard Wagner, our common enemy, and the exe- 
cutioner of modern art, has launched out into a 
foolhardy enterprise which proves that his pride 
has been pnshed to insanity. His disappointment 
can never equal the failure we hope he will experi- 
ence ; the complete failure he deserves. The great- 
er that failure, the more ought the world of art to 
rejoice. (y. Stradixa.** 



• ♦ » 



Adulterated Mmioal Literature.* 

• ThM Ortai 09mpo»er$y by Sarah Tytler. Daldy, Isbis- 
ter and Co., London. 

The following pungent and undoubtedly just crit- 
icism appears in the Concordia of Aug. 21. 

Here we have a packet of notes and scraps, 
biographical, anecdotal and sometimes critical, taken 
without discernment from works of all kinds on the 
subject of music and musicians, put together with- 
out system and published without shame. If Miss 
Tytler, the arranger of this dijcrediuble mixture, 
had confined herself to shaking up together the ma- 
terials she has borrowed from Mr. Haweis's Munc 
mud Moralt, Moecheles*s AfAnoira, the Imperial Cff- 
elnptedia of Biographjf and the back numbers of the 
Athenaum^ the result would still have been bad. 
But she has been indiscreet enough to add a great 
many facts and observations of her own concoction ; 
and, as a whole, her volume may be fairly described 
as a mass of original and selected trash. The pos- 
sible value of her copious citations is destroyed by 
the disorderly manner in which one authority is al- 
lowed to follow on the heels of another, whom, in- 
stead of supporting, bo now and then (rips up. 
Music cannot Ite divided absolutely, like the weath- 
er, into good, bad and indifferent; and widely 
divergent opinions may be lawfully entertained in 
respect to at least the great majority of composers. 
But when a writer, as ignorant of music and of the 
history of music as Miss Tvtler shows herself to be, 
turns first to one author, tlion to another, in order 
to find out what is the proper thing to say about 
this or that composer, her judgments cannot be ed- 
ifying, and are often just the contrary. Perhaps 
Miss Tytler would have failed less conspicuously 
had she taken less pains. If the publishers of the 
Imperial Cydnpadia of Bioarap/iif would only have 
given their consent, she might have made an excel- 
lent book by simply reproducing from that work 
the articles on the most celebrated composers, more 
or less abridged. We should not perhaps have 



shared on all points the opinions expressed by the 
distinguished author of the articles in question ; 
but the opinions would, at least, have been genuine. 
They would have been based on some principle, 
and they would have been those actually enter- 
tained by the writer. Mia<« Tytler's opinions, how- 
ever, are now tho^ of Mr. Haweis, now those of the 
Imperial Cfidofpadia of Biographif, now those first 
of one then of another writer in the Athenattm ; 
while at intervals she increases the general confu- 
sion by expressing views of her own. 

Moschcles, according to Miss Tytler, was the 
greatest pianoforte composer of lii^ period ; Rossini 
was an ignorant impostoi* ; one of the most admired 
pieces in Norma is an air rallied " Ah non giunge ;" 
Schubert was coarse, and by his want of refinement 
shocked the dclicat-e taste of Chopin ; German mu- 
sic is good and Italisn music bid : Balfe wrote an 
opera called Oenevikve ; Miss Balfe married Sir 
John Crawford : Beethoven is well known in Eng- 
land by his Moomhine Sotiata ; ** Chappell " is an 
eminent English composer ; Mdme. Schumann plays 
the piano in a style worthy of Charles Hall^ ;— and 
so on t-o infinity in the way of blunders. 

** What is all this to me T" some irritated reader 
may ask, and what chance is there of any one be- 
lieving, on the strencfth of Miss Tytler's assertion, 
whether at second hand or absolut«*ly at random, 
that Moscheles wan greater than Beethoven : that 
the composer of // Barhiire and OniUaHme Till was 
a charlatan ;. that La Sonnamhufa is somehow in- 
cluded in Norma ; or that in defiance of time and 
space, Chopin was acquainted with Schubert ? As 
for minor errors, every one knows that Miss Balfe 
married Sir Pitt Crawley, who quarrelled with her 
because she hummed all day Ions: the airs from her 
father's opera of GeneniSve de Brahani ; that with 
the exception of the Afoowthine SoncUa, attributed to 
Beethoven, Arthur Chappell composed all the music 
performed at the Monday Popular Concerts ; th«t 
William Cha|,pell is the author of the original mel- 
ody of " God save the King ; " that Tom Chappell 
wrote the whole of D' Albert's waltzes, and that 
Mdme. Schumann not only plays the piauo as well 
as Charles Hsll6, but even better. 

It would be very difficult to give a fiill account 
of Miss Tytler's performance withont condemning 
it in severer terms than we should like to employ. 
She has done her work neither cleverly, nor in good 
taste, nor %ith good faith. Thus she speaks again 
and again of composers whos«» works she does not 
know even by name, and administers to them praise 
or blame accordinsr to the opinion she may happen 
to have adopted from the critic she has last con- 
sulted. In such a case as this, we have a right to 
complain of the publisher quite as much as of the 
author. A grocer has no right to sell as articles of 
diet, substances unfit for human consumption : and 
a bookseller hss no right to offer to the public, and 
even seek to force upon it by means of advertise- 
ments, a work professing to contain the opinions of 
a writer on a subject which that writer has not 
studied. If Miss Tytler had heard a little of the 
music of which she writes in such confident, and 
sometimes in such insulting terms, she might, for 
all we know to the contrary, bo able to discuss it 
with high intelligence. We will srive her the bene- 
fit of the doubt But we cannot acquit the publish- 
er of the charge, which every competent person 
who reads Miss Tytler's book will bring against 
him, of presenting to young persons — for whom 
Miss Tytler's volume (s specially designed — very 
pernicious stuft indeed. 



►♦-^ 



A French Singer at the Berlin Operahonse. 

(From the "Dlaiy" of M. Soger, the onoe famous tenor.) 

On Friday, June 18, 1861, I arrived In Berlin. 
My first visit was to Meyerbeer. He was ill, but 
we had a long conversation together. In the even- 
ing, I saw Fauit^ a drama I did not know. It inter- 
terested me greatly by the boldness of its concep- 
tion and the admirable manner in which it was 
performed. I shall think of (his same Fatal ; per- 
naps a drama might be made out of it for Paris, but 
all the philosophical reflections would have to be 
omitted, and tne fantastic element, as furnishing a 
good opportunity for display, brought prominently 
forward. I reside in the Hdtel de St. Petersburg. 
Unter den Linden. A man called on me, and asked 
me to give him tickets for my first appearance. 
After talking of one thing rnd the other, he remarked 
that the Berlin public were very cold, and that it 
was absolutely necessary to dispel their frigidity by 
certain vigorous movements of the hands. I recog- 
nized in my visitor the chief of the Berlin elague. 
With ns matters are not managed so discreetly. I 



thanked him politely for hie visit, remarking that I 
was not acquainted with this " German custom." — 
21st June. A bad day. At 10 o'clock, rehearsal of 
Zes H*tg%ienoU. I was really detestable ; no voice 
in consequence of indisposition. And Meyerbeer 
himself was there I He introduced me to the or- 
chestra, who irreeted me with applause. After I 
had sung, however, the applause ceased. I felt 
after the rehearsal like one aamned. Berlin already 
displeased mo. I fancied that every one in the 
street must read my disgrace in my face. Bacher, . 
a friend of mine, who induced me to sing in Germany, | 
had come from Vienna to hear me. And then such 
a falling oflTl I sat the whole day at home, with 
death in my heart. — 22nd June. My success in Lu 
Huguemoit was great. After the romance in the first 
act, the ice was broken. The public, said to be gen- 
erally so cold, applauded valiantly, like paid daq- 
ueur9. The duet in the second act, and the septet 
went well. The fourth act put the crown on every- 
thing. Mdlle. Wagner and I were called on three 
times in succession : something unusual for Berlin. 
After the fifth act. the applause resembled a regular 
ovation.-^Mdlle. Wagner Is a tall slim lady, a niece 
of Wagner the composer, who Is beginning to attract 
attention in Germany. In Paris, her figure would, 
perhaps, be considered too tall ; but she is so nobly 
plastic, that she prodnces the greatest effects. She 
studied under Garcia, who greatly developed more 
especially her chest notes. She possesses a great 
deal of fire and a lively imagination ; in a word, she 
is an artist As I sat at her feet, she leaned over 
me, and her beautiful long locks almost enveloped 
me completely; I saw nothing more and felt like a 
niorhtingale caunrht in a cage made of hair. — After 
this success, I was myself again ; I onoe more became 
the " Parisian star " worthy of the reputation by 
which I had been preceded. Bacher Drought me 
on the stage a bouquet from Meyerbeer's mother. 



■♦-^ 



Mniie in Hew York. 

New YoBK, SxFT. 18, 1875. Few of the patrons 
of the Central Park Garden have realised the diffi- 
culties with which Mr. Thomas has bad to contend 
during the past two months, and which his Indomi - 
table energy has enabled him to overcome. In July 
last Mr. Thomaa was absent from town for a fort- 
night, during which time the concerts were success- 
fully conducted by Mr. Dudley Buck. This short 
season of rest, which was absolutely necessary after 
a year of peculiarly trying work, was abruptly ter- 
minated by the sudden disappearance of the lessee 
of the Garden, leaving a large number of unsettled 
accounts. 

It never rains, but it pours. This proverb was 
literally exemplified during the four stormy weeks 
which followed, when the very elements seemed to 
join in a conspiracy against the management of this 
favorite establishment, and to financial embarass- 
ment was added the diminution of receipts caused 
by a long succession of rainy evenings. But here 
Theodore came to the rescue with a brilliant idea ; 
that of griving a series of extra nights, one or two 
each week, to be devoted to some one great compo- 
ser. This plan has proved eminently effective in 
increasing the receipts at the door, while as a means 
of musical culture the programmes have surpassed 
everything which has gone before. 

I will give them in the order in which they came 
without further comment. 

Tue$day, AuguH 3, BuOumn Night. 

Selections from Ballet Music. Prometheus, Op. 4S. 
Overture— Adagio— Msrch. 

(Violoncello Obllgato by Mr. Ch. Hemann.) 
Septett, Op. ao. 

Theme and Variations— Scberao—Flnale. 
Overture, Ooriolan. Op. 83. 
Symphony No. S, C minor. Op. 87. 
Overture, Leonora No. 3, Op. 73. 
Romania in G, Op. 40. 

PUyed by all the first violins. 
Turkish March, Ruins of Athens, Op. 113. 

Thmr»daf Weening^ Auguet S. 

Introdnetton and Fugue [flnl Ume] Mocsit 

Ballet Music. Orpheus Oluck 

Symphony, No. li| in G, [Breitkopf and HXrtel e iltton,] 

Haydn 

Overture, Medea. Op. 33 Biirtflel 

Romanzefor violin, fnew] Max Brueh 

Mr. 8. B. Jaoobsohn. 

Mephlsto Walts, Lenau's Fiinst Llast 

Sohaosplel Overture, fiMw] Hoffknann 



94 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



Serenade, [new], arr. by Theo. Thomas Schubert 

March, Tannh&user Wagner 

Tuetdafft Augu^ 10, Schubtri Night. 

Overture, Fier-a-bras. 
Octet, rfirst time.] 

1. Introduction— Allegro, 

2. Andante, 

3. Scherzo, 

4. Andanre—Molto— Allegro. 
Symphony, No. 9, in C. 
Bntre-acte, RoNamunde. 

Theme and variations, Quartet D minor. 

Strinp; orchestra. 
Overtare: Alphoneo and Estrella. 

Thur$day Kveningt Aufftut 12. 

Maestoso, ) 

Moltolentoi S New Qluck 

Chaconne. ) 

German Dances Schubert 

[Adapted for Orchestra by Johann Herbeck.] 

Symphony in D, No. 6 Mozart 

Overture, Anacreon Cheruliini 

Septet, Op. 20 Beethoven 

Theme and Variations— Scherzo— Finale. 

Overture : Manfred. Op. 115 Schumann 

Khapiv>die Honfrroiae, No. 3, in D Ll«zt 

Symphonic Poem, LeRouet d'Omphale.. .Saint ^ilons 
Fairy Overture: Aladdin Homeman 

Tue»day. Augutt 17, Moaart Night, 

Introduction and Fusftie In C minor. 

String Orchestra. 
Masonic Funeral March, [flret time]. 
Concertone for two solo violins with oboe and violon- 
cello obligate and orchestral accompaniment. 
1. Allegro spiritoso, 2. Andnntiuo grazioso, 
3. T<*mpo dl Meuuetto. 
Symphony In C, *• Jupller." 
Overture : Marriage of Flarsro. 

Concerto, for Flute and Hnrp. and Orch. accomn'nt. 

(Manuscript, first time, Cadcnzns composd by Mr. 

Chas. Bactpns.^ 

Me-srs. Wehner and Lock wood. 

Bondo di Chasse, [first time.] 

Thur9day Xteningt AugnH 19. 

Marche den Imperlanz ( JuHur Cassar) Fttlow 

Vorsplel, Rosawitha. Op. 12 6. Linder 

Introduction and Caprice, (newj Fr. Brsndeis 

Rltteriiche overture, [new] .Carl Stocr 

Symphony. No. 3, F major, " Im Walde " Raff 

Overture: King Stephen. Op. 117 Beethoven 

Theme and Vacations. Quartet D minor Schube.t 

String Orchestra. 
Polonaise, Strncnsee Meyerbeer 

Tuetday^ AuguH 24, Orand Oala night and one hun- 
dredth Concert of the eeaeon, 
Beethoven. 

Overture to Leonora, No. 1, Op. 72. 
tt it •« «• 2, *' 

u li «i «■ 3j «« 

" " FIdello " 4. " 
Symphony, No. 7, In A, Op. 93. 
Septet, Op. 20. 
Overture : Egmont, Op. 84. 

Thur»day Evening^ Auguet 26. 

Overture : Lodoinka Chembini 

Pastoral, Chrintmas Oratorio Bach 

Symphony in C. No. 10 [first time] Muzart 

1. Allegro vivace. 2. Anoisnte di molto. 
3. Allegro vivace. 

Overture: Corinlan Beethoven 

Andante from the Octet Schubert 

Faust (Ein Musikallsches Characterbid). ..Rubmstelu 
Overture: Rol)esplerre Lltolff 

Inter.«d..-l,7„«gSl»5«' »{lf. ^'P-'*'- } Schumann 

Hunffarian Dances Hoffmann 

HulUlgungs March Liszt 

Tue9dayt August 31, Scandtnavtan Night. 

Coronation March S vendsen 

Nordish Snite. No. 2. Op. 2a, [new] Hamerick 

1. Old Norse Ballad, 2. Legend, 8. Heroes' 
Hymn, 4. Norse Fling. 

Overture: Im Hochland Gsde 

Concerto for Piano, Op. 16 Grieg 

Mr. S. Liebling (his first appearance in Ameiica.) 
Symphonic Introd'n to the drama " Ulgard Slembe," 

Svendsen 

Fairy Overture: Aladdin Homeman 

Wedding March Soedermann 

From the Drama, '* The wedding of Ulfasa." 

Fantasle, '* Visions In a Dream " Lumbye 

With solo for Zither. 
Qalopi Champagne Lumbye 

Thursday Evening, September 2. 

Overture, Athalla Mendelssohn 

Hungarian dances, [by request] Brahms 

Introduction, ) 

Quintet, { 3d act " Meistersinger " Wagner 

Finale. ) ^ ^ 

Symphony, No. 4, D minor. Op. 120 Scbumaiin 

Rhapsodic Hon<rroise (Pesther Cameval) Liszt 

Romanze, In G, Op . 40 Beethoven 

Torchlight March in C minor. No. 3 Meyerbeer 

Saturday, September 4, Mendelseohn Night, 

Overture: Atbalia. 

Symphoinr, No. 3, A minor, [Scotch]. 

Concert Overture, Meluslne. 

Concerto fbr Piano and Orchestra, G minor. 

Mr. S. B. Mills. 
Music to Midsummer Night's Dream. 

Overture, Scherzo, Intermezzo, 

Noctnmo, Wedding March. 

TSieedayt September 7, JBnglieh Night, 

Overture: Wood nymph. Op. 20 Bennett 

Symphonic Poem, Macbeth Op. M Pierson 

Act 2d. Scene 4tta. 
Overture : St. John the BapUst Macfarrsn 



Symphony, G minor, Op. 43. ^new) Bennett 

"l. Allegro moflprato, 2. Minuettn, 3. Romanze, 
4. Intermezzo— Rondo— Finale. 

Overture: Lnrline Wallace 

Harp Solo, Welsh melody." Tlie Ash Grove." 

J. Thomas 
Mr. h . Ix»rkwood. 
Pr»»lude to Shake«ponre's Tempest, I . q„iii„-« 

Dance of Nymphs and Reapers. ] ^- »""'^*n 

Overture dl Ballo A. Sullivan 

Thursday Evening, September 9. 

Berlice. 

Overture: I>e ramavnl Rnmsln. 
Symphony. Harold in Italy. Op. 16. 

Oblignto viola by Mr. Chas. Baetons. 
Hnrp— Mr. A. Lockwood. 

Li*»i. 

Symphonic Poem, Les Preludes. 
Die Loreley. 

Mr. H. A.Bisohoff. 
Mephlsto Waltz, Lenau*s Faust. 

Wagner. 

FMnlTe^."***'"'"' j Tristan and Inolde. 

8iegmund*s Love Sonir, from first net of Walkuere. 

Mr. H.A. BIschoff. 
Kaiser Marsch. 

Saturday Evening, September 11, Schumann Night, 

Symphony. No. 2 in C. 

Concerto 'for Piano and Orchestra, A minor. 

Mr. 8. B. Mills. 
Traeumerel. [for String orchestra]. 
Selections from the music to Byron|^ Mnnfred. 
Overtnre, Interlude, Invocation of the 
Alpenfay. 
Overture: Genoveva. 

To-morrow evening will be a Waijner night and 
on Wednesday evening September V^ the regular 
season will terminate ; but a grand extra concert is 
announced for Thursday nigiit, which will be the 
benefit of Theo. Thomas. 

Of the concerts in prospect for the coming winter 
I will write next time. A. A. C. 



Jhiigjfs Imrrnal of Stnsk 

BOSTON, SEPT. 18, 1876. 

A Musical Frofesionhip at Haryard. 

II. 

In congratulating our old University on its mak- 
ing room at last for a Chair for MuhIc among the 
other " humanities," we promised some account of 
what actually has been accomplished there in this 
direction within a few years. 

About a year ago we gave a sketch of the mnsical 
instruction, the clubs, the chapel music, dc, citing 
some passages from the report of the examining 
Committee on that branch. The College began with 
a very moderate recognition of the importance of the 
snbject about twenty years ago, in the employment 
of the late Levi P. Homer as " musical instructor,** 
in which office he was succeeded by Mr. Paine in 
1861. His functions were few, and his sphere of la- 
bors exceedingly small. In fact there was little for 
him to do, beyond directing the chapel music, train- 
ing a few short-lived voluntary singing classes, and 
giving a few private lespons on the piano and organ, 
or in harmony, dc. And there was small pay for 
that. In course of time the instructor, of his own 
impulse, gave one or two courses of lectures on mn- 
sical history and esthetics before a very meagre au- 
dience of students and townspeople. Four or five 
years ago, however, when the system of " Electives'* 
came in force, Music was placed on the list of elec- 
tive studies, and Mr. Paine formed his first class, of 
only six or eight young men, who " elected *' to de- 
vote some three recitation hours per week to exer- 
cises in Harmony and simple Counterpoint. The 
next year a new class was formed, equally small, 
while the old class went on in studies more advanced, 
getting somewhat initiated into Imitative Counter- 
point, and the studv and practice of the various mu- 
sical /orm« (Song, Rondo, Sonata, Ac, Ac.) Last 
year the course was further extended into the mys- 
teries of Fugue and Canon, and even somewhat into 
the study of Instrumentation. The exercises and 



attempts at original composition of a number of the 
pupils were highly creditable, and two or three of 
the young men seemed to show great promise ; one 
of them, Mr. Arthur Fr>ote, of Solem, of the Claris of 
1874, is devoting himself to the study of Music as a 
life profession. But the examiners (and the very 
appointment of such a Committee must be counted 
among the signs of a recognition of Music on the 
part of Alma Mater), suggested in their report of 
1874, whether perhaps Mr. Paine was not trying to 
cover too much ground, considering the limited time 
the students have for it amid so many other studies, 
and whether it would not be wiser to give more 
time to making them more thoroughly grounded in 
tlie earlier stages of Harmony, plain Counterpoint, 
the harmonizing of Chorals. Ac, rather than attempt 
to carry them into Instramentation, when no or- 
chestra or opportunity of trial of their exercises ex- 
isted in the college. And also whether the teach- 
er's influence need be limited to the inducting of a 
very few students into the dry theory of Counter- 
point; whether he could not do somethins: also 
toward interesting the mass of undergraduates in 
music as a matter of taste and refined social culture, 
accustoming them to the hearing of the best works 
of ihe masters. 

— We are happy to say that during the past year 
both of these suggestions have been adopted by the 
" Assistant Professor ** (the title which Mr. Paine 
has worn for one year preliminary to his receiving 
the full professorship.) The study of Harmony, the 
Choral, Ac, has been dwelt upon more thoroughly, 
throwing the second and third classes into one, 
while at the same time one or two students who were 
exceptionally advanced have received special in- 
struction in the higher branches of Imitation, Fugue, 
Ac. And there can be no mistaking the zeal and 
earnestness with which the young men make the 
most they can of the few hours they can spare for 
this pursuit. 

D*Jring the year, too, Mr. Paine has instituted a 
fourth class, in the history of Music, which has been 
somewhat larger than the others. The Profe^or 
lectures on some period of the history in a familiar 
conversational way. while the student* take notes 
The next time, having consulted authorities mean- 
while as recommended by the teacher, they are 
questioned on the points of the last lecture, and 
take notes on a new instalment of the history. 

But the new feature of most interest undoubtedly 
has been the Thursday Evening social musical per- 
formances, which Mr. Paine, aided by some of the 
best singers and players of instruments among the 
students, has held weekly throtigh the year in the 
class room, — a small and very uninviting place for 
it, to be sure, and the poor square piano being not 
eminently sympathetic or responsive to the best ar- 
tistic intentions ; it is to be hoped that a better 
place and better means to work with will be pro- 
vided when the Professor is inaugurated ! These 
" Abendsunterhaltungen," as they call such occa- 
sions at the Leipzig Conservatory, have proved very 
interesting and instructive. The attendance has 
been quite large, and the programmes choice and 
historically significant. On one evening when we 
had the pleasure of being present, Mr. Paine p1a3'ed 
first a group of pieces, consisting of a Fugue by 
Handel, a Sarabande by Bach, and a Gig^e by Mo- 
zart, preceded by brief historical and critical notices 
of those masters. Then came an Aria of Mozart : 
DaUa swt pace, from " Don Giovanni ** beautifully 
sung by the yonng tenor Szemelenyi, who gradu- 
ated this year ; then lAeder ohne Worte by Mendels- 
sohn ; Piano pieces by Schubert and Schumann, 
followed by Songs of the same ; and finally a Sona- 
ta of Beethoven. Wtf were struck by the very close 
attention of the students who composed the larger 
part of the audience ; they evidently were bent on 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, SEPT. 18, 1876. 



95 



hiowinff something about the several composers, and 
the forms and styles in which they wrote. — We un- 
derstand that the number of atudents who have giv- 
en notice of their intention to take up one or more 
of these musical '* electives " in the next term is at 
least double what it was last year. — We have not 
room now, but we feel it necessary to the complete- 
ness of this report that we should give some speci- 
mens of the musical questions put to the students in 
the " Examination Papers " at the end of each term. 
Some further signs of musical progress in the Col- 
lege might be mentioned ; for instance, I. The im- 
proved character of the musical Clubs. 2. The not 
unfrequcnt appearance of late years of musical topics 
in Commencement " parts." Thus one young gen- 
tleman this year discoursed on "The Evolution of 
Musical Thought," — whatever that might mean. 8. 
The conferring, for the first iime this year, of the 
degree of Master of Arts on the ground of examina- 
tions in special studies, Music as well as any other ; 
Mr. Arthur W. Foote received this degree after spec- 
ial preparation and examination in Music. The 
College wisely refrains from conferring Musical de- 
grees as such (" Mus. Doc," or " Mus. Bac") Such 
titles are only known in England ; nowhere in Ger- 
many does such a degree exist. If Schumann, or 
von Billow are called " Doctor," it means Doctor of 
Philosophy, or what not, conferred by some Uni- 
versity by way of compliment, intimating that he, 
a musician, is thus recognized the peer of men of 
highest culture in literature, philosophy or science. 



>-H 



in Boston.— The Season's Probabilities- 

" Old Prob." seems to have turned his attention 
to the musical skies, and every newspaper has its 
column of oti </fte, prognostications, guesses, coupled 
in some instances with grave "we told you so" ad- 
vice, about the multifarious phenomena which are 
to make up the approaching musical season, both of 
the meteoric and the regularly recurring kind. 
Judging from all their observations, there will be 
plenty of weather ; possibly some of the dull kind, 
but no storms are predicted : all will be harmony, 
all rose color ; the season will be exceptionally bril- 
liant, as every season olwa^'s was — beforehand I 

First come the great shooting stars, of whom three 
of the first magnitude are positively announced. 
These are (remembering pUue auzdametin the order 
of naming them): first, Madame Tkrksa Tirtjkxs, 
who for some 17 or 18 years, has maintained the 
character of the grandest, noblest, roost dramatic 
singer, alike in concert, oratorio and opera, in Eng- 
land ! If she be still all that sha was when we 
heard her fourteen 3*ears ago at the Birmingham 
Festival and in operas like Fidelia, (and all English 
criticisms declare that she has rather gained than 
lost in voice, expression and effect), her concerts 
here will certainly be memorable. She will be 
heard in our Music Hall sometime in November, it 
is said. — 2. In the same month Mme. Arabella 
GoDDARD, England's great pianist, will arrive here 
from California, as we have already stated, probably 
after first giving a few concerts in New York. Her 
only previous appearance in this country counts for 
nothing ; for then she was placed in .an entirely 
false position for an artist of her rank, and wholly 
lost in the huge Babel of the Gilmore " Coliseum." 
To hear her play the great classical concertos and 
other piano works of the masters in the Music Hall, 
where she will really be heard, and before a really 
musical audience, will certainly not be the least a- 
mong the exceptional events of the season. — 8. The 
greatest of the German pianists, after Liszt, Herr 
Dr. Hans von Buelow, is to be here, everybody 
knows. His movements are a daily theme in all the 
papers, and his enterprising managers scatter broad- 
cast through the land, a glowing pamphlet sketch 



of him, after the manner in which the Italian Opera 
managers have been wont to announce their singers. 
We believe we have not omitted any essential point 
of his career and character as an artist in the refer- 
ences we have from time to time made of him. It 
is now understood that, as the new Chickering Hall 
will not be completed so early as was expected, his 
first appearance will be in Boston on the 18th of 
October, He will remain here a fortnight, giving 

in that time six concerts in the Music Hall, under 
the business management of the Superintendent of 
the Hall. These concerts will be with orchestra, 
(selected from our own musicians), and conducted 
by Carl Bergmann of New York. We see it further 
stated that his programmes will follow a somewhat 
historical order, beginning with Bach and Handel, 
and gradually coniine down to the most modern 
composers, inclndinir his own peculiar idols of " the 
newness." Probably there is no more competent in- 
terpreter of old or new, or any, school. 

For Orchestral music — since it is "manners" to 
name " company" first — we are to depend first on 
Theodore Thomas, who announces six " Symphony" 
Concerts again, to beiiin on Wednesday evening, 
Nov. 17, besides a "popular" series. He is to have 
a chorus again under the direction of Mr. Sharland. 
The programmes are not yet announced ; but any 
one may gather from the rich list of his recent New 
York programmes, furnished us todoy by our cor- 
respondent, out of what materials they will be com- 
posed. — The Symphony Concerts of the Harvard 
MuMCAL Association (ten as usual) will be first in 
the field, beginning Thursday afternoon, Nov. 4, 
and continued Nov. 18, Dec. 2 and 24 (Friday). Jan. 
6 and 20, Feb. 3 and 17, March 2 and 16. Each 
season ticket (price 1 10) will admit the holder to 
the last rehearsal of each concert ; the other rehear- 
sals, more numerous than heretofore, will be strict- 
ly private. There will be Choral performances in 
several of the concerts, — it is hopea bj* the " Cecil- 
ia," as last year, only somewhat enlarged. It would 
be premature as yet to say much of the programmes, 
since many points remain unsettled. They will be 
as rich in quality, variet}' and novelty as the pro- 
gramme Committee, composed of the following gen- 
tlemen, can make them with tho means at their 
command :— J, S. Dwight, C. C. Perkins, J. C. D. 
Parker, Otto Dresel, B. J. Lang, Hugo Leonhard, 
Geo. L. Osgood, and Win. F. Apthorp. Eight of 
the ten Symphonies are already agreed upon, name- 
ly : Haydn's No. 2, in D, one of the largest and very 
finest, which has not been heard here for many 
years; Mozart, in G minor; Beethoven, No. 1, and 
the " Eroica." the only two which have not very 
lately figured in these Concerts; Mendelssohn, in A 
minor ("Scotch "); Schubert, op. 140, instrumented 
for Orchestra by Joachim, (first time in Boston), an 
exceedingly original and interesting work ; Spohr 
(first time), " Irdisches und Gottlisches ; " Gade. No. 
4, in B flat. Of the two not yet decided, one un- 
doubtedly will be by Schumann. A rich repertoire 
of Overtures, both grand and light, shorter Orches- 
tral pieces. Concertos, ^c, will be drawn from as 
occasion and the fitness of tilings may dic- 
tate. Next time we shall be able to say 
more. Meanwhile we will state that any per- 
son who is eager to come in for a chance in 
the early private distribution of seats, with the 
members of the Association, has only to apply to 
one of the above Committee, or to any member of 
the Harvard, before the 12th of October. 

For Oratorio, the Handel and Haydn Society 
may surely be relied upon for their usual Christmas 
and Easter concerts; and we have the strongest as- 
surances from members of its government, that 
Bach's Passion 3/i<«te will be given complete, one 
half in the morning and one half in the evening, on 
Good Friday, — the waj' in which it was originalh* 
intended to be given, and used to be given in Ger- 
many. This is almost too good to believe ; but if 
it really is done, it will be the event of the season 
of 1875-6, putting the noblest crown upon the 
whole. . 

The Operatic prospect* are not particularly bril- 
liant. Such information as we have has been al- 
ready transferred to our columns. — Of the Quintette 
Clubs, the various Chamber Concerts, and the Sing- 
ing Clubs of amateurs, we shall speak next time. 

For Dwight's Journal of MoBlo. 

Some Notes from A. W. Thayer. 

I. 

I have received a Boston newspaper containing a 
sketch of Beethoven's life, in which the same old 



errors, repeatedly in former years corrected in this 
Jonrnal of Music, are revived and new ones added. 
Some of the more prominent are these : 

1. The two visits of Beethoven to Vienna — the 
second one permanent — are confounded and a false 
idea of his success there during the first is con- 
veyed. 

2. Beethoven " found a home with Prince Lich- 
nowsky for a period of ten years," — Yes, he was 
much at home there for more than that length of 
time ; but, except as an occasional visitor, he was 
there as a member of the family during but two or 
three short periods of a few months each. 

8. This same old story of " Land owner " and 
"Brain owner" — is a mole hill turned mountain. 
Suppose Smith, who went South in the war, changed 
his card from " Smith, Colonel Ist Reg. Mass. Vol.," 
to " Smith, Col. Int. Revenue," and afterwards to 
"Smith, Cotton Planter"— would anybody notice 
it ? Johann v. Beethoven, when he bought an es- 
tate, having given up his other business, changed 
his card, as is universal in Germany and Austria, 
80 that it read " Johann v. Beethoven, Guts-Besitz- 
er" (Estate Proprietor). On New Year's day. as 
is a universal custom in Vienna, he sent his card 
with compliments to his brother. There was no 
"superciliousness" about it; and when Ludwig 
sent back his compliments with his title " Brain 
owner " — it was not meant as cutting sarcasm, but 
as a good natured joke. 

As to his calling his brothers " the evil principle 
of his life," this is all nonsense or worse. Why 
don't people, when they write, quote their authori- 
ties with some degree of correctness ? Look into 

that translation of Schindler, known as " Moscheles's 
(!) Life of Beethoven," Second Period — first para- 
graph. Schindler speaks of Beethoven's life as a 
drama, of which he (Schindler) — not Beethoven — 
calls the brothers the " evil principle." That is all 
there is of that. 

4. " Pouring buckets of cold water on his hands 
by the hour together." — ^Tnat's reasonable, isn't it ? 
Who brought these buckets of water? Did he hire 
a man for the pnrpose ? Did he keep a dozen or 
two buckets full on hand ? Again I ask, why not 
quote your authority correctly ? This is also from 
the Moscheles book, where the word is "jugs." 
The original is " Krttg,** — what Americans translate 
"pitcher." "By the hour together!" Turn to 
your Moscheles Book, (English Ed. II. 177) and 
read Schindler for yourself. 

6. The story of " Dannhauser and the Mask " — 
there is not one word of truth in the story, unless 
all this occurred after Beethoven was dead — for 
(hen and not until then did Dannhauser take a 
mask. 

6. Spohr's story of " historic value in determin- 
ing the time when Beethoven abandoned concert 
giving."* I do not see well how; Spohr sa3*8 the 
story was related to him of Beethoven's last con- 
cert, and that the occurrence was at a rehearsal. 
But when was it related to him ? why, in 1812, or 
about that time ; and Beethoven gave some ten or 
twelve concerts after that date. 

7. Grillparzer's words : "Thou, who ne'er in life," 
Ac. were not sung at his funeral, but on a subse- 
quent occasion, when some friends visited his gra«re. 
The error here is copied from the wretched Ensrlish 
translation, of Seyfrield's forgery, the so-called 
* Beethoven's Siudien " — a book which I once, with 
more zeal than knowledge, defended in I>wighCs 



Journal, 



IL 



Here is a paragraph that is going the rounds of 
the American press : 

" The poet Seidl, author of the Austrian National 

hymn, " Gotterhalte uusern Kaiser," died at Vienna 

on the 18th July.'* 

And here is an advertisement, which I copied from 
the Wiener Zeituwj — the official newspaper of Vien- 
na — for the year 1797 ; here is a translation of it : 

" New Song, Gott erhalte unsern Kaiser, von Lo- 
renz Leopold Haschka. in music set by Herr Joseph 
Haydn, sung for the first time on the 12th of Febru- 
ary, the birthday of our most gracious Monarch. 
For the pianoforte, 10 kreuzers." 



96 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



The question la, whether the American papers or 
the Wietur Ztitang be correct As It Is seventy- 
eight years since the song was written, and Seldl 
only died this summer, I, for one. rather Incline to 
the opinion, that he (Seldl) was not the author- 
but 1 do not know when he was born. I think 
Haschka, on the whole, should hare the benefit of 
the doubt. -A.. W. T. 

^TrietU, Italy, Avg. 1876. 



i f > « 



Xore about the Qreat American College of 

Mule. 

1. A SsHRXBLS Lbttrb from thb CoicrosBB OF 

" Faust.** 
The following letter from M. Ooanod, the eminent 
French eomposer, will be read with Interest. It was writ- 
ten (n answer to an application made to htm throngh M. 
Millet, the head of the Paris Conservatoire, to act as hoad 
of the propoaed American Collefce of Muklc :— (ft takes 
your clever Frenchnoan to do theee things so neatly !) 

Auo. I, '75— F. If . 

My Dmr MUUt .'—I rer«ived vonr two note* and I have 
Just f«celved a third. It has heeii impoeelble for me. I 
aimare yon. to find time to nnswer them. I am delogea 
with lettam. and I never cease to curse the quantity I have 
to write. It is death to my work. I was a musician ; i 
have heeome a correspondent. 

But to ooroe to the object of your letter. I recently met 
at the Conservstolre, on one of those days of pleaaant ro- 
nnlons toward the clo-e of the year, when I had th • hon- 
or of helnic one of the Jury, O. ChonquH, who told me he 
was about to write to you ; and I betrged him at the same 
time to forward to you my ex- uses, my regreU, and my 

answer. ^ - . .^w * ■ 

I am no loncer of an sfte nor In a state of health to eml- 
crate for tha.purpoM of fonndinfr a conaervatoiy. I have 
hro children, a son of 19 years of age and a daughter of IS. 
I can neither take my famllr to America nor leav«- It here. 
Moreover, I have neither the capacity nor the strength 
necee«ary to go to America, play the administrator, ana 
spend the yearn left to me in labors the result of which I 
shsll not witness, and which perhaps would only end In 
mistakes and decention. I am 57 years old. ana have no 
desire to e'*d my life in new enterprises. ITy fighting time 
Is over, and though, as your brother says, I am not so very 
well on, I do not wish to Aice again the ocean of adven- 
ture. I will end my dava in the quiet and modest position 
which inoessant laixir has won for me» and which is at 
least a seeurity for my children. . ^ , , 

I am not the lesa obliged to you,— Indeed, I am very 
mnch flattered, that yon should nave thousht of me as the 
Atlas of thla new world, which I And too heavy for my 

shoulders. , ,^ . . ^ -w. *w* 

If I dared offer any advice it would he this: Put an 
American at the head of an American conservatory, who- 
ever he may be. Tours truly. 

Qn. QoiTXOD. 

S. MOBK MrLUOKS. 

—The new American College of Music In New Tork elty 
promises to be the most extensive institution of the kind 
In existence. The original endowment of five millions of 
dollars, contributed anonymously, will it is stated, short- 
ly he supplemented hv sn additional donation of five mil- 
lions by another millionaire. Mr. Daniel Hopkins. The 
constitution, bv-laws nad scheme of Instruction are now 
completed, an<i nw Ut tne sanction of the board of trus- 
tees; which being obtained— fls It doubtless will l»e— the 
college can Immediately l>egin operations. The Institution 
will he temporarily located In the handaome block on 
Fifth avenue between Forty-flfth and Fortyscond streete, 
now paniy oocupled by the Rutgers Female CoMi^ge; and 
it is expected that In about five years the permanent build- 
ing, which will cost at least a million, will he c mploted 
on the site appropriated by the legislature and park com- 
missioners, in Central Park, from Eightieth to Elghty- 
flrst streets. The munificence of the endowment wl 1 1 ren- 
der it poaslbla to pro\'ide musical edncatior practically 
free to all. The terms of instruction will be ytry low, 
and th#re will be an abundance of free scholarships.— 
AdwerUttTt 84pi.i. 

S. A Nbw Cafdidatb fbbhafi. 
We read in the Spring/Utd AsjwMiccm, that Delle Sedi« 
of Paris Is now thought of for director, and the composer 
and pianist Bosoovits will be offered a professorship. 



What TiBTJBics Cab Do. Ttkt London Ath^ntntm in a^ 
review of Mile. TIetjena* abilities as a lyric artist, says:— 
** Although what are termed the light soprano parts, such 
as those sustained by Pemlani, Sontag, MmA. Jennie Uad, 
Mme. Adellna PatU, Mme. Bilsson, Slgnon VaresI, etc., 
can no tonger be included In the repertoire of Mile. Tiet- 
Jens. she retains a monopoly of Valentlna, of Norra. of 
Lucresia Borgia, of Medea, of Donna Anna, of 8emlr»- 
mide, of the three Leonoras ('Trovatore,' 'Fldello,* and 
* FavoriU,*) of Agata (* Der Freisithuts.') etc. In not one 
of these aasumptions can we cite any other existing ainger. 
at home or abroad, who can compete with the rieh, sound 
and powerful qusllty of voice possessed by Mlle.TleHena, 
who Is. In fact, the legitimate successor of Pasta, Grisi, 
Schroeder-Devrient. Mallbran. Vlnrdot,etc. Her reception 
by the American amatenrs will doubtless be as enthusias- 
ts as that she has met with here as well as In her own 
country, and she has the artistic advantage of being as 
attractive In the conceri-room aa on the lyric stage." 

A Kew York paper states: 

Mr. Sirakoech has engaged Mile. Tletjens for fifty per- 



formances, with the privilege of doubling the number at 
his option, at the rate of $tO0O In gold for each perform- 
ance. She will leave England September 18, with her 
manager, Mr. Mapleaon, the director of Her Mn Jeaty*s Op- 
era in London, and will leave to return home again In time 

to meet her ongacrementa. beginning n<*xt March. Her 
flmt snp«>arRnce In this city will be in October at Steln- 
wav Hall, probably In o|H>ra<ooncert. H<*r nppenmm** 
will be In S elnwnv Hall, with a do*lsr admU trm f^. $2 
end $9 for r^«erved s«^tA. Selectfons from Wolier, Pacini, 
Schnltert. Hnndel. Mendelssohn. Schumann. Meverbeer, 
B<*ethoven and AInrk, will be nresented. Mile. Tletjens 
singing In all her mont f««mon« ohararters. Her moat cel- 
ebrated parts nre Agntha. In ** Der Frelsobnta; *' iMrmia, 
In *' Lucreda Borgia,** and Leonora, In '* Fidel lo." After 
giving « verv few perfnrmineea In this city. Mile. Tlet- 
Jena will make a tour of other cities, and sing in Boston, 
Chicago, Cincinnsti, Deirolt, Toronto, Philadelphia. Bal- 
timore and Washington. Should the scaaon be profitable 
enough to warrant 100 performances, Mr. Strakosch will 
make a tour of the southern States as far south as New 
Orleans. 



Jenny Lind Goldsehmidt 

Hon. Lyman Tremain in a letter from Carisbad, Aus- 
tria, dated Aug. 10th, says; 

On Sunday befote last quite an interesting little Inci- 
dent occurred at the conclusion of the services In the 
English church. As there was no regular organist, the 
Rector had requested that If any lady present was willing 
to play on the melodeon the next Sunday, he would he 
obliged If she would inform him. At the eloae a lady, 
who was a stranger to hira, volunteered her services. 
Discovering that she spoke In hroken English, he said : 
'* Do you think you are competent to play upon the melo- 
deon ? '* Said she, " I think I am. Perhaps you may not 
donht it when I tell you my name. It is Jenny Lind Gold- 
sehmidt.*' He cheerfully aequlesoed, and propounded no 
more questions as to her ca]*acity. The Rector, who is the 
minister of a chureh in England, and is here only for a 
short time, has been very polite and attentive to our par- 
ty. Desiring the assistance in singing of our two young 
lad es, who are both excellent singers, Miss Julia Par- 
sons and Miss Childa. of Cleveland, he called and reqnest- 
ed them to meet Mrs. Ooldsehmldt at rehearsal, which 
they did. On Sunday last I went eariy to chureh and 
found Mra. O. at the melodeon. I hope T may be pardoned 
having watched her face and her movementa with quite 
as much attention as was eon»istent with the solemnity of 

the service. She played an I sang. Her voice still exhib- 
ited mnch power, especially in the higher notes. She ap- 
peared to be a woman of fifty or upwarda, with nothing 
alK>ut her to attract attention, and was dressed with arreat 

glainness and simplicity, without ornament of any kind, 
an it be. I thought, that the woman before me. Joining 
so devoutly In these religious si>rrlees. Is the same world- 
renowned Queen of Song, before whom the people of 
America formerly paid such woi<ierftal homage? Is this 
the person to see and hear whom I had travelled one hun- 
dred and fifty milea, with my wife, and paid $90 fnr two 
tickets of admiasion to her concert, at Tripler Hall in 
New York, some twenty-five years a«o? Wna this the 
same Swedish NlghMngaie whom I had seen tripping upon 
the stage, g^rgeouiily attlrf d. In all her youth, power and 
beauty, and who received such bnrata of applause from 
the brilliant audience which erowd^'d the hill from pit to 
dome ? Ah ! what chanae^ hath time wrought I Her conn- 
tenine«. no longer beautiful, seemed to me to be plainly 
irarked by sorrow. SMdnesa and care. Bhe has a daughter 
who is said to Inherit her voice, her genln^t and mnsieal 
talents. Jenny Lind will always be remembered with ad- 
miration and regard by h'^r nnmeroui« American friends. 
Tliey will hope that *he may live over again her brilliant 
carew In the triumphs of her daughter. 



The Original ''El^ah" in Amerioe. 

{From the " Tranteripf,* Sept 4.) 

To the Editor of the Tren«cript: Mr. Thomas Ball, long 

a reaident in Florence, writing under date of Aug. 1 for a 

copy of the address of the president of the Handel and 

Haydn Society before that Institution, at ite laat annual 

meeting, extracts fTom which he had "seen In the pspers,'* 

says, ** It took me back twenty-five or thirty years Into 

the midst of my most pleasant associations. Tour widely 

circulated Report will be peihaps the only record to the 

next generation that Thomas Ball, whom they may still 

Judge of as a sculptor and painter, was alao in his time a 

pleasant tf nger. You know how apt we are to think our 
poor amateur efforto, no matter in what line, more sur- 
prising than our most successful professional works; so. 
when I read In Dwlght*s cztracto flrom your address that 
' Thomas Ball, the now eminent sculptor, was the origi* 
aal Elijah in America/ It cent a thrill of delight to my 
heart; and I reslly believe, now, that It would excite my 
vanity more to be introduced to a stranger (eapeclally If 
he were musical > as the < original Elijah in America,* tnan 
ss the * author of the equestrian statoe of Washington In 
Boston.* •» 

The letter Is replete with expressions of interest in the 
society and of evento in iu history; and tne only apology 
the writer can offer for making public any portion or a 
private letter Is found In the fact that Mr. Ball was for 
many years intimately Identified with the Handel and 
Haydn Society as one of ita membera, and a prominent 
solo singer in the oratorioa with Anna Stone (now Mrs. 
Eliot of New York), and many othen, and has since se- 
cured higher honora In another department of art, until 
his name is familiar to all Americana at home as well as 
abrosd. L. B. B. 



DBscRiprnrB list of the 



Tsarr XMCTTazo, 

l»ltoli«i« l»jr OllTsir IMta^B * €•• 

Teoali with Piano AoeompaniBMit. 

Poor Old Nance. 8'ff and Cho. 8. A6 to f. 

Minnie Pattemon. 80 
" And on the time stained page they read 
** My dear hoy Jamie's hair." 

Quite touching narrative song. 

My Darlincc under the Vine's cool shade. 

(Heraliebchen mein nnter Rebendach). 8. 

Aj& to d. CanradL 80 

** O oome thou down to me." 
** O komra hersb an mir.*' 

A charming Oerman peaeant ballad. In the form 
of aserenaile. 

Pleasnrea of Love. (Plaisir d'Amonr). 8. 

F to f . MarttnL 80 

'* .Te t'aimeraL me repetait ailvle.** 
*< I love thee. I love, aaid SUvte." 

Uncommonly sweet melody. Throughout neat 
and beautiful. 

If I only knew her Kame. 8. D to f. 

Brockway. 40 

" My heart was like a laric. 
The sky was bright and gay.'* 

By the author of "Twilight In the Park.** and 

Siite aa good as that. Begin eariy te sing or whiatle 
Fine picture title. 

LitHe Tin Soldier. 8. B6 to d. JfoUoy. 80 

** She was s little falrv dancer. 
Bright as bright eould be.** 

Hans Andersen*e Ntf le story aet to musle. Those 
who aing it will be sure nf great applanae ftom the 
little ones, as It Is very pretty. 

Broken Bhythm. 8. E& to e. BooiL 80 

<* My oars keep time to hslf a rhyme. 
That slips and slides away from mo.** 

Worda by Ells. Stnart Phelps, and are qnlte wor- 
thy of Mr.'B*s pure, classical, musical setting. 

Bird of Love. 6. A to a. Xemmens. 80 

** It warhlea softly at the dawn. 
And sings the whole day long.*' 

A bird song of the sweetest ehareeter. Requires 
a moderately good execution in the ** wnrbllngs" but 
other wiee not difflcult, except, perhaps, In the 
rhythm. 

lastramental. 

La Sylphide. Moroean de Salon. Op. 55. 

4. C. Xoa^ie. 40 

An exquisite '^morsel/* truly, and gracefol as 
Lange's must be. 

From A distant Shore. (Yon femem Strand). 
Polka Mazurka. 8. D. Fmut 80 

Cari Faust lives In sueh "a dUtont" land that 
onlv his beet pieces are likely to be known hen, 
and this may oe considered as one. 

En Route. Harohe Brillante. 4. "Bb. 

8. amith. 75 

"Brilliant.** in Sidney Smith's hands, becomes 
double brilliant, and this powerful aifair is almoet 
ablase with brightness. 

Marche des Amagones. 8. D. Mav^f*^ ^ 

Full of staccato octeves and accents, and while it 
is good music, it Is also a good practioo piece. 

The Flower of Andalnsta. Fandango. (La 
Flcur d' Andalusia). 4. E6. Ma^lath. 40 
A apirited Spanish Air. 

Pride of our Home. Nocturne. 8. EA. 

mison. 60 

Very sweet piece, but hardly as sweet as the 
Child's face that looks out from the title. 

Irish Diamonds. By WHUe Pope, ea, 75 

No. 8. Has sorrow thy young days; and 

Young May Mom. 

Similar to othera of the set In beauty, dlfllcnlty, 
and adaptebllity to public taate. 

Bouquet de Bal. (Masurka elegante). 4. F. 

Ketterer. 60 

Very bright, anyway, but msy be made still 
hrightor by the addition (at wlU) of the arpeggioa 
in amall notes. 

You and I. (With Uberal Yaiiationa). 4. Ab 

Orobe. 00 

Nobody hss been more liberal In really good vari- 
ations than Mr. Qrebe, and the newest are as good 
as the best. 



Abdrkviatioxs.— Degrees of dlfllcnlty are marked 
1 to 7. The key is marked with a ospltol lette: ns G, B 
flat, &c. A small Boman letter marks the highest note, 
if on tiie staff, an itaUe lettor the hljsheit note, if above 
the staff. 




toijftfs 




mxul 





uSii^ 



Whole No. 899. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, OCT. 2, 1876. Vol. XXXV. No. 13. 



A. flann on Bobert Fnni and die Old 
German Ydlkilied and ChoraL* 

(Ckmtinnod from Pag* M.) 

When we read Fr. Arnold's degcription, 
above quoted, of the old German Song, we 
were not a little astoniBhed to find there partly 
the same traiU which we had always recognized 
as the specific peculiarities of the Franz song. 
A closer investigation among the old German 
songs which have so far become known to us, 
particularly in Ott»s collection, lately published 
by the Society for Musical Research, yielded 
the most surprising results of this sort. We 
found among them melodies, which in their 
tone and mood have so striking a resemblance 
with the Franz songs, that we arrived at the 
conviction, unexpected even by ourselves, that 
the Franz song in its deepest ground is nothing 
else but the German Volkslied enriched and 
idealized with the means of modem Art. 
Consider, for example, the four numbers from 
the Ott collection, newly arranged by Franz in 
the Appendix, No. Ill; not forgetting that the 
arranger only a short time since had no idea 
of the existence of these things. Every 
attentive observer will be forced to^^erceive, 
how the forms of accompaniment which Franz 
here uses, are as naturally fitted to the old 
melodies, as if they had sprung to life simulta- 
neously with them. And yet these;>re forms 
which belong just as naturally and necessarily 
to the Franz songs,— surely a significant proof 
of his near relationship with the old Art. 

These piece^also are conceived in the mod- 
em Song form: a voice part with pianoforte 
accompaniment. Some of them are transposed 
intofa different key from the original ;*a free- 
dom which, it is hoped, will easily be pardoned. 
Now and then the necessity appeared for 
slight alterations of *the melody. But whoever 
will take the pains to compare them with the 
original, will find that these changes are not 
more essential than those transformations 
which the old composers very frequently 
allowed themselves to make in their contrapun- 
tol eUborations. ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ • 

Now that this striking and involuntary first 
impression of Franz*s relationship with the ''old 
German Song is no mere subjective illusion, 
but rests on solid objective grounds, is a state- 
ment which will find confirmation on all sides, 
if we carry out the comparison in detail from 
formal and ideal points of view. With regard 
to /orm, the following parallel presents itself. 

In the first place, the Franz Songs are, the 
great majority of them, properly speaking, 
Strophe songs, like the old ones. The so-called 
'* composed-through *' (dureh-componirte) song 
of modem times forms with him only the excep- 
tion. Dramatically laid out, broader forms, 
like the Ballad, are scarcely found at all among 

•TTanslfttad for I>wioht^ JouairAL or Musio. 



his compositions. He is a lync composer 
through and through. — It cannot escape the 
accurate observer, to be sure, that Franz does 
not simply repeat his strophes, but always, as 
the text requires it, introduces modifications 
of the melody, enrichments of the accompani- 
ment, fine harmonic and rhythmical nuancei, 
and knows how to give to the whole commonly 
a significant conclusion. But in general with 
Franz the simple song form of the ancients 
reigns more purely than with any other of the 
more modem composers. 

Now if consider further the architecture or 
thematic stracture of the single strophe, we 
perceive therein a like simplicity of symmetry 
and alike severity of musical logic, such as 
Arnold praises in the old German songs. On 
the one hand, we find likewise in Franz, in many 
ways, those broadly planned, "long-winded " 
fundamental motives, which stand at the head 
as sharply stamped as they are capable of devel- 
opment; and then follows the answering clause 
(NaehaaU) formed with strictest musical con- 
sistency out of them. The same sort of trans- 
positions usually succeed with Franz, which 
touch the not rdaUd keys. Hereupon the 
motive is shortened or amplified, and for the 
close we have a melodic member which has 
been already used before. Examine Franzes 
melodies by this scheme, and you will be sur- 
prised to see how frequently they coincide 
entirely or approximately. For example, Op. 
28, No. 6: *'Lass, O Welt, lass mich sein: " 






phtM>(wttMnTanlonoHhia Theme.) | TMunpoiifelao (0 mtnor) 







nioht mit Ue-beiga-ben, laiit die Hers el-lei • ne 
I Do. iBTerled, O minor. I The 




ha-ben lei-ne Won - ne, lei - ne Pein I 
Inverted motive empllfled. |Themmeln 



irted motive empllfled. | nie mme mieqiiooo 



Was ioh tnn-re wein iohDicht,es isl un-be- 



^^ kaim-teeWe • be : uumerder dnreh TIttttD 



fs=ls: 



i 



.merder dnreh Ttuttnen ee - ho 
Oloee of the etr^phe. (Beoondphveie Inverted.) I Oloeeot 




3:13 



^i^^ 



ioh dv Sonne lie-bee lioht, 
ftheionc 



aei-ne 



g^'7!7Ttc^|-^_uJL41 



Won -ne. 



sei -ne PeinI 



or, Op. 81, No. 6: "My heart's in the High- 
lands:" 



_ , neme. ^^ I Beeond pnieee. 



llcdn Hen let im Hochlend,MeinHen ist nieht 
I TkanpoettloBtothelY.endV. 



bier, Mein Hen isl im Hoob - lend, im 



Theme oootnoted. 




des Bothwad,de 
iUi^tlj 




folg* ioh dem Seh, Mein Hen lit im 



altered. 

r 



1 



Oonelwion! 



fleoopd p**rBtff 




is 



^^^^m 



wo im - mer ioh geb* I 



Hoch-Und, 

or Op. 80, No. 1: '* Sterne mit den goldnen 
Fdsschen;" or Op. 28, No. 4: "Du trttber 
Nebel," Ac, Ac. 

On the other hand we observe very frequent- 
ly in Franz that " sequence-like carrying 
through of the motive," which Arnold admires 
in the old melodies, and which gives them, 
to use his fine expression, the ** rock-firm 
architecture that defies all ages.'' Com- 
pare, for example, the following simple 
strophe from Op. 80, No. 8: "Blfttter Iftsst 
die Blume fallen : " 



P 



i 



^^ 




BUU-ter lietfe dieBln - me fd-len, 



P 



■k 



T— H )p ^ F 



".'*" 



nnd vom Idebchen muss ioh wal • len. 



I 

ii 




Oott mit dir, da klel-nee. Qott mltdlr, du fel -nee, 



m. 



.bc£en! 



I Poetlode. 



Tlui 

or: ''In dem Dombusch bltlht ein Rdslein^" 
Op. 86, No. 8. 

** Derweil ich schlafend lag," Op. 88, No. 8. 

''Rosenzeit, wie schnell vorbei/' Op. 87, 
No. 6. 

''£r ist geknomnem,*' Op. 4, II. No. 1. 

<*Nun die Schatten dunke]n,*'Op. 10, No. 1. 

*'Dort unter*m Lindenbaume," Op, 81, 
No. 1. 

But, above all, the truly superb sequences in : 
'*Mein Liebchen, wir sassen boisammen," Op. 
18, No. 4; and: *'Das ist ein Brausen und 
Henlen," Op. 8, No. 4, (second half: '*Ich 
seh' sie am Fenster lehnen.") — ^If now we 
remember how important a part the sequence 
form plays in all the old music down to Sebas- 
tiap Bach, Franz's intimate relationship with it 
cannot possibly escape us. 



98 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



But this comes far more strikingly to light, 
when we examine the melodies of our master 
purely with reference to their tonic character. 
Here it must instantly occur even to the most 
superficial observation, that they are almost 
altogether polypKonous in the strictest sense; 
and thus they bear in themselves what is the 
most specific fundamental peculiarity of the 
older German melody (in contradistinction to 
the Romanic). So Franz's melody hides in 
itself, step for step, a latent harmony, and thus 
before all it compels the Bass to cling most 
closely to it and thereby essume for itself a 
characteristic ** Stimmfuhrung " (or carrying 
on of its own part as if it too were an independ- 
ent melody). His very first song (Op. 1, No. 1.) 
bears this peculiarity so sharply stamped upon 
its brow, that we cannot resist the temptation 
to give a sketch of its beginning here : 




^ 4 a ''^ "Jr 7^:h T-^-iP -t":^ 'T 

I > I III 



Einen woUmmen Weg ging gea-tem 



^ ! 1 U TU' ! ^ r 



ich, ei-nea'mig,< 




dem ioh nicnt wicder trni'. 



cde 



And so all the songs with very few exceptions. 
Franz hereby places himself in clear contrast 
to the modem lumwpJunums song style which 
has acquired ascendancy through the South 
German school, especially Mozart and Schu- 
bert; — a style, which, in some of its represent- 
atives, in the interest of a falsely understood 
popularity or nationality, has sunk to the most 
maudlin sort of street ballad singing. That, 
however, the true people's song is anything 
but vulgar, our explanations have made evident 
enough already. 

Now from this strictly polyphonous ground 
character of the Franz melody, there results in 
the next place its thoroughly Hmple and Tiatu- 
rdl stamp, by which it reminds us most signifi- 
cantly of the melody of the old time. One 
might say it is, like that, an intensified speech, 
an expressive declamation reduced to artistic 
symmetry. It occupies that middle region, 
peculiar to the Song, between the mere dram- 
atic reciting melody of many modems, — which 
can be very characteristic in details, but is 
seldom just to the ground mood of the text, — 
and that most independent, freely unfolding, 
oftentimes sensually refined, luxurious, wanton 
style of others, which does not penetrate into 
the deep meaning of the text, and grazes 
lightly along the borders of sentimental trivi- 
ality. The Franz melody, free and self-sus- 
tained, yet strictly bound to its underlying 
harmony, moves calmly and composedly along, 
despising all outward ornament and finery, as 
well as renouncing all far-sought ** character- 
istic," all ** taking " rhythmical embellishment, 
getting possession of us purely through its 
inward trathfulness and depth, and through 
its simple, noble beauty of form and bearing — 
a faithful type of German womanhood. Who- 
ever will take the pains to examine the Franz 
melodies for once more carefully with regard to 
their interval progressions, will find that these 
may be reduced, almost without exception. 



to the most elementary relations : — the scales, 
and the two ground harmonies, the Trichord 
and the Seventh, with their component elements 
dispersed : a peculiarity, which lends to these 
melodies an irresistibly convincing power and 
a classic character raised far above all tempo- 
rary tastes. 

Consider, for example, the beautiful and 
natural architecture of the melody Op. 44, No. 
6, »*AmRheinfall:" 




s 



In den Abgrund lam mich Mhaueu von der 

I I I -r^ z::^:f -1 — -^ ^ l ^ f 



ja ' hen 




wand ; mei - ne 




=F 



See - le kennt kein Grau - en, eta 

(What sort of a break-neck melody would 
many a modem have set to that text 1 ? — ) 
or: **Du trttber Nebel," Op. 29, No. 4. 




fz=*:t:yir:*=f=3=l 



triiber Ne - bel hul - leat mir 



n^^^ 



■z^ 



p 



9 

Thai mit sei-nen FIum, den Berg mit seinen 



- r -^ " ^ — l ^r ■ ' t 



M'nld-i»-Tier, und ]e • den Son - nengrau,ete. 

or: "My love is like a red, red Rose," Op. 81, 
No. 8. 

I 







MeinLieb iafc ei - ne ro - the Roi', die 




friioh am Sto 



glUht ; eto. 



We could easily adduce dozens of such ex- 
amples, all showing to every nnsophisticated 
eye an intimate relation of the Franz melody 
to the old German style. 

This poh/pfummu peculiarity also condition- 
ates and determines the manner in which Franz 
handles the harmony. Here again we distinct- 
ly recognize partly the peculiarity of the old 
German Song, partly the influence of Bach and 
Handel. The first appears in the remarkable 
fact that, although Franz for the most part 
brings into requisition the modem tonal sys- 
tem — that is to say, the major and minor 
scales, — ^yet in numerous instances, especially 
in composing to popular texts, be goes back 
to the old Church Modes and uses their specific 
tone material. He has as it were rediscovered 
this almost forgotten tone-world for our mod- 
em music, and thereby added an exceedingly 
rich and significant element of expression. 
Little as the old Church Tones on the whole 
can be employed for the sharply individual 
character of modem dramatizing lyric art, yet 
they are wonderfully suited on the one hand to 
the representation of the souPs complex moods, 
— where joy and sorrow are inextricably blend- 
ed — on the other hand, to the reproduction of 
those contemplative nature-moods, which bor- 
der on the Pantheistic, such as the more recent 
poetry affords us in abundance. For the pure- 



ly lyrical they are an invaluable material. In 
what a thoughtful and effective manner Franz 
knows how to use it, may be seen in the Volkt- 
lieder^ Op. 23; also in: 

*' Es klingt in der Luft," Op. 13, No. 2. 

*'Ein Tfinnlein grUnet wo," Op. 27, No. 6. 

'*Zu Strassburg auf der Schanz," Op. 12, 
No. 2, etc. 

Ab for the other influence above named, rich 
as Franz is in harmony, master as he is of all 
the modem acquisitions in this field, and im- 
portantly as he has increased them, — still there 
is a double distinction between his harmony 
and that of most of the modems, his reminding 
us of the school of Bach and Handel. In the 
first place, his modulation throughout shows 
itself as the product of the melodic carriage of 
the parts or voices (Stimm/uhrung). The mid- 
dle parts are drawn into like sympathy through 
the bearing of the melody and the bass; i.e., 
they flow melodiously and gain, under the hand 
of our master, such sharply outlined individual- 
ity and such fineness of characterization, as 
we seek elsewhere in vain in the music of the 
present day. Franzes for the most part strict- 
ly four-part setting is unique in its way. It 
shows the most intimate blending of freedom 
and loyalty to binding law, of momentary in- 
spiration and thematic strictness, — a phenom- 
enon which we are wont to flnd only in the 
greatest masters. 

Add to this, that Franz, precisely like the 
ancients, with great care avoids or gets round 
all harsh, unprepared successions of harmonies, 
by which composers latterly are so fond of 
producing their greatest effects. His modula- 
tion is far more animated, richer, and more 
many-sided than that of most of his contempo- 
raries; yet it has as a fi^eneral mle, unless the 
text compels a deviation, a thoroughly natural 
character. Unobserved it moves along from 
key to key with the most convincing inward 
necessity, and even the remotest harmonies are 
so flnely prepared, that, wherever they occnr, 
they never offend and never have the least 
appeamnce of wilfulness . The reason lies sim- 
ply in this : that Franz, with all his freedom in 
details, yet in the average course — again like 
the old music — moves in the circle of the inter- 
vals peculiar to the scales ; that is to say, within 
the related keys, of course accepting the mate- 
rial peculiar to their scales also. This g^ves 
his modulation a genuine classic tint, and the 
character of repose in motion, such as we only 
meet with in the greatest masters. 

Examine, for instance, the modulation of the 
song: **Ein Tftnnlein griinet wo," Op. 27, 
No. 6, or: '*Horch, wie still es wird," Op. 10, 
No. 2; nay even: ^^Das ist ein Brausen und 
Heulen," Op. 8, No. 4, which is perhaps the 
boldest and most full of genius of anything 
that Franz has done in the way of modulation. 

(To be Continned.) 



-»-H 



Tristan and Isolde. 

(From a OorresiMndent of the London ** Mns. World.**) 

Now that Wagner's most popalar opera has been 
given both at Her Majesty's and at Covent Garden, 
and that the English musical public, if not converted 
to the theories put forward by the great German com- 
poser, has at least shown a very unmistakable inter- 
est in his music, a description of the performance here 
(Weimar) lost week of Tristan avui Isolde — a work 
which has hitherto been perf* mned only at Munich 
and Weimar — may not be uu welcome. Weimar, a 



i»M ■ » ^^ 



BOSTOIf, SATURDAY, OCT. 2, 1875. 



99 



quiet unpretending Residency Town, or some 16,000 
inhabitants, has many artistic associations, both past 
and present, which cannot fail to interest the passing 
traveller. For more than half a century it was the 
home of ail that is bri;;htest in Germany s literature : 
Schiller, Goethe. Wieland, and Herder all lived 
here, and at every turn and corner one finds some 
recollection, some memento of those c^reat names. 
The Town, too, haa long been renowned for the 
energy with which it has thrown itself, heart and 
soul, into the study of Wagner's music. Liszt, one 
of the greatest supportei s of the new school, and a 
friend of Wagner, was formerly Capellmeister here ; 
and, though he has resigned that post, he still passes 
his summers in a house, the *' Hof-gartnerei " just 
outside the town, which has been put at his 
disposition by the Grand Duke. Ably seconded by 
his successor in oilicc. Ilerr E. Lassen, he has been 
enabled to plant the ** music of the future" more 
firmly in Weimar than perhaps anywhere else in 
North Germany. The libretto of Tristan was 
written by Wagner in 1857, wiien in his 45th year ; 
he composed the music shortly afterwards at Venice. 
The composer explains that it was the desire to 
produce something which, by reason of its less 
ambitious proportions, would enable him to hear 
once more a production of his own. that induced him 
to pause in the elaboration of Die yihdnn/jen, and 
turn his attention for a time to a shorter work — " a 
wish which the tnct>uraging reception in Germany 
of older works seemed to place within my grasp." 

The story of Tristan and Isolde — one of the most 
widesf/read of the Celtic Sagas — is found in full in 
the poem of Gottfried von Strnsburich (" Meister 
Gottfried " as he is usually designated), the 
contemporary of Wajrner's other heroes, Wolfram 
and Walther von der Vogelweide, who lived about 
the begin ninsT of the 13th century. Gottfried was, 
next to Wolfram, the greatest epic writer of the 
Middle Ages. A deep perception of the beautiful, 
a thorough mastery of the human character, a clear 
and easy diction, are the marked characteristics of 
his writings. None has drawn so vividly as he the 
daily life of the Knights of old ; bow they lived, and 
fought, and loved, and died. As in Wolfram's 
Parcival, Gottfried opens his poem with the history 
of the hero's parents — Riwaleie, King of Parmenia, 
and Blanchefieur, sister of King Marke of Cornwall 
— of their loves and adventures, of Tristan's birth, 
and his parents* death ; how he was subsequently 
captured, when but 14 years old. by Norwegian 
pirates who, frightened by a storm, landed the child 
on the Cornish coast, and now his kinship with King 
Marke was eventually discovered. Of all this, 
however, there is no mention in the opera. Tristan 
had been living some years at the Court of his uncle 
King Marke, when the country was thrown into 
consternation by the arrival of Aforold.brother-in-law 
of Gurman, King of Ireland, who demanded that 
thirty noble boys, chosen by lot, should be given 
over to him as a tribute to the Suzerain Irish Court. 
Tristan offers to fight the mighty Irishman in 
single combat, and, though severely wounded, is 
enabled, by the help of " Gott, Recht, and hoher 
Muth," to slay Morold, and release his countrymen 
from that dreaded obligation. All Cornwall, 
however, cannot find the antidote to heal the 
poisoned wound. This is only known to Morold's 
sister, the Queen of Ireland ; and, in despair, Tristan 
determines st last to run the risk, and seek a cure 
at the hands of his victim's sister. The Queen takes 
pity on the lone stranger, who arrives at her Court 
in disguise, and not only undertakes to heal his 
wound, but intrusts to his care the education of the 
beautiful Isolde. lie succeeds in his tsisk, and 
becomes so beloved at the Irish Court that it is with 
difficulty he is allowed to depart and re-visit once 
more his boyhood's home. On his arrival in 
Cornwall he finds the chieftains urging King Marke 
to take to himself a wife. Tristan, remembering 
his late pupil, the loveliest maiden of her age, begs 
of his uncle to allow him to return to Ireland and 
make her, in the King's name, an offer of marriage. 
Marke, after much hesitation, at last consents, and 
Tristan sets sail again to Ireland. Soon after his 
arrival an accident reveals to Isolde that her former 
tutor is none other than the slayer of her uncle 
Morold. Tristan upon this admits the truth, and 
reveals the real object of his mission. In spite of 
the girl's repugnance to the match and to "Kornwalls 
milden Konig, her parents consent, and Isolde leaves 
for her new home, in despair at her fate and 
indignant with Tristan, to whom she attributes all 
her misfortunes. We now approach the catastrophe 
of the poem. Forgetful of their former antagonism, 
Tristan and Isolde give themselves up to the most 
passionate love, brought about by the all-powerful 



influence of the Minnetrnnk, or love-potion — an 
elixir which makes them the victims of an inevitable 
fatality. 

Act I., of the opera opens, on board ship, with 
the journey of the bride to Cornwall. Isolde, first 
bemoaning her fate, relates the above story to her 
attendant, Bransriine, and then, violently upbraiding 
Tristan for his cruel conduct, invites him to join 
with her in drinking a death-potion. Brangane 
hands them instead the Minnetrank, which immedi- 
ately works its effect ; and the last scene of the act 
depicts the despair of the lovers at their separation 
when King Marke arrives on board to lead away his 
bride to her future home. In the following act the 
scene is laid in the garden of King Marke's castle ; 
the marriage ceremony has been performed, and 
Isolde is Queen of Cornwall. Marke, a prey to 
suspicions, but yet too devoted to accuse his wife, 
starts off on a hunting party, attended by all his 
court, and the lovers arrange a meeting that very 
ni-^ht in the garden. The famous love-scene follows ; 
the pair, blinded by the delirium of passion, are 
heedless of all the risk they run. In spite of 
Brangane's oft-repeated warnings they linger on, 
unconscious of all save their loves and sorrows, and 
are rudely awakened by the entry of King Marke 
at break of day. Urged on by Melot, a jealous 
courtier.the King has returned earlier than expected, 
and discovers but too plainly the treachery of the 
one and the infidelit}* of the other. Tristan leaves 
the court of his uncle branded as a traitor.a disgraced 
and mined man. In the third and last act the scene 
is laid in the garden of Tristan's castle, on the coast 
of B.'itt^ny. As the curtain rises. Tristan is seen, 
extended on a couch, sleeping, as it were, the sleep 
of death, and tended by the faithful Kurwenal, who, 
in all his wanderings, has never left his masters* 
side. A shepherd stands on the look-out, awaiting 
the first sign of a ship from Cornwall, to bring the 
glad tidings to his suffering lord. Tristan gradually 
recovers consciousness, and realizes his fate and 
position ; his agitation momentarily increases ; in 
vain does Kurwenal constantly ask news of the 
herdsman, and scan the horizon himself, from time 
to time, in search of the expected sail. At last, 
after a painful period of suspense, a ship is seen 
bearing down from the north. She enters the port, 
and Isolde is seen standing on the deck. Tristan, 
in an agony of impatience, raises himself from his 
bed of sickness, and totters towards the castle gate ; 
but the effort and excitement are too much for him ; 
his last hour has come, and he has but strength to 
murmur once more the beloved name Isolde, to fall 
into her arms and die. The despair and grief of the 
unhappy queen at this terrible blow is interrupted 
by the arrival of a second ship, with King Marke, 
Melot, and Brangane on board. The last has in the 
meantime explained to the King how she had bet^n 
the cause of all this sorrow, by having given the 
lovers the all-potent elixir, and he immediately sets 
sail to follow them, and grant them his pardon and 
forgiveness. Kurwenal refuses to admit the royal 
party within the castle ; a struggle ensues, in which 
retributive justice avenges the betrayal of Tristan 
by the death of Melot at the hands of Kurwenal, 
who is himself afterwards slain by the King's 
attendant.s. When at length Marke enters the 
castle, he hastens to an^ioiince his message of 
reconciliation and peace, It is too late ; he comes 
but to find Tristan dead and Isolde lying insensible 
on the liieless body of her lover. 

Such is Tristan's history as it appears in Wagner's 
.libretto — three chapters, as it were, out of the life 
of Meister Gottfried's hero. The ill-fated love of 
the unhappy pair is the one theme of the opera, and 
the interest of the plot is entirely concentrated on 
the issue of that love. The other characters are 
few in number, and the subordinate parts do little 
more than unfold the story of the drama. The 
ship's crew or attendant knights occssionally utter 
a few words, but of actual chorus there is no vestige 
throughout the whole work. The very first bars of 
the overture introduce us to the " love phrase," 
expressive of a longing, eager, unsatisfied desire, 
and the same idea continually recurs as the opera 
proceeds. In the introduction to, and at the end of 
the first scene of Act II., the same notion — this 
craving after an absent love — ^is carried out by the 
constant repetition of the ascending passage ending 
on a minor 9th ; while the " hunting phrase," heard 
sometimes on the stage, sometimes in the orchestra, 
reveals the ever-present fear of Braiigane, lest the 
King should return and discover Isolde's infidelity. 
This whole passage is a marvel of descriptive 
music-painting, if I may be allowed to use the word. 
Later on in the same act, the duet in four flats 
(three-four time), with its syncopated rhythm and 



highly original accompaniment, followed by a series 
of arfpffjgio chords, as Tristan and Isolde sink, lost 
in a dream of love, into each other's arms, is, perhaps, 
the most beautiful passage in the whole opera. In 
Act in., the treatment of the shepherd's horn, 
played on the stage, is wonderfully worked out ; 
the long minor unaccompanied solo at the beginning 
of the lirst scene ; the perpetual recurrence of the 
horn in minor tone so long as the watchman fails to 
see the expected sail ; and, at last, the sudden burst 
into a joyous major as the ship heaves in sight; all 
this is admirably dramatic and picturesque. 
Properly to appreciate the opera, a certain amount 
of instruction in Wagner's dramatic ideas is no doubt 
necessary, and, above all, a thorough knowledge of 
the feelings he aims at representing on the stage — 
in other words, of the story of the work. The opera 
consists almost entirely of declamatory recitative ; 
no stage vocalization is anywhere permitted ; no 
chorus, not even an air — employing tne term in its 
usually accepted sense as the equivalent for 
rhythmical melody — is to be found ; and, as in all 
Wagner's operas, the musical interest is concentrated 
chiefly on the wonderfully elaborate and rich 
accompaniment of the orchestra. 

Before ending, I must add a few words of praise 
as to the execution of the work. Nothing could 
have been better than the singing and acting of Herr 
and Fran Vogl, of the Royal Opera of Munich ; both 
real artists, they threw themselves thoroughly into 
their parts, the most difficult, perhaps, that even 
Wagner has ever written, and the result was a 
faultless impersonation of the two principal part^. 
Herr Milde (barytone), who took the part of 
Kurwenal, was thoroughly at home in his rdle, and 
succeeded in awakening in the audience a keen 
sympathy for the bruve and faithful attendant. 
Herr Hennig (bass), as King Marke, and Fraulein 
Dotte (soprano) as Brangane, made the most of two 
somewhat ungrateful parts. Lastly, the orchestra, 
though small, was well in hand, and left nothing to 
be desired. The tempos were faultless throughout, 
and their conductor's reading of Wagner's music 
came as near to perfection as possible. The house 
was crowded on both nights. The Queen of 
Wiirtemberg and the Grand-ducal Family were 

E resent, and the Wagner world was well-represented 
y a crowd of enthusiastic admirers, amon;^ whom 
may be mentioned the Abb6 Liszt and Madame 
Wagner. The vast majority of the audience 
evidently knew the opera thoroughly before ; no 
applause was tolerated for a moment during the 
acts ; but, the curtain once down, the long-repressed 
enthusiasm broke out, and the Vogls were greeted 
with rounds of well earned applause, such as are 
seldom heard in German theatres. I have only to 
add that the scenery and appointments are good, 
the acoustic properties of the theatre excellent, and 
the grouping of the sailors, and especially of the 
tableau in the last act, cleverly and effectively 
arranged. 



-•-♦- 



For Dwight*8 Journal of Music. 

Cdncerning Elemdntary Pianoforte 
InstmctioiL 

BY W. 8. B. M VTHBWS. 

The ultimate end of pianoforte instruction, we all 
agree, is the production of good players — that is 
mttsical players of m^isieal music. By musical music 
I mean, of course, real music; music that has imag- 
ination and genius in it, and which therefore 
requires a great deal more of the player than a 
mere fluent getting over the keys. The conscious- 
ness in good playing is not that of raising and put- 
ting down again particular fingers, but simply a 
mental conception of a musical effect which the 
skilful hand produces as successfully as it can at the 
moment; and on the correspondence of the produced 
effect with that conceived beforehand the mind 
through the ear sits in judgrni?nt. Thm it is with 
the singer ; she thinks not of such and such muscu- 
lar adjustments of vocal chords, diaphragm, and 
pharynx, but only of a certain tone, standing in 
intelligible relation to the other tones of her melody. 
This sought-for melody-note the voice automatically 
produces — produces with such cunning and intricate 
combination and opposition of muscular adjustment 
as it may be doubted whether any anatomist in the 
world fully comprehends ; produces with a success 



100 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



eommensarate with the singer's original talent and 
acquired skill. But the consciousness is that only 
of tinging a particular note. So also is it with the 
artistic player. A sequence of chords, or any pas- 
sage or phrase is conceived of as a musical idea and 
is performed automatically by muscles habituated 
to such obedience through long preparation. That 
is to say, the good player no more thinks of the 
separate tones, chords, and accidentals of his music, 
than a good reader thinks of the individual letters, 
syllables, or even the words themselves of the pas- 
sage he is reading. He thinks only of the ideas. 
The eyes see the words, or the memory recalls them 
from the mysterious tablet whereon he has previous- 
ly impressed them ; and the mouth and other organs 
of speech combine the elements into syllables, the 
syllables into words, the words into phrases and 
sentences, all with such co-ordination of inflection 
and emphasis as truly to express the ideas of the 
author ; — which ideas only have occupied the con- 
sciousness of the reader, all this other work being 
done for him in some back-kitchen of his cranium 
by servants whose very names he knows not — 
knows nothing of them indeed save that their works 
praise them. 

In these three examples we have the same kind 
of result. An intelligent person occupies his mind 
with the ideas of another, and turns them into their 
appropriate lan^uaj^ (speech, song, or playing) for 
the entertiinment of the listener. And the inter- 
pretalion of the author's ideas will fail just so far as 
the mind of the reader, the singer, or the player, is 
taken up wtth the mechanism of the performance 
instead of rejoicing in the poetry or eloquence of the 
Ideas themselves. Pianofurte playing very seldom 
reaches this kind of perfection. Too often it is lame 
either in technique (not being able to pronounce all 
an a*ithor*s words), or In intelligence, so that while 
the words may be pronounced they lack the life- 
giving emphasis, and fall on the ear with the tedious 
monotony of a child's reading. 

There are a number of reasons which might prop- 
erly be assigned to account for this degree of failure 
in pianoforte instruction. One of these is the com- 
mon want of fine musical susceptibility. This 
results to a great degree from lack of training. 
The ear with its wonderful provision of nerve fila- 
ments organized to perceive musica thousand times 
finer than mortal has ever yet been able to compose, 
lies open to the delicate feet of the tone-fairies. 
Americans are a nervous race, and in this high- 
strung nervous organization lies great potency of 
musical cultivation. What we want is to hear more 
music; to hear more ^ne music in childhood and 
youth ; to train the ear to the sequences of noble 
melody and chaste harmony ; and especially to 
waken the "spirit of the child to the fascinations of 
music before cold-hearted practical life has chilled 
his fine sensibility and sealed every portal of sense 
with the great American dollar. 

But a more patent reason for this failure lies in 
the fact that the true ideal is too seldom held up to 
the pupil. Thus it is in religious matters. The 
average man after generations of religious teaching 
believes it more important to Mtn/; right concerning 
various and sundry abstract questions of theology 
than it is to (fo right in the plain matters of every- 
day life. And just as long as he thinks so he must 
surely fail in the practical regulation of his conduct, 
because his attention is elsewhere. As the first 
thing to aim at in religious life is to be good, so it 
is in musical life, the first thing is mime ; to pro- 
duce a musical result is the first object for a pupil 
to pirn at, and this too must be the object of every 
step he takes in advance. This is exactly the point 
of etcentricity in father Wieck*s " Piano and Song." 
He recommends a young pupil to be kept for a year 



playing chords, musical sequences of his own con- 
struction, scale passages, etc., before he is made to 
read notes ai all. This is an eccentric idea; but 
then it is common sense. Common sense is the 
height of eccentricity. 

Kow it may be that there are lands where music 
is 80 much in the very air that» start a pupil how 
you will, and carry him by whatsoever road, he 
will in the end arrive at musical cultivation. As it 
is in New England, turn a boy loose where you 
will (so it be not south or west of Springfield) and 
on whatever road, and in due time you may be sure 
of finding him sitting on the shores of the frog-pond 
gazing in admiring wonder at the yellow dome of 
the State-house ; and there some good young man 
will find him, take him over to the noon-day prayer, 
meetini;, and it is only a question of years how soon 
you'll find him in his office on Pearl street or some 
of those other financially high and mighty thorough- 
fares. Anywhere else in this country a boy turned 
loose so is sure to go to the devil — or to New York, 
which is the same thing. And that is about how it 
is in music. The first element of certainty is to 
•ppoint a certain destination toward which all steps 
must aim. To think and comprehend music and to 
re-produce musical effects and especially to produce 
from the piano a musical tone — these are the first 
necessities of the elementary pianist. 

Mention was made above of the automatic per- 
formance of the details of the reading, singing, or 
playing. An automatic performance is one that 
goes itself, like a boy's whistle. Now all these au- 
tomatic performances in speech or playing have 
first to be acquired. We all know how a child 
learns to talk. A familiar word impresses itself on 
his ear. By deg^rees it dawns on him that the word 
stands for an idea. The first word is an easy word. 
Mama, Papa. These are the beginnirgs of our 
speech; the first learned lovingly by the child 
because it stands for all that is dear to him ; the 
second taught by the mother in that lovely wifely 
loyalty. Every day he seeks to encompass ' new 
word. A new want arises, a want suggested by 
what he has seen and heard, and he essays the re- 
production of the word which vaguely lingers in his 
ear as the symbol of the object wanted. How im- 
perfect his first attempt I None but the mother can 
make it out. Then is her opportunity for instruc- 
tion ; before giving him the object she pronounces to 
him its name very distinctly ; then she has Johnnie 
say it after her, then hear it again, then say it 
again. And so little by little the ear becomes edu- 
cated, and the organs of speech more and more 
nearly approximate to tha demands of the mind. 

Such would l>e the process of learning to play and 
sing if begun at the right age. For here in the first 
eight or ten years of the child life the world is very 
small, and piaying and singing by imitation would 
come in as an important and many-times welcome 
diversion. But alas, too few mothers have time or 
the heart for such an addition to their daily task. 
Now, however, the work of musical study is neglect- 
ed until other things have begun more and more to 
press upon the attention. Then too the greater age 
of the child makes external results in g^eat and 
immediate demand. It is not a disadvantage that 
the parents want the child to be able to " play 
something" immediately. On the contrary, this 
desire, if properly handled, becomes a very power- 
ful incitive to diligence. The desire to play some- 
thing well leads the child to a closeness of criticism 
on his own efforts, and to a cultivation of his powers 
of musical thought, to an extent quite impossible to 
bring him to through general principles only. 

Nevertheless, much depends on the teacher. 
For here is the time to form a right habit of prac- 
tice. Mason says, in his queer way, that he hardly 



knows which most completely ruin their chance of 
becoming good players ; those who make mistakes 
and correct them, or those who make mistakes and 
never correct them. And here he hits a fundamen- 
tal principle. For practice is simply the attempt 
to learn a piece ; that Is, by playing it over many 
times to habituate the hand to it to such an extent 
that every muscular act In the piece will suggest 
the following one. In other words, practice seeks 
to establish an automatism of the sequence of mus- 
cular acts which enter Into the performance of that 
piece. This automatism will never be reached by a 
performance containing mistakes, whether corrtded 
or not. Every mistake is the misplacement of one 
muscular act in the series^ and the possible insertion 
of anywhere from two to ten not belonging to the 
series at all. When, therefore, a mistake takes 
place aftnr even six times correctly performing the 
sequence, this one mistake vitiates the automatism 
prepared by the six perfect performances preceding 
it. Probably an ordinary passage becomes auto- 
matic after about forty times correct performance. 
Some passages require many thousand repetitions 
before complete automatism is established. The 
Cadenzas, for instance, in some of Liszt's pieces re- 
quire from three to six months practice. What 
Mason meant to bay was that " only those learn to 
play well who learn to praetit>e entirely wUhcnU mis- 
takes." 

Nevertheless this idea is not strictly true, for 
intelligent practice of pieces and passages has two 
stages : in the first the series of motions (the phrase 
or passage) *s repeated without error, and conse- 
quently slowly, for a certain number of times, — say, 
e. g., ten. After these ten correct repetitions of the 
series there is a possibility that a degree of auto- 
matism is establUhed. The second step, therefore, 
is to play the phrase or passage- rapidly, taking the 
risk of mistakes. These fast repetitions take plaoe 
several times, but not more than the number of pre- 
vious slow playing, and as soon as the same mistake 
has twice appeared, let the fast repetitions cease, 
and re-commence the slow practice. The fast play- 
ing is for the purpose of ascertaining whether au- 
tomatism has become established. This kind of 
alternation of fast and slow practice is not a new 
discovery, although I am not aware that the true 
reason has been assigned. Plaidy made the discov- 
ery of its value, as doubtless have many others, 
some of whom have supposed that the chief value of 
the fast playing was to correct the tende and rigid 
condition of the musftles too often the accompani- 
ment of slow practice. It certainly does have this 
value. But the principal mechanical value of the 
fast playing Is that thus we determine our approx- 
imation to automatism* It will be seen that this 
kind of practice requires great conoentratton of the 
, attention to carry it on properly. 

Whenever we observe the performance of an ar- 
tist, we see «hlm fully wrapped up in what he is 
doing. Some become artists because nature has 
laid the foundation for them by giving them such a 
vivid musical susceptibility that, of many impres- 
sions simultaneously made upon the sensorium, the 
musical ones atsorb all the attention. When nature 
has not done this for a musician, art must step in 
and by a long course of training bring him to a 
similar state ; for we have almost indefinite power 
of cultivating the faculty of directing the attention in 
a particular direction. And here again nature helps 
us by ordering the nutrition of the brain-fabric 
itself (as Dr. Carpenter thinks), so that habitual 
mental operations become more and more easily 
performed, in consequence of a better nutrition of 
those parts of the brain where the changes take 
place which accompany the mental operations In 
question. However this may be, unless the musical 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, OCT. 2, 1875. 



101 



artist Cftn fiilly absorb hinuelf in his nmsical per- 
formances, he certainly will not be able to exclnsiye- 
ly engage the attention of his pablic And on this 
concentration of an artist's attention, hang certain 
▼ery important condnsions in regard to the condnct 
of elementary stndies, both as it regards technical 
exercises and the nse of kndet. 

And first in regard to mechanism. The elemen- 
tary moyements of the fingers in piano-playing 
belong to three categories : Complete flexion of the 
fingers on all the joints as in shotting the hand ; 
second, partial flexion of the fingers, the metacarpal 
joints only being flexed ; and, third, the separation 
and approximation of the fingers by means of the 
inier-oueoui mnscles, which lie between the bones 
in the palm and on the back of the hand. The first 
two moTcments are the work of the great common 
flexors of the fingers, which lie in the fore -arm. 
The second class of motions (the fiye-finger motions) 
are performed by exactly the same muscles as those 
of the first class ; the difference being that in this 
limitation ef the action to the metacarpal joints the 
first and second joints of the fingers are prevented 
from bendin'x by the extensor mnscles which are 
contracted just enough for that purpose. Entire 
control of these motions is facilitated very much by 
the fact that the difficulty is to cause any finger to 
act independently of its next neighbor, in conse- 
quence of the muscular contraction taking place not 
through the whole width of the broad flexor mus- 
cle, but only along a part of the fibres, those, 
namely, the handiest to the finger it is desired to 
move. The fore finger is always more independent 
because it has help from special mnscles, and has 
also a thousand occasions for bestirring itself every 
day. But in the case of the others the passages 84 
or 43, or 28, 82 are much more difficult than 24, 42, 
81, 18, etc. From the small number of motions 
possible to the fingers, and from the fact just pointed 
out that the crucial point is the independence of the 
adjacent fingers, it follows that technical exercises 
may be perfectly adequate to the mechanical train- 
ing of the hand though very few in number. All 
that is asked mechanically of the hand being endur- 
ance, speed, and certainty. I, myself, believe that 
Msson's "two finger exercise" (if applied in the 
various proper ways habitual with him) furnishes 
all th^ muscular training any fingers require, pro- 
vided only it be practised properly and long enough 
— which for concert technique I should say would 
not exceed an hour a day. All the rest, scales, 
arpeggios, broken chords, etc., have chiefly a men- 
tal value. The}' familiarize the mind and the 
hands with the fundamental passages of piano music 
and are therefore indispensable. But for merely 
muscular training they fall far below the exercise 
already mentioned. 

With regard to Plaidy's technics the defects seem 
to me to be two : First that radical motions of the 
flngers are not easily reached in definite amounts 
by his exercises. For the sake of doing one thing 
which your hand needs, yon have to do five or six 
things you care very little about This objection I 
cannot explain without a degree of elaboration for 
which I have here no time. Let it suffice to say 
that in effect these exercises are a series of select 
permutations of the various alternations possible to 
the fingers. When complete automatism of an ex- 
ercise is secured, therefore, we have not an automa- 
tism of a radical passage like a scale or arpeggio, 
the possession of which is of permanent value, but 
only an automatbm of one little sequence of motions 
out of millions likely to be met with in playing. 
The only passages which it is important for the 
pianist to have in complete automatical, are those 
which are likely to occur in rapid playing, and 
those are scales, arpeggios, broken chords, and 



accompaniment figures of one kind and another. 
Besides this one has to acquire automatism for the 
cadenzas of all the pieces one plays. Beyond this, 
playing rests on a suitable technical foundation, 
which as it regards the fingers is all embraced in 
the abUUy to aliemate any two oi^acetUfingere a» many 
timet at neeettary and in any reatonable tpeed and 
force. On this foundation it is easy to build up the 
moderate automatism necessary for any given piece. 

My second objection to such exercises is that they 
are necessarily played from the book, and being in 
themselves musically uninteresting they conduce to 
a heartless performance. It is far better, I think, to 
accomplish the technique by exercises played by 
heart and rendered somewhat interesting by being 
thrown into rhythmic forms. As soon as the exer- 
cise assumes a rhythmic form, especially if it be 
a long and (for the pupil) involved one, the attention 
begins to be more completely absorbed, and thus is 
laid the foundation for that concentration of atten- 
tion so indispensable to the artist. If in addition to 
the rhythmic forms aeeeniuaiion be judiciously 
added, the fingers are trained to a discriminating 
touch, and the ear is continually called on for its 
approval or disapproval of the result attained. 

In regard to the use of mechanical Httdet, such as 
those of Gzerny and Edhler, it seems bold to raise 
any question. Nevertheless they lack musical in- 
terest, and by so much conduce to dull and uninter- 
esting playing. In point of mere technique they do 
not advance a pupil a quarter as fast as simple 
scales, etc., will do. The pupils who indulge in 
them much usually fall into mere fluency. I have 
repeatedly had pupils who had been through a large 
collection of these things, occupying the most of the 
practice for several years, and in every case they 
have been conspicuously inartistic players. As 
soon as I have discarded these things and for tech- 
nique had recourse to simple exercises, filling up the 
grater part of their time with pieces, they have man- 
ifested marked improvement. In my opinion this 
improvement resulted from the cultivation of two 
habits which their previous practice had neglected. 
These were, the constant appeal to the ear to verify 
the musical result of the playing, and second the 
concentration of their attention in the natural effort 
to sooner arrive at a desired accomplishment. 

Much that I have here said seems abstract and 

vag^e. Nevertheless the theories ef mental action 

here referred to are those now most authoritatively 

held. (See Dr. Carpenter's " Mental Physiology.") 

I have taken the trouble to recount them in the 

hope that they might prove in some mind a "pro- 
ductive ferment " (as Albert Parsons calls Wagner's 
ideas) leading to important simplifications of the art 
of piano teaching. 

Chicago^ SepUmJber 17. 



■>■«- 



The Beheanali at Bayreaih. 

A Wagnerian communicates to the Indipendance 
Edge a letter of some interest, describing the re- 
hearsals of the tetralogy of the Niebelungen, which 
took place at Bayreuth last month. He says : — 

Setting out from Brussels on the 1st of August by 
the 6.80 train, I was at Cologne at 1 1 o'clock in the 
evening ; the next morning about 6 o'clock at May- 
ence, and I arrived at Bayreuth at half past three in 
the afternoon. On the road I met Mdroe. La 
Baron ne de Schleinitz, of Berlin. This meeting, on 
my arrival at Bayreuth, made me acquainted with 
the Baron Schleinitz, with the burgomaster of Bay- 
reuth, and with M. Feustel, the banker of the Bay- 
reuth scheme, who were waiting the arrival of 
Mdme. Schleinitz at the terminus. The lady, as 
you know, is an enthusiastic admirer of Winer's 
music, and one of the persons who has contributed 
most to interest the high society of Berlin in the 
artistic enterprise at Bayreuth. The banker Feustel 
offered me hospitality, and I yielded to the tempta- 
tion. My first care naturally was to betake myself 
to the new theatre at Bayreuth — Wagner's theatre. 
It is situated at some distance from the town, about 



a quarter of an hour's walk, on a hill ; seen from a 
distance, on the Bayreuth side, its aspect, though 
simple, is imposing. A shady walk, "Wagner 
Street," leads to it. All round are meadows and 
forests. 

The effect produced by the interior is grand, espec- 
ially as a whole. It is nearly all finished : it only 
remains to execute the decorations and to place the 
benches. Scarcely had I hazarded a few looks to 
the right and to the left, and particularly plunged 
into the gulf where the orchestra is placea, when 
Wagner arrived. Liszt, Mdroe. de Schleinitz, and 
Mdme. Cosima Wagner accompanied him. He ad- 
dresHcd a few pleasant words to me, praised the 
people of Brussels, who, he said, had taken so active 
a part in the enterprise, and invited me to his re- 
ception in the evening. All the orchestra were at 
their poets, and the rehearsal commenced at once 
with the first part of " Rheingold." Although the 
orchestra had only had one reading, all went as if by 
enchantment ; and I can state, to my great satisfac- 
tion, that the acoustic propeitiea of the hall seemed 
excellent. 

The following were the arrangements for the re- 
hearsals : — In the morning from 10 o'clock till noon, 
rehearsal for the orchestra alone ; in the evening, 
from 6 to 7 o'clock, full rehearsal with the singers : — 

Monday, 2nd August "Rhdngold** fUt part). 

Tnesday. 8rd ^ ' (2ndpart). 

WedneMlay, 4ib " "WalkrOe*' (Ist act). 

Thar8day,6th <* '< (2nd act). 

Friday, 6th " *' (8rd act). 

Satorday. 7th *< • "BlefffHed" (Ist act). 

Sunday, 8th ** ** (2nd act). 

Monday, 9th •< ** (Krd act). 

Tuesday. 10th '< . . "CHkterdllmmenmg*' (1st act). 
WedneMlay, 11th « .. ** (8nd act). 

Thiinday,13th « .. ** (Srdact). 

Seated at a table ouite near to the footlights, 
Wagner directed all the rehearsals from the stage. 
Hans Richter was at the conductor's desk in the 
orchestra. Liszt was present in the hall opposite 
Wagner, the score open before him. It was a real 
pleasure to hear the orchestra read at sight the in- 
conceivable difficulties accumulated in these scores ; 
to this it added, in accompaniment to the dngers, a 
discretion which could not be sufficiently admired. 
The singers for the most part also deserve nothing 
but commendation. 

In the *' Rheingold," Betz, of Berlin, sang the part 
of Wotan (Oermsnic name of Odin, the Jupiter of 
Scandinavian mythology). He is an artist celebra- 
ted throughout Oermanv ; his baritone voice is of 
admirable timbre, and his fine presence well fits him 
for the part. Loge (the god of fire, the Mephisto 
of the prologue of the Niebelungen) was in the 
hands of Yogi, of Munich, whom you heard at the 
festival of Dusseldorf, and who has just made a great 
success at Munich and Weimar in "Tristan and 
Isolde." He has a good tenor voice and excellent 
delivery. Alberich (the dwarf who renounces love 
to gain' the Rhine-gold) was confided to Carl Hill, a 
singer of great reputation at concerts before he ap- 
peared on the stage. Hill \f at the theatre of 
Schworin. The Dutchman in " Der Fliegende Hol- 
lander " is considered his best rdle. His conception 
of the part of Alberich and his declamation are 
perfect 

As to the giants Fafner and Fasolt, they have 
good interpreters in MM. Reichenberg of Mannheim, 
and Eiler of Coburg. Mime (the future educator of 
Siegfried) is equally well interpreted by M. Schlos- 
ser, of Mnnich, and Donner by M. Nierfng, of Darm- 
stadt. Fricka (the wife, the Juno of Wotan) is 
Mdme. de Griin-Sadler, of Ck>bnrg, a well-known 
singer, with a beautiful voice, an excellent method, 
and a prepossessing face. Freia (the Germanic Venus) 
is a secondary part, fairly filled by Mdlle. Haupt, 
of Cassel. Erda (the goddess of the earth ) is Mdme. 
Jaida. of Darmstadt who has a perfect voice and 
declamation. The three daughters of the Rhine : 
Mdlles. Lili and Marie Lehmann. and Mdlle. Lam- 
mert, of Berlin, could hardly be surpassed in beauty 
of voice and purity of intonation in the very diflS- 
cult music assigned to them. A very successful 
rehearsal of the '* Rheingold " resulted. 

In regard to the " Walkilre," the tenor Niemann, 
trusted with the part of Sieg^mund, was obliged to 
quit Bayreuth hastily, on account of the sudden ill- 
ness of nia wife. I was told that at the rehearsals 
at the piano he had sung better than ever. Vof^, 
who had already played Sieground at Munich, 
ofiered to take his place, and acquitted himself 
famously. 

The distribution of the other parts was t» fol- 
lows : — 

" Wotan : " Betz. An extraordinary interpreta- 
tion ; above all in the final scene of the third act, 
where the god, at the instigation of Fric^, and in 



102 



DWIGHT'S JOUENAL OF MUSIC. 



Spite of the supplications of Briinnhilde, decrees the 
death of Sie^raand, the ravisher of Siei^Hnde. 

" Handing " (the husband of Sie^linde) : an un- 
grateful part, but well filled by M. Ninring. 

"Briianhilde" (the Walkure): Mme. Friedrich 
Materna, a born interpreter of Waerner's music. In 
the part of Briinnhilde she is inimitable ; her voice, 
in spite of its compass and power, is capable of most 
yeWet-like sounds ; her delivery is overpowering ; 
the entire impersonation has in it something irresis- 
tible. Her success was phenomenal. 

" Sieelinde : ** Mdlle. VogI, of Munich. This is 
the well-known interpreter of Isolde. A singer of 
the first order, she possesses a very beautiful voice. 
Her success was very great. 

"Fricka: ' Mdme. de Griin-Sadler. As in the 
** Rheingold," excellent. 

The eight Walkiire, in spite of the almost insur- 
mountable difficulties of the score, left nothing to be 
desired. On its part the orchestra was irreproach- 
able, especially m the "chevanehie det Walkiire** 
and in the " conjuration dufeu.** And this, after a 
single rehearsal 1 When aU was over the enthusi- 
asm of the persons present was without bounds. 
There was an interminable ovation 

At Wagner's house in the evening I found young 
Liszt ; for Liszt is positively becoming voung again. 
He was asked to play ; he sat down to the piano and 
played a study, then the Rhapsodic Hongroise No. 
2. I can well say that only Liszt can play so. 
That reminds me of a lively anecdote ; it was last 
summer, I believe. Antoine Rubinstein was at 
Weimar at Liszt's house, where were present also a 
few friends of the great artist. Rubinstein, among 
other things, played Schumann's symphonic studies. 

It WAS superl), says my friend L , who was 

present. When it was finished Rubinstein got up 
streaming. Liszt succeeded him at the piaiin ; he 
plays, he plays, this is thunder, these are lightnings ; 
then pauses and .... gets up as if nothing had 
happened. Such is Liszt. 

Although the rehearsals were strictly forbidden 
to the public, every day the crowd o? spectators 
became greater. Eighty seats had been placed in 
the half for the visitors admitted or invited. 
Very soon these were no longer enough ; so that 
people were obliged to seat themselves on the floor 
or the steps. 

" Siegfried," the third part of the tetralogy, in 
which Wagner has put his finest art, did not appear 
at first to make so deep an impression on the public 
as the " Walkiire." Little by little, however, the 
public familiarized itself with the work, and ended 
Dy taking to it. The scene of the awakening of 
Briinnhilde and the love duet which follows raised 
frantic applause. The following is the distribu- 
tion : — 

" Siegfried : " M. Ungcr, of Mannheim. The per- 
son of this actor is imposing, his voice is powerful, 
and he is a man of resources ; but it cannot be said 
that M. linger is in reality the Siegfried dreamt of 
by Wagner. His singing does not take the public, 
and his performance is not always spritely enough. 
The artist however deserves praise. 

Betz is always equal to the part of " Wotan." 
With him all tells, nothing is wasted. M. Hill gets 
on equally In Alberich. M. Schlosser's Mime ap- 
peared! flat ; but it is probable that it will become a 
good interpretation in time. 

As to M. Reichenberg's Fafner, he is a superb 
g^ant It was tried to make him sing through a 
speaking trumpet: the experiment succeeded beyond 
all expectation. Briinnhilde, as represented by 
Mdme. Materna, is always enchanting. Mdme. 
Jaida, in Erda, Is again distinguished by her voice 
and delivery. Mdlle. Lili Lehmann, the bird of the 
forest, is ravishing. 

M. Brandt, of Darmstadt, worked d'lring the re- 
hearsal some of the scenery executed under his di- 
rections. It produces a yery good effect both as 
regards the composition and the working. 

In the evening I had the opportunity of seeing a 
singer formerly celebrated, Wagner's niece, Johan- 
na Wagner, now Mdme Jachmann. She asked me 
to accompany her in several songs, which she sang 
d ravir. 

But now we have come to the last, to the most 
powerful of tlie dramas which compose the tetralo- 
gy of the Niebelungen, the *' Gotterd&mmerung." 
Every part of this work struck the public and 
caused an uninterrupted succession of applause. 
The rehearsal of the nrst and longest act had to be 
commenced half an hour sooner and only finished 
half an hour later than the other rehearsals. 

The following are the parts : — 

'• Siegfried : '' M. Unger. 

" Hagen " (the murderer of Siegfried) M. Emile 



Scaria of the opera at Vienna. This was an inter- 
pretation of the first order. M. Scaria seems born 
for thiri part. It is a gigantic apparition. ) H is pow- 
erful voice, which has unexpected vigor, produces 
an indescribable effect. He was applauded with the 
utmost enthusiasm. 

" Gunthor : " M. Eug. Gura, of Leipzig, a well 
known artist and a skilful singer. You may remem- 
ber his success at Diisseldorf in Rubinstein's " Tower 
of Babel." He has here justified his reputation to 
the utmost. 

" Alberich : " M. Hill. As in the Rheingold. 

" Briinnhilde " — Mdme. Materna, always incom- 

f>arable in sentiment and dramatic intensity. The 
ast scene (the death of the Walkiire, who throws 
herself all armed under the funeral pile of her hus- 
band Sif^fried), is as enchanting as possible. Wag- 
ner threw himself on the neck ofthegreat artist and 
embraced her with effusion. (!) 

"Gutrune: " Mile. Weckerlin of Mannheim. A 
pretty voice ; she sings well, and with purity. 
But I did not remark anything particularly worthy 
of observation. 

In the part of ** Waltraute," Mdme. Jaida showed 
herself in all her glory. The gi and recitative of the 
first act, in which she announces the decline of the 
gods, was one of the most succcessful parts of the 
whole rehearsal. 

The three ** Daughters of the Rhine," the two sis- 
ters Lehmann and Mdlle. Lammert, were again 
perfect in their parts : very pure and well-rounded 
singing. 

The ** Nornes," entrusted to Mmes. de Griin-Sad- 
ler, Ehrenfest, and Preiss, were very well sung. 
The Companions of Gunther were also in very good 
hands, or rather in very good voices. 

I have already told you that in the "Gotterdam- 
merung" everything went well: when the final 
scenes arrived a renewal of enthusiasm seized all 
present. I avow, for myself, it was the deepest im- 
pression 1 have ever felt in my life. At the end there 
was stamping and cheers for Wagner. Wagner, in 
a few words, thanked the artists and performers for 
the zeal which they had shown during the rehear- 
sals. On the whole they had been very satisfactory. 
As to Wagner's last work, it is perhaps the grand- 
est manifestation of the genius of the master. Suc- 
cess next year appears henceforth certain. 

The last rt^ception at Wagner's house was very 
brilliant. Illuminations in the garden and villa, 
fireworks, serenades by the military band of the 
garrison of Bayreuth- nothing was wanting. All 
the performers had been invited. Wagner again 
expressed his e^ratitude to them. Then ho proposed 
the health of the King of Bavaria. After a toast to 
Wagner, much cheered, Liszt played some frag- 
ments of his oratorio *' Saint Francis." Then we 
separated with repeated cheers for " Wagner in 
1876." 

In the course of the rehearsals, a trial of the ap- 
paratus for lii;hting was made. For the stage alone 
there arc 2,600 burners ; in the hall 15.000. Un- 
derneath the theatre arc two cellars in which jets of 
steam will be kept ready for scenic effects. Thanks 
to some very ing^enious contrivances, the whole 
stage can be enveloped in a cloud of vapor, which, 
with the aid of different colored lights, will imitate 
mists, clouds, rain-bows, <&c., and will also serve 
to extinguish fire if it should break out. 

Jbrig^'s lournd of 3ilusk 

BOSTON, OCT. 2, 1876. 

Music in Boston. 

We have already cited " Old Prob," as to some of 
the chief signs of the season close at hand ; such as 
the Oratorios, the Orchestral Concerts, and the 
"great stars." These, though last named, will be first 
in the field ; and both as to these, and other feat- 
ures yet to be enumerated, *' probabilities " resolve 
more into certainties as their day approaches. 

First in order come the concerts of Herr Doctor 
Hans-Gutdo von Bublow (we have succeeded in 
adding an inch to his stature, — i.e., a syllable to the 
length of his title as displayed in the announce- 
ments). The programmes of the first three concerts 
(Oct. 18, 20, and 22) are before us. They are strong 
programmes and significant. Each consists of three 
numbers : a group of piano solos being placed be- 



tween a Concerto or some other large form of piano 
work with Orchestra (conducted by Carl Bergmann). 
Beethoven heads the table in two of the banquets, 
while Liszt sits opposite as croupier. Beeth'iven 
appears at his greatest (it will be no fault of the 
interpreter if he do not), namely in the great E-flat, 
the " Emperor," Concerto, and the lovely one in G ; 
— Liszt ill a Fantavtie Hongroiae, which he has ded- 
icated to Billow, and his E-flat Concerto, which An- 
na Mchlig used to play here. Between them are 
ranged, at the first feast, solos by Chopin (Jfuctunio, 
Chant Polonaise, Borceu-*e, Valso) ; at the thinl. 
Bich (Organ Prel. and Fu'^ue in A minor, arr. by 
Liszt), Mendelssohn (PreL and Fugue, Op. 35, Xo. 
1), and Raff (Prel. and Fugue, from Suite, Op. 72). 
— this last a very worshipful and learnid company. 
In the second programme, Henselt takes the head, 
with his F-minor C incerto ; Weber the other en 1, 
with his brilliant Po^onaiae in E, as arranged by 
Liszt ; and only Beethoven betw«}en, i.e., a party of 
his brain children, in the shape of the 16 Variations, 
dc, on a theme from the *' Eroica." There are to 
be seven of the^c concerts, including two Saturday 
matinees, at the first of which (Oct. 23) the first 
programme will be repeated. Von Biilow is to play 
the Chickering Piano. 

The other ** bright pirticular star " of the piano- 
forte heavens, M ne. AaiBBLL.i Godovrd, has joined 
the TiBTjBNS constellation, which will l>e very lus- 
trous. We are informed that Mr. M ix Strako^ch 
has engaged her to appear with Mile. Tietjens in 
sixty concerts, for which he is to pay the great 
pianiste three thousand pounds sterling, the engage- 
ment to com'uence in New York on the 4th of 
C^tober, and conclude about the midile of Januiry. 
We presume this double star will shine on Boston 
when the Biilow sets. 

AxD now for Chamber Concerts. The Quintette 
Clubs, of which we had throe last winter, are re- 
duced to two by the disbanding of the '* Beethoven " 
party. (We cannot say that we are sorry ; for this 
tendency of our best mnsicians. oirticularly violin- 
ists, to traverse the country in small clubs, is well 
nigh fatal to any hope of a complete and well-trained 
Boston orchestra ; and Boston will hardly have the 
right to call herself a musical city if she depends on 
travelling organizations from without for that.) 

The oldest of them all, the Mendelssohn Quin- 
tette Club, is in excellent condition, and has, we 
believe, already started on one of its long Western 
concert tours. One only of the original members 
remains, Mr. Ryan. Our excellent Wulf Fries, the 
favorite violoncellist from the fii st, withdrew from 
them a year ago ; had he continued in the Club, 
Boston would miss so true an artist through the 
chief part of the season ; but we are happy to know 
that we shall have him always with us. Mr. C. N. 
Allen, head and founder of the late Beethoven Club, 
has taken the place of Mr. Hamm, who has returned 
to Germany, and of course fills it worthily, alterna- 
ting occasionally with Mr. Schultze in the leading 
of the classical quartets and quintets. They have 
an admirable 'cellist, as they had last year, in Mr. 

Hennig, besides the occasional assistance of Mr. 
Alexander Heindrs double bass. Mr. Edward 
Heindl plays both viola and flute, being good at 
both, exceptionally fine with the latter instrument. 
Mr. Ryan still adheres to viola and clarinet We 
believe they intend to give a short series of their 
ffood old classical chamber concerts here some time 
in the latter half of the winter. Meanwhile they 
have already given a taste of their quality, twice, 
in the popular Srfhday evening entertainments at 
the Parker Memorial Hall : — such concerts, we pre- 
sume, as they will give in the country and out West, 
— not precisel v the ** good old " classical style of 
programme, although partly that ; but the part is 
not equal to the whole, nor is it equal to itself, in 
fact it is not itself, when severed from the whole I 
Each of these concerts (which, we must own, were 



BOSTON, SATUEDAY, OCT. 2, 1875. 



103 



eaperly attended and heartily applauded after every 
pieco)'beg:an with an arranged Overture, six instru- 
menU for outline of an orchestra, the clarinet, for 
instance, doin^ duty also as trumpet, horn, and 
what not. In this way the Overtures to " Tell,'' 
and Mendelfisolm's " Meeresstille," Ac, (which the 
progrnmmes still persint in mistranslating^ "A calm 
sea and happy voyage ") suggested themselves in 
some of their salient features. For classical num- 
bers, they played one night the Allegretto and 
Adagio from Mendelssohn's B-flat Quintet, and the 
slow movement from Beethoven's in C ; and, on the 
second night, the Andahte and Scherzo fron*. Men- 
delsifiohn'^ Quintet in A, and the noble Adagio from 
Schubert's Quintet with two violoncellos. These 
were interspersed amid solos and variation pieces, 
in which each virtuoso gave fine proofs of his skill, 
and arrangements, parnphases, Ac, from operas, 
Ltthci^grin^ die. Last Sunday evening, they had the 
as-sistance of a pleaHing vocalist. Miss Fannt Kel- 
logg, who was much applauded after Bishop's 
" Echo Song " (voice rivalling flute) and a song or 
two by Franz and Schumann. Her clear, fresh 
voice, quite flexible, and her style and culture, thus 
far, seemed better suited to the former than the 
latter. To fairly judge her powers, however, we 
must hear more of her ; we should say there was 
good voice and talent ; but whether coacertizin<; 
througli the country is the best school for it, one 
might doubt. 

l*he Listemann partv [BoRton Fhllhanrnonic Clubl— oom- 
pnsod, n« Itefore, of the brothera Llotemnnn, violin, Mr. 
Gramm, viola, Handegcn, 'cello, Weinery flute, Belz, horn, 
—announce six clasaioal concerts in tbe renovated and re- 
ventilated Bum«tead Hall [iinder the Muaio Haiti as fol- 
lows : Nov. 3, Dec. 1 and 22. Jun. 3 and 19, and Feb. 20. 
Mme. Bchlller, Mra. Smith. Mra. Dow, and othen wfll 
aitslst during; the reason. We have had noihlnf; of its kind 
«o f;ood in Boston as their poorly attended concerts of lant 
winter; and now that their quality Is better known, we 
doubt not they will be warmly patronized and give us a 
series of rich feasts.— That there will be other Chamber 
matinees and concerts of a choice character, — of pianoforte 
music, at all events,- may be taken for granted, since we 
have the artists with us, and their annual bouquets of 
Beethoven, Chopin, Schubert, Schumann, &c., which tfaey 
know so well how to choo»e, combine, and U) present, have 
grown Indifipensable. The '* Conservatories,*' also, will 
not allow Chamber concerts to cease from the land, trust 
th'r" for that. But so far the announcements in this kind 
are few ; and a musical season in Boston without a great 
msny purely classical Chamber concerts can bardfv be 
called a season. If there Is much call for them, will they 
not come? 

We come now to the vocal Clubs, llie Apollo will make 
every exertion to keep up its high standard In the execution 
of male part-sone and chorus. From the fiftct that their 
conductor, Mr. B. J. Lang, has been in Europe seeking 
new stores of muMic for them, we may entertain the hope 
that they will find matter worthier of their powers than 
Oerman part-aongs merely. Besides their fTequent '*pub- 
lic rehearsals " in Horticultural Hall, or elsewherOt eon- 
eerts will be given in the Music Hall Deo. 30, Jan. 3, Mskv 
23 and 2S.— The Boylston Club h>i8 resumed its rehearsals 
under the able direction of Mr. G. L. Osgood.*' Its Music 
Hall concerts will take place on the evenings of Dec. 20, 
Jan. 4, May 24 and 29. Their repertoire has been materi* 
ally en Icbed, and we hear that among other {rood Inten- 
tions, they have that of studying Cherubinl's noble Requi- 
em for male volcef^,- the work which won the highest 
compliment from Beethoven.— The Orpheus will not leave 
Its room;— not that it is sick by any means.- The En)cli«b 
Glee and Madrigal singers, from New York, will renew 
their welcome visits early in December, and also later in 
the season. 

Clubs of mixed voices, large enoufch to sinfc with orches- 
tra, win not be wanting; though some of them feel more 
at home, feet their own voices more, with only a pianoforte 
or quartet acoompaniment. Of one of these we read, in 
the Courier: 

" The friends of the Foster Club will be glad to hear that 
It will reassemble next month, and at unce begin work on 
some large aud new composition, either Gadu's Xrl King 
or KcUanut by the same author. Mr. Allen A. Brown, who 
divides with Mr. George Foster the direction, and assumes 
with the *ame gentleman all the responsibilities of man- 
agement, has lately mnde a metrical translation of the text 
or the last-named work, This will be the ninth working 
season of th<> club, thougrh the tenth of its existence, the 
last season havlne been given up on account of the forma- 
tion of The Oecilm. Durlr<g eueh season one or more iarj^e 
choral works, never bffore heard in Boston, has been 
brought out; and the lighter music of the programme, 
part-Mongs and the like, has always consisted largely of 
novelties in their wav. Mr. George B. Whiting will oflicl- 
aie as director fur this season." 

The HiKhlunds Musical Association, so far as reported, 
had not yet decided on iU3 conductor. The tfharland Cho- 
ral Society, which boars the name of its efficient leader, 
win sing as laai year,— 250 voices strong,— in the concerts 
of Theodore Thomas. 'I'hey have begun rehearsals on 
some modern German works.—" The Cecilia" has been 
notified to re-assemble for rehearsal under Mr. Lang, and 
doubtless will take part in several of tbe Harvard Sympho- 
ny Concerts. It la proposed to strengthen it in point of 
numbers, so far as it may be done without Injuring tbe rare 
purity and refin^mcut of lu ensemble of voices. The 
work is not laid out for it with any certainty ; but some or 
all uf the following compositions will probaoly bo given : of 
Inst year's work there may be repeated some selections 
from "I'uradlse and the Peri"; the *' Euryanthe" FInaia 
by Weber; the " LoreIev"by Mendelssohn. And there ai*e 
under consideration, for new matter: a chorus from 
Ghtck's Alce$te, preceded by the Overture; Gade's " Com- 
ala," a portion of Schumann's " Fanst" music, aud possi- 
bly ont> of the great Cantatas by Bach. 

Beside the operatic prospects already mentioned [the 



Kellogg English troupe, the Wachtel German and Italian 
opera], wr have aaaurnnce from headquarters that Mias 
Adelaide PhilUppa is organizing an efTectlve companv for 
Italian Opera, includinir several new sincera [nmonglhcra 
the slater of Mlsg P., who has won such praise abroad!. 
During the winter she will revive some of ihp eood old 
Rossini operaa. such a« Semiranxide and Cetmr^ntola: and 
it is even under conpJderation to give us a first hearlncr of 
his sparkling ComU (Vy,— next to the " Barber »' his most 
amusing comic opera. This is certainly good news. 



Hartard Rymphoky Coxcertr. Mme. Madeline 
RrniLLER will play in either the flmt or second concert. 
If in the first, the programme will be: 

Overture : " The Water Carrier," Cherubini 

Piano Concerto, in B minor. Op. 89 [flrtt timeJ] 

Hummel 
Mme. Madeline Schillbb. 

" Scotch '* Pivmphony Mendelssohn 

t?] Piano Holo. 
•veriure: '* Ruler of tbe SpirlU," Weber 

A Correction.— Will yon allow me to say through the 
Journal that either I wrote the wrong name by mistake In 
my artlc'e [copied from Church** ViHt'jr] on the practical 
value of Helmholtz*B discoveries, or my k8. was edited 
after it left my hand. 

The Weber piano [as one can eas ly hear] has in general 
not the tone asciibed to it in my article, but a more re- 
served, sombre, somewhat muflSed, almost dull tone, and 
Is far from being particnlarly rich in the high partial 
tones. The piano I intended to mention was the Decker 
Broe.t which is the one having the brilliant, reckless tone 
I spoke of, so very abundant in high partial tones, not all 
of which are consonant. Although this is a matter of no 
consequence, not the slightest blame or censure being 
implied in my article, I desire to make the oorrection sim- 
ply because I do not like to have the credit of a poorer ear 
than I have. 

Please say to Mr. A. W. Thayer that if I have repeated 
the ** hand-washing *' story of Beethoven, I hereby swear 
off, and will do so no more. Tour Ob*t. Serv't, 

Sepi, 22. W. S. B. MATHEW8. 

♦ ♦ ■ ■ '■ 

Mnaio in New York. 

New York, Sept. 27. The last week of the sea^ 
son, at the Central Park Garden, witnessed two re- 
markable Concerts. The firsts Sept. 14. was a 
''Wagner Night," the programme consisting of 
selections from his works in chronological order. 

On Thursday, Sept. 16, the night set apart for 
Mr. I'homas^s benefit and the last concert of the sea- 
son. The winds blew and the rains descended ; but 
every box was taken and every seat in the house 
occapied. Whenever Thomas turned his genial face 
to the audience he was greeted with cheers and 
applause. The programme was, in itself, a work of 
art, and might be called, " the history of the sym- 
phony from its inception to its perfectioo.'' It was 
as follows : 

8mteinD,No. 3 J. S. Each 

1. Overture, 3. Air. 3. Oavotte, 

4. Kourr^e, 6. Oigue. 
Symphony In O, No. 13, [Breltkopx and Httrtel], 

Haydn 

Overture: '<Magic Flute" Mozart 

Masonic Puneru March Mozart 

Concerto, for flute and harp f flrst movementl . .Mozart 
Messrs. Wehner and L'ickwood. 

Sonata app.issionata. Op. 57. F minor Beethoven 

Mr. B. Liebllng. 
Symphony, No. 5, C minor Beethoven 

The beautiful Suite in D, had already been played, 
at the Garden, but the Haydn Symphony was heard 
for the first time, and waa received with much en- 
thusiasm. It has all the characteristics which make 
Haydn*s music so beautiful, and it is to be hoped 
that Mr. Thomas will give us another opportunity 
of hearing it 

The movement from the Mozart Concerto, (Flute 
and Harp), afforded the players. Messrs. Wehn9r 
and Lock wood, an opportunity to display their ad- 
mirable talents to great advantage. 

The pianist Mr. Liebling played the Sonata Ap- 
passionata from memory, giving a correct and intel- 
ligent interpretation. This artist, who has recently 
made his appearance aitoong us, is a young man of 

16 years, who has already acquired a somewhat ex- 
tended reputation in Europe. He plays the most 
difiScult concertos from memory and displays great 
facility of execution. His playiuj^ lacks the deeper 
feeling and passion of the matured artist — but this 
seems all that is wanting. 



And now a few words respecting our musical 
prospects for the fall and winter. 

We are to have the usual series of Symphony 
Concerts, six in number, by the Thomas Orchestra, 
at Stein way Hall, on tbe Saturday evenings Nov. 
1», Dec. 4, Jan. 22, Feb. 24, March 25 and April 
22. On the Thursday preceding each concert * 
public rehearsal will be given at 2 o'clock. With 
this orchestra of course the rehearsal is in nowise 
inferior to the concert ; and last season, when this 
system was adopted, many persons attended both 
the rehearsal and the concert. 

The N. Y. Philharmonic Society has issued its 
prospectus for the coming season. Instead of throe 
public rehearsals preceding each concert, as hereto- 
fore, there will be two rehearsals only. The first 

of these will be termed a matinee, and the pro- 
gramme will be varied by the introduction of pieces 
not in the regular concert list. At the rehearsal 
immediately preceding the concert the regular con- 
cert programme will be adhered to. The Concerts 
will De given on the following evenings, Nov. 18, 
Dec. 11, Jan. 22, Feb. 19, March 18 and April 22. 
It will be observed that three of these concerts fall 
upon the dates selected by Mr. Thomas for his Sym- 
pnony soirees. 

The Concerts of the Brooklyn Philharmonic So- 
ciety, with the Thomas Orchestra, will take place 
on the evenings of Dec. 18, Jan. 15, Feb. 12, March 
18 and April 8. There will be three public rehear- 
sals before each concert. 

Messrs. M. and M. Strakosch will take the field 
Oct. 4, and open the campaign with a series of six 
concerts at Steioway Hall. These concerts will be 
given on the evenings of Oct. 4, 6, 8, 11, 13 and 15, 
There will also be two matin^s on Oct. 9, and 16. 
respectively. The concert troupe is composed of the 
following artists: Mdlle. Theresa Titions, Mdme. 
Arabella Goddard, Sig. Sauret, violinist, and others, 
— making one of the best companies which have ev- 
er appeared in America. 

A short season of jBnglish Opera will be given by 
the Kellogg Company, at Booth's Theatre, begin- 
ning on Monday evening Oct 11, and lasting two 
weeks. Twelve evening performances and two 
matinees will be given. 

The opera season, at the Academy of Music, will 
open on Monday evening Oct. 18, under the direc- 
ti(m of Mr. Ad. Neuendorff. There will be twenty 
subscription nights and six mating of Italian and 
German opera. The operas to be produced include 
*' Lohengrin," " The Huguenote," " La Juive," 
" L'Africaine," "II 'Trovatore," "William Tell." 
"Le Postillion de Lonsjumean," "La Dame Blanche," 
" U Profeta," " Fra. Diavolo," "Lucia," " Lucretia 
Borgia," " Masaniello " and " Martha," part of which 
will be snug in German and part in Italian. 

Herr Wachtel will bo the leading artist, and the 
company will include: Mile. Eugenie Pappenheim, 
Mme. Minna Wagner, Mile. Jeannette Goldberg, 
Mile. Natftlie Wiitman, Herr Julius Milder, Herr 
Bruno Guntzburger and Herr Joseph Fassbender. 
Most of these names are new to us, out it is to be 
hoped that the support will be, in some degree, wor- 
thy of tbe great tenor, whose splendid singing we 
have already had occasion to admire. A.A.C. 



Musical Examinations at Harvard. 

The following printed questions were submitted 
to Prof. Paine's Classes at the annual examination, 
June, 1875. Written answers were required from 
each member of the class, prepared upon a gpvon 
day in the class room, and without aid of book, 
notea, or instrument 

1. Harhont. 

1. Reaolve the dominant seventh chord of D into the 
other triads than the tonic triad. 

2. Resolve the dominant aeventh chord of B flat through 
an upward progression of the seventh : 

(a) By exchan^ng the progression with various parts; 

(b) By anstaining tbe fundamental tone; 

(c) By chromatic alteration and modulation. 

3. Give three different resolutions of tbe chords on the 
blackboard. 

4. Write out the four-part harmony of the figured bass 
given on the blackboard. 

5. With what seventh chords of the scale may the aug- 
mented triatl be connected? Olve an example and reso- 
lution of each. 

6. What is suspension? Bute the rules that go^*era 
snspension. 

7. Correct the examples of nuspension given on the 
blackboard, and state the rules which tliey dl«regHrd. 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



I. Writa out tba fODi-pul hi 



point. WhM »n 

10. WliM m ptMilng notM anrt «ppoK»I»tiir«, ind 
whU m tlu oondlCJani of their propar traMmcnt? 

11. WhT irou[d tbs moTImanI [trea sn tha blukboard 



TTi1>miiTiippoctl>tanAforia vbflnlntn 
humanlc tune T 

Tolded [a oaiii 



1«. What oooiUIutM > Kood Mielodic pr<iK"H'°n of f> 

IT. Whit rHtrieUnni itrs ta be otmrvad hi the hm a 
Iha cbord of the alith ud fOorChT 

and flfUuand octmisi allowibla, ui 



wban not? 



nonLw In fon 



partattia melody El^sn "a the 
arta tha choral, " Chrljnu, der 



blaaktKwrd. 

SO. Hinnonlie in lout parU tha choi 
Ut main Leban." 

S. CouxrearoiTi. 

1. a\T» a deanlUon of ooonlorpolnt. 

a. Gin tha ralaa of foar-pirt «qiial sanntsrpalnt. 

S. Wrliaansiampl ' ofaqnil ooantarpolDt In faarparti 



to tha bui glvan on the bUckboald. 



t. OlTa 



10. Writ* 
ths tbanui f I 



t of tha r 



eathatinaTbeerapIO] 



iplond 



Dnnten»int af (h« » 






nntrrpoint In Ihi 
OD ine DiaccbOHTd, 
I mtM of GoDBtarpolnt of tha third ordar, fa 

in eiimple of Ihree-part oonntarpoint, fi 
I ana, Dnntaa flrmiu fn the biu and connt 



mipl.ofw 



d liTB Iha TDlaa of 



..funC«rpolnt In tba octara vltb a 
la alio, enntne flrmoa In the baaa. t 



t, luiTATtTI CnU^ITESPO 

1. Coapoeaan pramplr of Imlta 
uiti to tha cbsnl. "Tom Hlcai 

l.Dsflna 






le? OIts a acpanle M 

)• nsoal modnktlDiu tt 



if tha ralDiD In tha taskl 
al mnala from Olorinnl 



3abrlalll to Sebwlftn Bioh. 

•S. WhT rtldlnMrnmenUlmuilcnatarallTtnc 
mnilo In tha ordar of arllilic daralopuiani? 

•4. Orlrin if the or^an. harpidahord, and 
irhat period did theie Inatramenu WTerallT a 

B. Whst proRreas did the Italian Opera mi 
ill hteentb cantury In the devclopm'nC of the 



LnllT and RameaD? 
coo'nt ofhlxprtncLp 



I ot hla cuaar, and an a 






t Haydn. Wh« la iXtmaOc I 
a or Btyla are comblDad la Iho m 



valopmant of mn- 
le Syrnphon; ai daral' 



Xii 



leading i 



art. W* 



ibtrt. Ilendelwiohn 



hia wnrki. The HInth 

rkofan. 

4 SohQaann, aad the 



That whteli he 



ChrifltUui HoffnuuitL 

TiiUtXdlUirnflhtSBilM OmfiM-:— 

Tbli oolad miialclan died at hIa ham* in Bobolteu, Maw 
Jenay, June 33, 1BTS, of pneumonia. Ha vaa bom April 
10, 1M1, at Hanaa, niar rrankfort-on-the-Haln. H« an- 
tered tha Leipalc Coourratarr of Miule In 1813 and ba- 
canw (he wnrthy pupil of HaQptmann, Rlcfater, and Wen- 
»1. In the elaia oE Weniet were at Ihk time Cariyta 
PeWiallea, Faul Oormar, Tolkland, Ferdinand Ton IntaD 
and the wrllat. HIa csmperanant waa that of a K«naina 
artlit, and hla nature aioaptlonally adaptsd tu draw him 
aa popit InLo ihemoal eympathetie rclnLlon vlth hla teaah- 
ar. TliB ana thlnjf that made hla character dear Is hla 
great niaater, wm ihe admirahia blendluf of hla baart 

with fall head, a anion thatpmduced — " ' 

infaltprlntcalvell ai pnhllB carei_.. ..._ 

did. heglorlRadln dnlni well. Be vaa the flnt to rafraln 
tram any underuklni l( ssnvdoug that any InaMHty on 
hli part mlfbt poailbly andwwer lu oompMa aaeean. 
Rla Batan «a« holy ; hla ifeatarai mleni folfla A dared 
more pralM to fala Sod, tiwn all Iha eareraonlea In Obrla- 
tindom. Whennnked, why hedld not join the chnrah, 
he replied in Abraham Lineoln'iWordar "If Tonouiahow 
me the church, that embncaa all hnmanlty, I vlll Join It.'' 
Ha waa a ireat admirer of Bach and loved him (Or hi* Mm- 

n~ elty and majealy. ITail In hi* afTecUana came Sehn- 
rt, whoaa aonjn were Interpratad by hla mellow, tym- 
pathetic niefl moat fnlly. Tlit ballade cfOarl Loewe came 



ch<:. Idren haiiuKi^neherrire himby oni> yuar. 

A I . I received n letter from our lancher. I 

ca fi . : ' er wny cIom thia tribute Ihan by IranaUt' 
In-i:. I 'isnof it. whichrelataa to the dopnrted one: 
■' -I ^1.. :l'..r>, .r onr dnr friend Hoffmann, which ynurlaat 

loj'.iri riiiTAnkaiifihe'mmy Iha»abMBobllr«d to lo-e 
In t«eent yeara. Their denilae alina>tapp«ira Ukr a psr- 
aonal numnla nurl, and all the mora nnphatlc, the older 
I rrow. The fnrm and appearano* of the daceaiad are 
Btlll TiTidly before me. I remember yet ao many exneii- 

(o ma and pro'rad him to he a man fiill nf ren'tlment, a 
dlrclple ot hla an aotoated by the nablwt n 



13, 1«TB. 









WoBomBX Gouutt Heme EICHoaL. Tbli 
tlrely yoang Initltutlon, In tha " heart of the 
wealth ."—jDdjclnt from Ha itroni eorpa of laiobera, the 
highly elauleal proKrammaa of Ita nosieroua mallniei iind 
txiBCetta, BOd eapeelally from the eieellent lecEniM on the 
great oompoaera bj Ur. Allen (af which we bare copied 
•one roporta>-haa already won for Itaelf a high place 
aaaong the Hualc Bchcola and " Conaerratorlaa." which 
■re*pringln£ np all aver the oonntry. ItaprlDclpal teMb- 
en heretofora haTe been ; In tbelnatrumental deputment. 
a. W. Snmner ud K. Q. Tucker of Boaion, B. D. Allen 
■nd S. I~ Samner of Worcaflar. indT. 7. 7ord, ot Boa- 
ton CVIolln]; In the Toaal depirtmrnl: Chaa. R. Hnydcn 
otBoaton.andUn.M. J.Sumner of Woreetter. Ot the 
new term, which hal Init opened, the Wcreuirr OaMtttt 

Tha BChool Iwi been In the paat, and tiTpi premlaa ot 
beInK In the foture. a great acceeaa. During the paat 
yearlta pnplla hare ^tm inmA tw<inCT.i)><i rwiiiali and 
■ereral mallntea. all < 

been nartcd. Tha mualeal leeinna of Mr. 1 

have prcfcd highly InatmdlTQ and Intereadnj 

Iccca afhlg laat oonne were Bach, Handel, Monrt ana 

BorUiOTan. The leomrea are to be eontlnned thIa whiter, 

with the following llat of enMeeu :— Schubert, Hendala- 

aahn, Hchnmj>nn,CbnplB and Frani. 

The new olroular of the achool ehowa nluable addltlona 
to lia corpe ot Inetmctore, Kr. L. F. Ooering at Beaton, 
who WM formerly connected with tha Kmrinieaohn Qnln- 
--*ta Club, and laierwllb Ibe Oicbeatral U: -" — ■-- 



amimeiit. Thanamaof MiieE. J.SnnuMr.whomadsber 
Teryaneceaafnl AfrkClaetwIntar.lialaoonihelln. Miee 
L. S. Knowllon, who wbh added to the teachera of the 
•ahool lait j«ar, win atlll baie charge ot the guitar pn- 
plla. 

Tha Khool enCera upon Ita tall term with promiae of 
contfnnlnit aucDCia, the^anra tisi of pnplli> Including ladiei 
and gentlemen fmm Kanaai, UinneeaCa, Itlinoli, l^ada, 
Hew^ork, and Uir Dl-triet of Columbia, aa well aa ftcm 



BnuTBAD TlALi, baa bMn thoroujthly renovated. Tbs 
new room la brightly tinted, the walla being oolored In 
•ahnon. while the celling ia drab, with handanme border 
lines of rarlona solan. The antiquated gaa flxturaabava 

glTen place to four new, elapcaiit ehandellere. The 



iwly coahloned.a 



ballw 



B etaga le completely 

laa the old platlcrm. 



ed. The Handel and H. . , 

reheanatg here, ihli aeuon, nfui one ynar at BeeChOTOn 
Rail. Tbe Fhdhirmnalo club, and perhapi the Catholic 
Choral Soolety. and other mualcal ornnliatlana, wUI hold 
rsheareala In the hall. II la well adapted tor nhearul 
pnipoBae. 



Sjierial Sfftifts. 



Teeal, vjlb PUis A 
The Wolf. BsM SoDif. 3. E& to f. 



daeerlbinc th« midnight Titlt ot robbera. 
Ky Good Father, (II mio Babbo). 4. C to a. 
RfceL a 
"InaMoe, myllttledanihisr." 
" Praalo, praMo Olorannl." 
AprattytltUansnleltallanballid. Onenrabont 
ti aenga, aUy aelsBlad and tmnalatHl bv Hr. T. T. 
Barker. Tha let la oalM " WayaMc inoweri." 
Softly, awMtlj WUgper. S'g and Cho. 8. 

B6toe. DoiJa. S 

•■ Softly whUper that ynti Inva me, 
Fst yoor dimpled hud In irina." 
Ona of Mr. D'e buBilfnl attfodlea. Joined M a 
pretty poem In popular atyle. 
Won't TOO ktw me, UttladuUDsr S*« Hid 
Cho. S. Eb to f. Per*I«v. S 

" Preaa your mby Hpe to ailne. " 

What '■ Hie nae of frettlnsr 8' k and Cho. 

S. G to a. Bqr. 8 

" They only wait a daeaat ebanre 
To mate ^r tronblaa known." 
A hrlcht little Mt of annaUny poetiy. In pnle* 
tA gacd hnuOT, and agalnat woiryiog;. 
Pretty Bird, oome tell me why. S. E6 to f. 

FtKt. S 
" The day hae gone, and still I hear. 
Thy BilTery uctaa eo pan and alaar." 
A very aweat and almpla ballad. 

Fade, fade each Earthly Joy. Qaartet. 4. 

CnmOaO. 4 
" Jeeui alone can bleee." 
Inclndea goed aoloa, dnat, Mc. and la a Ten 
amoolh and beautlftil hymn anthem. 
Qnad Kagnlflcat. For 4 rolcea. 4 C to n. 

/>« MmuJitL 1 

" Magninnat anlma mm." 

" Pialae the Lord. O my anol I " 

A Hefa qnartM or chorua. Latin worda only. 

Dreun that I Io*e thee still. & P to f. Prtet. 9 

•• Dream that my spirit doata 



Bong In the d I 
Dona Seraflnaalng 

Sweethearts. 8. A 



"The Qrand Admiral." 



of. 



eek^-a yeai 



BbI alaa tor the Iotc that IcTca alway." 
Amnng the beet of Ita elaaa. 
I will go to the Altar. Trio for Sopr., Tenor 
and Basa. 4. Qtog. Southard. 81 

Snch a aacrad tHa aa one would npeot Hr. 
Bonthard to write;— gracefal. moalaal and highly 
flnlahed. Try It 
Tear after Tear. S. D to o. T. D. L. » 

" Test altat year Iha eewallpa All tha maadaw." 
A bsantltal fragment of poetry by Mlaa MnloA, 
with maaJ<. nicely adapted to tha thenghta. 
To Horse I Caralry Son|{. 4. Ctog. Sltim. 81 
"Tohonel The ImnipMPella, 
On nady eira Ihe signal falla." 
A Tcry spirited war eong, dedicated to ths " Laa- 

Connty Ony 3. G minor and mejor to e. 

AiUlmn. 4( 
"Ah I OonntT Ony, tha hour la aigh, 
Tha aan has left the lea." 
Tt reqnlras a aklllod band to put now ranalc to an 
old and faTorlta baUiid, and to do the work wall. 
But Ur. Sullivan haasuooeeded In doing 11. 
Let me Dream A^ii. 4. C to e. Sn/Uooit, 41 

Then waking would be pain." 

One little sweet Kiss. Sonj; and Cho. 8. 

Eb to [7. JtaylaO. 8( 

'• She wsa fair as the hluab nf the morning, 

Very pleasing bnllad In popclar ilyle. 
Betum. 3. Bbtof. aiottr. 91 

" A spirit whispers, ah 1 retnm 
To the Und where all thy loTSd onta dw^." 

A riah melody to worda that alng of "home.'' 

Aahade. Serenade. 4. F to 9. Cowen. 41 

"The Stan ■!« sleeping, and. dim with waeping, 
ThaBKwntakeeplDghar watch on high." 
Sung by Blue Beeres, and la a capita) eonaert 




toi||fs 




0nnial 





uSii^ 



WWhot.!! No. 900. 



BOSTON, SATUKDAY, OCT. 16, 1875. Vol. XXXV. No. 14 



For DwIght'B Jounua of Mnsie. 

Oriental LyriesL 



BT FAVirr RATMOHD BITTSB. 



I. 



I roam tTirOQKb aandy, blazlnir wlldernemM; 

She r«tui beneath the Talha's Icnfy tre»sea. 

Sharp thistle* wound my feet, that wearied dally; 

She wanden down the viulet-Bcented valley. 

I hear the Jaekal*! eeream. the d jinn's shrill hooting; 

She Hats the nlfrhtln$:ale*8 melodious fluting. 

Oh, would her tent dog, barking, run to meet me I 

Oh, would her pleasant tent*s kind welcome greet me ! 
I sigh for thee, Zulelka, KanaVs daughter, 
Aa paati the wounded hart for running water! 



IL 



I apakei—In the hushed encampment. 

Men, eamels, and steeds sleep sUtl ; 

Mom slips the bolt of the midnight; 

Flnlr Amra, lore's goblet All 1 

—She spake:— The spirits of erU 

dose, eloee, o*er the desert fly ; 

I hear them mutter and whisper; 

Pale genii are hOTering nigh 1 

—I spake :— From thy sweet embraces 

I win the magical might 

That whirls the earth 'neath my footstep, 

Or stays the wheels of the night. 

Fear not the rush of the sandstorm, 

Fear not the leopard's breath; 

The kisses of lui4>py lovers 

Disarm the angel of death. 

m. 

▼Am soiros. 

Too pale the glow love*s blisses bestow t 
A wilder transport fheee pulses know! 

When to songs of war my heartstrings vlhrate, 
A burning sandstorm, I rush on the Ibel 

l*hey drone no moan of pitiful woe; 

Frenxy, flame, from those dangers flow; 
Through riot and rapture of slaughter, elate, 

A hungry leopard, I spring on the foe! 

Sand stings, thirst tortures, angry woands glow; 

To Joust with the lightning a thousand go ; 
Through war's red roar rings the trumpet of Fate, 

The right hand of Fate, I shatter the foe! 



IV. 



TKB OBSATOB VK THB CBXATIOIT. 

(Dsehelalledin Bumi.) 

I am the mote In the sunbeam, and I am the burning sun ; 
** Best here ! " I whisper the atom ; I call to the orb, "Boll 

onl»» 
I am the blush of morning, and I am the evening breese, 
I am the leafs low murmur, the swell of the terrible seas. 
I am the net, the fowler, the bird and Its frightened cry. 
The mirror, the form reflected, the sound and its eoho, I; 
The lover's passionate pleading, the maiden's whispered 

fear, 
The warrior, the hlade that smites him, his mother's 

heart-wrung tear. 

I am Intoxication, grapes, wine-press, and must, and 

wloe. 
The guest, the host, the tavern, the goblet of crystal fine; 

I am the breath of the flute, and I am the mind of man, 

Ctold's gli ter, the light of the diamond, the sea pearl's 

lustre wan. 
The rose, her poet nightingale, the songs ftrom his throat 

that rise, 
FUnt -sparks, the flame, the Uper, the moth that about it 

flies. 



I am both Good and Evil ; the deed, and the deed's intent. 

Temptation, victim, sinner, erime, pardon, and punish- 
ment; 

T am what was, is, will be; creation's ascent and flill ; 

The link, thecliain of exietenoe; beginning and end of 
All! 



* ^w^ > 



For Dwight's Journal of Music. 

A Spiritual Kin. 

Bed lips said, « Don't; " gray eyes said, « Do," 

Her silent wish found passage through ; 

A voice in my heart's chamber beard 

Contradicts her spoken word, 

While from her eyes the clear star-shine 

Came flowing, flowing into mine. 

Hands clasped we stood. I felt no need 
Give either voice obedient heed, 
Suspended In a trance of bliss— 
The soul of that unproven kiss 
Forth tkom her gray ^yes divine 
Came flowing, flowing into mine. 



■♦♦■ 



A. Saran on Bobert Fraai and the Old 
German Ydkilied and ChoraL* 

(Oontinuod from Page M.) 

If in this connection we examine the piano- 
forte accompaniment a little more closely, it 
■eemfl at first sight to have scarcely anything 
in common with the old school. And in fact 
Franz avails himself of all the real improve- 
ments which the modem piano teehniqtte has 
made since Beethoven. Bat, as already in 
Scha mannas piano forms, in many ways so 
nearly related, the inflaence of Sebastian Bach 
is clearly noticeable, so too still more with 
Robert Franz, whose piano style altogether is 
more strict and measured than that of Bcha- 
mann. — ^Particnlarly does Baches school show 
itself in Franz s systematic avoidance of the 
material most common in the modem lyrical 
accompaniment : the broken chords, the chords 
strack in solid mass, Ac, instead of which he 
invents and uses forms of more significance. 
For who can deny, that such piano accompan- 
iments, as the homophanaui melody almost of 
necessity begets of itself, are in most cases 
characterless and say nothingt Franz, by the 
polyphanaui stracture of his melody, is guaran- 
tied beforehand against such trivialities. Bven 
when he lets the piano play on with the melo- 
dy, simply, in four parts, without any sort of 
figure work, such a setting, with the smooth 
elastic fiow of interwoven parts, with a bass 
full of character, and the middle parts so full 
of life and beauty, gives a tone-picture rich in 
colors. 

Examine from this point of view, for in- 
stance; ** Volker spielt auf,*' Op. 27, No. 1. 
What an effect the simple trill of the interlude 
makes here! And all because the four-part 
melody appears exclusively all the rest of the 

•Translated for Dwiobt'b Joukmal of Music. 



time. What kind of a dramatic scene would 
not many a modem have developed out of this 
text? Franz recognized the genuine Yolkslied 
trait in it, and hence by the simplest means 
"produces the greatest effects. It is just in 
limitation that the master shows himself. Bo 
one may go through all the numbers of this 
Opu$^ to convince himself how well our com- 
poser knows how to take hold of us and thrill 
us by means of his simple four-part composi- 
tion. 

It will be understood as a matter of course 
that Franz also uses broken chords and single 
chord strokes, where they are in the right place. 
But it will not escape the attentive observer, 
that they are always aptly interwoven with 
other elements, or brought into the melodic 
flow, and thus are moulded in so interesting a 
manner that therd is nothing trivial about 
them. 

As to broken chords compare, for instance, 
Op. 1, Nos. 8, 6, 10; Op. 2, Nos. 8, 4, 6; Op. 
8, Nos. 1, 8, 4, 6, and so on. 

With regard to chords strack in solid mass, 
we will only point to: 

'* Nun die Schatten dunkeln," Op. 10, No. 1. 

'* Aus meinen grossen Schmerzen,'' Op. 6, 
No. 1. 

''Drtlben geht die Sonne scheiden,*' Op. 2^ 
No. 2. 

'<Es hat die Rose sich beklagt,'* Op. 42, 
No. 6. 

The highly poetic effect, which this form 
here produces, speaks for itself. 

Yet as a general rale with Franz the four- 
part melody — ^at least in its principal features 
— forms the substance of the accompaniment, 
particularly in the later works, in which the 
individuality of our master is more and more 
sharply prominent. The figure work serves 
only as ornament, which lends light and shade 
to the fundamental mood. But it stands almost 
always in direct oi^nic connection with the 
melodic fundamental motive ; grows naturally 
out of it, and never loses itself beyond the 
limits which artistic unity prescribes. We can 
compare this method only with the way in 
which Bach and Handel usually accompany 
their Arias. Here too the general bass part, or 
the quartet of strings, forms the groundwork 
of the accompaniment, from which th» MU^^ato 
instraments stand out in contrast by way of col- 
oring and ornament. And if you look more 
closely at Franz's figures of accompaniment, 
you find a near relationship between them and 
the figure work of Bach. They appear for the 
most part as free Counterpoint — the polyphon- 
ic melody compels it anyway — and truly with 
a fineness and a pliantness, which challenge our 
admiration constantly anew. You see this, for 
example in ^^Yebaoiks and braes of Bonnie 
Doon," Op. 4, No. 4. 



106 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC 




Ye bAnks and braes of bonnie Dood.How 



tei?^ 




fpg^i^;i 



.U X — I L..— X._, i , ± 



i=f^==lzt:z=5^ld=t:i:t:^:iizt^te. 



can ye bloom ne fresh and fair ? How 



^ni^ij^f 




etc. 



or in: -''H5r' ich das Liedchen klingen," Op. 
5, No. 1. 

** Eingewiegt von Meereswellen," Op. 9, 
No. 6. 

"MuUer, O sing' mich zurRuh," Op. 10, 
No. 8. 

**An die bretteme Schiffswand," Of». 25, 
No. 6. 

"Der schwere Abend," Op. 87, No. 4, &c. 

Finally we find also songs in which-^as so 
often with the old composers — a frequently 
recurring Motive (** Motto" one might almost 
call it) in the accompaniment is set against the 
voice part, running like a eantusjirmus through 
the whole song and lending it that deep and 
earnest, or tragical, weird character which the 
text requires. For example : 

'* Am leuchtenden Sommermorgen," Op. 11, 
No. 3. 

*'Sie liebten sich beide," Op. 81, No. 4. 

By these peculiarities the Franz accompani- 
ment wins in an unforced way such an organic 
relation to the melody, as we hardly can find 
elsewhere in the more modem lyric composi- 
tion. It does not merely illustrate the Canti- 
lena from without ; it shoots out from it by an 
inward necessity. Hence the inestimable 
peculiarity, that of itself it clings to all the 
finest nuances of the text, without ever swerv- 
ing from the fundamental mood or calling in 
the aid of any foreign material. 

Since the Franz song shows itself in respect 
to melody and harmony so closely related to 
the old German lyric, we may expect the same 
too in respect to rhythm. This, to be sure, is 
difficult to show in detail, because the Rhythmic 
of the old German Song is still a very obscure 
field. But so much is certain : that the ground 
principle of the old German Song Rhythmic, 
— ^particularly its very close adherence to the 
structure of the verse, and its careful regard to 
the tone-value of the words and syllables, — 
also predominates with Franz. So strict is he 
i n this, that he avoids, for instance, repetitions 
of the text almost on principle. So little room 
is left to the music to unfold itself with broad- 



er independence, that many of the Franz songs 
show the same laconic, and really epigrammat- 
ic precision with a great many of the Volks- 
melodies. 

And this leads us to a point of his afiinity 
with the old German style, which looks, to be 
sure, beyond the formal over into the ideal 
field. We mean that masterly blending of word 
and tone^ about which Liszt, Ambros and 
Schuster have written so much that is true and 
beautiful. Having already had occasion here 
and there to allude to it, we refrain from any 
special demonstrations, in order not to overstep 
too far the space prescribed to us. We only 
signalize this fact: that the peculiar way of 
blending Jword and tone with Franz (for it is 
well known that there are several ways) rests 
on the same principle as with the old German 
style. It lies simply in the Polyphony of both 
of them alike. The polyphonic expression alone 
is by its nature able, on the one hand to call to 
light the inmost depths of the text with a sin- 
gle stroke; and on the other, at the same time, 
— by means of its manifold harmonic relations 
and its rich faculty of thematic development 
— to give the fitting character to all the ups 
and downs of feeling, as well as o the finest 
shadings of the fundamental mood, without 
causing any break in the strict unity of the 
whole. Hence the Franz songs often give one 
an impression, as if they were bom at the same 
instant with the text, as we say of the old 
Volkslied, — as if the text could only be com- 
posed with just this melody. 

It would indeed be quite perverse to wish to 
explain this phenomenon merely from the for- 
mal nature of the melody. Better say, that 
just here is the point where the genial divin- 
ing and productive power of the true artist 
reveals itself in the creation of a Cantilena cor 
responding to a text. And in what an eminent 
measure our friend possesses this, requires no 
further proof after the expositions in the writ- 
ings we have mentioned. If Liszt and others 
point to the fact that Franz understands how 
to portray in music the various individualities 
of his poets; — if Ambros tells us, that he rep- 
resents the most different national types in 
Yolk-songs, without knowing them, with a 
fineness of feeling which resembles divination, 
— so can we too add largely to the number of 
these facts. Let it suffice simply here to call 
attention to our repeated statement, that Franz 
only lately for the first time, through us, became 
acquainted with the old German songs, of 
which his own seem so remarkable an echo. 
In short, there is no modem song composer 
known to us, who has looked so deeply into 
the inmost heart of his poets and his texts; 
who has listened to them with so fine a sense 
and caught and translated into tones their 
secret essence. Franz shows himself herein a 
genuine son of his People; the People, which 
in speech and music is capable, as no other is, 
of plunging into the depths of the spiritual 
works of all times and nations, and assimila- 
ting their quintessence to itself. He shows 
hiiitsplf a true heir of the great lyricists of old. 
who did not merely stand facing their texts on 
the outside and letting their imagination be 
stirred up by them, but who saw through them 
with a genial divination, nay lived through 
them with their own heart, and then knew how 



to pour them out in tones of individual origi- 
nality, as well as the irresistible force of truth, 
and consequently of imperishable duration. 

(To be Continued.) 



» <♦» A 



Perd. Hiller on Verdi's Bepuiem. 

[Translated by J. V. Bridcrcman, for the London 
Afutical World.] 

This work (first performed on the 22nd May, 
1874), which the popular composer of II Trov- 
aiore wrote for the anniversary of the death of 
Alcssandro Manzoni, has, since its production, 
created a deep sensation in Paris, London, and 
Vienna, where it has been repeatedly given 
under Verdi's own direction. Ricordi, the 
great Milan publisher, has, it is true, had the 
score and separate parts engraved — but he 
reserves the ripjlit of allowing the work to be 
performed only in such places and under such 
conditions as may meet with his (or Verdi's?) 
approbtition. Perhaps he will get together 
the whole paraphernalia of chorus, band, and 
solo singers, and undertake a Bequiem tour — 
who can say that such a venture would not be 
worth trying? But, however this may be, we 
must, for the present, content ourselves with 
forming an acquaintance with the work (cer- 
tainly the most important Verdi has written) 
by means of the pianoforte arrangement — and 
the acquaintance is one of the most interesting 
and agreeable which for a long time we have 
had an opportunity of making in the domain of 
high class vocal music. 

**A Requiem by Verdi?" many of my es- 
teemed German colleagues will exclaim, with 
an incredulous shake of the head; but I think 
that, in the end, many will agree with me. It 
is a pleasure to wander through the work of a 
master who exercises a sovereign sway over his 
resources, but the sovereign sway of human 
despotism, which requires from every one only 
what appertains to, and becomes, him. It is a 
pleasure to wander through the work of a mas- 
ter who is scarcely ever left in the lurch by his 
muse — who fears neither to be too short nor to 
become prolix, and who sends forth his song 
with all the abundance of a soul teeming with 
melody. It is a pleasure, lastly, to become ac- 
quainted with a work whose entire and great 
effectiveness strikes with unqualified certainty 
the hearing eye (or seeing ear) from the mere 
inspection of a pianoforte arrangement, which 
is, after all, but an unsatisfactory affair. 

Artless as the melodies of this composition 
appear, and natural as, taking the work as a 
whole, is the course of the harmony, I should 
be puzzled to name any production from which 
we mi<rht obtain a notion of its peculiarity. 
With Rossini's Stabat Mater^ the brilliant qual- 
ities of which every impartial musician must 
allow, Verdi's Beqiiiem has only the most gen- 
eral features of Italian melodies in common ;— 
as regards tone, expression, and especially 
brer dth of plan, originality of form, and the 
treatment of the chorus and solo voices, it 
stances upon totally different ground. It is, 
probably, the first occasion that, in a composi- 
tion wi h a religious text (the Requiem cannot 
be calhd a sacred composition), whatever good 
has bee n achieved in modem times has been so 
fully and so brilliantly employed. We have 
perfect freedom of construction, though the 
architectonic lines never disappear — luxuriant- 
ly developed periods, without wearisome dwell- 
ing on, or dragging out, particular detiiils; the 
most thorough and unrestricted use, without 
the abuse, of modem technics — and character- 
ist'c declamation without nervously T»edantic 
subservience to every syllable. Though the 
composer has invariably aimed at dramatic ex- 
pression, and thouj^h the latter is, perl a s, 
here and there, earned to a point lying beyond 
the line which retiucd taste might desire to see 
respected in such a work, we cannot say that 
the Requiem is theatrical in a bad sense of the 
word. This is, perhaps, the case only where 
the composer (in the '^L:bera") has had le- 
course to the imitation of church psalmody — 



^;^,^,^^ 



BOSTON, SATUEDAY, OCT. 16, 1876. 



107 



the introcluction of what is outwardly church- 
like has always something stagey about it. 
Miiny of the melodies possess, indeed, deep 
feeling — a few only approach what is common- 
place — expressive they may all be called. Ver- 
di proves himself eminently a great master in 
the various ways in which he interweaves his 
chorus with the solo-parts. He here finds the 
advantage of his immense theatrical career, 
though the seriousness characterizing the mode 
in which, in the Requiem^ he profits by the 
skill he won upon the stage is very different 
from what it is, or what it could be, in his 
operas. But it is not merely in perfectly free, 
and, partly, very original, vocal combinations, 
that the master is revealed; in those pieces, 
also, where he pays tribute to strict polypho- 
nous forms, he knows how to move with a 
dexterity both natural and free from pedantry. 
The **Sanctus" fugue for double chorus, and 
the four-part /tfjyato in the ** Libera me," may 
afford many a contrapuntist ezprofeMO food for 
reflection. 

The pianoforte arrangement, moreover, docs 
not leave us a moment in doubt as to the fact 
of Verdi's making the very best use of his or- 
chestra; of the Requiem'9 not being deficient in 
modern, piquant, unusual, and original instru- 
mental effects. But just as little are we left in 
uncertainty on another point, namely: that, 
above all things, the Italian roaster puts in the 
mouths of his singers what ho has to say, and 
what he knows how to say. His singers sing 
— they are souls full of tone — no mongrel 
beings, crosses between musical interlocutors 
and unmusical interlocutors, obliged to be on 
their guard against encroaching on the province 
of horn or viola. They come forward with all 
the magnificence inherent in that divine organ, 
the human voice. It is true that Verdi requires 
singers — in the fullest acceptation of the word 
— not voices without tiaining — not virtuosos 
without voice — not declaimers without one ami 
the other. And this is the most delightful 
thing in the work ; it is a living protest against 
the still spreading absurdity of vocal music in 
which the servants are made the masters, in 
which a man, pouring forth song from the 
depths of his breast an*) soul, has simply to 
render clear miserable words, instead of making 
his innermost heart re-echo in his strain; an 
absurdity which will always be an absurdity, 
no matter with what genius exhibited, and 
however fanatically applauded; an absurdity 
sooner or later to be consigned to the huge 
lumber-room of aesthetic, philosophic, poetic, 
and prosaic errors, to which even so-enlightened 
ft period as oar own fails not to contribute. 



* ♦ • 



New National Opera House, London. 

(From the " DaUy TeUgrapk^) 

It must occasionally have struck the reflective 
mind, when that respectable entity has been brought 
into passing relations with the impressive ceremo- 
nial of laving a first stone, that a good deal of diffi- 
cult and laborious work has gone before ; that the 
first laying of the architect's pencil to paper was a 
serious business ; that the first figure in the builder's 
estimate had m prophetic significance ; and that each 
of those preliminary steps which are needful in 
planning and securing a solid foundation for the 
structure must have involved anxiety as well as 
hope. Before Mr. Francis H. Fowler's architectu- 
ral design for the New National Opera House, pro- 
jected b}* Mr. Mapleson, could begin to make itself 
manifest above the level of the Thames Embank- 
ment, there was much to be accomplished beneath. 
This was made clearly and abundantly evident on 
Tuesday, the 7th inst., when Mdlle. Tietjens laid 
the first brick — ^not the first stone, which is reserved 
for future and more public honors^-of the great lyr- 
ic temple in question, and had to descend into the 
depths of the earth to do it. Even the experience 
and practical knowledge of the contractor, Mr. Wil- 
liam Webster, had not prepared him for the neces- 
sity of digging and delving to so profound a level 
in order to reach a firm basis in tne London clay. 
A thick bed of sandy .soil and a largo overlying mass 
of rubbish, the accumulation of several ages in the 
history of Westminster improvements, hfui to be ex- 
cavated ; and then, the clay having been reached, 



there was a great intrusion of water along with it, 
so thftt a system of pipes was needed for the opera- 
tion of pumping. In the course of all this labor, 
many relics of old times were brought to li;;ht, and 
are preserved with antiquarian zenl. Skulh and 
bones of animals that roamed the Thames Valley, 
and were hunted by ancient Britons, in those Dru- 
idical days which 'long preceded the very earliest 
representation of Norma on any stage, have been 
gathered, cleaned, sorted, and labelled with praise- 
worthy care. Swords, gold, inlaid, and richly 
fashioned, tell of the feuds of York and Lancaster ; 
and many objects, lon«;-conccaled, come forth again 
to throw a light on the faded scroll of the past. 

On the ground that has been cleared and deeply 
mined for the National Opera House a small party 
of gentlemen, and a still smaller meeting of ladies, 
came at half-past one o'clock on Tuesday, the 7th 
inst. Mdlle. Tietjens was accompanied by her niece. 
Miss Kruls ; and there were nlso pn'sent Mr. Maple- 
son, Mr. Fowler, Mr. William Webster, Mr. Godbold, 
Mr. Rolfe, of Melbourne, and others interested, per- 
sonally or publicly, in the objects which are includ- 
ed in the scheme, and which, if successfully realized, 
must conduce to the national advancement of art, 
skill, and taste in music and the higher walks of the 
drama. A temporary flight of steps, carpeted with 
crimson cloth, led far down to the concrete floor on 
which the work of bricklaying was now to be begun 
by the gloved hand of a lady. Deep as this level 
seemed from above, it had yet been raised high 
above the clay bed into which Mr. Webster's peace- 
ful regiment of sappers and miners had penetrated. 
The trenches had, in the flrst instance, been dus: to 
a depth of forty feet on the inland side, and of about 
flfl^y where the site abuts on the Thames Embank- 
ment. The concrete then shot into these depths is 
on tl\e average 25 feet thick, and 21 feet of brick- 
work and masonry will bring the basement up to 
that stage on which the first or corner stone is in 
due time to be laid, probably with Royal prhtige. 
The site to be occupied by the new lyrical theatre 
is nearly a square, and comprises fully two acres. 
There is an ua:h» protuberance upon the space on the 
side farthest from the Embankment, efforts to obtain 
possession of property in that quarter having failed ; 
but the intrusive elbow of bricks and mortar t4ikes 
but little room, and has very small effect in marring 
the'symmetrv of the plan. When Mdlle. Tietjens 
had been led to the spot on which a thin, smooth 
layer of white mortar had been spread like a break- 
fast cloth, Mr. Webster handed to her the richly 
chased parcel-gilt silver trowel, while at the same 
time the foreman placed a fair stock-brick in the 
midst of the snow-white surface. The implement 
held by the lady bore the following inscription : 
" National Opera House. — The first brick of this 
building was laid by Mdlle. Tietjens, the 7th of 
Sept, 1876. — J. H. Mapleson, proprietor; Francis 
H. Fowler, architect ; William Webster, contractor." 
A loud and hearty cheer was given as soon as the 
inaugural act was performed ; then Lord Alfred 
Paget placed another brick beside the first; Mr. 
Fowler followed in turn ; and presently a consider- 
able deposit of amateur bricklaying might have been 
beheld from the brink of the pit above. The com- 
pany then repaired to neighboring quarters, where 
an ele:;ant dejeikner was waiting, and where an 
opportunity was afforded of inspecting the architect's 
plans and elevations. From these it appears that 
an Imposing edifice, in Franco Italian taste, is very 
quickly to rise up in close proxtmit}* to St. Stephen s 
Club; so close that a subway, already made, will 
connect the two establishments. Being also near 
the Westminster station of the Metropolitan Rail- 
way, it is contemplated to endow the new Opera 
House with another subway, for the convenience of 
the public coming and going by that line. The 
building faces towards the Embankment, but has 
really four sides, three of which have openings on 
roads, so that the house can be emptied very s]>ead- 
ily. Exits from the stalls are made from either side, 
as well as from the front ; and entrances and exits 
of amphitheatre and gallery, though under cover, 
are altogether separate, by which plan much confu- 
sion will be avoided. But there is another and most 
commendable arrangement, often met with abroad, 
where no need of niggardly paring and scraping, in 
the disposition of space, is felt. As there is no 
cramping or want of room in the plan of the 
National Opera House, it has been found practicable 
by the management to adopt this very sensible 
practice, which is to number the boxes and stalls, in 
every part of the house, with odd and even figures, 
the odd being billeted to one side, the even to the 
other. The pavilion-like front of the edifice, with 
its three stories of columns and striking capacity for 



sculpturesque and other ornament, suggests a pleas- 
ant resort on summer nights to the noble balconies 
overlooking the river at its most sightly point. 
The auditorium will be surmounted by a light and 
graceful cupola, rising to a height of 14dft. in front 
of the roof which covers the stage. The plan of the 
front of the house shows a large vestibule, 100 feet 
in length, from which, on a level, are the entrances 
to the stalls. On either side in the pavilions are 
circular staircases, leading to the grand tiers ; and 
the pit tier is approached by separate staircases. 
The area will contain 600 stalls, the grand tier will 
be lofty, and the foyer on a level with the corridor. 
The suite of rooms provided for refreshment and 
promenade are, if we may judge from the drawings, 
certainly unsurpassed by anything of the kind 
attempted in this country. Each private box will 
have an anteroom, which, taking the outer radius, 
will, of course, be larger than the box itself. The 
lines of the auditorium have been generally taken 
from those of La Scala, at Milan, which have been 
found the best both for sight and bearing. To 
some of those guests who looked at Mr. Fowler's 
elaborate drawings yesterday, it may have seemed 
that the task undertaken by the contractor, of fin- 
ishing the new Opera House in time for it to open 
at the be|2:inning of next season, is a formidable one. 
Let it be remembered, hDwever, that though Rome 
was not built in a day, there have been some extra- 
ordinary feats of building against time ; that the 
largest theatre in Europe, the San Carlo at Naples, 
took only six months in erection ; that the Scala of 
Milan was raised in seven months; and that this 
same period sufficed for Messrs. Kelk and Lucas to 
erect the Royal Italian Opera, Covent Garden. 

The health of Mdlle. Tietjens and bon voyage was 
a toast which everybody drank -with the utmost 
cordiality, at the call of the architect ; and Lord 
Alfred Paget, who was deputed to return thanks, 
expressed a hope that the success awaiting the gifted 
pnma donna in America mis:ht be followed in due 
time by that of the Opera House she had gracefully 
inaugurated. Lord Alfred also complimented and 
congratulated Mr. Mapleson on the circumstances 
in which this besrinning of his enterprise had been 
made, and remarked that in every other country of 
Europe a subvention would be paid towards the 
accomplishment of what, in this, was left to be car- 
ried out by private enterprise. Before the company 
separated, they heard from Mr. Mapleson the grati- 
fying intelligence that the various departments of 
the new building will be devoted to the advancement 
of art. both musical and dramatic, and that, whilst 
giving his usual attention to Italian Opera, he also 
proposes to offer performances of £n$clish works 
sung by English artists. Part of the year, moreover, 
is to be devoted to dramatic representations. A 
musical training school will not be lost sight of, 
negotiations being in progress for bringing the 
Academy of Music under the roof of the National 
Opera House. 



♦ ♦ 



Carl Rosa's English Opera. 

Amateurs old enough to have been present must 
still retain agreeable memories of certiaia perform- 
ances at the Princess's Theatre when the late Mr. 
Maddox was lessee and director. It was then the 
cu*»tom to give English versions of Italian and 
French operas, and occasionally to produce original 
English operas as well. A new work, or a dibiU of 
some new singer at the pleasant little house in 
Oxford Street, used invariably to be looked forward 
to with an interest easily explained by the fact that 
for the most part the entertainments were very Kood, 
sometimes, indeed, excellent. Nevertheless, it is but 
fair to add that no purely operatic representation, so 
complete and effective in all respects as that with 
which Mr. Carl Rosa, on Saturday night, began his 
advertised series of performances, had ever been 
previously witnessed at the Princess's Theatre, even 
in ita most halcvon davs. That Mr. Rosa, husband 
of the late much-regretted Euphrosyne Parepa, is 
not only a " virtttoeo " of deserved repute (his solo 
instrunient being the violin), but a thoroughly prac- 
tise<l musician, is generally known ; as also that after 
marriage he abandoned the profession of a public 
player and devoted his energies exclusively to op- 
eratic undertakin!;s. The '* Carl Rosa Opera Com- 
pany " has long been talked about in circles where 
th3 necessity of reviving English opera is discussed, 
and a be'ief in tlie probability of success is main- 
tained with more or less assurance. Those who 
think, n^ we do, that the non-existence of any such 
establishment, amply provided, is discreditable to 
a populous city likeLondon, where music of almost 
every kind is brought forth in such abundance, and 
who rejard the lyric drama as one of the most en- 



■»>■■■ -. 



108 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



?;aging forma of artistic expresBioo, hail with aatis- 
action this new and spirited endeavor to revive it. 
They must have fonnu their opinion strenfrthened 
in the unanimously hearty appreciation by * densely 
thronged audience of the admirable performance on 
Saturday night. Everythinf? passeu off well ; from 
the rise to the fall of the curtain there was scarcely 
a point to justify unfavorable comment 

With this preliminary it may at once be stated 
that the opera chosen for the occasion was Mozart's 
N<mu di Afforo^ with a new version of the libretto 
firom the pen of Mr. Charles Lamb Kenney> whose 
happy manner of reflecting the humor of Beanmar- 
chais (the dialogue being here spolcen, instead of 
aung to " reeiUUiw parlanitt ") and sicilful adaptation 
of the lyrics and concerted pieces fashioned in Italian 
by Lorenzo da Ponte, so much to the contentment 
of Mosart, merit unqualified praise. Mr. Kenney 
should now prepare for Utf an English BarbUre, to 
pair off with the Nbtue, 

In consonance with a precedent not lightly to be 
ignored, the opera was preceded by our Ivational 
Anthem. The singing of this by the chorus satis- 
fied every hearer that no pains had been spared to 
secure eflSciency in a department of such essential 
consequence to complete operatic representation. 
Not merely, however, in efficiency but in numerical 
force, the 'chorus is all th«t could be desired in a 
theatre of the actual dimensions of the Princess's. 
The orchertra has been appointed with equal judg- 
ment. About 40 in number, with Mr. Carrodus, our 
leading violinist (supported by Mr. Pollitzer) at the 
principal desk, and other professors of recognized 
ability and long experience amonr the members, 
something like a perfect "en$emble" might have 
been taicen for granted ; and this was emphatically 
realized by one of the most strikingly effective per- 
formances of the overture to which we have ever 
listened. The precision was remaricable, and as 
Wordsworth might have said, if speaking of musi- 
cians, instead of cattle, " There were forty * jtlen/ing 
"like one." The applause at the end was of such a 
character that not to comply with the desire of the 
audience would have been scarcely possible ; and so 
the overture — happily, under the circumstances, 
one of the shortest, as well as one of the quickest, 
ever composed — was repeated. Mr. Rosa, by the 
way, tampered the customary " prfs/o" (which Mo- 
zart has marked " alUgro attai ") in a certain meas- 
ure; and the com^equence was that the special 
phrases accorded to different instruments, with a 
taste and refinement peculiar to Mozart, were dis- 
tinctly heard, and the intended effect was legitimate- 
ly produced. At the same time, let us here, not for 
the first time, protest against encores. If there had 
been no encores on Saturday night, several pieces 
which, though omitted, are essential to the score in 
its integrity, might have been retained. Mr. Rosa 
knows well enough which are the pieces referred to, 
and how much the opera would gain if they were 
restored to their proper places. His performances 
should be model perforTtances from every point of 
view ; and, with regard to general execution, that 
of Saturday may be pronounced a *' model " without 
fear of ccntraJiction— one of the best, in fact, we 
ever heard in any language, or under any eondl- 
tions, of the comic masterpiece (if " comic " that 
which abounds in grace, sentiment, and deep feeling, 
may reasonably be denominated^ of the greatest and 
most gifted of *' absolute " musicians. 

A thoroughly effective distribution of characters 
in The Marriage of F^garo^ owing to there being no 
less than five of importance, is diflBcult to obtain. 
Especially difficult is it to meet with three lady 
singers capable of giving due significance, vocally 
and dramatically, to the Countess, her confidential 
ftmnu de chmwre, and her page. Mr. Rosa, how- 
ever, has been lucky in finding adequate represen- 
tati /es of those personage. Mdlle. Ostava 'Torriani 
(noprano), who will be remembered favorably, a 
season or two past, as one of Mr. Mapleson's new 
singers at Her Majesty's Opera, where she made her 
Mul as Gilda, in RigoUito^ is an excellent Counfess 
Almaviva — ladylike alwaj-s, depressed or lively as 
occasion may require, delivering the English. spoken 
dialogue with remarkable point and clearness for a 
foreigner, and note-perfect in the music; Miss 
Josephine Yorke, an American, we are informed, 
who has pla3'ed with success at some of the chief 
operas in Italy, seems thoroughly at home in the 
part of Chernbmo, into her delineation of which she 
throws an unusual amount of natural spirit and 
vivacity, while never losing stfcht of its musical sig- 
nificance ; and last, not least, MIhs Rose Hersee, our 
accomplished countrywoman, upon whose incontest- 
able talent and popularity we are hardly called upon 
to dwell, is a Susanna so piquant, sprightly, and 



natural, as to make it difllcult to pnt entire faith in | 
the statement that she never played the character 
till now. That Miss Hersee would show herself, 
like the artist we all know her t^) be, conversant 
with every bar of the music which Mozart has put 
into the mouth of his charmingly animated 9on- 
hrette, none doubted; but her thorough acquaintance 
with the businesa of the scene revealed a new girt, 
promising no little for the future. These were the 
three chief ladies ; and each was successful. We 
cannot enter into details, but may add that, where 
all was more or less satisfactory in a musical sense, 
the " Dove sono " (we use the familiar Italian names) 
of Mdlle. TorrUni, the " Voi che sap(,te " of Miss 
Torke (encored), ar d the " Deh vieni non tardar " 
of Miss Rose Hersee were the solo exhibitions sev- 
erally obtaining the most spontaneous recognition 
of their excellence. The bass and bass-liarytone 

Sarts were sustained by SignorCampobdlo and Mr. 
antley. Upon the re-appearance of Mr. Santley 
on the operatic stage great stress has been laid ; and 
no wonder. When, at the rise of the curtain, onr 
great barytone, in the familiar costume of Figaro 
came forward with Miss Hersee (Susanna) the ap- 
plause was loud, unanimous, and prolonged. Every 
man and woman in the house was pleased to wel- 
come back such an artist, to a scene which he never 
should have quitted ; and when, shortly afterwards, 
the curtain fell to the concluding notes of " Non pio 
andrai," the audience, still unsatisfied, would not 
cease their clamorous manifestations of approval 
until it was riiseil again, the favorite air repeated 
from beginning to end. and Cherublno exposed to 
another onslaught of malicious raillery. Mr. Sant- 
ley, we are told, had never played the character of 
Figaro before. If so, he may be justly congratulat- 
ed ; for not only was his execution of the music in 
all respects worthy bis repute, but he show^ an 
insight into the characteristics of the part which, 
though his general view of it is less demonstrative 
and in other respects differs from many of the re- 
nowned Figaros we have s^en, brought it prominent- 
ly forward as, in certain respects, an original imper- 
sonation. Signor Campobello was a stately, 
imposing, and resolute Count Almaviva, and his fine 
bass voice imparted due effect to the soliloquy in 
which the Count g^ves indignant expression to his 
jealousy of Susanna. The duet, " Crudel ! perchd," 
oetween the Count and Susanna, was another of the 
evening's encores. The smaller parts were in com- 
petent hands. Mrs. Avnsley Cook, in her way, is 
the best Marcellina, and Mr. Charles Lyall, in every 
way, the best tenor Basilio we can remember. 
There was no excuse for the latter 's omitting the 
quaint air addressed to Bartolo, " In quegli anni,'* 
which, at all events, invests the part of Basilio with 
oiMUf-importance. Mr. Aynsley Cook presents a 
humorous sketch of Bartolo, and gives full expres- 
sion to the air, " La vendetta." of which Rossini 
was evidently thinking while writing " La Calum- 
nia '* for the Barbiere. With regard to the execution 
of the concerted music, to avoid detail it will ftufllce 
to add that the two great fitkola, as examples of 
" entembU,'* were all that could possibly be wished. 
The ballet, under the direction of Seflor Espinosa, 
was charming, and the deliciously qutAnt/aitdangOf 
one of the '* hits " of the evening. The credit of the 
stage directions is due to Mr. Arthur Howell, to 
whom was entrusted the character of the always 
(why always?) drunken gard^tner. At the termina- 
tion of the opera the applause was vociferous, and 
the calls for the chief performers were continuous ; 
but no compliment had been more honorably earned 
than that paid with snch unanimooa cordiality to 
Mr. Carl Rosa, who directed the whole performance 
with such skill, readiness, and success. — Timet. 



TieljeiKf and Arabella Ooddard in Vew 
York. The Pint Concert 

[From the Am, Oct. 5.] 

The German prima donna, Mdlle. Titjens, gave 
her first concert in America last evening. 

The occasion was one ofsoflScient interest to bring 
together an audience that filled the hall. The vocal- 
ist bad the assistance of Mme. Arabella Qoddard, a 
pianist of great reputation in England, and of aever- 
al other artists of eminence. 

Mile. Titjens was welcomed with the cordiality 
due to her reputation. No one doubted that in her 
they would find a thoroughly accomplished artist, 
for in England during a generation she has been 
looked upon with admiration, both as an operatic 
prima donna and as a concert and oratorio singer. 

The only doubt that could ajtach to Mile. Titjens, 
indeed, was as to whether she had not waited to | 



come to this country until after the meridian of her 
powers, when the freshness of her voice was dimmed, 
and the renown of the past greater than the merit 
of the present The lady has seen twenty-five years 
of arduous service, and under tlie moat trying con- 
ditions. 

Grisi came here after a career of equal length, bat 
Grisi had the aid of her consummate acting to offset 
her worn voice, and that reliance Mile. Titjens haa 
to foresfo. The first appearance of this yocalist was 
in 1849, when she made her d^but upon the Ham- 
burg stage, singing afterward at Frankfort and 
Vienna. But earl}* in her professional life Mr. 
Lumley engaged her for Her Majesty's Theatre, and 
since then she has almost identified herself with 
England, being heard everywhere, and in all vari^. 
ties of music, now in opera, again in concert, and 
almost invariably at the great musical festivals at 
the Crystal Palace and at the annual oratorio per- 
formances of the three choirs. When Grisi surren- 
dereii the stage, Titjens became her legitimato 
successor, havlnir certain attributes akin to those of 
the great Italian. But nt late years other and 
younger singers have called away to themselves 
a portion of the interest of the English public 
that once centred on Titjens, and as the star of 
Patti and Nilaaon rose that of Titjens somewhat 
waned. 

She has attempted a great variety of operatic 
characters, ranging from thoee written in the high- 
est soprano register, such as Leonora in ** Trova- 
tore,' to such mezzo soprano parts as Fidet in the 
" Proph^te." and Orfrwi in " Lohentrrin." sung here 
by Mis4 Ciiry, a contralto. Wear like this was not 
lilcely to be without ita effect upon the voice of the 
singer. As long agfo as July, ISMf^the London 
AtKefUMwn, warm ng~ Mile. Tietjens against her am- 
bition in attempt! ns: so many r6Ies. prophesied that 
she " would infallibly destroy a voice which, once 
magnificent, had already been irreparably injured 
by reckless wear and tear." This w^ the opinion 
of one of the best and most accomplished of English 
critics, and certainly in the six intervening years the 
voice has not gained in freshnef^s. 

The disadvantage that Mile. Titjens labors under 
in appearing on the concert inatead of the operatic 
stage is by no means a alight one. For here she 
loees the Mnefit of the intelligence which she brings 
to the interpretation of great tragic characters — all 
her dramatic ability and those displays of energy 
and passion with which she is wont to excite the 
enthusiasm of her audiences. Nevertheless, even 
under these restrictions Mile. Titjens was able to 
manifest some of those qualities on which her repu- 
tation rests. 

The aria with which Mile. Titjens chose to intro- 
duce herself to the public of this country — Weber's 
" Wle nsh'e mir der Schlnmmer "—was probably as 
well known to every one in the audience as any 
that she could have selected. Not only has it been 
sung by almost every great vocalist thai ever stood 
on the concert stageai Stein way's, but it is so con- 
stantly Dsed in parlors and church services aa to 
become a household possession. It afforded the 
audience, therefore, the best opportunity to form a 
judgment of the singer and her style by the test of 
compsrison. From the earliest notes of the noble 
introduction to the aria it was evident that the 
ainger no longer held absolute control over the voice. 
First the tone Itself was neither fresh nor pure, and 
secondly the power of sustaining or diminishing the 
tone was impaired. This was more apparent in the 
aria itself, which requires perfect evenness, steadi- 
ness and purity of tone, and a sustained cantabile 
style. Certainly its interpretation as a whole was a 
dear disappointment. But the nobility of style and 
the fine method of the singer were recognized, and 
Mile. Titjens was warmly recalled. She responded 
to the demand with one of Schumann's most fervent 
songs, the "Widmung.''(*' Du Meine Seele, I>u Mein 
Herz.") This Mile. Titjens sang in an imoassioned 
manner, bnt with the same faulta noticeable in the 
Weber aria, that is, such a lack of sustaining power 
as to cause her to take breath in the middle of a 
vocal phrase, and to give to the whole song a atac- 
cato effect. 

At the close of the first part of the programme 
she sang another broad, quiet, simple, and Mautiful 
aria, the one with which Nilaaon opened her 
career in this country, Haydn's '* With Verdure 
Clad." We cannot think either of these selections 
adapted to show the best qualities of this artist. 
They seemed calculated rather to display the inju- 
ries that time had wrought upon what in Ita prime 
must have been a superb voice. — Hardly second to 
Mile. Titjens in point of English esteem is Madame 
Arabella Qoddard, who took part in. the concert. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, OCT. 16. 1876. 



109 



playing movementii from Beethoven's Concerto in E 
flat, and a fantasia by Tlialber^. Tliis lady has long 
been considered the foremost En^j^lish pianUie, 

TMj is not the lady's first appearance in this 
country. She was heard at Gilmore*s Second Jubi- 
lee in Boston, in June, 1872. p1ayin<^ then only a few 
tirpes, and her qualities received no adequate appre- 
ciatlon, it beini^ impossitle for any pianist to be 
heard to advantage or to be otherwise than lost in 
that monster buildingf. 

Since then whe has been heard in distant parts of 
the world, and recently <n San Francisco, and now 
comes eastward from that city. She has done more 
almost than any one else at the Saturday Popular 
Concerts in London and otherwheres tobrins: before 
the public the almost forg^)tten. but estimable works 
of composers of the second rank, such as Dussek, 
dementi, Scarlatti, Steibelt, Hoschelcs, Woelfi, and 
others of the same stamp. Her playing of the 
movements from the Beethoven concerto was char 
acterised by great sensibility and delicacy of musi- 
cal perception — a firm, but not a very strong touch 
—exquisite finish and grace in scale passages, and 
in whatever points of ornament there were, and a 
broad and fine interpretation of the themes of the 
concerto. 

To the encore she responded with a waits by 
Chopin, taken in such a quick tempo, and with a 
clear accentuation of the oass, that it made a new 
reading of a familiar piece. As Madame Ooddard is 
not a bravura player, she will have to win her way 
into public favor by her quiet talent. 

There were other solos, noticeably Faure's '* Les 
Raraeauz," extremely ill sung by Signor Orlandini, 
which we have not space at present to more than 
refer to. * 

As a whole the concert, we believe, left upon 
the mind of the audience a sense of disappointment. 



> ♦ ■ 



Ezeeatenti and Sditon— IL 

[From Omoonila, [London.] 

« Bl« sagen das mathet mich aksbt an, 
Und glanben sie liIUen*s abgetlian."— ^mO^. 

In the preceding article* it was pointed out that 
the increased desire for clearness, precision and ful- 
ness of detail, which is a characteristic of modern 
thought, has been felt In music; and that it has 
given rise to a formidable array of executants and 
editors whose achievements, like those of the best 
philologists, are based upon subtle and critical dis- 
section of the texts, and subsequent reconstruction 
thereof. It has been shown that tradition is any- 
thing but a trustworthy guide ; yet that the hope of 
ultimately establishing and reoording a consistent, 
and In all likelihood correct, style for the interpre- 
tation of Palestrina, Bach, Beethoven, Ac, is not by 
any means extravagant. Let us look to Joachim's 
rendering of Bacns CioMnna or to Yon BQlow's 
edition of the FatUana cromatiea as examples of the 
minute care and loving insight with which such 
work should be done. 

An editor's task, over and above the guarantee for 
a text free from misprints and such like. Is that of a 
practical commentator, and interpreter ; and he is 
wanted In both the latter capacities: wherever 
instruments have gone out of use, or the nature of 
instruments haa been modified since the author's 
time (witness the gradual change of the harpsichord 
Into our concert grand) ; wherever obsolete signs, 
or?abbreviations are used (Conperin, Rameau, Bach): 
wherever inflections of light and shade and other 
directions for precise execution are missing — in a 
word, wherever a composer has trusted to the habits 
and special knowledge of contemporary craftsmen ; 
for In no art does that which seems the natural 
speech of some particular generation appear so fre- 
quently andfSO auickly obsolete, as In music. 

As an example of the possible harm a composer 
•may do to himself by neglecting detailed indications 
let me take a recent c as e Schumann's "Arabesque," 
op. 18. 



ritard. 



fitctrd. 




•Oopled fa No. 6 of this Vol., (June It); fallare to re- 
celv« the ComeorMa In season has obliged us to delay tlds 
second part. 



After these two, he gives fLVB more ritardandot, in 
succession. Does he mean what he actually says ? 
that the tempo is to become slower and slower by 
degrees, consequently, that at the fourth or fifth re- 
move it should. cease altogether? Of course not! 
we all answer ; Schumann means that we are to 
besrin anew in full time after each 9eeond ritardando, 
that the phrases are to rhyme in point of speed as 
they rhyme rhythmically and harmonically, and he 
omitted to put an " a tempo " aft«r each bit of four 
bars. Well and good^-this is quite obvious to us ; 
but are we sure that it will be equally obvious a 
century hence ? 

AiTiiin, take the pp, ppp, pppp, at the close of 
Schubert's " Moment musical," No. 8. in F minor. 
Shall the sound disappear altogether, like that of the 
horn player who made grimaces instead of playing 
at the rehearsal, and whom the conductor admon- 
ished to play still more softly at the performance ? 
Of course not, is the answer ; you must interpret 
the last pppp as a ealando. Moderate the movement 
gradually towards the final bars. Well and good. 
But is this so very obvious, and so entirely free from 
cavil ? Why should not Schubert have indicated 
his intentions in precise terms ? Could not an edi- 
tor in both cases render good service ? 

Confining ourselves to the pianoforte, let me enu- 
merate a few recent editions, in which everything 
that can be wished for has been furnished by the 
editors: Schubert — Aussrewfthlte Sonaten und So- 
lostacke, edit. ZamzI ; Weber — Ausgew&hlte Sona- 
ten und Solostiicke, edit. Liazt ; Weber — Ansge- 
wjlhlte Werke, -edit. HenteU; Beethoven — Sonaten 
und andere Werke (from, op. 68 to op. 129), edit 
Von JHUow ; Seh. Bach — (Euvres choisies. edit Von, 
BiUow ; Handel—CEuvres choisies. edit Von B&hw; 
Chopin — (Euvres, In course of publication (8rd vol. 
just out), edit KUndworth, 

It is as though one was privileged to look into a 
great actor's private copy of his part in a play ; for 
these editions, besides presenting a correct text, 
clear of all ambiguities and misprints, exactly as the 
composer wrote it, give, on separate staves, or dis- 
tinguished from the original oy smaller type, the 
editor's tfarianiet, his interpretation of all emMli- 
me^, dynamical marks, phrasing, fingering, pedals, 
together with frequent explanatory annotations by 
way of foot-notes. Of course no Mltor cares to as- 
sume papal infallibility. Each distinctly states in 
his preface that what ne offers is but a record of his 
individual interpretation, and that he does not pre- 
tend to lay down the law absolutely. So, in the 
end matters turn round the question, "Who is who? ** 
which question a comparison of the work here done 
with any other work of the same intent will speedily 
answer. Detailed quotations would be useless, as 
the present purpOM does not admit of a review. 
Let the assertion suffice that these editions are sure 
to prove more valuable than yards of new composi- 
tions. 

I may note, by the way, that the desire for clear- 
ness, precision and fulness of detail, which was for- 
mulated into a tendency to eschew incomplete 
suggestion, and by all possible means to appeal to 
the nearer's sensuous pierceptlon, lies at the root of 
all those extremely elaborate pariUwnM dt piano^ 
which have been published since the appearance of 
Liszt's models in that way, his transcription of Ber- 
lios's " Symphonic phantastique," and overture to 
Le9 Fnmeti JUgeg, Weber^s Overtures and Beetho- 
ven's symphonies. Such are. for example. Von 
Bulow's IriMtan und Uoldt, Tausig*s DU Mei$ter- 
tinffer,K{\nAwwtWB JRheinffold, WalkQr§, Siegfried, 
Gdtierddmmerunff; or. in a smaller way, Tausig's 
and Saint-SaSn's movements from Beethoven's quar- 
tets, or the latter^s arrangements from Bach's canta- 
tas and solos for stringed instruments. Such tran- 
scriptions really may be compared with a careful 
and correct engraving of some largepicture In oils ; 
and they Idiflfer esseiitially, and infinitely for the 
better, from the older type of Clavierausgug k la 
Cxemy, which reduced the orchestra to the level of 
a piano, instead of rabing the piano to the level of 
an orchestra. 

From the same point of view— 4hat of protest 
against incomplete suggestion— we should be ready 
to welcome whoever fills np with a msster^s hand 
and in the spirit of the original the outlines of fig- 
ured bass, etc.. left by Bach, Handel, and all their 
pro and epigonol; as Robert Franc has done so 
supremely well to many an air of Handel's and can- 
tata of Bach's, or as Mozart and Mendelssohn have 
added to the scores of the Mettiah and lerael in 

And this point of view from which additions to a 
score, ie., translation of sug^gestions into something 
equivalent and poaltiye, are Justifiable, will also coy- 



er all genuine eases of re-lnstrumentatlon ; f.s., 
giving to the composer the proper means for 
expressing his thought wherever his thought is 
unmistakM>le, and the means used to express it, for 
mechanical reasons easily pointed out, palpably in- 
adequate. 

It is only recently that the publication of score 
and parts to an orchestral work, is a matter of dally 
occurrence. Men used to be content with putting 
things down In a shape best calculated for immediate 
sale. Thus sketching was encouraged, and compo- 
sers became apt to let their Inventiye faculties run 
riot Instead of concentrating and maturing their 
thought This applies, for instance, to some of the 
loveliest of Schubert's pianoforte compositions. 

The parallel between painting over a picture and 
the re-instrumentation of a piece of a mnsic is not a 
happy one. If it were attempted between the re- 
instrumentation of a piece and the copy of a picture, 
in which some details are changed, no matter 
whether for the better or the worse, one might pass 
it by as harmless, or else dispose of it with " varla- 
tio delectat;" but as it stands, the inference is 
necessarily, that a musician who adds to the Instru- 
mentation of a movement commits a piece of Van- 
dalism akin to that of a dauber who besmirches a 
master's picture ; and any parallel couched In such 
loose terms, must be protested against The original 
sketch, copy, edition, whatever It may be, of a piece 
of music, is not destroyed by a masterly transcrip- 
tion or re-Instrumentation; on the contrary its 
power to move men is freqnently enhanced thereby. 
And thus we can account for the odd fact, that 

Sieces often receive an entirely new lease of life by 
cing dther re-soored or tranaferred from some par- 
ticular Instrument or group of instmmenu, to 
another, or to the f^U orchestra. 

Some pieces may be likened to a pencil sketch or 
etching, and to apply color to such would be writing 
oneself down an ass. But there are others, and not 
a few, whose dimensions are fully drawn out form- 
ing a complete canvas ready for color. Such are, 
for instance, Chopin's Allegro de Concert in A, op. 
46, which is the first movement of a concerto, with 
tHtii and so/t, and still awaits Its resurrection; 
Etudes, op. 89, Noa. 8, 9 and 10, in G sharp minor, 
a perfect concerto in three movements, only wanting 
instrumentation to appear in due splendor; Schu- 
bert's Grand Duo k 4 mains, in C, op. 140, a com- 
plete symphony, which has been colored for fbll 
orchestra by Joachim ; Weber's Polonaise In E, op. 
72, which has been scored by Liazt, and many more. 
Here there is no shadow of presumption or uncalled 
for meddling with the worxs of others. It is the 
same case as when, in an atelier of old, a picture was 
in the main considered and designed by the elder 
master, and In subordinate parts executed by his 
friends and pupils. 

To end ; what tiny cricket has been crushed with 
this ponderous sledge hammer ? what is the result 
of all this palaver ? Little enough, truly : in the first 
Instance, let us tolerate that which is supposed to run 
athwart of pseudo-tradition ; in the second, let us 
not Ignore that which is accomplished on higher 
than " traditional ** grounds, for fear lest men might 
some day. In Schopenhauer's phrase, be tempted '*to 
derive ignorance from ignoring." Let us avoid cod- 
ifying the law for the present ; let us examine each 
single case of interpretation, restitution, addition. 
Instrumentation, on its individual merits ; and let 
us study with all reverence, and due patience, that 
which our greatest players and acutest critics have 
elaborated in the course of a lifetime. 

I am convinced that if here and there the right 
thing is exaggerate or overdone by competent per- 
sons, or, what is f^r worse, the right thing is badly 
done by Incompetent persons, the common sense of 
musidans wUl easily put matters to rights. 

EdWABD DAlTNnKUTHKS. 



**^ 



pBorxMon Rrrm's Histoht or Musio. — ^The 
friends of Professor RItter will be pleased to learn 
that the History has been republished 4n London 
(Reeves A Co.) this summer, and has been most 
favorably received by the English press ; a compli- 
ment fiilly merited by ita learning, truatworthineas, 
and breadth of judgment Professor Ritter has not 
been idle during we *' long vacation ; " the New 
York Tribune has already informed us that he has 
been employed on his Fourth Symphony, which, 
we learn, is now completed. He has just published 
(Schuberth A Co., New Torkj a new arrangement 
of ten of the roost beautiful of Moore's Irish Melo- 
dies ; and a new collection of original songs by the 
Professor will shortly be issued by one of the prin- 
cipal European publishing honsea. 



110 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC 



$mt's lonmal of Pnsit. 



BOSTON, OCT. 16, 1876. 

The "SzoeUent Art of Mntick." 

The following " Dedication " to a qaaint old folio 
▼olnme of Music, published in London, A. D. 1700, 
will iiinuse the reader. The title page, very impos- 
ingly printed in black and red, and confronted by 
the big-wigged, Chief-Justice-liko portrait of the 
author, reads thus: — 

" Amphion Anqlicus. a Work of many Composi- 
tions, for one, two, three and four Voices; with 
several Aocompagnements of Ii^strumental Mustek ; 
and a Thorow-Bass to each Song : figur'd for an 
Organ, Harpsichord, or Theorboe-Lute. By Dr. 
John Blow." 

One knows not which most to admire in the 
seraphic Doctor : his large sense of the dignity of 
his art, or the well-rounded, Ciceronian vernacular 
in which he has couched his meaning. Decidedly 
his paragraphs are worthy of a place among elegant 
extracts. The modesty, too, of the concluding sen- 
tences stands in rich contrast with the aforesaid 
big-wigged portrait, and with the series of poetical 
rhapsodies addressed to the author, which he has 
printed after the dedication ; one of which is headed : 
" To the Mott IneomparabU MaaUr of Miuick, Dr. 
John Blow; Occasioned by his obliffitig the World 
with hit Inimitable Amphion Anglicus." 

Altogether the book is a curiosity. Many a 
prima donna of the present day would shrink from 
the vocal rouladea and passages with which these 
old songs bristle; and that ienore would have to 
have more virtuosity than most of our " neg^o mel- 
odists,'' who should undertake to sing, for instance, 
the song of " The Fair Lover and his Black Mis- 
tress," commencing : Oh / Nigrocella / Sc, 

To Her Royal Highneee, ike Prineeu Ann of Denmark: 

Madame: The excellent Art of Musick was 
thought by many of the Wisest Ancients, to 
have derived its Original immediately from 
Heaven; as one of the First, most beneficial 
Gifts of the Divine Goodness to Mankind: 
thereby to draw and allure, the old, rude, and 
untaught World, into Civil Societies ; and so 
to soften and prepare their Minds for the easier 
reception of all other Accomplishments of Wis- 
dom and Vertue. 

The most Learned of the Ancient Heathens, 
the Greeks, were so much of this Opinion, that 
they carried their Veneration for this Admirable 
Faculty too far. They believed they could not 
do it right, but by assigning to it, for its Pro- 
tection and Improvement, some peculiar tute- 
lary Gods of its own. Nay, when to all the 
other Ornaments and Perfections of human 
Life, they seldom appointed more than one sin- 
gle Deity to preside over each of them, to 
Musick alone they allotted a greater number of 
Guardian Divinities than to any of the rest; 
some of the Male, but most of the Female and 
Fairer Sex. 

Thev were indeed mistaken, when they be- 
stowed on it these Fabulous Honours ; and they 
made but ill Gods and Goddesses of those Men 
and Women, who would have done excellently 
well if they had only passed for patrons of it, 
or inventors in it, as they really were. 

But in all times of the truer Antiquity, even 
amongst God*8 own peculiar People, we find 
this most instructive and delightful Skill did 
always meet with its due and deserved Honours, 
short of Idolatry, and within the bounds of 
Sobriety and Decency. 

Thus we read in the Holy Scriptures, not 
long after the History of the Creation, the Name 
of the Man is Solemnly recorded with Renown, 
among the Founders of Nations, who was the 
first Inventor of the Harp and the Organ. 

And undoubtedly, there was never any Age 



of the true Church afterwards, whether Jewish 
or Christian, wherein the Sacred delighta of 
Musick were not admitted, to bear an eminent 
Part in the Worship of the True God. 

In the Jewish Church, it is certain, that even 
before the Temple itself was built, while it 
was yet only in Design, God Inspired David, 
the Man after his own Heart, to Compose be- 
fore-hand, the Hymns and Divine Anthems that 
were to be Sung'in it. 

And the choice of the Person for that Work, 
was infinitely for the dignity of the Art: Since 
no less a Man, than the chief of their Monarchs 
and the greatest of their Conquerors, was or- 
dained by God, to be their Poet and Musician 
on that occasion. 

And it were easy to prove, that the same Ce- 
lestial Spirit of Musical Concord and Harmony, 
was all along cherished and entertained in the 
Christian Church, during the very best Times 
of its purest Doctrines and Devotions. 

It will be enough, only to mention one un- 
deniable Instance, That, in the Primitive Age, 
during the cniellest Persecutions, in their most 
Private and Nightly Assemblies, the Christians 
of that early time, as Pliny informed Trajan, 
remarkably distinguished themselves, by their 
alternate Singing of Psalms, and Spiritual 
Songs. 

Such, Madame, have been always the Em- 
ployments of the Sublime Art of Musick, to 
teach and cultivate Humanity; to Civilize Na- 
tions; to Adorn Courts; to Inspirit Armies; to 
Inspire Temples and Churches ; to sweeten and 
reform the nerce and barbarous Passions; to 
excite the Brave and Magnanimous ; and, above 
all, to inflame the Pious and Devout. 

For these Reasons, it has all along received 
the Encouragement and Favor of the Greatest, 
the Wisest, the most Religious, the most 
Heroick Persons of all Ages. And it seems 
but reasonable, that it should be so, that they 
should principally take upon them the care of 
this Highborn Science of Tuneful Sounds and 
Numbers, whose Souls are more elevated than 
others, and seem most to partake of that Natu- 
ral, and Divine Harmony, it professes to Teach. 

You see, Madame, what undoubted Title 
Tour Royal Highness has to the Patronage of 
this Art. It is Tour own by many rightful 
claims, not only for your High Birth and Roy- 
al Dignity, but for something, that is even yet 
more Tour own ; for that admirable temper of 
Spirit, that harmonious sweetness of Disposi- 
tion, that silent Melody, and charming Musick 
of Tour whole Life. 

After I have said this, it cannot be denied, 
but that, by inscribing these Papers to Tour 
Royal Highness, I have chosen the worthiest 
and most excellent P.atroness for these my 
Studies, that this Nation, or Age has produc- 
ed. Tet I must still confess, while I applaud 
my self for the happiness of my Choice, the 
ambition of it puts me into Confusion ; I am 
ashamed to think, that to such a Patroness I 
can present so very little, either worthy of the 
Art I admire, or of the Glorious Princess to 
whom I dedicate all my Muses . 

But for that part, which concerns Tour self, 
Madame, Tour own Goodness and Benignity 
has set my Mind at ease, by Tour generous In- 
vitation and favourable Promise, of accepting 
the low Present I now offer, and Tour Gra- 
cious Assurance of a perpetual Protection to 
its Author. 

And that also, if anything can, may possibly 
enable me to supply the other Part better for 
the future, and lift up my Genius to something 
more becoming the Majesty of Art it self. 

The two most Noble ends of 'Musick Vocal 
and Instrumental, being either to raise and 
nourish the tender, and the Generous Passions 
of Love, Friendship, and Honour, among Men: 
or to animate our Affections, and to kindle the 
ardour and zeal of pur Devotions towards God : 
I must own, that what I now lay at your Royal 
Highnesses Feet, consists only in some weak 
Performances of the first kind. 

I will make no apology for the Subjects of 
any of them, tho' they are generally conversant 



about Love-Affairs: since the divertisements 
and delights of those softer Affections, when 
conceived in pure thoughts, and clothed with 
innocent Expressions, have been always allow- 
ed in all Wise and Good-natur'd Polite Na- 
tions; and never any where Condemned by the 
truly Good and Honourable part of Mankind. 

I dare affirm, that nothing but the unsociable 
suUenness of a C^'nick, would ever exclude 
secular Musick, so qualified, out of Civil So- 
cieties ; as nothing but the perverse sowemess 
of a Fanatick, would ever drive Divine Musick 
out of the Church. 

But yet, lest a Work of this Nature, though 
perhaps not blameable in it self, either for the 
Matter, or the manner of it, should however 
seem to fall l>e1ow what is due to Tour Royal 
Highnesses Greatness of Mind, and consummate 
Vertue : Give me leave, Madame, to tell Ton, 
I am preparing, as fast as I can, to make some 
amends for this, by a Second Musical Present, 
upon Arguments incomparably better: I mean 
my Cburch-Servics and Divine Compositions.^ 

To those, in truth, I have ever more especi- 
ally consecrated the Thoughta of my whole 
Life. All the rest I consider but as the Blos- 
soms, or rather the Leaves ; those I only esteem 
as the Fruits of all my Labours in this kind. 
With them I began my first youthful Raptures 
in this Art: With them, I hope calmly and 
comfortably to finish my days. Nor will my 
Mind be ever at rest, till I have offered them 
up to God, for the Publick use of the best 
Church in the Christian World, under the Pro- 

Sitious Authority of Tour Royal Highnesses 
fame. 

May it please Tour Royal Highness, 

I am Tour Most Humble, most Dutiful, 

and most Devoted Servant, 

JOHN BLOW. 



■^/^^^^^*V%/N^» 



Yon Baelow. 

The great pianist is here, having arrived last 
Sunday in the Parthia. All the papers have assured 
us that he is safely bestowed in quiet, comfortable 
quarters up in Beacon Street, where he prefers to 
remain undisturbed during the week of preparation 
for his first concert in America, with which he is to 
honor Boston, devoting, it is said, some eight or 
nine hours per day to practice of his instrument. 
He may or he may not need it, but " eternal vigi- 
lance ** is the price of all consummate mastery ; and 
it may be that the thought of playing such a rep- 
ertoire as his in our vast Music Hall snggesta to him 
the need of some modification of the eeale in his dy- 
namics. On Monday evening we shall have the 
felicity of hearing his masterly interpretation of the 
greatest of Concertos, Beethoven's in E flat, called 
by Englishmen the " Emperor,** — and that will be a 
Concert in itself. The remainder of the programme, 
and of two to follow is given in the advertisements ; 
only we have seen it stated that besides his own 
numbers, the orchestra, made up of Boston musi- 
cians, and conducted by Cabl BaaoMAXif (who ought 
to have staid with us when the old "Germania" 
broke up, instead of going to New Tork) will play 
the Leonore Overture, No. 8, and one or two smaller 
pieces. Of course the desire to hear these concerts 
will be very great, and they will doubtless form in 
one sense the marked event — at any rate sensation 
—of the season. 

We are assured that Dr. von Buelow positively 
will not conduct an orchestra during his visit to this 
country ; he comes here as pianist, and in justice to 
that function will avoid the strain of another equally 
exacting. But we are sure all lovers of the best 
piano music are united in the hope that, besides 
great concerts in the Music Hall, ho will not leave 
us without giving one or more Chamber Concerta 
for compositions without orchestra, in a smaller hall 
where such fine tone-poems can be best appreciated. 



BOSTON, SATUKDAY, OCT. 16, 1875. 



Ill 



As yet, however, we have not heard of any such in- 
tention on his own part or that of the raana^- 
ment. 

Ferdinand Hiller, who writes so many good things 
about the Art of which he is himself a master, has 
furnished, in the KolntJiche Zeitung, an almost pho- 
tographic portrait of Von Biilow's personal appear- 
ance, which certainly agrees well with our own 
recollection of him as we saw him nearly fifteen 
years ago. This writer says of him : " He is a small 
man, with a thoroughly Prussian look, and, as all 
fine orchestra leaders, has a military martinet air. 
His head is that of a soldier more than that of an 
artist, — small, compact, hard looking as a hickory 
nut. His eyes are large — d fiettr de UU, as the 
French say. He wears a heavy brown moustache, 
a little Vandyke beard, which hides the shape of his 
mouth ; bis forehead recedes, the crown of his head 
is a little bald ; the ears incline back, adding to the 
rather sharp, bellit^erent expression of his keen little 
head and face. When he takes his place before the 
orchestra, you expect to see him draw hif sword, 
and every musician is ready to charge to the death. 

Hiller also says of him : 

" Billow is one of the Generals who divided among 
themselves the inheritance of LisKt — Alexander the 
Great. For several hours he has kept our audience 
in a state of such breattiless astonishment that the 
feeling at length became almost painful. His play- 
ful subjugation of all technical difficulties ; his really 
military strength and power of endurance; his 
nearly infallible certainty; and his memory, in 
which all thb pieces that he played, and who knows 
how many more that he did not play, appear to be 
stored as safely as a collection of classics in an oak 
book case, caused the audience to forget entirely 
that they had come to a Beethoven entertainment." 



♦♦• 



Chamber Masia 

A New Pianist. The' Matin6e of piano music 
given, in the name of the Boston Conservatory, on 
Tuesday last, by Mr. John Oarn, held a large audi- 
ence well interested to tlie end, in spite of the heat 
of Wesleyan Hall. Mr. Orth is a young American, 
born in Taunton of this State, we believe, of Ger- 
man parentage. He has been studying music very 
earnestly for several years in Germany, and has been 
under the influence of Li»zt and several of the most 
eminent teachers at the various schools there. He 
is an intellectual and manly looking youth, and 
shows great self-possession, quiet reserved force, and 
evidence of thorough and determined study, as well 
as more than ordinary talent, — perhaps something 

higher. 

His programme on this occasion drew largely 
from Liszt and others of the modern school, includ- 
ing some of the most arduous tasks of execution. 
Every piece was played from memory. — some of 
them with the vitality of a present genuine feeling and 
conception. He began with Tausig's transcription 
of Bach*8 great D-minor Toccata and Fugue for the 
Organ. The arrangement in itself is very grand 
and broad and oigan-like, and it was played 
with perfect evenness, firmness and distinctness, 
making a fine impression. A Prelude in E minor 
by Raff and quite an original and anaint Gavotte 
by Bilaa (whoever ho may be) were discreetly, beao- 
tifuUy rendered. There was great delicacy of 
expression in his recital of Liszt's ** Consolation." 
and much grace and freedom in iiis &nre€ de Vi- 
enne after Schubert. The Norwegian Wedding 
March, by Soderroann. had a captivating aualntnesH 
and freshness, and of this too he seemed to have 
caught the spirit tr'jly. One of the larger Novel- 
ettes of Schumann was well conceived and ren- 
dered. Liszt's " Gnomenreigen " and extremely 
difiicult and brilliant Polonaise in £ we could not 
stop to hear. 

Mr. Orth certainly made the impression of a gift- 
ed, earnest, thoroughly-trained pianijit. equal to 
high tasks. His exeiu-ion is remarkable, and his 
conception, taste and spirit, so far as these examples 



could show, rarely at a fault. He must prove, we 
should think, a welcome and a valuable addition to 
our already rich company of piano-playing artiste. 

Mr. Pkrabo has made arrangements for three 
pinno recitals, to bo given on the following dates: 
November 6 and 19 and December 8. At the last 
named he will be assisted by Mr. Ferdinand von 
Inten, a fellow-student in Leipzig, at present a 
teacher in New York. Mr. Perabo will return to 
Boston about the 21st inst. 

Tub Boston Philharmonic Club (Messrs. B. Listk- 
MANN A Co.), announce the programme of their first 
of six Chamber Concert-s in Bumstead Hall for 
Wednesday afternoon. Nov. 10. It inclndes the C- 
minor Quintet of Beethoven ; Schumann's Quartet 
with Piano (Mme. Scuillkr) who will also give the 
Suite by RafT.in E minor; Theme and Variations from 
Schubert'?' Quartet in D minor; Carnival (Scenes 
Mi'rnons) by Schumann, arranged for the Club; 
Solo for 'Cello, Mr. Hartdkgkn, and for flute, Mr. 
Weiner. 



Harvard Symphony Goncerta 

The public sale of >»ease)n tickets for the ten con- 
certs of the Eleventh Sen«»on will begin at the Music 
Hall on Monday, 18tli inRt. The members of the 
Association, who e:iiarantee the concerts, have 
reserved a more limited number of seats for them- 
selves than u:*nal, so that there will be a plenty of 
choice seat» for pale. Each seascm ticket will admit 
also to the hM rehearsal of each ci>nceit; the other 
rehearsals (increased in numbers for the more 
thorough practice of the orchestra) will be tttrietly 
private, and no admissions to any rehearsals will be 
sold. Mr. Zkrraiin will conduct as u«ual. and**THie 
Cecilia," under the direction of Mr. B. J. LAXO.will 
sing in several of the concerts b jth with and with- 
out orc!iestra. 

The dates, with a single chan<re, are as we ha^^e 
heretofore stated, namely: Nov. 4. 18; Dec. 2, 27 
(Monday); Jan. 6, 20; Feb. 8, 17; March 2, 16;— 
all on t'hursdays, and at fortnight intervals, with 
one excepti(m. 

Of the progr;tmmes we are able to give substan- 
tially the first four, as follows: 

First Conckrt, Nov. 4. — Overture to " Tlie 
Water-Carrier," CherMni ; Piano Concerto, No. 4, 
in F minor (second time in Bo«t(m) played by £. 
Pbrado. — ^The ** Scotch ** Symphony, MendeUtolm ; 
Overture: *' Ruler of the SpiriU," Weber, 

Skcond Concert, Nov. 18. — Overture to "Fieri- 
bras,** Schubert ;* Piano Concerto (first time), in B 
minor, op. 89. Hummel, played by Mme. Madkline 
Schiller ; Entracte and Invocation from *' Man- 
fred,'* Schnmann. — Symphony: *' Eroica," Beethoven; 
Overture and * * ballet music from "Preciosa," 
Weber, 

Third Concert, Dec. 2. — Overture to "The Men 
of Pn»methenj4," Beethoven / * * Finale of Schn- 
mnniCn Scenes from Goethe's Fan%t, by " Tub Ceci- 
lia; Symphony in D, No. 2, Hajidn; Part Songs, 
by the Cecilia. — Three Short Marches (second time) 
from MifzarCi *' Figaro " and " Magic Flute," and 
Beethoven** "Fidelio"; "Loreley" (Soprano s<.»lo. 
chorus and orchestra), AfendefMohn, (second time) ; 
Overture : " The Hebrides." Afettde-$Mohn. 

Fourth Concert, Dec, 27. — Overture : " In the 
Highlands," Oade ; ♦ * Symphony, instrumented 
from ScJiubertt op. 140, by J«iseph Joachim. — Piano 
Concerto in E flat, No. 5, played by Hugo L eon- 
hard; * Overture to *' La Dkuie Blanche," Boiei- 
dieu {horn Dec. 1775). 

Among other things for piano in concerto form dur- 
ing the season will be two novelties : A concerto by 
the distinguished French composer and organist at 
the Madeleine, Camille Saint-Saens (by Mr. Lang); 
and probably Schumann's Concert-Allegro, op. l:U, 
— the only work of his for piano with orchestra 
, which has not beeu given in these concerts. There 
will probably be one more Beethoven Concerto, 
that in C minor, to be played by Mr. Parker. — 
More in due time. 



Carl Zerrahn at Worobstbr. The Worce$ter 

Spy, in its report of the Mu»ical Festival held there 

this week, has this to say of Mr. Zerrahn. We 

trust it will meet the eye of the musical committee 

of the Centennial at Philadelphia. 

"Mr. Zerrahn loses none of his popularity as a con- 
ductor each succeeding year among the members 
who make up our chorus, and the warmth with 
which he is greeted, the respect and confidence 
which he commands, ia something remarkable. At | 



the same it is not to be wondered at, for theie is no 
question but what he excels all others in this coun- 
try as conductor of oratorio music. A careful ob- 
server who attends the rehearsals each day, cannot 
fail to notice how perfectly Mr. Zerrahn has com- 
mitted the music he is conducting to memory. His 
assistance to the singers is always valuable ; they 
have learned to depend upon him in every emergen- 
cy, and we can recall many instances in which, dur- 
ing the performance of some oratorio on the night of 
the concert, he has fairly saved a chorus from what 
might have been a complete failure on their part, or 
some artist who but for Mr. Zerrahn's assistance 
might have gone far astray, with no power of 
regaining what they had lost. For these reasons he 
will continue to occupy his present high position, 
and g:row in favor with our musical societies the 
more they sin? under his direction. We write these 
words, not that they are needed, nor in any flatter- 
ing spirit, but simply to express our individual sen- 
timonts, feeling that they will find a response in the 
minds of those who have so long known and studied 
with him, as well as those who have witnessed the 
admirable style with which he performs his work." 

Singing Lessons. It wiVI be good news to many 
that that accomplished artist and highly cultivated 
woman. Miss Clara Doria, will remain in Boston 
this winter and devote herself almost exclusively to 
pupils who desire " Ctiltivation of the Voice," and 
instruction in "Enjflish. German and Italian Music." 
She has taken rooms at No. 16 Ashburton Place 
She is one of the truly musical, experienced, intelli- 
gent, inspirlns: sort of teachers, as all who have been 
within her sphere of influence will testify. It is 
very, very seldom that a nn^er is at the same time 
a mfincian in the full sense that she is. — Mme. Ru- 
DBRSDORPF IS Ruother instance, of still more experi- 
ence, and in larger fields. The traditions of the best 
daya of Oratorio and Opera are hers. During the 
past year her throngs of pupils, both in town and at 
her summer residence (in Wrentham), have kept 
her almost out of public sight. She has just returned 
to her last winter's quarters at the Hotel BoyUton. 

— It also gives us particular pleasure to say that 
Mrs. Irving I. Harwood has so far recovered health 
and hearing that she is able to resume her lessons. 
She always had a winning and successful way with 
pupils as with audiences, and has withal rare musi- 
cal taste and judgment. 

MoBio in LondoiL 

Crystal Palace. A mnsfnifieent programme ia 
put forth for the 26 Saturday Afternoon Concerts 
of the 20th series, beginning Oct. 2, under the di- 
rection of Mr. August Manns. It includes the 
following list of works to be performed and artists : 

Palestbina— Motet for Chonin. 

Bach— A Sacred Cantata. ** Ood*s time U the bent," for 
Bolo voice*. choruA, and full orchestra; Suite, for or- 
chestra and BOlo flute, in B minor— both for tlie Ant 
time. 

Handel— The Chaodot Te Deum, hi B flat— for the flrst 
time. 

Haydn— Syraphonios; In D, No. 8 of Salomon set; in B 
flat, No. 4 of now series (RIeter-Bledermann)— both flrat 
time. 

Mozart— The Beguiem—fini time; the Bvmphony In D 
(Hafner); Coiicertante, for vioiln and viola. In £ flat— 
fur the first time. 

BRKTHovRy— The nine Symphonies in chronological order. 
The Mount of Olivet, Various Overtures, lli < Piano- 
forte Concertos in G mujor and E flat. Selection from 
the Octet for two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, 
anil two horns fOp. 1031. Selection from Serenade, for 
flute, violin, and vloU [Op. 2M— both flrst time. 

ScHUHBKT— (Srand Duo in fOp. 140], orchestrated by 
Joachim: Allet^ro, for i>trlnffS, fn C minor [18201— both 
Arst time; Symphony in B flat [Xo. 41. 

MENDRLssoHX-Symphony [No. 1] In C minor: the ffumn 
of PraUe; lh« WalpurgU Night; tbc 95(A P^alm. with 
final chorus [MS.] -for the flrst time: ''To the Sons of 
Art," fOr men's voices and lirass InKtruments ; Caprlccio 
In B minor, f;>r string^H— both flrrtt time; Overtures &o. 

Schumann— Symphuny In B flat [No. S|; Overture, scher- 
zo and flnale; O/erture \Rheinvaiifdied[\, with chorus- 
first timu; Introduction and Alie};ru, fur piano and or- 
chCiitra, In D [Op. 1341 — flrst time; Selection from 
SpanUrheg Leidertptel (Op, 74], for a vocal quartet- 
first time. 

Wbbrr— Rfindo air On^rarese, for bassoon; Overtiire to 
P,iter Schmofl—\Mth flrst time; favorite Overtures; and 
Scena for soprano and orchestra. 

SPOHM-Symphony [N.». 4], " The Power of Sound;" and 
the 2nd Concerto, for clarinet. 

HiLLRR— Concerto, for piano and orchestra, In F sharp 
minor. *^ 

Brahms— •*Rin-ildo," Cantitn, for solo tenor, chorus of 
men's voices, anrl orchestra [Op. 50]— flntttline; Scliick- 
saisiied. for chorus and orchestra; the Giand Serenade 
[Op. II]. 

R\FF— Symphony [No. 41 In O minor; "Mazurka. Polo- 
naise, and Kus'<lsch," from Op. 174, for orchestra, by the 
componer- all flrst time. 

Rob BUT VoLK MANN— Overture to Shakspere's Richard 

///.—flrst time. 
Waos Eli— Overtures to Tflnnhau*^ and D^ Jlieoend' 

IIollAnder and extracts from Triton und Iwlde aud otb 'r 

operas. 



112 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



iloaa*, lot ■oprano ud orobfiln— both tat thn flrii 

air w'. aTKiiTinjtLB BBMMBTT— 0«rtnr«, " PuUIwi; " 

8lrJiTLiti>nsyEDiCT— AndintcindFlule from tod arm- 

ptwn]', In C— Sr«l lima. 
Prnfawor MAcr&BBES-Ontorio. Si. JMo 04 aapUH- 

KasKV H. PtEun^^lTiutfU, ■ Bf mpbonla Poem tOt or- 

eci-IJVAK— Symphnny In K. 

JoHB Fim;<C» 8i»K«TT— CoBCwto for pluio ul orcbM- 

Hit!<sT HOLMU— Conearto tat rlolln and orrhMUn— 

flnttime. 
E. PaoiTT— MnfUlBcU IQt •olo Toices. chanu, ud orohH- 



thedii*. uweil u 



Rmragemro 



* ftlraad.T been i 
- CO, AHm - ■ 



wllh — Mdm. 



Kdlth Wynn 

Imr. 0%tnn&. Mdm 



niiinoheOnU. Hlw Row - 
Mdlls. RrlHIno. Illi> 8aph<e 

PiUy, Mdma. Anlolneue HUiiinic^ _>. d-iu> ninTTn. nr. 
V*maD RIiOt. Ur. List i1, Blenar Poll, Ur. PiM, and Ur. 
WbhotT: ^rlm*. Narud*. Udmc Eulnoff. urn Mir<« 
KnlM. KIw Zlmnenninn. MIo Anns MebllK, Karr Joa- 
chim, HiTf mihalni], Hr. Henry Haimsa, Mr, Oarrmlat, 
Hlt-or Plattl. Mr. Cbrha HalM, M. Mortlar At Fonulnc. 
Herr Pann-, M. Damuvutbu, Ifr. Oacar Barrtncsr. and 

V^ VhhVIIa Tawing 

MI formed hy 



■ will ba flneagBd m opporumliT 
a liMn niad« to MM. Brabint and 
iId( and ooudoellBK (oma of tbelr 



The Ktuioal Proipeet In ?liiUds).phi&. 

[TrDm the PhUadelptila Tafulrw, OM. «.] 

Amenctha datlei almoat p«n1lar Id ajanrnallatla Ihat 



mtly ireatln 


t old! 


bjacuai I 




wan new 


r la (bill.. 






daty- 


tor. u ttaa 


hli raidsn 




noIndH n 




whom hli 


arefraaha 


dnnfamlllar, tha 






oneportla 


.allaaicofhllo* 


Oritl 





Hie ninaleal aanallit l> permitted to eDJor ifala pleanre 

la Intended to conaale him fbr many ■ pilrate pans. In 
llawnlnK to wnie nlubby peifnmanca nf Oh Oinaittti, 
talaeTemay rettapon ayounedevaleelnlbe pit. towhnm 
BatU! SaUir !• anpeallac far the Brat tine. Tba ynullinil 
llaiener hnua only Itinart. Tha tbartenmlBgi of itiad- 
amolaella an all anknown; and tbi reviewer, w he waich- 
tm, la Hair Inclined in oceilaoli them hlmielf. In aympalby 

At the Inlellectiial Ma tj of miule heconiei more and 
non nalnraal, tba annual pleaann of Uyinc befon the 
reader aocaa preapaet nl farthoamlnf mnaleal erenti lain 
■naeed. It I* grallfylnK u> know that, each year, ttae 
approaehlnt (a>ll*al* are man aanrly anilclpaud, and 



Beelnnlni with the mualcal prepanllnne whloh 

. .. _. ..5,„_ the Chora) ernnltalloQa deaei . . _ 

Tbe " Handel aM Hudn," which li br 




,>.,.. _h1ehlha"CKmi... 

Titalliy. It baM Iti Hnl rebearul on Baptrmbirr 2{l wicb 
an «ctlmnem1«rFblp of una hundred and thirty. Tlila 
baa aince been Iporeaaad to nearly two hundred. The 



Iia llret aeaaon will be mada bntb aitranlre and Im- 

thk cammnnlty. Robert Schiimitnn'fi '■ Paradlie and the 
Pert." and Kaelanan'a cantata or" St. John, the Haptlit," 
an nnw In reheariHl. * • * • Mr. O. A. Macfar an, 
pmldent of the tlme-^norecl Philhannonle Snclaty of 
Idtidon (the nune whieb acnl FWethnran a rcntcmui dona- 
tion on hia death-bed), la an ahlt mnalcal wHii-r, and a 

Inc. The -Stl/rtha" la tha flr-t one'nf any mairalmde' 
whIeb ha* iTocn atudled here, and nji It haa nerer t^ern 
heard In A'narlea, the new society will draeive mucfa ered- 
liforbrindnKltaut. 

TRS MALI onnauaES. 

"The Orphene anh," ftianrlrd and enndnelBd hy Mr. 

Crow, now compri-ae thirty memhen. Thew Brnllnmen 



'.y iKw compn^lllona 

-, , ,-- — .,_ _ _.. The ftunoB" " Prl'On 

en'Chonii>"fnm ndHle.and Ouldmark'n hnntlfnl nr 
_. '■■- 1 " Three riahiTa " are •mniTq the wmpn-illnni 



Socletiea. "Haennerrhor." "JnnEer Man'incrahor." "Wiv 
certHind," and atben are atwoili.bat their iDlentlonr 
have Dot yet bean aiade public. 



snat maat r of the plann-fortr, I 



iber. At each ci 



Oaerlnrr. Tlollni-t. i 



a, baaldea fnnilahlnr a 



ancpd. The featare of (b 



e will ha the m> 

try aerlea nf charaiwr o 






eorta an^ being prepared by our talented ytmni 

Mpflsre Quhlman. Zeekwer and p"*-« "^-^ 

and Mhcr partlenian nflbeaea 
ludclne hy tbe ijiat. Ibey are Boi 

Tor Orcheaint maalc It aeema likely that we ahnll hnv 
to depend chleAy on Theodore Thnmaa'a Orcheatni. ThI 
onmblnallon hae iMeed the annual proepeetne for a Mrle 

Oelober*. The dataa nf theaa onrerta will baOct"her» 

Kovember It, December ID, and Jannnry 13- They i 

take place atihe Aoailemyof f — ■' — ■.-—-* — - - 






I badni 



a haTetnjhre. ' 



ii'tcal •eiaan. 



makaa tbe Thomu Concert! 



n Balnrday afiamMna. 

, _i1a city OBiii' to cnmbine 

jtanliallon. Bneh ■ eomhlnatlon, properly conducted, 
wnnid meet wl'h a ann and apeedy eneceea. 

Of open mnalc ihle winter we are likely to have bnt Ut- 
ile. The KelN>|ltTraBpr, weilknown toallmoalpal rr>ad- 
enif will fWe twi> wceka of opera ben, b^hmlna on 
NoTember 12, and wlli add another initallnMntorporfonn- 
■neea In the aprlni. Thetanona and undentnbiT en-nt 
tennr, Thaodon WncMel, ban airalnarrlTedonoiirahnre*, 
■nri will Elfi a aerie* of Mrfotmnieea at the Academy nf 
M;iiic In Jannai7. A fair company la mid to have been 
enntrrd to aopport him, and tbe pmapect of leiHlmale 
Oennan open li, therefore, *ery iralltylnf . 

or Italian opera there ie no Immediate proapnt. Onsnf 
Ita cnaleat llvini ciemplam, Hdile. Tema TIf'jodKi It 
announced for ihe pnaenl Id concerto only, Bhe will 

Octnlwr la and n, and at a matlnio on the !Sd. Thli lady 
1> daaclned 18 aecun a trtumphant reeninltlon ben. Hf r 
■toreanf riiMun and her (mat natural ad*»nlaii». ad(l,.i1 
tn iha pre* tiae of twpnty yea™' aaecefaea In the Old World, 

m Itaelf oat in profuae- 



' bcfun Ihit or that aky-rocket arUit 

Another Important nimf! mait be Included In i 
>niwn p'rfarmera. The celebrated Hana Von 



Special |t[ituc5. 



V*««l. aiKli PliiiiQ Acc«Mi|iulm 

Boh of the Alps. 4. D to f. I 

" Echo reprallnE thr mountalna alone 
KT'ry wild notv of my Alpine aong.' 



Evening. (La Sera) (La Soir) Romftiii'.e. 

4. EAtoi7. Gounod. 40 

" In deep mience Iha wnrld ti tleeplDe." 
" Quando acanda 111 taciia aara." 
•' La eolr ramltDe le ellenee." 
Xmtndlee ibe true artlttle beonty of ereninir- 
Me^e. Arabian Sodk- *■ ^ mlaar tn t. 

Oovnod. 
" n. Med]* than haat enahained me." 
'■ O. yedj« flut d'no BOnrtire." 
A true, dim, ponalre ■oni of the deaert. 



" B. PerlXime ol Lindeiia. (LinHe Lafbe). 

2. F. 
" fl. The Gift (Angebinde). 3. Eft. 
OlTelhamtoyaurpupllaatoiiae. Oraeeful. oor- 

The Life or Touth. (Jugcndleben). 12 ewf 

pieces. Lichaer, ea. 30 

No. S. Silent Wishes. 2. 6. 
" S. Presentiment. 2. F. 
" 10. Joy and Good Fortune. 2. D. 
Among ttaa beat of lery eaay plecea. 
Home Treaiures. SmoHwood, ea. 4C 

No. S. What are the Wild Waves. 2. F. 
" S. Pulaski's Hanner. 2. G. 

■' 1". God bless the Prince o/ Wales. 2. G, 
" 11. Liquid Gem. 2. G. 

" 12. Tliy Voice is near. 2. O. 

Lohengrin. (No. 67 of Beyer's " Repertoire"). 

A rrwumr nf a taw aweel aonE>i. oommaocIPK with 

Hark I the QoaC-BelU. 1. G. Bmallaiood. 40 
No. 1» of "Homa Treaaure.." An aaiy Irana- 
crtpUoa of a pretty aong. 

Danube River Mazurka. 3. Eb Grobe. GO 

The wall known taiDrlw air skilfully worked up 

II Corricole. Gfdop Brilliant. 4 bonds. 

4. F. WtlU. M 

It cbingrd to a duct IlC^r*n>le le already well- 
kriown, and In thia form laeoalcrtiianiii IbeottaBrj 
quite aaiiy, In But, if played tlowly. 




toigbfs 




mxml 





uSii^ 



Whole No. 901. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, OCT. 30, 1875. 



XXXV. 



A. Saran on Eobert Franz and Uie Old 
Oennan Yolkilied and GhoraL* 

(Ooncluded from Page 106.) 

In the above remarks we think we have 
expressed the precise heart and kernel of the 
relationship of Robert Franz with the old 
composers. Let us follow it a little more into 
detail, to make it clearer. 

If we consider the poetic objeeU^ which Franz 
draws into the realm of his production, we 
perceive in him, as in the song composers of the 
fifteenth and the sixteenth century, an outspo- 
ken partiality for the Volkslied and all that is 
related to it. This came to light at the very 
beginning of his artistic career with such 
decidedness, that his Op. 1, among twelve 
numbers, shows four by Bums, three by Qeibel, 
two by Eichendor£F, and one each by Hoffmann 
von Fallersleben and Ludwig Tieck, — all of 
them poets who in their best productions have 
struck the tone of the old Volkslied, and 
sometimes have l:it it wonderfully. (Compare 
Vilmar: Dom DefiUehe VolkdUd.) And th:8 
direction Franz has held down to his latest 
work. Besides many original or elaborated 
Yolkslieder (See Op. 28 and the set by Edward 
M5rike, Op. 27), the texts of Heine and Oster- 
wald occupy the largest space with him. 
Plainly a trait of deep, interior elective affinity 
leads him continually back to them anew. 
With regard to Heine it consists in the fact, 
that he, like Franz, strikes a tone which, with- 
out precisely reproducing the Volkslied, as 
Hoffmann von Fallersleben has done in so 
masterly a manner, nevertheless has caught its 
finest aroma: — the truth and depth of feeling, 
the noble simplicity of expression, the sharp 
precision of the thoughts and, above all, the 
incomparable singableness, by which Heine'sN 
songs stand actually alone in their klhd. — As 
for Osterwald, we discern the affinity in this : 
that he is able with great skill to imitate the 
tone of the older popular Minnesingers and 
give an excellent reproduction of the melody 
of the Volkslied proper. And when in addition 
to those already named we mention Goethe, 
who is also represented by a number of songs 
with Franz, there can be no longer any doubt 
about the lattef s preponderating sympathy for 
the Volkslied and for all that stands near to 
it. 

In some others of his poets, such as RCickert, 
Lenau, Waldau, and partly too in Geibel, this 
popular trut to be sure is less prominent ; but 
on the other hand they have in general a pecu- 
liarity which also meets us in the old German, 
and particularly in the religious lyrics : namely, 
a tendency to the sontemplative and transcen- 
dental. These poems are penetrated and 
pervaded with the modem philosophical or 
reli|^ou8 speculation. We may compare them 
in a certain sense with the song p^ets of the 
period of the Reformation, in so fur as they too 

•TranslAtc'l f.tr DwinnrV Jockxal ok ICa^ic. 



bring to poetic manifestation a new way of 
looking at the world. Hence it is certainly no 
accident if Franz, who in the choice of his 
texts evidently proceeds with the greatest care 
and only composes what is homogeneous to 
himself, precisely in the songs of these poets 
strikes a tone, which either borders on the 
Choral, or which through its ethereal aroma 
charms us out of the world of sense into the 
realm of the Ideal. Compare (besides the Aw 
Maria of Geibel, Op. 17, No. 1) the •*Schilf- 
lieder " of Lenau, Nos. 1, 2 and 5 of Op. 2. 
Moreover: 

**Weir auf mir, du dunkles Auge," by Lenau, 
Op. 9, No. 8. 

** Du trQber Nebel hCLllest mir," by the same. 
Op. 28, No. 4. 

**Zwei welke Rosen," **Es klingt in der 
Luft," *' Schemen erloschener Flammen," by 
Waldau, Op. 18, No. 1-3. 

"Die stille Lotosblume,»' Op. 1, No. 8, 
**Nun die Schatten dunkeln," Op. 10, No. 1, 
**Der Mond kommt still gegangcn," Op. 28, 
No 8, by Geibel. 

'^Ich hab* in deinem Auge," by RQckert, Op. 
6, No. «. 

*' Marie, am Fenster sitzest du," by R. Gotts- 
chall. Op. 18, No. 1. 

** Du liebes Auge," by O. tloquette, Op. 16, 
No. 1, &c., &c. 

Still more distinctly do Franzes relations to 
the old German Song spring forth in the. poetic 
subjects which he sings. The old Volkslied 
in its earliest origin, we know, is historical in 
its topics; but later, at its period of full bloom, 
it is prominently a Lo9^ Song, The joys and 
sorrows of love form the foreground; Nature 
gives the scenery : Spring and May, woods and 
fields, the singing of birds and the murmur of 
brooks, the withered leaves of Autumn, Win- 
ter's white snow, &c. And this is precisely 
the stuff which Franz is decidedly most fond 
of clothing in tones. It is characteristic of his 
thoroughly lyrical, — his in fact subjectively 
and contemplatively lyrical — nature, that he 
composes so little of the epical-romantic matter 
— the Ballad, as we have remarked before, has 
hardly any place with him, — while at the same 
time he has as little as possible to do with the 
'*spirit-of-the-age" lyric (Tsndemlyrik) of the 
present day. He sings what moves the human 
heart most powerfully in all ages and under all 
zones: Love. 

And finally, in the way in which he conceives 
and treats' this matter, he stands also near to 
the old (German Lyric. Hard and even repul- 
sive as many of the texts of our Volkslieder 
are, the music almost always knows how to 
idealize them. It as it were strips off the 
'* earthly mould" from them, and lifts them 
into a higher, purer atmosphere. It softens 
the waves of passion, which pulsate in the texta. 
uid clarifies them to a beautiful moderation, to 
the most teudiT virarin ch:i'<M*tv. N»iv th** nvw 



precious of our people's melodies, even where 
they belong to lively texts, are pervaded by a 
gentle but deep sadness, a renunciation, like a 
painful remembrance of the lost Eden, or like 
the longing for that perfect communion of souls, 
which here below ever remains an unattainable 
ideal. 

Precisely these same characteristics does the 
Franz song reveal to every one who really goes 
in to it. At the same time it is free from all 
that coarse sensual refinement, which meets us 
alas t so often and so offensively in the modems. 
It breaks off the extreme points from the im- 
passioned moods, and softens them to some 
repose. The clearest proof of this lies in the 
relation which Franz assumes toward the texts 
of Heine. Not only does he attach himself 
exclusively to the ideal side of this wonderful 
double man ; but the fine sarcasm, which runs, 
often scarce perceptible, through many of 
Heine's poems of the purely l3rrical kind, loses 
its sharpness through Franz's music, and re- 
solves itself into pure, deep and tender sad- 
ness. 

Above all does the Franz song bear in itself 
that trait of resignation, which we perceive in 
the noblest .Volkslieder: something of that 
*' WelUehmon^^^ if you will, which would seem 
to be the characteristic stamp of all the more 
modem lyric art. But with him it is without 
any sort of baroque distortion, or any of that 
morbid self-mirroring of which poets and com- 
posers are so fond to-day ; rather is it a pure, 
trae expression of the deep yearning after the 
Ideal, which dwells in every human heart. 

Herein lies, what has been justly signalized, 
the high ^tAieof significance of the Franz songs. 
They have — to say nothing of their texts, which 
not without good grounds have been called a 
model collection of modem German lyric poe- 
try — a like purifying, consoling and exalting 
nature with the finest of our old German Volks- 
and Choral melodies. For, although they 
spring from a religious or philosophical view 
of the world which is no longer that of our 
ancestors, yet the same true German heart blood 
pulsates through them all. 



» » ■ 



Sehnmann^s Fanit Moiio. 

(From ** Conoordla,!* Oct S.) 

Seeneefrom ChetkeU ^^Fauet. " Coniposed for 
solo voices, choras, and orchestra. By Robert 
Schumann. The translation by Miss Louisa 
Vance. London: Novdlo^ Euer d Co. 

There is probably not one of Schumann's 
works which in Germany is held in higher 
esteem than that now under notice ; nor perhaps 
is there any of his larger vocal works which is 
so frequently performed — ^thatis as regards the 
third part, which, for reasons presently to be 
mentioned, is very often g^ven apart from the 
first and second. That up to this time the 
Fauit music has remained almost entirely 
unknown in this country* can only be accounted 
for by the fnct, that hitherto there has been no 
edition with En&rlish words, and it has tlieref ore 
lecii inaccessible ti» our choral societies. The 



114 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OP MUSIC. 






present volume will therefore be heartily 
welcome to all musicians, and, for the sake of 
those who are at present unacquainted with it, 
we propose in the present notice to give some 
account of one of Schumann^s most original, 
characteristic, and (as regards a considerable 
part of it) emphatically greatest compositions. 

As will be seen from the title of the present 
work, it is only a selection of scenes, and not 
the poem of Faust which Schumann has set to 
music. The scenes he has chosen are the 
** Garden scene," '*Gretchen before the image 
of the Mater Dolorosa,'* and the ^'Cathedral 
scene," from the first part; the scene with 
Ariel and the Elves, the ** Midnight scene," 
** Faust's Death," and the ** Apotheosis "from 
the second part of the poem. Of these scenes, 
the *' Apotheosis," which forms the third part 
of the music, was the first composed, having 
been written in great part in the ^ear 1844, not 
long after Paradise and tlie Pen^ and at the 
time when Schumann's genius was at its 
brightest, before the shadows which darkened 
his later years had fallen upon him. This is 
the explanation of the fact that the music of 
this epilogue is so far superior to that of 
the first and second parts, which were composed 
between 1849 and 1858. 

The overture to the work was the last piece 
written, being three years later in date than 
any other portion. At the time of it'^ 
cfimposition, symptoms had already developed 
themselves of the mental disease which clouded 
the composer's last years ; and though it would 
probably be too much to say that the overture 
shows indications of incipient insanity, it is 
undoubtedly one of Schumann's most obscure 
and labored, and least interesting productions. 
The following ** Garden scene " between Faust 
and Gretchen (baritone and soprano) is much 
more pleasing and abounding in graceful and 
tender melody. The next numbers, **Gretchen 
before the image of the Mater Dolorosa " and 
* ^ In the Cathedral, " have also been set to music 
by Schubert, and a comparison of the two 
versions would, did our space allow, be of much 
interest. It may be bnefiy said that Schubert's 
settings are superior in abstract musical beauty, 
and that Schumann has depicted more forcibly 
the poignant anguish of the dramatic situations. 
Though neither number is among the most 
attractive in the work, both are of real value, 
and well worthy of their composer's fame. 

The second part opens with the scene of 
Ariel and the Elves, followed by Faust's 
awaking. The music here again is of unequal 
interest; much of it, such as the chorus of 
Elves (p. 42), ** Vales grow verdant, hills are 
swelling," is of great beauty, but it is not 
sustained throughout; so again with Faust's 
long solo (pp. 50-57), which contains many 
charming passages, but is too much spun out, 
and would probably be found wearisome in 
performance. The following scene, **Midnight," 
in which the four gray women — Want, Guilt, 
Care, and Need — come forward, is exceedingly 
dramatic, as is the final number of the second 
part, the scene of Faust *s death. Neither, 
however, will ranl^ on the whole among 
Schumann's finest inspirations. 

Those readers who have followed our remarks 
thus far will have probably conceived no very 
exalted idea of the Faust music; and, in plain 
truth, if we possessed only the first and second 
parts, it would be impossible to reckon it among 
Schumann's masteq)iece8. As soon as we reach 
the third part, however, we find ourselves in 
another world altogether. It is diflUcult to 
give adequately our candid impressions of this 
part, without seeming to utter the language of 
extravagant eulogy. This wonderful scene of 
Faust's Apotheosis, ^here his soul is escorted 
to heaven by angels — while the Anchorites on 
the mountains sing their hymns of praise — has 
inspired Schuman with some of the most 
magnificent music which he ever penned. The 
Opening chorus in F, 9-8 time, is of indescribable 
charm: it is followed by two somewhat less 
remarkable, though very beautiful solos, which 
lead to the exquisite chorus of Happy Spirits of 



Boys (for treble voices), p. 100, The following 
solo and chorus of the Younger Angels, 
** Aided were we by the flowers,'- is another 
number of equal beauty and simplicity. In 
the next movement a very curious effect is 
obtained by the combination of triple time 
rhythms in the chorus with common time in 
the orchestra. This piece is one of the most 
** catchy " (to useacolloouialism) in the whole 
work. It is succeeded by a very magnificent 
full chorus — **A noble ray of spirit-life" — 
with brilliant accompaniments for the orchestra ; 
after which we find one of the gems of the work 
in the baritone solo — **Free is the prospect 
here" — with harp accompaniment. The solo 
and chorus which follows — **Thou, O Purest, 
Holiest " — is one of those pieces which cannot 
be described in words; though almost as 
simple as a psalm tune, it is of wonderful 
effect. Its melody is of that haunting 
character, that when once heard can hardly be 
forgotten. The continuation of this number, 
though very beautiful, comes almost as an 
anti-climax after snch a commencement. The 
final movement is a double chorus with solo 
quartet. Of this there are two versions. 
Schumann, in the published score, marks the 
second as '*to be preferred to the first." On 
this matter opinions will probably differ: for 
ourselves, with all deference to the composer's 
judgment, we must confess that we prefer the 
first. Both are, however, exceedingly fine, 
though hardly at the same height of inspiration 
as some of the preceding numbers. 

Though in places of considerable difficulty, 
the music to Faust ishy no means impracticable 
by good choirs. It has not yet been given 
entire in this country; but the third part was 
performed (and very creditably) at the last 
concert of the Cambridge University Musical 
Society some three months since ; and it is only 
due to that societv, and to its talented 
conductor, Mr. C. Villiers Stanford, that the 
credit should be given to them of the first 
production of this great work in England. It 
IS much to be honed that an early opportunity 
will be afforded of hearing it in London. 
Could not Mr. Manns include it among the 
novelties of the coming season at the Crystal 
Palace ? 

A few words should be said in conclusion as 
to the English version. A translated text, 
however skilfully done, can never under any 
circumstances produce the full effect of the 
original; and there is probably no work in 
the whole range of musical literature which 
presents such difiliculties to an adapter as the 
present. In the first place, even a literal and 
intelligible translation into prose of the original 
German is in places by no means easy; and 
when in addition to presenting, at least 
approximately, the author's meaning, it is also 
needful to keep the same metre to preserve as 
far as possible the accentuation, and to give 
the same relative importance to the words in a 
sentence, the task becomes an exceedingly 
arduous one. That Miss Vance has in places 
turned the flank of the difficulties by a somewhat 
free paraphrase, rather than faced them, is 
under all circumstances no more than might 
have been expected. On the whole she has 
succeeded in giving a singable version which 
conveys a fair idea of the original, though there 
are passages to which exception may be fairly 
taken. For instance, Gretcheu's solo in the 
third part beginning — 

** Neigre, neige. 

Du Ohnej?leiche, 

Du Strahlenreiche. 

Dein Antlitz gnadig meioem Gliick.** 

is rendered by — 

"CrownM, crowned 

With praise unbounded, 

With light surrounded, 

Bend on my bliss thy gracious eyes." 

where '* crownM " is in no sense a translation 
of *'neige," and the force of the original is 
lost. But it is so much easier to point to 
blemishes than to suggest amendments, that 



we arc not disposed to be too critical. We 
quote the above, not in a spirit of fault-finding, 
but as an instance of the kind of difiiculty with 
which Miss Vance had to deal. In justice to 
her, we will quote one paasagc in which she 
has, we think, been more successful in grappling 
with the task of translation. There arc probably 
few lines in the poem which are hanler to 
adapt well to English than the words of the 
final '* Chorus Mysticus," which in the original 
are as follows: — 

** Alles Verjjanijliche 
Ist nar ein Gleichniss ; 
Das Unznlansrliche 
Ilier wird's Ereiernias ; 
Da8 Unbeschreibliche 
Ilier ist's gethan ; 
Das Ewi^Weibltcbe 
Zieht una hinan." 

As Miss Vance says in a note, '* musical 
exigencies forbid a very literal rendering of the 
final chorus." She has been, we think, quite 
as successful as might reasonably be expected 
with the following version : — 

" All that doth pass away 
Is tut a fable ; 
All that eludes is made 
Here Irno and stable; 
The Indescribable, 
Here it is done ; 
The Ever- Womanly 
Beckons as on." 

A useful feature of the present edition is the 
introduction, in which, to assist the comprehen- 
sion of the reader, an outline of the whole poem 
is given, and besides the complete text of the 
portion which Schumann has set to music, some 
very valuable explanatory notes are added, 
referring especially to the third part, in which 
(as in St. Paul's Epistles) are many things hard 
to be understood. May the present volume 
lead to a more extended knowledge and 
appreciation of a work which, as regards its 
third part, is one of the most valuable treasures 
which Schumann has bequeathed to the musical 
world. 



'* La Prova D'nn Opera Seria." 

A KEMINISCENCB. 
[From the Etening Tranaerijd,'] 

Not that charming toy, in which Giulia Grisi and 
Papa Lablache used to delight the charmed audiences 
by .their incomparable singing and witty frolic, but 
in all truth the rehearsal of one of the most serious 
of operas and a serious rehearsal of that: the 
rehearsal of Beethoven's " Fidelio " at Her Majesty's 
Theatre in London with Therese Tietjens as Leonora 
for ihefirat time in her life I 

Twelve o'clock at noon on the day preceding that 
fixed for the first performance ! A ooupd dashes up 
to the stage door, a lady jumps out and nurries into 
the theatre and upon the stage, where she is met by 
the handsome, tall impresario, Mr. James Mapleson, 
with a face nearly as long as he himself. 

" Well, here you are at last. You pr-nnised 
Therese you would be here for the beginning of the 
rehearsal to help with your advice, as you had sung 
' Fidelio ' so often. We are all at sixes and sevens. 
You well knew my sta&e manager has been ill for 
the last fortnif:ht. Therese, by some chance, has 
never even heard and seen the opera ; the tenor, 
baritone and basso have never sung in it ; Arditi 
has never conducted it, and he and Therese squabble 
about the tempi, and the scene painter doee not 
know the scenery. And here is the prince of Wales 
who has sent word he and the princess are coming 

to morrow ! And oh, , I shall go mad I For 

goodness gracious' sake, just come and do what you 
can." 

" Oh, 1 am so sorry ! but I was unavoidably 
delayed. Now let us see what is going on." 

What was going on, indeed ? This was about the 
position of affairs : Arditi, arms crossed, and temper 
crossed vlso, seated at his poet of conductor. "The 
players in the orchestra resting on their instruments, 
cross ditto. On a rock-p.'iinted couch the tenor, 
evidently in the sulks. The basso, an uncommonly 
fat Frenchman, ventinff^ his temper in all sorts of 
adjectives (net) possible to a Frenchman only. 
You heard a ffood deal of" diabUs" and " (onn«)T0f." 
Therese Tietjens was sitting in a chair against a 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, OCT. 30, 1875. 



115 



wincr, not only in a most dejected attitude, but with 
evident traces of tears ! The stnfi^e carpenters and 
scene shifters stood about bewildered. 

The sia^e itself looked ridiculous — a smalt, short 
scene, aeemingly the one of the second act in 
" N<»rma." 

" Therese, what m the matter T" 

" I am not proin^ to sins: this opera, I am sick of 
it ; nobody knows anythini;, but everybody speaks, 
everybody has an opinion, everything: is nonsense, 
and I am not f^ninir to make a fool of myself. Look 
at that (pointinsr with disgust to a hole made in the 
staffe floor by the side of Floro8tan*s rock, and the 
siz^ about three feet by two.) This is the (^rave 
which Rocco and I are to d\g, and in which we are 
both to RtAnd I Do look at it, why. one of Rocco's 
leprs will fill it up ! Oh dear — oh dear — and they 
say nothing: else can be done ! And look at this 
scenery 1 Where is the pillar for me to hide behind ? 
where is the staircase, where is the door ? How 
can I move about in so small a space ? And Rocco 
throws me about as if I were a rag. and Florestan 
can^t get up from his ridiculous rock without bumping; 
against me, and Pizarro does not know where to 
stand and when and how to go — and oh ! I don't 
care whether Mapleson will have to shut up the 
house or not — but [ wont sing.** 

Meanwhile Mapleson was standing behind her, 
making the most significant aisrns of despair and 
supplication. So I soothed Therese, then asked 
for unrestricted power to order carpenters, painters 
and scene shifters about; spoke to Arditi. and 
begged him to give the orchestra half an hour's 
grace for *' refreshments," which Mapleson gladly 
promised to furnish in the shape of bread and cheese 
and beer; advised Therese to have a dozen of 
oysters and a glass of sherry ; appeased the man 
afflicted with the "eerUmille diaUn et tonnerrea,^ 
and told Florestan that a cigar under the piazza 
would be delightful, and then bad the stage to 
myself. Scenes were hauled out one after the other ; 
some were accepted, more rejected, and others sent 
to be altered. A large aperture, ample enough to 
contain Fidelio and Rocco, was ordered to be cut 
in the flooring. This order caused the crreatest 
turmoil. "Lord Ward would object ; a smaller trap- 
door would have to do." " No, it would fu>i do," 
and so what was necessary was done. And when 
they all came back, a deep, roomy, but gloomy 
dungeon awaited the actors. A small iron door at 
the back ; to its right a grated window high up, 
through which were perceived the narrow stairs 
descending to this subterranean vault. Part of an 
old wall stood out at the back. On the left at the 
back were the ruins of the old well, in which Flor- 
estan's grave was to be dug. In front, at the light, 
was the heap of straw, the wretched couch of the 
unfortunate Florestan. A little private conversation 
with the amiable Arditi made him comprehend the 
tempi, which I had sung under Lindpaintner, 
Lachner and Marschner in Germany. Everything 
looked more promising. Therese still pouted, she 
felt aggrieved that for so sublime a work matters 
should stand thus at the eleventh hour. But when 
she came to that thrilling passage in the " grave 
digging duet '* where Leonora promises to herself 
" whoe'er thou art, I'll save thee," her glorious 
artist*9 soul awoke and she warmed to her work 
with vigor and energy. Florestan was pliant, 
willing and full of inteliigenre. Pizarro the same. 
But " cent mille diaUea ** was fat and felt very hot. 
He called Beethoven's divine inspirations " m^udque 
infemnUJ* He would lay hold of Therese and jerk 
her abont, when he ought not, and he would not 
touch her when his most energetic interference was 
needed. He could not or would not recollect the 
music, he would not understand the tempi, and it 
was he who truly was the **dtable.'* The rehearsal 
was a terrible one; it had commenced at 11 A.M. 
and lasted up to 5 P.M. But yet, through all the 
clouds we saw bright rays. Therese felt them. She 
was glowing with excitement, the music inspired 
her, and she was like a warrior preparing for battle 
— ready, craving for the flght. 

She kissed and thanked me for having imparted 
my experience to them, and begged, " Do, come to 
me this evening, let us have these people, and in 
my drawing-room teach them, until mistakes become 
impossible. Let us four but be perfect in the 
dungeon scene and success will be ours." 

And BO I went ; Signor Randegger kindly presided 
at the piano ; him we could rely on as a perfect 
musician. The drawing room was cleared of its 
crimson and gold furniture and its Louis XV. tables. 
Fidelio, Florestan, Pizarro and Rocco were ready 
for action. Therese was full of fire and indefatigable 
perseverance. Every scene was repeated, musically 



and in acting, until it was perfect. Sometimes one 
phrase, or one movement was gone over twenty and 
more times. Therese's extraordinary physical 
powers inspired and held up all. Rocco's " diablen" 
and " tonnerren" were in full force, but this time 
tending to success. With full voice Therese went 
on for hours unfalteringly, and the trying " I am 
his wife," succeeding a violent rush from one end of 
the stage to the other, was repeated, until her steps 
were justly measured.and the heart-rending cry came 
forth without loss of breath. The rehearsal lasted 
from eight o'clock up to midnight, then all separated 
with relieved hearts and radiant hopes. 

And how gloriously were those hopes fulfilled ! 
What a performance ! The gorgeous theatre showed 
against its amber satin draperies all the beauty and 
rauk of the metropolis ; the princes filled the royal 
boxes ; the house was packed up to the ceiling. 

When Therese Tietjens first stepped upon the 
stage — by her whole attitude, the woman's physique 
borne down by the heavy load of iron chains she 
was carrying, while out of her searching, uplifted 
eye the courage and undying strength of a loving 
soul beamed — she at once held the audience tfpcll- 
bound and in complete sympathy with her. The 
superb scena brought down the house. Never did 
her incomparable voice melt in greater tenderness 
thap in tne invocation to hope, or ring out more 
triumphantly than in the determined allegro. 

But the second act t Was there an eye dry, when 
with averted face she tenders Florestan the bread 
and with choking accents sobs to him, ** Ah, take — 
ah, take this bread, thou poor, most wretched man." 
And when she tore away from Rocco's restraining 
grasp, flung herself between Florestan and Pizarro, 
hurling at him the words, " I am his wife," on the 
high B-fiat, the house literally rose to the artiste, 
who seemed to tower above all in the majesty and 
triumph of her art. Then again, when with pointed 
pistol she dogged the traitor Pizarro round the 
stage, until she saw him safe outj$ide the dungeon 
door, then leaned exhanst-ed against the postern and 
in answer to Florestan's '* What hast thou done for 
me, O Leonora?" gasped out in overwhelming 
ecstasy of boundless joy the words, " Nothing, 
nothing, my Florestan !" and rushed into his arms, 
loud sobs were heard all around ; and three times 
were the leading bars to the duet commenced by 
the orchestra, and had to be abandoned before the 
deafening thunders of applause. 

It was a glorious evening I Since then Therese 
Tietjen's ** Fidelio " has stood unrivalled, unap- 
proached, and while she is on the stage will remain 
so. 

We had a good cry of relief and joy, after the 
opera, together, and I wear on my finger a diamond 
and turquois ring, which was on Therese's hand then. 
It was given with a shower of kisses. 

Erminia Rudbesdorff. 



> ♦ ■ 



Spontini's "Vestale;' 

[Translated and arranged for this Journal from '* La 
Oazsetta d'ltalia,*' by J. H. Badokr.] 

Some months since, I had the extreme pleasure 
of hearing Spontini's " Vestale " sung at a concert 
in Rome ; in consequence of which I was unable to 
resist the desire to witness its performance U] on 
the scenic stage at Jesi. Thither I betook myself 
therefore, nor have I found cause to repent of that 
proceeding, for seldom have I derived from any 
musical experience so forcible an impression. 
Hearing at Rome, for the first time, the triumphal 
m irch, it seesed to me a new Marseillaise, — a Mar- 
seillaise with the immense impetus of the AUona ! 
AfareKoru ! but without the suggestion of impure 
bloodshed ; with "ramore Macro dellapaina" crowned 
by victory. As the scenic effects are of great 
importance in this work, — christened not " opera " 
but "melodrama,** — it is impossible to judge it 
fairly withont having seen it represented upon the 
stage. 

The argument of the " Vestale " is well known. 
The young Roman maiden (Giulia) beloved of the 
warrior Licinio, is refused him on account of his 
obscure birth and lack of martial fame. He departs 
for the war, covers himself with glory, and returns 
triumphant ; but only to find that the maid beloved, 
of whose hand he had hoped this time to prove 
worthy, had been by her dying father consecrated 



to the service of Vesta ; and she it is to whose lot it 
falls to crown the hero with the laurel decreed him 
by the grateful populace. This constitutes the first 
act. 

In the second, the young *' Vestale," who has 
never ceased to love the youthful hero, meets him 
in the temple, at night. While they renew their 
vows of affection, the sacred flame upon the altar 
dies away. A rnroor is heard without, and a friend 
of Licinio comes to warn him that the priests, the 
vestals and the people are marching towards the 
temple. Licinio wishes to lead away Giulia, but 
she resolves to remain alone, to die. The crowd 
arrive, Giulia confesses her love, refuses to reveal 
the name of her lover, and resigns herself to death. 
So terminates the second act. 

The third represents the preparations for the 
funeral rites of the Vestale, who is about to be 
intombed alive, — ^the vain efforts of Licinio to save 
her, owing to the superstitious fears of the army, — 
the farewell of Giulia to her companions, — and her 
consignment to the supulchre. into which Licinio 
likewise introduces himself, unobserved. The tomb 
is about to be sealed, when by the waving of her 
sacred veil, Vesta announces to the victim her 
pardon. The opera terminates with a chorus of 
rejoicing, whilst the lovers proc3ed to celebrate 
their nuptials. 

The principal part, that of the " Vestale," is 
difficult, demanding of the singer a high degree of 
intelligence, together with much dramatic ability. 
The tenor, Licinio, has a r6le less brilliant than 
that of the Vestale, and much more ungrateful, 
allowing but little impetus {alancio), in order that 
the principal character may be always shown in 
prominent relief, and requires a succession of 
sustained tones, commencing with a difficulty— viz.: 
many long recitatiyes. In the midst of theae 
recitatives, Cinna, the friend of Licinio, has a 
moment singularly felicitous when, urging the hero 
to confess the cause of his suffering, he avows his 
determination to share it. 

The parts of Grand Vestale and Chief Priest 
contain some striking features. These are in the 
first act, two choruses, both fine, especially the 
second, — " Di lauri il snol," with '' Delia Dea pura 
segnale." The first is a morning hymn of the 
Vestale ; the second, which forms a general chorus, 
is a heroic hymn ; the triumphal march. 

In the second act, the music that accompanies the 
degradation of the Vestal, and the removal of her 
crown and sacred veil, is very effective. — In the 
third, the funeral march, ** La Veata infida," is 
magnificent as is also the "allegro"' chorus, and 
general dance of the finale : " Lieti concenti, dolci 
momenti." 

The culminating point of this opera — melodrama, 
is the terzetto of the second act, ** Odo ripetere le 
grida orribile," sung by the young maiden, the hero 
and his friend : — it is therefore the number, most 
enthusiastically received and encored by the pub- 
lic. 

The " Vestale " met with a genuine and merited 
f^nccess at Jesi, and already there are rumors of it4 
representation at Florence, Rome, and other cities, 
during the coming seaaon. 

Departing from the first performance, many asked 
themselves the question, how it could happen that 
Spontini has been, so to spea|^ ignored for fifty 
years. But Dante was consigned to obscurity during 
centiiritt. It is not alone sufficient that the flame of 
genius blaze, the public mind must also be inflam- 
mable ; and there are certain dreary epochs, when 
the heart, either effeminate or petrified, is incapable 
of a rebound, resists every inducement to heroism, 
and finds pleasure aloi\e in that which lulls it to 
rest, in the slough of its own petty interests. 



116 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



The Vestal came into the world at a fortunate 
moment. It dates from 1807. Napoleon had been 
victorious on the 14th of June, at the battle of 
Friedland, and in the early part of July, had signed 
the treaty of Tilsitt, and held hia interview with 
Alexander I., upon the isle of Niemen. He was at 
the summit of his fame. In the future he was only 
to descend. In 1807, mindful only of present 
success, all abandoned themselves to the joy of 
triumph, to the hopes excited by a peace which they 
trusted was to endure forever. At that moment, 
appeared the " Vestale." It was represented for the 
first time, Dec. 16th, 1807, at the Grand Opera of 
Paris. When the victor sings : 

Trionfan 1e arm! nostre. 

Marte guidar ci voile 

Al campo di vittoria ; 

E figli della gloria 

Tuttor noi siam del popoli Tonore, 

De' nemici il terrore 

[Our arms are triumphant. Mars consented to 
guide us to the field of victory; and as sons of 
glory, we are now the honored of the people, the 
terror of the enemy.] 

And when the Vestale, after the chorus, pronoun- 
oes the words : 

Oiovin prode, in si bel giomo 

Prendi 11 pegno della gloria ; 

Monumento di victoria 

Ei lo sia del nostro amor. 

[Brave youth, on this glad day, receive the pledge 
of glory. Token of victory, may it be also a 
reminder of our love.] 

It is impossible not to think of the marvellous 
hero of the campaign of Jena and of Friedland. 
Circumstances contributed to increase the impression 
which the opera was destined to produce. Jealous 
rivals had sought to impede its representation ; but 
the Empress Josephine, whose private composer of 
music Spontlni was, extended her protection, and 
Napoleon willed the accomplishment of her desire. 
The great captain had heard the heroic accent of 
Spontlni, and predicted for the work a success 
which did not fail to follow. The " Vestale " had, 
at that time, 100 consecutive representations. 

It is not without interest that one records, that 
Napoleon, who the day after Austerlitz, had insti- 
tuted by a decree, the perpetual " Mass of Auster- 
litz," to consecrate throughout the ages the memory 
of the triumph of the emancipatory principles of 
the French revolution, and the fall of the sacred 
Roman power, imagined, the next year, after Jena, 
the project of consecrating, laically, the two cam- 
paigns of 1805 and 1806. He issued in fact, the 
decree of Poeen, Dec. 2d 1806, which ordained the 
construction of the temple of Glory, — ^the present 
Madeleine, — adorning it with the statues of the 
heroes of those two campaigns. On the anniversary 
of the battles of Austerlitz and Jena, was to be 
celebrated, year after year, with music and with 
eulogy, the valor of those who had taken part in 
those victories. This was merely the imperial 
project, but one that naturally began at once to 
occupy the attention of the artist One may, with- 
out fear of error, safely afiirm that this was the 
principle theme of Spontinrs meditations from Dec. 
1806 to Dec. 1807. This was, without doubt, the 
true inspiration of the " Vestale." 

There existed be|}de8, a certain, personal senti- 
ment, as much more powerful as it was more pure, 
— ^love. Spontlni adored the maiden Celeste Ersrd, 
daughter of the celebrated manufiicturer of pianos ; 
bnt he was repulsed, not by her, but by her father, 
who saw in him naught but a poor, unknown com- 
poser, whose productions yet rested in obscurity. 
She, however, had divine^ the latent genius, and 
her faith redoubled his strength. Of her he dreamed, 



while writing many passages and, among others, 
evidently this: — 

" quest 'oggetto 

Di terrore e d'affetto 

Fu dalla madre un tempo 

Promesso alia mia f(&. Ma 11 capo altero 

D'un illustre fsmiglia 

A donarmi la figlia, allor che gloria 

La mia stirpe ig^orava e 11 nome mio, 

Poteva indurtii mai ?.,.." 

[This object of my anxiety and of my affection, 
was once promised me by her mother ; but could the 
chief of an illustrious race, consent to stoop to 
bestow his daughter upon me, at a moment when 
glory still ignored my name and lineage 7] 

To Spontlni, as to many artists and poets, opposi- 
tion in love served as the stimulus of genius, and 
was the magic wand that called to light his master- 
piece. 

The success of the Vestale gained for its author 
the prize of 10,000 francs promised by the Emperor 
Napoleon I., to the author of that musical work 
produced during the last ten years which should be 
pronounced the most excellent. The jlidges 
appointed for this occasion, decided thus : — "The 
Vestale has achieved a splendid and constant success. 
The master possessed the advantage of being able 
to manifest his genius in a melodrama, touching and 
genuinely tragic. The music is inspired, brilliant, 
and not infrequently sweet. There have always 
been justly applauded : two grand arias beantifnl in 
style and expression, two choruses of a character 
religious and pathetic, and the finale of the second 
act, which excites at the same time emotions of 
terror and of pity. The indisputable merit and the 
immense success of the Vestale leave to the jury 
no room for hesitating to pronounce this work wor- 
thy of the prize." 

The music of Spontlni possesses this noteworthy 
quality, that one perceives and feels in it, at the 
same moment with the splendor of glory, the 
impulse of triumph and the breath of liberty. The 
love of glory is never separated from the love of 
liberty. And this is so true, that, when Napoleon, 
after the success of the Vestale, which in his eyes 
had the merit 'of glorifying in anticipation the 
benefits that he vaunted himself to be about to 
confer by force of arms upon Spain, ordered from 
Spontlni the " Fernando OorUa/* in order to place 
in relief the hero who goes to destroy in Mexico 
fanaticism and superstitition, and to carry thither 
the blessings of civilization, the public began spon- 
taneously to sustain the cause of those whom the 
great captain was about to combat. He then pro- 
hibited the performance of the work, which has 
nevertheless continued to be a masterpiece, preferred 
by many tUUUanii to even the Vestale. 

Spontlni who had experienced the joy of finding 
himself betrothed with his beloved, after the success 
of the Vestale, had the felicity of espousing her 
after that of " Fernando Cortee,** 

Spontini, has not sacrificed^ Italian melody to 
German harmony, he has united the two. In this 
respect he has surpassed Gluck, nor has he been 
equalled by any of his contemporanies, excepting 
Meyerbeer, who possessed to a high degree the 
nota religioea, the genuine and powerful accent of 
prayer (?). When one listens to the symphony of 
the Vestale, one feels again within the mind a 
passing breath of Beethoven's spirit ; one might say 
that Spontioi wished to place the German symphony 
(eymphonic harmony) within the reach and compre- 
hension of the Italians, by rendering it more clearly 
defined, in the same manner that Mozart wished to 
impart to Germany the Italian melody. The author 
of **Don Giovanni " and the author of the "Vestale" 
are two brother-geniuses ; they both represent the 



marriage of German with Latin art, the voice of 
nature united with the voice ofhuroanitv. It is 
worthy of note that the successors of Spontini have 
frequently borrowed from him ; in the Vestale one 
finds more than one motive that we are accustomed 
to applaud in other works. 

The Vestale has remained in the rfpertoire of 
Germany, and the reason of this will be readily 
comprehended, after what has been previously said. 
At Paris, it had 200 representations during the years 
that followed the first 100 peiforroances; it was 
also revived with soooess in 1864, at the beginning 
of the Crimean war. Owing its existence to a vic- 
tory over the Colossus of the North, it was, so to 
speak, resuscitated at the end of 60 years, as the 
prelude of another victory over the same enemy. 
It is, strictly speaking, neither an Italian nor a 
French opera, but rather a European work; it 
belongs to a species that has hardly begun, but 
which will go on increasing ; as the tendency is, 
according to Goethe, towards a European literature, 
so b the same remark applicable to art. If Napo- 
leon said with truth that the struggle in Europe 
will be always a civil war, it would not be leas exact 
to affirm that European art and literature will fail 
in their mission, if each do not form and implant 
within the mind one and the same ideal of civiliza- 
tion. 

Spontini was one of the order of "universal men." 
He was without prejudices of place, and possessed a 
heart sufficiently lai^ to embrace the whole world. 
Born in Italy, he revealed himself in France, and 
his musical genins operated throughout Europe by 
means of France ; on which account, his memory is 
no less honored in France and Germany than in 
lUly. 

The reappearance of the Vestale is a sign of the 
times, as was also the success of the " Grande Dnch- 
esse " and of the " Belle Helene." Those who seek 
to bring heroism into disrespect are very near the 
termination of their career. After having laughed 
at the " Sabre de mon p^re," one could hardly won- 
der at seeing the sword of Austerlitz consigned at 
Sedan to the son of the conquered at Jena. The 
day in which morality shall have reascended to the 
point where the mind can no longer support the 
tedium of operettas slight, vapid and trivial, and 
finds delight only in witnessing and listening to 
works that glorify true heroism and which increase 
the love of liberty, — which purify and ennoble 
the mind and heart,— on that day we shall be able 
to salute in very truth, a perfect regeneration. 

Florence, Italy, 28 Sepi,, 1876. 



• ^ 



The Woroefter (KaM.) FertivaL 

[From the Woroester '* PalladiniB," Oct. 16.] 

The Worcester County Musical Association are 
to be congratulated on the success which has 
attended their eighteenth fbstival, which began on 
Monday morning, and erded yesterday evening. 
Taken altogether, the festival may be pronounced 
the best that hss ever been held in this city. True, 
the solo department has in some years been somewhat 
stronger, but never has such a variety of attractions 
been offered within the musical week. And it may 
be here remarked, that the best artists in their 
respective lines were engaged. Outside of the 
operatic troupes, the list of available first-claaa 
soloists is becoming more and more contr^icted every 
year. The time that the festival is hold has 
something to do with th^s. If it took place three 
weeks or a month earlier, the board of management 
would be able, no doubt, to make engagements with 
some of the leading operatic singers, who can never 
be secured after the 1st of Oeto&r. The details of 
the Festival are given below : — 

MONDAY. 

At the " maUnde " in the afternoon, the following 

programme was presented : — 

Dnet— Violin and Piano BertiDl 

Mr. W. H. and Master Merrlfleld. 
Bong— "Gtaily Chant the Summer Birds ** . . . .De FInna 

MIm Sargent. 



BOSTON, SATURDVY, OCT. 30, 1875. 



117 



8onf-"Tho Warrior BoW " Adam 

Mr. NoreroM. _ ^, . 

Sonr— Ave Maria Oherublnl 

MlnB Hanlon. 

Organ— (a^ Tranncriptlon from Gluek "J^v 

(6) Gavotte, from violoncello sonaU B«cii 

Mr Parkhurvt. 

Song— from tbe «• Hug^iienota »' Meyerbeer 

MlaA Dora Tacker. 

Qnlntet— from Oratorio of " David " Neukomm 

Miss Mavnard, Misa E. J. Sumner, Meedamet 
Tttut, Spaalding and Munroe. 

The audience which assembled to listen to the 
above programme numbered over 1000 persons, 
which IS greatly in excess of the number ever before 
present on a first day. It is not too much to say 
that the performance was much above the average 
of similar occasions. This was Mr. Parkhurst's first 
re-appearance in public since his return from Europe; 
and on stepping on to the platform he was warmly 
applauded. Ills selections were not perhaps the 
best he could have chosen for the occasion, nor were 
they suited to the capabilities of the organ, which 
is hardly up to the standard ono might expect to 
find io such a fine auditorium as Mechanics Hall. 
The instrument needs a thorough overhauling. 

Of the solo singers, Miss Dora Tucker, of Norwich. 
Conn., easily bore off the palm. And In saving, 
this, we do no discredit to the efforts of the others 
on the programme, all of whom acquitted themselves 
wirh credit. The quintet from "David** wa^ 
especially enjoyable. In this, the second soprano 
part was Uken by Mips Ellie J. Sumner, in 
consequence of the absence, through sickness, of Mrs. 
J. Stewart Brown. 

TUS8DAT. 

Fresh faces appeared in the chorus, which was 

truly a cosmopolitan gathering, including, as it did, 

singers from away down in Connecticut, others from 

the extreme northern part of Vermont, and some 

from places thirty miles the other side of Boston. 

These later arrivals had of course to make up some 

little lost ground, but by evening this had in a great 

measure been accomplished, the rehearsals showing 

much improvement. The programme performed at 

the " matinee" \% appended : — 

Piano Forte 8olo-<a)*' Hope" .....Grout 

(b) Novelette In F Schumann 

Mr. C. H. Grout. 

Cavatlna— '< Regnava net sllentlo " Donizetti 

MlM Inez Budding. 

Bong— *« Friend of the Brave" Dr.Calcott 

Mr. H. M. Morse. 

Yiolin Solo—" Le Bans dea yaehes "... .Ad. Herman 

Mr. C. F.Morrison. 

Song— «Don*t Foriret Me" PInautI 

Mra. G. E- Kirby. 

Song tmn Mlgnon— *'I*m Fair Tltanla " Tbomaa 

MiM Elite J. Sumner. 

The Twentythlrd P«alm Schtfbert 

Miss Sumner, M1«r Lane, Mrs. Kirby, M.S. 
Munroe. 

Miss Inez Budding and Miss Sumner both sang 
charmingly. The selection chosen b}' the former 
was an ambitious one, but the singer proved, by her 
manner of rendering it, that she was not ignorant 
of its requirements. It was easy to perceive, also, 
that Miss Snmner has been making good use of her 
time lately, for her voice and style gave strong 
evidence of increased culture. The same remark 
may be made of Mr. Morse, whose song was exactly 
suited to him. Mrs. Kirby sang well, In spite of a 
severe oold under which she was laboring ; and Mr. 
Grout's piano playing had many admirers.* A less 
difficult piece would have shown Mr. C. F. Morrison 
to better advantage. 

WEBNBSDAT. 

The attendance at the rehearsals was still further 

increased to-day, while, at the " matinee, ^ the 

house was at least two-thirds fulL The programme 

is appended : — 

Organ— Toocafta and fugue in D minor Baoh 

Mr. hTb. Parkbnrst. 

Bong— « Sweethearts " Sullivan 

MlM Vlnnie H. Maynard. 

Song—" The Friar of Orders Gray '* Shield 

Mr. Geo. F. Cnnon. 

Duet—'* O wert thou in the cauld blast '* Mendelsaobn 

Mrs. G. B. Kirby and Mr. J. B. Benchley. 

Bong— ** The Skylark^' Hatton 

Miss Jennie M. Patrick. 

Song—" When we are old and gray " Dolby 

Mr. Isaac Littlefleld. 

Glee— *' Here In oool grot" Momington 

Miea Patrick, Mrs. Blchardi, Mr. RIchank. 

Miss Patrick sang with considerable taste, and 
artistically besides, and was rewarded, as she 
deserved to be, with an encore, to which she 
responded with a charming little ditty about 
" Market day.*' Mr. Parkhursf s organ piece was 
much enjoyed, and elicited warm applause, as did^'all 
the remaining numbers on the programme. 

The first concert of the festival occurred in the 



evening. The following programme was pre- 
sented : — 

1. Part Song, " Resting Place " MendelMohn 

2. Rhapsodle Hongroi«e. No. 2 JA»A 

Boston Philharmonic Dub. 

5. Solo for French Horn. Introduction and Varia- 

tions A. Bels 

Mr. A. Belz. 

4. Aria. "Chefar6tenzaEaridice'* Gluck 

Mra. W. R. Evans. 

6. Hungarian Fantaaie— for Violin Ernst 

Mr. B. Lifftemann. . 

6. Scherzo from the *- Midsummer NIght'fl Dream," 

Mendelasobn 
Philharmonic Club. 

7. Aria. " Ombra leggiera,*' (*' Dlnorab,") 

Meyerbeer 
Mr«. J. K, Barton. 

8. Grand l^o In C minor, op. 66, for Piano. Violin 

and Violoncello Mendelssohn 

(o) Andante espresaivo. 
(b) Allegro appaS4l>»nato. 
Messrs. Story, Llatemann and Hartdegen. 

9. Song. **WaiUng,>* (by request) Millard 

Mrs. TV. R. Evans. 

10. Solo for Flute, Variations brillantes, 

Demersseman 
Mr. E. Weiner. 

11. Invitation a la Danee CM. Von Weber 

Philharmonic Club. 

12. Chorua. Triumphal March, from " Naaman," 

Costa 

The attendance was larger than ever before as a 
first concert, nearly all the seats being full. Of the 
three concerted pieces played by the Philharmonic 
Club, the scherzo from ** The Midsummer Night's 
Dream ** and Weber's " Invitation to the Dance " 
were the best suited to the capabilities of the 
organization. Liszt's Rhapsodic was finely played, 
bul the effect, compared with that of a full orchestra, 
was somewhat diminutive. The members of this 
club play with remarkable unanimity, and with 
splendid attack and expression. The most delicate 
passages are as cleanly cut as the more dramatic, 
and the crescendos are finely worked up. In the 
Scherzo, their p1a3ring was absolutely without a 
flaw. The various instrumental soloists were all 
warmly received. Mr. Bernard Listemann played 
Ernst's difficult fantasia magnificently, and is to be 
thanked for introducing the work to Worcester. It 
would have sufTered nothing by repetition, and if a 
large part of the audience could have had its way, 
they would have preferred to listen to it again to 
any encore plec«. They had, however, to do without 
either, for Mr. Listemann, in answer to the applause 
which greeted his retirement from the stage, merely 
came to the front, and bowed his thanks. Mr. 
Hartdegen's selection consisted of a medley of 
popular airs, and he was vociferously recalled. The 
French horn solo of Mr. Bela and the flute solo of 
Mr. Weiner were equally enjoyed by the audience. 
The former especially Is the best soloist on his 
particular instrument that has been heard in this 
city for many years. 

The Mendelssohn trio in C minor for piano, yiolin 
and 'cello, proved to be one of the best numbers on 
the programme, notwithstanding the fact that 
Mr. Story had not rehearsed with the other 
players. 

Mrs. J. E. Barton (a sister of Misa Mary Stone) 
essayed the Shadow Song from " Dinorah * and did 
herself great credit Her intonation was remarkably 
accurate, and would bear comparison with that of 
many an old professional concert singer. Her 
enunciation, likewise, was good, and she sang with 
much expression. In regard to phrasing, it may be 
said that, while she was generally correct, a great 
liberty was taken with the music in the dance' 
measures, where a slackening in the tempo destroyed 
the rhythm, and impaired the effect of an otherwise 
complete performance. In answer to an enthusiastic 
recall, Mrs. Bsrton sang a pretty Scotch ditty. The 
lady is to be congratulated on her success. Were 
she to devote herself entirely to the musical art, 
she would doubtless achieve distinction. Her 
friends should certainly see to it that such a 
promising singer is not lost to the public and to the 
concert room. 

Mrs. R. W. Evans proved the truth of the old 
saying " once an artist, always an artist." As Mrs. 
Mozart, she had previously achieved much distinc- 
tion. She manages her yoice with remarkable skill. 
Her suooess on this occasion was nnequivocal, the 
encore she received being genuine and hearty. 

The chorus had not much to do. Of the two 
pieces they sang, the march from Naaman was the 
better performance, being indeed capitally given. 

THT7B8DAT. 

The second concert of the series occurred this 
afternoon. The first forty minutes was taken up 
by the performance of the memorial work to the late 
Solon Wilder, which was conducted by the composer, 
Mr. C. P. Morrison. The oomposiUon is full and 



rich in harmony, and a melody, devotional In its 
character, is observed at various stages. A grand 
climax to the whole is the responsive chorus, "Rock 
of Ages," which was written by the deceased mu^- 
clan himself, and is always impressive. The chorus 
did their part well, observing the mark^ of 
expression carefully. The soloists also contributed 
materially to the success of the work. Mrs. Munroe, 
Miss J. M. Patrick, and Mr. Wood of Danielsonville, 
Conn., had various numbers allotted them. Miss 
Patrick proved her versatility of talent by singing 
equally well, if not better, in an entirely different 
kind of music to that in which she haci appeared 
the preceding day. The rich contralto voice of Mrs. 
Munroe was heard to much advantage, also. We 
have known Mr. Wood to sing better, and with much 
greater ease than he did on this occasion. 

The miscellaneous portion of the programme ia 
appended : — 

1. Grand Organ Coneerto, No. 3 Hnndel 

(a) Allegro m^iestoso. (b) Allegro, (c) Adagio. 

[<i] Allesroma non msto. 

Mr. H. B. Parkhunt 

3. Bong from ** Pia di Tolemel '* Donizetti 

Mr. Herbert Brown. 

8. Violin Solo. Fa>*tasie Caprice Vleuxtempe 

Master Willi* X. Nowell. 

4. Song. «Only(brOne*' Randegger 

Mrs. A. C. Mnuroe. 

5. Duetto. ''Vienlaimio sen" Mlllaid 

Mrs. J. Stewart Brown, Mr. Herbert Brown. 

6. Violin Solo. Fantanie sur des themes de Bellini, 

Eichberg 
Master W. B. Nowell. 

7. Choral. '< A mighty Fortress is our Ood,>* 

Martin Luther 

Mr. Herbert Brown, the Providence tenor, was 
not in very good voice, but sang artistically. Master 
Nowell showed many points of excellence in his 
violin solos, and the audience were so pleased with 
Vieuxt«mps' Caprice that an encore was only just 
escaped. Perhaps the Yocal number most enjoyed 
was Mrs. Munroe's song, the rendering of which was 
characterized by good taste and excellent modera- 
tion. The duet between Mrs. and Mr. Brown did 
not impress us favorably, the singers more than once 
falling from the key m the unison passages. It 
ought to be mentioned, however, that Mra. Brown 
was suffering from a severe cold, but was unwilling 
to cause a change of programme. 

Mr. Parkhurst deserves great praise for his capital 
playing of the Handel concerto. It was one ot the 
best organ performances to which we have listened 
for a long time, and we should like to hear more 
such. If Mr. Parkhurst would give a series of 
recitals this winter, he would receive the thanks of 
all music lovers hereabouts. 

A magnificent au Jienoe was present at the evening 
concert, every seat In the hall, including a large 
number of extra chairs, being occupied. Like many 
WoiCester audiences, however, it was cold at first, 
the applause which greeted a splendid rendering of 
Mosart's " Ave Varum " by the chorus under Carl 
Zerrahn, being very scanty. The chorus numbered 
between 400 and 500, and showed itself more amena- 
ble than usual to the conductor's baton. The chorus 
from ** Tannhftuser " was almost equally well sung, 
although the brass acconnpanlments would have 
immensely enhanced the efiect 

There is no necessity to single out any particular 
artist for special distinction. The concert was 
marked by a uniform excellence throughout The 
Temple Quartette took the audience by storm, and 
were twice encored. Their singing was as near 
perfect as it is possible for male quartet singing to 
DC. Both Miss Beebe and Miss Drasdu were 
honored by recalls. Each distinguished herself. 
Miss Drasdil gave the well-worn "O mio Fernando," 
the first movement especially, very effectively, and 
Miss Beebe's singing ofthe Jewel Song from "Fauat" 
was as nearly faultless as may be. The latter lady's 
second selection — ^the Bishop song — she sang at last 
year's festival, if we remember aright The new 
descriptive song "The Raft," sung by Mr. Winch, is 
not so effective as it would appear at a first reading. 
Mr. Winch, however, brought out all there was in 
it. 

The charming little vocal fragment by Rubinstein 
we do not remember to have heard before. It was 
snug yery effectively by Mr. Fesaenden. 

The English glee, '* The Chough and Crow," was 
not taken at nearly so quick time as we have heard 
it in the country of its origin. In the English 
yersion of the glee, a chorus occurs between the 
soprano and alto solos ; but in the American edition 
this chorus is omitted. Miss Drasdil had one of the 
old copies, and when Miss Beebe had done singing, 
of course waited for the chorus, which woula not 
come. Tliia little ewntrelempt of course marred the 



effect of the flee, but was certainly not Miss Drasdil's 
fault. 
The following is the fall programme : 

1. Chora*—" Ave Veruro *» Mozart 

2. Jewel Song from " Fautt,*' Gonnod 

MIm Henrietta Beebo. 
8. Vocal March. Compoaedezpreaaly for the Temple 

Quartette, by Dudley Buck 

Temple Quartette. 

4. Cayatina— " O mlo Fernando,'* Donlxetti 

Miaa Anna Draedll. 

6. 8ong^-"Tho Raft,** Pinsutl 

Mr. J. F. Winch. 
0. Solo, Trio and Chorus—" The Chough and Crow," 

BUbop 
Solos by 
Miss Beebe, Miss Drasdll and Mr. Winch. 

7. Bongs: 

[a] "Thou*rt like unto a flower,**.. .Rubinstein 
[6] Cansonetta— " Sei troppo.bella/* 

Gordigianl 
Mr. W. H. Fensenden. 

8. Song— "Tell me my heart,*' Bishop 

Miaa U. Beebe. 

0. Quartet— "The Hoarse Rini^r*,*' Schumann 

Temple Qnartette. 

10. Song— "The Voices of Youth,** Mendelssohn 

Miss Anna Drasdll. 

11. Song—" My doiir and only Love,** BuUiTan 

Mr. J. F. winch. 

12. Choms from "TfennhKueer,*' *-Harkl hear the can* 

non's thunder pealing,** Wagner 

[Ckmeluded on lattpags.] 



BOSTON, OCT. 80, 1876. 

Hans von Bnelow. 

Five of the seven concerts in which this great 
artist was to commence his American career, In our 
Boston Music Hall, are already, at this present 
writing, memories of the past ; and they will not 
soon be forgotten. Friday evening and Saturday 
afternoon of this week will have completed the series. 
They have been rich and rare experiences ; nor can 
any promise of the coming season be expected to 
surpass or hardly rival them in interest They 
have been admirably managed ; the programmes 
have put the nobtsst compositions of great masters 
foremost, if they have dealt also largely with the 
wild sensational productions of the modern school, 
which at any rate please curiosity by showing to 
what marvellous perfection the finger virtuosity is 
carried. There has been an orchestra, a small one 
to be sure, with the best conductor in America at 
its head during the first week, which besides accom- 
panying the Concertos has played some of the very 
best of Overtures. And Doctor von Bnelow has had 
instruments to play upon, expressly made for him 
by the Messrs. Chickering, which we believe all 
who have heard them will agree with us surpass 
anything we have ever heard anywhere in power, 
rich sonority, sweetness, evenness of tone and action., 
and which indeed have proved adequate to all re- 
quirements of such a master in such music and 
(strange to say) in such a Hall. For, what with the 
master's wonderful distinctness of touch and rare 
power of bringing out tone to the best advantage, 
and what with such an instrument to respond, 
everything was heard, felt and appreciated in that 
vast space as if it had been in a parlor, and the real 
wonder vrA that no one thought of it as wonderful. 

Under these circumstances the great pianist was 
sure to make his full and fair impression. And 
sureness, certainty, is to be set down as one of the 
chief elements of his peculiar power. He never 
fails ; it seems impossible for him to fail. Whatever 
he undertakes, he is absolutely master of it all. It 
does not (commonly at least) master him, and 
therein talent has its compensating advantage over 
genius, which has finer moments, inspirations, but 
is seldom sure of tiiem. — But let us take the history 
in order. 

Ut Concert, Monday Evening^ Oct. 18. 

Overture— Leonora. No. 3 Beethoven 

[Orchestra.] 



The Fifth Grand Concerto (Opue 73), in E Flat, 

Beethoven 

Allegro— Adagio nn poco mouse— Rondo. 

[Piano and Orchestra.] 

HANS VON BUBLOW. 

Overture— Oberon Weber 

Andante— Fifth Symphony Beethoven 

Soli- 
Nocturne rOpu« 37], No. 2 in G. 

Chant Polonaiee. .[Transcription by Lisst.] 
Berceuse [Opus 57.] 

[d] Valse [Opus 42] 

^ Chopfn 

Fantaisie Hon^rrolse— Piano and Orchestra Liszt 

Dedicated to Hams Voh Bublow. 
Prlesu* March— Athalla Mendelssohn 

No finer audience, and few larger, ever greeted any 
artist in that Hall. The stately programme also 
lent assurance. It spoke well for the interpreter, 
and showed an honorable desire to meet the best 
taste and culture of our city on its own ground, 
that he chose the greatest, purest music for the first 
manifestation of his powers, and that he saw fit to 
make the greatest of Overtures the prelude to the 
greatest of Concertos, with the most imaginative of 
the romantic Overtures to follow it ; and again a 
heavenly Andante of Beethoven before his Chopin 
solos. It challenged recognition on high grounds 
when he stepped forward thua between solid pillars 
of the immortal temple of the divine Art. The 
FatUainU ffongroise could at least be accepted as a 
pardonable letting off of fireworks when enthusiasm 
was at its height and sober senses getting weary ; 
and the March from Athalie was certainly a good 
" playing out " piece, rounding the whole off classi- 
cally,— -ideally fit, if practically Auperfluous. Of all 
this the small orchestra, under Carl BBaoMAKN's 
baton, gave a fair outline, although, to be sure, four 
first violins were rather thin and feeble for the sreat 
crescendo of the " Leonora " No. 8. 

Had we time to go minutely and analytically into 
the whole rendering of that inexhaustibly rich and 
glorious Concerto, it would be saying all that need 
be said of Doctor von Billow's art. In conception, 
execution and expression, taken all together, it was 
in a higher degree than we have ever known before 
true to the whole scope and meaning of the work ; 
while at the same time it revealed a rare peculiar 
faculty of his, as much a matter of the brain as of 
the practiced fingers, of reaching evisrybody. ]tfany 
times as that work has been played in Boston, and 
well played, we doubt if it ever made its mark so 
signally upon a great audience. Before hearing 
anything more, that one performance established in 
us the very rare and comfortable assurance, that 
here was an artist on whom we could absolutely rely 
for a true and effective rendering of the composer's 
meaning for the first thing. There were no short- 
comings, no extravagancies; none of the wilful 
traits which shook one's confidence even in the 
midst of the electrifying moments of Rubinstein. 
And there was none of that sentimental trick of 
over-doing the poco ritardando^ which young pianists, 
of the gentler sex especially, spoiled by flattering 
publics, are so apt to fall into. Here was the 
thoughtful, the self-centred master, interpreter and 
teacher, who knew what he was doing, and who on- 
ly gave and did not take when hands were clap- 
ping. 

Now as (o all the component qualities of a con- 
summate technique, as to the whole list of liquid runs, 
crisp staccatos, legatos, arpeggios, Ac, Ac, let us 
take it all for granted ; in such an artist eeld va aant 
dire; the long enumeration has been reiterated 
about a thousand players, in a thousand musical 
reports and criticisms, clothed with whatever flour- 
ish of rhetorical cleverness, and, even if we had the 
patience to go through it all, who would have 
patience to read it ? The long bill may be safely 
passed, as they say in legislatures, after mere read- 
ing of its title. Resolved, therefore, that Dr. Von 
Billow's technique Is simply perfect. But out of all 



this we must specify certain traits, his in a decree 
that we have never seen realized before, which, 
while they are technical, imply a fine int^>llectual. 
spiritual force behind. First, as perhaps the most 
marked trait in hts plaj'insr, 'm the power of produc- 
ing tone, full, free, expressive, graduated to every 
Bhade of power or color ; every note is heard and 
h'ls its weight. The d'afinctnren of his rendering is 
a revelation, — distinctness witliout the least stiffness 
or break of continuity. This of course implies 
strength and freedom of touch, exquisite shading, 
and mastery of the rare art of phr am np. It implies 
also sympathy with his instrument (to which he 
leaned so fondly and kept himself so fiear, as if to 
establish an electric current,) as well as an instinct- 
ive feeling of the place which the sounds were to 
fill, and which they did fill so succesHfulIy, as we 
have said before, that few seem to have said or 
thought how wonderful it was : — and yet we have 
even heard complaints that the Music Hall was too 
large for the the fair hearing of an orchestra I 
Where he astonished, startled, he did not break the 
spell of beauty. Proportion, measure, the repoee of 
Art, pervaded all. Those wide hand-full chords, 
how throughout their whole breadth the tones all 
clung at once to the keyboard and to the ear, as if 
'fixed instantaneously and simultaneously by Sun 
power. And chords, where not only both hands 
were full, but the whole space between, — how even- 
ly and smoothly they moved on I (Here we arj 
anticipating; we have in mind a passage in the 
Hungarian FanUisie). In the Concerto the rapid 
running passasre in octaves was remarkably even 
and subdued to beautiful expression. 

Now all this is remarked essentially in all his 
playing; it is only the difference in the music, in 
the author. In e^erv case he gives you the infalli- 
ble true reading. We were hearing Beethoven, as 
afterwards Chopin, far more than we were hearing 
Billow. And that perhaps is highest praise. At 
the same time on renection we feel, as so many have 
felt, that he plays more from the head than from 
the heart. The effect produced /rom him is not pre- 
cisely the inspiration of genius. Tet he knows his 
author and his whole repertoire (which be has all 
by heart) as well as he knows his instrument ; and 
there is no denying that he plays all con amore (wo 
could-be pleased to notice some exceptions I) ; that 
he loves the music, or takes at all events a frank 
delight in it; his genial smile, and half conscious 
looking off towards the audience, show that he feels 
very happy in seeking out and bringing out all the 
tone and all the seme that lies in every note and 

Ehrase. If he is not one of the inspired men, he 
as that highest kind of talent, made the most of, 
and ever sure in its interpretation of inspired work?, 
which sometimes is so much more satisfactory 
than uncei-tain genius, a victim of its nerves and 
failing, at the crisis. 

We feel that we have about said our say, and pass 
to a brief record of the other concerts, merely men- 
tioning by the way that the fourth (Saturday) was 
a repetition of the first programme and more than 
confirmed the first impression. Here is the pro- 
gramme of the 

Second Concert, October 20. 

Overture— WasscrtrHger Cherabini 

Grand Concerto— [Opus 16j in F Minor, 

Adolphe Henselt 
Allegro Patetioo—Larghetto— Allegro Aeitato. 
HANS VON BUELOW. 
Overture— Der Freischutz CM. Von Weber 

Soli— 15 Variations [Opus 36] in E Flat— Fugue and 

Finale Beeihoven 

On a theme from the " 8infonia Eroica." 

Menuet— From Symphony No. 3 Mendel^^sohn 

Polonaiee Brillante— [Opns 73] in E. .0. M. Von Wcbtr 
Inatrumented for Piano and Orchestra by F. LIszL 

The principal number of the programme wns, we 
confess, what interested us least. What interested 
most in the Henselt Concerto was von Billow's easy 
and perfect mastery of its extraordinary difficulties ; 
but of the composition itself, though not without 
passages of beauty, we must still say as we did after 
Mr. Petersilea played it in a Harvard Concert nine 
years since : " Its thoughts are commonplace ; its 
sentimental quality is only better than the average 
of the better masters of the new Piano virtuoso 
school ; and the instrumentation is often awkward- 
ly managed and sometimes coarse. It is not sym- 
phonic, out after all a purely piano-forte piece, a 
piece for virtuosos. The fact that it is possibly the 
' most difficult ' piece for the executant ever written 
is rather a left-handed kind of praise." But we felt 
more than compensated by the admirable rendering 
of the Beethoven Variations, Ac, while the Scherzo 
from the Sonata, Op. 81, No. 3, — ^given for an encore 
piece — was such a felicity of perfect execution as 
would make one smile in his sleep. The Weber 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, OCT. 30, 1875. 



119 



Polonaise, too, was extremely brilliaDt, graceful, 
fascinating and refreshing. 

Third Concert, October 82. 

Overture— 1^« AbencerofTPfl Cherubinl 

Fourth Grand Concerto— [Opus 58] in Q Maipr, 

Bfethoven 
With Cadences competed by Hans Von BUIow. 
Concert Overture Julius Rlets 

Soli— [a] Prelude and Fugue— For the Organ, in A- 

Minor B:%cb 

[b] Prelude and Fnpruc— [Opas !t51 No. 1 . .Mendelssohn 
[c1 Prelude and Fuprue— [0|mR 72] De la Suite.. J. Raff 
Allegretto— From the Eighth Symphony. . .Beethoven 

[Orcliciitra.] 
First Grand Concerto— In K Fat Liszt 

The sfcond greatest of tlie Beethoven Concertos, 
— the delicate, poetic onejxir exeelUtue — was also 
exquisitely rendered, making a deep impression. 
B'jt we cannot say that Brilow*s very elaborate and 
difficult Cadenza in the first movement seemed to ns 
to keep the spirit of the work. It was constructed, 
to be sure, out of its themes and fragments ; but we 
did not feel that there was any vital germination or 
development; it was rather an ingenious putting 
together for effect; not a fine momentary rhapsody 
or reverie inspired by Beethoven ; it seemed to take 
leave of him for the nonce, running away with his 
materials and playing strange freaks with them. 
The prelude and fugue playing was indeed most 
masterly. Here his wonderful distinctness came 
almirably in play ; and never have we heard theme 
and answer, and the whole interweaving of parts in 
a fugue so clearly individualized and made so easy 
for the untutored ear to follow; while all was 
clothed with grace, or grandeur,or de«»p religions feel- 
ii«g as the case might be. After the magnificent Bach 
prelude and fua:ne, so effectively transcribed from 
thtrOrcran by Liszt, that by Mendelssohn made an 
interesting contrast, the introduced Choral and con- 
clusion having a heavenly expression. The work by 
Raff, though it was prelude and fugiie, seemed but a 
trivial ingenious freak, after the others ; a tripping, 
dancing, rapid, movement, playing with old forms 
without much respect, frolicing in chains for mere 
display of cleverness. But it was marvellously 
played. The loud and long recalls elicited again 
that witching Scherzo from the Beethoven Sonata. 

— Was it in this concert or the next that, in an- 
swer to an unreasonably pertinacious recall, when 
the pianist might well be fatigued, in view too of a 
difficult Concerto that was to follow, he with a mod- 
est deprecating air addressed t few words to the au- 
dience? What were they? Very few heard or 
guessed ; but on the testimony of those sitting 
nearest he said, evidently having been informed a- 
bont the "Athens of America": "Ladles and 
gentlemen, you are Athenians ; I am proud of your 
good opinions ! " Rather neat and humorous 1 

Now of that same Liszt Concerto in £ fiat, which 
had been played here by several before, even Von 
Billow's absolute mastery could not make us feel the 
op<*ning and pervading theme to be anything; but 
" ugly as we always found it. There are striking- 
ly, beautiful effecrts in the work ; some of the gypsy 
pafisages, with triangle, Ac, are very bright and 
quaint, and there is every sort of brilliancy of pas- 
sasre work, and queer felicities of instrumentation. 
But after BeethoVen Concertos it is hard to tHke such 
thincTS quite serously. Fantastical extravaganzas 
would seem to be the fitter name for many of these 
modern so-called Concertos. Von Billow's part in 
it, of courtte, could not fail to create enthusiasm per 

- Space fails us for more now : and we are not 
altogether sorry, for before speaking of the new 
Russian Concerto, which formed the chief feature 
of the fifth Concert, we would gladly hear it per 
formed again, as it will be this (Saturday) after- 
noon. 

Tieljens and Arabella Qoddard. 

The next musical attraction is the Tietjena Con- 
certs, which Messrs. Strakoach announce for next 
Monday and Friday evenings. There will of course 
be great eagerness to hear the famous lyric artist, 
and the most distinguished of English pianists, one 
of the foremost lady pianists of the world. The 
company includes a Tenor and a Baritone singer, 
and M. Sauret, the excellent violinist; and there 
will be an orchestra conducted by Maretzek. A 



writer from New York to the Philadelphia Amateur 
says of the two principal stars : 

The great dtfflciilty that Titieks has had to encounter 
with us, Is her own fame. Such friintpses as we had caught 
of her through the Enf^lish pr*?ss were in FldeliOf Semira- 
midet or Lucrena, large works, that are foregone success- 
es In plot, ooNlume and scenery. Although standing on 
the bare boards of a concert room, her New York critics 
have not separated her from these woiks, or listened to 
her with their eyes closed. It Is not good judgment or 
good criticism to travel out of the record. When TIetjens 
sings Bel Raggio, let us Just Judge of the aria per ««, and 
never mind going into elaborate disquisitions as to how 
much better the movement would be if, so and so. True 
criUcIsm Ukes things Just as it finds them ; and although 
comparisons are its utock In trade, It will not jumble up 
in its sense music and the drama. 

TIetjens is really a great singer— Is an artist of the most 
consummate akill and genius. Her voice is large and 
pure, and such a unit as to register, that the life and Hm- 
bre of her lowest note are nuinifested in her highest. Her 
tunefulness is amazing. No matter what the passage or 
Interval, everything is as clear and as trne as a bell. Her 
culture is magnificent, and her school of the very highest 
order. Her vcniatflity, also, is most extraordinary. One 
could scarcely suppose that the gaudy creature that flash- 
es its wings so rapidly and bo brilliantly through the 
Arditi WaltM, was the same that folds them up so plain- 
tively, so tenderly, so simply in Kathleen Mavoumeen. 

There is one little bit of information that the critics have 
given us here, for which we ought to be truly grateful. 
They Inform us that Mile. TIetjens* voice, after the enor- 
mous wear and tear of twenty-five years. Is not precisely 
as fresh and young ns that of a girl of eighteen. Wobody 
doubts It; but, after all, her voice Is younger than she is 
herself, and Is, even now, one of the best In the market for 
either Cbncert or opera. My opinion Is, that there Is no 
hall In America that It will not llll to the brJm. Her suc- 
cess here, for so far, has been marked, and I have no doubt 
that she will continue to command fine audiences to the 
close of her engagement. 

It is very dlfUcult to say anything at all about Madame 
OoDDARD's piano-playing. She appears to mit to have a 
mastery over the piano, peculiarly her own, and beyond 
the simple reach of one*s pen. As the spirit moved her, 
she played mUes away from me, and Into my very ear, If 
you ebuld call singing playing; for the instrument sang 
under her fingers. Such a continuous How ^f delicate 
sound I had never heard previously from a piano ; nor 
had I ever heard a grander volume In forte passages. In 
truth, she is a great pianist— great in every relation. 

It strikes us, however, that if instead of Arditi 
Waltzes and Kathleen Mavoumeene, the great singer 
would act on a good suggestion which we have heard 
made in private, and sing in one programme three 
things which more than any have made her concert 
fame, the attraction would be irresistible. The 
three pieces are : " Bell Raggio" from SemiramuU ; 
" Dove Sono " from Le None di Figaro, and (above 
all) the great Scena from Fidelio. 

The Handel and Haydn Society has been prompt 
to avail itself of M lie. TiEtJXNs's presence here, and 
will give us the opportunity of hearing her in Orato- 
rio — " Elijah "—on Monday evening, Nov. 8. 
> » • 



Next Week, besides the Tietjens Concerts, will 
be full of music. The Harvard Symphony Concerts 
begin on Thursday afternoon, when Mr. Perabo 
will pla3' again the Bennett Concerto, which he 
played two years ago for the first time ; the Sym- 
phony will be the " Scotch" by Beethoven ; besides 
which Cherubini's Overture to" The Water-Carrier" 
and Weber's to the " Ruler of the Spirits." The 
seaaon tickets (only) admit to the last rehearsal 
(Tuesday, at 2 P.M.).— Ernst Pbrabo's first Piano 
Recital will Uke place at Wesleyan Hall on Friday 
afternoon. — As usual, the announcemtnt of a Har- 
vard Concert, draws hither others of the same sort; 
the Thomas Orchestra comes out with three an- 
nouncements for that week, including a Sunday 
evening Concert This throws the Oratorio with 
Tietjens Into Monday evening. — There has been 
English Opera all this week at the Boston Theatre, 
and will be next week. (The newspapers are our 
only authority for the report). 



Organ Miuic in New York. 

Mr. Editor: — We understand that the letter on 
organ music in our city which we wrote you in 
June last, proved interesting to some of your read- 
ers, and also, that it was copied by one of the 
leading English musical papers. It occurred to us 
that it might prove interesting to know that the 
organ recitals under the direction of Mr. Samuel P. 
Warren will be resumed this fall and winter, in the 
church of the Holy Trinity. These recitals are 
assuming a permanent character and may be looked 
forward to as a certainty this season at least. We 
have learned also that new organ compositions 
which have not yet been presented in this country, 
will be offered by Mr. Warren. While re-reading 
the other day a chapter of Draper's " Intellectual 
Development in Europe," we were reminded of 
the claim that is often made by public performers 
of playing such and such works for the first time. 
Draper speaks of the injustice done to philosophers 
by according to Lord Bacon the credit of being the 
founder of the philosophy generally attributable to 
him, for the reason that it had existed long before 
Bacon's day. Of course there will be many to dis- 
pute this with Dr. Draper, for it admits of sides. 
But playing works for the first time in public can 
readily be settled. For instance if Mr. Eddy of 
Chicago prints on his programme, say : March 1875, 
that Thiele's Variations in C major (manuscript), 
and Thiele's Concert Piece in C minor (manuscript) 
are now played for the first time in public, we can 
object to the fact by saying that Mr Eugene Thayer 
has played the Variations, and Mr. S. P. Warren the 
Concert Piece, some time before that date. The 
only way by which a performer can avoid making 
such ludicrous mistakes is br keeping himself well 
informed of what is going on elsewhere in his branch 
of art. We believe that Reubke's Sonata in C mi. 
nor is one of three or four colossal works for the 
organ, which can yet be claimed as played for the 
firet time in public. It has been presented in pub- 
lic four times by Mr. S. P. Warren. We are not 
unaware that Mr. Carter, assistant organist at Trin- 
ity Church, has published it aa one of hie pieces, 
played on Sundays. But playing people In and oat 
of church on bits of the Reubke Sonata, not to 
speak of the desecration, is a mighty different thing 
from presenting it as a whole. It is a work which 
will not admit of being given by piecemeal. Any 
part of it is so intimately connected with what pre- 
cedes or follows, that it would be impossible to get 
any conception of the work, without an entire ren- 
dering:. It stands or falls as a whole. If we may 
judge by Mr. Carter's interpretation of works of 
much less difficulty,we cannot believe that he pos- 
sesses the requisite force for presenting such a work 
as this sonata. He might acquire the technicality 
and play it all through correctly, but he would nev- 
er lose sight or consciousness of the mere technical- 
ity. He is simply playing it — ^it rests there. He 
lacks the fire which would make him something 
more than what he is now — a good, steady, careful 
player. It is otherwise with Mr. Warren. He has 
the real artistic nature, and the technicality so con-.- 
pletely under his control, that he lives in the work, 
carries it before him and expresses what he choosef . 
Say for instance in the part of the Sonata (the sub- 
ject is taken from the 94th Psalm), where it may 
express : " O Lord God, to whom vengeance be 
longeth. show thyself," the tempo is increased, and 
a tremendous crescendo worked up, which would be 
impossible to express, unless the technicality became 
of comparatively second importance. 

The concerts will be resumed we understand next 
week. At intervals, as new works of interest may 
appear, we will send you, if agreeable, a short notice 
of them — ^perchance they may prove acceptable to 
those interested in organ music and these recitals. 

J. A. 
New York, Oct, 25//i. 1876. 



^ 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



Tbb WoBCMTBm PmnvAL [roncludBd from pat^ 118. 

Fkidav.Oct. 18. [WmnlrrPaUadlum,0(t.l3.] 
The rallavInK la tba prOKTiuniiic of tha ijinphoDy eon 



OrrmnnlA Orrbntrft. 



In O minor fur pltnoTorie,— olthnrchH- 
ecompiilnK'Tft . ICsndalHobn 



. BeelUkUvcuidCKntlna, from-'Sonnm 
HIn Msrj atoDS. 



BelllDl 



•. PolpooITl— "FmMt,' 

T«,lt1n» llrat tlM orelieitril perfornisMw, 11 nwy ta uM 
thill Ibt pUet dt rtililamt—0\t ■■ Jqpltur " sympbonj of 
IfoBit-wM splendlitl; plijcd, MpeciillJ the aiaffle and 
tha ^nflf*. ITntb'nf could ba finer than tha wajr In whlah 
tba dlArent tli«Ri« In IhaM wara workad out. TbetamH 
dr>|t|(Cd ■ intla at tha b*«lnnlnf of tbe Bnt mOHinant of 
lb« •rmphanr, bni thli blamlab dluppMrad afier a pace 



badlM 



tba lattrr Iwdj thai 

f^rmnlEAtlon la known bars u -^-^ .- 
Thay hjid oftan n1a]rad undar tha aan 

IW •arprlalne. tbarafira, trth^T muld 
•■ u«r«ln1r dlfflenlt In nnlnl on 



!h««tra wia bojond r»>roiicli 



■■ Loidy " nanii 






n«alT«a hemt and at 



Id hln and he na<Hed tha ordaal nt* firat ftppaarnQce at a 
-'Rrand Gonecrt'' tarjr anrcaaafni^. Itlaof ennminipna- 
■Ibla Id catlmat* iny plirar>a aUIIIlM aa a planlit by lin- 



■norahmra; bnl tlita mneb may be aald unit, ih"t Mr. 
Dana prOTad hlnuelf • eipBbIa aseanbint and ui efBdant 
Inf^praiiar ol hia onmpoaet. HlanftavapUyliiiiieapltAl, 
whil* bla tniiab la dellare and carrftilli- modined to ntt 
lhaT«qnlrcn>eniBofthemnila, In many of the dslei paa- 
tufrt, ihe nrchaatraproTed TatharbMry, bnl It «■ not](«d 
that Mr. Dinn did not Mninla to be Iwanl promlnentlr 
atanabtlmaa; and tba melody frndnany bnt anrgly M ii at c- 
«■ in rlchtml poaltion In the coiicnto. Tha t«ebnlaal 
dinonlUaa of the aompoaltioo— and tbay ira many— were 






hariKall. H<sa I>r>Klll and Kl» Boeba M 
ntalnad. bnt Inomaad (ha rapubitlonn thai 
1 thia city. There ara few aonBa batter sal 



It la : 



r, It dludTHntaira li mny 
■Ida with Mlu Drurlil, 



wlthatindlnvl ... 

was KTarr pralaewnrthy nna, and aonalilfrtnr Uiai It was 
the Aral lime aha hail evrr awnyeil the luir wttli an orehea - 
tral •c-'mpanlnient. It wan daaarvlnf-of hlKhaammenda- 
tlon. Ite«eronoe did ahetall lo lake up ber eiie. and In 
more than one air, ahr ahnweil an appn-datlnn of the coni- 
powr'a Intenili'mi vMah (Hd bar Innnlie credit. But abe 
UDfrirtanatelylMkatbckiHd and qnalliy of voice iiecoa^ry 
to onnplEte anceen In iMi rtyla <-t mualc, and tber^fora. 

lebom at a dlnHlTantan<D not heinr -'" ■- — ' 

h'r randarlnRH tha tA\ar -i and muFnatlH 
of the onnoarted 

Hn. W. K. Erena Jmi m-iny of i 
b* the eontraHo mlci, and rendaran iiHnu iiny HHsiiKHr- 
rfly Shedall>aradlbaraaltatlfab"ilnnlnK"NawChar1th'a 
■■"--■■ ■- *-■-' — " with flna aipreealan, while aha 
deelnlm effactlvaly la tbaconmuid 

had bnl little to do, bni that little aha did 



fh linpre»*lvani^aa waa lacking. 



oJn(te«.''n< 



r. Vlnch repeated the li 

la place of honor Ola the pTDCramme. — the per 
ihar— Kaa oocnpled hy Misa Mary Stone. • 
Inl'a caTatlnamaenlniiently. tl was notload, ] 
ihl< lady'a hl>ber raelatar baa been eitrn 
——•-*- •airf^the ' — — 



Imoateqnally well 






It dlaapnolntinr. 



■r« nhrlced 

''• Jbrte la florid iiiitji 
nil rmnn oi <n>i prriiixalon •hewlll hare fr. dhh.c .upe- 
Inra. We nre nni surprlted to bear that ahe baa alraKdy 
walrad pmpoaltliins for aniiaeemenu. On Inline Iha 






■ndlen 



1 chain, being Docnplad. 



Thai 



the nenlni to tha Urfceat hooae of the 
tieal'a and cboma nnmbered nearly HO. 
taken by lfl» ICar; 



prano rail la the orate 
Whan this lady left 



ni«D, d: 



which 

abe Brat gaTeheraiiantlon, and ItwaaEonerallyanppoeed 
that In ihhltnaiha would make ber mark. Sabeeqaently. 
bowerar, bar aolee deraloped Into a ■ light •opruo." and 
tha oonnctlon coold hardly be realited thai Ibis Indicated 



aoperlaH rely wall. 

Ood," ibe wa» nmarkably si 

■ inbllnilty nl paihos we have i 
wi> nlillrrtd to repeat the anml 



Sererthflt _ ,_.._ 

lit, for which he )hou1d« 
n mlRhc be named alma 



lowed many gjood 
n credit. Amoni 



n F. WInab'i aeann 



lankt be (•> Sad," and Ihe Hn. 



leeaM of tbe partoiwanaea. 

Kra. B. Rlcharda. Mr. C. B. Kendall and Ur. < 
in rendered elTeotIre aid In ibe double qnartet. 

We need aearccly Miy Ihat much of the ancceaa of tha 
,;!^^™^;rectiy-— " "■" 



Me eiMTfy ofCarl Zarrahn, 






hia ablllir to'dlill a lanie bo^ ofslBietvT thtee^ontth) of 
whom hm had do pnvloaa opportunity of rebaarslnr 






« believe there la 



. ande 






^cl^iEwtcaly prefer aahfllng an Ina 

> 1 M pennanent fund, and captK 
<r pmFurlnc (he beat available tal 
future yean will be grtiatlyln— 



'V.S; 



lhe*Biktl>£cta'i 






nw'ullvD ability will Iod( he al the •ervtce at a ciiiae 
which enerla auoh red Ing InfluenHS Ihronebuul ilila 
noniy.aiid which plaera Worceatar ia the front ri»li of 
nDalaal eentraa In &a Unhed BlatM. 

It would be doInK an Injnatke to one who la a thoroach 
mnslelnii, no lesa than a cnaneoa* nntleman. It we omTt- 

leaervl«£otUr.B.D. Allen aa 

the fbatiral. The work ot an a^ 
intbankrul and ungrnclDna char- 
i«s an Important Ihctor In the 
irkhnnt. It ibould be said, wat at 
of the leheaiaala ol choral worka. 






Eerai reanit. Kri Farkhnnt, It i^uld be" 
planodorios " . . . 



We know not what truth there may be In thli, 
which we clip from an eichange : 

Mnie. Arabella Ooddard. the En^^liah pianiat, ha* 
had her adventnres, it aeetnn. Bhe haa nearly com- 
|ileted ■ voyage runnd the world, which haa occu- 
pied three yeara of her Ufe. and an aeoouDt of 
which ahe la sooa to publlih In the form or " aa nn- 
finiahed " Uie of travel. She haa encanntered 
aerloaa dan^r, having been wrecked on tha paasaee 
from Bermuda to Australia, and eipoaed to tne 
hardship of twelve houra at aea la an open boat. 
Of all the countries ahe has riaited ahe announcea 
her intention of provlne her preference for both the 
pc«!ile and climate '>f Cnlifnrnin by l.akine np her 



I rJ in £:n rlii'iii. 



! tht^n 



■(Ut 



Spuial BotiJts. 



▼•cal, wlik naa* AccvnapantBCBt. 

Lttme dream of Happy Days, S. G to c. 

AUU. I 

imltahl^h 



k> aanllcht Knda aone diatant 
idleaveaihaTalleyadarkthall 
la the peculiarity of appearlni^ 



nnbarlncthli,! 



The Liut Hour. (L'utUm on). 6. C miDor 

too. HaeteMoUna'. GO 

"Kabentoatollperdel' 
" Ah, bnt aoen. abu, I loat thee." 
OarlD mm wreM the Italian, whlob If aria Biihop 
slnia, aud than tmrilatea fr m ■■the inknnwn 
tanitna" Ibr the baneBt ot tha haanra. Avaryti- 
fectlva aoneert ptaee. 

ffU. SO 



Whliper In tho Twilight, Sons and Cho. ■. 

A to a. Jffafc. 80 

" Tell me, Htda fairy. 



ChanAtrtabt. SO 
" Ok I hla Tolct waa mualc. 

Words by Oeorfte Cooper, and Ihe melody la In 
SchntUacb (ona, and endi In an ad UtUmu cboms 



" The deb man paaaad with towerinr headi 
Bnt I eanf on hla grave when be waa dead.'' 
A rival or sneoaaaor to the orlflnikl nnarabla 
(crave diner, who " has mthared ibtni In" theaa 
many yean. Bunsbv fianlley. and liqnlleaamod 
aa lb* older aoni. ^or Baritone or low Tenor. A. 
little high IbrBaaa. 
I will love thee. (lo funerol. 6. E ta ir. 

Fonniiit SO 
■■ Perchl tl aerba meoo asvais.'' 
" Ob, why prea«ve thai ailan aewB." 
A neat and tripping Itallui aong. 
KmatewKaiittaa. 
L« Pna St 0«rvalt. Waltiea. AronMtm. 60 

The title 1* that of a eomkt opara, and lb* walti- 
I are plqnast and " Fienahy." 
La Guitara. Air de Ballet 3. C. AiOUome. 40 
Played by Ttiamaa' ontaaatra. Far pUno, of 
oonraa. butao strongly rtaaiiiblaagntlarniiiilG. that 
Ihe parftirmer will oeeaslonallv forget that he baa 
net that Inalrnment In hla haadi, 

Iluee StodlM. No. 1. C. Perabo. SB 

Tbe diflniliy Incraaaet with the rapidity of per- 

fennanee. Mr. Farabo leoneDfUiamciatthorsnith- 

ly drllM at planlata. and knows' Juat wbatiaalarlal 

to provide rer praeiloe. 

Alpen Boae. Polka Haanrka. S. C. E. atraum. SO 

Tba Stranaa bmlly have no end of variety tn anb- 

Jaota. TUatenew. fraabfandqulw ahaimlag. 

Haroh Tiolata Polka. & D. X. Straum. SS 

Worthy of tba pretty name, of poreba**, and ot 

MaMke Her<dqtie. G. B&. Von BmIok. CO 

Maw tor the great VoM BuLOw t Ai be is lo be 

oneorthe promlneni eenaatlona of tba winter. It 

wDDld be well to make aconaiDiance with his eoui- 

poaltlons. The Maraha Herolqae I* a powerful 



awld.. 



b reqi 
grasp. 



lulraaa 



ong, eoergatle attack. 



Oalop Brilllajit. SpoDholta. fitmplifled. 

8, O. Maylath. 40 

A sinpl* itrrangement of a popalar place. 
Whirlwind Oalop. 8. D. WMtneg. SO 

Calenlaiad to raise qulie a hreei 
Bung Um hearera. A wide awak 



QncB or EvausH Sons. 
Board*, S!.6a CloOi, $3.00. Fine (Mlt, $4.00. 
A book brought oat eanaelally tor tbe boHdayaaaaon 
of tbe preaeul year, and la bIImI with a magnlSeant eal> 
lection of tba moat popnlar and awBaaaltaJ ao^a et'tb* 
(lay. mpag«a,fHllab«(mnals>lM. 



.. -Degiaea of dllBcnl^ a 
mirk''d with a canlial lectei 



I' IcllertUBhiitbc.tii 





uxnl 





Whole No, 902. 



BOSTON, SATUKDAY, NOV. 13. 1875. Vol. XXXV. No. 16. 



Our Dead. 

[Besd at the Aimnal Reanion of the Harrard ClaM of 

*3% Cot. 27, 1879.] 

One by one they leave us, clasemates, 
We shall meet them h r ^ do more ; 

Less than half our number ling^ere. 
More than half has |^ae before. 

Some have fi^ne In lSfe*s bright Spring-time, 
Some ere Summer's days were told, 

Some but yesterday have vanished 
In the Autumn gray and cold. 

Happy they who went so early 

In the flush and joy of youth, 
Ere the stidn of earth had touched them. 

Full of purity and truth. 

Happy those who left us later. 
In the strength of manhood's prime, 

Mid the tumult of life's battle. 
Ere they felt the hand of time. 

Happy they who last have rested. 

All thdr highest duty done ; 
Calm they sleep, the battle ended. 

And the victory nobly won, 

Happy all of us who cherish 

Hope and courage to the end ; 
Come our summons late or early, 

Death itself is still our friend. 






Carl Karia Yon Web«r. 

BT F. WBBBB. 
[inrom ik« London MuHeal TUm4$.} 

When glancing over the many portraits of 
tone-poets with which modern photographic art 
has graced our drawing-room tables, and whose 
life and artistic creations have become equally 
familiar to n% we dwell with peculiar fascina- 
tion npon the features, delicate and thoughtful, 
vet highly intellectual, of Carl Maria von We- 
ber. We begin to ponder over the sareer of 
the great composer with feelings on the whole 
of sadness, presenting as it does the picture of 
a vigorous and enthusiastic, but extremely sen- 
sitive, artistic nature gradually being chilled, 
at least to outward appearances, by the wear 
and tear of professional struggles and disap- 
pointments. We think of him, the youth (pre- 
senting all the forced appearance of a hot-house 
plant) who at the age of thirteen could already 
boast the authorship, and not unsuccessful 
performance in public, of a ** grand romantic 
Opera." We follow the young musician in his 
noble and successful efforts to shake off, by 
virtue of the innate vigor of his individuality, 
the mischievous effects of a mistaken education 
inflicted upon him on the part of a fond, but 
also vain and unscrupulous father. Unfolding 
anon the brilliant demonstrative qualities of 
his versatile genius, we find the wandering 
wrtnoM embracing life with all the glowing 
energy and large sympathies of the true artist, 
tasting fitfully alike the sweet and the bitter 
cup, and gathering the while the leaves to that 
sketchbook from which ho should draw his 
masterpieces. But ere long the seriousness of 
life gams the upper hand, and as the hitherto 
undefined forms of his artistic ideal begin to 
shape themselves clearer and clearer before his 
eyes, his soul is filled with that more intense, if 
calmer fire, from whence the inspired work of 
art is derived. Then follow the years of yoke 
in an official capacity — the years of incessant 
strife with petty intrigues directed against his 



noble efforts to create a home for the musical 
drama at Dresden worthv of his country and of 
his own daily growing fame. And already the 
approaching fatal illness casts its gloomy shad- 
ows upon his path in gradually shortening in- 
tervals. Then, as the end draws near, wc see 
the master, the laurels of FreisehuU and Enry- 
anthe yet fresh upon his pale forehead, but 
himself sick even unto death, tearing himself 
away from all that is dearest to him upon earth. 
Animated only by the one great desire to 
increase amply, as he hoped, the means of sub- 
sistence of those whom he knew he should soon 
have to leave to struggle on for themselves, he 
arrives in England. One more disappointment, 
the bitterest of all, and the scene closes amidst 
unspeakable sadness. Far away from the home 
to which he was so passionately attached, his 
hopes of material success crushed, his heart 
broken, the master lays down his weary head 
and dies. Sad indeed I Rielancholy the thought 
that the latter days of the great man — when his 
genius had attained it3 full development, when 
his inspired song had filled his native country 
from one end to the other until it burst its 
boundaries, carrying his fame far and wide 
— should also have Keen days of harassing toil, 
of increasing anxiety to provide for his family, 
of protracted bodily suffering ending in prem- 
ature death. Surely it is but natural if, with 
these impressions on our mind, a glance at the 
portrait of Carl Maria von Weber, as we single 
it out from among those of other great compo- 
sers, should raise in us, for a moment, the 
thought that he was bom to be a martyr to his 
art. 

Yet nothing could be farther from the truth. 
And even now, while thus contemplating the 
melancholy aspects of his career, we seem to 
hear, as if in protest against the narrow view 
we are taking of the artistes life, the joyous, 
nay, exultant strains representing the leading 
idea — the idea of purest love and devotion per- 
vading his three great operas ; strains which he 
has placed in the very centre of his overtures, 
and which are so emphatically associated in 
our minds with Weber. Nor is it only in his 
operatic music that this gladsome spirit mani- 
fests itself. Be it in his chamber music, his 
pianoforte pieces, or his simple songs, wherever 
we point to a particular passage as oeing pecu- 
liarly characteristic of Weber, we may oe sure 
the passage is one expressive of joy- of that 
elevating joy which lifts us at once from the 
prosaic cares of daily life into a purer sphere of 
existence. And this joyous enthusiasm never 
forsakes him to the last. Witness his latest 
work, Ob&ron, Remember the thrilling notes 
of the overture ; a work familiar to everyone, 
even though the Opera to which it forms the 
prologue has all but disappeared from the f»p- 
ertaire of our operatic establishments. Above 
the tumultuous waves of contending tone-mass- 
es rises higher and higher, with increasing 
confidence, the theme suggestive of the heroic 
love of a noble woman, bursting forth at last 
with triumphant exultation : 

*' My Huon, my husband, we're saved, we*re sated r 

Who can detect the trembling hand of the suf- 
fering master in these strains ? Yet they had 
been wrung from his genius while death was 
impatiently knocking at the door. And here, 
if anywhere in the career of a great composer, 
the truth is proclaimed — that true art and true 
religion are twin-sisters, dependent for their 
inspirations upon the same divine source from 
which they sprang. This spirited orchestral 
work, indeed, worthily represents our compo- 
ser's *Mast thoughts;" and it is a matter of 



wonder to us that the pretty, but eminently 
drawing-room-scented piece of Reissiger's, 
bearing that title, sometimes more charitably 
converted into ** Weber's Last Waltz," should 
up to this day, in spite of periodical contradic- 
tion, pass with the general public for the final 
inspiration of the pen which had just written 
Obiron^ a work which, if somewhat fragmenta- 
ry, is nevertheless full of poetic life, of youth- 
ful fire and enthusiasm. Besides this joyous 
spirit which we have traced in Weber*s compo- 
sitions, two apparently antagonistic elements 
are happily blended in our composer's artistic 
nature — the aristocratic and the democratic. 
The former makes itself known in the air of 
refinement and cultivation nf an elegant grace 
— ^^chevaleresqueness" as a German critic 
aptly calls it — which pervades his music 
throughout, not unf requently lending to even a 
trivial thought a charm and an importance it 
does not otherwise possess. The latter con- 
sists in his persistent and generous appeal to 
the hearts of the people, in whose genius hu 
believed, and whom he strove to raise to a 
higher appreciation of that art to whose service 
his life was devoted. It was, however, only in 
the latter period of his career, when he was 
ripening into mastsrship, that he clearly per- 
ceived the democratic miAion he had. The 
restless fire within him, which shaped his course 
I in his earlier days, led him to seek new forms 
and modes of musical expression among all 
manner of nationalities in quaint rhythms and 
modulations. Thus we have his Pl>laeea$ and 
Boouaisei, his SieUiancu and Rondon 0ngar69e$^ 
and even an Ooertura Chineta. These, how- 
ever, were but studies of costume, admirably 
adapted indeed in the masterly music he wrote 
to tne melodrama Predom — not by any means 
an ** Opera," as we have repeatedly seen it 
styled — and to some extent in Oberon. Ere 
long his attention was attracted nearer home, 
and became at last concentrated upon that mine 
of wealth for poet as well as for musician — the 
German Volkdied, It was from thence he 
should derive his finest inspirations, and it is 
by no means a mere coinciaence that the period 
of some four years, over which the composition 
of Der FniiehuU extends, should also be marked 
by a number of Weber's most charmings songs, 
all leaning more or less to the simplicity of Uie 
Volkdied. FnUeMtU came, a work conceived 
in the very spirit of the *' sonf^ of the people" 
itself, and created an enthusiasm, an almost 
frantic excitement in all ranks of German soci- 
ety, of which it is impossible in this more crit- 
ical and eminently business-like age to form an 
adequate idea. But although the excitement 
with regard to this, Weber's first great opera, 
has long since made room for calmer emotions, 
the popular voice still claims this evergreen 
work as peculiarly its own, while BuryaniKe^ 
undoubtedly his masterpiece, in which his pow- 
ers appear exhibited to their fullest extent, in 
which all his artistic aims are concentrated, has 
failed to this day to win for itself that hifl^h 
place in popular estimation it so richly de- 
serves. 

These three elements, then, vis., the refined 
gracefulness, the spirit of popularity and withal 
the joyous enthusiasm, as they are among the 
chief characteristics of Weber's music, so they 
are equally illustrative of the whole character 
of the man. And if — as has been maintained 
— among the many new phases of modem mu- 
sical development to which his genius has given 
the first impulse, be is also the originator of 
what is called *^ Programme Music;" so we 
may, in a wider sense, consider his whole life, 
a life of the highest and noblest aspiration, to 



122 



DWIGHT'S JOURIfAL OF MUSIC. 



form the great "Programme" or commentary 
toliis aitisiic creations; the stiiclv of the form- 
er being indispensable to tlie perfect apprecia- 
tion of the latter. If this would seem to be 
applicable more or less to the works of any 
other great artist, it is the case, at all events, 
to an exceptional degree with those of Weber. 
Indeed, in this all but insepanible connection 
between the artist and the individual nmv be 
partially traced the reason why he, who in 
almost every department of his art produced 
works full of creative power, yet attained in 
but few of them that tinish, that harmony of 
the parts which make them muk as classical. 
Whereas the great masters of the classical peri- 
od, at the end of which Weber was placed, the 
period marked l)y llaydn, Mozart and Beetho- 
ven, stood, at least when at the height of their 
imaginative powers aftop« their creations, Weber 
always stands in the midst of his own, throwing 
into them the full weight of his individual 
experences in joy and sorrow. Thus upon all 
his truly original compositions he impressed the 
stamp and seal only of his fresh and vigorous 
individuality, with which they must either 
stand or fall, and at the end of each manuscript 
he inscribed the words, *' Wie Gott will ;" obe- 
dient rather to the voice within him. than to 
the dictates of the ** school." His genius 
lacked the steady, symmetrical development, 
which characterizes the career of the classical 
masters above referred to. But that which, 
from one point of view, must be considered his 
weakness, was in truth Weber's great strength. 
Surrounded as he was by a swarm of mere im- 
itators of the style of Mozart on the one hand, 
and of infatuated followers of the dolce far 
niente creed of Rossini on the other, this distinct 
and most marked individuality makes him 
stand out in bold relief from his contemporaries, 
and could not fail to exercize the most enliven- 
ing and refreshing influence upon the art of his 
time. Althcmgh some twenty-fi^e years in the 
grave, it was only in the second decade of the 
present century that the stupendous genius of 
Mozart came to be universally acknowledged, 
and produced a type of more or less talented 
musicians, to whom there was but one true art 
and Mozart was its sole exponent. The result 
was a legion of aompositions, operatic and 
otherwise, all bearing such a strong family 
likeness, that it would puzzle the most learned 
musical antiquarian of our days to detect any 
distinct individuality in the majority of them. 
Rossini, on his part, had leapt into European 
fame at a bound, and the sweet, effervescent 
melodies of the ''Swan of Pesaro" had made 
sad havoc among the ''nation of thinkers," 
which — turning a deaf ear to the grave warnings 
from the partakers in the Mozartian infallibili- 
ty — ^abandonod itself for a time, like the rest 
of the world, to their intoxicating influence. 
Midway between these two extreme parties 
stands Welder, whose reverence for Mozart 
amounted almost to religious veneration, and 
whose dislike for anything connected, however 
remotcl}', with Rossini — the Rossini as he knew 
him, not in the latter phase, manifested in Tell, 
which Weber never witnessed — might appear 
exaggerated, but foriiis profound belief in the 
sacredupss of his art, and an inner conscious- 
ness of being, in part, responsible to the Ger- 
man people for thuinlieritance of a great past. 
But he was not a blind worshipper of Mozart, 
neither did his keen eye entirely overlook the 
merits of the volatile Italian ma^tro's numer- 
ous operas. He thoroughly understood his 
time. With a mind enlarged by self-culture, 
with a critical faculty developed to a degree 
hitherto unknown among practical musicians, 
he felt himself en rapport with all the artistic 
strivings of the period, and clearer than any 
composer had ever done before him, he recog- 
nized the intimate relationship and inter-com 
munication which ought to exist between poetry 
and music. He made a stand against Rossini- 
ism and the Italian party in general, which was 
then still all powerful at the more important 
German courts where opera was cultivated, and 
the first performances both of his Freiech&tg 



and his Eurt/antJie presented ^ in the tumultuous 
demonstration of party spirit, moie the appear- 
ance of pitched battles, than of representations 
of productions belonging to a peaceful art, 
intended for recreation and edification. Everv- 
one understood, that with these works Weber 
indirectly aimed at the due recognition and 
firm establishment in his country of the national 
German opera, i.e., of an Art- Work — to use a 
Teutonic term of modern adoption — conceived, 
poetically and musically, in the German spirit. 
Hence, at the very outset, he found arrayed 
against him in powerful league a number of 
Italian composers of undoubted talent, occupy- 
ing the most infiuential positions at Imperial 
and Royal operatic establishments in Germany, 
who, in the instinct of self-preservation, had 
for years systematically kept down the native 
production. Those who are acquainted with 
the life of Mozart, know the malicious envy, 
emanating from that quarter, which was so 
busily at work in order to suppress the growing 
fame of his genius. Stil I Italian opera, no mat- 
ter what its merits, remained the plaything of 
fashion, and thus the guidanceship of the taste 
of the people was entrusted to men who — like 
Salieri in Vienna, Morlacchi in Dresden, Spon- 
tini in Berlin — during a long residence in their 
adopted country, had not even thought it nec- 
essary to acquire so much as the elementary 
part of its language. 

(To be Continued.) 



%/\/^.,'vyN/ 



The Oldest Living Musician. 

[From CHAKL.E8 K. Salaman 's ** Recollections,'* in the 

London Concordia. 

Charles Neate is probably the oldest living 
musician in Europe. As such he has a special 
claim to notice, irrespective of his former emi- 
nent professional status, and the many inter- 
esting musical associations attached to his name 
and epoch. He was born in 1784, the year of 
the great commemoration of Handel in West- 
minster Abbey. Mr. Neate is therefore now in 
his 02nd year. He may be regarded as the link 
which unites the musical past with the musical 
present. The mind is overwhelmed when 
refiecting upon the momentous occurrences 
which have rendered memorable the long period 
of Mr. Neate's existence. This esteemed musi- 
cal professor, about sixteen years ago, sought 
at Brighton a peaceful retirement, and the 
enjoyment of the otium cum dignitate which he 
had honorably earned. He has thus preserved 
his life, his health and good spirits, together 
with a tolerable amount of strength. I carry 
my thoughts back to the year of Mr. Neate*s 
birth. What a throng of persons of transcend- 
ent genius in art, literature, science, govern- 
ment, diplomacy and war pass, in imagination, 
before me! How events crowd around my 
mcmor}' I As by an earthquake, how has the 
world been shaken since that time! Ideas, 
habits of thought, manners, customs : how have 
they changed! What revolutions in states, in 
governments! What volumes of history have 
been enacted and written! And music — 
** Heavenly maid,^' — her modern history only 
dates from about the same period. 

In 1784 Gluck still lived, at the age of 72, 
and Picoini, his rival, at 56. Haydn was com- 
posing six orchestral symphonies for the Loge- 
Olympique, at Paris, at 52; while Mozart, at 28, 
was, by his compositions, still adding to his 
immortal fame. Cimarosa, one of Italy's 
** glories,** was in his zenith, at 82, and Philip 
Emanuel Bach, the originator of the modem 
forms of musical thought, yet lived, at 69. 
Bocchcrini was 48, and Zingarelli 82. Clementi, 
at the same age, was in the full blaze of fame. 
Dussek was 24, and Viotti and Steibelt both 29. 
Albrechtsberger was a youth of 18, and the 
future mighty Beetnoven was a wild, impetu- 
ous lad of 14. Woelff was a student only 12 
yoars old, and Weber was not yet in existence. 
Paganini, Spohr, and Sir George Smart were 
both born in the same year as Neate ; but they 
have long since been ''gathered to their fath- 
ers." The year that marks Dr. Samuel John- 



son's death ushered Neate into life. In his 
time flourished Sir Joshua Reynolds, Benjamin 
West, Sir Thomas Lawrence, Sir David Wilkie, 
Northcote, Sir Francis Chantry, Canova. Thor- 
waldsen, Walter Scott, Byron, Shelley, Thomas 
Moore, Goethe. Schiller. Pitt, Fox, Sheridan, 
Washington, Warfeu Hastings, Wellington, 
Napoleon, Mrs. Siddons, John Kemble, Ed- 
mund Kean, Spohr and Mendelssohn. What 
glorious contemporaries ! 

**Mr. Neate is the finest pianoforte player 
and the most scientific and systematic instructor 
in the kingdom, or perhaps in Europe." Thus 
writes, in 1818, one of the foremost musical 
critics of the day. In 1821 I find also written: 
*' We know not where to look for a professor 
of sounder ability, in various departments of 
this art (music), than Mr. Neate." A record of 
the first performance by Mr. Neate of Beetho- 
ven*s £ fiat Concerto, *'The Emperor," is in- 
teresting. ' 'At the fifth Philharmonic Concert, 
1820, a concerto by Beethoven was performed 
for tlie first tin>e in this country by Mr. Neate. 
Beethoven wrote it expressly for himself: but 
his slovenly habits of execution were unequal 
to the task. The Tutti introduction is fine, 
and the executive parts for the pianoforte are 
very various, very difiScult, and, at times, very 
effective, though frequently incongruous. Mr. 
Neate played with remarkable brilliancy, and 
was greeted with never-ending applause.*' In 
1823 is noticed the same gentleman's first per- 
formance of a MS. Concerto by Steibelt. "His 
ability,** says the critic, "as a player of the 
first class needs no blazon by us ; his eminent 
merits are known, admitted and established.'* 
Charles Neate, in conjunction with Salomon 
(Haydn's friend), Clementi, the two Cramers, 
Attwood, Bishop, Dance, Horsley, Grififin, 
Shield, Viotti, Sir George Smart, and other 
resident musicians of the highest rank, founded 
and established, in 1813, the Philharmonic 
Society. Mr. Neate was one of its most prom- 
inent members, — one of its earliest directors, 
and one of the pianists most frequently heard 
at its concerts. 

Neate was indebted to his friend James 
Windsor for his introduction to music. He 
gave him his first lessons on the pianoforte. 
Mr. James Windsor afterwards settled at Bath, 
then the most musical, as it was the most beau- 
tiful city in England, and became an eminent 
and esteemed professor of music ; he was also 
reputed to be one of the best read men in the 
kingdom. Neate remained in X^ondon, and 
practised the pianoforte assiduously ; he subse- 
quently received valuable tuition on that 
instrument from John Field — Clementi's gifted 
pupil, one of the most accomplished pianists in 
Europe — at the same time that he studied the 
violoncello under Michael Sharpe. He acqaired 
remarkable proficiency on both instruments, 
and as pianist and violoncellist soon had the 
opportunity to exhibit his talents publicly. In 
the former capacity, young Neate performed a 
Concerto at the Lent Oratorios, then under the 
management of Mr. Ashley — sumamed " Gen- 
eral Ashley, " one of four brothers of excellent 
musical repute. He also played a Duet for two 
violoncellos, with "Old Bob Lindley — the 
finest player in the world," — to adopt Mr. 
Neate's designation of him. He once performed 
in the orchestra at a concert held at the Argyll 
Rooms, in Regent Street, at the same time with 
the famous Dr. Crotch, who, among his numer- 
ous accomplishments, was also a violoncellist. 
Dr. Crotch was left-banded. Neate was seated 
on the right side of the orchestra, according to 
the old prevailing custom, using his bow with 
his right hand, in the usual manner, while 
Crotch was placed on the left side of the 
orchestra, playing with his left hand. Magrath, 
a popular Irish tenor, and wit of the time, ob- 
serving this, remarked, much to the amusement 
of those present: — '* And sure but it must be 
for uniformity's sake that they are playing in 
this extraordinary fashion ! " Both these gen- 
tlemen were ' ' my very noble and approv'd 
good masters ! ** 

In 1816 Charles Neate left England for Vien- 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, NOV. 13, 1875. 



123 






na, the homo of Beethoven, and the then most 
fiunous iniisical city in Germany. He went to 
study counterpoint under Albrechtsberger, and 
with the hope; to make the personal acquaint- 
ance of the illustrious Beethoven, to whom he 
carried an introduction from his friend Mr. 
Hc'rrin<j, a well-known Enfi^Ush amateur violin- 
ist. Mr. Noate rosidi-d in Vienna for eight 
mouths, during which time he was in constant 
intercourse with the great master, whose 
friendship and confidence he had the singular 
good fortune to g:iiu. He also lived in close 
intimacy with all the musical celebrities who, 
at that time, inhabited the Austrian capital. 
Thus he greatly increased his musical knowl- 
edire and experience, and added considerably 
to his professional reputation. Beethoven, 
who was in frequent correspondence with the 
Philharmonic Society of England on the subject 
of his orchestral works, as they were succes- 
sively produced, found in Neate, an influential 
member of that body, a valuable friend and a 
zealous agerit. Many letters from Beethoven 
to Neate, relating to the performance and pub- 
lication of his works in England may be read 
ia the l)io:via| hies of the great composer, by 
Moscheles and other writers. On his return to 
his native country, Mr. Neate^s professional 
position was, no doubt, greatly enhanced by 
his long residence at Vienna, and by the repu- 
tation of his personal relations with Beethoven. 
He at once took high rank as a pianist and 
teacher, and soon was in very extensive prac- 
tice as an instructor to the nobility and gentry. 
For this he was probably greatly indebted to his 
high personal character as a gentleman and a 
man of honor. 

I became Mr. Neate^s pupil in 1826, and re- 
ceived my first lesson on the 17th of August of 
that year; and my last on the 12th of April, 
1830. As a teacher, Mr. Neate was ever 
patient, careful and zealous. His system of 
fingering was admirable. I may characterize 
it briefly by supposing him to have adopted, 
with some alteration. Lord Nelson's immortal 
signal, '^ Charles Neate expects that every fin- 
ger shall do its duty.'' Neate's style of periform- 
ance was of the ** Cramer school;" it was 
remarkable for clearness and delicacy of touch, 
for elegance and refinement, rather than for 
impassioned expression. Neate, with his pu- 
pils, did not rt/«A into Beethoven, but carefully 
prepared them to appreciate the great master's 
works by a previous training. He taught them 
Dussek, Stcibelt, Woelfi, Mozart, Clementi, 
Cramer, and thus legitimately led them to 
Beethoven. Hummel, Moscheles, and the 
more fashionable writers of the day, Henri 
Herz and Czemy, were not forgotten. Mr. 
Neate played to his pupils, and thus afforded 
them the inestimable advantage of hearing, 
when studying Beethoven*8 sonatas, how the 
great composer executed such and such a pas- 
sage, and the time in which he played his 
works. 

As an impartial narrator, I cannot state that 
I ever considered Mr. Neate^s compositions his 
best claim to recognition as a musician of high 
merit. He published many ; but while giving 
indication of knowledge and experience in the 
art of ** making music, " they are noticeable for 
a deficiency of fancy, and the want of that 
almost indefinable quality which we term 
** genius," without which all compositions, 
artistic and literary, must prove dry, uninter- 
esting, and consequently, unenduring. 

Chaules K. Salaman. 



■ » ■ 



Franz Liszt in Leipzig. 

[Correspondence of tbe JtftMtfcaJ Rtcordt London]. 

A short account of a most interesting private 
concert here may, perhaps, be acceptable to your 
readers. On Sunday week last, in small characters 
in a remote corner of the' Mntikdlvtche* Wochenblati^ 
might have been seen a notice that Franz Liszt was 
about to visit Leipzig, and on Sundav, the 12th 
inst., at a private matinee, given in hin honor by 
Hcrr BlUthnpf (of pianoforte manufActuiin;ct'lebri- 
ty)« would bring to a first hearing an elegy ior 



piano, violoncello, harp, and harmonium. Hardly 
daring to hope that the reprc«aentiitive at the piano 
might be no less than the great Abh^^ himself, we 
made for the nearest " Zukunfts" music-shop, and 
found that the report was true ! The matinee would 
consist of Liftzt's compoBitions — the maestro would 
accompany his elegy — and, best of all, would be sure 
to play a solo at the end of the proirranime. to ra^- 
isfy the cravings of his worshippers. Upon our 
inquiring at Herr Bliithner's office, we were most 
courteously presented by him with a ticket, and 
armed with all the possible appliances for investiga- 
ting the great man's face and technique at a distance. 
we set out for the concert-roora. A glance at the 
programme sufficed to show that all our powers of 
enduring cacophony (in the shape of choruses from 
Promethetu) would be tested to the uttermost before 
we heard a solo from the i^iant's fin^tfers. 

The salle was filled with an assembly of about five 
hundred of the most eminent musicians of Leipzig ; 
all shades of opinion were represented, from the 
famous theoretical Cantor of the Thomas-school, 
Rlchter, to the youthful and long-tressed fanatic of 
the Conservatorium. Precisely at eleven o'clock a 
silver head of hair and a well-known countenance 
above a cassock-girt figure moved majestically down 
the room, and received with Ctesar-llke condescen- 
sion the applanse of the surrounding crowd. After 
having stood long enough to allow all the opera- 
glasses a sufficient survey of his fine head, Liszt 
seated himself in the front row. and commenced 
encouraging with many a nod and smile the anxious 
chorus and soloists. The programme was a long 
one, including the choruses from Prometheiu, the 
18th Psalm, the Kyrie from the Mis8» Solemnit, and 
a chorus of angels from Goethe's Fausl, (Part IL), 
all of which were most efficiently rendered by the 
ChorireBanfir-Verein, of about forty voices, under the 
direction of Dr. F. Stade. The only pieces, howev- 
er, which we found musically interestins: were the 
Psalm and the Chorus of Reapers, which Mr. Bache 
produced at his concert in London last spring. The 
remainder appeared to our uninitiated ears a mass 
of fine, hideous, extravagant, poetical, masculine, 
overdrawn, Italian, and ultra- Wagneresque phrases, 
strung together in the most perplexing confusion. 
The songs, which as a whole were more sympathet- 
ic, were six in number, the most artistic rendering 
being that of the "Konig in Thule," and "Die 
Vatergrufli,'* by Herr Eugen Gura, one of the great- 
est of German baritones. Of a fantasia and fu^e 
(on the name of Bach !) for two pianofortes, origi- 
nally written, we believe, for the organ-of-the-future, 
we forbear to speak. We invoked the shade of the 
immortal Sebastian, when his name was libelled by 
the inevitable breaking of two strings each by the 
young and thrashing performers. 

But at last sunlight broke through the fog to 
which our intellect was reduced, as (in strikinc: con- 
tradistinction to his two would-be imitators) Franz 
Liszt took his seat as a rock at the piano. In the 
elegy he was assisted by Herr Griitzmacher of Dres- 
den as violoncellist, and with true artistic feeling, 
which many modern pianists would do well to imi- 
tate, set himself to give all prominence to his coad- 
jutors. As the elegy ceased, a general cheering 
throughout the room showed that the Abb4 was not 
to be let off so lightly, and compelled him to take 
his seat again at the piano, this time alone, and begin 
an extempore fantasia. After a few bars of prelude 
he took the theme from Wagner's "Kaiser-marsch," 
and by degrees worked himself up into a storm of 
rain-like runs, hail-like shakes, lightning-arpeggios, 
and thunder-chorJs, until at last the hair fell over 
the forehead, and as he tossed it back the figure at 
the piano recalled the well-known inspired look of 
the pictures of our youth ! But to leave high-flown 
language and return to commonplace ; it was wor- 
thy of remark that all Liszt's effects were produced 
without resorting to a single " thump," or causing 
us the least feeling of overstrained strength. 

At last to our ^reat regret the last run and chord 
comes, the master rises from the piano as cool as he 
sat down, proceeds in the same retral fashion from 
the room to his carriage, graciously acknowledges 
the raised h \ts of the crowd, as he drives away ; 
while we ret trn to pen these few lines, and wonder 
if the next fift.y years will produce such another 
marvel as the Abb6 Franz Liszt. 8. 

Leipzig, 8 ptember 12M. 1875. 



■-♦■ 



Xadame Marie Soze-Perkinf. 

[From the Saturday l^rograwtmet London.] 

A French sinirer, and a popular artift on the 
operatic stage of Parip, it is very easy to guess the 
early career of Madame Roze-rerkins. She was, 



like most of the favorite opera-si n'jjers of France* 
educated at the Paris Conservatoire, where, a pupil 
of M. Anber, she carried off the premier priz for 
opera coinique, the latter gaining for her, almost as 
a matter of course, an imineiliate engagement at the 
Salle Boieldieu. And it was in comic opera that, 
before her Eusflish career commenced, Madame 
Roze-Perkins {rained her chief laurels in her native 
land. She appeared, it is true, in 1869 as Margtter 
He, at the Grand Opc'ra, and although she immedi- 
ately followed Mt'sdames Nilsson, His^son, and 
Miolan-Carvalho, who all ssang the same part during 
the 8am« year at the same theatre, the youthful 
Mdlle. Marie Roze succeeded in gaining: the favor of 
one of the most cultured audiences in France. But 
althou^fh Marffiieritt was always a favorite charac- 
ter of Mdlle. Roze, and althoutrh in every shop win- 
dow of every photographer might have been found 
a portrait of the beautiful (rr^/c'A<'n, distaff in hand, 
sitting at the spinninsr-wheel, it was only in comic 
opera, and at the Thcdtr^ do I'Opera Comique, that 
up to 1868. when she let> the Salle Boieldieu to 
study the repertory of Grand Opera under the cele- 
brated Professor W artel, that she appeared before 
musical audiences. Ten years ago. when Auber's 
'• L'Ambassadride " was revived, opera-goers 
remarked the artistic manner in which Mdlle. Roze 
rendered the thoroughly ungrateful r&le of La Com- 
tesae. A year afterwards, when M^bul's "Joseph" 
was revived, the pathetic duet of Mdlle. Roze with 
Jacob created & furore. Her first creation was the 
part of TfUrese, in " Lo Fils du Brigadier." but the 
character was calculated to do little more than dis- 
play the artist's charms of face and figure and the 
attractitms of her mas:nificent costume. However, 
on the 15th February, 1868, when M. Auber's opera. 
" Le premier jour de Bonheur," was produced at the 
Op^ra Comique, Mdlle. Marie Roze was expressly 
chosen by the great composer to create the princi- 
pal female role. The artist then had her opportu- 
nity, and the now famous air of " Les Djinns " took 
the whole capital fairly by storm. It was sung in 
aristocratic salons^ and was played by military 
bands to the nursemaids in the public cfardens. 
" Les Djinns "^ bec^ime the rage, and its fair inter- 
preter one of the most popular personages of the 
French stage of comic opera. Then, fired by ambi- 
tion to make a name in grand opera, came her year 
and a balfs study under M. Wartel, her appearance 
on the stage of the Grand Op4ra, and, subsequently, 
just before the declaration of war. the production at 
the Op6ra Comique of M. Flotow's *' L'Ombre," in 
which Mdlle. Marie Roze created the part of «/tfan>i«. 
The war broke out, and Mdlle. Roze was, as one of 
the most popular vocalists of Paris, chosen to sing 
the ** Marseillaise " at the patriotic concerts at the 
Op6ra Comique. During the siege of Paris Mdlle. 
Marie Roze refused to take advantage of the liberty 
accorded by the enemy to all women to leave the 
beleagured city, and remained courageously at her 
post. During the blockade she gave several con- 
certs for the benefit of the sufferers by the war, she 
attended the sick and wounded, and generally per> 
formed the part of a true and plucky Frenchwoman. 
The Commune came, and Paris was filled with 
wretches amongst whom were the vile.st of the vile. 
Still Madame Roze did not flinch. When men — 
courageous, indeed, but less courageous than a wo- 
man— ^fled the city in fear, the popular vocalist 
remained ; and when, after the assault, the troops of 
M. Thiers and Marshal MacMnhon once more entered 
Paris, there thi-y fmind Mdlle. Marie Roze. For 
these and kindred acts of courage and of charity the 
lady was presented with several medals, and by the 
Government of France with a special diploma of 
thanks for distinguished bravery. But more grati- 
fying than any outward mark of honor was the deep 
feeling of gratitude and of respect in the minds of 
the Parisians for the noble-hearted and patriotic lady, 
a feeling which not even a lengthened residence in 
a foreign land can eradicate. 

It was by the merest chance that Mdlle. Marie 
Roze did not come to England to take part in the 
ill-fated Italian operatic venture of Mr. George 
Wood, at Drury Lane Theatre, in 1870. Mr. Wood 
went over to Paris to hear her, and offered her an 
engagement. But a delay arose, and in the interim 
M. Perrin pressed her to create the part of Jeanne, 
in M. Flotow's " L'Ombre," at the Paris Op6ra 
Comique. The offer was accepted, the war broke 
out, and, after tbe cessation of hostilities, Mdlle. 
Roze sang in Belgium in Italian opera. Mr. Maple- 
son heard of her as an artist of high merit, enga^ced 
her, and in the early part of the season of 1873 
Mdlle Marie Roze came to London and adopted the 
career of an Italian operatic vocalist. She sang in 
" Faust," and in the course of the season (on the 



124 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OP MUSIC. 



memorable 20th of June, 1872>, she created the part 
of Marcellina in the only performnnee of "Les Deux 
Joarn^es" ever given in En:;lancl. Chorubint*8 
opera was called an *' opSra comiqae/' bat if any 
work is entttl(*d to tlie name of frrand opera it is 
" Lea Deux Jonrn^es." Madame Roze has subse- 
quently created the part of Queen Berengaria in 
Balfe's ** II Talismano, ' and in the capital and iu the 
provinces has sustained a variety of rdUt with every 
credit. 

Madame Marie Roze-Perkins is so thoroughly well 
known in England that it seems sonnewhatsaperflu- 
ons to s|>eak of her artistic merits. Her voice, a 
high mezzo-soprano, is of good quality, while her 
vocalism, essentially of the French style, is of its 
sort admirable. She is an actress of more than or- 
dinary intelligence and power, and although her 
forte Is nndonbtedly French comic opera, it is a cu- 
rious fact, and one which redonnds highly to her 
credit as an artist, that in the provinces she is inva- 
riably chosen to replace Madlle. Tietjens on those 
rare occasions when that gpfted lady is unable, from 
indisposition or other caases. to appear before the 
public. We have known the time when, at the wish 
of Mr. Mapleson, Madame Rose has sat up all night 
to study, at three days' notice, the part of Lewwra, 
In " II Trovatore," a r<W* with which she was pre- 
viously entirely nnaoquainted. Madlle. Roze was 
appealed to to do her best to permit Mr. Mapleson 
to fulfil his engagements. She did 8«, and came off 
with flying colors, and Mr. Mapleson has not for- 
gotten this and many other kind act^. Mdlle. Tiet- 
jens has been engaged for America this winter, and 
Madame Roze-Perkins is the artist chosen to fill her 
place as Ortrud^ in *' Lohengrin," and as AgcUa in 
'* Der Freischiitz," during the provincial tour. 

In approaching that which was at once the bright- 
est ana the darkest spot in her life, it is necessary 
to speak in gentle terms. Madlle. Marie Roze had 
the good fortune to be married to a man whom she 
devotedly loved, a man of the moat gentle nature, 
and one who had, young as he was, made for himself 
a name which has not been forgotten. A life of 
unalloyed happiness seemed to bo open to the young 
couple. They passionately loved one another, their 
tastes were similar, his friends were her friends, 
their careers seemed indissolubly bound up together. 
Mr. Julius Perkins and Mdlle. Marie Koze were 
wedded soon after the conclusion of the season of 
1874. Prond of his yonng wife, he took her acroea 
the water to introduce her to his fiamily in America. 
There they sang together in oratorio, and after a few 
weeks returned to England, to take part in the pro- 
vincial tour of the company of Her Majesty's Opera 
last winter. Mr. Julius Perkins was rising in bis 
profession, not only steadily but rapidly. His delin- 
eation of some of the parts which he undertook dur- 
ing the laat provincial tour was marked with Intel- 
ligence of a very rare sort. Husband and wife 
daily acted together and sang together, and bade 
fair to climb the ladrJer which leads to fortund and 
fame in each other's company. A few months after- 
wards, and the cup of pleasant hope was dashed 
rudely to the ground. A slight cola, or something 
of the sort, brought on a mortal illness, and prema- 
turely cut off a life which was indeed precious to 
the canse of opera in England. The bright hopes 
which the young couple had formed for the future 
were, for a time, dispelled, but with the resumption 
of her health and strength Madame Roze-Perkins 
returned to her duty. Keeping steadily onward in 
the path that Julius Perkins had marked out for be**, 
Madame Marie Roze-Perkins has yet her allotted 
work to perform, for the Anglo Italian operatic 
stage could ill afford to lose so thoroughly useful an 
artist. 



The Commeroe of Mosia 

(From the " Pall Mall Gazette.") 

The CoHror€Ua gives an account of a spirited con- 
test carried on between two eminent pianoforte- 
makers for the honor and profit of furnishing Dr. 
von Billow with instruments during his tour through 
the United States. Mr. Steinway, who is understood 
to have contributed half of the very large sum paid 
by way of salary to Mr. Rubinstein when the emi- 
nent Russian pianist was performing in the States 
on condition of his operating exclusively on Stein- 
way pianos, would, it was thought, make similar 
t«rm^ in regard to Dr. von Billow's engagement. 
Mr. Ulmann. however, the well-known concert spec- 
ulator and musical agent, who has taken Dr. von 
Billow for a certain period on lease, resolved that 
the question of the instrument to be played upon 
should be decided by public competition. No stip- 
ulation seems to have been required beforehand as 



to any particular kind or degree of excellence to be 
possessed by the pianos whose makers were to 
compete ; though it may fairly be assumed that a 
manufacturer would not agree to pay down several 
thousand pounds for the advantage of having his 
instruments placed before the public under the best 
possible conditions, unless he were quite convinced 
that they were distinguished by at least some points 
of superiority. It seems, however, to have been free 
to any pianoforte maker to purchase the services of 
the great Munich virtuoso. It soon became evident 
that the real struggle would be between the firm of 
Steinway and that of Chickering. Steinway, upon 
whose pianos the illustrious Rubinstein had ham- 
mered with such marked success, was determined 
that the equally famous Yon BUlow should strike no 
keyboard and snap no strings but those supplied by 
his firm. Chickering, on the other hand, was 
resolved not to be eclipsed by a rival hitherto fort- 
unate, but who, as he nad conquered on a previous 
occasion by the force of money, might now by the 
same potent agency be defeated. Steinway stood 
on the defensive, and, in spite of a gallant resistance, 
was soon made to feel that he would have to draw 
heavily on his financial reserves to meet the vigor- 
ous offensive movement directed by the gallant 
Chickering. At last, in face of 20,000 dollars brought 
against him by his determined opponent, Steinway 
succumbed. But though beaten at auction, he has 
since taken his revenge in the concert-room. The 
only hall in New York suitable for such performances 
aa those which Dr. von Bulow proposes to give 
belongs to Steinway, who naturally will not allow a 
Chickering piano to be brought within its walls. 
Dr. von Buelow cannot play in the hall of Steinway 
on the piano of Chickering, and it seems that a 
Chickering concert-hall is now to be built for the 
sake of the Chickering niano. on which the great 
artist, who will henceforth be known asChickenng's 
pianist, is to play. 

Twenty thousand dollars is a great deal of money, 
and we do not think that any pianist lives who for 
such a sum would not gladly forsake either Broad- 
wood for Erard or Erard for Broadwood. The 
twenty thousand pieces ofsilver for which Steinway 
seems to have been betrayed did not pass directly 
into the possession of Dr. von Buelow. The con- 
tractor had agreed to pay him for his services a 
much larger sum ; but the pecuniary value of a 
formal obligation to perform on the pianos of one 
particular maker had of course been taken into 
account. It had been estimated that Buelow's play- 
ing would bring him so much, and that his " prom- 
ise to play " on Instruments of a certain make to the 
exclusion of all others could be sold beforehand for 
so much more. Tims, instead of choosing his piano 
for himself, which would perhaps have been the 
more dignified coarse, Dr. von Buelow consented, 
as Mr. Rubinstein had done before him, to accept 
whatever piano might be assigned to him as the 
result of the highest bidding for the advantage of 
his patronage. We are bound to believe that while 
the struggle for his services wa^ going on Dr. von 
Buelow maintained a strict attitude of neutrality. 
Like the woman who watched her husband fighting 
with the bear and placidly declared that she " did 
not care which whipped,** he probably reflected that 
Steinway waa about as good as Chickering and 
Chickering not a bit worse than Steinway. 

It will be interesting to see how long a time will 
elapse before the American custom of employing 
eminent pianists as live active advertisements of 
particular pianos will be introduced into Europe. 
But bad habits are quickly acquired ; and, though 
at first sight there is something repulsive in the idea 
of a great artist agreeing for a consiieration to 
exhibit at the same time his own talent and the 
merits, g^eat or small, of an instrument for which 
notoriety is at any price to be secured, there is 
really no great harm in the system. It is simply a 
qn«*etion of delicacy ; and, when an artist is bent on 
gaininer roonev, considerations of delicacy disappear 
in presence or twenty thousand dollars. An artist 
who hires applause behaves meanly ; an artist who 
pays to have a rival hissed behaves infamously. 
There is nothing dishonorable, however, in a pian- 
ist saying that of several instruments that suit him 
about equally well he intends to play on the one 
whose manufacturer will offer him the highest terms 
for doing so. As an artist he lowers himself by 
making such a bargain, but the business transaction 
to which he stoops, regarded in a business point of 
view, is by no means unfair. We may be quite sure 
that neither the eminent pianist nor the intelligent 
impresario who speculatos in his talent and jpopa- 
larity would think, wh tever terms might be offered, 
ofvccepting a second-ri te la lieu of a filrst-rate piano. 



The only question can be as to which shall be adopt- 
ed of several pianos, all as nearly perfect as they can 
now be made. 

It is already the custom with aome of our most 
prominent English vocalists to sing in virtue of a 
regular agreement certain songs, not at so much a 
night, but in consideration of receiving so much on 
every copy sold. This is partly, though not entire- 
ly, the explanation of the persistency with which 

{mrticular ballads, usually of simple and more or 
ess striking kind, are presented at concerts again 
and again by particular singers, and by thc^m alone. 
Every one may not be able to understand the proceaa 
of reasoning by which American amateurs, in spite 
of the Steinway-Rubinstein and Chickering-Buelow 
bargains, arrive at the conclusion that the best 
pianos must neceasarily be those which are played 
upon by the best pianists ; and it is surprising that 
none of Chickering's unsnccessfnl rivals have yet 
pointed out that Dr. Von Bulow could not be induced 
to play on a Chickering piano for less than $20,000. 
The system, however, of allowing royalties to sing- 
ers who engaee to bring forward certain songs is 
still but little known oatside the musical profession ; 
nor can any one except the parties likely to keep 
silence on the subject say positively which aongs in 
a given programme are sung for the sake of a royal- 
ty and whicn for their own supposed merit. H<'re, 
however (much as in^the case of the pianos), a sing- 
er in his own interest may be trusted to avoid songa 
which are not to his own and to the public taste. 
There ia, of course, much morenihance of his ringing 
songs of inferior merit than there is of a pianist who 
has sold himself to a manufiacturer playing upon a 
second-rate piano; the merit of a piano being a 
matter almost of demonstration, whereas that of a 
song, above a certain level not difilcnlt to attain, is 
chiefly a matter of opinion. The singer, however, 
who, for the sake of hia royalty, wonld endeavor to 
captivate the public by means of a trivial aong 
would do the same thing for the sake of applause. 
To those who believe that all traffic is disgraceful in 
connection with art the royalty system must indeed 
appear shamefal But the fact & generally being 
recognized that every thing which possesses artistic 
value poaseaaea commercial value. Or rather the far 
broader principle ia being acted upon, that every- 
thing worth asking for is worth paying for. A lib- 
eral music-publisher, to be abletoofHer aaufllciently 
large sum to a popular composer for hia new aong, 
must bo able to get it aung m public by a popular 
singer ; and popular singers, not more dull in Dusi- 
ness matters than other traders, have discovered 
that, if they increase the pecuniary worth of a com- 
position by exhibiting its beauties on every possible 
occasion to an impiessionable public, some portion 
of what a political economist would call the " aug- 
mented vslue " should come to them. 

Of course, a composer may be held in such esteem 
that the best siujorers are glad to have an opportuni- 
ty of singing his songs without any question of 
royalty being entertained ; and if from the concert- 
room we descend to the music-hall, we find aingers 
who, instead of charging for the taak, agreeable or 
otherwise, of singing a new song, pay for the priri- 
le^ of doing so. This, again, is qnite in accordance 
with the princi i 'les of political economy. When two 
laborers apply for work to the same eniployer, wages 
go down, when two employers apply to the same 
laborer for work to be done, wages go up. Now, in 
the higher world of music, composers of merit would 
seem to be greatly in excess of singers sufficiently 
popular to be able to ensure a favorable reception 
for any moderately good sjng : whereas in the low- 
er musical spheres popular singers abound, while 
songs suited to their sometimes not very lofty abili- 
ties are evidently rare. The concert vocalist is 
indirectly paid (at least In many cases) by the com- 
poser, on the sale of whose music he or she levies a 
tax. The music-hall singer, however, directly or 
indirectly pays the composer. The ^ra publishes 
advertisements from song-writers who seem for the 
most part, like Wagner, to combine the poet*a with 
the composer's art, and who offer to supply music- 
hall singers with ** words and music " on reasonable 
terms. A case, too, has just been reported in which 
a popular music-hall singer in the *' serio-comic * 
line pought to recover damages from the proprietor 
of a music-hall who had allowed to be sung on his 
premises a song in wliich the plaintiff claimed 
exclusive rights. We are not concerned with^the 
result of the action ; but the evidence was interest- 
ing as showing that, far from being paid for the 
songs they sing, music-hall singers sometimes pay 
for the right of singing them. Opera-goers and 
frequenters of the Monday Popular and Crystal 
Palace Concerts have prolMoly no sort of acquaint- 



BOSTON, SATUEDAY, NOV. 13, 1876. 



125 



ance with the music-halls of which London alone 
possesses something like twenty. In the lar^i^e pro- 
vincial towns these " popular concerts," which are 
not restricted to Mondays alone durinj^ certain 
months ia the year, but take place every night all 
the year ronnd, are at least as plentiful in propor- 
tion to the population as they arc in London ; and 
naturally the very large body of vocalists belonging 
to the music-hall interest require a large number of 
new songs. The demand being greater than the 
supply, they pay for new compositions, as theatrical 
managers for new pieces; and there is nothing in 
this to regret — except, perhaps, that they do not 
get better value for their money. 

• •• 



Dr. Von Buelow and his Pianoforte. 

TO THl KDITOR OF " COSCORDIA." 

Sir, — Allow me to contradict, categorically, the 
statement which appeared in your impression of the 
16th inst, viz. : that in order to secure the exclusive 
privilege of having their instruments used by Hans 
▼on Buelow at the concerts to be given in America, 
the New York pianoforte-makers, Messrs. Weber, 
have offered $10,000; Steinway, 112,000; and 
Chickering and Sons, $20,000 to the manager of 
these concerts, and that the highest bidder has ob- 
tained the preference. 

No such offer has been made by either of these 
firms. 

The Brunswick member of the Steinway firm, in 
a special letter to Doctor Buelow. made him an 
indefinite pecuniary proposal of the kind, but it was 
indignantly refused by him. 

I nave had business connections with the Chick- 
ering^ for more than thirty years, they having gra- 
tuitously furnished — as is customary in every 
country — the pianofortes for the American concerts 
of Thalberg, Henri Herz, and Alfred Jaell, of which 
I was the manager ; but beyond that, neither they 
nor I have ever received any subsidy in the shape 
of money or presents ; whereas the Steinways have 
paid some $16,000 to Leopold de Meyer, and $20,000 
to the manager of the Ruoinstein concerts. Being, 
besides, the owners of the only concert room in New 
York, they rigidly exclude the use of any other 
pianoforte, European or American, but their own. 
The Steinways have, therefore, been the first to in- 
troduce a system in America which the French 
would condemn as a ameurrence dUoyale, 

I certainly cannot be blamed that, with every 
inclination I had to give the preference to the 
Chickerings, as old friends of mine, I hinted at some 
such subsidy being given to me on account of the 
Buelow concerts. T^is they refused, but proposed 
to me instead to build a splendid new Concert Hall, 
to be inaugurated by Doctor von Buelow, and guar- 
anteeing me a certam amount of profits. 

By this arrangement — which I accepted, with the 
proviso that their pianofortes should be approved 
oy the Doctor, in accordance with the right he stip- 
ulated in bis contract with me — they will, from 
present appearances, instead of having to pay a large 
sum as did the Steinways, be, on the other hand, 
gainers to a considerable amount. 

In consequence of this arrangement, the Messrs. 
Chickering sent a piano to Ventnor, where Doctor 
Buelow was spending the summer, who, after having 
played upon it for two months, authorized me to 
•elect those instruments for his concerts in America, 
writing me : "7 9hall not be able to make so much 
noite on a ChicJ^ring ae ona Steinway ^ but the tone ia 
far more noble and diMiinguiehed^ like tnoee of Erar^e.** 

This is the true statement of facts as they have 
occurred. New York owes, therefore, to Doctor 
von Buelow's arrival a new and splendid Concert 
Room ; and as it is not the intention of the Chick- 
erings to exclude &ny other piunofortes from their 
hall, a monopolv, entirely unprecedented in the 
civilised world, has been done away. 

I am. Sir, 
Your obedient servant, 

B. Ullman. 

Paris, Oct 18th, 1875. 



< ^s^ > 



For Dwlght's Journal of Mosle. 

Kastner's Pyrophone, or FUme-Orgaa. 

BT FANNT RAYMOND RrTTBB. 

The probable addition of a new instrument to the 
modern orchestra, is an event of considerable impor- 
tance to the musical world ; especially as this possi- 
ble future accession promises, when perfected, to 
prove of so highly novel, and even poetic a char- 
acter. 



The exposition of the Flame-organ, or Pyrophone, 
by its inventor, M. Frederic Eastner, has of course 
caused much public and private debate on the sub- 
ject in the scientific and musical circles of Paris and 
London dnrin:^ the past year; some of the best 
articles about it have been those of M. Henri de 
Parville in " Lee C^wiHee Scientifiquee,'' M. Figuier 
in " LAnnee SHentiJique" etc. Baron Larrez read 
M. Kastner*9 report before, and the PjTophone was 
examined by the French Institute, in Paris, last 
December. 

It is now nearly a hundred years since the sound 
of a hydrogen flame was first observed by Higglns. 
Chladni next obtained two harmonies from a sound- 
ing flame; and everyone knows how, recently, 
Tyndall, and Count SchafFi^oitsch, among eminent 
scientific men, have experimented with soundirg 
flames; but these have only very lately entered the 
domain of art by means of M. Frederic Kastner's 
discovery, which admits of tuning them, of produc- 
ing all the tones of the scale, of regulating, subduing, 
or stopping the sound as desired. Tyndall perceived, 
that in order to render a merely souuding flame also 
mueieal, its volume should be such as to explode in 
unison with the undulations of the fundamental tone 
of the tube, or one of its harmonics. He also called 
attention to the fact that a flame must occupy a cer- 
tain position in the tube, in order to attain its 
maximum of intensity. Kastner's merit as a discov- 
erer consists in his having proven what proportions 
must exist between the flame and the tube, to attain 
this maximum of sound ; and in his having shown 
that, when two or several flames are introduced into 
a tube, they vibrate in unison, and cease to sound 
when brought into contact with each other. This 
discovery he has, in his double quality of musician 
and mechanician, applied to the construction of a 
new instrument ; and after a long series of experi- 
ments with hydrogen and ordinary illuminating gas, 
he has succeeded in constructing a novel description 
of organ, the mechanism of which enables each key 
to communicate with the supply pipes of flames, in- 
troduced into glass tubes. On pressing the keys, 
the flames separate, and the tone is produced; as 
soon as the fingers are removed from the keys, the 
flames unite, and the sound ceases. This instru- 
ment may be constructed with a compass varying 
from one to many octaves. 

When the Pyrophone was oflUcially examined by 
a body of distinguished musicians, and a committee 
of members of the AeadhnU dee Seieneea in Paris, it 
was pronounced destined to produce remarkable and 
unexpectedly resonant effects in lyric theatres and 
orchestral concerta; while it may perhaps add a little 
more festal attraction to the ball room, as it can be 
played on in an adjoining room, by means of electri- 
city brought to bear on an immense singing -lustre, 
which the inventor has already prepared. 

M. Kastner should celebrate this second invention 
with some elegant reunion of the aristocrats of the 
mind, — ^poets, musicians, painters, scientists ; — ^tbat 
is to say, an assemblage of persons at once the most 
fastidious yet unpretending, the nbost exclusive yet 
genial, to be found, and also the most genuinely 
appreciative of any new development of nature and 
beauty. The flame-and-tone lustre would vibrate 
above the artist-groups like a breathing, burning, 
eloquent embodiment of their own ideal aspirations 
as they floated through the garland of the dance. 

The quality of tone produced by the Pyrophone 
is said to be of extraordinary novelty, at once deli- 
cate and powerful, sometimes brilliant, but touched 
throughout with a character of impassioned melan- 
choly, to be perceived in all natural harmonies pos- 
sessing any stamp of grandeur, though rarely found 
even in human voices, unless accompanied by such 

a mental organism as exists, perhaps, in one among 
ten thousand. Composers are ehlefiy 6f opinion 



that the pyrophone will prove most advantageous in 
cathedrals, while they at the same time hope to draw 
some striking elements of tone-color from its use in 
orchestral music ; but the difficulties attendant on 
the control of ignited gas and its tone vibraUons 
warn them against a too immediately sanguine 
hopefulness. Professor Tyndall, in a lecture deliv- 
ered by him in London last January, showed exper- 
iments based on Kastner's new principle, with an 
apparatus of nine flames in tubes of different sizes. 

M. Frederic Kastner is a son of Georges Kastner, 
the late eminent musician, well known in France as 
a composer, and also as author of a work on " Cos- 
mic Music," a history of the " Legends of Sirens," 
one of " Parisian proverbs and street-cries," etc., etc. 
His name is perhaps chiefly (ismiliar to American 
ears as that of a member of the art-jury selected for 
the Paris exposition of 1867. M. Georges Kastner, 
who died a few years ago, was by no means the least 
among those distinguished Alsatians whose genius, 
science, and indefatigable industry have illustrated 
French art and arms, science, literature, and poll- 
lies. Among these, well-stored memories will at 
once recall such names as those of Gustavo Dor6, 
Weckerlin, Adam, Reber, EdAund About, Pfeffel, 
Kleber, Schoelcher, Erckmann-Chatrian, Parmen- 
tier, etc. 

The young inventor — he is at present not much 
more than twenty years old— showed a taste for 
scientific pursuits from his earliest childhood, and, 
owing to the large fortune and fine position of his 
parents, (Mdme. Kastner, a highly gifted woman, the 
daughter of a French nobleman of historical name, 
is well known and admired in Parisian social and 
artistic cirdes), enjoyed facilities too often unhappi- 
ly denied to genius. At three years of age hd 
displayed' an intelligent curiosity regarding mechan- 
ical construction, and adored locomotives, as other 
children have a passion for horses. As he grew 
older, he overwhelmed every one likely to satisfy 
him with enthusiastic questions regarding mechani- 
cal fbrce, occupied every stolen moment with the 
study of the nature of steam and gas, and haunted 
every ddpdt of any kind of machinery. All this 
time he closely studied music, under the firm and 
skilful tuition of his &ther, and at the age of four- 
teen gave close attention to electricity and singing 
flames. A year or two later, he invented, and his 
father patented, a novel application of electricity as 
a motive force. M. Frederic Kastner's first memoir 
on singing flames was read by his friend the Baron 
Larrei to the members of the French Institute in 
1878. 

M. Kastner by no means considers his Pyrophone 
as perfect at present ; and as his ample means for- 
tunately support his zeal, and as he has, we may 
hope, many years yet before him, in which to pros- 
ecute his discoveries, much is reasonably to bo 
expected from him in the future, though the instru- 
ment, as it now exists, may collapse into a merely 
interesting scientific toy. Even should this prove 
the case, may a first, partial failure only inspire 
the talented young inventor to other improvements 
and discoveries, to result in an acquisition of unex- 
p<%cted material to the ever increasing treasures of 
our continually, infinitely progressive modern art, 
— ^Music ! 



BOSTON, NOV. 18, 1875'. 



CoDMrtii 

Boston for three weeks has been flooded with mu- 
sic, much of it of rare interest. 

We resume our record where we left off, in the 
middle of the remarkable concerts of the masterly 
pianist, Dr. HaKIb von Bvilow. The four already 
reviewed were followed by three more in the last 



126 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



week of October. That of Monday evening, Oct. 25, 

had'thia programme : 

Overtu re-JesBond* Spob r 

[Orchp«tra.] 

Grand Concerto— [Opus 23] In B Pint. . ..Tschalkowskl 

Andante macatoBO [introduction] ed allegro 

con tpirito— Andanilno scmplice — 

Allegp^ con fuoro. 

HANS VON BUELOW. 

Sonata— Qoafil Fantasia [Moonlight Sonata]. Opus 27, 

No. 2 InC Rharp Minor Beethoven 

Overture— Prometheus Beethoven 

[Orchestra.] 

Grand Fantaisie— f OpuB 151 In C Major Schubert 

Arranged for Piano and Orchestra by F. Li«rt. 

Allegro con fuoco— Adag^to con varlazloni ;The 

WandorerV— Presto ed a1te(rro finale. 

HANS VON BUELOW. 

Wedding March Mendelssohn 

The Overtures went smoothly under the baton of 
Mr. B. J. Laxo, who had be€n called to succeed Mr. 
Beromanx, and who, being himself a pianist and an 
enthusiastic admirer of Von Buelow, was in better 
sympathy and understanding with him for the ren- 
dering of the extremely difficult, strange, wild, 
ultra-modern Russian Concerto. It is the composi- 
tion of a young professor at the Conservatory of 
Moscow, a pupil of Rubinstein (indeed the work 
contained not a few yggestions of the master), and 
is dedicated to Buelow, who complimented Boston 
with its very first performance. A compliment well 
meant, and warmly responded to by the applauding 
audience, — twice — for this programme was repeated 
for the seventh concert. It opens richly and the 
first Allegro is full of striking passages and brilliant, 
but sometimes bizarre, effects of instrumentation. 
One peculiarity is the frequent indulgence of the 
pianoforte in rhapsodical cadenza-like flights of 
startling execution while the orchestra waits as it 
were outside. This lends quite a bravura character 
to a movement which seemed also melodramatic 
rather than in the classical Concerto spirit. The 
second movement, opening with a gentle, pastoral 
commingling of reeds and flutes, seemed also of the 
theatre ; you thought of strains by Gounod, by the 
author of Miffnon, and of Meyerbeer's Dinorah. Yet 
there was a certain delicacy and flavor of originali- 
ty and quaintneas about it. In the finale we had 
the wild Cossack fire and impetus without stint ;— 
extremely brilliant and exciting, but could we ever 
learn to love such music ? How wonderfully Von 
Buelow rendered it, there is no need of telling ; all 
that a hearty sympathy, a masterly conception and 
an infallible technique could do for it. it had in the 
fullest degree; and the young author well knew 
that his work could not suffer in such hands. 

The " Moonliglit " Sonata seemed beforehand out 
of place in that great hall, and the poor trick of 
turning the gas down did not help to Uke away 
publicity. But we have before spoken of the mar- 
vellous power this artist has of getting out tone 
with a fullness and distinctness that makes every 
note heard in all parts of the great space. And we 
may say that we never heard a more exquisite or 
more truthful interpretation of the whole Sonata. 
Now and then a single low tone, so rich and full and 
soulful, would stand out like a poem by itself. He 
glided without pause into the Allegretto, which he 
took at a moderate tempo, as is right and natural, 
but which is so often taken quite too fast. After this 
quiet spirit has contained itself so long, the outburst 
of the impassioned Presto was all the more fiery and 
transporting. It was indeed a perfect revelation of 
the meaning of the Fantasia-Sonate. The finale^of 
the Sonata Appauionaia was just the fit thing to 
follow for an encore piece. In the Saturday mati- 
nee, he made a kindred passage of a few measures 
from the Adagio of the Ninth Symphony serve as 
prelude to the " Moonlight," and very happily. 

The Schubert Fantaisie in C is one of those works 
which really gain by such expansion as Liszt gives 
them. We have had it well played here before in 



the Harvard Concerts ; but this time we felt its fine 
alternations of grandenr and of di'Ucacy more than 
ever befttre. How the instrument sang when the 
** Wanderer ** melody was introduced ! — Here is the 
last programme (6th concert) : 

Overture— Ruler of the Spirits Wel>or 

Grand Conreito— Opu<* 185, in '^ Minor J. Raff 

Dediciitwl to Hnns Von Buelow. 

Allepro— Andnnte. qin/il Larirhetto— Finnle. 

Caprlccio Brillant— Opux 22 in 1) minor. . Mendelssohn 

PInno .ind Orchestra. 
Overture— Son nnd fltranjjer Mendelssohn 

a. Rlcortlnn/MT- Etude »lo Concert Liszt 

b. Vcnezia £ NapoH— Oondoliera E Tarantella. 

HANS VON KUELOW. 

Rondo — In C major, for two piRnnn Chopin 

B. J. LANG and HANS VON BUELOW. 

The little orchestra still manifested improvement, 
— the magnetic current from the concert-giver being 
now transmitted tlirough a willing and a cheerful 
medium. The Raff Concerto, we confes«i, — so far as 
we could seize its intrinsic character (and that could 
not fail to manifest itself through such an interpre- 
ter) — did not really edify us much more than when 
Mme. Schiller pla3'od it twice last winter. The first 
movement, with nil its ingenuities, high coloring, 
and intensified effects, leaves but a vague impre8.«ion 
(we epeak for ourselves) ; the Andante has indeed 
eom« lovely passages ; the Finale is one of those over- 
elaborate prolonged repetitions of a March rhythm, 
making too much of little, which Raff appears to be 
so fond of. To us, and wo believe to many, the un- 
pretending and familiar Mendelssohn Capriccio was 
a refreshment after it ; here again we found our- 
selves in the clear, c^lm light of sincere Art. The 
little solo pieces by Liszt — not so little either — have 
many times been played here, and they never inter- 
ested us much ; but this time we were almost con- 
verted to them as products of true poetic beauty, by 
the masterly interpretation of Von Buelow; it 
seemed to open secret unsuspected chambers of his 
power ; perhaps the most wonderfully perfect exe- 
cution that we ever heard of anything. The Chopin 
Rondo was very finely rendered by both artists, 
who kept perfectly together ; and this compliment 
of Von Buelow to his new conductor, lik9 the one 
before, when he led him out to share the honors of 
a recall, found sympathetic audience. 

— And so this great artist, — so conscientious in 
every smallest point of all he does, — so prone to 
merge himself in the music and the author he inter- 
prets, — so completely able to express whatever he 
conceives (and his conception always seems to be 
the right one), has left ns I It is well to have rest 
awhile. But we need be in no hurry to sum up and 
state the " gist " of the entire impression, for wo 
sliall soon welcome him again. Mr. Peck, to whose 
enterprise we are indebted for these seven feasts, 
has made arrangements to have him return in Jan- 
uary and give some concerts of Chamber music with 
the Philharmonic Club (Messrs. Listemann, etc.) 
— Could we only have some of them in a smaller 
room I 



TiRTJRNS AND ARABELLA GoDD.\RD. Ncxt Came 

the great singer, — we doubt not the greatest now 
upon the concert, oratorio or lyric stage. Yet her 
great fame drew by no means a great audience on 
Monday evening of last week. It was partly because 
we needed rest after so much ; partly because of the 
indifferent and so-called " popular ** programme. 
Mile. Tietjens's selections were three. The first a 
noble one, the great scena from Oberon. Her first 
appearance, with her large, commanding figure, her 
genial, generous, kindly face, full of intelligence, 
and her queenly, easy, unpretending manner, was 
most warmly greeted. And when the first tone was 
heard : '* O-cean, thou mighty monster,** there was 
assurance of a voice of remarkable volume, power 
and sweetness, wliich proceeded to show itself ad- 



mirably adequate, throughout its whole compass, to 
the expression of the whole varied ransre of emotion 
in that great Aria — ^the awe, the wonder, the anxie- 
ty, the snddcn glcnm of hope, the ardent lonijina:, 
tlie trumphant joy in the ecstatic swift, finale! 
Never had wo heard it so gloriously sung, nlthouijh 
Parepa too had done it jjrantlly. Bnt here was not 
only a larger voice, with eqnal purity and freshness 
(for fresh it is. though not a young q^irl's voice, — 
we were at a loss to understand the New York crit- 
icisms upon that score), but a greater depth of na- 
ture and of soul behind the voice. Every tone was 
rich and largo and nrusical ; the higliest tones as 
clear and pure as a bell. Method, execution, phras- 
ing, were all perfect. It was the gr<*at stvle, so rare 
in our day, — simple, broad and noble. The school 
of Parepa and of Rudersdorff, with more of the dra- 
matic fervor and imacrinative insight of the latter. 
The effect was electrifying. On being recalled, she 
sang *' Sweet Home," with the utmost simplicity, all 
in that large, expressive voice, showing the art of 
concealing art in the perfection of her pure cantabile. 
The same may be said of her rendering of Gounod's 
Ave Maria (with violin obligato by M. E. SAURKT^, 
though we cared not much for the selection. Still 
less for the Arditi Value, which wa^ most brilliantly 
executed, and proved her at home enoufrh in thrt 
kind of vocalization, but in which powers like her's 
(and opportunities like ours with her here for once) 
seem thrown away; yet it made Si/urore^ which of 
course pleased Manager Strakosch, who probably 
set this trap for it ; an impresario must think of 
something besides Art I 

Mme. Goddard's selections were of too small a 
kind for the great hall ; a Concerto with orchestra 
would have better served to place her in a fair 
light. The Steinway on which she played, too, 
could not have been up to the average of their fine 
work ; in strong passages the strings jangled and 
the sound became confused. But she srave an admi- 
rably nice, clean, even rendering of the Thirty -two 
short Variations by Beethoven on an original air in 
C minor ; in her running passages there is the pre- 
cision and neatness of a musical box; still mote ap- 
parent in the Thalberg Fantasia on Mmaniello, — 
rather an indifferent selection and behind the times. 
Handel's " Harmonious Blacksmith" variations (for 
an encore) were the perfection of pure, clear, fluent 
execution ; we know not that we ever heard them so 
well done. Mme. Goddard made an excellent im- 
pression, though of course she came out only in a 
half light so soon after Buelow and by the side of the 
great prima donna. 

Mr. Tom Karl, with his sweet tenor, sang the 
Romanza from Mignon expressively ; and, in the 
beginning of the Concert, with Sig. Orlandini, bari- 
tone, a very emptv, commonplace " Grand I>uo : " 
lAfarinari, by Masini; of which an encore was forced 
upon the patient lamblike audience through the per- 
sistent clapping of a dozen or two pairs of hands 
judiciously distributed about the hall. — An orches- 
tra, smaller than Buelow had, under the livel}* lead- 
ership of Herr Carlberg,, opened the concert with 
the Zampa Overture, and the second part with a 
humorous and pretty burlesque by Gounod ("Funer- 
al March of a Mnrionetta,**) which had a descriptive 
programme, and seemed intended as a satire on the 
modern "programme symphonies." It is quite 
original. In a French vein, and makes the instruments 
almost talk to one another. M. Saurbt showed his 
violin virtuosity in a Fantasia on " Faust" and a 
Reverie by Vieuxteraps. — On the whole, not a wor- 
thy programme for two artists of the first rank 1 

That of the second (and last) concert, on Friday 
evening, was better, and so too the audience was . 
very much larger. Mile. Tiktjens knew by this 
time (if not before) what would please the Boston 



.1 



BOSTON", SATURDAY, NOV. 13, 1875. 



127 



tn.«»U», And 80, ftfter n iuji«;iiificent delivery of the 
Sceiia wit.li l*rayer from Der Fret/schiifz (the best wc 
can recall since Jenny Lind), and a most lar<^e and 
noble specimen of pure cantabile in the well-worn 
Handel Aria : Ltucia ch' io pianga, — by no means one 
of the bt^st from his Italian operas — she had enbstl- 
t'.ited for the Arditi piece, at first announced, a 
couple of songs by Schumann. Of these the first, 
the " NuMhaum** seemed almost too slight and deli- 
cate fur her great voice and for that place ; it needs 
a small room, wliere tfie song may come closer to 
the pianoforte accompaniment; yet it was sung with 
exquisite sweetness and refinement. The second : 
" Du meine Sceltt.** with all its rapturous fervor, its 
uncontainable anpiration, and the deep, tranquil 
feeliiij; of its raid<lle 8ubj»*ct (" Du bist die Rtih,* etc.) 
was indeed gloriously rendered ; and " fioniien- 
ichein^" with which she answered the encore, was 
full of sunshine and rich coloring warmth. She had 
already sung, as an encore to the Handel air, Schu- 
bert's " Margaret at the Spinning Wheel " {^fcine 
Huh ist kin), and with more beauty and true pathos 
than we ever heard in it from any other singer. 

In the course of the evening Mile. Tietjens's voice 
did show slight signs of a cold (contracted in Provi- 
dence), but nothing to justify the statement that it 
has lost its freshness. — Mme. GonnAUD won new 
favor by her^finished rendering of Mozart's Sonata 
ending with the Turkish March, aud a Fantasia on 
several Scotch airs. 



TirrjENS IN Or.\torio. The great crowd of satiated 
and economizing concert-goers (in these hard times) 
saved itself for the grand performance of Elijah on 
Monday evening, by the Handel and Haydn Society, 
600 strong, with the aid of a fine group of soloists 
besides the glurious Soprnno. The Music Hall was 
absolutely packed and everything went well. In- 
deed it was about as magnificent a performance as 
we have ever had of this great popular dramatic 
Oratorio. Every chorus was effective, orchestra 
and organ helping to good purpose. The quartets, 
double quartet and Angel Trio, were exceptionally 
fine with such singers to support the great Soprano 
as Miss Anna Drasdil, Contralto, Miss Sarah C. 
FiauKR, Soprano, Miss Ita Wilsh, Contralto, Mr. 
W. J. Winch, Tenor, and Mr. J. F. Winch, Basso, 
who joined in this work, besides grandly giving the 
great role of the Prophet. To be sure, Mile. Tietjens's 
great voice seemed almost out of proportion to the 
others, but it did much to steady them ; and Miss 
Draadil's voice sounded somewhat dry and ineffec- 
tive in the concerted pieces, her quality of tone not 
blending very happily with the rest ; and in this way 
only was she heard during the first part; but when 
she came to the solos in the second paat, she gave 
the vindictive recitative of the Queen with great 
dramatic force and fire, and her singing of " rest 
in the Lord " was so touching and so full of feeling, 
and the tones so rich in their strange indiyiduality, 
that the whole audience were delighted beyond 
measure, and that number proved the great bit of 
the evening. Miss Welsh, who sang most of ^the 
Angel solos, particularly the Air '* Woe, woe unto 
him," charmed everybody by her pure stj^le, true, 
simple feeling, and distinct enunciation, winning a 
round of applause which seemed to take her by sur- 
prise. Her rather light organ is very sweet in 
quality. Ooce the voice broke, but she kept on 
bravely ; and once or twice the nervousness be- 
trayed itself by a slight drooping from the pitch ; 
her contribution on the whole, however, was a beau- 
tiful success. We hardly thought the voice of our 
Elijah to be quite at its best, but it was a grand in- 
terpretation, and Mr. W. J. Winch won warm rec- 
ognition in the tenor solos. 

Now as for Mile. Tietjens, she was in admirable 



voico, so that her evory tone, C'specially tho liiijlu'st, 
rang out .-is clpar and pure as n boll, and with a very 
sweet, expre*«*ive qimlity. Th<» part of tli«^ Widow 
was civen with urcat dramntio intensity ; in the an- 
swers of the boy -^fnt ont to lo')k for si,rns of rain, 
the crystal rlenrne«s of the t«ines wns thrillinsr; and 
in " Holv. holy " there was an auL^ust and sacred 
majesty such ns we have only henrd in E.veter Hall 
from Mme. Goldsehmidt, whose voice, however, at 
that time was by no means so well preserved as that 
of Tietjens is to-daj*, and who n«ed it not without 
much more effort. " Hear ye. Ismel" was superbly 
rendered, and, but for the fact that it, like all the 
Soprano solos in this oratorio, ends in a chorus, it 
would have received the great ovation of tlie even- 
ing. If some, hearing her that evening for the first 
time, were a little disapp .inted in finding the voice 
not quite so sympathetic .is some others, they must 
bear in mind that in E'ljnh the mo^t sympathetic 
portions of the solo music do not fall to the Sopra- 
no ; nothing like " rest in the Lord," for example. 
On the whole it was a magnificent performance of 
Elijah, and made that almost too familiar oratorio 
seem new again. 

We trust that Mile. Jietjens, and Mme. Ooddard 
also, will return to us, and that there is still a chance 
of hearing the former in Opera, say in FUlelio and 
the Medea of Cherubini. 



Harvard Musical Assooiatiov. The eleventh 
season of Symphony Concerts opened in a quiet and 
very enjoyable way on Thnrsrlay afternoon, Nov. 4. 
The audience was hardly up co the average in num- 
bers, but one more refined, more genial, sympathet- 
ic and encouraging is seldtvn seen. It was a pleas- 
ant sphere in which to sit and listen to good music. 
And they did listen with every sign of satisfaction, 
as well as with a certain loyal feeling of respect, as 
one does to anything that has a prirunpfe in it, and 
is not mere display or sp'^culation. The music also 
was worth listening to, and sure to reward (even 
were it for the hundredth time) attention so secured. 
For, though the programme contained nothing new, 
its fonr numbers were all of sterling quality, things 
not heard too often. Cherubini's Overture to "The 
Water-Carrier," and Bennett's fourth Piano Concerto, 
in F minor (never heard but once before in Boston) 
formed the first part. The second consisted of 
Mendelssohn's " Scotch " Symphony, ever fresh and 
interesting, and not much heard for several years, 
followed by Weber's Overture to " Der £eherr»cher 
der GeUUr " (Ruler of the Spirits). 

In point of fact, however, it will be seen, that a 
full third pait of the programme virtually wa* "new," 
— we mean the Bennett Concerto. We only wish 
that we could feel it to be equal in power and inspi- 
ration to its companion pieces upon this occasion. 
It is a graceful composition, inasmuch as it is Stern- 
dale Bennetts', and has passages of delicate and rare 
beauty. But it too often sinks into " prettiness," as 
when it lingers over those tempting, delicate little 
figures in the BarcarolU, which is the most taking 
movement. The strong episodical subject which oc- 
curs in the middle is Indeed a relief, but hardly recon- 
ciles one to the r<^turn again and again of so slight an 
idea. Mr. Ernst Pbrabo played it with a remarkably 
finished accuracy and tasteful, delicate expretsion. 
But we fear that some of his finer passages were lost 
to many oars, not by his own fault, but by reason of a 
peculiarity in the technical structure of the work it- 
self; it is a way of Bennett's to crowd his harmonics 
together in the middle of the instrument, instead of 
availing himself of the larger sonority obtained 
from open harmonies dispersed more widely over 
the keyboard. The orchestra accompanied finely; and 
indeed we hear only one opinion as to all the or- 
chestral work of that day, to wit: that it was 



highly satisfactory and full of encouragement for the 

season. It shall be better yet, ^o arc assured, if 

there bo any virtue in careful fltudy and rehearsal. 

The Second Concert, (next Thursday) oflTers: 
Overture to " Fierabras," S-hnhert ; Piano Concerto 
in B minor, first time. Hummel (Mme. Madeline 
Schiller); the cliarming little Incantation and 
Entr' acte from Schumann's " Manfred ;" the Heroic 
Symphony, Beethoven ; Overture and (for the first 
time) Ballet music from Weber's " Preciosa." 



There is still quite a list of Concerts left, to which 
we shall have to return in our next. 

New York. Xov. 8, 18Y5. The past four weeks 

have furnished musical entertainment sufficiently 

varied to suit every taste. The Tietjens-Goddard 

troupe is one of the strongest companies which have 

ever visited us. and if their concerts have not been 
largely patronizetl, it is certainly owing to no lack 
of merit in the performance. A singular incident 
which occurred in connection with one of these con- 
certs has been the subject of considerable comnient 
in musical circles. At the second concert Mme. 
Goddard. according to the ])rogrrimme, should have 
played Mendelssohn's Caprice-io, Opus 22. — hut, for 
some unknown reason, the lady actu.illy did play 
two movj^ments from the G minor conceito by the 
same com])oser instead of the piece announced." The 
resnlt was that three of our leading journals the next 
morning published elaborate articles criticizing the 
performance of the C<tprircio, and one, at least, of 
the critics made comparisons between Mine. God- 
dards' rendering of the piece (which she did not 
play) and the manner in which it is played by other 
piani.-sts. This is a singular error, to say the least, 
inasmuch as the G-minor Concerto is a composition 
familiar to every one who is in the habit of attend- 
ing concerts and it is played here at least once ever}' 
season. The most sinjrular feature of the whole 
matter is that three critics should have fallen into 
the same trap. As far as 1 can learn, no one of these 
unfortunate scribes has offered any excuse. Misery 
loves company, and they can doubtless console 
each other while awaiting the inevitable day which 
shall ffive them an o])portunitv to ret.aliat^ upon the 
other journals which have twitted them so unspar- 
ingly.* 

Mme. Goddard has given a pianoforte recital at 
which she played Schubert's piano Fantasia, op. 78. 
— Variations, op. 36, by Beethoven and other pieces, 
and Tietjens has sung in Oratorio. 

Wachtel is still at the Academy — with one of the 
worst comnanies which has ever been brought 
together within those walls ; — and that issayin-r not 
a little. The audience there is composed chiefiy of 
Germans. 

The brief season of English opera at Booth's was a 
fortunate one if full houses could make it so. 

The Arcadian prints a clever cartoon entitled 
" Rival Prima Donnas and their Flags," which rep- 
resents one fair Cantatrice quite overshadowed by 
our national colors. — arrayed, in fact, in the stars 
and stripes and labelled " I am the great American 
Prima Donna 1 " Facing her stands another singer 
bearing a banner with the simple inscription. " Tal- 
ent." The last is a portrait of Tietjens ; but who is 
represented by tne first ? Wild horses could not 
force me to make the revelation. 

The attendance at the Philharmonic Matinee on 
Nov. 6th was not large. The folio wiug selections 
were given : 

Rymphony : •« Erotca,'* Beethoven 

Cavatina: "Zalra." Mcrcadante 

Mrs. Kmily Butman. 
oUiCo cie iSai ...•...••«...••.•« ....••..••■.... Lncliner 

Cavatina : * Bel RagirJo," Rosulni 

Overture : " Julius CsBsar,'* Von Buelo w 

Kerr Tlieo. Wachtel, Tenor, and Mrs. Nannette 
Falk-Auerbach, pianist, will appear at the general 
rehearsal and concert Nov. 12, and 18. 

The first of the Thomas Symphony Concerts will 
occur, at Stein way Hall, on Saturday evening next, 
and the concert will be preceded by a matinee re- 
hearsal on Thursday. 

The new Chickering Hall, which is now nearly 
finished, is a marvel of taste, and its acousMc prop- 
erties are said to be perfect. Herr von Bijlow will 
begin his concerts there on Monday next. 

The New York Oratorio society will perform 
Mendelssohn's St, Paul at Stein way Hall tomorrow 
evening, with the aid of Theo. Thomajs's orchestra. 

A, A, Lr. 




CiTiCAGO. Apropos to organlsU and orgnn roasir. I 
•end herewith the proip>arames of th-^ twenty orif.in reci- 
tals Just completed here by Mr. H. C. Eddy. As you will 
see, they cover a wide ranj^e, and are*of exceptionally fine 
quality throughout. Up to this point I believe there are 
no repetitions. In regard to the style of performance I 
can only repeat what I have said before. Mr. Eddy has a 
masterly technique, a clear and even style of perform- 
ance, rather warm than otherwise, very neat phrasing, and 
a good ear for comblnationa. I have never beard his su- 
perior (If his equal) in all that belongs to good organ- 
playing, so far as I understand It. For the beneflt of 
eastern readers who may never have heard him, I mny add 
that the most difllcult of these pieces did not seem a 
severe tax on his technique, but that everything was done 
with artistic repose. The programmes amount to a cata- 
logue of the best organ music, for which reasoo they are 
well worth printing. Yours truly, 

DXB Fbeyschuetk. 
I. 

1. Sonata No. 2, in O minor Iferkel 

1827— 
(Msentoso— Adagio— Allegre Assal— Fuga.) 

2. "AveMaria,'» Arcadett 

16th Century. 
CTranaeribed by Liszt.) 
8. *'lCarche Cel6bre,** from Suite No. I.Franz Laehner 

1804— 
(Transcribed by Lux.) 

4. Becitative and Aria, from the Creation Haydn 

1732-1809 

a. '* And God said : Let the earth bring forth 

living creatures.'* 

b. " Kow heaven in fullest glory shone.*' 

Prof Berjrsteln. 

6. Canonic Variations (manuscript) Hanpt 

1810— 
(On ** Der lleben Sonnen-Licht und Pracht.*') 

6. Toccata and Fugue, In D minor Ba<*h 

1685—1760 
(Peters* Ed., Book IV. No. 4.) 

7. Aria, "Come unto me," Co^nen 

1820- 
Prof . Bergstein . 

8. Theme and Variations, in A flat Ihiole 

1816—1848 

IT. 

1. Prelude and Fugue, In B ipinor Bach 

1685—1760 
(Peters* Ed.. Book IT, No. 10.) 
H. Clarence Eddy. 

2. "Welhnachtspastoraio** (Christmas Pastoral), 

Merkel 
1827- 
H. Clarence Eddy. 

8. Theme and Variations, in A Hesse 

1800— 186S 
MIsff Carrie T. Kingman. 

4. " Salve Maria," Mefcadante 

1796-1870 
Mrs. Clara D. Btacey. 

6. Sonata in A,No.3 .....Mendelmohn 

1800-1847 
H. Clarence Eddy. 

6. Overture to *'Samson,*' Handel 

1686-1769 
(Transcribed by Best.) 
H. Clarence Eddy. 

7. ThreeSonpi F. O. Gleaaon 

a. * Now sleep my heart 'ontenied.** 

b. " He who tnis longing feels." 

c. *' O, thou art like a flow'ret.'* 

Mrs. Clara D. Stacy. 

8. Concert-Satz, in O minor Thiele 

1816-1848 
n. CI ce Eddy. 

111. 

1. Sonata In Dminor Hitter 

1811— 

2. Pastorale Kiillak 

1818— 
[Tranfterlbed by Best.] 

^. Vsrfations on " Annie Laurie," Bock 

4. " The Wanderer," Fe»»ca 

1820-1849 
Mr. Edward Schultze. 

6. Prelude and Fugue, in E minor Bach 

1686-1760 
[Peters* Ed., Book II, No. 9.] 

6. «• Adagio,^* Op. 35 Merkel 

1827- 

7. *' Cuius Animam,*' Rossini 

1792-1868 
From the "Stnbat Mater." 
Mr. Edward Schnltse. 

8. Concert-Satz, in E flat minor Thfele 

1816—1848 

IV. 

1. Grand Fantasia and Fugue, In G minor Bach 

1685—1760 
[Peters* Ed., Book n. No. 4.] 

2. " O SanctiMima," Lax 

1820- 

8. Sonata inBflat, No.4 Mendelssohn 

1809-1847 
[Allegro con brio— Andante rellgioeo— Alie- 
fpretto— Allegm mae<>toso e vivace] 
4. Recitative and Aria, from the St. Matthew Paaaion 

Blusic ....Such 

1686—1750 

a. '* Thou dear Redeemer." 

b. "Grief and Pain.'* 

Miss Ella A. White. 

B a. Canon In A .••....•.....•.... ot» v. Piscner 

1773-1829 

A. Etude in sharp minor Cho'^in 

1809-1819 
Transcribed by Haupt. 



6. •* At Evening/* * Buck 

7. a. *• OehHmoii '» [The Peoretl Schubert 

6. "Trocki-neBlumen*' [Withered Flowers. 1 " 

1797-1828 
Miss Elia A. White. 

8. Schiller March Meyerbeer 

1791-1864 
[Transcribed by Best.] 

V. 

1. Sonata InBmimor Hitter 

1811— 

2. a. <' Romance " in G, Op. 40 Beethoven 

1770-1827 

b. " Abendll^ " [transcription] Schnmnnn 

1810-1866 
Mr. Wm. Lewis. 
8. Choral Prelude [on '<Allelu Gott in der H^* ael 

Ehr,"] Bnrh 

1685-1750 
IPetarii* Ed , Book VI. No. 9.] 

4. TonatUck, Op. 22, No. 1 Gade 

1817— 

6. Duet, *' I feci thy presence," Graben-Hoflfmnnn 

1820- 
MIm Lyon end Prof. Ber«8t4>in. 

6. Canonic Studies in B major and B minor, [From 

Op. 66.] Pchnmnnt 

1810-1856 

7. Concert-Fugue in C [manuscript] Hniipt 

8. Fugue, for violin alone R'^ch 

1685-1750 
Mr. Wm. Lewis. 

9. Passacaglla Bach 

VI. 

1. Prelude and Fugue in C minor Bach 

1686-1750 
[Peters* Ed., Book IT. No. 6.] 

2. «• Bridal goner " ('rom the •• Wedding Music.** 

Op. 45,J Jensen 

1831— 
lTranacril>ed bv H. C. Eddy.] 

8. Ballade in G minor, Op. 28 Chopin 

1800—1849 
Mrs. Euirente de Roodc Rice. 

4. Fantasia and Fugue in C Mornrt 

1756-1791 
[Transcribed by Haupt.] 
6. Recitative and Aria [from *'- Judas Maeeabsn«."] 

Handol 

a. " My Arms.** 1686-1759 

b. " Sound an Alarm.** 

Mr. W. H. Stanley. 

6. ** Hear my Praver,'* Mendelasohn 

[l^r inscribed by Best.] 1809-1847 

7. a. '* Ende vom Lied," % Schnmann 

1810-1866 

b. Schumann's " Liebeslied,*' TJazt 

1811— 
Mra. Eitgenle de Roode Rice. 

8. Sonata in C minor, No. 3 Merkel 

1827- 

9. Song, *' The Mesaaee.'* Blumenthal 

Mr. W. H. Stanley. [1829- 

10. Concert-Satz in C minor [manuscript] Thiele 

1 816-1 fl48 
Arranged bv Aiimst Hanpt, OrganlAt of the Parochial 
KIrche. Berlin, and teacher of Mr. Eddy. 
The original of thin ImmenaeTy dIfflcuU concert piece 
was composed by T^oula Thiele'fnr two players on the 
organ, and Is one of the p<wthnmnns works of this re- 
markable eenius. It la believed that this la the first 
public performance of this transcription in America. 

VII. 

1. Grand Sonata in Eflat, Op. 22 Buck 

[Allegro con brio— Andante e^pressivo— Scher- 
zo. Vivace non troppo— Finale. Allegro 
maestoso, with Fuga on '* Hall Colnm- 
bla.**] 

2. Theme and Variations lu Aflat Heaae 

1809—1863 
2. Recitative and Aria [from ''Der Froischiitc**] Weber 

1786-1826 
Madsrae Jennv Vally. 
4. Concert Variations, on the "Star Spangled Banner," 

Buck 

6. Prelude and Fugne in A minor Bach 

[Peters' Ed., Book 11, No. 8.] 

1685-1760 

6. Variations, on '* Ameri^," Rink 

1770-1846 

7. a. Recitative and Aria, tram " Rinaldo,'*. ..Handel 

1685—1750 

b. Prayer, fi-om «• Aida," Verdi 

1814- 
Madame Jenny Vally. 

8. <'AllegR>Marziale,"Op.88,No.2 B«at 

1825— 

VXII. 

1. Fantasia in C minor Bach 

1685-1750 
[Peters* Ed , Book IV, No. 12.] 

2. ** Out of the Deep " [130th Psalm] Spnhr 

[Tr«nseribed by Beet.J 1784—1850 
8. OlTertoireln A flat Read 

4. a. "Serenade," Kreutrer 

1782—1849 

b. " Sailor's Song," Hatton 

The " Garden City Quartette." [1814— 

5. Sonata in D, No. 5 Mendelssohn 

1809-1847 
[Andante— Andante con moto— Allegro maestoso.] 

6. <' Andante** [from the Quartet in Dminor, ..Mozart 

1766-1791 
(Transcribed by Best.] 

7. " Fanfare," Lemmena 

8. a. " Good Night,** Abt 

1819— 

b. "Tar's Song," Hatton 

1814- 
The " Garden Citv Qnartette." 

9. Chromatic Fantasia and Fugne > Tbiele 

(To be Continued.) 



S|tuial Sflftitts. 



DSaCRIPTIVB LIST OF THE 

rr -JB & rr s^ttszo, 

fcltokeid fcjr Oliver DIUom dk Co. 

i <»» « 

▼•cat, witk m«M« AccoMpaalMOMt. 

Must we then meet an Strangers ? Elegant 

niuBtr. Title. 3. A6 to f. Thomas. 60 

''O. must the love we plighted. 
One heedless word destroy ? ** 

A song that, considering ita elegant appearanee, 
beauty of melody and general elevation of char- 
acter, must stand very near "the head of the list,** 
for the season. A very larfe sale may be predict- 
ed. 

The Days that are no More. 4. E6 to e. 

Blumenthal. 40 

'* Tear*, idle tears. 
I know not what they mean." 

Tennyson made it. Blumenthal made It. Which 
statement is r irht? It is not neceaearj to decide, 
as words and mnaic are alike mu&lcal. 

Sunset Hour. Alto or Baritone Song. S., 

B6tod. Howe,dO 

" Above, below, thy spell and power 
Banish clouds of sky and sorrow.** 

Mr. Howe has been fortunate In his title, his poe- 
try and melody, having evidently written during a 
true Inaplration. A flrst-rate song. 

When the Tide comes in. 2. Dtod. 

Bamby, 40 

•' Mother*' he oried. *< go wateh the tide 
As it cometh up to Lynn." 

Very pathetic, impressive and beaatlfnl. 

Gracious Hoaven I (Ciel pietoso). 5. O to f. 

BeUinL — 

'* A1 mio labbro perdeno nn lamenlo." 
" Ah t forgive me my complaining.** 
A beautifhl " prayer'* from II Straniera, not es- 
pecially d fflottU, except in a cadensa. (which may 
be omitted.) 

Kissing in the Moonlight 8. Dtoi/. 

Lavamie, 40 
" Sbe'tf aa handsome as a Illy In the sommer.** 
PreUy picture title, and aprightly music. 

MmmtrmwmmmtmM, 

Star of Home. (Heimnthstem). Fantasie 

Brillante. 5. F. Zahn, 40 

Commences like a nocturne, bat soon loses that 
eharaeter in eoneeqoence of the Introduction of 
many light arpegalos, and other musical fireworks. 
A bnltlant and eflbetive piece. 

Burletta. 8. C minor. HambUn, 2 hands, 85 

4 " 60 

Coqjnres up, In a short space, an nniqae kind of 



musical harly-burly, which la not 



Quits original eillBet. 



niqii 
bad 



to bear. 



Tired. 



3. £6. 



B, Richards. 86 



An easy and graceful transcrlptloa of a beautiful 
sacred tong. 

Andante. (For Organ). 5. F. CaUdn, 60 

For manual and pedal, the part for the latter re- 
quiring some little skill with the feet. 

Knights of Pythias Quickstep. 8. A6 . 

OUo. 80 

A spirited Quickstep composed for "Cosnr de 
Lion** Lodge, DHllas, Texas, but good for all 
marching occasions. 

Passing Thoughts. Waltses. 8. D6. Posfeii. 80 

A short set of S waltses, which may, however, 
be played as one piano piece. Elegant thoughts. 

Bhapsodie Hongroise. ' 7. F. Liszt, 1 26 

One of the first.class pieces brought to present 
notice by the masterly playing of Von BUlow. 
Hungarian music la peculiarly suited to Lisst's 
genius. 

Gazelle Galop. 2. G. Pi^e. 80 

The •< Gaxelle" Is well suited for little «*deer8** to 
play on the piano. It is neat and very bright. 

Fisher's Song. (Fischerlied). 4. G. Lange, 40 

One of the sweetest and most grrSsf il of <'trs»- 
scrlptlons,'* if it is a transcription. 

Just in Time Galop. (Zur rechten Zeit). 2. C. 

Arwuen, 40 
Neat and easy to play, "Just In time." 

Addie's Waltz. 3, F. ROey. 80 

Admirable music, fresh and new. 



ABBBKTiATio!f8.— Degrees of difllculty are mariced 
1 to 7. The key\B marked with'a capiul letter: aa C, B 
Iflat, ac. A small Roman letter marks the highest note 
tf on the staff, an UalUt letter the highest note, if above 
he staff. 




toig|fi5 




0urtial 





Whole No. 903. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, NOV. 27, 1876. Vol. XXXV. No^ 17. 



The Pines and the Sea. 

Beyond the low marsh meadows and the beach, 
Seen through the hoary trunks of windy pines. 
The lonjr blue level of the ocean shines. 

The distant snrf with hoarse complaining: speech 

Out from its sand}* barrier seems to reach ; 
And while tlie sun behind the woods declines, 
The moaning: sea with sisrhin^ bouifhs entwines, 

And waves and pines make answer, each to each. 

O melancholy soul, — whom, far and near. 
In life, faith, hope, the same sad undertone 

Pursues from thought to thought, — ^thon needs must 
hear 
An old refrain, too much, too long thine own. 

Tls thy mortality infects thine ear. 
The mournful strain was in thyself alone I 

CHaiSTOPnKE P. Crakch, m Deremher AUaniic, 



i'^^^^^N^^^^ 



Oarl ICaria Von Weber. 

BT F. WBBBR. 
(OoBcluded from Page 122.) 

The Attitude of supreme iDdifferenco on the 
part of the TtaliAn maeatros resident in Germa- 
ny with re^rd to the lanpruai^ and character 
of her people, necessarily resulted in their total 
inability to understand the bearings of the 
national movement inaugurated by Weber^a 
Frei$ehufB. In order to point uut more clearly 
the views entertained by that party concerning 
the latter work and German opera in general, 
we cannot do better than quote a few paasasrea 
from a letter written to a friend in 1821 (the 
year of the first production of FrsiichaUi). by an 
eminent Italian (Carpani) residing in Vienna, 
and published in December of the same year in 
the Bihlioteea Italiana. The writer says: **We 
have here (Vienna) an exceedingly romantic 
opera (opera ramanticisnma) with a more than 
romantic music by a certain WOber (ne\ which 
has a full house every time it is produced. I 
have not yet been able to hear it myself, but I 
know that it contains some pearls smothered in 
the scientific sand of counterpoint, and, besides, 
some few pretty choruses ; for science is never 
wanting in the Germans — on the contrary, they 
have an abundance of it — but order, taste and 
melody . . . The facility with which the 

Jmblic here, highly musical as it ia, will almost 
rom day to day change its taste, is a fact both 
remarkable and difficult of explanation. To-day 
they applaud an opera by Rossini, to-morrow 
they go into raptures over a work by Paesiello; 
the one full of fire and rich in accompaniment 
—all melody and'aimplicitv the other. The 
next day they are again quite content with a 
Cortft, composed in French by Spontini, or 
with a Freisehtitt by Weber, both most sparing- 
ly endowed with melody, especially the latier. 
To be more explicit, I will tell you that i 
gather from the score that, with the exception 
of some choruses and s^me marches, one lo'>k8 
in vain for the melodious portamento song 
throughout the entire opera. Instead thereof, 
you find a scrupulous interpretation of the 
meaning of every single word . . . but at 
the same time you are struck with a profound 
knowledge regarding chords and modulations, 
and with a number of devilish bounds from one 
idea to another ... We shall shortly 
have a German opera by Spohr. As this learned 
composer has lived some years in Italy, he will, 
no doubt, have acquired the proper taste fur 
melody, and should he be able to unite this 
prerogative of Italian music with German sci- 
ence, we may fairly expect, notwithstanding 
the musically intractable German words, to be 



treated to a fine opera. Through the unwield- 
inesa (indoeilitd) and uncouthness of the native 
lansruaare, as well as through the overbearing 
attitude which the instrumental music had as- 
sumed over the vocal, the melodious sinering 
was at one time in danger of being driven from 
the country altogether. Rossini and Merca- 
dante. however, with other Italian swans, are 
irradually leading back the Germans to the on- 
ly true path of the art. They will revive the 
great days of Hasse. Tftuber, Mara. etc.. and it 
will not be long before we shall again acknowl- 
edge but one Beautiful, one School, one Music: 
viz., that of Durante, Piccini, Cimarosa, of 
Gassmann, Graun. Mozart, and so^any others. 
. . . Without the appearance of Rossini, 
this divine art was in danger of being drowned 
in the ocean of the most commonplace and 
ever-to-be -repeated songlets, or to be lost sight 
of in the barren desert of abstruse harmonic 
complications. There can be no doubt that, 
by introducing once more the good style of 
music (Uhnon genere), and enriching it with new 
treaaurpR, Rossini and Mercadante will save the 
art in Europe from decay. And if the former 
in his admirable works will only endeavor to 
check the impetuosity of his creative genius by 
the recognized laws of truth, and the latter 
continue to give us such smoothly and lucidly 
written operas as those are with which at this 
moment all Milan is enraptured ; the superiority 
of Italian music will once more \ye universallv 
acknowledged, no matter in which country it 
is produced.*' . . . The opinions as here 
pronounced, with the only variation, perhaps, 
of the respective choice in the person of the 
supposed *' savior of the art** may fairly be 
taken as representative of the views held by 
the Italian party al I over Germany. They show 
plainly how little the independent character of 
the works of even such German masters whom 
our referee allows to participate in the merit of 
having cultivated U htion ffenere, i,e,, the style 
of music as revealed periodically from the other 
side of the Alps, was understood in these quar- 
ters. For even Mozart though his operas are 
undonbtedly cast in an Italian mould, as hit 
genius had been trained in an Italian school, 
differs nevertheless widely from his preceptors 
in the manifold and sustained dramatic life 
pervading his stage- works, and in the essen- 
tially German character of his music. The 
stern and wholesome reforms of Gluck, with 
reganl to the whole structure of the musical 
drama, are altogether ignored by the writer of 
the above exposition, though the theories of 
the composer of Iphigenia hiul a devoted follow- 
er in Vienna in the person of the writer*s own 
countryman Salieri. It is not surprising then 
that— notwithstau'^ing the hostility with which 
the Italian party met Weber*s success — the reaV 
significance of his Freieehute^ which showed 
neither the Italian leanings of a Mozart, nor the 
deliberate and one-sidedly reformatory tenden- 
ciet of a Gluck, but had its roots entirely in 
the national life of the people, should have al- 
together escaped their notice. Keeping in' 
mind, however, the fact that these men repre- 
sented a powerful aristocracy in matters musi- 
cal all over the country, the importance of the 
appearance of Weber, with his aemocratic mis- 
sion, becomes at once apparent. In his double 
capacity of director of an operatic establish- 
ment and creative artist, Wefa«r had long keen- 
ly felt the subordinate position in which the 
German music-drama had for years been suf- 
fered to remain; a fHCt which had stunted its 
natural growth, and had contributed largely to 
the increasing preponderance of purely instru- 
mental music. The mighty Beethoven himself, 



after having once demonstrated the wondrous 
effects which music of the most ideal order 
could produce on the stage, withdrew for ever 
from an unhealthy atmosphere of intrigue and 
unworthy competition, into the isolateirregions 
of independent thought. Weber, on his part, 
was differently constituted. All his artistic 
aims, his whole being, centred in the stage. It 
was here, and here only, where he could hope 
to realize the dreams of his youth. Already in 
the merry davsof his stay at Darmstadt while 
yet the oracular utterances of ** Papa Vogler" 
exercised their spell over the admiring pupil, 
Weber, with some friends, had formed a socie- 
ty, whose chief objects were to bo to preserve 
the native art in its purity, and to labor for its 
due recognition in the country. Like many 
other creations of youthful enthusiasm, the So- 
ciety soon dissolved itself into its elements. 
But to the principle Weber remained true 
throughout life; while another member, Meyer- 
beer, preferred to use his splendid talent in 
mastering and combining in his music the styles 
of aU nations, and to become the founder of 
the musical sensaiton -drama, a monstrosity 
which, in spite of the consummate skill with 
which its ineongruous elements are wedded to- 
gether, will certainly prove to have been adapt- 
ed ** for an age " only, and not '*for all time." 
We would not in this be misunderstood. The 
character of art speaking in the abstract is no 
doubt cosmopolitan, and in this sense music 
too is of no country. Still, as we recognize a 
distinct individuality in the works of every 
great artist so there are certain special charac- 
teristics peculiar to the nation to which he be- 
longs, wnich indeed establish its position in 
the great republic of Arts; and in art, as well 
as in politics, occasions may arise when this 
national character must assert itself against 
encroachments from outside tending to obstruct 
its natural development. And such a period 
was that of which we are now treating. When 
Weber threw down the gauntlet as champion 
for specifically German music, his patriotism 
went hand in hand with the higher interests of 
that art, which is indeed of no country. 

The spirit of the time, it should be remem- 
bered, considerably strengthened and to some 
extent suggested, the position which our com- 
poser had taken up. The wars of liberation 
had only recently been fought and the expul- 
sion of the foreign invader from German soil, 
if it had left the country political I v as divided 
as before, had at any rate kindled in the nation 
a feeling of spiritual unity, which was kept 
alive by the poetry and popular literature of 
the day. Weoer too, though not by any means 
of a warlike disposition, had at least once been 
carried beyond his ordinary sphere by the high- 
going waves of a great epoch in history. His 
songs of *' Lyre and Sword," written under the 
stirring influence of the events which lie be- 
tween the years of 1818 and 1815, may be said 
to have first directed the attention of the whole 
country upon the small, delicate-looking man, 
whose simple notes could arouse so much manly 
enthusiasm. Here already it was the element 
of a noble popularity which had produced such 
deep effects. A few years later the country 
should hail in the composer of '*Lyre and 
Sword " a new rallying point for the national 
consciousness, whereto it could turn from a 
politically unsatisfactory present. Not only 
bad the music of Der FreimiktM touched famil- 
iar chords in every German home, both in the 
cool and criticizing North and the more enthu** 
siastic, if more homely, people of the South : it 
had also raised the common language from the 
timid position it had hitherto occupied by the 






130 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



side of Itnlian/which had so long been consid- 
ered the only linguistic basis tolerable in music. 
Though operas and songs had, of course, been 
composed in German before that time, we be- 
lieve we are not going too far in asserting, that 
to Weber and to Schubert we must trace the 
now universal recognition of the value of that 
language for musical purposes. In his master- 
ly treatment of it, Weber solves the difficult 
problem of maintaining the happy medium be- 
tween rigid declamatory correctness and purely 
musical phrasing. Tiie great singers of his 
time, moreover, bore eloquent witness to the 
delightful manner in which his music is adapt- 
ed to the ca]mcities of the human voice. In 
this he has never been surpassed. On thecon- 
trnry, it would seem that in the modern opera- 
drama, where the human throat is fast becom- 
ing a mere instrument, the singer will have to 
make up his mind to the '* higher develop- 
ment," i.e., a constant strain upon his highest 
notes — and will have to forego the not unrea- 
sonable luxury of having his voice treated with 
some consideration. How far Weber, whose 
influence upon modern art in various directions 
consisted as much in pointing out' new paths 
as in his actually walking in them, has had a 
share in the reformatory ideas of Richard Wag- 
ner, it is not at present our object to determine. 
Certain it is, that the chief features of Wagner's 
earlier operatic works are to be found in Eury- 
anthe^ however much in his later phase he may 
have freed himself from this influence. But it 
appears to us that, in the elaborate modern 
'* art-work," the grand simplicity of the Volks- 
lied-element (which, after all, is the most 
immediate manifestation on record of the genius 
of the people, whom Wagner himself holds in 
such reverence) has been lost sight of. Instead 
of following up and enlarging upon the example 
so successfully set by Weber, the modern re- 
former, in his now so well-known theories, sets 
himself a task which, to be effectively carried 
on, would require a reconstruction and reorgan- 
ization of the whole fabric of modern society. 
Nevertheless we are far from denying that the 
ideas underlying this new movement are grand, 
and as such worthy of the enthusiastic support 
of the, as yet small, circle of its devotees. 
There can be no doubt that, at any rate, these 
men represent the party of progress in musical 
art, in opposition to the rest-and-be-thankful 
spirit prevalent among the great majority of 
composers of the present day ; and in this capac 
ity they may claim kinship with the genius of 
Carl Maria von Weber, who, as liis excellent 
biographer remarks, always had youth and 
progress on his side. 

Weber was a conscious tone-poet, worship- 
ping in himself the divine faculty which he 
recognized. He was an artist of great cultiva- 
tion, who had the power to view his own rela- 
tive position in the art by the objective light 
of its history, who distinctly felt the links 
which connected him with the great masters 
that bad gone before him. It was this, which 
filled his soul with the earnest desire to hold 
sacred the purity of his art, as it had been 
handed down to him. Unlike the men of the 
^^ school," he aimed at the generalization and 
popularization, in the noblest sense of these 
terms, of that national inheritance; and listen- 
ing intently to the voice of the people as it 
manifested itself, now with rich humor, now 
with touching pathos, in the Volktlied^ he suc- 
ceeded in holding up to them their ideal self 
— a precious pearl in elaborate, yet chaste, set- 
ting. This is Weber's great artistic deed, 
which has firmly established him in the hearts 
of the Qerman people, and which places him 
foremost in the ranks of truly national Tone- 
poets. » 

We are conscious of having done but imper- 
fect justice to the picture of an artist, whose 
importance to the art which his genius graced, 
cannot be pointed out with too much force. 
But if these remarks have given some induce- 
ments here and there, to a closer study of the 
lif$ as well as of the works of the modest com- 
poser of J^«iieAi/t«, Euryanihe^ and O&0Am, we 



feel sure the subject will render the student 
more than ever impressed with the truth, that 
music is not merely a means by which to con- 
vey vague feelinga-rbut a living power, capa- 
ble of penetrating a man's whole existence with 
its divine influence, and enlisting in its service 
the noblest aspirations both of his heart and 
intellect. — LomL Mils. Times. 



-*"♦« 



The Oldest Living Musician. 

[From Chables K. Salaman's " Rccullections,'* In the 

London Coneurdla. 

[Concluded from Page 123 ] 

I was affectionately attached to my instructor 
and friend, and, when a boy, impatiently, and 
with pleasure, looked forward to my lessons. 
I was ambitious to have a bald head and wear 
spectacles like my dear master. On reaching 
the age of 24 my ambition was gratified. 

I occasionally played at Ncate's numerous 
quartet parties at his residence in Charlotte 
Street, Fitzroy Square. Among many notes 
from him, I find the following, written in the 
summer of 1830: — 

^^ Dear Charles, — I have a quartet this even- 
ing at eight, and shall be glad to see you. I 
shall want pianoforte players, as I shall only 
have Hummel, Moscheles, Ries and your hum- 
ble servant, C. Neate." We sometimes in the 
evening played together ducts for pianoforte 
and violoncello. One evening in 1832 — if my 
memory be faithful — we were thus employed. 
We had played Beethoven's Sonatas in G minor 
and F, when Neate proposed that we should 
'*go through '* some compositions of a ligiiter 
character. In the middle of a very elegant 
concertante duo by Bochsa and Duport, we 
heard a loud double knock. * *■ A visitor, *' said 
Neate, **who can it be? " The servant an- 
nounced *'Mr. Mendelssohn!" *^He must 
not find us playing sucii music, '* said my com- 
panion, and he flung the music to the other end 
of the drawing-room. Mendelssohn was ush- 
ered into the room, with his fascinating smile 
and charming manner, and, of course, received 
a hearty, friendly welcome. We bad no music, 
but most agreeable talk on the leading topics off 
the day, into which, in his delightful and ani- 
mated manner, Mendelssohn entered with gusto, 
and with which, with true gantlemanly feeling, 
he exhibited a familiar acquaintance. I was 
sorry when he left us, after about an bour*8 
friendly chat. We then resumed our practice, 
but not with the same spirit or inclination. 
On a summer afternoon, also in 1832, Mr. 
Ntate had a quartet party. The room was full. 
Some of the most distinguished foreign musi- 
cians, who were then visiting London for the 
season, were of the party. Moscheles and John 
Field I remember as being present. I cannot 
recall the name of the leader of the quartet. 
Mendelssohn played the viola, and Neate the 
violoncello. After the. quartet Mendelssohn 
was entreated to play a part of his Q minor 
Concerto, which had just created an immense 
sensation at a recent Philharmonic Concert. In 
the most amiable manner he consented to play, 
and immediately seated himself at the instru- 
ment. 1 stood close behind him. Stimulated, 
no doubt, by the presence of so many eminent 
musicians, he played like one inspired, and 
produced a marvellous effect on all present. I 
was almost breathless. It may be supposed 
that the gifted composer and executant received 
no slight applause, and that he was almost ov- 
erpowered by verbal commendations. It was 
a memorable day. Those were glorious times! 
I can hardly explain the cause; but certainly 
there was in by -gone days more sociality, more 
friendliness, less formality, and less estrange- 
ment amongst contemporary artists of distinc- 
tion than at the present time. There was for- 
merly more constant personal intercourse 
between musicians. Artist-life was then less 
artificial, and therefore more agreeable. 

On the 26th of April, 1830, Mr. Neate gave 
an Evening Concert at the **Qreat Concert 
Room, King*s Theatre,'* the second part of 
which was devoted to the performance -of 



Beethoven's Kinth, or Choral Symphony. The 
orchestral-comprising sixty of the most emi- 
nent members of the Philharmonic band, and a 
well selected professional chorus — was led by 
Spagnoletti and Mori, and conducted by Sir 
George Smart The Symphony was thus an- 
nounced: — *'The Second Part of the Concert, 
by permission of the Philharmonic Society, will 
consist of BkethovenV Grand Characteris- 
tic SiNKOKiA, with Vocal Solos by Mdme. 
Stockhansen, Miss H. Cawse, Mr. Begrez and 
Mr. E. Taylor, and Full Chcrus. Composed 
expressly for the Philhormonie Society. The 
following prose translation of Schiller's Ode to 
Joy, which constitutes the vocal part of this 
Symphony, may convey some idea of the char- 
acter of this great production, and of the vari- 
ous sensations^ which influenced the mind of 
the composer." Then follows the translation. 
This performance of Beethoven^s Symphony 
was the second which had taken place in Eng- 
land. It had been heard for the first time at a 
concert of the Philharmonic Society, on the 
21st of March, 1825, and had failed to produce 
the effect desired and expected. Sir George 
Smart — the conductor — doubting his ability to 
comprehend the intentions of the composer, 
made a journey to Vienna to receive instmc- 
tions from Beethoven himself. *^No further 
attempt," says Hogarth, *' was made to repn)- 
duce this arduous work for no less a period 
than twelve years, till 1837, when it was per- 
formed a second time -under better auspices. I 
have shown that this statement is unaccounta- 
bly incorrect. When the Philharmonic Socie- 
ty — for whom the Symphony had been express- 
ly composed — had failed in its execution, and 
was satisfied to let the work slumber for twelve 
vears, I think it will be conceded thst Mr. 
Neate^s performance of it in 1830, reflected 
honor upon him as a musician, and as Beetho- 
ven's personal friend. I was not present at 
Mr. Neate's concert. I was at that time at 
Stratford-upon-Avon, ctssisting, with Charles 
Eean, at Shakespeare^s Jubilee. I received, 
however, a very detailed report of the concert, 
and of Beethoven's Symphony, and I have pre- 
served the concert bill which I much prize. 

While lately staying at Brighton, I took the 
opportunity to see my old fnend. I was de- 
lighted to find that considering his great age, 
he was so little changed. He had read some 
numbers of Coticordia, which I had lent him, 
and expressed himself gratified and flattered at 
having been mentioned therein. We talked 
over old times, and I led him to give me some 
particulars of his early life, which I have en- 
deavored to embody in this paper. I noticed, 
hanging on the wall above Mr. Neate's easy 
chair, an engraved portrait of Beethoven — pub- 
lished by Artaria, of Vienna, in 1814. ** Was 
that like Beethoven?"— I asked. Neate at 
once rose up from his chair, and advanced with 
feeble steps towards the portrait. ** That is 
the very image of him," was the answer — *'the 
only true likeness." ** But was his complexion 
so dark, or is the engraving darkly printed ? " 
''Beethoven was like a Moor : that is the image 
of him," repeated Neate. ''Can you read the 
German inscription ? " he continued. '*Of 
course, I can," said I, and read, **To his dear 
friend Charles Neate. L. v. Beethoven. Vi- 
enna, 1816." **Do you see that blot on the 
left of it? " asked the aged musician. ** Yes," 
I answered, *Miow came it there?" Neate, 
still standing before the portrait, said, *^ I was 
with Beethoven when several copies of the por- 
trait were sent to him by the publisher. Beet- 
hoven gave me a copy, aifd while writing the 
inscription which you see, filled his pen too full 
of ink, and made that blot. He was about to 
tear it up, and give me another copy in lieu of 
it; but I preferred the copy with Beethoven's 
blot, and insisted upon keening it." **You 
were right," said I. My agea fnend, who had 
now become animated by the subject of our 
discourse, and the associations which it recalled, 
resumed his chair. ^'I will Jtcll you an anec- 
d( te about Beethoven, which he himself related 
ta me. -'I was writing an openi,' said Beet ho- 









BOSTON, SATURDAY, NOT. 27, 1875. 



131 



Yen. * You mean Fidelio^ ' said I. * No I don't, * 
continued Beethoven, * another opera. I had 
written a song for Herr ' " (Here Neate en- 
deavored in vain to remember the name of the 
singer. He, however, intimated that he was a 

very celebrated vocalist.) ***Herr did 

not like the song, and begged that I would 
write another one for him. I was angry, but I 
promised to do so. I composed the song. 

Herr came for it, tried it over, and went 

away apparently quite pleased with it. The 
next day, as I was at work as usual, I heard a 
knock at my door. I recognized it at once. 

It was Herr returned to say that the song 

did not suit him. I was in a furious rage, and 
threw myself on the ground, and began to kick 
about as if I was very ill. I would not listen 
to his complaint, and was determined not to 
compose another song for him. After a time 

Herr left me, and I gave my servant orders 

never more to admit him.' This,** said Neate, 
•'Beethoven told me himself.** I perceived 
that my dear old friend's cheeks were flushed, 
and as it was now one o'clock, I arose to depart, 
with a promise to repeat my visit. 

A photographic portrait of Mr. Neate — an 
admirable likeness of him at the age of 76— is 
published by Lenthall of Regent Srreet. 

CHAnLES K. Salaman. 



«•-•- 



Fur I>wiffbt*8 Joamal of Muslo. 

Chickering's Hew Concert HalL 

The new edifice, erected by the great firm of 
Chickerlng and Sons, on the north-west corner of 
Fifth Avenue and Eighteenth street in New York, 
contains the ware-rooms for the sale of the Chicker- 
lng pianos and a Concert hall where these beautiful 
instruments may be heard to the best possible ad- 
vantage. The external Appearance of the bnildins^ 
must gratify the taste of the most fastidious, for it 
is at once substantial and elegant, and the architect, 
Mr. George B. Post, has every reason to be proud 
of his work. The dimensions of the building are as 
follows. Width on Fifth Avenue 79 feet, depth 135 
feet and height, from the pavement to the top of the 
flagstaff, 176 feet 

The foundation is of concrete, laid two feet deep 
by ten feet broad, affording a subetontial ground- 
work for the massive walls of biick and brown- 
stone. 

The seeond and third stories of the Fifth Avenue 
front form an arcade of three arches carried by four 
round oolumqs in couples, and two square Doric 
columns. The tympanum of the arches is filled 
with stained glass. Above this is an attic story, 
and the building is covered by a wcdgc-like roof 
crowned by an ornamented ridge. Below the arch- 
es and on a level with the music-hall are three 
stone balconies carrying at the ends massive lamps 
of bronze, brilliant by night and ornamental by 
day. The fagade. on the Eighteenth street side, is 
the same in design as the one on Fifth Avenue, save 
that the arches here are seven in number and with- 
out windows. 

The interior arrangement and finish of the build- 
ing are as near perfection as the resources of moderi 
invention can make them. 

The basement extends under the entire structure. 
The walls are four feet two inches thick, and the pil- 
lars supporting the girders are of solid white oak 
14 Inches square. It is estimated that each will 
sustain a weight four times as great as iron pillars 
would bear. This basement is devoted to the rent- 
ing of pianos, the sale of second hand instruments 
and repairing. 

The first floor contains the most elegant and spa- 
cious Piano ware rooms in the world. There are 
saloons for each kind of piano. Grand, Square, Up- 
right, Semi-grand, Parlor-grand, all on one floor. 
Here also are the business offices of the firm. 

Fasslng in at the grand entrance on Fifth Avenue, 



we find the business offices on the riofht hand and 
the ])iano ware-rooms on the left, while between the 
two is a stairway fourteen feet bro?i(l and of very 
easy ascent leading to the Concert hall on the sec- 
ond floor. The dimensions of the hall sre one hun- 
dred and three feet deep by seventy-three feet wide 
and forty-nine feet high. The stas^ is twenty -eight 
by fift3*-six feet. The seating capacity of the hat 
is fifteen hundred. The floor slopes downwards 
from the entrance to the stage, bat it is an 
inclined plane without those short steps which wo 
find so annovino: at some of our theatres. From 
this arrangement and the fact that the seats are 
placed upon a finely drawn circle it follows that 
every one in the audience has an unobstructed view 
of the stage. 

There is no proscenium and no provision for scen- 
ery or other accessories which pertain to the theatre 
rather than to the concert room. The auditorium 
is divided into parquette, parquette-circle and bal 
cony-circle. The seats are especially comfurtsble, 
each being 19^ inches wide, while between each row 
there is ample space for passing to and fro without 
dinturbing the sitters. 

The lighting of the hsll is done by twenty -five 
sunlights placed around the cornice near the ceiling. 
They are of novel and beautiful design and can be 
illuminated in an instant by an electrical contriv- 
ance. When lighted they are intensely brilliant ; 
but the light is so distributed as not be in the least 
unpleasant to the eye. These sunlights are msde to 
play an important part in the ventilation of the halt. 
Due weight has been attached to this very impor- 
tant feature, and we are authorized to state that the 
ventilating and heating spparatns are the very best 
which modern science can Hupply. They were 
fairly tested on the night of Von Buelow's first con- 
cert, when the hall was filled to its utmost capacity. 
The temperature during the evening was uniform 
and agreeable, while the fresh pure air was positive- 
ly delightful when contrasted with the foul, heavy 
mixture of gases which is usually inhaled at our the- 
atres and concert rooms. The hall will not be dec- 
orated until the walls shall have had ample time to 
settle ; and even then there will be little more than a 
touch of gilding here and there to brighten a cor- 
nice or a panel. The general effect aimed at is that 
of elegant simplicity and perfect taste. 

An organ, built by Roosevelt, will occupy each 
side of the stage. This instrument will cost $ 1 6,000. 
Two of the stops, the " Vox Humana " and " Vox 
Celestis** will be located in the roof whence, the 
" Art Journal " tells us, " The tones will fall dowm 
with a gently weird and dreamy loveliness.** This 
will be much better than falling in solid chunks. 

The artists' dressing-rooms and reception-rooms 
are fitted up with everything which comfort and 
convenience require. On the Fifth Avenue side of 
the buildine: there is a magnificent Indies* parlor and 
a room devoted to the members of the press. Both 
of these rooms are Inxnrionslv furnished and the 

« 

press room will contain a complete musical library. 
The third floor contains rooms for teaching. 
The fourth floor contains a Rehearsal -Hall fifty- 
eight by tw«>nty-four feet, and twenty feet high. 
The walls, floor and ceiling of this hall — which is for 

the use of societies — are entirely sound-proof, so that 
it can be used when a concert is going on in the 
great hall below. 

New York has now two of the finest concert-halls 
in the world. Stein wa3^*s, the larger of these, has 
done noble service iu past years and will do so in 
the future. For orchestral concerts it answers every 
requirement, but for the purpose of piano-playing 
alone — or for anything like Chamber-music, the 
need has long existed of a smaller concert room. 
For this we could have wished to be indebted to no 
one so much as the celebrated firm, which has now 
graced our city with a structure worthy of the name 
of Chicken ng. A. A.C. 



Organ Concerts. 

CiTicAoo. We jrlv© the remninder of Mr. H. C. Eddy's 
Orfran pro^rramme* ; the first ei|;hi will be found in our 
labt numbor. 

IX. 

1. Sonata In F, No. 1.* Menrlelsnohn 

18.)9-1847 

2. *« Largjictto " [from Quintet, Op. 103] Mozart 

1756-1791 

8. " St. Ann*8 ** Fugue Bach 

1C85-17U) 
[Peieni' Ed., Book III, No. 1.] 

i. a.} "Serenade," Haff 

1822- 

b.] ''Ave Uaria,** Gounod 

1817— 
Mrs. Clars C. Stacy. 

5. Sonata In D minor, Op. 30 Merkcl 

1827- 
[For four hnnd* and doulWe pedal.] 
[Allegro niuderato— Adagio— Allegro con fnoco— 

Fuipi.] 

MUs Kinjnnan and M'r Eddy. 

This Sonata wan A*i*\i[ned the prfzo bv th<* "Dentachen 

Tonhallf,*' of MannliHm. In Februarv. ISM. 

6. Variations, on * Greenville,*'. I .H. C. Eddy 

7. "Suloika," Schulnrt 

1797-1828 
Mr«. O'ara D. Stacoy. 

8. Hallelujah Chorus [from the '< Mount of OliTcn,'*] 

Beethoven 

ino— 1827 
X. 

1. Fugue in E minor Han<1e1 

1685—1750 

2. "Canaonet," [from the First Quartet, Op. 121, 

Mftidelanohn 

(Transcribed bv Best 1 1809 -18*7 

3. Variations, on "God Save the King," He a6 

1809-1863 

4. Aria, "It 1« enough " [from "Elijah,". Mendelssohn 

1809 -1847 

Jamea Gill. 

5. Fantasia and Fngue in C minor Birh 

1685-1760 
[Pet«ra' Ei., Bonk III. No. 6.] 

6. •* Adagio," Op. 259, No. 1 Volckmir 

1812 - 

7. Concert Variations Archer 

8. a 1 " Der Neuffleriee," (The Inquirer) Schnbert 

6.] " Wohln." (Whither) " 

[From *• Die SciShne MUllerin."J 1T97— 1828 
Jamt>a Gill. 

9. "War March of the Priests " [from «• Athalle *T 

Mendelssohn 

1800—1847 
[Transcribed by Best.] 

XI, 

1. Prelude and Fugue in A minor H.C.Eddy 

2. •' Antlantino " (from " Rosamunde,") PrhHl>ert 

1797—1828 

Transcribed by Best. 

3. Serenade, "Non e ver.-' Mattel 

W.H.Stanley. 

i. Sonata in D minori No. Mendelssohn 

1800—1847 
[Choral, Andante sostenut/i. Allegro molto— Fuga— 
Finale, Andante.] 

6. Cavatlua, "O mlo Fernando" | from "La Favorita,"] 

DonUetti 

*, ^ , 1797—1848 

Madame Jenny Vally. 

e. a.] " Introduction " to Symphony No. 3 Spohr 

1734 ]ggo 

b.] "Andante Cantablle/' Hummel 

_.^ ., « 1778-1837 

Trans "ribed l>y Gottsehalg. 

7. Aria, "Cnjus Animara " [from the "Stabat Mater **] 

Rossini 

^ 1792-1868 

W. H. Stanley. 

8. Tlieme and Variations In C [manuscript] ....Tbiele 

IRIS IWilfl 

9. '*Ballade''[ftt>m"I>erfliegende Hollander,"] Waen<r 

Madame Jenny Vally. 

10. Toe^ata and Fugue Iu F Bneh 

1685-1750 
[Peters' Ed., Book III, No. 2.] 

XII. 
1 Prelude and Fngue In C minor Mendelssohn 

• ur^A ,. . -. ^P- ^' ^"- *• [1809-1847 

2. "PrIAre," in F Oullmant 

3. "Give thanks to God" [ftom the "Fall of Baby Inn,"] 

Spohr 

Transcribed by Beat. [1784-1850 

4. Song, " Tief d'ranten '» [" Down in the Deen."! 

Adolf MQIier 

18U2~ 
Prof. Carl Bergstein. 

6. Sonata In S flat, No. 1 Bsieh 

1685-1760 
[Allegro moderato— A dnglo>- Allegro.] 
«, Arte of Leporello [from 'Dun Juan,"] Moznrt 

_ ^ 1756—1791 

Prof. Carl Bereteln. 

7. "Romanze" [fh>m the Symphony in D minor.] 

,^ . Schumann 

[Transcril>ed by Penfleld.] 1810-1856 

8. Overture to " Stradella,'' FInrnw 

« 1812— 

Transcribed by Buck. 

XIIT. 

1. Sonata in C minor. No. 2 Mendelssohn 

1809—1847 
[Grave— Adagio— Allegro maestoso e vivaee— Fuga, 
Allegro moderate.] 

2. " Notturno " [ft-om the ♦' Wedding Music," Op. 45. 

. «r ^^, Transeribcd by H. C. Eddy. [?837- 

8. Wedding March u„p|- 

4. Conoort-Aria, Op. 94 Meneelssohn 

1809—1847 
Mn. Clara D. Stacy. 

f.. . . J. 



132 



DWIGHT»S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



6. Sonata in C fnInor,I7o. 2 Bnrh 

KK6-1750 
[VIvncc — Ljirgo— Allegro.] 

6. Conccrt-TttgUtt in G Krebw 

17l;)-I780 
Tt l8 stated by good nuthority that J. L. Krei>n utiid- 
ied with 8eba»tlAn Bacli nine yean, and wns hU best 
papll. Bach ha« frequently' saUl of h<m, jokingly. 
" Im meini'in Barli habe Ich nurelnen Kreb# gftangen'* 
(" In my brook I haw caught uniy one ctab.") 

7. a. ^'Serenade/* Rnff 

1822- 

b. "Wiahci •' (New) Cuoper 

tin. Clara D. Stacy. 

8. "Pastorale,** KnIInk 

1818- 
Traniierlbed by Best. 

0. ToDStttck, Op.22,No.3 Onde 

1817— 
XIV. 

1. Concerto In O, No. 1 Handel 

1685-17W 
Larghetto— Allegro— Adagio— Andante. 

2. a. TonstUekfOp. 23,x7o. 2 Gade 

1817— 

b» Hareh In B minor, Op. 27, No. 1 5(ehultert 

1797-1828 
Transcribed by Bent. 
8. Prelude and Fugue In O, Op. 37, No. 2, Mcndelasnhn 

1809-1847 

4. " Spirit Song/* Haydn 

1732-1811 
Mme. B. B. Hershcy. 

6. Sonata In D minor. No. 8 Bmch 

1685-176U 
Andante— Adagio— Vivace. 

6. a. "Ungedttld" [Impatience] Sehubert 

1797-1828 

b. "On the Rocks," Sainton Dolby 

Mme. 6. B. Herahey. 

7. PrMre in F Gnilmant 

By request. 

8. Toccata in A flat, Op. 86 He*^ 

1809-1863 
XV. 

1. Frdnd4 and Fugue In D minor. Op. 87, No. 3, 

Mendelaaohn 
1800-1847 

2. "Impromptn Pastorale," Bock 

8. Concerto in B flat, No. 2 Handel 

1685-1769 
Andante maeatoaot Allegro— Adagio, Allegro. 
4. Recitative and Aria, from the *'MesMlah,"...Handol 
a.] " Then nhall the eyes of the blind.'* 
6.J *' Come nnto llim.*' 

Mlea Emma M. Shaw. 

6. Sonata in D minor, No. 4 Bach 

1685-1750 
Adagio, Vivace— Andante— Un poco Allegro. 

6. R. dtauve and Aria, from -<Don MunIo/' Buck 

" Within my chamber." 
Mias EmT a M. Shaw. 

7. Communion In £ minor. Op. 4, No. 2 Batiste 

8. Oifertolrein Q,No.6 Wely 

XVI. 

1. Sonata in D minor, Op. 15 Vnn Eyken 

1823-1868 
Allegro con brio e con fnoco— Adagio— Allegro 

C(in brio. 

2. Variations In F, Op. 45 Merkel 

1827— 
The Theme Is taken from BeethoTen*e Sonata in E, 

Op. 109. 

8. *'Slttmber Song,*' Frans 

1815- 
Mlss Jesule L. Hardy. 

4. Oonoerto In Q minor, No. 3 Handel 

1685-1700 
Adagio. Allegro— Adagio. Allegro. 
6. Song : **There la a green hill far away?' . . . .Ooonod 

1817- 
Misa Ella A. White. 

6. Sonata inC, No. 5 Bach 

1685—1760 
Allegro— Largo— Allegro. 

7. Duet,* The May bells and the Flowers,'*Mende]ssohn 

1803-1847 
Miss Hardy and Miss White. 

8. <* Moroeau de Concert," Op. 24 Gnilmant 

Prelude— Theme, Variations et Final. 

XVII. 

1. Concerto In F, No. 4 Handel 

1685-1769 
Allegro moderate— Andante maestoso— Adagio, 

Allegro. 

2. ''Rondo Caprice," Op. 35: Buck 

8. '*Marche Triomphale,** Leromene 

4. Aria, "Hear ye Israel" (from •<Elijah,'OMendHlssohn 

1809-1847 
Mrs. D. M. Dunn. 

5. Sonata in O, No. 6 Bach 

1685-1760 
VI vaee— Lento— Allegro. 

6. Flintaale and Fugue in D minor, Op. k, 

Johann Schneider 
2798 —1864 

7. a.] "The Charmer,** .Hendelasohn 

1809— ■ 847 

b.} "Alone/* Storch 

Mrs. L. M. Dunn. 

8. Andante, (from Sonata In D, Op. 28) Beethoven 

1770-1827 
Transcribed by Buck. 

9. "Grand Chocur," Op. 18 Gnilmant 

XVIII. 

1. Concerto in F, No. 6 Handel 

1685-1760 
Larghetto, Allegro— Alia Slelllana— Pre»to. 

S. a.] Canon in F sharp. Op. 39, No. 3 Merkel 

1827— 

5 ] ** iDTocatlon** In B flat Oullmant 

S. Pzelnileaad Fugtu> InG B*irh 

1685—1750 
Peters* Ed., Book U, No. 2, 

I ■■ I ■■ . ■ I , ■ ■ > ■■ ■ ■ I ^^ I II ■ I I I 



4. *'Pniyer»» (from "Rlcnal,") Wairnor 

1813- 

Kdwnnl Schuitze 

5. Fantaslo-Sonnta, Op. G5 Rhelnherver 

1839— 

Grave. Allegro -Adnglo e«presslvo— Finale. 

6. Song, '• lu nlght'n ntlll cnim/' Guatav Luther 

Bdw.trd Schuitze. 

7. **nctHres firom the Orient,'* Op. 66 Schumann 

1810-1856 

Two trnnMriptions by Dudley Buck. 

8. Theme and Variations In A flat Th>e1e 

1816-1848 

XIX. 

1. Fantasie and Fugue, Op. 19 R<rhter 

1806— 

2. a) " Antlenne,** Onllmtnt 

b) "Adagio,** Op. 256, No. 2 Volckmnr 

1812- 

8. 0>ncortoinBflat.No.6 Hnn<lei 

1685—1750 
AHecTo— Larghetto— Allegro moderate. 

4. " Guide Thon me on/* Op 09 Buck 

The "Blaney Quartette.** 

5. a) Chromatic Fansaslc Bn<*h 

1685-1750 

One of the most pecnitar and importvit pinno com- 
poffltlouA which h"** ever been written. The organ ar- 
rnngvroent la by Hanpt, the veteran organist of Ber- 
lin. 

b) «*Canaone," Bach 

Peu-rn' Ed.. B«iok IV, No. 10. 

6. *'UnderalI the Tree Topt«,'* Lenz 

The " Blaney Quartette.*' 

7. "Pastorale," Merkel 

1827- 

8. " CoronaUon March ** [flrom the •* Prophet.'*] 

' Mevcrlieer 

1791-1864 
Ttaneorlbed by Boat. 

XX. 

1. SonatA In E minor, Op. 19 Kitfer 

1811— 

2. "Adagio," Op.35 Merkel 

1827— 

8. Toccata and Fugue In Dm'nor Bteh 

1685-1750 
Peters' Kd., Book TIT, No. 8. 

4. Aria, " Show mc Th v wayo.** Torrente 

Mm. Clnra h. Stacy. 

6. Sonata in C snnrp minor. On. 2 F. O. Gleason 

Allegro— Andante— Allegro maestoso, 

This 5Vinata is dcd rated to Mr. Eddy, and Is played 
from the manuscript for the Arst time in public. 

6. a] "The dew Is sparkling,** Bubenittein 

1829— 

5] "Me4Je," Gmmod 

1817— 
Mrs. Clara D. Stacy. 

7. "Fkntaale de Concert," Op. 29 F. Lnx 

1820- 

8. Ooneert4Sats InC minor.... Thiele 

1810-1848 

Mniieal CriticimL 

[From a Report of the flrst meeting of the Musical 
Association, In London, Oct. 31, 1875]. 

Mr. Craklu K. Salamait, Hon. Mem. Acad. St. 
Cecilia, Rome, the honorary secretary to the associ- 
ation, then read the folio winj; paper :— 

Musical criticism is a subject which I am of opin- 
ion may be investigated and discussed with advan- 
tai^ by the members of the Musical Association. It 
is a field which may be thought delicate gronnd to 
tread upon. The atmosphere by which it is anr- 
rounded may be impreirnated with explosive matter; 
but I am not, in consequence, disma^'ed from pursu- 
ing the enquiry I have proposed to myself. With 
the safety lamp of |E:i>od faith and go^id temper 1 
believe that the ground may be traversed without 
any apprchensioii of danger. 

Regarding music from an elevati«d point of view, 
I place before me a high standard of musical criti- 
cism. If it cannot be reached, the attempt to arrive 
at it may possibly lead to the improvement of some 
of ita salient features. 

Musical and literary criticism are subject to the 
same rules, and should be governed by like 
principles. The boundary of the former is less lim- 
ited, as it comprises the consideration of both musi- 
cal composition and performance. The critic of 
music and the critic of literature owe similar duties 
to the public. The functions of the musical critic 
are multifanons. To discharge them with effect he 
should possess many and various qualifications 
which are rarely met with in combination. The 
vocation of art and literary critic is one of import 
ance and responsibility. When exercised with abil- 
ity, justice, and earnestness it is an honoral>le pro- 
fession. 

Musical criticism engaged the attention of man 
eminent writers of antiquity known to the studen 
of ancient muMcal history. In Plutarch's *• /7»^» 
^oi/mjri;.-,"* written about 1800 years aij^o, I fird t » 
fol!owin|7 specimen of ancient musical criticism: - 
" By the ancients this art (music) with every other 
was employed to the noblest purposes; bat the 

SM On music/' translated bj J. H. Bromby [1828], p. 13. 



moderns, censing to value those qualities in which 
its j^reat excellence consii*ts. have, in the room of 
what ia manly, solemn, and divine, inti-odnced into 
their theatres a feeble and frittered style. It is this 
which Plato, in the third book of l'ii<« 'Gnnmon- 
weaith,' condemns." . . . . "In the present 
day," continues the ancient criMc, "so ^v^tX is our 
des:ene* acy that we have alwolutely l«>st both the 
knowledge ond the notion of that Ayntem in which 
youth were formerly trained up to honor and virtue. 
The onl^' mn^ic now studied and listened to is that 
of the theatre." Aristoxenu:*, in his l>ook entitled 
" Promiscuous Banquets.** quoted by Athenseus. in 
** Oi J»inro0oiinriai"j more than 1600 years ajB^o, 
says : ** And so we also since munic has lieen entire- 
ly ruined and vulgar, we, bein^r but a few, will re- 
call to o\iT niinds, sitting by ourselves, what music 
once was." It will be noticed that the musical crit- 
ics of antiquity were crrumblers. They niischt almost 
have been Encrlishmen ; for they certainly antici- 
pated onr countrymen in the posseasion of one of 
the special attributes of a true Briton. 

Matthew Arnold considers that criticism is essen- 
tially exercii«e of the quality of curiosity. He is of 
opinion that *' its business is simply to know the 
heat that is known i")d thousrht in the world, and 
by. in its turn, makinsr this known, to create a cur- 
rent of true and frenh ideas." . . . . " Ito busi- 
ness." he aava, *« Is to do this work with Inflexible 
honesty, with due ability ; but its business is to do 
no more, and to leave slone all questions which will 
never fail to have due prominence jifiven to them. 
Else criticism, besides beinj really iaise t«) its own 
nature, merely continnes in the old rut which it has 
hitherto) followed in this country, and will certainly 
miss the chance now ifiven to it. For what is at 
present the bane of criticism in this conntr)- ? It ia 
that practical eonaiderations clin^ to it, and stifle 
it; it snl serves intereats not its own; our onrans 
of criticism are orsrans of men and parties havinjr 
practical ends to serve, and with them those prncti- 
cal ends are the first thin^. and the play of mind 
the second ; so much play of mind m^ is compatible 
with the prosecution of those practical ends is all 
tlia^ is wanted." 

The foreijoiniir comments on literary criticism ap- 
ply equally to musical criticism, of which I accept 
the late Dr. Crotch's definition. " It Is," be says. 
" the art of s(*para(inflr excellence from defect : of 
ndmirinfi: aa well asfindine: fault ; of discriminatin;; 
ar.d comparinir the several styles of music of appre- 
ciatinsr their relative value on principles which are 
8:enerally true as applied to all the fine arts." 

Criticism is an art Like other arts it must be 
acquired by lone and patient study. The simple 
act of indginsr of what we see and hear is a natural 
operation of the mind ; but an exact judgment must 
be formed upon recognized principles of criticism. 
** Refineil taste," observes Sir Joshua Reynolds, " is 
the consequence of education and habit." 

The qualifications which the musical critic shonld 
possess are manifold. They include. tVer alia^ a 
comprehensive knowledge of every branch of mnsi- 
cal art and its history; an extensive acquaintance 
with the music of all periods. He should be frifte<1 
with the esthetic quality, and with the mental fac- 
ulty of analysis, investi^tion, comparison, and dis- 
crimination. 

Addison requires in a i^ml critic a clear and log^- 
ical head. He instances Arist.f>tle, who, he says, 
was ** not only the best critic, but one of the best 
losncians that ever appeared In the wo^-ld." Mnslo 
and Losric may not appear, at first siarht, to have 
any affinity with each other. But as judi^ent will 
naturally follow critical examination, it must be 
evident that correct judic^ment can be arrived at 
only by those who have the capacity to think and 
reason justly. " A true critic ousrht to dwell rath- 
er upon excellencies than imperfections." says Addi- 
son. '* and endeavor to discover the concealed beau- 
ties of a writer, and communicate to the world such 
things OS are worth their observation." 

The musical critic should quickly perceive and 
appreciate novelty of thought. He should not «)n- 
demn oriirinality of idea becnnse it may happen to 
be at variance with his preconceived notions and 
favorite theories. The Greek comic poAt, Eupolis, 
who flourished about 485 years before the Christian 
Era, says; — 

MumIc In a deep and snbtle s<*Ience. 

And always flndtnfc out «K>nie noveltj. 

For those who ore cap ihio of comi rshondinif It* 

The critic should not forget that composers of 
genius are the pioneers of the art ; their mission 

t " Th» DefpnORonhists, or Banqnet of th^ tieamsd.** 
translated by G. D. Yooge [Book 14tb, Chap. 81}. 



t*rita 



■Aribfc 



alf^ 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, NOV. 27, 1876. 



133 



beini^ to teacli the world. It should hn remembered 
boatdes tiiat nearly every work of endurino^ fame 
WIS nt the first welcomed with caution, (tuspiciun, 
and difltru^t; that all innovators on established 
principles of art, from Timotheiis to Wa;;ner, hiive 
received an amount of censure which has risen almost 
to the dif^nity of abuse. The critic should bear io 
mind the unhappy fate of many illustrious inventors 
and discoverers. He should, like Lady Macbeth. 
** feel the future in the instant." The critic should 
lead public opinion. If, in the exercise of his voca- 
tion, he display critical knowledge, and honesty of 
purpose, public opinion will follow him; his criti- 
cisms will be respected and valued, and he will con- 
summate one of his most essential oblij^tions. 

When he deems it to be his duty to point out 
error, and expose demerit^ let him do it fearlessly, 
and without hebitation. Let him use the Hsritic's 
kbife with effect ; but while operating: let him cause 
as little pain as possible. Let him not dip his pen 
in fl^all ; let him avoid asperity of lanfruAjZr^i And ab- 
stain from personalities. The musical critic should 
freel V and generously acknowledge merit ; but he 
should be unsparing in his dispraifte of undue pre- 
tension ; and ne should nnmasl^ -charlatanism, and 
every species of hbmbug. I would have my ideal 
critic, Bayard-like, tans penr tt tans rfproehe. 

** An indifferent poet may exert the art of criti- 
cism iu a very hij^h deirree ; and if he c%nnot him- 
self produce an original work, he may yet be of 
great service in regulating the happier genius of 
another.** If I substitute for the word poet, musical 
composer, I may here adopt the opinion of the elder 
Ii*Igraeli, who truly eays, that "The talent of judg- 
ing may exist separately from the power of execu- 
tion." The critic must be free from both predilec- 
tion and prejudice, aad must entirely eschew 
partisan-ship. He must be at liberty to express his 
critical opinions with freedom and independence. 
Now this condition of honest, healthy musical criti- 
cism is precisely what even the most competent 
among musical critics. fn>m force of circumstances, 
are not always able to ulfil. They are surrounded 
by inflnencvs so manifold, that their power of action 
becomes crippled; their opinions become stifled, 
and their utterance impeded. Their comments are 
perceptibly not spontaneous, and the party to which 
they are attachea is easily discernible. For be it 
known to all men that music, no less than politics, 
has its parties, and very strong ones too. We have 
the music4il Tory of the ** good old times ; " we have 
the musical Conservative, pure and simple ; we have 
the musical Liberal ; the Conservative Liberal, and 
the Liberal Conservative, and, lastly, we have the 
musical advanced Liberal, who is the most t/liberal 
of all the musical politicians. To support his ad- 
vanced opinions, he shows no liberality, no gener- 
osity, no mercy, neither to his predecessors nor to 
his contemporaries who presume to dissent from his 
musical cn^sd. 

The modern musical critic has to contend with 
persuasive external influences. There is the irre- 
sistible power of music publishers, proprietors and 
editors of iournals, managers of operas and concerts. 
There is. besides, the insinuating sway of friendship. 
Indeed the influences by which the modern musical 
critic is surrounded are so various, and so numer- 
ous, that it would appear to be almost beyond the 
range of possibility that he should exercise his office 
without trenching upon some interest, which it is 
not his interest to trench upon. I allude to able 
musical critics, who, but for these influences, could, 
by the efficient practice of their profession, possibly 
fulfil all the conditions of musical criticism. 

There are two classes of musical critics, totally 
distinct, viz. : the competent and the incompetent. 
The uncultivated, incompetent critic exhibits his 
critical acumen by seeking for faults. He would 
appear to consider fault-finding as the beginning 
and end of criticism. The following fable in illus- 
tration : — 

An ancient critic having collected all (he faults of 
a famous Greek poet presented their, to Apollo. The 
ffod received them graciously, and wishing to make 
him a suitable return for his labors, set before him 
a sack of wheat just thrashed out of the sheaf. He 
commanded the critic to pick out from the corn all 
the chaff, and lay it aside. He entered upon his 
task with alacrity, and having separated all the 
chaff fn>m the wheat, was presented by Apollo with 
the chaff I 

The learned author of " The Curiosities of Liter- 
ature," writes of two pleaders : — Of one who knew 
more than he said, of another who, on the contrary, 
said more than he knew. Here we have typos of 
the competent and incompetent critic ! The former 
comprehending his art, and all its requirements and 



oblisrations, but, under influences, knowing more 
than he says : the latter playing at musical criticism, 
so to speak, saying more than he knows, and thus 
attempting to veil his i«;norance under a cloud of 
critical empiricism. Nothing is more easily learned 
than the knowledge and nse of conventional critical 
terms. Their wrong application deceives only the 
inexperienced. " What.^' says Dr Crotch, " can we 
expect from the man whose sole qualification for 
being a critic is having an ear for music ? " . . . 
" This self-constituted critic ma}' find his imagina- 
tion fired by powerful effects, br pathetic expression: 
but the delicate refinements of taste escape hiin. and 
all that is scientific and learned Is unregarded and 
despised." Sir John Hawkins, writing a hundred 
years ago, says *' The prevalence of a corrupt taste 
in mnsic seems to be but the necessary result of thai 
state of civil policy which enables, and that dispo- 
sition which urges, men to assnme the character of 
judges, of what they do not understand." 

It is a recognized fact that there are those who 
assume the critic's office without possessing any 
other qualification for it than a facility for writing, 
and some musical information, generallv superficial 
and limited, gained by observation, and by hearing 
music; and, possibly, by gathering the opinions of 
genuine musicians. These would-be critics possess 
no sound musical knowledge, and are led to judge 
of music and musicians only by their individual 
tastes, which may by chance be good or bad. Their 
verdicts are not founded upon evidence ; but they 
deliver theiu nevertheless with confidence. How 
often has a professional reputation been imperilled 
by an abuse ol the critic's office ? How often has a 
musical performance been commented upon by a 
critic who was not present at it ? How often have 
proposed musical performances.that were never held, 
Deen minutely criticized I How often have elabo- 
rate criiicisms been written upon the authority of a 
programme I If musical criticism is to be held in 
esteem, and the critic respected, these glaring Irrei^- 
ularities must wholly cease. 

I cannot resist the temptation to quote a musical 
review, which I have recently read in a public jour- 
nal, as a noticeable specimen of bombastic, preten- 
tious, incompetent musical criticism. "This solemn 
and pathetic psalm has inspired more than one com- 
poser with melodie$ in ftUl harmony with the sublime 

contents of the sacred poems. Mr. , who is by 

no means a stranger to our musical readers, has 
yielded to the attractions exercised by it on fading 
hearU, and has bodied forth the sentiments awakened 
in him, in notes which will not fail to strike a re- 
sponsive chord in the souls of those ^who have an 
ear to take in, and understanding to appreciate, the 
$weet and grave mdody, by which he has expremdhi* 
emotionB.** This is tlte writing of one who says more 
than he knows. This style of music reviewing, of 
which we occasionally meet with like examples, is 
the rtdueiio adahnurdttm of musical criticism. 

There are happily in this country and on the con- 
tinent most able musical critics, men of education 
and taste, acct^mplished musicians, elegant writers, 
with every qualification to enable them to discharge 
the responsible duties of their office with mutual 
benefit to mnsic, to musicians, and to the public. It 
would be invidious to name them ; but I have them 
" in my mind's eye." 

[Conclusion next time.] 



^^ 



Hans Yon Buelow. 

[From Tlu Matte Trads Review, New Tork]. 

The new Chickering Hall — an excessively taste- 
ful building, a little too gorgeously illuminated on 
the outftide, a little too sober and chaste on the in- 
side, on the whole of distinguished proportions and 
of good though, as it seems to us. as yet not perfect 
acoustical quality — was inaugurated on the 16th of 
this month by the first concert of Dr. von Buelow, 
the disciple of Lihzt ; the ** friend, not the rival." as 
he says himself, of Rubinstein ; a musician of un- 
doubted and acknowledged high attainments ; a cri- 
tical writer of no ordinary pluck and ability; a 
conductor second to none in power of will and depth 
of conception ; a man. moreover, endowed with a 
memory the like of which is perhaps not known, at 
any rate not known to us. 

When a man with such a formidable array of qual- 
ities, and one honored as he has been honored, 
comes before the public to be judged as a performer 
only, then it behooves those who have to undertake 
the excessively difficult and responsible task of giv- 
ing an opinion on so unusual an exhibition to do so 
with calm reflection, with inflexible impartiality and 
truth, to the best of their knowledge, and to show 
their respect for a great man aadtbeir respect for 



themselves by refraining as well from throwing 
themselves on the ground and crying: " Allah lush 
Allah I " as from judging off hand that which is de- 
serving of a respectful and well-considered opinion. 
We before all, young as our paper is, feel called up- 
on to be absolutely true to Mr. von Buelow ; because 
when, in our first number, we attacked one of his 

{>ieces as not worthy of a musician of his standing, he 
lad the good taste to write to us to say that, far 
from protesting against our opinion, he wished to 
confirm it, and to explain that this " sin of his 
youth" saw light in America entirel}' without his 
knowledge or consent. By doing this immediately 
and of his own accord, he showed that respect for 
others which is the greatest proof of self-respect, and 
a degree of modesty and fairness which it is not often 
our privilege to enconnter. If "le style c'est 
I'homme," Mr. von Buelow has through his letter 
obtained one more claim to our consideration. Let us 
speak out at once. We are not enthusiastic admirers 
of Mr. von Buelow as we heard him on his first appear- 
ance here, and what we are going to say, therefore, 
applies only to what he showed himself to be on the 
evening of the 16th. 

Mr. von Buelow presents a soldier-like appearance, 
and we believe thatin every sense he deserves to be 
looked upon in this light. He knows how to com- 
mand as a leader, and, what is more difficult, how 
to obey as an interpreter ; he appears, hat in hand, 
straight, erect, the brochette of decorations in his 
button-hole (these honors, by the bye, were shower- 
ed upon Liszt, Rubinstein, and, among others, Alex- 
andrtt Dumas and Rossini, and they never wore 
them), bows low before the public — a detestable 
habit, derived from old customs when the despised 
and nearly excommunicated actors were considered 
the unworthy servants of the public— and at last 
sits down at the piano. 

The expectation and eager curiosity of the audi> 
ence are at the tip-top. Every detail appears inter- 
esting. He takes his seat rather far from the piano, 
puts his foot on the pedal, which he uses with won- 
derful rapidity and aiscretion, and places his hands 
upon the key-board gracefully and perfectly bent, 
the knuckles being far over the key-board. From 
the moment he touches the keys Buelow disappears, 
and nothing but the work, of which, as the inter- 
preter he becomes a part, remains. Judging a 
pianist means to convey to others the impression 
which he has made on you. To do this we have first 
of all to see what this impression is. Is it astonish- 
ment ? Is it emotion ? Are we quietly, calmly im- 
pressed with a perfectly correct interpretation of a 
master-work ? Are we carried away oy the enthu- 
siasm awakened in us through the inspiration of the 
performer? We have, in judging a performer of 
Mr. von Buelow's importance, furthermore, two 
points to consider : What is he indivldoally T What 
is he compared to others T 

One point is settled : we have noi been carried 
away as we were by Liszt^ and we are fairly certain 
the public was not carried away as they were by 
Rnbinstein at his first appearance. It mnst of 
course be admitted that for certain reasons Rubin- 
stein's Concerto in D gives a larger scope and an 
easier opportunity to arouse popular ecthusiasm 
than the Beethoven G Concerto does. But since the 
performer is responsible for his choice as well as for 
his execution, the consequences rest with him. The 
great points to consider — viz., the purpose, and the 
means to reach that purpose— are usually called the 
conception of a work, and the mechanism, which is 
only the means^oo often made the chief points 
of expressing that concept ion. Dr. von Buelow's 
mechanism is faultless wltn few exceptions: his 
touch excessively even in all the fingers, and strong 
but not full ; powerful from nervous exertion,not from 
actual strength ; capable of a most charming pianis- 
simo, which, though in some moments it remind- 
ed us of the lady who said,"Mr. Liszt joue quelquefbis 
si piano qn'on n'entend aiait du tout," it has not the 
carrying energy of Liszt nor the great yariety and 
tone-coloring of Rnbinstein. The scales and shakes 
are of an unparalleled e/enneas; the shake is 
pardcnlarly pearly, and of an equality of both 
fingers rarely to be met with, though it has 
not the exceptional strength of Liszt's shake with 
the last two fingers, nor the impetus of that of Rn- 
binstein. The same evenness, even to an astounding 
degree, prevails In his scales and passages in thirds. 
The octaves are not excessively rapid, and there are 
moments when their force is too much, we might even 
say too violently, pushed. The elasticity of the wrist 
is very remarkable, and enables Mr. von Buelow to 
play staccatos, particularly with the left hand, the 
tike of which we have never heard on the piano ; and 
in this inetanca, aa well aa in others, we -admire aa 



■«fc 



134 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OP MUSIC. 



mach the evenness in performtince of both hands, 
when they have to execute the same passajsre to- 
gether, as the thorough, we miffht say the counter- 
polntal, independence of one hand from the other. 
The Germans call the mechanism " Flngerfertio;- 
keit," and there we come to the real point. Mechan- 
ism is simply bodily exertion patiently and persever- 
infifly carried on, * If the performer produces bnt the 
result of so many hours pa.«sed at the piano study ins:, 
he is only a pianvU ; where the sonl comes in. there 
begins the artut. Now, we find that Mr. von Bnelow 
enters into Beethoven's compositions lilce a man of 
extraordinary intellect His interpretation is of a 
correctness, of a clearness, that leaves nothins: to 
be desired ; but why does he not carry us with him, 
why does he not inspire and warm us up ? Because, 
like a brave soldier, he storms the difiiculty ; all that 
conra^, presence of mind, strength and enerey can 
do be doe% and carries his point. He srives himself 
up entirely to his task, and his individuality, far 
from striving for effect, devotes itself solely to the 
ma.«ter whose work he interprets. But where does 
he come up with the spirit of Beethoven ? Where 
does he lift the audience off their seata to fly with 
him to the divine home of Beethoven's in!»piration ? 
Nowhere. He plays the Sonata Appassionata with- 
out beine: appassionato. We stood, many years a^co, 
behind Liszt's chair in Vienna when, at a party giv- 
en by his friend and publisher, Haslinger. he played 
this very same Sonata Appassionata. The effect 
was so electrifying that, although we looked into the 
book from which he played, and saw and heard that 
he did nofchang^e one note, we could not but fancy 
that we heard something more that was not in the 
book — something that was not and could not be 
written down ; something that got hold of us and 
the whole audience, and made us shiver and cry 
and held us spellbound. . . . That somethins: was 
not his notes, out the spirit of Beethoven inspiring 
Liszt's soul and all his hearers: that something 
which we did not hear in Chickering Hall, and 
which, with all Mr. von Bnelow's irreproachable cor- 
rectness is missing — that is (he something that makes 
the distinction between the great pianist and the 
great artist, be ho Correggio or Shakspere, Beetho- 
ven or Paganini. Mr. von Biilow thoroughly under- 
stands Beethoven by means of his extraordinary 
mental capacity, but'he fails to convey to us or light 
Sn us the flame which warms us up to the point 
where we instantaneously feel those grand inspira- 
tions which we owe to a really great actor, a painter, 
a performer*-to any thoroughly great artist, what- 
ever be his callins:. 

We have heard Von Bulow play Beethoven, and 
we say in the interpretation of this master he does 
not come up to the hij^hest mark. We will see what 
he does witli the works of other masters. 

Since we heard Liszt play in Vienna, many years 
ago, on a OraiT piano-— on which, strange to say, he 
broke a hammer without breaking the string which 
that hammer touched — we have heard all the pi- 
anists who form the phalanx that reaches from 
Hummel to Bnelow. Hummel was the first great 
performer, and probably the most learned improvi- 
sator, on the instrument. After him came Moscheles 
whose concertos and studies, coining after the more 
simple ones of Cramer, did a great deal towards 
forming those two great pianists who so long di- 
vided the attention of the public — ^Thalberg and 
Liszt Thalberg certainly was the most pleasing, 
the most elegant, while Leop. de Meyer, without 
any real and serious importance, was the most 
entertaining, pianist But though contemporaries, 
and, as they believed, rivals, of Liszt, it suf- 
fiee<l for the latter to appear but once, and nven 
at the rehearsal, when he played what was for him 
a mere trifle, Weber's " Concertstack," all that 
came before him lay buried, and, as we have ex- 
pressed it elsewhere, all that came after him ! In 
the self-same city of Vienna we heard the cleverest 
of his pupils, Taussig, and in 1858 Hans von Buelow. 
Then, as now,excessively sensitive, and appreciating 
all that was written about him, he paid more attcu- 
tion than numbers of much smaller artists to critics, 
and tliere and then we saw a letter of his where he 
accused himself of having come before the public 
too soon, and of having exposed himself rather 
thoughtlessly to the critics of that city, one of whom, 
we remember, hurt him particularly, because he 
said that " Buelow's appearing, hat in hand, and 
throwing his gloves on a piano," etc., was ** List, 
nicht Liszt" There and then he resolved —and 
like a man he carried out his resolve — to study 
hard, and not to appear again before the public un- 
less fully prepared for the struggle. He acted in 
this regard like Honselt, who, at his first appear- 
ance ia Vieau (w« believe in 1840) waa simply 



laughed at after which he locked himself in his 
room, and was not seen for three full years. But 
then he came out a great pianist, with hi* wonder- 
fully.liarmonized variations on " L'Elisir d'Amore," 
with his f»tudie««. some of which (" Si Olseau j'^tais"') 
Clara Wipok nfterwnrds made so popular, and, above 
all, with that concerto which Dr. von Buelow is go- 
ing t^ play here. 

We cannot conclude this fragmentary article 
without mentioning that which we believe it would 
be most unfair to pass over in silence — the wonder- 
ful instrument which served Mr. von Buelow so faith- 
fully, so obediently, and so lovingly. The fulneas and 
the sweetness of the sound, particularly admirable 
when heard from the gallery, the astounding facility 
of repetition, put to such an extraordinary test by 
the pitiless performer, cannot but be bailed*as a 
great achievement and progress, even in an instru- 
ment of Chickering's manufacture. In one word, 
to sum up about Buelow, we think that he does and 
that he knows all that cau be learned with intelli- 
gence, perseverance, and a high degree of intuition, 
but that he is lacki'.g in what cannot be learned, 
in that which " nascitur, noc fit." 

The orchestra not only not absolutely deserving 
of the compliment which von Buelow paid the lead- 
er, was sadly out of tune, particularly before tlie 
wind instrum(;nts got warm. 



BOSTON, NOV. 27, 1876. 



Concerts. 

Second Harvard Conckrt. The programme for 
Thursday afternoon, Nov. 18, waa as follows: 

Overture to •Plerahms." ...Schubert 

••Plaiio-fortc Concerto, In B minor, Op. 80. ..Hummol 
Allegro Modemtn—Lnrfrhetto-Vlvaee. 
Mndame Madeline Schiller. 
Selection* from music to Byron's ** Manfred,** 

Schumann 

a. Inenntation of the Witch of the Alps. 

b. £ntr*acte. 

Heroic Symphony, No. 3. in B flnt Op. 55.. Beethoven 
Allegro con l)rlf»— Marcin funebre—Scherio— Finale. 
Overture and * • Ballet Music from " Preclosa,*' 

Weber. 
The only fault of this programme was its length : 
— a fatality involved in the production of so very 
long and great a Symphony as the Eroiea, If such 
works as this, and the great Schubert Symphony, 
are to be given at all (and what were a course of 
Symphony concerU that should Ignore them ?), the 
canvas mast be large enough to hold the picture, 
together with such reliefs and contrasts of lighter 
matter as its character requires. After a Sympho- 
ny which lasts fifty minutes, and all of the deepest, 
grandest and most earnest character, absorbing the 
attention and the feelings to the utmost, the average 
listener desires something light and graceful, and 
at the same time full of genius, such as the Weber 
Preeiota music surely is. To those who fairly lis- 
ten to the end, the concert only seems the shorter 
for such additions. Many, of course, prefer to carry 
away the grander impression as the last, and we 
have certainly much sympathy with these; bnt 
there are many moods and tastes to be consulted, 
and the charming Prech§a was for those who cared 
t^ stay and hear it. To make an end of what we 
have to say of this, we must confess to finding the 
Overture by far more interesting than the Ballet 
pieces (three little Spanish dances, with a Presto for 
finale) ; bat the latter had a certain quaintness and 
homely cheerfulness, and were at least new here. 

Again, while we are on the subject of length, the 
motive for inserting the little Manfred pieces, wa) 
to effect some recreation between two long and 
(though in different senses) " heavy " numbers. 
For the Hummel Concerto, although perhaps the 
most brilliant and most genial of his writings in 
that form, and most admirably suited to the peculiar 

excellencies of Mme. Schillir's playing, has the 
fault of prolixity, particularly in the swift and 
in"- otonously florid finale. Of coarse the concert 
could not open with the Sroiea, without dwarfing 



all the rest ; nor with a Concerto ; hence a good 
strong Overture, such as SchubeK's to FterabroM, 
which never becomes hacknied, was a necessity. 

Now, although quite a number of persons had to 
leave the hall even before they had taken in the en- 
tire Symphony, and more after it (someludicrou:(ly 
fancying they had had the ballet iu the Overture !), 
yet the great majority of the audience sat and lis- 
tened to the end, and evidently felt rewanled. It used 
to' be supposed that that stupendous Symphony 
could not be given without boring somebody ; this 
time that somebody may have been hard to find. 
The grandeor and exbanstless inspiration of the 
work were felt, so that the interest never flag^^. 
There may have been a " smoother," a more techni- 
cally polished rendering before in Boston; but we 
venture to assert, never one so impressive. It had 
been very earnestly and thoroughly rehearsed, and 
the improvement in the orchestra was very gener- 
ally recognixed. The first two and greatest move* 
meota left very little to be desired. The Scherzo 
with its quick, half-hushed, Staceaio, was done more 
neatly than we have been wont to hear, and the 
three horns were happy in the Trio; while the Fi- 
nale, with its variations, its theme from the " Pro- 
metheus" ballet, its Oriental march-like episode, 
and its fugue passage, was brought out clearly and 
consistently. If at the end of the delivery of a most 
noble poem, the poet in making his bow to the au- 
dience should chance to stub his toe, there would 
be some present — and critics too— to whom that 
would be the one noticeable thing of the entire per- 
formance. So, when the great Symphony was fin- 
ished, and in all our hearts and minds in !(s fhll- 
ronnded completeness, the slip of a trumpet in the 
final chord (mere period or exclamation point at the 
end) took nothing from it, — ^but when shall we bear 
the end of it ? 

All the orchestral work of that day, with few 
exceptions, showed the spirit of impi ovement. TL 
airy little Man/red piece — the first — ^has to be sare 
been better done before ; perhaps with fewer violins 
the outline would have been purer. And a portion 
of the accompaniment in the quick movements of 
the Concerto was a little confused ; but the quartet 
o' horns, with which the Lar^hetto opens, was ez- 
qaisitely played, in tones sweet arfd mellow and Sn 
perfect tune ; in certain little running phrases you 
conld fancy that there were bassoons. In this beau- 
tiful movement Mme. Schiller played with even 
more feeling and refined expression than usual ; and 
in the exceedingly florid and exhaustleas bravora of 
the first Allegro, and the Finale — ** moto perpituo " 

has been well applied to the latter — ^the perfection 
of her technique and her thorough realization of all 
the beauties of the work were truly remarkable. 

The programmes, in whole or in part, of some of 

the coming concerts are as follows : 

Third Ctmcert, Thuredajf, Dee. 2. 

Part I. Overture, •* Prometheus,** Beethoven ; 
— Cantata, " Aprlnir Oreeting,*' for Chome (The Ce- 
cilia. Conductor. B.J. Lako). with Orchestra; Sym- 
phony No. 2, in D. ffaydn (first time for seven yearn); 
•Twenty-third Psalm, Sehvbertt t<*T female volcoa [Ce- 
cimaI.— Part H* Three Short Marches, Moaart and 
B^^thoven [Kooond time] ; 3iendelnohn*e ** Lnreiey ** 
rCsciLrA. with Ropnino Solo, Mias Abbt Whixebt] 
and Overture, *' The Hebrides." 

Fouflh Concert, Monday, Pec, 27. 

Overture: '*In the Hlghlande,*' Gade 

Piano Concerto, E flat, Ko. 6 Beethoven 

Hugo Leoxuabd. 

••Symphony, Instrnmsnted for Orchestm from Op. 

HO by JoACHXK Schubert 

'Overturo to '* La Dsune Blsnche,** Boieldieu 

lliom Dec 1775.] 

1%/th Concert, Thweday, Jan, 6, 1878. 

Overture to *' Ruy Bias/* Mendelssohn 

••Concert Aria [Roc. con Rondo]: *' Mia eperemaa 

adorata," Mosart 

Mlsa Emma Thursbv. of New York. 

Piano Concerto, minor, No. 3 Beethoven 

J. C. D. Pabkeb. 

Symphony, G minor ICosart 

Songs, with Piano. 

•• Grand Heroic March, Op. 86 Schubert 

Arr. for orohastn by O. Baoh. 



i^»i« 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, "N^OV. 27, 1875 



135 



Sixth Concert, Jan, tO. 
Ovcrtnre. 
••*• Comiln: " Cantnta [After 0*«lanl for Soil and 

Chorua, with orrh. Op. 12 Gade 

The Crcilia. 

0\*prture. 

•• SJiort Choral Pl-^opji. 

Fifth Symphony, C minor Beethoven 

Seventh Concert, Feb. 3. 

Ovortnre to " ITMea." Barglel 

••Daublo Symphony: '* Inlifluhes und G8ttllche#,** 

op. 121 Spohp 

•• Piano Concerto, No, 2. O minor Saint-Sftcni 

B. J. La NO. 
Overtnro Beethoven 

Eighth Concert, Feb. 17. 

Overture, or Pn I to by Bach 

••OonctTt AlJegro, with Irtrod., for Piano with 

Orchestra, op. 144 Schumann 

II.G. TUCKEB. 

Undecided. 

Symphony, No. 9. In C Schuhert 

mnth Concert, Afarch 2. 

Ji^ethoven*$ Symphony No. 1, In C; ••* Pha*ton:" 
Po^nif SympHoniqite, op. 38, by CamiUe Saint-SfUn^; 
Fimi Movement or '* Ocean " Symphony, SnbinHein ; 
Solo», i-tc. 

Tenth Concert, Jfareh 16. 

Overtore; ••Cantata peroerni tompo: "Deep within 
my ht-art'* IchhatUvM BekHminernlee, tor rhoriiN, 
Boll and orchestra, .T. S. Bach, fCEOiLiA etc.)— Orches- 
tral piece; Finale frc»m •■Enryanthe** second time, 
H'eber; Symphony, No. 1, in B'flat, Schumann. 

TiiBODORE TiioM.\s. The first of the Six Sympho- 
ny Concerts (Second Seoson), on Wednesday even- 
ing, Nov. 17, had a faultless prog^ramine, nearly all 
of which was fanltlcss also in the execution. The 
audience wa« very lar^^e and deeply interested. 

Symhhony in C Mozart 

Brcltliopf and HKrtel edition. No. 10. 

1. Allegro Vivace. 2. Andante dt Molto. 

3. Allegro Nivaee. 

[Firvt Time.] 

cSdirs^Jng, } Chrlatma. Oratorio Bach 

If me. Antoinette Sterling. 

Concerto, A minor, on. 54 Schumann 

Mr. S. B. Milla and Orchestra. 

Der Doppelgttn^r Schubert 

Mme. Antoinette Sterling. 
Symphony, No. 8, in F, op. 93 Beethoven 

It was a happy thought to give that little Sym- 
phony by Mozart,^-onb of the smalletft and most 
UDpretendinfJT of the works that bear the name, — so 
much so as to fully justify the placing; of another 
Symphony at the end of the same programme ; that 
also being a short one, but with far more in it, and 
showing a much more advanced stage of develop- 
ment. The iinit and last movements are scored for 
a pair of oboes, bassoons, horns, trumpets and tym- 
pani only, besides the strings. In both the themes 
are pleasing and thoroughly carried out ; the Finale, 
especially, in swift 8-4 measure, is fascinating, the 
little oboe figures in thirds and sixths causing a 
smile of delight whenever they occurred. The An- 
dante is merely for the strings, the bass being 
strengthened by the bassoons in unison. It has a 
lovely serious theme, and the movement of the parts 
is very graceful and melodioi s, although the piece 
seemed rather long. But altogether the Symphony 
was in the most original and genial vein of Mozart, 
and was most delicately and charmingly interpret- 
ed. The buoyant, sunshiny eighth Symphony of 
Beethoven was also pla3'ed to a charm, although the 
tempo of the last movement was taken excessively 
fast, and there were one or two slips of carelessness 
to which even the best orchestras, which play all 
the time, are liable. The Pastorale from Bach*s 
Christmas Oratorio seemed the mnsical expression 
.of perfect peace without and within; and Mme. 
Stbruno sang the Cradle Song in her rich tones 
with simple feeling ; yet somehow the sad old bal- 
lad tone seems to Turk always in her voice. That 
quality was suited to Schubert's wierd music to 
Heine's " Doppelsranger,*' which Mr. Thomas had 
made still mure wierd and shadow y by his scoring 
of the accompaniment for orchestra. Mr. Mills 
evinced his usual mastery in the performance of 
Schumann's Concerto: technically it was very sure 
and finished, and it was played with fire and fine 
discrimination, bating a tendency to the appearance 
of too much sentiment occasionaUy. He was warm- 
ly recalled and played a delicate thine of Chopin's. 

The Concert was followed by a MatmSe on Satur- 
day, at which we had a splendid rendnring of the 
first Schumann Symphony (in B flat), spirited, bril- 
liant, finely shaded, and always clear in spite of the 
excessive speed of the Allegros. Two of the be^t 
Overtures (Cherubini's to Let Abeneerraget, and 
Beethoven's to Coridan) opened the two parts ; and 
the noisy. TannhdMcr brought all to an end in a way 



that might have brontrht the great Organ down 
burying Beethoven in itA ruins. 

A novelty of this Concert was a short Symphonic 
Poem by CamilleSaint-Saens. — the first specimen we 
have j'et heard here of the French composer who 
has recently attracted so much notice both as organ- 
ist at the Madeleine, as pianist, and as composer in 
many forms. It U called " Lo Rouet d'Omphale," 
an.l pnrports to be a musical picture or suggestion 
of Hercules in bondage to the Lydian queen, and 
spinning at her side. Of course a spinning wheel 
accompaniment runs through it, It is a neat and 
pretty trifle, with considerable French Jinense, and, 
being delicately played, it was as good ns blowing 
soap bubbles, for a moment, We should like to hear 
it once more, but truly do not think it worth the 
ado made about it on the programme. Mme. Ster 
ling sans: n short Recitative and Aria: " Quando 
miro." by Mozart; and two Licder: " Sei still" by 
Raff, and " Lachen und Weinen " (Laughing and 
Weeping) by Schubert, all with much expression. 



Mr. Krnst Perabo's two Matinees or Piano Reci- 
tals, on the afternoons of Friday, the 5th and 19th 
inst, brouifht musical sunshine into a dark room — 
would we could say refreshing airs into a hot and 
close one. His piogrammes were of hisown unique 
makeup. 

I. 

Gypsy Sonntn. op. 107. A minor Carl Loowe. 

1. 'Forest Scene. Alleirro vivace. 

2. Indian Tale: War-whoop. Andanlino innocent- 

emcnte. C major. 

3. Dance. Rovelllu. Corpn do Bnllot. Dance of the 

mr>n with fin -bronfls. Women dandn? a'ouml 
the wreath of houplis. IteviewlnR. Children's 
KpK-dnnce. Pre«tn. E flat major. 

4. Eveninir Worship. Thoy await the rise of the moon 

which they worship a« the reflection of llie 

Indian lun-temple. Adagio molto. E major. 

6. Departure in the morning. Allegro vivace. A 

minor. 
First time in this cruntry. 

Six Preludes pour le Piano, op. 24 Rubinstein. 

No. 1. Moderate eon moto. A flat nuvl<»'* 
No. 2. Allegro mollo. F minor. 
No. 3. Allefrro con moto. E major. 
Flmt time in this country. 
*< Der Barmherxl«o Bruder.*' A musical sketch. 

o mnjor, op. 2^. C. Loewe. 

First time In this country. 
Sonata in E mi^or, op. 109 Beethoven. 

We must confess to finding the selections from 
Loewe (who made some fine ballads among a great 
many tame ones) commonplace, tedious an(J unin- 
teresting,— at once -4 tt-rdf'ertiiM and childish, — nor 
did the descriptive programme help the matter. 
The Rubinstein Preludes had far more matter and 
more life in them. And the Beethoven Sonata was 
worth all the rest miny times multiplied together ; 
but we think it would have had a better chance to 
be appreciated if it had come earlier in the pro- 
gramme. The performance, of all the pieces, left 
almost nothing to be desired. Indeed we remarked 
in certain passages a deeper tenderness than usual 
in Mr. Perab I's interpretations. 

II 
This WIS still more evitientin the second concert, 
in the Rubinstein Romance, and the Adasrio of Bar- 
pel, in which the singing quality of Mr. Wulf 
Frirs's 'Cello also appealed to the finer sensibilities. 
These, and the Liszt transcriptitm of Schubert's 
Barcarolle, — so beautifid until Li«zt p'^t^ in himself 
for a Cixla, — were all that we were able to hear of 
this pros^ramme : 

Partiti I Bach 

a. Prelude. fr. Allemande. e. Oourante. 
d. Sarabande. c. Rennet 1 et 2. 
/. Gifrue. 
Trois Morceaux poor Ic Piano et Violoncelle, op. 11, 

No. 1. Andnnte quasi Adae'o. D minor. 
No. 2. Allegro con moto. G major. 
No. .1. A lecro risolulo. A majur. 

1/». 'FUrEilHc.'* A minor. \ Brtsthoven 
6. Morceau posthumc. F major. \ • • • • B««tnoven 
c. Menuet, op. 12^ No. 1. B flat major .J. Raff 

a. Rrimancc from Soirees it St. Pctersbounr. op. 44. 

No. I. Eflat major Rucinslein 

b. Barcarolle, A flat m.ijor; arranged by Lls«t. 

Pohubert 

a. Adacio pour le Piano et Violoncello, op. 3S. 

Gmi\|or Barfiflel 

b, lutruductioneet Polonaise brillant poar le Piano. 

et Vloloooelle, op. 3. C major Chopin 

School of Yooal Art in Philadelphia. 

Few of our readers need to be informed who Mad- 
ame Emma Seilbr is, nor what rare iotelligence, — 
we may say genius for investigation,— what devo- 
tion and what lar^e experionce she brini;s to the 
work of training voices to the art of singing. Her 
very original arid scientific treatise on " The Voice 
in Singing** has been widely read and has given 



many teachers a new insight into the physical laws 
of the organ they have undertaken to develop; 
while at the same time it is full of sound and inspiring 
hints as to taste and the true Art spirit. This work 
has recently been supplemented by another, called 
"The Voice in Speakins;." Both are founded on 
the laws discovered by the great scientific experi- 
menter, Helmholz, with whom Mme. Seller studied, 

and to some of whose most interesting investigations 
she contributed. 

Mme. Seller has been teaching in Philadelphia for 
several 3-ears with remarkable success. During the 
past year, under her inspiration, a number of influ- 
ential persons interested in musical culture, in 
Philadelphia, orsranized a " School of Vocal Art,** to 
which we have before alluded. It was npeiied in 
September, and we intended at that time to call at- 
tention to its prospectus, which was accidentally 
mislaid, and in the crowd of other topics only 
thought of too late for the opening. But, as the 
school goes on. and, we are assured, with excellent 
success so far, we may still do some service by mak- 
ing known this opportunity to many who are 
seeking to become singers. We copy therefore from 
the printed Circular, dated Philadelphia, August 
1875. 

It is well known that a lar|<^ proportion of those who 
study singing in the different Conservatories of Europe are 
Americans. In Milan alone, there are now more than two 
hundred Americans studying singing, many of whom have 
entered the Conservatory for the required course of seven 
years. 

The deslg^n is to provide the means for a thorough vocal 
training, based on that of the old Italian method; so that 
all who wish to fit themselves for the profession of either 
Teacher or Artist can do so In this country and with mod- 
erate expense. 

As in this school the classes will consist of only two 
scholars, it is evident that its expenses must be much 
IH'eater than those of other Conservatories, where four 
and even six are Classed together; yet the expense to pu- 
pils will be lesN. Tlie work, therefore. Is largely beneflcial, 
and as such claims the consideration of all who are inter- 
ested in thorouglily educating those who would honorably 
support themse'ivcs. 

No College or University is exclusively supported by the 
fees received from the students. Contributions to the 
permanent fund of this School of Vocal Art are therefore 
earnestly solicited, and may be sent to the Treasurer. 

During the la«t few years, through the aid of a small 
fund placed in the hands of Mrs. B. Setlbs, author of 
" The Voice in Singing " and " The Voice in Speaking:* 
thirty persons have received instruction In singing, at a 
re<1uced rate. Of these thirty persons, twenty now bnid 
remunerative positions. The p'etfent undertaking is, 
there'ore, not entirely experimental, but Is an effort to 
establish on a broader and firmer basis a work already 
proved to be a good one. 

In this School, Inetruction will be given in the Cultiva- 
tion of the Voice ; Style and Expression ; Dramatic Dec- 
lamation; Choral SlnpriuR; Piano for accompaniment; 
Harmony and Composition; Hl^atory and Aothetics of 
Music ; Acoustics and the Physiology of the Vocal Organs ; 
and the Italian Language. 

These branches will be taught by Mrs. E. Skiler, Miss 
Anna Jackson, Mr. M. H. Cross, Mr. H. A. Clarke, 
Carl Sbilbr, M,D., and a Teacher of the Italian Lan- 
guage. 

The School year will bo divided Into two terms of eight- 
een weeks each, — ^the first beginning the fourth Monday 
inS<^ptember; the second beginning the second Monday 
in February. 

Terms : Payable half-yearly in advance. For Scholars 
preparing to teach, $100.00 per year. For Scholars pre- 
paring to be Artists, $200.00 per year. 

The full course of Instruction will extend over Four 
years. 

As the prominent object of this Sc^hool will be to train 
and educate scholars to be teachers, thev will be expected 
t > take the position of assistant teachers as soon as capa- 
ble, giving not less than two nor more than six lessons per 
week, and thus will have their first experience of their 
professional duties under the immediate supervision and 
advice of the principal teacher; and having honorably 
passed through their four years* course, always under in- 
struction, they will be furnished with diplomas to that 
elfpct. 

The classes In the Cultivation of the Voice will consist 
of two scholars each, and there will be three lessons per 
week, of one hour each, to each class. One of these les- 
sons will be given by Mrs. E. Setler, Principal of the 
School; the other two will be given by an assistant 
teacher. 



ll 



136 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OP MUSIC. 



As 0oon M snlBei' ntly A4ranced. scholars preparing; to 
teach will receive an additional lea on per week In style 
and eipresMlon. 

Scholan preparlnfc tn be Artists will not be reqo'red to 
teach, and they will receive two lessons per week fmra 
Ifm. Seilkr and one from an assistant teacher, and. ae- 
oordlns to their advancement, from one to three les'ons 
per week in dramntlo dcclnmntlon, style and expression. 
These scholars will also be two In a class. 

Scholars for the Piano, If lieglnners, will be placed with 
an assistant teacher, under the direction of the teacher of 
the Piano, nntll prepannl for hiirher instruction. 

A class will bo formed to lit scholars to slni; in Church 
Choirs, by training them in chanting and the sln^Ine of 
Hymns. This class will have two lessons per week. 

At stated Interval* throntrh the yoar, concerts will be 
(riven by the pupil*, thai thev may va'n confidence In per- 
fbrm'ince, and that those intere«ted may judge of their 
progress. 

■ ♦ ■ 

Brookltx, N. Y. The EigU, of Nov. IB. reports 

the sadden death of Mr. William.?. Goodwix, for- 

merly of Boston, where he took an active part in 

musical matters. 

The sadden death of Mr. William F. Ooodwin. 
which occurred on Friday evenino: last, has created 
a profound sensation in the musical circles of 
Brooklyn. Up t.o within fifteen minutes of l.is de- 
mise Mr. Ooodwin pive no evidence of phvsicnl 
prostration, and his friends confidently looked for- 
war J to his falfillinji^ a Ions: career of usefulness. 
For the past three years he had been prominently 
identified with musical affairs in this city and New 
York. For two years he was President; of the Han- 
del and Haydn Society, and to his activity and per- 
sonal exertions, more perhaps than those of any 
other individual, is that oriranization indebted for 
its permanent success. At the bej^nnins: of the 
present season Mr. Goodwin resisrned from the Han- 
del and Haydn Society to accept the Presidency of 
the Oratorio Society of New York. He had been 
indefati(2^ble in his labors in behalf of the latter, as 
was his wont in whatever he undertook, and the ex- 
citement attendant upon the carry ins: out of the 
details of the performance of " St. Paul," on Tuesday 
of last week, and providins: aj^ninst unexpected 
emer^ncies, is believed to have hastened the ap- 

{>roach of the malady — heart disease — which caused 
lis death. Mr. Goodwin was 62 years of age and 
came to Brooklyn from Bcstin. \n the latter city 
he was for many years President of the Musical Ed- 
ucation Society. He had always been actively 
identified with musical interests, and his enthusiasm 
for and efforts in the cause of art were unbounded. 
He leaves a wife and three children, and will bo 
sincerely mourned by many whom it was ever his 
pleasure to assist in the acquirement of a musical 
education. 

Baltdiokb. The programme for the whole sea- 
son of Peabody Institute Concerts is announced. 
The new composers seem to have the lion*s share in 
it, — naturally enough, since the conductor. Prof. 
Asger Hamerik, is one of them. 

The BnUetin gives the following sketch : 

We are to hear at the first concert compositions 
by Weber, Wng:ner, Litolff, Von Buclow, Liszt and 
Hamerik. Mr. Franz Remmertz is to sing the »rena 
and aria from the third act of Tannk&n^er, and the 
Mignon sons: by Liszt ; and Madame Falk-Auerbarh 
plays Litolfs symphony concerto in E flat, op. 46. 
The second will be the French -Italian night, in 
wliich will be given Berlioz's fantasie symphony 
(episode of an artist's life) complete in its five move- 
ments. Prof. Paolo Baraldi and his accomplished 
daughter, Sisrnora Alls.! Baraldi, will give a duet 
from Jl Barbure, and the lady will sing a eavatina 
from the same opera and a scene and air from Fa^ft. 
Miss Henrietta Corradi, from Paris, will sing the 
Mignon and other songs by^ Gounod. The Scandi- 
navian concert is third on the list and includes 
Gade's very beautiful C minor symphony, a Scherzo 
by Svendsen ; Swedish folk songs, sung by Miss 
Thursby ; Mr. Hamerik's much admired prelude to 
the opera lavtMe, and J. P. E. Hartmann's " Valk- 
yria. In the fourth concert will be given Beetho- 
ven's pastoral symphony. Mr. Leo P. Wheat, of 
Richmond, Va., will play Mendelssohn's G minor 
concerto. No. 1, op. 25. Prof. Allen will play 
Beeth(»ven'8 romance in G major, op. 40. Miss Ade- 
laide Randall will sing an air from Handel's opera 
Rodelfnda. The fifth concert will be the American- 
English night, in which a new symphony in D major 
by Mr. O. B. Boise, a concert overture by Sterndale 
Bennett, and songs by Bishop, Pease and C. £. Horn. 



At the s'xth concert Miss Jenny Busk nill simr: 
there will be a new Rns«tnri nch«»rzo bv OUnbn : sn-l 
the other contp^isitions divided hetw#»en Ghirk. Riff 
and Gndc. The seventh U the German conr»»rt. 
Haydn's military symphony, will he «'iv«»n : 
overtures by Gluck and Mozart, s-mifs by ITsndel 
and Schubert, sunsr br Mr. Rf>mmertz : and Madame 
Auerbach w:ll play Beethoven's G major concerto 
No. 4. op. 68. At the ei ihth. nndl.nst ofth»» spries. 
Mr. Hamerik's second Nordi«h '^niie, np. 28. will he 
played. Mi^s Thursby will sinsr aelections from 
Handel and Mozart, and Mr. Gn«t4ive Sntter will 
play his symphony concerts, E flat. No. 2. Alto- 
gether, the programme offers many choice selections 
both old and new; the old always comin? as favo- 
rites, and the new beinsr given on account of excel- 
lence rather than novelty. Among the latter we 
are sure the Peabody con c^'rt -goers will he delight- 
ed to sec the announcement of the new symphony 
by the excellent American composer. Mr. O. B. 
Boise, and the second Norse Suite by Prof. Hnmer- 
ik. The first concert will he given on Sntnrday 
eveninnr, Pfcember 4th, at 8 o'clock, and the fir^t 
general rehearsal on the preceding Friday, Decem- 
ber 8d, from twelve to two o'clock. The season 
tickets admit to both concerts and rehearsals, thus 
giving sixteen excelltnt orchestral entertainments 
for four dollars. * 

The Baltimore Liederkranz has sent ns \\s an- 
nouncement for the coming winter. The programme 
consists of eight concerts and one masked ball and 
anniversary celebration. Among the greater com- 
positions to he given are Th^ B^mtrr^rtion. by Neu 
komm, *' The Pilgrimage of the Rose " and the fir. t 
" Walpurgis Night." by MendeUs#)hn ; all to be with 
orchestral accompaniment, under the leadership of 
Prof. J. H. Rosewflld, director. The fsct may not 
be generally known that this Liederkranz is the 
o'dest German singing society In this country : and 
that it ranks at this time as one of the best. ' It hss 
five hundred passive, and one hundred and twenty 
active, members. It has given, during its many 
seas(»ns of concert«. the l>est works of Beethoven, 
Mozart. Handel, Haydn. Mendelssohn, Schumann. 
Max Brnch. Hiller, Abt and others. It gave the 
first German opera and oratorio ever heard in this 
coantry I Its officers are at present Mr. John Scho- 
mann. the well known t4»nor, president ; and Mes- 
srs. Wm. Krause and Wm. Schmidt, secretaries. 
The rehearsals of the society take place every Wed 
nesday evening at Raine's Hall. 

Thi same journal announces a short season of 
Italian opera by Miss Adelaide Phillips's new organ- 
ization, which is promised at the Academy. beHn- 
ning on Wednesday evening of next week. The 
company comprises the following talent: Miss Ade- 
laide Pliillips. Mis<) Matilde Phillips, (first appear- 
ance here.) Miss Violetta Colville, Signorina Lara- 
berti, soprano; Mr. Tom Karl, Signor Bnganini. 
tenori, first appearance here; Signur Taglianielra. 
baritone; Signor Carpi, basso cantante; Signor 
Ba Celli, basso; Signor Barberis, second tenor. 
Signor Locatelli, second bass ; Signor A. Tomasi; 
musical director. Full chorus and orchestra. The 
operas to be given will be. on Wednesday. // Bar- 
hiere ; on Tuesday, La Ctner^mfda ; on Friday, 
Trovatore ; Snturday, Romeo e OiugliMa, and at the 
mating, La Favorita, 



0!fie MORx ocNTRfxiAL I After having celebrated 
Petrarch, Boccacio, Boieldiea. - Michael Angelo, 
Goethe and Arminius, they are to have CKisToroai, 
the inventor of the piano. Italians are the only 
people who could make a general rejoicing out of the 
nirtn of the man who invented the piano. Before 
Signor Cristrjfori had paved the way for the Erard, 
the Pleyel, the Knabe, the Steinway and the Chick- 
ering, the only drawing-room music box was the 
c/ai'^n, whose silvery sounds emulated those of the 
^olian harp. In the palace of the Trianon may 
still be seen the beautifully ornamented dattedn on 
which Marie Antoinette learned music, under the 
direction of the divine Mozart; and nearer to us, at 
Messrs. Knabe's, Charles Carroll of Carrolton's in- 
strument of the same kind has been carefully pre- 
served. The revolution introduced by Cristofori 
consisted in the addition of the hammer, which, 
simple a device as it is, constitutes the essential 
principle of the instrument. Nevertheless. Cristo- 
fori will have his centennial on the 20th of this 
month, at Mantua, where from five to six hundred 
pianists from Italy. France, England and Gernainy, 
are expected to execute on the instrument of their 
hero's invention, a morctan cTenMemhle, composed ex- 
pressly for the occasion by the illustrious Liszt 



5|rttia( Hatites. 

DESCRIPTIVE LIST OF THE 

P«l»ltok«i« fcjr Ollveir l»lt««M 4k Co. 

1 «<» < 

VooaL witb Piano Aooompaaimciit. 

Murmuriiig Voice of the Deep. & F to e. 

JCUon. 80 

** fllmr^ng my sorrows to sleep.** 

A ffofwl nssa or ConinUto song, well designed and 
emotive fi>r low volcoa. 

My Father*B Home. (Das thenre Vaterhnus). 

8. E& to f. GumberL 85 

" Ich wHm woht etwsii llches 
Auf Gottea wclrir WeH" 

A ehsrming Oerman "swoet Home*' song. 

Do not lenye me if yon Inye me. Song and 

Chorus. 8. Ad to e. VoorUmysen. 80 

" If tite houni seem lonv and weary.*' 

Bmwnl Tenner wiites the words, and every thing 
Is richly musical. 

Pass every Earthly Joy. 8. A6 to f. Lloyd, 85 

** Distnnt the restlnc plare, 
Ji^us altme ran bless.'* 

A simple melndy, fnll of deep f>H*I1ng. Words 
return freqn«'ntly to the nhrsw •• Jesus !• minr,** 
which becomes the prominent thought of the song. 

A Heart which is bereft. (Un cor priTO del 
palpeti). Duet 4. D to a. HaekefutoUner, 40 

" Like a homrIf*PS bird.** 
"Como un tiagelllno.** 

A sweet lUlian (and Engllah} daet of asoderate 
difflcnlty. 

Yes and No. 8. D to e. Gray, 85 

** For Donald was a nallor. 
And al fnr my pour sake." 

Anotiier warning to ladles, not to pav the " Ko*' 
whkh means ** Tes ** qn*te so decidedly, for fear 
ho win not understand. Very areh and pretty song 

Pauline and PauL a BA to e. DankM. 80 

•* Ah. you only love me then 
When the sun Is shining bright.'' 

Charming song of wholesome sentiment. 

Instramsntal* 

Guirnalda. The Wreath. Piezas de Baile. 

liazzoranna. 60 

Very peenllar music, and will 1>e welcome to 
thone who like noveltlM. Tho piesan or pieces are 
*T>os Amantes/* " Xsperanxa.*' «' Elena" and 
"Kva." 



Heiter Oalop. 4 hands. 8. D. 



WelM, 60 



Carl's wIdeHiwske galop arranged for two per- 
Ibrmers. 



Grand Centennial March. 8. 0. 



Zeuner, 80 



The title suffldenily tndlestea Its grnndeur and 
adeptadnesa to the season now approaching. 

Tannhanser. ' Beyer's Bcpertoire." 8. 85 
The favorite airs of tiie great opera. 

Bella Waltz. 8. Lamoihe, 60 

Were there not so many fine waltzes extant, one 
would say thst this In of unn»ual beauty. It la of 
the usual beauty of the beat composers. 

The life of Youth. 12 easy pieces by Liehner, 

each 80 
No. 8. March. 2. C. 

" 7. Minuet 2. P. 

" 11. Ariosa. 2. D. 

Basy pleee« of a dassleal quality. 

Polacca Brillante in E. 6. Von W^)0r, 75 

The greater worics of Von Weber may be com- 
pared to vast moiMile«, in which, although there are 
thousands f frsfrments, each one In fitted careful- 
ly snd tastefully In iu« proper place. Von HIilow 
ha* thought the work worthy of his atudy and 
perforraanoe. 

Dreaminji^ Flowers. (Traumende Blumen). 

3. F. Lange. 40 

May Breezes. (Mailufterl). 4. A5 '* 60 

Two mora of Onsuv Lange's beauUfnl eompoal* 
tions. 

Bondo in O by Beethoven, with noteaby 

Yon Bulow. 5. G. 75 

Von Bulow baa the traits of a flrst-clnss piano- 
forte teacher, ns evidenced by the very canrf nl and 
useful notes appended to tho rondo. It la not es- 
pecially difficult. 



Abbrcvtatioxs.— Degrees of dlAcnlty are marked 
1 to 7. The Jb>y IS marked with a capital letur : aa C, B 
flat, ac. A small Roman letter marks the highest note, 
If on the staff, an UalU letter the highest note, if above 
the staff. 



.rfU. 



»»«i 



I M W ■ T - ■ 






tfl. 



u^rm^m 



mj.f 




toig|fs 




uxml 





Whole No. 904. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, DEC. 11, 1876. Vol. XXXV. No. 18. 



The Piano-Forte. 

A BBIET INQUIRY INTO THB ORIGIN OF THB 
INSTRUMENT. 

Copious as is haman speech in locations of 
an expostalatory kind, it is sometimes very 
diiHcait to Ox upon a form of remonstrance 
which shall be at once mild and firm, courteous 
yet impressiv^e. The French Ctnnment done f is 
less an expression of reprehension than of in- 
terrogative surprise ; while, although there is 
an immensity of sign{6cance in the Spanish 
Bambref that interjective noun is of individual 
and not of general applicability ; and, moreover, 
you cannot say Hmhre / to a lady. The classic 
Proh I pudar I has been worn intolerably thread- 
bare ; the Transatlantic Hold on I is slang ; and 
the Scottish £h, mon I is archaic. But perhaps 
we shall find the expression we seek in our own 
modem English, and in the blandly remon- 
strant and vaguely dissuasive phrase. Now, 
really I It may mean a great deal, or it may 
mean scarcely anything at all ; but it has found 
general acceptance in polite English society of 
recent date as a substitute for the powerful but 
unseemly expletives in which even our kin^^ 
and princes were accustomed to signify their 
dissent from a given proposition. Anxious not 
to transgress the etiquette of international cour- 
tesy, we thus conceive that there could scarcely 
be a more appropriate remark, with which to 
confront the curiously inopportune scheme 
which has just been set on foot in the city of 
Florence, than Now, really! It is gravely an- 
nounced that preparations are being made to 
celebrate next year in the Tuscan capital the 
centenary of Gristofori, who. '^n ** eviaence in- 
adequate to prove a debt, impotent to convict 
of the lowest offence,** has been proclaimed to 
be the inventor of the piano-forte. We propose 
to strip this virtually mythical inventor of the 
laurels unjustly pla:^ed upon his brow; but it is 
not our purpose arbitrarily to set up in his stead 
any fresh claimant to the honor of having 
devised an instrument of music which for the 
last hundred years has been a source of enjoy- 
ment to some and of acute mental i^nd physical 
agony to others. The piano-forte, in fact, was 
never invented, in the proper sense of the term, 
at all ; since, at its best, it is only an adaptation, 
yet susceptible of |»erfectibility, of a long series 
of stringed instruments— one of the earliest of 
which may have been played upon by St. Ce- 
cilia, whose ancestresses may have been taught 
by Timotheus, who may have learnt the original 
art from Apollo. 

A hundred years may be regarded as the 
fairly approximative period during which the 
civilized world has been either blessed or af- 
flicted with an improved harmonic machine in 
which the sounds are produced by imparting 
▼ibratioQ to elastic stringy lightly stretched 
over a case or box. and covered with thin 
boards, the resonance of which, imparted to the 
volume of air which they enclose, enhances the 
development of the sound. The old composers, 
in writing their concerted or orchestral pieces, 
could only avail themselves, as mechanical 
means of expression, of such instruments as 
virginals, spinets^ clavichords, and harpsi- 
chords ; but so soon as some ingenious crafts- 
man had improved the antique instrument into 
the modern piano, the mautiri^ recoffnizing the 
peculiar capabilities of the amended machine, 
repaid their obligations to the mechanician by 
writing for the piano unprecedentedly fine pieces 
of music, and by practising the execution of 
those productions to such an extent as to give 
as once the highest celebrity to the novel ap- 
paratus. It is remarkable that while poetry, 



architecture, sculpture, and, in its noblest 
forms, painting attained their highest perfec- 
tion in ages of remote antiquity, it has been re- 
served for the moderns to achieve unsurpassed 
excellence in music, which is itself probably 
the most ancient of arts, since there are few 
savages who cannot sing. This apparent anom- 
aly, however, disappears when we remember 
that, in all cases save that of the fiddle, the 
progress of instrumental music depends mainly 
on the mechanical perfection of the instrument 
which gives it voice and meaning. Thus it 
follows that music, as a fine art, should be at 
present in a more advanced state than at any 
other period, for the reason that never before 
have our mechanical resources been so great or 
so fully developed. There may have been 
plenty of Mendelssohns and Schuberta as com- 
posers in olden days ; but there could have been 
but few such executants as Thai berg or Liszt, 
because there were no sufficiently perfected in- 
struments adapted to the full display of their 
capacity. Even as regards the composers it is 
not impossible that much of that which we call 
the sublime-simplicity and the artless-pathos of 
a Lulli or a Harry Lawes, a Purcell or a Locke, 
was due to the fact that, apart from the organ, 
they were destitute of technical resources for 
carrying out their ideas: nor, we trust, is it ir- 
reverent to assume that the illustrious Mozart 
himself, who only lived to see the earliest ex- 
periments in the modem piano-forte, would 
have written still more magnificently than he 
did if he had had the use of a Broadwood or an 
£rard*s Grand in lien of a clavichord or a spin- 
et. The leading idea of the modem piano is 
that of making the jack, or hammer, strike the 
string instead of pulling it; but the conception 
of this notion has been claimed by the French, 
the Italians, and the Germans, and the real 
originator is hopelessly lost in an innumerable 
cloud of claimants. Some kind of hammer- 
harpsichord is mentioned in the Giornale d^Hal- 
ia so early as the year 1711. It appears to have 
been an enclosed adaptation of the mediaval 
original, and one was brought to England in 
the reign of George II. ; but so slow and im- 
perfect was its mechanism that nothing much 
livelier than the Dead March in Saul could be 
played upop it. The f^reat defect of the prim- 
itive hammer was that it did not instantaneous- 
ly qnit the string after it had struck the blow, 
so that the sound was deadened ; but this defi- 
ciency is said to have been remedied in 1768 
by one Christoph Gottlieb Schroeter, of Ho- 
henstein in Bohemia. Is this the Gristofori 
whom the Florentines propose to honor f 
Schroeter published an explanatory pamphlet 
in which he certainly said that a performer on 
this instrament could playi>»aiu> or forte at 
pleasure; but it is on recora that more than 
twenty years previously, when John Sebastian 
Bach visited Frederick the Great at Berlin, the 
King was so pleased with certain forte-pianos 
manufactured by one Silbermann. of Freiburg, 
that he purchased no fewer than fifteen of these 
instraments, and caused them to be placed in 
different apartmenta of his pslace for the delec- 
tation of himself and the great musician. But 
kings are an inconstant race, and eighteen years 
afterwards l^rederick, grown weary of his forte- 

Sianos, ordered from England the very finest 
arpsichord that could be produced by the first 
maker of the day, Tschudi, of London, the 
predecessor of the actual firm of Broadwood. 

Into the further bibliography of the popular 
instrament it is scarcely necessary to enter; 
since enough has been said, perhaps, to show 
that we were justified in putting before the 
Florentine committee plain reasons why the 



celebration of the centenary of an inventor who 
has not yet been discovered would be almost 
ludicrous in its inappropriateness. As it is, 
there happen actually to oe two Christophers 
in the field: one the Christoph Gottlieb Schroe- 
ter, as aforesaid; and the other, Bartolomeo 
Cristofoli or Gristofori, who was almost con- 
temporary with the Bohemian, and who pro- 
duced an instrament which he called ** grave 
cembalo col piano e forte;'* but in neither case 
would Florence have any peculiar right to hold 
a piano centenary. If Schroeter was the origi- 
nator, the festival should be held at Hohen- 
stein ; if Cristofoli was the man, it is in Padua, 
of which teamed city he was a native, that his 
memory should be honored. Again, the Czech 
and the Italian might find their claims disputed 
by the Frenchman Marius, who. in 1716, man- 
factured an instrament in which the jacks 
were little hammers tipped with leather, instead 
of the wooden tongues which had formerly im- 
pelled the crow-quills of the old spinets. Ma- 
rius called his piano a cUivedn a maitteU ibut he 
is shrewdly suspected of having plagiarized his 
idea from a magnificently elaborate made e2a«- 
ecin by Johann Ruchers, of Antwerp, so early 
as 1680. For the rest, conceding the point that 
the thoroughly modem* piano is about a hun- 
dred years old, there could be no harm in the 
fanatiei per la mueiea holding a piano-forte cen- 
tenary in any city in the civilized world where 
pianos jangle ; but why the festival should take 
place in Florence, or indeed in Italy at all— a 
country which has produced very, few renowned 
executants on the piano-forte, and is incapable 
moreover of manufacturing first-rate pianos — 
passes comprehension. We are told, neverthe- 
less, that Cristofori^s dubious invention is to be 
commemorated by a series of international con- 
certs, at which the Abbe Liszt has consented to 
play ; but if there be any of the old Adam left 
m that reverend pianist he would be justified, 
we should say, in flinging his music stool at the 
heads of the Florentine committee as a practi- 
cal plea in favor of the claims of his quasi- 
compatriot Schroeter. For the rest, a congress 
of pianos and piano-forte players in any great 
European capital would be a much more sensi- 
ble undertaking than a centenary in memory of 
a doubtless respectable mechanic about whom 
nothing that is tangible can be remembered. 
There would be no harm in passing in review 
the old instraments of the early Broadwoods, 
the Backers, the Zumpfs, the Kirkmans, the 
Pohlmans, the Becks, the Stodarta, the Tomp- 
kinsons, and the Clementis, should any of those 
antiquated pianos yet survive, and contrasting 
them with the grands, semi-brands, the hon- 
zontals, the uprights, the cabinets, the cottages 
of the best modem makers, not forgetting the 
famous iron pianos of the American Chicker- 
ings. But, if such an assemblage is to.be held 
in Italv, Milan would be a much better place 
to hold it in than Florence, since, outside the 
capital of Lombardy, there is a very vast plain 
called the Piazza d'Armi, in which the piano- 
maniacs could celebrate their mysteries, thus 
enabling that portion of the community .who 
do not appreciate the piano-forte to give the 
instramentalists a wide berth. Concurrently 
a smaller congress, composed either of cynics 
or of sages, might hold a quiet sederant in the 
interior of the city for the purpose of resolving, 
if resolution be possible, several curious ques- 
tions: First, how it comes about that piano* 
forte-playing is the only art the almost incessant 
study and practice of which fails to confer on 
the student, save in rare instances, anything 
beyond a mediocre degree of proficiency ; sec- 
ondly, why, although female executants on this 



138 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC, 



instrument are, as against men, as ten to one, 
really distinguished lady pianistes are against 
professors of theThalberg-Kalkbrenner calibre 
— for fear of being invidious we speak only of 
the dead — as one to a hundred ; thirdly, why 
ladies who in their maiden years have been 
brilliant performers usually abandon the pur- 
suit of instrumental music so sodn as they get 
married ; and, finally, why it is that, whilst the 
number of men of the brightest genius who 
have been professional or amateur fiddlers or 
violinists is amazing, the vast majority of the 
great piano-forte-players of the past, excluding 
the great composers, to whom all musical in- 
struments should be familiar, have not been 
able to do anything more than play on the 
piano-forte ? 

George Augustus Sala. 



"•♦♦- 



Cherabini's "Water-Carrier'' at the 
Frinoeas's Theatre, London. 

[From the Telegraph, Oct. 29.] 

Mr. Carl Rosa is the Abdiel of his order — "amonff 
the faithless faithful only he." Id his eyen a mnna- 
ger*8 prospectus is not an elaborate joke, bat a doc- 
ument containing pleilges which have to be redeemed. 
He looks upon it an Htriettx, and is ready to make 
sacrifices in vindication of its honor, as on Wednes- 
day night, when he produced ChfrubinVs *'Le8 Deux 
Juurn^es." Every opera announced in the proKpec- 
tas of the too brt«»f season, this excepted, had been 
brought out, and only four more performances could 
be given, all of which it was easy to devote to well- 
known and assuredly profitoble works. But Mr. 
Rosa had promised " Les Deux Journ^es," and that 
was enougli. He kept his word. 

The choice of *• Les Deux Journ^es,** or " The 
Water Carrier." as in the English version it is called, 
was a bold one, and the performance of the opera 
could only be regarded as experimental. In all 
countries this work is talked of as a masterpiece, but 
in none has it ever become thoroughly popular. At 
the Op^ra Comique of Paris — successor to the 
Th^tre Feydeau, where " Les Deux Journ^es " was 
first heard — it is known only in the library ; while 
even Germany, though more acquainted with it as 
" Der Wasser-Trager," refuses " letters of naturali- 
zation " in its favor. The history of " The Water 
Carrier" amongst ourselves is even more disheart- 
ening. A few years ago, Mr. Mapleson, in an 
access of classical revivalism, broui^ht out Cherubi- 
ni's opera, but was so disheartened by the aspect of 
a house filled only with connoisseurs who never pay 
that he withdrew it after one performance. Till 
Wednesday night this made up the entire career of 
the work in England, and it must be admitted that, 
viewing the whole situation, some boldness was 
necessary for aoother attempt. Conviction of this 
fact is not lessened by the knowledge that there are 
obvious and intelligble reasons why " The Water 
Carrier** has not charmed the multitude. The sto- 
ry, albeit pure in sentiment, and appealing to lofty 
and generous instincts, is too much involved for an 
opera, while fatally dtsregardful of the rule that 
insists upon OLe prominent character, throus:h which 
a " star ' may shine. The music, moreover, stornlv 
avoids ad captnfuium effects, and subordinates itself 
to the course of the drama with a completeness that 
should relax the grim visage ofthesava^st warrior 
under the banner of Wagner. An opera so con- 
structed, and dealing in simple, heroic fashion with 
the devotedness of a common laborer, has little to 
recommend it when judged by ordinary standards. 
The question for Mr. Carl Rosa was, therefore, 
whether a public could be found who would regard 
the work in a different and higher light — a public 
able to appreciate pure and noble motives, even 
when conveyed through ao imperfect medium, and 
qualified, afpo. to discern the excellence of music 
which, with unfaltering wins:, keeps in the highest 
ree^ion of art. Mr. Rosa answered this question 
affirmatively, and. judging by the aspect of his the- 
atre and the behavior of his audieneo on Wednesday 
night, he was not far wrong. The opera won a cu- 
mulative success. Well received throughout the 
first act^ the second evoked warmth, while the third 
exdted enthusiasm. Something of tiiis must no 
doubt be attributed to a performance of r^al merit, 
but Cherubini spoke to willing and sympathetic ears. 
Applause was hushed during his ritornellos, that 
not even a bar of the music might be lost. This is 
an encouraging state of things, and may well make 
those who desire the progress of dramatic music 



more anxious than ever to see Mr. Carl Rosa at the 
head of a permanent and flourishin? enterprise. 

"The Water Carrier" was so fully discussed in 
connection with its performance at Drury-lane that 
we should not now be justified in treating it as an 
unknown work. But stress may a^ain be laid upon 
the purity and pathos of Bouilly's libretto — in this 
respect a true sister of that which came from the 
same pen and fell into the hands of Beethoven. It 
is not, after all, necessary to search for the subject 
of an opera among garbage, in the gutters, or 
between the covers of the ** Newjrate Calendar." 
We are sometimes led to arcrne the contrary from 
the prevalence of filth and crime on th«» lyric stage ; 
wherefore, if " The Water Carrier " did nothing else 
but demonstrate that a purer atmosphere is possible, 
it would serve an excellent purpose. But Cherubi- 
ni'a opera does more. It show^ how music, as severe 
in its di^rnity and chaste in its tone as some Greek 
temple, is compatible with the humblei t surround- 
insrs. What can be more homely than the dwelling 
of the poor water corner, or more unheroic than the 
family joys und anxieties which there pass before 
us ? Yet into this rude abode and this lowly life 
music enters, not to abash and humiliate by con- 
trast, but to elevate and ennoble. Accordinsr to 
some theorists havinc: a reverence for what they re- 
|2:ard as the fitness of thin&rs, the refined and exalted 
music given by Cherubini to his humble characters 
is out of place. Not so. Though a novelist dare 
not make a peasant talk like a scholar, a composer 
can make him sin^ in lofty strains, for the smiple 
reason that the best music is the fittest exponent of 
human emotion. But the influence of works like 
the ** Water Carrier " is good altogether. In ethics 
and in art they are on the side of true profirress. 

We must speak of the performance on Wednesday 
night in the highest terms. Mr. Carl Rosa, conscious 
that nothing was too good for such an opera, dis- 
tributed the characters among the best of his com- 
pany, and bestowed upon rehearsals all needful care. 
The result was a standard of excellence seldom ob- 
tained even where greater pretensions are made, 
hand and chorus being alike admirable, while not a 
single part failed of adequate representation. To 
choose, for example, amons the Constance of Mdlle. 
Torriani, the Marcel lina of Miss Hersee, and the An- 
gelina of Miss Gaylord, would be a task as embar- 
rass! ner as Paris found that of bestowing the apple. 
Each lady was equal to her work, and it seemed as 
thoutrh none other could have done it better. Mr. 
Lyall presented a capital Antonio, his acting espec- 
ially commanding praise for its naturalness and in 
telligence. Mr. Aynsley Cook (Daniel), Mr. Celli 
(Captain), Mr. Ludwig (Lieutenant), and Mr. Arthur 
Howell (Semo«) exerted themselves with ^reat suc- 
cess in perfecting the enaembU ; and if, on the other 
hsnd, Mr. Nordblom was not an id**al Armand. am- 
ple amends were made by the perfection of Mr. 
Santley's Mikeli. Aft-er the success of this fine ar- 
tist in the '* Porter of Havre," nothing else could 
haye been anticipated for his embodiment of the 
poor Savoyard. Expectation was more than met. 
Mr. Santley's acting throughout waa natural, and 
therefore powerful in the highest degree. Never 
betraying a trace of exa{rg<^rntion, it was always 
equal to the demands of the character assumed, 
which stood forth clear of outline and consistent in 
all its details — a work, in fact, of genuine art. Of 
Mr, Santl«v as a vocalist we need hardly speak. 
Enough timt, from first to Inst, he touched nothing 
in the opera he did not adorn. The recalls after 
each act, especially the last, were enthusiastic, and 
the (greatest credit is due to Mr. Rosa for a revival 
which will make his ^bort campaifru one to be re- 
membered. 

The series of performances closes to-morrow night 
with '• L ? Nozze di Figraro," and on Monday. Mr. 
Rosabigns a provincial tour, throusrhout which 
ho may reckon on the best wishes of all music- 
lovers. 



Alexandra Palace.— Handers Esther. 

(From the London " Daily Telegraph,") 

With the successful example of the Cr3'stal Pal- 
ace before them, the managers of the'Musw'ell Hill 
enterprise could hardly do other than e«6ablish con- 
certs akin to those which, under Mr. Manns' direc- 
tion, have attained almost world-wide fame. The 
Alexandra Palace, therefore, has its musical Satur- 
days, and hopes to gathe.* together, in the far north 
of London, an audience as numerous and. in time, 
as cultured as that which assembles weekly in the 
far south. »**♦»» 

At the Alexandra Palace, on Saturday last, the 



deed performed was the revival of Handel's J&tther. 
It was officially announced that this work would be 
produced on the occasion for the first time since 
1767. the date of its Inst hearing, during the life of 
the illustrious composer. This may not be strictly 
correct, because we have always had amongst us 
societies whose laudable curiosity induced them to 
explore fields of art across which the beaten path 
did not run. These institutions, we can hardly 
doubt, have not fursrotten a work which, though 
r.esrlected. stands out conspicuous in the record of 
Handel's life. The overture has ever occupied the 
place of a favorite, and the great provincial festivals 
used years ago to dip now and then into the body of 
the oratorio. But there is reason to believe th it no 
public performanoe on an adequate scale intervened 
oetwecn the day when Rifher was given, in 1757, 
and Saturday last. The interval is a wide one. 
measured by the life of man ; but art is Ion?, and 
can see with complacency the flux of time. It can 
afford to wait; and to all in that happy pfisition 
everything comes, even justice, which, proverbially, 
has leaden feet. The story of Exther scarcly needs 
telling here, because it is familiar to everybody with 
a smattering of knowledsre about En<rland*s best- 
loved musician. Enoujh if we call to the amateur's 
memory how the oratorio was written for the Duke 
of Chandos, in 1720, when Handel filled the post of 
chapelmaster in the household of that grorgeous 
peer ; how, after being twice perVirmed at Cannons. 
It was laid aside for twelve years, and onl}' revived 
at a private performance, got up by Mr. Bernard 
Gates, master of the Chapel Royal boys ; how the 
interest it then excited led to a public hearing ; and 
how Handel was thus induced to give his attention 
to oratorio as a means of wealth and fame. The 
story. In outline, is soon told ; but it would not be 
easy to exhaust the significance of Enther^ as the 
first Ensrlish oratorio, or of those seemingly trivial 
events which, working through it, launched the 
composer on a career that secured for his memor}' a 

*' Broad approach of fame, 
And ever-ringing avenues of song." 

So regarded, the oratorio appeals to us as does the 
tiny source of some vast river, or the thought in a 
single human brain which, accordini^ to Emerson, 
is the parent of every revolution. The manuscript 
of Esther, as ic lay dust-covered en the shelf at Can- 
nons, contained not only all the actualities of orato- 
rio as we are now conscious of them, but all the 
possibilities which, in the future, may become real. 
To what the neglected score has led we know ; it 
was like the last offshoot of a decayed stock — ^for 
oratorio in Italy was then fast dying out — taken to 
root and flourish in another and more vigorous soil. 
Upon its existence, as far as can now be seen, de- 
pended the future of a grand form of art. What 
would have been the result had a servant at Can- 
nons lit the Duke's library fire with the precious 
paper before Mr. Bernard Gates obtained a dupli- 
cate ? May we fancy that that which is now known 
as oratorio would have no existence ? Hardly, per- 
haps, dare we go so far, but it is certain that nobody 
could then have shown Handel the possibilities of 
oratorio in Ensrland, and it is probable that he would 
have written his dearly-loved op ras to the end of 
the chapter. Imagine English sacred music with- 
out l^he Aftuiah, larael, and Judan, — nay, imagine 
England itself without The Messiah alone ! To do 
so IS to see in the mind's e,ve a somewhat different 
country, or there is nothing in the exercise of an 
abiding, all-pervading, and powerful influence. 

The music of JSitther is a theme so ample and 
tempting that we scarcely dare venture upon its 
discussion within the compass of a notice like this. 
To exhaust the topic, we should have not only to 
consider the work per »e, but from a comparative 
stand-point, marking hov and in what measure it 
shows the Inflnence of Italian art upon the solid ba- 
sis of German thon^ht, and how and in what degrees 
it contrasts or harmonizes with the master's matured 
style. Upon these points much mi<;ht be said 
wliich now can only be indicated. A first thought 
connected with the work has reference to its non- 
dramatic character. The form of the Italian sacred 
ploy is preserved by a division into acts and scenes, 
but the libretto is so constructed as to prove clearly 
enough that the idea of a dramatic performance was 
not in the writer's mind. Moreover, the orij^inal 
Esther was even less adapted for stage business than 
the second and enlarged form of the work produced, 
without theatrical accessories, in 17S2. In this there 
is no reason to imagine that Handel was actuated by 
deference to English notions. Italy herself at that 
time had abandoned the sacred drama, and her ora- 
torios were performed, when produced at all, with 
nothing save music and poetry to recooimend them. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, DEC. 11, 1875. 



139 



But the tnflaence oF Italian art upon Esther takeR a 
wider range than the form of tellinj]^ the story. We 
see it especially in the character of the solos, which 
are unnsually numerous, after the fashion of the 
model Handel adopted. The grace and suavity, 
tunefulness, and balance of phrase, that character- 
ise, inUr alia, "Dread not. righteons Queen," "Tears 
assist me,** and " O beauteous Queen, unclose those 
eyes,** mark their origin with a distinctness doubly 
apparent when a contrast is made with the more 
rug;;ed (eloquence of contemporary German ai*t as 
illuitrated by Bach. But, wiiile this is the case, it 
is also true that we see Handel alone in the dramatic 
fitness which welds each air firmly into ths perfect 
whole of the work. There is nut a song in Either, 
so regarded, that fails to present a study of charac- 
terization and truthful expression. The choruses 
are fewer and less developed, with two exceptions, 
than those of later works, but all of them bear the 
stamp of the master's genius. What a mingling of 
grandeur and pathos have we in " Ye sons of Israel, 
mourn ! ** and now interesting it is to recognize this 
early demonstration of the fact that the Saxon mas- 
ter, while able to lead a nation's praises, could also 
embody, in accents fit to " storm the seat of mercy," 
a nation's cry of lamentation. What a wealth of 
power, moreover, is there in the triumphant song of 
the Israelites, " He comes to end our woes," and 
how the hammer of this musical Thor descends on 
the words " Earth, tremble," till it seems as though 
the behest were literally obeyed. But in the final 
chorus, " The Lord our enemy hath slain " — an ex- 
tended tcena introducing toli again and again — Han- 
del may almost be held to surpass himself. It is a 
magnincent efTort at fullest stretch of power, Pelion 
rising upon Ossa till the heavens are touched, and 
there seems no possibility of ascending higher. If 
only for this chorus, the revival of Either deserves 
a welcome. But the oratorio is full of beauty, and 
now, with its sounds still vibrating, we look back 
over the ffuU of a hundred and eighteen years with 
pity for the generations thai neglected it. 

Passing the questions involved in the conflicting 
editions of the work, and merely saying that the 
version used on Saturday was that of the English 
*' Handel Society," edited by the late Charles Lucas, 
we come to the performance, which drew to Mnswell 
Hill an audience, not only large, but representative 
of all classes in the musical world. Here let us 
promptly recognize the merit generally displayed, 
from Mr. Weist Hill, who worked witn heart and 
soul as well as skill, down to the humblest chorister. 
Great pains mnst have been taken, and many re- 
hearsals held, before music so unfamiliar could nave 
been so thoroughly grasped. But the end was worth 
the means, thanks to which Either made a fitting 
debut. The soloists were Madame Nouver, Miss 
Euriquez, Mr. Vernon Rigby, Mr. Howells, and Mr. 
Wadmore — all English artists (as was fitting), 
although the first-named lady chooses to assume the 
disguise of a foreigner. Madame Nouver, who is 
new to London concert-rooms, has a fine and pow- 
erful soprano voice, as well as considerable aptitude 
for her profession. She needs further teaching, 
however, especially in recitative, the proper signifi- 
cation and manner of which do not seem to have been 
explained to her. Miss Enriquez sang capitally 
" O Jordan, sacred tide," and a very dramatic invo- 
cation which opens the third act ; while Mr. How- 
ells, a student, we believe, at the Royal Academy of 
Music, pleased bv his agreeable voice and unobtru- 
sive rendering of the second tenor music. Mr. Ver- 
non Rigby, strictly accurate as usual, sang the airs 
of Ahaauerus and Mordecai excellently, making 
with them the greater effect because they are well 
suited to his voice and style. Praise must also be 
given to this gentleman for his recitatives, which 
were uniformly declaimed with intelligence and dra- 
matic purpose. Mr. Wadmore rendered the music 
of Haman in a manner which showed the posseasion 
of more than a go^ voice, and the encore given to 
his recitative, "Turn not, O Queen," was as deserved 
as it was unexpected. The band and chorus, as al- 
ready intimated, were thoroughly equal to their 
work, and Mr. WeiatHill won hearty commendation 
by the judicious manner of his conducting. That 
&ther had a warm reception may be readily sup- 
posed. Four nnmbers were repeated, and at the 
end long and loud applause testified general satis- 
faction. We have only to say further, that the ad- 
ditions to Handol's meagre score were made by Mr. 
Halberstadt in the true spirit of an artist, and with 
toQchea here and there of striking beauty. Not a 
note of the original was altered, while the additions 
made —a liberal allowance of trombone excepted — 
were marked by most excellent judgment. 



Mnsical Criticism. 

[From a Report of the first meeting of the Musfjal 
AMOciation, la London, Oct. 31, 1875]. 

(Concluded from Page 133.) 

If, in the more important matters of religion and 
politics, we find sucn a diversity of irreconcileable 
opiniouH, we cannot be surprised that in matters of 
taste the most opposite views of the musical art 
should prevail among critics. It may be asked, and 
not for the first time, " who shall decide when doc- 
tors disagree 7 " Let a doctor reply. "The opin- 
ions of acknowledged critics," writes Dr. Crotch, 
'* accumulate in time, and are compacted into a 
mass, that irresistibly bears down before it nil the 
opposition of false taste and ignorance." Until tlmt 
golden age of criticism shall arrive, we must fold 
our hands, and look on with patience and resigna- 
tion. 

It will be conceded, I think, by none more than 
the critics themselves, that, as actually practised, 
musical criticism is more a counterfeit than a reality. 
I have heard it stated by an accomplished musical 
critic, that ** there is no such thing as mui^ical crit- 
icism." In a certain sense th(*re is doubtless 8om« 
ground for the statement. Musical criticism is, 
however, not a myth ; it is an acknowledged fact 
This leads me to inqiiire, what is its practical use ? 
Its chief aim should be to educate public ta^te in 
musical matters ; " to create a current of true and 
fresh ideas." Another practical use is to draw pub- 
lic attention to the proauctions and performances of 
musicians. Without this attracting agency many a 
meritorious musical work might be 

born to blush unseen, 

And waste its sweetness on the desert air. 

Regarding thus its practical use, I hold criticism to 
be the light and life of art and literature. Milton's 
sublime epic was comparatively unknown.and all 
but dead to the general public, until Addison's bril- 
liant criticisms Drought it once more into notice, 
and, as it were, quickened it into life. Many of the 
inimitable beauties of Shakspeare, but for his innu- 
merable critics, might have remained longer unrec- 
ognized. Few persons have the experience, the 
confidence, the courage, the ability to form unaided, 
independent opinions, and to express them. The 
general public, as a rule, had thev even the power 
to judge, would not give themselves the tronole to 
think on matters relating to art. They are led by 
" the press ; ** they pin their faith upon what " the 
papers aay." A very distinguished public man once 
said to me, in jest, " The fact is I have no opinions 
until I have read my Timei.^ Great is the respon- 
sibility of those who mislead public opinion I 

It may be alleged that no great musical works 
are now produced worthy to engage the pen of an 
acoomplisned critic Works of a high class now and 
then appear in this country and abroad, which, if 
' they do not bear the hall-mark of genius, and the 
stamp of entire originality, are, nevertheless, com- 
positions of considerable merit. 

These works receive, I presume, the attentive and 
conscientious consideration of musical critics. No 
pecuniary encouragement awaits the composer of 
music of a very superior character. We are living 
in a utilitarian, not an artistic or poetic, age. This 
is the golden age of royalties and advertisementa ! 
A musical composition to be recognized by a music 
publisher as a work of his^h merit must posse98 the 
inestimable quality of immediate sale. This, from a 
publisher's point of view, is, no doubt, financially 
conect ; his mission is to sell music, not to advance 
art But what about the present and future of mu- 
sic ? What about the music producer ? Be it re- 
membered that music was not bestowed upon us for 
mere amusement ; not for petty objects ; least of all 
for the sole benefit of music publishers and theatrical 
managers ! It was a divine gift, for high moral pur- 
poses ; for the delight, the solace, the civilization of 
mankind. Every encouragement should be given to 
the development of these high objects. To point 
out this to the unreflecting, to dwell* upon the fact, 
to keep it in view, to urge ita unanimous recogni- 
tion, might well be included among the manifold 
duties and obligations of the musical critic. From 
the dignity of a profession music appears to be fast 
descending to a trade. U it not a duty incumbent 
upon the musical critic to arrest, as he "undoubtedly 
might, this downward course? Notwithstanding 
the increased cultivation of music, the study of 
which, generally speaking, is more superficial than 
solid, the multiplicity of musical academies and col- 
leges, training schools for music, choral classes, and 
the endless opportunities to hear fine musical per- 
formances on easy terms, and every kind of music, 
from the sentimental ballad of the Christy Minstrel 



to the almost perfect orchestra of the Crystal P«»l- 
ace, there is no appreciable improvcmjnt in Ihe 
public ta«te for " hiiyh art ** in music. 1 am a'var-o 
that the deHififnatlon " pnbli'* " i^ one of wid«* sinr-nifi. 
cnnce; thit it embrnces, if I may be al'owed the 
expression, many publics. I speak of the public as 
a whole. Undeniable testimony in confirmation of 
my assertion might be furnishe 1 by the ledgers of 
music publishers. 

The earnest, accomplished musical critic should 
not confine his literary labors to the criticism of the 
mn-*ic of the present time only, not even to that of a 
compHrstively recent date. In these daj's of litera- 
ry and musical research, enquiry, and investigation, 
it wi»nld be desirable, as both interesting and in- 
Htructivo, to stimulate curi«»8ity to have a nearer 
acquaiiitnnce with the fine compoMtions of the great 
Italian Masters of the 16th, I7'h. and 18th centuries. 
How few mnsicianA know more than tlie niinic* «if 
Pnlestrina, Cari-s^iini, C«*sto. Le-mnrdo L'h*. Ale-«J»an- 
dro Scarlatti, Jom'>lli. Clari. Galuppi, and other 
learned composers of Italy, too nnmerou<4 for men- 
tion. Rich mines of ancient Italian mn'*ic remain 
almost unexpli»re i. Mutfic»l critics of ability should 
ent^r thn musical catac *nibs of Itnly, and disentomb 
their buried treasurei*. and comment upon them, and 
show modern compo^ern of all countries how they 
may refresh their mn^ijnl faculties by an occasi<inal 
drau(;ht from those pure sources. Then of our own 
great musicians and their works — the illustrious 
church composers of the l«th. I7th, and I8!h centu- 
ries — how little is known ! Here, also, is a vast field 
for exploration — a glorious opening for mu^'ieal re- 
search and criticism. I shall be reminded that 
many of their immort^il productions have already 
been criticized by mu'*ii'ians of a by-gone period. I 
shall not stop to question the estimate which Bur- 
ney and the critics of his day put upon the music 
and musicians with which and with whom they 
were acquainted. They judijed by the light of their 
experience, which, compared with that which has 
been since acquired, was very limited. The compo- 
sitions of the ancient Masters of Italy and England 
will again bear critical examination by the light of 
modern musical science. Let the critic of music 
emulate *.he critic of literature. See how he turns 
and returns to the writers of antiquity for themes 
for his critical pen ! Will Homer and Horace ever 
cease to furnish employment to literary critics ? 
Will Shaksp.are ? Will Dante ? Will Schiller and 
Goethe? In like manner might musical critics be 
engaged. Then would the area of musical literature 
be enlarged; then would musical knowledsre be 
diffused ; then would the musical critic's vocation be 
honored. 

A few comments upon the criticism of musical 
performance will suffice. In this depnrtment of mu- 
sical criticism we might well expect to find a more 
than ordinary diversity of opinion. Technical 
knowledge and lon^* experience are necedsary to 
those who would attempt to guide public opinion in 
its estimate of executive merit. I have often mar- 
velled at hearing what I have considered very in- 
ferior musical performances enthusiastically applaud- 
ed and warmly com'nended by musical critics. In- 
discriminate applause and undeserved commendation 
tend to brir.!]; the critic's office into disrepute, and to 
render all applause and nil commendation worthless. 
If muMcal criticism is tf» be of any practical utility, 
the critic must perform his task — albeit an unpleav 
ant one — fearlessly. A delicate duty should be del- 
icately performed; the critic owes it to the public. 
I shall, perhaps, be told that wu are not living in 
Utopia, and that as the world is constituted a state 
of ideal perfection in musicnl criticism is not to be 
attained more than in the ordinary afTuiri^of life. 

In the " Monthly Musical Magazine," commenced 
in 1818, and ended in 182S. are to be found some 
very excellent specimens of musical criticiiin. The 
" Harmonicon,'" a once popular musical journal, 
whose existence terminated about forty yeard asro, 
contains, also, many critical articles of great int^^r- 
est and worth. The late George llog^irth and Hen- 
ry Chorley were amongst the best modern mnsical 
critics. The former — an accomplished musical his- 
torian, as well as an acute critic — .added to the stock 
of criticism by his well expressed opinions, based 
upon sound musical kn:>wledge and experience. The 
latter writ«r, eccentric in his views, and in his mode 
of expressing them, was more generally correct than 
incorrect in his estimate of musical talent. Berlioz 
in France, and the elder Fetis in Belgium, have left 
rich legacies in criticism, although the accuracy of 
some of their music.il judgments may be open to 
question. Schumann, and other German writers on 
music have done service to art. Asmu^vsali^ritics 
I believe it will be discovered hereafter that Liai • 



140 



DWIGHT»S JOURNAL OP MUSIC. 



and WagDer have worked with a contriiry effect 
The admirable criticisma of the gifted SchumaoD 
demonstrate an appreciation of the late Sterndale 
Bennett's compositions no less creditable to the Ger- 
man critic than to the Eni^lish musician be so gen- 
•ronslj and so ably judged. 

This leads me to refer to the unpardonable igno- 
rance displayed by the Germans on the subject of 
English music and musicians. They ignore the 
immortal compoeitions of our great churcn eompo- 
p«rs ; of our madrigal and glee writers ; and they 
•eek no aconaintance with the music which British 
i^mpopers nave produced during the past half cent- 
ury. This is certainly discredlUble to the Gernian 
musician, who assumes to have a comprehensive 
knowledge of music and its history. The musicians 
of Germany are now occupied only with themselves. 
By their writings and their performances they are 
striving to force into undue prominence the compo* 
sitions of the modern German, or the so-called 
" higher development ** school of music German 
musicians of advanced opinions already regard as 
effete the glorious works of their must renowned 
masters. There are some musical advanced Liberals 
who would even presume, forsooth, to lay their sac- 
rileirious hsnds upon Beethoven's scores, with a view 
to their improvement. 

Doubtless, the well-known epiUph upon Shaks- 
pear«*s tomb, in the churcli «t Stratford-upon-Avon, 
is yet in the memory of my auditors. It is this :— 
Blest be the man who spares these stones, 
And curs'd be he who moves my bones t 
Might not the spirit of Shakespeare's epiUph, if not 
its words, be aptly applied, in these meddlesome 
times, to Beethoven's scores ? Forty -five years ago 
Mendelssohn wrote :—" CerUinly, Germany is a 
strange land; producing great people, bnt not ap- 
precistiniT them.T " When a German like Beetho- 
Ten writes an opera, then comes a German like 
Stunts or Poissi and strikes out aritomelle ; another 
German adds a trombone part to his symphonies ; a 
third declares that Beethoven is overloaded ; and 
thus is a great man sacrificed." We may, I think, 
congratulate ourselves that there is ^et in existence 
a strong musical conservative opposition. 

The taste for musical uglinesn appears to be gain- 
ing ground rapidly amongst a certain section of 
modern German musicians. I judge so by the en- 
thoniastic admiration ] hear expressed for music 
whoee discordant effects— <ie/<d« would be a more 
apt expression — are simply hideous. No amount of 
novelty, no new harmonic combinations, no ingen- 
ious instrumental contrivances, no increase of 
orchestral noise, can compensate for the absence of 
musical ideas, pure melody, musical elegance and 
gracA, and masterly srmroetrical construction. 
Nothing is impossible. Musicians in general may, 
in the oiiurse of time, learn to discover beauty as 
well as sublimity in ugliness. Whether in music or 
in personal appearance, ugliness is, no doubt, an ac- 
quired taste, like the taste for tobacco, and similar - 
nauseous appetites. 

We have able musical critics who advocate and 
uphold many of the wild musical doctrines and t!ie- 
ories of modem German musicians of advanced opin- 
ions. We have others of at least equal ability who 
persistently oppose and utterly condemn them. 

The controversies of art critics should not be dis- 
couraged, for benefit to art and to artists may ac- 
crue therefrom ; in the end, right principles usually 

prevail 

In bringing the subject of musical criticism to 
your notice my aim has oeen to draw forth opinions. 
" By discussion truth is elicited." I trust thht this 
ancient oriental aphorism may be exemplified by 
actual experience. 

A ditcnaslon followed, whieh eventually iMcame ani- 
mated. In the oonne of it Mr. Abthuii Dukx Oolk- 
ftiDOB said that, having juit returned from Leipslc. he 
was desirous of eontesting the idea that the Germans took 
no interevt in Sngllsh musie. They watched the career of 
our musicians with Interest; and he mentioned that there 
had recently been reprlnteid in Oermany a collection of 
old Sngllsh gleet and madrigals.— JAm. Standard, 



Slinsual Cgrrtspgnhnft. 

Chioaoo, Nov. 20. What I have to say this time 
relates chiefly to the work of the eminent lady pian- 
ist, Misa JuuA Rivi of Cincinnati A private recep- 
tion was given her at Mrs. Begina Watson's in this 
city, Nov. 4, on which occasion she played the fol- 
lowing programme : 

K-flai Coneerto Beethoren 

(Piano part only.) 
Walt»-*«Manlehinureinmal,'* Taussig 



Allsfrro from ** Taachfngsschwank/* Schumann 

Rondo In K flat, op 16 Chopin 

Fau«t Walu (Gounml) Liast 

Seoond Kliapsody Hongrolse Lisst 

This programme could hardly be called a fortu- 
nate one, since the Beethoven Concerto without 
orchestral accompaniment, or even the support of a 
second piano, is almost unintelligible. Besides this, 
the piano was a full concert grand exceptionally 
powerfyl in tone, in consequence of which the refine- 
ment of the playing did not so fully appear in the 
parlor. It was evident (as indeed you have been 
already informed by your New York correspondent 
and others) that in Miss Riv6 we had to do with a 
pianist of very high rank. Such a pttrfeet technique 
certainly is not possessed by any American pianist 
save Mills. In addition to this Miss Riv^ produces 
the best tone from the piano of any one I have ever 
heard save Mason (who, as you know, has always 
been admired for the exquisite delicacy of his touch.) 
But there were a number of musicians present the 
evening in question, who like myself doubled 
whether in this extremely gifted artist we had really 
a musical soul capable of comprehending and intel- 
ligently interpreting the great works of the dasaic 
school. Nor was this doubt removed on the even- 
ing in question. For as I have said, the concerto, 
detached from ita surroundings and played in a 
small room, resolved itself very nearly into a bra- 
Toura piece. The Schumann piece sounded better ; 
though this, too, was not a satisfactory test, for the 
'* Fa$ehing9-4ehw€n%k aia WUh " is not a piece in 
which Schumann's imagination appears at the best 
advantage. Of all the Schumann works the *'Etudes 
Symphoniques " seems to me tlie most exacting test 
of an artist, since it is of great diflSculty and con- 
tains in itself almost every possible style. Miss 
Rivi gave the Schumann piece with delightful 
effect, though not so well as I afterwards heard it 
done,— of which later. The brilliant pieces were 
perfection itself. The playing was perfectly deli- 
cate, brilliant, powerful, and never strained. I have 
never heard better. 

Last Wednesday evening the Apollo Club gave 
their first reception of the season, and of the vocal 
part I will speak farther on. Here Miss Riv6 

played: 

Cadrnsafrem Beethoven's 8d Concerto Relneeke 

Rondo, op. 16 Chopin 

For encore she played the Second Hungarian 

Rhapsody of Liszt. 

Her second number embraced, 

a). Allegretto from 8th Symphony LIsrt 

b). Romeo and Juliet Walts '.Gounod) Raff 

As you will see, the first three pieces were what 
lawyers call the *' operative " part of these selec- 
tions. 

Whether the cadenxa, Chopin rondo or the 

Rhapsody was played best I am sure I cannot say. 
The first I am unfamiliar with. The Chopiu ron- 
do was the very perfection of piano-playing. It 
was refined and graceful and tender (in the proper 
places) to the last degree. Equally perfect in its 
way was the Rhapsody, in which this pianist makes 
an immence effect. The Chopin rondo and the ca- 
denza of the concerto settled the question in my 
mind as to Miss Rive's artistic quail t}'. And so 
they did in Mr. Upton's, the critic of the Tribune. 
He remarked the next day : " We make bold to 
claim not simply that Miss Rivi occupies a high 
rank as an artist, but that in all that goes to con- 
stitute an artist she stands the very first of Ameri- 
can pianists.** 

Last Friday evening she played a recital in the 
Ferry Hall Seminary at Lake Forest with this pro- 
gramme: ' 

1. Sonata Appaaslonata, op. 87 Beethoven 

8. 4* Faschings-schwauk aus Wlen,** op. 96, 

Schtunann 
Allegro and Scherserino. 

I Ballade in A flat. 
Rondo lnBflat,op. 16 Chopin 
Polonaise m A flat. 

'■■■''' ■ ■ ■ 'I . ' ' J . - ■ ' I - 

■ " ' . 1 ' I I. ■ I jj ' 



4. Sonata, op. 42 Schubert 

[Allefrro.l 

6. Walts—" Man lebt nar etnmal/* Taoealff 

6. Rondo Cap'loeloeo Mendelsenhn 

tFaUKt Walts— Gounod LIsst 
Impromptu In C sharp Chopin 
tfeeond Rhapsody Uongrolae LIsst 

It would be impertinent in roe to presume to re- 
mind your readers that this programme makes de- 
mands upon a pianist (both mental and physical) 
snch as few artista would like to respond to at one 
effort. On the present occasion the technical de- 
mands were met in a way which left nothing to be 
desired. This. I am aware, is a very strong way of 
praising pianoforte-playing, bnt I can come to no 
other opinion ; for in delicacy, refinement of phras- 
ing, expressiveness cf touch, endorance, sweep and 
power of executinn, and treadth of contrast, I have 
never heard lietter playing than that of Julia Riv4 
on this occasion. 

But then what of the Interpretation f The inter- 
pretation of the sonata, I reply, was exceedingly 
good. The readings were intelligent and artistic, 
and while it is to the last degree uof«r to compare 
the intellectual efforts of a girl of twenty with the 
matured procesaea of men of forly-five or fifty like 
Rubinstein and Yon Biilow ( — men who besides 
their extra twenty years' study of the piano works 
of Beethoven, have conducted also all his orchestral 
works and know thoroughly every line of his Cham- 
ber musjc) — the fact remains that her playing is of 
such excellence as Inevitably to invite such compar- 
isons, which in itself is the highest compliment. 
Suffice it to say therefore that whoever hears Miss 
Riv6 play Beethoven Sonatas will hear them played 
with the most scrupoloos aocursoy, with perfect 
technique, and with intelligence of a high order. 
Her readings are musical and refined; and for a 
combination of perfect technique and real musical 
fire and apparent spontaneity of expreesion I do 
not know where to look for her superior. Rubin- 
stein had sometimes more fire. But then Rubin- 
stein firequently departed from his author. — ^Vou 
Buelow I have not yet had. — Of the rest of the 
programme what I have already said must suffice ; 
and I conclude this branch 3f my snbfect with ex- 
preesing my great g^tificatlon that an American 
artist has arisen who, owing to a fortunate combina- 
tion of circumstances and a singularly well-balanced 
artistic organiiatton, will be likely to extend a 
knowledge of ihe best things in piano literature to 
parts of the country not before reached by them, 
and in so dui ng will elevate at once public taste for 
music, and the ideal of piano-playing. 

And now for the Apollo concert. Their programme 

was this : 

Part Sont— "The Beleaguered " 

Serenade—** Rest, deare#f , rost,** Rttdran 

Alto Solo—* la quesu Tomlia," Beethoven 

Mrs. Decevde. 

Madrigal— "The ilver spirit's Sung** Paarsall 

Piano solo— (a« t>efore inven). 

Fart Song— "The Happiest Land,*' Hatton 

FABT SBOOXD. 

Part Song— "The Lonfr Day Cloees," Sullivan 

AltoSolo— "Wiaheoonne?>* Sullivan 

Mrw. Decevee. 

Part Song— *'The Woodland Rose,** Fischer 

Piano solo— <alrrady g^ven.) 

Ole»-" Strike the I^ro," Co^e 

The great interest of this occasion rested in this 
first exhibition of the work of the new conductor, 
Mr. Wm. Tomlins. Under his leadership the soci- 
ety has regained its old prestige, acquired under the 
bat4>n of Mr. Dohn, and has advanced to a decided- 
ly higher standard of vocal work. In point of fi ni ih, 
fine shading, fire, and ab)ve all singing in tune the 
Apollo society has made a great advance, and exhi- 
bited the other night the beet male singing ever 
heard in this city. In artistic value the selections 
did not exceed those of former occasions, but the 
quality of the work was far in advance. Mr. Tom-. 
lins is a good teacher and has underlined, I am in- 
formed, other works of greater aethetic value for 

-r-' "»• ■■' ■ ■ " ■ . ' "^ . ' .» ■■. .I I .1 

mmmimm^m II I ,. l ifc— — Mi III 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, DEO. 11, 1876. 



141 



presenUtloo In future receptions of the club, when 
they shall have become more confirmed in the good 
methods of tone-production which he seeks to incul- 
cate. It may be understood therefore that the 
Apollo club is once more in the musical field under 
auspices which augur the finest success, since in 
their new director they have a musician of excep- 
tionally exacting ear, and of the necessary patience 
and skill to obUin the effects his ear requires. 

The Beethoren Society have a concert Dec 9th, 
the particulars of which I do not yet foresee. 

Tour Serv't, 

DxB Fbktsch&ts. 



New York, Nov, 22. I have before me a large 
collection of concert pro^prammes, the accumulation 
of the past fortnight Many of them seem to require 
deUiled and extended notice ; but if I should attempt 
to review each one according to its merit I should 
occupy more space in your columns than falls to my 
share. My impressions of so many concerts are 
naturally somewhat confused, and, in order not to 
omit mention of any, I must mnke my notes of each 
one as brief as possible. 

First in order of dates, there was a performance 
of Mendelssohn's 8l Paul, by the Oratorio Society of 
New York, at Steinway Hall on Tuesday Evening^ 
Nov. 9, with the assisUnce of Theo. Thomases orches 
tra. The soloists were Mrs. Imogens Brown, Miss 
Anna Drasdil, Mr. Geo. Simpson and Mr. A. E. 
Stoddard. Mr. Leopold Damrosch conducted the 
performance. 

This Oratorio will bear much more frequent rep. 
etition than it gets in New York. With the first 
bars of the overture we feel the spell of the enchant- 
ers' wand ; and the influence of the peculiar genius 
of Mendelssohn Is constantly felt throughout the 
work. What could be finer than the great opening 
chorus : " Lord thou alone art God," and the subse. 
quent transition from the key of triumph and exal. 
tation to the subdued choral I What more pathetic 
than the a!r, for soprano voice, " Jerusalem I Thou 
that killest the Prophets ! ** How wonderful the 
chorus of the Hebrews : " Stone him to death t ^ 
But why particularize ? I am reminded of a cata- 
logue of paintingn in the Antwerp gallery, which I 
discovered the other day among my books, in which 
I had endeavored to designate by a pencil-mark 
such of a certain painter's creations as impressed 
and pleased me most When I had finished, all of 
his paintings were thus indicated. 

Now a word as to the performance. 

The orchestral part was of course perfectly well 
done, except upon one occasion when the wind in- 
struments showed some ancsrutinty, which I think 
would not have happened if Thomas had held the 
b4ton. 

Mrs. Brown has a sweet, refined Toioe and a com- 
posure of manner which are very pleasing, but are 
not all that Is required to make a good oratorio 
singer. She has a way of piolonging a note at the 
end of a phrase, and makes frequent use of the trem- 
olo in sustaining a tone, a method which, though 
much in vogue, is not even its own excuse for be- 
ing. 

Miss DrasdiFs singing was excellent, and the pe- 
culiar quality of her voice was well suited to the 
selections allotted her. Mr. Simpson was an accep- 
table substitute for Mr. A. Bischoff, who was an- 
nounced to sing, but was prevented by illness. Mr. 
Stoddard, as St Paul, made a marked impression by 
the fine sympathetic quality of his voice and his ex- 
eellent intonation. In the first solo his singing was 
a little constrained and his voice muffled — probably 
from nervousness, — ^and I noticed certain defects In 
his enunciation, which are about the only faults to 
be found. In his second solo: "Oh God I have 



• 



.Chopin 



J. S. Baeh 



mercy upon me," his voice rang out clearly and he 
sang the beautiful Aria with the expression of in- 
tense feeling which it requires. His intonation in 
this and all of his pieces was absolutely correct, nor 
did he disfigure the text by the addition of super 
fluous notes or the insertion of turns and trills for 
the sake of making a display of his voice ; a pracUce 
by no means uncommon. 

The Chorus was good and is steadily improving- 
The most noticeable defect in their singing, is lack 
of precision in attacking chords. They seem also to 
have paid but little attention to pianissimo effects. 
— Perfection in these things is a plant of slow 
growth, and wo must not expect too much at first* 

On Friday afternoon, Nov. 12, Mr. Frederic Bbs- 
covits, one of the best of our resident pianists, gave 
a matinee Piano-forte Recital, at Steinway Hall, 
which was well attended. I enclose the progpramme. 

Itallfin Concerto J.S.Bach 

o. Nocturne, Op. 32, No. 2. 
b. Masurka, Op. 33. No. 4. 
e. Bereeuse, Op. 57. 
d. Vftlpe, Op. 18. 
Ballade, Op. 52. 

a. Bourr^e, from Partita, B minor. 

b. Olgue, Suite f ran^iaise, No. 4. 
Hamoreslcen, Op. 18. 

a. Tempo di Value. \ Orlsff 

ft. Tempo dl Mlnnetto ed en^rgleo. J wrMj^ 

Rhapsodie Hongroise, No. 12 Liast 

Mr. Boscovitz will give another recital on the 
evening of Dec. 1. 

On Saturday evening, Nov. 18, Theodore Thomas 
gave the first of his series of six Symphony concerts, 
at Steinway Hall He has now entered upon the 
ninth season of these concerts, and they are con- 
stantly increasing In popularity. Most of the re- 
served seats are now taken for the season, and the 
audience is limited only by the capacity of the hall. 
The programme of the first concert was as follows : 

Overture— Iphlgonla in Anils GInck 

cSdtesSiif. r <»*»»•» o»»»'^ »~* 

Mdme. Antoinette Sterling. 

Symphony No. 8,lnF,Op.96 Beethoven 

Der Doppelgaenger Schubert 

Hdme. Antoinette Sterling;. 
A Symphony, to Dante*s "Dlvlna Oomedla/* LiMtt 

For Orcbestra and Chorus. 

The entire programme was superbly played. The 
attempted musical rendering, by Llsst, of Dante's 
Divina Canudia is a work the performance of which 
has been anticipated with considerable curiosity. 
The division of the Symphony is the same as that 
of the poem, making three parts; but, in the sym- 
phony, the last two movements are connected with- 
out pause. The first treats of Hell ; the second of 
Purgatory; the third of Paradise. The work begins 
abruptly with a tremendous blast of trombones, 
seeming to repeat the famous inscription found in 
the first verse of the third Canto of the Inferno : 
" Per me si va nell' eterno dolore. 
Per me si va tra la perduta gente ; " 
followed by the curse of doom : 

" Lasclate ogni speranza, vol ch'entrate," 
which is the principal motive of the movement, giv- 
en out by the trumpets and horns and returning fre- 
quently in varied combinations. 

Following this introduction, the strings dash into 
an AUeg^ FreneUcOf which is supposed to represent 
the hopeless rage of the lost driven around by a 
hurricane in eternal night The storm-wind grad- 
ually subsiding, an Andante follows which serves to 
introduce the episode of Paolo and Franceses, and 
the £n8:li8h horn gives out the doleful phrase: 

— "Nessun maggior dolore che ricordansi del 
tiempo felice nella niseria ! ** — 

This is followed by an AndanU Amoroio, in 7-4 
measure with muted strings, which Is suddenly bro- 
ken by the recurrence of the phrase " Lasciate ogni 
speransa," this time given to a solo horn. This 
sudden interruption of a moonlight episode by a lu- 
rid flash straight from the gates of Hell, is one of 
the most effective parts of the work. The move- 



3=$:7 



^SSb 



— — H- 



mt9m 



■iilftrt 



ment terminates with a resumption of the AUegro 
Frmctieo, the last ten bars enunciating with the full 
force of the orchestra the dreadful sentence : "Leave 
hope behind, all ye who enter here." 

The introduction to Purgatory Is an Andante fol- 
lowed by the principal theme in the form of a cho- 
ral. This gives place to a second theme in fugal 
form, magnificently worked up. At the climax of 
this fugue the choral motive is again introduced. 
Suddenly an unseen chorus is heard to intone the 
Moffnificat, which U taken up by a solo voice to 
which the chorus responds : 

" Magnificat anima mea Dominum." Beginning 
pianissimo, this theme is worked up to a grand cli* 
max and the symphony ends with the triumphant 
hosannas of redeemed souls. 

The impression the symphony gave me was that 
it Is the work of a man whose talent Is great beyond 
comparison, but in whom that indescribable some- 
thing called genius Is lacking. 

On the same Saturday evening, the first Philhar- 
monic concert took place at the Academy of Music 
with the following programme : 

Ovennre to « Julius Ceaar," Hans von BOlow 

Heroic Symphony Beetboven 

Piano Concerto, Op. 16. In D minor Brahma 

Transcription, MeDdelasoho'sSummer-Night^a Dream, 

Liast 
Both oompoattlons executed by Mrs. 
Falk-Auerbacb. 

Herr Waohtel was to sing two selections but owing 

to his Indltpositloo annonnoed by the Vice-President 

of the Society, a sabatitnte waa found In Mrs. Henry 

Butman, who sang *< Bel Ragglo '* from '* Semira- 

mide.** 

Inasmuch as I attended the Symphony concert I 
can give no account of the performanoe at the Phil- 
harmonic. I hear that the house was not well filled, 
— a result to be expected from the suicidal policy 
which the society is pursuing. 

Herr von Buelow gave his first concert, at the 
new Chickering Hall, on Monday evening, Nov. 16, 
before one of the finest audiences that I have ever 
seen assembled. Not only all our musicians of note, 
.but distinguished members of every profession were 
to be seen there. The programme was devoted en- 
tirely to Beethoven, Dr. Yon Buelow making his 
debut with the Fourth Concerto. He also played 
the Sonata Appauianaia, and fifteen Variations, op. 
86, in E flat, on a theme which occurs in the Prome- 
1heu» ballet and in the third Symphony. NeTer be' 
fore have I heard Beethoven played with such mas- 
terly technique and such absolute fidelity to the text 
and spirit of the composition, as was shown in 
Hans Yon Buelow's rendering of the Concerto 
Perhaps however it waa in the Sonata that he took 
strongest hold of the audience. There was no lack 
of enthusiasm on the part of his hearers, and he was 
recalled again and again to the stage. The orches- 
tra was the the best which could be procured here, 
but more or less fiiulty, as may be expected when a 
band of players is so hastily gathered. The new 
Hall, of which I sent you a full account last week, 
was admired by all present Herr von Buelow has 
given three concerts and one matin6e, of which I 
will write fully in my next letter and also concern- 
ing the concert of the New York Quartette last Sat- 
urday evening. A.A.C. 

Beformed Keyboard finr the Piano-Forte. 

'' F. B.," communicates the following description 
of a new arrangement of the white and black keys on 
our parlor instrument Is it a "reform?" We 
should like to bear how lisst or Yon Buelow would 
regard it 
re tta MUon tfOu BoHon DaOg AdweriUer ;— 

A letter lately raeeivad fhxa Germany contains matter 
of anfidently general tetersat to warrant my sending yon 
an extract or two. The many Menda, too, of the writer^ 
Dr. QM, aa well aa those who have read with interest Us 



DWIGHT'S JOUKNAL OF MUSIC. 



I* North Amerieu Ra- 



IT* on > nul«tr of ■a1)|«ti In 

w, m*7 ba pinwad to mnt bim in ■ ntw neia. 

reirefutbeeomlnRioinailcftlUiEtapropoHdndlc*] 

inn (or, it leut. chanie) In onr hoDH-bold |[o<l. tba 

ID, wQI mppefti to H wldaoirclaof raadan; and It mnit 

cm hu toM me tbat It wu now to bIm. Doabtlna 
kejboard nf tba pUno vu oiiglull^ mada wl h kajm 
rapreMntinR tbe notoa onl; ol the diatonic acale, and Iha 
naceul^ of cornplatlug the wbote cbtomatlc tula einaad 
IbaaddlllonofUwblackkeTi. Now. u betmen tba tblrd 
aod foarth or the diatonic icala, and balwean the aevanth 

anawertngta Iboaa notei conldnotba tepantedhjablaok 
kaf. Honoe arou tba dlililan nf the blicli keya Into grtmpn 
hrea and two. Dot for thua contlonlng In the ori^nml 
model, there can ba no reaaon to donbt Uut tbe knf board 
would hiTe been made at dnc aa Dow propoaod,— tIl , 
with alteniBte white and hlack keja throichonL Bat lo 
Iha extract;— 
" Botne Oerman plano-maVe™ h«»o l"*!/ made Inatrti- 

i» ofhaTinit tm h-' .rh ■■ "f ■! ' n-.- ihortar br half 

n Inch, and or ,■.■ .[",.- ii.. irvr.. ■.. .1 flngoriof- fa the 
Iffeienl tcaltk . ..,. [ii";.- ir<' '.m {^"ow^ateipoHlbla 

nlhtK board, -, / n: i" .' i.nr: ' 'm:Ii > while kry and 

loiflbeElnnlnL: ..i.i, > '.: 1. 1, 1,"^ 11. nre the dlfflcnltlF« 
of playing; WOT).. I i.i'l'ii'hfU d!riilrL'-!j'"L .Lhd that nf trao- 
Bpoatng a plan- i-m^iii iiIpimi=i iii.:.i.|v;Lr ilncc any pi 
wrilten Id ColuIiI h Mr-i 'ich! '"■ riivvl In D E,F»li> 
Aaat.orBOat. In fiii ■ - ■ ■ 



» 



. there la DO reaaon why that ■ealobonldeniojftireiFer 
ajirtTlleice which makes playinf In nianj keji ao dlffiCDK. 
Tne reform la only one of the keyboard. TbelnCerrale re- 
main analiand and each key witl preaarre Ita cbaracter- 
lalic aonndi wbloh the Sol-b lefbrmen with lo abolish." 
The cbaDj^ will alao ban an effect on writlnfi for the 



can bo played In Ave 



a p1«. 



in In C 



her key* eqi 

a from the eania nolea In all Ibe 
remalDlDg keya, namely: d. A, B, D Hal and EOal. Il 
Bow wa are to And one place where the 
keyboard preacnta inch * nnlfonn appearance. Bnt that 
conld ba eaeliy effected. A new color ml|ht, tor Initanee. 
be flTcn to akey at certain InterraU, aaj of an octave, or 
the octave might be dladngnlabed by ■ mark npon Iha 
Dprlfht board behind the key). 



5 iiiig|t*s lonmol of Slnsk. 

BOSTON, DEC. 11, 1BT5. 



Thud HaiTASP SmrnoKT Cokout, Thnrsday, 
Deo. 1,— Prngramme : 
]. Orertnre to "The Ken of FmmelheDa.*^ BeetboTan 
a. •Vinlnta: "Sprlnf'i OraBtlng," forCborne 



t, " "Dfa Zanherflltte," * 

t. •• "Flilello," Baeli 

t. ••Lareley." rracmantaofnDanlibed Opera 



Hlaa Abbr 'y 



<o Solo and ( 



». Orertore; ■■TbeHebrldee, 
Tbia. in contraat to the aecand. with the great 
Snrita for Symphony, may be called a ll)tht pro- 
Iframme— light in a good aenae ; yet alti^ther 
claaaical, choice, pleasing alike to caltirated taatei 
and almplo listeners. Certainly there coaH not be 
■ greater dlatance between tvo Sympbonies, both 
doaaical in form, than tbat between this qaiet. 
cheerful, graceful, genial work of Haydn's and that 
gigantic first Full rerelatton of tbe deeper son] and 
genius of BeethoTCD. It is one of the largrat, and 
nableat of th« Baydn Sympbonlaa. If il eoaaded 
quits familiar — moat of It — It la becauae Baydn Is 
dwaya Haydn, aod tbe marked melodic mottTes of 
all hia besf^oatrn mental worki haunt tbe air In 
ry mnalcal commnnlty ; they are beard In nr- 
rangementa for piano, organ, flutsa, charcb clioira. 



So, though to the beat of onr knowledze it ie liter- 
ally true that this Symiihooy, aa aaeb. for orches- 
tra, baa not been heard in Boatan for full seven 
years, yet many • half connoisseur imagined be hail 
been bearing it repeatedly; he had heard thinga 
taken from it. The performance by the orchestra 
gave new evidence of care and improvement; It was 
truthfully and clearly, and od tbe whole smoothly 
rendered. — though those who watch fur "ront^bncsa- 
es ~ doubtleu can alwaya find them — while tbey lose 
the mutu ,' that <a a minor maltei I 

The Overtures went well too, particularly tbe 
" Hebrides,' which fitly followed after " Loreley,' 
a^ waa indeed beautifully interpreted. The group 
of liicle marches, whose bappy peqnenee pleaiwd ao 
much last season, again proved freah aod charm- 
ing; there Is certainly a nice contrast between the 
naive and simple boya' and girla' wedding mareb 
from Figaro, the aolc^mn march of Prleats from "Tlie 
Magic Flute," and the Spanish Soldier's quickatep 
from FiMia ; and the sncceesion of keys (C, F, B. 
fiat) happens to come just right. 

But the attraction of the Concert was the aluglng, 
with and without orchestra, by Th« Ckhua, con- 
ducted by Mr. L*ho, who baa again had them in 
weekly training from the beginning of the season- 
The voices, now raised to about ISO in number, are 
fresh and musical, making a flue ensemble- Tbe 
tones blended richly, besutifuUy; and all tbe four 
parts were effective, though the balance Is still ca- 
pabls of improvement. Were they all equal in 
strength and brilliancy, aa well aa in aweatuess, to 
tbe noble body of aopranoa, nothing better could be 
wished. There are aome very rich and telling 
voices among the Contraltoa, and tbe small iqund of 
tenors la mulical and aure; but both laeVed weight 
in compariaon to tbe soprano. 

The Cantata by Oade is not a work of marked 
originality, nor of great consequence; bat it ia freah, 
melodlooa, flowing, Spring-like and buoyant, with 
• serious middle pasaags, and baa a very charming 
and ornate aceompanlmeDt ; the instrumental phraa- 
Ing and coloring often reminding one of Spobr's 
WtiSt tier T9*e, while other passages are in the 
vein of Mendelaaohu. It is easily appeciahle, cap- 
tivating muale for tbe many ; it bad been ralthfully 
rehearsed and waa beautifully sung. But the moat 
eiqulaite feature of tbe concert wu the Psalm by 
Schubert, in which the eweet, pure female voicea 
blended in perfect four-part harmony, while the del. 
icate pianalbrt« accompaniment, ao interesting In 
itself, was nicely playsd by Mr. SimaB. The com- 
positJon Is a " gem of purest ray aerene ; ' the effect 
almply heavenly ; and the spell waa only too aoon 
broken ; doubtless many wonld have been glad to 
hear it over again. The very dramatic and roman- 
tic " Loreley" music made the aame fine impression 
that It did last year. Tbe ohornses of tbe Hnale 
were sung with spirit and good light and shade, 
though the orchestral work waa not entirely forta- 
nite. Hiu Whiknut began bar exacting part a 
little nervously snd tremulously in the low and mid- 
dle tones ; but like a person of true muaical feeling, 
abe warmed tu tbe task aa she went on, and In the 
intense dramatic part toward the close, her voice 
came out clear, true and triumphant in the sus- 
tained high notes, no that tbe climax waa Indeed 
effective.— We think it ia the general Impreaalon 
that the Cecilia has Improved upon itaelf. 

Tbe next [fonrthj Concert— owing lo falra at iha Music 
Hall, and Cbrliimaa Krs, etc. .-will coma on an uDnenal 
day. namely llmday. Dee- IT. The two chief points of 
interest In the programuu win be tbe E-flat Concerto of 
Beatboren.playedby Mr. I.KOHiiABi>; and, for a notelQ', 
the Symphony madeby Joachim out of the Brand Duo for 
plans by Frani Schubert,— a woric Iborongbly Bymphonlo 
Id Ita Ideaa and Ita whole laying out In reipeet af torra. 
iDdvedIt roalalDisomaaflbe mostoriglnal and delleate 
of S^huberl'a Inaplratloni, developed wtth a maatar band, 
Joachim [Ilk* many otberm] felt the Symphony In It, when 
ba heard the four-hand {dano work playsd man)' yeara ago 



X ope can hardy help thinking Ibal Bchuber 
re eo Intended It, and only wmie the Duo [Op. 1 
Itch pTDTlslonally. At all events this Joaehln 
t "SynpHany " has kepi it 



impleu 



prnlTW:; al 



"In tba HIghlwida." by Oade, fl 
close, partly aa a good specimen of tbe "light" ove ton 
often called (br, and partly In allualon to tbeOentennli 
Boteldlen, which hai been mneh eelebroLed [Id antletpa- 
tlon] recently In Frauoe, hl> graceful Orer.ure to thai Op- 
era wfalcb baa had mere perform sncee eban any nther 
opera In Bnmpe, It l> aald, "La Dame Jllmciu:' Botel- 
dlen was bom In Kouen, Dee. IS, ITTS. 

SriAmta of ScnuianT, the 4S2nd Recital of the 
of the N. E- Conaervatory, on Tuesday last, took the 
form of a very Interesting Lecture on that gihed 
composer, by Mr. B. D. Allss, of Worcester, oni 
the teachera In the Conaervalnry, interaperaed w 
performancea of several of bis works. Mr. Allen 
briefly sketched the short and uneventrul life n 
Schubert; enumerated hia principal works in all 
forma of composition, great and small, showing an 
sxlraordinary productivity for one who lived but 
thirty-one years; and gave • we! I -con aide rod, just 
appreciation of his genius and hia diatinctive quali- 
ties as a compoaer. Naturally he dwelt with most 
emphaais npon his rare creative gift aa tbe compo- 
ser, par attlttna, of German aongs. Out of the 
eibaastlesa number of these two specimens were 
arUatleally and feelingly sung by Mr. C. R. HAToaH, 
one of tbe beat tenora of our concert rooms ; thess 
were : " Sei mir qnTruut," and MIgnon's song: "Ifar 
iBtr die SehwntcAt imnt." Of the piano works were 
given ; tbe DivtrHetrmtnt d la Hoturraiae, for four 
bands (Mr. G. W. SuKnmi and Mr. Allbn), consist- 
ing of an Andante with a witching melancholy 
theme, varied at lenirtb, a March, and a quaint, piq- 
uant Allegretto. We rather wonder that the lectD. 
rer. In dwelling with so much juat admiration as he 
did on Schubert's four-hnnd eompoaitiona. did not 
think to mention the fact that so many of them are 
Marches by name, snd nearly all of them, bii Trios. 
Quartets, etc., too, full of the march rhythm,— a 
Mud of contlnuoUB. exulting movement into which 
his geniua seemed peculiarly drawn. (It would have 
been quite timely too — if only time were not so en- 
vloua — to have given ua a foretaste. In the original 
four-baud form, of that Joachim -Schubert Sympho- 
ny lo which we have above alluded aa the chief 
feature of the next Symphony concert.) The recital 
elnsed with the performance by Mr. Allen of that 
markable Pautaiaie-Sonatain 0,op. TB. omitting 1 
comparatively uninteresting Finale (Allegretto), but 
giving the wonderfnlly broad, full, deeply thought- 
ful Fantaiale proper, in 1S-8 measure (mollo maitra 
to e caulaUile ;) the enchanting Andante, and tbe 
roiiaiog Utnnet with Ita bold, rich barmonlea, e 
trasted with the most delicate of Trioa. 

Ths tenth Concert by Pupils of the CaLLtoa or 
MnsioofBoaioK Umvamsnr.at Bumatead Hall. Nov. 
18. waa decldadW inUreating and full of promise. 
Three youug ladies and three yonng gentlemen, nn- 
der the direction of their faithful teacher, Mr. J. C. 
D. PAuaa, performed the following purely claasical 
and exacting programme of pianoforte mualc And 
when we say that each Interpretation was of a sound 
and satisfactory character ; that each, aa they went 
on. aeemed better than the last; and that, to crown 
tbe whole, tbe Schumann Concerto ws actually 
well and effectively performed, and by a pupil. — 
we think we have said a good deal, but not too 

1. Italian Oonoerto....... -- Bach 

Allegro moderato— Andante— Pnato. 

1- Schem In B flat Ulnar Cbapin 

IflH Sonle. 

a. PnTnde In C-sharn Minor Bach 

S. b. Kiudu In C-iliarp Minor Ctiopln 

c. Koveiletteln K-m^r. Scbunann 

4. Fralnds and FBgue in B-mlnor Mendelaaolin 

Mr- Lewle- 
s. Talae, op.«3 Cbopin 

5. b. EtudelnA-flat •' 

a. Concerto In A-mlnor - ......Bcbnmsnu 

Allegro affettnoeo-Iniormeiin— Allegro vlvaoe. 

OrcheiO^ accompaniment with secvnd Piano, 

Mr. Swan. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, DEC. 11. 1875. 



143. 



Boston Philharmonic C' ub. — That was one of the 

inofst beautiful and enjoyable concerts of the season, 

which was cfivfn by Mr. Bkrnh.\rd Li8TEM.\Ny and 

his associates at Bnmstead Hall, on Wednesday 

afternoon, Dec. 1. But for an entertainment of such 

decided merit the audience, select indeed, was dis, 

couraginyrly pmnll. The proj^ramme was by no 

means all of equal interest t<} us, but it contained a 

larg^e share that was excellent. It was as follows : 

Quartet in A major. Op. 90 Raff. 

a. Rjisch. b. Rasch rSclienso}. c. Langsam. 

d. K'lHCh. 

Second time in Boston. 

Mesflrs. B. & F. TJstemnnn, £. Gramm & 

A. Hartdegeu. 

Piano Solo. CbaractcrLstic Pieces, Op. F, Non. 3 A 4, 

Mendelssohn 
Madame Madeline Schiller. 
Violoncello Solo. Moroeau de Concert, E minor, 

Servais 
Mr. Adolph Hartdegen. 

Piano Solo. Schorzo, Op. 3i Chopin 

Madame Madeline Schiller. 

Cameval. [Scenes MlKnones] Schumann 

Preambule— Pierrot— Arlequin—Valiie Noble— EuAebl- 

us— Coquette— Repllque—Lettrea dansantes^Chi- 

arina— ReoonnaJaKance— Paganini— Va se Alle- 

mandc— Aven-Promenade-Pause— Marche 

des " David's bttndier " contre les 

Philistines. 

[Arranged by B. Listemann.] 

Boston Philharmonic Club. 

Sextet for two obliK. Horns and String Quartet, 

InEflat, Op. 81 BeethoTen 

First time In America. 

a. Allegro con brio— 6. Adagio— c. Rondo allegro. 

Messrs. A. Retz, C. Schurmann, B. & F. Listemann, 

B. Oramm and A. Hartdegen. 

Never have we heard finer quartet playing in this 
city than these artists gave us in the quartet by 
Raff, although the composition was not in some por- 
tions wholly to our taste ; the pathos of the slow 
movement, for instance, did not seem genuine ; the 

Scherzo was quite brilliant. Mrae. Scbillsb was 
heard with peculiar satisfaction in her fine selec- 
tions. The two Mendelssohn pieces, which we do 
not remember to have met before, proved highly 
interesting ; the first, a Fugue, of strong, marked 
character, in which she brought out each voice with 
perfect clearness, one would have hardly imagined 
to be by Mendelssohn ; the second had his individ- 
uality most unmistakeably, a piece full of fire and 
poetry ; a swift and eager flignt of fancy, very diffi- 
cult, and played to a charm. Mme. Schiller's ren- 
dering of the well known Chopin Scherzo, too, was 
eminently successful and placed it in a somewhat 
new light. Mr. Hartdegen brings out rich, expres- 
sive tones through the whole compass of his violon- 
cello; and he showed great mastery both of the 
cautabile and of bramtra execution in a composition 
of a rather shallow kind. Mr. Listemann*s arrange- 
ment of Schumann's charming little piano pieces (for 
quintet of strings with flute) was very clever, bring- 
ing out the character of several them more pointed- 
ly than the piano could do it ; while for some others, 
such as the Coquette, the strings seemed too heavy. 
They were all very nicely played. 

The chief feature and novelty of the concert, how- 
ever, was the Beethoven Sextet, with the two horns. 
It was marked " first time in America," and we pre- 
sume rightly ; for though an arrangement of it may 
have been given, with violas in place of horns, still 
it is just these horns which constitute the distinct- 
ive charm of the composition. In itself the music 
is, for Beethoven, a little tame and commonplace, 
though altogether musical and graceful ; it sounds 
certainly like one of his early works, say of about 
the period of the Septet, although it appears in the 
catalogues as Op. 81 6, Op. 81 a being the Sonata: 
" Les Adieux" etc. Wifh the horns, so admirably 
played as they were, all three of the movements 
were heard through with delight. The horn parts 
are very difficult, particularly the first horn ; but 
Mr. Belz is a consummate master of his instrument, 
and he was very ably seconded by Mr. Schurmann 
of our Boston orchestra. — We trust the next Matin- 
ee of this excellent series will draw the audience 
which it deserves. Certainly on this occasion 
Bumstead Hall, made beantiful with light and color, 
proved comfortable t s well as excellent for sound. 

We have yet to speak of a very interesting third 
Concert given by Mr. Perabo with his friend Von 
Intbn ; of the admirable Glee and Madrigal singing 
by the New York vocalists ; a Thomas concert, etc. 

Hosio in Fam 

Nov. 9. T enclose two programmes of Pnsdelonp's 
Concerta at which I have had the pleasure of assist- 



ing, supposing that they might not be altogether 

unin' cresting. 

Oct. 31. 

Ovcrtnrft d»» Don Juan Motart. 

Symphonic pastorale Beethoven. 

Revoiie Schumann. 

Kntre'acte Tanbert. 

Concerto pnur violon Max Brucb. 

Allegro modorfitn. adaisrio. finale. 

Ex6cut6 par M. Mauhln. 
Le Songe d*unc Nuit d'^t^ MendeUsohn. 

JVoB. 7. 

8vmphoni(» en itt majeur Beethoven. 

Alleero afrifnto from "Lnbire^ane.'* HendelMohn. 

4c Concerto pour pinnn [Op. 70.1 Rnbcnstein. 

Allegro mndernto —Andante — Finale. 
Ex<^ut6 pnr Xf . Dimmer. 

Fmsrments du quintette [Op 1081 Moxart. 

T^rehetio.—Menuet,— Allegretto con vnrlazionl, 
Kx^cut^H par M. Orizez [i-larionettc] ct tons lei in- 

Btrumi-nlB k corde*. 
Overture du Oberon Weber. 

T hnvp little doubt but that vou have been in the 
Cirque (Vhivrr where thesn thing.** are given ; but if 
n»»t.. 1 may remark that a.«s i^ is where a cii cus with ite 
elophnnt.s nightlv perform, the smell of the usual ac- 
companimonts of the ring is nearly as loud as the 
accompaniment* of the solo pieces. — The building 
is moreover r.o skilfully a'laptod to the destruction 
of the andionre in case of fire, that having upon a 
careful exnmj nation, estimated the number of hearers 
at 2760, T convinced myself that if a panic should 
occur, from fire or other cause, 2749 of those pres- 
ent would lose their lives, by actual cremation or 
suflbcation. 

I will tell you briefly what were the salient points 
of these performnnoes as they struck me. 

1st. The Orchestra was most perfectly balanced. 
The proportion of ptrin!r» beinir very large. 10 con- 
trabass! and 10 oplli. Five on each aide, nut at the 
rear. The Timbalos in the rear centre. Trombones 
in rear. In front of these, were 4 horns aad 4 fa- 
gotti. Next came 2 clarinets, 2 oboes, piccolo and 
2 flutes. All the rest were strings. 

The Pastoral Symphony was played slower than 
we take it in Boston, and in a more subdued man- 
ner. In fact, the orchestra showed constant signs 
of strict discipline and much practice. I observed 
the same peculiarity at the Grar.d Opera, where the 
orchestra, although very large, was so well balanced 
and under such perfect control, that it overpowered 
neither the singers nor the hearers. No pestilential 
trumpeter prided himself on his lungs I This orches- 
tra also took most of the music of FavorUa and Fauti 
much more slowly than we are accustomed to, and 
with good effect. 

Beethoven's Symphony No. 1, in C, was on the 
contrary played faster than with us, and the bril- 
liancy, accuracy and rapidity of the Finale was be- 
yond description. 

The " Pmme (T Amour " fty Tauherf, played by the 
strings alone, pizzicato, is a very taking piece, not 
tricky. 

I must add a word about the behavior of the au- 
diences. They are unpunctual in arriving, and the 
concerts always begin with the entrances choked 
with late comers. During the performances, the 
hearers listen attentively and appreciatively, but 
there their virtues, cease, for at the end they con- 
duct themselves more rudely than do ours, and by 
the time the final piece is ended nearly half the peo- 
ple have left.. At the theatres this same practice 
prevails. It quite reconciles one to our Boston peo- 
ple, some of whom seem to have suddenly recollected 
something which calls them out. C. 



The Yon Baelow Concerts in New York. 

Herr Von Bublow has given six conoerts and two mat- 
inees, in New York, besides three soirees and one matinte 
of Chamber music. I send the programmes in regular 
order. 

[As the seven pro^ammes of the larger concerts are 
composed almost entirely of tho same materials with those 
of Von Baelow's concerts In Boston— the only additions 
(on his own part) being the third Ck>ncerto, in G, by Rn- 
blnstoin; threesmaller piece* ditto; and Lisst*s Fantasia 
on ** The Bnlns of Athens *'— we omit them to save room. 
~Ed.1 

The programmes of the musical solrdes were as follows : 

/. Ifontlay Kveninfft Ifov. 29. 

1 W. A. Mortrt— 176^1791. 

Quartet In O minor for Piano, Violin, Viola, Violon* 
cello. 

[Allegro— Andante— Hondo.] 
Messrs. Dr. Damroscb, Matskn, Bergner and Hans von 

Buelow. 
2. W. A. Mozart. 
Aria—" Non paventpr." 

M ss Thursby. 
8. Piano Solo. 

[aj J S. Bach,— 1686-1750. 

Fantalsie chromatic et Fugue. 
[b] G. Haendel— 1784-1 7S0. 



Suite in D minor. (Prelude and Fague— Allemand3— 

Courante— Aria con variazionl— Capricoio.) 
4. G. Haendel. 

Aria— 81 t'amo. o Cara (Mazio Scaevola.) 

Miss Thursby. 

6. L. V. Boethoven— 1770-1828. 

Grand Trio for Piano, Violin, Violoncello, Opus 70, 

No. 2, in E flat. 

Messrs. Dr. Damroscb, Mr. Bergner, Hans von 

Buelow. 

IT. Wedneeday, Dee. 1. 

1. Second trio, for piano and strings. Op. 112 Raff 

Messrs. von Buelow, Damroscb, and Borgner. 

2. Song— *< La Separazione » Rossini 

Mias Lizzie Cronyn. 
8. Fantasicbiider, " Faschlngsachwaak in Wien,** 

Echumann 
Dr. von BuHow. 

4. SnngP. \a\ " O sanctLssima Virglne " Oordlgfani 

\b\ ** Thour*rt like unto a Flower,'* Rubinstein 

Miss Lizzie Cronyn. 
6. Quartet for piano and strings in E flat. Op. 38. 

Rneinbei^r 

1. Lnuis Spohr— 1784-18W-Thirti Trio, 

For Piano, Violin and Violoncello. Opus 124, 

in A minor. 

Allegro moderate. Andante con variazioni. 

Scherzo. Finale. 

Messrs. Dr. Damroscb, Bergner and Hans von 

Buelow. 

2. G. F. Haendel— 1684-1759. 

" Ye Verdant Hills." Air from " Susanna.'* 
Mr. A. R. Stoddard. 
M. .Tnhannos Brahms— 1833. 
XXV Variattons and Fugue on an Air of Haendel's 

Opus 24. 
4. [a] F. Liszt— 1811— " Thou'rt like unto a flower.»» 
\b\ R. Schuma»n— <* Dedication." [Widmunirl 
Mr. A. E. Stoddard. 
6. Robert Schumann— 1810-1856. 

Quintet for Plaro and Strings. Opus 44 in E flat. 

These concerts were all given at Chiekering Hall, and 
were well patronized, although, during the last week when 
the concerts gave place to the musical soirees without an 
orchestra, there was a noticeable iUling off in the attend- 
ance. 

Herr von Boelow's appearance has been attended with 
the usual amount of newspaper puffing and Indiscriminate 
praise, all of which is doubtless merited were it only con- 
fined to those qualities which mak«> his playing admirable. 
Much however has been said and written in admiration of 
qualities which are not to be found at all In his perform- 
ance. 

The first impression which hii playing makes Is that of 
prodigious power. Thli Is shown, not by any exhibition 
of brute force, In pounding the piano, for, though his fin- 
gers sre like hooks of steel, nothing could be more deli- 
cate than his treatment of the instnunent ; but by a certain 
air oteangfroid indicating an immense reserve force, and 
by an accuracy of detail which Is sbsolutely— sometimes 
mercilessly— faithfkil to tho composition which he Is per- 
forming. This impression is made stronger by what we 
know of his marvellous memory. He has at his finger 
ends nearly every composition for the piano that is worth 
knowing. Many of the pieces in his repertory are long 
and complicated concertos, of which he has stored within 
his brain, not only the part he is to perform, but every note 
of the orchestral music in connection with it. In this re- 
spect, Herr von Buelow is certainly without a peer. 

Every talent and accomplishment that go to make the 
perfect pianist are his. In this what a summing up of 
salient points, any one of which would be conspicuous 
merits In one of the common run of professional pianists I 
What force of will! What Indomiuble energy I What pa- 
tience muit have been brought into play to achieve such a 
result, and how little would even these thingi have availed 
without a natural gift of talents such as are seldom vouch- 
safed to anyone. But admiration does not stop here. 
Herr von Buelow Is more th in a perfected ptaniet. He 
possesses that peculiar refinement of talent which makes 
the consummate artiet. I can Illustrate this distinction no 
better than by citing his performance of the Concerto In 
minor bv Raff, when, apparently not being In firet rate 
condition, he made not fewer than seven or eight distinct 
■lips by either striking the wrong note or two notes where 
one should be struck (which aimply proves that Jove some- 
times nods). Here the pianism wm at fault, but a more 
thoroughly artietie rendering of the piece could hardly 
have been given ; every part of the composition was Juntiy 
weighed and balanced, the shsdlng was of the most deli- 
cate, tlie coloring of the most vivid that can be imagined. 
And the whole performance without a flaw, save that be- 
fore mentioned, which is not of nny great significance. 
But that which is most of all to be admired In Herr \on 
Buelow's playing Is a faculty by which he makes his hear- 
er fora^et both pianist and artist. With the modesty of a 
true devotee of art he places tho tone picture before you In 
the most favorable light and himself aside In the shadow. 
You wonder at the picture; approval of the light In which 
it Is 8hown Is an afterthought. When Beethoven Is played 
yon hear Beethoven, not Von Buelow. And so on through 
the long list of clansical and modem music. It Is lust this 
objectivity that makes the perfection of art. and it goes 
further than any other Intellectual trait to make the artist. 

£ have merely touched upon certain Kallent points of 
Herr von Boelow*8 playing, but have doubtless failed to 
enumerate many or his merits; let them be summed by 
conceding every talent that can be acquired, and he will 
not be rated too high. 

But there a^ some things that cannot be acquired. 

Is hifl playing emotional? Are we moved by It? Do we 
shed tesrs? Is it Ice and fire? Not iu the least. 



144 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



ThU then Is the little rift within the lute. 

The pluylng of Von Buetow, as compared with that of 
Rnblnsteln has been a subject of discussion. It U a con- 
trast mther than a comparison; for players more utterly 
unl:ke cooUl scarcely be found. The one is always accu' 
rate and always to be depended npon. The other was re- 
markably uneven In his performance and went to heights 
and depths which are undreamed of In the philosophy of 
Von Buelow. 

Von Bnelow's stylo I have characterized as objective,— 
his hand is subdned to what It works in. The style of 
Rublni>tetn is intensely subjective; he colors everything 
with his own individuality. 

I have heard Rubinstein play when he struck false notes, 
omitted whole bars of the music and blurred the phrase, 
almostdistorting it beyond recognition ; and yet at the same 
time there was something in his playing which redeemed 
it ftvm being bad. That something was his own genius. 
A performance with the same defecU, by a player of talent 
merely, would have been wholly bad. 

And I have heard Rubinstein at other times by force of 
that same genius play so dirinely as to be above the reaeh 
of praise. He awakened emotions. Von Buelow simply 
compels admiration. 

This is the vital point of differenoe between the player 
of genius and the player of talent. 

In closing this f ragmenUry article let me say with regard 
to the orchestra that it was the best that oonid be made up 
from the materials at hand and included a number of ex- 
eellent players, yet it was far from perfect and at times It 
must have hampered the pianist. There was however a 
pereepUbie improvement In the performance of the orches- 
tra firom night to night under the baton of Dr. Damrosch, 
who proved himself an able and painstaking eondaetor. 

A.A.O. 

HuBio in Klan. 

There are at the present moment resident within 
the rayon of a mile round the Piazsa delta Scala, as 
many prime donne in posse as would suffice to glut 
the continental and insular temples of the lyric 
drama with Rosinas, Lucias, Gretchens, Valentines, 
Leonoras, and Aminas, for the next twenty years, 
leaving a handsome surplus for the benefit of Eirypt 
and the United Slates. They are, for the most part, 
in the chrysalis state ; humbly lodged in third and 
fourth stories of the huge, rambling Milanese 
houses — the slaves of antiquated ma^frt, whose 
rival " methods " supply them with an inexhaustible 
subject of wransrling conversation — spending their 
mornings In the torments of tol/egffio, and their af- 
ternoons in struggling with the difHculties of the 
Italian language. It is a dismal and a monotonous 
life that these ambitious young ladies, more than a 
hundred of whom are American and British subjects, 
lead in the Lombard capital. Why, one cannot help 
asking one's self, do they select Milan for the seat of 
their studies ? Its climate is variable, and by no 
means favorable to the organs by which the voice is 
produced. Bitter cold winds often blow there for 
weeks at a stretch— winds that remind one of the 
notorious *' Viento del Norte," which has conferred 
so unenviable a rcputvtion uptm Madrid. At other 
times, the city is held for days in a spell of damp- 
ness, during the prevalence of which tenor and 
soprano throats become relaxed, and the prospec- 
tive prime donne assoluie sing as flat as though tney 
were so many Mai lingers. The traditions ot exec- 
utive excellence that still hang round the Scala, can 
be but of little practical benefit to live students; 
and the realities perpetrated in that theatre are of 
so painful a character, that, at best, they can but 
serve as warnings — not as examples. 

Let us turn f^m the Scala, and from the example 
and instruction afforded by that institution, to the 
musical students, aspirants to the highest honors of 
the operatic stage, temporarily resident in Milan, to 
the maairi upon whom these latter are virtually 
dependent for the instruction which is, or, at least, 
■o they believe, to enable them at some future time 
to reap crops of diamonds and gather in golden har- 
vests. The two principal teachers of dramatic sing- 
ing who enjoy almost exclusively the monopoly of 
tuition in this branch of the musical art are, oddly 
enough, both octogenarians. One of them is an 
uneducated jpeasan^ afflicted with deafness and a 
desperately bad temper. He has never taken the 
trouble to learn the Italian language, and conveys 
reproof, advice, and exhortation to nis pnpils in the 
Milanese dialect, which but few of them understand, 
and which is as unmusical a jargon as Platt-Deutsch. 
He vehemently deprecates intelligence and an in- 
qniring spirit in his (Hves^ and refiises to have any. 
thing to Cio with them nnless they will lender him 
a blind and unreasoning obedience. " Non voglio 



teste shagUaie ; hisof/nn ufihedirmi come »m caw* .' *' is 
a favorite axiom of thi.s agreeable old gentleman. 
He has invented a system, too, of produdnj; the 
voice which is one of the most remarkable dif>cover- 
ies of this or any other age. It is called the " Dia- 
phragmatic Method." 

This theory is that the voice has not its source in 
the lungs — *' no»/« avons changi tofit e^a/* this modern 
Diafoirius would certainly observe, could he only 
Kpeak French — bnt in, or under, the larsrest muscle 
in the human body. You must, according to him, 
draw up your voice from somewhere behind your 
midriff, and utter your note af.er expelling your 
breath from the lungs, not in the act of so doing, as 
would occur to the vast majority of human beings 
unversed in the " Diaphragmatic Method." He also 
promulgates the surpriftini; doctrine that you should 
breathe into your bones to prepare yourself for the 
emission of a*niusical note. This part of his syf»t*m 
is a mystery, the key to which I have hitherto' failed 
to discover, though I have bestowed great pains 
upon seeking for it. Wonld-be sins:ers are not, to 
the best of my belief, specially provided with bones 
connected with their breathing apparatn^i, like 
swallows or piureons. Were this so, the problem of 
aSrial navigation might be solved with more than 
lightning swiftness, and Signor Lamberti*s pnpils. 
by inflating the osseous framework of their oodles 
as a preparatory measure to the uttering of dulcet 
sounds, might find themselves in a position to per- 
form a much more remarkable feat than the produc- 
tion of la or sol can ever be considered, whether 
those tones be evoked from the diaphragm or 
pumped up from the bones. Some excellent musical 
friends of mine here have the audacity to assert 
that this system is mere mischievous nonsense, the 
absurdity of which could be exposed in five minuses 
by any anatomical lecturer ; but the maestro sticks 
to it. and finds it profitable. He nails hif diaphrasrm 
to the mast, so to speak, and under that muscular 
banner obtains as many pupils as he can teach, 
whom he brow-beats into the belief that they are 
inflating their bones when they really are only 
oxygenating their blood. Another singula 1y en- 
couraging characteristic of this amiable theorist, in 
his quality as a teacher of -singing, is hi^ practice, 
whenever a new voice is submitted to his judgment, 
of declaring that the voice in question raui^t first be 
utterly destroyed by his diaphragmatic method, and 
then built up again — I presume, upon a bony foun- 
dation. So far as the destructive part of this view 
of his is concerned, he has indeed oeen triumphant- 
ly successful in the case of two or three particularly 
fine voices belonging to young English and Ameri- 
can ladies, which " the method " has annihiloted. I 
only hope he may be enabled to fulfil the remainder 
of his undertaking, and reconstruct them. I am in- 
formed that the maestro, who has probably entered 
into som% exceptional arrangement with the Pares 
with a view to the converMion of Mr. Thorn to cen- 
t<enarian principles, intends to transfer his class from 
Milan to London, where he proposes to make a snug 
little fortune in a few y<»ars, returning subsequently 
to Italy to spend it with his young wife. He is a 
strange being, and would, of a verity, be an inter- 
esting addition, preserved in spirits, to a Museum of 
Comparative Physiology. 

The other great maestro, a "Jenne hommefofdtre* 
of eighty-one, is a gentleman by birth and education, 
who pooh-poohs the famous Diaphrairmatic Method, 
and Ptontly maintains that all the singers he ever 
taught drew their breath from their lungs, not from 
their bones. He is a kindly and encouraging, 
though strict teacher ; but he labors under the tri 
fling disadvantage of being a confirmed paralytic, 
which does a little interfere with the business of 
instruction. He gives his lessons in bed. and is 
visited by short- spasms, at irregular intervals, wh*ch 
at first prove highly disconcerting to his female pu- 
pils. Thus, of the two great Milanese maestri who 
prepare youbg artists for their di/»At on the stage of 
the lyric drama, one is deaf and the other smitten 
by paralysis ; one is short-tempered and too often 
rude, the other is invariably de bonne hMmsur, and 
polite to a fault The one has a *' method," the ben- 
efits of which can only be acouired at the expiration 
of a two year's course, as it taices the most assiduous 
pupil twenty-four months to learn how to breathe 
through her bones and evolve musical sounds from 
the pit of her stomach; the other is content with 
imparting the methods of better men than himself, 
s/at super anti^uas viae, teaches, as it were, an jour 
lejour, and does as much for his pupils as his incu- 
rable malady will let him. Such are the two mighty 
singing-masters of Milan, the greats-grandfathers of 
song, under whose rival banners arc ranged some 
scores of " coming celebrities.' - ffome Journal. 



Spttial Satires. 

DBRCRIPTITB LIST OF THB 



> « •» < 



Vooali with Piano AooompaaiiBent 

Old Kristopher Kringle. Song and Cho. 

2. G to d. Vener. 30 

" Oh, the merrv Jinr*e, 
Of oar Chrinmus bells to-nfirht !" 

A simple and tweet CliristmM ^csrollci.** 

Serenade. (Standchen). He who Heayen 

and Earth is keeping. 9. Ah to f. Raff. 80 

** Till f mm hesy'nlv portal* uhlninc" 
" Bin auf goldner Himmelsleiter.*' 
A moat charming serenade. 

Sonyenir de Swampscot Album. CMllL ea 60 
No. 1. Sailor Boy's Mother. (La Madre 
del Marinaro). 4. A minor to f. 

" T>a Lnnffhi, eeco nn navI«Mo.'» 

*' See. yonder, white Mil* appenring.** 

Better than the average of Itali.in-R'i{rli«h Mongx ; 
Sinco tht music tan* the sweet rrncr of Itallnn com- 
position, and th« wo*-d« have chamct'er. pathos and 
son««. For Alio (ICeixo-Soprano ?) voice. 

Shall I write to say I loye thee ? Song and 

Cho. 2. Bb to f . Brooks, &5 

** Tell me diarest, sweetetit,— do! 

A simple and pretty song, sung by Bryant's Min- 
strel*. 

Parting. 4. F to f. Eayrg. 40 

** Then my soni Rtaall eesse it*s ionglnf , 
And forever be at rest.'' 

Properly Kuner. should be an eiToettve concert song. 
End* in key of Bb, 

Pull down the Blind. 3. C to e. McCartu. 80 

" Did yon ever make love ? 
If not, have a try." 

Very neat and pretty oomie song. 

Margaret at the Spinning Wheel. (Oretchen 

am Spinnrade). 4. D minor to a, 

Schubert. 40 

" Mv hewt is Hid. mv rent In o'er." 

** BCoin Rnh* 1st hm. mein Hers istaehwer.*' 

It mnst be FnUMt's Mnrgaret that In meant, and 
the beautifnl, monrnful mnnlc is quite equal to ex- 
press the rich, sad sentiment of the words. 

Instmms&taL 

Vox Rui*ow. 

1. Oavotte. From Gluck's Don Juan. 4. A. 40 

2. Chiconne. In F. Handel. 00 
8. Polonaise Cbaracteristique. Moniuftzko. 00 
4. GaTotte. Gotfhard. iSO 
6. March Heroique. Op. 3. Von Bulow. 60 

6. Baches Fantasie. Tn C minor. 85 

7. Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata. Op. 27, 

No. 2. 1.00 

Fortunately for ns, th|» <reat planitit Is disposed to 
be a crand Interpreter At clnssieal music, and these 
puldlshed piccps sre admirable studies, aa well as 
admirable music. 

Merry Christmas. Morceau de Salon. 4. F. 

O. D. WiUton. 60 

Merry as the Ohrtstmas belln. and will be a nice 
musical gift. Fine pit^turo title. 

Funeral March for Henry Wilson. With 

Portrait 2. Gm'nor. Bureh. 40 

Those who parehnse it will have a frnod portrait 
of the deceaed yice-Preshl»*nt, in addit.on to the 
imprasaive mualo of tbe march. 

BOOKS. 

Boylston Club Collection. Glees snd Choruses 

for Male Voices. $1. 50 

These pieces are well selected, and will be weleomed by 
If ale Quartets everywhere. 

Living Waters. D. F. Hodges. 80 

A collection of the best kind of sacred pieces for 
Pralne tfeetlngt. Prayer Meetings. Camp Meetings, etc. A- 
l>ovo half the music is newly composed for this work, and 
the other half is selected firom the Talnable oopyri^ta of 
Dttson A Co. 

Concone*8 Lessons and Exercises for (BaPs) 

Toice. Op. 0, 2 books, each $2,60 

Tliere are 00 lessons in these two volames. The value 
of Goncone*s materials cannot be doubted. 



ABBBBviATiovs.^Degrees of difficulty are marked 
1 to 7. Tbe kfyis marked with a capital letter: as C, H 
flat, ac. A small Roman letter marks the hifrbest note, 
if on the sUff , an italic letter the highest note, If above 
tbe staff. 




toigbfs 




uxul 





Whole No. 905. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, DEC. 25, 1875. 



Vol. XXXV. No. 19. 



The Source of Verse. 

Forever more, in the heart of thingfs, 
There are rhythmic pulsings and balancings, 
And endless responses and echoings; 

In rhythmic maroh days roll along ; 

" Day unto day" is the psalmist's song ; 

Ware rhymes with wave in the sea's glad throng ; 

They dance for joy, they dap their hands, 
And la their white and crested hands 
In rhyme they roll along the sands. 

And as the childlike heart lies near 
To Nature's heart with listening ear, 
This rhythmic movement it thrills to hear. 

Hence, in the earliest hnman speech 
Far back where only tradition can reach 
Life's homeliest lore, 'tis the masses that teach. 

From Mother Nature rhyme was caught ; 
It neither as an srt was taught. 
Nor as an artifice was sought. 

[CharUt T. Brooks, in the TVanteripL 



Behnmann's *'OenoTeva" and the Leipilg 

Stage. 

[Correspondence of the Matleal Record, London.] 

Of the many advantages which the good old 
city of licipzig offers to those who como here 
not solely for pleasure and amnsement, but for 
scientific work and study, there is one which 
goes far to make up for the total absence of 
pretty scenery, the want of home comfort, and 
the general dulness of the town ; it is the ad- 
vantage of an excellent opera. And all the 
conditions and surroundings of opera-going are 
here, as they are generally on the Continent, so 
infinitely more inviting, so much less oppres- 
sive than in London. Ladies need not waste 
the greater part of the day in preparing for the 
formidable undertaking of the evening. One 
has not to rush home, dress, and dine, in a 
frantic hurry, and, pour eomble du lonheur^ pay 
ten shillings for a cab to and from the opera. 
Leipzig is not a city of magnificent distances; 
from the laboratory, from the lecture-room, 
from the constitutional round the* 'Promenade** 
or the '* Rosenthal,** we drop into our reserved 
■eats at the opera; we feel that fashion, dress, 
and high prices are not the first and foremost 
considerations, and there is something in the 
whole atmosphere which tells us that we are in 
a temple of art where music is cultivated for 
its own sake. The Muses have domesticated 
themselves in this beautiful theatre; and it is 
this afilnity between audience and performers 
which is peculiar to the Leipzig opera, and con- 
stitutes the essence of its charm. To the ama- 
teur lover of music it affords a pleasant and 
ineipensive recreation; while to the student of 
art it is a practical school in which every per- 
formance is as good as a lesson. 

The leading characteristic of the Leipzig op- 
era, and that which constitutes its chief ezcel- 
lenpe, is a good ensetMe, The artists are, with 
two or three exceptions, hardly above the aver- 
age ; the chorus is at times lamentably ineflicient ; 
but no opera in the world can boast of a more 
highly cultivated band, and, whatever the mer- 
it p&r M of any given opera, the performance as 
a whole always reflects credit on the managers ; 
for it gives proof of careful study and artistic 
treatment ; both singers and band are imbued 
with the feu taeri of their art, and there is in 
every performance that oneness which is always 
traceable to the master^s eye, and a rigorous 



discipline. And why has the Leipzig stage 
reached so high a standard f Because the lead- 
ing principle of the managers is to rear and 
train an efficient average force, to produce in 
the performance unity by the hannonious action 
of all components ; because they have long since 
discarded that most mischievous, that most 
pemirious system, the **star " syatem — ^because 
they know that so long as that system rules 
supreme there can be no truly national opera. 
And, noble as is the task of creating a national 
opera in London, it will never be accomplished 
so long as the star svstem sways the sceptre. 
Alas for the noble efforts enlisted under such 
conditions! for the national opera will remain 
a problem, and the star system will be the rock 
upon which it must split. Nor is the charac- 
teristic feature of a good entemhU in any way 
peculiar to the Leipzig stage. We need not go 
to Paris, Munich, Vienna, or Berlin; in the op- 
era of Dresden, Weimar, Dessau, and of all 
those miniature capitals which rejoice in a roy- 
al or ducal theatre, we notice the same leading 
idea, and in carrying it out that same consist- 
ency which enables those comparatively small 
stages, with their slender means and material, 
to give most of Wagner*s and other operas 
which baulk the London impresario ana his 
coadjutors ; and if they cannot vie with Berlin 
or Vienna, depend upon it they always make a 
wonderfully good attempt. But Leipzig pos- 
sesses all those features in a more eminent 
degree. The theatre is not subsidized by a 
court; it was raised by the town, and is a mu- 
nicipal institution. It is supported not only 
by the members of a large university, whose 
merits are purely intellectual, but chiefly by a 
wealthjr commercial community, jealous of the 
reputation their stage ep joys, fastidious in their 
demands upon the managers, and determined 
not to put up with such stale seditions [f 1 as N^yr- 
fna and Sannamhula, And so blendea is the 
theatre with all the interests of the cultivated 
Leipzig citizen, that he looks upon the artists, 
not as strangers who are to be shunned because 
they have made art their profession, not as un- 
productive laborers, whose work, acccording to 
Adam Smith's obsolete theory, perishes in the 
instant of its production ; he looks upon them 
as his own familiar friends, and in his beauti- 
ful theatre he is as much at home as ** Pindar 
was in Delphi." It is owing to a taste and an 
atmosphere so tmly actistic that the Leipzig 
stage has become the nursery-ground on which 
have been reared many of the most prominent 
artists who now adorn Berlin, Vienna, Munich, 
and Dresden ; and it is this true home of art 
which alone can claim the merit of having 
brought out, and successfully revived, Schu- 
mann's Oenouta^ the great master's only opera 
— a work which, if it be second to any, can be 
second only to Fiddio, 

The well-known legend of St. Genoveva has 
been treated, both dramatically and musically, 
by different writers. The students of the Uni- 
versity of Prague performed in 1721 a musical 
drama entitled 2>»oa Oenofeva. Haydn, wrote a 
Qenpveva for Prince Esterhazy's puppet-theatre ; 
and, quite recently, Scholtz has treated the 
subject in his opera Oolo, Both Tieck and 
Hebbel dramatized the legend, and it is from 
these two dramas that Schumann has derived 
his book. Undoubtedly the book suffered by 
the combination of these two in some respects 
conflicting sources, and some of the draniaric 
situations are not as powerful as the subject 
admits; but, on the other hand, the book, as it 
is, has the great merit of being Schumann's 
own; and, as such, it is a striking example of 
I the rule that, whenever the book is good, there 



is a strong presumption in favor of the musical 
treatment being good too. With rigid consis- 
tency he disdains all scenic effects, such as we 
find in Meyerbeer and Wagner. The many 
homely touches he introduces, the poetic and 
intellectual spirit which pervades tne whole, 
reveal his intensity of feeling, no less than his 
refined taste and culture; and the more you 
penetrate into the intrinsic merits of this gra 
musical drama, the more irresistible grows th© 
impression that such a work could only emanate 
from a pure and noble mind. 

The salient features of the drama may be 
summed up as follows:— In the first act Si»5- 
fried takes leave of Genoveva; her safety he 
entrusts to Golo's protection; his estate and 
household he leaves in the charge of Drago, his 
faithful steward, and, surrounded by his retain- 
ers, he sets out on the crusade against the Sar- 
acens. But it now becomes apparent that Golo 
cannot control his secret love for Genoveva; he 
vows that she shall be his; and in his designs 
he is stimulated by Margarethe, a sorceress who 
promises to assist, and rid him of the chief ob- 
stacle — Siegfried. 

In the second act, Golo comes at a late hour 
to apprise his mistress of a reported victory, 
and, finding her alone, is overcome by his pas- 
sion : but she indignantly repels the insult, and, 
haying thrown into his teeth his origin and po- 
sition, she leaves him, crushed, and brooding 
revenge. Frustrated in his designs, he now 
vows to ruin her. Margarethe spreads among 
the household reports of Genoveva's intimacy 
with her chaplain ; the servants become riotous, 
and Drago, with Golo's knowledge, consents to 
conceal himself in Genoveva's chamber, but on- 
ly In order to satisfy himself that his beloved 
mistress is innocent. But, led by .Margarethe, 
the servants enter the hall in a body, and, in 
spite of Genoveva's remonstrances and her ap- 
peals to Golo for protection, they force her 
chamber, where they find Drago, who is dragged 
out and murdered on the spot. Margarethe's 
and Golo's plot has succeeded. Genoveva is 
dragged to the tower by the infuriated crowd 
of servants. 

The third act shows us Siegfried on his way 
home to Treves, detained by a wound at Stras- 
burg, under Margarethe's care. She fails in 
her attempt to poison him by a drink ; he re- 
covers, and is on the point of starting, when 
Golo arrives with a letter from the chaplain, 
apprising Siegfried of Genoveva's adultery with 
Drago. In the face of this proof Siegfried, 
though crushed by the blow, commands Golo 
to put Genoveva to death ; but, before he sets 
out, he determines to see Margarethe's maf<ic 
mirror, in which she had promised to show him 
Genoveva at home. The pictures which the 
mirror reveals of Genoveva's growing intimacy 
with Drago only confirm her guilt; unable to 
contain himself, Siegfried strikes a fatal blow 
at the mirror, and rushing away, calls on Golo 
to revenge him. But the blow at the mirror is 
fatal also to Margarethe's black art;.Drago'8 
spirit rises, and commands her immediately to 
repair to Siegfried and confess the plot. 

In the last act Genoveva is dragged into the 
forest to be put to death. Golo again tries to 
persuade her to yield, as the only means of es- 
caping death ; but she remains firm, and Golo, 
having ordered his men to execute Siegfried's 
commands, rushes away in despair, and dies by 
his own hand. But Genoveva espies a cross 
among the trees; to it she clings, for by it she 
will die ; the men dare not murder her on the 
sacred spot, and, before they have time to tear 
her away, Siegfried, led by Margarethe, appears 
on the scene with bis followers, and the rising 



HHWM 



rtdteMb 



mmt 



^^ 



146 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



8un sees Genoveva restored to SieprfriecVs arms. 
She forgives him, she forgives nil; for is not 
Siegfried again her own ? 

It will be seen that throughout the action 
Genoveva is the victim of brutality, wicked- 
ness, and of a foul plot into which even Sieg- 
fried allows himself to be dragged. All is 
against her; and her love for Siegfried, her 
faith in a Divine justice, and her virtue alone 
steel her against the stings and arrows of out- 
rageous fortune. Her virtue is rewarded in the 
end ; but Margarethe disappears, and Golo is 
allowed to escape. What an effect, it has been 
remarked, Schumann might have produced if 
Siegfried had surprised Golo in his final appeal 
to Genoveva I what a trio he might have writ- 
ten for such a scene ! This want of great dra- 
matic actions, and the absence of some sympa- 
thetic being who supports Genoveva in her 
sorest trouble, are generally regarded as the 
great weakness of the work; but assuming this 
to be a deficiency, the stage-manager has sup- 
plied it by a number of highly artistic and re- 
fined stage-effects, so that the interest in the 
action is maintained up to the very end. Nor 
did Schumann intend Genoveva to fight her 
battle entirely single-handed, for he introduced 
a characteristic figure in the shape of Angelo, 
a deaf-and-dumb page, who is devoted to his 
mistress and twice intercedes in her behalf in 
the hour of trial. Strange to relate, this deaf- 
and-dumb page does not appear, at least not 
entirely, in the opera as it is now given ; and I 
cannot help thinking that, in justice to Schu- 
mann, the co-operation of this character 5«hould 
not be wanting. Like Fenella, he would enlist 
one^s sympathy at once by his devotion and by 
that inborn vivacity peculiar to persons pos- 
sessed of his infirmity, and his action would 
considerably heighten the dramatic effect of the 
whole. But for this, the managers have fully 
realized Schumann^s poetic and lofty conception 
of the subject. 

And what shall I say of Oenoveva as a musical 
composition ? As a work of art it stands alone. 
The arioso style, which is one of its leading 
characteristics, unites the opera to a continuous 
whole ; not a bar seems wasted ; there is not a 
crude, not a vulgar passage: Schumann does 
not, like the present champion of the musical 
drama, work himself at times into a labyrinth 
of apparently bewildering passages in order to 
give all the more prominence to a gigantic ef- 
fect which follows; his effects are all there, 
they are produced without any effoit; and it is 
this spontaneity which makes the music so gen- 
uine. The more we read, mark, learn, and in- 
wardly digest this great work, the more does 
it grow upon us, the more clearly do we per- 
ceive that all this wealth of melody could flow 
only from a transcendent creative genius. For 
into his Qenareta Schumann has infused all the 
purity, all the freshness, the lyric beauty and 
originality of style, which have made him the 
founder of a great and healthy school. With 
that modesty by which real greatness always 
excels, he made it his aim that his work should 
tell by its intrinsic merits; and he accomplished 
his aim, for he made his Genoveva *^a possession 
for all times. ^' It is the work of a Plato rather 
than of an Aristotle, rather of a more gentle 
and polished Melancthon than of a Luther. 

How is it, it may well be asked, that a work 
of such surpassing merit had little more than a 
succes (Testime when it was first produced ? How 
is it that, with the exception of the overture, 
it has been shelved for twenty-five years, and 
that even now it has found a true home only on 
the Leipzig stage? 

The want of a greater and more immediate 
success in 1850 was owing chiefly to surround- 
ing conditions. Meyerbeer at that time had 
reached the acme of his power; his dazzling 
and novel effects carried all before them. 
Schumann^s music was hardly known, and 
much less appreciated. The scenic arrange- 
ments appear to have been very inefiicient in 
the old theatre. Schumann conducted in per- 
son the flrst two perfoimances, and it will not 
be too much to say that conducting is admitted 



not to have been the great mMtef 9 forte. But 
the opera was well received. ** A large num- 
ber of the composer's friends and admirers," 
says an account in the local paper of that time, 
**■ had come to witness the first perfonnance of 
Oenoveva, and among the audience we recog- 
nized many musical celebrities from Berlin and 
Dresden. Dr.. Schumann was received with 
applause when he entered, and was called be- 
fore the curtain at the end of the performance, 
the end of every act having been marked by 
warm applause."' Genoveva was successfully 
revived in the new theatre last winter; it has 
again, and with even greater suCcess, been pro- 
duced this season, and is now one of the stan- 
dard operas of the Leipzig stage. And truly 
the greatest credit is due to the managers for 
the artistic care they have bestowed on the pro- 
duction of a work presenting so many scenic 
and musical difficulties. But as a performance, 
the great success of the opera is due almost 
solely to the excellent enaetribh^ to the evenness, 
to the unity and harmony of rendering. True, 
a Leipzig audience is very artistic, and though 
singularly undemonstrative, very appreciative; 
and Schumann is a household word with the 
inhabitants; but is not Schumann\s name also 
a household word in Loudon ? Is not the love 
and taste for his music perhaps more dee])ly 
rooted and more widely diffused in London than 
anywhere else? 

And at a time like the present, when such 
noble efforts are made to realize the idea of a 
national opera, w^hen, as a stepping-stone 
towards a consummation so devoutly to be 
wished, there is some hope of German opera 
being revived next season, why should it not 
be possible to produce Genoveva^ and to offer 
so great, so genuine a treat to those who are 
**mov«d by the concord of sweet sounds? * 
But on the **star'* principle it is impossible; 
for Genoveva will only admit of an -artistic 
treatment, and the ^' star "system is incompat- 
ible with true art; it impedes progress; it marks 
an artificial, stationary, ana morbid state of 
things: cut it down; why cumbereth it the 
ground ? 



The Opera in Paris. 

Mr. Henry James, Jr.*. in the first of hi a new se- 
ries of letters to the Tribune, under the liend of 
"Psiis Revisited," (Nov. 22), thas describes a visit 
to the Opera : 

The new Opera Is open, and to all appearance 
very prusperuus. There were inony prophecies, I 
believe, that so elaborate an estahlisbment could 
never be a psylng «>nterpri9e, but the present fort- 
une of the Opera heems to be verv positively confut- 
ing them. The Winter has not begun, the" class of 
people who keep their opern-box as they keep their 
coup^ has not returned to Paris, and yet the mai^nlfi. 
cent house is magnificently full. On'the other hand, 
this ia a season when stransrera and provincials are 
numerous, and every one has to ^o at leaAt once to 
see the house. When the house haa been seen it 
may be less crowded. The new Opera haa been for 
any time these six years the mo«>t obvious architect- 
ural phenomenon in Paris, and this may seem rather 
a late day for speaking of it ; but now that the whole 
great edifice stands complete, and that the refi:iroe 
that produced it has crumbled away around it, it 
has a sort of significance and dicrnity which were 
not down in the programme. The Opera is already 
an historical monument; it resumes in visible, sen- 
sible shape what the Empire proposed to itself to 
be, and it forms a kind of symbol — a very favorable 
one— of the Empire's legacy to France. There may 
be differences of opinion about the beauty of the 
building ; to my sense it is in a high degree pictor- 
eeque and' effective, but it is not beautiful ; but no 
one can deny that it is superbly characteristic; that 
it savors of its time ; that it tells the story of the 
society that produced it. If this, as some people 
think, is the prime duty of a great building, the 
Opera is an incomparable success. It seems to me 
that a noble edifice should say something to a com- 
munity as well as of it. and that unless, in both 
ways, it can speak agreeably, it bad better hold its 
tongue. The outride of the Opera is, I repeat, how- 
ever, an old story ; it is only the great golden mile 
itself that is a currant question. If France Is down 



in the world just now, there is something; fine in 
seeing: her make her protest, recover her balance, 
where and how she ran. It does it along a certain 
line jn8t now at the Opera, whore they are giving 
tl'.e "Hamlet*' of Ambroise Thomas, with Mme. 
Cnrvalho and Faure. It is the French jjenins nlcmo 
tliat payn the cost of the spectacle- French archi- 
tecture, French paintin£r, French music, French 
sins^ers, and certainly, in spite of Shakespeare, a 
French libretto. Ophelia, in her madness, comes 
forth and delivers her rue and rosemary to the oorpa 
de hnllet. M. Thomas's music is ponderous and mo- 
notonous; but nobler singinj^r and acting than 
Faure's, and more artistic vocalixati<m than Mme. 
Carvalho'a it would be impossible to find. The 
house is perhaps a trirle disappointing— a trifle less 
fabulous and tremendous than one was encouraged 
to suppose it. Reasonnhlv viewed, it is superb and 
uninteresting. It ia nothing but gold — j^old upon 
cold; it has been sfildod till it is dark with ffold. 
This is doubtless, from the picturesque point of view, 
rather a fine effect for a theatre to produce. The 
really strong points at the Opera are the staircase 
and the /b.vT. The tftaircase is li{rht and brilliant, 
though I think a trifle vulfrar; an immense affair of 
white marble, overlaid with pale agates and alabas- 
ters climbing in divergent arms and crowned with a 
garish fresco of nymphs and mu^es, in imitatifm (of 
all people in the world) of Luca Giordano. If the 
world were ever reduced to the dominion of a sin- 
gle gorgeous potentate, the foyer would do very 
well for his throne-room. It is a most roajcnificeut 
opartment, and, like the auditorium, gilded all over 
a foot thick — a loni; f^olden corridor, whose only 
reproach is that it leada nowhere. It could lead to 
nothinsT e^randor than itself. In the far-away ceil- 
ing, dimly and imperfectly through the dusky grlow 
of gas and gilding, you make out the great series of 
frescoes by M. Baudry. They are very noble and 
beautiful, and the most interesting things in the 
building. You manage to perceive that much of 
this is exquisite, and you cannot help feelin*; a cer- 
tain admiration for a building which can afford to 
consign such costly work to the reign of cobwebs. 



-•—••«< 



A Seyenth Concerto by Beethoven. 

In the programme book of a recent Saturday 
Crystal Palace Concert Mr. Orovo speaks of a new 
pianoforte concerto by Beethoven. He thus refers 
to the discovery :— 

I have sometimes expressf-d my belief that Beetho- 
ven lookftd upon the E flat concerto as his ne plna 
nltrn in that line ; and that after that miracle of 
greatness and beauty he never attempted another. 
It turns out now that Beethoven did actually pro- 
ject another pianoforte concerto, and did in fact g^ 
so far as to complete a great part of it. This dis- 
covery, I need haidly say, is one to Mr. Nottebohm, 
who has made so many discoveries in the ocean of 
Beethoven literature as to earn f« r himself the title 
of ** the Beethoven explorer." His new discovery is 
announced in the Afueikalixrket Wockmblatt, and is 
as follows : — *' An Unfinished Pianoforte Concerto. 
— Beethoven intended after finishing his concerto in 
E flat to write another. Not only are there numer- 
ous sketches for it, but he even began to put the 
first movement into score, and made crreat progress 
with it. The sketches fill at least fifty pages, and 
belong to the time between the middle of 1814 and 
May, 1816. The score, of which as many as thirty 
sheet-s (equal sixty pages) are in existence, was be- 
gun not later than June, 1816. It is to be regretted 
that the work was not completed ; but it is a ques- 
tion whether in that case we should ever have pos- 
sessed the sonata for pianoforte and 'cello, Op. 102, 
No. 2, which the master wrote oiler layina: aside 
the concerto.** 

Mr. Grove reminds us that the 7th and 8th sym- 
phonies, and the pianoforte trio in B flat, were all 
written before the dates g^ven above. Observing 
that the first movement of the new treasure, as far 
as may be inferred from the existing score, must be 
all but complete, he adds : — 

Perhaps I may be able to obtain a oopy of the 
whole, and bring it to performance in tnis room. 
Every effort of Mr. Manns and myself will be used 
to this end. liut, meantime, my correspondence 
with Mr. Nottebohm only enables me to say that 
the ** thirty sheets " are widely scattered, and in the 
possession of many different persons, and that it 
must be a work of time to collect them. 



■ lit 



ttm^m^ 



P«k-M 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, DEC. 25, 1875. 



147 



Baelow in Baltimore. 

Many amasln^ stories have been told of Von 
Bnelow since he came to this country, and many 
good things liave been said about his playin;;. 
Amon)!^ the most amusins^ and the best reports is 
this from the BaUimorf BulUlln, of Dec. 11. 

Dr. Uana Von Buclow is a p^reat artist, and jnstly 
entitled to artistic eccentricities. He splashed down 
into our quiet art centre, and in the course of a very 
few hours liad every tliin«v in a buzz. 11 is style of 
play is so eminently disciplined, smooili and ru6ned, 
and his cast of face so military and self-restriiined 
that one hardly looks for the oddities of temper that 
have marked hi^ visit here. It was the fortune of 
tlie writer hereof to see him at the rehearsal on the 
mornini^ of the first concert da\\ He came in in a 
quick nervous wav« stood a moment at the bark of 
the theatre, took off hii^ overcoat with a jerk and 
slammed it down. He listened for a while to the 
orchestra which was rehearsing one of the overtures 
of Gluck and noddeil his head at the rhythm with a 
smile of approval. Suddenly, as if shot out of a 
gun, he disappeared, and in a moment aflerwnrd 
advanced through the f(»rest of trombones and big 
fiddles to the conductor's stand, and seized Mr. 
Uamerik — his old pupil — C4iught him to his bosom 
and kissed him. This chaste yet tender dalliance 
lasted but a moment, and the darker side of his 
temper flashed out. He walke<l to the piano, on 
which huns: a sign whereon was inscribed the word 
" Chickering." •• I am not," be said with a look of 
acorn, " a travelling advertisement," and jerking off 
the sign laid the large gilt letters face downward on 
the stage, and cast at it a glance of hatred as though 
it were a loathsome reptile. Calling out to an 
acquaintance in the auditorium, he said in good 

idiomatic English : "Mr. . that jackass has sent 

a sign-board down with the piano.** He then lapsed 
into German, in which the words "Lump** and 
"Schweinhund ** were audible. After he began the 
rehearsal, in one of the orchestral interludes, be got 
up and tipped softly arotmd. picked up the hated 
sign and carried and stuck it under the tail end of 
the grand piano; and then in another Interval 
walked around there and kicked it. Thus was he 
appeased with Hood. 

But in the rehearsal the thorough masterr of the 
man was apparent, his clear conception of the work 
as a* whole, his perfect knowledge of every detail of 
each phrase played by every instrument; and 
though captious and fault-finding, demanding often 
several repetitions of a passage, yet always patient, 
cheerful and inspiring. He was appreciative too, 
and at the end ot the first movement got up and 
bowed to the orchestra, and caught Mr. Hamerik 
by both hands. 

Yet at the concert we could not but think that 
these frequent long rehearsals in city after city must 
take something of the poetry and passion of the mu- 
sic from his soul. When so mucn is of necessity 
given to mechanism the ethereal something escapes 
into the void. Yon BueIow*s technique is simply 
perfect. His hand is small, but it is trained to ab- 
solute obedience to hli will ; and the smallness of 
his hand makes needful a greater use of the wrist, 
whose action is truly wonderful. He never strikes 
a wrong note ; he never loses l.is disciplined impe- 
tus in a rush of passion ; be is always clear .cut, re- 
fined, vigorous, yet exquisitely delicate, magnificent 
in his grasp of the composition in all its unity and 
aynmietry, splendid in his revelation of its 

The great piece of the evening was that concerto 
which reigns supreme, the E flat, op. 78 of Beetho- 
ven. It was played with faultless grace and skill. 
He does not selfishly absorb into the piano part the 
whole interest, but with unerring touch merges his 
instrument at times iutf) a member of the orchestra, 
and at times rules over it, but always keeps a refined 
opposition of its cf>ol pearly tone against ihe richer 
color of the orchestra. But the concerto stirred no 
de«^p emotion. It had not the breadth and majesty 
of Madame Auerbach, n(«r the rich passion of Rubin- 
stein. Madame Auerbach is less finished ; Rubin- 
stein strikes many wrong notes: Von Bnelow is 
faultily faultless, icily regular. We believe that he 
has played this ccmcerto t«K> often. He has ceased 
to love it, aa Booth has ceased to love HamleL 

And this was evident from his playing of Chopin. 
These were solos, and so, were not so worn to nim 
AS the orchestral concertoa. And in hearing him 
we were surprised at the hostile criticisms of some 
of the New York press at his playing of Chopin. To 
our fancy he excels all others in this music ; it is 
so exquisitely tender and poetic. Rubinstein played 
Chopin grandly ; but Chop'.n is ethereal, capricious. 



morbid, not grand. It was like reciting: a dplicato 
henrt'iirk piem of Keat* or Shelley i:i a rioh rcMin- 
ant decliimntion. Poor Chopin often n ei to put \\\a 
hand to his cars when others were playinvf his com- 
poVili(m<. and «ny : "Oh, too much noi«e; loo inncli 
noin*; that is not my mu^ic." Von Buelow plays 
the wild nrnbesqiies that Chopin throws nroiind hijt 
themes, witli such a «<oft touch, so 1e<;nto. yet 8o 
crisp, that they r^eeni almost to be felt rather than 
heard, and thr(ni:;h this the melody wnils so sndly 
that it seems to call up the p.ilc sad face of the com- 
poser before tlie listener. His is the very music of 
Chopin: Von Buelow understands him best. In his 
playing of Liszt the disadvantage of his smoU hand 
is evident. It is like all the rest, finish«'d. intellect- 
ual, elesrant, but lacks thai reckles^s dash and rap- 
ture of the strife which is the soul of Liszt. Not to 
compare any further Von Buelow with lluhinstein, 
let anyone fresh from Von Buelow's rendition of 
Liszt remember if he can how the shagjrv-headed 
Co?sack played the " Erl King." If he heard it, he 
has not forjjotten it. 

Vim Buelow's rendition of the Weber concerto 
was perfect. It seems almost harsh to say that this 
brilliant, showy piece was better played by him 
than the d^ep thoughted. sublime E flat of Beetho- 
ven ; but it is true." But we cannot think that he 
should be judged by this. We prefer to think that 
Von Buelow is a grand interpreter of Beethoven, 
only we have not been so fortunate as to catch him 
in one of hi? inspired m >ments. The audiences were 
very enthusiastic, and after each performance he 
was called out two or three times ; ne always reap- 
peared hat in hand, and administered to the audience 
a semi-circular bow. 



^ ■ 



Mile. Tieljens and her American 
Andiencea 

[From the Same.] 

Mdlle. Tietjcns has been in Baltimore during the 
week, and in spite of tlie weather has been acquiring 
some very agreeable impressions of our city and 
our people. She says, with a pleasant dryness, that 
she has seen larger audiences; but she always feels 
partially compensated for quantity by quality, the 
latter at least having been a recognizable character- 
istic of our*s. Of audiences in the United States 
Mile. Tietjens has an excellent opinion ; and the 
judgment in such a matter of so eminent an artiste 
has a great deal of weight. A public singer sees 
and feels an audience in the theatre or concert ro3m 
a great deal more than is general I3' supposed, and 
much of the success attained depends upon the tem- 
per and disposition of that audience. English audi- 
ences Mile. Tietjens has found somewhat frigid and 
reserved, evincing little real sympathy with an ar- 
tist's efforts, and repressing as much as possible any 
external display of emotion. Irish and Italian audi- 
ences are on the conti ary warm and demonstrati <re, 
the former a little too much so according to some 
recent accounts that Mdlle. Tiecjens baa had of the 
behavior of the Gods at the Theatre Royal in Dub- 
lin. But American audiences, she says, remind her 
of the Italian more than any others. They are 
warm, impulsive, and they thoroughly nnderstand 
what is offered them. They arc cultivated, possess 
a sound and well-developed critical faculty; and 
they are quick to express their distaste for that 
which is Inierior. The best audiences that she has 
had. Mile. Tietjens says, have been the Boston audi- 
ences, in sinsrtng to whom she found a peculiar 
pleasure. They were responsive and enthusiastic, 
and she felt that they really aiipreciated her art. 
But Mile. TietjcLs met one auaience that was dis- 
couraging and exceptional, in Washington. They 
had as much susceptibility, she says, as so many 
chairs, and her singing was met with a cold impas- 
sibility that was chilling. One gentleman in front, 
and strange to say an editor too, presented an oasis 
of encouragement in this unemotional desert of cul- 
tivated respectability, and Mile. Tietjens took heart 
of his cheerful and well-bestowed applause and de- 
termined to make an effort. She did. and was vic- 
torious. One by one the out-works of their reserve 
gave way; and before she had cuncliided she had 
them awakened into the wildest enthusiasm, which 
was all the more notable because of ita contrast with 
the sentiment that had preceded it. 

Of the prospecta of Italian opera Mile. Tietjens 
spoke guardedly. It does not appear that Mr. Stra- 
kosch sees his way very clearly to making it remu> 
nerative, and, to tell the truth, he is doubtful about 
securing the proper sort of artists to support Mile. 
Tietjens. A paragraph in our last New \ork lette.-* 
gave some assurance of a better outlook, bat it la 



questionable if we shall hive much of a venture on 
the pnrt of our usually indomitable impresario. 
Mile. Tietjens has been much amu<ed at the course 
of the press of New York in this connection. It 
has as«umed t/» hold her personally responsible for 
the failure of New York to have a season of Italian 
opera, and the Herald \n particular talks as if it had 
a per'«onal sf-ievatice against her. 

Our AcaJemy of Music Mile. Tietjens is delighted 
with. She says it is a beautiful house and most 
coinfort^iblc to sin«; in. the acoustic properties are 
so excellent. She was present at the Von Buelow 
concert on Monday evening. She speaks of him in 
terms of the warmest admiration. " Listen to that 
touch." she said ; *" was there anything ever heard 
to equal it T Such precision, sucti exquisite delica- 
cy, such unexamtled perfection of execution T* 

" Rubinstein ? ** 

" Ah. well. Von Buelow has attained to all that 
it is possible to attain to in the way of technical ac- 

Suirement; human skill is exhausted by him; but 
lubinstein has more soul, more inspiration." 



Hkr First Concert is Baltimork. 

Mile. Teresa Tietjens appeared in the long post- 
poned concert, at the Academy of Music on Wednes- 
day nis:ht, to a house not large, but very apprecia- 
tive of her. A public onco disappointed by a 
concert postponed does not rally to a second call ; 
and the fresh first interest having died away is 
rarely to be warmed np again. Mile. Tieticn'a 
voice, however, showed but Utile trace of her long 
sickness, and though past its early freshness has 
still those grand qualities tha^. have so justly given 
her world-wide fame. The first note of " Ocean, 
thou Mighty Monster,'* came in a great wave of 
tone that set all doubts at rest Her musical decla- 
mation is superb. Every word is as distinct as if 
spoken : and the recitative is delivered with a cer- 
tain nobleness not easy to define. The aria from 
Oberon requires a very great compass, and tests thor- 
oughly every part of the voice, so that no defect 
would escape notice; and only in the very highest 
notes is there any loss in accuracy of intonation or 
in purity of tone, and nowhere is there any appear- 
ance of effort And everywhere is evident that 
faultless method, that absence of the bad manner- 
isms that so soon wear away the voices of lesser ar- 
tists. 

Yet for one thing we cannot forgive Mile. Tiet- 
jens ; it is for the paltry character oi most of the 
selections on the programme. She makes the mis- 
take that so many make in coming here, of under- 
rating the musical culture of this city. We do not 
go to concerts to hear a great singer in a waltz of 
Arditi and his // Bacio^ nor can we endure the inev- 
itable " Home, Sweet Home ** as an encore. And 
we feel confident that if she had offered a programme 
worthy of herself her audience would have been far 
larsrer. It seemed almost aad that an artist who 
could have thrilled an audience with " I Know that 
my Redeemer liveth ** or " On mighty Pens ** should 
have gone warbling through such inanities as V 
Ard'Ua or // Bado. We hope before this season is 
over to hear her here in oratorio, for we do not 
fe<;l that as yet we have truly heard the " Queen of 
Song." 

Mr. Sauret*8 violin has lost none of ita sweetness. 
His playing is firm in the traditions of the Conserv- 
atoire of Paris, lovely in tone, brilliant, highly fin- 
ished. He seems incapable of a harsh tone, or of 
roughness or stiffness of bowing. His music ripples 
out of his violin with refined expression, but it is a 
caressing sort of thing, rather lixe the prattle of a 
sweet child than the eloquence of deep feeling. 
This was illustrated by the exquisite way in which 
he played as an encore a Berceuse, and by the tame- 
ness of his rendition of two movements of the Kreut- 
zer sonata of Beethoven. 

. Madame Teresa Carreno Sanrethas. we learn, like 
Mile. Tietjens, recently recovered from a severe 
sickness ; and though her beauty showed no trace 
of it, her playing did. Moreover it is her present 
misfortune to be heard in the interval between two 
ctmcerts of Von Buelow, a trial that might well 
make the greatest quail. Signor Orlandini has a 
kind of a baritonish voice and did his beat— T&tdL 

Per Contra. As an amusing foil to the above 
true praise, as well as showing to what a sublime 
height the critical faculty may be can led by a Yan- 
kee, we are tempted to append the following concise, 
conclusive notice of Mile. Tietjens from a mnaical 
joornal, called the darkm^ publiahed in Salem, 












iwalapM 



■*•• 



14S 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



Mass. Tlie last sentence is particnlArl j to the point, 
illustrating as it does the candor of the critic I 

M11^ Teresse Tietjens is to-day bat an ordinary 
vocalist What alie may have been we cannot say. 
but one thing is certain, she is now at discount witli 
the best voice critics, notwitlistanding some of our 
American journals sound loud and long notes of 
praise in her behalf, or perhaps in behalf of Mr. 
Strakoscli, under whose auspices she came to this 
country to receive from him the little sum of |1500 
per evening. No wonder that $1.(K) is charged for 
the privilege of standing up in a disUnt corner of 
Boston Music Hall, and |8.00 for aJSni dwu seat. 
What an imposition I Mr. Strakosch deserves to 
lose money as they say is the case. But tliis has 
nothing to do with Mile. Tietjens. and yet it has, for 
it is not worth fifty cents to hear her sing. Her 
voice is old and worn out, and should have been 
kept as a centennial curiosity. It has lost all its 
sweetness and simplicity, and is to be regarded now 
as only a thing of immensity. Its possessor, however, 
is the very type of a lady and said to be very noble 
in her character. 



■♦♦■ 



Muiifi and the BUnd. 

In the forty-fourth Annual Report of the Trustees 
of the Perkins Institution and Massachusetts Asy- 
lum for the Blind, the Director, Dr. S. 6. Howe, 
speaks as follows of the place which Music holds in 
the education of the pupils and of its use to them in 
after life. 

Oreat attention has continued to be paid during 
the past year to the study of music, both in its prac- 
tice as an art and its theory as a science. 

Instruction has been eiven to a large number of 
the pupils by a corps oi five talented and able resi- 
dent teachers, assisted by a few of the advanced 
scholars, and grent facilities for musical culture have 
been afforded. The services of eminent professors 
in the city have been promptly employed whenever 
special instruotlon on some particular Instrument 
was requited ; and one of the oest vocal teachers in 
Boston has been, and is still, giving leswns in sing- 
icg and vocal training to an Mvanced class. 

Some of our blind people have also profited at 
times by the instruction given in the conservatories 
of music 

Opportunities for hearing the works of the best 
masters interpreted by prominent artists, have been 
eagerly sought and amply enjoyed by our students 
of music. In fact, nothing has been omitted which 
can contribute to the improvement of the ear, the 
culture and refinement of the taste, or the attain- 
ment of excellence in the art. 

Our collection of the necessary appliances for a 
thorough musical education is more complete, and 
in better condition, than ever before. New instru- 
ments have been added during the past year, and 
several of the older ones repaired and put in good 
order. Our pianofortes are numerous, and in excel- 
lent condition, and our facilities for thorough prac- 
tice are uncommonly good. The large church-organ, 
as well as the three smaller ones, does excefient 
service in our system of musical education. 

Most of our pupils show a keen appreciation of 
these invaluable facilities, and many of them try by 
steady application and unflagging industry to turn 
them to the greatest advantage. A dafs of advanced 
scholars have given considerable attention to the 
study of the literature of music, and a great amount 
of matter referring to this subject has been written 
out by them in the Braille system. In short, the 
condition of our musical department continues to be 
as flourishing as can be desired, and new recruits 
from the more talented among the pupils are contin- 
ually swelling its numbers. 

This department is neccsarily regarded as one of 
the most important instrumentalities in our system 
of training. A good course of musical instruction, 
while affording an abundant source of pleasure to 
the blind, is one of the most effective agencies in 
imparting to them a thorough general education. 
It gives to onr pupils a certain decree of culture, 
and develops their esthetic sense. It refines their 
taste, and contributes to the elevation of their char- 
acter ; and, above all, it puts them in a position to 
compete successfully with those who have been bet- 
t4»r htted by nature for the battle of life, and secures 
to them the means of earning a respectable liveli- 
hood, and wen of laying up a comfortable compe- 
tency. 



TUNING DEPABT¥C.NT. 

Special attention has for many years been paid in 
this Institution to the art of tuning and rvpniring 
pinno-fortes, and no pains or expense has been spared 
in providing the best means of instruction in this 
important uallin?. 

The system of training pursued in our tuning de- 
partment is both thorough and comprehensive. 
The lessons are accompanied by a constant exami- 
nation and study of the mechanism of the piano, 
which rendern the pupils familiar with the principles 
upon which the instrument is constructed, and ena- 
bles them to acquire a thorough knowledge of its 
parts and workings. 

Our advanced class of tuners have excellent op- 
portunities for practical observation and improve- 
ment in their art Besides their regular daily 
firactice, they tune all the piano-fortes of the estab- 
ishment, and those of our customers. Last year 
they took to pieces and thoroughly reintegrated a 
number of ola piano-fortes, puttinsrin new hammers 
and stringy, and rendering the instruments as good 
as new. The work was done in a very satisfactory 
manner, and its execution afforded the pupils an 
excellent opportunity for studying the iuternal 
mechanism of pianofortes. Such practice is as val- 
uable to tunerd as the study of anatomy is t4> physi- 
cians or surgeons. It le^ivcs them a thorough com- 
mand of their art, and enables them to undertake 
and execute the most difficult commissions success- 
fullv and satisfactorily. 

The graduates of our tuning department generally 
meet with favor and encouragement from the public, 
and are, as a whole, successful. Most of them earn 
a good livelihood by tuuing and repairing piano- 
fortes for private families, while a few are employed 
in factories. 

There is a strong pressure for admission into this 
department, and our young blind men are generally 
very anxious to learn to tune. 

l^his is natural. The ar^ of tuning is a lucrative 
one, and its practice is not nearly so difficult as that 
of some other callings. It does not require of it<« 
devotees that special talent, and those high mental 
qualifications, which are indispensable requisites in 
a good teacher of music. It is mechanical, rather 
than scientific A young blind man, drilled in the 
elements of music, and endowed with a good ear and 
a fair amount of mechanical skill, can learn without 
difficulty to tune and repair piano-fortes ; while very 
few men, whether seeing or blind, can become first- 
class musicians. 

But, difficult as the task is, we are obliged to re- 
sist this pressure, and to be very careful In the 
selection of candidates. A tuner, as well as a teach- 
er, must not only be master of his art or profession 
in all its details, but a man of stainless character, of 
good addrei*s and natural refinement. He must be 
clean, tidy, and free from objectionable habits. He 
must win, by his skill and manuers, the confidence 
and esteem of his customers, otherwise he will not 
be allowed to enter their parlors for any length of 
time, and will thus injure, not only his own pros- 
pects, but the reputation of others oelonging to the 
same class with himself. People may be willing to 
confide their old furniture to a common blind work- 
man for repairs, or even to buy the wares of a poor 
blind artisan in order to help him, but they will not 
intrust the instruction of their children, the care of 
an expensive piano-forte, or the use of their parlor 
to an ignorant, unscrupulous, rude, or untidy man. 

No teacher of music, performer, or tuner of piano- 
fortes, is indorsed by this Institution, or recommend- 
ed to the patronage of the public, unless bis instruc- 
tors here have been able conscientiously to g^ve him 
certificates of ability and skill la their special 
branches. 



• mm 



Hoteton''TheHe«iah.*' 

BY JOHK CKOWDT,* 
[Reproduced by permission of the Author.] 

The scope of "The Messiah" is indicated by its 
title. The words embody the facts of the Redemp- 
tion, and the music illustrates the words. All the 
words are from Holy Writ. 

It is at once the highest praise of the composer 
and the bent advice to the hearer of the " Messiah ** 
to say, as may be truly said, that the surest club to 
the significance of the music is the sense of the words 
employed. Hardl}- for a moment, it may be safely 
affirmed, does Handel lose hold of his purpose of 

• A Short OommetUdry on ffantUVt Oratorio " The Met- 
9iah." By JoHjr CiiowoY. London: W. llesves, Fleet 
Btr.et. 



illustrating and enforcing the sacred text which he 
has in hand. To point out, in lan«ruasre as little as 
possible technical, how thi>) has been done, will be 
the chief aim of the ensuing notes. It is hoped that 
their perusnl may enhance both the profit and the 
pleasure of listeners to the mu.«ic ; a result, however, 
which must not be expected without the exercise on 
the part-of the listener of careful attention. 

No. 1. OVBXTUKS. 

Though no unworthy prelude to a great work, 
this instrumental introduction cann(»t be said to have 
any s|)ecia1 importance. It i^ a piece of dignity and 
vigor; nowhere 8infci,n<r to triviality, ami nowhere 
rising to intensity. It does not, as many preludes 
do. foreshadow coming themes. Genital fitness, 
rather than special appropriateness, justifies its po- 
sition. 

No. 2. RBcrrATTVx— Comfort ye my people, saith your 
Ood; spealc ye comfortably to Jertuialem, and cry unto 
her that her warfkure U aocomp'ished, ibat ber Iniquity Is 
pardoned. 

The voice of him that erleth in the wlldemese. Prepare 
ye the way of the Lord , make straight In the desert a high- 
way for onr Ood. 

It is with this quiet, but graceful, number that the 
vocal portion of the greatest of unitorios oprn^. No 
music could be leas demonstrative, or strained; 
none more al^solntely at one with the words which 
it curries. The entry of tlie solo voice, with a sim- 
ple phrase in the middle of its register, supported 
for the first note by the orchestra, which then leaves 
the voice uncovered ; and the long holding notes 
against quiet motion in the orchestra ; form an op- 
ening remarkable for its perfect tone of hopefnl 
repose. A gradual increase of anlmntioD presently 
follows, but does not lead up to anything rapid or 
boisterous, the whole forming an instance of the 
self-possession of a master, who needs not to drive 
every opportunity to extremes, and knows that he 
can afford to let the listener wait 

No. S. Am^Bvsry va'iley shall be exalted, and every 
mountain and hlU made low; the crooked straight^ and 
the rough places plain. 

This Is one of the very many examples which 
Handel's work contains of word or phrase-painting ; 
perhaps It would be fairer to say sense-painting ; it 
IS moreover an example of the bounds which may 
properly be pot to the process ; for while It is im- 
possible not to perceive that the phrases of music 
assiflrned to voice and orchestra at "the crooked' 
straight," and other points in this air, have an imi- 
tative allusiveness, it is also impossible to say that 
imitation has run into grotesouencss or puerility. 
The literal sense of the words Is elegantly hinted at, 
both in the conformation of the voice part and In 
that of the orchestral accompaniment. 

No. 4. Chobus— And the glory of the Lord shall be re- 
vealed. 
And all flesh shall eee ft together. 
For the month of the Lord hath spoken It. 

Here enters, in a bright, graceful theme, gradu- 
ally acquiring more of dignity, and finally develop- 
lug into massiveness, that great engine which no 
one knows how to use so wellas Handel, the chorus. 
It is in appreciation of choruses that ordinary hear- 
ers of great works like this mostly fail A little 
study should, however, reveal some of the beauties 
of part music to an intelligent listener, and we have 
here an example not altogether inapt for th^ exper- 
iment Marvellous, indeed, was the artistic instinct 
which prescribed to the composer, unconscious per- 
haps of design beyond that with which the words 
inspired him as lie passed them through his mind, 
the gradual development of this number, from 
cheerful proclamation, to the final tone of majestic 
asseveration. 

The chorus has three sections, corresponding to 
its three sentences. The first theme is lisrht and ju- 
bilant — ** And the glory of the Lord shall be re- 
vealed." The alto voices announce this theme (in 
part) uncovered by the other voice parts,— 



jt 







And the glory, the glory of the Lord 

In a moment the basses — for It is to them that 
the theme Is now given^thunder forth the sn:ue 
phrase in the same key, accomt>anied by the other 



tmm^i^ 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, DEC. 25, 1875. 



149 




Toices. The tenors next extend the little subject to 
the words " shall be revealed ; ** 



i:tc:z:::ziz::t 

shall be re • — real ed. 

and the first theme Is now before the hearer. For 
the next 18 bars the texture consists of an interlac 
\nff of the two sentencett of this theme, as quoted 
above, the simple " And the glory of the Lora** and 
the more florid " shall be revealed." Then follow a 
few bars of silence for the voice parts. 

In the second musical sentence, again announced 
by the altos. " And all flesh shall see it together," 
there is a new tone — insistence, astsertion ; the pos- 
itivon»sfl of inspired prophesy foreseeing the univer- 
sality of the Redemption : the little reiterated pas- 
sages have a close, peremptory structure, '' And all 
flesh— shall see it— together.** 




The tenors echo this : then follows the third sen- 
tence, the grand monotonic oath, " For the mouth 
of the Lord hath spoken it," now sustained, in 
steady notes each occupying a complete bar, in one 
of the four parts, now in another, while the brighter 
first theme (" And the flflory.") or the less massive 
second phrase (*' And all flesh.") appean« and reap- 
pears, and plays round it ; the tltree pieces of mate- 
rial are woven and interwoven, with a dexterity 
concealed by apparent simplicity : at length, in the 
10th bar from the end, the trebles and altos in uni- 
son reassert for the last time the monotonic passage, 
the men*s parts place uuder it a, phrase borrowed 
from the second theme ; and the whole ends in that 
broadest of harmonic expreaMions, a plag^l cadence. 
Not, however, the quiet cadence of a peaceful 
" Amen," such as might follow " be with us all, 
evermore ; " but a cadence — ^technically so called— 
at the top of the register of the men's voices. 

Here we come to the first dimaz of the oratorio. 

No. 5. Rbcitatx¥X— Thus taltb the Lord, the Lord of 
Hosts ; "Yet once a little while, and I will shake ihe heav- 
ens and the earth, the sea and the dry land ; and I will 
shake all nations. And the desire of all natloni shall 
oome. The liord whom ye seek shall suddenly oome to 
Ms temple, even the meaienger of the covenant whom ye 
delight in. Behold He shall come, aaith the Lord of 
Hosts. 

Here the composer, dismissing for a time his cho- 
rus, reverts to a one-voice number, a descriptive 
recitative for bass. The sense-painting still pervades. 
A grandiose phrase, beginning with the upper D, 
opens the declaration "Thussaith the Lord, the 
Lord of Hosts ; " in a few bars the word " shako " 
brings with il an imitative run, of Handera well- 
known pattern, which, rendered by i, voice of suffi- 
cient volume, and with distinct and unhurried artic- 
ulation, will not fail in dignity, notwithstanding its 
imitative conformation. 

No. 6. Abia— Bat who may abide the day of HIa com- 
ing r and who shall stand when He appeareth? 

For He Is Uke a refiner's fire. 

Another fine piece of illustrative composition, 
adapted with dramatic power to the text. There 
are, it will be seen, two movements, the larghetto 
section " But who may abide," reverent in tone, and 
providing tho necessary foil to the second, a fiery 

{prestissimo—" For He is like a refiner's fire." The 
arghetto reappears; then the prestissimo breaks 
out again, and a fine coda of combination completes 
a masterly number. 

No. 7. Cbobus— And He shall purify the sons of Levi, 
that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in right- 
eonsnt 



The significance of this chorus is best understood 
if we see it as a continuation, in spirit, of the pres- 
tissimo of the preceding air : it is stormy, tumultu- 
ous, and almost wild in its character — a result of 
the combination of impetuous pace with " minor " 
tonality. The key to its meaning is in the word 
** purify ;*.ihe warrant for its animation in the ap- 

plioation of the simile of refining. Here first in the 
work Handel employs to the full the eflect of inces- 
sant choral animation ; the activity is unfiagflring; 
the four choral masses deploy hither and thither, 
separate, unite, disperse again, and again combine, 
till the ear almost sees the organized hurry of an 
army under review. If the busy semiquavers which 



characterize the chorus are absent for a few bars— 
as at the words " that they may offer unto the Lord 
an offering in risrhteousness " — from the voice parts, 
the orchestra takes them up. 

No. 8. Regit ATiw^Behold a Virgin shftll coneelTe. 
and bear a Son, and shall call his name Emanuel; Ood 
with us. 
Is a short number leading to 

No. 9. Air and Chorus— O thoa that tellest good tid- 
ings to Zton, get thee up into the hl|;h mountain. O thou 
that tellest good tidings to Jerusalem, lift up thy voice 
with strength : lift ituo ! be not aflrald! Say unto the cit- 
ies of Jodah, Behold your Ood! Arise 1 shine! for thy 
light is Gomo; and the glory of the Lord Is risen upon 
thoe. 

This is one of the master*s most relisrious melo- 
dies, and a well-known opportunity for the contralto 
soloist : the graceful theme it propounds is presently 
taken up by tho choru9. and treated In polyphooe, 
fugally ; then, at *' Arise," the four parts unite and 
march tocrether till the cadence. The whole of this 
number is brisrhtened and bound together by a 
cheerful fugue in the orchestral accompaniment. 



rff- 







which makes its first appearance in the third bar, 
for the violins, is continually thrown in as opportu- 
nity serves, and recurs in the few bars of instrumen- 
tation which wind up the chorus. 

No. 10. REcrrA.TTVii~For behold darkness shall corer 
the earth, and gross darkness the people. But the Lord 
shall arise upon thee; and the Gentiles shall oome to thy 
light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising. 

This is a number introductory to the coming aria; 
the germ of which, in spirit, if not in form, it con- 
tains in its orchestral snggestiveness of "darkn* eg.*' 
At the second sentence, "But the Lord shall ant e,*' 
the figure of the accompaniment, it will be noticed, 
changes, in accordance with the sense of the text. 

No. tl. Asia— The people that walked In darkness 
have seen a great light; and they that dwell In the land of 
the shadow of death, upon them hath the light ahined. 

This is the air which suggested by its descriptive 
character such effective " additional accompani- 
ments " to Mozart ; additions so perfectly in keeping 
with the original that they have grown to be a part 
of Handel's work. There are few things in music 
more striking and full of character than this air, 
whether we study its melodial configuration, or ita 
instrumental accompaniment The crawling, grop- 
ing, cold effect observable In performance with full 
orchestra comes chiefly from Uie reed instruments, 
the bassoons and oboee ; the chromatic interweav- 
ings of which, as added by Muzart, almost overpaint 
tke phrases of the text. The striuflred instruments 
follow the voice, and for their parts Handel is respon- 
sible; the wind instruments creep about between 
string parts. 

No. 12. Chorus— For unto us a Child is bom, unto us 
a Son is given. And the government shall be npon his 
shoulder; and his name shall be called Wonderful, Coun- 
sellor, the ICIghty Ood, the Everlasting Father, ihe Prince 
of reaoe. 

This is one of the srreatest of choruses ; remarka- 
ble for its grace, doubly remarkable for ita dramatic 
force, trebly for its admirable constructional devel- 
opment Its importance is foreshadowed by a com- 
paratively long orchestral prelude, in which the 
Srincipal theme is prefigu>*ed. Some attention must 
e bespoken for its appreciation ; and the effort will 
not be wasted. 

A few light detached sentences in the soprano 
section of the choir open the vocal discourse ; these, 
presently, the tenors repeat, the soprani proceeding 
to jubilant florid vnriation ; the alti enter next with 
the initial phrase, the basses to them, with the flo- 
riated sentence already developed by the trebles ; 
but the subject is not here pursued far, and disap- 
pears in a few detached dialogue phrases between 
alti and bassi, loaving the Yocal^eld clear for a new 
theme. 

This new theme the tenors propound. In martial 
rhythm—" And the government shall be upon his 
shoulder ; " it is echoed i<i the upper octave by the 
trebles, then in th<^ lower octave by the basses, the 
alti accompanying in thirds ; suddenly there Is a 
drapiatic sense of hurrying; a whirlwind rises 
. among •tne violins of the orchestra (these must be 
li3tened t<i) ; the voice part^, up to this point sepa- 
rate, gather in a compact mass, and moving together 
in an Impetnons bar of declamation, proclaim " And 



his name shall be called — Wonderful I " Half a bar 
of silence —except for those excited and exciting vi- 
olins, which sweep through the air— isolates and 
emphasizes the word ; then the musical phrase is re- 
peated to " Counsellor I " and similar passajces — all 
in the simplest chords known to the key, and in the 
most natural rhythm dictated by the word«, conclude 
the first proclatnntory sentence of the text. 

Now the first subject, *' For unto us a Child is 
born," which has been standing aside, re-enters, the 
altos beginning: tenors join, then basses, in more 
rapid succession than biefore; the firm material 
sutiject ** And the government " is again promptly 
thrown in, and in a few bars more the voices are 
united in a second proclamatory shout, but in 
another key, " Wonderful ! Counsellor I the Mighty 
God I the Everlasting Father 1 the Prince of Peace ! " 
At this last word, mark, whenever it occurs, a mod- 
ulation homewards, a reposeful cadence suggested 
by the meaning. 

It is the tenors next who lead off a recurrence to 
the introductory phrase ; the involution of parts is 
repeated, and presently the climax is a third time 
brought about; and the detached proclamatory 
phraser " Wonderful I Counsellor 1 " are given out, 
with enhanced dignity, in the key of the subdoml- 
nant 

There is still an unexhausted means of effect left. 
For a fourth time the initial phrase reappears in a 
single part — this time, as by turn entitlea, the bass- 
es lead it ; but in a moment the other three parts 
nre thrown nlt«>gether into the field, the former ma- 
terial is combined in new ways ; and a tremendous 
passage for the bass voices to the words " shall be 
upon His shoulder, and His name shall be called," 




i-;-fr^>--l?^--gS^ 




leads, with a rush, and a premature outbreak of the 
storm for the strings, to the fourth and last utter- 
ance of the Messianic titles ; with which final cli- 
max, and a cadence on ** Prince of Peace," the voices 
conclude. 

There are few more wonderful things in art than 
the perfect subordination of form to effect which 
this chorus presents. As a piece of construction, 
viewed irrespective of ito text, it is perfect ; it is no 
less perfect as a descriptive vehicle for its words. 

With this number another section of the work 
closes : prophecy comes to an end, and narrative 
begins. 

No. 18. Pastoral STKPHoinr. 

The tension of effect, drawn to its highest in the 
last number, is here again slackened ; and a quiet 
instrumental number preludes the section of the 
oratorio which embodies a description of the Nativ- 
ity. Peaceful simplicity is the intention of the Pas- 
toral Symphony ; and that effect is gained, first, bv 
the absence of all that is surprising, or unexpected^ 
or uncouth, or strange in the music ; and secondly, 
by the adoption of the idiom of pipe or shepherds' 
music, prominent features of which are holding 
notes, or " drones," in the bass part There is noth- 
ing specially remarkable in these few bars of orches- 
tration, considered apart from their context ; but in 
their place they are perfect; and furnish another 
example of that courage which a great mind often 
«hows in abstinence from display where it would 
destroy repose. 

No. 14. BnoiTATrVB—Thero were shepherds abiding fai 
the field, keeping watoh over their flocks by night. 

This short recitative is of the simplest possible 
character ; it serves however to carry on the narra- 
tion, and by its simplicity to lay the foundation for 
the fine effects which presently gather fast, and en- 
gage the attention of the listener. 

In the Mcond Hctton efthit natmbm:— And lol tho Augel 
of the Lord came npon them, and the glory of the Lord 
shone ronnd about them, and they were sore af raid~ 

We find the animation increasing, though but 
slightly; the arpeggio figure in the' orchestra ex- 
cites expectancy ; and the accompaniment is placed 
in the high register of the instromenta, as a means 
of suegesting aerial effect,-'a ooarse further to be 
developed presently. 

No. IS. RBorrATiVB^Apd the Angel said nnto them, 
FearAot; for behold I bring yon glad tidings of great Joy, 
which shall he to all people; for unto you Is bom this day. 
In the dty of David, a SavUmr, which Is Obrlat the Lord. 
The repose of the music is now being gradually 
abandoned ; a complete change of key, with modu- 
lation by sharps, excites the ear to expectancy. 

No. 16. RBcrrATivB'And suddenly there was with 

the Angel a multltada of the heavenly host, praising God, 
and saying,-' 



=sc; 



fr»w*"t*« 



t^mi^mmim 



*» tkt i i I 



150 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



Another simple preparatory Dumber, laying the 
key foundation for the coming dramatic chorus ; 
noticeable also for the \\\f^h placed accompaniment, 
again intended to suggest aerial effect. 

No. 17. Chorus— Glory to God In the highest and 
peace on earth ; goodwill toward men. 

(To be Continued.) 



§lmgj]fs Irarital d ^usk 

BOSTON, DEC. 26, 1876. 



Christmas !— Handera " Messiah." 

The great festival of Christendom comes 
roand once more. In its spirit, truly consid- 
ered, it is no less than the great festival of 
Humanity. The morning of Christ^s birth was 
ushered in with angeVs songs, proclaiming 
unity and peace and good will among men. 
For the rejoicings of this anniversary can we 
conceive of any language more appropriate and 
true than Music! Music which gives voice to 
the spiritual part of us, that so refuses to be 
moulded into forms of thought and speech! 
Music, which is the natural language of the re- 
ligious sentiment, a voice so human and 
yetsodiviue! Music which in all its divers- 
ity forever hints of Unity and seeks the One! 
and under whose influence we forget our differ- 
ences and feci that in our inmost, deepest 
aspirations we and all -earnest souls are kin- 
dred! 

The air was full of music, angrel voices, on 
the morning of Christ *s birth; the he^ivenly 
instincts of humanity then, as it were, heard 
their own mysterious, yet native music from 
their long lost, forgotten home come floating 
down upon this mortal sea of strife and 
selfish, feverish, ignoble cares, reminding 
them of the true destiny, and inspiring hope of 
final reconciliation, man everywhere with man, 
and all mankind with God. The Child that 
was born was to grow up the type of perfect 
humanity, of a life all love and consecration to 
the cause of the Most High, which, properly 
considered, is the cause of every human being. 
In him history was to receive forever a bright, 
eminent solution of the mystery of this human 
nature, in the masses of whose strange, contra- 
dictory impulses, blindly striving after unity 
and fulness of immortal life, yet working out 
continually unworthy differences and meanness, 
we all wander. Christ lived a model of Hu- 
manity at one with God, And the world by 
barren speculations, by disputes and arguments, 
in cunning words which define and separate 
and distinguish in their statement, until the 
living essence has almost escaped, has sought 
for so long to interpret and bring home his life 
and mission. Leave doctrinal discussion and 
exclusive creeds alone, and let music speak, 
music, which is the divine language of the 
great sentiments of humanity in which all can 
unite. The eammon worship of all Christendom 
is embodied more in its music than in any other 
medium. Large, humanitary, all-embracing 
sentiments were the burden of the angel music 
at Christ's birth. '' Glory to God in the high- 
est, and on earth peace, good will to man I " 
What music these texts have inspired, and how 
that music lives to unite our humane, upward 
aspirations in spite of all our intellectual and 



formal differences! The Glorias of the Catho- 
lic mass have a sweet, tnie sound to the most 
Protestant among us: humanity, in its hour of 
highest consciousness of a divine- relationship, 
and of a unitary destiny, inspired them. 

But we have th^ whole sigrnificance of Christ^s 
advent upon earth embodied more completely 
and sublimely still,— we have the Christmas 
emotions and associations all translated into 
grand and perfect forms of music, to be quick- 
ened into life as often as we will, in Handel's 
oratorio of * The Messiah," which was inspired, 
if ever any work of human genius is, directly 
from above. What worthier celebration of this 
day's happiness and this day's meaning, than 
to sit together where the vibrations of these 
grand, humanitary harmonies shall through our 
senses reach our souls, and make us vibrate 
inwardly in unison to such high sentiment! 

Our old Handel and Haydn Society, for more 
than half a century the representative of Ora- 
torio among us, offers us this high privilege 
again this evening. We shall hear the ** Mes- 
siah '' brought out with the full power of the 
great chorus, orchestra and organ, and with the 
"large utterance," the glorious voice, style, 
fervor of a Tietjens in the great Soprano 
arias. For the Alto, Miss Drasdil, who had 
been announced, is prevented by illness; but 
her place will be acceptably supplied by Mrs. 
Sawyer. For the other solos the Society has 
engaged, Mr. Maas, the sweet-voiced tenor of 
the Kellogg Opera troupe, who is said to have 
experience and power in Oratorio music, and 
Mr. John F. Winch for the Bass. It will 
doubtless be one of the best performances of 
the dear old Christmas Oratorio erer yet given 
here. 



devoted much time to its careful rehearsal. — ^Noth- 
inff need be said of the "emperor" Concerto; it 
will speak for itself, thron^i^h one who knows it well, 
— at heart, if not ** by heart ; " do not imagine that 
even Bnelow has exhausted it 



2. Thk Christmas Oratorio begins a three days* 
feast of noble music. It will be followed to-morrow 
(Sunday) evening by The Creation of Haydn, given 
by the same Society, on the same scale of grandeur 
and completeness, with Mile. Tietjbns to sing "With 
verdure dad,** " On Mighty pens," Ac, Mr. Maas 
again for tenor, and Mr. Rudolphsbn, bass. 

8. On the next day, Monday a'ternoon, at three 
o'clock, comes the fourth Symphony Concert of the 
Harvard Musical Association, with the following 
programme : 

Overture: < In the Highlands," Oade 

Piano-Forte Concerto, No. 5, in B flat, Op. 73, 

Beethoven 
Allegro— Adafclo— Rondo finale. 
Hugo tieonbard. 

••Symphony, In C, InstruraentM for Orchestra, by 
Joseph Joacbim, fh>m tbe G-rarid I>uo, Op. 140. 

Scbubert 
▲tlegro Moderato—Andnnte— Scherzo— AUei;ro 

vivace. 

•Overture to "La Dnme Blanche," Boieldien 

[In honor of the Centennial of the composer: born 
Deo. 16, 1775 ] 

We have already spoken of the Schubert Joachim 
Symphony, which undoubtedly, of all Schubert's 
great instrumental works., stands next In importance 
to the well-known ninth Symphony (of " heavenly 
length ") in C. In the " Grand Duo," for piano, op. 
140, Schubert, whether purposely or unconsciously, 
drew the complete outline of a beautiful and noble 
Symphony. All pianists who have played it to- 
gether have felt that it was so; Joachim, prince of 
violinists, masterly musician, felt it, when he heard 
it played ; remarked where horns, where oboes,flutes, 
fagotti, trumpets were suggested; felt the whole 
spirit and intention of the work ; and there could 
hardly be a fitter person to transcribe it. instrument 
it, for full orchestra. It is an extremely difiicult 
work to bring out for the first time, but our orches- 
tra have become greatly interested in it and have 



i^'m. 



Concert Beriew. 

For a wonder there has been, for two €it three 
weeks past, a suspension of musical activity ; the 
concert field has been almost deserted ; the compe- 
tition had been overdone, and the weeks before 
Christmas have been avoided as not favorable to 
such enterprise ; too many other things preoccupy 
the mind. Between a group of entertainments, 
therefore, of which we h%d to postpone notice in 
our last, and the Christmas Oratorios at hand, we 
find but one thing to record. And that one lot us 
seize at once, lest it give us the slip when we shall 
have no more room. We raesn the 

Second Matin6e of the Boston Philhabmoxic Club 
(Messrs. Listbvank, and Co.), which took place in 
Bnmstead Hall on Wednesday, Dec IS. It was 
qnite as interesting as the first; the andience con- 
siderably larger than it was then, though by no 
means worthy of a concert of such merit. The pro- 
gramme was as follows : 

Quintet In C minor, No. 3, Op. 104 Re^thoren 

a. Allegro con brio. b. Andante oon Varlazlonl. 

e. Seherxo. d. Presto (Finale). 

Messrs. B. A F. Listemann, B. Gramm, A. B9I1 

and A. Hartd^en. 

Fantaale for Flute Demersseman 

Mr. B. Welner. 
a. *'Prayer,*' from-Solr^es a St. Petersbonrfr* 

Rubinstein 
Op. 44, No. 3. B flat major. 

6. Bacaielle, op. 33, No. 1 Beetboven 

E flat msjor. 

c. Barcarolle, arranfred by Lli«zt Scbabert 

A fliit raajor. 
If r. B. Pcrabo. 

Hungarian Fantaale, for Violin Bmst 

Mr. B. LiMemann, 

Trio No. 2 In O major, op. 112 J. Raff 

a. Riiscb, froh bewe«t. h. Aehr mi>eh. c. MMsslg 

langsam. d. Riiseb, durcbsus belcbt. 

Second time in Boston. 

Messrs. E. Per«bo, B. Listemann and A. Hartdegon. 

The Quintet in C minor is simply the Trio, op. 1, 
No. 8. which Beethoven reproduced in this form in 
his later days, — partly out of spite, because an un- 
known person, whom he called " Herr Gutwillen," 
had attempted the same thing. It is beantlfnl 
enough in either form, and was interpreted on this 
occasion by the two vioKns, two violas and 'cello in 
a most finished and satisfactory manner. — ^The flute 
solo was of course finely played ; but be it played 
as finel}' as it may, we would comronly prefer to 
take for granted all that a flute solo has to say after 
the first few bars. 

Mr. Prbabo*s contribution of three well contrast- 
ed pieces was in his moat artistic and expressive 
style, and all were enjoyed, particularly ths last 
Mr. Li8TCMA2f?i's virtuosity as a sclo violinist is 
certainly remarkable ; he could hardly have cho»en 
a more difficult piece than that Hungarian Fantafie 
by Ernst, nor can we well conceive hearing it more 
admirably executed ; it was full of fire. The Trio 
by Raff gave us on the whole more satisfaction than 
almost any composition, great or email, which we 
have yet heard from this most prolific writer of our 
day. The Scherzo (sectmd movement) is full of 
frolic, uncontainable humor ; and the slow move- 
ment (mdttiff /aw^4am),'1)eginning gently and sweet- 
ly, grows to an impassioned superb climax. It was 
played eon amon and with marked success. 

— ^The third Matinee is set down for next Wednes- 
day afternoon, Dec. 29. 

— Vk'e have received the following note : 

Mr. EDrroR: In your notice of tbe Pbilbarmonte Club 
concert, given at Bomiitead Hall, Dec iHt, you speak of tbo 
Sextet by Beethoven, Op. 81, as if performed there for the 
first lime In this country. Tbo writer rumcrabefed having 
heard It In Boston mnny years ago, given voiih the horns, 
and on referring to old programmes be flnds It was | er- 
formed at a oopcert by Ibc Mendelesohn Quintette Club, 
Deo. 9, 1808. String quartet by members of tbe Club, 

■ »■■ I . ■ I I « 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, DEC. 25, 1875. 



151 



Horns by Mccwri. Hainann and BIchler, A notice of that 
performance appears in your Journal of Dec. 18th, 1852. 

M. It. 

18521 That IS pfoln^ bnck n lon<j way, — almost 
to the bcsrinnins: of our Journal ; so that it is no 
wonder that we did not remember the two horns. 
But we are pleased to find our then recorded im- 
pression of the Sextet a^^recine: so essentially with 
what we wrote upon this last occasion ; here it is : 

The Sextet by Beethoven, for strinsr quartet and 
two horns oUigafo, (in K flat, Op. 81), tasked the 
solo-pla^'ing capacity of the horns rather too severe- 
ly in the first and last movements. Beetlioven must 
have written that, more for the jcrratification of some 
extraordinary couple of hornists, than from the 
prompting of his own taste and genius ; why make 
the Blow, but honest horns perform the work of 
flutes? The Adngio was more suited to the fi^enius 
of the instrument, where it enriched and filled out 
the harmony wich its warm mellow tones. A pleas- 
ant surprise it was to recognize in this Adasrio that 
solemn and religious strain which has been sung 
hero with such sublime effect, by a chorus of a hun- 
dred voices pianiitimot under tne title of '* Vesper 
Hymn/' Jubilate, etc 

Mb Prrabo's third mating (Dec. 3) was particu- 
larly interesting and much enjoyed by a large audi- 
ence. The programme offered: 

Prelude and Fuf^e in E minor U endelssohn 

Album '- Notre Temps." No. 7. 
Etudes en lormo <le Variations, op. 18. C sharp minor, 

Schumann 
Mr. Ferdinand von Inten. 

dlz Pr^indeaponr le Piano, op. 24 Rubinstein 

No. 4. Mo<lerato. B minor. 

No. 6. Allef^ro non troppo. O major. 

No. 6. Grave. C minor. 

Flmt time in this country. 
Grand Sons la for 4 hands, op. 89. D major. Subiniiteln 

a. Modcrato con moto. 
6. Allegro molto vlvnoe. 

e. Andanie. Allepo oMml. 

First time In this eonntry. 

Mr. Yon Intex was a fellow student and friend of 
Perabo at the Conservatorinm in Leipzic:, and has 
been for several years settled in New York. His 
rendering of that very exacting work of Schumann, 
called sometimes, from its large form, "Etudes 
Symphoniques," — which we have heard played here 
before by Perabo, Miss Meklig, and finally by Ru- 
binstein — showed him to be a pianist of intelligent 
conception, vigorous and skilful execution; his 
touch a little hard ; his playing more remorkoble 
for strength and firmness than for the sympathetic 
quality ; and yet we are not prepared to deny him 
that, at least without further hearing. He seems 
to have a real reverence for what is high and true 
in Art. — The Sonata Duo by Rubinstein is in some 
respects quite a remarkable composition, and 'gave 
great scope to the ability of the two interpretera. 
The first movement we enjoyed ; it was fresh in its 
ideas, S3'mmetrical in form ; the later movements 
seemed to us wild and painfully protracted ; but we 
should like to hear it again. It was capitally ren- 
dered. — The Preludes by Rubinstein were quite 
original and full of expression ; particularly the 
fir^t. which is in the delicate, dreamy, musing, fitful 
vein in which Schumann oftentimes indulges. 

Thk second Symphony Concert of Theodore 
Thomas (Wednesday evening, Dec. 8) had for pro- 
gramme : 

Overture— Iphlgenia in Aulis Otuck 

Arlor— Esnrientes Iroplevlt bonis Bach 

From the Uai^ificat in D. 

Mme. Antoinette Sterling. 
Symphony, No. 7, in A Beethoven 

Overture— Manfred, Op. 116 Schamann 

Lieder— o, Der Kreuzxufr Schubert 

b, Es war ein Kdniirin Thnlo Liszt 

Introduction, Finale— TristAU und Isolde yVsifgntsr 

Gluck's noble Overture was beautifully played, 
following the Wagner version, — i.e. taking the usual 
quick movement nearly as slow as the introduction, 
and giving Wagner'9 conclusion, which rounds it off 
well, although he repeats the last phrase to weari- 
ness. ' The Symphony of course, from such an or- 
chestra, received a ver}* finished rendering; but 
there was the old mistake, or misconception, of ex- 
cessively rapid tempo in the quick movements ; that 
they can play it clearly in that way is no reason 
for doing it, unless the music in itself requires it 
Schumann's Manfred Overture, just on the verge of 
morbid music, is yet beautiful and poetic, and was 
finely rendered. *' Tristan and Isolde," after that, 
with all its yearning, sea.sick monotony, was cloy- 
ing, overstrained, and morbid in the extreme ; yet 
there are those who even find it " beautiful, — 
among them now and then a person with whose 
tastes we have been wont to sympathize. 

Mme. Stbbuno sang the Bach Aria >%itb a rich, 



even voice, but rather lifcleMly ; its beauty was by 

no means commonly appreciated. The Lieder 

seemed t^ us not happily selected, though they 

were well sur.g. 

The usual Saturday Matinee followed, with this 

prournmme: 
Symphony. No. 6, Lenore. Op, 177. (Bv reqnp«it*...Rafr 

L'ieder. a, Siirb, T.leb' und FnMid Schumann 

6, Wenn leh frnch In • en Gnrter geli*, " 
Mme. Antoinette Sterling. 

Overture— King Stophsn. Op. 117 Beethoven 

Ballet Music and Wedding Procession, (new), 

Rubinstein 
From the Opera " Fcramors.*' 
I. Dnnce of the Bayaderes. II. Toi-chUifht Dance of 
the Br dos of Canhmpro. III. Second Dance of tho 
Bayaderes. IV, Wedding Procession. 

Sonp. " When tho Tide come« In," Bamby 

Marche Des Imperiaux, Julius Caesar Buelow 

RafFs pravc-yard Symphony has it? admirers; 
ptrhaps, if we live lonjj enough (to forget Beetho- 
ven), we may yet be of them. — It was well for onco 
to have a chance Xa hear what sort of an Overture 
Beethoven's to " King Stephen " is ; but few, we 
think, would care to hear it more than once ; Jove 
himself sometimes nods. Rubinstein's ballet music 
was an odd mixture of bright, highly colored, grace- 
ful movements, with others full of noise and fury 
Fignifyinsr nothing. Von Buelow's March had litlle 
of the conquering Ciesar in it ; it seemed a weak di- 
lution of Wagner; and we doubt whether the com- 
poser himself would swear by it if he could have his 
own say. Mme. Sterling was in her own native 
vein in the sad ballad singing. 

— The third Thomas Symphony Concert will be 
on Jan. 5. 



TiiRODORK Thomas as a Lbadrr. It seems that 
we are not alone in some exceptions which we have 
from time to time token to Mr. Thomas's interpre- 
tation of classical symphonies. The editor of the 
new journal, the Mit»e Trade Review (from which 
we recently borrowed an able criticism on Von 
Billow) writes of the *' Thomas and the Philharmon- 
ic orchestra in New York ** with the air of an ex- 
pert, with insight, and without fear or favor. We 
copy a few passacres. 

The Theodore Thomas band in this city is reputed 
the be9t in the United States — some critics, who 
probably speak as sincerely as they understand it, 
only that they don't understand it. say that it is the 
best in tho world, and that Thomas himself is the 
best leader. If we come to examine the claim of 
band and leader to such an exalted position on the 
musical globe, wo come simply to the fact that they 
have played good music for a long time well togeth- 
er. But without wishing to detract from or under- 
rate their value, we beg to submit the qnestion, 
whether that is all that may be required from a 
leader and his band ? Our Idea is that to call a 

Cerformance faultless and superior to all other<9, we 
ave to expect en.semble, precision, correctness first, 
— spirit, conception, refinement, nuances, which 
enter into the depth of the composer's genius next — 
)ust as from a great pianist we cx] ect mechanism as 
a means, conception and it^dividuality in exprestilon 
as the purpose. To give an orchestra ensemble, it 
must, like the Thomas orchestra, play much togeth- 
er, not one individual three days at the same desk 
with another one. and then a general change. But 
when the ensemble is secured — and Thomas has done 
much to secure it ; his orcheatra is correct in time, 
every member looks at his beat, all the violins bow 
up and bow down with the snme stroke — after this, 
we say, comes the real difficulty for the leader. 
W^e have seen all the great leaders, and, as we 
said, there are not very man}', and we cannot say 
that Theodore Thomas is one of the best. We are 
personally, and have been personally and intimately 
acquainted with Berlioz. Meyerbeer, Lindpaintner, 
Costa, Alfred Mellon, Arditi. and others. Unfor- 
tunately, the greatest of all, Ilubeneck, we did not 
know. Our ideal, never reached by any one else, is 
Berlioz. One of the best after him, but of course 
only for his music, is Johann Strauss. Both of them 
have the magnetic influence, the overpowering will, 
the irre:$istib1e force to make the band do what they 
want. It certainly does nut occur to us to compare 
Strauss with Berlioz, except in the consideration — 
one of the most important in a leader — that the mu- 
sicians will do under a certain leader what the next 
day under another le.ider tliey can never be made 
to do. To find a leader who combines in himself 
the rare qualities of deep musical and orchestral 
knowledge (two very diffen-nt things), the sensitive, 
nervous ear of Berlioz (who during a rehearsal of the 
overture to " Tphigeniti" bounced upon the second 
clarionet to hear his A, and' then the A of the first 
clarionet, which were perhnps five vibrations apart, 
and mode them change until they were in tuno to 



hJjt ear), the grest attention paid to and the knowl- 
edge of his score, tho instinctive feeling as well 
as the intuition of the right movement, the power 
over his men. resulting both from the calm which 
does not allow itself to be carried nvvay, and the fire 
and energy to inspire his orchestra, the popularity 
with the musicians which will alone make them do 
what he wants— to find a man who combines all these 
qualities is so rare that there have never been three 
great leaders living at the same time. People seem 
to think that the leader is everything at the perform- 
ance. The leader is everything at the rehearsal. 
This is so true that, as our readers will learn 
from our Vienna letter, Richard Wagner superin- 
tends the rehearsals of the Tannhauser, but he 
does not lead the opera. The great affair is 
to rehearse well. The leader must not only 
see that every instrument counts exactly its 
43 or 76 bars, and comes in precisely at the 
risrht moment, but he is alone responsible for the 
right movements. Herein Mr. Theo. Thomas in not 
infallible. He is responsible for the observing of 
every «/z., every a'eiw. and dim.; he lifts the bow; 
the band is his violoncello-he plays it. Is the vio- 
loncello an Amati or a Stradivarius, is it cracked 
or is it pliable ? that is the violoncello's part ; does 
he get all the tone out, does he make it sing, does 
he move his audience with it ? that is his pnrt. 
Now, we have heard Mr. Thomas, in his last 
symphony concert, lead a symphony of Reinecke,uot 
very difficult to lead ; a piece of Wajrner's.excessively 
difficult to play, and so admirably executed that 
only so given can the otherwise unintelligible com- 
potitirm become clear ; and then we have heard him 
lead the Seventh Symphony of Beethoven. In part 
of the first and altogether in the last part, the move- 
ment was entirely too quick. It has been said that 
Rubinstein sometimes took movements too fast only 
in order to show what he could do. Perhaps such 
an idea misguided Mr. Thomas ; but whatever the 
reason, there stands the fact. And then there are 
" nuances," which every one, who has hr ard the 
Conservatoire orchestra play these symphonies, will 
miss ; and before Mr. Thomas does get his perform- 
ances perfect in this regard, he can neither lay 
claim to being the best leader nor to having formed 
the best band. His leading is calm, considered, 
active; but it is neither joower/ul nor inspiring. 
The band plays correctl}^ nnely even in many in- 
stances, but not in all. To give a clearer idea of 
what we mean by '* nuances," we will only adduce 
the allegretto of the Seventh Symphony, in which 
the tempo was correct, but the great care was lack- 
ing. For instance, in about the 50th bar, where the 
violas and violoncellos have the accompaniment. A, 
C7, tf. etc., there was no glissando to be heard,Vhich 
is of so wonderfnl an effect, though every bar is mark- 
ed with the bow .-^. The entry of the horns on the 
7th (A\ smooth, delicate, with wonderful softness, 
was not followed a few bars afterwards by that per- 
fect crescendo and decroscendo which we have a 
right to expect from a faultless performance, from 
one that would entirely justify those exalted epithets 
so freely bestowed on Theodore Thomas and his band. 

Olttrr Drroov A Co. have Just purchased for nearly 
$100 000. cash, the entire, stock, music, plates and ii^ood- 
will of Loe fc Walker, the old-established music publish- 
ers of Philadelphia. Tho biter firm have been for thirty 
years identlflea with the roustcal Interests of that chy, 
and thoir recent failure was much regretted; but In Its 
stead Philadelphia will f^ain a music house which cannot 
but be carried on with tho snme ability as has marked the 
house of DItson & Co. In this city and in Boston. For 
forty years the music Arm of Oliver DItson & Co., has 
been a household world, and this accession of many thou- 
sand music and book plates will make it more emphatical- 
ly tho great masic publishing house of America, and its 
oatalosue of over 60,000 musical subjects Is said to equal 
that of all the other music publUhem combined. The Arm 
has now four branches in tho leading citle/i, namely : Oliver 
Ditson ft Co , Boston; C. H. Ditson & Co.. New York; 
Lvon A Healy, Chicago, and the new Arm oi J. £. Ditson 
Ai Co.| Philadelphia. -JTew York JfaU. 

Gounod and Big Theatres, 

(F^om the " Graphic'^) 

M. Oounod, who, we are pleased to learn, is grad- 
ually recovering from the effects of an accident that 
might have put hU life in imminent peril, already 
shows himself able to enter with warm int<^rest upon 
discussions affecting the art of which he is one of 
the chief existing ornaments. He firmly repudiates 
the idea of a vast opera hou^e, capable of accommo- 
dating from 9,000 to 10,000 spectators at cheap 
prices. Among other passages contained in his vig- 
orous disclaimer, it will be enough to cite the foi- 
lowin? : — 

" I^aa de Colo»»al.^Ce$t la MORT de t art miwi- 
cal, nurtoHt au tMdtre, oH la tropgrande distance enire 
U chanteur ei t atuUttur tupprime (oute phy»ianomie 



^1 lAiiai 



iX*.. 



152 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



el to-'t intirit. et rtdnit It AanltHr d « 
U m.U." 

Vft entirely arrtr with M. Gonnwl, with the ad- 
dition thul his ohjfclinn «ppUes jast a» powerfiilly 
to ccincert ronnw an to Uie«t,rM, «nd this n<rt«itli- 
rtaniling tho fBct of H. Davload anri H. Bourduls 
(holh men of eclcnce). the fiiriner from »n optlcut. 
ihf hitter from nn >ci>astlc<l point of vlfw, protert- 
inir thnt the acheme of ■ " raito lalt* ^Optra papH- 
/otr«" Is qnlte fe«slble. The td«i nrljineted with 
M. Adolpha Sax. invenWr find Tnsnafdctnrer of the 
family of vind InstnimenU appropriatel; atjled 
" SaiophoDea." 

Theodor Hnelltr. 
The S«rTlc« (nr the Dead has just b««n read, at 
BrtinawiBk, over en old man once b*lon«iii? to n 
eronp of valned »rti^t^ irhose ((rent repiitalinn ex- 
tended far boTond the frontier of Germany. Quietly 
and silently has the U«l of the old Qairtet of tiie 
Brothers Sliiller been laid in the (cmve. In the 
days of oiir fathersiindjjrmndrathera, when Chamber 
Mnsle. which, thants to ynunicer men. hnn received 
a freah Impulse, eonstltnted the real core ofmn'ienl 
colture in onr native land, the fonr Brothers wei'e 
amon^ the mo« bi^hly-e»teeroed membera of the 
art world ; ■nd it was not till lonjr afterward! that 
their Qaartet, Harin!; raan^r a deeennium anour- 

ried. was rqnalled. and, certainly. *«en excelled, 
the Flonmtlne and by the Joachim QnarteU. 
ThoDdh. In accordance with the spirit of the n^ 
forty years alnce. there was a tonch of homeliness 
ahnnt tho way In which the Brothers read «nd ren- 
dered a composition, their bows ponred forth, in the 
ntmnet parity, a clear, colden stream of classiral 
ma'terplecaa ; and rarely have (onr other artlsle, 
seated al the qnnrtet debits, worked with anch won- 
derful unity o( musical feelinp. »nd, by the quality 
of their artistic rnpabilitiea, produced so thoroughly 
the impression that a alnglB dlrecllne soul hovered 
over the Instruments. Tho jWnsjer Brothers 
Miiller— four 100 s of the first violiniat In the old 
Quartet— who. some fifteen veari tgo, made an sasaj 
to tread In the footateps of their relatives, conld not 
come Dp to the Utter in this equality of urtistic ap- 
titude: Ihe firat violinist, mora eapecially. not bein^ 
able to hold his own at^ainat the vlolonrellist (n.iw. 
as we know, a member of the Joachim Qniriet). 
The services of the first four Brothera Miiller were 
secured fnr the Brimowicli Opera in its pnliny days, 
when a Pflcli, a Sc^lneIe^, and a Mad. Fischer- 
Achlen worked there locethep ; Georp. ai conduo- 
tor; Gnst«v. as mnaie-dlvector ; Carl (first violin). 
" " id Theodor. as aolo-violnn cello. By 



menlnllats. The Other two, however, attained to a 
venerable old age. The first violin hns been mute 
aome few years; the last survivor. Theodor, at the 
ase of nearly eighty, is now called away from his 
post— and the member* nf th« Old Quartet are onco 
more united. — Btrlm Echo. 



Tip nmnuniof Mr. Wood'i eriate li vailoott; estimated, 
ranidnc from t3,M0 «U to tT OOMOO. 

The min irlinenneelveil tbeiilraofrhlseolleceofmuilD 
wai D'. Willlsm Elmer.nf No. Ml Pirih Avenue. He ii 
an enthn.liut In mu-le, uid hl< mmd hns Iwcn fll1«l tor 

Inbilstiint; m ihl* cliy a »lle|tg of mui>]c. wtilcli In all 
parnnvnu n( lliai aolenM. In lt« ntisalnie advantaAn. — 
•cnnaand nnrpnre. ahnatd be nniariwaasri. and perhaps 
wHlwHitarJirBllxlhewarld. ThlswaaDr.nmsr's.lream. 
and fnr jenra be basgmieon nlhsnns inf 
hiK the manacvmsnt. CMt. sn^blstorrnf t... 

o 'nierratorlea nf ihs OM Vnrid. All ihli 

dream until Hr. Samuel Wnnil. leamlnK of It, Imwihi 
bnar npnn li hi) praeUeil wlidnm and an Id wealth, ai 
hfCi'dttilslileannt of ^ie*h<idn** domain afdreanu ai 

Eaeed It upon the Bni f luniitlnn of tact and rvilli 
inipieaoiis amnns these wbo have worked m<m eem«, 
ly In the matter l> C-ilnnrI Mehblna, rreald«nt at the F^ 
Commlnlon. It wia ehlefly Ihmnih Ma eSont and Inil 
cnse tlmi a ans -iai actof tlia Lesl4ain~> was aoeured !■ 
Apr I authnrlriiie IIm liworporaitnn nf the Amercan O 
lese of If ude. wWi pnwer to Inka ennveyai 
natlnrn. ne j and alau an net anllinHtlnK 1 



Spttial 'Boiitta. 



DE8CBIPTIVB LIST OF TBE 

X. .A. 1 B a T JUCTTSIO, 
rabllakml itj> •■■••* Dlteaa * C*. 



lid History nf the Kroal m 



iripUHf^illS 



Manhnll O Roberts. WlllUm K. Vanil 
ly, Alfred T. Blmoii«on, Dnnli'l Kln««lan 
■. and Mnrpin L. Karrli. The imateM 
• oripinlu, we Italleve. sdI to take poes 



The Moeial scope nf Mr. Tynod's 



I*, flnl. t 



lie director* will be ennbli-d in 



hnildli 
ball 1 
York; 

■' -e 

■naji nerenfier t»v 

cmltiire and llnlihint ibuchea nf the imaters. »me nf this 
Irlbnt* va have been w freely un^nic lo bur. «nit that 
there shall he a plnee on thlacnniWii where thsehlldiea 

■ - «ml the apiinide lor mn 

elMirrrd lieonUH of theli 
n snii talrhc"t mu-ifml de. 
It is a noble aehsmc.^ 



■nrinr ihi 
hi^ mutoSS 









Xtw Tort a 



Howard i 



It New Vo* 



of thia well-known Bne- 
iheSatbult., InhlsSTib 
mneed In (he losai papers. Howard Olom 
on of tbfl ones oelebrated letrins. Mr>. Qlov* 
enrlloat yooth he .howed ■ predlleetlon for 
nu tentlKith to Italy and flermanylo parsna 
He Bitalnod mtirkrd prollclency as violiniat, 



and Kr. Glor 



A XniioBl HeeoetuA 






moDlhiiio that a verj wealth; EentlemannfUilt city had 
made arranitemeata to endow a maaica] collcf*. but lot 
tbo present hi* name waa to be kept secret, oar Interest 
was aroused In the matter, and *e determined to aaoeruiu 
the Daitia of this wonhj person snd hla reatoiu for wllh- 
boldlDi hla name from hla fellow-CIUien*. Ve conlMs 
that onr enriosit}' was aroneed, for wn eonld ana do tood 
rsau>n> why the name of one who proposed to do ao (ood 
■a aciloD abonld be withheld, bat mauy reasons why It 
ahoald be 



. Onr. 



et thla m 



rewarded vtlih aaecesa. 

Tho |-«aon who propose* to endow tbli eollefn la Mr. 
Samuel Wood, a ^ntleman ahont elKbty j-Mn of age, a 
Dsilvn of LonE lalaod, lata a realdenl of Broaklfn, and 
DOW of this dty. He la the sarvlvlni brother of a family 
of fonr, wha compoaed the oldfltmof Wood Bralhna, and 
who carried on the bualnesa of Importer! and wholesale 
STOoara al No. 1«3 Front Street, la thli city, for a period of 
nearly Bfty vaan. They were all well kaown to tha older 
merchanta of tbia elCy. snd DStaemiid as men ollnlelUgenea 
snd pnre character. None of Ihe brothara were ever mar- 
ried, andltwaiabroibcrly covenant among them that the 
surviving btotberorbrolhera staoaldloharlltha portion of 
■ny decnard brother, until tha lait surviving brother 
should inherit the whole property, and thna the eitate be 
kept Intact, and finally dctiaed, after properly prorldlnv 
lor the most distant relative*, to tome pubUa obarliy or 



gent application. 

VlcUr Huf;n>a JTay aiitt'. 

ffSiant^ '{Hrst pi 
A>r which thnlmn 
the theme. Ha wk 



ha never returned. Hehasli 

IH the Royal Chapel of Ihe Savoy, on Tuesday, Mias 
Edith Wynne waa mairlod to ar. Aviet Agabeg,<>t ibe 

Madame Patey, Mr. Cummlnis, Mr. John Thomas, Mr. 
Lswia Tbonu, Hr. KlD|;sbDry. and other membara of the 
muilcol profeasloQ. Tha brldiamalda were tbe Hlties 
Ida and Josephine Wynne (alatera of the brida), HIsB 
Bessie Waueh, UIss Cllnion-Pynet, and Mlii Paley. Th* 
brlrtcgroom'e beat man was Mr. J. B. I'An«ii, and the 



lariefaii 



u an old friend of iha bride, i 
In wbleh he apokn of her Wrto 
.K. t..a .k ,0 !,„ pjrenl 



la ihelr deoinin 



»f Ihe rbaiwl and by the eonir.'jni- 
"Be nrraenl, Holv Spirit.'^ "Ya 



miiny. they wars warmly cnneniiuUlcd by their maav 
Irtcod..— iond. Jfgi. B-orfa, iVov. 20. 

Bn^a aaked Hie elhst evening the eonvcmlonal qoea- 
tlon of ■' how he liked America," Von Buelow replied ibat 
he thought It a couDtry of wonderful llbertiaa. "Indeed r 
Bald his friend, Inquiringly. " Yea," said the Doctor, 
"andl think tbey have all or then been taken with me." 
— VanBuslow wrote lo afriend'a iltmm;— 
In art bate respecIabUIiy, 
Asd tMpeet ability. 



T«oal, with Plus iowBipanlnsit. 
ChBiBtmu Anthem. 3. G to 17. UiOard. 75 

rheerful Christmsi aonK* sre imir In order, 
and the old aweirl alary la repented, and nerar 
mor, .wwiir than tn tho woMb of thi. beantlful, 
varied and en.y snllicm Uy one o( Ihe beat soHf 
writer*. Make haale and bay II. 

So loBg ajio. S. F to e, Bnrker. Si 

" DnC my love llvoa. and thine Is dead. 
It was so long ago." 
Very melodloas. 
Toau;; Loahinyitr. 8. B6 to f, Atieooi. 40 

•■Onelnnohtahar handionswordtoheTSu," 
Bmii's well known poam, always beantilul, to 
new, flas muakt. ^ 

Prftiae the Lord. (Benedlc itDlmamea). 4. 

C to a. PeoM. AO 

A aplritsd anthers serrlce. 

Alnioat. (Sequel to " It WM > drMtm." Cowen. 
4. Aft toe, r 

•■ A'mnst. — almoat. — shn'wt. — 
1 tlMBxbi that thou eould'at lore me." 
Ton of taking phrasea, and " almoal " sun to 
In the best of applause. 

Wbj close thy lAttic^ faireit HUdf 4, V. 
toe. Qloter. I 



BrowD ayt^ hna that little Maiden. For Alto 
or B^tone. 3. A to e. Otgood. Kt 

Mll*den«wHtthal*ls*Ba"nlsss.'' 
A d>1leals. dainty hit qf mnale, already s favorite 

8al« Roitina. 4. F to g. CMOo. 1 

Rn«1|ah wrkrda. whlafi laltjkr sh 
hut Of dlffarer 



With 

UM torslip] tut. Very eipresilra. 
InitnmsntB], 
Bemlntscences of Cuba. S D. Jfra. Duer. 40 

There ■•ems b.he aomethlnir weird sndedil Id 
C»hiin musle, which baa lieen wll InlerpreiFd by 
Golf i-haik. and now In s much aular way by 

Miufcal OfferinK, by F. H. H. Thompucn, each, 25 

LiRhtninK Bug Oatop. 0. Pop Gun Galop. 
8, Thistle Down. 7. Silver; Sand " 

Tunkhannock Waltz. 8. Minnnola Waltr. 
4. Al qu if ou Galop. 9. GrtiMhopper Galop. 

6. Cannabine Wnlts. 10. Golden Grain. 

Ten easy, pretty and cheap Inadtisllve pieces. 
Poith-oefleaer Etiaport Galop. (Ice Sport). 

3 D. atraua. 35 

LUe in the Coarts. {Ana dem Bechtaleheu.) 
WaltE. 3 A. Strotiu: i 

Bti^nsa' musloalwaya food, however named. 
Bnrletta. 4 hands. 3 £b. Bamblin. 40 

Alreely noticed hi It* 9 hand amntement. 

HoDgrofae. (Moment Hmicale.) 4 handa. 

3 P minor. Bchmidt. SS 

A striking*' Schubert ''air, newly arranged. 
La Balancelle. No. 1. Op. IHI. B Db. LyOerg, S6 
AgrBe*rnl"lnilt>tlnCapT>et" ef decided baasty. 

Fern Waltiei. 3. Jaeobff. 40 

k namu sometimes IndlcalM the eharseler of a 
mpfialtlon; and this mosle has a sort of ahy, 

Ton Buelow. 

Baoh'a Fatitaaia In C minor. 6. ] 

Chaconne. In F. Handel. S. 4 

Barlasd, flogered, Ac. tie, , by V. BUaw. 



IRSVi\TIo:(S.— IMrrees of dllBcnlty are marked 
. Ihe try Is marked with a capital lette: as C " 
ic. A smsll Roman letter marka tbe highest ni 
the stair, an UalU lacier the hl^hwc note. If abi 




toigftf^ |0iirttal 





Wholk No. 906. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, JAN. 8, 1876. 



Vol. XXXV. No, 20. 



rer Dw«slit*s Jovnal of If Mte. 

Palettrina. 

BT WAmnr batmoxd ftirrcs. 

That tcmpU, PalcgLrina, ballt by thue, 
8tMdi» la the piii*e Ideafs brif htaat glow. 
Remote from baser enrrenta, swift or slow, 
Beside primerat springs of harmunj. 
Aroand its firm foandations erer flow 
Transparent waves of eleareet euphony, 
All power, alt peace, serene, nntronbled, free ; 
In cloistered calrii, here fkdeless lilies blow. 
Cone, enter, wovoded spirit, weary heart 1 
Here all Is rest Ineffable, dlrine 1 ' 
Here wave the winds whose healing sighs Impart 
Celestial balm to bleeding sonls like thine 1 
Here streams the fonnt of unoorrupted Art I 
Here falth*s immortal rays forever shine I 



1 



Votes on a ftw of Hftadert Oparaib* 

(Prom OoBoordia, Dee. 4, 1S7S.J 

Th« monnmental edition of Handera works 
which, under the earn of Dr. Chrytahder, has 
been for upwards of sixteen years In coarse of 
publication is gradually, though slowly, ap- 
proaching completion. When it is remembered 
that, in addition to the oratorios and sacred 
mutic by which the composer it best known at 
the present time, he composed nearly forty op- 
eraa, of which all excepting three or four are 
in existence, it will be readily understood that 
a complete edition of his works must involve 
in its preparation an enormous amount of labor. 
Up to the present time the Oerman Handel So- 
ciety hat issued the greater number of the ora- 
toriot, the whole of the antlierat, Te Deumt, 
and mitcullaneout tacred music, most of the 
secular cantatas, and a considerable proportion 
of the inttrumental works; and it is now turn- 
ing its attention fpecially to the operas, of 
which tome ten have at pretent been given, 
four of them forming the istue for the present 
year. 

Handert operat are almost entirely unknown 
even to the mott diligent students. With the 
exception, indeed, of the few which were pub- 
lished at the close of the last century in Ar- 
nold's edition of Handel (which, by the way, 
was never completed), it may almost be said 
that they have not been published at all before. 
The old scores of Walsh and his contempora- 
ries were most incomplete. Not only were all 
the unaccompanied recitatives wanting, bat 
tometimet, to save space, some of the instru- 
mental accompaniments were omitted. In 
tome inttancet only the ** Favourite Songs'' 
were published, while in four nr five cases not 
a note of the opera had been printed before. 
The present edition, however, is to include all, 
excepting, of course, the few early Gertnan 
operat which are lost; and four have already 
been published— J Imim, Jfodrigo, SiUa, and 
Amad%i^ — which had not pieviously been ac- 
cessible, at all. 

It Is G(ften forgotten that before Handel wrote 
most of Ills oratorios he bad already obtained a 
reputation at the first operatic composer of his 
day: and musicians will naturally examine his 
dramatic works with great interest, in order to 
ascertain on what hit great reputation in tbit 
department was founded. 

The first reflection which will probably strike 
the student of HandePs operatic scores will 
perhaps be, How marvellous is the development 
which dramatic music has undergone in the 

• 7%« Workt e/ JSTafuM. PHntedfor the Oerman Handel 
Bo0lety,lMhy< 



last century and a half I While Handera ora- 
torios are still to a great extent the models of 
thij species of compositon. his operas are so 
antiquated in form that a revival of one of 
them on the stage would be to our taste insuf- 
ferable. To say nothing of the modem "grand 
opera ^* of Meyerbeer or Verdi, the distance sen- 
arating Handel even from Gluck and Mozart is 
hardly conceivable, except by those who have 
studied the subject. Of concerted music in 
general, and of the amply developed finale 
which forms so important a feature of the mod- 
em opera, we find hardly a trace. The char- 
acters come on the stage, carry on dialogues in 
interminable recitatives, sing a song or two. 
and go off again. In the large majority of 
HandePs operas there are no choruses except a 
short one at the end of the last act; and some- 
times there Is none at all. Let anyone imagine 
what it would be to sit through a long oratorio 
of HandePs with all the chorases left out, and 
he will have a fair notion of the music of these 
operas. 

And yet. Ineffective as they would certainly 
be in performance, these old scorea possess pe- 
culiar interest to the student. Without the 
operas we should not have had the oratorios. 
Though containing much written in an anti- 
quatc<l taste, they also evince true dramatic 
feeling, especially in the individualization of 
character. All those who have much acquain- 
tance with Handel will know that this was one 
of his peculiar excellencies. Take for instance 
Sanuon — one of his most dramatic oratorios. 
How distinct in character is the music of Mano- 
ah from that of the giant Harapha, though 
both parts are written for a batt voice! Or, to 
tike another example, compare the music of 
the two mothers in the second part of SoUnrnm. 
And the same feeling for dramatic propriety is 
perceptible to a greater or less extent all through 
the operat. The characters, it is trae, seemed 
to move about in the old fashioned bob-wigs 
and knee breeches of the last century; but they 
are real flesh and blood for all that. 

Take again another point, and one which 
win probably surprise many rMdcrs — the instru- 
mentation of these works. One of the most 
general mistakes that prevails as to HandeVs 
scoring is that it is thin and monotonous. We 
unhesitatingly aflirm that it is neither the one 
nor the other. It must be admitted that H<in- 
del did not work on the modem system, which 
too often reminds one of the theatrical mana- 
ger who **paid his musicians to play and not 
to rest; '* he frequently, for the sake of variety 
and contrast in tone-color, accompanies a song 
chiefly with the harpsichord; but his scores are 
full of novel experiments in instrumentation ; 
and there are few modern effects of which the 
germ may not be found somewhere in his 
works by those who know where to look for 
them. 

The operas which form the istue of the Soci- 
ety for the present year, and the pemsal of 
which has suggested the above remarks, are 
8Ula, Badamitta^ Flwfio, and Ohdio Oeaars, 
Each of these works presents features worthy 
of notice, and a few points may be indicated 
which will possibly not be without interest. 

SiUti, which the editor. Dr. Chrysander, 
states to be the smallest of HandePs operas, is 
(as mentioned above) onejof those works which 
has never before been published at all. There 
is no record that It was ever performed, and 
we are told that the original manuscript con- 
tains only about half the music, and the pres- 
ent edition is prepared from **a very faulty 
copy, made about 1780 by an incompetent per- 
son.'' Singularly enough, the work has no 



overture: whether one was ever written for it 
which has been lost, or whether, nnlike Han- 
del's other operas, it had none, th^re are no 
means of ascertaining. The probabilitv, at 
which Dr. Chrysander hintt, that the work wat 
never performed, teems strengthened hv th«» 
fact that Handel mad^ use of a considerable 
portion of the music in later compositions. 
Thus the charming song ** Dolce nume," in 
which two flutet donble the violins in the oc- 
tave above, was afterwards introduced into his 
Chandos Anthem, '* O come let us sing," where 
it may be found with the same orehettration 
as the tenor tong, ** O come let us worship and 
bow down."' In the tong, ^'Sebentuona il 
del irato," we find the theme of ** With re- 
doubled rage return " in Joihnn, Another air. 
^'Hai due vaghe pupillette," wat utedwith 
different words six years lat«r in Badftmkto^ 
while no less than six numbers were made to 
do duty in AmidiffL an opera which was writ- 
ten very shortly after SiUa, and which wat 
published laat year in the pretent edition for 
the first time. An nearly all these six pieces 
are to be found in the third act of Amadlgi^ 
one is Inclined to conjecture that, towards the 
close of the composition of this work, Handel 
was pressed for time, and therefore transferred. 
as the quickest way of completing it, teveral 
numbers from the one score to the other. 

With the exception of one soi^r and a few 
bars of recitative for a bass, the whole of the 
mutic in 8itta is written for soprano and alto 
voice. In neariv all Handel's earlier operat 
the same predominance of these parts is oiiter- 
vable. Tenor and batt volcet teem to have 
been veiy little* in favor at the beginning of 
the last century. The heroic parts in operas 
were mostly allotted to the mezzo-toprano. and 
were Intended to be tunir by tofltrati^ of whom 
at that time Senetinoand Farinelll were among 
the most celebrated. Even m his oratorios 
Handel not infrequently wrote an important 
male part for a mezzo-soprano or contralto voice; 
Hence the anomaly in our days of hearing at 
oratorio performances such characters as Solo- 
mon, Barak in JMorak^ or the warlike young 
Othniel in Jo%k%a, personated by a lady. Mi>d- 
era civilization will happilv not allow them to 
be sung at Handel Intended them ; and we must 
therefore put up with the dramatic Incongraity 
for the sake of the mu^lc. 

Badami$t0^ which was written In 1720, is on 
the whole a much finer work than 8iUa, In 
the overture may be seen an early example of 
the contrast between the wind and strings to 
which Handel was to partial. Many of the 
tongs In this work are excellent; of one of 
them, **Ombra cara," Sir John Hawkins in- 
forms us that the composer told him that he 
considered It one of the two finett he ever 
made—the ether one being the *' Cara tposa " 
in Rinaido. Without going quite so far as this 
in its praise, it ipay justly be said that the song 
in question is one of Handel s best. There is 
a considerable family likeness between the two 
songs : and both of them are remarkanle for 
the boldnett of their harmonies. Both are in 
minor keys, and both contain an important 
chromatic feature in their accompaniments. 
Did Handel consider them his best songs be- 
cause in them he had forsaken his ordinary 
tonic and dominant harmonies, in which, at he 
taid '*Now A tromps, and now D," and had 
done something toward enlarging the retouroet 
of his art I It is pottlble; for thete two airs 
are much more moaera in style than the very 
large majority of his opera and oratorio tongs. 

The length to which thit article has already 
extended forbids mention of many interesting 



MMMHai 









iW«la»M 



*l ^ * 



154 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



points of which I had made a note ; but there 
18 one piece so striking in its dramatic effect, 
and so in advance of its age, that a word must 
be said about it. This is the quartet ** O cedere 
o perir/* which was written for a later version 
of the work, and was not in the original. In 
this movement Tiridate, King of Armenia, is 
threaten"d with death. Three of the persons 
of the drama press round him, exporting him to 
yield or perish. *' Yield to honor I Yield to 
love! Yield to virtaol " they cry; and he re- 
plies ** Non cedo." The whole movement is 
full of life and fire, and the orchestration, with 
independent parts for oboes and bassoons, in 
a<1dition to the string quartet, is as interesting 
as the voice parts. 

Ftuvi'o, the third opera contained in this yearns 
issue, is not as a whole one of HandePs best, 
nor does it contain much on which it is needful 
to dwell. There is, however, one very curious 
point in the instrumentation. At page 75 of 
the score is a song with oboe obbligato, * 'Amor, 
Del mio p3nar.*' This song is in the (for Han- 
del) UDQsaal key of B fiat minor — thus appar- 
entlv indicating that the performer had an oboe 
in D flat, a semitone al>ove the ordinary pitch. 
It is difficult to imagine otherwise that Handel 
would have written the part in the key which 
he has selected, and in all other cases he inva- 
riably writes for the oboe in the usual way. 
No explanation of the change is given in the 
score ; it can therefore only bo noticed as a cu- 
rious fact. 

The last opera as yet published, Oiulio Oesare^ 
is one of the comp<)ser*s finest. The recitative 
** Alma del gran Pompeo *• is fully equal in in- 
tensity of expression to the ^' Deeper and deep- 
er still '* in Jephtha^ or to the less known, but 
certainly not less tine recitative in Bekhaaar, 
**yain transitory state of human empire." 
Many of the songs are also in HandePs best 
manner: but one of the most striking points 
about this oi>era is the richness and variety of 
its scoring. To mention one point — here, and 
in no other of HandePs works, unless it be in 
some of his still unpublished operas, we find 
four horns, one pair of which (asm our modern 
scores) are tuned in one key, and. the other pair 
in a different one. In the opening chorus, for 
instance, which is in the key of A, we find two 
comi in A and two comi in D, while in the 
final chorus in G, we find two horns in G ; and 
two in D. In the song, 'A' a tacito e nascosto, " 
is an elaborate honi obbligato, which even now 
would bother some of our best players; and in 
the song, *'Se infiorito" we see the two bas- 
soons doubling the violins in the octave below, 
quite in Moxart^s manner. It is more than pos- 
sible that Handel was the inventor of this 
orchestral effect. But the most curious piece 
of orchestration in the work is that of the Sin- 
fonia (page 54 of the score), where, in addition 
to the ordinary band in the orchestra, consist- 
ing of a stringed quartet and two oboes, is 
found a second band on the stage, which is 
composed of one oboe, first and second violins, 
viola, harp, viola da gamba, theorba, (a kind 
of large lute) bassoons, and violoncellos. As 
some of these instruments no longer exist, it is 
impossible for anyone now, however expert in 
score-reading, to realize with the mind's ear 
the full effect of this combination. It is easy 
enough, however, to perceive that it must have 
been remarkably rich and sonorous. Did space 
permit, other instances of novel orchestration 
might easily be quoted from HandeKs works; 
enough has nevertheless been brought forward 
to disprove the general idea that his scores are 
wanting either in fulness or variety. On some 
future occasion I hope to call the attention of 
our readers more especially to the subject of 
Handel's instrumentation; for the present I 
must content myself with what has been already 
said. Almost every new volume of the old 
master^s works contains some specially note- 
worthy features ; and musicians will find both 
pleasure and profit in making themselves ac- 
quainted with nis operas in this new and mag- 
nificent edition. 

Ebekezbr Prout. 



BoooherinL 

M. Maurice Cristal has published in the 
MeMstrd^ of Paris, a series of biographical and 
critical notices on Boccherini and his works. 
From the final chapter we extract a few of the 
facts, and paraphrase some of the comments 
offered by M. Cristal. 

Boccherini died on the 28th May, 1805. at 
Madrid, aged 65. It has l>een said that his 
funeral was graced by the Court and great per- 
sonages; but from information procured byM. 
Picquot, it seems that his burial was humble, 
and attended only by a few devoted friends and 
neighbors, for the most part unconscious of his 
great genius. 

The grace, the charm, the tenderness of his 
music well represent the epoch which immedi- 
ately preceded a period of restlessness and 
higher ambition. The ideas of Boccherini are 
gathered and moulded with implements of 
delicate form; and they are so completely his 
own, that his works are in that respect quite 
exceptional, and give the impression that he 
knew no other music but what he wrote him- 
self. He belongs in short to that favored class 
of men who are born intellectually independ- 
ent, in whose minds there are already inherited 
germs which fructify in the country, the cli- 
mate, the epoch whence they spring. They 
resemble those jewels that by day reflect little 
light, but which in darkness shine like fixed 
stars. They have absorbed through time the 
light they emit and with which they are satu- 
rated. Boccherini is a romantic Sebastian 
Bach of chamber music, a radiant point in the 
art of southern Europe, in the warm zone of 
Venice, Sicily, and Spain. 

It is to Boccherini we owe the form of the 
movement in a quartet or symphony known as 
the minuet. His music in regard to mere vir- 
tuosoship is not difiScult, compared with that of 
Mayseder and other of his contemporaries and 
successors in the north. It is enough if in 
interpreting Boccherini we can seize the rhythm 
and comprehend the style — an acquirement not 
by any means common on this side of the Alps. 
Once attained, the recompense we receive in 
the effects of Boccherini's well concerted accom- 
paniments far exceeds the poor satisfaction of 
mastering mechanical difiSculties. 

The makers of chamber music are apt to 
speak learnedly of the viola, but it is not often 
they bring the effects of that instrument into 
good relief. Kolla, who as a viola player had 
no rival, was, after Boccherini, one of the few 
composers who really knew how to employ it. 
Passing over Zamboni, Benincori, and Fiorillo, 
we must not forget Bruni'*'— the libertine Bruni, 
whose trios for violins and viola are so full of 
taste and originality. The adagios of Bruni 
are always highly praised. They are short and 
without development, kinds of preludes, but 
always brimming with freshness and grace. In 
the hands of Alard this delicate music retains 
all its color, all its accent. In the trios of 
Bruni the players are never bored. There arc 
no long rigmaroles, repetitions, and mechani- 
cal substitutes for inspiration. From the first 
note to the last the music ''sings.** All that, 
however, pales in the presence of Boccherini. 
The works of the latter are truly offsprings of 
genius. The conduct, the plan of his music, 
the system of modulation, as well as the melo- 
dic ideas, have the impress of his individuality, 
and remind us of the system of no other musi- 
cian. Everything he has written is a compound 
of healthiness, tact, and sensibility. The inter- 
est and variety of his episodes, and the appar- 
ent simplicity of his phrases, surprise even those 
most familiar with the effect of his composi- 
tions. His thoughts, always graceful, often 
melancholy, have in their naivete a seductive 
influence quite indescribable. 

It has been frequently complained of Boccher- 
ini that he is wanting in energy ; and an over- 
wise critic has dubbed him ''the wife of Haydn. '* 

* Born 17S0. Died 1823. The maalo of Bruni la what in 
southern Europe they call " pure music.'' That is melody 
not hacked out on the pianoforte or 8uf(fi[eatPd by tome 
fancied novelty In a sequence of chords.— zVofuto^or. 



The sense of the joke is a mistake, for many of 
his quintets are full of passion, vigor, and 
animation. His harmony, not always accord- 
ing to syntax. al>ounds in piquant detiils. He 
is fond of unisonal effects, which sometimes 
reduce his quartets to di!<>9. But the device is 
intended and contributes to that general effect 
of a complete orchestra which, by his marvel- 
lous skill in the use of the different timbres of 
the strings, he produces in the quartet. Ilis 
finales are somewhat archaic in color, and are 
perhaps now out of date; but his adagios and 
minuets are always exquisite. His pastorales 
remain incompanible. 

With a fecundity equalling his originality, 
Boccherini has producec 366 instrumental com- 
positions. With his many claims on the atten- 
tion of connoisseurs, he has still l)een singular- 
ly neglected, and at one time was almost 
unknown. Germany is only now beginning to 
acknowledge his merits, which were formerly 
summed up in German opinion in the criticism 
of Spohr, who, on hearing the music of Boc- 
cherini at Paris, observed that ^'it did not 
merit the name of music.'* Boccherini's fame 
has, however, since been thoroughly vindicated 
by a galaxy of French and German artists. At 
Brussels M. Gevaert is perpetuating the tradi- 
tional glory of the Italian master, first made 
known at the Conservatoire by F6tia. 

The history of instrumental chamber music 
dates from the end of the X Vllth century ; but 
the direction it has since taken as a learned 
branch of the art is due to Corelli. He was 
followed by Tartini. The pupils of those great 
artists, from Geminiani, Leclair, Nardini. Ac, 
to Yiotti, in the latter half of the XVIIIth 
century, represented what may be called the 
virtuoso school of chamber composition. It 
was Boccherini who had the honor of first 
launching into deeper waters. He is the crea- 
tor of the trio, the quartet, and the quintet, 
which Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven have 
developed. 

Boccherini, during his long residence in 
Spain, where he finally died, would naturally, 
with an organization so sensitive, absorb at 
every pore the national coloring of Spanish 
music. When we listen to his dreamy adagioa 
and passionate largoa, his minuets, garlanded 
with pizzicato accompaniments recalling the 
silvery sounds and balmy atmosphere of a star- 
ry night in Spain, we turn our thoughts sor- 
rowfully to the humble chamber where Boc- 
cherini, destitute ' and almost starving, bent 
over his desk, is transcribing for our delight 
his loves and dreams, his simple piety, and in- 
consolable mournings. — Li>nd. Mub, Standard, 



♦-^< 



►•-»■ 



Liszt and Chopin. 

A MUSICAL SOUVENIR. 
LFrom « Brainard'8 Musical World.**] 

There was a time in which the piano was a spec- 
ies of relii^inn. When the aged Field was on his 
deatli-b^d, his friends, not knowing what to sny, in 
order to prepHre him for the lent ^reat change, asked, 
** Are you a Papist or Calvinist ?" 

** 1 am a plan int.** responded the dyinsf artist. 

Among the adepts of this new religion the most 
celebrated were, withont doubt, Chopin and lAnzt. 
A li^reat many censure Liazt for hid indescribable 
jireAumption, his grand churlaUiniun, fur the con- 
duct of his heroes of romance, for his strange musi- 
cal theories ; in spite of all. the superiority of the 
aftiflt is in anking the world rapidly to forget the 
weaknesses of the man. Liszt has been, withont 
doubt, the true lion of the piano. All the great 
artists whom we have interrogated on the subject, 
Chopin excepted, have made the same response: 
" O, Liszt is the master of all.** We have seen 
talents more pure, more perfect, more sympathetic ; 
but no one has had, in the same degree, that elec- 
tric power, that musical magnetism tliat impassions 
and entrances an audience. Liszt was many times 
but mediocre in playing, when he was troiible<l, 
ill-disposed, or prey to over-excitement ; when he 
wished to play, when he concentrated all his 
powers tfi make a grand stroke, and held his 
muftical poem in his head, in his heart, in his fin- 
gers, in his nerves, he launuheil like a thunderbolt 
over the trembling audience, and prod&ced effect! 



BOSTON", SATURDAY, JAN. 8, 1876. 



155 



which no other artist has produced, except 
Pas:nnini. 

Schuma* n hm said of h'm, with a m'xture of 
admiration and irony, " ECe is as briirunt as lijc^ht, 
grand as a thunderbolt, and leaves after him a strong 
odor of brirastfine,** 

We have been accustomed, for many years, to 
hear Linzt and Chopin, but never have we enjoyed 
their playing as during^ the year 1 84-. It wiis dur- 
ins: my slay at Castle B., neir the right bank of the 
Nn\r. The mistress of the castle, an illustrious 
woman, entranced all, by her genius, and talents ; 
but she was loved more than admired,' by thone 
who knew her, for her supreme goodness of heart. 
She was, at that time, entiertaining Chopin, and she 
had positively snatched him from the vale of death. 
She turned from her maternal cares to him, and it 
is to her Influence that we are indebted for those 
last compositions of that genius, so pure and so 
beautiful. There was, in that year, a reunion of 
artists at the castle. Li^zt came, accompanied by a 
star from the Parisian world, a nobie lady as spirit- 
uelle as she was beautiful, there called AYabella, and 
who has since, under another name, held a distin- 
guished place in literature. 

The sublime cantatrice, Pauline V., with her 
husband, was there, who pre)*erves, to this day, the 
ideal expression, mistress of her incomparable tal- 
ent ; Eugene D., the romantic painter, the poet of 
color ; B., the great actor, and several other celeb- 
rities. After the children of the lord of the castle, 
a son and daughter, were a niece and nephew, and 
severiil friends from the neiflfhboring city, with their 
wives, all young and enthusia.<itic. Such was the 
character of the greats at the Castle of N. We 
were hospitably entertained, and our liberty was 
absolute. There were guns and dogs for those who 
liked the chase, boats and tackle for those fond of 
fishing, a magnificent garden for a promenade — 
every one did what he wished. 

Liszt and Chopin composed ; Pauline V. studied 
her role of "the Prophet;** the mistress of the 
castle wrote a romance or drama ; and the others 
amused themaelves as they chose. At six o*ciock 
all assembled for dinner, and did not disperse until 
two or three o'clock the next morning. We will 
not relate here the several improvisations which 
made the time seem so short We will speak chiefly 
of the muaic, and, above all, of the rival pianists. 
Chopin played rarely ; he was not willing to play, 
nnless ne was aure of perfection ; nothing in the 
world would tempt him to play in a mediocre style. 
Liszt, on the contrary, always played, whether he 
played well or ill. One night the guests were all 
assembled in the great drawing-room: the large 
windows were open, the light of the moon flooded 
the room with a golden light : the songs of the 
nightingrale and the perfume of misnnonette weie 
borne on the breeze into the room; Li^zt played a 
Boctarne of Chopin's, and, according to his custim, 
he enlarged the style, and intrjduced trills, tremo- 
los, and so forth, which were not in the original 
composition. Several times Chopin showed signs 
of impatience. At last he approached the piano, 
and said to Liszt, in iprave English : 

" Will yon do me the honor to play a piece of mine 
as it is writsien ? lio one but Chopin has a right to 
change Chopin." 

'* 0, well, play yourself, then,** said Liszt^ arising 
from the piano. 

" Willingly," said Chopin. 

At that moment the light was extinguished by 
a large moth, which had flown into the room. 
They wished to relight it •'Nol" ciied Chopin, 
" the light of the moon is enough for me ; extin- 
guish sll the tapers I ** Then he played an entire 
hour. It is impossible to describe the effect There 
are emotions that we feel and can not describe. The 
nightingales tried to rival him with their songs; 
the flowers were refreshed with water divine. 
Those sounds came from heaven. The audience 
were in a mute ecstasy — scarcely dared to breathe ; 
and when the enchanter finished, all eyes were filled 
with tears — above all, those of Liszt He pressed 
Choptn in his arms, and cried : 

'* Ah 1 my friend, you are right The works of a 
genius like thine are sacred ; it is a profanation to 
touch them. Thou art a true poet, and I am only a 
buffoon.** 

" Come, then,** replied Chopin ; " you know that 
no one can play Wooer and Beethoven like yourself. 
I pray you, play me the Adag^io in C sharp minor 
by Beethoven**play it slowly and seriously, as you 
can when you wish." 

Liszt played the Adagio, with all his soul and all 
his will. Then he manifested to the audience 
another kind of emotion. They wept, they groaned. 



But they were not the tears that Chopin had caused 
to flow; they were cruel tears, of which Othello 
speaks. The melody of the second artist did not 
touch the heart, as the first had done ; it was like 
the sharp thruist of a poniard. It was no longer an 
eleiry — it wa^ a drama. In the meantime, Chopin 
thought he had eclipsed Liszt that evening, and 
boasted of it, sayins:, " How he was vexed !" Liszt 
understood him, and determined to be avennced, 
spirituel artist though he was. And hero is what 
he improvised. Four or five days after, the com- 
pany were all assembled about the same hour — " a 
short time before midnight." Liszt entreated Cho- 
pin to play. Afler a irreat deal of persuading, he 
consented to play. Liszt then demanded that all 
the lamps and tapers should be extinsruished. They 
put down the curtains, and the obscurity was com- 
plete. It was a caprice of the artist, and they did 
as he wished. At that moment. Chopin went to 
take his place at the piano. Liszt whispered some 
words rapidly in his ear, and took his place. Cho- 

Sin, far from dreamins: what his comrade wished to 
o, seated himself, without noise, in a neighboring 
arm-chair. Then Liszt played all the compositions 
that Chopin had played at the memorable soirie, of 
which we have spoken. But he knew how to play 
them with such exact imitation of the style and 
manner of his rival, it was impossible not to be de- 
ceived ; and, indeed, they were all deceived. The 
same enchantment I the same emotion 1 When the 
ecstasy was at its height he quickly lighted the ta- 
pers at the side of the piano. There was a cry of 
surprise in the assembly. 

"Whatl was it you? we thought it was Cho- 
pin." 

" What sayest thou?" said he to hU rival. 

" I say, like all the rest, I should have thought it 
was Chopin." 

" Then seest thou that Liszt can be Chopin, when 
he wishes ? but Chopin— can he be Liszt ? " 

That was defying him ; but Chopin would not, and 
dared not, accept Liszt was avenged. 

Sometimea they played a comedy or Improvised 
a drama. They bad a pretty ' domestic theatre, 
and an assortment of costumes; they gave only 
the subject of the piece and the distribution of the 
scenes. The actors improvised a dialogue. Liszt 
and Chopin comprised the orchestra. Two pianos, 
placed at the right and left of the stage, covered 
with drapery, were occupied by the virtuosi, who 
followed the piece and improvised the interludes 
according to tne changes of the drama. Here again 
we are powerless to express what we heard. Both 
artists were gifted with a prodigious memory; 
knowing all the Italian, French, and German operas, 
seizing with admirable promptitude the movements 
which suited the situation, they developed them with 
such fire, with such ardent superiority, that the ac- 
tors at the side were obliged to cry. Enough ! 
enough I These amusements were always followed 
by a magnificent and joyous supper. We could ea- 
sily fill a volume with the memories of that summer : 
but in ordbr not to weary the reader, we will end 
with an artistic fantasm, of which few examples are 
found under similar circumstances. There was, at 
the end of the garden, an esplanade which over- 
looked the fnalUnmr, which was paved with marble. 
They had placed there a table, with chairs and rus- 
tic sofa, and it was surrounded with an iron railing 
to prevent the children from falling into the ravine 
below. That passage was known fbr its wonderful 
echo, which would be repeated three or four times. 
The children often amused themselves by making 
sounds in order to hear the echoes. One evening, 
some suggested the idea of carrying the piano there 
to play some fragments of romantic music, in order 
to near it re-echoed in the valley. The idea was 
acceded to by acclamation ; and very soon the 
friends at the castle took the magnificent Erard 
grand piano on their shoulders, and carried it to the 
esplanade. 

It was a night in June. There was no moon, but 
the sky was burning with stars, and the air was 
calm and sonorous. The piano was opened at the 
side of the valley, and Liszt struck, with his strong 
hands, that admirable " Hunter's Chorus ** from 
'* Euryanthe," which you all know. Naturally, he 
stopped at the first and second phrase to the re- 
sponse of the echo j %t the first pause we were all 
seized with trembling ; It was a new poem, an im- 
mense ideal. The musical phrase was too long to 
hear the first and second echo clearly ; but the third 
and the fourth, or the echo of the echo, was re-echoed 
without losing a single note. Liszt, exalted, con- 
tinued to accelerate the movement What could we 
say ? Each phrase was a subject of ardent curioaity, 
and of breathless attention. 



The last, above all, where the chorus in unison 
chsnsred into G flat, rolled under the woods of the 
valley with a heavy accent; but the last, which 
changed so fiercely in the key of B fliit, announced 
the victory of the humsn will nver the obstacles of 
nature. After that flourish of trumpets so appro- 
priate to the circumstances, Chopin to ik Liszt's 
place at the piano to cry and sing the echo. He 
composed then his impromptu Opus 6A, if we mis- 
take not, and he played, for the first time, some 
passages in G flat, which are in the middle of it 
That transparent JSolian music placed Chopin above 
himself. He prolonged his mysterious conversation 
with the spirits of the valley ; that was between 
them and him a strange dialogue, full of whisperings 
and murmuring, which resembled a magic incanta- 
tion. The mistress of the castle was obliged to 
snatch him from the piano. The fever had come 
upon him. After him Pauline V. sang a romance, 
so tender and so native, of " La Molinara." The 
air was admirably chosen, for each phrase, composed 
of two notes only, was echoed and re-echoed from 
rock to rock witti a clearness which was ravishing 
to all. The niece of the lord of the castle next sang, 
with a voice fresh ani vibrating, a popular air, 
which was a grand success, echoing and re-echoing 
with a particular pleasure. It was two o'clock in 
the morning when refreshments were served, and 
they san? in chorus to send a last adieu of gratitude 
to the echo. The dawn was already whitening the 
horizon when we separated, burning with emotion, 
but happy in keeping: the memory of that night an 
ineffaceable souvenir, O where are you now, da}^s 
of youth and happiness ? Where are you, glorious 
artists, so good, so artless, so indulgent in your 
firrandeur ? . . . . Alas ! the srreater part are 
dead ; with two exceptions, all are like the shadow 
of the past ! 

From thb Febxch of CnAELEa Rolliaxat. 

Hotes on *" The Xetsiah." 

BT JOHN GROWDT. 

(Concluded from Page IM.) 

No. 17. CnoRus— Olory to God in the highest and 
peace on earth; good will toward men. 

One of the most exquisitely planned pieces known 
to sacred mnsic, this chorus will repay all the ob- 
servation which can be bestowed upon its perform- 
ance. Short as it is, and simple as it may appear, 
the elements of effect employed In it are many. 
First there is the contrast between the heavenly and 
the earthly : ** Gloria tit exceUit Deo : et in terra 
pax." Thid is illustrated by the employment, for 
the first sentenct (" Glory to God in tXe %*«/") of 
the higher voices, accompanied only by high instru- 
mentation ; for the second sentence (" and on earth 
peace,") the men's voices enter alone, in unison 
{" and peace '*) changing to octaves (''on earth,'*) 
the orcnestration following the change, and empha- 
sizinic it by uttering the monotonic passage in the 
double octave below. 




a 



and peace on earth 




Egg==t^{ 



Two bars of treble instrumentation take our atten- 
tion upwards again, and a second time the heavenly 
sentence is sung by the higher voice parts, the ten- 
ors being: taken up to A at the word " highest" 
The earthly sentence Is repeated, to the same mon- 
otonic phrase just quoted, though in another key; 
and then, by the conversational effect of a few bars 
in close fugue, the four parts express, as if to each 
other, the assurance of " good will toward men." 
Then the whole choir joins in the united repetition 
of the entire passage, to the same musical phrases 
as before ; the fugsl assurance of good will is worked 
to some deeree of animation, the voices come to a 
cadence ; the bass instruments are taken out of the 
accompaniment (leaving the violas to become the 
actual Dass, with the same aerial effect ai before); 
and a gradual diminuenJo, combined with a liftiu'^ 
np of the instrumentation to the high register, seems 
to suggest the depariure of the angels. 

Such are the means, simple and effective, and be- 
cause effective admirable, by which H-indel has il- 
lustrated in music the gospel story of the vision to 
the shepherds. 

No. 18. Air— Rejoice greatly O daughter of Zion; 
shout, O dar g'lt^r of Jer alem Behold thy King co ncih 



— 



VBto thee. H« if the rifhttovt BeTleor, and He ehall 
■peak peere mito tbe heatbm. 

NairatWe now sfivea place for a while to refieetive 
natfer ; sod tbe key note of this number to jovfms 
exultation for the giad tktings TonehMfed. Ifote 
the invenions little phmses to the word " shont," 
and the glndeofne repetition in the orcheetra. The 
acrompaniment is ein^larly free and brilliant here. 
All share in the joy. 

No. 19. Kbcitatitb— Tben shall tbe eyes of tbe bihid 
be opened, and the ears of tbe deaf anstopped ; then shell 
the lame man leap as a bait, aad the toofoe of tbe damb 
sbansinic, 

Serres to Introd— e tbe Dozt somber. 

No. S^. Ai»-4ie shAll ibeJ Me flock Hke a ahepberd, 
and He ehail father the himbs with His aras, and oany 
them hi His bosom, aad gently lead those that are with 

TOBDg* 

Come mito Rim all ye that labor and am heavy laden, 
ami Be shall give yon rest. Take His yoke npon yon, 
and learn of Htm; Ibr He is meek aadlowlj of heart; and 
ye shall find mat milo yovr aools. 

Tbto to a Borober which, in Ke tender pnetoral 
grace, speaks its own sfgnlffeaace ; if It does not, no 
words tk description will oooTey Its beauty. 

No. ft. Cnoava— Hie yoke b easy. Hie borden Is Iffht. 
Of this choms, which concludes the first part of 
tbe oratorio, k must be admitted that there 1^ little 
to say, except that H base oertain |oyous ligbtness. 



PART II. 

Ta the second part of the ** MesiKtoh ' the text 
takes np the Indirect narratiTe of the story of Christ, 
common cf i^|^ with reference to Hia passion, am) car- 
rying the soKgested action on to Hto ascension. As 
the first part has elaborated and ITliistrated the 
articles of the Creed : " Who was eonceired by tbe 
Holy Ghost, bom of the Virgin Mary," so we come 
now to the derelopment for mnsleal illmitratlon of 
the articles — " SnATcred nnder Pontfns Pflate ; Was 
eradfiedp dead, and burled. Tbe third day he rose 
again from the dead. And ascended into Heaven, 
And sitteth on the r^ht hand ot Ood tbe Father 
Almighty.'' 

No. St. CBOBUS— Behold the Lamb of Ood, that taketh 
away the sfam of the world. 

This to a mnnber of which nothing need be said 
except that It appropriately, and with great ford* 
hleneas, cooTeys the words which H undertakes to 
present to the mind. It Is a good example of the 
tenderaeas which resnlts from the employment of 
the minor mode, with phrases of slow pace ; and 
constltotes the first step into a deep stream of mosi- 
eal pathos which is now to be passed throogh. 



No. n. AiB— He wae despised and rejected of men, a 
man of aerrvwii, and aeqoalnted with crief. Re fare hie 
hack to the smftera, and hit ehe^s to them that pincked 
oir the hair. He bid not bto fsoe from shame and spit- 
ting. 

The exqnUlte grief of this nomber, it rosy again 
be said, needs no comnoent but the text to which It 
to set. Tbe second section Increases In indignant 
animation, and develops Arom the cantabile (fre- 
qoently, bat mistakenly, omitted in perfbrmanee,) 
what to ▼irtoally a redtatlTe, with anqnlet accom- 
paniment In the orchestra, leading np to the highly 
wrought eboms which follows. 

No. tl. CBOKua—Soiely He bath borne our griefi and 
eartled our sorrows. He was woamled for oor transgree- 
sione; He was bnrisedforoar iaiqaltles; tbeebastlsement 
of our peace was npon Him. 

A chorus of bitter self-reproachful lamentation. 
Mark the exclamatory detached phrases ** Sorely, 
surely f " Mark the poignant dissonances at *' He 
bath WiM oor ffrit/a^^ empbaslaed to the utmost by 
takUg the basses — to whom mn assigned tbe chro- 
nmtie notes of the chords — ^to the top oi their regis- 
ter. Mark the entry of tbe basses with an A ftot at 
*' He was wounded* against the O of tbe altos, 
struck a beat beforehand ; then the entry of tbe ten- 
ore with D against tbe C of the soprano nart ; tbe 
flinging of E ftot by the trebles at " woimd(M * against 
tlie tenor D; and note tbe recurring intensity of the 
dissonances in tbe voice parts, enforoed by an almost 
▼iolent orchestra] accompaniment Tlie storm of 
grief to at length expendaid, and a change cornea oy- 
er the music at 

No. 9S. CHOBOS'And with Bto stripes we are healed. 

A finelT written fugue of much technical Interest, 
and worthy the dignity of the work. 

No. SS. CROaus— All we like aheep haTe gona astray ; 
wa have turned erery one to hie own way. 

And the Lord hath laid on Him the iniqoity of us all. 



This to a Tery remarkable piece of art-work In 
sound. It is thought by many that. In accepting 
the suggestivenees of the simile contained in the first 
sentence of the text, " like sheep," Handel has passed 
the bounds of legitimate sense- painting, and pro- 
dnced triviality. The inceseant motion' kept up in 
the bass accompaniment has been said — let us be 
permitted to think, b\* an exaggeriition — to repre- 
sent the trotting of sheep; certainly nothing eimld 
be more picturesquely soggestlTe of wandering than 
tbe "contrary motion ''of the parts, the reckless 
runs at " gone ajfroy," or the wantrn tnma at *' we 
have htmed," Tbe great master has, to say the 
least, run riot in descriptiveness ; and by a mancsu- 
Tring of parts hardly surpassed anywhere, has 
painted confusion and wilfnlness in the' highest col- 
ors. The continual recurrence of the eportire rone, 
and tbe rapid turns, tbe interjection of poaitire es- 
damatory phrases. 




t 



wa hare tun - ed 



and the Incessant morement in the orchestral |Mirts, 
conatitute a picture which, to some minds, passes 
the limit of permissible suggefetWeness. But it to 
magnificent. If exaggerated ; and I would have no. 
one prononnce upon this chorrs till the end to 
rrached ; for who can say how far the sublimity of 
its second section Is dependent u|3on the liflrhtness of 
the first ? In all tone-art, I shonld say, there Is no 
more awful stroke than that which arrests the head- 
long progress of this ehorns, when the organised 
confusion is at Its height ; and pours out that terri- 
ble adagio " And the Lord hath laid, bath laid, on 
Him. on Him, the iniquity of us all.* 

What majei^tlc remorse f What nobility of self- 
rrproach I The bnsy amble of the orchestra to 
stilled, the wandering, wanton voice parts are 
reined op ; and in a music-sentence mB eloquent as 
tbe sacred words which it clothes, the bass voices 
uplift themselves an octave to the high C. and de- 
scending gradually, and gradually diminishing In 
|>ower (the other three parts weaving themselves 
slowly in), convey the awful r» flection with snch a 
sublime vividness that I have never yet sung in this 
chorus without — ^for all Its opening trivtolity — ^find- 
ing tears in my eyes at the end. 

No. >r. RBCiTATrvx~A11 tbey that see Him laagh Him 
to aoem; they abool oat tbeir lips, and ahake their beads, 
saytaflT— . 

Thto little nimiber servea to iatroduoa the next 
well-marked chorus. 

No. M. CRoami^He trsated In Ood that Re wonid 
deliver Him : let Him deliver Him, If He delight hi Htaa. | 
A number full of character, In which the choir 
personate the mocking Jews, and tbe expression Is 
taunting and irony. The bass sentence with which 
It opens to a well-known point. To hear it come 
thundering over the orchestra in solid bolts of 
spiteful sound at a Handel festival Is one of the sen- 
sat Ions of these great occasions. The short choppi ng 
phrases which form its material are tbe musical em- 
bodiment of brutal Insult. 

No. 9. RacrrATivx— Thy rebuke hath broken His 
bean; He is ftill ofheavinees; Re looked for some tobSTo 
pity on Rim. but there was no man ; neltber iuvad He any 
to eomfort Him. 

This to the first of a well-known group of num- 
bers for the tenor soloist. Anything more com- 
pletely at one with the spirit of the words cannot 
be Instanced in tha range of music: the solemn, 
yearning harmonies of the aeeom]Minlment, the 
pathetic distances, and short sobbing Dhra^s of the 
voice part, make up together a picture of the roo«t 
intanse depth of color. The march of the modula- 
tion in these few bars is a study In Itself; at every 
pulse it gets deeper and deeper in intensity. 

No. 80. Am— Behold, wad see If there be any sorrow 
like unto His sorrow. 

Scarcely less full of religious pathos than the fore- 
going to this short air, though entirely differing from 
it, in that modulation now ceases awhile, and tbe 
harmony turns quietly upon a centre, instead of 
moring by strides to a distant point 

Vo. n. Rbcttativs— He was ent off ont of tbe land 
of the living; for tbe tranegresaloos of Thy peopto wae 
He atrlcken. 

Carries tbe modulation towards tba coming air In 
a few eloquent progressions. 

No. at. Aim— Bat Ihott didat not leave HIa soul in 
hell ; neither didst Thou snlfer Thine Holy One to sea eor- 
roption. 

This is a well-known song of much religiona grace 



and dignity, perfectly conveying tba saerad words 
of which it is tbe vehicle. 

No. 83. Chobus— Lift up ymir beada, O ys gates ; and 
be ye lift np, ye everlasting doom ; and the King of Olory 
shall come in. 

Who is the King of Olory? The Lord strong and ndgbty; 
the Lord mirhty in battle. 

Lift op your head*, O ye gates ; and he Hit up, ye ever- 
lasting doors; and tbe King of Olory ahall come In. 

Who to tbe King of Olory f The Lord of Hosts; Be to 
theKlngof Gtory. 

This chorus Is parallel In some respects to '*61ory 
to Ood." an earlier number alresdy described. It 
exemplifies, at the entrj of tbe Vfdres, the same de- 
vice of leaving out the mors ponderous saetlons of 
the choir, tbe tenors and b a sse s, for the purpose of 
sng|t.e8tlng celestial effect. Presently, however, the 
men's voices enter, with the question " Who to the 
King of Olory ?" the reply is assigned to the lighter 
sections of the choir, first employed. Then the dis- 
tribution is reversed ; the men's voices (altos Includ- 
ed) sing tba apcatroyrfie " Lift up your bead*," and 
tbe question ** Who Is tbe King of glory ?" to asked 
by the altos In combination with the trebles; the 
men's voices reply ; and then tbe response, " The 
Lord of Hosts,'' is given to all the vfdces ; the divl- 
eion of the trebles Into first and second to abandoned, 
and tbe full chorus proceeds In a joyons develop- 
ment of the reitereted declaration, '* Tbe Lord of 
Hoeto r He to the King of Glory.'' 

No. M. RacrrATivi— Unto whieb of the Angels said 
Re,atanvtinM. TboaartaqrSon^tbladaybavs I begot- 
teaTheef 

Serves to introduce the next chorus. 

No. 85. OiaoBus— Let all tbe Angeto of Gad wsffihlp 
him. 

Thto to a dearly constructed fugal number, of no 
unworthy calibre; but Is not nnfreqnently omitted 
In performing the oratorio, and may fairly be said 
to be redundant. 

No. 88. Am— Thou a^ t gona up on high ; Thon bust 
led eaptfvHy eaptlTo and received gifts fbr men ; yea, ev- 
en for Thine enemies, that the Lord Ood might dwell 
aoMmg tbem. 

Of this number also. It nmy be said that It is not 
nworthy but rednndant : It is fl>eqtiently omitted. 

No. 87. CiiOBua— The Lord gave the word: great was 
tbe company of tbe preacbers. 

A piftmvsque piece of choral writing, character- 
istic oT Its composer. The opening proelamatory 
aentenca, assigned to the men's voices onlv, la uni- 
son, constitutes one of tboee etkdta which Handel so 
often seizes; obvlons, simple, dramatic. Then 
comes tbe contrasted rapid senfenee. In qnavere and 
semlqnavere, "Great was the company of the preach* 
era," giving a multitudinous efl^t, and out of theaa 
two phrases the whole number is constructed. 

No. 88. AiB— Row bcaatiftel are the fseC of them that 
preach the Ooepel of peaea, aad bring gtodtldlage of good 
things r 

A well-known air, of that religions elegance which 
to, in turn, at tbe command of Handel, like more 
massive efTects. 

No. 88. Ciffomm— Thefr sound le gona out fata an 
landa, and their wovda nato the enda of the worM. 

A dashing fugal chorus, in which tbe eonf^nti*** 
tion of the musical sentences follows the suggostive- 
ne^ of the words, as does almost every piece of the 
old grant's work whose creations we are reviewing. 
Very remarkable In this resf>ect is the phrase, "And 
their words nnto tbe end of the world.* 

No. 40. Am— Why do tbe nattone so furiously rage 
together? and why do tbe people inmghie a vain thing f 
Tbe kings of the esrth rise up, and the ralera take eoan- 
sel together against tbe Lord and agatnat Hla anointed. 

This air constitutes one of the great opportnaitlea 
for the principal bare. It Is again a sound-picture. 
Syncopation, or rapid motion, in the orchestral pre- 
lude, foreshadows tbe agitation, which increases up 
to the IStb bar. A restless effect to given by a 
change of figure at tbe 10th bar; tbe ]3tb bringa 
another change, and Increases the restlesa eUbct ; 
thto last may be studied as an example of power 
gained by tlie simplest maana. 

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BOSTON, SATURDAY, JAN. 8, 1876. 



167 



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II 





A perfect storm is raised In the band by the rap- 
id playing of ibis happily-conceived accompaniment 
iigare. 

The Toice enters firmly, amidst the afi^tation In 
the band ; but soon finds itself occupied in render- 
ing a fine chain of triplets to the word *' rage ; " 
presently a deseending scale passage, for Toiee and 
orchestra in unison, constitutes a first climax. 
Presently renewed triplets in the roice oart are 
accompanied by groups of semiouaTers in tne band; 
tJien a peremptory bar of a rour>times reiterated 
phrase for the rolce, is sung to the restless accom- 

Cniment figure foreshadowed in the 10t.h and 11th 
rs ; these again work up to a passage founded on 
the figure already heard from the band at bar 12 
(quoted aboye), the voice as well as the baas accom- 
paniment being assigned the peremptory oscillating 
phrase there round in the base of the aceompanl- 
mentw 

The reader who has followed me thus ftir in dis- 
secting this fine number will be able to trace for 
himself its further extension, which is accomplished 
by use of the same material, slightly and dexterous- 
ly Taried, but kept In hand to tne last 

No. 41. CHOBua— Let us break their bonds asoBder and 
east away their yokes from ua. 

This is again a chorus of which the turn of the 
phrases which go to make up its material baa been 
suggested by the sense of the words. 

The parts enter, in rapid succession, with a Jerked 
subject of short detached notes, the entry of the 
busses being especially efl^ive. 

With the second sentence of the words " And cast 
away," comes a second musical sentence, capable, by 
emphasis, of conveying a feeling of still greater per- 
emptoriuess than the first, and so constructed as, in 
the usual course of fugal imitation, to bring into 
simultaneous utterance a daahing phrase of runs in 
one part, short snappish reiterated quavers in 
another, and angry staccato crotchets in a third. 

Presently reversion to the first words of the text 
brings rerersion to the first phrase of the music ; 
after a time the imitation becomes more compact, 
the materials of the musical structure are packed 
closer, and in the end the parts are brought, in a 
simultaneous passage, to an end staccato. 

No. 4S. Rboitatits— He that dweiletli In bearea 
shall laufh them lo scorn; the Lord shall have them la 
derlsloB, 

Connects the preceding and the following num- 
bers. 

Vo. 48. AtB— Tboa ahalt break them with a rod of 
Iroii; Thou shalt dash them In pleoes like a potter's ves- 
sel. 

Only one bar, the first, of the accompaniment to 
this Tigorous little number needs to be read for dls- 
coTery of its key thought ; or rather, it should be 
said, one bar and the first note of the next. 




The phrase is almost amusing in its suflrgestiveness 
of muscular bodiW action, appropriate to the words 
** Thou shalt break them." The voice part embod- 
ies the same vigor, but preserves throughout its 
own phraseology, -against the reiterated figure of 
the accompaniment which runs through the piece. 

THE HALLELUJAH CHORUS. 

Ko. 44. CHOBUB~IUUelq)ah I fbr the Lord Ood omnip • 
olent relfneth. 

The kingdom of this world Is become the kingdom of 
our Lord, and of his Christ. 

And He shall reign for sver and ever, King of Kings and 
Lord of Lords. 

An outbreak of magnificent and majestic Joy. A 
disciplined shout of tumultuous triumph. An or* 
ganiaed clamor of praise. A pageant in which 
battalions march to and fro, under review of a 
monarch. A chorus to be sung by the angels, after 
Armageddon. How shall un idea of this great I 



"Hallelujah" be secured and Imprisoned In lan- 
guage? The task Is impossible. No commentary 
can do it Justice, or convey to the reader of cold 
black and white words a breath of the almost heav- 
enly atmosphere with which it surrounds the sym- 
pathetic listener to its adequate performance. The 
commentator may map out Its plan, but the soul of 
the hearer alone can realize Its full effect, in which, 
as in everything sublime, there are elements incom- 

{>rehen8ible by parts of speech. Let us coldly take 
t to pieces: when this has been done, the mind 
which is laree enough, and warmed suiBciently by 
a spiritual element, can add for itself the glow, the 
brilliance, the splendor, which cannot be described, 
but may be felt. 

A joyous, animated, orchestral foretaste preludes 
this almost more than human conception. Only 
three bars. The impatient shout can be restrained 
no longer, and the voices enter, all together, in a 
group of bright, loud, exclamatory, simultaneous 
phrases ; born of the word to which they are joined, 
** Hallelujah." Of the five Hallelnjahs which con- 
stitute the first little section of the chorus, four are 
embodiments of the expression known as the " pla- 
ff*l cadence ; " the fifth embodies a *' perfect cadence" 
in the same key. Harmonically the material is of 
the simplest; chords of tonic, subdominant, and 
dominant. 

The next fire Hallelujahs are a transpoeition of 
the first group into the key of the dominant ; and 
after this exclamatory announcement of the key- 
phrase, the first sentence subject enters. In unison 
for %11 the parts and all the instruments, Indelibly 
engraved at the outset. 




For the Lord Ood omni • po-tent reign-eth. 



Four more exclamations of " Hallelujah " In the key 
of the dominant, to phrases of the first type ; and 
then, majestic and emphatic by Its seat being 
changed to the key of the tonic, 'is repeated, " For 
the Lord God omnipotent reigneth." Another 
group of " Hallelujahs," this time literal adaptations 
of the ordinary monotonio " Amen " which church 
choirs sing after collects: and then the composer 
commences to weave his two threads, hitherto dis- 
tinct, together in one texture. The treble Tolces 
restate the sentence, " For the Lord Ood omnipot«nt 
reigneth ;" the tenors, then the altos, th^n the basses, 
throw under It the exclamatory " Hallelujah," into 
which the trebles again break the Instant their 
enunciation of the slower sentence Is complete; 
while the men's Toices as instantly take up. in 
another key, the longer sentence '* For the Lord 0«xl 
omnipotent reigneth." Bright Hallelujahs from the 
lighter voices now play round the more massive 
phrase of the men : in a moment, as soon as this is 
out of their mouths, the men break also into Halle- 
lujahs, and a new effect, the overlapping and alter- 
nation of the exclamatory sentences, is Introduced. 
A fifth time the sentence recurs — "For the Lord 
God omnipotent reigneth," assigned this time to al- 
tos and tenors, the Msses and trebles accompanying 
with ejaculations, not simultaneous, as at first, but 
alternated and overlapping, as just presented. 
This, however, Is the last repetition ; and the mass 
of singers are brought altogether to a rest, amidst a 
tumult of instrumentation constructed out of the 
same material as the voice parta. Here the first 
section of the chorus ends. 

Eight bars of smooth, slowly moving harmony 
for voices and orchestra, to the words " The king- 
dom of this world is become the kingdom of our 
Lord, and of his Christ,** here occur, relieving the 
already highly wrought workmanship, and prepar- 
ing dear ground for a new theme. Structurally, 
these eight bars are not related to the rest of the 
material ; issthetieally their ofllce is Important: 
they calm the excited attention, and throw into con- 
trast the tumultuous effect of what has preceded, 
and that which Is to follow. What was tlie object 
of Handel, at the point *' is become " In entering the 
alto Tolces a auarter of a bar before the rest? I 
think it may oe felt. The object was, without 
doubt, to heighten the quiet effect, to blunt a little 
the edge of a simultaneous entry. How welcome. 
In fact. Is this lull of the action 1 

The second section of the Hallelujah chorus com- 
mences with the sentence " And He shall reign for 
ever and ever," which the basses first give out, un- 
covered by the other parts, and supported by the 
orchestra in unison. As with the sentence " For 
the Lord God omnipotent reigneth," so with this ; 
It if written up black on a white ground ; a moun- 
tain outline against a clear sky. 




and He shall reign for - ev - er and e - ver. 



As soon as the basses have announced this, the 
tenors Imitate It in the dominant, the basses throw- 
Ing In ejaculations of " for ever ! and ever t " the 
altos repeat it in the same key as it was propounded, 
the ejaculations continuing; then, in turn, the treb- 
les repeat the tenor version. Meanwhile the basses, 
with the altos, are assigned exclamations of ** for 
ever" " and ever** which, while they refer back to 
the opening Hallelujahs, foreshadow the more p'^n- 
derous exclamations of the same words, " for ever " 
— " and ever " — which are presently to be heard.- 

Each of the four voice parts having now. in turn, 
pronounced the triumphant sentence " And He shall 
reign for ever and ever," a new phrase, majestic In 
Its monotonic simplicity, occurs. 




King of Kings**** 



and Lord of Lords 




Against this straight line of tone, sustained by 
trebles and altos, the men's voices fling the already 
established ejaculations, now Juxtapositioned, and 
shown to be identical. " for ever " — *' and ever " — 
" Hallelujah "— " Hallelujah." Here again, the sub- 
ject, the monotonic " King of Kings " phrase, Is an- 
nounced without harmonic cover of any kind ; and 
at its every stage, as It rises presently on a magnifi- 
cent ladder from D to G above the staff, it is set 
forth without veil, in unison of voices and trumpet. 
A masterly distinctness, making the plan of the num- 
ber palpable to the ear, is the result. 

The reader who has followed me to this point Is 
In poesesslon of all the material of this wonderful 
chorus ; the rest is combination and modification of 
the already stated phrases. But what masterful 
combination and modification ! First comes that 
magnificent ladder of monotonic sentences, assigned 
to the trebles and the trumpet, rising successively 
and majestically from Ds to £s, Fs, and Gs ; a bright, 
strong rope of sound, suggesting, nay requiring, at 
every successive change of the note upwards, a 
change in the tonality of the accompanying ejacula- 
tions "for ever" — "and eter " — "Hallelujah." 
First these are but a recall of the Initial exclamations 
of " Hallelujah ;" then the treble monotone shifts to 
E, and the harmony changes; It rises to F sharp, 
and an A sharp lights up the harmony, and brings 
it into the relative minor ; it mounts to G, and then 
the ejaculations cease, to enable all /our voioea at 
lenirth to nnite, for the first time, in the words 
" King of Kings, and Lord of Lords.* Which done, 
the bMses restate the subject already first entrusted 
to them, " And He shall reitrn for ever and ever," 
this time In the dominant ; the trebles then repeat 
It in the tonic 

The accumulation of foreshadowed effects now 
comes on the ear more rapidly than the pen can de- 
scribe; the men thunder out in turn the monotonic 
phrase " King of Kinsfs," solid and rotund, on the 
keynote D, and while the tenors prolong the note, 
the three other parts recur to the ejaculatory " for 
ever " — " and ever ; " the men*s voices reunite for 
another proclaraatory shout, " and Lord of Lords," 
again tonic and monotonic ; the tenors again pro- 
long the D, and the other voices aflrain ejaculate, 
this time. "Hallelujah! Hallelujah 1" the basses 
once again reiterate " And He shall reign for ever, 
fnr ever and ever," followed, at the closest poaslble 
distance, by the altos, the other voices ooveHng ; 
the sections of the choir begin to move in massive 
steps together; the bold phrase "and He shall 
reign " is recurred to for tne last time ; for an In- 
stant, the voices come to a simultaneous rest ; then, 
through the rushing and agitated orchestration, 
through the sweep of strings, the piercing pipe of 
flutes, the grind of bassoons, the noise of drums, the 
thrill of trumpet, and blare of tiombone, come thun- 
dering forth four united Halleluiahs, to the same 
chords as before of tonic and sub^ominant : and at 
the Iburth there is silence. A silence which rings. 
A silence filled with the memory of sublime sounds. 
A silence during which the whole chorus rushes 
through the mind. The first moment of silence 
since the first note of the chorus. And then th« 
whole mass, trebles, altos, tenors, basses ; strings, 
reeds, fiutes ; brass, drums ; plunge, as into a stream, 
into one last broad prolonged Hallelujah ; the epit- 
ome of the whole-' 



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DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



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PART III. 
Had the " Messiah " ended with the Hallelujah 
chorus, it might still have been accounted the great- 
est and broadest work of its kind ; considered, how- 
ever, as coextensive in subject with thnt portion of 
the Creed which relates to the Second Person of the 
Godhead, a third part was necessary. To prolonj? 
A work so far must be accounted a weighty task, if 
interest is to be sustAined ; but Handel has proved 
equal to it, and although there are nnmbera in the 
third part of the " Messiah ** which can be, and usu- 
ally are, omitted in performance, there are also new 
eflFects which, when a key to their appreciation is 
given, should sustain the attention of the earnest 
auditor without sense of flagging. These are the 
introduction of the unaccompanied vocal ouartet, 
and the trumpet solo. The first of these gives an 
almost supernatural tone to the musical atmosphere, 
the second introduces an element of striking dignity 
and prominent interest. A third feature of the 
general plan of the third part might be mentioned, 
equally efficient in sustaining the high general in- 
terest of the oratorio, though not so easily appreci- 
able except to those who can look at the work 
broadly : I mean its magnificent cadence. I do not 
refer by this terra to the few chord^ which end its 
last number : those are the cadence of that number ; 
1 mean the whole of that wonderful chorus "Worthy 
is the Lamb " with its elaborate appended "Amen," 

a chorus unsurpassed in the qualities, which its 

position demands, of breadth, dignity, and elabora- 
tion, — which forms the cadence to the work as a 

whole. 

[Concluded on last page.J 



ffetgbf s |0nrnal of Slusit. 

BOSTON, JAN. 8, 1876. 



The Christmas Oratorios. 

The great Music Hall was crammed on the even- 
ing of Christmas with eager listeners to the Handel 
and Haydn Society's iizty-Jifth performance of the 
" Messiah.** And a very fine performance, on the 
whole, it was. Mile. Tiitjsns was of course the 
prime attraction with a great number. She sang 
the great soprano arias gloriously. Her large, 
rich, thoroughly musical and pure voice was here 
engaged in the noblest service. She saug with fer- 
Tor, with right understanding, and with thoroughly 
artistic, chaste expression. The Ftrong declamato- 
ry passages were all given in the noblest style and 
without overdoing. " Rejoice greatly ** welled up 
from deep springs of unaffected gladness and 
unfailing opulence and buoyancy of tone ; and the 
second part of it was touched with just the right 
shade of tender seriousness. In " I know that my 
Redeemer liveth," there was no forced, defiant dec- 
lamation, no tedious conventional sentimentality; 
it was calm, deep, blissful, assured faith ; and every 
phrase and note of the music, every accent and gra- 
dation of light and shade, was in accordance with 
that lofty, sincere mood. Who of us will live long 
enough to hear a worthier interpretation of that 
heavenly music 1 We might say as much of all her 
efforts that night ; efforts they hardly seemed to be ; 
they were at all events spontaneous ; feeling ex- 
pressed itself; and each thing that she did was 
wholly in keeping with all the rest 

Mrs. H. E. Sawtie gave a careful, well conceived 
and graceful rendering of the contralto solos ; her 
Binging was more remarkable for tenderness and 
sweetness, and for a certain even excellence, than 
for power. Mr. Maas has a light tenor voice, of 
great sweetness, very pure and even, and made a 
marked impression by his intelligent, artistic and 



expressive style, particularly in the pathetic pieces : 
" Thy rebuke,** etc. Into ** Thou shalt dash them *' 
he also threw a vigor that was hardly expected of 
him, achieving a complete success. Mr. Rudolph- 
sen has not all the voice he once had, and some of 
his bass tones sound dry ; but his style and execu- 
tion were masterly, making the well-known bass 
arias uncommonly acceptable. In "The trumpet 
shall sound " he was somewhat disturbed by an oc- 
casional fault of intonation in the trumpet obligato, 
for which the innocent offender has been most wan- 
tonly held up to scorn by some of our considerate 
critics ; surely his performance was not worse than 
the average. But we do think it not in good taste 
to station the trumpet in the forefront of the orches- 
tra, and thus court attention to his part as to a piece 
of solo virtuosity ; it should have the air of spring- 
ing unexpectedly and spontaneously out of the heart 
of the orchestra. 

The chorus was large, but the balance of the four 
part« not quite so perfect as usual. Strangely the 
iasses were too feeble, while the contralto was the 
strongest part of all, — a solid, rich and n^usical mass 
of tone. Nearly all of the choral work was done 
with spirit and with even excellence. A few short- 
comings, in such " catchy ** chornses as " His yoke 
is easy,*' " Let us break their bonds,** scarcely dis- 
turbed the beautiful and grand impression of the 
whole. 

With success even more signal 77m Creation was 
given the next evening. Bating some carelessness 
in the orchestral accompaniment the choruses (with 
better balance) went splendidly. The Trios, too, 
were beautifully sung. And the great voice and art 
of Mile. TiRTJXNS triumphed in this more flowery 
and graceful melody as fully as they did in the Met- 
tiah. We only wondered at some changes of the 
verbal text, ^or which we could perceive no reason. 
Why " On . mighty t«ny«,** instead of " pens ? " Is 
it not a pleasure to have the original meaning of a 
word preserved for once in such connection with 
undying music? Pen^ from Latin pttrwa, which 
means wing. And what is the objection to the 
" cooing ** of the dove ? It is a word expressive of 
the natnral sound, and surely it is a good vowel 
sound to sing. Not caring to go back so far as Jen- 
ny Lind, we never heard the two erreat airs more 
exquisitely sung ; and the music of Eve, in the third 
part, WBS given with a genuine warmth and tender- 
ness, which had no taint of the weak sentimentality 
which too often takes its charm away. — Mr. Maas 
sang sweetly and artistically as before, though his 
voice betrayed exhaustion from previous efforts, or 
perhaps from a cold. — Mr. Joun F. Winch sang the 
descriptive bass solos with admirable effect. 

The Handel and Haydn Society have now in hand 
for the Knster season Handel's Joshua (new here) 
and the entire 3faU/ieu> PoMion Aftuic of Bach, with 
the view of giving it-s two parts separately on the 
morning and evening (or afternoon) of Good Fri- 
day. 

Fourth Harvard Symphony Conoert 

Deprived, by a paramount duty, of the op- 
portunity of listening to any of the Concerts of last 
week, we will let others speak of one of the most 
interesting orchestral concerts of the season, re- 
serving our own comments. We select two notices 
which seem to us the best considered and the fair- 
est The Traveller of the following day (Doc. 28) 
says of it : 

The programme consisted of four nnmbers, but two of 
theto vero of such proportions as to make the concert of 
about the usual lenp:th. Oade*a vivid and vigorous over- 
ture, " In the Highlands," and Boleldleu's overture to 
<'La Dame Blanche,** opened and concluded the pro- 
gramme respectively, both being well performed. Mr. 
Hugo Leonhard was the soloist of the afternoon, and ap- 



peared In the Beethoven Piano-forte Concerto, No. 6, in E 
flat (Op. 73). I'he artUt acquitted himself with his wonted 
jurlgment and fine feeling, and especially in the adagio 
brought out tho sentiment of the work with cleameea and 
beauty. The mo«t interesting woric of the afternoon was 
the Symphony in Cby Schubert, inatruraented for orches- 
tra by Joseph Joachim froin the g^nd duo for piano (op. 
140). Tlie nnmber proved throughout exccedine;ly inter- 
esting, full of color and warmth, and rich lo beautiful 
themes. Each of the four movements has a charm of its 
own, and the worIc never grows thin or unimpressive. The 
last movement is very bright and happy, and abounds in 
delicate conceits. The scoring is broad and vigorous, and 
adds to the beauty of the piano work a wealth of instru- 
mental coloring. We shall be glad to hear the number 
again at an early date. Tbe orchestra played with mueb 
excellence and devotion, and has not done better work 
this season. We have a hint of an extra rehearsal (vol- 
untary on tbe {tart of the orchestra) whieh Is probably the 
causa of tbe better performance. An acknowledgement of 
this extra service on the part of the orchestra is certainly 
no more thin is due. 

This impressi<m is shared by the Ohhe : 

The symphony, that in C, by Schubert, with orchestral 
instmmentatlon by Joseph Joachim, was new, and proved 
as thoroughly Interestlnp: as could well be. The orches- 
tration Is stmnjr and vivid, the coloring being rich and in- 
genious to a wonderftil degree. The orcnrr«*nce In sever- 
al places of a beautiful theme, given out by the 'cellos and 
taken up by the other strings In turn, was one of the beau- 
ties of the work, while in nnm'^rons places there were lit- 
tle pictures which were successively assigned to different 
Instruments, but no combinations which betrayed the 
least straining for effect. The whole tone of the work is 
pure, delightsome and Inspiring. The opening mnremcnt, 
an allegro rooderato, was the must pleasing of the four, 
though the whole was brimming over with beauty. The 
prominence given to the brass intensifies the i^randenr of 
parts of the symphony, without detracting fW>m the elaa- 
sic shading or ornamentation of the work. The pivno- 
forte concerto was Beethoven's glorious firth, which intro- 
duced Mr. Hugo Leonhard as soloist. His playing was as 
a whole an agreeable surprise, as he threw more vigor into 
It than he is accustomed to do. With the exception of one 
or two places where he failed to make tbe delicate intona- 
tion quite distinct, he was in every way an able exponent 
of the noble concerto. The orchestral work was honest 
and careful In the main ; and, notwithstanding occasfonal 
blemishes, there was so mnch that was good, and such an 
evidently thoronirh endeavor, that we quite excused the 
defects In the enjoyment of tbe pies sure afforded us. 

These notices are mainly in accord with what we 
find to have been the common impression among 
musical people at the concert, as well as with our 
own knowledge, through hearing the rehearsals, of 
what the concert must have been. Yet there are 
some dissenting voices, as there will be alwaj^s ; 
especially where there exists a " ring," partly in 
the interest of the specnlators in concert-giving:, 
partly in the interest of " the new music," — a ring 
particularly nn fait in the arts of *' manaffing the 
press ** — whose cue it is to systematically dispara^re 
whatever may he done by so conservative and pure- 
ly Art-lovins: sn institntion as the Symphony Con- 
certs. One of the hostile criticisms in this instance 
has been so sweeping, so unjust, so bitter, and con- 
temptuous, in its remarks on Mr. Leonhard's per- 
formance, that no one can fail to see that it ia 
prompted by a personal malicious motive. It must 
have been written out of spite, and for the purpose 
of crushing and destroying the artistic good name 
of a gifted, high-t.oned, earnest artist. The sense of 
justice must be far gone in this community if such 
shafts do not fall harmless. Mr. Leonhard is too 
well known and prized among u« as an artist, for 
any one to believe him capable of a " puerile ** in- 
terpretation of a Beethoven masterpiece, a " tame, 
incongruous** rendering, an attempt to invest it 
with " frivolous prettiness I"* This writer neglects 
no opportunity to seize upon a weak point and make 
the most of it, exaggerating to the utmost. That 
there may have been weak points in the perform- 
ance it is not for us, who were absent, to deny ; but 
that there was an utter absence of good points, that 
there was • general misconception and maltreatment 
of the composition, that he played it like a "• senti- 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, JAlf. 8, 1876. 



159 



mental Nocturne of Chopin/' it will take more than 

the utterance of such a jaundiced oracle to convince 

U9. And then the meannens of talking of 

the hardihood which it required to attempt this 

work so soon nff<»r the magnificent renderinjy by 

Von Bnelow ! Mr. L. hud selected this work for 

this winter's concerts, and had been engasred in the 

study of it, before it was even understood that Bue- 

low was to come here. And is such a work to be 

blotted out from the repertoire of such a series of 

concert.<i, because a c:reat man chances to come here 

and pla}' it exceptionally well ? It is a part of the 

system of the Tlarvnrd concerts to pfivo every win- 
ter one or two of the Beethoven Concertos, as well 
as a fnir proportion of the Beethoven Symphonies : 
these come round in their turns, as Christmas 
comes ; shall we renounce them from the moment 
we have heard a bettor performance than we are 
able to command ourselves ? And if the music is to 
he .ffiven, /or tfie musn^t take^ shall we not feel in- 
debted to that one of our own artists who will un- 
dertake it in an artistic spirit, thou^rh probably not 
dreaminfi^ of so rsh a thinfr as rivallins: a Buelow 
or a Liszt I To call this " presumption " is impu- 
dent presumption in the critic. — But why waste 
words on an attack so palpably malicious and so 
base, that henceforth no respect or credit can attach 
to what may emnnnte from such a source. 

The Symphony (Joachim's ini^trumentation of the 
thoroug^hly sj-mphonic " Grand Duo," Op. 140, for 
four hands), we still think, ss we have said before, 
to be. next to the matchless No. 9, in C, by far the 
most important of the larj;er instrumental works of 
Schubert: snd, if so, it is not rssh to assert that, 
amoncT all the pretentious new Symphonies which 
have been broupht out here within a few years, — 
Raff, Rubinstein, Brahms, Svendsen and tho rest,— ^ 
it is by far the most important, the most interesting^ 
and full of genius. Here as^ain the oracle above 
quoted shows a lack of quick perception and appre- 
ciation when he speaks of it as " dull " and "dreary," 
and harps almost exclusively on its " inordinate 
length." Yet he confesses (to lend his article an air 
of candor, as sometimes when he praises, even over- 
praises, this or that in a review of which the |!:ener- 
al drift is meant to be disparafnnsr) that it is iinpos- 
Bible to judge of it upon a sins^le hearinip:. Why 
not. then, avail himself of the opportunity of hear- 
ing it in rehearsal, before saying : Go to, it is 
naught, of one of the ^eatest works of the most in- 
spired musician after Beethoven I He finds the 
./4 iu2an/« charming, and is reminded by it of the Al- 
//jgrr#^/o of Beethoven's eighth symphony, to which 
it bears no resemblance whatsoever, though it strik- 
insrly resembles in one subject the slow movement 
of the »^cond symphony. We venture to intimate 
also that he is too strong in his self-conceit, when 
he declares that Joachim's "method " (of instrumen- 
tation) " is not that which Schubert would have fol- 
lowed." May be not. who knows ? Not hf, at all 
event*. — We shall need more space and time here- 
after to record our own impression of this Sympho- 
ny. — Another of the tribe praises the Symphony 
but abuses the orchestra in this wise : 

** Of tbe rendering by the orchestra yesterday, little can 
be said in prnliie, being too generally mechanical, hard and 
nnsynnpathetlc, and in some places positively weak and at 
loo^ end*. Diiiffont rehearaal under a strong hand ia In- 
dUpensable to the fit production of such a work." 

*' Diligent reheartal under a strong hand" la just what 

it did have Tlie raualcians became unusually interested 

in the work, and give it extra rehearsal, working with a 

will moat eameatly. Ignorant prcjndice alone could have 

ao written abbnt a performance which even "the other man'* 

who so disliked the work itself, found ' conscientious and 

spirited." 

We did hear the repetition this week of the admirable 
concerts of the Apollo nnd the Bojiaton Clubs, and next 
tlnne shall have to upeak nf them, aa well as of the fifth 
Bvmphony Concert, another brace of Thomas Concerts, 
Mr. Perabo's Rubinstein Matin<^e. and sever.il of tbe Mx 
Ven BUlow C-oncerta (with the Philharmonic Club) which 
are to occupy every evening of next week. 



3rd, Life of Beethoven read by Miss N. French, 

Bprinfffti'ld. 
4th, {Selections from the Sonata in A flat, "So. 12, 

Misa Nellie Noyec. 
5th, " Adelaide,*' aung by Miss Leonora Huntington 

of J»pringfleld. 
6th, Sonate Pathetique, by Mias Hary McKee of 

Waverly, III. 

Mina Huntington Is a yonnj^er eister of Mr*. Ella Hunt- 
ington nenkle, whose singing was heard in Boston three 
or four yenra ago. Mias Leonora's voice is not as high as 
her sister's but equal in strength and her singing Is more 
sympathetic, perhaps because she excels in Elocution, 
which is admirably taught at the Fnatltute; indeed I'think 
the musical la not in advanre of the other departments 
there, although I judge there was but little more prepara- 
tion made for this occasion than for the weekly exercises 
in the school room. Do you not tliink it Rives the schol- 
ars more culture to study and play clnseical music them- 
selves, than to have concerts occ.islonally j?iven at the 
school by professional musicians? As we often judge of 
a place by ita schools, I take pleasure In wrltinpj of the 
Institute especially aa my western pride has been sorely 
wounded by such que-^tlons as " Do the menageries ever 
jret as far West as Sprinfrfleld? " or "Do you have any 
side walks there?" asked by intelligent people who had 
never been out here. 



A Bbethovkn Commemoration. We have re- 
ceived the following communication from Spring- 
field, HI., bearinfl: date Dec. 27, 1875. 

On the 17th of this month I went to the " Bettle Stuart 
Institute *' in this city, to listen to some music performed 
entirely by the pupils In remembrance of the great mas- 
ter's birthday— 

1st. Scherzo f^om the 8th Symphony by Miss Nellie 
Noyes, from Evanston, 111. 

tod. Moonlight BonaU^ by Miss Bertie Latham, Lin- 
coin. 111. 



Anotiirr Pupil of Liszt. The young lady of 
Cambridge, Miss Amy Fat, who wrote the brilliant 
letters from Weimar about Liszt, in the Atlantic, is 
now in New York. The BrooJchjn Unioti, about a 
fortnight since, had'the following notice of a Mat- 
inee in which she performed : 

An entertainment of novel and unusual Interest was 

Inaugurated on the afternoon of Monday, December 20, at 

Chlckerlnjc's former rooms in Fourteenth street. New 

York. Mrs. Charles S. Pierce, of Cambridge, addressed 

an audience of ladies on the subject of the duties of women, 

the inif ortance of occupation, and the advantsKCs of the 
co-operative system in reflucing the cost of llvinpr. Mrs. 
reirce is well known in the literary world as th« author of 
n series of articles on co-operative housekeeping, which 
appeared a few vears apro in the AVantlc Monthly. * • 

She was followed by her sister, Miss Amy Fay, who gave 
a piano recital of the following pieces: 

Study In sixths Chopin 

Sonata, op. 27, No. 1 .-...Beethoven 

Chant Pofon.iise, No. 6 * *hopln 

ClAvierstueck Schubert 

Canzonet Jensen 

Mftrehen ..Ksflf 

Onomen-Relgen Liszt 

Miss Fay has latelv returned frcm Germany, where for 
six years she has stuHled the piann-forte under masters of 
world-wide celebrity. Her letters trom Wuimnr, i ublisheil 
In ^e Atlantic Monthly last year, interest<*d the nmsical 
world as much in their author as In her subject, nnd no one 
csn hear her play without predicting for her an unuMiHlly 
brilliant career. Her technique is fnuUiess, ht-r touch 
clear, elastic, and sympathetic, and her interpretation of 
the most varied compositions equ«Iiv sncc«-s>-ful. Tlie 
ease with wh'ch she plavs the most difficult worlcs is only 
equalled by her extmordinary memorj', and we hope siii. 
cerely that the opportiinltv may soon apr^in be ofTererl the 
public to listen to music of siioh an entirely satisfactory 
character. 

♦♦ 

New York, Jan. 3, 1876. The New York Quartette, re- 
cently organized here for the purpose of performing: clas- 
sical OSiamber music, is composed of the following well 
known artists :— Edward Mollenhancr, first violin; Max 
Schwarz, second violin ; Geo. Matzka. viola and Freder- 
ick Bergner, violoncello. Their circular announces six 
solrtes of Chamber Music at Chickerinjr Hall. The pro- 
gramme of the first soIr6e, which took place on Saturday 
evening, Nov. 2u, was as follows: 

1. Quartet— No. 10. Op. 78. D minor Haydn 

2. Aria— Soprano. " Alia stella confldente,*' 

V. Robaudi 
Mad. Sophie Dowland. 

3. Piano Solo— Ballade. Op. 23, G minor Chopin 

Herr Oonsiantin Weikert. 

4. Aria— Soprano, " Lascia ch'io piaugo ".. . .Hardei 

Mad. Sophie Dowland. 
9. Quartet— Op. 18, No. 1, F major Beethoven 

The Quartets were sdmlrably played and tlie audience 
was fair In number. The second soiree took phice Dec. 21, 
with the assistance of Miss Bertha Baruch and Mr. Alfred 
Peass. 

The first Thomas mating of the sesson took place at 
Stelnway Hall, on Saturday sfternoon, Nov. 27. The or- 
chestral pieces were B«ethoven's Overture •*Con«ecrailon 
of the House ; *' Schumann's first Symphony: The Ballet 
Musto and Wedding Procession, (new) f mm Kul)in8tein's 
opera, " Peramors,"' and Wagner'- T'/n/iMj/^fr (Overture. 
Mme. Antoinette Sterling sang Bach's aria ''Ksurientes 
Implevit bonis" from the Mnvniflcat in D. and two Lie- 
der:"Dor Krensaug " by Schuliert and •• Es war ein 
Kiintg in Thule " by Liszt. Messrs. Carl Welmer and A. 
Lock wood performed a Con-orio fbr Flute and Harp, 
(miinnserlpt) by Mosart. 

At the Second Thomas Symphony Concert, Saturday 
evening Dec. 4. the following programme was given. 



Symphony, No. 2. C minor, op. 134, fnew) Reinccki 

1. .VU'evro, H'kon Jarl. 2. Andante. Thora. 

3. Intermezzo, Tn Odin's Hain. 4. Finale, 

Oluf's Sieff. 

Concert stueck. op. 02, (first tlme> Schumann 

Introduction nnd Allcffro .AppHSslonnto. 
Mme. Madeline Schiller and Orclicstra. 

Fina^lc,"^*^*^"' } Tristan und Isolde W.igner 

Symphony. No. 7. in A, op . 92 Beethoven 

At the second Concert of t' e New York Philharmonic 
society, at the Acidetny of Music on Saturday evening, 
Dec. 11, the orchcftral numbers of the proKr.nmme were 
Spohr's Symphony In F, " Die Wuihe dor Ttinc," which 
was smoothly and on the whole very well played; Schu- 
mann's romantic " Gonoveva»' ove ture and Liszt's Sym- 
phonic Poem. " Les Prelude**," a piece which depends 
entirely upon the orchestra f jr its effi cf, and which had 
but poor treatment at the hands of the Philharmonic 
players. 

Thoronphly delighSfni and inspiring was the violin 
plnyinj; of the solo performer, Mr. Joseph White, who per- 
formed Mendelssohn's Concerto In E, and the Ciaconna in 
D minor by Bach. Every part of the beautiful concerto 
was Interpreted at the best, and I have seldom heard so 
satisfactory a rendering, while the Ciaconnn, which de- 
mands talent and artistic qualiitiea of the very highest 
order, was equally well played. 

The Thora.is Orchestra is apain engaged for the season 
by the Brooklyn Philharmonic Society. At the flrel con- 
cert, Doc 18, the programme opuned with Bpethovoirs 
•• Eiolcii" Symphony, and the other orchestral selections 
were the Introduction and Finnic from Waunier's " Tris- 
tan and IsoMe" and Liszt'n " Rhapsodic Hoijjrroise," Xo. 
1. of the orchestral series. Mme. Antoinnette Sterling 
sanp a Itecitative and Aria ft-om " St. John the Baptist" 
by MacfHrren, and two Lleder, (Schubert's Krenzzu^r and 
Liszt's "Kdnifr in Thule.") For an encore she gave Schu- 
bert's •• Doppeljjaenger." 

At Cbickerinir Hall a series of six classical conrerts M'ns 
begun on Friday evening, Dec. 17, with the following 
programme. 

Quartet In B minor Mendelssohn 

Mme. Carreno Sauret. MM. Sauret, White and 

Werner. 

\ri/«it.. a«i/v_l« Sonata In D major Nardinl 

vionn soio— j ^ s-xrcarolc and Scherzo Spohr 

M. Emi e Sauret. 

•• Ballade," In G minor Chopin 

Senor Cervantes. 
Voca' Selections. 
Andante con Vsriazioni, for Two Pianos... Schumann 

Mme. Carreno Sauret and Senor Cervantes. 

Sonata In r* inor, for Piano and Violin.. .Beethoven 

Mme. Carreno Sauret and Senor White. 

The second concert of this series c«ime on Thursday 
evening, Dec 23, and a matinee was given on the same 
day. 

The second series of Von Buelow concerts began, at 
Chickcring Hall, on Monday evening Dec 27, where a large 
audience gathered to welcome the great pianist on his re- 
turn to New York. The programme which I subjoin was 
one of the most remarkable ever offered in our city. 

1. J. S. Bach— Concerto In the Italian Style. 

Allegro- Andante— Presto. 

2. Handel. 

fa] Prelude and Fugue In F minor. 
{h] Ch.iconne in F major. 
8. J. S. Bach. 

Conceito in C Major for two Pianos and string 

quartette. 
Messrs. Richard lioflhian and Hans von Buelow. 

4. Mozart— [a] Fantaisle In C m.^jor. No. 3. 

Dedicated to his wife. 
Haydn- [6] Rondo In C major. 

5. J. S. Bach. 

Concerto lor three pianos and strings, In D minor. 

Miss Marion Brown, (Pupil of Von Buelow), Messrs. 

Hoffman and Von Buelow. 

6. L. Van Beethoven. 

Adagio with Variations. Opus 34. 

7. J. S. Bach. 

Concerto for pianos nnd strings In D minor. 

Miss Marion Brown, Mrs. Char-es B. Foote, Messrs. 

Hoffman and Von Buelow. 

Mr. Matzka Leader. 

The programmes of the second and third concerts were 
as follows: 

Second Concert^ Pee. 29. 

1. Grand quintet in K flat, for piano, hautboy, clari- 

net, bassoon nnd horn *. Moz;irt 

2. Romanza. " La Rosa" Snobr 

MIsh Lizzie Cronyn. 
« frtl Sonate Pathetique, '\ n««.i,^„.« 

^- W Rondo cnpriclo-5» Op 129, i Beethoven 

4. Caiizonotta, ' La Primavera " Mercadante 

Mi<*s Lizzie Cronyn. 

5. Grand quintet in F. Op. 65, for piano, Ante, clari- 

net, bassoon and horn « Rubinttein 

Third Concert, Dec. 31. 

1. QuIntetinF, Op. 66 Rubinstein 

2. Cavatina from " Der Freyschuetz »' Weber 

Miss Lizzie Cronyn 
[a] 32 variations on an original Theme, ) 

3. [6] Charaeteristic Sonata, Op. 81a, Les | Beethoven 

Adieux, I'Absence. le Retour. .. ) 

4. Song.. [;] [il.S'^S'fmK.ii.Vnw: ! ! J ! } B«thoven 

Miss Lizzie Cronyn. 

6. Grand septet. Op. 74 Hummel 

Psno, fluttfi hautboy, horn, viola, 'cello, 
double bass. 

A mating was given on Thursday. Dec. 30, at which the 
programme of the first concert was repeated. 

This week thiee evening concerts and one matinee will 
b« given which will end the series. 

A.A.C. 



160 



DWIGHT»S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



The third part of "The McMUh " begins with 

No. 40. Air— I know thai my Redeemer Hveth, and that 
He shall stand at tha latter daynpon the earth; and 
though worms destroy this body, yet In my flesh shall I 
•ee God. For now is Christ risen from the dead, the first 
fruits of them that sleep. 

A sacred sonsr. this, preeminently reli|[[ions in Its 
character, breatbins: a cheerful but solemn confi- 
dence. Note the character-(is;ure of dotted quaver 
and semiquaver j^roup? in the accompaniment, nev- 
er appearing in the voice part, but giving the song 
much of its point, and serving, by its comparative 
nnevenness, to enhance the effect of the firm well- 
built melody assigned to the singer. 

No. 48. Q0ABTET~<81nce by man eame death. 

The new effiect which this number introduces has 
already been noticed. It remains to be said that the 
chords here assigned to four voices are the essence 
of all that is solemn in harmony ; seldom has a mu- 
sician laid on such deep color by so few strolces. 

No. 47. CHOBUS'By man came also the resurreetlon 
of the dead, 

Is an exuberant passage of joy, in contrast-^most 
too great — ^to the preceding number. In 

No. 48. QUABTR— For as In Adam all die, 

The effect of No. 46 is recurred to, with an exqui- 
site result ; the sunshine of the last few bars of cno- 
rus is again obscured by dark summer storm clouds, 
but only for a moment, and in 

No. 48. Chobus— Bvea so in Christ shall all be made 
alive, 

The choral sunlight bursts out again. 

No. 60. RsorrATivB— Behold I tnll you a myatery ; We 
shall not all sleop, but we shall all be changed in a mo- 
ment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last tnimpat, 

Introduces the next. 

No. 61. AXB— The trumpet shall sound and the dead 
shall be raised Incorruptible, and we fhall be changed; for 
this corruptible mast put on inoormption, aad this mortal 
must put on Immortality. 

The new effect of the solo trumpet, which this 
number introduces. Is one which it will be worth 
some pains to appreciate. 

There is no point In which the ordinary hearer of 
an oratorio goes less prepared to liftt4«n well than In 
regard to orchestral effects. The effect of a trum- 
pet is, indeed, one of the most palpable of thefie ; it 
Is also ontf of the finest, and the hearer of '* The 
trumpet shall sound," In HandeKs " Messiah " should 
train his ear to distinguish and enjoy the mellow 
brilliance of the Instrument. The 1^)1 d and stately 
conformation of the air is especially adapted to dis- 
play this beauty. 

No. 63. RBCiTATrvB-ffhen shall be brought to pass 
the saying that is written: Death Is swallowed up in vie- 
tory. 

Carries the sense on to 

No. 63. DUBT-O Death ! where is thy sting ? O Orave ! 
where Is thy victory? The sting of death Is sin, and the 
strength of sin is the law. 

A number not often used ; but exhibiting none of 
that weakness which generally characterizes vocal 
duets, the rhythm of the two roice parts, and the 
harmonic intervals between them, being both unu- 
sually varied. 

No. 64. Ceobus— But thanks be to Ood, who glveth us 
the victory through our I«ord Jesus Christ, 

Is again not seldom omitted. It is a joyful, tu- 
mnltuous chorus; but the fatigued attention Is by 
this time little disposed to exert itself; aud the 
number presents nothing new to excite It. 

No. 66. AiB—If Ood be for us, who can be against us ? 
Who shall lay anything to the charg-^ of God's elect? It 
Ss God that justlfloth ; who Is he that oondcmneth ? It Is 
Christ that died, yea, rather that is risen again ; who Is 
at the right hand of God, who makes Intercession for us. 

Is usually omitted, though, except for the weak- 
ness of human nature, it should not be. If only on 
account of the effect which is lent, by Its interven- 
tion, to the final entry of the chorus. 

No. 66. Chobus —Worthy Is the Lamb that was slain, 
and hath redeemed us to God by His blood, to receive 
power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, 
and glory, and blessing. Blessing, and honor, glory and 
power be unto Him that sitteth npon the throne, and unto 
the Lamb, for ever and ever. 

Amen. 

The final nnmber of the " Messiah " is this elabo- 
rate and largely laid out chorus, comprehensive and 
grand, rather than sensational or climacteric ; the 
special effects have been displayed, the points all 
made, and the work now marches majestically to Its 



conclusion, in this great hymn. A broad stream of 
harmony from the voices, all moving deliberately 
toflrether, beginning effectively with a ayncopation, 
" Worthy is the Lamb." conveys at once a sense of 
the importance of the cadence nnmber. After a few 
bars, tlie pace is quickened, and the notes subdi- 
vided to quavers at the words " to receive power ; " 
at the same time the higher stringed instruments, 
so powerful when provide<l with suitable passages. 
In creating excitement, foretell, by a rushinir (succes- 
sion of scale passages in thirds, the busy animation 
which Is comincr. It Iji. however, but a foretaste. 
In accordance with his practice in many Instances. 
TIandel has scarcely given an indication of the com- 
insr tumult of effects, when he suddenly hushes the 
action, and groes back to reopen his discourse. It Is 
not, however, a mere reopening. The key of the 
Initial largo passage Is changed on repetition, and 
when the anaante — " to receive power, and riches, 
and wisdom ** — recurs also, it is also in a new key, 
and the strings rush down their scale passages from 
a higher part of their compass. These violins should 
be listened to. 

All this, however, Is but the prelude to the sub- 
ject proper, which, after a moment of silence. Is now 
propounded, by all the men's voices, in sheer unison 
of voices and instruments — " Blessing and honor, 
glory and power, be unto Him, be unto Him, that 
sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lsmb." In 
the same sheer unison, vocal and instrumental, the 
trebles now echo the subject Before the sentence 
Is completed, the tenors throw in a phrase of imita- 
tion in the octave, the alti repeat the theme In the 
dominant; through a gathering complication of 
florid and exclamatory passages the basses follow ; 
and in a few bars we are In the height of choral 
activity. A half cadence at the unusual distance 
from the tonic (for Handel) of the key of the mediant, 
presently provides clear ground for another outset; 
and the tonors restate the subject, at another stage 
of the scale, the hiirher voices accompanying ; then, 
without a break, the basses, tenors, and altos repeat 
it. In the original position, and In the original uni- 
son; three exclamatory passages follow, and In a 
few bars more the voices are again involved in cho- 
ral entanglement, a new fignre. of four semiquavers, 
scalar, legato, bringing increased action into plar. 
This, however, is again soon lulled, and a tine half 
close, adagio, brings us anon to a sense of the fact 
that up to this point, in spite of some degree of 
elaboration, all has been but a magnificent prelude ; 
and we' hold our breath for the real subject, the nn- 
paralleled " Amen." 

It comes. Who shall describe that lead of the 
ba«ses ? that nervous, syncopated, upclimbing vari- 
ation on the diatonic scale of the key, which is so 
grand in Ito simplicity, so manly, so rugged, so 
hearty, rising in capridous rhythm gradually from 
DtoD? 



5pttial %tiiitt$. 






f K » ' men, A - - - men, A 

The tenors follow, in the dominant, the basses 
underplacing phrases of a more solid and ejaculatory 
type ; the altos, and after them the trebles, In turn, 
lead out the subject ; and presently —the make of 
these great numbers repeata Itself— there is a half 
cadence. Then all the voices and Instrnmenta are 
withdrawn, except the violins ; and these have their 
last opportunity of sweeping through the cleared 
orcheatral atmosphere, with a complete statement, 
in their own register, of the subject already first 

Eropounded by the bass voices, and quoted above, 
fow the first violins will revel in this nervous but 
simple sentence ! They will grip Ita every note, 
every pla^rer of them ; and the second violins will 
throw no less of vigorous firmness Into the repeti- 
tion which, alter live bars. Is assigned to them ; 
after ten bars, the entire choir and band enters en 
fiMUM to the treble strings ; the bass voices again 
repeating the theme, pure and simple, with accom- 
panlmente from the other voice parts. 

Elaboration follows which need not be described, 
but is all conducive to the adequate extension of 
the number ; a " dominant pedal point "—the basses 
holding A for some bars— occurs, for the first time 
In the work, and has the precadential effect which 
the old theoriste assigned to it ; In a few more bars 
the whole tide of voices and orchestra is suddenly 
arrested, on a dissonant chord which Is the recog- 
nixed antepenultimate expression of modern harmo- 
ny ; a bar of imposing silence intervenes ; and in 
one final " Amen." to the simple expression called 
the " perfect cadence." the " Messiah " concludes. 



DBACBIPTITB LIST OP THB 
^■liltokei^ br •llrsr Vlta«a « 



Z 

C4 



I I— I 



Veeal, wltk Piaae Aesempaatmsit 

Kim me to sleep, Mother. 8. Eb to e, 

Benedict 40 
"In the dark midnlsitt wh»n alt peek repose* 
Froe ftnoiQ the world with Its earsa and Ita woes." 

** M other'* songs are safe to aing, and this Is a 
Sweet one. 

Two Sacred Pieces. 

I. Deus Miseratas. 8. Giog, Burden. 85 

ITeatlv arranged from an Agnos Del, by Da 
Monti. S parts. 



parts. 
S. Trisa^on. 8. C to e. 



BurdetL 80 



Base solo and ehoraa, to the word«, *<Th«rvlbre 
with AnireU" eu. Both pleees are f raoh, easy aad 
musical. ' 

O, when shall I befk^e. 8. Ftoc. CtaraSeatL 80 
•• My Bavtonr, I crj unto thee." 
A almpla saored song, with a ehoma. 
My gentle FIsher-Malden. 4. A to e. CfroHt 80 

*' My heart ta like the neeiin, 
With storm end ehb and flow." 
The flntPTS, aa well as the voice have to aing. as 

the harmony of the aennmMnlment Is cloaely oon- 

neeted with the air. Worda by Heine. 

Do I loTe tlieef 8. O to e. Boott 80 

"Ifltoldyoa? Jfltoldvmi? 
Wonld thdt keep yon ? Woold that hold von ? 
Elisabeth Phelpa writes the worda, which are fit- 
ted up in the simplest way. to a sweet melody. 

Friend of my Soal, one hour with thee. 8. 

D to e. BiMhop. 80 

** In momlna'a glerloua. dewy time." 
Very neat words, with appropriate mmic. 

Newest Songs of J. R. Thomas. ea. 40 

A fow of the latest productions of thia rafted 
eempoaer are here bronfrm toother. Mr. Thoisaa's 
portrait adorns the title page. 

No. 8. Golden Hoars. 8. O to e. 

** Hopea that bloomtd with lovlnr swaetptaa, 
All were yours, dear golden hours I " 

lastnaaatal. 

In Good Hamor. Galop. (En honne hnmear). 

_ 8. Gfc .^ronsffi. 86 

jMdloated to all good-hnmored AnMrieana. who 
will be qnl'e plesoed with the light, merry musle. 

Sharpshooter's (Schntien) March. 8. O. 

rauML 80 
A decidedly brilliant nsaroh, showing thi t the 
compoter has fairly hit the mark. 

Consolation. 4 bands. 8. A. Loeechharn. 86 

One of 6 fovr-hand pieces, easy and interesting. 

Marehe Fnnebre d*nne Marionette. 8. 

D minor. Gimnod, 40 

Very queer and pretty. Who wonld think of 
oompoaing mnalc for a doll's ftinersl I Will he In 
high faror with litUe learners, and Is pleasing for 
any player. 

Six Easy Pieces. 4 hands. Loetichhom. 

Na 8. Inqaietnde. 8. A minor. 40 

4. Dance Hongroise. 8. O. 8.5 

5. Ballade. 8. D. 40 
8. Saltarelle. 8. T. 40 

Pieces of eonaidershle variety aad beauty, and 
rather daaaieal In style. 

Sylvan Set Easy Marches, Waltses, etc 

F. W, Blle^, ea. 80 
I. Sylvan Nook Macnrka. f. C. 
8. Newsboy*s March. 2. G. 

8. Lola Schottische. 8. B6 

4. Mamie*s Walts. 8. G. 

6. Allie's Schottische. 8. B6 

6. New Boots Galop. 8. F. 

Saay Instmetlvo pleeea of nnusnsl liaauly, and 
aa they have eonslderable variety of key and rorm, 
will be a eapltal set for a teacher m buy. and use 
for " reoreatlons'* In the id qoarter's taiuon. 

B00K8. 

A. Loeschhom*s Piano Stadles. 

No. 1. Op. 65. Book I. 1.00 

" 8. ** •* ** IL 1.00 

The above two "books** Inchide at atndtes, the 
first of whloh is very much like the *< first lesson** 
in an Inatmotlon book, from whieh befrinnlng the 
stadles gradaally increase In dlflteulty, rif that 
word can apply to what ia all eaay). Psrhape m 
aa conld b 



good studios for beginners 



be contrived. 



AaaairviATiONS.— Degrees of difllealty are marited 
1 to 7. Ih^ Ary is marked with a capital lette: as C, B 
flat, Ac. A small Roman letter marks the highest note. 
If on the staff, an UaUe letter the higheat note, if above 
the staff. 



I-' 




toigfefs 




0ttrttal 





Wholb No. 907. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, JAIf. 22, 1876. Vol. XXXV. No, 21. 



The Hero. 

BT JORX a. WHITTIKa. 

** Oh, for a knight like Baynra, 

Without reproach or foar; 
My light glove on hU caaque of 8to«l, 

My lore-knot on bis spear! 

" Oh, for the white plome floating, 

Bad Zntphen*8 field abore— 
The lion*8 heart in battle, 

The woman's heart in love ! 

*' Oh, that men onoe more were manly, 
Woman's pride and not her seorn I 

That onoe more the pale young mother 
Dared to boast ' a man Is born '! 

" Bttt now life's slumbroos current 

No sun bowed oascade wakes; 
Ko tall, heroic manhood 

The level dnlness breaks. 

•^ Oh, for a knight like Bayard, 

Witboat reproaeh or fear; 
My light glove on hie oasqne of steel, 

My love-knot on his spear I " 

Then I said, my own heart throbbing 
TO the tone her prond pnlse beat: 

** Life hath Itt regel natnroe yet, 
Trae, tender, brave and sweet. 

'* Smile not, fair unbeliever,— 

One num* at least I know, 
Who might wear the creet of Bayard, 

Or Sidney's pluoM of snow. 

" Onee, when over purple nMMintalns 

Died away the Clreciaa sun,- 
And the far Cyllenlan rangee 

Paled and darkened one by one, 

•* Fell the Turk, a bolt of thunder 

CicaTing all the ^ulet sky. 
And against his sharp steel lightnings 

Stood tke Saliote but to die. 

" Woe for the week and haltlagi 

The erseeent biased behind 
▲ curving line of sabres 

Like fire before tho wind. 

*• Lest to fly and first to rally, 

Bode he of whom I speak. 
When groaning In his bridle>path 

Sank down a wounded Greek,— 

'* With the rieb Albanian oostume 

Wet with many a ghastly stain; 
Qasing on earth and iky as one 

Who might not gaae again. 

** He looked forward to the mountains, 

Back OB foes that never spare. 
Then finng him from his saddle 

And plaoed the stranger there. 

<« Allah 1 hu t thro* flashing sabres. 

Thro* a stormy hall of lead, 
The good Tliessallan charger 

Up the slopee of olives sped. 

** Hot spurred the tnxbaned riders, 

He almoet felt their breath, 
Where a moantaln stream rolled darkly down 

Between the hills and death. 

** One brave and naanAil struggle! 

He gained the solid Und, 
And the cover of the mountains 

And the carbines of his band." 

** It was very great and noble," 
Bald Uie moist-eyed lUtener then; 

** But one brave deed makes no hero, 
TMl nM what he stnoe hath been." 

*' Still a brave and generous msnhood, 

Still aa honor without stain. 
In the prison of tbe Kaiser, 

By the bairieades of Seine. 

• Dm. SAMina. CI. Hows, bom in Boston in IWl, 
Jan. 9, un. 



died 



*' But dream not helm and harness 

Bole sign of valor true, 
Peaoe hatb higher tests of manhood 

Than battle ever knew. 

*< Wottldst know him now? Behold him, 

The Cadmus of the blind, 
Giving the dumb Up language. 

The idiot clay a mind. 

•' Walking his round of duty 

Serenely day by day, 
With the strong man*s hand of labor. 

And ehildhood's heart of play. 

** True as the knights of story, 

Sir Launcelot and his peers ; 
Brave in his calm endurance. 

As they in tilt of spears. 

** As wavee In stUIeet waters. 

As stars In noonday's skies, 
AH that wskes to noble action 

In his noon of calmness lies. 

** Wherever outraged nature 

Af ks word or action brave. 
Wherever struggles labor, 

Wherever groans a slave, 

** Wherever rise the peoples, 

Wherever sinks a throne. 
The throbbing heart of Freedom finds 

An answer in his own. 

*< Knight of a better era, 

Without reproaeh or feer. 
Said I not well that Bayardv 

And Sidneys still are here? " 

Xendelflsolm*s Place in Xodem Xusia 

[From Concordia, Dec. 25, 1875.] 

English intellectaal society, wliatever its in- 
terest in and enthusiasm for the art of masie 
(and there is no lack of either at present), seems 
to be swayed to an unusual and unfortunate 
extent, in its musical judgments, by the mere 
influence of fashion and of cliques. Strangely 
enough, too, this tendency, commonly supposed 
to be a ** note " of provinciality, is in regard 
to music more specially exemplified in London 
than elsewhere. In the more musical of the 
chief provincial towns it is possible to find a 
musical society with no special affiehe, and 
which is disposed honestly to admire that which 
has always been thought worthy of admirition, 
as well as to give some heod, when opportunity 
oifen, to new lights. But musical London so- 
ciety is like Wordsworth^s celebrated cloud : — 

" That moveth altogether, if it move at all." 

This is most specially illustrated in the musical 
history of the past twenty years. There was a 
rage for Weber previously, but that may be 
reffarded as in part arising from the personal 
influence of the compoeer*s visit to the country 
where he found his grave. But the tide of 
enthusiasm for Mendelssohn rose to its height 
subsequently to the composer^s death. It is not 
so long since journals and drawing-rooms were 
at one in the most hyperbolical adoration of 
the composer of 8t, Paul, and of all his works, 
known and unknown. It was not unusual to 
speak of him as a composer who combined, in 
his own genius, the qualities of Bach and 
Beethoven — who had achieved the union of 
constructive power with warmth of feeling and 
coloring more completely than anyone else. 
Tannts and sarcasms were levelled at the **nar- 
row minded and stolid " relatives who kept his 
posthumous MSB. under lock and key, ''when 
the world was absolutely panting to near every 
note that Mendelssohn had committed to pa- 
per." Worthy people who laid little claim to 
general musical enthnsiasm Were canght in the 



tide, and would ingenuously profess that **they 
could never tire of hearing Mendelssohn^s mu- 
sic." The movement was at its height, per- 
haps, on that notable afternoon when all musi- 
cal London crowded to Sydenham to hear the 
exhumed *' Reformation" Symphony; a work 
certainly not representing the composer^s best 
powers, and which he himself had practically 
condemned, but which was paralleled, by 
*' leading critics'' of the day, with Beethoven's 
Ninth Symphony. 

For such unbalanced exaggeration every ar- 
tistic reputation that is subjected to it has to 
pay, sooner or later. One voice, and that of a 
friend and brother artist, had spoken with calm 
judgment even in the midst of the general ap- 
plause. '*! loved him too well," said Stern- 
dale Bennett, *Ho wish to see him so absurdly 
exaggerated." It was not long before the 
musical circles of this country found another 
object of worship, and dethroned Mendelssohn 
from his seat. The reputation of Sohnmann 
was set up as a rival one to that of Mendelssohn 
long since in Germany, at the instance of Leip- 
sic cliqucism; it was not until a recent date 
that it became established in England, after 
much grumbling on the part of audiences upon 
whose ears the works which were to form the 
next fashion were with dlffieulty forced. But 
society soon learned it.8 lesson, and no amateur 
in **nsthetic" circles will now play Mendels- 
sohn, except in a kind of apologetic way and 
for the sake of old times. Young ladies who 
have been nourished upon Schumann speak of 
Mendelssohn with compassionate indifference, 
or confess that they '' rather like " some of his 
works ; critics have transferred their programme 
rhapsodies to the newer composer, as the most 
powerful genius in instrumental music since 
Beethoven. And now the Wagner movement, 
which has reached England, is working another 
change in popular musical predilection, and the 
feeling in regard to Mendelssohn seems to have 
become, with the one-sided and violent critics 
of this school, one of absolute antipathy and 
even something like contempt. 

A consideration of these apparently unrea- 
soning and unreasonable variations of opinion 
ought at least to be instructive in leading peo- 
ple to be cautious of attaching too much im- 
portance to popular enthusiastic movements, 
such as that in favor of the new form of oper- 
atic music and its hero, or regarding the man 
who receives the homage of tne hour as neces- 
sarily placed thereby on a secure pedestal of 
fame. But, apart from such general consider- 
ations, one is sometimes tempted to ask, what 
is the real truth, as between the excessive 
laudation of Mendelssohn in his lifetime, and 
for some time after, and the comparative 
indifference with which he is regarded now f 
** How shall we find the concord of this dis- 
cord?" 

That Mendelssohn's genius was overrated at 
one time will probably hardly be disputed by 
any thoughtful critic at the present moment ; 
and it may be added that the very circum- 
stances of his personality and social position 
would have rendered this almost inevitable. 
Of the influence and fascination of his personal 
disposition and manners, there are many now 
living who can speak from their own knowl- 
edge. But in addition to this he had, almost 
alone among the composers who have laid 
claim to the oighest rank, the chance to be bom 
to affluence and social position. Strenge 
enough is the contrast between the daily life of 
Beethoven, as far as its nature can be gleetied 
from scattered letters and anecdotes, and that 
of Mendelisohn. In the pleeaantlette>a of the 



ac 



»♦*! 



ESS 



1SPMW. 



162 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OP MUSIC. 



latter, interspersed with what may be termed 
**art-g08sip," we read of his lively enjoyment 
in the hest society of the best places; now in 
Prince Torlonia^s ball-room, ** pleasantly con- 
scious that I was dancing witn the prettiest 
girl in the room;" now the honored and 
favorite guest of alt London ; everywhere w^el- 
come, and as pleased with society as society 
was pleased with him. Under such circum- 
stances genius is sure to be rather magnified 
than otherwise by those who meet it in so pleas- 
ant a personification; and his general culture 
and interest in intellectual pursuits beyond his 
own art (not, unfortunately, a very frequent 
characteristic of the votaries of music), certain- 
ly would not detract from the estimate of his 
intellectual power. But the same letters which 
furnish such lively evidence of these qualities 
furnish also indications of what may be called 
an inherent deficiency in his character, as an 
artist at all events. Clough, in one of his let- 
ters, advises a college-fiiend whom he seems to 
have thought deficient in force of character to 
go through a course of Dante's ** Inferno" — 
'* it will burn some of the rose-water out of 
you, old fellow !" That some such prescription 
would not have been out of place with Mendels- 
sohn is testified rather perhaps by the general 
tone of his correspondence, than by instances 
which could be quoted. But he seemed to have 
had a desire to keep on the pleasant side of 
things, a shrinking from in any way coming in 
contact with or grappling with the deepest 
tragedies of human life and feeling. His an- 
gry criticism of Shelley's Cenei as ** horrible 
and abominable;" his superficial and rather 
*' goody " criticisms on the views of the French 
social reformers, and some other modem move- 
ments of thought; his apparent sympathy with 
the weak sentimental school of neo-Catholic 
painters of whom Overheck was the head, are 
among the more definite instances of his in- 
capacity to see far beneath the surface of 
things. On this account it has become some- 
what provoking to be presented so often as we 
have oeen with fresh '* Recollections" of the 
composer's talk and opinions, which really are 
not more than the lively and sometimes racy 
observations of a genial but by no means deep- 
thinking man, ana which, out of the world of 
music at least, can lay no claim to intellectual 
importance; that they should be thought so 
much of in the musical world is not flattering 
to the general education of those who compose 
it. Still less has the composer's memory been 
benefited by eulogistic memoirs, like that by 
Mdlle. Elise Polko, redolent of the knitting 
and tea-garden element of German life. 

But Mendelssohn had what some critics of 
the present day would be disposed to call, in 
the words of Byron, ** the fatal gift of beauty, " 
both in regard to appreciation and production. 
If he had little sympathy with the deeper pas- 
sions of human nature, his quick feeling for 
and perception of all that was beautiful and 
gracious in art and nature is apparent in every 
page of his letters. In a certain sense his tem- 
perament might be described as ^^sentimental," 
and the same character belongs to his compo- 
sitions. Their merit is not par sxeelUrtM cither 
constructive or in the highest sense pathetic, 
but of that intermediate order in which senti- 
ment is carried sometimes almost to the height 
of pathos, and constructive device just so far 
used as to give variety, and a last touch of 
completeness to the effect. It is music in 
which, without any stress or strain on the lis- 
tcuer's feelings or comprehension, a remarka- 
bly satisfying efEect is produced by the balance 
of form and the due proportion always kept 
between the idea and the language in which it 
i) set forth. And this completeness and fulness 
of effect, which is one of the secrets of Men- 
delssohn's popularity with the messes, is the 
natural result of a temperament to which art 
was pre-eminently an enjoyment, a thing to 
make Life brighter and more cheerf il. With 
a sufficiently declared faith in the se ious ends 
of art. be could oombine a keen enjoyment of 
its lighter and more ornate side. He evinced 



an interest and admiration for good brapvra 
performances, for instance, which to Beetho- 
ven would have seemed a sinful weakness, a 
tampering with the accursed thing; and he 
treated with distaste and contempt the theoriz- 
ing philosophical party in music, who in his 
lifetime were beginning to make themselves 
obnoxious. It is probably his feeling on this 
head, and his recorded experience on the sub- 
ject, which, as much as anything else, have 
exposed his memory to the scarification which 
it now receives from the pens of incorruptible 
critics of the philosophical school ; and it is 
impossible not to sympathize to a great extent 
with Mendelssohn's views as to the new theory 
of music, as well as with his enjoyment of some 
of the licences of the art. It is not given to all 
men to be always wise. Yet one may be per- 
mitted to think that there is in this character, 
regarded as that of an artist, a little more lean- 
ing to the dokefar nienU than is quite compat- 
ible with the idea of genius of the highest and 
loftiest standard. 

But of the distinct individuality of Mendels- 
sohn's contribution to the leading types of mu- 
sical style and feeling, one would have thought 
there could be no question. Even that very 
translation of some of the form and spirit of 
Bach into the language of modern music, which 
was a speciality with him, in its result really 
amounts to a novelty of style ; and this combi- 
nation of a manner founded on Bach, with a 
feeling essentially of the romantic school of 
which Beethoven is the fountain-head, may 
perhaps be regarded as the real basis of the 
'^Mendelssohnian style," and has given rise to 
the exaggerated estimate quoted in our first 
paragraph. Speaking more in detail, perhaps 
the really individual and characteristic side of 
Mendelssohn's genius is most recognizable in 
what maybe called the *'fiterie" element in 
his music. His incidental music to the Mid- 
summer NighVt Dream'vfikfi something absolute- 
ly new and perfect of its kind ; and a great 
deal of the feeling of this early composition 
reappears frequently in his later works, though 
it may be said on the whole that he never sur- 
passed, if he ever equalled, that fresh effort of 
his youthful genius. He treated greater themes 
subseouently, but not with the same originali- 
ty ana fire.* But that very composition illus- 
trates remarkably a quality present throughout 
his works ; a singularly keen and subtle sesthetic 
perception of the characteristic feeling of the 
subject to be treated. Whether illustrating 
musically the deeds of the Apostle of the Gen- 
tiles, or the drama of Sophocles, or recalling 
the sound and scent of the Northern Sea — 
whatever subject gives the suggestion to the 
music, in spite of a similarity of style scarcely 
escaping mannerism, there is always present, 
distinctly, though indescribably, the peculiar 
local color and keeping of the subject, consti- 
tuting a charm which is felt perhaps by many 
who are scarcely aware of the source of it. It 
was this kind of (esthetic sensitiveness which 
made Mendelssohn so fastidious in regard to a 
subject for opera as eventually to prevent the 
chance of his leaving any complete work of 
importance, and excited the indignation of 
the English author who, in his ** Recollec- 
tions," seems to insinuate that Mendelssohn 
ought to have been satisfied with a libretto 
from his pen, bpcause Weber was. But that, 
pac4 Mr. Planch^, is hardly a logical sequence. 

In regard to pianoforte composition — no bad 
test of the real musical resource and power of 
a composer — those, amateurs especially, who 
compare Mendelssohn with Schumann to the 
advantage of the latter, have a good deal to 
show in their favor. The individuality of 
Mendelssohn's treatment of the instrument is 
incontestable, but neither can its constant same- 
ness of form and manner be denied. The com- 
poser himself, with that ingenuousness which 
was 80 charming a feature in his character, 
confessed his inability to invent effective pas- 
sages or ** figures " for the piano. Schumann, 
on the contrary, is perhaps at his very best in 
treating the instrument he had designed to 



make his own. It is true that a considerable 
discount mu^t be made for the proportion of 
his pianoforte music which is obscure, lengthy, 
and deficient in form, and which only a blind 
enthusiasm can consider as worthy of high 
admiration. But he displays a vigor of style, 
a constructivs power, and a variety and novelty 
in effects purely within the sphere of the in- 
strument, which, in spite of a roughness of 
fonn and a frequent almost gratuitous awk- 
wardness in the placing of the music for the 
hands, impress the hearer far more intensely 
than does anything in the finished and spark- 
ling writing of Mendelssohn. The dislike of 
the latter composer to extemporizing on the 
piano, and his expressed reasons for it, are 
characteristic of what really seems to have Imjcd 
a deficiency of genius, though it has been 
turned by his admirers into an evidence of his 
refined sensibility. He mentions in one plncc 
his having reluctantly consented to extemporize 
after a supper. ^ though I am sure I had noth- 
ing in my head but benches and cold fowl." 
and adds his conviction of the absurdity of the 
notion of thus extemporizing off-hand. It is 
all very well to regard this as an evidence of 
Mendelssohn's intellectual view of his art; but 
it is evident that the great composers of an 
earlier generation had their inspiration at their 
command, so to speak, at almost any moment, 
and were not dependent on outward circum- 
stances, or compelled to 'Uit at the receipt" 
of ideas. Mozart, taking home to supper the 
clever player he had noticed in the orchestra, 
and extemporizing fantasias to him between 
the glasses of punch, winding up with, 
** There! now you have heard Mozart for the 
first time!" — Beethoven, when pitted against 
Steibelt at a musical party, tossing the violon- 
cello part of Steibelt's quintet contemptnonsly 
upside down on the music-desk, and therefrom 
evolving a performance which *^ drove Steibelt 
out of the room " — these niav seem very prosa- 
ic and matter-of-fact proceedings, in the light 
of some modern ideas, but they exemplify that 
peculiar (^rip of the resources of musical effect 
and construction which characterized the older 
masters, and which does not seem to have 
been granted to, or attained by, any later 
composer. 

Yet, admitting the comparative weaknesses 
of Mendelssohn's style and genre, admitting 
his lack of intensity in pathetic expression, his 
deficiency in that constructive power which 
gives the highest solidity to a composition, 
and which Beethoven, even in his most roman- 
tic moods, always had '* within call," and 
whereby he astonishes us at a moment when 
we least expect it, can we name any other com- 
poser who has filled, and has a claim to fill, so 
large a space in the world of music since Beet- 
hoven ? We may leave Herr Wagner out of 
consideration for the moment; his place is not 
yet fixed, and his treatment of the art is too 
much involved with, and part of. innumerable 
dramatic surroundings to be fairly compared 
with such purely musical music as that of 
Mendelssohn. The latter has, no doubt, been 
definitely surpassed in certain branches of the 
art by later composers. The favorite dictum 
of concert-room programmes, that his Concer- 
to in G minor is the leading work of its class 
since Beethoven, is probably to be considered 
out of date now. In songs, as well as in piano- 
forte music, it can hardly be questionea that 
Schumann has surpassed him in variety and 
pathos, if not equalling him in pure beauty 
and grac^. But if we take his works en mae^e, 
we must surely recognize him as the most gen- 
erally gifted musician of the recent period: 
for what other composer can be named wko has 
done so many things so well, or shown such a 
veritable and well balanced musical faculty f 
There is a great run just now on Schumann's 
Symphonies, upon which enthusiastic critiques 
are written; and full of powerful, vigorous 
writing they are, and deeply pathetic at times : 
but on the whole it may be fairly surmised that 
so artistic and finished a work as the ** Italian 
Symphony," which has given pleasure to a far 



i^*" 






mm 



BOSTON", SATURDAY, JAK. 22, 1876. 



163 



more extended circle than Schumann has 
reacheil, will retain the freshness and reality 
of its charm, in virtue of its spontaneous melo- 
dy and finished det^iK lonprer than any more 
recently-known symphony; not to speak of the 
A minor, the greater in style but the less ho- 
mogeneona work of the two. It can har'ily be 
pretended that there is any more recent choral 
work to dispute the palm with St, Paul, which 
will probably be a more lasting monument to 
the composer than Slijah, in that it is more 
real: for the ^nius of Mendelssohn, despite 
his direct Jewish descent, was not what Mr. 
Matthew Arnold would call ** Hebraistic" in 
type, and his sympathy with the tone of Luth- 
eran Christianity, which is the basis of the 
feeling pervading 8t, Paul, was a genuine ele- 
ment of his nature. His Organ Sonatas, few 
as they are, are certainly the best things for 
the instrument since Bach — indeed, there is 
Veally nothinsr to name in the interim that could 
be considered as in the highest class of music; 
and the first one in particular is most remarka- 
ble as a succts'sful attempt to engraft modern 
feeling and effect on the great time-honored 
instrument, without for a moment overstepping 
its special character and resources. And when 
the writer of these remarks saw, a few weeks 
since, the crowded and certainly very ** mis 
cellaneous" audience at one of the Covent 
Garden Promenade Concerts kept in hushed 
attention by the song ** On Wings of Music," 
and then demanding the whole over again and 
listening to it in the same breathless stillness, 
he could not avoid the reflection that to keep 
so large an audience of all classes thus 
entranced by a mere simple melody in succes- 
sive verses, with a single voice and a pianoforte 
accompaniment, miglit be, in it« way, as true 
a test of genius as the production of ** roman- 
tic " operas in which the hearers are taken by 
storm, as it were, with whirlwinds of sound 
from the orchestra and a whole phantasmagoria 
of stage elTccts. 

One important species of homage, that of 
imitation, Mendelssohn has certainly received 
to an ample degree. No composer of so recent 
a date can be named whose works and whose 
style have exercised such an effect upon the 
music of his contemporaries and immediate 
successors, and been so continually reproduced 
and imitated with more or less success. Indeed, 
it is probably this very imitation of his style 
which has tended to lessen the repute of his 
genius, by reducing its peculiarities to common- 
place. In this respect the history of his works, 
m relation to modem criticism, reminds one of 
Tennyson's satirical little poem, in which he 
compares his poetic genius to a flower raised in 
his garden, and pronounced by the people at 
first to be ** a weed," until it grew and blos- 
somed, was called a ** splendid flower," and 
every one sought for cuttings and seeds, until — 

" Now most can raise the flower, 

For all have got the seed— 
And now again ike p^ple 

Call U b'ui a toeedr 

This is almost as applicable to Mendelssohn 
as to Tennyson; and no doubt the fact that 
his style was susceptible of this general imita- 
tion is, to a certain extent, a proof of his man- 
nerism. But though the flower may be held 
rather cheap at present, in consequence, it has 
probably vitality enough to outlive its spurious 
imitations, as well as many of the ranker and 
more luxuriant growths which may seem at 
present to threaten it with extinction. 

H. H. Stathah. 

Olimptes of our English Anceitora 

MUSIC IN SUSSEX. 

CProm Th€ Sriffhian Herald, Dee. 18.] 

A hundred years hence, whoever looks back npon 
our age as we sre looking back upon the century 
that preceded as, will have no reason to note the 
absence of evidence of the love and practice of music 
amongst the people of dassex, not only in towns hot 
in the smallest country villages. In this respect 
the 19th century will contrast most remarkably and I 



moflt favorably with the 18th and the Hth ; indeed, 
with nil the centuries for aught we know, that pre* 
ceded it. Fur if there he one thing more conspicu- 
ous than another by its absence in the archaeologi- 
cal records of Sussex, it is all reference to Music. 
As a Science it certainly had no existence out of the 
Cathedral at Chichester; in which, as in all Cathe- 
drals, the practice and the traditions of an eccle.^!!- 
astical school of music, dating from the Tudors, 
were kept up with more or less ability, according as 
the Cathedral dignitaries were more or less inclined 
to music, or their organist was more or less a musi- 
cian. Bat, setting this aside as an exceptional and 
exoteric growth, scarcely touching the people, music 
had no existence in Sussex or other rural English 
Counties as a Science, and scarcely any as an Art, 
100 years ago. There were, of course, both in 
towns and villages, instruments, and people who 
played upon them, and here and there, of coarse, 
there was a man of genuine musical taste and 
knowledge, who, in happier days for music, might 
hnvA acquired fame as a musician. But they were 
ram aves, and their musical taste and talent obtained 
little fame for them, and not much profit. Still, 
there was a certain demand for music, and, in this 
as in otiier cases, the demand brought a supply. 
There were then, as now, festive occasions on which 
music was required, if only for dancint; or proces- 
sions or " waits ** at Christmas. In almost overv 
village, at the commencement of this century, what 
was called " a case of viols " was to be found, con- 
sisting of the treble viol (or violin), the tenor (or 
alto), and the bass viol ; the latter a title by which 
the violoncello is still known in country places. 
And there were certain persons who could play 
these instruments after a certain fashion, singly or 
in concert. The "fiddle" has always served for 
the votaries of Terpsichore, and a fiddler was seldom 
wanting in countrv-places. It may be qui'stioned 
whether greater difficulty would not be found in 
getting one, — that is, a local fiddler, ** to the manner 
born," — now, than there was 50 or 100 years a«;o. 
And for this reason : the pianoforte har superseded 
the fiddle, and there are few houses now above the 
cottage class in which a pianoforte is not to be f )und 
and also some one (of the feminine gender, as a rule) 
ablo to sit down and play a quadrille or a waltz. 
The pianoforte is to the woman of the present gen- 
eration what the violin was to the man of the last. 
In our grandfathers* days, there was really no in- 
strument for a woman to plav upon. A Queen, like 
Elizabeth, might play on the virginal, and. after 
the virginal, the spinet might be found in a few 
" great houses,** and, at a later date, the harpsichord 
became more common. But these were the rare 
luxuries of the rich and great. The middle classes, 
and even the classes above them, the gentry and 
clergy, knew little or nothing of tliem, and. though 
Fieldinsr might make Sophia Western play her fath- 
er to sleep up(m one, and Scott depict Flora Mac- 
donald as fascinating Waverly with her harp-playing, 
yet to play on any instrument 150 years ago was a 
rare accomplishment for an English lady, because 
musical instruments for women were almost 
unknown. The only music heard in the cottage, 
the farm-house, and even the manor-house, was that 
of the spinning-wheel. 

So, in the diaries of the Gales and the Stapleys 
and the Marchants. we find no mention of music; it 
did not enter as it now does into domestic life, or 
form a common source of public entertainment. 
Even in Churches it was of a very rude kind. Or- 
gans are of modern date in Sussex county churches, 
and there was either no ii\strumental music at all, 
— only a pitch-pipe to give the note to the choir or 
congregation, — or it was a rude kind of orchestra, 
made up of the before mentioned trebl<^ tenor, and 
bass-viol, with, perhaps, a hautbois or fiute. This 
served our forefathers pretty well up to the end of 
the last century, and, indeed, to a much more recent 
period in many places. We ourselves have listened 
to the dulcet tones of a village band in a West Sus- 
sex Church within the last thirty years. We be- 
lieve they are all now extinct. One of the last to 
hold its ground was in Sidlesham. near Chichester, 
where the village oand and choir (with their " An- 
them,*' as it was called) fionrished up to about 80 
years ago ; and when the then Vicar, the Rev. £. 
Goddard, proposed the introduction of simple psalm- 
ody, the whole of the performers, with their instru- 
ments and books, rose and indignantly left the 
Church I 

The only reference we have found to the vocal 
performances of our Sussex forefathers in the 
Archaeologieal records of the last century, is in the 
Journal of Dr. Burton (1750), who, dpropoe of the 
church-psalmody at Shermanbury, writes: — "The 



more shrill-toned they (the Sussex people) may be, 
the more valued they are, and in Church they sing 
psalms, by preference, not set to the old and simple 
tune, but as if In a tragic chorus, chan;;ing about 
with strophe and antistrophe, and stanzas, with 
good measure ; but yet there is something offensive 
to my ear when they belir^w to exccM, and bleat out 
Mme goatiJuh noise with all their might ' (/) 

One might think the learned Doctor was talking 
of a set of savages in some newly-discovered land, 
and not of his fcllow-subiects in an adjoining Coun- 
ty. But. in fact, to the polished clergyman of Ox- 
ford these Sussex boors were savages. A few words 
of explanation are needed as to the " chorus ** (" an- 
them ** they called it) sung by the choir of Sher- 
manbury instead of " the old and simple tune." 
The old and simple tones, introduced chiefly from 
Germany in the days of the Reformation, and of 
which " the Old Hundredth ** (that was its numeri- 
cal place in the Psalm-book) is almost the sole rem- 
nant, were superseded in the Stuarts' days by a more 
florid and pretentions kind of hymn, •* with',** as Dr. 
Burton says, " strophe and antistrophe and stanzas," 
and these were often ** bloated out, to u.<e his lan- 
guage, with more vigor than taste or discretion. 
They have been superseded by a simpler and higher 
class of hymn in our own days. 

In few thins:s, indeed, affecting social life and 
manners, has there been such a change in England, 
and for the better, as in instrumental music, vocal 
music, in some form, must always have held ita 
ground, and we know that in Elizabeth's and the 
1st James's daj'S it wai widely cultivated, nnd hence 
the rich inheritance of madrigals, glees, rounds, 
catches, and othor part songs that we boast of, and 
which used to be sung, and still occasionally are, 
without accompaniment. But in instrumental mu- 
sic there was almost a blank up to the invention of 
the piano. Even Handel's scores were only writ- 
ten for violin, alto, bas«, a»;d hautboys, with an oo- 
casional flute accompaniment, —that was, the Eng. 
lish flute, — and now and then a bit for the French 
horn. The more recent introduction of the German 
flute gave an impetus to the study of rou:<ic by men, 
and, 60 years ago, there waa scarcely a house of 
the middle classes without a German fluti. But it 
was the improvement of the harpsichor I Into the 
pianoforte that, by giving an in.^trument suited for 
women, caused music to be introduced into the homes 
of the Enj^lith people, and has done more to soften, 
refine, and polish their manners than, perhaps, any- 
thing else. If it has not made us a musical peopfe, 
like the Germans, the Bohemians, the Hungarians,' 
and xher Sclavonic races — and only Nature could 
have done that, — it has made us fond of mu.<ic, 
which is next door to it. The rest may come in 
good time 1 Poeta, and great poets too.awe have 
had in Sussex, but there has been no Sussex com- 
poser yet, nor is there that we are aware of such a 
thing as a genuine Sussex air. 

A propOB of mi\sic, and, indeed, of Art generally, 
we may quot« the recent remarks of Mr. Gladstone 
at Greenwich. Mr. Gladstone's mind is large 
enough to Uke in every thinif, from the political 
wanU of a great Empire to the artistic wants of a 
cottage, and his remarks on the cultivation of musio 
in England at the present moment bear out the facts 
we have ^iven above. 

'* You tnow very well." he said to his Greenwich 
constituents a few weeks ago, "that, when we look 
at the popular instruction of the country, the public 
mind is becoming more and more habituated to the 
universal teaching of music; and, of course, the 
universal teaching of music implies the universal 
practice of it in one shape or another. No doubt it 
is infinitely various in degree, and no doubt there 
are certain unfortunate individuals here and there 
who have no sense of it at all,— who have no sense 
of melody or of harmony, whose ears tell them noth- 
ing of concords or discords, and who are olike shut 
out from the pleasures of music and from the pains 
that discord will infiict on the cultivated ear. We 
are now coming, we have almost come, to the belief 
that music is a general inheritance, — that the facul- 
ty of music is a common faculty of the people form- 
ing an intelligent community. Was that so 50 
vears ago ? I remember the time when you were 
laughed at in this city if you contended, as I was 
stoutly contending, that the human being as such 
was musical ; you were considered a fool, a dreamer, 
an enthusiast. People used to aay 'I can't tell one 
note from another ; I don't care a bit about music ; * 
and I replied by saying. 'If the nurse who carried 
you when you were three or six months old had 
continued to carry you until you were 40. you would 
not be able to walk.' (Laughter.) I befieve that, 
making allowances, and not attempting to urge the- 



164 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OP MUSIC. 



application of the illustration too far, it i» sound to 
the extent that a facnity uncultivated dies awa y. 
The human mind 14 not like that description of 
rich and luxurious soil that caHs off the finest fruits 
and flo-vers of ilsolf without care or culture ; but it 
has within it<«e1f capabilities wisely adapted to call 
for the Application of labor in the development of 
faculties ; and if the labor is applied, the faculties 
will be developed. If there be those who have no 
sense of music, they are analoji^ous to those who are 
born deaf or blind, and, consequently, are entitled 
to sympathy as bcin^ excluded from one of the 
purest enjoyments Providence has ordained for hu- 
man nature." 

There can be little doubt that, at one period of 
our history, music in Sussex — as known and ?«rac- 
tised by the people — had all but died away ; and it 
is still a belief with some that Sussex people lack 
both ear and voice for music. Certainly the sinffinsr 
at Sheep-shearing: feasts and other rural meetings 
gives little token of either; it is a dreary monoto- 
nous sing-song of two or three notes, repeated 
through interminable verses of equally ureary 
rh3*me. Some specimens of these rude rhymes 
were given in our paper on " Sussex Sheep-shear- 
ers,'* and Mr. M. A. Lower, in his '* Old Speech and 
Blanners in Sussex,** after statini; that there are still 
in exl^ttence " two or three rh3*thmical compositions 
once familiar to Sussex men,'* quotes, as one of these, 
a Sussex whistlinjf song, " which,*' he says, " was 
formerly popular and is not yet entirely forgotten." 
Here it is : — 

A SUSSEX WHISTLING SONG. 

There was an old Farmer in Sussex did dwell, 

[ Chonu ^ WhUtUri, 
There was an old Fanner In Sussex did dwell. 
And he had a l>ad wife, as many knew well. 

[Choru9 of WhUtUrt. 
Then Satan earoe to the old man at the plough— 
*' One of your family I must have now.** 

** It ie not jronr eldest son that I do crave, 
Bnt *tis your old wife ; and she I will hAve.% 

«* O ! welcome, good Satan, with all my heart; 
I hope you and she will never more part! " 

Now Satan he got the old wife on hie back, 
And he lugged her along liko a pedlar's pack. 

He trudged away till he came to hfs gate, 

Saya he— *< Here, take an old Sussex man*s mate.** 

O! then she did kick all the young Imps about; 
Says one to the other, " Let's try turn her out!" 

She spied seven devils, all dancln»( In chains ; 

She up with her pattens and knoctsed oat their brains. 

She Icnock^d old Satan against the wall ; 

** Let's fery turn her out, or she'll mnrdcr us all.** 

Now he's bund'ei her up on his back amain, 
And to her old husband he's took her i^piin. 

" I've been a tormentor the whole of my life; 
But I ne'er was tormented till I took your wife I" 

Certainly, when the musical knowledge of the peo- 
ple was reduced to whistling, it could not descend 
much lower ; but still it suflUced to prove that the 
tantc for music was not quite extinct, and, in coarse 
of time, that musical knowledge which has grown 
so rapidly in the middle classes will doubtless ex- 
tend to the lower.^specially thniugh the instruc- 
tion of the children at school, — ^and England — nay, 
even Sussex — may wake up some fine morning and 
find that it is musical I 



The Hew " Old Sonth " Churoli. 

The genial lady correspondent from this city to 
the Woreetter Spy {Mm. Goddard), writes the follow- 
ing description of this beautiful addition tu our 
church architecture. 

The '< Old South** is a very beautiful church, surpass* 
Ing any other in the city; whether it is to be surpassed by 
" Trinity *' remains to be seen. No one who has not bat- 
tled with the wind, dust, frost and ice at the bleak cor- 
ners on the new land can imagine what it is to get to the 
'* Old South '* at this reason. Ton may go as far as you 
can in the hor»e-car, creep as mach farther as yon ean in 
the lee of the houses, but the time oomes at last when you 
must tuck in your ribbons, make sure that your bonnet is 
Arm on your head, and your head on your shoulders, then, 
gathering up your stren^i^h and courage, and bending for- 
ward, you uiu»t make a desperate rash from the last shel- 
tered point to the harbor of the church-porch. The wind 
is sure to blow in your face, no matter wliere the vane 
points and to blow round and round your fe^t, tangling 
you hopelessly In yonr skirt** unless they are comparative- 
ly short and tcant. Dust whirls into your eves and nose, 
patches of !ee lie lu wait fur unwary feet, sharp gusts of 



wind cut off your breath ; you wonder If arehitecture will, 
on the whole, pay you for the battle. Ton know by mem- 
ory. and Just one hasty irlance. how rich the outside of the 
church is in beantiftti stone-earvinf?. where thu eunninpf 
workmen havo wrought birds and animals, and abundant 
follaire, with all the atrenjcth. p^ce and variety of nature. 
Snfo in the warm passages between the church and the 
chapel, yon p^use to regain your l>reath, only to lose It 
again with delight and wonder when the door opens and 
you see before yon counties myriads of white-winged ar- 
gels soaring into the deep blue heavens, while below the 
shepherds bend In adoration and the sheep crowd close 
togethi'r. It is the great window behind the pulpit— that 
is all. There are nttier splendid windows telling all the 
storr of the life of Jesus, avi little windows with only the 
stories of flowers and delicious combinations of color; and 
after awhile you turn jrour eves from them to the details 
of the church, or the preaching-room it onght to be called, 
for I suppose the whole building is the church. The room 
is sufficiently light without possibility of glare; all the 
eolors are warm, soft and rich, in fantastic bat pleasing 
combination. The wood-work is oak, or sometninc; of 
that color, the carpet dark olive-green, with small set flg- 
nres of dull-red and other subdued tints. The carving in 
wood and the monldlngs in plaster are exqnlsita speci- 
mens of art. Each bit of wood-carving Is u lovely little 
study by itself, and would seem so at an art-store ; but 
here there is such a wealth of it. and it Is so nnnbtraslve, 
that you must s(>ek If you wonid find it. Bnt still the eyes 
turn atways to the angel choir, half fearing that they will 
have floated far lieyond sight. I can't imagine any cler- 

Kman expecting to be listened to in «uch a church until 
I congregation have arown familiar with every detail of 
its beauty, and are willing at last to turn their ey^s ttom 
beholdinc Its loveliness and «lve some heed to wHat Is be- 
ln« addressed to their ears. Perhaps riergvmen will preach 
fVom the windows, taking them for Illuminated texts ; and 
I am sure If the wonderful soldon flowers on rich red 
grounds could be classed with the lilies of the field, the 
preacher could safely declare that Solomon in all his glo- 
ry was not arrayed like them. Besides this gorgeous, il- 
luminated place to preach in. where the morning light 
brings out all the wealth of artistic detail, and the aunset 
pours a golden glory on the sacred scenes, touching a 
face or a flower for one moment with Are, and the next 
U>av1n« it softened and anhdned as the shadow gains upon 
it, and the glory moves upwards, there are many other 
rooms for all the' purposes that a working-church requires. 
A chnpel, and large, qnlet cla«s-rooro«, all with reflned 
and warm ornamentation, bnt little of It. as suits such 
moms. There is a parlor, and a great work-room for la- 
dles, both handsomely furnished, a kitchen, a nice cMna> 
clojiet, and a dinihg-hall; all possible oonvenienees fbr the 
minister: and dressing-rooms near the parlor and work- 
room . The pirsonatfe Joins the church ; doors and entries 
ai e wide and ronvcnient; the organ is saiil to be Hweot and 
powerful; and the architccta had the crown to their work 
when trial proved that the acoustic properties of the church 
werp perfect— that to speak and hear in it were easy. 
The architects are Messrs. Cnmmlngs and Sears. 



•♦• 



For Dwlght*s Journal of ICnaic. 

Ten Xnflical Sonnets of David Fr. 

StransB. 

BT AUBBK FORESTIEB. 

David Fr. Strauss, the renowned author of the 
" Life of Jesus," wrote and dedicated to the friend 
of his youth, E. F. Kanffmann, a series of Musical 
Sonnets, which, being first issued in a periodical of 
extremely limited circulation, may be truly said to 
have only been rendered accessible to the public at 
large through their recent republication in that 
widely circulated Oerman Magazine, the Oarienlaube. 
In his prose introduction to this evident work of 
love, Strauss says : 

" Were I a philosophical Emperor giving to the 
world my confesaions, I would, in thanking the 
Oods for their manifold benefits, express my especial 
gratitude for their having blessed me from youth np 
with a friend endowed with the rare gifts of Foesie 
and Music. He is now. alas ! dead, that noble being 
to whom alone 1 owe it that my ear hath awakened, 
however imperfectly, to the mysteries of the tone- 
world. He was not a musician by profession, yet 
possessed a thoroughly musical nature. He was 
equally conversant with the theory and the practi- 
cal employment of the Laws of Harmony ; but his 
calling in the world was that of Professor cf Mathe- 
matics. It would have pained him to use Mnsic as 
a means of livelihood ; it was the object of his pri- 
vate devotion ; his inner life was enriched by it. 
The works of the Masters he was not merely famil- 
iar with, he lived in them. To him it was • trifle 
to render on the piano-forte ai| entire Mozart Opera. 
Ah, how much am I indebted to his skill t How 
admirably could he transport his hearers into the 
proper mood ! What marvellous power had he to cast 
at the right moment a ray of light on the groping 
mind I " 

Such was the man to whom Strauss in February 
1851, during a long separation, sent, as a memento 



of affection, the following Sonnets. They did not 
appear in print until some years latei^ after Kanff- 
mann*s death. No more graceful tribute can be im- 
agined from friend to friend, and as we perused the 
poetic gems, so fraught with keen appreciation, we 
were strongly impressed with the feeling that the 
great Philosopher and Theologian probably owed 
his highest culture to the exalting, refining infln- 
ence of that Divine Art into whose innermost sanc- 
tuary he was conducted by the hand of friendship. 
It were defrauding those of our reading-public, who 
are unable to make their acquaintance in the Oer- 
man, not to clothe in English garb these Sonneta, 
and we therefore take the liberty of herewith pre- 
senting translations of the entire ten, together with 
the author's poetical dedication, having earnestly 
striven in our work to preserve the true flavor of 
the original. 

DSDICATIOR TO RAtTPTlfAirir. 

Throughout this Camivars dull mummery. 
When ev'ry Hail Its eoncerts is delaying, 
Light walties only vfoUns are playing. 
And 0ntes sweet polkas pipe with jollity; 
When ev*ry stage bnt flat bnlToonery 
Unto a gaping audience is displaying, 
The sunrise and the skattng-Jubilee 
■ake in the " Prophet ** maddest revelry- 
Could I, mid all this desolation dreary, 
Fly unto thee, grand master-works thon'dst proffer, 
Master thyself, O friend, of Harmony. 
Yet sinoa we*fc parted now by distance weary, 
ni conjure np the Vase 'tis thine to offer. 
That It In solitude may comfort me. 



1. RAVilDXL. 

Aye, that's a man ! He*s like the oak-tree hoary. 

Amid whose lofty top* Ood*a storms are houalDg 

And their primeval melodies arousing— 

An immemorial aign of Oerman glory. 

B*en though a oentmy may pale his story, 

Thongh fashion other Arias be espousing. 

His chorals grand, hie rich fugues, wild oaroiuing, 

Wil still endure until all time be hoary. 

How sweetly he of the good Shepherd sings. 

Unto the Master's enlTrings how he ellnga, 

Faith^s consolations grasps how fervently I 

Till Hallelujahs mightily resound, 

As from the Blest, the LamVs white Throne around. 

And Sin, Hell, Death, are lost in Tiotory. 



2. OLUCK. 

Oft past thy brazen counterfeit to wander 
I am impeli*d on elear, bright wintry days. 
And in thy austere countenanoe to gaze; 
Bach time with satisfaction fireah I ponder. 
Who knew thee not mnst say : ' His si'Mt yonder 
Prepar*d for others welMIlumlned ways, 
No fofs could long withatand its annny rays. 
And elonds It swiftly would compel to wander.** 
Aye, Truth thou did*st restore unto thy Art, 
Dld*at of all flashy garb it well divest. 
Heedless of pnhlle seowl or critic** dart. 
The Leesing of Dramatic Music thou. 
Which soon Its Goethe found In Mosart bleat; 
The greatest not— but one to whom all bow. 



S. HATDK. 

While others yield the Son their adoration, 

A name more ancient thou dost glorify, 

I o«ean thou dost to Ood the Father cry. 

His name extolling in thy great " Oreatlon." 

Fiiat mak'st thou L^ght, then with mark*d approbation 

Dost paint the germing seed that sproati on high. 

Nor doet the wond*roos form of plants pass by ; 

01v*st on the brute beaat too a dissertation. 

Next showest thou the flrst dear human pair. 

The man, the woman, the flrst glanoe of love. 

Then doth thy heart expand, thou good <rfd man I 

Archangels bring to Ood Hosannaa rare; 

T^i, as to thee, the choicest hymn above. 

Thou know'st, is human bliss, since earth began. 

4. DOK JUAK. 

How sportively life's fountain here Is plashing I 
The purple Juice of grapes foams In the bowl ; 
Love lureth mid dark myrtle bow*ra to stroll- 
Begun the danco in halls with radiance flashing. 
Yet heed yon well I For treason here is cl ashing. 
0*er this wild maze Truth flndeth no eontrol ; 



i'_ 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, JAN. 22, 1876. 



165 



BCnnflsd cwMt Innoenie*, ilMp-djwl the wol— 
Ful hnnuti T«ii|rmi]« all h«iu oairkrd dutalDf. 
BotHC^ The TtoUnu Hd at lul uriH, 



thellbrrtlneexlcnil 



DaathlcD 

Kow meklsH fmpiideneii mid [toanlni iIlM; 
DlaKlred, ulnlhlUlod. Ufa'i tV dnam. 
And Mmthllke iIIsdm ii Iba r«Tel'* aid. 

E. nOARO. 
What ilnicvr Lon Ilka IhM hi wall pmtniT' t 
Whan l* ilMta ana irbo Ita antnoc'd onfoldlne. 
lU er'rr kind, degrvi and wondreni mooldliif, 
Like tbaa dnelapa ip hii K*nl^ lanf 
From tedder bnd, whicb KanUa (Towtli dtai'lafi, 
Uuto the iDiCra luxariani onfolding; 
From puslan'i aiurm. wblfh brcukoth no earb'a holdlDE, 
Cnlo lint IoT«>a notelllah, hallowed dftTi. 
Hera pretty. dalQlj lore birdi thm doel hall, 
Ha*t esptnr'd theei, ao aTerHowlDK neal. 
And •howeaE ns Uiclr bt'tj Wck and •otie. 
Soma are ecaree fledfed, and aome are In fall Mil, 
While roodar oda aeemi read]' ft>r ble rati: 
Berond sompan ■ reatleaa, motler thrDog. 



10 rram men'i loll Mi 






Like to tba God « 

Wemmworld'ahUli 

ndn thOD rrom poem mnat abanrd ln< 

A natter work which need no rlTml lei 

On tha conflnee than ■tood'it or TOD di 

When tire lllnnlon* nnlih from the alKht, 

And emwn'd the hrad with hnlo pnra et llRht, 

Brtate which brlghtegt Einh tinu diuippear. 

Fromihenu mtn'adelnK> •rrmedbni ehlldlah aport; 

Hatred tbaa uWailDNIghiStamal horl'd, 

And Lore lo Wladom ripen thoo didn MM. 

Thadk thee, Inn artal Halter I Ifaar Cboport 

Didat loTlnitj tend back nnto Ihla world 

AdnuM tones ot tha fphana' pnre Harmonr. 



ITet Id BerlllK'f gardena, wliere perfnne 

Of raeel and jaamlna tha pnlie I* thrllllDE, 

TbDO laBd'it whsie night blrda awann, weird InmalM w 

lint. 
Id cold aad monldr prlaen eeHa sf doom. 
Ko lUrf eonpda fill here tha clank, dark room, 

Batraoaiu of aninlah, flanking chalna. ate lllllng 
With hollow spfaoaa Ihli abode of gloom. 
Hark, white hFnTenlfiCTalnihe black night hreakal 
Bar, la It Lot* T No; Lotb II cannot tie, 
Ho prode to aeek the Baantlfnl, the Ifew. 
TU thai which earnMt out of trlfllBg nuikei. 
Which brlof«lh roaea pals mid Ihonw to tIc*. 
Tha pftllent, aaylng pow'r— VldelltT. 



Wbllber dost lead me. O then wondrogi Mend r 
Thr Inring tones mT resmlagdolh awakaoj 
llttat be for tnth or wild dulnilon tekm, 
That low'rd the long-eoniht goal my way I wendT 
Hal lorocRr, aiy, dIdat thou thni InteedT 
Woeld'lt hem mo plM> away Ilka one ftamkm 
Beoaoae tbaM BiplrUloni pangi awaken T 
Ahl blU'rer lean,— no. aweetar.nonghteoold lend. 
Tet from the teu-bBtb nawly vlTlfled, 
Tha iplrit, friA u yanth, dnih boldly itr da. 
While ebonia glad of llghlMma )ena niTrDaada. 
What.HghtaameJtalsT Aye. tha whala earth doth Ihilll, 
., wbaihaatatviti, 
f'l iron gataa oaw madly boonda I 



Now yearning! uft, now qaciiea bald ontpoorlng— 
Are KatlaM thiea which (Or their righta ate waning T 
Or ue tbeee tbanghta, aaah other thai aaaaJUng? 
Aya.alplrallODiI Often In life falling I 
Sea than In whirling danca now apward loarlng, 
< Earth t: 



Again I 



>• high In nher 



and thTMir.m 
ThoB wlltmlT Good, then. Iflhondoal notaoor 
Sneh ipert, I'd not for wnrldl Ita pow'r be qaallli 
TK doat than tnly ihirein plaainra taksr 
Thy deepeat ugnlah thou biit now did'it moard- 
Cb> wild caprloa thy Inmoat heart be iwalllDgT 



In gnnllldjta low thai b«ltat>r 



Try tboD the pow'r of winga nlren thee by Fate, 
Iff Hdl, and make Ihrongh chndi a puaage wide. 
How? UdttoOlymplnalr^ntt rideT 
What golden llghU doth Rea^'n 'rannd me ereatet 

What rteah enjaymenta ever me await, 
Ai I float onward with the etherl tide? 
Joyoni abandon me doth upward bear ; 
Hid dance of Goddcsaei I madly awtep, 
By feitnl K.BSC Iniplrrd from UDa«> choir. 





mi¥> 


|0iirnal of ^mt. 


DOSTON. JAN. 88, 1818. 



Howllnff WoIto^ — " Lut MtchMi" ~ 
" Enraged Xoutli-piecei," eto 

There haa been ■ wolf prowling mnnd the fold 
for aome time, hnnftrj Tor admittance, and, fillinf; 
that, vainly attempting by alt aorta of tinnle to draw 
ni into controrerif. la it the aarne wolf that 
charfTfld the iheep with rollint^ the water, while he 
hlmeeir (accordlnj; to hli own profeuinn) stood blith- 
er up the atresm and drank nearer to tlie aonrce. 
Prrhapa the /cry wolf who ani^steil to tha tnnera 
(of pisno-fortes) their technical term •• voif by 
which they fiEnratiTely denote the diiaonadt and 
jarring element in atrlngi not prrfectly attuned — 
that beatinf;, howling sonnd yoo hoar before tha 
two or three atringa «hieli oogbt to mAn one note 
are drawn (|iiite Into nniion. — Bat we da not pre- 
tend to anytliinft like hit skill in mixing metaphora. 

We hsTe no taite for personslitlea. ani are dot 
b1e>Md with the nnicrnpulonsness id which ood- 
■lata the chief advantage of sach a master of the 
artn of lalire and abnaa. It hai been onr principle 
and practice to Ignore all penonsl attsclil. One 
critic, who system stickily blsckgnarded aa For years, 
has ffone to his graye unanswered by a word on onr 
part. And now hrre comes another, who for three 
yeara or more baa made it his mission to persistent- 
ly dl>pnrB|i:e (he well-known eoDservative and clas- 
sical taste of Boston, the concerU of the Harvard 

who " inperserviceably " preside over It. We have 
defeadeJ the musical conservatism, aa it wan our 
duty to do, since we believed in It. We have ad- 
Tocated the Harvard Concerts, aa It waa onr dnty 
to do, since <re had helped to orginite them lor the 
lame expresa end for which we bad already fbnnded 
thia Jonrnal of Maaic. — namely to help to keep mn- 
aieal taste up to tha pnreat and highest classical 
standard ; and, as a mean* to that good end, bnild 
np n permanenre a local instltntlon, a Boston or- 
chestra, which should never let the knowledge snd 
tha love of the master Sjtnpbonlsta die ont here, or 
tlie pnblic laate be drawn away by specions noveltlaa 
and false and barren fashions and eicllements. It 
waa onr conalalent duty to defend these ; ourselves 
we have not defended. 

Now this critic of a weekly Sunday paper, hai 
for Ibree years lystematlcalty disparaged the public 
performancei of ad artist, whom it waa his wont be- 
. fore that time with equal uniformity to praise. The 
other day he songht to give the cotijuli-graa to the 
object of hla venom by a criticism so malignant in 
ita spirit, ao bmUl In lie atjle, so wilfully blind to 
every merit and lo every qnalifylng circnmstanee, 
that every nnbiaaed reader felt the impoatlbility of 
explaining it upon any other ground than that of 
personal malignity. So severity of candid crili- 
elam. with all allowance for posrible short-comings 
In the aabject. oould have produced an article like 
that. Ita author may posacaa the critical faculty in 
■d emidcnt degree ; but that ia not the way a critic, 
purely ■• anch. ever wrttea. We thought It time 



that aome one, amodg the many who felt the wroiig, 

ahould break the long silence and rebuke it; «nd 
as no other voice was raised, the duty lay on na 
palpably to be evaded. 

Having expreiaed onr feeling frankly, we wen 
course prepared for inch a torrent of abnae as ap- 
peared in the next day's OaaUe. It waa qulU evi- 
dent that we bad bit the mark, and that our reluc- 
tant notice of the slanderer had done good ; for 
Instantly the indignant conscience of others 
waa roused, and articles In snpport both of Ur. Leon- 
bard and of ourselves appeared In the very next 
day's Adutriitir, Tnese we here copy with grate- 
ful acknowtedKBnient : the first one spares n» the 
deceaslty of copying the provocatlotL 



UB 


. LBONHARD AND 


BIB CHTTICi. 


n Iht gailort of Ml «>■<« Daitf 






be found in your val 




preaion of dlileni from tha nm. 


rkamadelaoneofyonr 






Dwighl-i J 






of "AOha 


plon of Hedioertlle. 




lacked with 


nora temper than wl 


dam for hll recent de- 


fence of the 


lail hnt one of the Harvard lymphony oon- 


cenaagalna 


•ome abase which, 1 


wai bald, sbowwl per- 


aonal Ill-fee 


Ing ai well ai Ignon 


ince on tha part of Iht 


writer. In 





of mnilcal art, he [Iha editor of Dwl^hi'i Journal] h 
«i>ed to bean authority. Ha may have )>een a good w 
ngr» In the In'hnCT of nia*lo here, bnt hll nUlltr liaaeeaiwl 
sTir ilnca our mnslcalpnbllo waa weaned.'' It la not tnr- 
prising thar thli writsrdrawB hla Images fmm the nnrsery, 
(n Ttew of Uia wlldneai of the itatement that an ■oeunta 
critic, wholiparhipa better known In Europe than he la 
here, and who hu dsna, and li doing, inch good service 
for muilD. " has aeurd te be in anihorlty." It wa aik 
with wbo« ba hia ceased te be in authority, we ihall 
probably be told with all save " thai inatl ellque of whiah 
the eillEor of Dwight's Jonmsl li a inpenerrlcaabk men- 
ber— a cllqna whith has worked Inealca'able harm to mu- 
ileal progrsM bare." Ii the ellqae lo small? Small li a 

otihlamnilcal Arislldes? Thin modait dafendei of prog- 
had tin iinall ihare Id breaking np tlUt ring, and we may 
Iherefon complacently amlle at tho rage of Ita month- 
plice itwidlng reoklHily at bay In the Tail ditch that la 
left It tor a batUe-gronnd." 'fbla la a mrioia derange- 
ment of aplcbvta. No wonder ha imitai at an enraged 
moscfaplece lUndlng recklaaaly at bay in a laat ditch. 



which he at 



■' auperaerviceable " 



t the wa' 
wayof tr 






'I Ehlnklng tha symphony dull. OCcounehcmay bi 
mt, but thai la nelthar bare nor Ihere, unleaa hr, 
. .. . _ .----,. ^jiat Owlght'i Joornal lald 



jiek parfiepCloa and anpreciallnn,^' 
bai by no meani dliprovad by 
a iha '■ placid oonumpl^'of blade- 



nymphony w« a nipeiflcla 

. . . . _. tha 
I nftau enongli. 



le did not lake tha 



ariu very prtlnenily 



oerto ha aayt, " 1'he Interpretation was bad, 
D end of the matter, so far si we are can- 
I W1 do not tor a moment gneatlDD that It 
rt of iBterpratallon to satlify the faUeai da- 
Hi<or-i mnalrsl taste." Daubtlaia the last 

BFerto v^ll be oontentrd If he iiitlan»°io 
iriMeai tha aecooipllahed editor cit no lirht'i 

ir blame from onr placidly aentemnlonni 
^-■-' * - -n\t. h«lyt 



Tot>^ZaUeni>fO,*aotUmI>MtAamMur: 

Ton bate often kindly opened year oolnmns to mnalcal 
dlaenaalonir— and aro always ready to halp tha oanae of 
eailareandrePnement. Without Intending la enter Into 
a newapaper dlimiailon. I would like briefly to point out 
thi InJusUoe done noCanly tahonntgllbniilnmnilcilart, 
but to indlvldaali tbemselvae, by snch praaumpiuoui 
criticlami aa appear in the Saturday Krenjng Oaaette. 
Those ailtldima have alt lha air u[ anthoilty, of positive 
knowledge, and If the writer wire an anihorlty ai>d w 
' if positive knowledge, a man whoee alms w 
blgheal order, one who li Imbued with the spirit of 

riora and certainly dn* tu ona'a luporiora, — tha wan 
which li 10 manlfait In thaie "Ury " wtlUngi. Wa — 
told of " a nl» bll of aonnd painting." of want of breadth 
of a pertoimanee, of an '' Interpreiatlon whiah waa bad, 



166 



DWIGHT^S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



I 



and that la the end of H as for as tre are concerned.** We 
are told thai the writer flatters himself he ha« done a great 
deal to break up a '< rinif," as he calla it, whoso only ob< 
Jcet it was to fclve to the public the best ooiicerts they 
could afford to give with the means at hand— a labor of 
loye in the cause of musical education performed by a 
body of ^ntlemen who only asked for sufRclent support 
to make '* both ends meet/* A worthy task. Indeed, to 
break up such an undertaking, and that from a mu^tical 
erltic who wants us to believe that he has the cause at 
heart, and speaks only from convictions, not out of spite ! 
On the strenfTth of these convictions— and, we presume, of 
his intimate knowledge of piano-forto playinp:— he deals 
most unmerciAil blows— they are only wholesale blows; 
diey are not criticisms — at an artist who has for yean 
always exerted in his an the very best influence amonp 
us, and who, according to our imperflBct knowledge of 
piano-forte plaring, after many vears of study of the in- 
strument, whatever may be his aefiscts always had to our 
mind a sensitive, delicate, yea, beautiful touch- a clean 
execution, an earnest conception of the work he had in 
hand ; and our critic used to think so too. Our critic flnds 
In 1873 that ICr. ]>>onhard*s playing Is *' always*' charac- 
terized by thoughtfulness and good taste. But in 1874, 
when ICr. Leonhard gives his matinees with another gen- 
tleman, there is a complete change. The critic tells us 
that in one concert Mr. Leonhard plays aBe(>thoven sona- 
ta *< with coldness; *^ in a second he plays parts of another 
Beethoven sonata with " an excess of sentiment that al- 
most borders on affectation and lack of feeling." Parts 
of an aUegro bv Mendelssohn, to which he accorded the 
year before " careful and eftfcUve treatment,** the follow- 
ing year were " greatly con(Us<*d, not to saV bungled." If 
thin critic speaks truly, then the Harvard orchestra, the 
Harvard programmes, and Mr. Leonhard's playing and 
rendering must have sadiy detArlor.ited in the course of 
one short vear. Other solo performem, according to the 
views of the same critic, do not seem to have been affect- 
ed in the same way. , ^ „ _» _* 

Fortunately the reputation of the Hanrard concerts and 
of Mr. Leonhard cannot be undermined by such attacks, 
but as [ do not desire to be counted in among those who 
have *' poured In their thanks upon the Gazette from all 
directions for censuring with unsparing severity.** etc., 
etc and as t emphatically protest aaainst such criticisms, 
If they can be called criticisms at all. I ask your kind in- 
sertion of this letter, to which I afilz my signature. 

Verv respectfully yours, 

SEBASTIAN B. SCIILESX2TOER. 

The next day brobght a third commuDication 
blowing hot an cold, as follows: — 

MUSICAL CBITICISM. 

To the Ediiori ofth€ Boston Daily AdtertUer ;— 

Will you permit mo to aay that there ts a class of not 
wholly uncultivated lovers of music who take exception to 
the recent onslaught on Mr. Dwight for very different rea- 
sons from those given by two correspondents whose letters 
you printed yesterday? They think the injudicious and 
Intemperate language used by the author of that .attack 
win prejadlce what Is not wholly a bad cause. There are 
very few, who know anything about music in Boston during 
the last twenty or more years, who will deny the itreat 
aerrlce rendered by Mr. Dwight to the cause of good music. 
But that docs n t prevent some of ns from feeling that we 
cannot always depend npon his judgment, any more than 
we can upon that of any other human being. To give bnt 
one example of what ^eems to not a few of the really cul- 
tivated music-lovers of the city a liability to err once In a 
while. The treatment of Mr. Thomas and his orchestra 
bv Mr. lyiiright has neither been courteous nor, as it seems 
to me, characterized by good musical judgment. Mr. 
Thomas has been called a charlatan and an IgnoramUH. 
and yet, if he m both, he has taught the concert goers of 
Boston somf> thin<:s about the capacities of a good orches- 
tra well handled, which they did not know before. We 
do not like unfair attack* upon Mr. Dwight, nor by him. 
There mav be one ring of musicians, and one set of per* 
formers whom It is the fashion to prnl^e, and another set 
whom it is the fashion to sneer at. On that point I say 
nothing. Bnt I protect against its being conceded that 
Mr Dwight may nave immunity in criticism which is not 
allowed to others. If he Is not prejudiced, he shou'd, nev- 
ertbeles*, bn rebuked for Intemperate langnage in regard 
to Mr. Thomas, for precisely the same reasons that the 
writer of the article In the Oazette should be reproved for 
hla ofteaalve way of stating his caMC. X Y Z. 

Far be \t from ns to deny that we may sometimes 
err in jndj^ent. We should shrink from the claim 
of infallibility as we should shrink from the pos- 
session, preferring to remain human. We cannot 
feel that onr treatment 'of Mr. Thomas has been nn- 
courteons, and we distinctly and positively deny 
that we have ever written one word about him 
either charging or implying that he was • " charla- 
tan ** or an " ignoramus.'* For his orchestra and its 
performances wo have had only words of admiration 
and of praise ; we have often complimented his con- 
ductorship ; but we fia^e as often criticized the tastA 
shown in his programmes, as well as \n the tempos 
at which he is fond of taking certain movements in 
the classical symphonies. Thus far our offence 
goes, but no farther. We certainly hare as good a 
right to our impressions and opinions (pretending; 
to no final judgment) of the " new mnsic," as they 
have who find it all so admirable and hail it as an evi- 
dence of progrets. Its admirers no doubt honestly 

belleva that the new composers have reached a 
haight in Art that was not reached before; and 



they (and Mr. Thomas, as it seems to us) from this 
their fancied higher stand-i)oint look back and down 
approvingly npon the master-works of Mozart, 
Beethoven, etc., as worthy efforts of an outgrown 
past; whereas we look from the opposite stand- 
point ; we feel that the highest point yet reached 
in Art is that still occupied by Bach and Ilandcl, 
Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven ; that they are stan- 
dard, and only from their height can we with any 
safety judge of the intrinsic merit of any one of 
these " great claimants." Is onr musical public as 
yet half enough at home with the great masters, 
to warrant it in hailing and accepting every last 
extravaganza as a sign of " progress ?" 

— But we hear the howl of the wolf again 1 This 
time it is a deliberate challenge. He would shift the 
issue and the arena of discussion : — a favorite dodge 
with enemies of this sort ; they are not the men to 
look yon In the face. He would transfer the quest- 
tion of taste, of artistic poetry and beauty, of the 
effect of an art-work, of which all are entitled to form 
some opinion, however uniuLtructed technically, 
into a question of musical grammar and profession- 
al routine ; he challenges ns as it were to a musical 
speUing-nuUeh ; offers to prove his "superiority" to ns 
(heaven forbid that tpe should question it I) in a 
competitive examination, npon such problems as'the 
reading of scores, the analyzing of harmonics, the 
scoring of works for orchestra, the composition of 
fugues, the playing at sight on various instruments, 
etc.. etc. All which we (can we say respectfully ?) 
decline, and for these reasons : 

1. We never have pretended to technical mnsi- 
clanship at all ; and yet, after a life-long loving 
intercourse with music of the noblest masters, feel- 
ing perfectly at home with it, although we could 
not anal3*ze it or construct it for onrselves any more 
than we could the friend we love, the beauty of the 
sunset or the ocean we adtnire, it would seem to be 
impossible that we should not have learned some- 
thing. Our whole aim has been to interest our 
neighbors and our people in that which has been so 
inspiring, strengthening and comforting to ns ; to 
make the masters and their works appreciated. 

2. To judge rightly of a work of art it is not 
necessary to be an artist Artists— composers, 
painters, sculptors — are oftentimes the worst of 
critics. Many have learned the trade of Art, who 
yet remain quite unapprectative; and many miss 
the vital point, the nsthetic effect, the quickening 
poetry, the genius of a composition, so busy are they 
in prying into its technical structure ; as many miss 
the beauty of a composition in performance, by 
watching after false notes, instead of surrendering 
themselves to its spirit. 

8. What right has he to challenge vs to such a 
competition, — we who never invited it by any pre- 
sumption of the sort. Let him challenge a profes- 
sional musician ; let him challenge Mr. Leonhard, 
whom he has had the " impndcnt presumption " (so 
we said, and we still say it) to treat as an inferior 
beneath his sovereign contempt. Let him challenge 
Mr. Lang. Mr. Parker, Mr. Zerrahn, Prof. Paine, 
even his Jubilee friend Gilmore, if he can presume 
so far. Then we shonld find out how much of a 
fng^e writer, how much of a score reader, he really 
is. But is it brave, or cowardly, to discredit one's 
perception and taste in colors, by asking in a con- 
temptuous, bullying tone : ** Pshaw ! what do yon 
know aboTit Chemistry ? " 

4. To be quite consistent with the spirit of his 
challenge, this critic ought to go upon the platform 
at the Music Hall and play the Beethoven Concerto 
himnelf, and play it better, before he can have a 
light to criticize the playing of another. 

Finally, we shonld decline to meet, on this or any 

other field, one who has shown so little of th« in- 
stincts and the manners of a gentleman. 



— We have carried these remarks to a much great- 
er length than we intended or desired; bat it 
seemed to us proper, once /or edt, to define our posi- 
tion in this matter, abstaining from the answer we 
might make to many other taunts In the Gazette, 
and here leave it, simply adding, by way of illustra- 
tion of the nature of the man we have to deal with, 
a plain relation of a single experience. 

In the spring of 1872 we chanced on several occa- 
sions, at the rooms of Mr. Leonhard, during rehear- 
sals for the concerts of himself and Mr. Eichberg, 
to meet Mr. Woolf, the musical critic of the Gazette. 
During that period he wrote only in praise of Mr. 
Leonhard's performances. We had noticed also in 
his articles, as well as conversation, a general agree- 
ment with onr own ideas, impressions and opinions 
al>ont musical matters; had seen that he was an 
able writer possessing far more musical knowledge 
and culture than it was then common to find in those 
who wrote in newspapers; and we flattered our- 
selves that we had found a strong ally in the advo> 
cacy of pure and noble music. And indeed we still 
find his opinions, both of compositions and perform- 
ance, in their general drift agreeing with our own, 
whenever he can write unhiased. Bnt how were we 
deceived ! A short time later, when the second 
Gil more Jubilee was coming on, we met onr gentle- 
man one evening in the Globe Theatre. He accost- 
ed us and began to speak in term^ of derision and 
disgust of the Jubilee ; said all that we could aay 
about its vain-glorious announcements, its claptrap 
programmes, and the vulgar charlatanry of the 
whole affair, for which the press, almost without 
exception, seemed to bo engaged In manufacturing a 
popular enthusia.sm. He knew that he was pouring 
all this into willing ears; and we expressed onr 
pleasure at finding sonubodg in that profession who 
felt about the thing as we did. Here again hope of 
a trusty ally in the good cause was strengthened. 
But it was all a snare and a delusion I For, as we 
parted, he said (if not precisely in these words, yet 
words to this efiect) : " But — ^I am mortified to say 
— I hold my position as musical critic in the Ga- 
zette on the express condition thai J will sag nothing in 
its columns ogainH the Jubilee.^ (/) He may have 
read an involuntar}' comment in our face, which 
probably did not increase his self-respect— And 
this man who could believe one thing and bind him- 
self for hire to write (shonld he write at all) the op- 
posite ; this man, after making this humiliating con- 
fession, arrogates to himself the character of an im- 
partial critic, .without fear or favor, and dares to 
taunt us with writing in the interest of a etique,-^ 
dares to brag of his musician ship and " challenge " 
us to a competitive examin:ition ; — as if, at this stage 
of our career, we would descend into his arena to 
present vouchers for our competency, — even if those 
which he demands were necessary or relevant, which 
we by no means admit Even if he be able enough 
to solve all the conundrums of his own proposing, 
and to perform all the wonderful things of which he 
boasts, of what wftrth are the critical dicta, of what 
force the rebuke of an oracle which has confessed 
itself so venal ? 

But hear the sequel of the story. A few days 
later a number of our own Journal came out, where- 
in we, free to write always as we think, (and this 
too may have stirred his envy) expressed our feel- 
ing with all frankness of the Jubilee; and judge of 
our astonishment at finding in the next Gazette a 
third part of a column ridiculing and even black- 
guarding ns therefor, — and the same strain contin- 
ued in one or more succeeding papers I Was this 
betrayal of confidence ? Or will he sa^that he was 
not the writer ? He, anyhow, had led^s into the 
snare ; he knew it, and he knew that he had also 

fmt himself in our power by his confession of venal- 
ty ;- after that, it was but human* nature that he 
should not feel much love for us, however much he 
could presume upon our patient silence. 



^ 



BOSTOlf, SATURDAY, JAN. 22, 1876. 



167 



Here then Is a motive. A little further, and wo 
come upon the companion motive, or the counier- 
theme, out of which this whole symphony of spite 
was fifradually developed. The story is too Ion*? to 
tnll here. Suffice it to say, that shortly after came 
the Kreisnmaan benefit, resultins^ in a rupture 
between Mr. Leonhard and his whilom associate in 
chamber concerts ; and then this critic, espousing 
the quarrel of the latter, bep^an thenceforth to dis- 
pnrojr? tiie pianist whom he had always praised ; 
and it was not lon^ before the same animtit was 
shown towards other artists and musical friends 
with whom this victim had most identified himself, 
— towards the Association of gentlemen of which he 
had been made a member and to whose concerts he 
from the first had been an ornament, — towards the 
Harvard Symphony Concerts, their conductor, their 
orchestra, and the whole " ring " as A« would call it. 
— Nine ilia lafhryma (i.e. ululaitte /) 

For thU, then, must a life-long love and advocacy 
of what is most pure and noble in our Art be scoffed 
at and arraigned as worse than worthless, as an evil 
and a crime against the real cause of culture and of 
pr«)grcs8 ! For this must musical criticism and ap- 
preciation be reduced henceforth to technical anal- 
ysis and grammar, as in tlie old times when it was 
only that and only pedants read it I For this the 
Harvard concerts are to be discouraged and de- 
stroyed, till Boston, in its opportunities of 'instru- 
mental music, sink to the condition of Portland, or 
any small provincial town, dependent on chance 
visits of a travelling orchestra and the sovereign 
pleasure and convenience of concert speculators ! 
For this our Boston must be '* weaned '* from such 
babes* milk as Beethoven and Mozart, to be suckled 
henceforth in the wilderness of " progress " by the 
hungry dry nurse (on harsher milk) of Romulus and 
Remus, — founders of a race far more distinguished 
for literal stern prose and the capacity for fight, than 
for ideal qualltiea t And for this must we be dragged 
into oontroversy, which from our heart of hearta we 
hate ! 

For such a quarrel we hare no time nor taste ; 
matters more vital and more interesting claim our 
thought Here, therefore, once for all, and whether 
he return to the attack or net, the matter ends on 
our part. Can he suppose that we will waste in 
quarrel with the like of him another hour which 
could be spent in hearing or remembering Beetho- 
Ten? 



Conoerti. 

An unusually large accumulation of concerts wait 
their turn of notice, while our space is unusually 
small. Hearing too much music in a short period 
leaves a dim memory of most of it. however charm- 
ing and exciting at the time. A few notes only 
now. 

The fifth Harvard Stmphoxt Coxcurt, Jan. 6, 
g^ve more than usual satisfaction. The orchestra 
gave further signs of the new life and ambition that 
has been kindled in them. Earnest and careful re- 
hearsal bears ita good fruit The Rny Bias Over- 
ture of Mendelssohn was played with such precision, 
spirit, light and shade, as would have done credit 
to a Thomas orchestra. So too was that model of a 
perfect Symphony, the G minor of Mozart, beauti- 
fully played ; even that close contrapuntal knot of all 
the parts, which Mozart is so fond of making, in the 
finale. was distinct and vigorous, albeit a little rough. 
The Grand Heroic March in A minor (op. 66) of 
Schubert arranged for orchestra (from the original 

for four liands) by Otto Bach, was h^ard here for 
the first time, and proved a wonderfully rich and 
interesting work. It has two Trios, of the rarest 
beauty, which are again touched upon in tho tery 
broad dramatic Coda. The only fault that coulcf b« 
found with the March is its greot lenfrMi, by rcoson 
of frequent repetitions,— the common fault of Schu- 



bert ; but the themes come hack always with new 
charm of treatment, and tho instrumentation is ex- 
ceedingly rich. This too was finely played. 

The third Piano Concerto of Beethoven , in C mi- 
nor, was played by Mr. J. C. D. Parker with unusu- 
al spirit and refined execution. His own Cadenza 
in the first movement was true to the spirit of the 
work, skilfully constructed, and not without a cer- 
tain originality, giving general pleasure. The mid- 
dle movement {Largo) was given with fine feeling. 
There was only the lack of somewhat greater 
strength, a more distinct vitality of touch, in the 
Rondo, which is apt to sound thin and commonplace 
(except in the later themes) unless each note is 
brought out with all its point in the exhaustive 
manner of Von Buclow ; it is a case where much 
intensity and much reserved force Eoem required for 
a comparatively slight thing. 

The sensation of the concert was the singing of 
Miss Emma C. Tiiursbt, from New York, a pupil of 
Mme. RudersdorfF, whose influence was apparent in 
her whole rendering of the fine concert Aria (given 
for the first time) by Mozart: " Mia speranza ador- 
ata,'* particularly in the recitative and some dramat- 
ic and pathetic passages of the Cantabile. There 
are florid passages both in the Andante and the 
Rondo, which run up to a great height after the 
manner of the Queen of Night in the Za*Aerfi6te. 
These, as written, go up to F above the staff; the 
phrases had been modified by her teacher so as to 
tax only her E flat and D. Miss Thursby has a 
lovely, pure, fresh, sweet, and flexible Soprano, 
evenly developed through its wide compass, and 
she sang with style, with pure expression, in tonee 
now richly colored with warm feelinsf, now bright 
and birdlike, as the changing moods of the Aria re- 
quire. It was a very marked success, and we may 
truly say that we have never heard one of these 

concert arias of Mozart to such advantage here be- 
fore. — In the second part she sansr two songs by 
Taubert: " 2>«- Vwjlein Ahechied" (The Birdies' 
Good Bye,) and " Ich mww nun einmal eingen" {I 
mnet sing, but don't know why): — ^both of them 
quaint and charming and most charmingly rendered, 
particularly the florid bird cadenza at the close of 
the latter, in which the bright voice warbled and 
disported itself with a freedom and a splendor and a 
certainty of each effect in a wav that actually re- 
called Jenny Liiid to us. Here is indeed a fascinat- 
ing new singer. 

The third Symphony Concert of Theodore Thom- 
as was chiefly remarkable for an exceedingly long 
(a whole hour) and an exceedingly fantasticol, ex- 
travagant, spasmodic, incoherent and chaotic syw- 
phony, (so at least we found it on a single hearing), 
called "Dramatic," by Rubinstein. There was 
beauty and continuity of melody in the first half of 
the Adagio, but tho rest seemed like the improvisa- 
tion of a mad orchestra in Bedlam ; brilliant and 
dazzling effeeU in detail, wonderful difficulties splen- 
didly executed, but tending nowhere, leaving noth- 
ing in the mind ; and yet we doubt not it is all gram- 
matically written and in the highest degree 

inarenions, — but to what end ? Why it should be 
called dramatic we could not see. Traverses the 
whole range of human passions and emotions? 
Heaven save us from some of these passions, these 
emotions, if there can be any liko tham I — But the 
Symphony had been industriously written up be- 
forehand ; there was an analysis with musical notes 
on some of the programmes (we could not get hold 
of one) ; and at the end there was a mysterious out- 
burst of applause, loud and persistent, from the 
outskirts of the hall and the high galleries, while 
all around us in the front and centre of the floor 
nearly all sat unmoved and puzzled about the 
whole thing. Of course it was " received with great 
enthusiasm** in the next morning's papers and the 
despatches to other cities. 

Beethoven's Coriolawi* overture, though too in- 
tense a thing to follow that, wa« really refreshing 
after tt, because bo clearly full of meaning and of 
real passion. 



The SiiARLAND Choral Society — nearly 800 voices, 
well balanced, and of good quality — sang v«ry fine- 
ly the new " Spring: Hymn," op. 23, by Goldmark. 
As for the composition, the chief charm for us lay 
in the orchestral prelude and accompaniments, 
which abounded in suggestive phrases, and rich and 
dainty coloring. The chorus portion opened in an 
interesting and Impressive manner, describing how 
" With small beginnings, from mountain sources, 
gush forth all the streams and waters," — the same 
poetic image with that of Goethe's " Mahomet's 
Song." But the work seemed to us to grow vague 
and tame toward the middle, and, with the exception 
of some declamatory moralizing sentences for an 
Alto solo, sung in a full voice with good style and 
expression by Mrs. F. P. Wiiithey, and a somewhat 
stirring choral climax, the impression left upon the 
whole was rather disappointing. — The Vorspiel to 
Wagner's MeuUereinger brought the concert to a 
close. 

The Saturday Mating, which followed, began 
with a most beautiful and finished rendering of the 
firbt Symphony of Beethoven, followed by a Con- 
certone of Mozart, — in fact another Symphony, in 
too nearly the same vein, with four solo Instruments, 
chiefly two violins and oboe, the 'cello entering as 
solo only in a few phrases near the end of the An- 
dante and in the Minuet, which formed the Finale. 
The work is Ions: and full of beauties, and doubtless 
at another time and in another connection we should 
have enjoyed it very much, but not directly alter an- 
other Symphony, the most Mozartish one of Beet- 
hovcn. Bargiel's very dramatic, sombre Overture 
to Medea, a clever orchestral arrangement of some 
four-hand Hungarian dances by Brahms, and seloc- 
tions from the Metatrr*higer, includlns: the ** prlzo 
sonir." finely sunsr hy Mr. Bisciioff, (who also sang 
the l<ive sone: from the Walkttere), made the balance 
of the programme. 

Male PartSixoixo. The Apollo, under Mr. 
Laxo's direction, sang more admirably than ever in 
their last concert, Jan. 3. Mendelssohn')* setting: of 
SchiPer's " To the Artists" opened, and the " Bac- 
chus" chorus from Aniigone closed the concert. Both 
wore ifiven with creat fulness, dignity and spirit. 
Part-songs, sentimental or playful, filled the inter- 
vening space, all sung with that exquisite finish, 
which becomes cloyinj; after a certain time. One 
critic described the effect with more truth than he 
intended when he called the execution " dead per- 
fect." It is not that anything can be sung too well ; 
the secret of the fatisrne lies, we think, in our feel- 
ing of the disproportion between the comparatively 
little consequence of the mnsic in it«»<*lf and the 
great amount of time and pains which it must cost 
to render it so perfectly. The singing of Miss C. 
V. Lasar, of Brooklyn, made an asrreeable variety. 
Her very clear, sweet, well-disciplined Soprano 
voice lent the chief charm to Hiller s " Easter 
Mornins" for Solo and Chorus ; and she sang very 
charmingly the "Slumber Song" by Franz onll 
''The Noblest" by Schumann, to Mr. Langr's fine 
accompaniment. 

We had jrreat pleasure, on the next eveninsr, in 
listeniner to the Botlston Club, who have made re- 
markable progress under Mr. Osoood. They have 
not so many ripe, smooth, well matched hisrh tenors 
as the older club, bnt the ensemble is really excel- 
lent, and they sinsr with great precision, pure into, 
nation, fine enunciation and expression. Their 
programme contained some things indicating: a high- 
er aspiration than part-sonea. Chief of these waa 
an " Adoramus te, Christe " by Palestrina. a noble 
piece of harmony, in which the voices had been 
trained to a beautiful aotiennto, one of the rarest arts 
in siui^ers now-a-days. The chorus : " God i« great" 
by Jadassohn, one of the young composers of the 
day, with accompaniment of horn^ and trombones, 
is written in a pure relijrious style and was very 
effective. There was much beauty, too, in Mr. Os- 
good's Angelu*, with triple tenor solo. All these 
were new. And in the ransacking of the endless 
piles of part-songs the Club seem to have been par- 
ticularly happy in bringing to light interesting no v- 
cities. Mrs. H. M. Smith sang Mendelssohn's 
" Spring Song " (in B flat), " Mother. O S'ng me to 
rest " by Franz, and " Bird of Love " by Lemmens. 
Two of the more humorous partsonsra: "At all 
times of day," by Veit, and the Austrian " Waltz 
Song" by J. Strauss, are very clever and effective. 



Here an end for now I There remain Mr. Pebla- 

bo's concerts, and a whole w«ek full of Vox Rublow 

with the Philharmonic Club, too rich and full of 
matter to be dispatched here in a corner. 



^^ 



■««■ 



• ■ • 



Some LiTing Composen. 

We take the following notice from the very care- 
fully prepared and instructive pamphlet programme 
(64 pageB) of " Carl RETTfeR*ft Six Performances of 
Pianoforte Music in strictly dironologicHl Order,'* 

recently given in Pittsburifh. Pa. — Pitt^hurjjh must 
be a remarkably musical place, if it will pay, not 
only for such concerts, but for a programme to ex* 
pensive. 

ADOLF HEKBELT 

Was bom May 12th, 1814, at Schwalbach. and is 
one of the leadin;;; pianists of onr time, and quite as 
remarkable as a composer, in that he excels in qual- 
ity more than in quantity. His father was a cloth 
manufactnrer. ana removed to Munich in 1817, 
When Adolf was but six years old he began violin 
lessons, but soon evinced a more decided talent for 
the piano. He received his- instruction in piano 
playing and composition from the Baroness von 
Flad, who took a deep interest in the young artist. 
Through the efforts of this lady he was patronized 
by the King of Bavaria, who defrayed the expenses 
of a visit to Weimar, and lessons from Hummel. 
He returned to Munich and proceeded to Vienna in 
1882, where he studied composition for two years, 
besides practicing ten hourt daily at his piano. As 
a natural consequence, his health broke down and 
he was compelled to take a vacation, which he 
merged in a concert tour, visiting Berlin first and 
then Dresden and Weimar, in all of these places 
creating a fnror by his orij^inal and brilliant style 
of playins:; lastly to Breslau. where he married, 
ana in 1888 he went to St. Petersburg. Here he 
gave concerts very successfully, and the Empress 
appointed him as her chamber-pianist. Since that 
time Henselt appears no more in public, but plays 
frequently in private circles. His pianoforte com- 
positions are full of deep feeling and imagination. 
Among his best are his etudes, one piano trio, and 
one concerto. Piano literature has nothing more 
beautiful to offer of the same ffture than his few 
works. 

JOACHIM BAFF 

Was born May 27th, 1822. In Lachen, on Lake Zu- 
rich, and his earlier years were passed in Wiesen- 
•tetten, (Wurtemburg). He was educated for the 

{>rofe8sion of teaching, and was a school principal 
or four years. As a youth, he showed a fondness 
for music, and learned to play the piano and violin 
at a very early ag^. In 1842 his love for music was 
so aroused that he decided to make it his profession 
for life, and be began the moat earnest study of 
composition, ts well as piano and violin, and soon 
after began comi>osing. In 1848 he sent some man- 
Qscripts to Menaelssohn for review, and the latter, 
seeing their value, recommended them to Breitkopf 
A Haertel for publication, who gave the young, en- 
thusiastic and ambitious composer great encourage- 
ment. He continued bis studies untiringly, mean- 
while giving lessons to earn his livelihood. In 1845 
he met Lisxt, by whom he was well received, and 
who invited the young man to accompany him on a 
tour through Germany. Later, aa Li«zt proceeded 
to Paris, they separated, and Raff went to Cologne, 
where he became personally acquainted with his 
former benefactor, Mendelssohn. In 1846 to 1848, 
on the Rhine, where he founded his reputation as a 
musical critic and writer. In 1860 he accepted an 
invitation from Liszt to go to Weimar, and there 
found che desired repose and rest necessary to enable 
him to compose larger and more pretentions works 
than he baa before attempted. In 1866 he married, 
and in 1866 removed to Weisbaden, where he now 
resides. He has written with eminent success in all 
branches of vocal and instrumental music. His 
" De Profnndis," dedicated to Liszt, is particularly 
worthy of mention as a deeply thoughtful and noble 
work. His symphony, "An das Vaterland," re- 
ceived the first prize among thirty-two competitors 
at Vienna, in 1868. His later works, *' Ignore" 
and " Im Walde ** symphonies, are masterpieces, 
and performed by all the leading orchestras of the 
old and new world. He has had seven orders con- 
ferred on him by different sovereigns of Europe, and 
in 1872 was elected an honorary member of the 
Philharmonic Socifty of New York. 

CARL REnnSCKB. 

Was bom Jnne 28d, 1824, at Altona, and received 
hit flrat musical instrnction from his father. The 
boy made rapid progress and played in public when 
bnt eleven yeara of age. He studied the violin, aa 
well aa piano. When eighteen years old he made a 
concert tonr to Denmark and Sweden, with the 
most flatt«>ring success. In 1648, in Leipsic, he 
|.ursu6d higher musical ttndief, and enjoyed the 



friendship of Mendelssohn and Schumann, which 
had a crreat influence on his studies and artistic aims. 
In 1844 he made another concert tour thronarh North 
Germany, and in 1846 a journey to Copenhas;en to 
show h\H patron. King: Chri«ti.in VIII., what good 
n^e he had made of the talent bestowed upon him. 
In 1861 he made* a trip to Paris in company with 
the violinist. Konigslow. where he made the acquain- 
tance of Hiller.who engnsred him aa teacher of the 
{>iano and counterpoint for the Conservatory at Co- 
ofirne. In 1864 was music director at Barmen. In 
1859, university mnsic director at Brealau, and in 
1861 was appointed director of the world renowned 
" Gewandhaus Concerta,** at Leipsic. Since that 
date he has been a professor at the Leipsic Conserv- 
atory, and since the death of Moscholea, a director 
also. His concert tour to England, in 1867-69, was 
a series of brilliant successes. As a composer he 
commands great respect, and has written in every 
style. His opera, " King Manfred,** has been pro- 
duced, and was well received wherever given. 

ANTON RUBINSTEIN 

Was born November 80th, 1829, at Wechwotynetz. 
Russia. His first instruction in music he received 
from his mother, and was afterwards a pupil of 
Villolng. at Moscow. As early as 1889 he under- 
took a concert tcur, in company with his teacher, 
to Paris, where he made the acouaintance of Lisrt, 
under whose direction he studied most earnestly. 
After a year spent in this way, he made a more ex- 
tended tour, going to England, Holland, Germany 
and Swe'len. In 1845 he studied composition under 
Prof. Dehn in Berlin. The yeari 1846-48 he spent 
in Vienna and Presburg as a teacher of music. In 
1848 he returned to St. Petersburg, and was ap- 

e minted Chamber-pianist to the Grand Duchess 
eleoe. After eight years of earnest study he ap- 
peared, in 1866. in Hamburg, with his manuscripts, 
and traveled through Germany, playing his own 
compositions and creating a furor in every city. 
From this time his reputation as a pianist and com- 
poser spread with great rapidity all over Europe 
and America. In 1868 he returned to Russia, and 
save a brilliant aeries of concerts in St. Petersburg 
and Moscow, and finally settled in the former place. 
He was aoon appointed Imperial concert director, 
with a larsre salary, for life, as well as receiving a 
title of nobility, all as marks of the esteem in which 
he was held oy his Imperial master. In 1862 he 
founded a Conservatory of Music, which still exista 
and flourishes under his fostering care. In the 
winter of 1867-68 he made another triumphal con- 
cert tonr, embracing the greater part of Europe, 
winning still greater laurels aa a virtuoto and com- 
poaer. ^b a pianist he has few rivals aside from 
Liszt and yon Buelow. His best works are those 
in the form of chamber oomposiUons, although hia 
" Ocean " symphony haa maae its way throughout 
the musical world. His piano concertos, when 
played by himself, are grand and effective, but, 
strange to say, they are scarcely ever played by 
others. In 1878 he made a coiicert tonr throngh 
the United SUtes, which is still fresh in the minds 
of many who had the rare pleasure of hearing him. 



Sjretial Itatitts. 



JOHANNBS BBAHM» 

Was bom March 7th, 1888, at Altona. He received 
his first instruction in piano playing and composi- 
tion from Edward Marxsen. In 1868 he made his 
first concert tonr, and by a happy oolnddenoe met 
at Dusseldorf the celebrated Schumann, who inter- 
viewed the young artist at length, and was so pleased 
with him and hia enthusiasm, that the next number 
of the " Neue Zeitschrift f&r Musik," (Schumann's 
paper,) contained a long and highly enlogtatic arti- 
cle on the merite of young Brahms, pronouncing 
him a " rare genius, of whom great things are to be 
expected." The aequel shows the estimate was not 
placed too high, and Schumann's expectations would 
no doubt have been fully met, could he be alive to- 
day to aee the great strides made since 1868 by hia 
promising proteg^ In addition to hia renown as a 
composer, he also ranks among the moat daaaic 
pianoforte playera of the age, having an immense 
technic, and a moat noble and impassioned style. 
The 1868-68 he passed in Hamburg, and then went 
to Vienna aa director of the *' Sing Akademie." In 
1866 he returned to Hambnrg. ^s fame haa grown 
rapidly within the last few years, and his tfme is 
now spent between compoeingand traveling through 
Europe, giving piano concerU and also leading his 
great orchestral and choral works. His moat cele- 
brated work is the " Triumphlied,** a German nation- 
al requiem, having for its subject the state of mind 
of the German nation during and after thb Franco- 
German war. 



DBSCBIPTIVB LIST OP THB 
^ T S S T 2ktf: T7 S Z O 
»«bltoli«»d by 01ly«r l>lta«B * €•• 



Voeali with Fiaiie AooompaaiaMBt 

New SoDga of Miss Jennie Hughes. (With 
portrait). each 40 

No. 1. One of the Boys. a. C to f. 
8. Tommy, make room for your 

Anntie. 3. A to e. 
8. Under the Lilacs, a C to e. 
Conie songs suited to tlie taste of *«t]ie bojs.** 

Not before Pa. 8. £6 to e. UrudtOe. 80 

One of a uH enllod '* 8c«ne« by OMliffht." and 
inrlndina more than a bnndre<1 eomle MmfS, all of 
which are meulloned on the title. 

Four Hymns in Anthem form, by Kugene L, 

Bt^fflngUm, ea. 85 
No. 1. Graoioos Spirit 4. Ctog. 

A sweet Soprano solo, and elegant chorus or 
quartet. 

Souvenir de Swampscot Album. By Vlneenzo 

ClrHlo,e%, 60 

Ko. 8. A Mother's Madness. (La madre 
folle) 4. C to f. 

For Messo-Soprano. Perhapa more properly 
*«a Mother's sadnens.'* ■- ■- * 

Ko. 8. The Song of Elisa. (La Canto de 
Elisa.) 6. B to j7. 
For Boprano. 

No. 4. Return. (Ritoma). 5. F to i^. 

For Boprano and Tenor. 

A II the 4 numbers have Italian and Kngllsb words, 
and ara worthy of careful examloatlon. 

Sallie by my Side. 8. F to f. VecaOe. 80 

" Thro* the laufrhlng rnmnier, 
How the momenta giida.'* 

Neat and sweet love song. 

When I surrey the wondrous Cross. 4. 

£6 to (7. Dfimlcs. 86 

An anthem or quartet with rich and rather iorld 
melodies, and a Soprano (or Tenor) solo. 

Sweet Dreams of Childhood. (Illustr. Title). 

Song and Chorus. 8. A 6 to e. White. 40 

Very awcet romioisoeooe of home soanes and 
ehUdlah Joys. 

Instramsntal. 

Auf Wiedersehen. (Au revoir). Waltces. 

8. Aronnen. QP 

A 8ne set of new waltses, with Just enoufrli of 
the *'aood bye" sentinient la them to make them 
graeefally brilliant. 

Pompon Galop. 8. O. Arcnmn, 40 

Two or three llrely airs ttam one of Leeooq'a 
operas, asakiDg a yery light and attraetive galop. 

The Life of Youth. 18 easy pieoea. ZAckner, 80 

No. 0. Polonaise. 8. F. 
** 18. Nocturne. 8. D. 

lastmctive pleoaa, pleasing and mnsteal. 

Glissando Mazurka. 8. 0. Baumbaeh, 40 

The ftlssando helps amasinjriy to play a seem- 
ingly diflicnlt place with fMlily. This is a floa 
Mirarka, eaally learned. 

Belles of the Kitchen. Oalop Brillant 8. O. 

Kniaht 85 

A bright rsmlnlseenoe of tha «< Yokes Vtenily*' 
and their langhter-proTOking play. 

Daisy Chains. Caprice. 6. F. Dom. 75 

A peenliar Imt very pretty form, In whtoh most 
of the Q) meaanras cvmmanoe with a aoztet of 
ISths. fairy like moslc. 

The Old Oaken Bucket. BstroapeetiTe Masur- 

ka. 4. B6 Qrcbe, 80 

Aa this is opns 1990, If r. Orobe*s retroapeetloB 
Boat extend a great way. This is an ezaallent 
tranaoriptioB of a fine oUftoBe. 

Concert Yariations on the Austrian Hymn. 
7. F. (For Organ). PaiM. 1.00 

Aa these rarlationa reqnire a masterly vais of the 
pedals, they are Tary dlfllenlt, but will be sare to 
winapplanaa. 



ABBa«viATio!fi.— P eRt ee s of dlfllenlty are nartcad 
1 to 7. The Acy Is marked with a capital lette: ns C, R 
flat, Ac. A small Roman letter marks the hfghe«t note, 
if on the staff, an italic letter theliigMSt albte, it above 
the staff. 



■^rr 




totg|fs 




mml 





Whole No. 908. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, FEB. 5, 1876. 



Vol. XXXV. No. 22. 



For Dwlffht*« Journal of llosle. 

Linti Waspier. 

BT FANNT nATUOXD RITTBR. 

A wreath of subtle ^hnrm, elusive bloom. 
Of trembling outline, WATe-llke, wind-ltke disnge, 
Of tropic hue, of mystic dew, of strange. 
Rich, foreign, line, bewndering perfume,— 
Culled from that far domain ot infinite Tone 
Where sleeps the tempesU* germ, *neath planets dim. 
Buns drowned in opiate rapoTi moors that swm& 
In mist magnetic; where strong souls alone 
Float on vast pinions that their steps impede 
Throagh broofflng Passion's tranced atmosphere. 
Past streams of light that down to darkness lead, 
Deep-thrilled by rlslons wni, and winds of fear,— 
With hope to reach some high, impossible fate. 
Supernal Beauty, Horror, Love, or flatel 



'•♦• 



Dr. Yon Baelow'« Concert in Pon^hkeepaie, 

Hew York. 

[From the IViughkeepeie Daily News, Jan. 10.] 

ColHn^wood Opem HouBe, ordinarily the 
8ceno of mu.^icHW school -exhibitions, and 
other domestic riteft and sacriHces. was 
re-consecrated, on Mondav nip^ht. i>y the 
presence of a great artist. To the larger part 
of the audience then present, the perforinance 
of Dr. Von Buelow was probably not a novelty 
or a mere first impression ; for in a certain sense'. 
Poughkeepsie is a suburb of New York, and 
those of Its citiasens whoso avocations permit 
frequent visits to the metropolis, and who pos- 
sess any degree of musical culture, have already 
listened t^ this fine pianist once, if not many 
times. He is not an artist who can l>e under- 
stood after only a few hearings. For if, in one 
sense. Dr. Von Bnelow is not a great original 
creator, in another he is the most unique of 
living artists. Unique, because, more than any 
preceding or contemjiorary pianist, ho volunta- 
rily abjures his own nature, in order to enter 
more fully int«> that of other artists, and un- 
original, because of this very self-abnegati«m. 
For creative genius is essentially child-like, 
8elf-al)8ori>ed, possessed by its own individual- 
ity ; nor would we have it otherwise, for were 
it so it would not be genius. Buelow is. in 
every requisite that reason or critical intellect 
can demand, a perfect pianist; one of extnior- 
dinary mental capacity, scholarship, mechan- 
ism,^ taste, correctness, and power of memory. 
He is too thoroughly intellectual a player ever 
to be carried, by irresistible fervor of 'feeling, 
over the boundaries of conscious sel f-possession ; 
but it would bo most unjust to stigmatize him 
therefore as cold and unfeeling, for such genu- 
ine artistic manifestations as those of Buelow 
necessarily combine deep emotion with high 
thought. To the euphony and complete me* 
chanical attainments which the past generation 
admired in such players as Tbalberg, he unites 
the scholarship and mental pre-eminence which 
our day, and the continually progressive nature 
of music, now absolutely demand from the 
princes of ait, such as Liszt and Buelow. 

No matter how fully we may have studied 
the works of an artist, no matter how closely 
we may have followed his life and achievements, 
or may have seemed to know him throngh his 
and our own friends, his first appearance and 

Serformance before us are almost certain to 
iffer from our preconceived idea. When I 
first heard Von Buelow at the opening of Chick- 
ering Hall, in an exclusively Beethoven pro- 
gramme, I felt too reasonably satisfied with his 
playing. In it indeed, Beethoven's mind was 
clearly mirrored; but whero, I fancied, were 
the richer deeps of passion, the radiant glow 
of inspiration? Ob, what an unreasonable ex- 



pectation! One man cannot be all men. Had 
Beethoven the technical powers of Bnelowf Is 
not Wagner an atrocious pianist? Have I not 
often heard Rubinstein, swept to the very verge 
of the precipice, clutch at handfuls of false 
notes, as if to save himself from himself? The 
exquisite Chopin, filled with a deep aversion 
to the vnltraritics inscpMrnblc from publicity, 
that exclusive spirit which Bandelairo terms 
**the mentil dandyism of the modern artist," 
— only allowed the public to hear him once in 
five years or so. and was too closelr enwrapped 
in hisotvn ideal atmosphere to condescend from 
it into that of another* Liszt is always the 
uniqne Liszt: Clara Schum:inn is ever Robert 
f^r Clam: but it is possible for Buelow to 
become for a time, mental 1 v. another artist, in 
nearlv everv phnsc. save that of the divinely 
impassioned geniality that belongs to creative 
imnsrination alonf. This unique quality of his 
performance, and hisdoep and sincere feeling. 
I rpcocrnized with astonisiipd admiration, more 
and more, on every fresh hearing of him, in the 
works of various composers. And hence his 
incalcul'ible value to American audiences. For 
while musically creative power, and the high- 
est art of sinirinflr. can only be mastered where 
absolute, exceptional gifts are prc-existent, 
instrumental playing, that branch of musical 
art which may be called its machinery, is at the 
command of any person of moderate talent, 
great indnstrv. and passable health. . And 
Buelow is the hiffhest possible example of all 
that may be acquired, with the most exalted 
talent and unconquerable perseverance ; while, 
as a model, his performance may be relied on 
with almost nnquestioning trust. It is unnec- 
essary to enlarge on the worth of such a disin- 
terested reproductive mind to the thousands of 
pianoforte students on this continent, or to 
amateur listeners whose childhood has not been 
passed amid the traditions of Ennipean art; — 
who do not possess the knowledge necessary to 
perform in private, or the continual opportuni- 
ties of listening in public to fine performances 
of new and old masterpieces, who are unpro- 
vided, even in the large cities, with really great 
musical libraries for purposes of study, yet who 
sincerely aspire to a fuller understanding of 
music, and who possess within them the 
germs of a future realization of that inspira- 
tion. 

All Buelow^s programmes are fine ; more than 
any artist who has lately visited America, he 
bases them on the historical aiid necessarily, 
the iBSthetical plan; he never condescei*ds to 
perform trash, no matter how well it may be 
calculated to display mechanical dexterity. 
Therefore his cometary course will leave no evil 
train of echoes behind it: for all who aspire to 
imitate Von Buelow, will at least attempt to 
play good music. 

^ The programme of Monday was delightfully 
liberal. From Bach the conservative, to Liszt, 
the radical. 

But t« Bach conservative? No! no truly 
great composer over was. Prejudice, however, 
still dreads him as not only conservative, but 
woiso, as dry, stiff, cold, gloomy, pedantic. 
What an error! 

I know a person, who, at ten years of age, 
entertained that prejudice already. The time 
was fast approaching, when, under the guid- 
ance of one of her early masters, the Enf^lish 
composer Hatton, friend and favorite pupil of 
Mendelssohn, she must besiege the fu^e-be- 
thorned shrine of Bach, and essay his anas and 
cantatas with that precocious voice of hers. 
80 it chanced, that one wild winter night, she 
lay on the old-fashioned tofa, in an oak wain- 



scoted and rartcred music-room, staring into 
the fire, listening more to the angry sea without 
than to the genial Hatton playing for the de- 
light of a small circle of friends. But present- 
ly, leaving the graces of Mendelssohn, of whom 
he was then considered the most finished intor- 
preter in England, he began to play something 
new and strangely attractive to her; surely, it 
was the very echo of her beloved sea! There 
was its cnntinuous low moan, there were its 
broken adjurations, itsronrsof disappointment 
}is it surged back from the land it could not 
drag down with it: there was its feline mur- 
mur of vague self-satisfied pleasure, iti arch, 
capricious surface dance, and there, at last, its 
strong, clear, swinging rhythm of healthy, vic- 
torious power. The mtisic at an end, they be- 
gan to discuss B;ich*s Shakesperean traits, in 
every phase of talk, from genuine well-informed 
enthusiasm down to the timid vapidities of 
flSithetic twaidle. B:ichl thvright she on the 
sofa, that splendid stormer Bac!i? Impr>s>i'»lel 
It was indeed Bach, however, and she after- 
wards thanked her ever- fortunate star that she 
first came to the knowledge of Bach through 
the lieautiful gate of the ** chromatic fantasia 
and fugue," that wonderful landmirk in the 
history of art, ciosina; one era, opsning another, 
containing within it the fulfille^l prophecy of 
the ** mu^ic of the future; "classic in its forms, 
romantic in its contents as the reddest romanti- 
cist can desire. 

We were all fortnnate pn Monday night that 
through that gate we caught a glimpse of 
Beethovenian mountains, and Mendelssohn's 
carefully tended garden, ani that we passed 
the etherial, roseate haze that half veils Cho- 
pin*s dancers and dreamers —all p.ietsand prin- 
cesses at least —into Liszt*s exotic real m. * 'Ven- 
zia Napoli!" Two lovely, Turneresque 
sketches of a life, wild yet soft, dramatic yet 
visirmary. T«» me, these are, the one, ^* Vene- 
zia." alt moonlight melody and tranq«iil btis3, 
with no deeper shadow thin that which lurks 
under the cirtain of the gondola. The other 
*'Napoli," all glowing vitality, all southern 
color, a dance of peasants on the sea shore near 
Naples. But I know one who, being altoq^eth- 
er a man of peace, of course adores and pon- 
derii much on wild animals, to whom **Vejiezia*' 
always calls up the idea of lions, tigers and 
giraffes stealing or stalking through tropical 
forests; and my old friend the late consul Gar- 
lichs- one of those few men in the country, 
whoso practical and liberal appreciation of 
artists, and whose great musical acquirements, 
really entitle them to be termed amateurs — used 
to say that he never played ** Venezia," without 
fancying he saw the head of the doge, Marino 
Faliero, rolling down the Giants^ staircase, in 
time to the rhythm of music sounding from 
distant gondolas. Tet neither fancy is quitt» 
foreign to the spirit of Liszt, though a little so 
t«> that of the folk song, ** La biondina in gon- 
doletta," on which this piece is founded. 

Miss Cronyn, the songstress, pleased the au- 
dience much with her agreeable voice, earnest 
manner and interesting appearance. She begins 
her career under the most favorable auspices. 
May she never descend to a lower standard 
than that to which she now aspires! Every- 
thing she sang last night was well selected, 
and It was not strange that her pretty delivery 
of the Rubenstein lied (with English words), 
pleased so much. That is a little flower in 
Itself; as a writer for the voice, Rubinstein 
possesses one peculiarity in common with Liszt ; 
here and there, amid the declamatory chaos of 
too many of their songs, amid the rubbish of 
the rich mine, we aro dazzled by a jewel of 



170 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OP MUSIC. 



almost transcendental brilliancy, cut and color, 
— like this exquisite song. 

The audience present on Monday night, of 
which Vassar College furnished so large a share, 
will aid in doing away with the prejudice cur- 
rent among artists, that Poughkeepsie is one of 
the most unmusical towns in the Union. If 
we are so fortunate as to count a genuine artist 
among our friends, it is repeatedly in our pow- 
er to prove the sincerity of those artistic tastes 
which all cultured people as a matter of course 
profess, by acknowledging and returning — in 
a different way — those elevating influences — 
those hours of noble enjoyment, with which he 
and his art enrich ordinary life; but if a great 
aitist visits us only for a day, our opportunities 
are limited to two or thee hours, to the pur- 
chase — oh, prose I — of a ticket for his concert. 
Artists are so accustomed to social homage, and 
so well aware of the lofty mission of art — the 
finest flower of the highest possible develop- 
ment of human intellect, — that we can scarcely 
wonder if they sometimes estimate the intelli- 
gence of their friends in exact proportion to 
the degree of appreciation art receives in their 
persons as artists. 

The warm applause and respectful attention 
with which Dr. Von Buelow was greeted on 
Monday night, must have convinced him that 
there are some true amateurs to be found here. 
For as creative genius, and perfect reproduc- 
tive talent, belong to artists, so the amateurjs 
title to respect lies in different directions, — in 
distaste for and discouragement of all the vul- 
garities of would-be-art, in warm admiration 
and practical appreciation of all that is nobly 
artistic. He who is capable of hero-worship, 
might have been, under more favorable conai* 
tions, himself a hero. 

Fankt Hatmond Rittbr. 



The History of Church Mnsia 

[From the London Musical Standard.] 

At a recent meeting of the Musical Association, in 
London, a paper, entitled ** Some Considerations 
arising out of the History of Kcclesiastical Music " 
was read by the Rev. Sir Frederick A. Gore Oase- 
ley, Bart., M.A., Mas. Doc. Oxon., President of the 
Association. 

The chair was taken by Mr. John Hullah, and 
amon^ those present were the Rev. H. A. Walker, 
Dr. Steiner, Dr. J. F. Bridge, Mr. W. Chappell, Mr. 
Walter Parratt, Professor W. H. Monk. Mr. W. H. 
Gumroings, Mr. Chas. Mackeson, Mr. C. K. Steph- 
ens, Mr. C. A. Barry, Mr. J. Baillie Hamilton, Mr. 
T. L. Southgate, and Mr. J. Hill. The paper was as 
follows : — 

It has been suggested to me that the subject 
of Ecclesiastical Music treated from the histor- 
ical point of view might prove suitable and in- 
tcrcstiug for a paper to be read before this As- 
sociation. It appears, however, too large a 
subject for a single paper, and moreover there 
are some branches of it which trench too much 
upon questions of religious observance to be 
fitting matter for such a meeting as the present. 
Under these circumstances it seems best, on 
the whole, to confine our attention this after- 
noon to a few important considerations arising 
out of the historical aspect of Church music, 
somd of which, as it appears to me, have not 
hitherto received that amount of attention 
which they deserve. 

The first consideration which I would lay be- 
fore you is the question, What is the connexion 
between Christian Church Music and that of 
ancient nations, whether Pagan or Israelite, 
before the Christian era. On this point more 
than one theory has been maintained. The 
celebrated Padre Martini, of Bologna, in a dis- 
sertation contained in the third volume of his 
well known ** History of Music," contends 
stoutly for a theory first broached by himself, 
that the Ambrbsian chants were traditionally 
derived from the very notes composed and sung 
originally to the Psalms by king David or the 
other authors of the Psalter. Considering the 
state of musical knowledge, and especially of 
the knowledge of Oriental music, which exist- 
ed in Martini'8 days, it must be admitted that 



his theory was bold, clever, well argued, and 
not improbable. Subsequent research, howev- 
er, has brought to light many facts which are 
utterly irreconcileable with such an idea. Let 
us devote a few minutes to the consideration of 
some of these facts. Now in the first place it 
will be conceded on all hands that the ancient 
Hebrew music must have been essentially Ori- 
ental in its character. The only time in the 
history of the Israelites in which they had ever 
had an opportunity of hearing any other than 
strictly Eastern music was during their sojourn 
in Egypt. Before that time, if they had any 
music at all, it must have been Chaldean. We 
may form some idea of its character by study- 
ing the scales and melodies of the modem 
Bedouin Arabs, the descendants of Ishmael, 
and of all people in the world the most tena- 
cious of old customs and habits, and conse- 
quently the least likely to vary the style and 
system of their music. Whatever the music of 
these Arabs is now. such must it probably have 
been in the days of Ishmael and his mother 
Hagar the Egyptian. And if of Ishmael, then 
also of his brother Isaac. We cannot imagine 
two brothers adopting not only different melo- 
dies, but a different division of the musical 
scale. Such a thing is inconceivable. Each 
"would sound absolutely out of tune to the oth- 
er. Each would deem his brother^s ears false. 
The family of Abraham must have had but one 
scale-system, and one only. And that scale- 
system must surely have been the same which 
has been handed down from father to son by 
the descendants of Ishmael, even to the present 
day. It is almost needless, before such an au- 
dience as the present, to define what I mean by 
the expression ** a scale-system." Suffice it to 
say, that whereas we divide our octave into 
tones and semitones, the Arabs use smaller sub- 
divisions, so that our semitones are out of tune 
to their ears, while their intervals are no less 
abhorrent to ours. This was put to the test 
once by M. Villoteau, who went to Egypt with 
the first Napoleon. lie was a good musician, 
and wanted to learn souie of the Arab tunes. 
He therefore secure«l the assistance of an Arab 
singer, and tried to learn his songs by ejir. 
But the lesson had hardly begun when the Arab 
stopped the Frenchman, telling him he was 
singing out of tunc. M. Villoteau was equally 
certain that his teacher's intervals were false. 
And thus for some time they could make noth- 
ing of one another, until at last, byway of final 
test, they had recourse to a kind of stringed 
instrument of the guitar kind, in use among 
the Arabs, of which the neck was divided by 
frets, accurately giving the true intervals of 
the Arabian scale. Gruat was M. Villoteau's 
astonishment when he found that these inter- 
vals were not semitones at all, but thirds of 
tones, eighteen of them making up the octave. 
Of course the whole difficulty of the vocal in- 
tonation was instantly solved. It was not 
merely a question of new tunes, but of new 
scales, of a new system, of an entirely different 
music, of a differently derived melody. And 
from this it followed that any representation 
of Arab melodies by modern European nota- 
tion could be but an approximation at best. 
All that can be done is to substitute the near- 
est notes we possess for the true Oriental ones. 
And so it comes to pass that whenever we see 
a transcription of any of these melodies, or hear 
an attempt to execute them on any of our in- 
struments, we may be quite sure that the real 
tune is not exactly the same, but would proba- 
bly sound absolutely out of tune to us if we 
could hear it performed by a native musician. 

It is true indeed that since the time of Villo- 
teau we have learned much more about Arabic 
music, and probably his conclusions, as report- 
ed by Ffitis (from whom the account you Irive 
just heard was derived), are not altogether 
trustworthy. But still the fact remains that 
the ancient Oriental scale was very different 
from our own, so different that no melody could 
by any possibility be common to both. The 
other fact also remains, that this same system 
was almost certainly that which was exclusive- 



ly used by Ishmael, and therefore also by Isaac, 
by Abraham, by the old Patriarchs in general. 
Nor is it likely that during their sojourn in 
Egypt they can have unlearned their own sys- 
tem of music, although perhaps they may have 
developed and improved it. No amount of 
association with Egyptians or Europeans has 
made modem Arabs abandon their ancient 
scales, and it is unlikely that the children of 
Isaac should have been less conservative in such 
a matter than their cousins, the sons of Ishma- 
el. Moreover, even if the Israelites had adopt- 
ed the Egyptian system of mubic. during their 
residence in that country, it would not have 
made very much difference to my ar^ment. 
For the Egyptian scales were as unlik« our 
modem music as were those of the Chaldcsans, 
with whom they had much in common. It is 
known that some of the Psalms were written 
by Moses; if he also composed the mnsic to 
them, it must have been of a similar nature, as 
to its intervals, to the Oriental or Egyptian 
music of which I have been speaking. Nor 
does it appear possible that the Israelites al- 
tered their system of music between the times 
of Moses and David. David^s music was un- 
questionably Oriental in every respect. His 
melodies therefore could not have borne the 
slightest resemblance to the melodies of the 
ancient western Church, founded as these were 
on the Greek system of tones, semitones, and 
superposed tetrachords. 

If all this be so, then, it necessarily follows 
that the whole of Padre &Iartini*s argument 
cnimblcs to dust. The Ambrosian and Grego- 
rian melodies, if derived from ancient sources 
at all, must have been Greek, not Hebrew, and 
so far from having any claim to Divine inspira- 
tion, were purely Pa^ran in their origin. The 
probability indeed is that 8S. Ambrose and 
Gregory did exactly what has often been done 
since; they adapted popular and secular tunes 
to sacred words, probably systcmatixing and 
simplifying them in the process of adaptation, 
and thus adopting the most obvious and the 
readiest means of securing congregational sing- 
ing. Moreover there can be no manner of doubt 
but that St. Gregory thus actually secured for 
the use of the Western Church absolutely the 
best mnsic which was available in those days. 
It were mucli to be wished, then (if I miay daro 
to say so), that those who now so strongly press 
upon us the almost exclusive adoption of what 
is now called Gregorian music in our Churches, 
would rather follow St. Gregory *s example by 
selecting the best developments of the art of 
music for that sacred purpose, instead of pur- 
suing the very retrograde course which they so 
strongly prefer. And what makes my case 
stronger is the doubt which exists as to the an- 
tiquity of many of the melodies which go by 
the name of Gregorian, the vast difficulty of 
decyphering the early Cnristian notation in use 
for music, and the consequent probability that 
what we are accustomed to call Gregorian mu- 
sic is, after all, quite a different tning from 
what was sung in the churches of Europe in 
the 7th century. I do not wish, however, to 
push my remarks further in this direction to- 
day, only it seemed a good opportunity for 
throwing out this consideration, involving as it 
does some of the most important historical 
points connected with our art. Let us hope 
that it may elicit further research, and more 
distinct knowledge of what really was the sys- 
tem of sacred song in use during the earliest 
ages of the western Church. 

The next consideration which I t^^ish to lay 
before this meeting is that of the various ways 
in which the musicians of former days dressed 
up the traditional plain song of the Church . 
^ow it is almost universally admitted that in 
the seventh century all church music was sung 
in unison and unaccompanied by instruments 
of any kind. Indeed what we understand by 
harmony did not exist for several centuries after 
this in southern Europe. It is very probable, 
nay, well nigh certain, that harmony was used 
and cultivated at a very remote period by the 
nations of the north. It is needless to go into 



BOSTON, SATURDVY, FEB. 5, 187G. 



171 



all the proofs of this fact at present. ** Sum- 
mer is a-comlng in'' would go a good way 
alone to prove it. So would some curious 
pieces of Welsh harp music given in Burney's 
History. So would the testimony of Giraldus 
Cambrensis. The argument to this effect is 
well worked out in the **l)iscourPr61iminaire,'' 
prefixed to the 1833 edition of F6tis*s *' Biog- 
raphic dcs Musiciens.^' But although it may 
be assumed that the nations of nortlier Europe 
were acquainted with harmony from avcrydiS" 
tant epoch, perhaps us early a« the commence- 
ment of the Christian era, yet it is none the less 
true that no attempts were made for several 
centuries to engraft this secular harmony upon 
the melodies of the Church. If wo turn to the 
ancient treatises on music, as reproduced in 
Gcrbertus and De Coussemakcr, we shall see 
that the first attempts at harmony practised by 
the ecclesiastics, wlio wrote these mcdiseval 
books, were composed mostly of consecutive 
fourths, fifths, and octaves, of bo crude and 
inharmonious a character, that it is a matter of 
astonishment liow any car could have tolerated 
such hideous sounds. It is perhaps hardly 
correct to consider these rude attempts as being 
harmony at all. Imagine a body of voices sing- 
ing a piece of plain song in unisons and octaves, 
whilst a few picked singers sang the same mel- 
ody a fifth nigher or lower. We naturally 
should shrink aghast from such cacophony. 
Tet our ancestors thought such* music a won- 
derful and beautiful piece of art^ and had great 
respect for the clever people by Whom it was 
developed. I know, indeed, that Dr. Crotch 
and many subsequent writers have imagined 
that the plain song was sung by such a power- 
ful body of voice that the comparatively feeble 
intonation of the fifths and fourths, (called in 
those days the ** Organum,") produced an effect 
analagous to that of the mixture stops in an or- 
gan, the object of which is to strengthen the 
harmonics of the foundation stops. But I con- 
fess this idea seems to me to be utterly unten- 
able ; for in order to produce such an effect as 
is imagined, the various harmonics must be in- 
troduced in the right place — i.e., at the same 
intervals above the fundamental sound as the 
natural harmonics of a string or tube invariably 
occupy. In fact they ought to be placed at the 
same distances of pitch as are the principal, 
twelfth, and fifteenth, in an organ. It is per- 
fectly clear, however, that such was not the 
case in the days we are now considering; for 
the oi^num was sometimes a fifth or a fourth 
above or below the Cantus Firmus, and there- 
fore utterly unlike the effect produced by the 
mutation stops and mixtures of an organ. We 
may therefore conclude that the earliest at- 
tempts at ecclesiastical harmony, or diaphony, 
as it was sometimes called, were utter failures, 
and only produced effects which would drive 
any modem musician distracted. Gradually 
these long periods of perpetual consecutives 
were diversified by the cautious admission of 
other intervals than mere octaves, fourths, and 
fifths; and even these were exchanged and 
varied among themselves. Thus arose the old 
art of descant. The treatises on music of the 
12th and two next centuries contain a vast num- 
ber of minute rules for '^discanting" on a 
plaiusong. Sometimes this discanting was ex- 
temporized at the moment of performance, and 
would be what the Italians called '^contrap- 
punto alia mente.^' Sometimes it was care- 
fully elaborated and written down. And we 
must observe with respect to this improved 
harmony, that it does not appear to have been 
borrowed at all from secular music, but arose 
gradually among ecclesiastical musicians as 
time went on. We must also observe that it 
was modified, improved, and ultimately per- 
fected, through the invention of signs to ex- 
prf^ss the various duration of notes— -called 
' ' Musica Mensurabilis. " To this we undoubt- 
edly owe the origin and rise of counterpoint. 
Like all new fasliions, this art of adding florid 
counterpoint to the ecclesiastical plainsong was 
carried to an extravagant extent, and grossly 
abused. Nothing was thought of propriety of 



sentiment, — of the proper adaptiition of music 
to words, — the one object seemed to be to 
clothe the canto fcrmo with such complicated 
and artificial ornaments as to re ider it nearly 
inaudible, nearly unintclligibld, and utterly 
Unmeaning to the uninitiated hearer. 

(To be GonUnuod.) 



> <•» < 



Some Living Compoeen. 

[Ooncluded from Page 1S8.] 

ADOLtl* JEKSEN 

Was born January 12th, 1837, at Konigsberg. Na- 
ture 8(*emed to dostine hiiu for a musician, and he 
he^an hii studies very early in life, without a teach- 
e.-, till Elilert and M»rpur^, taking an int-erest in 
his developing talents, provided for his further edu- 
cation. After about two years, both his toachers 
left Konigsberg, and after m^ch earnest and consci- 
entious study, he composed a nnmber of works, 
among them overtures, sonatas, string quartets, and 
several vocal pieces, all worthy of mention. The 
year 1866 was spent in Russia, giving lessons in the 
effort to get enough money to visit Robt. Schumann, 
whom he adored. His object was never accom- 
plished, as Schumann's death soon followed, and 
Jensen was not able to return to Germany till 1857, 
where he wandered restlessly from place to place, 
living in Berlin, Leipsic, Weimar, Dresden, dbc. 
During the same year he was appointed music direc- 
tor at the opera in Posen, but soon left the position, 
and journeyed to Copenhagen, to make the acquain- 
tance of the composer Niels Gade, not returning to 
Konigsberg for two years. In I8A6 he was appoin- 
ted first professor at' the virtno$i school in Berlin, 
which position he resigned in 1868, and settled in 
Dresden. As a composer he justly ranks very high, 
and belongs to the extreme '* new school." 

JOBBF RUEINBERQER 

Was born March 17th, 1839, at Vadaz. His pre- 
cocity was such that we find him at the tender age 
of seven years taking the place and performing the 
duties of the organist in the village church, under 
many difficulties, one of which was obviated by nail- 
ing blocks on to the pedals to raise them. His first 
composition, a mass with organ accompaniment, 
was performed the same year. The years 1849-60 
were spent in studying harmony at Feldkirch. In 
1861-54 he was a pupil of the Royal Music School 
at Munich, where he received organ lessons from 
Herzog, piano lessons from Leonhard, and theory of 
music from Pr. J. J. Maier. From 1855-69 he 
taught music in Munich, and acted as organist when 
opportunity offered. From 1859-65 was teacher at 
the Royal Music School. From 1866-67 he wan di- 
rector at the Royal Opera. In 1867 he was ap- 
f>ointed professor of counterpoint and organ playing 
n the new Royal Music High School at the same 
place. His works are numerous, and in every form, 
from opera, down to the most humble pianoforte 
sketch ; but all are marked b^ profound learning, 
deep thought and a poetic spirit. His opera " The 
Seven Ravens," met with immediate and flattering 
success. Rhoinberger is regarded by m^ny as the 
most learned contrapuntist in all Germany, and 
great hopes and expectations are entertained 
regarding him, as well as prophecies of a most bril- 
liant future. 



SERMAKK 80HOLTZ. 

The materials for a biography of thl^ talented 
young man, even in brief, are very limited. It is 
known that at the opening of the Royal Music School 
in Munich, in the year 18^7, he applied, and was ad- 
mitted as a pupil, studying: composition under Rliein- 
berger and piano playing under Buolow. He made 
the most rapid and extraordinary jirogress, and at 
the present time his ability is rewarded and recog- 
nized by his appointment as professor of pianoforte 
playing in that inntitution. His already numerous 
works (mostly for piano) have rapidly gained popu- 
larity in Europe and America, and to-day he occu- 
pies, while still a young man, a most enviable posi- 
tion in the mosical wond. 



• <^> ■ 



Mniioal Works in the Boston Pnblio 

Library. 

[From the Quarterly Bulletin, Jan. 1876.] 

GsjfBaAL HxsToans. — Nothing in English has yet 
been written so comprehensive in plan as the works 
of finrney and of Hawkins, which were published 
as rivals in 1776. Both are proUx and dry, but, on 



llie whole, tlint of Burncv [4041.61 is tlit* most use- 
ful, and. Hf well as the liiatciry by Hawkins [4^42.4], 
is valuable for reference. Bnsby*8 history [4042.13] 
is a condensation of these two works. The smaller 
works of Stafford [830.57] and Hognrth [209.9] are 
also derived mainly from these authoritio;*. but cnr- 
ried down to 1830. Chappell's history [4044.52], 
of which one volume onlv lia? appeared, ^oes down 
to the fall of the Roman Empire. The second will 
treat of the Middle Afi:es. and U to be contintied I v 
Rimbault. The history by Rltter [4048.55 and 
209.22] is brief and elementary, and Bird's " Olean- 
inurs" [8049.18 and 200.8] ia a compilation of.mnf>i- 
cal scrap**. Hullah's history [805S.1 1] is devoted to 
modern music, as arc nUo his '* Lectures " [8053.10]. 
Schluter's " History " [4048.22] is concise and 
brought down to the present day. 

F^tis, one of the most prolific writers of the pres- 
ent time, has died, without completing; his VHlnnblo 
"Histoire G^n^M-alc de la Musiqne" [8053.12], of 
which three volumes have appeared, treating of the 
music of the K;ryptians, .\'*syrians, Hebrews, Arabs, 
Indians. Persiana, Turk^, Greeks, Romans and Etrus- 
cans. This is the latest general history of so l&rgQ 
a scope, and is profusely and admirably illustrated. 
A fourth voltame is announced. 

The histories in German are numerous and most 
valuable. That of Amhros [4046.13] is as yet in- 
complete, and in the first volume treats of the un- 
civilized and half civilized races and the ancients. 
Vol. 2 includes the early Christian mu»c and that 
of the Troubadours. Vol. S covers the time from 
the Renaissance to Palestrina. His "Bildcr aus dem 
Musikleben der Gegenwart** [8045.17] is on the 
present condition of musical culture. BrendeVs 
"Geschichte der Musik ** [4045.10] concerns Italy, 
Germany and France, from the early Christian times. 
On the mnsic of the present day, see his " Muaik 
der Gegenwart " [8046.6]. Other genoral histories 
aie those by Reissmann [8045.28] ; Forkel [4041.9] ; 
Lafuge, " llistoire G^nerale de la Musique et de la 
Danse " [4057.10], Amonsj those treating of the 
present day may be mentioned the works of Kiese- 
wetter [4052.19]; Marx [4042.15]; and Stoepel 
[4052.60]. 

On the music of tlic Ancicntt, see the works of 
Burney [4012.20] ; Weitzmann (on the Greeks) 
[4062,16]; Gevaert [4042.68]: ISngfel (Assyrians, 
Egyptians and Hebrews) [4046.56] ; Bontempi 
(Greeks) [4041.1] ; Lloyd's " Asro of Pericles," Vol. 
2 [2962.11]; Nolan [4052.4] ; Kiesewetter (Christ- 
ian era to the present time) [4052.191; Clement, 
" Histoire G6n6rale de la Musique Religiense" 
[8045.8]: Sacche, " Antica musica del Greci" 
[4049.40]. 

PsaioDiCALS. — ^The musical history of the present 
century, and of the period immediately preceding, 
is to be found largelv in the biographies of the va- 
rious composers of the time, and, especially for the 
later years, in the numerous and daily increasing 
periodical works, the full indexes to which, partic- 
ularly of the German, French and English periodi- 
cals, refer the reader to a very complete outline of 
all the principal events and productions of the mu- 
sical history of this period. Especially valuable is 
the " Allgemeine Musikalische Zeitung," Leipzig 
[4054.1], which, beginning in 1798, completed Its 
hftieth volume in 1848, and was then continued by 
the **Kene Zeitschrift fur Musik" [4043.1], criving 
tosrether a complete chronicle of musical history 
during the whole of this century to the present day. 
See also the "Caecilia " [4058.1J, the " Berliner All- 
iremeine Musikalische Zeitun^: [4068.8], edited by 
Marx ; KocVs " Journal der Tonkunst '^ [4059.11] ; 
and Eck's "Tagebuch" 1780-1887 [4058.2]. In 
French, see the '* Revue et Gazette Musicale " 
[8060.6], which covers the last forty-three years and 
affords a good synopsis of French musical history 
of the present time. See also Scndo*s '* Ann6e Mu- 
sicale [4089.10]. The volumes of the " London 
Musical World ** (not in this library) are a most val- 
uable chronicle of English musical history of this 
century. See also the London Musical Times 
[8055.10] ; and the Quarterly Musical Magazine, 
from 1818 to 1828 [4046.14]; and, for later years, 
the "Orchestra" [8050.81. Of American Periodic 
caU, Dwight's ** Journal of Music " [5170.1] has now 
maintained its existence through a number of years, 
and besides its record of musical history during this 
time, offers a great number of carefully selected bi- 
ographical, theoretical and critical articles from for- 
eU^n periodicals. Besides this are the ''Biston 
Musical Times " [5240a.6] ; the " Orpheus " (X. V.) 
[5240a.6l ; " Vox Humans" [804'\59l ; " Bostoa 
Musical Magazine" (1839-42) [8046.10]. 

Special HtSToans. — Desarbres, " 0enx Sidles k 



" ' - 



Jt.1 r tm 



172 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OP MUSIC. 



rOpdrn," 1669-1868 [8049.25]: Fink. * Geschichte 
der Oper" [405tt.l2T; Edwards *• lllstwy of the 
OpiTft ' [8049.19] ; Ui.«>d, " MiiMi- in New ^nirliind " 
[4019.5] ; Diinl«f». ** Atiif'ricftn Th»atie " [4404.17] ; 
I)a1y, *' When wa^ the Drama introrhir««d in Ameri- 
ca?" [4404.19] ; Chouqiiet. "La Mii>iaue Dramat- 
Iqne en Franee " [4045 5*.]: WinterfeldV " Evan^>- 
lisclie Kirchengpesons:'* [4U52.5] ; Ho<;nrth'8 *' Aln^i- 
cal Diaina" [41^7.25] ; VVa4eieWfkkv. ** Din Vic»1in« 
iindlhreMei»«ter" [8043.61; **The'New Op<'ra." a 
deacription of the new huildinjr in PMrii».^with a hU- 
toHcal sketch of the opera, ciMitainin;; a' list of nil 
the wr>rk8 perfor^ned there since 1669 [2639.12] ; 
Nuitter, ** Le nouvel Oi>*ra.' descriptive of the new 
edifice [2889.59] : Pech. " Synopsis of Piano Liter- 
atnre " [8042.64M ; Clement. " Les Musieiens C^lu- 
bresdoieme Siicle** [8045.4]; Berlioz. "Modern 
Instmmentation' [4042.2]; Blaze, "L'Op^ra lUl- 
ien," 1548-lf 56 [8U45.13J. 

IJiSTOBiES or IxaTRiTMBXTS. — Orjfon, T!ie hiatory 
by E. J. Ilopkina [2(V4.M and 8058.4] is the most re- 
cent and the best. See n1*o lleurn ** De Orgelniaa- 
ker " [4056.6], Pinno-fortt. Rinibaiilt's elaborate 
work [40 A 1.50] is the latest and best book. See 
also Paul. ** Geschichte dcs Claviers** (1868) [4057. 
21]. Vh^ln, Sandys, (1864) [4056.26]; Hart. 
(1875) [4043.591. both elaborate; Olto [8045.50]; 
Pearce. concis«^ [8(»49.51] ; Regli. ''Storia del Vio- 
lino in Plemonte" [4056.27]. /W/j». Gattv, "Tlie 
Bell. iU Orijdn. Hist^iry and Uses "• [62318. 1 2] ; 
" Early Bells of Mas^aehusettii ** [235.'V.68 J. See al- 
so the *' Dci*cnption of the Musical Infltrumeiits in 
the South Kensington Museum," by Carl Engel 
[4044.5S]. 

Thbokktical Wosks. — ^The library of the late M. 
do Koudelka, received in 1858 as a part of the gifl 
of Mr. Bate»<. with the additions that have been 
made to it. offers to the muMcal student a rare ctil- 
lection of the works of the older the<»risls. and it is 
to them rather than to the amateur that the musical 
collection of this library will be of interest- It c<>n- 
tains many of the most valuable treatises by the 
most learneil authors of the fifteenth and sixteenth 
centuries, of which the titles and shelf numbers will 
be found in the ** Index.** pp. 557-559, which should 
be carefully examined by the professional student of 
music, as well as the additional titles ^iven on page 
429 of the ** Supplement," 

The later historical and theoretical writers are 
also well represented here. Among them will b«} 
found the works of Albrechtfbersrer [4012.9] ; Ad- 
Inng [4059.81; Bach (C. P. E.) [8051.6]: Burney 
[4012 201; Fux [4040.18]: Gerber [4040,22.24]; 
Forkel [4055.20]; Jones [4052.41] ; Hiller [4047. 
27]: Hawkins [4042.41; Laborde [4044.9]; J. G. 
L, Mozart [4046.2]: Martini [4041.8]; Rons^au 
[4086.7]; Schiebe [4059.2] ; Schubart [4055.11]; 
Tartini [4055.1]; Ambros [4045.18]; Bellermann 
[4052.23]; Brendel [4045.10] : Conssemaker [4057. 
16] ; Chrysander [4047.38] ; Dehn [4057.4] ; Drie- 
bersT [4052.12] ; FAtis [8050a.l] ; Hauptmann 
[8055.5]; Hand [4049.9]; Helmholts [4045.57]: 
Kiesewetter [4052 18] ; Lobo [4042.9] ; Marx 
[4042.6; 4042.15.28]; Riehl [4046 42]; Rochlitz 
[8058.5]; Reissmann [8045.28]; Schumann [8045. 
1]; Winierfeld [4046.14]. 

Dicno?cASiUw — Amon^ these, mav be mentioned 
the followinsr. In Ei%glbik^ the dictionaries of Pilk- 
inarton (4049.2) ; Hiles (8r»49.38); Warner (204.4); 
Adams (4086.4) ; Hamilton (4036 S) (the last three 
of musical terms) ; Moom's ** Encyclopedia of Mu- 
sic** (8048.37). In FreucK Rousseau's "Friction- 
naire de Musiqne** (4036.7); Fram6rv (4042.28); 
Brossard (4010.20). In German, SchilHnsr. "Uni 
Tersal Lexictm der Tonkunst ** (4040.28); Walther. 
" Musikalisches Lexicon " (4040.27) ; Kocli (4045. 
15); Gathy (4040.26); Gassmer. " Universal Lexi- 
con der TonkuDst." 1849 (4042.26). 

BioGBAPHiRa.— jBocA, C. P. E. Nohl (4048.15); 
Bitter (8046 21). 

Btuh, J. S. SpiiU*s life (4045.58); Hilirenfeldt 
(4042.24). See also Crowest (4048.54) and Rim- 
banlt (4040.52) for sketch and portrait ; and ForkePs 
Life (4046.1S), which has been translated into En^r- 
lish. See also an excellent biosrraphlcal article in 
the Galaxy for March. 1874 (7865.2,17)u 

BaHfe, M. W. Life by Kenney (4042.51). 

J9^«£Ai>9f«n.— The latest life is by A. W. Thayer 
(4047.89). of which two Tolumes only are as yet 
publii^hed, In German. Others are those bv Lens 
(4086.21 : also. 4046.9): Schindler. German (648.8 ; 
4046.8) : Moschele^ (8041.24) ; Oulibicheff (4044.54) ; 
Marx (4044 55) : lYohl (8045.25) ; Audley (4047.41) 
(in French). See also Warner's essay, translat»*d 
by Parsons (4047.50); CM>we8t*s "Great Tone Po- 
•tt" (4048.64); and Mpecially the interesting vol- 



umes of Bectlioven*s •* Letters,** edited by Nohl (in 
German) (4895.1, Enjrlish translation by Lidy Wal- 
lace (4047.40) : " Beethoven ein drnmn'ti^ches Char- 
akterhild'* (4876.10); Sarsrenfs " Bronze Beeiho- 
ven ** (746r*rt.2). ^^ also the Themittic Catiilojroes 
of hifl works (8044.12 ; 4046.36). A portrait will be 
fonnd in RiinbHuh's Gallery of Great Composers 
(4040.52). An inleresting article on Beethov«>n 
and his btop^m hies U in the British Quarterly Re- 
view for Jannary, 1872(8178.1); another bv'llaw- 
eis, in the Contemporary Review, VtJ. 2 (7821.1). 
See alm> the article in the third volume of the Eney 
cfopietHn Britannica. by Hneffer. Of the lives, 
Scliind1er*s, thous^h very unsatisfactory, is the best 
for popular use. to the Ensclixh trnnslathm of which, 
valuable additions were made by Moscheles (545.8). 
Thayer's, based on recent researches, is the most 
reliable authority. An interesting biosrraphical ar- 
ticle in the Edinbnryrb Review for October, 1878 ; 
also in Living As;e, No. 1537. Grillparzer, in ihe 
eitrhth volume of his works, gives some interesting 
" Erinnernnscen - (2909.65). See also " Beethoven, 
eine Kunnlstudie." by Lenz (4046.9). 

Bdlhti, V. Life, bv Pouifin (4059 23) ; RiehVs 
"Mnsikalidchc Charakterkopfe ** (4046.42). 

JBerlint, H. Sec Rever's " Notes de Musiqne ** for 
a sketch of his life (4048.63). 

Chernhini. Memorials, by Bellasis (4045.6) ; Ar- 
ticle by F. Hi Her. from Macmillan's Magazine, in 
Living* Age, No. 1627. 

aiirkerinff, Jonas. (514.24); (4449.74). 

Chopfu, F. Life by Liszt (551.2.4); 4048.57); 
Atlantic Monthly for April, 1873. See also George 
Sand's " Lncrezia Floriani** (2679.73); also an ar- 
ticle in the Contemporary Review, Vol' 2, by Haw- 
els (7321.3). 

Etard, S. Life, by Brightwell (551.7). 

Onhrieli. Life, by Winterfeld (4046.14), giving 
a history of church music in the 8ixtee:ith and sev- 
enteenth centuries. 

ainrk. Life bv Schmid (4046.15); Leblon^ 
(4046.16); Desnoireterres, " Giuck et Piccinni 
(4045.50); " Ritter Gluck und seine Werke,** in 
German by Seigmeier, from the French of Arnauld 
(4046.16). Schmid's, published in 1854, is the meet 
extensive, and the leading authorit}'. 

Halivi/, L, " Vie et (Euvres •* (8043.41). 

Handel. The standard lives are those by Schocl- 
cher (545.2 ; 4046.30). which is in English, and con- 
tains a Hnndel bibliography ; and Chrysander's 
(4047.38), which i* the l>est. For youn^r rcadeis 
are those in '* Biographies of Eminent Men** (839.6, 
vol. 3); and Edgar (548.13 and 549.30). See also 
British Quarterly Review, for July. 1862 (3178.1 
and 7310.50) ; 'Ramsay*s " Genius of Handel " 
(4046.31); Meyer (4049.17); Gervinns, ''Handel 
and Shakespeare ** (8045.28); Townsend*s ** Visit of 
Handel ti> Dublin** (8046.2); IIarper*s Monthly, 
Vol. 15 (5210.12): Haweis. "Muinic and Morals** 
(8049.82) ; also Mainwaring's *' Memoirs of Handel ** 
(1760) (4048.12), and Chorlev*s article in the Edin- 
bnrg Review for July, 1857 (7214.1). 

ffavdn, Carpani, " Life of Haj-dn," English 
(545.19.20); Italian. " Sn la viU e le opere di G. 
Havdn ** (4044.2), is full of details furnished by Ha}-- 
dn himnelf ; Bombet (A.216.3) ; Foa, ** Boy artists ** 
(1599 1). See also Crowest*s "Great Tone PoeU" 
(4048.54); *' Musical Anecdotes" (8049.21) ; NohVs 
"Letters of Di'«tinsrul'«hed Musicians'* (4048.15); 
Catholic World for Nov.. 1869 (7472.1). 

i>TMo(or«k />i/ir^), O. Mathieu (4045.2); Del- 
motte (4045.3) ; Dehn (4045.4). 

Und. Jenny. Clayton*s *' Queens of Son? " (591. 
2); H. T. Tuckerroan (547.8) ; Biographical noUces 
(4847.6). 

Afalibran. Life, by the Countess Merlin (61 5.10). 

M^rbfer. Life, bv &fende1 (4^52.29) ; " Galerie 
des Contemporains Ilfustres" (6249a.l.8). 

MetMuohn. The life by Lampadius (4049.10) is 
the best, and one of the most charming musical bi- 
ographies; to the English transalatiun, by Gage 
(8<H0.20), are added supplementary sketches by 
others. Benedict's life (545.4) is brief and popular. 
See also the ** Reminiscences " by Elise Polko 
(1587.2; in German. 4847.14); " Recollections ** by 
Dovrient (in English, 8045.20; in German, 8048.4) ; 
Ferdinand Ililler*s " Letters and Recollections ** 
(4048.28) ; al»o a sketch by La Mara (8048.3). His 
life is, however, best read in his own delightful 
" Letters from 1833-47** (669.20; 4046.48; in Ger- 
man, 1082.11 and 4048.13: in French, 8049.34); 
and in the " Letters from Italy and Switzerland" 
(669.19) Miss Sheppard's "Charles Auchesterl 
(802.39) introduces hini as it« hero under the name 



of Seraphael, with Joachim, Jenny Llod and Stern- 
dale Bennett, under the names of Aronach, Julia 
Bennelt and Starwood Burney. It is one of the 
most fascinatinsT of art novels. See also ** Goethe 
and Mendelxs(»hn " (2849.68). on their (lersonal rela- 
tijus, by Dr. Carl Mendels-^in Bartholdy. 

.%fo»A£le§, Life, by his widow (2849.58 ; see also 
(4049.66). 

Mosart. The lending lives are that by Nissen. 
who morried hi« widow (4044.3 and 4046.8) ; Jahn's 
excellent life (in German) (4046.4): Oulibichefr 
(4046 6) ; Schlichtgeroll (545.19.20 : in French. 
1067.18); Bomltet (A.216.3): Holmes (545.21). 
His ** Letters" from 1769 to 1791 are of preat inter- 
est (4046.41). See also Crowest (4048.54); **Ergpb 
nisso fiber d!e Ecrhtheit des Requiems** (4<H6.5) ; 
** Chrcmological Thematic CaUlojHie " (8053.13) ; 
Portrait in Rirobault*s Gallery (4r»40.52); Ran*a 
" Mozart," an intercBttns: art novel (764.20 ; 2023.3). 
Wnrzbach's " Mozart Buch " (8048.5) is a good bib- 
Itosrraphy of everything connected with Mozart. 
Schizzi, '" Elogio rftorico di Mozart" (4046.2). 

PaJeMrina, " Leben " by Baini (4045.5 ; 8045.11 ; 
in Itoltan, 4741.5). 

Pirrini, N. " I^otice snr la Vic et les Ouvmges 
do Nicolas Piccinni." bv Gingnen6 (4046.18); Des- 
noireterres, "Gluck et'Piccinni" (4045.50). 

Purttll. Life, by Novello (4^40.1). 

Jionimi.' Life, bv Edwards (1509.2 and 8041.63) ; 
bv Weodt, In German (8049.17); Azevedo (8040. 
22). 

Schtheti, Life, by Kreissle von Hellborn (8045. 
26); by Austin .(1528.8). . Article in Contemporary 
Review, Vol. 2, by Haweis (7321.3). 

Sdwmann. Life, by Wasilewski (4047.28); in 
German (8045.19). Collected writings in German 
(8045.1 ). See also " Wagner and the Music of the 
Future" (4048.59). by Hueffer. 

SpoHiini. Raoul-Rnchette. " Notice snr la Vie et 
les Ouvrages de M. Spo<itini " (8042.82). 

Vogler, G. J. " Biographic," by Frohlicb (4046. 
20). 

Wther, C. M. von. Life, by M. M. Von Weber ; 
translated by Simpeon (4046.39). 

Wagner. Life (8049a. 50) ; see also Raff (8049. 14); 
Gasparini (8048.38); Hueffer. ** Wagner and the 
Music of the Future" (4048.59); Muller (8045.16); 
*' Art Life and Theories," translated by Burlingame 
(4048.62). In all modern periodicals will be found 
discussions on Wagner ana his music. In his writ- 
ings his own theories will be fonnd, forcibly and el- 
egantly expressed. Burlingaroe*s translation will 
give a fair idea of them. Schnr6, in his ** Draroe 
Miisicale " (4045.61), devotes the second volume en- 
tirely to Wagner, and it is the latest work on the 
subject (1875). strongly defending Wagner's views. 
There are short biographical sketches in the works 
of Rimbault and Tytler, and an article in Scrlbner's 
Monthly for November, 1874 (7392.2). 

BiooaAPHiCAL DiCTiOMARics. — ^Thc leading bio- 
graphical dictionaries are, in French, FAtis* *' Biog- 
raphic Universelle des Musiciens " (4040.21), com- 
prehensive and reliable ; its articles are both 
biographical and critical, and give full bibliograph- 
ical infonnation of the titles and dates of the works 
of the various composers. In Oerman, Gerber, 
** Historischbiographisches Lexicon der TonkOnst- 
ler" (4040.22,24). a work of the highest authority; 
Neumann. *' Componisten der neueren Zeit " (408A. 
12) ; in Engli»K the Dictionaries, by Kelly (4046. 
32); Binffley (8045.22). covering the lost three oea- 
turies ; Moore's " Encyclopiedia." an American com- 
pilation of recent date, and worth referring to for 
matters relating to late rears. See also the bibli- 
ographies (2170.21.80); (4040.21): (6172.1); (6176. 
5). and the books, in part biographical and partly 
critical, by Riehl (4046.42) ; Keddle (4^)48.60) ; Tyt- 
ler (4048.58) and Rimbault (4040.52). The last- 
nomed work gives brief biographies of the great 
composers from Bach to Wagner, with admirably 
enirraved portraits of each. See also Crowest*8 
"Great Tone Poets" (4048.54; short memoirs of 
the greater musical oompooers, from the time of Bach 
to Schumann. 

WoBKS OF Ficnox. — The best nre Geoi^ 8and*8 
"Ginsuelo" (478.15; 476.6: 6676.16), and the se- 
quel to it. **The Countess of Rudolstodt" (473.16. 
21), Sllnstratins; musical life in Italy and Germany 
in the time of Haydn. Hans Ander8en*s *'lmprov. 
isatore" (766.9; 1502.10; 2909.51; in German, 
4979a.8) treaU also of Italian life. Miss Sheppard's 
" Charles Auchester *' (802.89) is a German story in 
the time of Mendelssohn, who is supposed to be de- 
scribed as the hero of the book. See also, by the 
•ame oothor, '* Counterparts " (502.7; 602.17) and 






BOSTON, SATURDAY, FEB. 5, 1876. 



Flarlonl.'' by 
Genrffc Snnd 12879. fa], nn-l Min BrewslM-'s " Silnt 
Utniti's SumiiiiT" [8O0.49] are both nf Itallna life. 
'■ MourC " 1764.30 and KiSa.S). by Herlbe rt Ran. 1 ■ 
nn int^mtlnz urt nnvul. ■■ <K ■)» "Alc*ili»" 
[1709.01. <n ohldi Oluck nnil Fiiuctlna HSuB iira 
■ni'inir tin chiracten. - St. OlHvu'd." by Eliu Tn- 
Ixir [433.20). it A well vrllten IiIb of tlic muaiul 
life uf an EiiElisli cntliedrnl tonn. 

MisciLHSKOus.— Chorley, H. F., " Mnnlc «nd 
Miinnen in Frnnce nnd Ocrmdny" I4'>4B.I7| i 
■■ Uodvrn Oermiin Muiin " f209.B] : HawcU, - Mu- 
tic aott UoniU" |S449.S2) : msc folko'g " Muitical 
SkrtcliF^" [865.11], fancltul itoriet an which llltia 
ilrpendence run hn iilai^rd, as to (acta; Claybin'a 
"QuMn»otS"n5"|69I.a); Ho^Brth, "Uemolnof 
th« Optrn In Fmnco ' [909.19] ; H'ljtdMh, "Uunlcnl 
Hlrtorv" [209.9]: K«ldli'a " Muslcul Cnmposrra" 
14048.60] ; TylliT. " Uualcal C'lmpnatr*" I404S 88] ; 
I)cMev», •- CariosiLl^i MuaicaleB' [4049. MJ ; 
Liird Mount EJ^ninbe'i '' Uualcal Remliilmnurj " 
[4048.61] : cimUiloine an acenunt of the Italian Op- 
era in En^'iand from 1773 ; Reyer'i " Note, do Ud- 
liquc," (ketehrs of tha miitic of thfl pretent day 
[4IH3.6S]. The autobiiieraphy of H. F. Cliorley 
[2449.69] and his oCbtr iriirka before mrnllaned. are 
fiill of iiiterealinji; matter concerning the ninsleai 
history and men of our own lime, written by the 
foremost of recent Enijliali wriWrs on music ; "Mn- 
sieal Rccollrctlonaortiie Last Half Cenlurr" I40iv 
611; '-The Music ofllioPnture' [4048,691; Bnj(el. 
-MiisIchI Instruments" [41M8.S7J. an illu->tniled 
hand-lwolt tii the collectiuns of tho Sooth Kensing- 
ton Museum ; Franic Moore, " Snni^ nnd Ballads of 
lbBAmeriranBevoliiil..n" [31420]: -Rebel Rhvmea 
and Rhapsodies " [S09.20] ; ■' Sr.njfs of the Soldiers, 
1864 " IS09.24] ; Doran. " Tlieir Maiesllea' Servants" 
[3G2.!]~: BurK>>, "Anecdotes of Mii'tc" [209.8| 
Unrdin«r. " Muaie and Prienda " [204. TI ; " Music 
of Kalure" [204.6: 8lH6.2]. Tlio abridgraenW of 
specification a of patbnte relBlinB to muaic and mu- 
iieal iDBtrnmenUin Great BriUla 1SB4-1866 will be 
found in the Patent room. 

Ucsio. — The Lil>rary is ellll nimott entirely deft- 
cient in the works of the Enjttish madrlf^lists ; the 
Germaa aacred music of the I6th-18th ccotarioa ; 



r, with rery lew eiceptlona, 
mnitiy such as are contained In collections, such aa 
the publications of Ibe " Bach-Geoellschaa" [8060*. 
B]. Nor dues it possess, In any form, tho eompUit 
works of any of the jreat master*, and can offer to 
Its readers only a meagre collectlcn of tlie ordinary 
editions of the best-known instrumental nnd vocil 
compositions, symphonies, concerts, opera!, oratort- 

to rnumerate here, but which can be easily found 
in the Card Caulogae under tha names of the onn- 

A brief enumeratian of a few of the best tnatroc- 
tioa book* may, howeror. be of service lo acme 
readers, who are roferred to the following ;r- 

Knan/brfc-.— Lebfrt[B060.S51; Kncrr [80HO.S1]; 
Petersilea [8050.19] ; Cramer [8050,881 ; BerRBr 
[eOBO-BBl ; Czerny [80B0.BS1 ; Bertlnl (80S0.1 ; 
8061 12 13]: Hilnten [8081.15]; Richardaon [8081. 
16); PlaWy [eOBl.80l. 

Oroan.— Schneider (3082.18): Zandel (4066.80: 
80S119); Ratiste (8062.1U) ; Gebhardi (8089.16); 
Blnck (8060,87); Clarke (reed organ) 18052.17]; 
BuKtvbude [8052.60] ; Kicholson [8057.5], 

JTcWmh.— Garney [8(»1.SS] : Clarke [8062,171: 
Green [8052.30]; White [8032.31,82]. 

FioftiL— Campagnoti 8061,67: Maiaa 8051.70: 
Spolir 8081,71: Feaaenden 8051 77; May 8081.73; 
•■Viollo Made Eaay" 8051.82; Woodbury 8031.G6. 

VWoanfto.— Romberg 8081.88. 

fformoMy.— Cstel 204.1: Johnaon 20180; Parker 
204 81; Geyor 8088.1; Wober 8065.4; Haaptmann 
8056.5; Ouseley 4041.88; 8041.37. 

6tfl9iH9.—Oai[Ood 201.1; Gaertner 8051.28; Sll- 
cher 8002.4; Fitis 8052.3 ; Concone 8040.58 ; 8048. 
60. 

Many othfrs will be fonnd tn the Card Catalogue, 
under the name of the instrument, and of the 
author. 

HAxnacairT Hnsio. — A enrioai and valaable col- 
lection is that In manuscript, made by the late Pro 
feasor Dehn, of Leipzig, " Practische Muslk-Werka 
horvorragsnder Componiiten del ivi-xviu Jahr 
hnnderU, Berlin. 1868." uas. SB volumes, 4' 
4081.14. These volumes eonUin rare and valuable 
to a great exteot 



Dlislidl, ot Hie following composera: Anerio, 
, Clierubini. Cjlonna, Clun. Csldara. Leo, Du- 
. Legrenil. Murcello, Lotti, Feats. Pnleslrina, 

.lido, Mareniio, Monteverde, Perti. Slefani. 

ScArlalti. Alessandro Stradella. Carapelln, Morales, 
Orlandu di Lasso. Gabrleli, Giovanelli, Hammer- 
achmirtt, Schiili. Bruhna, Haase, Stobieiie. Eecnrdua, 
Simonelli, Ruseniniltler. PiflUwchl, Porta, Vittoria, 
rtiSi Iluisaona, Pronner, Mtonl, Predieri. Purpora, 
Berlsli, StBliel. Sallerl, Doblhoff, Jomalli, Oaydn, 
Zeleiika, Borlnianiky. Bovetta, Bach, Handel. Gas- 
larini, Heredia. Fioroni, Sarli, Rerloni, Caaali, 
^sdinu Conti, Csfnru, Gassiiiann. MniUnl. Mnttci, 
^ulolti, Fux, Kirnberger, Allegri, Muiart, Purgo- 
eie and Josqiiin. 

There nie mnsaee, mntcttea, madrizola, pulma, 
Wnzonl, son^a, both aarred and secular, generally 
l.r four voices, with inslniraentsl accompaniment, 
glvinff good ^pecimei 



Important mo-iiflcstions; the tnnlltlon of the RrsC 
B-fL"t%nlerlnBLnbrlililC-m»Jor; the sum* horn eOecie. 
before in E-msjor. now In B-maJor, after an enhimnoo. 
le chaniie, etc. rinillv comet the cod*, preceded by a 
series of line desceuding diminished chorda. The part 
- ■ idaprecedlnRttenrstiheme, with Its ruehing 
continuity of thematic development. Its vlgo- 






B bold vigor : 






aniy strcDgtli, by in 



The scbeno follows In C-ms]or. 11 la Jocose and hu- 
morous. Its playfulness Is palDteil In a sprlgllHy, lively 
vein, beslnnlnir with the ttrtnits in softesi afscoaio, col- 
ored by melodic touches of the wind instramenla, the 
strinipi carrylne out the Ogure. The movemeut Is 
worked out with brllllsDcy. One jiassage la exceediue- 
ly effective. It la tbe modul'itoTy part previous to Ins 



eadlDE tbeme, where a 

tnrougn upward progression- -"■ 

en Is In responding Id-'—' — 



Mr. Faille's Symphony,— A Technical 

AnalysiB, 

"Oneof oQrreaiJ«ntniufi1ciona,"whohaahodai 
cesa to Ihe acore (Mr. Geo. L. Osgood, a friend an 
neighbor of the young composer), conliibutes th 
f.iilowing analysis of the itevi Symphony to tli 



ackof Ccicepllngtn 



m allegro <= 



s bold, vlg- 



vnrylnc 

eiut by 

^J,e eV - 
mlnall 



Sixes' 



mt of vll»l strength, 7com the ont- 
)nKon the sweeping polyphonic bass, 
1 of technical power.ond tbe forward 

prlnclpti thrme, to meet the rapidly 

..» n» of tooe-color, thrown out at evei v 

6y the wind band. We are Inatintly conscious ot 

'- "-- presence of a ganuiue musical nature. At 

ith bar or theresboule, the strings, in pur- 

alrtlie Inlon bright ~- — — -r 






HtursI, tlie rhytbm being maintained by 



!a1!l'MtScSitonrsuecM^''lS(TSml'nlrt 
aiinn lo the dominant, dying away to a p 
•here, over the tremolando of the violins, am 
lailve plralcnto and arco of tbe vlolaa and tu 
voihlne out their original theme, appears a 
111 of mio for the eeUoa nnd solo bnasi — 
ihiirtly lolna thero, a--* ' "— ■--•— 

"lestlUoT 






band. This feature derelons itself gTHCefolly, 

- ■ ■ ,rl (lute phrase, which forms the final 

it theme and the Introiucloiy I" '>■- 



encounler a lovelj fillof "'^'''^'™^^'j,7jj^'j^^^ 
■ pUiicilo of the strings, cloiely faUdwad by the wind 
and strings In unison, snd culmlnstlng In a powsrlal 
cUmsj, from which there ia » modolsflon to (he same 
theme and rhythm in another key. This motive, Intro- 
duced by tfaaboma, is used with varied thematic trent- 
ment til) the repMt ot the first part. Following tbe 
peat, the nodul itory part opana In a } ' — '"' — 



^-oo™u=,= -,iii»uanjfine»ndtelllng— then wlthalesp 
Inio the rolUcklDe, Jolly Bcheno theme again. Another 
effertlve portion is wtiere, at tbe end ot^tbe first part, 
the horn holds over Into the ieco—* — "■ ' •>■- -'■"!- 

worked out bv the who? *■" 

tragmenti. 



loDs inslmmencs in iotereaiiag tra« 
.f the clDBing cadence of the clnrlnl 
lofteat tone, again holds over to the 
Tbe introduction here Is beautlfnl, 
elllng. The coda la atrangely effect 



..KS'-- - 

orcheatra, the melody Iwing 
" celloe and^oboes, then. le- 



?h?«UoVl"ntl 

e Interval from D lo B-ilai 
imd beautiful. The tranfiltlou 



lose la brUllani and 
full of pathos, begln- 



V-mlnor twglna'wlth a long F from the honi, ImbuII. 
d by tho tender reaponse of the »tclnc>- The horn 
irsues the melody and tbe ear Is gratified by the open 
nes peculbir to the horn in F. 

rtaesdsElothrn wanders oft into remote and strange 
rmonles leodlnit to Ihe second theme, which enters. 



beaullful etTects between the wooden wind lustra 
U snd horns, followed by the atrlnga. ending In i 
Dniced planlaalmo. 

e adafio iastrihtnirly orighial and tbe better sc 
...j^- 1 e wrili it, ttrough corffnl '•"•'' " 



qnalnted we become wrUi it. Arough corrfn 
tbe acore, and an addltloual hearing at Ihe rFocarBm, 
so mncb the more warmly does It glow with the tnrri 
frv of geniua. We can Bay from personal koawtedge 
that the adagio, iiotb in oompotltior — ■" ' 



unioler. 



is€'^*?ji' 



.,». ,.1 ~- - ,r rapidity and in Inspiratlo. 

runted In its flow from beginning to end, . 

The nnal movement, the a«rffro»(sitM,i 
bold theme by thn braai, wind and — '- - 
Mnues vigorously to the tnuisltlon 

We notice here, as in many other piscei ,,_r — 

ry, a fondneea for plnlcato effect of the Btrtogs ajtainal 
llrht touches of the wind Instruments. Areminlscenee 
of tho odiiKio falls upon tbe esr, though belODgine to 
the viRorous working out of the s econd theme, k. love- 

the rtiu in sotltit arpegcio leads lo tbe fugal Imitations 
ontbelssdlngmotiveofthemoremeDt. XnothersDrllE- 
Ine paaaige la a lone ntisode where the wind Inatni. 
menu have cantablle phrases which die away and leave 
the strings and drama pianissimo. Thlsis •-• 

igbout thi 



iTitory part opens In 



'is^w 



Incedby 



„ie reiterated n . 

the close of the first pal -. -,--,-.1^- .. 

■TueopaUd moreeau by the flntea, dsrlneta and — 
Boons, accompanied by tbe Btrh)ga. The wooden wind 
Instraments supply the rhythm, whDa the string* have 
the flEure, wind and Btrings answering each other. Tbe 
whole ends on a tiold In pianissimo \ri the strings, over 
which the wind InstmmeDta, Inthelr tarn, contlnne the 
ffrure in answering cadences; then, after lovely bor- 
monlc sequences ot the atrlDga over a bold In tin baa* 
and tbroMh the dominant saveBth and Blnlh chords, 
the seoonTthone returaa In F. A few mealotM later 
there la a fine effect between violas and wind In ocuve, 
the elnrineu giving an harmonic note over the nuinlng 
of the eeUoa ud baasea. Then follows another obolce 
bit ot melody worked as by the whole orch«BlTa,-pTe- 
vioas to a aeries of ^eots In ueandlng, dlralnlalied 
chords, sklltDl remlnlaeenGeu ottbe lea^ng tbente In 
the donbls basses, like a ndUUve, and enully aUlfnl 
remlBlBceneea ot tha aeeond theme omoBs the wind In- 
strnmanta. Thla aame trMBnral ta rtpe^ed on « up- 
ward hanaonlc aeanenoe, and In the part tntrDdnetory 
to the leading theme we have one of the moat atrlking 
and impreaaive portions of the whole movement. The 
■coring is simply that of a msater. The Osure ts kept 
■B by the vloliiUi violas and 'celloe, while the strength 
ottbe rhyUmi Is given to the wooden wind likstramenla. 
The bOTsa and baasoona ooroe In on half-beats of the 
measure, holding their notes as tbeyooi 



■ ^dlng the bassea. 



The symphony as » whole holds thesttentli 
beelnnfng lo the end. 11 Is f resb, vlxoron 
conslatenX and lullof healthful lite. Otthe 

menta, the adagio is (ha most attraetlT*. It ^ , 

In it* form, ana baantltnlly acorwl. Hiers li a cntain 

-1 — _* I* >k.* ^atiaBea. Ita arcUtt'' — ' ' — ' — 

It la a love poem , 

-._ _~.~ , . awoetandot akqnlalta' 

Blent. The Instramentstlon of the whole work k 




Then, too, there is an easy, uninterrupted flo 
ody thronghoat, and there la a unl^ In It a 
soothing to the lover of legitimate mualcal elte 
tradlstlnction to the phyatcal and teverlsb n 
whlob much of our moJera mualo produces. 



\ loutiiEl of Pnm. 



BOSTOIf, FEB, S. 1876. 



On Mcsio PAOii, The Part floog by Schumann, 
printed In this number, la taken by permtsston IroB 
"Ofliman Part Bongs," edited by IT. H. Aixui, pnb- 
lished by Oliver Dltaon A Co., Beaton. 

Cimout EsTlnr, 
The past monlh baa been remarkably rich In 
matter tor musical inatraftion and enjoyment. It 
Is no ea«y task lo arrange tn the memory and say 
■ fitting word of each of the nuny eonoarta in 
•o brief a apace as we havs at eommaad. First we 
most go back to 



174 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



Dk. Han8 Torr Bublow. 

Six concerts in one week I And with the aid of 
the Boston Philharmonic Clab and charming sing- 
ers. 

These concerts were fall of interest, the pro- 
gprammes being made up of choicest treasures from 
the well known masters, besides a great variety of 
new things which piqned cariosity, to say the least, 
and showed how wide and catholic the range of this 
most masterly interpreter. 

There were two drawbacks, however, from the 
complete success of these rare concerts. In the first 
place they came too near together,-— every evening 
in the week ; few coald attend them all ; the most 
/anaiieo of musical Athenians cannot be listening to 
music all the time ; and they who heard the six 
must have a somewhat mixed and vague impression 
left of some of them, — such at least is our experi- 
ence. In the next place they were given in far too 

larj^ a place: — Chamber music in the vast Music 
Halll Could we have heard some of those fine 
things in a proper Chamber concert hall, we should 
have been much more penetrated with their spirit. 
— Of the programmes, the first, Monday, Jan. 10, 
and the last. Saturday matin6e, a repetition of it in 
the midn features, were decidedly the best. The 
first was as follows : 
1. Qioartet for Strings, in O major, op. M> Noj_l, 

Alleitro con brio— Allegretto— Mennetto—] 



J. Havdn 
eitro con nno—Anegretto—Mennetto— Finale. 
Messrs. B. A T. Lutemann, E. Oranmif 



A. Hartdegen. 

2. ''LaBosa,** Bomanza Bpohr 

Miss Lisie Cronyn. 

S. Concerto in the Italian Stvle J.S.Bach 

Br. Hans von Buelow. 

4. Sonata Appasslonata, F minor, op . 67. Beethoven 

Br. Hans von Bnelow. 
K oa^m fa. LaPrlmavera Hercadante 

5. Bongs, J ^ „ Thonr't like nnto a flower." 

BabittSteln 
Miss Lizsie Cronjm. 

6. Quintet for Piano and Strings, in E flat, op. 44, 

R. Schumann 
Allegro brillante— In Modo d*nna Marcia— Scherzo- 
Allegro ma non troppo. 

The Haydn Quartet— at least for those who sat 
near enough — was an exquisite gem of genial, grace- 
ful, happy and spontaneous invention, treated with 
consummate art ; and the interpretation was as fine 
and true as one could reasonably wish. Far too 
seldom do wo hear such things of late 1 — ^In the 
great Schumann Quintet, — one of the masterworks 
of genius that will certainly endure — ^the Listemann 
party also played admirably, while the pianoforte 
part of course was brought out to perfection ; noth- 
ing of force, fire, delicacy, clear outline being want- 
ing. Von Bnelow*8 two solos were well contrasted. 
The Italian Concerto of Bach, if not one of his 
greatest or most gonial works, is characteristic of 
a period ; and it is by no means dry in the hands of 
thU interpreter. How finely significant his phras- 
ing of the slow movement, and what vitality of ac- 
cent lit up the seemingly level stretches of the finale 
with meaning I 

His rendering of the Beethoven Sonata was to 

our mind the most memorable among all his achieve 

ments of that week. We have heard nothing like 

it. It was indeed appawionata ; and it was as full 

of beauty as of fire ; it carried you away with it, 

and made you feel that life is worth the while when 

you can sometimes live it so far within ^this magic, 

yet most real element of tones. 

In Miss Caoxrif a fresh and beautiful surprise 
awaited ns. All were charmed by the modest, un- 
sophlsticafcad, youthful, musically absorbed face and 
manner.— the virginal, pure, sweet, sensitive quali- 
ty of voice, so evenly developed, and so justly 
trained that art concealed itself, — and by the fer- 
vent and yet chaste expression with whicli she sang 
songs, not of great pretention, but artistic, and woU 
suited to her. But in her way of singing them 
there was the charm both of fresh bloom and of 
ripeness, and it implied the faculty to do much 
more. Then, with all that simpllcltv and purity, 
the tones assumed the warmer tints of feeling where 
the song required. In Rubinstein's setting of the 
favorite text : " Du bist wie elne Blume,** this qual- 
ity woke so much sympathy, that she had to repeat 
it. Yon Buelow himself played her accompani- 



ments, and with the protecting, tender appreciative- 

ness of one pleased to show how pure a pearl he had 

found. 

Tufdtay Foeninff, Jan. 11. 

Qnartet for Piano and Strings, O minor, No. 1, 

W. A. Mozart 
Allejcro —Andante— Rondo. 

Wiener Fasching:Mchwank Robert Schumann 

Five Fancy Pieces, opus 26. 

Allegro— Romanza-Scherzi no-Intermezzo— Finale. 

Dr. Hans von Buelow. 

Adagio con Tartazloni, opus 94 L. v. Beethoven 

Grand Quintet, Piano and Strings, A minor, Op. 107, 

Alleero mosso assal— Alle^ijo vivace qnasl presto. 
Andante quasi Larghetto mosso— Allegro brioso 

patetlco. 

Interspersed among these were some choice song 
selections by Miss Cronyn: — Vol che tapete, exqui- 
sitely rendered (only young Cherublno could not be 
so Innocent I); a hymn to the Virgin by Gordigl- 
anl; and two quite fresh contributions from the 
Beethoven volume, and very tuneful ones : La Par- 
tentM, and DAtnanU impaxUnU (from op. 82). the 
latter showing our Master in the new character of 
an Italian buffo writer ; its quaint humor caused its 
repetition. The young singer only gained in favor. 

The Philharmonic party again distinguished them- 
selves by a clear and fine performance of one of the 
best of Mozart's quartets, refreshing In these tiroes 
to hear. In Schumann's " Viennese Carnival 
Pranks," Dr. von Buelow had some of the hsrdest 
nuts to crack, — or rather, some of the most tangled 
wild briar hedges to get through ; some of the most 
grotesque, bizarre, bewildering and difficult things 
that Schumann has given ns ; yet Interesting and 
poetic But he had penetrated, and he played them 
from the Inside, losing himself in them, and making 
them as clear as probably they could be made. In 
beginning the Beethoven Adagio, he preluded, as 
he is fond of doing, with a snatch from something 

else, — this time from the better known Fantasia In 
the same key, F. To say that he played the slow 
Cantalnle theme, and the vartaUons In their well 
contrasted forms. Including a Minuet and a March, 
In such a way as to bring out all their points and 
beauties unmistakeably, is only to say that he was 
Von Buelow ; but yon thought of Beethoven. Of 
the Quintet by Raflf we have not any very distinct 
impressions at tliis moment ; It had all the peculiar 
Raff features, more marked for the time being than 
apt to haunt one afterwards. We do remember 
wondering what there was that could be called 
"paUtico " in that last Allegro eon brio. It was a 
pleasure here, as it Is always where Von Buelow 
takes part in a concerted piece, to see how little he 
seeks to interpose himself between the other artists 
and the audience ; he is one factor in the complete 
whole, one tone in the chord, one voice In the poly- 
phonic movement. 

WtdnMday Evening, Jan* 12. 

Lonis Spohr. 

Grand Qnintet for Piano and Strings. In D minor, 

opns 130. 
Allegro moderate— Scherzo-Adagio— Finale 

[Vivace]. 

Scbnmann— Sonjrs. 

[a] <« A Poet's Love.*' [6] " The Hat of Green.** 

[cl '* EvenlnffSong." 

Mrs. H. M.l9mitn. 

Beethoven. Sonata for Piano, Op. 81, No. 8, in E flat. 

Allegro— Allegretto— Minnetto— Presto. 

Hans von Buelow. 

Johannes Brahms. 

XXY y ariattons and Fugue on an air of 

Handel's Opus 44. 

Hans von Buelow. 



Thuredajf Evening, Jan. 13. 

P. Tschatkowsky. 

Quartet for Strinfrn, In T> major, On. 11. 
Moderate e slmpllce— Andante cantabiie— Scher- 
zo— Finale. 
Messrs. B. A F. LUtcmann, E. Gramm, A. 
Hartfl#»jfen. 



Mendelssohn. Song, " A Springy Morning. 
Joseph Rhelnberger.' 



Mn.H. m!. Smith. 



Quartet for Piano and Strings, Opns 88, in B flat. 
Allegro non troppo— Adagio— Minuetto. 

The Quintet by Spohr pleased by Its even and 
melodious flow. Its gfracefol elegance and finish ; it 
was treated In the same careful, conscientious spirit 
by Von Buelow, although the piano part seemed 
thin and somewhat tame compared, say, with the 
Quintet by Schumann. From the Quartet by 
Rhelnberger we had expected much, but did not 
find it very edifyins:. Tne Variations by Brahms 
were ingenious, skilful, tedious and uninteresting ; 
Beethoven, to be sure, wrote thirty-three upon one 
theme, but then he was Beethoven. The purest 
satisfaction of the concert was found In the Beetho- 
ven Sonata, which was admirably Interpreted. Mrs. 
Smttu's songe were well chosen, ai^d well .sung, al- 
beit rather coldly. 



Meyerbeer— Lieti SIrnori, from " The Huguenots.*' 

Miss Xanra Schirmer. 
J. 8. Bach. 

[a] Fantaisie Chromatique and Fugue. 
h] Gavotte in D minor. 
G. Handel— Grand Suite in D minor. 
Prelndio e fuga— A.llemande— Courante- Aria con 

Variazlon i— Presto. 
Schubert— Bon^s. 

[a] " Marfi^ret at the Spinning Wheel.** 
\b] " Impatience." 

Miss Laura Schirmer. 
CamlUe Salnt-Saens. 

Quintet for Piano and Strings, in A major. Op. 14. 

Allegro moderate e maestoso— Andante sostennto— 

Presto— Allegro a8s.ai ma tranquillo. 

The Qnartet by Tschnlkow.<)ky Is In some respects 
original, decidedly unconventional, bold, wild, way- 
ward even; not much after the classical quartet 
type eith r in form or spirit. Yet there is delicate 
beauty in the Andante. The Russian looks out in 
the last two movements. We liked the piano Qnin- 
tet of the Frenchman better; it is more clear, has 
more refinement, more unity of form and spirit, 
shows more of the classical culture, although it too 
is fantastical. Saint-SaSns keeps within the bounds of 
beauty. Both works were marvellously well played, 
so far as we could judge in that vast hall.- The 
whole space between these two specimens of the 
extreme modern tendency was occupied (besides 
songs) with a long stretch of Bach and Handel, 
which seemed to place them in the boldest possible 
relief, — ^long and admirable compositions for the pi- 
ano alone, especially those of Bach, — and played 
with nil significance of accent and of phrasing, as 
was to be expected from the conscientious master 
interpreter. We should have enjoyed these pieces 
better in some different oonnection. 

The fifth was a *' Mosart Night," all the iustra- 
mental pieces being from that wonderful and ever 
3'oung composer, while the songs, charmingly sung 
by Miss Cronyn, were with a nice sense of fitness 
chosen from Beethoven (" Song of Penitence " and 
La vita f dice). The Mozart selections Were of the 
very best, including the once well known and most 
genial string Quartet in E-flat ; the graceful Piano 
Sonata in F (Allegro, Andante, Rondo ;) a delicious 
Trio for Piano, violin and 'cello, in E major, wfiicfa 
we think had not been heard here before ; for other 
piano solos, the Fantasia, No. 8, In C minor, and a 
Minuet and Gigue ; and finally the Quartet for Pi- 
ano and strings. In G minor, Ko. 1, also not famil- 
iar. These things, exquisitely rendered as they 
were, would have been nectsr and ambrosia In a 
small room and a less plethoric musical condition. 

The Saturday Matinee, the most inspiring con- 
cert of them all, was in its three main features (for 
beginning, middle and end) identical with the first : 
the Haydn Quartet, the Sonata AppoMionata, and 
the Schumann Quintet. Von Buelow also gave 
masterly readings from Chopin; Nocturne, op. 
9, No. 8, to which he preluded with a snatch from 
another Nocturne ; the Ballade, op. 23 ; and three 
Waltxes, op. 84. Miss Cronyn sang Spohr's Ro- 
mance ; " La Rosa; " a Canzonetta from ** Salvator 
Rosa,** by Gomez; and a tasteful and expressive 
setting of " Du blat wie elne Blnme," by Mes. C. F. 
Chlckering. 

Dr. von Bnelow had reson to be satisfied with 
the conscientious and artistic co-operation of the 
Philharmonic Club, and we are told that he has so 
expressed himself quite warmly. 

ToB Sixth Hakvaed Stmpbokt Coxokbt, owing 

chiefly to the attraction of the Ckoilia, under Mr. 

Laxo, had the largest audience of the season. Tho 

first part consisted of Beethoven*s fourth Overture 

to" FldellOy^ln E, which was satisfactorily rendered, 

and Gade*s " Comala,** a Cantata, composed to a text 

from Ossian. The music is Gssian-llke, almost uni- 
formly in a low and sombre tone, suggestive of a 
misty Northern sea-shore atmosphere, and of tho 
shadowy forms of an old heroic, superstitions age. 
The performance was unequal; the male chorus 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, FEB. 5. 1876. 



17ff 



of bardg and wwrriors commencins: rather timidly, 
partly because the time was taken too alow, and 
partly becauae they were too weak in nnmber an d 
too widely set apart upon the platrorm. The weak- 
ness was felt more than once. But the soprano and 
alto portion of the chonie was alto<;ether beautiful 
and tellinp^; the chorus of virgins: "Oh, cease 
your song of triumph now," was a most sweet and 
touching lament. And we are sure, the two ^rand 
choruses for mixed voices : that of Spirits guiding 
the souls of fallen heroes from the battle field, and 
the final chorus of bards and virgins : " From their 
cloud-home above," were feh to be full of irahgina- 
tivo power and grandeur. The solos were in good 
hands. Those in the character of Comala (soprano) 
were given with all the taste, the fine mnsicnl un- 
derstanding, the artistic truth and certainty, the 
admirable method and expression of Miss Clara 
DoRiA, who was in excellent voice. Her last song : 
" Oh, would I were sitting by Carun's waters I " 
with the invocation to the " Shade of Fingal," was 
sung with that'exquisite truth of feeling and artis. 

tic beanty that haunts the memory long afterwards. 
Miss Ita Wslsh (as Dercagrena) was not at her 
best, but she sang the Ballad : " From Lochlin came 
to battle Suaran, the haughty knight/' very expres- 
sively and charmingly. That piece, with the cho- 
rus of virgins coming in between the stanzas, was 
the most taking numb4»r of the work. Tbe rich 
clear, clarinet voice of Miss Esther Morse (Contrnl- 
to) was heard to great advantage ia the short part 
of Melicoma. Dr Bullard sang the par^ of Fingal 
with judgment and refinement, lat:king only great- 
er weight of voice for such a hall, and against such 
an orchestra, which, it must be confessed, was not 
sufficiently subdued in many portions of the work. 

Part II. opened with a fine rendering of the vig- 
orous and captivating Chatonne from Gluck's " Or- 
pheus,*' whicD was so much enjoyed last year. Then 
came a fresh and most agreeable surprise; four 
short Italian Canons, for three female voices, by 
Hauptmann, gems in their way and happily con- 
trasted. " Ta sel gelosa," " O cart boschi," " Sa, 
cantiamo," "Ah, tu aal," were sung delisrhtfully. 
without accompaniment, Miss Doria leading off 
with musician-Ulce certainty and clear melodic out- 
line, ond the other two whom she had carefullv 
drilled to the novel task, Mrs. F. P. Whitney and 
Miss Ita Welsh, taking up the them^ in turn and all 
carrying it through witti satisfactory aplomb. The 
effect was electrifying, and the last Canon had to be 
repeated. Schutiert's Psalm : " The Lord is my 
Shepherd," repeated bv request, confirmed the 
beautiful impression which it made before, and 
must stand as so far the most successful effort of the 
Cecilia. The delicate piano accompaniment was 
nicely played by Mr. Arthur W. Foote. — A very 
spiriteo performance of the Fifth S3'mphony of 
Beethoven brought the concert to a grand conclu- 
sion ; seldom has the glorious old favorite been en- 
joyeJ more heartily. 



Trr Thomas Symphony Concert of Jan. 26, was 

attended with eager interest on account of the first 

performance of the new Symphony by the Harvard 

Musical Professor, John K. Pains. The Sympho- 
ny was a decided, a remarkable success. Thmisfh 
it came the first thing on the programme, all lis- 
tened carefully so as not to lose a note of the first 
theme of the AU^ro ewi brio. It was too significant 
an event to be treated with the fulness it deserves 
in the short space left U3 now. We have room only 
to record its enthusiastic reception by the entire 
vast audience; each several movement being fol- 
lowed by applause lasting several minutes, and most 
spontaneous and sincere, culminating at the end of 
the work in a storm of travon and a general call for 
*' Paine," who was led upon the sta?e by Mr. Thom- 
as, and modestly, with evident gratification, bowed 
his thanks to tbe still applauding multitude of 
friends. 

Of the Symphony itself we cannot sny what we 
would until we know it better ; and we are glad to 
leorn that we shall soon have the opportunity, as it 
will be repeated in one of the Thomas matinees. 
Suffice it to say now that we listened to the whole 
work with* pleasure and surprise. It is beautiful, it 
ia earnest ; ft is learned and yet not manufactured, 
but flows naturally as from a full de^p source, and it 
aflbcta you as one live consistent whole. W^hat most 



struck us as a mark of progress since his Oratorio 
" St. Pctfr." wa.' the much greater froodom with 
which it is composed : it would seem o^ if the con- 
ventional Oratorio text and subject cramped him 
then ; but the Symphony is the sphere of pure mu- 
sic, and in this sphere his inventive and his shaping 
faculty had freer play. In this, his first effort in this 
kind, Mr. Paine has employed all the arts of count- 
erpoint and thematic treatment with a master hand ; 
vet he is never dry. The work is free from modern 
extravaeranxa and mere straining for effect, and yet 
it is original. Whether it be a work of ffeniiu, is a 
question always better left to time. The themes are 
pregnant, often beautiful ; they develop with a sub- 
tile skill which keeps the interest alive ; the modu- 
lation is full of fine surpri/ses, never violent ; and 
the instrumentation also masterly; each instrument 
finds play according to its genius ; seductive imaircs 
of clnrinet, or horn, or oboe color are continually 
emersring into sunshine ont of the mellow forest 
crloom and losing themselves in it sfrain, so that you 
are tempted to explore its dim polyphonic aisles and 
rich recesses. The several movements seemed well 
related : the first AVegro strong, impassioned, with 
the contrast of a charming lighter theme ; the Scher- 
zo {Allegro vivace) a delicate ond trip])ing measure, 
altogether fres'i. nnd leadins: int-o a slightly slower 
Trio, (thron^rh the magic gate as it wer^'of mellow 
horn tones holding over) which begins with a lovely 
bit of melody for the clarinet, soon taken up by 
horns and other wood instruments : the return is 
through the same golden gate. The Adagio is grave, 
deep, fnll of roelins: and of beauty; and the Finale 
is worthy of the whole. — Not having seen the score, 
and having had no opportunity to study the work, 
we should attempt no full description of it here, 
even if we had t!ie room ; we shall return to it, and 
meanwhile we copy on another page a technical 
annlysls by a musician. 

The Symphony seemed short, although it was 
very long. It was followed by a new Rubinstein 
Pianoforte * Concerto, of almost eaual length and 
frightful difficulty, wonderfully well surmounted by 
Mme. SoniLLRR, and which was full of strange bi- 
zarre effects and what seemed empty noise nnd 
straining afVer baffling illu-oions ; we have seen no 
one who enjoyed it. Then came a very long Duet 
from Wagner's "Flying Dutchman," much of which 
niiirht hnve been Italian Opera, sung bv Miss Tihtrs- 
BY ond Mr. Rkmmertz : and by this time the Con- 
cert had already exceeded two hours I A whole 
Beethoven Symphony was yet to come ; it was the 
cheerrul. buo3*ant, clear, uplifting No. 2, in D, which 
opens with a omndeur from which you expect even 
more ; to those who could remain it ws^ a arreat re- 
fre.ahment. for it was indeed most l)enutirnlly played. 
Had the Concerto been omitted, and had thero been 
a short Overture before Paine's S3'mphony to allow 
people to cet well settled in their seatii, and music- 
ally attuncti, it would have been a perfect pro- 
gramme. — Of the Mating of Saturday next time. 

Op Mr. Pkrabo's fourth and fifth Matin^'es, Jan. ^ 
and 14, we were only able to attend the first, which 
had a purely Rubinstein programme. W^e confess to 
much greater enjoyment of these smaller piano 
works of Rubinstein, than of such Titanic strivings 
asthe "Dramatic Symphony " and the Concerto of 
which we have just 5>poken. Mr. Perabo becrnn with 
his own arnniirement f««r two hands of the Overture 
to " Dimitri Donskoe," from which we g«)t the im- 
pression that it must be a good Overture. He also 
played in the same way the first movement of the 
" Ocean " Symphony, — the b»st thinar that we know 
as vet anions: the orchestral works of Rubinstein. 
Both were admirably 1 terpreted. Three Morceaux 
de Salon for Piano and Viola. Mr. MuLLALT,op. 11, 
No. 8, were full f»f charm and finely played. A full 
Sr)nata for iht; same instrutnents, — the first — Op. 18, 
in G major, was given for the (ir-it time and proved 
highly interesting. — ^The second programme was as 
follows: 

Prelude and Fugue in E minor Mendelssohn 

Album "Notre Temps." N.». 7. 
Sonata for Piano and Cello [&fr. 1Iartt>eorx1, in B- 

minor, op 38 Joh. Brahms 

'fC\ Allegro nou troppo 
b Allefrreito auasi menuetto. 
'cj Finale Allegro. 

First time in this countrv. 
1. Biblical Sketch, op. 90, No. 2. "Tne w»lk to Em* 

maus," Carl Loewe 

Second tims. 
2i Intermerao. Allf^urert^. Tempo di menuetto, 

from Sonata for i^ano and Cello, op. 62. Kiel 
Arranged by Ernst Perabo: 
Sonata for Piano and Cclln in A minor, op. 62... Kiel 
n^ Allegro moderato, ma con spiri'.o. 
by ln:ermezzo. 
cl Adx^^iu con cspressione. 
4\ R 'ndo. Poco Allegretto e semplice. 
First time in this country. 



Miss Amt Fat gave a Piano Recital at Lyceum 
Hall, in Cambridge, on Wednesday evening, Jan. 
19, before a cultured and appreciative audience. 
Groat interest was felt to hear the young lady who 
was known to possess unusual talent before she went 
to Germany to study for six years, with the first 
masters, who had seen and hearl Liszt so much, and 
who had written from Weimar those brilliant and 
enthusiastic letters about him that were printed in 
the Atlantic Monthly, She played entirely alone, 
and all from memory, the following formidable and 
varied programme : 

Olgue ....Haesler 

[Old Composer of Bach's time.] 

Sonata Quasi Fantasia, op. 27, No. 1 .^Beethoven 

Andante, Allegro ed Allefp-o molto vivace— Adagio 

—Finale. 

Son.? without Words— Duetto Mendelssohn 

Chant Polonais— No. 6 Chopin 

Arranged for Piano by Frans Liszt. 

Moerchen [Fairy Story] Raff 

Gnomen-Reigeu [Elfln Dance] Liszt 



Andante Spianato and Polonaise, op 22 Chopin 

Canzonet Jensen 

Capriccio Rail 

Des Abends, [Evening] Schumann 

Valse Caprice, on Strauas's « Nachtfolter," [Night- 
Moths] Tausig 

It was a trying ordeal to sit there all alone before 
an audience for nearly two houis and recite all that 
exacting music from so many authors; but she 

Eassed through it triumphantly. Her technique is 
rilliant, her touch is full of vitality and nervous 
energy, her readings are intelligent, she has remark- 
able streno:th, and plays with verve and freedom, as 
well as with artistic accuracy. We likeJ her ren- 
dering of the Beethoven Sonata (in E flat) least of 
all ; that lacked light and shade and toning down ; 
although the Adagio was beautifully played. But 
to everything else she was fully equal ; and her 
execution was particularly fine and brilliant in the 
bricfht fairy things of Raff and Liszt, while in the 
Valse Caprice by Tausig, she overcame tremendous 
difficulties with graceful ease and certainty. — She 
makes New York her home at present, but we trust 
she may be heard in Boston before long. 

We have not yet succeeded in clearing off the slate, 
where there are still scored: another Harvard Concert, 
a Thomas matinee, the last two Philharmonic matinees, 
etc., etc. 



Those who are Interested in the description of 
WiECK*s method of pianoforte instruction, given in his 
book " Piano and Song " [a translation of which was 
published last year by Lockwood, Brooks & Co.] will be 
glad to learn that a large collection of the Etudet used 
by Wieck in his instruction have lately been issued in 
Germany by his daughter. They are not yet repub- 
lished in this country, but a few copies of the German 
edition can be obtained of Oliver Ditson & Co. 

Fricdrich Wieck was the early instructor of Dr. Hans 
von Buelow, 



M A LE Part-Sonos. In the letter which follows on the 
next page, we reco;;n{zo an oil f .lend. We think he is 
too sensitive and that he mistakes the point of the few 
hasty remarks we made about the lost " Apollo *' con- 
cert. We did not find fault with the Club for not sing- 
ing better and fresher things. In the veiy excuse he 
gives for the apparent monotony and poverty, and to 
some extent triviality of such programmes, viz., that the 
repertoire of noble pieces for male voices is necessarily 
soon exhausted, lies the whole point of our criticism, 
which was to show how barren after a little while this 
narrow field is certain to become. That we cannot, any 
more than the Apollo Committee, draw up a list of no- 
ble pieces to be added to the Antigone choruses, etc., 
which they have already sung, only proves our point. 
And it is always with some r^ret, mingling with the 
pleasure we take in their admirable singing, that we 
think of such rare and splendid vocal material spending 
itself almost exclusively on these tilings, when they 
might lend such vigor and success to choruses of mixed 
voices occupied with more important tasks. The part- 
song for men's voices is perfectly legitimate and fre- 
quently delightful in its own place; and our friend 

seems to agree with us as to where its own place is, 
namely the social club room or small hall. When it 
comes to a crowded concert in the Music HoII. one feels 
the disproportion of such large theatre and means to 
end. we certainly intended no invidious comparison 
with the Boylston Club; it only seemed to us that the 
programme of the younger body contained rather more 
things which we had not heard repeatedly, and some of 
them of quite a taking, iklquant character, albeit airy 
trifles. [We are not speaking of the Sacred music, ana 
we let the parallel of tne Palest rina chorus with a com- 
mon Psalm tune go for what It is worth.] We did not 
translate the WalU by Strauss. 



176 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OP MUSIC. 



Male Part-Songiw— The Apollo. 

BoHtOH, Jan. 24, 1876. 

DsAB Mr. Dwight. — ^You have given Jiuch a ter- 
rible castisrntion to one of vnur aset ilanta lately, 
that I am i7oin<; to ask yon whether you may not 
find yourself unjust to others sometimes. 

You have frequently alluded, in your notices of 
the Apollo Chib concerts, to the trivial character 
of the music suusp. and have asked why something; 
of a higher order is not attempted. In the last 
number of your Journal yovi reiterate the ch.arjife, 
saying : " In the little consequence of thn music it- 
self lies the secret of the fatigue " it occasions. In 
the paragraph following you commend the BoyUton 
Club programme because it ** contained some things 
Indicating a higher aspiration than part-songs." 
And " in the ransacking of the endless pile of part- 
songs, the Club seems to have been particularly 
happy in bringing to light interesting novelties." 

Now the fullowin:; pieces were upon the Apollo 
programme: two Orand Choruses by Mendelssohn, 
a lons^ Cantata by Illller. a new Gade part-song, one 
uf Mendelssohn's tenderest part-songs, and two of 
Hatton's. There were five novelties, one of which 
was a lone: Cantata. In the Boylston Club's pro- 
gramme were two unfamiliar pieces of Church music 
and an Angtltu, and notwithstanding that Club's 
" higher aspirations,** the well worn " II«»w can I 
leave thee," an Abt serenade, written for ^olo quar- 
tet, a dtranss Walti and other very trivial pieces 
filled out the prozramme. It is scarcely just, Mr. 
Dwight, to iterate charges of triviality in the music 
of one Club and praise the avoidance of it in anoth- 
er, when, if the progrtmmes are judged with any 
sort of fHirness. they would be found at least equally 
weighted with excellence. It seems odd that the 
translator of a vocalized Strauss Waltz for one 
Club should see little consequence in the works of 
Gade, Kilcken and Hatton in another. 

Yon are constantly asking why the Club does not 
attempt something better. What is there to at- 
tempt? The Music Committee of the Apollo Club 
has been, for years, endeavoring to g}ean all that is 
good, impressive and interesting from the field of 
Male four-part music. It has examined hundreds 
of compositions of all sorts, has seen the collections 
of other Clube, and has ransacked Europe for works 
of more importance than part-songs. It has now 
several of these in preparation ; but the great pab- 
ulum of Clubs of male-voices must be, of necessity, 
four-part songs. The great composers have con- 
tributed to these stores, and Mendelssohn, Weber, 
Schubert, Schumann, Franz, Gade, and scores of 
minor writers, have furnished the material on which 
such Clubs must feed. If triviality is inherent in 
brevity, then all of these worthies must bear the 
charge, for they have not sought to elevate the 
character of Liederkranz and Mannerchor by offer- 
ing important works. They have only taken some 
of the beautiful little poems of their language and 
set them to music. Neither does one want to sing 
Antigone and (Edipns choruses all tlie time. The 
mind is not always attuned to grandeur and profun- 
dity. You might as well find fault with us for read- 
ing Heine's tender love songs instead of Faust. Yau 
might as well call Tennyson's "Break, break, 
break " trivial reading and insist upon " Paradise 
Lost." The four-part songs of the great composers 
include some of their sweetest musical thoughts. 
They are, as the name iropliee, songs in four parta ; 
and the world is delighted with songs when it 
wearies of ponderous poems. The best effects of 
male Toices lie in the utterance of these, simpler 
thoughts. Compositions of wider scope demand all 
the effects which mingled male and female voices 
and instruments can together accomplish. Never- 
thelesa, if yon, Mr. Dwight, will furnish the Music 



Committee of the Apollo Club with a list of a dozen 
of the composition.<« you think belong to more im- 
portant efforts, you will do them a great favo/. 

During the four years of the Club's existence, it 
has produced nearly all the grand Choruses of 
Mendelssohn, all his choice minor pieces, Beotho- 
ren's chorus from the "Ruins of Athen.*," Schu- 
mann's " Foresters* Chorus." Lachner's " Hymn to 
Music " and " Warrior's Prayer," several of these 
with orchestra, and has given for the first time in 
the EnsflMh language, befire a Boston audience, 
over Eightft different compositions by Schumann, 
Weber, Schubert, Liszt, Hiller.Hauptmnnn, Lachner, 
Franz, Gade, KUcken, Marschner, Zftllner, Hatton 
and many others of ]es.Her note. Witii few excep- 
tions, these latter novelties have required trannla- 
tion and puhlicati.^n to mske them available. Spec- 
ial effort has been made to find works of greater 
scope and ^qnal initmi. It by no means follows 
thst a lengthy, important vcrk is interesting. In 
commenting upon Hlllers "Easter Moniing" a 
difficult thirtg requiring assiduous practice, you do 
not give the Club a word of commendation for at- 
tempting it, but diiimiss it with, "Her fMliS Lasar) 
voice lent the chief charm to Uiller's Easter Morn- 
ing." Surely this is no great encouragement to the 
Club to attempt important works. The trouble is 
that " somethini; hisrher " is not obtainable in quan- 
tity to occupy the time of a Club of sixty men meet- 
ing weekl}-, year after year, for musical enjoj'ment. 
You commend a sostenuto effect produced in Pales- 
trlna's sacred music. Ther^ is certainly as much 
sostenuto in Mendelssohn's "Voyage" or Gade's 
"Gondola Song" as in a strain which noways dif- 
fers from an ordinary Church Psalm-tune, sung in 
very slow time. How long such music could Inter- 
est and hold together a half a hundred men meeting 
weekly, it fs not difficult to predict 

And now exchanging all apology for afllrmation, 
I maintain that the b«ist, most interesting, most en- 
joyable music for male clubs, and that which peo- 
ple roost like to hear, Is this very fi»ur-part song 
music, combining tenderness, spirit, brilliancy, 
point, vigor and sympathetic thought. The songs 
were written, nearly all of them, for the delight of 
convivial g.ntherings ; and the members of our Or- 
pheus Club, the pioneer rf this music here, have for 
over twenty years continued to enjoy them, and 
have given undimtnlshed pleasure to the friends 
whom from time to time they have called around 
them to listen to the serenades, the war-songs, the 
love-songs, the drinking-songs in which they have 
themselves so much delighted. They do not find 
" fatigue " nor " cloying " in their sweetness. In an 
English dress, they delight a whole Music Hall full 
of the 6Iite of Er.usical Boston, when sung by Amer- 
ican Clubs, while the grander choruses, requiring 
hundreds of voices with orchestra for proper pres 
entation fall ineffectively upon the audience from 
the faint, pointless efforts of fifty men with a piano.' 
These Music Hall concerts are not, and from the 
very nature of things cannot be, invested with the 
capacity of oratorio. They are the performances in 
a very large hall of club-music written for club- 
rooms and only sung in the hall because it alone 
can accommodate the thousands who rush to hear it, 
unimportant though it may be. 

Still, to gratify all desires, the Apollo Club would 
gladly welcome any important musical works you 
may suggest to them, of which they have no knowl- 
edge, and which shall not merely have a name to 
recommend them, but which shall be positively in- 
teresting. I repeat that if you will kindly iurnlsh 
a list of such works, the Music Committee will 
doubtless be very grateful; If they are not to he 
found, then your reiterated strictures are unjust 

S. L. B. 



Sjuial |!t0tuis. 



DBSCUIITIVK LIST OF THB 
P«bllflh«id l»jr Ollrev DlM^a * G*. 



> >»i t 



Voeali with Plane AoooapaBiawBt 

The Pall-Back. Song and Dance. 3. Eft to f. 
». ^. , « . VoarfJntjfnen. 90 

The Old Sciseors Man. S. G to f. Sturmeek. SO 

•'SeisMrstoirrInd!" 
I hear the Bai\jo play. Song and Cho. 8. 

F to f. Danks. ft) 

Tonnmy, make room for your Uncle. 2. 

•^ to e. Lon»daie» 85 

John Jones. Song and Cho. 8. O to e. 

Siurmeck. 80 

** lie put hl« mnnoy Into bomlp. 
And ^t his enrreney, ey. ey.'* 
The altove five mnt\f[* srot mski\v> to ama«A. ami 
answvr llio purpo-v pirrrcclty aiwl prvttilr The flrat 
Imi-w mrry wi»H nlfiiit prpmlllnir fH<hlo-iii, the 
ii«xt mlmicii the whirr nf th«* S -iimnr mnn*ii wbrvl. 
the third Im like ih • wWi known m>n«ti\>I tmg^f tha 
next U n K^'fitlitidnc, hiUf taJklnjc aAilr, luidllieUut 
is wry scdHttfly funny. 

Our Patriot Flag. 8. E to r/. Hot^ley. 40 

*• B«>n«Hith thy f ildt w.« mnreh nt -Inty** call. 
With thc*e we'll oonqacr. or with ihee w«*ll flill." 

A powerful, hemie song, that Uquito In tuno with 
eonfeiinliil filing. 

God is Love, nymn Anthem. & Di^ to f. 

Buffinoton, 85 
*' BVn the hour thst darkeiit aeemciih. 
Will blA ehiinf(vle«« Koodiiens prm-e." 
One ftf '• Four HsrinnA In Anth«nn Porni." which 
nrs ea«y snd arMet'fal qnirt^A. eneh picoo eonialo* 
luf one tolo —this one for Alto voice. 

Put my Little Shoes awaj. Song and Cho. 
8. Aft to f . Pratt, 40 

" I Mm going to leart yr»u, ttother." 
LI'hngniph title. On^ of the nmple, tonching 
•onjr>« thftt plfbM BBore than anything of a higher 
grade. 

Farewell Song. Sad is my Heart. 8. Aft to f. 

QarrtU. 80 
«* How Md, words cannot tell.r 
Composed for the " fiiri>w«ll»* of n fnforite soprano 
on th« eve of hor dcpsnare, bat will be approprtate 
to fkrowelU in general. 

lastnuMBtal. 

Grand Waltz. Potpourri of Comie flgures in 

the German. a J,H Knight. 75 

A medlity of a namber of eooaie airs, arranged for 
a dancing act. 

Little One's Operatic Waltzes. 8. G. Jlaydiu 80 

Three or four favorite opera sirs ni*atly eomblocd. 

As happy aa a Bird. Moroeau de Silon. 

5* £6. FcMmaxL 60 

The rabjcct allows the Introdoetlon of a nvnaber 
of "bird Hong** which arc skillfully lued to oroa> 
ment a wry brilliant pkte. 

Yon Buelow. 
Invitation a la Polka.. Op. 8. 6. Ad. 75 

One of the ms«ter*s own plocen, and evidently 
worthy of lntr*ductioii nroonfc the claasle gams he 
bring* so attractively before the public. 

Sparkling Gems. Waltzes. 8. QruenwM. 60 

8ub«tltut« '-StrauM" for *« Oroenwald" and you 
would hiirdly notice the dlffereaee. Bright and tak- 
ing mu«lo. 

Take Care, March. 8. £6. Oung^L 80 

Wh^n you *' tiike care and beware** yon natnralty 
** march away.*' and ibis It an uncommonly bri«K 
tune (0-S time) to tramt» to. 

Caprice Heroique. Op. 07. A. £6. KotUng. 40 

Of a brilliant* doelded, "heroic** cbancter through- 
out. 

Fenella. Yalse de Salon. 4. E6. Mattel, 80 

A waits of a wild, romantic flavor: properly 
named. 

Three Sonatinas. By 7. KuhXau. Op. 9a 
No. 1. & C. 50 

** «. 8. G. 75 

" 8. 4. F. 75 

Xseellent Inatructlve - little aonataa." 



AnBaETiATioxs.— Dejp^eea of dlfllealty are mailcad 
1 to T. The jt«ir fa marked with a capital lette: aa C, B 
flat, Ac. A amall Roman letter marka tlie bisheat note, 
If on the staff, an Ualic letter the hlirbeit note, il above 
the Btaff. 



^rm^^ 



■«■ 




totglfs 




aErtial 





Whole No. 909. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, FEB. 19, 1876. 



Vol. XXXV. No, 23. 



Dr. Suaud G. Howe. 

Poem by Rev. Crarlbs T. Baooka, read by him in the 
Memorlel Services at die Boston Mvsic Hall. FOb. 8, 1876. 

At evening, in an Alpine vale, 

I watched the mountain summits white 

Flame ro^y red, then slowly pale 
Before the deepening sha!des of night 

When from the waning face of day 

The last faint shadow of a flu«h 
Behind the mountains died away, 

There fell a momentary hush. 

Then suddenly a thrill of awe 

Bang throtigli the silent vale— for lo I 

That spectral mountain-chain I saw 
Lit with a preternatural glow ; 

As if, behind that wall of snow, 
The sunken sun wei^e shinfng through, 

And smilins: to the world belnw 
One more last heavenly adieu I 

Who that hss seen those evening: shows 
Their look and voice can e*er forget f 

Can the pure world that then arose 
On the soul's vision ever set ? 

Though death's pale mountains hide the son 

Of noble lives from mortal eyes. 
Oh. deem not tlten their day Is done 1 

They sank in higher heavens to rise 1 

As through life's twilight vale we go, 
Time's pilgrims in this earthly land. 

Transpierced by that undying glow. 
How bright thoee shadowy mountains stand 1 

The boundary hills are they that rise 
And, looking on our earthly nighty 

Veil and reveal to mortal eye* 
The land of everlasting flight 

Nay, guardian shades of mfghtv dead, 

A cloud of witnesses for God 
Are tliey— that watch the road we tread, 

Whicli their ascending spiriU trod. 

A cloud of shining ones-Hi band 
Arrayed in raiment white as snow ; 

Tran^guring all this evening Und 
With a proplietie morning glow. 

Snch bright and blessed visiona cheer 
Our hearts, who here love's tribute pay; 

Through memory's sunset clouds shine clear, 
Bed omens of a heavenly day I 

Peace from the soufs bright track eomes down 
Like evening starlight on the vale I 

We see tlie victor's starrv crown. 
And say. Farewell 1 Farewell and Hail 1 

We feel a void which none can fill 
But He who filled that soul with light; 

In Him we know it lives, and still 
Shall work e'en here with kindling might 

*' The spirit of the Lord "—so spake 

His genius—** hath anointed me 
With power the prison doors to break, 

And set the darkened captives free. 

8o speaks the record of a life 

Whose breath was freedom, love and trntb; 
That kept in manhood's toil and strife 

The freshness and the fire of youth. 

True follower of the Son of Man, 

The Oapteia of Salvaaon— he 
Fought ever foremost in the van, 

Battling for light and liberty. 

But chiefly in the field— how blest 1 

Where Qenius works with Goodnnas— wher« 



Peace hath her victories — with zest 
Of tireless love, lie labored there. 

He gave — with what a keen delight I 

Eymi to the Jiugert of the blind. 
To fed the:r way with inner ligiit 

Along the sunny hilU of mind. 

And as a pilsrrim of tlie night, 
Groping hii» darksome way forlorn, 

Shows on his kindling cheeks the light 
Reflected from the breaking morn — 

So, as along the raised highway 

Their eager fingers hurried on. 
How o'er each sightless face the ray 

Of joy — an Inner sunrise — shone ! 

NaT. was there one who seemed by fate 
Cut off from converse with her kind, 

Death's liberating hand to wait 
In threefold walts-^eaf, dumb and blind t 

E'en there his patient love could find. 
By the fine thread of touch, a way 

To guide the cropini;, strujorirlinsr mind 
From its dark labyrinth into day. 

All these now monrn for him, os they 
That sorrow wh^n a father dies ; 

A deeper shadow clouds Iheir day, 
A sun has vanished from their skies ! 

For now hit eyes are sealed I — ^but when 
They meet him in the home on high, 

The shepherd and his flock shall then 
Soe face to face and eye to eye. 



>«^^\/vs^^^^v^^ 



Xartial Mnfio in Oermaay. 

[From The MuHcml Wmid, London. Jan. 22.] 

Since the commencement of the pTesent cen- 
tury, numerons occasional pieces have been 
pahliahed, especially in Vienna and during the 
Wars of I>eUverence. to celebrate every impor- 
tant feat of arms. The numl>er of *' political" 
dramatic performances and concerts, during 
the years 1818. 1814, and 1815, is well nigh 
incalculable. It is a remarkable fact, too, that, 
at this epoch, cqmposers of the first rank took 
part in politics with important works. Beetho- 
ven's SMacht bei Vittoria, {The BaUU of ViOo- 
ria) was undoubtedly the most popular among 
them. It was played for the first time, on the 
8th December, 1813, in the great hall of the 
University, Vienna, and was got up by MSlzel, 
the mechanician (who took the opportunity to 
exhibit his "Mechanical Trumpeter**) for the 
benefit of the Austrians and Bavarians wounded 
in the battle of Hanau. Beethoven himself 
conducted the remarkable performance, in 
which all the most prominent artists of Vienna 
took part, Spohr and Mayseder, for instance, as 
violinists: Hummel at the big drum; and Sa- 
Ueri as diiector of the alarums. 

The SMacht hei ViUoria was repeated on tbe 
12th December, and also frequently during the 
few following years. Its vigorous and highly 
popular realism assured for it unfailing sue- 
cees, as long as the War of Deliverance was 
still fresh in men's minds. By earnest judges, 
it is true, many stem things were said about 
the work, which, though one of Beethoven's 
greatest succeases, constitutes only an unim- 
portant leaf in his wreath of laurels. *' Tbe 
women now know to a tittle all about a battle, 
but it is a long while since anyone has under- 
stood what music is," wrote Zelter to Qoethe. 

In Prague the SMaM hei Vittoria was given 
twice, and. as C. M. v. Weber wrote to Roch* 
litz **fldaWy proved a failure." ** Probably" 
he went on to say, '^ because too much was 
expected, and because the attempt at real-bat- 



tle-painting is always a ticklish and unworthy 
piece of business." 

Beethoven had a share in two other occasion- 
al pieces celebrating the War of Deliverance. 
The first was the music to Dunker's patriotic 
drama of Leonare Proehtuka (martial chorus,* 
romance, and melodramatic pieces, unpub- 
lished). He scored, also, the *Tuneral March" 
from the A flat major Sonata, Op. 26, to be 
played during the performance of the same 
drama. His other important labor was the 
Cantata; Der ghrr^ehB AugeMiok {The gUniaui 
Moment), by Professor A. Weissenbach, of 
Salzburg. This occasional piece (not pub- 
lished until after Beethoven's death) is styM 
in the original manuscript, Der heilige Au- 
geMiek {The ^^eaered^^ Moment), It was per- 
formed at Beethoven's concert, on the morning 
of the 20th November, 1814, before all the 
Sovereigns, great Lords and Ladies of the Vi- 
enna Congress, and repeated on the 2nd De- 
cember. When Castelli, in his Memokre, calls 
the Imperial Councillor and Professor of Sur- 
gery, Dr. Weissenbach, a 'Mlstingnished poet," 
and his poetic effusion " genuine pearls." Cas- 
telli's verdict is more than friendly. But it 
was not the text alone that was mortal in 
Beethoven's Cantata. F. Rochlitz adapted to 
the music another and a better text: Die heete 
Ton {Ths beet Tone), but could not permanently 
rescue the composition. Lastly, Beethoven 
furnished two smaller contributions for the fes- 
tival pieces: Oute yaehricht (1814), and DU 
EhrenpfarU (1816). A few days after Beetho- 
ven's Sehlacht hei Vittoria {Batde of Vietoria), 
a (Cantata Die Sehlacht hei Leipdg {the Battle of 
Leip$ie\ by Paul Maschek, was performed at 
the Christmas Concert of the Society of Musi- 
cians. It was characterized by C. M. von We- 
ber as ' *a monstrosity of bad declamation, noise, 
and triviality." 

Another musical Schlaeht hei Ldpne was pro- 
duced by Friedrich Starke, a regimental band- 
master, in the large Redoutensaal, Vienna, 
(1816), with the aid of five regimental bands, 
80 trumpets, 80 drums, rattles, csnnon, etc. 

^ After the Battle of Leipsic, there were fes- 
tive pieces and cantatas without end. Caroline 
Pichler famished Spohr with the text for a 
Cantata; Die Befreiung Deuteehland'e {T^ De- 
Uteranee of Oermany), The composition was 
completed in March 1814, but could not be per- 
formed as it was impossible, to obtain the use 
of the Grand Redoutensaal, and, after the de- 
struction of the large Apollo-Saal, there was 
not a second large concert room in Vienna. It 
was not till 1816 that Spohr heard his Cantata 
at the musical Festival of Frankenhausen ; it 
was performed at Vienna in 1810. 

The news of the entry of the Allies into Par- 
is (4th April, 1814) reached Vienna on the 11th 
April, and sent every one into a state of joyous 
excitement. Fr. Trietschke had written for 
the welcome event, and caused to be rehearsed, 
a one-act piece interspersed with song^. Gate 
Ufaehricht {Good Newe). With this occasional 
piece, the most successful which appeared at 
this remarkable period, was the puulic of the 
Kfimthnerthor Theater surprised, on the very 
day that brought intelligence of the tStking of 
Paris. The musical numbers in it (partly 
adapted and partly composed on purpose) were 
by Mozart, Beethoven, Weigl, Hummel, Gyro- 
wetz, and Kanne. The return of the Emperor 
to Vienna was celebrated by all sorts of occa- 
sional pieces. The manager of the Eftmthner- 
thor Theater produced, on the 18th June, 1814, 
Die Weihe der Zakunft {The Coneecration of the 
Future), the book by Sonnleithner, the music 
by Weigl ; while at the Theatre an der Wlen 



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178 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



tliero was broutrht out VU Rackfahrt de$ Kai- 
sers ( The Emperor^s Return), a piece interspersed 
with songs by Dr. Emanuel Veithl (celebrated 
subsequently as a preacher), and music by 
Hummel. The manager of the last-named 
theatre was, also, exceedingly active in pretting 
up concerts for ** those connected with the 
Deutschmeister Regiment,** ** for those wound- 
ed at Kulm," etc., etc. Patriotic recitations 
and songs, by Emanuel Veithl. Castelli, Weis- 
senbach, Caroline Pichler, with music by 
Weigl, Salieri, Gyrowetz, etc., as well as * Pat- 
riotic Tableaux," with explanatory sonnets by 
Fr. Ticitschka (** Louisa Procliaska" being of 
course a necessary feature in them), were the 
order of the day. ^ 

The festivities of the Congress of Vienna 
gave more occupation to virtuosi than to com- 
posers. The number of new occasional pieces 
was smalt, and people managed with the best 
of the old ones. A patriotic piece, interspersed 
with songs. DieEhrenjrforU {The Portal of Eon- 
our\ by Fr. Treitschke, performed at the 
KSrnthnerthcr Theater, on the«15th, IGth, and 
28rd July, 1815, and then with ** appropriate 
alterations," on the 3rd and 4th October, in 
honor of the Emperor's Saint's Day, was decked 
out with music by Mummel, B. A. Weber, Scy- 
fried, Weigl, and Beethoven. (The final mel- 
ody was by the last.) 

The only notable musical work directly cele- 
brating the presence of the Sovereigns was 
Beethoven's Olorreieher Angenhliek, a wonder- 
ful moment in the democratic career of him 
who created the Eroiea. An important occa- 
sional piece, C. M. von Weber's Cantata, Kampf 
vnd 8ieg {Battle amd Victory), to which the com- 
poser attached especial value, was never, as far 
as I know, produced in Vienna; it was, how- 
ever, performed most successfully at Prague in 
1816. A 3'ear previous Weber published in the 
advertisement sheet of the Leipziger AUgemeine 
Muaikseitung the following notice: — 

''On the subject of the Battle of La Belle 
Alliance, I have undertaken the composition of 
a Cantata with the title Kampf mid Sieg, to 
celcbnite the annihilation of the enemy in the 
year 1815, a fact I deem it necessary to make 
public, for the purpose of preventing the 
unpleasantness of others selecting the same 
theme." 

According to this, he strongly suspected the 
patriotic fertility of his colleagues, and he had 
reason for so doing. The series of musical 
descriptive effusions which then appeared was 
endless. Steibelt wrote a grand Pianoforte 
Fantasia, ** Die Zerstorung von Moscow " 
(**The Destruction of Moscow,") in which the 
.** Marlborough Song," **God Save the King," 
and all kinds of national marches figured ; in 
which the fiight of the army was portrayed, 
etc. G laser published a ** Schlacht bei Belle 
Alliance" (**The Battle of Belle Alliance,") 
text by Pustkuchen, for voice and pianoforte 
accompaniment; Heydenrich, an orchestral 
picture, entitled **Die Schlacht bei Aspern " 
(**The Battle of Aspem.") etc. 

The most famous and most enduring ^ift 
made by music to the national spirit of the time 
were C. M. von Weber's settings of Theodor 
Korner's Leier und Schwert (composed in 1814). 
The enthusiasm in this case was no affected 
enthusiasm, but darting, flashin^ir fire, that 
warmed and lighted up everything. These 
songs were, at one and the same timu, costly 
musical gems and a political power; they are, 
properly speaking, the only specimens of the 
occasional music of that period which have 
lasted to the present day. In Vienna, it was 
comparatively a long time before Leier und 
Schuei't were known. As far as I am aware, it 
was not until after 1820 that any of the music 
was played there, a fact which is the more 
striking, as the poet, Theodor K5rner, was so 
well known and so highly esteemed in the Aus- 
trian capital. For K5rner, personally, art 
came forward with only a very modest com- 
memorative tribute, namely an: ^^Elocutionary 
Entertainment as funereal Celebration for Th. 
K0mer," which was given by his friend, Th. 



von Sydow, on the 11th March, 1814, in the 
larjje room of the Koninn Emperor. 

It is worthy of remark that the Society of the 
Friends of Music, also, the most important mu- 
sical institution in Austria, sprang up under 
the patriotic tendencies of the year 1812, and 
actually won official recognition of its exist- 
ence in the sunbeams of the Vienna Congress. 
It is true that the development of musical dilet- 
tanteeism in Vienna had, in the natural course 
of things, been working up to the organization 
and unison of the various elements involved, 
and would (though not till somewhat later per- 
haps) have attained this end even without the 
War of Deliverance, But the decisive outward 
impulse was really a patriotically political im- 
pulse; the musical amateurs of Vienna wanted 
to organize a grandiose entertainment for the 
benefit of the inhabitants of the Marchfeld, who 
had been most severely hit by the war. The 
entertainment was the performance of Handel's 
Timotheiis in the Imperial Riding School (then 
granted for the first time for a musical object), 
on the 29tli November, 1812. The receipts 
amounted to between 19,000 and 20,000 florins, 
Viennese currency, to which the Emperor con- 
tributed 1.000 florins more. On the 3rd De- 
cember, the performance was repeated, and 
brought in 14,000 florins. During the sitting 
of the Congress, the Association received the 
sanction of the Emperor Francis — a few days 
after it had performed Ilanders Sftmson before 
the assembled inonarchs. Caroline Pichler, 
who sang in the chorus on the occasion, informs 
us, in her Dankwurdigkeiteny that nil those who 
took part in the performance had to appear in 
full dress, the ladies in white with ornaments, 
the gentlemen in black tail-coats witfi crush 
hats. This etiquette and the injunction to ab- 
stain from all applause addressed to the public, 
spread, unfortunately, ** a chilling atmosphere 
over the performers." 

An echo of these political events was heard 
in F. W. Berner's cantata: **Feier des allge- 
meinen Friedens") ('^The Celebration of Uni- 
versal Peace,") given in 1818 at the Burgthea- 
ter, and the performance of Spohr*s Brfreites 
DeutscJiland {Germany freed), in 1810. From 
that time political strains were totally silent 
down to March, 1848. 

Ed. Ha^slxck. 



»»^ » 



The "Edinburgh Eeview" on Wagner. 

The writer, in the prefatory portion of his 
essay, thus describes the present stage of mu- 
sical art: — 

Of all the forms of art practised in the present day, 
there is but one which is the result of an impulse 
and feeling peculiar to the modern period, and hav- 
ing no reference to precedents of a former age. 
Misic is the offdprini? of the latest spriniftide of cre- 
ative energy, which has reached its hei<;ht, we may 
almost say, within the experience of men of the 
present generation. It is true that in a certain 
sense the pedigree of the art may bo traced further 
back than such an observation would suggest. 
Wilhotit counting the echoes of popular or of relig- 
ious song which reach our ears faintly from more 
remote periods, we have the solemn interwoven 
harmonies of the school of Palestrina, and the part 
songfl and madrigals which i;ave a sober goiety to 
the festivities of old English homes. But mu!>in 
has run a new and great career since Milton invoked 
the " Sphere-born harmonious sisters, Voice and 
Verse," Not to speak of the extension of their com- 
bined triompht in Oratorio and (with certain limi- 
tations to be hereafter considered) in Opera, it has 
been long since discovered that the younger sister 
was not dependent on the elder — that music had 
her own language and her own utterances apart from 
poetry, and had strength and resources for pursuing 
nor own independent course. Commencing with 
forms of composition appealing rather to the reason 
than the fancy of the listener — with exposiiionfl of 
the logical elaboration of themes according to a pro 
scribed form and in direct reference to a scientific 
basis — instrumental music has gradually invaded 
the realms of sentiment and imagination, has extend- 
ed and amplified her forms of expression, and called 
to her aid new resources in the tone-coloring afibrd- 
ed by the timbre of her various organs of f^peech, 
till iu th« Symphony, as developed by Beethoven, 



we have some of the deepest and mo«t intense ex- 
pressions of poetic foelinij: which have ever stirred 
the h'*ort8 of mankind. After such a triumph an 
anticlimax wa-* innvitahle ; and thouirh we can by 
no means say that the poetic fire has been qnonchrd 
— though new and genuine voices have »»f»oken to 
us since th«»n. if not with the Mine deep path<»«», yet 
in tones which have the touch of ori'^inal genius — 
we cannot expect but that mu^ic, following the annl- 
oi>:y of all previous iormn of art-cr<*ation. shonld 
*' have its winter, too, of pale misfealure ; " nor can 
we shut our eye« to the piijns that we arc pissing 
from the great period of spontnneous musical art 
into the literary and fielf-conscious phase wfilcli usu- 
ally marks the deirllne of an art; the p««riod of 
weighing: and criticizine:. definini; principles and 
aims, which has never hitherto been largfelr in- 
dnlged in until the minds of men, set free from their 
absorbing interest in the pro<luction of great works, 
have been at leisure to resrard their art as a subject 
for speculation and theorizing. 



t( 



If. however," the writer goes on to say, 
*^we find the present cri.sisin musical art char- 
acterized by this peculiarity, that these very 
critics themselves proclaim the decease of mu- 
sic in regard to its hitherto accepted forms, 
while they point to a composer who promises 
to give renewed and even higher life to the art 
by leading its streams into a new channel; if 
this musical prophet bases his claims not only 
on critical writings displaying, in spite of some 
bigotry and one-sidcdncss, a distinct, and, in 
some respects, a consistent theory, but upon 
compositions of the most ambitious character 
in regard to scale and elaboration; if these 
compositions have found acceptance with a 
considerable and apparently increasing public; 
such a claitn certainly merits serious and im- 
partial consideration from all who are interest- 
ed in the art." With this preface the critic in 
the Edinburgh Eevieir addresses himself to dis- 
cuss the opera, and Wagner's notions for its re- 
form. He says: — 

Musical drama, commonly called opera, is a form 
of art which has not been much in theodor of sanc- 
tity. Its logical basis, as a ci>mbination of poetry 
und mnsic. has been little considered ; and while the 
opportunities it presents for brilliant climax of 
musical and spectacular effect have made it alwa^-s 
a favorite entertainment wi-h the wealthier section 
of the mob (using the word in Fielding's sense), by 
the minority who take their pleasure thoughtfully 
it has usually been regarded, in England especially, 
as an illicit union of music and diaroa, greatly to 
the dishonoring of the latter; and our literature, 
from Swift and Addison to Thackeray, abounds in 
gibes on the subject, intensified perhaps by the hick 
of musical organizations and sympathy in the K'Uf- 
lish literary mind since the Elizabethan era. But 
even in Germany, where opera has always ranked 
more as an art and less as a mere entertainment 
than with us, there has been a frequently recurring 
dissatisfaction amongst thoughtful critics with the 
one-sided principle on which the marriage of niu>ie 
with not very immortal verse has been carried out. 
and which is curtly summeil up by Wagner in his 
definition of the popularly accepted idea of opera 
as "a tightly-built scaffolding of musical forms, t<» 
which the poetry was to conform.'* In other words, 
the primary object of opera having usually been to 
give opportunity for brilliant or passionate musical 
expression, with whatever adilitional effect could he 
contributed by Miiectacle and by free action on the 
Dart of the singers (which latter is a more impor- 
tant clenrent in the effect of declamatory singing 
than is sometimes recognized), the result came to1>e 
that the musician had it all his own way (alwa\-s 
with due submission to the singers), the story and 
situation being regarded merely as furnishing the 
needful opportunities for composer and singers to 
display their respective powers. As it was not to 
be expected that any dramatic poet of genius would 
move in these shackles, operatic libreUi afforded in 
general only too good an excuse for the ridicule of 
the English critics before-mentioned — for the sar- 
casm of Voltaire, *• Ce qui eni Crop »d pour etre dit, 
on le chantc,*' — for the contemptuous wonderment 
expressed by Goethe at the *' arrangement in some 
people's natures " by which they wore enabled to 
enjoy beautiful music, though illustrating a misera- 
ble subject — for such a more serious and detailed 
arraignment of opera as tha': quoted from a German 
critic of the laet century by Professor Rltter, whose 
two lectures on Opera, forming the fourth and 
eighth chapters in his lectures ou the ** History of 






35 



4MWta 



Z:ZZS!3EE 



^^.^^.•.- .> .fU-Jl..^ 



1^ 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, FEB. 19, 1876. 



179 






Music,** should be rend by those who are interested 
on the subject : — 

" In that extraordinary spectacle to which the 
Italians had p^ivon the name ^^f opera^ there is to bo 
found such a^mins^lina: of the threat and the smaU, 
the beautiful and tasteless, that I hesitate in what 
terms to write abrHit it. In the best of operns, we 
see and hear such stupid and trivial thinj^s. that wc 
niitcht think them only calculated for children, or 
for a childi.4h populace ; and in the midst of their 
revolting; silliness, passaixes occur that pierce the 
heart with horror, fear, pity, or refined voluptuous 
ness. A scene, duHnc: which we have forgotten 
ourselves, and felt the liveliest interest in the char- 
acters, is followed by one in which the same char, 
acters strike us as blunderinp; fools, awkwardly try- 
ing to astonish and alarm a vul^rar crowd. While 
we cannot bear to recall the senselessness which 
lias dissrusted as in the opera, we cannot help re- 
membering its charm'.n:; scenes witii emotion, or 
without wisliine: that artists would unite to make of 
this sreat spectacle that perfect thing which it is 
capable of becoming. The opera misrhtbe the most 
powerful of all spectacles, bef«use all the fine arts 
unite in it ; but it is a proof of the superficiality of 
the moderns that they have lowered, and exposed 
to contempt, all the arts." (Sulzer: Huorie der 
tchdnen KuntUn). 

Withoat noticing the serious non tequitur 
that the opera ** might be the most powerful 
of all spectacles lecauteAW the fine arts unite 
in it '^ (the truth being that union of arts is but 
too apt to result in weakness, tMf« opera itself), 
the writer shows that Gluck in a measure an- 
ticipated Wagner's theories, but considers that 
the earlier reformer did not carry his princi- 
ples to their logical results. He* proceeds to 
say truly — 

The problem, of coarse, really turns upon the 
question, what degree of conventionality is aimed 
at in musical drama? All dramatic art of high 
class is conventional — is removed from the plane of 
realism — and we require that the special standard 
of conventionality adopted should oe consistently 
maintained. A perfectly logical scheme of lyrical 
drama may be framed, if we regard the music as 
only employed to illustrate, heighten, and prolong 
the expression of feeling at certain points where it 
rises to a climax suitable for lyrical utterance ; the 
intermediate or connecting links of the poem being 
treated in a more desultory musical form (recita- 
tive), chiefly with the view of preserving t^^nal unity 
and continuity. This principle is very nearly real- 
ized in such an opera, for instance, as '*Don Gio- 
vanni ; " indeed, the adherents of Wagner admit 
that the dramatic demands of opera were by no 
moans overlooked in the main by Mozart, whom, in 
fact, they rather adroitly manage to claim as an ally 
on the plea that he " unconsciously worked to the 
same end," though they (correctly) adduce instances 
in which he uses the lyric form where the stage sit- 
uation does not admit of it ; as, for instance, in the 
duet in '* Figaro " before the page jumps out of the 
window. But there is nothing essentially illosncal 
or shockinic: to the critical sense io this form of lyr- 
ic drama, if consistently carried out ; the conditions 
of the representation are understood beforehand ; 
there is really no more esthetic Inpaiu in it than in 
people talking in blank-verse or rhymed couplets in 
the spoken drama. It may no doubt be objected 
that in such a form of conrposition the music is of 
primary and the poem of secondary importance, but 
It must be remembered that much of the cfTect and 
even the meaning of the music are dependent upon 
the existence of well-contrasted characters and tel- 
ling ** situations," which roust be defined by the po- 
I et, not to say that the very objection supposed in- 
volves a begging of the question and an entire 
shifting of the ground cf criticism. Waiving that, 
however, it must we think, be admitted that there 
is a consistent form of lyrical drama, which has been 
the point de depart in the operatic works of Mozart, 
Beethoven, and Weber (not to mention lesser 
names), and which Hcrr Wagner himself adheres 
to, to a considerable extent, in his '* Tannh&user." 
But there is also what we should distinguish as mu- 
ncnl drama, in which the poem occupies altogether 
the first place, and in which the musical setting is 
employed purely as a means of adding force and 
coloring to dramatic expression, and the musical 
form compelled to bend entirely to the form and 
progress of the drama. To this principle of the 
combination of music and drama Gluck's method 
tended, though, as we have inferred, he never fully 
realized it, the outlines of the old regular musical 
forms constantly showing themselves through the 



dramatic veil hun? before them ; and this principle 
Wagner has d«*finitively adopted in its entirety, as 
the only legilimste and satisfactory solution of the 
problem of the union of music with dramatic story 
and stage action. 

Tracing the development of Wagner's mind 
as shown by his earlier works, the writer of 
the article reminds us of the raiion d'etre of 
** Tristan and Isolde," which is probably, or 
might be, the next work of Wagner's to be 
produced in England. The reformer was writ- 
ing his great tetralogy : — 

The composition of such a work of course spread 
over some years ; and it was whilst still enga«red in 
it that he was induced, partly by hearing of the 
growing accept-ance of his earlier works on the part 
of the public, to pause from his task for the compo- 
sition of a smaller opera which would give him the 
chance of at once hearing something of his own 
written in accordance with his latest feelings and 
views on the art. The work written in accordance 
with this impulse is " Tristan and Isolde," which is 
in fact later in order of composition than most of 
the Tetralogy, which repre-sents more completely 
than any other of his works the artistic result of the 
theory of opera which he has evolved and to which 
he may be said to have pledged himself. In this 
work the subordination of the music to the drama, 
or, as its composer w^ould probably prefer to say, 
the interpenetration of the two, is complete. Not a 
vestige of lyrical form is left (f*aving a rousrh song 
by the men on Tristan's vessel in praise of his ex- 
ploits) ; the operatic chorus has utterly disappeared, 
and " the entire extent of the music is, as it were, 
presented in the tissue of words and verses — that is 
to say, that the musical melody is alread3' contained 
in the poem." The step from "Tannhauser" to 
•* Tristan " is accordingly, as the composer himself 
observes, much longer than that from " Rienzi" to 
"TannhiLuser." We may readily concede that a 
much more intimate am^ilgamation between the po- 
em and the music is attained by this method of pro- 
cedure, and find no diflliculty in believing that this 
prefigui'ation of the musical form in the poem may 
nave proved rather a help and a stimulus than a 
hindrance in composing the latter. There remains 
the question, '* whether by^ this procedure the musi- 
cal form of melody is not prejuiiiced by being de- 
prived of its freedom of movement as well as devel- 
opment ? " That is indeed the point upon which we 
are disposed to think Wagnerian opera must ulti- 
mately stand or fall. 

Of Herr Wagner's theoretic basis for the position 
he assumes we must say at once that it appears to 
us to be eqtially contradicted by nature and by art- 
history. We can hardly be expected to waste space 
in collecting formal evidence that the love of rhythm- 
ical accent is something inherent in human nature, 
and not dependent on accidents of time, place, and 
habit ; we may just allude to the fact, certainly not 
insignificant, that even the very physical basis of 
music is rhythm, since the distinction between what 
we recognize as musical sounds and those which are 
not so consists in the isochronous character of the 
vibrations in the former. The statement of the case 
on historical grounds, methodical as it appears in 
Herr Wagner's way of puttins: it, is based upon a com- 
plete m^i^'o prineipif. Granting that we hnd data 
sufficient to enable us to say positively that Greek 
music consisted in rhythmical tunes used only as an 
accompaniment to the dance, why is the dance to be 
the cause and the music the effect ? Surely it were 
at least as reasonable to regard both ha springing 
from the same innate tendency to rhythmical ex- 
pression ; or even to go further and regard the dance 
as arising out of the music, and impossible without 
it. The tune can be invented and played without 
the dance ; the latter cannot be danced without the 
tune. Admitting, however, the dance-form of pre- 
historic music to be established, Wagner points to 
the noble school of unrhythmical polyphonous mu- 
sic of which Palestrina was the great name, and 
asks who, after hearing his " Stabat Mater," and 
contrasting it with the mere tune- writing of the 
modern Italian opera, " could suppose the latter to 
be the legitimate! daughter of that wondrous moth- 
er ? " Fully sympathizing with the main tendency 
of the feeling' implied by the question, we reply, 
that even supposing the' historical connexion be- 
tween the two bchools cannot be traced (as we think 
it can), the deduction as to the inherent supremacy 
of music unfettered by rhythm is no fair one from 
the premises. In the first place it must be remem- 
bered that the early Italian church school, however 
grand and elevated in style, is very restricted in its 
range, and is in fact, only the somewhat monoto- 



nous though solemn and impressive rendering of a 
special phase of religious feeling ; while it would be 
most unfair t'O den3' to the modern Italian school 
the creation of melcdies, some of which have stirred 
all hearts, and whose charm, such as it is, seems to 
be imperishable. But the Vighigenre of the modern 
Italian school crenerally — the " poverty of harmonic 
basis" which Wagner satirizes — is no intrinsic char- 
acteristic of rhythmical music. The German school 
also "reverted" (if we are so to speak) to the 
rhythmical or '* dance-tune " form of melody, and 
treated it polyphonally in a grand series of works 
the greatness of which Wagner does not venture to 
deny ; and the fair comparison would be between 
this and the early Italian school — ^between polypho- 
nous melody plus rhythm and polyphonous melody 
minnt rhythm. We' will not insult the critical fac- 
ulty of our readers by asking them whether or not 
they consider the choral works of Handel and Bach, 
or the school of instrumental music which culminat- 
ed in Beethoven, an extension of the boundaries of 
the art as practised by Palestrina and his compeers. 
The educated world, with the exception of a few 
ecclesiological enthusiasts, has fully made up its 
mind on that point. A somewhat similar logical 
fallacy is apparent in Warner's assertion, repeated 
still more authoritatively oy his literary satellites, 
that BO far from melody being cramped or interfered 
with by his system, it is greatly extended, and that 
his operas are, in fact, one succession and blending 
of melody from beginning to end. It is obvious that 
this is a mere arbitrary playing with language. We 
all know what we mean by *' melody; " and if its 
essence be more easily felt than defined, we at least 
know that it is dependent on measured accent in 
time as well as on measured Intervals in pitch, for 
that symmetrical proportion which gives it an indi- 
vidual and recognizable form. Wagner may plead 
that his music presents opportunity for higher ex- 
pression than can be at(^ined through melodic form, 
out it is absurd to pretend that he is offering the 
world the quality which it understands by the term 
" melody." It is open to a dramatic poet to main- 
tain, if ' he please, that prose is a more suitable or 
even a nobler means of expression for his art than 
verse, but he would be justly derided if ho were to 
uige that it was in fact the highest and most com- 
plete development of verse. 

Passing by for the moment the question, 
whether the principle of musical composition 
advocated by Wagner is absolutely a higher 
development of the art, the writer in the Edin- 
burgh asks if it is so relatively to the objects 
and theory of the musical drama. Is it the best 
and most consistent theory of the union of mu- 
sic and poetry ? 

Admitting at once that such a form of art must 
in the end l>e judged ty its results — by its power 
over the listener's feeling (which is the sole defence 
that can be set up for the form of meet works now 
occupying the l^'ric stage), and that we have hith- 
erto nad scant opportunity for forming such a judg- 
ment, we can nevertheless hardly fail to see that 
the consistency of Wagner's method is sorely men- 
aced when subjected to f n Impartial examination. 
We noticed above the differentiation between the 
methods of poetry and music respectively ; the pow- 
er of concentration in the former, the almost absolute 
need of extension and repetition in the latter. This 
has been well brought out by Mr. Matthew Arnold 
in his thoughtful little essay in verse, rather than 
poem, " An Epilogue on Le8sing*8 Laocoon," where 
tie discriminates the province of music, in relation 
to words, by inntancing the depth and extension 
which the musician imparts to the feeling expressed 
in such a concentrated phrase m Afiserere Domine — 

Beethoven takes the two 

Poor wounded words, and makes them new; 

• • • • 

Page alter page of music turn 

And St 11 they glow and still thej bam* 

Eternal, passion-f ranght, and free, 

" AUerer* Ihmiru." 
So Handel, when he would tell us how " the child- 
ren of Israel sighed, by reason of the burdens," does 
so by the repetition, the persistence with which the 
grief and sighing are drawn out until the impression 
has sunk into our hearts. So, to glance at instru- 
mental music, when Beethoven invented that deep- 
ly pathetic aUeffrettoln his Seventh Symphony, it is 
not by the mere enunciation of the theme that he 
touches us ; it is not till the leading proposition, so 
to speak, has been drawn out, repeated, amplified, 
contrasted, heard now in this form now in that, till 
its last broken accenta die on our ears, that we real- 
ize the feeling which he meant to awaken in our 



tfte 



180 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



souls. But the compositions referred to are not 
dramatic in their form. True : but do not such ex- 
amples, and innumerable othirs, practicnlly tentifv 
to the truth of the theory as stated by Mr. Arnold, 
and does it not follow that in a system which im- 
plies the detailed interpenetration of the music and 
the poem, precisely the reverse of tlie old error has 
been committed — that the music has been sacrificod 
to the poem ? And yet further inconsistencies seem 
to arise as we look more closely at the conditions of 
the combination. Whatever his contempt for Hiythm, 
the composer is obllsjed to employ the divi«ion into 
"bars" which orij^inated with rhythm — ^the Tery 
possibility of grettiny: his music executed depends 
upon it ; and so we find him not only in his latest 
work, but even in many parts of" Lohengrin" in a 
continual strife between the rhythmical accent im- 
plied by the barring, and the effort to conceal and 
escape from it by devices of syncopation and other 
means of breaking up and nullifying the recurring 
bar accent. This is a matter of form comparatively ; 
a still stranger inconsistency is that rhythm ahould 
be retained in its most marked and recurrent form 
in the versification, and yet that the consistency of 
the music with the poem is to be obtained by oblit- 
erating the rhythm of the latter. There seems to us 
to be an absolute perversity of reasoning implied in 
such a method. Then, i^in. though the poem and 
the dramatic action are to be the basis of the whole, 
without which the music can have no locus ttattdi 
whatever, yet the actors, who are to sing the words, 
are in the musical construction complet«ly seconda- 
ry, and in absolute bondage to the orchestra, in the 
fetters of whose intricate movement thej' are entan- 
gled. This is a singular result of a theory which 
professes to regard " the human word " as the pt i- 
mal cause and motive of music. Surely the theory 
of what we have called lyrical drama (as distinct 
from m^mcal drama), in which music in its extended 
forms of construction is used t« amplify and intensi- 
fy the emotional expression at the great crisis of the 
poem, is as consistent es this. Wagner himself ad- 
mits the power and beauty attained by some of the 
great composers in this genre of opera — admits also 
that in their finest scenes they have entirely sur- 
morinted what is (no doubt) the weak point in it, 
" the juxtaposition of absolute recitative and abso- 
lute aria, so detrimental to a perfect style,** and that 
the recitative haa received already with' them, in 
in such cases, "a melodic and rhythmic signifi- 
cance, and unites itself insensibly with the broader 
structure of melody proper.** Tet. in his pursuit of 
that ignis fatune, a perfectly logical theory, the mod- 
ern composer, instead of working up to its further 
capabilities a system which he admits to have pro- 
duced such great effects, cuts the knot by discard- 
ing altogether what he here truly defines as '* the 
broader structure of metody proper," and adopting 
the imperfect recitative form, as the sole means of 
expresaion for the deeper emotions as well as for the 
lesser incidents of his drama. A greater unity of 
form, a more close connexion between words ana 
music, may be thus obtained ; but it is at the ex»t 
of forbidding to music all her old freedom of flight, 
of dipping her wings and putting her in a strait- 
jacket. 

(To be Continued.) 



« <^» ■ 



F. A. Gore Oueley on the History of 
Church Mniie. 

[From the London Musical Standard.] 
(Concluded from Page 171.) 

This then was the way in which the old ecclesias- 
tical melodies were treated before the days of Pales- 
trina. Of course we know that they never ceased 
to be sung also in unison and octaves, and that 
there were some tolerably plain and decently cor- 
rect harmonizations of them in the days o(. Josquin 
Despr^s and his contemporaries. Still the custom 
was to prefer the complicated and artificial harmo- 
nies to which I have alluded, and in the elaboration 
of which no one displayed more skill than Josquin 
himself. With Paleatrina there was introduced a 
much more simple and effective way of composing 
contrapuntal music on the old canto fermo. The 
melody was no longer smothered up in the intrica- 
oijs of its accompaniment, but was rather brought 
out and invested with fresh beauty by being woven 
into a network of melodious part-writing. Nothing 
can be more pure and elegant than the Italian school 
of church music in the days of Palestrina and his 
successors. It was without instrumental accompan- 
iment of any kind, And was analogous to the ir.adri- 
galian style of the same period, though of course 
more solemn and sublime than any madrigal, so as 



to suit the words. Palestrina and his school did 
not by any means confine themselves to com po«ltion 
on the pUinsong of the church. &(uch of their mu 
sic was bonA fide originnl composition. Still it al- 
ways Isrsrely partook of the style pri>p©r to counter- 
point on the plainsonsr. on account of its being writ- 
ten in some of the old ecclesiastical scales, for the 
most part., our prc'^ent syst4»m of tonnlity not beins: 
then nxed. Alter Monteverde had discovered the 
true n«e of dominant discord;*, and mnsic had be&run 
to pass into a new system of tonal development, 
when the relations of the key not« to the dominant 
chord, the force of the leading note, and the p<issi- 
bility of real modulation by the use of the dominant 
seventh, had begun to be recognized, — ^it followed, 
of course, that the style of dinrch music in Italy 
underwent considerable modifications. And anoth- 
er thing which contribnted not a- little to this change 
of style was the universal adoption of some sort of 
accompaniment t^o the voices, either the organ, or a 
small string band being so employed. 

But still the ecclesiastical musicians of Italy eon 
tinned Ui compose on the basis of the cantus fermus, 
though in a somewhat freer manner than formerly. 
And magnificent specimens of the effects they suc- 
ceeded in thus producing may be seen in the works 
of such men as Leo, Clari, ScarUtti, Lotti, Ac, Ac. 
In Spain church music ran a parallel course. In the 
Lira Sacra Hispana of Senor Eslava are contained a 
yery fine series of compositions for the church by 
all the best Spanish composers, from the 16th to the 
19th centuries. And it is interesting to observe the 
analogy which appears always to have existed be- 
tween the Italian and Spanish church music, while 
At the same time there is sufficient difference be- 
tween the two to mark very clearly the character 
of the two countries. In France ecclesiastical mu- 
sic was not raised to anything like the pitch of 
perfection to which it attained in It4ily and Spain in 
the 16th and 17th centuries. In Belginm, Orlando 
di Lasso and others mij;ht be said to rival the 
schools of southern Europe. In Germany also were 
many good composers who more or less followed 
the same tiack, and may be looked upon as the germ 
of the great German classical school of a more re- 
cent period, to which all others had eventually to 
crive place. During the Elizabethan period wo in 
England had a school of church composers equal to 
any then in the world. But owing to the Reforma- 
tion and the translation of the church service into 
the vernacular, we do not find either In their works, 
or in those of Protestant composers in Germany and 
Holland, the same plan ptirsued as to the retention 
of the old Church melodies as the groundwork of 
elaborate and contrapuntal works. Not but what 
we have some specimens also of that. e,g., Tallis's 
Harmonies for the Responses and Litany. And it 
would not be difficult to name many of our best 
Enzlish composers at the present date who have 
pursued the same course with equal success. 

We have now followed the history of the musical 
treatment of the old ecclesiastical melodies from 
mediaeval times down to nearly our own days. And 
the consideration which I wish to put before you as 
a deduction from this history is this — May it not be 
a very useful exercise for young composers to prac- 
tice composing fusral music on ancient themes? 
There is, as it appears to me. a growing tendency in 
these days towards secnlarizins: church music. I 
mean making the style of music for the church and 
for the concert-room almost identicul. It has oc- 
curred to me that one antidote to this tendency 
would be to encourage all young musical students 
to frive much more time than they usually do to the 
stndy of counterpoint on a plain song. No one 
would compose worse secular music for having un- 
dergone this traininc:. while all who wished to write 
music for Divine service would unquestionably feel 
the benefit of such a course. 

All the greatest foreign composers np to some 
fifty years ago had been taught more or less on this 
plan, and it cannot be said to have produced any 
but good results in their case. If any one wishes 
for good examples of such music, I should recom- 
mend him to try and procure a copy of Padre Mar- 
tini's " Esemplare di contrappunto sopra il canto 
fermo;** 4to„ Bologna. 1778; and also Paolucci*s 
"Arte pratica di Contrappunto;** 4to., Venice, 
1762. 

I now come to another consideration arising out 
of the history of ecclesiastical music. I allude to 
the use of virions musical instruments in church. 
It is not intended, however, to take up the time of 
this meeting by reviving the old and well-worn con- 
troversy about the lawfulness of organs in churches. 
If any one here holds the view entertained mostly 
(if not exclusively) in Scotland, and in the Greek 



church, that pure vocal music alone is admissible in 
public worship, let them not listen to the remarks 
I am about to make — ^they are not addres^d to them. 
The consideration whici\ I wi^^h to lay before this 
meeting is this — Whether all the arguiyents which 
can be adduced in defence of the accompaniment of 
vocal music by the organ, during Divine service, do 
not equally vindicate the use of other instruments 
also. It is easy to understand a line being dr.iwn 
between pure vocal mus'c, and instnmiental acctmi- 
paniments. But it is (as I think) quite impossible 
to uraw a line between the exclw^ive ti<ie of the or- 
gan, and the employment of a full band. If we go 
to Scripture for examples, we are at once confront- 
ed with the enormous orchestra which played at 
the dedication of Solomon's Temple. We have to 
face the headings or dedications of many of David'a 
Psalms, wherein not only are the various instra- 
menta named by which they were to be accompan- 
ied, but the names of sr#me of the performers are 
specified. We have to encounter the employrftent 
of the largo orchestra again by King Hezektah, 
coupled with the express declaration that it was all 
done according to the express command of (rod. 
(SChron. xxix. 25—28.) We cannot in the face of 
such evidence as this condemn the use of instrumen- 
tal accompaniments to Divine services as unscripln- 
ral. At any rate, it is amply sanct.ioned by the Old 
Testament, and I defy any one to find a syllable in 
the New Testament which has the len*t appearance 
of countermanding or f.)rbilding the estAbli^hed 
customs of the Jews in this mat,t4«r. Our Lord at- 
tended the services in the Temple, and thence drove 
out the buyers and sellers, and exposed every pre- 
vailing abuse. Tet He never once said a single 
word asrainst the use of church mnsia In this, then, 
as in other matters, we may rest assured that ** the 
Old Testament is not contrary to the New.** And 
to corroliorate this argument still further, let us re- 
member the many passages in the Book of Revela- 
tion, which speak of *' Harpers harping with their 
harps.** as seen and heard in a vision by St. John at 
Patmos. Were I preaching a sermon instead of 
readinsr a paper, I could go on at length to bring 
forward argument upon argument, and fact npon 
fact, to establish the Scriptural noss and consequent 
lawfulness of instrumental music in public worship. 
But, as it is, I most not enlarge further on this the- 
ological point Suffice it to observe that the vast 
majority of passages which may be adduced refer- 
ring to musical instruments in the Bible, refer to 
stringed instrnments of various kinds, and others to 
trumpets — a very few to inatruments of percussion. 
But, of course, none whatever ta what we call organs, 
for these had not then been invented. Of all instru- 
ments, then, it may be said that organs are among 
the least Scriptural, while the harp inight be defend- 
ed with much more success were all arguments con- 
fined to the pages of Holy Writ. 

Seeing, then, that there is Scriptural authority 
for the use of an orchestra in Divine service, but 
none for any particular instruments, and certainly 
none for the exclusive use of the orsran, I think the 
consideration fairly arises whether those wiio object 
on Scriptural grounds to instrunaents in church, but 
make a s^>ecial exemption in favor of the organ, are 
not illosrical and inconsistent. The real question at 
issue is between no instruments and any in;»truments. 
The Greek Church and the Scotch Presbyterians are 
for the former plan ; the Western (Church for the 
latter. The exclusive use of the organ as an accom- 
paniment to the voices in church is of very modern 
growth. Apparently it has arisen from two causes 
— 1st. that orsrans are often available whoo a full 
band is not ; 2ndly, That of all instruments none is 
BO well suited for the pnrpose, when used alone, as 
is the organ ; but neither of these reasons oonsti- 
tutes a valid objection to the employment of a full 
band, where such an accompaniment can be ob- 
tained. It is, of course, obvious that such an expen- 
sive and troublesome appendage as a band of per- 
formers can only bo procured on rare special occa- 
sions. It is also no less certain that when it is 
available it must he hedged in with many precau- 
tions in special rules to secure reverent demeanor 
and good discipline. Still all this may be done, 
and has been done, and the occasions on which it 
can be achieved are daily becoming more frequent 
St Paurs Cathedral and Westminster Abbey have 
set a (food example ; several London chnrches have 
worthily followed suit Nor can it be said to be an 
innovation. Every great composer in France, 
Italy, Spain, Portugal, and Germany for the last 
250 years has left Ijehind him full scores of orches- 
tral masses, motets, cantatas, and hymns. Orato- 
tios in Latin, Italian, and German, including Bach*a 
Passion Music and many similar works, were all io- 



i 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, FEB. 19, 1876. 



181 



tended for perform* nee in ehnrch, end m ko act of 
iriinhip. Nor have we been without instaocee of 
ChuTcb of England eervtces with band ncc^inipsni- 
ment at the old Festivals of the Sana of 'he Clergy 
in St Faiii's Cathpdral. and fcirmerly also on the 
firat dayi of tlie Trieanial Choir Featlvala at Hera- 
fnrd, Worcester, knd Oloacealer. Manj compost- 
is exist by old English cathedral compoaera. ei- 
presaly Intended fnr the ase of the Chapel Bojal. In 
' ich not only the or^an bot also a atrln^ Iwind la 
}|i>yed. Ainnni; thpse we may eanmerate korks 
by'aibbons, WccUcs, Este, riircell. Blow, CroK, 
Greene. Bnyce, and olhprs. We must especially 
remember Piircell's grand Te Deum and Jubilate in 
D, Handel's Te Deum* and Jabllate. and Ills Chan- 
doa Anlhcms. not to mentlnn the antliems composed 
f.ff the coronnlion service by Blnn. Piircell. Hnndul, 
Attwood, and othprs, and the Funeral Anthems by 
Handel ForQueen Caroline, and by Bonnncini for tlie 
Dnka of Mar1boroiif,'h, all which composition* were 
written with aecompanioienl for a full band, and so 
perJormed. We see, then, that the traditional use 
nf the band in church has never been given Dp, al. 
thnnijh il.i use haa become exceptional of lata year*. 
to military bandn, afcoune, they have been n«ed 
Clnaously to accompany military services, and 
one has ever fnund fault with them. The misBr- 
D string bands, and still more dlstreasin;; clarlo- 
■ and bassoons, by which the serviceain coonlry 
irchea used formerly to be accompanird. can 
hardly be 'quoted as an eiampla to be followed. 
Still, eren these have their force aa an argument 
aK*lnat those who would tolerate n<iin«trumi-ntin a 
ehnrch except an organ, or ita wretched substitute, 
a harmonium. Surely, the best rule is to seiie on 
all that Is most perfect. In this as In every other art, 
1 devuta' it to the service of the sanctuary. 
f I am right, then, in hoping (and assuming In- 
deed), that the introduction of the orchestra Into 
onr charehea ts likely to become a more frequent 
iirrence than of yore, then we are bruuglit face 
face with a new difficulty— I mean the tack of 
good English chnruh music at once orcheatral and 
ercleslastieal in character. Of llilslhere la eoinpar- 
ativety. as yet. very little. Surely this opens out a 
new and promising Held of work for young English 
composers, in which great things may be done. Let 
~e earnestly, recommend It to their special atl«n- 
Dn. It is hard to imagine any theme more inspir- 
ing, more likely to evoke real aclul illations of mnsl- 
eal genius, than the elorlous " Te Deum." Difflcull 
I allow it to be— difficult both on account of the in- 
trinsic snbllmity of th* words, and aho because of 
the natural diffidence which any modest comiioaer 
st feel when he k:iowB that his work will be com- 

Sired to the "Tn Deitros' of Pnrcell and Handel. 
at neither of these dlfdcullies are insurmountable. 
I abstain purposely from iiamlnz any living compo- 
sers, but a very fine orchestral " Te Deum ' has 
been composed, and performed, not In chareh in- 
dewJ, but In the Crystal Pelace, within the last few 
years, with no InoonsiJerable snccess. The other 
canticles and hymns of the church also present most 
favorable opportunities (or similar, and equally luc- 
cesaful, treatment. 

These, then, are the considerations, arising ont of 
the history of ecdeilaatlcal music, which appeared 
deairable to lay before you to-day. That I have 
done this very Imperfectly indeed, I am only too 
aeuslble. But aiich as it is. 1 am not without hope 
that this p.iper may be of some use. It is a subject 
whicli has not hitherto been broached at any of 
tbeoB meetings, and it la posalble that subsequent 
dlaeuision npon it may bring ont some useful facts, 
some practice hints, some novel ideas, aome neces- 
sary cautions, all In the service of our art, and 
therefore wnleoine both to ourselves and to our 
friends outeide. In that hope, let me commend the 
subject to your beat attonUon. 

In the discussion which followed, Mr William 
Chappkli, entered into several of the iiistorieal ques- 
tions raised by Sir Frederick, and Dr. Staixxi ad- 
vocated the Qse of music, whether ancient or mod- 
, on Iht. (ingle condition of ita fitness for the end 
In view. What could be more beontifiil than the 
tonns per^^nos f Mr. T. L. Sodtuoate reminded 
the speaker that this was not a Or^[orlan. but only 
a corruption from a Qrngorlan. Mr. Cuhki:<os rld- 
ionled the claim of a Divine origin which was often 

Ct forward on behalf oi Qregorian music. He re- 
red to certain experiences aa suggesting caution 
In the use of the orchestra in church. Hr. Pae- 
rr admitted that some of the anci<!nt music was 
melodioDS, but explained what he regarded as an 
imaly on the ground Chat, while geneially writ- 
Ing that which was hideous, it could not be won- 
■"— id at if the ancient writers occa^onally blun- 



dered into somethlos better. Mr. Hackwo:! be- 
lieved the great reason who so-called Qregorian 
music found bvor waa becanse it met the growing 
want of mnsic for congn-gatlonal singing, and he 
nrgcd that Chnrcb composer] would do well to con- 
sider the reqairements of the great multilodes now 
constantly assembling lor Divine worship, Hr. 
HciLAH in closing the discussion expressed his 
etrong sympathy with Che use of the orchestra In 
church, but qnestlooed whether it had not better be 
confined to strings. lie regretted the diMppear- 
ance of the little bands which used to exiat in parish 
churches In the country. Church musicians would 
do well to study Gibbons rsther more and give ns 
lesa of the style of Gounod. 

Frof. Faine'i STmphony. — Bludea of 
Opinion. 

{nvm U* Saturiat Emlna GamitU, Jam. 39.] 



\ ram talenb 
■n of Ifaosi 



I patient lal»r. 






Ira, and these entertained 
awell-groundedbellef that If a Inir opportunltr were 
accorded him he would win esteem for hli country 
amoDi; tboss who helleve Ihnt nothing worthif in the 
waj of whnt Is high In musical art can rise and flourish 
In America. It Is somewhat pslnfnl to resect that a 
native composer Is almost detiarrad from hearing his 
works performed here, especially when It Is taken Into 
eonalrteratlon that the only means be his of Improving 
himself In bis art, and of dlscoverlne his strength and 
his sreskness, lie in the chinces that are given him to 
bear hts compositions plsyed. An artist of Ur. Pslns's 
talents should not be so cramped. His sympbony makes 
that only loo plain. -While we do not claim for It a place 
amongthegreatworkaof Itsklnd. ItlBBofullofstTCDgth, 
of vigor and ofTeduemeDt; It shows such a mastery of 
the resources of harmony and of orchestral effect: It I* 
■o full of thought, Drllllanc; and solid worth, that It 
merits tbe highest praise as s harbinger ef noble prom- 
composer. It waa a gi 



r. Paine 



r of Idea 



freedom from dryneos, the app 
of thoaght, and the graceful fleillillity of style, that dla- 
tlngulsb It from beBlnnlng to end. Though pol shed In 
alt its details with the most scrupulous care, It has the 
merit nf keeping out of sight the Utwr that tiaa been 
expended upon It, and of making a harmonious whole 
from wbiob the attention Is not attracted by any ol>- 
tnislve display of looming for learning's sake. We 
shall not attempt to describe Che work In close detail, 
convinced that, with the best Intentions liaaglnabte, U 
la Impossible to convey any Intelligible Idea of sncb a 

'— ' from givlnc. for^rearons thai will bo obvi— 



The ope; 



r the llstenr 






The I 






Is full of 



, icorlogof Ibis part of 

e work Mr. Paine shows not only a pleaalng fancy, 
. — ._^.__ _. ..jj qniiiiy and ilmbre of the 



ible unity that prevails. In ' 
ecially. Is this dae sense of app 

eness of expression made partlCDlsrlT apparent. 

. ..,. .... . pfjjtui jnd WPll-marl 



The schtrto opens w 



e Bclagio has a lovely li 

and sveelly after the manner ol 
I'xIlOB with which Wagner baa m 



ri.- that 

L...IIS. la 



ia' 

deep poetic feetlng, ■ , . 

the most attractive In the symphonv. It Is exquisitely 
scored, and In all respects would reflect high credltupon 
any living composer. The finale overflows wltli energy 
and lire, and Is a worthy culmination to what boa pre- 
ceded It. Here, as In itaeotbcrportlonsof thework.Mr. 
Falne has manifested a fine feeling tor contrasU. and 



_as shown a perfect mastery In < „ 

Instrumenta to the best advantage. Tlie oontrapunta. 
effecU an atriklng and weU-conaldeied, and an aamlT»- 
bte unity and oonsialency are maintained thronahoat. 
The final climax la not>re and sllrring, and fllly brfngs to 
an end a work which, In every movement, shows many 

and unmistakable marka of vigorous and I — "" " — 

That the symphony ts faultless we do not _, .. 

' — '-- In advaooe of soy slrallar production we have 

lid be mora 



— , slrallof pri ■" ■ 

nou from a native composer, Ita beaui 

oui. so varied and spontaneous, tbnt It would ' 
than nngiadouB to dwell upon the tew flaws It 
«. It Is not the least of the merits of Ihu woi_ __. 
while It takeaadvantags of everything that Uw noden 
school hoa given to mnaleal art. It haa avoided the wUi 
and raeanln^eaa eicrssea of the '• music of the fntnre.' 
The forms are those of the recognised maitars of the art 



and are perfectly balanced. Tbera Is an atmndann .- 
(resh and flowing melody, and nu lack of learning judi- 
ciously displaied. Tbera Is not a moment In It when " 
cesses w maintain a Arm hold upon the attention a 
the Interest, and thj Immense Access It obtained tea 
Oed ttiat Ur. Paine had won his spurs right royally. 
[rrm U> ypa Tart TrOiau, Ftb. T.] 
The maClnte glien by Theodore Tlomoa at Btelnway 
Hall on Saturday was memorablefor the first prodoctlon 
In New York of Mr. J. K. Palne's flnt symphony, and It 
waJ gratifying to observe tliat the trio] of so Important 
and oerioua a work by an American composer was suOI- 
clant to attract a respectable andlence, In spite of the 
counter attraction of Tletjens In " Norma " at the At 
amy of Music. It was by no means a full hooae, bnt there 
was at least a fair array of listeners, who bestowed upon 
the performance a cicee and Intelligent attention, and 
greeted the symphony with uumlstakable marks of. ap 
provRl. The work Is in the key of G minor, and Is scorei 
for the nsus] Instruments of the modem grand orchci 
tra [piccolo excepted]. It opens with an Allegro coi 
brio, the very first pogeof which disposes the listener b 
pleasant anticipations, not so ranch tiy anything start 
ling In the theme as tij the composer's evident maatery 
both of his subject and tils materials. Clearnea* of 
thought, elegance of arrangement, and vigor of expres- 
sion araconspicnons from the outset. The principal and 
secondary themes are both clean cat and pleasing, and 
both admirably mansged, and the transitions from one 
to the other, the modulations and the thematic develop- 
ments, are contrived In all cnses with a most happy ef- 
fect. Vhit we knew already of Ur. Falne'a work pre- 
pared ns for the fsuliless construction and the noble 
CI found all tbrangh this 



..eclslly In the 



poetical 



™ (Allegro vivi 

t)een apparent to U 
e flrat movement '- 



e beauty of the 

< J [I: ymphonv. thera can be 

I ii.Litiduui^d by an effective rallen- 

• ^ ' n [Meno 






.']'"1y here IscbaimlnK. and tlie BiistalDadpjisaan 
■ iiims which leads back to the Allegro vivace Is 
iTr-.-iive. The third movement, an AdaglolnA- 
- iLe lii'st of the whole work. The nrinclpfll theme 
ia,i-fiil and tender me!ody,whlch touches I'--'— '- 
It once, ud It la developed and varied > 
beautlfnl and Ingenious harmonic tresuni 
ng liaelt alowly and smoothly at neat tm 
IB length, with mulUfoim ellecu of 



siheteri- 



iKtn, wim 
. HMr.; 



fasd written oothlnji 



a, this 






a, and the composer's firm grasp of 
. we need bardly say, on dls"- 
a mastorplece. 



his Ideas; on 
gulsbing qua 

[Fnm Vu ITn Toik World, CU.] 
Hr. Theodore Thomaahasahappyknackof confoimd- 
Ing his enemies. He replies to their aaaanltibystrafght- 
lorwaid action, not liy argument. Aa he has 



e publl 



id he know 



lofworda 

Lt language k 



Having a lofty purpose, and being persistent In Its ac- 
oompllstiment, he makes his defence In bis own way, 
and there's an end of the mMter. Charged with obsti- 
nately refusing to accept any compositions from Amer- 
ican writers, be replies by producing one that he bod ac- 
cepted eight months befon the charge was made. Hav- 
ing presented to him a work whltb he finds, on careful 
examination, to be worthy of a place In bla repertoire, 
he gives the public a chance of Judging and enjoying 
at the earliest convenient moment. Professor John K. 
Palne's rlnt Symphony was fittingly presented befora 



nit was 



rought t. 



New York. 



Is Imi 



and personal friends as his first Judges. They decided 
enthusiaotlcilly In his favor, and that waa right, too, for 
the professor of mnslo at Harvard University could not 
very well be expected to seek notoriety by the produc- 
lion of a work which woold not bear criticism by the 
rales be lays down for the guidance of his pupils. Hhn- 
■elf a favorite pupil of Banpt, one of the most rigid of 
music maatera In tSermany. neither Ignorance a 
centriclty iraa to be expected in his work, and, as he had 
already proved his capability In many minor composi- 
tions and In one great work, the oratorio of "6t. Petar " 
—Ms friends wera numerous as well as enthusiastic. 
Besides all this, bad not Ml- Thomas consented to be the 
Interpreter of this maffnwr 
coarse, tberefore [ rji that It wss correct, actularly, ortho- 



182 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OP MUSIC. 



dox. So that the large audience auembled at Steinway 

Hall yesterday were in a position to divest their minds 

of all questions of grammatical parity and scholastic 

" form/* and criticize thevymphony as a complete vrotk 

As it was placed first on the programme it could be 

judged as well— or, more correctly speaking, as inade- 

quatelT— as any large work can be judged on first hear- 
ing. There seemed to be a good deal of hesitation on 
the part of the audience in pronouncing an opinion. 
The first movement— allegro con brio— presented nothing 

{)articularly attractive to the general ear; it is interest 
ng throughout, but the interest does not increase with 
its progress sufficiently to excite a craving for the sec- 
ond movement, and it was rather coldly received. With 
the Scherso— allegro vivace— the attention of the audi- 
ence deepened. It is a very tuneful movement, contaln- 
Uig some reminders of Beethoven's scherzos, but it is 
not an Imitation of Beethoven, its lively measure chang- 
ing [not " episodically **] to a gravity not sufficiently in 
keeping with the scherzo as Beethoven has made us un- 
derstand it. At its conclusion the applause of the audi- 
ence was warm enough to show that Mr. Thomas had 
not made a mistske in producing the work. The third 
movement— adagio— Is undoubtedly the gem of the sym- 
phony. It is music, pure and undefiled, from beginning 
to end— plaintive, sweet, graceful as a pastoral poem. 
It does not contain a sinele phrase that seems out of 

1>lace, and though it is rather long, and alwaj'S exceed- 
ngly sweet, its sweetness does not cloy. It is not grand 
or imposing, there are no modem " effects " in it, and it 
may not suit ears accustomed to the accumulating rich- 
nefts of Schumann's or Beethoven*s adagios, but for 
what it assumes to be it is beyond criticism. Certainly 
the audience liked it very much, and the orchestra 
seemed to like It greatly. Its enj<iyment was, however, 
somewhat interfered with by an annoying noise from 
the heaters in the hall. The last movement falls short 
of the expectations raised by the beautiful Adagio, 
though it cannot be described as faul^. What it lacks 
probably is the evenness and clearness of purpose which 
characterize the other movements. Although the scor- 
ing in this number is as excellent as it is throughout the 
work, every instrument having plenty to do and some 
considerable difficulties to master, the harmony is thin, 
and when tlie climax comes with the return to tne origi- 
nal theme, the devices of construction which Bach al- 
ways employs under similar circumstances, and which 
ears cultivated in Theodore Thomas's school [ !] have 
learned to regard as essential, are too much neglected. 
Mr. Psine, however, deserves veiv high praise for his 
modest, unsensatlonal treatment of bis subject. He has 
written an American symphony that will probably bear 
the test of the severest criticism by adherents of the old 
school, a symphony that will live as a beautiful work of 
art, simple and unaffected. If it is not strikingly origi- 
nal, the author is assuredly no plagiarist; If It tioes not 
astonish, it will never fail to please. Mr. Paine is a 
young man, and as " it takes a clever musician to write 
even a poor symphony,'* he may be congratulated both 
upon having written one that gives sucn good promise 
of a bright future for him in the world of art. and upon 
having had so able and so conscientious an interpreter 
as Mr. Thomas. 

[/Vvm (h4 Ke» York Time9, <»A.] 

Mr. Theodore Th<>mas yesterday gave a mating con- 
cert at Steinway Hall. The principal element of the pro- 
gramme was a new sjrmphony by Mr. J. K. Paine, a 
Boston composer of considerable local repute. We trust 
Mr Thomas will sooner or later repeat his performance 
of this work, which belongs to an order of music of 
which several hearings are necessary before anything 
approaching an accurate opinion can be formed. We 

cannot, however, admit that we expect great results from 
Mr. Paine's commendable attempt at symphonic writ« 
ing. The opening movement, which Is iiy far the best, 
contains some graceful and fluent ideas, which the com- 
poser has develoDed with taste and clearness, but with- 
out mariced felici^; the remainder of the work does not 
Indicate that Mr. Paine Is possessed of particular origi- 
nality in thought or method; and the impression of the 
whole effort, yesterday, was that the musician had occu- 
pied fifty minutes where half that time would have been 
sufficient to have had his say. 



Jlrag|4*s lonnral of Stnsk. 

BOSTON, FEB. 19, 1876. 



Our Music Paobs. The Part Song by Schumann, 
printed In this number, is taken by i>ermission from 
** Qerman Part Songs,** edited by N. H. Allezt, pub- 
lished by Oliver Ditson A Co., Boston. 



Concert Beyiew. 

Boston PHiLHABMOiao Club. The last two Mat- 
inees of this fioe group of artists (Jan. 19 and Feb. 
2) were in the main so thoroughly enjoyable that 
kee,D regret waa felt that they could not be coTitia- 
ued at intervals for two or three months longer. But 
the attendance at Burastead Hall, though larger than 
at first, was too limited to give encouragement It 
was but the common fate of concert-givers, here and 
elsewhere, during these " hard times." The Club, 
however, have so established themselves in the good 
opinion of the truest music-lovers that, if they only 
persevere, their day will surely come, — ^Their foarth 
programme read as follows : 



Quint4»t,in Bflat, Op. 87 Mendelssohn 

Allecrro vivace— Andante acherzando— Adagio. 
Messrs. B. It F. LxsTKirAirx. E. Gbaxm, 
A. Belz and A. Hartoeobn. 

Song, '<BaUi, Battl." " Don Jimn.» Mozart 

MUs Laura Schibxbb. 

Solo for Viola, Reverie Tleuxtemps 

Mr. Ehil Gbamm. 

Mephisto Walzer Liast 

[Arranged by B. Llatemano.] 
Prilhabxokio Cldb. 

Song of Eliza, Clrillo 

Miss Laura Scrtrmbr. 

Nottumo for Violin, Pluto and Horn T>opTiler 

Mersrs. B. Listbmaxx. E. Weibeb and A Bblz. 

Quartet for Piano and Strlngii Schumann 

8o**tcnuto nnaal — Allegm ma non troppo— Scherzo 
•—Andante eantablle— Finale [Vlvaoe]. 
Madame Madklixr Schtllrr, 
Messrs. B. Listbhanjc, Obaxic and Habtdeoer. 

The old B-flat Quintet of Mendelssohn, whi«:h 
takes us back to the earliest days of our Quintette 
Club which still bears his name, was admirably 
played; the three movements were so acceptable 
that it seemed not quite fair to deprive us of the 
Finale. Nothing of its kind more interesting than 
the Schumann piano Quartet could have been offered 
us, unless it were the matchless Quintet. The latter 
is a happier inspiration throughout, more clear, 
more readily appreciable on the first hearing ; but 
this also is full of fire, of rich imagination and Jeep 
feeling. The AiidarUe and the short, brooding 8os- 
tenuto which precedes the first AUfgro, appeal to 
deepest sympathies ; the Scherzo, with its rollicking 
staccato movement, fitfully alternating with the 
more pensive mood of its two Trios, is strikingly 
originsl ; and the fttje:ued Finale, very intricate and 
difficult, is full of spirit, and keeps the interest alive 
to the end. Seldom, if ever, have we heard Mme. 
ScHiLLKB to better advantage; her consummate 
technical precision and force were only means to 
the higher end of fervent and intelligent interpre- 
tation ; her soul was in the work ; and there was 
inspiration for her in such fine codperation of the 
strings. 

Mr. Gbamm won not a few listeners to the peculiar 
beauty, which they had not before suspected, in the 
sound of the Viola ; his tone is singularly rich and 
even, and he is master gf the instrument. The Not- 
turne for violin, flute and horn proved a pleasing 
composition,' and was exquisitely played. But of 
the " Mephisto Waltzes" we can say nothing of the 
kind ; such excruciating cacophony, such an inco- 
herent medley of harsh grating sounds, not relieved 
but only aggravated by certain melodic fragments 
for the horn, which seemed tuned to another sphere 
where a peculiar concert pitch prevailed, we never 
yet heard in the name of music ; it was more like 
the babel of an orchestra all trying over their own 
separata parts in the pauses of a rehearsal ; we 
would as soon be shut up in a vast machine shop, 
surrounded by whizzing wheels, screaming saws and 

files and ringing hammers. — But it was the pious 
Abb4 Liszt who wrote it; and who more competent 
to set the tune for Mephlstopheles to dance by I 

Miss Lauba ScnrRMRR, with a naturally sweet and 
flexible voice, sang her two songs in a graceful man- 
ner, which showed oareful training; but there was 
a certain hardness in the quality of some of her 
tones, which may have been the effect of too much 
concert singing at so early a stage of her career ; 
she is winning, lady-like and modest in appearance. 

Wednettday, Feb. 2. 

Quartet in F, Op. 18, No. 1, Beethoven 

Allegro con brio— Adagio— Scherzo— Allegro. 
Horn Quartet, 
a. Pilgrim's Song, from " TannhKuser, . . . Wagner 

ft. Krystallen denflna, Swedish Song, Faltin 

Messrs. Belz, Lippoidt, Schormann an4 Schumann, 
Solos for Violoncello, 

a. Melodic, Hnber 

6. Allegretto, Kiel 

Mr. Adolph Hartdegen. 
a, Andante Cantabile, from Quartet in D, 

TschalkowsU 

ft. Scherzo, from Quartet in E flat, Cherubini 

Horn Quartet, 

a. *< Die Welt ist so schSn,'* Fischer 

ft. Suomis-Song, Pacius 

Solo for Violin, Nottumo, Op. 27 Chopin 

Mr. B, Llstemann. 
Rhapsodic Hongroise, in F, No. 14 Liszt 

Thifi closing Matinee was the most interesting of 
all and had the largest and a really enthusiastic au- 



dience. It was a comfort to old chamber music 
lovers to hear once more one of the six earliest 
Quartets of Beethoven, no one of which is more 
genial and beautiful, more ever fresh than this No. 
1, in F. Never before have we heard it so delight- 
fully interpreted. The pieces for four horns pro- 
duced a marked sensation. The tones, so rich and 
mellow in the softer cantabile passages, with the fine 
contrast of the more breezy trumpet-like sounds in 
the strong accents (in the bass parts especially) rcn- 
de«^ their harmony peculiarly attractive. The per 
formers were the famous " Russian Quartet" who 
came to this country a few years ago ; the leader, 
Mr. Bklz, has since distinguished himself in the 
Philharmonic Club as the finest solo hornist we have 
ever heard here ; his three old associates, who proved 
themselves on thb occasion worthy ones, are in our 
Harvard orchestra this winter. Mr. Habtdege:«*8 
violoncello solos, in tonn, style and expression, were 
roost satisfactorily rendered. — The single move- 
ments from Quartets by the young Russian composer 
Tschaikowski and the sound old classical master 
Cherubini, were highly interesting; the former 
much more French in style than the latter, which 
was produced in Paris. 

The Chopin Nottumo proved admirably suited for 
transcription upon the Violin ; and all its delicate 
beauties were brought out with consummate mastery 
by Mr. Listxmaxx ; indeed we have seldom heard a 
solo on the violin more purely fascinating. L:szt*s 
Hungarian Rhapsody impressed us more agreeably 
in Mr. Listemann*s arrangement for his Club, than 

it did in the Thomas orchestral transcription, where 
the grotesque effects seemed more exaggerated. 

TnBODOBB Thomas's fourth Mating (Saturday, 
Jan. 29) presented the following programme : 

Overture, "Alceste," Oluck 

Prelurte, ) 

i 'horale, { Adapted for Orchestra by J.Abert..Bach 

Fugue, ) 

Aria: "Si,t*amo,o cars,*' Handel 

Miss Emma C. Thursby. 

Scherzo, Op. 19 Gddmark 

Rhapsodic Hongroise, No. 14 Liszt 

Overture,in C, op. 116 , Beethoven 

Symphonic Poem, Danse Macabre, [newf, 

Saint-SKens 

Song, " Thon*rt like unto a flower,*' Rubinstein 

Selections from " The Phantom Ship,'* Wagner 

Glock*s Overture to Aleette is by no means so in- 
teresting an orchestral work as the well known one 
to Jphigenia in Anlit ; but it forms a dignified and* 
serious introduction to the tragedy ; it needed, for 
a satisfying impression, to be followed by the open- 
ing chorus sung. Still we are thankful for every 
opportunity (too rare) of hearing one of these things. 
Think of it in contrast with the last number of the 
first part, — the wild, sensational, extravagant and 
stunning Mhapeodie HongrotMt by Liszt I — The 

pieces grouped together from Bach, — ^in rather 
forced companionship, we thought — have certainly 
enongh intrinsic beauty individually to bear hear- 
ing for a second time. The Prelude is from the 
** Well-tempered Clavichord : " the Fngue is the well 
known 6-minor Organ Fugue ; the Chorale, scored 
for the fjil brass of the orcliestra, contrasted boldly 
in the middle, a craggy height between two quiet 
vales. — The Beethoven Overture ("Namensfeier") 
is by no means so broad and grand a work as the 
other one in C, op. 124 (" Die Weihe des Hauses;**) 
but it has beauties not so readily appreciated and is 
far too seldom heard. 

The striking novelty of the programme was tha 
" Dance of Death " by Saint-Saens,— a Symphonic 
Poem with a vengeance, to which the key is fur- 
nished bv the following cheerful verses ^om the 
French of Henri Cazalis : — 

Zig, Zlg, Zlg— grim Death, in cadence, 
Striking with his heel, a tomb. 
Death at midnight plays a dance tune, 
Zig, Zig, Zig, upon his viol. 

The winter wind blows, and the night is all dark, 
Moans are heard in the linden trees; 
Thro' the gloom the white skeletons pass, 
Banning and leaping in their shrouds. 

Zig, Zig, Zig, each one is frisking. 

The Dones of the dancers are heard to crack 



*«>■! 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, FEB. 19, 187G. 



183 






• • • • • 

But b'nt! of f\ «i«lflcn they qnit th*» ronnrt; 
They push forward, they fly, the cock has crowed. 

The music U certainly n clever freak of French 
fnntnstirfll extra vnsrnnza. minsrlina: the horrible and 
the crotesqne, till they exert n fastcination worthy 
of Meyerbeer. The doleful midnight bell, well imi- 
tated, introduces the piece; Death tnnino^ his viol 
in fifths is stronjrly indicated, and the dance pro- 
ceeds, wilder and wilder, as the shrouded skeletons 
frisk in and out amnnsr the tombstones ; the crnck- 
injy bones of the dancers are susr^jested by ca.«!tanets 
and the xylophone (an instrument of wood and straw;) 
the cock crows, and away they flatter all ! — ^There 
is A certain imaginative i^enius in it, of a thoroughly 
Frennhy kind ; and it has this superiority over anal- 
oscoos works by Raff and others, that Saint-Sagns 
does not attempt to make too mncli of the conceit, 
bat drops it at a hnppy monent. The audience 
were transported, and the whole thinjr had to be re- 
peated. — Miss TiiURSBT. in the AriA from one of 
Handel's Italian Opera* (Aftuio Seevola) confirmed 
the fine impression which she made in a Harvard 
concert a few weeks before. The roulades were ev- 
enly and benntifully executed, and the bright, em- 
phatic, as well as the tender and melodious phrasas 

of the happy love confe«.*lon, were fjiveM with re- 
markable expression. We noticed in her voice a 
tremolo which was not there before ; but it was 
soon explained by learninsr that she was sin«:ins^ 
with a broken arm alter a fall in one of our slippery 
street*. — a shock from which her nervoui system 
could not have recovered. 



Habvahd Musical Associatiox The cevcnth 
Symphony Concert (Thursday afternoon, Feb. 3) 
was made up of four selections, the two lon^^er ones 
bein^ entirely new to Boston. 

Overture to '* Faniska," Chemhini 

••Double flvmphonv: " Irrtisches und GBttliehea im 
Mensch'enlnhen ^' [The Earthly and the Divine in 

Humnn Llfo], in C. On. 121 Spohr 

I. The World of Childhood [Adagio and Alle* 

prctto]. 
U. The Afce of the Passions [Larghetto and 

Alle^o Moderato]. 
III. Flnnl Victory of the Divine [Presto and 
Adagio J. 

•• Flsno-Forte Concerto, No. 2, in O minor. Op. 22. 
Andante Sostenuto— Allegro Soherzando^Pres- 

to CamUle Saint-Sa^ns 

B. J. Lang. 
Overture to " Corlolanus,*' Beethoven 

The light and charmins^ Overture to Faninka^ 

with its stately introduction, its teasing playful Al- 

Iffgro subject, and its quaint lausrhing second theme 

led in by the bassoon, offset by piquant pixzicatos 

of the violins, was nicely played. After this the 
fcreat feature of the projrramme, the Double Sym- 
phony by Spohr, was listened to with zest. It was 
a bold and beautiful idea, well worthy of the highest 
powers, to portray in mnsic. in symphonic move- 
ments, the successive periods of the struggle between 
the Earthly and the Divine principle in human life, 
with the final victory of the Divine. And the pe- 
culiar means chosen, that, of contrasting and com- 
bining two distinct orchestras, the one consisting of 
eleven solo instruments (quintet of strinsc', flute, 
oboe, clarinet, bassoon and two horns), the other 
fully manned, served to heighten the illustration 
and increase the interest in proportion to the unu- 
sual draft upon the artistic resources of the musi- 
cian. It must not be supposed, however, that the 
two principles in life are impersonated by the two 
orchestras respectively. That idea is erroneouslj' 
suggested in the extract from Spohr's Biography 
printed on the pro(sramme. On the contrary', themes 
started in one orcKestra are frequently caught up 
and worked to fuller development in the other ; 
each in turn illustrates, colors and completes what 
the other has said. The ideal contrasts i un through 
both alike ; nor U the contrast always so forcible as 
one would expect; the gentleness of Spohr, the 
sweet subdued tone of his picturesque imagination is 
felt even here. With Beethoven passion would have 
asserted itself with more defiant and Titanic force ; 
what Raff or Rubinstein would make of such a theme 
one shudders to imagine. 

The weaknesses of Spohr's music we all know well 
enough. The closing sweetness of his harmony, 
abounding in diminished sevenths and in subtile 



creeping modulations throujrh chromatic intervals, 
is perhaps the chief one. Heavy-moulded mortal 
as he was. he had a larsre vein of sentimentality, as 
well as a rare jrif^ of original, fresh melody. But 
he was an artist thronffh and through, a thorough 
master of form, of the contrapuntal resources, and 
especially of instrumentation — r.of«bly of what is 
called instrumental coloring — nowhere shown to 
finer advantasre than in this Symphony, which we 
confess tt» finding quite as interesting (perhaps be- 
cause more fresh to us), as the " Weihe der Tone." 
At all events the entire work, in all three move- 
ments, is an exquisite unfoldine of ideas lovely in 
thi-m^elves, offset against well-chosen backirround, 
and clowing in the shifting atmospheric liirht of or- 
chestral effects. A few wor.ls on coch of the three 
parts. 

I. The World of Childhood. A sinerle horn in 
the first orchestra leads <»ff in a quiet, dreamy mel- 
ody, in sustained tones, piauiMimo, — a brW( Adagio, 
in which you stem to feel the first awakening of 
consciousness. Then the Allegretto sets in with an 
innocent and childlike melody, (2 4), of a buoyant, 
soaring character ; the wind-instruments reinforce 
it: the melodic figure is inverted in the rounding: 
of the period ; and the second orchestra repeats with 
emphasis the clo«inir part of it; and thus they 
answer back and forth, until a new theme in strong 
staccato tones is started in the larircr orchestra, like 
a r*»peated challenge, instantly answered each time 
on a high tone nfnrznn'^o by the violins of the solo 
orche^stra, which elide down in triplets as wiih 
frolic laughter. (The effect was somewhat dis- 
turbed here by the want of perfect tune between 
the violins ; itneeded a Joachim or a Spohr for one 
of them); and so all those motives, cheerful and 
happy, are variously presented, and the whole re- 
peated in the usual way, to be worked up with still 
more complex, subtle art of what is called thematic 
treatment in the second part. It U a charming pic- 
ture, and the instrumentation simply exquisite. It 
was finely played too, the solo wind in.struments 
takins: up the melodic threads in turn with delicate 
precision and nice feeling. 

II. The Age of the Patudont furnishes the poetic 
theme for the most elaborate and lonsjest movement 
of the Symphony. The Largfietlo, bes:inning with 
uneasy, ifitful phrases of the strings in the larger 
orchestra, hints the coming storm, while presently 
a melodious duet of the bassoon and clarinet sets in 
in the solo orchestra ; the key remaining donbtful, 
until the 4-4 measure chancres to 12 8, when it set- 
tles clearly into A flat, ond, on an arpeuario chord 
accompriniment, Italian fashion, the melody pro- 
ceeds, a tender love duet ; the second orchestra is 
silent for awhile, but soon begins to disturb the 
sweet serenity by ominous mutterinsrs in the bass, 
which gradually gain possession of the quartet even 
in the solo orchettra, and growing to a climax burst 
forth (Allegro) in the full conflict of the passions 
wind instruments on one side replying to the impa- 
tient violins upon the other. All this is worked up 
with great fire and energy ar^d with wonderful skill 
and beauty. The trumpets c irae in, and the war- 
like p.nssion now asserts itsdf ; the strife becomes; 
more complicated, as the field continually widens, 
which only such a master of his art could occupy 
with life and power so present at all points. The 
strife is relieved too by occasional moments of re- 
pose, melodic bints that seem to pour oil on the 
waters. 

III. Final Vtetorif of the Divine. Passion is at 
its height. A stormy Fretto (6-4), like a Scherzo, 
begins in the second orchestra ; but sweet, sustained 
tf)ne) of clarinet and bassoon, flut^; and oboe, in the 
first band, gradually appease its fnry and begin to 
gain the upper hand, till even the stormy figtire it- 
self, transferred to the softer flute and reed tones, 
acquires a new and gentler expression. At last both 
orchestras unite in a rich, solemn, tranquillizing A- 
dagio, in broad rhythm, and the victory is gained. 

Of course it is impossible t^> describe all this, but 
the consistent development of the idea, and the nev- 
er failing beauty of the work took a deep hold upon 
the audience, and a repetition would be welcomed 
if it should occnr. 

Of equAl interest and more exciting, more entire- 
ly fresh and nov«:l, was the Concerto by Saint- 
Saens. We have heard no Concerto by either of 
the " new " composers comparable to it in point of 
individuality of genius. It is very mo<lern, to be 
sure, and very French ; but with all its technical 
difHculties, which are immense, and all its sensation- 
al effects, there is a spontaneous energy of life and 
purpose in it which justify its existence. It de- 
parts from the usual Concerto form, beginning with 



the slowest movement, which is followed by two 
quick ones. The AndaiUe Soetenuto is a broad and 
masMve movement, full of fire and strength, the 
difficult figures of the piano making up one whole 
with the rich and noble instrumentation. The 
Scherzo is a sort of hunting strain, full of elasticity 
and grace ; the si isrht' change of rhythm in the sec- 
ond theme lends it a witching charm. This move- 
ment WAS so fascinating and was played with such 
airy life and freedom, such unflagging, easy energy, 
that all were delisrhted and the movement was re- 
peated. The Presto has a Tarantella rhythm, and 
whirls it^^elf away in ever widening circles with an 
exhnustless impetus. Mr. Laxo proved himself fully 
equal to the unrelentins; demands of this most try- 
ing movement; and indeed his whole performance 
was mnsrnlficent, surpassinsT all that he has done be- 
fore. The task was to his fanc}*, and ho embraced 
it con amore. 

— ^Then came Beethoven, who seemed to say : All 
that is very tiell, but now for something serious I 
and with the first strong tones of Coriolan^ fire 
from the heart and centre of the planet, we were in 
another world. 



Bach is for once in the ascendant here, and in the 
liorht o^ such a fresh Spring promise one may forget 
all strife of rival enterprises. Three of his great 
vocal works are in preparation : the Cecilia are 
studying one of his Cantatas for the last Symphony 
Concert: the Shirland Choral Society are at work 
on the Maqnifieat for a Thomas concert ; and t!ie 
Handel and Haydn Societv have resumed rehear I 
of the Potion Music. TTiit is " progress," in the 
best sense ! 



Miss Thcrsbt's Teacher. We cheerfully give 
place to the following: 

Mr. EnrroR; In an article on the Fifth HorvArd 8vm- 
phony Concert, in the '* Journal '* of Jan. 22, there is an 
adinirahle critique on Miss Thnrsby*s sinp^inpr, which 
makes what seems to be a misstatement, however, which 
T am snre you will be glnd to correct. You state that 
Miss Thursby is a pupil of Mme. Rudersdorff. I have 
had the pleasure of knowing Miss Thursby for some time, 
and know that she has been studying with Sig' Achilla 
Errant, of No. 323 E. 14th St., New York, for several years 
post. To be certain, however, I wrote him, inquiring the 
exact facts, and he tells me that from Nov. 1. 1871, unUl 
Oct. 0, 1875, he has, to his certain knowledge, been Miss 
Thursby's onfy teacher. While since October last Miss 
Thursby may have studied with Mmo. Rudersdorff, it 
seems to me evident that the greater part of the credit 
for her tr.tinlng must belong to Sig. Errant, and with f o 
charming and accomplished a singer, it should be un- 
derstood who it is who has done so much for her voice 
and style. 

Mi.v I beg that some such correction as this be made? 
An incorrect statement in the " .Tournnl " mav do Si"-. 
Erranl serious injurv. For conflrm»tion of the above 
fncts, may I beg to refer von to Sig. Errant himself, or to 
Mr. Has^ard, of the y. Y. Trihune^ with whom I have had 
the honor of being for some time connected on the Musi- 
cal Department of the ** Tribune." 

Very truly yours, F. H. Potter. 

WaahinQion^ D. C Jan. 31. 

»^<#»H 

TnE'" WnrsTLivo Soxo." We have the following 
from an esteemed correspondent in Portland. .Me. ** 

De.\rSir: The "Sussex Whistling Song** published 
in the Journal of Jan. 22, was familiar to me in boyhood 
—being then not un frequently sung as a humorous song 
At hu'^kings and similar occasions, among the rural pop- 
ulation of Xew Hampshire. The version differed sliuLt- 
ly. but not materially, from the " Sussex." It was not 
given as a whistlinj; song, but with what wis csllcd a 
** chortu," sung by the one vocalist who gave the sonir— 
thus : *• 

There was an old Far-mer, be lived in the wosb : 



:rh^=^=*: 






Whack. fftllA ral 



f* ral Is I lay ; And he h.id a 

1 >- -s- IH- 






jrife that was none of the bast, With my fn. la 





fa rallAl 



Pl'il^lili=lij| 



fa ral lal U |r«l O 



rft^MMhr 



dav. 



3C 



.84 



DTV^IGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



If well ivhi^tied, the effect uiUlu lie better, 
J should iierhaps have har.lly troubled you with this, 
nt for the fact thtic a version of the same thins b given 
I Jo!inson*8 Museum -more at length and with more 
liarp points—entitled : 

KfUyhHrntfrae: Wriafn/&r tkU Work by Robert Bum:** 
This no more proves that New Ham^Mhlre wns peopled 
rom Sussex, than that Scotland was, but shows that 
tarns thought there was enough of humor in the legend 
3 make It worth preserving. 
In the Museum, it begins : 



There liv-ed a 



carl in Kel lyburnbraea, 



Hey, and the rue grows bon-ie wi' thyme ; A 



thyme; And 



Hey, and the rue grows bon-ie 



ho had a wife was the plague of his days. And the 




thyme it ii witber'd. and me is in 

It is in the 4Ui volume of the Museum, and numbered 
79. 

There is one point in the New Hampshire version, not 
A either of the others, to wit : tliat Satan had done a 
ay*s plowing for the Farmer, and was to have one of 
lie family as a quid pro quo ; that when he came for his 
ay, he was offered the eldest son, but was gallant 
nough to prefer the Lady. " The effect was the same," 
coording to all three ditiies. 

I can give you an item of some musical interest. Our 
Haydn Association '* are studying Banders Theodora; 
Ave had thr^e rehearsals, and their progress is exceed- 
igly creditable and promising. Yours truly. 

JV6. 8, 1876. . LB. 



New York, Jam. 81, 1870. In my last letter I brought 
he concert record up to the New Year, and upon resum- 
ag it now, I And first on the list the fourth Von Bnolow 
oncert of the new series, on Monday evening, Jan. S, 
rhen Dr von Bnelow. assisted by Dr. Damrosch, played 
he great Kreutxer sonata of Beethoven, and also Schu- 
ert*s Introdnotlon and Rondo briliant, op. 70, for piano 
nd violin. The piano soli at this concert were artisti- 
ally grouped as follows: 

a. Scarlatti— Cat's fugne. 

b. J. B. Baoh— Sarabands and passepied. 

e. Olnck—Oavotte from tlie ballet "Don Juan.*' 
d. If osart— Uenuet et Oigue. 

nd following these came a set of Chopin's pieces. 

a. Nocturne. Op. 9, No. 3. 

b. Bnllade. Op. 23. 

c. Three Valses. Op. 34. 

Miss Lizzie Cronyn sang Beethoven's " Song of Penl- 
anee," op. 48, and a Romanza from Rossini's "Othello." 
At the fifth concert, on Wednesday evening, Jan. 6th, 
[err von Buelow, with the co-operation of M. Aubert 
rioloncello) played a brilliant composition by Camille 
alnt-SaKns (Grande Suite, op. 19, in D, end alsot^hopin's 
Introduction and Polonsise for Piano and Violoncello," 
p. 3. The general effect of both pieces was marred by 
lie bad playing of the violoncellist, whose most apparen^ 
kults were weak bowing, uncertainty in stopping, and 
efective tone. 

Tiie vocalist of the erening was Miss Rosa UcGearhy, 
'ho sang two fiashy operatic airs which were completely 
t yariance with the general character of the programme, 
lough not more so than was the singing of the youAg 
idy in question. Far from finding fault with her selec- 
bns I esteem it fortunate, and remember feeling thank- 
i1 at the time, that she attempted nothing serious. 
The only unexceptionable part of the evening's perform- 
nee was the playing of Herr von Bueiow. whose selec- 
ons were : from Mendelssohn the "Variations serieuses* 
p. 64, and six songs without words, and from Liszt 
cantique d'amour," "LeLac," "Au bord d'une source " 
nd a Valse Impromptu. 

Bach of these pieces was given mritb the greatest deli- 
acy of finish and the very perfection of detail, while the 
enuine poetry of the Mendelssohn Lieder brought into 
mng relief the artificial character of Liszt's ingenious 

indes. 

At the sixth concert, on Friday evening Jan. 7th. Rn- 
instelu's sonaU, op. 18, fbr Piano and Violoncello wss 
layed by Herr von Buelow and M. Aubert, and the great 
lanist gave a magnificent performance of Beethoven's 
onata m E flat, op. 31. He played also a group of soil 
f Schubert, comprising the Elegie, op. 90, No. 3, the 



Impromptu bearing the same opns uumlier .nnd a '*Vali<e 
Caprice" arranged by Ll^zt. The programme ended 
with Hnmmel's Grand Septet, op, 74 in which Herr von 
Bnelow had the co-operation of Mcs«rs. .^iedler, Gortel- 
meler, Gowalt, M;itska, Bergner and Pfeifeuschnelder. 

At tlil.« concert, Miss Lizzie Cmnyn sang" La vita felice', 
[op. 38] liy-Beethovcn. a Canzonettn from " Salvator Ro- 
sa" by Gomez, and " Thou'rt like unto a flower " by Ru- 
binstein, in a very «coeptable m inner. 

The programme of the matlnte on Satnrdty, Jan. 8th, 
which ended the series was the same a.^ that of the con- 
cert the Monday evening preceding. The concerts were 
all well attended and they will never be forgotten by those 
who are interested in music. 

On Friday, Jan. 14th, the New York Philharmonic So- 
ciety gave a mating at the Academy of Music, with a 
programme substantially the same as that of the concert 
of the week following. 

The second concert of the Brooklyn Philhsrmonic So- 
ciety came on Jan. 16th. on w Ich occasion Rubinstein's 
Dramatic Symphony was played. This work has already 
been produced in New York 1 y Theo. Thomas [twice if I 
remember rightly] and its bold, fanciful conception and 
masterly insimmentaUon ^B^e created a profound Im- 
pression which was still farther confirmed by this per- 
formance In Brooklyn. The orchestra seemed to make 
light of the technical difficulty of the work, which is im- 
mense. And, if any one in the audience had the courage 
to try to understand the work, he mtut have received 
valuable assistance from the analysis, by Mr. Dudley 
Buck, printed In the programme. 

Besides this symphony, which is of great length, the 
orchestra played Beethoven's nvei-tnre in C, and the 
Vorspiol to the Melstersinger von Numberg, of Wagner. 
Senor Joseph White of whose admirible violin playing I 
wrote not long ago, played Mendelssohns' Concerto in E- 
minor, and, for encore, a Gavotte by Bach. 

The great charm of Senor White's violin playing is in 
the quality of the tone h9 draws from the instrument, 
which Is singularly pure and sweet; other traiu however 
are not lacking. 

Miss Thursby sang an sir from Handel's Muslo Scevola, 
and a Recitative and Rondo " Mia Speransa Adorata" 
by Mozart. 

On Saturday erening Jan. 23nd, we had a double allow- 
ance of music. The N. Y. Philharmonic society gave 
their third concert of the season at the Academy of Mu- 
sic with the following bill : 

Symphony— No. 3, in Eb, major Haydn 

a. Adagio— Vivace assai. b. Adagio cantabile. 
e. Menuetto, Allegretto. d. Finale, Vivace. ' 
Concerto— For the piano, No. 2, E minor. Op. 120, 

Reinecke 
Allegro: Andante quasi Allegro; Finale Allegro, 
with Orchestral Accompaniment. 
Miss Lina Luckhardt. 

Scene and Aria— "Ah perfldo," Beethoven 

Miss Eugenie Pappenheim. 



Overture—" Coriolanns," (>p. 63 Beethoven 

Redt. « Ariar-'- Le Nozze cii Figaro," Mozart 

Miss Eugenie Pappvnhelm. 
Symphony— No. 1, F major, [first time In America]. 

Metsdorfl 

The Haydn symphony is an attractive work and it was 
well played. Of the performance of the rest of the bill I 
cannot speak with certainty as I did not remain to hear 
it. The audience was a fair one considering the fact that 
Thomas at Steinway Hall on the same night gave a con- 
cert such as he only [in New York at least] could plan 
and carry to success. Here the house was filled and ev- 
en tlie small hall back of the main auditorium was 
crowded with attentive listeners. The programme was 
like an apotheosis of Beethoven. I copy it in full. 

Symphony, No. 1, in C, On. 21, 

Concerto for Violin and Orchestra, Op. 61. 

Allegro ma non troppo—Lanrhetto— Rondo. 
Mr. S. B Jacolisohn and Orchestra. 
Symphonv, No. 9, D minor. Op. 126, 

With final Chorus to Schiller's Ode 
•• Hymn to Joy." 

Recitative, Solos, Quartet and Chorus. 

Mrs. H. M. Wraith, Miss Autunia Henne, Mr. Wm. J. 

Winch, Mr. Franz Remmertt. 

and 

The Oratorio Society of New York. 

Space would f nO me should I attempt to give an ac- 
count of this pciformance in detail, and I will only say 
that the enormous difficulties presented by the great cho- 
ral symphony were surmounted with success and appar-' 
ent ease by the orchestra; and that the singing of the im- 
possible vocal parts was very well done by thoee to whom 
they were entrusted, while the chorus was creditable 
both to the shagers and to Dr. Damrosch who directed 
the singing. 

The violin concerto, which is seldom given entire, ex- 
cited much interest; and the playing of Mr. Jacobssohn 
displayed all the qualities necessary to the best interpre- 
tation of the work. ^ ^ ^ 

A.A.C. 




X O , 



DE8CBIPTIVE LIST OF THE 

P«a»ltoh«i« tejr Oliver mtmmm M €•• 

Yooal* witk ?iaiie AooompanimeBt. 

In the Maple GroTa. 8oDg and Cho. 8. 

B6 to f. Hodg€$. 80 

** Glo«sy, goldim ringlets, cheeks of ro««y hue, 
Made my heart a captive, in the maple grove." 

Poetry Imbned with the Iteanty of the wood- 
lands, and a nice, neat song every w«y. 

Love's Answer to ' Speak to me roeiik." 8. 

Ftof. FoorlAiiyseii. 80 

*' O. conld*st thou lay Thy hand in mine, 

My heart to-day Beat* but for thine.*' 

Music and words armneed In short, eriap 
phrases, which are very pretty and eflleotive. 

Home so blest 4. E6 to e. AbL 90 

" Oh, home so f )ie«t I Oh, sheltered nest I 
Oh Hand so fair 1" 

Abt gives ns here another " Swallow*' song nt 
sweet and classic character. Words hy Montgom- 
eiy. 

On the Sliore T wait and listen. Son^r and 

Cho. 8. Abtog. Voorthuyaen. 8*} 

" Roll ye waters, marm*ring waters. 
Restless waves and rolling foam." 

Waiting for the sailor lover, whose boat comes 
empty to the shore. Fine song and chorus. 

Katie, the Rose of Eildare. 8 F tof. Dank9. 80 

** If I were a bird I would soon be a flying. 
Across the blue ocean to Katie and home." 

A neat Imitation of an Irish song, with a mAl- 
ody much prettier than the average. 

Nobody's Darling but mine. 8 Ctoa. 

Jkmka, 80 

*' In yonr bright eyes softly shine, love. 
Visions delightful to — ** 



Evidently one of the brightest and best of dar- 
lings, for non^ else could prompt such a soaring, 
brilliant, sparkling love song. For a high tenor 
or soprano. 

Finette. 8. D (minor or major) to d. 

Molhtf. 86 

*' So Gerome csmA one, and Finette came two, 
Two little steps hslf way.** 

A decidedly merry little minor song, as pretty 
as pretty can be. 

laitrunentalt 

Reveries of the Psst Fine HUioinraph tIMe. 

Romance for Piano. 4. £5. O. D. WiUon, 75 

*' Let fate do her worst, there are rdics of jov. 
Bright dreams of the psst, which we cannot destroy." 

Another of Mr. Wilson's line pieces, which bor- 
ders on the msgnillcent In its beauty. 

Yictoire Galop. 4. F. BarUeU. 85 

More diflScult than most galops; but iMmsiifin' 
that the '* V ctoire" Is tlie victory of a ooliege 
boat clni>. and nothing short of the brilttsnt ecs- 
tattcs of this galop would go urith the Joys of the 
winning crew. 

Tidal Wave March. 2. G. SeaUy. 80 

A simple march, with "full band" eflbots. 

Ten Pin Galop. 2. D. Walli*. 85 

As sn additional efltect, at one place a dmm Is 
introdnced, giving the rolls of the bsU, followed 
by a glissando, indicating that *' all are down." 

Forest Echoes. Mazourka. 8. C. Sotewig, 80 

It hns no echo In it, but a most graceful melody, 
which may well be employed m Invoking the 
echoes. 

Come bock to Erin. Fantasia. 4. B5. Grobe, 76 

A welt known beautiful air, raried in Qrobe's 
well known interesting style. 

Tramway Galop. Four Hands. 8. C. 

Qobba^rtM, 75 

A galop played with 4 hauus will be a brilliant 
aflair. 

Six Eauy Pieces for Four Hands. By 

Carl Meineeke, 
Ko. 1. YoTspiel. 25 

•' 2. Liedchen. 25 

'< 8. ZurGuitarre. 25 

** 4. Landliche Tans. 85 

** 5. Echo Song. 
** 6. Gavotte. 
Basy Instructive pieces of Id or 8d grade. 



25 



AnBiiKVTATir>xs.~Degrees of difficulty are marked 
1 to 7. The Jfcry Is marked with a cspltal letter: se C, B 
nnt, Ac A small Roman letter marks the highest note. 
If on tlie stair, an italic letter the highest note, if above 
the BiKtt. 



«Wi 



Ate 



«« 




toig|fs 




mxul 





Whole No. 910. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, MAR. 4, 1876. 



Vol. XXXV. No, 24. 



Bach*8 Mag^nifleat, described by Robert 

Franz. 

[For the benefit of those who listened to the first per- 
formance of this great work in Boston, in the Thomas 
Concert of this week, we reproduce the principal por- 
tions of the appreciative analysis by Robert Franz, which 
we' translated in this Journal in the summer of 1867. J 



1. The first nnmber, a chorus in D major, 
8-4 measure, treats the words: ** Magnificat an- 
Una mea Dominum '* (My soul doth magnify the 
Lord). In an extended prelude the master ex- 
pounds the materials (themes or motives) on 
which the piece is founded, and which are af- 
terwards brought into more full and conscious 
presence by the yocal setting. The orchestra, 
rich and brilliant for that day, embraces the 
stringed quartet, two flutes, two oboes, three 
trumpets, tympani, and, as in most of Baches 
church works, the Organ. Each and every 
part is kept extremely individual and in«le- 
pendent in its movement, and they group them- 
selves in three distinct choirs: the string quar- 
tet, the wind instruments of wood, the brass 
instruments with drums. The Organ, from 
which it is well known that Bach used to con- 
duct the church music, must certainly have 
served very distinct purposes : here supporting, 
there predominant, here softening and blend- 
ing, there mediating, it was in the hand of the 
master the instrument par excellence through 
which he understood how to make his personal 
influence avail. It cannot be enough lamented, 
that Bach in the scores of his church music has 
left us no organ part fully written out; with 
that we should not only have the wn^ks in 
their completeness, but it would reveal to us 
new forms of expression, of whose depth and 
significance we can scarcely form a weak con- 
ception. No one certainly, who knows with 
what unheard of mastery Bach treated this 
instrument, will find this assertion extrava- 
gant 

By the three instrumental groups just men- 
tioned, and in the most unconstrained manner, 
are now developed just so many motives, which 
dispute the course of the opening number be- 
tween them. The soaring and elastic leading 
motive enters first in the oboes ; with it is coup- 
led without more delay an accompanying mo- 
tive, brought in by the three trumpets; out of 
this again there is at last developed a short 
fide motive, which plays an extremely active 
part in the subsequent working up. Bach is in 
tlie habit of so inventing his themes, that they 
shall admit of the most various transpositions 
and inversions; hence they are written accord- 
ing to the rules of double, triple, quadruple 
and quintuple Counterpoint. Especially does 
there reside in them a certain rhythmic, melod- 
ic and harmonic spring-power, which uplifts 
yon at the outset with the exciting feeling that 
here all will work itself out, of itself, through 
the intrinsic vitality of the ideas, the themes, 
and that the ordering master hand will only 



intervene to guide, to guard against wanton, 
arbitrary digressions. 

After a modulation into the Dominnnt, the 
prelude, concentrating its esssential matter 
closely, returns to the Tonic, in which it makes 
now a full close. The chorus voices, 1st and 
2nd Soprani, Alti, Tenors and Basses, two by 
two and without instrumental accompaniment, 
now sieze upon a portion of the main motive, 
which is presently resumed again in full form 
by the orchestia, repeating note for note the 
first half of the prelude. We have already 
spoken of the remarkably independent and 
polyphonic conduct of the instrumental intro- 
duction; and yet it has been possible for Bach 
to go still further and to write into this com- 
plex score an almost wholly neic vocal setting 
of five parts! If the great master, with his in- 
exhaustible wealth, were not at the same time 
an equally unapproachable model of the noblest 
simplicity, such audacity could hardly have 
come off unpunished. But now how is it pos- 
sible to our ear, to catch such a multiplicity of 
parts, to comprehend and feel as a unity all 
these different turns and passages, as they go 
swiftly whirling by? 

We do not deem it indispensable, with Bach, 
to follow the web of parts in all the details. 
As in a Gothic cathedral the numberless par- 
ticulars and minute embellishments only serve 
to give life and motion to the great whole, but 
not to draw the attention of the beholder away 
from that, precisely so it should be with the 
polyphony of Bach. Baches harmonies unfold 
themselves, for the most part, in great, broad 
proportions — the fundamental basses show this 
clearly enough; — these great groups he evi- 
dently resolves by a melodiously flowing car- 
riage of the parts into smaller groups, giving 
rise to a multitude of secondary harmonies, 
busily thronging this way and that way. Now 
whoever seeks to follow this fleeting, transito- 
ry essence, will soon be wrecked, because be- 
fore one form has completed its whole outline, 
another is already pressing to the foreground, 
to give way as quickly to a third, so that all 
that is single and particular seems to elude the 
ear. The true significance of the detail, as 
well as of the whole, is lost by so listening to 
Bach. One must, much rather, seize upon 
those great proportions, seek to image them in- 
wardly in his own mind, and from this firm 
basis learn to look with a sure insight into that 
seemingly confused, but really most richly ar- 
tistic, organically developed complication of 
single parts. Then will those particulars in 
which the centre of gravity in every passage 
lies, those which have the decisive word to say, 
those which, are the principal supporters of 
the artistic design, stand forth of themselves 
without difilculty ; while that which is only in- 
tended to be subsidiary, and to round off the 
musical form in point of style, will cease to ex- 
ercise any disturbing and bewildering effect. 
The secret of Bach*s manner of leading on the 



parts lies in the close and intimate relation of 
each single part to the whole ;— accordingly 
the understanding must keep in view, in the 
first line, the development of t?ie whole, and 
seek through this to orient itself in regard to 
the particulars. Even for the musician, with, 
the most searching study, entering into the 
smallest details, it will never do to leave this 
out of sight, unless he would run the risk of 
misunderstanding Bach. 

Now here our first Chorus, in spite of the 
richest fullness and variety, unfolds itself es- 
sentially in the most simple forms. As a first 
change the Dominant is introduced, from which 
the chorus in its further course takes a side di- 
rection to the parallel key (or relative minor). 
From this the modulation swerves unconstrain- 
cdly back toward the Tonic, touches the Sub- 
dominant in passing, and finally makes a full 
close in the Tonic. Ornate melodic cadences 
mark the end points of the principal keys and 
give a tender lyric breath to the grand, majes- 
tic forms. After the vocal setting has come to 
an end, the orchestra comes forward again 
with an independent post-lude, which is taken 
from the second half of the prelude. We see 
how simply and with what comprehensive ov- 
ersight Bach knew how to lay out the funda- 
mental relations of his plan ! Dazzling splen- 
dor and jubilant joy, as of each meeting each 
in the most graceful interwinings of tones, are 
the leading attributes of this first number. 
Keeping expectation on the stretch, it admira- 
bly prepares you for the following, and is like 
the festively decorated entrance to the temple, 
in which songs of thanksgiving and praise 
resound to the might and mercy of the Lord. 

2. The next sentence bri ngs a Solo (D major, 
$-8 measure), which in a lovely manner fiashes 
back as individual feeling the same emotions, 
to which the chorus has lent a broad and 
weighty expression. The voice part, a Second 
Soprano, treats the words of the text: ^^ Etex- 
iiltavit spiritus meus in Deo salutari meo " (And 
my spirit hath rejoiced in Ood my Saviour), 
and is accompanied by the string quartet, here 
and there interrupted by the Organ. A ffently 
soaring motive, seconded in easy play oy an 
intervening bass figure,' ivhich afterwards, as 
the whole goes on expanding, imparts itself 
ornamentally to the first violin, controls almost 
exclusivelv the development of this mild and 
tender Anoso. Here all so rounds itself to the 
most beautiful symmetry of forms, that the last 
lialf of each musical sentence seems to fiow from 
the first half of itself. Such a bright, child- 
like joy, which runs along so wholly unob- 
structed and untroubled, could only spring 
from the absolute purity of a virgin heart. 

3. Quite different is the character of the 
number w*hich now follows, an Aria for the 
First Soprano (B minor, 4-4 measure), to which 
a Chorus is appended in the most immediate 
connection. The solo part is built upon the 
words : ** Quia respexU numilitatem aneiUa sua: 
eece enim ex hoe leatam me dicent *' — the chorus, 
on their continuation: ^^omnes generationes,^* 
(For he hath regarded the low estate of his 
handmaiden, for, behold, from thenoeforth all 
generations shall call me biassed). Plain and 
simple as the style seems in whioh the Air is 



JS 



186 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



outwarflly dispose?! of — the sonpf is only ac- 
companied by an OhoA d'amnreaJiA the Orpin — 
Its depth of feeling is most tonchinsr. Bsich 
conceives the text words not onlv within the 
situation in which they present themselves; 
his musical conception evidently reaches far 
beyond. In Mary he perceives not onlv the 
humble, lowly maid, to whom the Saviour of 
the world has just been announced and who in 
blissful pence e'njoys the consciousness* of this 
gpreat l>oon — he rather, with a prophet's e5'e, 
sees in her that mother of God. whose Son is to 
bear and to atone for the sins of the world un- 
der a servile form. How else shall we explain 
the uneasy, fearful, plaintive tone that like a 
dark veil settles down over all the still repose 
.and devotion? And still more is this mystical 
conception of Bach confirmed, when we take 
into view the character of the chorus that falls 
in so swiftly, in F-sharp minor, 4-4 time. In 
wild, eaprer haste the voice-parts rush in at the 
close of the solo piece and. as if driven by de- 
monic forces, tower to such a colossal heifjht of 
expression, that it is easy enoujrh to imaarine 
that the master seeks to brinsf before us here a 
world-convulsion of the most unexampled kind 
and from its remotest starting point . Perhaps 
there floated over his deep soul in the moment 
of creation the words of Christ: "Think not 
that I am come to send peace on earth : I came 
not to send peace, but a sword." 

The extremely enerjjetic theme is first seized 
by the Bass, around which the second Soprano, 
Alto and Tenor start off with a whirling motion. 
Then follow the further entrances of tlie theme, 
which constantly draws after it a powerful, 
wildly excited figure ; they succeed each other 
in half measures blow on blow. A far reaching 
sequence crowds it tone by tone upward, till it 
at last finds a momentary point of rest in the 
parallel key, A major. But without rest or 
peace the heaving masses roar along in a new 
onslaught, which shapes itself, if possible, in 
still bolder and more gigantic proportions, 
hurrying toward another goal, the key of the 
Dominant, C-sharp minor. Thus far an an- 
grily murmuriog nass figure has roared below 
the voices, irresistibly (in obedience to that se- 
auence) working its way up out of the dark 
depths. Suddenly the Haiti is given to the 
Bauo Cantintio: sharp and heavy orchestral 
strokes, marking the Dominant Chord of F- 
sharp minor on the first and third quarter of 
the measure with full force, follow, and so 
form a sort of Organ points above and within 
which now the main theme is heard in the most 
fabulous contractions. Imitations in five-part 
Canon, in unison and in the octave, in swift 
succession on the quarter beats, press onward 
to a strange, uncomfortable hold {fermata), 
which forms in a certain sense the decisive cri- 
sis of our stormy chorus. For after this the 
voices, swiftly hastening to the conclusion, 
move with almost homophonavt uniformity, as 
if blended into steadfast unity — the purifica- 
tion process, although after violent conflicts, is 
fulfilled in them ! 

5. To the wild unrest of the number just de- 
scribed there now succeeds, in splendid con- 
trast, a Bass Solo (in A major, 4-4 measure), 
with the words: " Quia fedt mihi magna^ qui 
poteni e»t^ et sanctum nor en e;iM '^ (For He that 
18 mighty hath done to me great things, and 
holy is his name). Here all breathes warm and 
lieart-felt thankfulness for the great things 
which the Lord hath done to us; all praise 
his holy name. The economy of this Aria is 
really admirable and could hardly be surpassed. 
A characteristic and expressive motive of the 
hano eontinuo, forming four measures, repeats 
itself continually in the most different posi- 
tions and intervals through the whole move- 
ment. First it diverges to the Dominant key, 
from which, by a gentle transition, it reaches 
the parallel key,' F-sharp minor. Then we are 
led into the Mediant, from which the Tonic 
springs again as if new-bom. The voice part 
tak.>8 its material partly from this theme; 
partly it moves, calmly and full of dignity, in 
ires and independent figures, which mount 



and float above it like the smoke of a thank- 
offering. 

* « « i» * * * 

6. The next number of the Mrufnifleat brings 
us a Duet between the Alto and the Tenor, in 
E minor. 12-8 measure, to the words: ** Et 
mi)*ernrnrflia a progenia in progenies timentihfis 
^um " (And his mercy is on them that fear him 
from fifoneration to generation). Here asrain 
Bach shows himself a deep interpreter of the 
words of the text, with a fine knowledcre of the 
human hf-art. The tender mercy of the Lord 
in its effort on those who fear him is musically 
delineated in ma««torly ontlines. The voices 
are supported by the string quartet — the vio- 
lins and viola muted, the former doubled by 
the flutes. In this duplication the violins and 
flutes exchanse their brilliant and softer tone- 
colors, as if Bach meant to indicate the ntonce 
elevating and soothinsr influence of the divine 
mercy on the heart that turns toward it. At 
the words: ^^ timenfVms enm^^^ the instruments 
are mostly silent and leave the accompaniment 
to the Orsran. The conclnding turn of the 
voice parts is startlingly effective through the 
astonishing boldness of the modulation. 

7. The foil owin ST Chorus forms a errand con- 
trast to this mild Duet. Its far reaching, pow- 
erful main theme, majestically entering in a 
compass of an octave and a half, first brini?s 
the words: ** yV<*t7^^<«nfwwiL" (He hath showed I 
strenerth). A&fainst this ** p<?^4?«/wp," spreading 
itself in all directions, infinitely mobile. Bach 
offsets a motive on the words: **in hraehio t^io*^ 
(with his arm), which seems to eml>ody an op- 
posite and yet kindred element, i compressed 
iforce, self-poised yet tensely strained. The 
main theme, entering first in the Tenor, is at 
tended from the outset by smart rhythmical 
blows of the other roire parts, with which the 
orchestra — but without trumpets and drums — 
joins in imitative beats. Then the Alto takes 
it, while the Tenor devehips the counter-mo- 
tive: ^^in hrachio suo,'** and the other vocal and 
orchestral parts continue their strong rhythmi- 
cal movement. The theme is now handed over 
to the Second Soprano, then to the Bass, after- 
wards to the First Soprano and finally to the 
orchestra. The voices, however, which have 
already executed it, leave that rhythmical figure 
more and more to the orchestra and take an ev- 
er freer attitude in the riche^^t contrapuntal 
forms, so that shortly before the entrance of 
the main motive in the orchestra they are all 
engaged in fully independent motion. Mean- 
while two new accessory motives have intro- 
duced themselves on the word: ^^dieperiif^ 
(he hath scjittered), symbolizing it in pictorial 
forms. The Continfto, for its part, supports 
this wonderful structure in rhythms proper to 
itself, and admirably corresponding to the 
character of the whole. At last one of the ac- 
cessory motives of the '*/?/ii;x?r»*7" remains 
alone upon the field and suddenly forces out, 
in a shrill chord broken short off, the word 
that completes its sense, ^^iuperboe^^ (the 
proud). 

* i» * i» * i» * 

8. The chorus is succeeded by a T- nor Solo, li 
F-sharp minor, 8-4 measure, which in Its essen- 
tial featnre« shows a kindred fcelinsf It treats the 
text : " Deposnit poteniffs de itede, H exaftavU h*tmiln '* 
(He hath put down the raiffhty from their seats, and 
exalted them of low de^n'ee). Here too Bach has 
not allowed the obvioas aDtitheses to escape him, 
and has known how to present them energetically 
and characteristically enoncrh. 

9. The following nnrpber. an Alto Solo, in E 
major, 4—4 measni-e, asrain, is in strocs: contraat. 
Two flutes, the CorUimto and the organ falling in 
occasionally, accompany the melody to the words: 
" EturletUtn implefit bonis ef dirites dim*Mt innnes " 
(He hath filled the hungry with sfood thines. and 
the rich he hath sent away empty). The Aria has 
that expression of mildness and repose, which stirs 
onr soul so beautifully, without wearying: by mr- 
not/>ny. The flutes move mostly in sixths and 
thirds, holdioir fast to an extremely pecnliar 
rhythm, and only now and then are offset against 
each other in In^nious play. The words : " im- 
plevit honisl* and then agiUn : " dimUit inanes " art 



expressed in a masterly manner ; the hungry ones 
{**eMnrienffs**) have as ft were a cornuwipia of 
blHRfltngs poured upon them, while the rich (" diwi- 
tes ") come out empty with a barren figure. The 
course of the whole aria completes itself so naturally 
and qui tly, the direct intervention of the Highest 
in the fate of mortals has so many heart-winning 
traits, that one is almost forced to complain that 
the beautiful number should glide past so swiftly. 

10. Tfie charm of the last piece is one that seizes 
upon you immediately. Bach follows it up with a 
conception, full of deep 8i«;nificance, which trans- 
]Mirts you into remote times, into another world, a 
movement which may well be regarded as forming 
the very central point and kernel of the whole. 
The primeval melody of the Magnificat, which the 
Church used also for the Benedidio^-^W^ origin dates 
back into the 7th century— appears now in the 
oboes as canto fermo, wilh three female voices (two 
sopranos and an alto) mysteriously playing about 
it, to the words : " 8**Me^it Israel puerum tMum, re- 
rordtitus miscricordus " (He hath holpen hia servant 
Israel, in remembrance of his mercy). In |]:entU 
strokes the violoncello marks the fundamental har- 
monies, rather hinting than actual executing them. 
The caitofermo floats mildly gleaming, like a star, 
over the voice parts, liftias: them as by a soft at- 
traction to itself. The vocal setting, on its part, 
heaves and fluctuates towards it in lovely imita- 
tions, the several roices taking: up the thread and 
passing it on to one another in artful involution. 
All seems to draw life and motion from the primeval 
sonnJs. For the two lines of the Choral the mas- 
ter uses two portions of accompanying matter: that 
is. to the first line the voices sinj? the " sttscepU Is- 
rael puertim snum,** and to the second Tine the ** rc- 
eord^Uus minericftrd'KK.* Both divisions of the text, 
asrain, find their peculiar musical treatment. The 
motive to ** s»^ceptt hrad pne^mm suum" is era- 
ployed directly and in the inverted form, a mode of 
representation which answers characteristically 
enough to the helping hand of the Lord; the 
" recordatHS trtiner'cordus," on the contrary, develops 
itself without the use of such artistic means, and so 
all the more effectually glorifies the eternal mercy 
and compassion. 

Althou<;h the voice parts in their circling move- 
ments sometimes cut across each other, yet these 
momentary hardnesses are always mitigated by the 
independent individnal movement of each part, and 
rather serve to lend to the whole piece a certain ex- 
traordinary and mystical stamp. And this may 
have been precisely Bach's intention. The union of 
just those words, which describe the redcwaing 
mercy of the Lord towards his servant Israel, with 
the venerable tones of the old MagnifieeU or (in the 
sense of the Church) the still more si^cnificant Bens- 
dirtio^ is surely not an accidental one and points to 
such a conception. If now we direct attention to 
the contrast of this number to the Chorus : '* OmiMt 
gcHeraiiones," if we point out how in the two Christ- 
ianity is first presented in its world-disturbing and 
then in its world-redeeming aspect, we thereby gain 
a new point of view, which shows Bach's immeasu- 
rahle greatness in the clearest light. 

The form and substance of the piece jnst analyzed 
have reminded us repeatedly of those imperishable 
wortls of Luther, which have such convincing effi- 
cacy because thc»y proceeded from the deepest in« 
sight He says : 

" Where the natural Musica is sharpened and pol- 
ished by Art. there we first see and recoprniae with 
wtmder the great and perfect wisdom of God in this 
wondrous work of his called Music, in which lW« 
above all is strange and wonderfr.1 : that one voice 
sines the mere tune, along wiih which three, fonr 
or five other parts are sun?, which as It were with 
jubilation playing and springing around the said 
mere melody," in all sorts of ways and sound, do 
marvellonsly embellish and adorn the same, and 
lead off as it were a heavenly dance, meeting eadi 
other friendlily and fondly bugging and embrac- 

insT. 

Powerfullv confirminsf what precedes, there now 
sets in a Chorus, in D major, aUa hrwe, to the 
words : " Siatt locutus est adpalres nostros^ Ahraham 
et scmini ejtu in secuia " ( As he spake to our fathers, 
to Abraham, and to his seed forever). Suitably to 
ite contents, this text is used for a vocal fugue, en- 
ergetically supported by the Basso Coidinuotknd th* 
Organ. That Bach is the unrivalled master in the 
fugue form, is universally agreed. And so here too 
he solves his problem with a playful ease and per- 
fect skill. To the marrowy main theme : " siaU lo- 
cutus est ad patres nostros " are one by one added va- 
rious secondary motives, the first with the words: 
" Abraham et semim ejus,"* the second with: "»icirf 



BOSTON^, SATURDAY, MAR. 4, 1876. 



187 



Inattwt ft^ And the third with : " in aecnla,*' wl>!ch 
nil unito toother at the last entrnnre but one of the 
theme \u the bass. The (ii};nificant harmony of 
word and tone nemls scarcely to be mentioned. 

Bach*s fogaes are commonly written in a Coun- 
terpoint of as many kinds as there are voice p<irts 
emplo3'ed. By an apt inversion of these the mns 
ter with the simplest means o^n reaches tlie jfrer.t- 
est effects. In general he works out his main 
theme in three, four or five parts, and gives to each 
ftingle part a character as independent and as indi- 
vidnal as possible : this materiHi, almost exclnnive- 
\y\ is discussed thron<^hout the further course of the 
movement. Accordingly one Tuight believe that 
here, after all, the mechanical prevailed ralher than 
the organic. Up to a certain point this may be ad- 
mitted; but then we must not overlook the way in 
which Bach knows how to invent his themes : ho 
breathes into them such an elastic eneri^y, that in 
all positions and relations they appear always fresh 
and new. 

Towards the end our fngue moulds Itself some- 
what freely, and thus admirably prepares the char- 
acter of the concluding number. 

12. With Ihe " Sicut locnOui etit" Mary's song of 
praise is properly ended. But for a more definite 
rounding off of the Magnifirat, the verse : ** Gloria 
Petri, gloria Filio, gloria Spirit*U Sanctof SiciU eral 
in prineipio, et nunct et a^npcr^ et in seenla nrctdorum, 
Anun^ is added, once more summing up the whole 
in a errand, broad feeling. 

This concluding piece is divided in its outward 
structure into two main parts, the first taking the 
words " Gloria PcUri," etc., and the second the "6't- 
cuttraiinprincipio,{AB\t was in the beginning), 
etc The five chorus parts, accompanied by the or- 
chestra, with the exceptioa of the trumpets and 
drums, which only come in at the '* gloria tpiritui 
Saneto^ and the org:an, break out at first in a short, 
energetic exclamation : ** Gloria f^ Thereupon the 
Organ, taUo »olo, holds out tlie deep A as organ- 
point, upon which now an unprecedented tone-pict- 
ure builds itself up. The Bass, followed by the oth- 
er voice parts at intervals of half a measure, unrolls 
without further accompaniment a strongly soaring 
triplet figure, which, after traversing three bars, 
plunges into the " gloria Patri,** flashing as with 
super-earthly splendor, when the orchestra again 
falls in with all its might, resuming that loud excla- 
mation. These sweeping onsets are repeated on the 
organ-point £, only reversing the order in which 
the voices enter, to the "gloria Filio,** and then 
again upon the organ-point B, but with a new mo- 
tive, to the "gloria Spiritui taneto.** — ^The voices 
in the eager rush of their ascent to the triune God 
seem to tumble over one another, until the need of 
community again unites them upon far- resounding 
five^iz chords ; they seem to wish to take heaven 
by storm, but to sink upon their knees, not cruished, 
hilt jubilant, before the eternal splendor. And here 
riffht clearly Music shows the power peculiar to it- 
self alone, of representing highest transcendental 
moods in ftill reality ; the expressive faculty of oth- 
er arts is very far from reaching it in this direc- 
tion. 

After this intro<luctlon follows the second half of 
the chorus, with the words: " SietUeral in principio^ 
et nnuCf et temper et in eectda setru^rtim. Amen,** 
Bach here turns back to the opening number of the 
work, letting its leading motive float before us once 
more in a condensed form. The satisfactory round- 
ing off thus given to the whole work is worthily In 
keeping with the preceding traits of perfect beauty. 

The " Edinburgh Eeview " on Wagn«r. 

[Concluded from Page 180.] 
The writer goes into a detailed description of 
" Tristan and Isolde,** quoting from the libretto ; as 
to this latter, he says : — 

The lihreUo of an opera has seldom much claim to 
literary merit ; but of all the doggerel we ever met 
with " to be said or sung** on the stage, Herr Wag- 
ner's verses appear to us to be the worst. Childish 
jingle and tasteless alliteration take the place of 
rhythm and poetry; and whatever he may have 
done with the art of Mozart and Beethoven, he has 
certainly jproetituted the language of Schiller and 
Goethe. But it would be cruel to judge such trash 
by any known literary standard. 

Yet the mere perusal of the work shows a certain 
power and intensity in the general treatment of the 
legend, so wild and exciting in itself, so full in one 
sense of human interest We cannot but remark in 
particular the genius for dramatic effect displayed 
in the manner in which Wagner opens each act : 



how he gives the local cfilor and feeling of the sur- 
roundings ; on the ship — ^in the palace gardens on 
the summer night — in the cistle where the horn of 
the Breton herdsman heard outside gives the first 
indication that we are on new ground ; and the art 
witli which he excites tlie expectation of the spec- 
tator by one device after another, while withhold- 
ing the climax of the scone. Yet when we r«e:ard 
the work from a musical point of view, we are full of 
misgivings. Points there are which at once asi^ert 
themselves, no doubt ; such as the prelude and scen- 
ic music of the second act: the ecstatic ru'^h of the 
violins in a phrase which becomes a prominent feat- 
ure of the great scene between the lovers, enterin'^ 
first at the words. ** O Wonne der Seele ; ** the short 
low " Ha ! ** upon a high note, amid the dead silence 
of everything else, with which Isolde recognizes 
that her lover is dead ; the opening and close of the 
flnal dirge ; and others which have been and might 
be adduced. But without repeating what we have 
already said as to the place of rhythm in music, the 
▼ocal portions seem for the most part to be written 
with an absolute and determined ignoring of the 
fact that certain intervals are more nat'iral to the 
voice and the ear than others. Even the sailor and 
the herdsman cannot be allowed to sing hud pipe 
naturally^ they ning and pipe in Wagnerian inter- 
vals. Wagner speaks in one place, and speaks elo- 
quently, of the wonderful power of music "which, 
by means of the firm precision of melodic expres- 
sion, lifts even the srifted singer so high above the 
level of his personal performances." But even the 
moet gifted singer will look in vain for this '* preci- 
sion of melody," except in a few isolated sentences. 
The voice is dragared through such tortuous and un- 
natural paths that the really free expression of feel- 
ing on the part of the singer seems often almost in- 
compatible with the strain on the ear. and the at- 
tention necessary to keep in correct relation with 
the labyrinth of orchestral accompaniments, in re- 

f;ard to which the singer is, as before observed, on- 
y an instrument among the other instruments. 
Without forgetting the stricture which Gluck passed 
upon those who judged of his operas apart from 
their effect on the stage, we cannot but think that 
the uncertainty and confusion of tonal relation in 
the vocal meloclies, as well as in the harmonic con- 
struction of the orcliestral part, implies not merely 
an indifference to scientific method (which is debate- 
able ground), but an ignoring of the physical basis 
of music, which rests on .demonstrable facta, and by 
which its iBsthetic form must necessarily, within 
certain limits, be determined. That Wagner, in his 
attempt to give to musical drama the unrestrained 
freedom of spoken drama, has overstepped these 
limits, must, we think, be the ultimate conclusion 
based on such a work as " Tristan.** Nor do we 
believe that the brilliant and powerful points in the 
work can ever, with any but a very partial audi- 
ence, adequately atone for the tedium inseparable 
from a method which allows so little relief and con- 
trast of manner and effect, and which, discarding 
the resources of amplification and extension of mu- 
sical form, and emphasizing every detail of the 
words, keeps the musical expression, so to speak, at 
a white heat throughout, and never allows the lis- 
tener a moment's repose. Nevertheless, we are of 
opinion that an adequate performance of " Tristan 
und Isolde ** onght to be given in London at an early 
date, and this unique experiment in musical drama 
be subjected to a fair test. 

Next the writer sketches the chief features of the 

" Ring des Nibelnngen,** in which he finds many 

beauties. But he goes on to remark : — 

On the other hand, one cannot but be struck. In 
reading these scores, as we were in hearing ** Lo- 
hengrin,*' at tlie sometimes almost absurd dispro- 
portion between the orchestral effect and the poem 
4nd action. The rnsh of the band, with the whole 
added power of more brass instruments than we 
have time to count up, to emphasize with an over- 
powering fortiuimo some word or gesture which 
seems totally unworthy of such tremendous empha- 
sis, almost provokes a smile at times at the dispro- 
portion between cause and effect. Big scores do not 
necessarily make great music either. Meyerbeer 
has not thrown Gluck into the shade, nor has Spon- 
tini superseded Mozart. We cannot ignore the fact, 
again, that we meet in Wagner's scores with a con- 
stant recurrence of certain resources of effect, re- 
peated to an extent which amounts to mannerism. 
One of these, the incessant reiteration, namely, of a 

f>articular orchestral phrase or figure, till it mechan- 
cally takes the ear by storm, seems to us to be lit- 
tle more than a trick played on the physical sus- 
ceptibilities of the audience, and, as Wagner some- 



limes uses it, a very chenp trick., Brtt a still more 
serious drawbrc'.« to our allegiance is the puerility, 
to English ide»*s, of ranch of Wagner's dramas, 
which illustrate only too well thot peculiar childish 
element in the German mind, the presence of which 
to a certain extent even in Goethe formed, perhaps, 
the one national weakness of that otlierwise most 
cosmopolitan genius. When "Lohengrin*' was 
produc(td in L<»ndon last year, probably a good 
many besides ourselves may have wondered wheth- 
er it was p)s.sible in any country but Germany that 
such a mere fairy extravaganza should be made the 
subject of such solemn and elcpli^intine moralizing 
as has been expended upon what is supposed to be 
the morale of this opera. The c:»se is certainly not 
bettered when we come to the *' Ring des Nihehni 
gen ; " and as we light on the passage where Fricka 
(the Juno of the roythus) shakes her slcepinsr spouse 
at daybreak, and says, "wake up, mnn. and bestir 
yourself I " or where Alberio cliange.'* himself first 
into a setpent and then into a frag, and his windings 
in the one case and jumpinors in the other are gro- 
tesquely illustrated ny the band ; when we see the 
pages on pages of elaborate scoring in accompani- 
ment to the movements of creatures whose efforts at 
speech extend little beyond " Heia ! " " Wallah* ! '* 
or " Hojo-to-ho ! " when we hear of the special con- 
trivances by which the stngo will be fllled with dif- 
ferent colored mists at pleasure, or read the sta?e- 
diiection in the scene of the fight between the hero 
and Fafner in the form of a dragon, in " Siegfried " 
— '* The mschine, which represents the dragon, is 
during the fight brought somewhat nearer the fore- 
ground, to a point where a new trap-door (Versen- 
Rung) opens under it, through which the player of 
the part of Fafner sings through a speaking-trum- 
pet" — we may, perhaps, be psrdoned if we find the 
sentence about " the highest and most significantly 
beautiful that the human mind can adore** recur- 
ring rather oddly to us, or if we even feel some 
doubts about the raising of music to its highest in- 
tellectual province by associating it with the ordi- 
nary " business "* of a Christmss pantomime. These 
daring decorators exactly challenge the sarcasm of 
Pope: — 

** Knights, squires, and steeds must enter on the stage. 
So vast a throng the stage can ne'er contain. 
Then build a new, or act it on the plain. 

For it is not only as a new exponent of musical 
drama that Wagner comes before us. His theory 
aims at much more than placing this one form of 
musical production on a new basis. His position 
amounts to nothing less than this ; that purely in- 
strumental music is practically dead ; that it has 
run its course and said all that it has to say ; has 
been weighed in the balance and found wanting; 
and that the highest mission and true end and object 
of music is only realized when it is the exponent of 
poetry, and that this is the climax towards which 
music has been consistently progressing ; and Beet- 
hoven, the great poet of instrumental music, is 
claimed as the inaugurator of this new era. 

A few pages are devoted by the E-linburgh re- 
viewer to the demolition of the ridiculous argument, 
of which we have heard much, that because Beet- 
hoven introduced poetry and voice-music into his 
ninth (choral) symphony, the great master had 
" abandoned the idea of purely instrumental music.*' 
On this point the writer says : — 

There is not a tittle of evidence to render it im- 
probable that his " Tenth Symphony,** had he lived 
to write it, would not have been as purely an in- 
strumental work as any of the first eight Had he 
died just after writing the " Pastoral Symphony," it 
might equally have been nrged that he had adopt- 
ed what is now called " programme music " as the 
true end of the art ; but his two next symphonies 
(the first of them a much greater and more recon- 
dite work than the " Pastorale ") are without note, 
hint or comment of any kind. About the middle 
of his career he wrote a pianoforte fantasia with cho- 
rus, but so far from subsequently confining himself 
to this form, he never repeated it, and his most 
elaborate works for pianoforte solo were written 
long after. We are asked to regard these accidents 
as essentials, because it suits the theory of Wag- 
ner's disciples ; while the fact is ignored that Beet- 
thoven's very last groat pianoforte sonata concludes 
with a set ol variations as brilliantly and symmet- 
rically elaborated, as purely music for the sake of 
music, as anything that Mozart (or even Bach) ever 
wrote. Nor can the view which regards the finale 
of the " Choral Symphony " as the roof and crown 
of the composer's works be accepted by a sound and 



188 



DWIGHT'S JOUKNAL OF MUSIC. 



calm criticism. The theme to which the first verse 
of Schiller's ode is set is magnificent, and the whole 
moTement fnll of the grandest suggestions of genius ; 
but if a work of art is U) be jndged, as surely it ulti- 
mately must be, by its finish in form as well as by 
its greatness of idea, this finale must be regarded 
rather as a colossal sketch than a finished piclare — 
vast and glorious in its perspectives, but wavering 
in outline, uncertain in composition, unequal in fin- 
ish, in comparison with many previous works of ite 
author. It is a popular fallacy to suppose that 
Beethoven was a kind of vast irregular genius (as 
the French critics used to imagine Shakespeare), 
overfiowing with " Geist," but indifferent to artistic 
form and finish. On the contrary, he was one of 
the most oonaummate artists in feeline and practice 
that ever lived, and the minute and detailed finish 
of all his finest works is as remarkable as their 
pathetic power. But these qualities are ignored, 
and a wholesale misrepresentation of the scope of 
his genius pot forth, because the adherents of Wag- 
ner are determined to persuade the world that Wag- 
ner is a Beethoven, in pursuance of which end they 
use all their ingenuity to prove that Beethoven was 
no more than a Wagner. 

Tb9 theory of a "poetic basis" for mnsic is 
weighed in the same manner, and easily found want- 
ing; with its kindred and equally specioas notion 
that music should have a purpose and a meaning. 
He says :— 

As Michael Angelo took a delight in the drawing 
and fore-shortening of a figure for its own sake, and 
thereby expressed the power that was in hina. so the 
older composers took a delight in the working out 
of a theme for its own sake, and thereby expressed 
the power that was in them, and gave us that which 
speaks no definite language, certainly, but which 
appeals to what is beyond the reach of language— 
to the metaphysical sense of a divine order and 
harmony, of which music is the most subtle and at 
the some time the roost direct and comprehensive 
expression. But. says Wagner, Beethoven's sym- 
phonies, and all instrumenUl music expressing any- 
thing more than mere " tone play," awaken in the 
listener that troublesome Question, " Why T Where- 
fore?" which the musician cannot answer, and 
which only the addition of the dramatic action can 
satisfy. We might perhaps be allowed to question 
whether Wagner's own employment of all the re- 
sources of a great orchestra to illustrate such glori- 
fied pantomime as *' Lohengrin " and parts of the 
*• Nibelungen" amount to, with their ** real horses," 
and dwarfs, and dragons, and phantasmagoric ef- 
fects, is not calculated in its own way to provoke a 
more unanswerable **warumf'* than anything in 
Beethoven's symphonies could awaken ; or whether 
it can be seriously urged that a listener who felt the 
want of an ultimate meaning to th<) first movement 
of the " Eruiea Symphony " would really feel his 
Intellectual enjoyment and perception heightened by 
the vision of the hero behind the footlights with a 
tin hehnet and shield. But the fact is that the 
'* Why ?" spoken of only exists in the minds of those 
who are under the domination of a theory, or who 
are deficient in musical education, perception, or 
sympathy, and consequently unable to apprehend 
the "unknown tongne" of the musical poet; or if 
to others the " Why ?" exist at all, it is in a form 
which neither wishes nor reouires an answer. To 
attempt to answer it by a dennite explanation is to 
substitute a finite pleasure and significance for an 
infinite one — to bring down music from its real "po- 
etic basis " to the prosaic level demanded by listen- 
ers «ho are destitute of feeling and imagination. 
This is the case to some extent even with so poetic 
a piece of programme music as the " Pastoral Sym- 
phony," which is accordingly the one generally pre- 
senter^ to " popular " audiences, who are furnished 
with annotations telling them where to look out for 
the nightingale, and where for the thunderstorm, 
etc. Its successor, the symphony in A, appeals to 
higher intellectual perceptions, and demands a much 
higher class of audience for its appreciation. That 
this also sprang from some definite mood or impulse 
in the composer's mind, we may readily imagine ; 
but when the edifice is complete, what further need 
of the plans or the scaffolning T Should we gain 
anything if. in listening to that wonderful interme- 
diate episode in the scherzo — that slower movement 
which seems to speak of some vague and solemn 
glory such as " eve hath not seen, nor ear heard," 
we were to be offered a litbcl to tell us the meaning 
of it T Would we not rather listen in the spirit of 
a modem poet expressed in a sonnet "written 
during music " : — 



*' O i what is this that knows the road I came? 



ff 



The absurdities, agaitf; which the attempt to tack 
a definite meaning to music sometimes elves rise to, 
are instructive enough. In Mendelssohn's " Moer- 
estille " overture, for instance, the little flourishes 
for the flute before the allegro commences have al- 
ways been explained to mean the first " catspaws " 
of the breese on the water ; but it appears that the 
composer, when asked one day about it, laughingly 
confessed that he believed the oassage had been sug- 
gested by a little pasteboara figure of an opera- 
dancer on the mast of a fishing boat, which kicked 
up a leg when the breese cauipht it. Last season an 
overture by a clever young English musician, Mr. 
Oadsby. was played at the Crystal Palace concerts, 
which ito author had named " The Witches' Frolic" 
(a heading from the " Ingoldsby Legends ") as a title 
appropriate to a work of rather piquant and fadrie 
character. But this was not enough ; and throe or 
four pages of the programme were filled with a re- 

{>rint of Barbara's vulgarity, that the audience might 
ose nothing towards the right understanding of the 
music. It is due to the composer to say that he de- 
nied any complicity in this remarkable effort of pro- 
gramme analysis ; but such a rtduetio ad abturdum 
IS none the less suggestive of what the " poetic ba- 
sis " theory may lei^ us to. A more serlons possi- 
ble result, already too largely illustrated, is' tnat if 
music is to be valued for an arbitrary meaning at- 
tached to it, beauty of melody and purity of har- 
monic relation come to be, theoretically if not prac- 
tically, of no conseonence ; and a determined theo- 
rist may persuade liis ears, on principle, to like 
almost anything. It is only on such a supposition 
that we can understand the existence of the extraor- 
dinary cacophony presented to us as music in some 
recent instrumental compositions, and in many parts 
of Wagner's operas. 

The following extract concludes the essay :— 

Nothing, we may add. tends more to awaken sus- 
picion as to the real importance or greatness of 
Wagner's contribution to the progress of the art 
than the atmosphere of intolerance, exaggeration, 
>nd what we fear mast be called " humbug," which 
seems to surround it everywhere. A reference to 
the essay by Mr. Dannreuther, in MacmillofCt Mag 
agin* of May last, in which the ground is cleared for 
Wagner by the direction of a fire of abuse against 
every previous and contemporary opera composer 
(with a partial reservation in favor of Gluck and 
Mozart), will give some idea of the lengths to which 
the fervor of the clique is carried. On the other 
hand, if we were to quote some average specimens 
of the eloquence of inspired Wagnerian prophets, 
most of our readers would probably think a hoax 
was being put upon them. What the smaller fry of 
the Anglo-Oerman critics are equal to may be part- 
ly imagined from what we find in the writing of Mr. 
Hiiffer, their best representative. Amid repeated 
sneers at " the British Philistine," we reaa such 
i»entences as, " the Titan was again making giant 
strides towards Utopia," or are invited to recognize, 
in the critic's " rough outline " of Wiigner, " the 
features of a grand immortal countenance, wrought 
by Nature's own hands, and stamped by her with 
the indelible sign of genius ; a man whom yon most 
reckon with one way or another ; if not, the book 
of artistic revelation will be for ever sealed against 
you with seven seals ; " a sentence which only wants 
Mr. Burchell's monosyllabic comment to make it. 
complete. To point out the futility and vulgarity, 
even from a literary point of view, of this kind of 
writing, would probably be as useless in regard to 
those who are content to indulge in it. as it would 
be snperfiuous in regard to most of our own readers. 

We bave no wish, however, to saddle Wagner 
with all the sins of his admirers, and may admit 
thnt the time has not arrived for forming a decisive 
judgment on the place of his works in the art. * We 
do, however, distinctly decline to contemplate his 
method and his productions as the vestibule to a 
higher and more intellectual development of the art 
of music than has yet been attained ; not only for 
reasons already given, in regard to the union of mu- 
sic with spectacle, but also because the whole genre 
of his heart shows the qualities which have always 
marked a period of dec4dence— the preference for 
impulse and sentiment before form, color before out- 
line ; and the intense self-consciousness as to meth- 
od and principle ; for, in spite of the sneers with 
which tnis argument is greeted by the partisans of 
Wagner (whose peculiar irritability on this point 
betrays their conociousness of its significance), the 
uuquestionable fact remains that in no past art, and 
in no past period, have any of the greatest and roost 
enduring achievements of art-creation arisen out of 



theories proclaimed with sound of trumpet In the 
market-place. Theories are the refuge of a genius 
deficient in- spontaneous power. Wag^eKs first 
noteworthy opera, " Rienzi," is a comparatively 
weak work, much inferior even to the irorks ii 
Meyerbeer, of which it was an imitation. Beetho- 
ven's two first symphonies, on the contrary, placed 
him at once nearly on a level with Mozart, as his 
first pianoforte sonatas placed htm at once In ad- 
Vance of Mozart But for his subsequent wonder- 
ful development of the art headvanora neither the- 
ories nor explanations, nor did he surround himself 
with a cohort of laudatory scribes. To pronounce 
on the value of Wagner's works aa a form of musical 
drama is, as we have observed, premature. We 
may direct attention, however, to deductions to be 
drawn from a somewhat close analogy between this 
and what was sometime called the " pre-Raffaelite " 
movement in painting. Both referred in the first 
instance to early Church art aa a model ; both have 
directed violent and exaggerated condemnation 
against what they have termed the " Pagan " school 
represented in the ooe art by Raffaelle. and in the 
other by Mozart ; both have oombioed a strong feel- 
ing as to the tnoraie of art with an indifference to 
the ordinary elements of beauty and to the higher 
grade of technical power; both have been at dag- 
gers drawn with all the art of their contemporaries, 
and have been the centres, each of a clique of crit- 
ics, distinguished by the " solidarity " and the big- 
otry of their opinions and what they call their judg- 
ments. It is not unreasonable, perhaps, to infer 
that the ultimate results of the two movements may 
be equally similar; and that as the pre-Raflaelite 
school has exercised a permanent influence on Eng- 
lish painting, infusing into it a greater intensity of 
purpose and aim, and rendering impossible again 
the acceptance of the flaccid execution and weak 
sentimentality which distinguished the style Imme- 
diately precMing it, while the extravagances and 
uncomelinespes of the, new style have insensibly 
dropped away and been almost'forgotten ; so it will 
be ultimately recognized on all hands, that while 
Wagner has given a new Impulse to musical drama, 
has indicated new possibilities in It for musical ef- 
fect, and has rendered impossible for the future any 
recurrence to the weak, gaudy, and (in a sense) al- 
most demoralizing tinsel style of modem Italian op- 
era, that nevertheless suca a reform is consistent 
with, if not dependent upon, the abrogation of much 
of his extravagance both of theory ana practice, and 
that it offers no excusable or logical ground for the 
combination of a clique of German critics to defame 
and deface that fair and stately temple of abeolute 
music, which is, or ought to be, the great intellect- 
ual pri 1e and glory of their race. 

BeviTBl of the lOniut. 

HOW IT WAS DANOBD VX WASBINGTON'a DAT. 

For the first time in this city since Washington'e 
day, as it is believed, the genuine miwel de la eowr 
was danced Tuesday night at the Academy of Music 
in the cause of charity. It opened the ball, aa It 
did in the age of the Grand Monarch In France. 
It was simply an illustration of the minuet by 
twenty or more young people, who have been prac- 
tising its intricacies diligently for the last month. 
What passes current by the name of the minuet in 
the dancing academies of this and other cities is 
only a quadrille with the flavor of the stately old- 
time dance whose name it has appropriated. Prop- 
erly, the minuet is danced only in cooplee, as are 
the galop and waltz and other round dances of the 
present day, the cheaper currency which has driven 
out of use the better sterling coin of a former 
period. It was so danced in colonial days. There 
lives in Germantown, Pennsylvania, a silver-haired 
old lady, born over one hundred years ago, named 
Mrs. Margaret B<^ggs, who, at one of the courtly 
private assemblages of that era, led the minuet with 
Washington, and from her it is possible to learn the 
manner of the genuine minuH ae la eour without re- 
sorting to the libraries. The occasion was a tea 
party of about twenty guests, of which Mrs. Bogga, 
then eighteen, was one. She wore that evening a 
satin dress with a very long train— so long, in fact, 
that it was necessary for her maids to come behind 
and lift it as she walked. Her hair was arranged in 
front like a cushion, and fell in natural curls down 
her shoulders, and was all powdered, after the 
pretty colonial fashion. Washington led her by the 
hand to the door. The music was slow and digni- 
fied, almost choral in its character. After a pro- 
found salutation to the company, three slow steps 
were taken, followed by an equally grave salutation 
to each other. At this point a modern society girl 



BOSTON, SATUEDAT, MAE. 4, 1876. 



would have laai^hed, but th«rB wu DO Unghiof; 
with tbc dignilied Wsshineton. Aft«r the rerer- 
«iica the young Udy wu led to hsr place by the 
b»nd. There then begun ■ series of stow, griiceful 
evolubloDi by which the liDM^nktlva old Freoch 
rauMrs who perfected Ihia danee Intended to rrp re- 
lent the Tirying rBlnticins of two newly formed ic- 
qusintunces to e«ch other in good society. At times 
the partners were ten paces ajwrt They wonld 
pais eMsh other gmcerulty but griTaly two or three 
tiiAes, ai thougli reluctant to meat; then adrance 
elowly with a smile, and join hands; then coquet- 
tiahly retire still facing and smiling ; then heaiUta , 
and pironette, and even absolutely turn away from 
each other; nlUmately. howeTer, adraacing with ■ 
smile and joining both hands, and returning to their 
places. It was in thia manner that the minoat was 
dancsd at the Academy of Music 

The memory of this did amusement has been 
kept aiire throntch TaHooi causes, and at timai the 
dance has seemed on the point of returning to pub- 
Ilo' favor. Thirty years ago, in the capitals of 
Europe, there were decided symptoma of iL It 
waa danced at Vienna and at London, and else- 
where, but its reign.in Europe was short. In this 
eooBlry it has been taught at Baltimore, in West- 
ern Kew Tork, at Boston, Philadelphia, New York, 
and elaewhero. About ten years ago a party of 

SoonK people enterprisingly attempted to master 
■ diffleultles, to lend an additionil charm to the 
private entertainment of ■ wealthy gentleman of 
this cily. Something by the name of the minuet ia 
danced in the academies of lastruction here every 
winter, and only last Saturday night, this quod- 
rille minuet was one of the Teatures of the evening's 

K' Jwures at an asaemhtage of yonng devotees of 
hion on Fifth Avenue. Two years ago. some- 
thing by tiia name ofthe minuet was also brought 
out npon the stage, aa will be remembered by every- 
body who saw "The School for Scandal" at the 
Filth Avenue Theatre. That sterling drama was 
tUnmlnated by a danee having some oT Che steps of 
the minuet, and followed by tJie rapid Kavotte, a 
furious whirl that sometimes was allowed to eupple- 
ment the grsTer figures aa the latter jig concluded 
the quadrille. It will he aeen, therefore, that for 
thirty years there has bean some promise of a revi- 
val ofthe favoritedanceof ourgreat-irandmothers; 
id waiting like Etectra In the old tale, for the 



orchestnl and private eonoerta, and cham1>er-mnslr 
followed each other, and all In a period when the ther. 
iterkepta formidable lowness. The [onrth and 
■ itedbjHerrRlcliter. 



name, the dancing-masters ol 
been anUcipating for years t1 



surety would see the installation of the minuet as t 
piaitlTa feature of private gatherings for amuse- 
ment in good society. Until the preiant moment, 
however, nothing has been visible of the wsnderer, 
— certainly nething really to justify the hopes of 
the proiesaora. 

It would not be atrange, however. If society in 
one of its wayward freaks took up the old dance 
anin. The greal^grsndmothers who are still sur- 
viving aaw the minuet depart with powdered hsir, 
long trains, and otd-fashiohed country gentlemen. 
The times are «sin changing — in lact have changed, 
ill assemblages toilets are worn that 
irt well with rapid motion, and do not 
appear to the best advantage In the favorite dances 
of society. The spirit of the age creates a passion 
for the walti, galop, and redowa. As It ia put by 
Orafulia, who surveys the ball-room with a vete- 
ran's eye, '■ everything ia now velocipede." It can- 
not long remain so with the fsshlon of wearing 
elaborate and beautiful costumes at the Uil. And 
it is queatlonabla whether the dignity and propriety 
of graud baits in good society would not be vutty 
promoted by reintroducing aucb dsnces as the mln- 
Qet, and whether they would not really t>a more 
enjoyable.— A^. Y. TrAunt. 



In gran 



tnsir Sbreair. 



ViiNKA. The following eitraet from a private 
letter will interest the many Iriendi of the Ameri- 
oan biographer of Beethoven : 

" The directors of the great ' Society of Hnele- 
Filendi'at Vienna, at a recent meeting, by at 
Imona vote, referred the question ofthe exsct 
of Beethoven's birth to Mr. A. W. Tbatek, U. S. 
Consul at Trieste. Theonlyiecord isot Beethoven's 
Baptism, which waa December 17, 1770. Foi 
aoDS which have been accepted as sufficient by 
the Vienna Society, Mr. Thayer, In reply, has g{< 
en the data as December 16." 



From the c 

Rmrd (Jan. 1 
Mnilc In evei 



espondence of the London Muticai 

, we glean the following : 

form accompanied the d^lng and the 






andfroi 



The programme of the fourth < 
eluded Beethoven's ovemire lOp. IM], a new 

by Raff, and Berlloi's "Harold" symphonji 
le mth, Mendelssobn's overture " Calm sea and 
prosperona voyage," violin concerto In A minor by Tl- 
', Weber's " Inviutlon k la Volse," lascmmented by 
lloi, and Beethoven's symphony. No. S. Tlie con- 
to by Raff— a clear eompoiltlon, and ene whicli pro- 
ea tlie performer with ample opportunity for dlsplay- 
blB talent— waa eiented by Beir OrUtimscbeT, tba 
weU-known Royal KsramemiQalcui from Dresden. He 
led greol applause, •» did also the perfonner of VI- 
s eoncerto. Heir DHMjomlr KranoaeTicn, from Pestb, 
rmar popll at HellmesberKer. The valse by Weber- 
Bsrlioi has ilways been a cabinet-piece of our orcbes- 
ra, and wis well chosen to Introduce Prlnee Carnival, 
The flist extra-concert of the KosillTereln waa devot- 
il to Llait's oratorio 5t.<tliafreH. which, thoneh It was 
Bcelved in the year ISM with enormoua applause, now 
let with an almost frigid reception, thoUKh the eiecn- 
on by chorus, orchestra, and principal sololsta [Tran 
Ihnn and Herr V. Bignio], under Herbeek's gnldance, 

The two annnal perfoimaccei In Christmas week la 
the Hofoper, for tbe benefit of the PeosionsfDnd, were 
repetition ol Jfanfi^il [on the 
stage], with Schumann's raasle, and Terdl's Aifufim. 
The choice of a Srqulttt in the lovely Chilstmal days 
aeemed somewhat stnuige, bat found Its eicnse In the 
Wagner bustle, which left no time for atndylng a new 
work. Regarding jfoi^/Wd.therepresentatloncoDldnot 
be anrpassed. JnNinnu, with Mendelssohn's music, haa 
been performed In the Btadttheater, as wen as at ttae af- 
ternoon representations now in coitise, at popular 
pricee for the middle class, and ereir Ume the boose wa* 

evenbg by Hriimfsliercer, the <i«ond item by the Flor- 
entine coropatiiiiis. and conceits by Frl, Bertha Haft, 
Mr. Chis. Obfrriiiir, andthefoorflwBdlshUdlM. Hell- 
meaberger'<^i'>i;ramme was devoted to Schabert'a 
charming q^.^tPt m A minor, a r^w piano ^intet^ofa 

Its present (opni. aa It waa originally " " ' 



new In 



iTlnin r 



re already meatio 

a to the oper*. T , ,,.. 






no ordl- 
haa happily over- 



laii irth^Tlng frightened iwBvmany.Jiut as nnnfula- 

Fr-111 naatmaDu baa left tbe staite as a penslaner. her 
last rtle haviDB been Elss, one of those rtfw which she 
ba.i created In^lenna. Bbe was much honoredla every 
wnr, Bud will always be remembered aa a reil arUsf. 
or prreat operas XUn and Eiiniain fm Saint now alter- 

wc sbnil have nalt Che Ifugtiaiatt. tbe mtu-nfii^ nt 

path, a new singer, riehlv gifted by nature, has )^e<'^ 
toil lid in Ihe penon of Mdlle. SeTbacD, who la engapol 
(min nplober let nrac for three year* with s rising bhI- 



DFH', under the Inspection of Wsgoer bimself. lo 
tlFn<»l. ItobtTt. Hlgnon [twice), /VrlKAOti. Manfrid, I 
mirni by Verdi, fka Jvan. Tannhl-iwr [Iwlee], Cam, 
[t«i«l.«l(roffUD, JWa[twloel.4/riaiMrtr,. FaiHl, iV, 

LtirEis. (Avnt Ai Siaiu.) 

to take notice of three orchMlral concerts and one cham 
ber-mnslc solrte at the Oewandhuu. In the Arst o 

Diann's music to fhiul waa, on the whole, eicellentl 
performed, nerrsn Ouraand W, Mueller were prevetil 
from singing the parta they bad underCalien, and Hei 
rea Llssraann and BColxenberg, members of onr local 
Opers , were engaged for them at the last moment. 
sldailng the great dUBcnlCita contalDad In Che parts ol 



: and Ariel, and Ihe short nottce. Uteee gentleman 

acquitted themselves well of their task, Mme.Feschka- 

LBUtnsr sang " Sorge " and the flrst solo aopiano In the 

ud and third parta; Fri.QntBchbach, "Oretcban;" 

Emille von Hanmann and Fri. Hahn, tlie alto solos. 



withsplritand vigor. Tbe orchestra waaexoellent. The 
final seene ol the third part of AihI forms by far the 
flneat and most InCeresUng part ot Sehumann'a work. 
It wDuldi tbersfore, be well to bring only the third part 
before Che public, where the whole work Is as yeC nn- 






profonnd In cbar- 
aster, this work seems to necenltata the performanoe of 
single parta as a prepsiatloH lor a full ondarstsodlng ot 
Ihe whole. 

The ninth Oewaodhana concert (on the ISth of Decem- 
ber) opened with a very melodious Chriatmaa song by 
Leonhart Schroeter, entitled "frenet encb, Ihr lieben 
Christen." Tbls chorus already existed In a collection 
of Chriatmaa carols as far back as tbe year lUI. It waa 
followed by tbe " Welhnacht'a " motet, •■ Kr iat gewalHg 
und 1st stark," by Robert Tolkraann, which had been 
heard here last year. Both these choruses were well 
aung by tbe St. Ttaonus's choir, under the dlreotlon of 
Proleasor RIcbter. A new seteitade (No, 3. In A major) 
for orcheetra, by B. Jadassohn, followed. 

Herr Kelnecke, one of the most tasteful planoforte- 
playera living, treated na to Hotarl's B fiac major con- 
certo, Mo. 4— a irork wblcb is but seldom performed. It 
la dated ITM, and certainly deserves to be brongbt again 
before tbe public. Relnecke has added fine cadences, 
which will tie welcome to pianists. The eoncert ended 
with an excellent pettormance ot Beetboveu's A major 
Bympbony. 

The laat chamber-mBalo soMe In the old year took 
place on theEthofDocember; the programme eonlalsed 
eompoaltlonsof Beethoven only. From no other com- 
poser's works can there be aelected three ex tensive works 
of chaml>er-miiaic which will bear being played in dose 
anccesalDn. On the sitove-named avmlng we heard Che 

sonata tor plsjio a^ violoncello [A inator, Op. cq, 

tliB great A minor onartet, Op. 192. The coneert-i 

ters Bchradick and Roentgen, and Herren Haut>old and 



played by Herr CapellmelaCer R. 

anee of these three works was, aa a 
most finished. 

At the feaUval ooneert on New Year's Day, Capelli 
ter Belnaeke wielded the baton, and waa greeted 

of reapeet due to the distinguished _^ 

and tba great reaolta he baa brought about by 
lie tor an that conoems mualc at Lelbi 



efpalg. Jo. 

aeph Joaohlm'sappearaDoeaCthlseonoertroade a most 
ureeattia Imprceoon. How could we possibly describe 
the impression produced on us by Beelhoven's vinlln 
conoeno, played by Joaohlmf The celebrated violinist 
also played a aonata. In Q major, tivTartlnl, and two 
pieces laanbande and boun^ Inm Bach's violin sona- 
tas. In hie unique manner. Mme. Peachka-Lentner sang 
tbe aria from AnUU. by Handel. "UelnValer, webl 



mir dUnkt,lch seh/ " and th 



Ing ariosoi ' 'flprechc. 



Halne," from intfa and ParU, by Olnok^and ^ned 
.^„ warm applauae ot the whole andtence, Tbe orchee- 
tra] compoaltlons of the evening were Ihe overtare to 
ZmAanCita and FidMa and Haydn's D major symphonv 
[No. 14, Breltkopf and Haert^s edition], which werv ex- 
ecuted In s flnlibed manner by the Gewandbans orohes- 






Oewandhaus 



old Fren h popu ar aone 



HBlmmlfrnp^lttit 



'%, 



Umeau |I«SJ to I 
^ byRamean bi 
. by Charieii Tmi 
aytnpbony.wlth 



The CUrteenlh Gewandhana Concert was wholly do- 
voWd to Itsllsn music. The programme comprised 
works by Pi1estrina,Vlteoria. Anerio, Corel, Pergolesi, 
Nacdlul, Bocchednl, Cbeinbini, Paganlnl and Rossini. 
Iwsldea three Folks' Songs. The attraction of Che fol- 
lowing concert waa the AiradlH Lett of AnCoa Rubin- 
stein, who, daaplCe Che lamentable state ot bis eyesight 
— hopes of saving which have, however, not been aban- 
doned— condnctad In parson. He took part, also, as pi- 
anist, at Che first Stbit for Chamber Huslo. a few days 
subsequently. 

WiEsn ADEN.- Hen RalTa neWest an'd atlll tmpub- 
llshed Symphony [No. T] has l>ean Iwlee perforaed bare. 
It Is entitled " Alpenslnfunle," and divided Into fonr 
movements. Tbe first, containing motives of a popular 
kind, deacribea " A stroll In tbe Alps ; " the second, " At 
tbe Inn," paints tbe free and joyous lita of the maUc 
enatomera; the third, " By the Lake," preaents oa with 

toartb,"BelmSchwingfeat,"" Attlle8wlng-tSIe,"oon- 
Calns much conCnpnnial work. 



190 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



Paeie. (Correspondence of London Muncal 
Standard, Feb. 12.) 

To the exertions of M. Clement Thomas President of 
the Soci6t4 des Enf snu d*Apollon in 1873, art is Indebted 
for the production of a cartons mosical relic— nothing less 
than an almost forgotten work of Gluck, supposed with 
probable correctness to be the last effort of the composer. 
The "Judgment Dernier," a religious cantata, was com- 
menced bj Oluck at Yienna in the year 1780, and was 
destined by the master for the choral society above men- 
tioned. Unhappily his f ailina: health prerented him from 
completing the cantata alone, and it is to his distin- 
guished pnpU Salieri that its STentual termination is due. 
Considerable doubt euTelopes the question as to what 
share each composer had in the writing of the four short 
numbers making up the whole of the " Judgment Der- 
nier ;" but it is more than likely that the first chorus only 
is from tiie pen of the great musician, although doubtless 
the remainder of the cantata was, if not actually dictated 
by Oluck, at least written in accordance with his sug- 
gestions. However this may be, the work would appear 
to have been finished between 1787 and 1799, but the Rev- 
olution and the wonderf ol whirl of etowding events fol- 
lowing caused it to be for a while forgotten. It was not 
until 1817 that Salieri took it in hand again and dedi- 
cated it to the *' Very Honorable Ignace Van Mosel." 
From then till three years ago the MS. lay undisturbed in 
the archives of the Vienna Conservatory ; and, strangely 
enough, nobody in the Austrian capital seems to have 
had a thought of making the world better acquainted 
with it. In 1878 M. Clement Thomas happened to learn 
the fact of its existence, and obtained a copy of the work 
from the Director of the Conservatory. It was performed 
in Paris for the 27th ult., at the annual concert given by 
the SociAt6 des Concerts de Musique Classique in the 
Salle Hers, under the direction of M. Ouillot de Saint- 
Bris. 

The cantata consists of three choruses and a singfle so- 
lo. They are the following :~ 

a. Chorus: " Grand Dieu, quel combat terrible ! ** 
b» Chorus of the Resnscitand : " Je vis encore, 6 sort 

airreuxl** 
c. Solo rtbe voice of Christ]: "Vous dont le coeur 

juste et sincere.*' 
4. "Chorus of the Elect and Chorus of the Damned: 

" O bonheur ineffable 1 '* " O terreur, 6 Dieu 

cruel!" 

The solo is perhaps the most taking number. Vou9 
dotU U eattrjuaU, So., written In a beautiful and tranquil 
style, contrasts finely with the concluding part addressed 
to the unredeemed. All the choruses are characterized 
by considerable grandeur, but do not present any spec- 
ial features of intersst. 

On the progra mme of this same concert at the Salle 
Hers there figured several examples of the Old French 
Sdiool, including a charming chorus and air from 
Rameau*s ** Hippolyte et Aricie^' [1733], simple and de- 
cidedly effective; and a remarkably pretty little trifle 
by Dalayrac, some complete, and a trio from the quasl- 
opera oomique of *' Raoul de Crequi." Of the forerun- 
ners of the present French School of light opera comloue, 
many of hu compositions, if performed now, would, I 
doubt not, be found to have retained much of the original 
f rtwhness and piquancy which made them so popular in 
days gone by. It is a marvel to me that a man living in 
the midst of all the terrible madness of the French Rev- 
olution was able to produce such child-like, delightful 
effusions as " Raoul de Crequi.*' 

At the fifteenth Popular Concert of the present season 
an allegro symphonique by M. Lalo was given for the 
first time. It nas something of the style of a Lisxtian 
rhapsodv, but \» quieter, ana not quite unintelligible, 
with a Stendelssohntsh close. The allegro was rather 
coldly received. M. Maurel, a young baritone hardly 
known to the Parisians, who rarely trouble themselves 
about any artist ot merely foreign celebrity, obtained a 
great and deserved success in Stradella's «Alr d'Bgllse,** 
and a selection from Berlioz, " Damnation de Faust.** 
The concert concluded with NicoUU*s sparkling overture 
to the "Merry Wives of Windsor/* 



BOSTON, MARCH 4, 1876. 



OUB Mirsic Pages. The Part Song by Hauptmann, 
commenced in this number, is taken by permission from 
«< German Part Songs," edited by N. H. AxxBX, pub- 
lished by Oliver Ditson St Co., Boston. 



Music in Boston. 

Hartabd Musical Association. The eighth 
Symphony Concert (Thursday afternoon, Feb. 17), 
presented the following selections, of which the 
two sfarrecf numbers were heard for the first time in 

this country: 

Overture to "Medea** Barglel. 

** Concerto, for the Violoncello, in A minor. Op. 33 

Saint-datoe. 
Wolf Fries. 
•* Concerto Allegro, with Introduction, for Piano- 



forte, with Orehestm, On. 134 Schumann. 

H. O. Tucker. 

Symphony, No. 9, in O Schubert. 

Introduction and Allegro.— Andante con moto.— 
Bcherso.— Finale. 

This concert was particularly enjoyed, and re- 
ceived praise even in unwonted quarters, although 
the audience In point of numbers was hardly up to 
the usual standard. Certainly tho orchestra did 
some of their best work that day, giylog the great 
Schubert Symphony with remarkable spirit, as if 
each and all had cautrht the wonderful unflagging 
inspiration of the work. In spite of its great length 
it really seemed short, the Interest is so sustained ; 
for It continually excites new expectation which it 
never fails to satisfy. What a pure product of cre- 
ative genius It is from beginning lo end I We hear 
much cant about young composers having to wait 
long for a hearing, the lack of encouragement to 
native efforts : — what shall we say of nteh a work by 
fveA a man, written and thrown aside with the un- 
worldly carclessnens of genius, and nerer known to 
exist until the manuscript was discovered In a gar- 
ret after he was dead I — On the sublimities and 
beanties of this Symphony, so often dwelt upon in 
times past in these columns, and still as fresh as 
ever, we need not now enlarge. Every hearer 
teemed to feel them ; It was not the fault of the 
conductor or the orchestra if he did not. And yet 
for the best effect a larger number of violins, and 
particularly of basses, was to be desired. The g^at 
brass instruments, so freely used In the scoring, and 
often marked /orftsttmo, needed the balance of more 
strings ; the rloloncellos were too few to bring out 
those exquisite obligrato passages in the Andante 
with sufficient volume of tone, although they were 
played very tastefully and sweetly ; and of the tre- 
mendous thunder of the double basses, in unison 
with all the strings, in the Finale there can hardly 
be too much. 

Barglel's "Medea" Overture, comparing tho 
present impression with that which it %Mide on us 
when it was given in these concerts about five 
years ag^, improves upon acquaintance. We find 
it one of the most satisfactory works in this form 
by any of the new composers. By no means so 
beautiful, so spontaneous, so true and deep In feel- 
ing as the more unpretending and more quiet 
overture to the same tragedy by Cherublnl, it is 
nevertheless an earnest, thoughtful, and impres- 
sive, as well as a skilful and musician-like illus- 
tration of its subject Its gloomy intensity is well 
relieved by the tender passage in the middle; 
it is clearly and powerfully wrought and grows 
well to a climax, and the instrumentation is exceed- 
ingly rich and telling. It was evidently conceived 
with the Coriolan overture of Beethoven In mind ; 
but lacks the conciseness, the glowing central fire 
of that, while it has more of discursive variety. 
Very difficult as it is, it was forcibly and dearly 
rendered. 

There is a great deal of beauty and originality, 
as well as classical consistency in the Concerto by 
by Saint-SaSns. It is less strange and sensational, 
less peculiarly French, perhaps, than other works 
of his which we have had thus far. To be sure, we 
should as soon think of calling it a Reverie, a 
Drama, a Rhapsody, a sentimental soliloquy, ae a 
Concerto, but for the fact that It displays a princi- 
pal .instrument in the foreground. It consists 
(pardon the contradiction in terms) of a single move- 
ment, although with several changes In tempo. 

The 'Cello begins at once, over a tremolo accompani- 
ment, with a rhapsodical phrase, which forms the 
pregnant motive €>f the whole, and is wrought out 
atgraat length with beautifiil thematic modifica- 
tions and development, subtle and charmfhg modu* 
tions, and fine contrasts of strong impassioned 
crises with a very sweet and tende^ second theme ; 
the solo instrument having enough to task its re- 
sources in the -way of execution in every variety of 



form and figure. It seems like the soliloquy of one 
recalling the sweet and tender memories of a hap- 
pier time. At least this thought suggests itself in 
the charming episode, where the key changes to 
B flat major, and the orchestra, with muted strings, 
staccato and pianissimo, lets us hear a fresh and 
buoyant melody, as of a troop of students or a 

gay serenading party singing as they pass by the 
window ; thi 'Cello listens, th*!n murmurs some- 
tliing in pleased recognition, then catches up the 
strain, humming along with it. then droops through 
a cadenza by semi-tones in broken chords, reascends 
to hold out a long trill while the strain fmm with- 
out is still heard receding ; and finally, dropping to 
its deep register, seems still to murmnr to itself and 
fall asleep. The tempo prime with the rhapsodical 
first theme sets in a^in, and is worked out with 
still more Intensity and at greater length, with 
every sort of difficulty, but never suffering the in- 
terest to flag. Mr. w uLP Faiics played It very fine- 
ly ; his tone, taxed through the whole compass of 
the strings from deep bass to treble heights, was 
sweet and true and musical, if not always liaving 
all the weight desirable in that great hall. The 
execution was throughout nest and tasteful and ex- 
pressive: there was no painful struggle in the over- 
coming of difficulties, so that one could enjoy the 
music for the music*s sake ; but not the less was 
the interpreter right heartily appreciated and ap- 
plauded. 

The Concert Allegro, Op. 184, was the one remain- 
ing work of Schumann for pianoforte with orchestra 
which had not been played already in these con- 
certs. Less interesting than the Concertstucfc, Op. 
92, and not to be compared with his wonderful Con- 
certo in A minor, it Is yet full of his finest and 
strongest individuality. Although it belongs to the 
sad last period of his life (it is the very last of his 

frabllshed pianoforte works), it has comparatively 
ittle of the morbidness of that period, and a good 
deal of the vigor and the spring of younger years. 
Hardly enough of contrast, perhaps : but it is rich 
an J strong and full of verve. It is also immensely 
difficult, requiring for its execution all the youthful 
strength which Mr. Tuckbe possesses in an eminent 
degree. His rendering was very fine and clear and 
brilliant, and he was, both in conception and execu- 
tion master of his task. His touch, however, w 
a trifle hard, for vf hich some nervousness natural 
the situation may be held accountable. 

The ninth concert-— too late for notice this week 
— had the following programme : 

Part I. Symphony No. 1, in C, Beethoven ; ** Aria, 
** Gbe pur aspro.^* from BCosart^s ^'Seraglio*' [Miss Bmma 
C. Thunby] : *••* PhaiJton ** ; FoUtae Symphonique, Op. 
39. Saint-Saens.— Past II. Overture to *'A liid«ammer 
Niffbt's Dream," Mendelssohn. •Bonn: **Du bist die 
Rub," Schaberi, and "The Nlffhilngale^s Son^,'* Tnuben 

ilCiss Tlmnby]; "Ocean": Arst movement [All^roj, 
rom Symphony in C, Op. 43, A. Bnoinstein. 

The tenth and kut concert of the season will take 
place on Thursday afternoon, March 16, and offers 
a programme which Is certainly unique and rich, 
and ought to prove attractive. The principal nov. 
elty is one of the greatest of the sacred Cantatas by 
Bach. For the better grouping of the singers (the 
Ccciua) on the stage, the first part will be mainly 
instrumental, and the second vocal (of course with 
orchestral accompaniment) as follows : 

Part I. Instrumental. 

1. Passacaglia [arranged for Orchestra by Sssei^. Back ; 
2. Canons, for three female voices (repeated by rvquestj, 
iiauptmamn. 3. Symphony. No. 3. in B flat, Schimtan*, 
Part u. Tocal, by the Oecilia. 

l.«« Cantata: *' Deep within my heart [*' Ich hatte viel 
Bekttmmemlas " ], for Solo vetoes, Chorus and Orchestra, 
J. S. Bach, 

2— Motet: ** Landate Pneri,'* fat female voices, Op- 39, 
No. 3, MendeUohn. 

3. Finale to 1st Act of " Buryanthe," Weber: Chorasea 
of Peasants and of Knights, with Quartet and Soprano 
Solo [second time | 



Thxodoek Thomases fifth Symphony Concert, Feb. 
16, contrasted the modern brilliancies of Raff with 
the classical period of Haydn, Glnck, Mozart and 
Beethoven, as follows : 

Symphony, in G, [No. 13, Breitktef St Haertel] Haydn 

ArU: <'AliI silaUbertA." Aimtda Oluck 

Mrs. Emily Bntman. 
Concerto in C, [Koeohel 467], Piano and Orchestra, 

Mosart 
1. Allegro maestoeo. 2. Andante. S. AUfigro 
vivace assai. 
Mr. William Bfason. 

Scena and Aria: '-Ah! Perfldo,** Beethoven 

Mrs. Emily Butman. 

Suite, No. 2, in F, Op. 194, [New] BafT 

In Ungarischer welse. 



T I 



mtF 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, MAR. 4, 1876. 



191 



1. AnderGrenz^.— Overture.— 2. Anf derPuszta. 
— Traonmerrt.— 3. Beieinrai AufsttfcderHonvpd. 
— Marsch.— 4. VnlkflliedmitYarlationen.— 6. Vor 
der Czarda.— Finale. 

Th« admirably trained orchestra gave a moat 

delicate and beautiful rendering of tliat graceful, 

ever fresh and happy Symphony of Haydn which 

was so often heard in the Ilarvnrd Concerts a few 

years ago. The only fault was that the solemn and 

religious Largo was taken so exceedingly slow that 

it seemed scarcely to move at all ; but the gayer 

movements were perfect. What could be in sharper 
contrast with such music than the now Suite by 
RafT/ We confess to enjoying it more, on the 
whole, than most of the sym'plionic works by Raff 
which we have henrd. It has the Hungarian accent 
and flavor throughout, is full of contrasU and sur- 
priae«, is very elaborate and highly colored, and 
in parts quite exciting; but in other parts it is 
tediously drawn out; and as a whole it leaves the 
impression of a restless striving after striking and 
original eflfects. We could hear it again with inte- 
rest, perhaps with sstisfaction. 

We welcome every chance to hear one of Mosart*s 
piano concertos ; they are unpretending works com- 
pared to those of Beethoven, Mendelssohn and 
Schumann ; but they have genius in them and in- 
trinsic beauty of a more quiet sort. They are ant 
to suffer in a great hall before a modern audi- 
ence; yet several of them have given sincere 
pleasure and have made effect in our Harvard 
otincerts; we shall not forget Miss Mehlig's and 
• Mr. Hoffman's rendering of the one in A minor, 
Mr. Leonhard's of one in C minor, Mr. Parker's 
of one in B flat, and one or two otliers. But thin 
one in C, from which we had expected much, did 
not somehow prove effective ; perhaps because both 
music and interpreter were not in their right sphere. 
Mr. Mason's nice manipulation, and very even, fin- 
ished, quiet style of execution, after the old Hum- 
mel school, which might have made it all delightful in 
a small room, seemed to lack force and vital accent 
tJure; it was like remembering music in one's 
sleep. ^- The singer, Mrs. Butman, has a voice of 
power and rolume, well developed, and quite musi- 
cal until it reaches the highest notes. She sang her 
two fine, selections with intelligence and in good 
style, but without making any very marked im- 
pression. 

The Mating of Saturday, Feb. 19, began^with a 
repetition of Mr. Paine'snew Symphony, which con- 
firmed the good impretsion of the first performance. 
The other orchestral pieces were : Theme and vari- 
ations, Scherxo and Finale (with all the strings) 
from the Beethoven Septet, wonderfully well exe- 
cuted, especially the long and flowery Caderaa, in 
which ten violins played like one ; the pretty little 
symphonic poem : '* Le Rouet d'Omphale." by Saint- 
S'aSns, repeated by request ; and that richly Orien- 
tal, cloying, too lone Overture, based on a Hindoo 
lcgen<i, by Guldiiiark. of which three performances 
in one season by the Harvard orchestra proved 
more than satisfying. A remarkable feature of this 
concert was the selection from Handel's Semelc, one 
of his richest and most genial works, with the su- 
perb delivery by Miss Deasdil of the declamatory 
Recitative and stirring Aria of the jealous Juno send- 
ing off Iris to awaken Somnus. Miss Drasdil has 
two distinct qualities of tone in her upper and low- 
er registers ; but her voice is extremely rich and 
powerful, and her delivery, in music so well suited 
to her, was large and noble and intensely dramatic, 
producing a decided sensation. The old Rossini 
air ** Di tantl palpiti," with the fine long recitative 
preceding, was also admirably rendered. 

In PmospBCT. Mm. Thomas announces a couple of a> 
tra coDoerts on the two evenings preceding thelast Har- 
vard concert of the 16th. The first will be devoted to 
Lisxt and Wagner, the second to Beethoven. 

Mb. B. J. Lano purposes giving Two Concerts at Me- 
chanics Hall, on the aitemoons of Thursday, March 23 
and 30, 1876, at three o*clock, when he will play the Saint- 
BaSns Concerto which he s^ave at a Harvard Symphony 
Concert this season, the l^liaikowsky Concerto, a new 
Trio by Saint-Safos, one movement zrom yet another 
Concerto by Salnt-Salfns a dozen piano-forte pieces from 
John Sebastian Bach, three new pieces by Saran, com- 
positions for two pianofortes, etc., etc. 

There will also be songs from Mozart, Schubert, Franz 
and Jensen. 

Mr. Lang will have the valuable assistance of Miss Ita 
Welsh, Miss LiUIan Bailey, Mr. August Fries, Mr. Wulf 
Tries and Mr. Arthur Foote. 

Mb Fbck. of the Boston Music Hall, Is out with his 



list of attractions for his annual benefit concert, [Apill 
51. He will have Miss Clara Louise Kellogg. Miss Draa- 
«1, Mr. M. W. Whitney, Dr. Hans von Buelow and the 



Thomas Orchestra. 



Music in New York. 

FxB. 26. — ^The third and fourth concerts of the 

New York Quartet, which took place at Chickeriiig 

Hall on Jan. 16 and Feb. 12, respectively, were 

well attended, and the audience on each occasion 

was musical and appreciative. The selections at 

the third concert were: 

Trio, In B flat. Op. 99 Schubert. 

I^rjchetto for Violin Nardlnl. 

Quartet, in G major Mozart. 

The great Schubert Trio, which is a worthy peer 
of Beethoven*s Op. 97. was played by Mr. Edward 
Mollenhauer (violin), Mr. F. Bergner (violoncello) 
and Mr. Richard noffman (piano forte). The 
Larghetto for violin was played as a solo for vio- 
loncello by Mr. Bergner ; and Mr. Romyn (tenor) 
sang the " Celeste Aida " of Verdi. 

At the fourth concert Beethoven*s Trio in B flat. 
Op. 97, was performed by Messrs. Mollenhauer. 
Bergner and S. B. Mills. Rode's concerto for vio- 
lin, in A minor, was played by Mr. Mollenhauer, 
who, although a valuable and efficient member of 
the Quartet, is uninteresting as a solo performer. 
Mr. Mills played three selections from Chopin : an 
£tfidt, the Bereeuae, and a Taranielle, in his usual 
unexceptionable style, in which there is no merit 
lackine except the true Chopin mood, the indefiu- 
able 2j*d, which seems always to elude his grasp. 

Mr. Remmertz sang the charming set of songs by 
Beethoven, "An die feme Geliebte " very accepta- 
bly; and the concert terminated with the Quartet 
in A minor. Op. 41, by R. Schumann. The filth 
concert will take place on March 11. 

On Saturday, FeU. 5, there was a Thomas matinee 
at Steinway Hall, on which occasion Mr. J. K. 
Paine's new symphony in C minor was performed ; 
also the theme, variations and finale from Beet- 
hoven's Septet, Gp. 20 ; Mendelssohn's Midsummer 
Night's Dream " overture ; the Symphonic Poem 
"Danse Macabre,** by Saint SaSns; and Liszt's 
Rhapsodic Honpjoise, No. 14. Miss Emily Butman 
sang the aria, " Non mir dir, ben idol mlo," from 
Don (Hovanni** and "Ocean, thou mighty monster," 
from O^eron. 

The third concert of the Brooklyn Philharmonic 
Society took place on Saturday evening, Feb. 12, 
with the following programme : 

Symphony, No. 6. " Lenore," Op. 177 Raff 

Introduction. | 

Recit:" Awake Satumla.'* > Handel. 

Aria: " Hence, hence away." > 

Miss Anna Drasdil. 
Fantasle Hongrolse ( piano and orr.heatra ) Llsst. 

Riirnor O. Morosini. 

Overture to " Esrmont " Beethoven. 

Romance and Btudo Rubinstein. 

8lg:nor O. Moriptni. 
Aria: "OFatlma.** (Aben Hassan) Weber. 

Miss Anna Drasdil. 
Symphonic Poem : "Mazeppa** Liszt. 

At the next concert, March 18, Schubert's Sym- 
phony in C major will be played. 

The Boston Philharmonic Club have given two 
evening concerts (Feb. 17 and 18) and one mating 
(Feb. 19) at Steinway Hall. The programme em- 
braced a great variety of selections, vocal and in- 
strumental. But, considering the admirable per- 
formance of the six players constituting the club, it 
is to be regretted that so small a part of the bill 
was composed of chamber-music. The concerts 
were not so well attended as they deserved to be. 

The following selections were performed at the 
fourth concert of the New York Philharmonic Soci- 
ety on Saturday evening, Feb. 19. 

FolbnO Bymphonlquo LIsst. 

" Ce qii*on entend sur la montagne.** 

Poco Alleirro, Maestoso astai. Andanre Rel1|rioiio. 

Concerto, No. 6, for piano, in E flat, Op. 72.1{eethovea. 

With orchestral accompaniment. 

Mlsa Julia Rive. 

Overtnre to *' Faniska,*' (flrsc time) Chenibtni. 

Rondeau for piano In JS flat. Op. 16 Chopin. 

Miss Julia Rlv«. 
Symphony In No. 4 in D minor Schumann. 

The orchestral music of Lisrt, with the best int r- 
pretation. Is sufficiently obscure to satisfy most peo- 



ple, but when performed by the Philhvrmonic or- 
chestra it is hopelessly mixed, and we can only sus- 
pect what is made clear to us by the performance of 
a band of such consummate skill as the Thomas 
Orchestra, namely, that this gorgeous web of in- 
volved harmony and wealth of instrumentation 
serve only to cover a lack of melodic invention. 

In the overture by Cherubini the players found 
music which they could grasp, and in both that and 
the symphony they did creditable work. 

When Miss Julia Riv6 made her debAt in New 
York last winter we mentioned the favorable im- 
pression left by her playing, and expressed our 
opinion that she would soon make her mark as a 
pianist, which indeed she had already done by her 
initial performance. Since that time she has been 
hard at work in the Western cities, and reports of 
her concerts, which hare reached us from time to 
time, are unanimous, if not always discriminating, 
in their praise of her talents. From the pro- 
grammes of these concerts we find that she has an 
extensive repertoire of classical and modern piano- 
music at her command, ranging from J. S. Bach to 
Liszt, of whose splendidly colored rhapsodies she is 
the most magnetic interpreter we have yet heard. 

The selection of the great " Emperor " Concerto 
for her second appearance among us was in itself a 
bold and somewhat hazardous undertaking inas- 
much as our public had freshly in mind the recol- 
lection of a performance of this noble composition 
by no less a person than Dr. Hans Yon Buelow, and 
the work of the new pianist, however meritorions, 
was likely to be dwarfed by the comparison. This 
was inevitable, and yet in listening to Miss Riv6 
we found ourselves unconsciously comparing her 
with the best pianists we have heard, rather than 
with the most promising of our aspirants for artis- 
tic laurels. The mettle of the player was shown 
at once in the grand fortissimo chord of the first 
bar : in the firm, delicate handling of the broken 
chords in the following measures, in the trill upon 
E flat, and the succeeding run, the technical quality 
of the artist was plainly of the be«t. The run 
was of the most even, the trill was of the clearest, 
the chords of the most exact. The*only question 
remaining to be answered was whether the pianist, 
in possessing the composition In all its technical 
points, would be poueued by ii in spirit as well. In 
this respect and this only, we must confess some 
disappointment. The pianism was practically above 
criticism. The difficult aid sustained trills, the 
chromatic runs, the delicate pianissimo passages in 
triplets, the g^aiid chords alternating between 
piano and orchestra, the staccato octaves: every- 
thing, in fact, that tests the merit of the performer 
in the Allegro, was handled gracefully and with ap- 
parent ease ; the only bar to a perfect comprehen- 
sion of the concerto being that the player was too 

much wrapped up in the mechanical part of the 
business, and played as though oppressed by the 
grandeur of the music rather than inspired by it. 
The same is true of her reading of the Andante ; 
but towards its close she seemed to pass into the 
composer's mood, and we fancied that the Rondo 
would leave nothing to be desired. Here, however, 
the orchestra, which was conspicuously- bad during 
the entire concerto, dragged worse than ever, and 
finally the Rondo was taken at a tempo which was 
felt to be different from that intended by the player. 
Thus it was that, although the concerto was well 

filayed, the performance did not quite justify our 
lighest anticipation. 

V Miss Riv6*s reading of the Chopin music in the 
second part of the performance was in many re» 
spects excellent; but whether she has the true 
Chopin morttitUzxa was not to determined by one 
hearing in the vast auditorium of our Academy. 
After this piece she was recalled with great enthu- 
siasm and played one of Liszt's Hungarian Rhapso- 
dies in a style which would delight the venerable 
Abb6, under whose instruction she has studied. 



»*^-*- 



4^ 



A. A. 0. 



^•p 



192 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



Tht Orand Organ in the Catholic 
CathedraL 

(Prom Uu Bottom Daily Aduerliier, Feb. 23.) 
Tlw Imratnw o»™ of Uia ClUiednl o( the Holj Crow 
on 'Wuhlngton itreec wMOccapicd— uid pcrb&pa am 
tblid Uled— last nlgbt bj » compuiy of some Uunuan 
peTBODi, vho were pieMDt bj Invltatloa at the formal 
openlDE ol the (^reat organ JnsC completed bj Me»n. 
E. and O. O. Book and Haulne*. The Kene waa moet 
ImpreMlireaiid Impoilne; the noble proportions of tbe 
*bole «dince; tbe dim BugnlAcence of Its arcbed roof, 
wbicb Id tbe obscure light Memedalmoillmmeuurably 
distant; tbe chute uid severe beautj of 

omamentatlaD, and tbe alienee and de 
large companT unlUDg to produce so no 

n the mind. The arcbltecture of the 
bat harmonious and pure In style and pleasing In 
ImpressEon. Tbe instmment fills the rear and entire 
breadth of the gallery derated to tbe cboir, the shortei 
pipes being collected In front In seven groups surmount- 
ed bf arches, while tbe longest go high above them on 

erhand at the extreme end In two lowering muses, 

e last being connected by rows ot graduated pipes, 

ling tbe lower semi-circle of tbe gi 






r Iniilt bj a 



n Is lh( 



likelj to be much depreciated, la the proportion ot 
speaking stop* is only that ot 89 to TO In favor of the 
great Instrument made for Boston bj tbe Uessrs. Walck- 

Tbe description of the organ Is as follows:— 
The Instrument comprises three manual, eacb ot X 
notes, and a pedal ot SO notes, to speaking stops, I3 me- 
chanical registers, Including couplers; ID ped^ move- 
ments tor combinations, etc., sad a crescendo pedal 
controlling the full powers of the organ. Total nnmbei 

of pipes a:»s. 

Tbe action Is extended and lerened so that the organ- 
tstmaytacetbealUrandcond iclor. Pneumatic motors 
are applied to tbe great manual and all its couplers, to 
the pedal tbrooghant. to tbe basses of the swell and 

for tbe great manujl re ot a new device, operating by 
-lasst" Instead of by InDallon. All the combination 
.1b are doable acting, and operat« without derang- 
ing combinations previoosly made by the register!. 

"■ ere are three bellows, operated by two hydraulic 
motors ot the largest slie. The two main bellows have 
vertical feeders, and combined can supply nearly OMO 
c feet of compressed air per mlnnle, with less than 
M strokes ot the motors. An ertra wind pressure Is used 
>t ChepadalB and a portion of thegteatminual, Inclnd- 
Ing the reed atops. An Independent bellows auppliei 

I BtotSl deplh'o*2S tee" and a Ir- 

ly Ml feel. The eitetlor Is from ll ir- 

dhllect ot the cathedral, Mr. P. C. vs 

. and groups of metallic pipes II- 

md bronze clustering around a u- 

altbecencre. ThecaitaedrHi I ot 

aoo feet, Is ISS feet wide at tbe tran et 

high from the floor to apei. Itbai- ' - ed 

four and one-half times larger than it^u iiuaui' :u~.>lc 
Hall; three times larger than the churcb of the Immnc- 
' gConcentlon.anSetebttlmes larger than tbe new 
Bouth church. By these comparisons It will be seen 

the nnnsnally pervading effect it does. The instrument 

church organ of Brooklyn, hitherto the largest organ 
ever built Tn cbis country. Not only Is this later organ 
pre-eminent In size, because at the number of Its atopa 
and pipes, bnt because these are ot superior aelecllon, 
of very large scales, and ot proportionately Increased 
power. 

Tbe programme of music presented— which Included 
selections from many ot the greatest classical compo- 

Prelude, from "Faust" Gounod 

Prelude, In B-mlnor B»eh 

P^nale Lemmens 

B. B.Whitney, 
Organist of Church of the Advent. 

Pantasle In Q-maJor .each 

Improvisations. 

FufueonB. A. C.n Schumann 

Organist Soatb Cangregatlooal chnrcb. 
Berceuse ^ . .. .Lytherg 

Overture, -Jiaaanlello" Anber 

L.G. ChafflD. 
Organirt St. Paul's Calnedral, Buffalo, N. T. 

Prelnde. Fngne In C-mlnor Mendelasoha 

Beglstratlon rentosie, [Introduction,— Theme with 
Vailatlonsr-iMarcb Tempo,— Finale, 



OeoTBO E. WhlHng, 



Orguiisl Uuslc ll.^ll S. 
-mance of this 
alf-pasi seven to a little pi 









Fdby the "Kreat" organ la magnificent Id solidity, 

ig" and genera] 

when a little touch of a(te has given the complete mel- 
lownesa which It alone can supply, we dare to propbeav 
that this ornn will rank ai the highest scliievetnent at 
Its kind which American skill has produced. 

CnniSTiA:) HruMLoov. The ttfth of the series of 

servlceaatKlng'sChapel. Illustraiingche history of the 
hymnology of the CbristUa Church, waa given yester- 
dayattemoon. TbeepeclaliubJectwasibeLatlnhymos 
of the medittvR] centuries. The audience seemed to be 
much Interested In the treatment ot tbe subject, and the 
LCceedlng aei 



Mr. Foote gi 



in those 



teot 



hat Miter;- TboiuMiKcmpls arid i Sea otlu'i-. Ihe 
J)ne choir of Ibe chnrcb, fspccially Mr*. Birry ami ^lias 
Kimball, rendered ibis flue mu*lD very ar[ii>tii.'jn' , «<■• 

Seelxliy selertlona from "DIesIim" and the "Si. 'at 
Inlr-r '■-■■ Quls eat noma," and " Qaando r-t;. iV 
"■' — it-tt «orvi 'ewlll be upon the Oermio Chonii- !■ im 

'.i.ir \%lthnutin«tnimentil acooronsnlmnni. rhe 



Tranuripl, Fib. n. 

BKARLAni Crorai. Society, Tbe Audience waa a 
large one that assembled last evening to be entertained 
by the concert of the Sharlind Choral Society, and It Is 
without doubt the case that every one »m well repaid for 
dance. The programme had In 11 a part-song, 
ining," by Arthur Sullivan, which was sung by Ihe 
ty without accompaniment. It la raentloneil in this 

;of itself auch amerltorlom compoelllon aa Mr. 

Sullivan la capable ot, oru we have frequently had from 

~ pen; but it Klorda under a skilful leader an oppor- 

Uy for a great deal ot light and ahade, and these del. 

ilea of eapresilon were made good use ot by the cho- 

, which In this number sang under the direction of 

. Sharland, whose reception. It need hardly be said, 

i most hearty. The effect of the song, especially In 

the really redned character ot its closing measures, was 

In tbe highest degree gratifying, and Mimed to show 

better than almost anything else could have done, tbe 

reful training ot Mr. Shulaod. The rest of the even- 

S tbe bkton waa In the hand ot Mr. Thomaj. The two 

ijot selections of the society were the scenes from 

uck's "Orpheus," sung here by the same organlatlou 

theTbomai symphony eonceila last season, nndOold- 

irk's " Spring Hymn," to which we were treated at a 

symphony concert • month since. In the former Utt. 

Barry waa tbe soloist, and sang, as she always 

Lb a finished taste that left the moat s^treeable 

Impression on the mind and ear. Her conception of the 

ot Orpheus, especially In the calls tor Eurydlce, 

for passionate declamation. The recitatives and arias 

ind discrimination. The ever favorite "Che farb" wns 
lung In admirable style. The choral work was very sat- 
isfactory, as fammnrlty with the music would necessi- 
tate. Id the Ooldmark piece, Mrs. F. P. Whitney was 

producing the same a(n^eab!e Impression as a' her form- 
er participation in the same work. The hjmn Itself 
seemed about as at the first hearing; very Ingenious in 
the Initmmentatlon, and throuehout the first half a very 
finely wrought idea. The second part lacks In decided 
Interest, though the cllmactory finale has a flavor ot 

. feenn~ on [i,e „^fi (,[ t[|j composer. The chonis 

iras splendidly done throughout. The rest of the 

evening was acceptably filled by a prelude, choral and 
fugne,%Bach; ibe overture to Ueadelssohn'a -Mld- 
luntDerNlght'a Dream;" Salnt-Satns's ■ Danse Maca- 
. ^ ^__._.. „ jj„ „ ^j^^ 

-Glcie.Fib.ia. 



Sjuial llttirts. 



DEBCUIPTITE LIST OF tax 
Pakllakdd kj Ollv«r ■»!»•> « C*. 



Toeal, «Ith Fiue AoMmpaniDoeat 
Brown Eyes, or Bine Eyes. 3. G. Maj. und 
Min. to e. Aide, i 

■■Brown eyes nr bine eyes, baielorrrey. 
What are the eyes I drink lo-day ? " 
. ^ 7K! "''• trtbnte (0 the brlRhtest ot gam,- 
fair ladles' eyei. 
The FiBher. 3 D. to d. Aid*. I 

Alao published tn F. 

•■ Waly, waly. waly, waly. 
Floating ^own the atream." 



Miite hnido bat or 



Sweat and gentle thooghu, muideslly expressed. 

If everr LnU on earth were mate. 4 D. to e. 
„ „ , Cotoen. K 

•• For Ijove, they sav,— love's flown away. 
And left the world alone "" 
In 4-e time, and a little dlmcn't.bnt Is one ot 
Santley a anccesaei, snd of fine qnslily, 
TIiere'R Licht at Eventide. 4 F. HaJ. and 
Min. to f, Tmm. 41 

Csme bfTHlhlng from the west." 

light and ah lule. A misty dayand aahlnysunael 
beautifully described. 
Only Ml Outcsat. (Forsaken). Son^ nnd 
ChoruB. 3 B6 to f. KnlgU. K 

•• Weary and worn, at the portal nf tifs. 

Some one Is plrsdini for m»ii;y in-nleht." 
Something like Hood's •■ Take her np tenderly," 
Incharncter. Vary touching and effective. 
Beautiful Angel ot Loye. Sonir And Cboraa. 
• ' *" ' Schuimttek. 30 



8. Ftof. 



Lead met 
nnc by Little Jn 



land" of dellKht." 
e little soug 



e ot Ihe s< 



Inatrumenlal. 
Petitn Morceanz. No. 6. Hondino VsUe, 
2 G- ItummeL t 

Capital tittle Inatraetlve piece. 
Le Teneiiana. Baniarolle. 3. G. Hin. 

Oounod. 8 
by llie ripht, and smooth ai^M-f^o accompanl- 

Mornin^Rnndo. 2D. T>u>*tk. 4 

Neni and aweet.nnd gnod practice for a: 

The Merry Sprite Polka, a. G. Itadc, 8 

Tun cftTi imairlne the airy iDTlte dancing 

B«tter Timei. (Be«Mt« Zeit«n). n A. 

B. atrmim. ^ 
DMOB dance, then. In honorof tbe good tlmM,— 

Semtramide Divert! semen t Op. 118. No. IB. 

The aln of tbe opera, splendidly tran«orthed. 
Imhaob micbt liv-bwh with much satlafaation 



after I 

Moonlight Sonata. Beethoven- 4 Hnnda. 
4- E, Air by Wintter. 1.71 

Of the set called " The Inaepaiables. H pages 
of rich ninslo for duet practice. 
Kleine Chronlk Galop. (Little Beco-d) .1.0. 

jr. Strautf. 3i 
nake a tittle 



-dlui 






■tllw 



ily nice thing m prance to 
Dante des FeeA 4 Db. Gobbaertt. 4 

is ejldenily a relation of the "fays and 

•tly" 

6th Reeimental March, a C. flUi. S 

The gatlsnl Sth no donhl gave tbe enemy fits at 
thelastencouDIer. and now Fltti rememheri bis 
old friends In a muilcal way. Fine march. Many 
octaves. Easy for large bands. 

AnnBSViAT70n,~I>egreea of dlRlonlty are maika 
toT. Thefcy Isroartiad withaeapltallettor; BsC, 
lat, Ae. A soull Roman letter marks the higheat noti 





uxml 





Wholb No. 911. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, MAR. 18, 1876. Vol. XXXV. No, 25, 



The Metamorphoiif of Plantib 

TRAKBLATION FBOK OOBTHB. 

Thee perplexes. Beloved, the interUns:led conftision 
Of this flowery throD<;, which in the garden thou 
seesi) f 
Many the names yoo must hear, and ever one after 
an.ither 
With its harharona clang crowds itself into yoar 
eai. 
AU in their forms are kindred, and yet no one lilce 
another; 
So this wonderful choir points to a half-hidden 
law,-> 
Yes, to a holy enigma. O, could I teach thee. Be- 
loved, 
Happily teach thee the word, that will nnriddle 
it all 1 
Stndy it now as it grown, »nd see how the plant, 
ever changiniTt 
Step by step carried np, forms into blossoms and 
fruit,. 
Oat of the seed it unfolds itself, so soon as the 
fruitful 
Earth's still fostering lap letteth it forth into life, 
And to the soft wooing light, the holy, eternally 
moving. 
Quick the opening leaves* delicate structure com- 
mits. 
Singly slept the germ in the seed ; an embryo fore- 

Lay, enwrapped in itself; curling up under the 
shell ; 
Leaf, and root, and bud, half-formed, and all with- 
out color ; 
l^us the kernel so dry safely protects the still 
life; 
Then it flows strivingly upwards, trusting the deli- 
cate moisture, 
And soon lifteth itself out of its mantle of night 
Bat what shows itself first is ever a simple for- 
mation ; 
Thus may we among plants always ^stinguish 
the child. 
Soon a following impulse lifts itself upward repeat- 
ing. 



Joint upon joint built up, still the earliest form ; 
' alwavs the 
its figure. 



Yet not alwavs the same ; for, constantly changing 



. Opens out, as yon see, ever the following leaf, 
^ore spread out and indented, and cut into points 
and divisions, 
Which, half-grown, heretofore slept in the orgsn 
b*»low 
And so reaches it first its highest determined com- 
pletion. 
Which in many a tribe thee to astonishment 
moves. 
Variously ribbed and jagged, on the juicy, exuber- 
ant surface ^ 
Seems the fulness' of life free and unbounded to 
be. 
But here Nature holds, with powerful hands, the 
formation 
Back, and to perfecter shape softly inclines it to 
grow. 
Kow more sparingly leads she the sap through slen- 
derer vessels. 
And the delicate plant's finer formations begin. 
Now the forth putting edges draw themselves qui- 
etly backward, 
While the rib of the stalk builds itself solidly out 
Leafless, however, and swift, upsprings the delicate 
flower-stem, 
And a miraculous sight fills the beholder with 
joy. 
Round in a circle there place them, in number ez> 
act or uncounted. 
Leaflets, the smallest one first, next to that likest 
itoelf. 
Gathered close round the axle, now opens the shel- 
tering calix, 
And to full beauty and height lets out the gay- 
colored crown. 
So shines Nature complete in all her fulness of glo- 
ry. 



As, in resrular rise, limb upon limb Klie displays. 
Ever thou marveirst anew, so soon as the stem, with 
its blossom, 
Over the changing leaves* delicate scaifoldtng 
rocks. 
But this beauteous show now a new creation an- 
nounces ; 
Yes, the soft-colored leaf feeleth the hand of the 
God, 
And together draws itself quick: the tenderest 
forms now 
Lean together in pairs, seemingly made to unite. 
Lovingly now they stand, the beautiful couples, to- 
gether : 
See, in numerous crowd, ranged round the altar, 
they wait I 
Hymen hovers this way, and streams of exquisite 
odors. 
Borne on the generous breeze, breathe a new life 
all around. 
Now distinctly swell at once the germs without 

Germs of the swelling fruit, soft in the motherly 
lap. 
And here Nature concludes the ring of her infinite 
powers ; 
Yet a new one at once links itself on to the last. 
That, unbroken, the chain through endless time 
ma}' be lengthened. 
And the whole made alive, like the one part we 
have seen. 
Turn thee now. my Beloved, and look at the motley 
confusion : 
Now, no longer perplexed, you may look on as it 
waveo. 
Every plant but announces to thee some Uw ever 
lasting ; 
Every blossom, it speaks plainer and plainer to 
thee. 
If thou df cipherest here the holy writ of the God- 
dess, 
Every where witness the same, though in a dif- 
ferent form. 
Creeping, loiter the grub, the bntterfly busily hasten, 
Man keep moulding himself, changing his natural 
form 1 
O, bethink thee then too, how, out of the germ of 
acquaintance. 
Day by day between ttt mutual interest gre'v ; 
How, in the depth of our hearts. Friendship re- 
vealed its full power ; 
And how Love came last, bringing the blossoms 
and fruits. 
Think, what manifgid hues and shapes, now this, 
now another. 
Nature in quiet unfolds, and to our feelings im- 
parts. 
Now enjoy thyself fully to-day ! for holy affection 
Strives for its highest fruit, strives for congenial 
tastes. 
Similar views of all things ; that, through harmo- 
nious insight 
Firmly united, the pair thus the true heaven may 
find. 

J. B. D. 



NoTS BT THS Tkanslatob. This beautif nl degy was 
written In 1797. But it Is merely one of the lighter fruits 
of what was a long and severe study of Nature with Goe- 
the. By the aame name he denomluated his pecuUar 
theory of vegetation, which appears to have occupied 
him partlcnlarly during his two visits In Italy, between 
1786 and 1790 ; and his letters itom there are full of dark 
hints about the Orn^n», ( Arch-Flant), which he thought 
he had discovered. In a letter to Herder he aays : 

'< I most moreover tell yon in confidence, that I am very 
near the whole secret of the generation and orptnisa- 
tion of plantt, and that It is the simplest thing that ean 
be imagined. Under this sky one may make the most 
beautiful observations. The main point— where the 

Sirm really lodge*— I have discovered ueyond all doubt; 
I the rest I have a general view of, only some points 
must be more dUitinctly made out. The Archetypal 
Plant (UrpJIanM) will be the sfernngest creature in the 
world, which Nature herself shall envy me. With this 
model, and the key to it, one may then Invent plants, od 
inJtnUwn, which mutt be consistent; <^. which, if they 
do not exist, yet might exist, and are not mere pictur- 



esqne show* and nhiwiows, bnt have an inward truth 
ana necessity. The same law will be applicable to »11 
animal ted hod\e3i,**—0oethe and hU CfoniemporarUSf Vol. 
i. p, 172. 

Prom the same work it appears that this theory of 
GkMthe's met with little atttentlon among scientific men, 
hut was rather rejcarded by them as a poitU manqnAe, 
An interesting obeervatlon, too, with regard to Goethe*s 
•elf-disclitline and habits of action, is thei;^ traced 
thronjch his life, and verified by numerous instancet ; 
namely, this: that in times of grief nnd trouble he lo«t 
himself in the study of Nature, and exercised his crea- 
tive genius only in his calmer, sunnier moods. 



Huaioal Degreea 

XF^om tha Concordia^ (Jjmdon), 

The subject of musical degrees has for^some 
time past received eonsideralile attention, and 
is now discussed with an approach to warmth 
in particular quarters. It once occupied Han- 
del's mind, but not for long. Somebody, or 
bodies, having suggested that the great man 
should g9 to Oxford and be made a Doctor, he 
put the matter aside in his usual unceremoni- 
ous fashion, saying, in effect: **It is all very 
well for fools to be Doctors: what good could 
the title do me 7 " Handel, perhaps, had not 
studied the question, but his instinctive reply 
was very nearly an expression of its true phi- 
losophy. .# As a matter of fact, it may be said 
of degrees generally, that their testimony to a 
man's real powers is far from being of a posi- 
tive character. They show that he has done 
certain things to the satisfaction of other men, 
but the acta performed and the mode of their 
achievement, however cunningly adapted to 
the end in view, are an imperfect test. An 
Oxford student may cram for a degree and win 
it, but be no more what the title strictly im- 
plies than his college cook. In the same man- 
ner. Sawbones, late of Guy's, may be admitted 
a M.R.C.S., and go down into the country to 
kill off his patients through recklessness or 
nervousness with painful consistency. But it 
will be urged that the testimony afforded by a 
degree, though necessarily imperfect, has yet 
some worth, and supplies a means of protec- 
tion against ignorance and charlatanry. To a 
considerable extent this is no donbt true ; and, 
though most nt us have met with stupidity and 
quackery under the gown and hood, in so far 
as those badges of honor are a guarantee of ac- 
quirement, they serve a useful purpose which 
na sensible man would seek to depreciate. 
But if there be one case wherein such distinc- 
tions have less value than in another, music 
is that case. We will try to prove what we 
say. 

Setting music aside, degrees, in their- high- 
est conceivable form, are but proof of work 
done within the field of knowledge. That 
field is open to all. Give the required advan- 
tages to any man of average intellect and he 
may, if he choose, become a Master of Arts, a 
Doctor of Medicine or a Bachelor of Science. 
Indeed, it is hardly necessary to stipulate for 
average intellect, seeing what precious speoi- 
mens of the thinking animal sometimes con- 
trive to win the favor of examiners. Bat, In 
the least promising case, so much reading and 
study will confer the neoessary qualifications, 
and enable the mere plodder to. say to the 
quick man, who has distanced him by years: 
'* I have as good- a right to put on the oad^e 
of my rank as you." But the case of music ib 
different, for the simple and sufficient reason 
that music is not merely an affair of knowledge. 
In other words, book-learning cannot make a 
musician, and a man may as well seek, by tak* 



ZSSL 



194 



DWIGIIT'S JOURTfAL OF MUSIC. 



ing thought, to add a cubit to his stature, as to 
win that dignity through such means. Is there 
any need to stop and prove this ? Perliaps so, 
for nothing can be more astonishing than the 
curiously mistaken notions even musical peo- 
ple entertain about their art. Let us, tliere- 
fore, pause to ask whether it may not be as- 
sumed that Schubert, the composer of the un- 
finished Symphony in B minor, of the A minor 
Quartet, and of the Entr'actes in Botamunds, 
was a musician ? Yet we very well know that 
had it been possible for Schubert, when he^ 
wrote those immortal works, to have gone be- 
fore Professor O use ley at Oxford, or Professor 
Macfarren at Cambridge, for a Doctor's degree, 
he would have been '* plucked " without hesi- 
tation. Schubert had the highest attributes of 
a musician — attributes incommunicable and 
not to he acquired— without those of a lower, 
if admittedly valuable nature which come by 
study. How many of our masters were, to 
some extent, in like case ? The story is told of 
a certain learned professor, still living and 
grubbing among musical ** roots," that once on 
a time he pointed out to the composer himself 
what he thought to be a doubtful chord in a 
work by Mendelssohn. ** What is the root of 
that chord ? " asked the learned Professor. 

* * Upon my word. Dr. , " answered the 

great man, *^ I don't know. It suited my pur- 
pose, and I used it." Precisely. Many other 
great men in music have done the same, and 
the world has been none the wiser; or, being 
the wiser, has esteemed them none the less. 
But if a man may be a musician without the 
ability to satisfy a University professor, the 
converse is also true, and he may **pass " with 
honors without being, in the highest sense, a 
musician at all. Dissenters of the old-fashioned 
type are said to value at extremely little worth 
the sermons of preachers with a *Miandle " to 
their names. The new-fangled BfA.^s and 
M.A.'s of the London University are objects of 
suspicion; but from a D.D. they fly as though 
the initials meant ** Double Dryness." Hardly 
in like measure, perhaps, but still in some 
measure, the musical public look dubiously 
upon the efforts of Mus. Bac's and Mus. Doc's. 
Prima faciSf those efforts ought to be regarded 
as the highest exemplification of musicianship 
amongst us. But fjicts can easily conquer the 
best arranged theory, and, to put the case with 
mildness, nobody thinks of giving more atten- 
tion to the work of a man who wears the hon- 
ors of Oxford or Cambridge, than to the pro- 
duction of a composer whose name speaks with 
the ''unadorned eloquence" of a parish regis- 
ter. The justification of this is seen in the fact 
that most of our leading English musicians 
have been, and are, innocent of degrees. Tak- 
ing those of recent, or contemporary date, it 
may be pointed out that both Sir Sterndale 
Bennett and Mr. Macfarren became Doctors 
because they became Doctor makers. Apart 
from such exceptional cases, do Henry Smart 
and Arthur Sullivan, taking each as represen- 
tative of a generation, wear musical honors? 
We cannot, even by an effort, associate them 
with such things in the sense of bringing to- 
gether that which is necessary to completeness. 
Again, it may pertinently be asked, what ex- 
ercise written for a degree, and presumably, 
therefore, exhibiting the writer's highest en- 
dowments, has lived to serve more than a tem- 
porary purpose ? One such there is, truly, but 
when Haydn composed the ** Oxford "sympho- 
ny it was not to satisfy an examiner, but to 
honor a university. Apart from this, candi- 
dates have covered reams of paper which an 
unappreciative world has allowed to line trunks 
or go to the butterman. 

The foregoing remarks must not be misun- 
derstood. We have nothing to say against mu- 
sical degrees within the scope of their useful- 
ness, and if a man thinks that his professional 
status will be bettered by writing Mus. Bac. 
or Mus. Doc. after his name, let him win and 
wear the honor. But we would jealously 
guard against the danger, which seems immi- 
nent, of a belief that degrees are a measure and | 



guarantee of musicianship. They are not, and 
tliey cannot be, — a fact which the more dis- 
cerning Germans appear to have all along rec- 
ognized. There are no Doctors of Music in the 
land of the great masters, because musicians, 
like poets, arc bom and not in any essential re- 
spect a creation of universities. Why, then, 
make a pother about degrees here ? unless, in- 
deed, there be a desire in some quarters to in- 
corporate the musical profession and compel 
every man practising it to take out a diploma. 
Such an object is intelligible enough, but we 
arc happy to believe that it is also impractica- 
ble. In the days of the Stuarts, Nicholas 
Lanicre and others tried to shut the doors of 
the profession against all uncertified men, but 
the attempt, though backed by Royal authori- 
ty, was a miserable failure. Since then music 
has been free to all, and free it must remain, as 
well from motives of policy as from the nature 
of the case. Quacks may arise, but they will 
sooner or later be found out and punished, un- 
less they get themselves dubbed ** doctors," 
in which case they may die in the odor of pro- 
fessional sanctity. As for those who are not 
quacks, they need no titular distinction now, 
and it will be a sorry time for music if they 
ever do. 



On the Eelation of Muiical Artists to 

their Art 

BY JOSEPH BENITBTT. 
" For none of us Uveth or dieth to himself ."—St. Paul. 

The great epistolar formulates an obvious 
truth in the words I have placed at the head of 
this paper. It is not possible for any one of 
us, even though he imitate St Simon Stylites, 
and dwell on the top of a pillar, to live or die 
to himself. The bond of a common nature is 
too strong ; the dependence of man on man too 
deep-seated in its causes; and the links that 
bind him to his fellows arc too many for sever- 
ance. But the words may be taken as express- 
ing an obligation, in so far, at least, as they 
refer to life. No man can live unto ^limself; 
every man ovght to live unto something that is 
not only outside himself, but stimulative of no- 
ble thoughts, unselfish feeling, and beneficent 
deeds. ♦♦»♦♦♦* 

The physician lives for humanity, not for his 
fee, though he is worthy of it; and the ser- 
vants of ** god-like charity " do more than serve 
themselves. But w^hat of the followers of Art? 
Are they among the classes privileged to '*buy 
in the cheapest and sell in the dearest market ?" 
or have they placed themselves in any degree 
under obligations superior to the demands of 
self ? If any artist should bq far get through 
my preamble as to reach this point, the ques- 
tion will probably amuse him. He may treat 
it as a whimsical speculation indulged in for 
the sake of discussion, like the theses of the 
ancient schoolmen. Or he may regard it as 
springing from one of those impracticable 
minds which apply the conditions of perfection 
to a most imperfect world. Let me hasten to 
assure and, perhaps, to astonish him by saying 
that I am serious m propounding the question, 
and mean to be very earnest in giving it an an- 
swer. First of all, however, I must limit the 
application of the word ** artist" to those who 
follow the musical profession, not only because 
it is with them I have avowedly to deal, but 
because, otherwise, injustice might be done. 
A multitude of circumstances combine to sep- 
arate musical artists from their fellows, and to 
place them under conditions of special trial. 
The painter lives and works in the privacy of 
his studio, the poet worships the muse in the 
seclusion of his library, and in each case every- 
thing tends to encourage that spirit of devotion 
which siuks the man in the minister of a noble 
and beneficent power. What great deeds and 
mighty sacrifices have the studio and the libra- 
ry witnessed, and how men have there learned 
to ** scorn delight and live laborious days" 
while an easy road to a nearer reward lay be- 
fore them I But the musical artist is tried as 



are not other men. He labors at his vocation 
in the full glare of day, with all the world 
looking on. His success or failure at any giv- 
en moment depends upon a hundred chances 
which he mu»t be quick to seize. His life is a 
struggle with rivals who are ready to profit by 
any slip he makes, and he is to no small extent 
dependent upon an ignorant public liable to be 
influenced by equally ignorant, perhaps nialcv- 
olent guides. These are not the conditions 
which foster a true artistic spirit. They are the 
conditions, rather, which beget selfishness, 
make personal advantage the be-all and end-all 
of life, and tend to measure success by encores 
and guineas. What wonder, then, if musical 
artists bear, as artists, an indifferent name. 
What wonder if they are associated, as a rule, 
with much that is unworthy of the dignity of 
their calling, and are too often credited with 
bringing to the discharge of its duties the spir- 
it of a huckstcrer 1 Where there is smoke there 
is fire, and the facts just stated make it the im- 
perative duty of all who can reach the persons 
concerned to hold up the ideal of artistic life, 
and to insist upon the binding power of obli- 
gations which are so liable to be overlooked. 

But here the artist may interpose, and resent 
as an impertinence this intrusion upon the con- 
duct of his business. **Why," he may ask, 
** sh onld I be lectured into what you choose to 
cons ider good behavior ? Leave me to man- 
age my affairs and attend you to your owjo." 
With regard to the last clause in this protest, 
that is precisely what I am doing. As between 
man and man I have no right at all to speak; 
as between an artist and an amateur of art the 
matter is one which concerns me — ^is my busi- 
ness, in point of fact. You cannot sec this, 
because it has not yet dawned upon you that 
you represent an art upon which thousands of 
us depend for a good deal that makes life a 
pleasure; that, as such, you are responsible for 
every professional act, and subject to the con- 
trol of infiuences which lie outside of and apart 
from yourself. Your position, as thus defined, 
may be irksome, but that is your business. 
You are not compelled to remain in it. But 
while you do remain, understand that the po- 
sition has its duties as well as its rights, and 
that anyone who is interested in the welfare of 
your art may call upon you to fulfil them. 

The question now arises — What are the 
claims of music upon those who profess it ? 

The answer, if given in all its fulness, would 
carry us into the domain of impracticable the- 
ory. Personally, I have no desire to go so far. 
The domain in question is the home of dream- 
ers, and of those who, not able to recognize 
the limits of the possible, blunder over them 
in imagination, and wonder why others do not 
follow in reality. It is a barren region, save 
when it creates enthusiasts whose example 
leavens a, mayhap, too practical and matter-of- 
fact world with a little of their own devotion. 
I am not, therefore, about to contend — though 
the contention would be theoretically justified 
— that when a man has consecrated himself to 
Art he should, under all circumstances, prefer 
its interests to his own, and at its command 
refuse to do or insist upon doing any and every- 
thing without reference to personal advantage 
or loss. What would be the use of preaching 
such a doctrine, especially now, when the 
struggle of life is fierce, and every man has to 
fight, like Hal-o*-the-Wynd, ** for his own 
hand " against a thousand who, if not his per- 
sonal, enemies, would walk over his body to 
their own goal with the utmost complacency 9 
It would be vain and foolish to look for abso- 
lute devotion, and he who would discuss this 
subject practically, must dismiss the idea. But 
something is possible, and the realization of it 
lies in the duty of promoting by every availa- 
ble means the welfare of art, while doing all 
that circumstances permit to avoid compromis- 
ing its interests. Ko artist will object to this 
as a rule of conduct. Let us see how far its 
application to certain every-day experiences 
may be satisfactory. 



I»- 



BOSTOIT, SATURDAY, MAR. 18, 1876. 



195 



A is an artist to whom B brings a trumpery 
son/T at which, under ordinary conditions, A 
would not look twice. But B says: "It suits 
your voice, sing it eveiywhere for so long a 
time, and you shall have so much for every 
copy sold/^ A jumps at the bait« and forth 
with goes among the public lending the influ- 
ence of his name and gifts to the recommenda- 
tion of rubbish. Here, in parenthesis, let it be 
understood that I am not attacking what is 
usually called the ** royalty system." That 
system may or may not be a bad one, but it is 
certain that ** royalty songs" are not trash of 
necessity. B might have taken to A a master- 
piece, in which case, though it involve the 
** royalty system," my present argument would 
not apply. But assuming the conditions laid 
down above, what rag of defence has A against 
the charge of sacrificing his art for paltry gain? 
It is a case of disloyalty, and more — it is a case 
like that of a soldier who turns against his own 
colors the weapons given to him for their de- 
fence, 

*• Treason doth norer prosper. Wb<»t*8 the reason? 
Why, when it prospers, none dare call it treason.'* 

Let me prove old Sir John Harrington wrong 
for once, by stigmatizing the practice under re- 
view as treason in its worst form. 

C is an artist whose help is necessary to the 
production of a work the influence of which 
cinuot be too greatly strengthened. But the 
composer has not written with a view to the 
claims founded by C upon his artistic rank. 
There are not songs enough, or they come too 
early or too late, or they are not adapted to 
show the best points in his voice. C thereupon 
declines the engagement, and leaves it to a roan 
of humbler pretensions as well as smaller means. 
The result is damage to the work. Here the 
first consideration was personal advantage, not 
duty to art. But something more than this 
was involved, viz. — inability to recognize the 
fact that the dignity which the pursuit of art 
reflects is a truer and nobler thmg than that 
which springs from personal rank and fame. 
The greatest artist — happily the annals of mu- 
sic illustrate this over and over again — may, 
without the smallest loss of greatness, minister 
in a humble capacity. "Those also serve" 
says Milton, speaking of the angels, " who on- 
ly stand and wait." So before the majesty of 
high art all its followers are equal, though by 
comparison amongst themselves there are ranks 
and orders . Could this exalted truth be more 
generally recognized we should see less of a 
contemptible self-assertion which assumes that 
individual aggrandizement is the ultimate end, 
and the gratincation of individual feeling the 
highest good of artistic life. There is nothing 
more pitiful or more hopeless than the condi- 
tion of one who is given over to such a form of 
selfishness. An old theologian has said : "Thou 
must be emptied of self before thou canst be 
filled with the Spirit," and, in like manner, 
until the follower of art is emptied of self he 
cannot be an artist. He is the Iscariot among 
disciples, and thinks more of dipping his hand 
into the store-bag than of furthering the cause 
which unites his companions. 

D is an artist who scorns to make money by 
playing or singing bad music, and is indifferent 
about asserting his precedency over others, but 
suffers nevertheless from a consuming ambition. 
He wants to make a noise in the world ; to be 
talked of in society; to see long articles con- 
cerning himself in the public journals, and to 
find his name the battle-cry of a musical fac- 
tion. To this end he works by cultivating 
what is called individuality. He has odd ways 
in public, which simple souls connect with 
genius in the blundering fashion of people who 
speculate upon what they know nothing at all 
about. Perhaps he wears long hair, and 
achieves the abstracted look of a man able to 
see more things in heaven and earth than are 
dreamt of in the philosophy of common folk. 
Perhaps he has eccentnc notions of dress, or 
he may assume an air of abandon on the plat- 
form as of one " possessed," or he may, as is 



most in fashion now-a-davs, sacrifice the music 
he performs to "new read injfs" such as a gulli- 
ble public takes in with very lonof ears and 
much asinine wonder. It is hard to define 
what a musician afflicted in this mode may or 
may not do, so wide is the field in which, by a 
mysterious dispensation of liberty, folly or con- 
ceit, or — worst of all — deliberate calculation, 
disports itself. There are many such people 
calling themselves artists, and some of them 
are men who, but for their weakness on this 
point, would be artists in deed and in truth. 
Their case is the worst of all. He whoso object 
is gain can, at least, be understood. Money is 
power; the world worships it; and the desire 
for wealth is a perfectly intelligible, if vulgar, 
weakness. He, again, who stands up for his 
dignity to the disregard of art, enjoys a natu- 
ral, though unworthy, triumph. But the man 
who uses ability and opportunity to make art 
the means of a sen.sational display intended 
solely for his own glorification — he is an offen- 
der sui generis; one who sins against light, and 
is beyond the reach of forgiveness. As well as 
living to himself, art, as he can make it, lives 
for him too, and is kept in his stable, that at 
any moment he may bestride it and witch a 
foolish world with most ignoble hoi-semanship. 
Other examples might be brought forward, 
but the limits of this paper are reached, and 
those already cited will suggest many more to 
every observant mind. And now the question 
may be asked Cai bono f What can come of 
this preachment against the wind, of which 
every man can hear the sound and that is all ? 
Well, that is exactlv what I don^t know. But 
an old book of wisdom says, " Cast thy bread 
upon the waters, and thou shalt find it after 
many days." I remember, when a boy, putting 
the advice to a literal test, and wasting a slice 
of excellent provender. Nevertheless, I have 
faith in it still as a figure, and it may be that 
the words now drawing to a close will nourish 
somewhere or other the seed out of which a 
true artist springs, helping it to bring forth the 
fruit of high aima, noble devotion, unselfish 
feeling, everything, in point of fact, that 
distinguishes an artist from a mere trader upon 
art. 



Obituary. 

Charlks Edward Horslet. The American Art 
Journal contains the following notice of the sudden 
death of one of the ripest and soundest of English 
musicians, who came to this country about four 
years ago, and who contributed to our own Jour- 
nal, at that time, a series of very interesting perso- 
nal reminiscences of Mendelssohn. 

It becomes our painful duty to record the death of 
this talented musician and composer, which took place 
on Monday, Feb. 28th, rather unexpectedly, the Imme 
diate cause being heart dlse.ose. Mr. Horslcy en me from 
a musical rnce, his father being the celebrated glee com- 
poser, H. Wm. Horsley. He was born in Jx>ndon, Dec. 
17, 1825, and studied in Germany under Mendelssohn, 
Hauptmann, and Spohr; with the former he was on the 
most intimate terms of friendship. Among Mr. Hors- 
ley*8 many successful works, we may meniiou his orato- 
rios of Joseph and David; cantatas : Comwi, and Wedding 

Oantattt, in addition to many pieces of church music, 
both vocal and instrumental, symphonies, etc. Mr. Hor- 
sley arrived In America in 1872, and has been the orgnn- 
ist and choir master of St. Joim's Chapel, in addition to 
directing thHt once splendid choral organization, found- 
ed by Dr. James Peon, the Church Music Asfociatinn, 
during the latter period of its existence. Mr. Horslcy's 
last work was performed at the Martha Washington Re- 
ception on the 22(1 inst., and is entitled The Patriot Flag, 
being written for solo and chorus, and a highly effer;- 
tive composition. He had countless warm friends in 
musical circles who will deeply mourn his early de- 
cease. 

— Wr had just read the melancholy news of Mr. 

Horsley's death, when the London Figaro, of Feb. 

23, came to hand, in which we find the following: 

I wonder that none of our entrepreneurs ever think 
of producing some of the works of Charles Horhlcy. 
At the time that shamefully neglected composer worked 
iu England, English music held a very different position 
in popular estimation from that which it does now. Ten 
years ago he went to Australia, where hia name, and 



that of his canfxta, "EntPrpe " written for the Town 
Hall, Melbourne, are household words. He is now 
earning his bread In Amerira, a rountry wb^ch. I re- 
gret to 8!iy, has hitherto looked far more favorably 
upon English musicians tli.nn we have ourselves done. 
The time has gone by w!i»n f'»reignprs who h.Tpnonel 
to be patronized by royalty and aristocracy coul.l take 

the food from the mouths of onr nwn m«»n of talent, and 
the cry is loud for good EnglNh music. Why, then, 
does not some one j)ro'lu •? Mr. Horsley's " Comus," or 
"Gideon,** or"Enterpe?" Enslish mnsi'^'nns know 
their merits, and chnral works nre now hiirhly poijnlar. 
Whit says Mr. Mnnns. or Mr. Woist HIM, who'have both 
done a great de'W fDV Ensll^h muvic? The Albert Hall Is 
still In the possess on of the aristo'^raoy, the Sacred Har- 
monin Socie'y is intent upon their o'*d rrpcrtoi-y, and 
the Phiihannonic Society, with its Enclinh Board of 
Directors, loolcs with scorn upon Enffli-h works. But 
we have many choral so;ietIes in London, snd dozens In 
the provinces, by whom English music of the true sort 
is in request, and if the opinion of such men as Macfar- 
ren, .Smart, and Benedict ne of any worth, Charles Hors- 
ley should not be forgotten, even tliouarh he be in Amer- 
ica, waiting anxiously for an oitportunity to return to 
his native land. 



Horatio Harrts. The following touching trib- 
ute is to the memory of one, who, although not a mu • 
sician in any professional or technical sense, was 
one of the truest and most liberal "friends of Mu- 
sic" in this community. He was a member of tho 
Harvard Music Assttoistion, and one who could 
always be relied on for hearty and substantial aid 
in all good w:ork8 in the true cause of Art, as well 
as of humanity. 

AV MEMORIAL. 

Boston, March 3, 1876. 
To ths Editor of the Saturffny Eeenlng Gitette : 

As you suggested, I will write some incidents of my 
business and social intercourse with our dear friend, 
Horatio Harris, now extending back nearly forty years. 
In 1838 he, as clerk of the auctioneers, and I of the im- 
porters, often stood together on Commercial Wharf, de- 
livering Malaga fruit which had been sold. He was a 
healthy, energetic boy, courteous to his superiors, and 
Arm, but quiet, civil, and determined, with the truck- 
men, who in those days were our roughest population. 
He showed the future. man by his systematic mode of 
bringing order out of what almost seemed chaos. At 
night, although thousands of packages had been re* 
celved from the vessel and delivered to very many par- 
ties, all our accounts agreed, to a package. He early 
become his employers* partner, and by the senior's 
denth took hi* place, while he wis still a young man, 
and later formed the Arm, wirh which he retained his 
connection. As you knoM*. lii'« attention has of late 
years been directed to other v.-ork, and I need hardly 
dwell upon, what ever>'one who knew him easily saw 
in his business life, a well-bnlanred mind, alwoys cheer- 
ful, (his laugh was a benison), but never elated when 
business was most prosperous, and as free from despon- 
dency during the crises whitdi periodically visited us. 
In 1857, I well remember that his duties were very 
heavy, and how well he carried them, always calm and 
cheerful, and doing much to help others bear their too 
heavy loads. But it was the social side of his life which 
always charmed me. So soon as his work was finished, 
he went to his beautiful place .it Roxbury, wholly the 
work of his good taste, and. as we iDften walked about 
the grounds, he would point out the finished or project* 
ed improvements. He was a lover of nature, and also a 
natural musician; when we went into the house, he 
would sit at his piano and play whole airs from opera or 
selections from overture and symphony which we bad 
before heard when together. There was much truth in 
what some one once s.iid when hearing him play : "What 
is the use of playing the piano anfl practising for weeks 
over what Mr. Harris will play after once hearing?" 

He had the musical gift of reniombeHng and repeating 
abnost anything he had heard. He enjoyed nature^ 
licantie!« keenlv, and never seemed happier than among 
his flower:*, or'saunterlng through his greenhouse. He 
lived K)ulh of me. I'lirl for years stoi»i)e«l each morning 
on his way to Bosion. As we «IroN e in together he would 
often snv'that if 1 had a moment to spare he would like 
to go nnil see Koinc pretty place which was being im- 

proveil. , , . 

This strong bns'ness man had a tender heart, and one 
susceptildu to nil that vas heautiful. His charitlei 
were most ample, and scores of young persons of either 
sex were helped by him In their musical e<lucation, 
while m.iny were enabled through his assistance to pro- 
cure their mut>ical instruments. He was sorely tried, 
and more than once, but bore his griefs heroically. His 
eldest hon died at the moment when his father had care- 
fully educated him to help hiin with his business cai-es; 
while after continued watching, davs and nights, o\er a 
sick bed another stm was saved, but, alas! with ^hat 
deprivation ! Tiie afliictioi of this young man, however, 
seemed to open wider his own soul, for seldom upon 
entering the house did I mlsn the clieery voi« e or laugh, 
or else sweet music came from the piano. He nherited 
his father's musical talent. Our friend has gone, his 




work well done, and to us of h\» aire be seems to have 
finished his share bcre» althou|;h taken away in the ful- 
neKs of his strength. He has cone to render his account 
of the talents lent him, aud which he neither burled nor 
roisosed. Ood rest his soul ! We will nil keep his mem- 
ory green, and remember his many good deeds. 

V . S. 



» <»> « 



Run:«8TEix*« Concerto i:« G. Here is what the 
London Academy 9aya of it. What words would it 
have found for another Rubinstein Concerto which 
bored a Boston audience in a recent concert of 
Theodore Tliomas t 

There are few more thoroughly disappointing eompo« 
•ers than the great Russian pianist. That he possesses 
considerable talent and is by no means destitute of in- 
ventive power it would be most unjust to deny; yet his 
larger works never, as a whole, create a satisfactory im- 
pression. There are two reasons fur this ; first that the 
composer In his anxiety to produce something entirely 
original occasionally succeeds In producing something 
abominably and hideondy ugly ; and secondly (and much 
more frequently) that he seems to be almost wholly desti- 
tute of the faculty of self-criticism. The chief themes of 
his movements are of en,a8 in the concerto played on Sat- 
urday, pleasing enough ; but, having selected them, one 
is almoat tempted to imagine that Rubinstein leaves the 
rest of the movement to take care of itself, and literally 
puts down on paper the first notes thnt occur to him. 
Hence his thematic developments, on the proper man- 
agement of which the organic unity of the whole move- 
ment very largely depends, are too often dUfuse, wild, 
and incoherent; side by side with passages of true pow- 
er and benuty we flifd pages of the most dreary ** pad- 
ding; " and. Just as the composer has enlisted the hear- 
er's sympathies by some beautiful phrase, he flies off at 
a tangenr, and raves and storms wildly over the orches- 
tra, till the interest previously excited is succeeded by a 
feeling ol weariness, if not of disgust. The third con- 
certo is an instance of tlifs. There Is not one of the 
three movements of which it consists that does not con- 
tain good ideas, which, with Judicious treatment, might 
have Deen worked into a most excellent whole ; this is 
especially the case with the finale, the themes of which 
are really attractive. But in each movement there is so 
much that is vague and incoherent, so much mere strain- 
ing after effect, that listening to tlte whole work waa a 
severe trial to the patience. I must in Jn^^tice add that 
I am recordmtr my impressions on a first hearing, as the 
work was previously unknown to me: snd I was told 
that if I heard It haif-n-dozen timen I should think very 
diiferentZy of it. It may be so i 1 will merely say that, if 
conversion is only to be purchased at such a cost, I pre- 
fer to remain in my present faith. 



ittt'8 Oratorio " Christns.'' 

[From the New York 3un, Feb, 28.} 

At their concert last evening, the Oratorio Society of 
New York, under Dr. DamnMch's direction, performed 
t «'o works, which were in as sharp contrast to each oth- 
er as two musical compositions could very well be. 

The first was a portion of Lisst*s Christman oratorio 
" Christus," the latter Mendelssohn's " Walpnrgis 
Kight." 

Ltsst's composition was partly for orchestra alone and 
partly for chorus with accompaniment of orchestra and 
organ. It related to the stoiy of Christ's birth, and con- 
sisted of an introduct on, a pastorale, and annunciation 
[chorus^ the Lat n hymnJSfataf MuUr epectoen, the song 
of the Sliepherd« at the Cradle, and the Manh of the 
Kings of the East, the last two numbers being for or- 
chestra. 

Here certainty was an opportunity for some devotion- 
al writing if any devotion LUzt had in h ra that he was 
capable of expressing through the medium of music. 
Apparently he had none, for certainly he expressed 
none. In fact he masquerades with religion as with 
o:her things. It is mere matter of costuming as much 
as his Abbe's dress is, and iho impression given by so 
much of the work as was heard last evening [for happi- 
ly only one-third of it was given] was of emptiness of 
(bought striving for little worthless effects and general 
insincerity of purpose. It was long and tediou-*, unre- 
lieved by any indication of genius or by any phrase of 
genuine ^nd oiignai melody. The attention of the 
hearer gof h wan lering wearily out over the chaos of 
sound that Usst conjures up, seeking, like the dove, for 
some olive branch of melody, but searching In vain. 

Lisn is a man who pieces together 11. tie fragments of 
musical exiiressioii, here a bit for the olioe, there a lit- 
tle phr ise for the violoncello, occa- ion nlly a tinkle from 
the harp. When he wishes to express a broad an I tcruwl 
thought, he becomes simidy nol».y. Everything i - patoh- 
wurk-a coufii;«e i inediey of lones am I phrase, without 
symmetiT, relation, logi.^al devploiuuent. or sequence 
An i yet U i- all put together wth ih* consummate sklli 
of a m in who unaewtanls perfectly i h-^ whole technioue ' 
of mus c the art of effect the CHjiablltles of e-.ery in- 
struraen-, a » I how to conbiue tho e in^trunient« so a- 
to-iro luce all manner ol starUlng carious, and quaint 



If heaven to all those talents had been pleased to add 
a spark of true genius and a lltUc nobility and sincerity 
of lifeandpunKJse,weroifirbthavehada great compo- 
ser in Liszt. As ft is, we have only this strange com- 
pound of talent and charlatanry, who, when be tires of 
*^?.''??*\^ things of thlH world and of the adulation with 
which he is surfeited, turns his mind to dressing op 
some of his fancies in an eccleslaslical ^ftf, and is 
pleaited to believe that In his " Christus " he is giving to 
the world a devotional work. 

After his inni. ccrity the downright earnest, bright 
music of Metidelssohu's Walpurgis night came like a 
true refrefdiment. 

The Oratorio Society rendered both the worics In a 
pralsewfirthy manner, the latter naturally with more 
spirit and accuracy than the former. 

At their next concert they sing Schumann's Psradise 
and the Peri. 



-•— ••^ 



Bach*8 Work in Leipdg.* 

Bach now became choir-master of tho Thomas 
School, and musical director of the two principal 
churches at Leipxi^. St. Nicholas and St. Thomas, 
as well as of the two smaller onea. St. Peter's and 
the new church. He undertook this position in the 
year 1728, at the age of thirty-eijErht. and remained 
there twenty-seven years, till his death. 

Leipzier. one of the great centres of German com- 
merce, full of life and movement, as Goethe says " a 
miniature Paris, that formed its own pwple," was 
also one of the principal seats of scientific learnin?. 
The universitv and its professors enjoyed a wide 
reputation. The city iteeK, though subject to the 
elector of Saxony, was very independent in the 
manasrement of Its internal affairs, and had an almost 
republican constitution. The proud independence 
of its whole character stamped itself on every phase 
of its life. It was therefore natural that a man of 
Bach's (renins and lofty aims should develop his full 
powers in such an atmosphere. 

Besides directinjc the music in the four churches 
we have named, it was Bach's d^ty to teach the 
Thomas scholars music. A certain number of these 
boys were provided by lei^icies with ftiod and lodg- 
ing, in consideration of which they were required to 
perform tho church music, attend funerals, and go 
throu^'ii the streets sinjrinff three times a week, on 
Sundays. Wednesd.iys. and Fridays, for which the 
owners i>f the houses gave them some money towards 
their maintenance. 

The convent of St. Thomas, out of which the school 
had grown, had such an " Alumnenm." or charity 
school, the pupils of which had been required to 
pinir at religious ceremonies. When the mairisfracy 
of Leipzig took possession of the convent, a.d. 1531, 
this custom was retained. Luther had done away 
with all that was formal and mecliNnical in the 
Roman Catholic ritual, but he wfshed music to be 
preserved in the Church, and had. therefore, urged 
that singing should be taught in schools, and "would 
not look tt a schoolmaster who could not sin?." 
[ Thus the musical functions of the Alumnenra were 
substantially connecti'd with the constitution of the 
Thomas Sdiool, and were quite compatible with its 
importance as a seat of general learning. 

The choir which Bach had to lead, was thus un- 
der his own constant instruction and superintend- 
ence, and he could now control the singing in church, 
which he had never been able to do in the plai;es 
where it was led by the ordinary school children, 
without any regular instruction or direction. How 
particuUr the governors of the school were as to 
having a full, well-oniered cho:r. appears from the 
rules of the institution, a.d. 1728, chapters vi. and 
vii., by which the admi.«sion of boya to the benefits 
of the institution, and their continuance in the same, 
were made dependent on their musical powers, and 
they wore required to stay from live to six years 
that the music might not suffer from too frequent 
changes. 

The number of charity children, or "Alumni," as 
they were called, amounted to twenty-two in the 
year 16ft2, and had risen at the time of Bach's ap- 
pointment to lifty.five. They were provided with 
dinners, suppers, and linlging in the school-house, 
and receive 1 allowances of money besidei«. 

The singin^^-school of St. Thomas had had an ex- 
cellent succession of mast(-rs for a long time, and 
under tliem thoinstituti<m had risen to such a hei^rht 
of excellence that many boys out of foreign, espec- 
ially Protestant, countries— Prussia, Hungary, Po- 
land, Denmark, and Sweden — frame there. 

Bach's duties here included the inspection of the 
school every third week (the rector, or head-master, 
and con-rector, or asHistant-master, takinf^ their 
turns thi* other two weeks), which occupied him 
from 6 A.M. ill summer, and from 6 a.m. in winter. 



•Prom Thi' JJu of 3, Srhasti ax Bach. An Abridged 
J^sl ur .11 from The German of C H BiTTSH.byjANKT 
S. Kat-Shuttlbwobth, London, 1873. 



Besides this he taught the first class music (the 
second class was taught under his directions by an 
inferior master), arranged how the singing was to 
be performed at every service in the four churches 
already mentioned, dividing hispapils so as to form 
choirs in each of them, and went with them to ev- 
ery funeral, superintending the singing of the fu- 
neral hymns introduced by Luther. If at a funeral 
any one wished a cantata or motet to be sung In- 
stead of the ordinary hymns, he might not consent 
in every case, but only it the person to be buried 
was of distinguished position or a benefactor of the 
church or schools. He was to keep an inventory of 
the music and instruments, and see to their being 
well Uken care of; also to superintend the organ- 
ists and other musicians of the two principal church- 
es, and to see that the boys wasted no time when 
they went in procession through the town, so that 
they might lose none of their studies. 

It is difficult to state with precision what pay 
Bach received at Leipzig, as he derived roost of his 
income from occasional sources. He had lodging 
and firewood free, and his fixed salary was 87 tha- 
lers 12 groschen (about £13) per annum, besides 
16 scheffel of corn— 13 thalers 8 groschen (a^nt 
£2) for wood and candles, and 1 thaler 8 groschen 
(8s. lOd.) interest <m a legacy. Tlie rest of the in- 
come was made up by fees from 1 thaler (3 shillings) 
upwards, for the performances of the choir at funer- 
als, weddings, concerts, etc. He was thas much 
better off than he had ever been before; he bad not 
enough to grow rich, but quite sufllcient to live 
very comfortably, oven with his large lamily. In 
those days when provisions were cheap. 
^ Before entering on his oflice he was required to 
sign a paper with fourteen conditions, one of which 
l>onnd him not to make the music in church too 
long, and not " operatic." but rather " such as to en- 
courage the hearers to devotion." 

There was music on alternate Sundays at the two 
principal cliurches under Bach's direction, and tho 
order of services in them was as folloi^s : — 

On Sunday, earty service at 6.80 a.ji., at which 
the "hor»," retained from the Roman Catholic 
church, Were sung. 

Full service at 7.S0 as follows:— 

(1) A prelude. 

(2) A motet or anthem on festivalsi 

(3) Kyrie. 

(4) Gloria In excelsis. 
(6) Prelude. 

(6) The Lord be with yon. 

(7) A prelude and hymn. 

(8) The epistle. 

(9) Prelude and h3'mB. 

(10) The gospel. 

(11) Prelude and creed. 

(12) Sermon and hymn. 

(13) Prayer and announcementsL 
(U) Prelude and hymn. 

(16) Communion. 

(16) Offertory and bleasii^. 

(17) Closing hymn. 

Koonday service at 11.30 a. m. : — 

(1) Prelude. 

(2) Motet, or, on ftaat days. Cantata. 

(3) Prelude and hymn. 

(4) Psalm and prayers. 
(6) Prelude and hymn. 

(6) Sermon and hymn. 

(7) Prayers. 

i8) Prelude and hymn. 
9) Offertory and blessinir. 
(10) Hymn. 

Aft^'rnoon service began at 1.80 p.m., and after 
that, abnnt 4 r.M., came christenings and weddings. 

Besides this there was a short service ^yny day 
of the week at each of the churches, in the rooming 
at the* one. and in the afternoon at the other alter- 
nately, and the choristers of the Thomas School 
sang at each. 

Bach composed many of the motets, preludes, 
eanfatas, etc., for these services hin>self. He worked 
hard, but he had the satisfaction of seeing the good 
result of his labors, and he much enj«iyed paying 
on the groat organ of St Thomas's Church, an in- 
strument which was really worthy of so great a 
master. There were two organs In this church, a 
larsre and a small one ; both were used when the 
Matthaiis Passion was performed a,d. 1729. 

In the midst of his rosnifold occupations Bach 
ptill found time to study the works of his contem- 
poraries. Copies exist in his handwriting of a Mass 
by Palestrinii. parts of two Masses by L(»tti. a Mag- 
nificat by Caldara. and one by Zeleuka, an Oratorio 
by Handel, a Passionsmosik by Kaiser, and one by 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, MAE. 18, 1876. 



197 



Grann, n short Mass by Wilderer, sixteen Cantatas 
by J. Ludwtg Bach, a Concerto by Telemann, and 
several pieces for the piano by W. Friedemann 
Bach. 

The works he composed at Leipzig are perfect 
specimens of his riper style. One of their charac- 
teristics is the perfection of each part as an inde- 
pendent melody, while at the same time all the parts 
together make a perfect harmony. For instunce, 
in his doable choruses with instrnmeutal accom- 
paniment each voice has a melodions part to sing, 
each chorus is beautiful by itself, the accompani- 
ment alone is a perfect piece of music, and the whole 
together constitutes a grand harmony. 

The original manuscripts of his works are full of 
corrections and alterations, showing that their pro- 
duction cost him no small amount of labor. 

The directors who preceded Bach at Leipxig used 
to chooAe the cantatas or motets to be sung in the 
churches qui^e arbitrarily, without any regard to 
their connection with the rest of the service. But 
Bach felt that, unless these elaborate pieces of music 
were really made a means of edification, they were 
mere intellectual pastimes, suitable for a concert, 
but an interruption to divine worship; and he 
thought that they could best edify the congregation 
if their subject were the themes to which attention 
was specially directed in the service and sermon of 
the day. He there "or<« made it a rule to ascertain 
from the clergymen of the four churches the texts 
of the sermons for the following Sunday, and to 
choose Cantatas on the same or corresponding texts. 
As most of the clergy were in the habit of preach- 
ing on the gospel of the day the service thus became 
a harmonious whole, and the attention of the con- 
gregation was not divided between a variety of 
subjects. The clergyman of highest standing at 
Leipzig, Superintendent Deyling, a preacher of 
great eloquence and theological learning, co-opeiat- 
ed heartily with Bach in this schf me. A penes of 
Cantatas* for every Sunday and festival for five years 
— about 380 in all- was composed by Bach, chiefly 
during the first years of his stay at Leipzig. Un- 
fortunately many of these are 'lost, but 186 for 
particular days, and 82 without any days specified, 
still remain. Their music is si> completely in char- 
acter with the subject of the words as to form a 
perfect exposition of the text. In some the orches- 
tral introductions and accompaniments are made il- 
lustrative of the scene of the text, as for instance in 
one on Chrint*s appearins: to his disciples in the 
evening after his resurrection, the introauction is of 
a soft calming character, representing the peaceful- 
ness of evening and of the whole scene. Another, 
on the text, " Like as the rain and snow fall from 
heaven," is introduced by a symphony in which the 
sound of gently falling rain is imitated. In others 
the instrumental parts and some of the voices ex- 
press the feelings excited by meditation on the 
words. Sometimes, in the midst of a chorus in 
which the words of the text are repeated and as it 
were commented on, a single voice, with th^ accom- 
paniment of a few instruments, breaks off into some 
well known hymn in a similar strain of thought or 
feeling. 

The form of the Cantata was generally as fol- 
lows : — 

An orchestral introduction ; 
A chorus, nsually the most impres.Mve part of the 
whole, intended to tune the minds of the hearers to 
the spirit of the text ; 

Recitations and solo airs, models of musical paint- 
ing, more calculated to occupy the intellect and il- 
lustrate the meaning of the words than to catch the 
ear by their melody ; 

Lastly, a chorale, or hymn tune in four parts, 
with elaborate instrumental accompaniment. 

But Bach frequently departed from this general 
order of succession; in some cantatas he begins 
with a chorale, in others with a recitative or solo 
air. etc. 

The words are adaptations of texts of scripture 
and of hymns ; the scripture texts often altered so 
as to suit the music ; in many, a rhyming comment, 
generally abstract and dogmatical, with awkward 
rhymes and unpoetical forms of expression, is sung 
to the airs; and as Bach*s music is generally a 
faithful exposition of the words, the character of 
these rhymes is one reason why many of his airs 
sound unmelodious to modern ears. 

The independence of the orchestral accompani- 
ment from the sinsring, and of the part of each in- 
strument from the others, makes this music extreme- 
ly difficult to play. The introductions to the can- 

*Wbat thene Cantatas were could be judieed by the 
specimen given in last Thursday's Symphony Concert.— 
Aad he composed one for every Sunday 1— bd. 



tatas, often important enough to deserve the name 
of symphonies, were omong the earliest pieces writ- 
ten for purely orchestral performance. 

It is curious to remember that the sacred canta- 
tas were not composed for universal fame or for a 
musical public, but for the use of congregations who 
probably looked on them as a necessary part of the 
service, and thought little about the merits of their 
composition. In those days art criticism was in its 
infancy, ifnd they were scarcely noticed beyond 
the walls of Leipzig till after the composer's death. 

Some critics, Salter, Von Winterfeld. and others, 
have found fault with the operatic character of Bach*s 
cantatas, and their unfitness for Divine service. It 
is true there are few choirs or orch(>stras capable of 
performing them without much study, and the con- 
gregation joins In no part of them except In the 
chorales ; perhaps also there are few congregations 
sufficiently musical to appreciate them. But the 
real difference between sacred and secular music 
lies in the frame of mind produced in the hearers ; 
and Bach's cantatas, whether performed in a church 
or a concert hall — ^with or without sacred words — 
inspire purely devotional feelings ; whereas there is 
much music set to solemn words and performed in 
churches that leaves the hearers worldly, morbid, 
or frivolous. Bach borrowed some forms from the 
newest and best operatic compositions of his time, 
as he was perfectly justified in doing ; for art makes 
progress by each artist availing himself of the dis* 
coveries and inventions of his predecessors, in oth- 
er branches as well as his own. The mere use of 
fi>rnu which were also used in the opera could not 
make the spirit of his music theatrical. 

By other critics, on the contrary. Bach has been 
called a " pietiint.'' He was in truth a sincere 
Christian ; and his deep religious feeling is shown 
throughout his life. He was a zealous Lutheran ; 
his healthy mind was not troubled with doubts, but 
he had not, like 'so many, passively remained in the 
church in which he was brought up ; he had made 
its creed his own by faithfnl study and mature re- 
flection ; had embraced it with his understanding, 
and impressed it on his heart, and his life was 
shaped in conformity to it. But with all this he 
was very unlike the so-called Pietists. 

Akin to Bach's attachment to the Lutheran Church 
was his loyalty to its founder. When he made a 
chorale of Luther's the groundwork of one of his 
cantatas, he altered not a note of the old Reformer's 
composition, but only enriched it by varying in- 
strumental and vocal accompaniments. 

Besides the Cantatas, eighteen Motets by Bach ex- 
ist He composed at least ten more, as we know 
from old catalogues, bat they have been lost. In 
1798, when Mozart visited Leipzig, Doles, then 
musical director of the Thomas School, played one 
of Bach's motets, " Singet dem Herrn ein neues 
Lied." Mozart was enchanted with it, asked to see 
more motets by the composer, and spent some hours 
looking through them. 

Bach also wrote several secular pieces during his 
first years at Leipzis: ; a cantata for the birthday at 
the Duke of Saxe-Weissenfeld, afterwards used on 
the respective birthdays of the Duke of Saxe-Wel- 
mar and the King of Saxony ; another for the birth- 
day of the Princess Charlotte Friederike, who had 
just married his former patron aod friend. Prince 
Leopold of Anhalt-Cothen ; and all the music, a can- 
tata and other pieces, performed when King Fred- 
erick Augustus visited Leipzig in 1727. 

The next occasion for which ho wrote was a sad 
one, a solemn service to the memory of Queen 
Christine Eberhardine, who died on the 6th Sep- 
tember, 1727, at her castle at Pretzsch, whither she 
had retired after having declined to renounce the 
Lutheran faith for the sake of the Polish crown. 
She was beloved and respected throughout Saxony 
for this act of devotion to her church, and for her 
many other virtues. 

Almost all Bach's pupils at Leipzig became excel- 
lent organists, and have no doubt helped to spread 
his improved style of church music throughout 
Germany. He was very particular about touch and 
fingering, and the position of the hand in playing, 
and made his pupils practise five-finger exercises for 
several months before he would allow them to play 
anything else. If they grew tired of this after a 
few mopths, he composed easy pieces, equally in- 
tended to exercise the fingers, for them. The six 
easy preludes and fifteen inventions mentioned in 
Chapter V. were composed for this purpose. 

He would not teach any to compose who did not 
shows signs of talent, or the power of thinking mu- 
sical thoughts. 

Amang his most distinguished pupils, besides his 
three sons and his son-in-law, Johann Chrlstoph 



Altnikol, organist at Naumburg, were the follow 
ing :— 

J. Ludwig Krebs, son of his Weimar pupil, J. 
Tobias Krebs, who stuvlied under him nine years, 
and became one of the best organists and composers 
of his time. Bach himself says of him, " I have* 
only caught one criw-fish (Erebs) in my stream 
(Bach)." 

J. Friedrich Doles, already mentioned as musical 
director at the Thomas School at the time of Mo- 
zart's visit. 

J. Friedrich Agricola, pianist and composer at the 
court of Frederick the Qreat, and Qraun's successor 
as conductor of the orchestra at Berlin. 

Carl Friedrich Abel, a celebrated performer on 
the viola di ffomba at the court of Queen Charlotte in 
England. 

J. Schneider, afterwards organist at St Nicholas, 
Leipzig ; said to have played the best preludes ever 
heard in that town next to Bach's. 

J. Philip Eirnberger, the best musical theorist of 
the eighteenth century, author of a book on Bach's 
method of teaching, and theory of compo^tlon, en- 
titled, " Kunst des relnen Satzes." 

J. Christian Klttel, who made Bach's ait of organ- 
playing known lo posterity in a work entitled 
" Angehender praktische Organist." 

Lorenz Chrlstoph Mizler, Bach's earliest biogra- 
pher, and founder of the musical society at Leip« 

Eirnberger. when he beg^n to take lessons of 
Bach,' worked so hard that he fell ill of an inter- 
mittent fever, and was confined to his room eighteen 
weeks. In the intervals, when he was freei from 
fever, he continued to work with extraordinary dil- 
igence, and Bach, remarking this, offered to come 
to his house, as it was bad for him to go out, and in- 
convenient to send his manuscripts backwards and 
forwards. Eirnberger said to his master one day he 
could never be grateful enough for his kindness, and 
the pains he took. " Say nothing about gratitude, 
my dear Eirnberger," JBach replied; "lam glad 
you wish to study music thoroughly, and it only 
depends on yourself to make all I liave learnt your 
own. I ask nothing of you but the assurance that 
you will in time hand tnis small knowledge on to 
other good pupils, who may not be content with the 
ordinary Lirum-larum." 

Besides all his duties at Leipzig, Bach was fire- 
quenUy sent for to examine organs at distant places, 
and to test the proficiency of candidates for por- 
tions as organists. His contemporaries duly val- 
ued his knowledge and his skill in playing, however 
they may have estimated hie compositions. 

It is wonderful that daring these busy years Bach 
wrote his greatest works, the Passionmusiken. They 
were finished in 1729. According to his two biogra- 
phers, Mizler and Forkel, he wrote five of these 
works, but only two remain, the Matth&us-Pasaion, 
and the Johannes-Passion. They were primarily 
intended to be performed in churches, ana one feat- 
ure in which they differ from other oratorios is the 
introduction of cborale^ in which the congregation 
were intended to join. 

Similar half-dramatic compositions on saeiM 
themes had existed long before Bach's time. It 
had been the custom in many parts of Germany, 
from ancient times (as it is in some places still), to 
give dramatic representations of our Lord's passion 
in the churches in Holy Week and at Easter. In 
these old " Passions-^pielen," as they were called, 
the chorale in which the congregation joined had 
always formed an important part 

The Johannes-Passion, or Passion according to 
St. John's Gospel, was composed first, and is the 
simpler of the two. Its words were arranged either 
by Bach himself, or under his direction, and resem- 
ble those arranged by Broeke, of Hamburgh, and 
set to Handel's, Telemann's, Eaiser'a, and Matthe- 
son's Passionsnausiken. 

Originally the Johannes-Passion began with the 
chorale "O Mensch. bewein' dein' Siinde gross," 
which Bach afterwards transposed to the close of 
the first part of the Matth&us-Passion, when he 
wrote the present introductory chorus for the older 
work. 

The Matth&us-Passion, or Passion jM»cording to 
St Matthew's Gospel, is richer and fuller, and more 
generally admired than the other. It was first 
performed at afternoon service on Good Friday, 
1729, at St Thomas's Church, Leipzig, the first part 
before, the second after the sermon. Bach was so 
much in advance of his age, that this great master- 
piece was merely valued by its hearers as a relig- 
ions exercise, till a later generation had been edu- 
cated by other great composers to understand its 
beauty. It was not heard In public again for one 



198 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



hundred years after its first appearance, till Men- 
delssohn incited the Berlin Academy to perform it 
on the 1st of March, 1829. 

The words are partly taken from the twenty -sixth 
and twenty-seventh chapters of St Matthew, and 
from hymns, partly yerses written by C. F. Henri- 
ci, commonly called Picander. The gospel narrative 
is interpreted by the reflections of the ideal Christ- 
ian Church, forming two choruses, ** The Daughter 
of Zlon." and "The Faithful," as thoy are called by 
Picander. These perform the same part as the 
chorus of a Qreek tragedy, following and comment- 
ing on the narrative, but Picander's words are not 
always poetical ; in many parts they offend modern 
taste. 

Not so the music. What has already been said of 
Bach's style of composition — the perfect harmonies 
into which a number of independent melodious parts 
are interwoven, the dramatic character of recitatives 
and airs, theindependentbeauty of accompaniments 
— applies in a higher degree to this, his greatest 
work. 

The instrumental parts are written for two organs 
and a double orchestra, consisting of oboes, flutes, 
and stringed instruments ; drums and brass instru- 
ments are excluded as being out of character with 
the solemnity of the subject 

The words spoken by the difTerent persons of the 
sacred drama, including the Evangelist who relates 
the history, are given as recitatives. The parts of 
the Evangelist find subordinate persons are highly 
declamatory, with very simple accompaniments, but 
our Saviour's words are set to expressive melodies, 
still keeping the form of recitatives, with a fuller 
accompaniment of stringed instruments. 

In the choruses representing the Jewish people, 
the stormy passions of the multitude are given most 
vividly^ When we consider the quiet times in 
which Bach lived, and the peaceableness of the pop- 
ulations that surrounded liim, we are struck with 
the powerful imagination that enabled him to paint 
so truly what he nad never seen — the furies of an 
excited mob. 

The impression of horror produced by these 
scenes is softened by the airs and choruses sung 
by the ideal church, the most beautiful part of the 
whole. 

Fifteen chorales are introduced ; the melody of 
one, " O Haupt voll Blut und Wunden," is repeated 
five times to different words. The secondary parts, 
the contralto and tenor voices, are so varied as to 
give it a different character each time to suit the 
different words. 

On this, his masterpiece, as on all his other 
works. Bach inscribed the iniUals S. D. G., Soli Deo 
gloria. 



S/\^\/\/\/N/S/S/S»- 



Mnsio in London. 

JoACHiic AT THc MoNDAT " Pops." (Ffom the MU' 

•teal World, Feb. 26)f 

In Herr Joachim, perfect mechanism and perfect in- 
telligence go hand in hand; his reading and execution 
of " classical '* music— and, to his credit be it said, he 
condescends to nothing less— are on a par. With his ac- 
customed modesty and indifference to self display, the 
pieces selected for his first appearance were exclusively 
such as fellow-artists might take part in. He introduced 
no solo, though there was probably not one among the 
immense audience assembled who would not have been 
delighted to hear him give something in which be might 
shine unaided. He led Mendelssohn's second quintet 
[B flat], and Beethoven's fourth trio for stringed instru- 
ments [C minor]— In the former his associates being MM. 
L. Riee, Straus, Zerbini, and Piatti; in the latter, Herr 
Straus and Signor Piattl. He also played, with Mdlle. 
Marie Krebs, Beethoven's sonata for pianoforte and vio- 
lin, No. 3, Op. SO [G major]. In the magnificent adagto 
of Mendelssohn's quintet Herr Joachim may, in familiar 
phrase, be said to have " surpassed himself." We can 
remember nothing more pathetic than his delivery of 
the opening subject, or more eloquently touching than 
his reading of . the second theme, which shines out so 

brightly in contrast with what precedes it. The simple, 

aualnt, and unaffected tchtmo was rendered In ]>erfeo- 
on; and the ;(nal«, one of Mendelssohn's most impet- 
uous and irresistible quick movements, brought out in 
strong relief aU the fire and vivacity which Herr Joachim 
can put forth with such true effect when called upon. 
How admirably he was supported by Signor Piatti on the 
violoncello may be easily credited. The entire perform- 
ance was irreproachable, and deserved all the enthusi- 
astic applause bestowed upon it. That the trio in which 
Beethoven proved hln^self worthiest rival of Mozart [who 
died only seven years before it was composed] was 
equally well given it Is scarcely requisite to state, or that 
the familiar sonata of the same composer, in the hands 
of Herr Joachim and his accomplished partner, Mdlle. 
Marie Krebs, was all that could be wished. Mdlle. Krebs 
chose for her solo the trying and difficult Toccata In C of 



Robert Schumann, her facile and brilliant execution of 
which has more than once been recorded. Being twice 
called back, Phe played the " Traumetvoirren "—one of 
tho»e fantasy pieces which Schumann's bi{;hlv endowed 
widow has made familiar to the English public. Two 
LUdtr by Schubert, and two by Herr Brahms, weresnne 
with great intelligence and charm by Mdlle. Sophie 
Lowe, who was ably accompanied on the pianoforte by 
Mr. Zerbini. 

At the concert on Monday next Herr Joachim Is to lead 
Schubert's quartet in D minor, and to perform the well- 
known Chaconiu, with variations, of J. 8. Bai?h. 

The Bach Revival. Lovers of Bach*s music will be 
pleased to learn that two peif ormanoes of his great Mass 
in B m'nor, will take place at St. James's Hall, In the 
last week of April, and the first week of May respective- 
ly. A fine amateur chorus has had rehearsals, for a long 
time past at the residence of Mr. Freake, under the 

direction of Herr Otto Ooldschmidt, who will conduct 
the public concerts. Among the members of this chorus 
are ''Jenny LInd," Florence Marshall, and other distin- 
guished votaries of the art. The thanks of all music- 
lovers are due to Herr aoldschreidt, for taking the initi- 
ative in this important matter.— OmcoftUa. 

" St. John Passion Music '* is to be given on the Fri- 
days in Lent at the church of St. Anne's, Soho, on a 
plan similar to that adopted last year, namely, with a 
rnll chorus and small complete orchestra.~77k4 Musical 
Standard, 

Chnoordia states that In consequence of the illness of 
Dr. Stalner, the performance of Bach's ** Matthew Pas- 
sion " in St. Paul's Cathedral will this year be conducted 
by Mr. Bamby. 

A PuBOBLL SociETT. On Mouday last a meeting was 
convened at the house of the Royal Society of Musicians 
for the purpose of taking into consideration the desira- 
bleness of esubllshing a Parcell Society, with the object 
of publishing and performing the many works of our 
great English master which are still In MS. The initia- 
tive had been taken by Mr. W. H. Cummings, in response 
to whose call the following gentlemen assembled :— Sir 
John Goss and Mr. Hopkins I who represented the old 
Purcell Club], Mr. Julian Marshall, Mr. Joseph Bennett, 
and Mr. Alfred Littleton. Letters of apology for non- 
attendance, and expressing sjrmpathy with the object of 
the meeting, had been received by Mr. Cummings, from 

Sir F. Gore Onseley, Professor Macfarren, Mr. Henry 
Leslie, Mr. Arthur Sullivan, Dr. Stainer, Mr. Henry 
Smart, Mr. William Chappell. and many others. The 
reading: of these wan followed by the election of Sir John 
Goss to the chair— Mr. Alfred Littleton acting as secre- 
tary—and the consideration of the rules upon which the 
Sroposed Society shall be based. As the results of the 
eliberation will have to be formulated and submitted to 
an adjourned meeting, particulars respecting them 
would be premature. Enough, that there is reason to 
anticipate .the ^tabllshment of a Society competent to 
do justice to the memonr and achievements of a man 
whom It has been the fashion to praise without Uie zeal 
that springs from knowledfe, but who is worthy of a 
better Klna of honor.— Gvncordio, J'e6. 26. 



BOSTON, MARCH 18, 18Y6. 



0<7B Mnsio Pages. The Part Song by Hanptmann, 
continued In this ntmiber, is taken by permission from 
" German Part Songs,** edited by N. H. Allek, pub- 
lished by Oliver Ditson St Co., Boston. 



Concerti. 

The sixth and last of Tdxodosk Thomas* sscries of 
Six Symphony Concerts took place on Wednesday 
evening March 1. The audience was very large. 
The programme offered simply two great works : 
the Magnificat in D, by Bach, of which wo translat- 
ed an analysis by Robert Franz in our last number, 
and the great Schubert Symphony (of " the heav- 
enly length **) in C, so lately given in a Harvard 
Concert. 

The Magtifficai was hoard in Boston for the first 
time ; it had been g^ven in this country only once 
before, and under the same leadership, namely at 
the Cincinnati Festival last Spring. The choruses 
were sung by the Sharland Choral Society, num- 
bering about 800 mixed voices. The orchestral 
score was given as completed by Franz, including 
an Organ part, which was intrusted to our most 
competent of organists, Mr. John E. Paixk. The vo- 
cal solos, divided like the choruses, into first and 
second Sciprano, Contralto, Tenor and Bass, were 
sung by Mrs. H. M. Smith, Mrs. G. II. Oakks, Mrs. 
£. Floea Baeet, and Messrs. Wm. J., and Jokx F. 



Winch. Here certainly were ample means for an 
effective and complete performance. 

But the result was disappointing ; the audience 
did not get a clear perception of the significance 
and beauty of the work, and it fell far short of mak- 
ing a profound impression. The reasons are obvi- 
ous. In the first place, if we may venture an opin- 
ion, the JkTagnificat (altliough we have studied it 
enough to feel and know that it is a great work) was 
not precisely the fittest work to choose for the init- 
iation of a public into the glories of this to them 
new world of Bach. It is, in the nature of the case, 
with ita ecclesiastical Latin text, a more formal com- 
position than his sacred Cantatas (as a general rule), 
or his Motets and Passions. Then the performance 
fell far short of what had been expected. It was 
crude, cold, constrained, uneasy ; no one seemed at 
home in the music, or to have caught its spirit 
And why T Partly no doubt from want of more re- 
hearsal, both of soloists and chorus ; partly because 
the solos were (for the most part) not in the lunds 
of singers who could be said to have much of the 
Bach culture or the Bach feeling, or into whom 
that warm and quickening sun had yet penetrated 
more than skin deep ; bat more and primarily be- 
cause that spirit seemed not to possess the soul o' 
the conductor of the whole. Else how can we ac- 
count for the absurdly rapid tempo at which he 
started the opening chorus, making the brilliant 
complication of its five real parts, all so florid and 
running in roulades, seem utterly confused, — a daz- 
rling confusion at the best? Or for the hurried 
movement that prevailed, almost without exception, 
throughout the entire work ? There was no sense 
of repose from first to last — repose which charac- 
terizes all great Art, however animated or even im- 
passioned, and most especially the Art of Bach. It 
seemed as if there were an uneasy and uncomforta- 
ble anxiety to get quickly throngh it and come to 
the Schnbert Symphony. That might have found 
excnse in the desire to make it seem short to an un' 
tried audience ; but the moment that the listeners 
become aware of that desire, the thing, however 
short, is long to them ; what is not done with free- 
dom and repose fatigues from the start. It has al- 
ways seemed to us that there is but one sure law 
for musical tempo, which may be briefly stated 
thus : Every piece of music ought to be allowed to 
set its own time. The will of player or conductor 
must not try to govern it ; it only grieves the spirit 
of the composition if you try to force it forward or 
to drag it back ; in either case the performance is 
wearisome. It all rests then with the right instinct 
of the conductor : does the music possess him ? If 
so, through him it beats time for Itself. 

There is much to be said in excuse, we under- 
stand, for the chorus itself. Under Mr. Sharland 
they had rehearsed the music, zealously and care- 
fully, and at reasonable tempos ; it was only when 
they came to the performance with orchest>« that 
they found themselves startled out of the habitual 
and easy gait and forced to scramble through the 
best they could. Nor were their efforts altogether 
unsuccessful, nor undeserving credit; the wonder 
was that it went no worse; Some points took ef- 
fect : for instance the superb, startling chord (di- 
minished seventh) on " dispersit Buperbot; " and the 
broad and noble Adagio of a few bars immediately 
following {" mente cordis sui,") a most refreshing 
moment of repose for once. The final Gloria Patri, 
too, was exceedingly grand. 

Of the soloists the most successful were Mrs. Bar- 
ry and Mr. J. F. Winch. The former sang the 
beautiful Air: " Esurientes implevit," with its ex- 
quisitely delicate accompaniment of two flutes, with 
feeling and with erace, wanting only weight of 
voice for such a hall ; and the latter made the Bass 
air: *'Quia fecit mihi magna** quite effective. But 



probably the numbera which most, penerftlly found 
favor wePH the Duet for Alto and Tcnop ; *• Et niH- 
erfcordia,'' and the very lovely Terzet for two So- 
prani and Alto ; " Suscepit Israel.** Of course the 
orchestra was all that could be desired. 

The ^reat Schubert Symphony was indeed su- 
perbly and most beautifully played. Fresh from 
the very flpiritod n*ndt*rin2f by ojir loss prnctifed 
local orchostra, it was impossible not to recon:niz'» 
the suporior. precision, fiiish. deli c icy of liarht and 
shade, and clearer, finor phrasinj; of the last per- 
formance. Im all those respects at least it was won- 
derfully perfect. And yet in part-a we found it less 
inspirins:; more of the beauty than the {rrandeur of 
the work was realized. For instance in the Trio of 
the Schezro we craved more of the breadth and 
ma|o«ty we have been wont to feel in that upliftini^ 
strain which mit^ht well servo for the swellinj^ 
(Centennial) hymn of a great people. But anyhow 
it was a rare treat to listen to such a performance of 
so nisfifnificent a work, and more than made up for 
what was wanting in the interpretation of the Mag- 
nijlcat. 

Harvard Mosioal Associatiox. The ninth Sym- 
phony Concert, (Thursday, March 2) offered the fol- 
lowing programme : 

1. Symphony, No. 1, in C, Op. 21. [Comp. 1800], 

Beethoven 
Ada^o and Alleffro con brio— Andante con 
moto— MInuetto -An*»g:ro vivace. 
J.**Arlft, " Che pur a^pro " [" M irtera aller Arten,"] 
from Act II of " 11 Seraglio," or •• IJclmonro e 

Custanzn.'* Mozart 

Mi««s Emma O. Thnrsbv. 
3.**Pha6ton: FoSme Symphonique, Op. 39, 

Salnt-SaSns 



1. Overture to " A Midsummer Night*s Dream,*' 

Mendelssohn 
2.* Songs, with Piano-forte: 

a. "Dublst die HuhV* Schubert 

b, Nightinfrale's Song Taubert 

Miss Emma C. Thursby. 
3. First Movement [Allegro Haestoso], from the 
" Ocean " Symphony, in C, Op. 42.. Rubinstein 

Here wai* variety and piquancy enough, it must 
be owned ; the contrasts were happy ones ; and all 
within the sphere of beautiful and noble Art, — al- 
lowing only for some natural diversity of tastes 
alyint that brilliant and audacious novelty by the 
French composer who has so suddenly come almost 
into fashion here. By the audience at large the 
whole concert seemed to be remarkably well rel- 
ished ; there was no mistakins; the frequent symp- 
toms of delight both visible and audible. 

The orchestra were in uncommonly good trim, 
and the Mozart-like early Symphony of Ueethoveo 
was beautifully played ; MojEart-like, and also Haydn- 
like at tinues, ms for example in the Trio, while 
in the Minnetto that precedes it the genius of the 
Beethoven Scherzo already peeps out. There is 
the same irrepressible free humor in the manner in 
which the Finale is b^nin ; tii« violijis steal up to the 
theme as a cat pounces upon a mouse. — ^The un- 
familiar Aria from Mozart's fresh young love opera, 
Die Efdfahrnng au* dan Serall — so full alike of the 
delicious true vis eomica and of sincere and tender 
passion, — he composed it while he was courting 
Constance Weber — is a fine one, very brilliant and 
spirited. The Constance of the play, faithful to her 
true lover, resists the advances of the Moslem prince 
who hc4ds them in captivity; no tortures shall 
shake her ; she will only tremble when she feels 
she is unfaithful ; for a moment only she pleads for 
mercy, and then bursts out into a heroic strain of 
defiance, and welcomes the relief of death. We 
cannot, we confess, see much affinity between the 
music and th^^ words she sings ; it is mostly 
brilliant, difficult bravura, taxing the whole com- 
pass of the voice, and calling for groat execution 
and expression. We were sorry that so much of the 
rather long orchestral introduction was cut out, 
though all its themes and flexures occur afterwards, 
for the instrumention is of Mozart's finest; besides 
the full orchestra there are four solo instruments in 
the accompaniment. Miss Thursby'^ fresh, pure, 
sympathetic voice was at its best ; the high tones 
(running up to D t*i a!i) were pure and bird-like; 
the liquid runs and the staccatos wera given with 
exquisite precision ; and in the expressive passage: 
** By heaven thy kindness be rewarded " (sung, 
however, in Italian), where the voice descends in 
long tones to B below the staflf, and suddenly glides 
up to G above, the intonation and the quality of tone 
were admirable, and so was the expression. She 
bad caught the spirit of the piece completely ; for a 
singer of so short experience, she already has the 



style of a true artist; she evidently has the gift of 

quick apprehension, and an instinct for seizing the 

spirit and intention of a piece of music. She sang 

Schubert's " Du hist die Ruh'."— that exquisitely 

pure, serene and heavenly bit of melody, to Rtick- 

ert's mystical and untranslateable little poem — 

with the chaste and quiet fervor and simplicity of 

stvto which it requires: and in the song by Tau- 
Hort hor voice ro veiled in the highest tones and 
bird-like imitations in a delisjhtful. manner, roonllin^ 
Jenny Lind and Nilsson ; indeod we are not sure 
that we have ever before heard tones quite so sweet 
and pure up in those hisrhest. regions of the voice. 
The audience were delighted. 

And now for the sensation of the day, the Sym- 
phonic Poem by Saint-Saens. It is an attempt to 
portray in tones the ra«h, calamitous adventure of 
Phaeton, who obtained leave for a day to drive the 
chariot of the Sun, his father, across the heavens. 
The start, the whirling, srlorious motion as all goes 
swimminsriy on for a time, the sudden freaks and 
plunges of the restless horses, things growing more 
and mor«^ exciting: and desperate : — all this is viv- 
idly snsrgested, and in a musical point of view con- 
sistently and cleverly worked out,so as to be interest- 
ine: independently of any pro^rRnime. Then comes 
a period of rest, a gentle lapsing, ns if yielding to 
necessity and to fatigue, with a pathetic theme as if 
expressive of the sympathy of one who reads the 
story; and then the infuriated steeds grow more 
and more rebellious, the excitement becomes pain- 
ful, the car is cvidently^sinking to the earth and 
threa»^eninsr to set the world cm fire, when to cap 
the climax down comes Jove's own thunderbolt with 
a tremendous crash of drums, gong, cymbals and 
what not. and the piece dies to an end through a 
short dirsrelike passage. It is extremely ingenious ; 
the motives are wrought through with a master 
hand ; the instrumentation is wonderful ; the whole 
thing is full of life and vivii fancy; there are no 
^^9^ff pa^sasre^. to which the modern music is so 
prone ; but it is sensuous in the hisrhest degree and 
it is very French. It is not the kind of music we 
should like to hear too often ; and we must count it 
at the beat as a clever extravaganza, felicitous and 
short, with a streak of fresh, original genius ii it if 
you please, and better than some hucre "programme 
music " we have heard of late by Liszt, Raff, Ru- 
binstein, etc., in that it does not attempt too much, 
is not elaborated and drawn out to a fatiguing 
lens:th, but simply tells its story and then makes its 
bow ; you seem to see a smile upon the face of the 
narrator, as if he did not take it much too seriously 
himself. The orchestra performance was indeed 
brilliant, and left nothing to be desired, unless it 
were a couple of harp parts, which had to be sup- 
plied by two pianos very imperfectly heard. "Phae- 
ton " was enthusiastically applaudea and had to be 
repeated ; if that crash of gong and cymbals did it. 
it is a queer comment upon the musical appreciation 
of the public. 

Mendelssohn's fairy Overture could not have been 
heard to better advantage than directly after such 
a work as " Phaeton." By contrast it came out re- 
newed in youth and freshness; and it is seldom 
we have heard it more delicately and beautifully 
played ; our only doubt was whether the fluttering 
fairy theme was not taken just a trifle too fast. — 
Rubinstein's " Ocean " Symphony made another re- 
freshing contrast. That first movement is very 
vigorous and noble music, only marred now and 
then for an instant by a few coarse and ugly meas- 
ures; it is the best part of the Symphony, the one 
rewarding part ; and to our taste, of all the orches- 
tral compositions we have heard by Rubinstein, it 
is by far the best. 



IIbrb is the programme of the sixth Thomas Mat- 
inks, (March 4) : 

t. Symphony, No. 6, In C, Manuscript, [First time], 

Schuoert 
1. Adagio— Allegro. 3. Andante. 8. Presco 
Rchereol. 4. All e^rro moderate. 

Aria, " O, Fatima," Abu Hassan Weber 

Miss Anna Drasdil. 
Overture, William Tell Rossini 

Concertstueck, Orchestra and Horn Quartet, 

Dudley Buck 
Messrs. Schmltz, Pieper, KUstenmacher aud 

Kller. 

Ajrla, '- O mio Fernando," Pavorita Donizetti 

Miss Anna Drasdil. 
Symphonic Puem, O^). 40, Danse Macabre. 

Saint-Saljns 
Introduction, ) 

NupciHl C bonis, [ ad Act, Lohengrin Wagner 

March Tempo, ) 



The new Schubert Symphony proved a tame and tri- 
fling affair after those great works to which we owe our 
chief Impression of his genius. It was composed in 
1818, when he was 21 years old,— ten years before the 
great Symphony in C, which in Mr. George Grove's list 
[who cites the themes of all, some of them very Incom- 
plete! is No. 9. This No. 6, was evidently written when 
Rossini was in the ascendant at Vienna; it is light and 
pretty and commonplace; Auber mif^ht have written 
parts of it. It is more suggestive of promenade or din- 
ner party music than of a Symphony, beinj; that in form 
and structure only. The Andante, to be sure, opens 
with a lovely melody, but soon grows vapue aud weari- 
some ; and there Is playful fancy in the Scherzo, where- 
in you catch a hint of the real Schubert fseniiiR; but the 
Finale is a tame and tedious Rondo. The Symphony 
wliich Joachim a)Tan(red out of the Grand Duo. Op. 140, 
i« worth a thousand of it. Miss Drasdil sang the Aria 
by Weber very finely; but *• O mio Fernando " was less 
well suited to her powers. The Conc^istilck for fi>ur 
horns showed the skill of the performers to advantage; 
but the composition, though ingeniously and learnedly 
constructed, did not prove very edifying. 



Opera.— Titjens as Bonna Anna. 

Yielding to the general desire to see and hear the great 
prima donna on the lyric stage, the sphere In which she 
has ''O long reigned pre-eminent In London, Manager 
Strakosch has made up a company of the best artists 
who chanced to be available at such short notice, and 
has given here, as in New York, a few performances. In 
the fortnight ending last Saturday afternoon they ave 
here, at the Boston Theatre, two representations of JVbr- 
mOf three of II Trovatorei and one each of La FavorUat 
LucTftia Borgia f and Don (rtommnf;— truly, with the ex- 
ception of the last, a very hacknied and, to a refined and 
earnest musical taste, uninteresting list of operas; it 
would seem as if it were quite time that the Tnnaiore 
and the Favorita were consigned to that oblivion that 
has swallowed up so many better things. But these 
were pieces for which the materials could be collected 
and the performance improvised most readily. And the 
gpreat public was not squeamish ; Ic went to hear Titjens, 
and it went in crowds every night. It was our lot to 
wttness only one performance. Of the Norma we have 
copied a report, which should have appeared in our last» 
but by some accident was crowded out. 

Don Oiavanni is always welcome, even In an imperfect 
representation ; Mozart's music saves it. It was In truth 
badly given as a whole. The part of the Don [Signor 
Oblavdini] was without grace or refinement, and with- 
out charm or power of voice ; there was none of the fas- 
cination or the magnetism of presence, on which the 
whole depends. The L'porello of Big. Barili was more 
respectable, at least in intention ; but the voice was dry 
and feeble, and the humor forced. The Commendatore 
was only effective in the last scene, and poor Masetto 
whs a dumb show and a very awkward one. But veter- 
an Brionoli. after three years abroad, comes back with 
the sweetness of his tenor voice not much impaired, and 
was welcomed warmly. He put all his best power into 
*' II mio tesoro,'* which he sang like a young man of 
twenty-five, with such fervor and such beauty, and such 
wealth of tone, that he was enthusiastically recalled and 
obliged to repeat it. Titjens as Donna Anna was indeed 
superb; in action and in song it was very near the ideal 
excellence that all had expected. Her voice was in bet- 
ter condition [it was said] than on any previous evening; 
there were only a few signs of fatigue or of a cold in one 
or two of the most exacting scenes; while in Intonation 
it was always true. She gave all the recitative of the 
first scene in the noblest style of pathos ; Indeed we nev- 
er heard the music of that part more finely realized. Nor 

have we ever heard her deliveiy of the grand recitative 
m which she relates the outrsige. and the Aria that fol- 
lows : " Or sai chi t'onore," surpassed or even eqnaUed. 
And the great * Letter Aria'* was sung in the purest and 
most finished stvle of art. In the masked Trio: "Pro- 
tegga 11 del,'* her voice was purity itself and liquid 
sweetness. All the Intense and noble passion of the 
character, its womaiily pride and dignity, its pathos, 
was consistently expressed throughout. 

MissBsAUMONT won great favor as Elvira. With a 
fresh, pure, well trained voice, she sang its difficult mu> 
sio,— including ** Mi tradi," so commonly omitted, beau- 
tifully, and her action accorded well. The debutante of 
the evening, the beautiful Mme. CarrrkoSaubbt, in 
the part of Zerlinn, acted wiih crrace and spirit, and in 
si>lte of the in'lulgence nske<1 for her on the ground of 
health, aang mo^t of the music well, showing herself the 
I oHsessor of a clear, rich, telling voice, which seems to 
promise a caieer. 

Orchestra and chorus were but indifferent. Some 
of the finest musical scenes were spoilt or quite inade- 
quate; for instance that where Leporello invites the 
statue to supper, so wonderfully beautiful when well 
done: aud the Sextet of course; that almost never is 
we 1 done. Rut the masked Trio was in 'feed exquisitely 
sung and rei>eated; and the Quartet: " Non tf fidar'* 
neeued only a better Don Giovanni to make it a success. 



CoRRKOTioy. In our last number we were made to 
speak of the *Cello Concerto of Salnt-SaKns as " more 
like a Reverie, a Dmma, a Rhapsody, etc., than like a 
Conccfto." For *' Drama " read Dream. 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OP MUSIC. 



biM 



Xntiml Hyper-CrltlolfiiL 

That was a Terj flna concert, bnt one or two 
ware made, and that ipollad tha whole 



Sach wai the ramarb at a ^ntlFnian the other 
^nj, and I let him down at once u a hypcr-crltlc 
Jt la lartrely Che fashion fnr those who know lidiSh 
th[ng of muntc, whose edncatlnn has bmiii^ht them 
into ramlllsrlt; with cnmpogUluns of his;h order, 
whma practical ■kill ensbln them to detect tha iO' 
accuracies of a perriirraance, to ventilate their an- 
parlor know1rd;;e b; proclaiming the blemiihri 
rather than wsrchine far the excellencies which 
may be discovered. Conseqoentlj. any one who la 
nnfartunate enoneh to alt near sach ■ person at any 
concert, be It prlrate nr public, complimentary or 
paid, by smalenrs or by prcifrssionsli, will ba re- 
galed by aemi-BappresMd " ohs I ■■ and " »h« 1" or 
an occasional whispered remark, drawinc attention 
to the (act that the orator has perceived some de- 
tect nnpercelvable and Incomprehensible to the 
"ordinary" citiitn. and frequent shrugs and grl- 
raaces eipreasWe of the eitrema torturs bolnj; en- 
dured by the patient snflerer In the interests of his 
or her beloved ait, which, tbrHxith. It painniwi on 
principle, and not by any means, you know, becanse 
any pam pleasure Is derived from that pnrtlciilar 
rendering. The ityle of the tatter Is too far below 
the Ideal sUndard of perfection for that. 

A player Is waking From the plano-farlfl showers 
of harmciniooi melody which hold tha audience un- 
der a spelt, " Jast look at his hands, how ha hoMs 
them I Then he accented the first note and shonid 
have emphaaiied the second In that measure. " All 
who ais within hearing are thus apprised of their 
error in snppoeing that they were pleaasd with 
what they heard. 

" Notice thai bassoon player. He misses the 
fifth in that arpeggio ever; time — the dolt I " Wall, 
what If he does I Tu be aura hia playing has so far 



(alien ehort of perfection, but does this fact spoil the 
effect of the piece, necessarily ? Even the worse 
fsnlt of actual discord (or an Instant, hy some slip 



which all mudclana, even _. _..^ 

time liable — need that at once quench all of the 
Sre waked Id oar souls by the geniua of the compo- 
aar! 

" The b*st of a book Is not the thought which It 
contains, but the thonght which it suggests. The 
charm of mnelc dwells not la tha tones, bat Id the 
echo of our hearts.* So writes one with large ex- 
perience, as the resnlt of close observation. Let a 
truly CD tbuniaaticorntor.ona gifted wltnthesoulof el- 
oquence, come before his sndience with a stirring 
subject, and even if an lUustrstion fsll when tested 
by the strict laws of rhetoric, even though his speech 
may not ba faultlessly imooth. he arouses the ns- 
aembl; to the same pitch of enthOBlsm with himself, 
and one and all are ready at once for action. They 
say. not "how he speaks I' but "Let us marcb 
sgaiust Philip." 

So ought it to be in the aoul-lsnguage, the only 



. all a 



ualc. 



The fault Is In this, that the great desire of the 
time Is not to be a musician, but a critic. Your 
trae mnslclan Is of necessity a poor critic The lat- 
ter demands qunlities of the head, the former of 
the heirt Huiical appreciation finds its cnlmlna- 
tlon In strong emotion ; criticism holds this qaallty 
In contempt; It must rise above the possibility of 
being carried awsy by any enthuslsim. and, like 
the surgeon, must take the knife and coldly dissect 
for the benefit of others. Deliver me from a critic 
as a companion in the presence of fine art The 
soul of the true musician catche* the inspiration of 
tha compoeer, and as be llslena the heart responds 
in lympathy to everv beating of his pulse, so that 
by means of that subtle language their (eellncB are, 
for the time being, one. It Is therefore possible for 
any one, even in the midst of a very poor perform- 
ance, to catch the ideal and be affected by that rath. 
er thin hy the merely material tones that pass 
through the sense of hearing. 

I know not If I make my meablug plain. All I 
woald say I anm up In a word ; Let us be mnrieal 
Urtn, not a-ilk$.—TAt AmpMoit, IDttroU). 



Tie^eu .n 'Sana. 

[Cnwdwl out from onr lait nnmtier.] 
The annooucemant of a fort-night of Opera, at tba 
Boston Theatre, (basoning on Monday ereniDg. 
Feb. SS) has been halted with enthualaam ; and a 
few poor haoknied Italian pieces. Indifferently pre- 
sented, with one star of the first magaitnde, and a 
compaQy biatlly got together U> gratify tha public 



of witnessiES llint i 



been drawing 

TiEMKiia, of 

and there was 



itiR rale of Norma. We were not pre-e 
fore, not en'irely to di™ppnint our rsa 
drsw npon the column') of the Advtti. 
port which we know very well a pr. 
easentiolly a true one. — at all evpnts s< 
lates to the great prima donna. 

The Roatan TtttStre wu (Uleil list evenl 
dlenoe which, cansldeilnetboth tts nami'ei 

«ndngiimn>"S»fl'l"fw "" " "'^ ' "" 

IDS. IswbJchUlls.TI.. 

on til's oiwaslnn, has >1 . 

redan of tbe Tiackneyed and overworn t 
familiar and fnrin>tt>n. And In snlUi ol 
l<;<lloitsnes* <t 11 not liki-lT lo bold lis oi 
work in wmpetUion w-Iih the dramatic I 
mndgre srhool nr writing. TDe " queen 



Sfttial Sttirts. 



iiBos^ 



I chtrf chanular ; wh>n Uartsmearisi, < 

ago this winter, made her first appeal 

I the Draid Hlih-prteatess. It was thouabt 



tbe Interpretation of the part; and for a Ions time to 
cumeliW'llarobablTaSoi'd incb oniwrtanitiF to aa oo- 
cailonal artiste of cooim»ndIne nowera as to leenre Ita 
p] see upon the atone. Mile. Tl'l*n* Ig such an arllMe; 
and the triumiib which she achieved Isitnlrrhtwsaof no 
common or ler. No appreelatlve prison who heard M'le. 
TiUenalntheponcert-nwrnwiiild donhl h^r pounalon 
ot dramatic aUlit;; bni few even of her wi.nner admH^ 
em were quite preimrrd, we think for the InlneM '•'■''- 
iTPM aod splendor of '' '' — ~ 







mill her sppeanrneeln opera. 1 
.yrapathelli'qaallti'orhnnnlile ' 
:ac aniy tor lia utmost, Init for Ita 
-' —■--'■- — ilfe«tatlon»; and i 



of dl 



the runarkahie 
< Is psiled niHin, 
It rsnii. rt^lii'ste 
loellenre of hsr 
lea Into Inslsnifl- 
' of holdinir snd 
■tronemt ihades 
-"'11. Inter op. 

nd~ln"" CiSS DiTa~^bi)iieh tiie naee and Bnl*h of the 

irntwBs oEqalmd Ibr tlievemnsoraafirnlnKof eenoln 
^oocnroclea In tone. As the pHma donna warmed to 
rrwoTli. however, alraoat all Erscea of ibla weakness 
tsappeared.andalltbrouehlbfmlddleandltlerseenrs 
f the opera-eicept for a few momenta dnrlne the solo 
nd cbaras Just preeedinEibe final— her vokeranir out 
fLth the aweelnesB, cBTliilnty and power of a silver 
mmpet. Her delivery of her mnale of the lonetto, 
mtdtqial Hi tu vJUIeu," was eapeclallv wondETfuI, 
. nr the Intensity of Qtt angnlsfa and tram roavrved, 
as well aa for Ita vocal splendor. The dna with AilaJai- 
in, •' atjint nlare," dl>pli.ved tbeflnlbllltv ■u'l Pleeanre 
-'hervMcilloatiODla ttaelr tolneia; and In berlistdoet 
lib PMIIa her tones were snrchareed with a Teaming 
nderness. In actlonihe effect wa*, aa we bace sold, 
' grand and so perf ecUr proportioned that It a-ems on 
juatlce to the whole to select any portion for ansHal 
:alaa. Bat we cannot refrain from ottering a word of 
roHg admiration for her sdmlralde "asides" In the 
rat Interview with Aitalgitn where ahe rehearses her 
»n love eaperlenoe ihrauph the lips n( another: for 
.-iH pnsslonatfl lendemesi, alMmalely graiu>fu1 and tl- 

tcnse concentrated bitterness and scorn with which she 
euea upon IVlia't open atlempla to persuade AifoVu 
in lilt will. Of the artion and lone aooompanylne tbe 
tatti" when, In the frenzy of her wrath ahe 

in a awlft-oeoniHrt whisper, ahe con»eya hot 



The BOpiwrl itt" 
Lipplled by MlKS Bi 



ID as AdnlglMit 

.-..l-inotinewaa' 
in the ii>a<t difflru 



waa highly eipreaslve and pleaslnic, Th* young tinlate's 
grace of person also prov^ peoullarlv acceptable. Ifr. 
fom Karl, aa FvlHo, Ebough nut always la polished and 
'-'-■-ed In style as eonliTbe riealred. on the whole ae- 



le was iBmaikabty free (roi 



'ocalliation, and hi 



have rovered 
■sing hie son- 
Cyle. ntgnor 



SQdlenre was vprj enthusiastic andihpprinelpals 
epeatpdly called bpfore the curtain. Mile, litlras 



DKSOBIPTITX LIST or THX 

kr Ollvar Blaaaa * C*. 



Tsoal, with Piano AsooBpaslBSBt. 

Only (Jomel a. D to t Towt. 90 

'■Oome, In aprlnr or winter time. 



Never forget. (Xe m'oubllct dm). 4. 

D minor to (. SAuria. SO 

" My lyre awakra to aing thy prataea, 



little Flower. [H floieUino). 4. Et to 0. 

mmialtL 40 
" Von tl BCo'dar dl ma." 
■• Ne'er can t chas forfet." 
A aweet An^-Itallan sflBg of raoderatc dlfflcnl^, 

Angela of the Hearth. S. F to f. HiiUaA- 89 

" Tha holy preaanca nf angels. 



A baantlfni. e 



*' Reign aalTarlon Into my aonl." 
Bhnllar In ehanu-ter to the umga of tbe JubOea 
Blngera. Baa; and pretty. 

It was a Drmm. (For Alto). C to c Count. SS 

" Agsln I llatenad lo breeae and bird. 

Again my darllng'a voles I tieaid." 

UBtm tnihevolasof this dnamar, for It Is a 



Hamitiiig Gyea. 

"And my has 



S. Ctoe. 



U 



brIlUast. 

1 the Summer Even. 



Father, hear our Prayer. Quartet. 4. 
Ab to a. Br 

" Keep u. ever near thee." 
A new quartet for raihar high soprano 1 
id with varied taaimony. 
Let m« draftm afpiin. 4. EA to 9. 
"Bat neither heeda,- 

Ur, 8. snooeeda In glrln 



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Whole No. 912. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, APRIL 1, 1876. 



Vol. XXXV. No, 26. 



Wagner and Behopanhaner. 

(From Clnicor(Ua,F»b. S6.) 

Readers of Mr. Dannreather^s and 1>r. Hnef- 
fer's Tolnmes on the snbiect of Herr Wasrner'e 
mntie will be familiar with the name of Schop- 
enhaner. between whose ^renins and that of 
Hcrr Wagner some mysterions affinity is sup- 
posed to exist. An instmctive and entertain- 
ing book has jant been pablinhed by a very 
clerer and agreeable young writer, Mins Helen 
Ziromem, on Bchopeiihauer^s life, which, as he 
lived only for his work, inclndcs some acconnt 
of his philosophy. Herr Wsgner*s rather one- 
sided relations with 8chopenhaaer are also 
touched upon; and Miss Zimmem assures us 
that, aecordinir to some of the most fanatical 
adherents of Herr Waener, the doctrines of the 
Wagner-like philosopher munt be mastered be- 
fore the thrones of the Schopenhauer-like com- 
poser can be perfectly understood. As Miss 
Zimmem does not name these dangerous zeal- 
ots — from whose support Herr Wa^er himself 
should pray to be defended — and as she gives 
US no indication as to their probable numbers, 
we may hope, for the sake of humanity, that 
they do not abound, and, above all, that they 
will not multiply. But, without goin<; to the 
length of maintaining that Schopenhauer is 
the necessary precursor and indispensable ^ide 
to Wagner^s mystic strains, the partisans of 
Waffnerism hold, very i^enerally, as if at the 
dictation of the Master, that Schopenhauer and 
Wagner have much in common; and so con- 
vinced would Dr. Hneffer seem to be of the 
connection between Schopenhanerism and Wag- 
nerism that, in the midst of other labors on 
behalf of his musical Idol, he has undertaken a 
translation of Schopenhauer^s most important 
work. Lovers of the curious in literatcre may 
hope that Dr. Hneffer will publish, with his 
English version of Dis WtU ah WiUe vnd Vor- 
9idUmg^ a parallel between the genius of Schop- 
enhauer and that of Herr Wagner. Already, 
in his *« Music of the Future,'* Dr. Hneffer has 
pointed out a certain not very strongly-marked 
likeness between 8chopenhauer*s attitude 
towards all previous philosophers with the ex- 
ception of Kant, and Wagner's attitude towards 
all previous composers with the exception of 
Beethoven. But this insignificant Monmouth- 
cnm-Macedon resemblance proves nothing as to 
the alleged identity of purpose in the philosoph- 
ical works of ScDopenhaaer and the musical 
works of Wagner; nor, whatever fancies may 
be entertained on the subject, would it be pos- 
sible to trace the alleged resemblance in plain 
and definite lines. 

It may be complimentary to Herr Wagner, as 
showing a lively interest in the man, but it is 
scarcely complimentary to his music, that his 
admirers should be perpetually looking for its 
supposed eqpivalents or analogies in poetry, 
painting, and philosophy. Often, however, it 
must be admitted, the unnatural comparisons 
proceed from the other side. Starting from 
the assumption that Herr Wagner has discov- 
ered new means of musical expression, and that 
by boldly disregarding received traditions he 
has been able to extend in various ways the 
limits of his art, eccentric workers of all kinds 
proclaim themselves, or are proclaimed by 
thoughtless friends, the ** Wagners'* of what- 
ever their particular line may be. We have 
heard a brilliant novelist, who is not so highly, 
or rather not sn widely appreciated as he ought 
to be, described on his own authority as the 
** Wagner of literature." As far as we can di- 
vine, the signification of this dubious eulogi- 
um is, that the writer to whom it is applied 



contrives to give subtle expression to his 
thoughts by a use of words so happy that it 
can be compared to nothing less than the use 
which it is imagined Herr Wairner makes of 
musical sounds. There is however, more than 
one "Waamer of literature;" and it is to be 
observed that the "Wajrn^^rs of Htemture" in 
no way resemble one another. Mr. Browninir, 
perhaps because he is now and then unintclU- 
flrible, as Herr Washer is now and then con- 
fused, or liecause he loves to kick over the 
metrical traces as Herr Warner takes pleasure 
in disregardinsT ** the tyranny of the tone fam- 
ily," is sometimes styled " the Wafl^ner of poe- 
try." That unkempt savasre, Walt Whitman, 
is another "Warner of poetry " — a most nnfair 
designation in this case, though some Wairne- 
rians do not seem so to resrard it. Oddly 
enough, it has never occurred to Herr Waprner 
himself, in any of his very nnmerons volumes cf 
history, reminiscences and criticism, to apply 
to literature the principles of his own mnsical 
system. If there could bo a " Wasmer of liter- 
atnre " one wonld think that Herr Wasrner htm 
self oni^ht to l>e the man f The meaning, how- 
ever, of writers who style themselves, or who 
style others ** Wagners of literature," is. of 
course, that in poetry, or in highly artistic 
prose, the effects of Herr Wagner's music can 
be, and are reproduced. The *' Wagners of 
painting" are found where we at least should 
never have looked for them: among those who 
were once known as "Pre-Raphaelites," and 
who, in their early days, undervalued Raphael 
even as Wagner undervalues Mozart. 

We believe that the prose writers, the poets 
and the painters who are likened to Herr Wag- 
ner, have, for the most part, started the idea 
of the resemblance themselves; whereas in the 
case of tfie philosopher Schopenhauer, it is he 
who is claimed by Herr Wagner and by the 
Wagnerites in their master's name. Schopen- 
hauer himself was a devoted lover of music, 
and entertained the highest admiration for 
Beethoven. But he had also a irreat liking for 
the music of Rossini ; and Dr. Hueffer, in the 
before-cited Musie of the Future has quoted a 
long and eloquent passage in which Schopen- 
hauer extols Rossini's system of subordinating 
words to music and treating the words, in 
fact, as little more than the index to the musi- 
cal situation. One cannot but infer from this 
that Schopenhauer would have cared very lit- 
tle for the Wagnerian method of dramatic 
composition, in which, theoretically at least, 
every shade of meaning expressed by the words 
is followed and intensified by the music. 
** Beethoven," says Miss Zimmem, **was his 
favorite composer; and if a symphony of his 
was followed by the work of another musician, 
he left the concert-room, rather than allow his 

J pleasure to be distracted. The music of the 
utnre he condemned after the first hearing of 
the Flffinff Dutchman. 'Wagner does not 
know what music is,' was his verdict; the more 
interesting, because it happens that Wagner is 
one of Schopenhauer's most ardent followers, 
and Wagner's disciples contend that Schopen- 
hauer's theories of music are the only ones that 
adequately explain their master's idea." 

Herr Wagner seema ta have made at least 
one endeavor to convert Schopenhauer to the 
musical creed which the philosopher is now 
represented as havnig really held. ** This was 
followed by a book of Richard Wagner's." 
writes Schopenhanert in a letter of the year 
1954, ** which was not printed for the trade, 
but only for friends, on lieautifol thick paper 
and neatly bound. It is called Dar Ring der 
yUbdmngm^ and is the first of a series of four 



operas which he means to compos some day. 
I suppose they are to be the real art-work of 
the future. It seems very phantastic. I have 
a« yet only read the prelude; shall see further 
on. He sent no letter, only wrote in the book 
* with reverence and gratitude.' " 

Sch'>penhauer does remind one of Wagner 
now and Xhen in the contempt he expresses for 
contemporaries and rivals. ** There is no phi- 
losophy." he wrote, **in the period between 
Kant and mrself ; only mere university charla- 
latanism. Wlioevor reads these scribblers has 
lost so mnch time as he ha« spent over them." 
And again: **I have lifted the veil of truth 
higher than any mortal before me. But I 
should like to see the man who could boast of 
a more miserable set of contemporaries than 
mine." Haydon wrote in much tne same style 
of contemporary painters. But it would be 
poor classification to bracket together all intel- 
lectual workers who have assigned to them- 
selves the highest eminence, without regard to 
the opinion of others; and because a man of 
profound genius like Schopenhauer remained 
for some time unappreciated. It bv no means 
follows that all writers, painters and musicians, 
who are not taken at their own valuation, are 
also men of genius. Herr Wagner has ex- 
plained, in his own modest way, that by ap- 
plying Schopenhauer*s pessimistic views to op- 
eratic performances he has sometimes been able 
to derive pleasure from the works of his con- 
temporaries. Go. in fact to hear no matter 
what opera, expecting to find everything in it 
detestaole, and it is quite possible that you 
may, here and there, be agreeably surprised. 
Thus, Herr Wagner may be said to look upon 
the world of music as Schopenhauer contem- 
plated the ** tragedy of existence." But that 
does not help us to understand the analogy said 
to exist between the musical system of the one, 
and the philosophical system of the other. If, 
however, the prevalent delusion on the subject 
among Wagneritos induces them to translate 
Schopenhauer*s works, so much the better for 
English readers. We shall welcome the trans- 
lation long promised to us of the principal 
work left by the melancholy philosopher and 
admirable writer whom the Wagnerites with 
characteristic audacity claim as their own. 



W«A/V>^S/SA^ 



^^^^^^^V^^f^ 



Zdatening to ]lQii& 
A paper under this title was read at the 
Tonic Sol-fa College meetings, Christmas, 1875, 
by Mr. W. G. McNAuaHT. Its principal por- 
tions were as follows: — 

Listening to music, especially of the higher 
sort, demands so much education, concentrated 
attention, and power of observation, that to 
attempt to fully teach it would involve my 
traversing the whole range of musical art Of 
eourse in the narrow limits of this paper I can 
do no more than suggest lines of study, and 
leave such as may be interested to follow out 
my plans more elaborately. I am convinced 
that a ^at oiany persons affect great interest 
in music who, whether from cultivation of ear, 
or from natural incapacity, or from too exolu* 
sive familiarity witn common music, or from 
whatever cause, fail to enjoy many of the best 
things in the finest music. My remarka will 
take the form of a narration of personal expe- 
rience of difficulties not yet, I am sorry to say, 
fully met. But I have derived ao much pleas- 
ure and profit in pursuing my ideal thus far 
that I am tempted to try to assist others. Some 
of you may have already reached the position 
of the ideal listener, bat most of us, I expeol. 






202 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



fairly represent the average listener, and it is 
to such I address myself, as one of themselves, 
and not to the cultivated musician. 

For many years in my youth I attended the 
finest musical performances in the metropolis. 
At first I listened, as I used to thinlc, with due 
and proper attention ; but gradually I became 
too conscious of the fact that execution and 
vivid coloring were absorbing nearly all my at- 
tention, and when I turned from the Scylla of 
the score to the Gbarybdis of the analytical 
programme, I knew that far too many things 
were escaping my ears. Later on, when hap- 
pily brought into contact with men of fine mu- 
sical culture, possessing the most searching 
discrimination, I was startled to find that they 
had the faculty of noticing points and beauties 
that I strove in vain to catch. I sat tjirouffh 
performances with eminent musicians who with 
extraordinary skill could probe every detail of 
a complex work, and who afterwards would 
confound me by remarking on an alarming 
number of things that had completely eluded 
my attention. I determined to try to listen 
more carefully and systematically. 

From my study of harmony and composition 
I knew, of course, that design, form, rhythm, 
modulation, instrumentation, etc., were ele- 
ments of any elaborate piece of music, but I 
had thought that in order to fully appreciate 
such music it was altogether unnecessaiy to 
analyze these elements. Beauty was said to 
defy analysis, so it appeared to me vain to at- 
tempt the task. I innocently thought that the 
beauties of an orchestral symphony should be 
as plain to my ear as were to my eye the beau- 
ties of a glorious sunset, and inwardly I held it 
a fault of the composer that it was undoubted- 
ly otherwise. Further, I incontinently insisted 
oh enjoying music that my superiors con- 
demned. After a frank examination I ascer- 
tained that indolence or confirmed habit had a 
larger share in my failure than I was at first 
willing to admit ; for when on many occasions, 
in the composition class at the Rojial Academy 
of Music and elsewhere, circumstances sharply 
stimulated my ears, I found myself able to hear 
things which certainly I did not perceive on 
other occasions when my natural repugnance 
to take trouble to listen allowed me to relapse 
into the old passive way. I thought what an 
excellent thing it would be musically, whatev- 
er the effect morally, if when a young musical 
student failed to observe a transition of four 
removes, or that the bassoon doubled the viola, 
he was severely thrashed for the neglect. I 
feel sure that many of us would have sharper 
ears now if we had enjoyed the advantage of 
some such powerful stimulant in a musical 
Dotheboys' flail. 

Having at least partially overcome my indo- 
lent habit of listening, I examined the necessi- 
ties of the situation, and found that there were 
many more worlds to conquer than I had 
thought. I felt as a young beginner at whist 
feels when all the rules and recommendations 
for playing are placed before him. The im- 
portant truth dawned on me, that in order to 
succeed I must resolutely ignore a great deal 
of what there was to hear, so that I might be 
able t3 ^x my whole attention on some one 
thing I wished to acquire the habit of observ- 
ing, For instance, modulation I knew to be 
one of the most subtle of musical effects. I 
knew that while one could run and hear a pur- 
posely bold, remote modulation, on the other 
hand, many changes equally remote were made 
with such masterly insidiousness as to leave the 
average listener totally unconscious of change 
of tonality. I found that when practicable it 
was an immense help to analyze a piece before 
hearing it. Then it was comparatively easy to 
follow the coarse of modulations, and by de- 
grees to individualize the various removes much 
in the same fashion as we all do the tones of 
the scale. For instance, the features of a tran- 
sition of one remove sre as distinctly recogniz- 
able as the mental effect of the notes Te (the 
•eventh of the scale) or Fab (the fourth of the 
acale), and just as with those notes we find 



that surroundings modify or intensify their ef- 
fects, so with transition, let the means or road 
be ever so various, the change can be traced by 
its effect. And so with other changes. The 
effect of a fourth flat remove is as easy or as 
difiScult to observe as are the notes La (the flat 
sixth) and Ma (the flat third). Minor keys 
arc far more diflScult to trace than major keys. 
Yon can tell that you are listening to the minor 
mode, but its characteristic vagueness and un- 
certainty render it at times moie than difiicult 
to trace its incoming and outgoing. 

It is not my intention here to dwell upon all 
the possible modulations to be looked for. 
Certain it is that by steadily listening for this 
one thing I increased my power of observation. 
I can now wax enthusiastic over a change of 
five removes that formerly would not have 
quickened my pulse, for the simple reason that 
I should have never observed it. And now I 
was gratified to find that my new power of ob- 
servation, although apparently engrossing my 
whole attention, did not shut out my former 
pleasure; for by some process of unconscious 
celebration I was able to notice and remember 
all the things that formerly occupied my whole 
attention. 

Another of the points I found it necessary to 
set myself to observe specially was the Bass, 
and I must confess that often this is extremely 
difilcult. I knew full well that unless I could 
observe the lowest part in the harmony, I must 
not expect to be able to analyze many other 
matters implying such observation. It was im- 
perative, therefore, to sacrifice for a time at 
least the pleasure of noticing more obvious 
things, in order to concentrate attention on the 
Bass. It was not always sacrifice, however, 
for I was doomed — as we all are sometimes — to 
a forced hearing of the driest of dry-as-dust 
compositions, and then it was a satisfaction 
and a relief to know that nothing was lost by 
listening only to the Bass. Many amateur pi- 
anists whom we all meet, whose muscles are as 
strong as their execution is uncertain, constant- 
ly supply us with useful if difficult ear exer- 
cises of this kind. 

Next I tried to follow chords. I schooled 
myself, or rather, I should say, was schooled, 
by playing over and over on the pianoforte a 
number of the most frequently occurring dia- 
tonic and chromatic chords, and in so doing 
derived the greatest help from Macfarren*s 
*' Rudiments," working and playing, with the 
advantage of the author's help, the numerous 
exercises contained therein. I am free to con- 
fess that I cannot yet analyze by ear all or 
nearly all the multitude of combinations used 
in modem music, but it appears to me that ev- 
ery time I strive I grasp some combination more 
clearly, and only narrowly miss others. Alto- 
gether, this chase has been to me a source of 
the liveliest gratification. 

After the same fashion I have tried to ob- 
serve the instrumentation of a symphony, or 
the voicing of parts in a choral piece. What 
incredible knowledge, taste, and skill are need- 
ed to effectively instrument a symphony, only 
those who have tried to write for an orchestra 
are aware. Yet how much of this sweetness 
and beauty is wasted on the majority of listen- 
ers! Some time ago I gave up in sheer desper- 
ation the Herculean task of tracing by ear 
the chords, modulations, and design of Wag- 
ner^s music. But eventually I settled down 
with something like pleasure to ol>serve the 
rich, masterly instrumentation, and found it 
quite convenient to ignore what appears to me 
to be the frequent inherent dryness of the mu- 
sic. And so on with Form, on which I must 
forbear to dilate. Obviously it is as important 
to know that a glee, a part-song, a chorus, or a 
madrigal differ; from one another, as that a 
sonata differs from a fugue. In listening to 
any of these forms, to know what one is listen- 
ing to is a help to know what to listen far. 
His interest in a fugue must be small who re- 
gards the first few measures as a sort of tuning 
up to which it is superfluous to attend, ana 
who waits in vain f^>r that clean-cut cadence, 



that repose, it is the very business of the com- 
poser to avoid. If you wish to listen to a 
fugue, take pains to remember the subject, and 
watch for it always. If you wish to enjoy the 
first movements of a good symphony, hold the 
two or more subjects well in your mind, and 
strive to trace their transformations, and be 
ready for their return. A score of other mat- 
ters crowd upon my thoughts, many of them 
less technical and more oesthetical, a branch of 
things to listen to I have not touched upon, but 
I must be satisfied with the inadequate sugges- 
tions I have made. 

In conclusion, I would ask how niany of us 
could give an intelligent account of an elabo- 
rate instrumental or vocal work on a single 
hearing? How many could describe noticea- 
ble modulation, harmony, rhythm, or even 
form without a laborious examination of the 

Krintcd copy f To what end do many give 
ours of study to the mastery of details on pa- 
per and from books, and generally to the cul- 
tivation of the eye and faculty of calculation if 
but little of this knowledge is applied to lis- 
tening ? It is very little use to study and ana- 
lyze the Sonata Form, if when listening wo 
cannot distinguish the subjects, and follow the 
modulation and development. I know very 
well that many of you have limited opportuni- 
ties of listening to much and good music, but 
surely all are periodically called n|)on to listen 
to music of some sort. My short paper is a 
plea to you to make the most of your opportu- 
nities. * If you wish to be a musician and to 
enjoy listening to fine music, do not neglect a 
single opportunity offered to you. Make up 
your mind to listen for and to something. Don*t 
listen to music and drink it in without an at- 
tempt at discrimination. I daresay some will 
be dismayed at the task I have ventured to set. 
I ask more from the humble musical student 
than is required by the litemiy world from 
many gentlemen who, combining a minimum 
power of musical discrimination with a maxi- 
mum of sounding diction, contrive to bo con* 
sidered musical critics. 



Kniio in Faria 

GaowiXG PoruLABrrr or Bbblioz. — ^Last Quastbts 

or BarrnovKX. 

Pakis, 22nd Feb., 1876. 

Anyone followins^ the coarse of the Paris Concert 
Sesson cannot but be struck by the radden popu- 
larity, posthumous and tardy, which has been con- 
anered by Hector Berlioz. For many long years 
le man passed for a wild dreamer, a dansrerous in- 
ventor of insensate theories and fMlse doctrine. He 
WAS thrtiftt away, hidden ont of ffight, and if any of 
his works were perfornoed — and very few were — 
they rarely had adequate care bestowed upon their 
execution, and failed to fix public attention. How 
this has been chani^ed 1 neen hardly say. We have 
heard " Romeo and Juliette " at the Chatelet. "Hnr- 
old,** at the Cirque, and fiaally the lion's p<irt in the 
two last concerts of thn Conservatoire has been 
griven to the *' Damnation de Faust," perhaps the 
greatest of the roaster's works, nnless indeed we 
consider " Romeo " as superior, which is doabtfal. 

Like the fine setting of Shakespeare's play, the 
" Damnation de Faust " was written rather for the 
concert-room than the opera, and has no need of 
scenery or costumes to render it complete. It is 
divided into three parts, th^ first two ef which only 
were execnte<l at the Conservatoire, and contain 
music for three soloists, Mephistopheles (baritone), 
Faust (tenor), and Brander (bass). Margaerite has 
no direct share in the action of the first two parts, 
a sufficiently strange arrangement, and one which 
might perhaps be taken ezceptiob to. There ate 
thufi, as it will be at once seen, very broadly marked 
differences between Berlioz's, "Faust" and 6ounod*« 
better-known masterpiece. The two great musi- 
cians have, however, not a little in common; indeed 
I would even say they have much, so much that at 
certain modulations, at particular passages, one 
might almost mistake Berlioz for Gounod. It would 
be going too far to impute the charge of imitation 
to the later composer, out nobody can help perceiv- 
ini; how considerably he is indebted to his half- 
forgotten predecessor, and how similarly certain 
rints of Goethe's story have inspired both. Part 
oommences with a long, rather wearisome, scene 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, APRIL 1, 1876. 



203 



tt Isin tha Relit* it divbrcitV slonr. 
Thin, though pnwerrul, Buffers from i^e heftvlnrai 
of the «i;eoinp«nimenl. iis^tnst whicli the voice h>» 
•nme (TiRiciilty in cnnl* nilina. •nil it i» «l"i mnrred 
by ono »r tirn Tiilmritics of ln*trunientiillan. Wt 
[i«ss frnm tliis In b flni*. ■ very fine Dunce rtnd Chn- 
nil nf Peunnta. j^tiwint; wfth cnlor, vivid u life, 
full ef npvn, frvnli itu'lnclv, •nil sdmlmWy eceompsn- 
ied, A mwlH^ impiriisloii w«s miule by this niim- 
ber. Init the climHX of entliuniMm wu reichedwil.h 
the next, the cninil " Murche lliina^aiw.' _ This 
vnnderfal production carried nil lympsthies by 
■torn), anil, Ihromln); ande every truce uf its usunl 
correct rewrve. the nniliflnee rose with ■ crest ipon- 
tananus muvement of admtrittii)n, and litomllv 
•h"Ut«il its delifflil. The nvmber was repealed. 
Aitain Iho eanie applause, the same tumult of enthii- 
ainsin. It ia a iioble pa^ of niualc, this mirch. 
Frnm the opening netes to the very end. It hurries 
ToQ along with raiiatleas force, niakintcthe pulse 
b-at quickly and the breath come ahnrt and hea«^ 






The whole thiiK is a Pennine inspi' 



ratien. inlcnnly, usinfully atlrrins, overwholmlBi;; j 
a wnik Ui excite the dalleit, and mnke the poorest- 
npiriled feci a hero for tbenoncc^ From en J to end 



a wnik Ui excite the dalleit, and mnke the poorest- 
'" ' 'lemfor tbenoncc. FronienJM 

mighty awint;. Tooards the Anish 
the' drums ifive K sanestinn nf suns firioa. at first 
Jull and di^tuit. then frrowinn Innder and loader, 
Lill we are verily In the mldit of a Krand battle 
■erne, and, DatiiithsUnd)ni{ the difficulty of avoid- 
init comniooplaco in " deMriptive " music of this 
sort, Ihe composer at no moment sinks below the 
hemic. Bertioi has scored the nombrr In a mar- 
Tclloaa way. The cymbals, drums, and trumpets 
■re ofraial-ae called intn continual request. bi<t lbs 
heavy iustrnmenlation ia managed with aiich con- 
summate skill that it never impresses one diaagree- 
aUv. Above all else, there is no ^^n oF effort. U. 
Daldevei'i bsnd exeeuird this number in a masterly 
(a*hirin, attacking it with incomparable dash i ' 
boldneos. I may remark here, by the bye, that 
■cenrate idea of this " Msrche IIongr^iM " can only 
be affordi'd by a very full and finely- trained orchf- 
tra. A'smalihsnd spoils it. I heard ita few yea 
avo. at one of the old concerts — Danb6 of the Grand 
U'>Ur\, and. mure lately, at the Chatelet. It had 
hitherto always slrack me as merely noisy, and tc 
some extent vulicar. bnt I frankly confess that tht 
rendition at the Conservatoire has broni^ht about i 
concidernble chanf^fo In my opinion, and I wiliinRly 
render my weak tribute of homage to the ^nius of 
the man who cuald conceive ao stupendaus a work. 
Any musician night be proud of It, and perhaps 
Dane but a Bertioi eould have wt*" 

The opening of Part JI. corresponds with the first 
•cene in Gounod's opera. We find Fnnit in h'" 
raysterioas workshop, surrounded by all the ^ii 
aymbols of hie dangeroua lorv. Then cornea a fin 
" Easter Hymn " for chorus. U> which juitic« wi 
scarcely dune by the audience, and we are at length 
introduced to our old friend Mephlitophelea, whose 
advent is heralded by a sudden stsi^ey burst of mu- 
sic, smackin; sadly too much of the trap-door, and 
sadly too much of bis demoniac Hajesty- Passing 
on, after a scene between Pauatand HBplilslopheles. 
and another fur the aame and Brander, Berlioz 
Ukea Qi to the Kermesse, with ■ spirited driaking 

A quaint tani; of three stanzas for Brander fol 
lows, notable for its ainj^ular and uncimmon accom 

'-ent. A pause ensues, aud the Chorus repeal 

er'a air in the form of a mock-terloas fugue 
The effect of the basses breakioK in abruptly after 
the strained tilence la divertingly grotesque. Frc 
we are hurried, something rndvly. to snnth 
', between Fanat and Uepliistoplieles (cnnUi 
> fii,a atr far the tatter), and toaChoru' 
nes and Sylphs- And now ensaes a very ben 
tifnl piece of competition. Fanst slrieps, ' " 

hlatopheleac 

it slumber. 

" Bsieei, bereea aon •ammeUt" 
Rare ag^n Berlloi has been happily inspired. The 
"Ballet dea Sylphea ' Is one of the molt elMilcu. del- 
icate bila of fancy conceivable. It is played by the 
muted atrlnge, and the few short bars of which It 
conaltta have ■ strange, weird grace, wholly charm- 
ing. With yet one more abrupt transition, we reach 
the Goal number of tbe Second Part, an astonnding- 
1y bold chorua of StndenU and Soldiers. The se- 
lections executed at the Conservatoire did not extend 
ftlrther. 

Speaking generally, I might say that the " Dam- 
nation de Faust' Is a broad, vigorous, noble work. 



if richness, and pf rhnps a little monotony: but set- 
:inic its fnilares szalnst its beaittie^, the balance In 
favor of the la^t U so ennrmoiiithatitseema Incred- 
il>le the work should be so rsrely heard. 

Sunday's cone 'rt at the Chatelet was hii;Iily In- 
Icresling. The novelty, M. Duvemoy's -FraKmenl* 
Svmphoniqnes ■■ (Rnmaneo; SeheriVlto), is n ered- 
iUbls production. The Romance, finely hnrmoniierl, 
\t, may be, a shute ton unifurm in bine. Of M. Li- 
' 'i Concerto For Violin, another item, menliim was 

ide on its lirat performsn.e. M. Saroaati made a 

isatiuo atrehearaal by his admirable rendering 
of the coniDosition. which he executed with all hla 
Mtnmed refinement and charm, " Le Bourgeois 
ililhomme," by Lnlli. was lately revived "with 
great success at the Gaitt, and the minuet was an 
eiceedinBil y welcome feature in the Chatelet scheme. 
Wonderfully simple, it is marked by that mournful 
grace which appears so generally in the music of 
the older masters. We find repsatAd svidences of it 
In the writings of Lulll. Rnmeau. Boecbrrini. and 
others, nil of whom possessed a peculiar beauty of 
thelrown which the moderns bnt seldom sttain. li- 
crraied powers of inatru mentation have kllliid the 
old simnla art. 

M. Maurel continues to win golden opinions at the 
Piipulsires. I must chronicle the success of a capi- 
tal qnariette company, the " Sncietft des Derniers 
grands Quatuurs d« Beethoven' (1st violin. M. Mnu- 
rln, of the Conservatoire ; 2nd violin, M. CobUIn : 
alto, M. Haiiraad violoncello, M. Tolbecqua). The'e 
four arlidls play admirably together, and without 
losing their respective individualities, succeed per- 
fectly Id Buborcllnatlnz them to the rcqairements of 
the execution. In conclusion. U. A. M. Amende, a 
pianist of no little talent, gave a soiree mitiicute on 
the ISth Inst-, at wliich he performed one or two of 
his own composmons with happy effect- M. An- 
lende'a playing is very bold, his tonch good, and in 
bold music of the Brahms and Rubinstein school he 
ii highly successful. — Carrapoitdtne* of London 
Jfutieal Slaniard. 



Hiitory of Kniio by F. L. Bitter. 

tFnm the London Oaanlian at Feb- 9.] 
TboUKh dedicated to the " jvung arttsti of America 
wn have good bopst tfaat this volame will s»in a wli 
eirenlalion among [tie eons tsnll^increaslng numbers' 
those Id this conntry who have ttie twst interests of m 
il« at heart. VoUminons as Is the Continental Ulera- 
turs which has gathered nmad the subject, we oauBc 
recall to our minds any work In Itu) English langnagt 
with the eiceptlan or Mr. Hul lab's vet7 Interesting 
Lectures, 



which Pi 



lished u 



cral nUUrf a/ JTMlc, pul 

ago, and •itendlng over lour Tolnmes, is vainaoie ra 
ar as a work of reference than as a laxt-book for s 
dents. PniteasoT Bitter, wbn writes not merely as al 
torlan, or aa a Ibsorlat with some tavoriM Ideas for 

qunlllcatlnnt, so rarely found together, of a pltllosoph- 
Ical hlstori.in, a profesilonB] artlsl,>nd a larKa-minded 
critic, has aucceeded la comprising wllbin the limit of 

growth and progress of mualc in all Ita forms antl 

this surtcj wo and Included a ceneral sketch of the 
llrst beginnings ot musk In the Oiegorlan cbsnt, the 
FiW-song. anil the Tmubabour song, the nalionaliia- 
tlon of tbe art, tram Ihe doae ol the fnnrteenlh csntu- 
ry onwards, In the Nelherianda, In Gemiany, in lUly, 

Dry 10 the nineteenth; the gradual Oevelopment of ttie 
ot>era from Itafltsliuventiou 111 Italy MlM^ieatmentbj 
Richard Wagner; the course of Catholic Church musl. 
from the austeie simplicity of Its Infancy to Its secuJari 



Ihelltentureofthesabjectnndervartousheads.of which 

g foUoirlng are some :— Ancient music; the general 

itor; of mnsic ; Church mnsln; the Opera; SnentitIc, 

.S<thetlc,and Critical works; Hlographles,!)] tlonaries, 

'er:oiliealB. Professor ttilter has therefore done 

adera a twofold service. Not only has he brought 

a a small corapasa and skilfully arranged a vast 

nt of Information which Is of the greatest value 

hat Influence!, and Ihiongh whose laliorB, music. 
In the widest sense, hss come to be what It Is, but lieing 
airare how. In the attempt to Rive an loicllgtble 
omprehenslve view of each Important epoch, much 
be iacriflced that naverihelesa haa a great sclen- 
ir critical, or blograpblcsl Interest of Its own. be 
has place! within every one's reach a table of all the 
I that have been written upon tha numerou 
:hei Into which the subject ot music ramlllte, ao 
unavoidable Imperfections In point of fulneaa and 
all may be supplied and corrected according to the 
Idual Judgment and taste of the sCndent- Thalthia 

we remember th%t the author Is under the dlsad- 






rehil lo 



mtely I 



I of tendallG'for 



page ail. where -'was" Is tnadverlenlh written for 
'were." or In Ihe repetition of tbe Amerti-anism ot 
lite a number," where we might be content to read 
any." Such am->ll matters, however, In no w^ de- 
it from the real worih and merit of tbe hook, and vre 
r alliule to their existence in cnae Professor Rliler 
. ....... .. _.n ,_ ... ,f J geeoQd edition, to 



which we feel grateful above all the reat. and to which 
we attach more Imnortanee than lo all tbe merits of ile- 
lall In which this mtlary of lIHilr abounds. Is the noble 
and elevating spirit In wbli'h tbe po-IUon of music 
among tba arts Im vindicated. It wnald bedlfllcult to 
decide whether mnsin has lieen more Insnl tad by tier onen 
enemies or by her ulf-constltnted patrons snd so-called 
friends. Ws can feel a certain respect for a man who 
dfeKkea mnslc.and nho Bays so. We cannot Indeed syio. 
pathiie with him ; and we may think ihst hft has missed 
one of the purest at life's pleasures; bnt we thank him, 
atanyrsle, that he Is honest. Bntpatlence givesplacs 
lo disgust— when we hear the IndlgnitleBtD which at the 
liandsof many who conceived theniselvea to he muBl- 
GBllvmlnrled, thenalilKiy of music Is hnttoo often made 
subject. It lentiy pnsses our compreheaslon altogether 
how an art which eniroased the whole enenrtesotglnnta 
like Handel, Habastlaa Bach, and Beethovtn.lnto which 
Ihev and otherB, their not unworthy fellow-laborers. 
hlghei4 and deepest thongtats. 



their suhllmest aspirations, poured the changeful tide of 
thPir hopes nnd (ears, theirsorrows and their joys, how 

for girls iwho will remember to put it aalde when they 
mariTj. as a drawing-room plaything, as a convenience 
to All up ths Interstices ofsoclal vacuity and dulnrss 1 

and prnlfigate In association and sagieatloti, most mea- 
gra and mlscralile In form, comprvhendedin one lond 
ptean of praise and exuding upon every passer by from 
the pipes of theremorBelessbaitel, that, with t^e ape 
who so worthily attends npou It, mocks OS from every 



taflnsiruD 



sntal muoic froi 



idofLlBit. "Uybouk," 
itroductloa, p. U, " doer 
not pretend to be an exhaustive history of music, but 
father a friendly, an 1, I trust, a tliorougiily rellabh- 
.ciilde lo Incite an J direct those musical students wbo 
feel the dealre, the want of a deeper and more general 
knowledge ot the growth and progress of their art thai 
la ounmon; to encourage and atrengthen the talented 
■trivlngone.inblauoavoIdablyardiiiiuslabanandBtmg 
gleai to point out to tha timid nr dun il» Id "i the Imner- 
atlve and neeessarydnllesaf the true aitlat; to holdup 
a faithful mirror ot arc-IKe to thi Inexperienced, hn^.- 



jiiestion of supply ai 



<c as a trick or 



spend 



in Protesi 






ct>uld_read his Introdi 
"'"" TtBalnIng 



No one, 

SH' 



^1n?a ...„ .,. .... ™. ™. -H ™." 
however she may he secntarized by the Influ 

reeiSl uB''t'o°be*"pannt source, and'l^t It Is at I . 

springs thni we bnt may slake that thirst, lo which no 

mind IS wholly astioiiger, tnrsametblng purer and love- 

and noMer than on Ire found Uongthe dusty patha 

on ventkinal everyday life- To return, however, la 

'— *- '- '" there are one or two points we should 

lotlee before ws eonidnde. Professor 

"■ ■ -■ menly 

Olid by 



edy ti 

lieglnshlsbin 

;a}ewr>mari 

an Appendix 

II? that the fiieeorlan < 

r.ldoiCilholic Church 



le Christian 



ta him. 









]i- .. i^.Diire. siimi'ienilyjnstlfy^ treatment of music 
h^ L.H'oii- JIB pKsentiuIfy a modem art as Sculpture wan 



nclent and modem bisloiy. I7p t 



ceo thee 



almc 



id ot 

alm- 



. Cbntch,a grand 

pllclty. But the revival of tbe theatre In Europe, begin- 
ning with the rellgloua plays, la • tbe way tor the gradu- 
al aecularliatlon of that music wW.'h bad alwaya played 

about leoo A.D. of recltaUvB (p. 12» rl *^.|. which forth- 
with gave birth to the opera, iranatetred the sceptre 
from St. CecUla to Apollo. The history ot ihls change, 
and ot the taking up ot music Into the many-sided, 
many-colored life of the nodem world la admirably giv- 



204 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OP MUSIC. 



en by Prof»«aor RItter, hut we h^r» no tm^re to f.'>llow 
htm; nor ran we do more thnn mil nttrntlon to what 
noom n« h<ii jiwt nn'l ili"«cnmU»le ciltlrl^m* cm ITaydn, 
Of lick [whom, nv the wav. h<» J»lwflv» calls Olurk.^l Mo- 
zart. Meyerbeer, and MendeKaohn, hi-* excellent re- 
marks on the deffenera'*y of Church mtt«ic. eapecfaHy In 
Italy, and h's snircrestlons for lia improvement. There 
are manv temptlnic pa^aasea which we should like to 
extract for the benefit "four lea'lers: bntif i»y om'tiinc 
them we pe*u1 thoi^e fnrereated to the iH>ok Irself, we 
ahVl not rejfret the omission. In coni^lnaion, we eom- 
mend to the consideration nf amitenr crtt.if*8 the follow- 
ing remarks, which may be found on p. 429:— 

'* A fsoai eiir and a eeneml literary education are not 
miarantees enonfsh to utamn a person aa a competent 
critic. e«peelally when the rrttle does not know how to 
compose, play, or stni;. Placed between the artl'«t and 
the pnbMc, the critic's office la to Interpret to the latter 
those laws of beauty and poetical truth which iroTem 
the artist, and bv this mean^ to awaken a ^renulne inter- 
est for art, and with this a higher degree of intellectual 
art enjoyment.** 

• In refirard to this critfolam to which hl^ attention has 
been called. Professor Ritter replies [In the UntgkkeeptU 
IFfWM^ as follows : 

While I gladly accept the above hints by an able, cour- 
teous, and appreciative reviewer, respectini; my Al«ati- 
anisms and Americanisms, I mnst at the same time ob- 
serve, that the manner in which t have spelt the name 
of Oluck [without the accent over the letter u] is the cor* 
rect one. The Paris and Vienna editions of his operas, 
published under his own supervision. Invariably give 
the name as Oluck [not as in the German word Olueck 
or OlUek^ happiness],— as do also those facsimiles of his 
compositions which I possess, and all his autographs 
which have ikllen under my observation. 

F. Ii. RiTTXIK, 



Dr. Oanntlett. 

Before this obitnarj notice is published mnst of 
onr readers will have heard of the death of Dr. 
Ganntlett. He had entered hi« seventy-first year, 
but was still to nil appearances full of life aad health 
np to Blonday last, when he returned from his after- 
noon walk, sat down in his study at Kensins^ton, 
and pa8se<1 quietly and sudJenly from the world. 
The short bfusrivphical noticeof Henry John Gannt- 
lett which Appears in Men of the Ttme is in every 
respect authentic. It reveals the strong and striv- 
Ing life making its mark in the musical history of 
the century. His birth and parentasre. his many 
years' practice in the law, his later adoption of mu- 
sic AS A profession, are the facts in his biography 
which give the key to his subsequent career. 

The son of an Ensriish country vicar of the old 
school, he would natnrally imliibe, with his first 
impressions of music, those scholastic tendencies,and 
that soundness and solidity which at least directed 
the literary efforts of Dr. Ganntlett. The business 
modes of thought he afterwards acquired in the law 
only confirmed his inborn English sentiments in 
favor of the morally genuine and human. He had 
A natural aversion to ultra-B^theticism and artifi- 
cial forms of feeling. With him feeling had no 
source but in the plain heart of man ; no true issue 
but in domestic and social affections. He was in- 
tolerant of the ecstatic, and barely tolerant of fancy 
in natures more delicst« and effeminate than his 
own. The sorrows of Hagar would move him too 
deeply to allow his attention to be divided by the 
scenery of the wilderness. In that respect he at 
once parted from the |>oeticAl and picturesque aspi- 
rations of the newer generation of musicians. The 
intense Protestant feeling, rather than the realistic 

f»oetrT, of Sebastian Bach was the attraction which 
ed hfm early to the study of that master, the fibre 
of whose choral son^ he worked np in his own 
psalmody. 

But apart from Sympathies and models, the .in- 
grained characteristic of Dr. Gauntlett's writings in 
literature or music is strength. He was one of the 
few now remaining examples of the old type of Brit- 
ish worthies, full of learning, common sense, vehem- 
ence, and dogmatism. It was a favorite scientific 
maxim of Dr. Ganntlett that " the big phrase went 
with the big pulse.** lie felt his own vigor and his 
natural responsiveness of feeling to the iiroad con- 
ceptions of the great ma«ter8 in music. Just as he 
was impatient as a musician of the small refinements 
in the sentimental school, he as a man morally el- 
bowed his way through adverse criticism, utterly 
iinc«mscions that in pressing a strong opinion he 
was offending delicate siiscepti bill ties. If sotne were 
offended by a vehemence of manner, others who 
knew him better found out what lay beneath the in- 
tellectual dogmatism which was on the surface ; and 
that this was leas a trait of character than a habit 
peculiar t«i the ancient ty:>e and branch of the 
church militant from which be seems to have 
sprung. 
At the Aje of nine, yoaog Ganntlett was organist 



at his father's church at Olney, Bucks, when onr 
ancestors were celebrating the final victories of 
WcUington. Many >^ar^ afterwanls, at a peiiod 
which to most of us is still ancient history, Gaunt- 
let*, was admittedly at the head of his noble profes- 
sion as an orsranist. It was in 1836 he first turned 
attj^ntion to the improvement of the English organ. 
What, he achieved in that direction i^ a matter of 
history : and some of the fine^of HiU's instruments 
remain a« monuments of Dr. Ga'.mtlott's energy and 
scientific skill in supervising their construction. It 
was in reference to the organs of St. Peter's. Corn- 
hill, and Christ-church, Newgate, that Mendelssohn 
made his well-known observaticm, that '' but for 
him^Dr. Ganntlett — I should have had no organ t4> 
plav npon. He ought t^ have a statue." Of the 
high opinion which Mendelssohn entertained of Dr. 
Gauntlett's abilities and learning there is abundant 
evidence in carefully preserved autograph letters of 
the composer. 

The *-Mr. Ganntlett" of Mendelssohn's letters 
was made Dr. Ganntlett hv Dr. Ilowlev, Archbish- 
op of Canterbury, in 1842. About that time Dr. 
Ganntlett gave up the practice of the law, which he 
had followed since 1831. having been artirleil in 
1826. As a musical critic and theorist. Dr. Gaunt- 
lett's strong hsnd is manifest in serried columns of 
printer's tvpe from the heyday of the Snn newspa- 
per to within the last few weeks. 

But it is perhaps in the pages of the ChHrrh Mh- 
»inan, a paper he e«tHbli«hrd himself in 1850, and 
seems to have mostly filled with his own pen. that 
we must look for the innermost opinions of Dr. 
Ganntlett in the zenith of his vi?or. He had stud- 
ied church mu«io, and especially English church 
music. pn>foundlv. It was his own chosen ground ; 
and whatever differences may exist in onr several 
notions on so broad and grand a topic, we mnst ac 
knowledge him to have been a guide and an author- 
ity in that section of musical literature ; and we 
think there are few who will deny him a place as a 
composer of church music amongst the two or three 
in this century who have worthily continued the 
traditions of the school which dates from three cen- 
uries back, and is still our greatest glory as a niu 
sical nation. Almost at the hour of his death Dr. 
Ganntlett was oflncially engaged in furthering a 
scheme for attaching a chapel and choir to the new 
Training School for Music. The happy idea was 
his own, and when realized its author will be re- 
membered. 

Dr. Ganntlett was buried yesterday. Literary 
enmities his ardent nature may have excited are 
already forgotten. — Lend. Mus. Stand^vrd, Feb, 26. 



t ^a^ » 



Where Wagoner has Failed. 

[From the New Tort Arcadian, 

Wagner states his object to be to create a school 
of opera which shall be entirely free from the ab- 
surdities and incongruities which have marked all 
previous productions in that line. Instead of, like 
other composers, making his drama subservient to 
music, Wagner sacrifices music to what he calls a 

rm : his object is to express As nearly as he can, 
musical sounds, the imp-essions that would be 
formed in the mind of a musician who read a certain 
story ; and each phase of feeling is desired to be n\u 
propria tely expressed by a corresponding musical 
phrase. 'The prin<>iple is false to everything that 
we lAiow of the powers of music : it was never rec- 
ognized by any of the great classical composers. 
True, some of them sought to picture in sound the 
effects of Nature, but ntme ever attempted to make 
music express words, This, indeed, it cannot^do. 
Its limitations end with the suggestions of emo- 
tions. Any person can prove this for himself by 
playing one of the most strongly chavacterlstic 
phrases from Lohntgri^, and asking half a dozen 
different people to give their ideas as to what the 
composer meant to express; the diversity of the 
views will be found to be something quite extraord- 
insry. 

The germ of Wagner's theory is not new. Gluck 
wa$ the first man to rebel against the absurdities of 
the " Italian Opera," but while he sought to recon- 
cile, as far as possible, the character of the music 
with the sense of the words, he never made the 
former subservient to the latter. Wagner asserts 
that Beethoven, towards the end of his career, rec- 
ognized the fact that instrumental music was inca- 
pable of the highest form of expression, and that 
when he wished to attain the culmination of his 
grandest thoughts, in the Ninth Symphony, he was 
obliged to weld with his music the words of Schil- 
ler's " Ole to Joy." But this onion of choral with 
instrumental music was no new thing with Beetho- 



ven. His Choral Fant-asia, written at a compara- 
tive! v early period of his life, was constructed on 
precisely similar principles, yet, until the " Ninth 
Symphony," he never again b«»gan work on the»ame 
plan. Moreover, after the completion of the "Ninth 
Symplumy " he wrot* some stringeil quart«*ts, and 
had laid out the plan of another purely instrumental 
symphony. This does not seem as though the gnsat 
master had recognized the incompleteness of what 
Wagner calls " music for the soul's sake of aonoroos 
beauty." 

0|)era it the union of two arts, music and drama 
^-each more or less complete in Itself. In fiict, mu- 
sic as an art murt be eons|dere«l as almost perfect. 
The auditor is not called upon to dose his eyes to 
any absurtlitles or incompleleneas. as he mnst in 
I'loking at a dramatic representation or at a picture. 
No one, we think, will deny thst. as an art, the 
drama Is far lees perfect than mu«ic. Now a nni»m 
bf'tween two art-s. one of which is perfect, and the 
other very nearly ao, ran only be effected by a c«in- 
siderable s^icrifice on the part of one or l»th. The 
question in operatic music is, which art shall be 
predominant? In the Italian school the dramn was 
made entirelv subservient to music wliich, was often 
ridicniously incongruous. The wartnf>st snpi>orteri 
of Italian opera never denied this ; but to them mu- 
sic was the chief point, and they never stopped to 
consider the absurdities of the dramatic situation* 
— ^the violations of what we have been p1ea«ed to 
term the " unities." Wagner claims, and. of course, 
correctly, that for a man or woman to sing a long 
and tender love song when in the agonies of death 
is absurd ; therefore he asserts, the nearer music is 
brought to the singer's actn^l feelings, the mora 
perfect the composer's art. This sounds plausible, 
out if we push the argument to its logical sequence 
what follows ? That he would be the most success- 
ful composer of opera who would dispense with mu- 
sic alt*>gether. At no period in the world's history 
have men and women gone ab<>Qt singing their con- 
versation to the accompaniment of an orchestra. If, 
therefore, operatic music is to be but an imitation 
of real life, it will cease to be music. The ab«urdi. 
ties of opera cannot be obviated, and the world has 
for generations been contented to accept operas, be- 
cause of the beautiful mu-^ic which has been written 
in them, and because the union of acting, with mu- 
sic — no matter how inherently ridiculous — alwavs 
awakens pleasurable emotions. Wagner has thought 
to do away with these absurdities by throwing his 
stories back into the myths of the German legends : 
consequently, his plots are, to a great extent, devoid 
of human interest, and utterly wearisome in the 
mangled version to which the necessities of the 
hours of representation, allotted to operatic perform- 
ances in England and America, reduce them. What 
he has endeavored to do ia, in his own words, to 
construct a tone-poem, compcM*^ of *' music wedded 
to immortal verse." As he supplies his own verae, 
this expression is a fair specimen of Wagner's na- 
tive modesty. But when wo hear one of his operas, 
do we recognize this perfect wedding? We miss 
melody, form, and incident In the place of these, 
we have an orchestra playing music of moat in- 
volved, and. at times, of an ear-torturing character. 
That Wagner is, as far aa power of orchestral acor- 
ing goes, one of the greatest, if not (he greatest com- 
poser wiio ever lived, no sensible ransician can de- 
ny. [Fadfff,'] His knowl«<lge of the eflfocta of com- 
binationa of instruments is wonderful ; and, much 
as we may object to his chromatic progresttoDs, and 
his violation of recognized harmonic laws, we cin- 
not refuse our admiration to the ingenuity of his 
counterpoint (t> One reason why his music, clever 
aa it ia, fails to be agreeable to the ear, ia that he 
does not write for the best parts of the compass of 
various instruments, but usually keeps them for the 
most part at one or other extreme of their registers. 
He pursues the same system In writing the vocal 
itarta. and the consequence is, that while, like Ver- 
di, he d'les not ruin voices, by writing occasional 
exceptionally high notes, he does much more dam- 
age by keeping the voice continually on the strain. 
He ha4 sought, also, to give to his orchestra the 
chief interest of the music, and has made the voices 
accompantmenta to the instruments. Voices are, 
nnfortunately, not instruments, and they will not 
stand, nor is it pleasant to hear them attempting to 
do so, leing strained to aing subservient parts 
against the power of a very large Ijody of inatru- 
mentalista. 

If we call to mind the poInU of Wagner's loAm- 
grin that gained most applause when played here, 
we shall find a few simple melodies and the unison- 
al termination of duets oonstrnoted after the fashion 
of Italian opcra» which, much aa Wagnar affecta to 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, APRIL 1, 1876. 



205 



dr«|ilM, ha rrrqnrntly (mplnj*. Bnt thew few 
gDnipm of aundilne throii^ thn itorm were only 
ramarbabli from force of cnntrut. After having 
had our eim cnntinnallv strained bj Warner's pe- 
culiar harmoiii's, even th* amellest and commonest 
pine of time «a< di-lli^htrul. How deficient Waf;- 
ner U Id raelndio beauty anyone may easily eee by 
playinc on the piannfnrte tha " Swan Sonc " and 
the " firlrlal Clinrim,' which were the nioeC applaud 
ed nurobera Id ZaAcnfni / the latter will be f.iiind 
to be « commonplaoe "jlinty" kind of tune, which 
would not be at all unaultabta to a paDtomime nrer- 
tnre. Simplification li one of the beat te^ti of 
the real value of munlc Tahe any one of tlie 
ajmphnniea of Bwthoven. arran^d for llie 
pianororte. and, thonch necoaaarlly much of the 
KorKeooa eolurln;; will be loet, the Inlirrrnt beauty 
of thoDcht and h>rm remains undiminished. At- 
tempt to nrronpe one of Wagner'a preludes or Tl' 
tantc chnruaea fur the ptanofortn, anil we eee at 
oacr that whatever efTfCC Iher prmtnce npta us, a) 
■cured by him. Is due to the Sntrlracy of trratmrnt. 
and not lo anv orlginalltv or beauty of fundamental 
conception. They are fikc a bunk written In the 
purest literary style (!) by onr poea«ssln|c an ansur- 
paaeed command of languai^. but who, iinrDrtUDat«- 
ly. has no tliouBbta of value to crnnmuniote. 

Wagner's music has been fornnl Into notoriety as 
much by bit writlnj^'s. as by his having obtained 
the patronage of the Kln^ of llavaria. As an au- 
thor, he has certainly threat talent; bnt when Ms 
powerful pen Is no longer wielded in attacking his 
critics and In defending his compositions, they prob. 
ably will not be found to possess any great vlulity 
of thrlr own. There Is S(«rcely an 'art which somi 
enthmlasts have not tried t» force beyond its prnji 
er limlta. Many of them have found fullriwers fur i 
time, but thrir deaths hsve always been the sienal 
for tha gradual dispersion of their disciples. With, 
in the last twenty yeara, we hsve seen in pictorial 
art prr-Raffsellam dawn, flourish, and decay. We 
have not foreotteu ihe mnnv attempts that have 
been made to lint or color staluary. In this, Gib- 
son, one of the best English scu'lptora. was very 
BUccessfnl, and for a time his novel ideas mrt with 
great encouragement and support. Bnt even for 
years before his ileath he recocniied that the at 
leinpt to transcend the restrictions of his art. by Im- 
itating the color *■ well as pnidueing the form of 
nature, was false and unhealihy In principle, and he 
had the good sense to abandon It. That Wispier 
will become convinced that hia elTorta are not Iwrad 
upon sound principles we do not believe ; he la the 
god of a small cllfjue, and every one who does not 
recwntre his powerful genius is. In his opinion, set- 
nateJ by some religions or Interested motive. 

iMfimgrin, aa far as the story goes. Is inflnllely 
Inferior to many of the Uerman operas; and nona 
will deny that, for melody slone, there are, we mli^ht 
■•y. hundreds that sorpaiw It. What value, then. 
it aboutd have, la aa an exemplar of Wagner's theory 
of the perfect union of poetry and music The test 
of the meaning of a Tiiusical phraae, to which we 
have alluded above, will prove conclnsivelv how un- 
nieM.sriil it haa been In this respect. That Wag- 
Mr has In Germany, and In thla oonntry, a large 
nnmber of adherenU la andoubledly true; hut of 
these, probably ant more than one fourth really ad- 
mlro hia composition, or would be able Co give a 
BBtlsTactory reason for so doing ; white the remain- 
ing Ihret-lourths pretend to tike bis music because 
Uiey imagine that, by so di^ng, they prove their 
superiority In musical tnowledga and subtlety of 
appredaUun to those who fail to diaeorer truth In 
hia tbevrie* or beauty in his worka. 



make up tor, ntornt to Ihe scene ol tamllliir trlnmpbs, 
and with her come HiUls. Albanl, Hdlle. Thallwrg, me 

yoatbfalilAiitiateoClsst Tear, mills. Blanchl, Hdlle. 
Marlmoa, Mdlle. D'Angerl, Hdlle. Biaeroschl, andHdlle. 
Scolcbl, These names demand no comment, because 
their value In the proapectiia every one can tettnate. 
PaaalBp: to the p^ntlemen, we find among old aetiuatnt- 
ancfsSignoit NIcollnl, Bolls, De3aniiCts,ravanl, Pluu> 






ani, I 



I, FallBr* 






d. Clampl.TacUiAf 
and RnRUer— a stroni i)a<id, and perfecllj able, 
lunetlon with their sister anl>lBalreacl7 named, 
the aeason IhToaeh. Nevertheleaa, we are soiry to miss 
M. TuireframEhelnnipsof wblchhsbassolongbeena 
disttncnlshsd ornament. It is tma thatH.Fanre has 
engaged lo appear under the ansplces of Hr. Hspleson; 
and tbal bis pnpll. H. Maurel, will suBCeed bim. tint Che 
change Ban hardly fall to be looke't upon as reitretlable. 
There will not, however, be one Fienchman the less at 
Oovent Oanlen. M Capnni bavlnt; left (tie "other bouse" 
to fo over to Its rival. How far Ibis eveni may compen- 
sate In pnlillc esteem for the withdrawal ot M. Tiure 
depends on the value aUached tDH.Caponl'saerrlceaas 
a drsmatlt! singer, about which cariooslj diverse opin- 
ions sra enlenalned. Mr. fije does heavy work dnrinc 
tbs season, and It ii not surprising that he seeks to 
sitenethen. frvm time Is time, hia normallj pewerfnl 

enmpanv. On this nwisinn he promi ........ 

and holdsoui hopesof an elehth-tfiat of 






mtcM loeipect oi 



nflden 



Mile. . 



Xnile in Londan. 

JlOTAL iTALiAx OrnA. Hr. Qye ta» tstned his pros- 
pectus Ii>r (lie com Ini season, andwe are glad toobsenre 



while valn-glorlons and deoeptlTe doenneiit a* mo<1er- 
ale in ,tone and tmslnessJUte lu character as possible. 
The dliwetoTfliatot all annooBoea that his eatabUatamen^ 
will open on Tueaday, March 3S, wLlh a performance, aa 
on several pievlons oooaalona, oT CutUmuiu TsII. No one 
win object to the ebotee ot a naaterpleoe which eom- 
blnea with good masle, soenle and other effect of tha 
higlwst order, while tha oompantlT^ Inslgnlflcknee ot 
the principal female part atadea all dIOlculty with jirliiu 
rfaniu. udne of wbom like lo bead a proceaalon the luin- 
orabla place In wblch seema to be behind. Aa resarda 
tbellstotengacPiBentaiAaMMs will, m doubt, rejoice 



— „.. . ._ me of th«M does Mr. Gye 

say either ■ hloKranhlcal or inndatoir woni, and we 
shall loiltale hli example bv ahanlalng Emm any speen- 

cood cinse lo slve each and all a heartv welcome. With 
r*cxriltAthe nmalninKp>nnin-t of the s*labll>hment, 
BlEHor Tianeal and dlgnor Bevirnant will again be jidnl- 

— J-....- A T, Hdlle. Rertha. will appear; 

t'SffSaUmiHt. Vt. Bet- 



enee of mnsicaa epInfoB. and tbe director fin.k i 
to hoinor that npfnlon t,^ oHeHni: a modlrmn •>; 
ty. This rear he mentions four worVn-ViT'li 
WsKTier'g TlniaMiuw. Donlieltl'a LSIhlrd' A". 
RosMnl'i Vm' .' ttir« of which he niedEc- hi 
prD-IUT. We fall to see the reaaon (ordnAaln; 
d-Amtn: amonic nnvelllee: tml, as Ihal work f 
cerMUi In be heard, one of Ibe rwnalnluK oprr.i' 
a poor chance. I«t as hope II Is not A'Ua. \iV 



CKTaTAL Paladi. The feature at the sixteenth con- 
cert was a veiy sCrfklng pnformauoe of Beethoven') 
Pastoral Symphony, the openiog piece being a dry " In- 
trodnallon and Fugue," from one ot the orchestral 
aulUt of Lachner— why brought forward at all It is dlffl- 
culi to guess. The n Dnm No. I . eomposed by Handel 
for tbe Dnke ot Chandos [that la B flat], sopplled with 
lonal accompaniments by Hr. Kbeneier Proot, at 
dlaereet and effective, was alao a novelty to the 



•vmlng, the ITtb lustant. oonmsnolng loyally with Xr. 
Leslie's anaDGeiDentot tbs Natlonat Anthem. Thepro- 
granme contained a good and varied selection of onao- 
companled pan-mnslo,ln which Che choir alwavB appeal 
to the greatest advantage, and though there may tie 
good reason for oocaalonally varying the style of muafe 
perfonoed, we always go to these cooderls With some 
regratChat tfr. Lealla sbinldllnd such a eoane necessa- 
ry. The programme of thegfch comprised [bealdes more 
modern things] (ourOiMapeclmensot tbe eld madrigals, 
via:— Wllbre's "The Lady Oiiana;" WaeDua'a "As Vca- 
ta was from Lalmna' hill deacendlng;" ManlB^"Ohear 
me, love;" and Savlle'i weH known " WalU," wjth which 
the concert ended. The petformanee ot these madrl- 
gala. excellent as It was tn many points, did not glvs as 
that complete satlstaetton which we had aipeclsd ; la 
r^Hfd [Query: "Dead perfect.' 



re bad b< 



, single n 



belni at the ooncluilon ot V 
ttie baAses nve onC itae aug 
falri'rian^' with apowerwuienaet 
tbe rest ot tbe choir, but nnfortn„ai 
In addlUnn 



jiydid 

., .„ ... to tbe above the 

<holr sang a madrinl by Hr. Henry Leslie, "Cbannme 
asleep," which isabeauiltul specimen of pan-wiUlDg, 
--id bclDf tbrougboiit In a quiet, dreamy sMe, was ei- 
'her mailrliral by Pearsall, "Allan-a- 

ipe the flrst time of pertaimaBee of 
—,10 .-«>» Iff .uc ..xojlr will not tte th« last; and another 
madrigal, and one ot the most beautltnl, -■ Bwas^ flow- 
erea, va were loo fairs." composed hy the Thomas Att- 
wood walmDlej ot Cambridge.— JTih. Slandard. 



2*le,"ot'ibS 



I ; but the eiBcncioo generally left 
Che work, al hnngh hen and Ihe>« exhibiting 
It hit best, failed to make anv aCrong Impressloa. 
Piofeasor Oakeley's " Kdlnlmrgh Karch," eomposad on 
lion ot Che Royal KatrlaKe, waa the laat Instm- 
mental piece ; songs by Hea'mea Patey and Manabe Cole, 
which call tor no panicDlar remark, completing the se- 
lection. At the ITCh concert {on Satardaj] every ama- 
vaa pleaaed to bear onoe again Hr. Arthur Snlll- 
Symphony In K minor. This, which bad not been 
played at the CryaCal Palace since ItM. Would, It was 
hoped, be merely Wis piecnT*or of other eompositiaiu ot 
magnitude andfmporianeefrom the same pen. Surely 
BO beaurlfnl a work, and Ihe oordial reception ft met 
wllb, should hsve urged on onr yonnn ind gifted musi- 
cian to (resh efforts Gi a almllar direction. If llr. Sulli- 
van fa apathetic or IndUIerent, to whom may we now 
look ft>r mnsle of a high order, to do honor to oninstira 
— "— jlotartt Hr.HannataakeveiTpalBswlih tlieei- 
on ot the aynphany, whioh, la all respeota satiatac- 
was weleonud wlui gennlne Mthnaiasai. ABSong 
■malning IntaresllBK ftatares were th* MS., biUr- 

laadAcJEirsabyaiMAheTof nor davereit and mast 

rishiE oomp»*eTS, lb. Henry Oadshy, written ezpresalr 
tor the "British Orebeatnl Bodetv/'andflral Intiaduced 
to tbe pablle In the spring of ISIB. We heard It again 
with unalloyed satistacCioa, and were glad to Hnd It ao 
thoroughly liked and underslood.—J(Wt. WsrAI, #U. 1*. 



Xtuio in Hew Tork. 
Uaacn ST.— At Iho fourth Symphony concert 
given by Tbeo. Thomas, at Stelnway Hall, Feb. 16, 
the orchestra played Ilaydn's Symphony In O, (No. 
ISofBreitkopraand Haerlersedlcion).— afresh and 
charming composition, which was given with all 
the perfection ofencemble in which this band la un- 
sarpassed. Something of the oatve and beautiful 
character of tha work seemed to inspire the mail, 
cians, for they played as If they loved the musie. 
Besides this they played Beethoven's overtura "Co- 
riolan," and ■ new Suite (No. !, in P, op. 19*), by 
RafF, which was received with g^eat InterMl. The 
new Suite is r«msrkably well scored, and its execn. 
tiOD wu TuSned and spirited. It is divided as fol- 

1. ADdsrOrense— [OscrfBVi. 

3. Aat der Pusita— (TVHuunn. 

* "-' -' 1 Aofrug derHonved—jrnvcA. 

aarda— .na 

Mr. Wm. Hason, whose reappearance In tbe eon- 

rt hall we note with plaasnre, gave an admirable 

nderlng of Hozarl's Concerto In C, (Eoech-O itl), 
for plana and orchestra. A. better performanee 
conld hardly be Imagined. Hr. Uaaon played with 
precision and goad taste, which was supplemented 
by • rsultless orchestral vcoompanimant. 

Saturday evening March II. Firth Solr^ of tbs 
New Tori; Quartette. The first selection waa Men- 
delssohn's Sonata tor Piano and Tloloncelio. op. IS, 
performed by Master Rietid and Ur. F. Bergner. 
The pianist, to ail appearances, la not mora than 
twelve years of age and certalcly showed unusual 
talent, getting through the piece very creditably 
and showing some Insight into Its meaning ; bot ha 
bad not the reqidslU digital tbroe for its perform- 
anoe, which was, therefore, somewhat strained. 
The violoncello part was of course haltlessly ren- 
dered, Mr. Bergner being an artist unequalled in 

Mr. E. Uollenhauer gave a careful performance 
ofTartiui'a (Maa>n«, for violin. lie Is sn earnest 
and consctentioua player, but he never sucoeeds la 
getting a good tons from his instrnment^ The pro- 
gramme ended with Beethoven') Quartet in E Bat, 
«p. 74. MIsa E. F. Richmond was announced to 
sing Rnsainl's Aria, "O Patrla" from Taner*^, and 
Handsl's " Semete ; ' but. owing to Indispoaltion, she 
did not appear, and another lady took her place. 

During the past week we have been favorod with 
three planofnrce recitals by Dr. Ven Buelow, at On- 
ly nne of which was It my good fortune to be pre*- 
enl. The Dr. has devoted the entire week t« Beet- 
hoven, giving three evening reeltala. 



206 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OP MUSIC 



The programmes were m follows : 

Monday, March, 20. 

Fonato Patette«, op. 18. 
Adaclo con rari^xioni, op. St. — - * 

Bonato qnasi fantasia, op. 27, No. 1. In E Hat. 
nonato qnasl fantasia, op. 27, No. 2, in sharp minor. 
Sonata, op. 110. in A flat. 

Virt«en wiations, f ncne and andante finale on a 
theme from the Erolca Symphony. 

Wednudati, March 22. 

Sonata, op. 51, No. 2, in D minor. 

RonaU. op. 109. in B. 

Three Sketchwi from op. 11» and 136. 

Rondo CapHecioso, op. 129. 

Sonata appasslonata. op. 57, In F minor. 

Thirty-two variations on an original theme in G mi- 

nor 
«Lm Adienx. L*Abeenee et Vd Retour:" Sonata 

Caraeteristiqne, op. 81. 
This was an evening of pare, unalloyed delight. 
Every one knows how Von Bnelow Interprets Beet- 
hoven*8 masle. In rendering a Sonata he follows no 
traditions, accepta no rule, bat Is himself ths rale 
and the standard. It woald be useless to partica- 
larlse respecting his performance on Wednesday 
evening. Etery one of the selections was given In 
the. best possible manner. The Sonaia Appauionala 
which he has already played several tiroes In New 
York, Is a splendid example of his remarkable skill 
In crescendo eflfecta and his wonderful nse of the 
pedal. The progr*mm« on Friday evening, March 
24, was as follows : 

Sonata, op. 101, *n A. ^ _ . 

<>rand Sonata, op. 196, in B flat. T*,.,^tu ^« 

Thirtv-three variations on a Walts of DIabelll, op. 

To^'Wch T>r . Von Bnelow added the Sonata in E 
flat» op. Sit No. S. 

A matinee recital was annoanced to take place on 
Saturday aOernoon, but owing to the illness of Dr. 
von Buelow It was postponed. Next week one ev- 
eninjr will be devoted to Chopin, one to Schumann 
and Mendelssohn, and one to Schubert and Liszt. 

At Theodore Thomas's fiah Symphony Concert. 
Saturday evening. March 26, the following selec- 
tions were performed : 

SnItaNo. l.InC, [fltat time].^... ;;-J- S-Bjch ' 

AriA • •• O Fatima ! from " Abu Husson/* Weber 

* Miss Anna DrasdU. 

Symphony, No 8-Broica- -J^^SSK 

^oert Zia: « Hecuba," new^. Rnblnsteln 

Miss Anna Drasdil. 

Bine Faust Overture wagner 

The suite by Bach conslsto of an Overture, For- 
lane, Bourr6e and Passepled. and Is In no way mfe- 
rlor to the Suites Nos. 2 and «, which have slready 
been produced by Mr. Thomas. It was played with 
marvellous fire and precision. The performance 
of the Ero\M Symphony was one of the best I ever 
heard. Miss Drasdil made an an excellent ^^V^ 
slon In both Arias— particularly In that by Weber. 
The house was well filled, notwithstanding the 
stormy weather which prevailed. A.A.C. 



gfoig ys limrnal gf S tnsk 

BOSTON, APRIL 1, 1876. 



Our Musio Pages. The Part Songs in this number, 
ara taken by permission from ** German Part Songs," 
edited by N. H. Alliit, published by Oliver Ditson St 
Co., Boston. 



^leh hatte Tiel Bdkuammeniin.'* 

This Is the title of the Cantata by Sebastian Bach 
— the first specimen of ita kind yet given in this 
country— which was performed at the last Harvard 
Symphony Concert. It Is one of some 880 Cantatas 
which he composed for every Sunday and church 
festival for five years, mostly In the earlier period 
of his residence In Lelpsig. This one, however, al- 
though It is one of the most elaborate and most 
beautiful, was an earlier composition, and dates 
back to the year 1714, when he lived In Weimar. 
It was composed for the third Sunday after Trinity, 
June 17; and the text has reference to the Epbtle 
of that Sunday ; nevertheless Bach wrote ovi>r it: 
*' Ar <^ /cmpo " (good for any time). These op- 
ening words: "Ich hatte vlel Bekammerniss," 
might be translated, with some resemblance to the 
•oand of the ori|^nal, " My heart was full of heavi- 



ness;" but the Leipzig Lenckart edition, from 
which it was hero sung, has it: "Deep, within my 
heart was sorrowing," etc. The additional accom- 
paniments of Robert Frans were used, consisting 
chiefly of two darlneta and two bassoons, besides an 
Organ part, whereas Bach*s score has, besides the 
string quartet, only a single oboe, except In one 
number a horn, in another four trombones in unison 
with other parte, and in the concluding chorus three 
trumpets. It is of course ImpOksible to g^ve a sat- 
Isfactery description of the work without mnsical 
citations ; but we may briefly characterize Ite con- 
tento, which consist of eleven numbers : an instru- 
mental prelude; four choruses set to woiMs from 
the Bible, one of which has a Choral melody Inter- 
mittently ruLuing through it : three Arias, two Rec- 
itatives, and a Duet 

1. A short Sin/imia in C minor, of a very tran- 
quil, delicate and serious character, at once impas- 
sioned and resigned. The oboe and first violin al- 
ternate and imitate each other In liquid, long-drawn, 
florid passages, enriched by Franz with clarinets 
and bassoons, while the other strings and organ 
move below in broad, expressive harmonies ; but It 
is the oboe that oatehes the ear as the chief singer 
lu the mingled melody. 

2. Chorus: Dftp wUhin m^f heart wi» wrrowing and 
grtai affiidion. So It begins. Andante con mote, 
4-^ measure ; first the word " deep " is thrice ex- 
claimed (In the German, " Ich^ and then the fol- 
lowing motive : 

w 



m 



:3 



ii=t>r=3: 



Ife^- 



deep, with- in my heart was sor • rowing, &c 

Is taken up, first by the Sopranos, then answered on 
the last eighth of the first bar by the Tenors one 
note higher, while the Sopranos carry It up te E, 
the Tenors again to F ; then It drops in the Alto to 
A. the Bass echoes It in B fbt, and so the marked 
and pregnant theme climbs and floato upward and 
downward by degrees of the scale, the four parte 
mingling in harmonious complexity, the iostru- 
mente besides, developing into a rich and strangely 
fascinating web of melodies. Then the movement 
is trrested ; two long chords on " But,'* followed by 
an animated Vivace, " Th^u dott comfwri me wUh aU 
thy mereiee," ete. Here the character Is mostly Ma- 
jor; voices and Instrnmenta Imitate and blend Id 
long roulade passages of sixteenth notes, running 
In thirds and sixths, with very brilliant effect, 
ending with a quiet Andante, and with the major 
chord of C This chorus Is sure to win ite way upon 
acquaintance ; and none can sing It together long 
enough to feel at home in it without learning to 
love It. 

8. A most beautiful and touching Soprano Aria 
(Andantino con moto), in which the melody is first 
sung through by the Oboe, with quartet acoompan- 
imeut ; in the original score there Is nothing but 

oboe and figured Basso Contlnuo. The words are : 
Sighing, monming, eorrow, teart, etc., woMte away 
my troubled heart. The contrite and afflicted heart 
pours out ite lamentations and Ito fears in a series of 
short, detached phrases, almost recitative-llko, and 
yet so balanced, so symmetrical, so connected, that 
the melodv is perfect. De profundi» damam. The 
deep religious sadness of the strain, Ito thrilling ten- 
der pathos. Is only equalled by ito divine beauty. 
It gives the singer scope for most expressive accent, 
and admita of l^ing sung somewhat ad lihUnm ; at 
least the Instrumenta sliould wait upon the singer. 
And yet it is all chaste, and healthy feeling, noth- 
ing morbid In *';v ^ is ever the case with Bach. 

4. The anguish and distress Is carried to still 
more Intensity of utterance In the Tenor Recitative 
and Aria which follows : Why haet thou, my God, 
in my tore need, in my greai fear and trembling, eo 
(um*d thy /ace from me f ete. One of a thousand fine 
instances of Bach's eloquent recitative, (still in C> 
minor), leading Into the Aria in F minor (Largo) : 



lUvere oftalt teare are /owing, Jloodt are mthing eeer- 
more; o'er ms wavee and waUre going, teas of grief 
thai have no shore, tehelm me, soul and body taking ; 
mast and anchor all are breaking ; lam sinking 'neath 
the tide ; yondtr kdl is gaping wide, etc. These Images 
suggest the movement to the string quartet, to 
which Franz has added clarineto and bassoons. 
Listen to these as they flow along with the voice in 
sympathetic sweet companionship, all pursuing the 
one persistent weeping melodic figure. But to ap- 
preciato the beauty of the song, which is wonderful 
In Ite way, requires something more than an amuse- 
ment seeking hearer. One who listens in a light 
mood, not having studied the music and become 
penetrated with ite spirit, will find it monotonously 
mournful and perhaps passing long as well as strange! 
But if you, too, need the sweet relief of tears, if you 
seek music out of the same inward need which with 
Bach found expression in this Air, you will the 
rather crave continuance of so heavenly a comfort- 
er. We can hardly expect that of audiences. We 
only know that no one who has any of the religion 
of music In his soul, can by study or repeated hear- 
ing become familiar with this Aria without feeling 
and acknowledging ito beauty. 

5. Chorus, in C minor. It begins with a few 
measures of Adagio, full of pathos, by the quartot of 
soli, repeated by the tuUi on a higher degree, 
with more intense expression: Why, my soul, 
artthauvexedf Then a livelier movement {Spiritu- 
oso) starte off to the words : anda^tso unqitiet in mef 
Four strong motives, rhythmically contrasted, are 
assigned to the voices, wliich with the instruments, 
forming so many " real " parte, pursue each other 
In Canon, or blend together, forming a most inge- 
nious and most impressive web of polyphonic har- 
mony. The unquiet hopes and fears of the human 
heart could hardly be more vividly expressed. 
Then follows a more tranquil movement for a few 
bars: For I shall yet praise Him, in which the soul 
seems to gather up new life and strength ; and then 
(Andanto con moto, C minor) a splendid closing 
Fugue : For He is my glory and the rock of my salva- 
tion. 

Here ends the First Fart, which is mostly sad and 
mournful, the music of a crushed and bleeding 
heart, yet finding hope in grief. The Second Part 
is full of assurance and of heavenly hope. It begins 
with : 

6. Recitative and Duet for Soprano and Jiass, 

which allegorically represent the Soul and Christ. 

Here, as in the Alto solo or chorus which open the 

second part of the Matthew Passion Music, and else- 

where, we meet a certain vein of the romantic which 
is characteristic now and then of Bach. Tiie open- 
ing dialogue is most tender and expressive. S. Ah 
Jesus, light divine, my sun. when wtU thou sAiim / — B. 
Fear not, soul, lam with thee. — S. Wtth me f around 
it darkest night/ And so on. With the first words 
the violins climb slowly a whole octave from B fiat, 
the dominant of the key, which is E flat major; at 
the allusion to darkest night they suddenly drop an 
octave and a half, — a marked and beautiful effect. 
Then follows one of the loveliest of dneta, with 
long-drawn flowing melody, in 4-4 measure. Bacirs 
score has only the Organ and Continuo for accom- 
paniment; but out of those mystical figures Franz 
nas deciphered a full quartot with four reed parta. 
Words: S. Come, my Jesus, with thy blessing. — B' 
Yea, Icomct etc., fear yielding slowly and mlsgiving- 
1v to reassurance, until tlie rhythm changes to a 
hvely Allegretto In 8-8, on the words: Ah Jesus, 
thy peace to my soul is returning, answered by : Away 
now, ye troubles, fly, sorrow and mourning, and then 
Da Capo. 

7. A Chorus of wonderful artistic subtlety and 
beauty, rich In harmony and rich In comfort. The 
movement Is con moto, S-4, the key O minor. A 
single Soprano begins : O my soul, be content and be 
thou peaceful, soon joined by a alngle Bass, a single 
Alto, which pursue their even way, when presently 
all the Tenors in dotted half notes begin to sing the 
first line of a Choral {Wer nur den liebenlOoU l9tst 



■^*" 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, APRIL 1, 18T6. 



teallat). which Mrntlrluohn hmi IntrodiKNM] In his 
Sl.Piiul. IntermiUsntly. fir»t«line»rnitlieini|mn«e 
(ill in the llrean I'nrtpitit) tha choral i* hpitnl while 
lh« solo voices uteadily pursue Lheir wey. Then tha 
hilti ivpll the rich harmoninns ■trrnm. and ihe So- 
pninns lake the Choral. Finally four troinbetips 
reinfcirne tha quartet i the Soprano, i-tip the Choral ; 
the other part* atill pursue the Btrain witli wliich 
they be!>an ; bat a nev motive, a de9cen<iin^ phrase 
of four eii^hth nntea, eonliniinlly appears in one 
voice or another, or in aome inatrument, lending ■ 
wonderful ricbncas and eihauatlesa charm to the 
«h<ile. Soch a choru", broad, deep, limpid and 
transparent, filli the aoul with peace. TPhat a de- 
light it maat be to aiaj; in it when U all i;oea well 1 

10. Tenor Arli, P mr^or. S-8. Andnnlino eon 
moto ; Rijoia. O my toil — Chitngi mitjHiig to imil- 
i«g, tic, A buoyant., pencefiil, blissful melody, with 
a delicate flowing accompaniment. Aa tha inntru- 
menta bt^n, vou niav 1>« reminded o( a long by 
Frani r " Harir. am Ftntirr litHni/." 

11. Theaplendid final aionia. npon tha lame 
text with that or llandefa iftuixh. Hera Bach't 
three trumpeta come in with alirring efFecL It U 
in C major. The words: TKe Lamh, OuU far ut it 
ilaii, lo //!« ttiU IK nadir potter and glory, ill,, are 
declaimed by all tlie voice* with alupendoui and 
Btartling mndiilaliona. Nothinic cniild ba it ore rx- 
citini; and fill of erand preaentiment. A« each 
deliberate phraee rin^ opt, von aeem to hear the 
echoes in the panae 'that fnllnwi. Then the lime 
chanijea to Allegro. A enlo Bass voice declaims : 
;>aiKr. andylorv aiul praue it unto Hiitforntrmon, 
lenirtlienins ont the Aiae*. AUdnjah In flnrid run- 
lades, while voice after voice (>o/i)^t'*"P'''*^h^'''B 
and pnrsne the Fugue. Presently the Md join 
thrm, firat in one part, then another, until the whole 
mass la drawn into the harmonioua vortex, and amid 
•tirrine trumpet calls, it anrees on to a hi)rher and 
a hiKher climax, and the whole ends in a blaie of 
(tlorv. alinoBt l<io aoddeniy. you think, althongh the 
muaieal matter has been fiitly trea1«d and exhausted. 
It ia truly ■ aubliine conclusion Lo ■ noble work. 

ConoerU 
Haivaed MraicAL AesocitTioi. The tenth and 
last Symphony Concert of the eleventh aeries, which 
took place on the afternoon ofTharadav, Uareh I A. 
had the most iiitereeting programme of the eeason, 
and the largest audience. It was unoanally long, (o 
be anre, bat, with rompanitlvelv few exceptions, tha 
nadiencfl aat tlimaeb It more than patiently. Sel- 
dom have we heard so much satlafactlon so generally 

I, Passacaclia, In CmlDOr. Orcsn woik.amnirei] 

for the Areheatra by H. Eaaer J. 9. Bich 

1. Canons, for tlii«e Bopnuio voices {rtp*ateti btf 

a, 'To aelieloaa." ». '- O carl tioacbl." 

I. Sjrmphon;, Ko. 1. In Rflat, op. St Scbnnuum 



■Cantata per Onil Tempo. ''Ich hatte vM 
BekDoimem&B," for four Solo volcea, Cho- 
nis, Orchestra and Orcnn J. f>. Ilacll 

•Motet: ■■ Laudate nuerl," for s-emile niiolr. 

■"!"£'£", 



1. FlDaletoftaeFlmtAcEof -Eurji 

This division of the programme ' 



^enrlelsMhn 
la" (second 

Welier 

suggested in 
order that Iha choraa might be off the etage during 
the performaneo of tha first part (conducted by C«>i, 
ZtaBAHH] and allow a more convenient aeating of 
the orchestra. The two orchestral works were well 
peFformed, eapecially the B-9at Symphony by Sehn- 
mann, which pmmiaea to hold its place as one oF the 
graat Symphonies of the great elasaicnl period, and 
which we hara aeldoTD heard Interpreted by any 
orchestra with more Ere and precision. The three 
little Canons by Uauptmann formed an af^reeabla 
anlrtnuf between the Pasiscaglia and Symphony. 
They were sung, aa before, by Uisi Ul*ka Doaii, 
Urs. F. P. Wbitxit, and llUa Ira WitBH, and made 
a very charming impreaaion, thoogh they were hard- 
Ip given with the same exquisitv olcety *• before, 
particularly tlia first one. 

In the second part Hr. LiTio took the baton, and 
tha members of the Cecilia, who had carefully re- 
hearsed with him, were t;rauped tofj^ether more com- 
lactly In the centra of the platform than beliire. 



He 



and baasea, still Inferior 



xnber 



ao widely separatttl, and la cansequencs they were 



more dintinnllr heard. We think the beat success 
achieved by the Cecilia as yet wa« in their render, 
ing of the nsch Cantsla. of wlilch we iiave given a 
very inadetinntodpacriplion above. The orchestra 
was well subdueJl, ao aa not to overpower the voices, 
the (mpi were well Inten, and the in«trument«llon 
f jr the mont part was de1i™ti-ly and effectively pro. 
diiced. The choruses had been carefully atiidlwl, 
and in apite of the atraneeness of the Wsk to many 
in the first rehearsals, were snng mu atnorc, with 
precision, spirit, nnd good lleht and shade. Thia 
wsa parlicularly the case with the third choru*. 
which contains the Choral, and with the brilliant 
and inapirins Finale. Tlie qnartct of aiill, which ■ 
ncenr* In two of them, woa aatlsftiotorily civen by 
Uiaa DoniA. Mra. Jiswt Novbb, Mr. Gaoaoit I,. O*. 
oooD, all of the Cecilia, and Mr. Jon!< F. Wwcn. In 
the anlo arias and recitatives the place of honor be- 
longs to Mi«s Doria, who sane the pathetic Air with 
ohoe ohligato in the true Bach style and feeling, 
with fine artistic execution, clear, pure, telling 
voice, and heartfelt, chaste expression. Still more 
enjoved, apparently, wai the Duet with Mr. Winch, 
In which both pung ailmiralily. Mr. Osgood had the 

a place, before so Inree an aadienco, so unaccns- 
tnmed to such music, the moat thankless task of all. 
But he is probably much mora at home in R*nh's 
music than any othrr of our tenors, and he undcr- 
ato..d the woric. The reciUtivo ; IVTiv Am( (Aok, O 
my God. was well declaimed : and the long Aria it- 
self was sung with f-irvor. and in pasaa((es requirlni;[ 
the best part of hia voice with beauty and intooslty : 
the Indistinctness of hia low tonea was the cliief 
drawback ; nor waa hia organ generally at ita beat ; 
continual teaching and a aneceSHlon of eulda im- 
psired Ita freahneas ond Its freedom. The second 
Air ; Rrjoiee, O m<i toul ! wan more auccesafol. Mr. 
O. W. SuKXBB .lid good service at the Organ. 

And what impreaaion did the Cantata maket 
Good enough upon the wiiole. we think, to Justify 
the riak of Introducinic it, and to give promise of 
belUr yet in thia aort for the fiitnre. Yet of wmraa 
there will be all shades of conflicting testimony, 
from those who found It mournful, ^ow and tedious, 
to those whoae deepest sensibilities, both musical 
and spirltnnl, were strongly drawn to It and 
cliarmeil with it We aafely eay tliatit was enji>yed 
precisely in the degree ( 1 ) of each tndivlctanl listen- 
er's acnnaintance with the muiiic and with Bach in 
eeneral, and (2) in proportion to each one's depth 
of Datura and of moral experience. There were 
many in whose hearts those serious, yet serene, aua- 
lainlng harmonies found warmest welcome; and 
there are many among cultivated music-lovers, and 
even some uncultivated, who, the more they tiecnme 
acquainted with Bach, the mora do they enjoy it, 
love it. and find peace and health and comfort In it 
bnynndsnyothermusic. It is the music that will 
wear best of all. All true miiaidans come lo thia ac- 
knuwledzment. Certainly it is the farthest possible 
from oil that we call srn<ational music; and it can 
hardly be ex|>ected thatit will be much enjoyed by 
those who arc U\en off their feet by the dynamical 
excitemenU of the works of Wagner, Berlioa. Liszt, 
etc.. whatever incense Bich of these. In one way or 
another, may hare seen fit to burn before tha shrine 
of good St. John Sebastian, not to be ignored by as. 
piranta in Art, however diSorent the crown they 
seek. 

The Motet by Mendelssohn — nn« of the three he 
composed f'lr tbennnaof Triniti de Monti in Rome. 
la* pure and pleasing com posilion, which served well 
tnsliowthe bi-autlful ensemble of the female voices in 
iSe Cecilia, and their refined, expressive execution. 
It has a second movement, a Tenetto (adagio): Btali 
omntt. in which the three solo voices are presently 
joined by the three-part chorus— The fresh, bright, 
charming finale from Siirganlht, with ita buoyant, 
aimpie chornae* of peasants, answered by manlier 
alrains^if kni|£ht>, proveil as delightful as beliire; 
MisaWuMXiaraangthe blissful florid soprano solo 
very beautifully, and the brief quartet wa* finely 
eunc by Miss Whinnery. Miss Morse. Dr. Langmsid 
sod Dr. Rullard. —So ended one of the richest and 
most varied concerta of ourwinler. We liava yet to 
sam up the wbola season. 

Tut Tnoms OncnrwaA. The two extra con- 
certs giveti in the Music Hall on Tuesday and Wed- 
nesday evening, March 14 and IS, w<r* hut moder- 
ately well atUnded. espaclally the first, tha " Llstt 
and Wagner Klght," w'llch fact go^pa some way to 
show that ths " new music '' has not after all the 
most attraeUon. The first partof that concert con- 



sisted of Lisil's " Promethena," a Symphonic Poem, 
followed by ■ series of choruses, solos and quartet to 
words from Herder's poem. The Symphonic Poem, 
or Overture, waa about the most thankjesa music we 
have listened to for many }'ears. As for beauty wa 
could find none in it. nor any meaniug. The only 
thing it seemed to suggest, in connection with Its 
title, was the gnawing vulture and the groaning 
victim, and this seemed helpless, hopeless, endless. 
The vocal portion contained Enure variety, aome 
tnntallzins signs of promise hero and there, and 
some even tieautlful effects, many which were very 
carious and striking, aiieli as thechorus of the Dry- 
ads, and that of the Gleaners nnd Winedrrsaers. 
The opening chorus of Occanldes excited hopes con- 
tinually balBed. But most of the others,— Tritons, 
Spirits of tne Lower Regions, chorus of the Invisi- 
bles, and the concluding chorus of the Muses, were 
for the most biaarre. extravagant and straining 
for effects unheard of, sometimes positively unmusi- 
cal and disagreeable. There was no fault to find, 
that we are aware, with the singers; tha Sharland 
Choral Society, the soloists (Mist E. K Kiiinaici, 
Alto, and Mr. RiuuaBTz), and the Tcmpls Quar- 
tette, all did their part as well as could ba expected. 
But we are sure that Music would lose all ita charm 
for n< ifall music should become like thats 

The second part of the programme comprised tha 
Introihictlon and Finale to Triilan and Itoldt. and 
■■ Wotjin's Farewell" (Mr. RxxiixttTi) and the " Mag- 
Ic Fire Scene,' from the Wai knere, worta of Wagner 
which have become somewhat familiar here. 

The second concert was In refreshing contrast to 
the first. Beethoven never fails and this was purely 
a Beethoven NlghL First came an altogether beau- 
tiful and admirable performance of his firat Sympho- 
ny, heard here for the third time this winter. Then, 
— after agood rendering of his dramatic Trio: Trt- 
iHotf.empii. by Mra. H. M. Suitn, Mr. W.J. WmcH, 
and Mr, Rxmhebti— Mr. Thomas gave ns. in con- 
trast with the earliest Symphony, the lost, the Ninth 
with Chorus. Both orehestrally and chorally it waa 
one of the most finished performances of that great 
work that we have ever had here ; and yet there have 
iwenoneor two occasions (Handel anil Haydn Festi- 
vals) when some parts of It have come out more 1n- 
spiringly nnd grandly. Mrs.FmKA E. Biiai com- 
pleted the Quartet of solo singer*. 

Hkkb, by some straniB mlscalcnUtlon of space, we am 
suddenly cut abnrt. and must reserve the tvst. Including 
Mr. LoDg'B two lucerestlng conceits, tor lutnra notice. 



WBLLxatBv, MA.aa.— Tlie new female College in this 
place appear* determined rromtbe atarttoeatabllsbfor 
Itself a high mnaleal cbaiacter. Mr. Charles H. Morse 
la tha Musical Prolessor, wbo h^atwoasaLstanCieacbeis; 
Mlas E. Kandoll [Fiano), and Miss Louiae Qage IVocal 
mualcl. They have one of CMckerlni's best granda for 
concert uae, and expect soon to have an excellent three- 
manual Organ. A. aeries of all classical Plono-Focte 
Recitals, by the best Boston artlsta, was mdst Bueci 
fully Initialed on tbe llth of February by Mr. Hugo 
I^onlisrd. whose interpretations of Uie (oUowlDg pro- 



..IC-y.-Mir Bach 

.\i.T,-i^"|""-'i^. op. ST Beetboven 

■,„■,.„,.,.,■■ [Si-t.i'S of Childhood;. .Bchumann 

■^V'^^i'^^'ivii'V^:!.! ^'""^° 

rlr>. ii|,..\T.i .. Hendelsaobn 

■Ki.i.l.'nini- Oj>. IB,Nos.a-l...aphnmanii 
»it II Wiiriii Noa. SO-W McadelsBohn 

igramme o( a concert by tbe pdpUa [March Q 
table for the absencs of all trashj music. 

rvut l.oiii.iaki. [Ihandsl Cherubtnl 

III II. ii|>. ii-i iteetbovea 

,„U-il" "^'. . ■ ...■.'.'.".'..'.'.'.'.'."'.'.'.'.".".klrchner 

"I "i>ul4 ih.'i iiir Love," Uendelsavbn 

1.1 A Haydn 

i' . . . ,i:M'.'.'.'.V.V.V.'.MendelHOhn 

ue liilLa, Uaile," . . . Haraloo 



Orertore to Eirmonl. [4 tiands] Beethoven 

■■In theWoo.ls- Oade 

Song. "A.Dlr(l9anKln a Hawthorn Tree" ... Katioii 
Klnaertiuecke. Op. 1!-t Mendelaaohn 



'ffalti.tnDtlM.. 




Farvixotox, Coxx. The 73tb aad 70th concerts nt 
Ml-^ Forcer*! Young L%<li«s* Schol took place, under 
the direction of Mr. Karl Klaoner, on the 9th and lOtb of 
Marcb. The executants were : Dr. Leopold Damrosch, 
▼folln; Mr. Fredertek Beri^er, ▼lolonceU<»; and Mr. F. 
▼on Inten, piano. These were the programmes : 

I. 

Trio^Piano. Violin and 'Cello, Q, op. 112 Raff 

1. Risch, froh beweitt. 3. Behr rasch. 8. Maes- 

iftie lan|c<iam. 4. R.isch. durchsus belebt. 

Btodes Symphoniques^Piano, C Sharp Minor, op. 13» 

Schumann 
Sonata— Piano and Ylolin, O, op. 80. No. 9. 

Beethoven 

Elegiie —Violoncello Solo Re bllnr 

Trio— Piano, Violin and Violoncello, C Minor, op. m, 

Mendelssohn 

n. 

Suite—Piano and Violin E op. 1 1 ... * Ool imatk 

1. Allegro. S. And.nnte MStenato. 8. Alleirro 

ma non troppo. 4. Alleirro moderate qussi 

AUeffretto. 6. .Xlleprro molto. 

Prdude and Fugue— Piano S minor, Notre temps, 

No. 7 Men'lelisolm 

Dolorous -Sonata qnasi Fantasia, Violin Solo wrirh 

Piano accompaniment Pietro I^tcnU^Wl, 

[1703-1764J. 
1. Motto Largo, Lento, Allegro ma nou troppo. 

2 Aria 
Sonata— Piano and Violoncello, G minor, opjt. No 3, 

Beethoven 

1. Adagio so«tennto e espressivo, Allecro molto 

piu to«(to Presto 3. AlWro 

Trio -Piano Violin and Violoncello, E. No 4 Haydn 

1. Allegro moderate. 3. Allegretto. 8. Finale, 

Allegro. 



•♦-•- 



Kniioal Libraries. 

Of circulating musical libraries,— like Schnberth*s or 
Schirm^r's in New York, Flaxland** in Paris, Novello's 
in London, and many others, where anybody can sub- 
scribe by the momh or th • quarter, and take out two or 
more volumes, according to the amount of his subscrip- 
tion, -we have as yet none in Boston. We have not 
heard of a circniating murtcal library on the Mndle- 
Loring principle lieing undertaken anywhere. It would 
be a great blcMing to many of our music-lovers, espec- 
ially to those who devote themselves to four or eight 
hand piano-fortcTplaylng, or to part singing, if some 
. such establishment could be set on foot in Boston. But 
what Boston— and. if we mistake not, most of our great 
American cities -still more needs is a good library of 
reference ; a place where the mnsical student can find 
trustworthy editions of the works of the great masters, 
both classic and modem. The institution that oaght to 
take this matter in hand would seem to be the Public 
Library. The Harvard Mnsical Association has a line 
library of over two thousand vulumes. which is kept In 
the association's room^ In Pemlierton Square^ this col* 
lection [which is one of the finest, if not the finest, in the 
country] is rich in works of the old Italian and English 
masters, and almost complete In the works of German 
masters of the classic period, but it is very poor in works 
of the post-classic period. Besides, it is a private col- 
lection, open only to members of the association. The 
Boston Public Library has some few volumes of music : 
the scores of Sebastian Bach*s works in the great Breit- 
kopf und Haertcl edition, some few of Handel's scores, 
the scores of some of Moxart*s symphonies, and one vol- 
ume of Carissimi's oratorios; other full scores we have 
not been able to find ; there are also some piano-forte 
scores of choral and dramatic works of Beethoven, Ben- 
nett, Gluck, Gounod, Haydn, Meyerbeer, Mendelssohn, 
and Weber [notably the French edition of the Frel- 
schQU with BerlioxV recitatives, which is a curiosity], 
and some few piano-forte and organ works of Lisst, Cho- 
pin, Schubert, Schumann, and one or two others, but the 
merest scattered collection, in no way approaching to 
completeness. Of Allegri, Astorga, Baltassarini, Cav- 
alli, Durante, Frescobaldi, Oraun, Ougllelmi, Adam de 
la Hale. Hasse, Ilans Leo Hassler, Jomelll, Josquin des 
Prte, Lulll, ICarcello, Monteverde, Falestrina, Pergo- 
lese, Rameau, the two Scariattis, Stradella, Spontini, 
Chembini, Hal4\7, Auber, Boieldleu, Hteold, Bargiel, 
Brahms, Berllox, Max Bruch, Gade, Ooldmark, F^licien 
David, Massenet, Raff, Reyer, Rhelnberger, SaintpSalins, 
and Wagner, there is not a note in either form. For the 
Boston Public Library to keep a collection of piano-forte 
mnsic, or piano-forte arrangements of choral or orches- 
tral works, for public circulation would be ridiculous. 
Also the wear and tear that piano-forte music, either 
bound or in sheet form, is liable to, Is immense. Bat 
the case is very different with a standard library of ref- 
erence, a collection of the full orchestral and choral 
scores of the principal ancient and mqdern masters. As 

such works are, in general, very costly, these scores 
should not be allowed to go out of the library, though 
everylK>dy should be free to consult them there. In 
cases of urgem?. for instance. If any one should with to 
make a piano-forte or organ transcription from some 
work, he might be allowca Ui take it home, " by special 
pennlMlon.'* ss U the case with iHwks markeii with an 
asterisk in the Bates Hall catalogue. 



pu1ui«i schooU are giving so mwth attention to music, 
and that con^ervatortes and special mnfits^cbools are 
Sitringing up on ev^ry hand, it is m»m thnn unibable 
that the numi>er of m'isic tU'lenu will laigoly Increase. 
As m.itters now s'sn I, th^re is no opptirinniiy for the 
mnsic student, <>si>ecialiy for the student < f musical his- 
torr, to onrsne his st4i'1tes otherwise than Ijy the aid of 
texi^lK>oks. Such a th'ng ns studving tlie great mnsier* 
[ei'her oU or new] tbnmch their works is out of the 
question. This Is to a gr«*at extent true with the o:her 
arts, but there there Is more excuse for it. The workii of 
the great painters cannot lie re<tnpllcat^. and really 
fine plister ca^ts are not so easily obtained; but orches- 
tral scores are Just as easy to get and keep as any other 
books are. And lie it rpmi'valiered thst it is only through 
their full scores tliat compo<iers csn be mally studied to 
anypuiiMise; piano-forte transcriptions sre extremely 
useful In thw way, inieed to the special pianist they 
may Ite technically Interesting, but they are of little val- 
ue to thi* general miis<c*student. Wcmid it not be wf 11 
for those who have the needrtol powers tn f«k<* this ques- 
tion of a musical library into consideration ?—Jiteii<(e 
ilonthly. 



Sjetial IJotitts. 



^i'N^^WNA^^^.^' 



■arKea wico an 
Now that our I 



Composer and Fablisher. 

PDBf.iSH Eit BuMFUS.— Well, Dr. Slim, what have you 
brought me? 

Dti. Slim.— I have brought yon a symphony. Sir. 

Pl-buiubb BoMPot.— Symphonies don't pay. What 
key? 

Db. SuK.— C sharp minor, Sir. 

P(7BU«HKB BuNPUs.— C Sharp minor doB*t pay. Why 
not major? Why the lesser third ? 

Dr. Slix.— I have arranged it, Sir, for four hands, Sir, 
on one pinnoforte. 

PcBLiAHRB BoMFDS.— Fonr hands on one pianoforte 
don*t pay. Can't you arrange it for two hands on four 
pianofortes? 

Db. Sux.-No, Sir— not without transpo«ing It half a 
tone lower; and then It woiild be difficult for the two 
hands, unless one liand was Arabella Goddard's and the 
other Hans von Bnelow's. 

Pc7BLxsn Bu BuNFUs.— That's out of the qnestlon. 
Hans says Araliella plays like a wax automaton; and 
Arabella.says Hans plays wrong notes by the wax doa- 
en. That wim't pay. 

Dr. ffb^M.— Will you print the full score. Sir? 

Publish BB Bumphs —Full scores don't pay. What 
*hi ve you got in your left hand ? 

Db. Slim.— a canuta. Sir. 

PoBLisiiBB B(7MFns.-CaBtotaf don't pay. The tab- 
Ject, If you please? 

DB. Slik.— A martyrdom. Sir. 

PUBLtSHBB BoMFUs.— Martyrdoms don't pay. Can't 
you write a ballad, like Arthur Sullivan, or DIehl, or 
Cowen, or Frederick i lay ? 

Db. Slim.— No, Sir; but I could try and write one like 
Dishley Peters. 

Pctblishvb BvMFtrs.— OhI That would never pay, be- 
cause nobody wotild sing It. 

Db. Slim.— Then, Sir, what am I to do with ny syoi- 
phony and esntata? 

PoBLisHBB BuMFrs.- Bonflrel— they won't pay. 
[JBs/l Dr. 8Hm.]^Lom<iom MnHeol World, 

Asithetio Publisher and Commsroial 
Composer. 

[From the Same, Mareh II.] 

PuBLtSRKB.— I shall be glad, my dear Sir, to bring ont 
some work that will tend to elevate your reputation, and 
maintain the character of my house. 

CoKFOSBB.— Blow my reputation! 

PcBLiSBBB.— Fye, my dear Sir; remember yovr prom- 
lie to compose a new Sjrmphony for the directors of the 
Crystal Palace. 

CoMFosBB.— Blow the direetors of the Crystal Pal- 
ace I 

PuBLiSBBB.— Softly, my dear Sir; you surely have not 
forgotten your undertaking to compose a new dramatic 
cantata, on Lady Qodiva, for the approaching Bliming- 
ham Festival? 

C^XFosBB.- Blow the Birmingham Festival I 

PuBLnnsB.— Let me remind you, my esteemed Sir, 
that you must do something to redeem the pmnlses of 
your youth. 

CoMFOszB.— Blow the promises of my youth I 

PuBLiSRBB.— Then I despair of you, my respected 
master. I would never have entered into an agreement 
to take all your compositions, had I known that yon la- 
tended to abandon works of high ait. 

CoMFOSBB.- Blow works of high art! 

PniiLxsRBB.— Your ot^ect may be to asake money. 
Mine is to publish for posterity. 

CoxFOBBB.— Blow posterity I 

PuBLiSRBB.— Then I fear we must part. I have a du- 
ty towards the musical world to peribrm, and I must 
relinquish you to the care of my more commercial breth- 
ren. 

CoxrosKB.— Blow your duty to the muslcsl world, and 
bless your more commercial brethren I 

[Bzit OcnHpo»er, indignantly ;^PMUhtr tigh; and re- 
tumt to th4 9tudy ^ tho sc«r« ^f £4ttKo9tn*§ jnntk 
Symphony. 



DBBOBIPTITB LIST OF THB 

^Xasa? 2idCT78 
iP«lillnksi4 hr Ollv^v DltiMa A 



z 



80 



80 



SO 



Teoal* with Fiaae AeoempaalsMBt 

Mast we then meet as Strsngen ? For Alto. 

8. F to d. Thomtu. 40 

"Can we then meet, as strangers. 
When we recall the past? " 
A great sucoea« is this fine song, which is In this 
form accessible to Alto or Baritone Singers. 

Bewaie! Take Cure! 4. £6 to 9. OUberL 85 

*' She is fooling thee.** 

Always,— always,— when she pleases. Lone- 
fellow M •• warning " with yet another floe mu^ 
cal rendering. 

I had a Dream last nifrht; Bfaiegie. Sontr and 
Cho. 8. O to e. Knight. 80 

- She gendy rests : She gently rasts." 
These soft wortU eonstimte the chorus, and the 

r"2'® w PVY^Idf sweet, soothing music Words 
by Sophie May. 

FainUy flows the faUing Biter. 8. Db to f. 

JfesQ^oro. 

Perefyal's well-knowB words, with a new muti- 
eal setting. 

Punch ! Brothers, Punch ! Song and Cho. 
2. Ftof. 

*' A Hine trip-slip for an eltr^t cent fare. 

I*uhch in the presence of the passengare.** 

Here itteomcA I Buy it while its hot. and let the 

eh-erful conductare take bis varied fare, 'mid 

the chorus of the passenBare. The composare, 

(modast n^erit) does not rsveal his name. 

Come hnck to de Ole Plantation. Song and 
Cho. 8. Ftof. Dmiu. 

Xasy snd pretty serlo-eomio song. 

Daintiest l4i^ of Tralee. Song and aio. 

8. B6 to d. C%rMit. 80 

•* Fairy one with the sweet msebnd nooth. 
As the lireeMs that blow f rr»m the south.** 
A dainty ai^a taking song in popular style. 
Saered and Seonlar QnartoU for Male Voices. 

By B. Jf. Dow. 
No. 1. Te D^um Landamnt. 80 

2. I cannot always trace the way. 85 
8. Consolation. 80 

4. Beware I 85 

ft. Vocal March: Hie Trumpet calls. 00 
8. Diink^g Song: Fill yonr^laaaes. 40 

These are soiBe of the *« successes *' of the 
famous Temple Qtt<%rtette, and sure to be elfect- 
ive. Of about the Si or iMMSibly for finest eflbet, 
the 4th decree of difllculty . Nos. 9 and S are alio 
arranged for miz^d voices. 

JastruMBtal. 

Belle Grace Galopb 8. Eft. Jfr^non. 80 

Another '* boat club ** galop. A fine piece. 
Haymakers' Sehot^tisch Caprice. 8. C. 

BHgg: 85 
A ttatdy and elegant Schottiseh. 

Concert Gems ih>m Bobt Schumann^s Piano- 
forte Works. each 80 
No. & Schersino. Op. 80. Ko. 8. i. B5. 
Pure dasdeal musle. 

Cnshing Guard Quickstep. 8. B5. MittUten. 80 

A powerful bright thing to which the •• Onatd '* 
must march, march, marsn with the greatest satl^ 
faction. 

Pilgrim Chorus fVom '* Tannhauser." SptwiUr* 40 

For 4 hands. 8. E. 

For 2 •« 4. E. 

Elegant aad graoeftil, as Splndlar*B musio mast 
be. 

Cuban Dance. 4. Db and G&. Q. D. WiUuu 60 
Skilful adaptotlon of the weird Cnbaa ain. 

Maple Leaf Waltses. 8. M^Adam. 60 

A tastefid name for attractive mnsle. 

lUTitatlonalaPolka. 4. E6. BendeL 8 hands 00 

4 •• 80 

In Polka form, and is a brflliaat and elegant 



pieoe, in either form, 
piece. 



Suitable for an exhibltlOB 



ABBRBViATXoirs.— Beipnees of dllBculty are marited 
1 to 7. Ihe kty is marke<t with a cspltal letter: tis C, B 
flat, Ac. A small Roman letter marks the highest note, 
If on tlie staff, an Haite letter the highest note, if above 
the staff. 






K 



"»■»■ 



aec 



■ M A 



^ZC 



sa 



D WIGHT'S 



JOUENAL OF MUSIC, 



§^n d |ttt and ^tttutuxt. 



JOHN S. DWIGHT, EDITOR. 



VOLUME XXXVI 



BOSTON: 

PUBLISHED BT OLH'KK DTTSOST AKD COMPANT. 4St WAWll/OGTOS STKEBT, 

1877. 



Reprint Edition 1967 

JOHNSON REPRINT CORP. ARNO PRESS, INC. 

New York— London New York, N.Y. 

Library of Congress Catalog Card No, 67-24725 



Manufactured in the U.S.A. by Amo Press Inc. 



VOLUMES XXXV & XXXVI 



1875-1877 



I ItTIDEX:. 



IbnHofHufff. JX C. Inn 

AilBlC«Tat«d Mtuicnl Uunnre, CmcorMa, 
London . 

Albeiti, DoMMDico : hU SomtM 

Alln, B. D.^hi UiBical Leeturra 

AmbriM,A.w. Tr>inlation>frMnlil»An»(« 
£iil(ttt«r.9aS,nS, 380,288, 387; hi* Lib 
■ndDwrth... X» 

AawTicM CMhm of Mwie: « Ifew Tork 
MOHaiMrira^i KlmM 3B. 6^ 88, 98, 1H 

Apollo Clob, tit BoatML 110. ISMCMtcnm.) 

AitnaMUng. tnm Lmi^m "LMwton/ 
M-, In Annie* |ft.-6i(iciaff» MdtM> on 
Crawfordr „ m 

Art M omuib, i« Bootra, -OBtBlaK of VFI 

Aobw, LMt Dkja of, n; HoBioMKt to 406 



BaelofT, RmfH Ton; SkotiA of trf* Ckreor. 46; 
In B«rliB, IMl, 70; In Boston, 102, ItO, 
IIB, I2S. n4,SU;laKsW Tork 133, 1<% 
In Battinoro, 147; M PoocikeciMJv, 

H. T., 18B 

Buck*, M»d hi* Piuoforlo, 134, 1» 

- ■■ Olo, 881,ffM 



Bach,C.P,e. Hli Plaao SoBsta* 

BMk, J. a IB Sotm ( OanrcHtn, ) S: bb Work 
in Lcdpzlit, IPS ; new iittemt (W la Lob- 
6m, 196; hi* Otriib Marie (H, i/. Slot- 
ham). 73. I J. fi^t), 293, 2P0; Or<:lMatra] 
Huites, 3SP; Flano Huic, Snitea, etc., 
7a; Do., Heir PaMi'a L«cliir« ob, 319; 
CoocBTtoa, S&1, Sno; TranacriptioBa lor 
Piano (rofn hi> Vk>)ln Sonataa and r»- 
tatM. b7 Salnt-^acoa, 91.1; CantatM: 
" Gottea Zeit." etc., 3; "Ich balto riel 
BekwitnineniiBa," in Boaton, 3DH, 307; 
Magnificat in D, in Cindnnati 96, in 
Boaton, lSe;deacribei] b; Robert Pnu, 
186; Ina SL Matthew Paasion Hniia, In 

Boaton, S»: Haaa in B mlnoi 337,244 

Balfc: hi* " TidinDan," 24 

Baldmore: Peabodj Inatitnt« Conc«rta.I8S, 3&^ 
Bands, nod Theatre Orcheatraa, (J.S.D.)...S26 

BaiKiel : hia 0*ertnre to " Medea," 100, 800 

Bamett, John Pranciai hiB"Aac)<Bt Uari- 

Barrenth: Warner FritiVal, 23, 7i. 00, 03, 

101, »7, 3lW, 386, 397, SOS, t»4, 306. 30*, 803, 
SOS, SDO, SIO, SIS, >S0, as, M4, ml sib, 3S7. m 

Bean^, B^lMon of, ( J. 8, D. fn Stat. 1S40), 

BaetfaoT«n:hiaPiaBoSonBt«a,l&,90;pla7ed 
by Bnelow.SIG, 818,358; 0th Srmphanj, 
at Cincinnati, 30; (Crratnl PaUee), nTO; 
Eroieo, 134; Concerto for Piano, M8j 
Sextet, with two faoma 143, ISO. aciT; 
Septet iai Cambridge), 383; Serenade, 
op. 8. arr. for Orch«Btm, 399, 407 

Beethoren; M.Tainton, 20; a pilffrima^ 
to (B, Wagner), 43,49; Note* on, ftom 
A. W. Thayer. tB; ■ "SeTenth Concerto" 
br, 146: Ilia Birtbda; at Cryatal Palace 
Concert* in London, .TTO; hi* "PMtoi^ 
ale" illnatratod, 

Belli ni'* Remftiaa, 331 

Beloccs, Anno, 30 71,317, 

Bennett, Joseph ;.on the Wagner F^aUTal at 
Bayrenth 813,323,337 

Bennett, Sir Wm. Stenidale: Ma PUnoCon 
certo in F minor 

Berfcmann, ChtI : Obituary IToHce, 

Tribute to, by Dr. Doremna , 

Berlin : Theatre 8»tiiitkB ot, 380 

"Biom": Mr. F. Hanhall'a Open after 
Macbeth, London Athennuni,.. 

Blacaccinnti. Ellaa: an Appeal 413 

Biabop, Sir H. R. Hla Drnmntlc Gleei and 
Sonn, their itorv, by J. S. Cnrwen, 810, 333 

Blind, Ike, and Uuifc, U», 348; «a tnuera, 211 

Boocberini, Lond. Mut. 8(nnd(trd, "' 

and Haydn (A. W. T, ) , 

Boieldieu: tentennnry Fetea at Rouen,.. .. 

Boaton: Public Library, Muiical work* In, 
Art Museum 

Brahma, Joh. Hia Piano work*. 90,174 

Hi* Career, 108; hi* " Tritunpb-Lied," 
3i; QaartetiQB-aat,4tO; "Lieb«*-Ued- 
Br"ffaltae*. 401 

Braa* In*trunienta. Improred, 

Bnck, Dndley, 6fi, hia Centennial Cantata, 
338, 342, 261 



..947 



t^jmani. SigDom Kapp-TcnmB, nt, ST4 

CecUia, The; Choral Society In Boston, 

142,174,307,393 
Centennial CanlaM, The: Mr. LMnier'a Ei- 

ptonatloa, 142,256,361 

Centennial Muaic, The, at Philadelphia, 338 

243,359, 261,371,317 
CentnlPark Garden ConearU in N. T. 81,70 
CbemMni : his "Water-Carrier" b> London, 

138; Overtnra to "Ali Babit," 343; to "Lo- 

doiska," 360; Requiem for Hale Voices, 264 
Cklckering and Son*: tbeir new Concert 

HalHnNew Tork 131,141; 

their 50,0U0th piano 406 

Chime*, The, of Potadam,. 71 

Choir Boys in New Tork. Sttn, 340 

Cbopln: hi* mnsio ADtobiocrmpkicHl {F^. 

7Heeki}, 06; C. and Uot (from Ch. 

BolUawtt), 164 

Cknrch Choira in America, StoUbh Omar- 

rfifln, 388 

Cborch Music: Its Hlstorr, by Sir F. A. O. 

Ouseley, 170,18'J; in If ew Tork, 328 

in Boston 939i in Rome 266 

darinet Concerto, A. BrrMot 270 

Commerce of Music, The, Pull MnR Got 134 

Composer and Publisher; a Dlalofcne, Xond. 

M^uical World 208. 270 

Concert Ball*, Large and Small, Atlantic 

Monthly we 

CoBCIwrn in Bostob: 

ApfnsRnb. 4T, m,i»,iT«,Me,*r« 

AptcHiHiu*;II*ni Recital*, -..---. ..■.■.--...-' ...-Ml 

BiilcT, HtM Ulbn *• 

RmUifi rbllhunnmli! Clnb, 14J, IHi. 1*1 

HojIilM Clab,. 41. IM, »i, ». «H 

—i, — !!._._. II >, in, 174, 914 



Kew BrlEbm, Metoi istsnd. X. t. «■,*» 

HI, Ht, UB, IM, M1.M1, MS^M, M*. *l^«n,*».*j^ 

rarM ' '.14» 

PtrilwtctpWa SI.V*.»*.ni.KXM^M.*n 

in£i^!T?!:::;:::::::::::::.'":~::::-i:2 

wford, TkoBUW, ani Art Ib i 

i8.0im>d,lf.D.) C 

Creating the Sound, Mitt, Trait Retlew, SI 

CristoTiiri. BKrtoiowao, «iippa«ed fBTentor •< 

tbePUnoforte 131; CeBtennialat 

MiuitBii,....I3e; BlFIwenca, SI 



sawiilPetf't 



College 
Xulpnff. Hmi 
r%T, Hlu Ataj, 




Phllllppi, 
Binrtim Tl 

Coaipil'ii 

Bbrrwvid, 

Tliiitnii. ThiBdara : 



irlth rtnba, el 

B. Ontaii Rsi'liali, i'>,a>i 

: PlSDD MhIIiMm, l».m,lTa,»t,»l 

HiAdrlaldeaiidllMlMii... 4ea 

H.Ounbriiln HO.XI.ttl.KI.Mt 

.HideltBa; Piano Keduti, 



uiB«il»»Ii.. 



hisda'ra: Oroheiirtl Coaeerta, 
IIF7, ITS. in. IWi, IM, i«g. tal; H3. 3_. , 
brtilee).. m. Do. {Cambrtdei 

Tlpilrni, Mmc. sTid Ar>b«IU Goddaid, 

Tacter.tl.a. PUno Hid VocJConoaH,.. . 

Velab, Mlnll*. 

Corey's Hill a Park toi Boaton, A. V. T. 
CoBnupoiniKK ob, 

Baden-Badea, 






CiMlnDall,. 



Dance Forma, Old. S. Fmer'a Zeefarv M 

BacK 210 

Dsnnrentber, K. On the Opera, ftS 

Darid, Fielieim C«»«r. OUtuarr SIS 

Descriptive Mnaio, 67 

Deecriptlre Oratorio, A, by JK-.Ptorab 71 

Uiveruly of Opinions abont Mnainl Works, 

JtocUUi. 0» 

Doetors in Hnaic, how made, Xoad. JVtra. 
SlOBd. 00; CvKcenlia I(B 



Enr, The Shape of the, O. TiMwrtl, 301 

Elementary Fianofurte Instrnotion, W. S. 

B. Mathew* W 

Eneore*in Concert*. 161, 270 

Eni[li*h Ancf*tors.Oar, GHmpoeaof, Bright- 

m Herald, 103 

Enzlish Opera, wbatfait, Lond, Jfus. Stand SSO 
E*dp<rft Mme. Annette. tbeRn*danPi*ni*t, 
813, 334; (Miu. IVode Bm.) 3)9; in Boa- 
ton SS8. 407, 413, 414 

bterbaoya, Tbe, and Bardn, C. F. FoM, 

226,B.%M1, »*• 

Examinations, Musical, at Harrnrd College, lOS 
"Excellent Art of MMiek," Tbe, Sr. John 

BUnt, no 

Execntants and Editora. E. Damrtnthrr, fn 
CenconKo,. 33, 100 



Firaat, The Lej^end In Open. Frpf. J. 
SmuU,. .2; Mnsie to GoeU>e'B"FkB*t," 

H : SchonNinn'* Do, 1 13 

Fay, His* Amy. the Pianist,.. ..169, 176, 214, SW 

Fem^ Tioliniits 330 

Fine Art Mosenm, The, In Boston 311,367 

Form, Mufical. S. B. Mathewi, 306 

Franz, Robert; and Liart, 76; and the Ger- 
man Volkalied and Choral, by A. Saran, 
80, 89, 07, H«, 113; his description of 
Bach'* Magnificat, 135; _ Letter ' 



"ComaU" 175 J "The CrnsBdora,' 

"NoTelotten" for strinjt orche«tr«, 300 

Oadaby, Henry; hi* muilc to ''Aloe*ti*," 

iond. Jfa». Ttmes. ITS 

Oaetano, His* Nita, 351,300,308.415 

Oauntlett, Dr. H. J. Obituu?, 304; 

wh»t be *ay* of "Lohengrin" 45 

Glnck: bis Overture to "Iphigenia,'' 151, 38S. 

302,400; to "Alceate," 183; hlsKcliKi- 
ona Cantata "Le Judgment Dernier" JOO 



INDEX 



111 



Goilclard, Mme. Arabella: in New York, 
HI8, 110: in KoKton, 126 

Goctz: li in Comic Openly **Taminj; of the 
Shrew'- 2fM), .171 

Gounod, (li.is.. his aversion to bij: Theatres, 151 

Gregorian Mu^ic, Lond, Mus, Standard^ 250 



Ilandcl : Xotes on a few of hi« Operas, 15.T; 
his * Messiah/' 2:lU; Notes on. by J. 
Croxcdy, 148, lor); Franz's accompani- 
ments to, :!:A 300; his "Ilorculcs," :.0; 
•Ksthei" 138; ••Joshua", 21:1. 2.U); 

••Susanna" 240; his '•Thoodoi*a" in 

Porthuid, Me., 2:» : ••Solomon" 202 

Ilandcl and Haydn Society (Uost«m): Its 
President's annual report, and its early 
hi.«*toi V. 55, «Jl, Annual mcetinjj, *247; 
Kop<*»toircfrom 1815 to 1S7<», 24S; Fes- 
tival Propframme for May, 1ST7 309 

Ilanslii'k, Dr. Kdwai-d: Fn)m his Critical 
writinf;s: on Auber, 6*»; on the Grand 
Opera, !»aris, SI ; on Wagner's Tril- 
ogy and liayrcuth Festival, :J1U, :J24, 320; ^ 
on ruristine Nilsson 388 

Harris, Horatio: In Memoriam. (./. »S.) 105 

Harvard Musical Association : UH» Symphony 
Concerts and their Pro>;r;imm4-8 14, 22 

Harvard Tniversity: its Musieal Professor- 
ship, 7S, J»4, "it« musical examinations, 
103; its new SandcrH Theatre and Con- 
certs 2iK», :i5<>, :iS2, :Jul, 300 

Hauk. Miss Minnie, in Opera Abroad. 'Ml 

Hauptmann, Moritz: his Canons for three 
Soprano Vdices, t07 ; Sentences from 
his Letters •''••4, 400 

Haydn : ids Symphonies, 142, 101, 4(i7 ; 

H. and lV»ochcrini,. .400; his •'Sias<»n V 
0, 2J: New life of. bv Pohl,221, 30O.:i!i3; 
H. with the Estcrliazys, from Pohl's 
liiopraphv 225, 2^1, i*4l, 240 

Ilelmholtz, Prof., On the Quality of Sounds 

( W, .S. H. M'Uhfws,) 85; Practical 

Heaiinu of his Discoveries {Do.) 01 

Honselt. Adolph 108 

Hiller. Kerd., on Verdi's Requiem, lOO ; his 
••Mu.sical and Pci*sonal'* reviewed, 315; 
Sentence from, 401 ; new Symphony by . .400 

Histctrical Concerts, by G. L. Osgood and 
F. IJoscovitz, • 0, 31 

History of Music : Piof. Rltters. ... 100, 203, 410 

Ilume Musie. as it is and might be, LicMirc 

Hour, 75 

Honi Koit qui mal y pense: a story of Paris- 
ian Life 48 

Horslev, Charles Kdward : Obituary 105 

«*iIowIins: Wolves*' ^c., Mr. Leouhai-d and 



Importance of a Local Orchestra in Boston. 

3 IS, .302 

Inaudible Sympathy 217 

Instrumentation: of the ••Messiah," com- 
pleted by R. Franz, 215. :i5rt, :jO0; of 
bach's St! Matthew Passion 223 

Itouard. Nicolo : his *• Joconde,*' 3^i9 

*• Jakderjiantkillcren :" a ** Wajjnerian Tea- 
travlopy,'* from ••Mr. Punch's Pocket 

Book," 300, 403 

Jensen, Adolf 171 

Joachim, Jo.scph. «0. 108; his Detractors in 
Berlin. 220; Joachim at Stuttpart, :)SS; 
in London, 404; his Doctor's Degree at 
Cambridge 410 

Kapp- Young Cappiani, Sicnora Luisa. .310. 374 
Kastner's Pyrophone, or Flame-Organ (Fun-, 

)}y /?. Uittpr) 1-25 

Keller. Joseph A: in Memoriam. E. H. O.. 23 
Keyed-Stringed Instruments: Sir Robert 

Stewart's Lectures 20, 28, 37, 44, 51 



Laug, B. J., at the New York Philharmonic, 

3s;J, 3S9 

Lanier. Sidney: his Centennial Cantata, 2;i3. 
and his Explanation and Defense, '242; 
Do. reviewed 255, 201 

" La Prova d'un Opera Scria: ** a Reminis- 
cence ( }ftne. Jiu'lersdorff) 114 

Lady .>tudents at Milan 210 

Leonhard, Hugo, and his Critics, 105; his 
Matinees 351 



Lindan. Paul: his ••Temperate Letters from 

Hayreuth," .^20, 325 

Listening t<» Music ( M'. G, Mrynutjht) 201 

Liszt and Robert Franz: Letter from A. 

Liszt, ("ranz: in Leipzig, 123; at a Matinee, 
277; what Schnmann said of him.:)rKS; 
his "Benediction of God in Solitude.'* 
15; his ••Prometheus," 27, 12:?, 2ii7; 
Liszt and Chopin, 154; his ••Chri.stus'* 
in New York, IW; his "Mignon'sSong," 

:174 ; Liszt described by Lc Charivari 371 

Local Orchestras, their Importance 318. 302 

London "Monday Popular" Concerts for 
1877, London Times 404, 410 



Macfarren, G. A. His Oratorio •• The Res- 
urrection," 810 

Maie PartS<»ng8 176, 350 

Mammoth Wagner College Scheme, in New 

Martial Music in Cvermany 177 

Mason. William : his Piano Recitals 312 

Massenet, Jules : his Cantata " Eve,'* 5 

Materialism in Music 40 

Mendelssohn : his Place in Modern Music ( //. 
//. Statham), 101 ; his Birthday at Lon- 
don ('rystal Palace, 307: I'is "Sou and 

Stranger '* in Boston 230 

Mermet. A., his •* Joan of Arc," 224, 227 

Milan : Its .Musical Students 144, 210 

Minuet. l{cviv;il .>f the (.V. Y. Tribune) ISS 

Mozart Club in New York 300 

Mozart : Continuations of his • Zaubcrflotc" 
(,/. Srilt-r), 10; from a Physical and Mor- 
al point of view, by V, Wilder, 42; Com- 
plete edition of his works. 24S, 2JS4; M. 
in Italy (CornfiiU Maanzine), 270; what 

Hauptmann wrote of him 334 

Mueller, Tlieodor : Obituary, lierlin Echo 152 

MvsK? AnnoAiK [See also CoRiiKspo.vnEXtK : 

•^ 1**1 tl'l *1IA|*' ilC>«*« • ■ •« • ••■ ••■• • ••• •••• ••*• •*•• ■•• • ^lv«a 

^\ I I ^* III * 'Uri^ ■•• •■••••••■•■•■••••••••••■•^•••■■« ■■■•*lr% 

«*\ III W t^ril*«aa*B »•••••• •■•••■■*••■«■■•••••■•■> ■■••■)|«9 

Bayreuih, 71, IK), 101. ru. 2M. 2«S 292. 20S. 302. .T«T,. 

.110, :n.t. 32*2, .124 325, .72S .^K;. 311 

nerltn 31 , 64, tf3, 212, 218, 220, 223, 2UU. 371 , 373 

liji Irf .1.1 'JiW 

llinninirhnm (Rni;l.) 27S, 309 

Itri^ht'Mi (Cn(;I.) .1<4 

Jp lll^?^«|^>*aa >••• •■•■ •■ '• ••••• •••■ «■■•«••■ ••■««* mUO tV^^ 

<:.TinbruIj:o University (En;;!.) 3, 4lfi 

C<»I«»«ne 221 . 3C3, Am 

I >ij«»n .mi 

Dri'Mirn .140 

I ru«i!«H(1orf 3!> 

Mm' 'II IM ^(* •• ••■■ ■•■■ ■••» • •■ ■•■» •••« •■•• ■■•• •■•■^Ivf V^T 

Frnnkfort-on-the .Main 3'iii 

JlalllllliirC ■ ■ ■ ' •• •' •«■• •• •«•• ■••• ••»• «• . • •■ ••■■ •••■ ■• aW 1 

V 1 ll 11*' 1 f ■•••■ atat •••••■■• ■••■ ••••■■ •■■««•••••■«•■ ••• %^Kj 

Urn fnni, ( Enpl ) .^{| 

Koiii-jHliiTg 341 

I^ipxi:; 13 123. 145, 1S». 221. 248. 320. 340. 3.M. 373 

LJv«»rjMM>l .T»«3 

LoniJon. 3 S, 10. 19. 28. 34. 4.''.. 80. 84. 87. 107, 111. 1'23, 

1.18, \Wi. 19s 20.'). 221.237, 2.V2. 209, 277. 284, 317. .^^^. 

3J9, 341, 352, 353, 357, 308. 370, 373, 384, 3»li, 3V7. 404 

410. 412 

Milan 144 210 

rariii, 5, 3S. 8l, 14C, \9\ 202, 221, 224. 22«, X\\. 3.'.2 3 lO, 

372, 373, 405, 40S 

R .mi» C4, 25G. 37J 

Kniion 5<» 

.^.'lilf'Swit;.! I.ilrttein 68 

8tnttp.irt 3«8 

Vienna 169. 275. 388 

Wriin.'ir 98 

WicsbaUen 189, 221 , 356 

Mu.sical Festivals: at Cincinnati. 7, 25, 30. 
304; in Schleswig-Uolstein. 68; at Wor- 
cester, Mass., 110. 120, .3*28; at Aix-la- 
Chapelle, 202; at Antwerp. 315; at 
Bristol. Enj^l.. 341. (See also under 
liayrcuth and Wagner.) 

Musical Intkli.igbnce: [See also Cokres- 
roNnKSCK]: 

Itnltliiiore 24. MH, 147, 2.%3 

rainhri«lKC, Mass l.W, 175, 382. 391. 3«»9 

" Blllfl^O. ■•■•••••••■. ■■•••»•««■••»•••«•■ ••••••••] If l| *■ l« 

* lilt lllllclll «■•••>•■■••■■*•■••••••••••>•■ ••■•l| ^Of vVf iJhVO 

M '' ll''lk*aa* ••«• •••• •••• •••• •• •••• •• •• ••••• •• •■ •• »• at^lV 

"*i*riM»iiiio\%ii| I •!•••• ••••■ ■■*• •« •••• •••■ • •«•■ «••« *« w*Ml 

r,rcenwich, R. 1 2:n 

Lawrenre. M;«M 80 

Kitrlitlvld, Conn 295 

New York. 108, 133, 196, 228, 243, 287. 312, 334 IKW. 347, 

349, 380, . 381, 383 3S« 392 
riiiUidrlphl.l 112, 135, 221 , 238, 263, 295, 330, 3!»2 

l*ou);hkeepsie, X. Y ICO. 4»K) 

.♦^..Icni, M a'^s 391 

.^priniirttM, 111 l.W 

Tou.nto. r \V 24 

Vi'McMlev. M.THs 207. 232 

"\V..nestcr. Ma^ 104. Ill, 116, 120.232,327,336 

Mu.sical Materialism, 40; Precocity, 76; Crit- 
ieibiu: C. K. Salaman's paper on, IU2, 



130: I>o., in AUantir, 204; Moeeenns in 
New York. 152 : W^orks in Host/m Pub- 
lie Library. 171; Artists and their Art 
{Joseph liennett), 104; Ilypcr-Criticism, 
20O; Libraries {Atlantic), 208; Jugprler- 
ies { London Municnl Standard), 2^tR; 
" Musical Water-pest." The, from A. W. 
Ambros. 2«W. 273, 2S1 ; Form. Ouseley 
on ( ir. S. /;. 3/a/Afics). 305; Pitch : I^t- 
tcrfrom Sims Keeves, •'^32 ; Teims, Stain- 
ers's Dictionary of, 376; Piano-playing, 
{yfathncs,) 402 

Musical Professorship: at Cambridge, Engl., 
3; at Harvard University. 78, 04; Doc- 
tors, how made, 60; Degi^ees (LoncZon 
Vonrordin) 1 W 

Musica Peripatetica 270 

Music ix Vol. XXXV: 

So. 2 -21. Menael»sohn*8 *' First Walpareit- 

Nlpht." 
No 22-26. Part-Songs by Schomann and 

Hauptmann. 

Music IN Vol. XXXVI: 

No. 1-36. •• Comala." by N. W. G.ide. 

Music: Pure, vs. Wagncrism (C. L, Osgood.) 
4; Listening to. 201; of the Past, (Ser- 
mon by Rev. Mr. Footc in King's Chap- 
el), 13; its Pictorial Power (J/a<;/Virrfn), 
57; at Oxford and Cambridge, 69: as a 
Social IJore, 259; in Belgium {E. G.), 
2r».s, 315; as Commerce ( Pall yfall Gaz.)^ 
124; f<»r the Illind. 148, 211, :U8; for the 
]*eo])le ( E. Thayer), 376 ; among the low- 
er classes of Saxony and Prussia. 3^:15; 
(vregorian. 250; The Art safe {London 
Tituen,) 'M\:\; a Plethora of. in Boston, 
342 : Modern Tendencies of ( Hauptwnnn, 
Jlillcr, et aL), 401 ; Past and Present* in 
our cities. {N. V, Timc^), 378, 405; 
Abuse of (If. C. Lunn) 409 



Ncate, Charles, the oldest living Musician 

(C. K. Salmn,in ) 122, 130 

Nibelungen The: Legend of, 250. and Wag- 
ner's Trilogy. . . .25<l, 286, 292, 21M, 296, 2^, 
302, 306, 309, 310, 312, 320, 322, 324, 325. 

328, 337 
Nilsson (Mme. RouTsaud), Christine: her vis- 
it to her Birthplace, :)52 ; what llanslick 
says of her in Vienna 3S8 



Old Dance Forms: Ernst Pauer*s lecture on 
Bach's piano music 219 

Oldcht Li\ing Musician, The 122, 130 

Oflenbach, in New York. 243; his ** Fantas- 
io." ** Corsaire Noir," etc., descrilied by 
Ambros, 266, 273; his Book on Music in 
America 276, 382 

Opera Abroad : in London. 8, 10. 28. ?A, 80, 
87.98. 107, r.)H, 2«)5. 221. 2:17. 269, 277, 
2S4. 317, tV:V\, :i:W. 357, 296; in Berlin, fM, 
371, 212, 218; in Italy, ;i84; Vienna, 189. 
Sii^; in Rome, 64; in Paris {llanMlick), 
81: Do 146. 224, 227, :n2, 408 

Opera: in Boston; (Tietjens), 199, 2<10; (Psl- 
mieri, Philltpps, etc.), 22:i, 231 (Kel- 
logg), 407, 41(» ; ( Mendelssohn's * Son and 
Stranger,") 23«>; in New York, 8, l(»:l, 
127, 24:^, 318, 381, .392; in Chicago. 359; 
in Baltimore, 136; in Philadelphia, 112. 

263. 317, 336 

Opera: Mr. Oannreuther's views, 53; from 
the Back {Arcadian). 288: English: 
What is it? 3:)0; Decent and Indecent, 
3:16 ; the Rise of 377, 3.^, 893 

Opera House: New National in London, 107; 
M. Strakoseh's sehemc for New York. . .388 

Operatic Companies. Jionton Herald, 2 ; 
Philosopher, the ( Dr. Gaunt lett) .59 

Oratorio: Recent Attempts at, in France. ... 31 

Organ Music in Boston, 279; in New York, 
48, 119, 245 ; in Chicago. .40. 131, 280. .344, 406 

Organs: in the Catholic Cathedral, Ik>ston, 
102 ; at Trinity Church, Boston 381 

Orchestral Pitch and Tune. Concordia 65 

Orchestras: Importance of a local one in 
Boston, 318, 392; in Theatres, 826; in 
Church Music :«;i. 361 

Orpbeon.The. in Paris: a *' Seance Solen- 
nclW (J. S. D. 1860) 17 

Orth, John, pianist 231 



Paine. John K: Musical Professor at Har- 
vard, 78; his first Symphony, 173, 175, 
181, 191, 220, 280; Overture to "As you 
like it," 350, .399 




Pfttey, Mme. Lmid, 8aL Frogramme 84 

P«abody Consenrfttory, The, in Baltimore. . .SS8 
Pedal, The: an old matter (Wieck) on ite 

nee • 18 

Perkins Ins titntion for the Blind : Director's 

Report on Matio 148,311,848 

Peripaietio Character of onr Oreheatraa, 

cnibe,etc t70 

Phillippe, ICiseea Adelaide and Mathilde, in 

Opera 228,281 

Fhillipe, Henrj : Obituary. Athautum .854 

Pianists as Adrertislng Agents 880 

Piano-Torte. tlie: its Orifrin ((7. A. Sola), 

188; a «'BefonBed Key-hoatd "* fin 141 

Piano Practice: To Parents and Guardians, 

H. C LufMt 82; Use of Slow, Mathew*^ 

821, 402 
Pictorial Power of Music, The. O. A, Mae" 

farren TfT 

Pitch, Musieal. Atrnt ff««ves 882 

Plethora of Music, in Boston, 842 

PoBTirr: 

A Monday Nlf(tat*fi T>rwun : A FantMla. AmeA . .StS 
An Infiantiitlon. Written for the Annniil Dinner 

of the Hamrd If osteal Aeeodation. O.P. 

AwMcA S77 

A mpphte Ode : The Ameriean Hero, ITU 47 

Anftnst. 8onnet in the Jl'anlle, /T. JT. 97S 

BerHos. LlPSt* Wagner. /iMmir Bawmomd RifUr. . IflS 
Omtennlal Hjobii. Phllad. May 10, 181V. /. O, 

WktUUr* 

Centennial Meditation of Colmnhia. JMa^y X«- 

mUr 

Corinne— CohmwUk M.W.BoU 257 

Lohcnfrrin In London, 1S7S 73 

Love*p neward. F, W Bottrdi/htk 80 

Mtehel Anieelo Bnonarottl. (7. P. Cnmeh 1 

Mnelcal Bonnets, from the Qennnn of 2>. JV. 

8lrau§9 « 184 

National Centenaial Ode, July 4, 1878. Atyorrf 

7^tor...« r r.....988 

Oneuy Oiie (■nnMted hir an Incident in Baydn's 

life/. 408 

Oriental Lyrics. Fannp Jtavmpnd Riltm' 186 

OnrDcnd: Hanrard Class or *88 121 

Pateatrlna. J^wmht Mapn wm d MiiUr 108 

Bamnel O. Howe. Memorial, Veb. 8, 1878* 0. T. 

Mf9okM • ...177 

"Sweet la the nieasnra.'* J.8.D 10 

The Danelnic Bear. J.R.LowM 80 

The Hero (Dr. 8. 0. HoweO. /. 9. WMUUr 181 

The Metamorphosis of Flants, from Ooethe. 

J,S. D 188 

The Mlnstr(>rs Cnrse, from Uhland. O. T. Jlrooft*. Ml 

The Mnsleal Student. Lvmd. Miu. World 387 

The PInea and the Sea. C. P. Otaneh 180 

The Bonree of Verse. O.T.Mtook» 14ft 

TheSymphony. Sidn^ latiUr 41 

To a Lllae. T. IT. AwniMM ' 

To the Tone-Art. From C. F. D. Sohnbart, I7 

jr^M.JhU 881 

Pohl^C. F. His Life Of Haydn 800,898 

Potsdam: its Chimes 72 

Pratt, 8ilaa O., aa a Composer 40 

Preoodty in Muaio 70 

Bameau, Jean Philippe: FestiTalbi his hon- 
or at Dijon, 801 : his Operas 878 

BaO; Joachim: hia Life, 108; '' Im Wajde " 
Symphony. 10; hIa Piano Concerto in C- 
mfnor, 128; *' Alpen-Sinfonle," 180: 
"Hunfcarian Suite,'' 206; '*Lenore'' 
Symphony, 401 ; Symphony in C, No. 2. .415 

Reinecke, Carl 108^180 

RheinherKer, Joseph 171 

Biets, Julius: His Orerture " Hero and Le- 

ander," 416 

Rimhault, Dr. E. F. Ohituary 8^2 

«' Rinffinff ** in the Ears 888 

Bitter, F. L., His History of Music 208, 416 



Riy6, mss Julia, the Pianist, 16, 24, 140, 191, 
216, 272, 804; her Style, CMeago Mum. 
Betiew 412 

Rosa, Carl : his English Opem Comnany, 107, 

Rossi, Lauro: hia Openi"Biom''.... 806 

Roie-Perfcins, Mme. Marie. 8aL JVogramme. 123 
Rubinstein, Anton, 108; hU "Mac<»beea," 
212; '^Feramors/* 2)0; Rubinstein in 
London, 262; his Concerto in D minor. 
263; Rubinstein aa Opera, Oratorio ana 
Symphony Composer, Ambros, 280. 207; 
his •K)cean*' Symphony, 280, 401 ; ''Par- 
adise Loat,'' 207; Quartet in O minor, 
860; what Hauptmann says of him 401 



Saint-SaSns, Camille: his 'Danse Macabre," 
182; Piano Concerto, No. 2. in O minor, 
188, 214^ 406, 414 ; Concerto for Tiolon- 
cello, 100; '*Phaeton,''Poeme Symphon« 
ique, 100; Variations for two pianos on 
a theme by BeethoTcn, 218, 861 ; Tran- 
scriptions from Sonatas, Cantatas, etc, 
of Bach for piano, 218 ; Trio in F, op. 18, 
214; "Le Deluse" 

"Sapphic Ode" of 1776, and Tune of ''Bunk- 
er Hill," 47, 71 

Scholts, Hermann 171 

Schopenhauer and Wagner 201 

Schubert, Ttkhz: Nottebohm's Thematic 
Catalogue of his works, 1 ; B. D. Allen's 
Lecture on, 142 ; his Grand Duo, op. 140, 
arransed as Symphony by Joachim, 168 ; 
Sjrmphony in C, iftO ; O^rture to "Alf on- 
so and Estrella." 867 

Schumann, Mme. Clara, in London 287, 410 

Schumann, Bobert : hia "Faust" music, 114 ; 
-"GenoTeTa" at Leipzig, 146; his Piano 
Quarteta, 182; Concert Allegro, op. 184, 
100 ; third Sonata, in F minor, 216 ; Can« 
tata "The Singers Curse," 268; " Co- 
logne" Symphony, 808; "Orerture, 
Scherso and Finale,'' 808; hia literary 
works 826 

Seller, Mme. Emma: her School of Vocal 
Art in Philadelphia 206 

Sherwood, Mr. and Mrs. Wm. H. In Berlin, 
228; in Boston, [See CovobbtsI 818, 842, 860 

Singing and Singing Teachers, from "Piano 
andSong,''by WUek 10 

Slow Piano Practice. W, 8. B. Mathem. . . .821 

Sonata Form, The : its History. W, A. Bar' 
reU 00, 74 

Sound : How to create it. Mum. Trade Beo. .880 

Spontini, Wagner's Beminiscences of (con- 
ceded), 11 ; his " Vestale " in Bome 116 

Strauss, Johann: his "Indigo" and "Caml- 
yal in Rome" described by Ambros 281 

Sussex "Whistling Song," The 108, 183 



Tamburini, Antonio: Obituary, 866; hia 

Funeral • 884 

Tendenciea of Modem Music: Sentences 

firom Hauptmann. Hiller. etc 884, 401 

Testing Choir Boys in New York. Am 840 

Thalberg, Mile. ^ar4 20 

Thayer, A. W. Noteaftt>m 06,400 

Theatre Francais, The, in Paris. H. JameM^r. 41t 

Theatre Orchestras, snd Bands 

Thomas, Theodore, and hia Orchestra, (See 
CoHCEBTS in Boaton, also Musical Ih- 
TBLuoxHcx, etc.) : his Summer Garden 



Concerts in New Yi>rk,66, 84, 70;. Popu- 
lar do., 827. Not to be dUbanded 

Thursby, Miss Emma C.,. . . 107, 188. 100, 

848, 876, 410 

Three Opiniops: of Musical Progreas in ' 
'America. Brabuard^M Mum, YFbrld, 878; 
Do^i^. F. Times 406 

Three Opera Debutantes. Lend. Concordia, . 20 

Tietiens, Teresa, 00, 00; in New Tork, 108; 
in Boston, 110, 120 ; in Oratorio, 127, 
228: in Baltimore, 147; in Opera (Bos- 
ton), 100« 200 : reappearance in London, 

287,284,881 

" Tremolo," or " Vibrato," The. W. H. 
CununUipM 84 

Tfechaikowaky, P. His Quartet in D, 277; 
" Bomeo and Juliet," 866 

Ttming: an Orchestra, W. B, SUme, 06; Pi- 
anoa, by the BUnd 211 

Unemployed BCanagers, Singers, etc, in New 

York. HercUd 880 

Upshot of Wagnerism, The. J>r, X. HaneUek, SIO 

Varesi, Mile. Elena ^ 20 

Yassar College Concerts 400 

Yerdi: hi8Beqniem,100; "Aida" in London.200 

Yiolinists, Female 

Yocal Art: Mme. Seller's School in Phila- 
delphia i 

Wagnerian Hotsam and Jetaam, Lend, Mum. 

World 204 

Wagnerism, ts. Pure Music, O. L, Oigeod, 4 ; 

an Italian's Opinion 897 

Wagner, Richard: hia Theoriea {EdMmrg 
Betiew) J 178. 187; and Schopenhauer, 
201 ; his reminiscences of Spontini, 11 ; 
anticipated by Mehul, 21 ; hia " Lohen- 
grin" in London, 84; '^ Art Life and 
Theories" of, translated by E. L. Burl- 
ingame, 88; his " Pilgrimage to Beetho- 
yen," 48, 40 ; his Method (Dr. OauiUieU), 
46, 60; Festiyaland Nibelungen Trilogy 
at Bayreuth, 71, 101. 2C0, 267, 280, 202, 
204, 200, 208, 802, 800, 800, 810, 818, 820, 
822. 824, 824, 820, 887, 807; his "Tristan 
and Isolde," 08, 218: " Flying Dutch- 
man." 888, 881, 410; his F^urce, ^A Capit- 
ulation," 200; Centennial March, 221, 
240; An Italian's Opinion, 807; Where 
he has failed (ilrcaiffaa), 204 ; Compared 
by F. Hiller to Napoleon IIL, 210: at the 
N. York Philharmonic, 847; in the 
Thomas Concerta, 880, 808; his Letter 
on Gluck's Orerture to " Iphisenia," 
886. 308; Hanptmann on hia "Riensi" 
and "Tannhauser," 401; his Close Cor- 
poration Opera Plan 408 

Warren, Saml P. His Organ Concerts in 

New York 246 

Wartel, Maitre, and hia American pu^ls. ... 88 
Weber, C. M. von: Characterised tj F. We- 

her ill 1 

White, Joseph,' riolinist' *. *. '. '. V.'.'.W.'.'. . . .'. 224 
Wleck, Friedrich : on the Use and Abuse of 
the Pedal, 12; on Sinj^ng and Singing 
Teachers, 10 ; his " nano and 8(»kg " 

translated 80 

Willcox, J. H.. Mus. Doc Obituiuy notice. . 08 

Wolfsohn, Carl, in. Chicago 246 

Woman as a Mualdan, from an "Art-His- 
torical Study " by r. Jf. Bttter 804 





uxul 





Whole Hfo. 913, 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, APRIL 15, 1876. Vol. XXXVI. No, 1. 



11 



Warner and his Faroe. 

[From Cbncordto, March 4 ] 

On one of tho^ fine summer aftemooTit nuch 
M you sometimee see on the borders of the Twr, 
in the year 1865, I. aecomnanied by a profes- 
sor of the UnUersity of Mnnich. ifent for a 
stroll hevond the )Brat«s of the PropTlanm. As 
we fonnd onrseWeA in front of a villa, bnilt af- 
ter a fancifal style of architectare and snr- 
ronnded by hij^h walls, the professor snddenly 
halted, and. tuminir to m^. said. ** Shall we 
go and see Wagner f " « * With all my heart. " 
I replied, my anxiety being prompted rather by 
enriosity than sympathr. 

He rang the bell. The door was opened to 
US by a mnlatto, wearing a fez. We presented 
oor cards, and, two minotes afterwards, we 
were shown into a delieioos little sitting-rvtom 
opening on to a Terandah. which led down to 
a garden foil of roses and batterflies. A lady 
was reclining laxily on a cane-chair, fanning 
herself with a Chinese fan, and by her side, 
with his elbows on the piano, was a gentleman 
in spectacles, taming over the leaves of a man- 
Qscnpt score. In the middle of the room was 
a marble bnst of ihe yonng King of Bavaria. 
The lady, in a most gracious manner, asked ns 
to be seated, and commenced speaking to- me 
in the purest French. Our convenation was 
snddenly interrupted by the slamming of a 
nde-door, from which emerged a demon-like 
flgtire, his long hair hanging over his shoulders 
and his spindleshanks terminating in huge felt 
shoes. This was Wagner. He introdaeed us 
to M. and Mdme. Buelow. 

Out of friendship and admiration for Wag- 
ner, Blilow had acted as the ehef d*&rchs9fr€ of 
his operas. It was the night before TrMan 
and Mds was to be produced, and the masUro, 
full of feverish impatience, could scarcely keep 
himself quiet. He Jumped and fidgeted about 
in his slippers; he threw his restless spider-arms 
from one side to the other; the words rushed 
rrom his mouth in discordant sounds ; it seemed 
like a torrent swollen with heavv rain. 

Such was Wagner in 1865, at Munich. Such 
we find him, after a lapse of ten years, at Bav- 
reuth. The only change is in the hair, which 
IS now slightly grizzled. The head is the 
same, as resolute in expression as ever; as 
strongly marked in outline — the head of a 
knight of old. His gestures are still as brusque 
as the thrusts of a rapier end his tongue has 
still the volubility of a windmill. The man is 
highly nervous and passionate. He is a musi- 
cal Or*.ando. He is alwavs furious, as though 
he were going to fight a duel or preach a cru- 
. *:. ^* ^ » P«rf«ct volcano. In all he does, 
in all he says, there is a mixture of lava, of 
flame and of fire. When first you approach 
this volcano, you seem to smell burning, and 
vou feel tempted to call the fire brigade. He 
is haughty and violent in his sublime extrava- 
gance. If ever he l«ecame Prince of Lippe or 
of Anhalt he would have all his subJecU led to 
the opera by the police; he would forbid, on 
penalty of death, people to play on clarinets, 
zithers, pianos or hannoniciCs of the principali- 
ty anv C4)mpositions but his own ; and he would 
introduce by decree into private houses musical 
coffee-grinders, musical beds and sofas, and 
musical soup-tureens and water-bottles. If 
ever he obtains the favor of the King of Prus- 
sia, be will condemn the Parisians to thirty 
years of TannkdM$er. Despotism and love of 
power are the basis of this contradictory and 
warm nature. 

^ He must tyrannize, he must abuse. He beats 
his players, and then afterwards, with tears in 
his eyes, begs their pardon. One moment he 



insults his singers, the next flatters them and 
heaps presente on them. In one word, he i^ 
impossible. He has qnarre1l<»d with all his 
friends, he has never been able to ai^ree with 
any theatrical manager, and. at last, deter- 
mined to reiflrn as ahsolnte monarch, he has 
been ohliired to hnild himself a theatre. Louis 
IT. himself was obliffed to have a draw-bridge 
built to his own castle; as soon as the Kniffht 
Tjohengrin is seen throwing un the dnst on the 
distant road the bridge is raided. He was in 
a very fair way to eat up all Bavaria out of the 
King*s hand. 

This northern German has Eastern tastes and 
Sardanapalian desires. He has scattered about 
gold by the shovelful ; he has thrown fortunes 
out of window. 

When he travels he must have his special 
train, his servants, his waitinir-maids, his bed- 
hangingft of yellow silk worked in gold, his 
silver and his wine. He hires entire hotels, and 
asks for the bedroom in which princes have 
slept. At Bayreuth he holds a real court, and 
at thfs moment I do not know of any other so 
brilliant in Germany. He has his equipages, 
his comedians, his courtiers, his lacqueys and 
his favorites. From the four comers of the 
world people come to solicit an audience, and 
to prostrate themselves before the pontiff of the 
music of the future. 

His villa has th^ sacred aspect of a temple. 
The fagade from the roadway is adorned with 
a larpce fresco, lepretenting'Wotan. the God- 
dess of Music and Siegfried. Wotan and 
Siegfried are the two principal characters of 
the 29%bdftnffen^rinff^ the opera in three days, 
for the performance of which the theatre at 
Bayreuth has been bnilt. Wagner has given 
Wotan the features of the tenor. Schnorr von 
Camlsfeld, who was to sing the part, but who 
died yonng. The Goddess of Music is repre- 
sented bv Mdme. B&low (I should say, Mdme. 
Cost ma Wagner), and Siegfried by his son of 
six years of age. Above these allegorical pict- 
ures appeara. in gold letters, the name of anoth- 
er person belonging to the inMnnffenring^ he 
who gave the house its name — ^Wahnfried. If 
the exterior is a church, the interior is a pago- 
da. The lari^ reception-room, surrounded bv 
a circular irallury, is tiirhted by a cupola. The 
busts of Wagner and Mdme. Coslma are dis- 
played for the veneration of the faithful on a 
sort of altar, round which are ranored, like 
Brahmins, the statues of Lohenirrin, Tannhftu- 
ser, Siegfried, Tristan and Walter von der Vo- 
gelweide, draped in marble. 

From this sanctuary, where Yichnou-Wag- 
ner only shows himself to his worshippers, and 
only in his unpablished works, you go into 
another room, the window of which looks on 
to a terrace. A bookcase fills three ^des of 
the room, and a grand piano, half-hidden by a 
(^rapery. opens its ivory mouth like the famil- 
iar monster of the place. The walls are orna- 
mented with medallions of Schiller, Goethe. 
Louis II., and of Schopenhauer, the Pantheist 
philosopher. The splendor of this room is 
somewhat theatrical. . Everything in it is bril 
liant and dazzling, and the picturesque disor- 
der is poasibly the result. It is here that Wag- 
ner ascends his tripod. 

He works in the morning. According to 
the German motto, ** Morgenstunde ist golden- 
scunde." In the winter an immense fire is 
lighted, the rose-oolbred candles, burning in 
silver candlesticks, emit voluptuous odors; in 
the summer the windows are open, and the 
room is filled with the sweet scent of the dawn. 
Before setting to work, Wagner takes a bath, 
and in a cup of blaok coffee, brought to him in 



a gold cnp, po trs forth libations to the godd 
of mnsic. W.iat care he takes of his Ixidy and 
mindl When the great naturalist, Buffon, 
wrote the works the strle of which answers so 
well to the majesty of the subject, he was sat* 
isfled to wear a decent coat a shirt-frill and 
ruflles of lace ; when Wagner begins to work, 
he must needs have the curtains and the hang- 
insrs of his r K>m in harmony with the subject 
upon which he is engaged : he even insists on 
his dressing crown, trowsers, cap and slippers 
being in harmony with his musical subject. It 
is not essv to complv with all thuse require- 
ments. When the object has been attained the 
maettro exhibits his Inspiration by strange an* 
tics and small exclamations of joy. Wagner 
can only work in complete silence. As soon aa 
he is heard to caper and to cry, no one is al- 
lowed to move: at the slightest noise his muric 
tak«>s immediate fliirht and the world loses a 
ehefd^mwtre. When Warner, owing to the 
kindness of Meyerbeer and Maurice Schlesinger, 
lived in Paris, he required neither this ridica- 
lous Inxuiy nor this stupid affectation to in- 
spire him. It was in the year 1840, and at this 
time Wairner. who w^i himself up as a mortal 
enemy of kings, knew what It wa« to suffer 
hunger nobly. He did not then present hit 
works to the world as though they were sybil- 
line leaves; his music was not incomprehensi- 
ble, it had some charming oases. At 1 1 o'clock 
Wagner crosses Bavreuth in a carriage and goes 
to his theatre, which is at the other extremity 
of the town. The lehearsals generally laiit 
three hours. Upon his return he breakfatta 
alone, taking ovsters, eold meat and wine. 
Two hours later he dines with his family. Hit 
dinner consists invariably of six sa^iis. Ho 
has an inordinate passion for thrashes, and he 
manages to get them all the year round. Cheese, 
likewise, is a favorite relish of his. In his cel- 
lar he has a special compartment which is 
called ** The Cheese Museum : *' here Brie ripens 
gently, Gruy^re becomes a deeper gold, Roque- 
fort becomes stronger, and Camenbert melts 
into tenderness. Wagner only drinks beer from 
a patriotic motive. Every evening he goes to 
Ankerman^s, the general rendezvous of all the 
singers and musicians, and drinks his beer. In 
the midst of the smoke of pipes which envel- 
opes him, be resembles a god of Walhalla who 
has descended, inaognUo, into the country of 
potatoes. At his own house the antlior of 
TVinaAdffMsr only moistens his divinity with 
champagne. His little suppers are reputed as 
being very lively, Im grwe$ le$ rendent grUoU. 

His jokes make the ladies present turn as red 
as peonies. He is a man emphatically full of 
contrasts, for if he finds his friends a little too 
jovial, he has an easy method of damping their 
spirits. Mysteriously he brings forth a duk 
lantern and invites his friends to follow him. 
Ton go dot^n into the garden, passing through 
a door half -hidden by a curtain of ivy, and you 
suddenly find yourself in tlie midst of a sombre 
forest surrounded by strange fantastic sounds. 
At first you are puzzled, then you begin to get 
anxious, and at length silence roots you to tne 
spot. Wagner suddenly darts his lantern upon 
a huge block of granite, and in a aepulchral 
voice says— ** My friends, this is my tomb; 
think of death t " This announcement acts as 
a douche — you return to the drawing-room to 
talk of death, the plurality of worlds, the soul, 
and virtue ; but you always finish up with Bis- 
marck and France, 

Wagner has always thought himself a great 
politician. In 1840 he was at the head of the 
insurgents of Dresden, and he threatened to 
bum and pillage all within his reach. To 



210 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC- 



him a revolution, with its rolley of musketry, 
discharges of cannon, wild cries and streams of 
blood was as fine as a great tragic opera. He 
was compelled to take refuge in Switzerland. 
From Zurich he fired off incendiary pamphlets 
against the German despots. But since then 
the Parisians have had the bad tast« to hiss his 
TannhduMer^ and it is not Qermany but France 
which be now attacks. 

The defeat of the French army, the bom- 
bardment of Paris, naturally put this musical 
Luther into a state of savage delight. In these 
disasters he saw the just punishment of a nation 
who had failed to appreciate his genius, and 
who had pushed their sacrilege so far as to hiss 
okia of his operas. In his gratitude to the rep- 
resentative of the decrees of God, he composed 
his hymn to the Emperor with an accompani- 
ment of cannon, ana he was anxious to cele- 
brate threefold— in prose, in verse and in mu- 
sic — ^the fall of modem Babylon. In the pref- 
ace of the ninth volume of his complete works, 
Wagner writes— ** At the close of the glorious 
year 1870 I thought that our comic authors 
would, in their popular pieces, use their satiri- 
cal wrw at the expense of their enemies, and 
that they would turn the Parisian mishaps into 
ridicule. '* But the verve was wanting, it seems, 
and Wagner — ^not seeing anything forthcoming 
— ^put his own shoulder to the wheel. He in- 
forms OS that he wrote in a few days the com- 
edy — d la manih^ an^t^««— entitled, A Capita- 
lotion, which is to be found in the beginning 
of this ninth volume. In these pages Wagner 
shows himself in quite a new light. Warner, 
the poet — Wagner, the solemn and the envious, 
imitating the racy and incisive Aristophanes — 
a goose waddling after a wasp and trying to 
imitate ito flight! In the thrilling drama of 
the fall of Pans, Wagner saw nothing bCit the 
snbjectfor a comedy. And what a comedy I 
A vulmr, silly, senseless farce, without taste 
and without a spark of wit. It is not even like 
one of those common squibs which country 
boys let off on holidays nnder the noses of 
passers-by ; it is a series of idiotic jokes, a far- 
rago of French and German words so utterly 
stupid that, instead of making you angry, it 
malEes yon wonder if M. Gagne is not greater 
than Wagner. 

In this extravaganza, Trochn rhymes With 
parapluie, Turcos with sauce, Macmahon with 
Sedan, and Wagner changes Blondin into Blon- 
del in order that it should rhyme with ffondd 
(gondola). 

The following is the list of French people at 
whose expense the author of rannA^tM^r amus- 
es himself: — 

YietorHago; 

Chodar des gardes nadonaax ; 

llotta, coianMndaiit de baUdUon ; 

P«rrin, dlrecteur d« I'OpAn; 

Lef^VTC, conseiller de legation ; 

KeUer, ) ^, ^ 

DoiifuB, [ ^»»«^«»»; 

Dledenbofer, Lonain ; 
Ytfoor. ClidT^t, Yachette ; 
Jules Favre \ 

Jales Ferry f m^mberi du Oovemement; 

Jules Simon f 

Osmbetta; / 

Kadju'; 

FloareiM. M^ et des Tqtooi ; 

Bate de Paris. 

The theatre represents the exterior of the 
Hdtcl de Ville. In the middle is an altar ded- 
icated to the Republic ; underneath is an open- 
ing resembling the prompter's box. The ''an- 
cient'* staircase which goes up at the back 
forms the balcony belonging to the HOtel de 
Ville. The tower of Notre Dftme and the cu- 
pola of the Pantheon are seen in the distance. 
Right and left are the statues of Metz and 
Strasbouiv, crowned with flowers. 

Victor Hugo is the first to appear; he puts 
his head out of the opening bBiow the altar 
and attempts to get out; the perspiration pours 
off his forehead. '' At last,*' he exclaims, '' I 
breathe again the air of this blessed country — 
Paris I oh my Paris, which has so much need 
of mel I come, yes, I am come; I am really 



here. I am going to write a book relating how 
it all happened. I have enough matter for 130 
volumes. My God ! I am speaking in Alex- 
andrine lines! " etc. 

After a monologue, which lasts an hour, the 
poet asks himself where he is. **What is it 
that's above my head f Is it the gallows ? 
perhaps a blessed guillotine ? Hum I is it the 
Flace de Grfive f Ko. I do not know myself. 
The Hotel de Ville ought to have more stories. 
At this juncture subterranean voices are heard, 
** Victor! Victor! come back to us.'* 

" Hugo— Wbat*B that ? I am being called to from the 
bottom of the lewen [taming his head]. Who is down 
there? 

**Yoics8-We are the spirits of the protectors of 
Parif/» 

Victor hesitates, not feeling sure if he will 
go up or down, when suddenly the melody of 
the *' Marseillaise ** breaks forth. '' Oh, what 
delicious strains! " exclaims Victor Hugo. ** I 
avi no musician, but I should recognize the 
tune of the * Marseillaise ' ten miles off. I 
must go out — ^I must show myself." A chorus 
of National Guards appears on the scene : they 
walk round the altar of the Republic, singing: 
«< Republick, Rapublick. Republick t bltek 1 blick ! 
Repubel ! repubel, repnbel ! blick I blick I bUck t 
Repnbel, pnitel, parpnbel, pnrpubel, re pllck. 

- IIOTTU— Stop I homage to Strasbourg t [The chonu 
approaches the statae of Strasbonrg]. 

"MoTTU— Present arms 1 where is the Alsatian who 
sings the hymn? 

<' KRLLEa [dressed as corporal}— Here. 

** MOTTU— Stand forward and sing t " 

Keller advances and sings in Alsatian dia- 
lect— 

" O Strasbourg, 6 Strasbourg.*' 

During these strains the National Guards throw 
the bouquets they have been carrying on the 
point of their guns on to the knees of the stat- 
ue of Strasbourg. The same business in front 
of the statue of Metz. They then maroh round 
the altar singing, '*R^ub1ick, republick, 
blick/* etc. MM. Dollfus, Victor Hugo, 
Flourens, Lef^vre, Mottu, speak in turn; 
Jules Simon and Ferry appear, M. Jules Favre 
is heard sobbing. At last the chorus announces 
the arrival of M. Perrin : — 

** Voires, bonrgeois, Ferrln 

Qui monte sar le perron; 
Perron, Perrin, 
Mirliton, ton ton. 
PrenoBS-le an lieu de Plon-plon, plon I " 

A chorus of Parisians set out to find the Gov- 
ernment. We will just quot« the verse, which, 
though in French, sapors of German grace : 

** Etes-Tons an rocher de Cancale? 

Parts soaffre d'une aoif de Tantale. 

CMndral Trooha, le galtelen, 

Faia done parler le Mont-Yal^iien I 

Fant oanonner, oanonner! 

Goavemement, bombardement 

Bombardement, gouvemcment, 
Ooavemement, gottvemement, goavemement, ment, 

mentt 

The people of Paris, getting tired of the 
siege, prevail upon M. Perrin to give them 
something fresh in the way of music add of 
dancing. Suddenly appear upon the scene rata, 
which soon change into **rats** of another 
kind, in the form of ballet-dancers, most airily 
dressed. At the entrance of the author of Or- 
phes aux Enfer$^ the chorus begins singing 

"KrakI krakl krakerakraki 

(Test le sire Jack Offenback 1 

Krakl krakl krakerakraki 

O splendide Jack Offenback 1 
Qui vent qa*on chante et qa'on danse I 

The chorus of the National Guards dance the 
Cancan with the ballet girls, whilst the Tureos 

Jive themselves up to all kinds of capers, 
ules Favre attempts to make a speech, but on- 
ly a few words are heard, such as *^ Eternal 
shame! never! not one stone! " 

Offenbach conducts the orchestra and the 
chorus recommences: — 

" Danaons, chaatons, 
Mirliton 1 ton! ton I 
C*est le g^nle de la Franoe. 
Qni vent qu*on chante et qa'on danse t 



Victor Hugo seizes his lyre, and, advancing 
in front of the stage, accompanies bimself as 
he sings as follows: — 

"MIriiton; flon, flon, 
A la bataille de Sedon 
lis ont batta Mac-Mahoaf 
Oependaat toate Tannte, 
O^n^ral Troohte, 
Troch^,— Trochn, 
Laladrons— Ledm r 
8*enferme dans lea forti de Fteis 

Xa Tan mil holt cent aoizante-dlx. 

• ••••••»••• 

Caf4s, rcstanrants. 

Diners de gourmands. 

Garde mobile 

Xt bal MabOle, 

Mjsttee de Paris, 

Xtpoudrederix, 

Chignons et pommado, 

Theatre et promenade, 

Cirqae, hippodrome, 

La cdonne VendAme ; 

Concerts popnlalrcs 

Wm9 woOt ih nodk, mdbr 
Xt tot, people de pensears, 
Que te faia de parens malhenrsr " 
Whilst Victor Hugo is reciting the verses of 
Wagner, attaches of the embassies are seen 
coming ont of the prompter*s box followed by 
the managen of the great German theatres, 
whom the author cannot forgive for looking 
for their principal singers in Paris. Attach£ 
and managers dance in the most grotesque man- 
ner and, as the piece says, are laughed at by 
the choms. At this point, Victor Hugo is il- 
luminated by Bengal lights and the cortain 
falls. 

This eztravagansaby the musicsan of kinga, 
who styles himself the king of mndcisns, is no 
less than forty-eight pages long, withont count- 
ing the prologue in verse, which is dedicated 
to the Gkrman army before Paris, and the pref- 
ace, which is a real declarition of war to the 
Latin races. 

To analyze this last work of Richard Wag- 
ner is to do it sufficient Justice. The German 
theatres have already, however, avensv^ the 
Parisians; no one theatre has dared bring out 
this caricature— the work of a rhinoceros who 
has tried to dance on the tight-rope. 



^SA^^kAM^iA^H 



lady Stadenti at lOlxit 

[Prom Th4 dhrotUoU o/tkt ChmUmeni, Geneva.] 

Milan, Feb. 28. 

The name Milan, te English and American ears, 
stiffg^sts mnsic ; and the musical (Student dreams of 
Itiuy and its masical centre, as the point to which 
all energies mast be bent, in ordeK to secdre its su- 
perior advantages in the study of opera. 

Stmlents come from all parts of the globe, some 
with great ambitions, others with more modest ones; 
and ai^in others who have adopted the musical 
profession for lack of any better opening. The lat- 
ter are to be pitied ; for the greatest fanatic of mn- 
sic is often cared of his fanatidsm when admitted 
to the circle of artists, and allowed a glimpse at 
artist-life, as it presents iteelf " behind the scenes." 

The great samber of student* who come here ate 
not snffldenUy awsre of the expenses they mast 
meet, the great length of time it requires to perfect 
one-self in the art of sin^ng, nnd, in general, the 
difficulties they mast contend with to gain socoees. 
Even thoagh they carefully study such Information 
as may reach them through letters npon the sab- 
ject, there Is much that can be learnea only by ex- 
perience. 

The fact that so many come unprepared with ad- 
equate means, has in many instances been the canse 
of their rain. They found difficulty in coming at 
all, and estimated expenses at the lowest figure pos- 
sible (the most economical student nmtl sverage 
about 8,000 francs per yesr) which, was, perhsns, 
the g^restest amount that could be provided oy 
friends. Finding their allowance insufficient, and 
too proad to return to their homes, they have be- 
come unworthy the name they bore, and brought 
upon their families disfcrace *and shame. It is a 
matter not to be treated lightly, and, if parents 
snd brothers were fully aware of the difierence be- 
tween Iheir own country men and those among whom 
their sistera or daughters must be thrown — men 



BOSTON. SATURDAY, APRIL 15, 1876. 



211 



who, while laekini; the nobility, the strong sense of 
honor, which characterises Englishmen and Ameri- 
cans, are, when men of talent and cnltore, the most 
ftMdnatlng in the world — if, I repeat, thej* realised 
this,.nothinffwoald be omitted by them to further 
the safety of those dear to them, against the snare 
laid for lamocent or nn watchful feet 

Again, students come without a fixed idea as to 
who are the best maettri, and being advised differ- 
ently by every person tliey meet, lose time, money, 
and often voice, In their search for the best mamtro. 
It IS a question on which, in each individual case, 
no conscientious person, unless blinded by preju- 
dice, will hastily aecide. A method that makes an 
artist of one student may, through failure In com- 
prehending or applying It, prove a failure to a sec- 
ond; a student must therefore study the matter 
carefully, poesess himself of patience, chooee a ma«t- 
ir9, and say, " This man has made artists, and sure- 
ly the blame Is with myself if I fall to accomplish 
something." 

The expenses of living In Mllau have Increased 
within the past few years, and are not very differ- 
ent from the expenses of student life in Boston. 

Boarding in penaionfS costs for one person, from 
IVO to 166 fhincs per month. If a young lady Is 
accompanied by an elderly lady, apartments can be 
taken and expenses le»sened. Apartments, and usu- 
ally the ^wiuioiM, are In the third or fourth story, 
with stair-ways dsrk and sloomy, and pervaded 
with odors that present to the practical mind sug- 
gestions of possible disease, and of the need of a 
Sanitary Commission. 

A number of ladles of London, aided by Ameri- 
cans as well, have started what they have been 
preparing for at least four year^, and after four 
months trial it has proved Itself far more successful 
than could have been expected In so short a time. 
It is a household for the benefit of young ladles who 
are in Milan alone as students. A household, 
termed C'osa VoeaUgia, which offers the comforts of 
home If not the luxuries, at a moderate expense. 

The ladies selected a house that Is devoid of the 
mould, dirt» and damp that haunts most Milan 
houses, and engaged the prima piano. The cost per 
month Is placed at £5 in gold (usually amounting 
to ISSfra. Italian currency) per four weeks, which 
includes three Italian lessons per week, the use of 
the public pianos, and the privilege of the occupan- 
cy of a box at the opera, which belongs to the bouse. 
The latter, .to girls who are here alone, and to whom 
fliAening to good music is a necessity, Is of Inesti- 
mable value ; for In Milan two young ladles, or even 
three, be they ever so earnest and good of Inten- 
tion, cannot attend the opera without the chaperon- 
age of an elduTty marrlea lady, unless they are wil- 
ling to brave public opinion and the remarks of men 
who feel themselves justified In addressing ladles 
who are without proper attendance. 

The prices of the best teachers vary from 06 to 
150 francs per month, according to the number of 
lessons per week. One teacher charges ten francs 
per lesson, giving but two or three lessons per 
week. Anotner, 180 francs per month, a lesson ev- 
ery day, or three lessons each week, eight francs an 
hour. A third receives 160 francs per month, giv- 
ing a lesson each day. 

When lessons are not taken every day. It is nec- 
essary to have an accompanist at least twice each 
week, her charge being from 2i to 8 francs per 
hour. 

The rent of pianos is but ten francs per month. 

In winter, there Is the additional expense of heat- 
ing rooms. It is a serious matter, as well as an ex- 
pensive one. Take warning therefore, ye who are 
yet to be residents of Milan during one of Its short 
but severe winters ! Be a very tyrant in the mat- 
ter of choosing a room or rooms, that can be heat- 
ed; and be not deceived by a room whose lofty 
ceiling seems matched ^y the Immensity of Its fire- 
place. Tis a delusion, a snare, a fraud I 

You will sit during the winter days that ought 
to be spent in vigorous study, smoking the tips of 
your fingers in the vain attempt to warm them, and 
feel the while, playful breeses wafting about your 
ears in a manner that is trying, not to say exasper- 
ating. 

Believe the words of a sufferer, it does not give 
the countenance an expression of supreme happi- 



guesU, the Ensrlish Consul, the American Consul 
and son, Rev. Mr. Menge and family, the venerable 
Maestro Basilio' Basili, and Signor Del Lorenzo, 
the well-known mae$tro of languages, andSignorina 
Teresa Sarmannl, the authoress of JSmaneiptuione e 
Famifflia, and of a new drama which will probably 
be given at the Teatro Mdtuoni this spring. There 
were songs In Russian, Danish, Italian, German, and 
English, a violin solo by the young daughter of 
Madame Scholl, and piano solos by Mme. SchoU, 
herself as well as by other dilettanti. 

FxAU Mills. 



»-«- 



Madame Masse, the efficient directress of C(ua 
Vocatijoa, has made her receptions on Friday even- 
ing very popular and agreeaole by their laek of for- 
mality. Pnpila of Maestri Larapern, Basili, and oth- 
era are always well represented. 

Upon the last occasion, Mr. R. Froellch, and 
daughter, of New York City, were among the 



Smployment for the Blind.— Piano 

Tnnen. 

A few weeks ago the community was called to 
mourn the loss of one of her most valuable mem- 
bers, and still more recently the memorial services 
at Music Hall In honor of the late Dr. Samuel G. 
Howe have fastened upon his memory the noble 
title of "1h» MoMwefMuiU PhilanihropUC These 
events hkve attracted public attention and Interest 
to the life and labors of this great man, and the 
Institution for the Blind, which now mourns the 
loss of a father, has been thronged with visitors, 
whose interest Is more than mere idle curiosity, 
whose sympathies have been awakened by the 
story of a life of devotion to the good of others, 
and who are silently asking what good work they 
can do. It Is In answer to this unspoken query 
that the writer now seeks to bring before the 
public an urgent need of this Institution, which 
the public alone can supply, and a means of pay 
lug tribute to the memory of the deceased by 
helping to fruition the seed which he has sown in 
faith. 

Those who are acquainted with the condition of 
the blind well know that In this, as well as In other 
countries, one of the hardest trials which they 
have to encounter Is the distrust of their ability, 
which is almost universally felt by strangers, snd 
the conseouent difficulty in obtaining employment 
when their education is completed. The musical 
art has been so long and so successfully studied by 
the blind both here and abroad that the public in 
general has yielded its scruples, and the graduates 
of this department of the South Boston institution 
are enjoying their hard-won right to compete on 
equal terms with the seeing musician. Piano- 
tuning Is a newer field of lao(>r for the blind, and 
Is now, by earnest and patient efforts, seeking to 
win Its way to public confidence. It was started 
some years ago In the Inatitftiion drt Jeune» 
Avmtglu, In Paris, by a young man, Claude Montal, 
a pupil of t-he institution, who, annoyed by the 
frequent neglect of the seeing tuner of the estab- 
lishment, conferred with one of his companions, 
and the two friends determined to try to tune the 
piano which they used. The tuner complained to 
the director, and they were foirbidden to touch the 
instruments. 

But their first attempt had convinced them that 
here was s new occupation which they could learn, 
and only they whose resources are few can folly 
appreciate how great a blessing this discovery was 
to them. Not disheartened, they contrived t^ pur- 
chase an old piano, and obtained permission to 
have It brought to the Institution, where they took 
it apart, repaired and tuned It successfully. The 
director saw them at their work, and was thus con- 
vinced that the tuning of pianofortes could be suc- 
cessfully accomplished by the blind. Montal, al- 
ready a skilful musician, was allowed to pursue 
his studies in tuning, and received an appoint- 
ment as professor In the Institution, which he af- 
terwards left for the more lucrative business o> 
manufacturing pianos. He made some valuable 
Improvements In the construction of these instru 
ments, and to him the profession is Indebted for 
the most valuable and scientific treatise on the art 
of tunlnff which has ever been published. From 
this beginning the tuning of pianofortes has be 
come widely and favorably knowix (n France as it 
suitable and remunerative employment for the 
blind. 

In England, where It has been but recently In- 
troduced into institutions for the blind, there hat) 
been the same Incredulity of the public to over- 
come, which MontHl met in the inst'.t ition whei e 
he was belne educated ; but this doubt and hesits 
tion are gradually yielding, and In addition to the 
patronage which they are receiving from schools 
and families, several of the leading piano mann 
fiacturers of London are now employing as regulai 
tuners a large number of the pupils of the Roys I 
Normal College for the Blind. The tuning depart 



ment of the Institution at South Boston is now suf- 
fering from this feeling of doubt and scepticism 
which makes both families and manufacturers hesi- 
tate to employ a blind tnner. This department has 
now a larsrer and better educated class than ever 
before, and its members, who are also students In 
the musical department, are here thoroughly In- 
structed In the mechanism of the piano, as well as 
the theory and practice of tuning. As an oflfset to 
their misfortune, they bring to their work a greater 
knowledge and a more finely cultivated ear than the 
ordinary tnner. 

Thus prepsred, they eagerly ask the public to 
test their work, and, if found satisfactory, to give 
them the employment to which the necessarily lim- 
ited range of their avocations especially entitles 
them, and by which they may attain an honorable 
independence. We trust thst they whose hearts 
have been warmed, and whose better feelings have 
been quickened by the noble life of the departed 
philanthropist, will not turn a deaf ear to the cry 
of his chilaren. — Dtuly Ad»ertuer, 



• •• 



The Fine Art Kneenm. 

[From the JonnuU, March ST.] 

The trustees of the Fine Art Museum within a 
few months, possibly In May, will be able to ex- 
hibit to the contributors to the building fond and 
to the public the result of their labors. The prog- 
ress of the building at the junction of Huntington 
avenue and Dartmouth street has beeu watched 
with interest by those who see in the section now 
approaching completion the promise of an institu- 
tion which will have a most beneficial Inflaence in 
promoting a love and knowledge of art, and In 
stimulating among all classes an Interest In many 
kindred branches which have hitherto been neglect- 
ed in Beaton. While the main object Is the collec- 
tion of paintings and statuary, and the opening to 
students in drawing opportunities to study the 
models of the most celebrated masters, the scope of 
the Institution will, as It progresses and new sec- 
tions are added, embrace whatever will promote 
progress In the Industrial arts by fornlsniufl: for 
study and suggestion the skilled productions of the 
artist and artisan. While it will be a museum 
where the visitor may find rare paintings and stat 
nary to attract attention, and where the simply cu- 
rious may pass an hour inspecting the peculiar art 
products of the ancients, it will have still higher 
claims tonubllc encouragement by the opportuni- 
ties it will afford for obtaining a vast amount of 
information which will be particularly useful In 
developing taste and raising the standard of pro- 
duction In many pursuits. it has already bpen 
shown, since drawing was introduced into our 
public schools, that our people are not deficient in 
artistic taste, but that innate taste requires en- 
couragement to secure its foil development As 
«re Increase as a nation we want to keep pace with 
our competitors, seek to meet that craving for some- 
thing better and higher, and It will be beneath the 
roof of this Institution that those who cannot seek a 
foreign shore will receive that Inspiration which 
will be a boon to the industrial classes and a bless- 
ing to the community. 

The present building will not throw open Its 
doors and show a museum of fine arU such as the 
Old World can exhibit ; but Its spacious galleries 
and rooms will contain much that is rich in inter- 
est and much that Is truly valuable. The archi- 
tectural ornamentation of the exterior, thongh 
somewhat fandfol, certainly designates at a glance 
the object to which the building Is devoted. The 
bas-reliefs suggest the contents within, and though 
we may have sympathized, when the thermometer 
was below zero, with the departed great, as we 
have seen their heads thrust through the port 
holes, and may have wondered why they defied the 
inclemency of our climate when doctors* bills are 
inch expensive luxuries, we roust admit that on a 
pleasant afternoon, when the sun is shining and 
;.he light strikes upon the facade, there is a bright 
ind cheery tone to the edifice which is inviting. If 
he exterior be open to the criticism that it is a lit- 
tle too ornate, there is in the Interior a soberness 
which is in pleasing contrast Nothing could be 
nore severely plain than the finish and coloring. 
There is nothing in the building to detract from the 
works of art^no evidence of a mistaken attempt to 
ih'iw what architectural filagree could accomplish. 
There are indications of thoroughness and durabili- 
ty from the basement to the roof. The treasures 
which will here be collected demanded a fire proof 
)ulldlng, and this has been secured. 

In the basement story there are rooms for the 



212 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OP MUSIC. 



n^enf pnptlfl in drawinsr, the bnainoM office of the 
truftteep, and (he npartinenta of th<^ janitor. In 
the two atoHea above thore U the main picture hall, 
which Is (idmirably lighted : a room for the Gray 
collection of en?ravinca ; the E<r3*ptlan room, whlcn 
will contain the Taluable collection given by the 
late Samuel A. Way ; a room which is beinn^ fin- 
ished with an interior boujifht in London and pre- 
sented by Mrs. T. Bisrelow Lawrence, which is 
unique in this country, and the " Loan RfMim," 
where contributions temporarily in charjire of the 
trustees will be placed. The main st4iircase and 
the areas afford snitab'e space for the disposition of 
statues. In Esryptlan art. In plaster models of the 
best production "of Grecian and Ilf>man art, and in 
enirravinirs. the Museum will possesa at the start 
collections which will be noteworthy. As the 
paintin^^ and statuary of the Boston Alhenenm will 
form a portion of the czhibltlnn. whatever is 
valuable will add to the newer portions of the col- 
lection. 

The fact that Boaton is to pomess an institution 
of the character we have indicated, has already 
induood many contributions of «:nnuine value. For 
the possession of several beautiful | leces the trus. 
tees are indebted to the liberalitv of a few of our 
townsmen, who have requested Mr. Charles C. Per^ 
kins to act aJl their aarent in making such appropri- 
ation of their donations as would be most conducive 
to the wants of the Museum. It will be remem- 
bered Senstor Sumner made a sift of pictures, palnt- 
\ntrn, etc., to the tmstee«, i^vinsr to them full power 
to sell such portion as they wiahed and employ the 
money in new purchases. Some four thousand dol- 
lars were thus realised, and this contribution haa 
been judiciously expended. Had it not been for a ma- 
rine disaster which forced a vessel brinfl^ng: frieies in- 
to St Thoroaa for repairs, the delay in openins^ would 
have been avoided. The Lawrence collection of ar- 
mor ii^yen to the the Miisenm was destroyed at the 
ll^reat fire. A portion of the insurance waa recov. 
ered, and this has been demoted to procuring works 
of great value. 

Theae two have been the only drawbacks which 
the tru«>tees have encountered since the initiation 
of the Mnsenm. The land upon which the build- 
ing stands, and suflicient for the extension, as mepns 
may be aecured, was given by the dty, with no 
other condition im*'Osed except that four times each 
month the building shall be opened to the public 
without an admission fee. The trustees raised the 
money ff»r the building before they contracted for 
its erection, and it is creditable to them that they 
have incurred no debt and have still some fifty thou- 
sand dollars in their treasury for contingencies. 
The money was largely contributed by our mer- 
chants. The agreeable series of receptions held 
four winters since at the residence of Hon. William 
Gray (who initiated this new method of stimulating 
public Interest), Messrs. Henry P. Kidder, Nathan 
Matthews, Samuel D. Warren, Alvln Adams, W. E. 
Baker and the late Francis Dane c«mtribu'ed mate* 
lially toward that public awakening to the impor- 
tance of the institution which baa been so marked. 
The great fire and continued depression in business 
checked the growth of the fund, but with more fa- 
vorable times we hope to see the merits of the Mu- 
seum of Fine Arts so fully recosrnised that wing af- 
ter wing will be added and the aims of ita projectors 
more than fulfilled. General C. G. Loring has re- 
cently been appointed Curator, and Mr. Charles C. 
Perkins also accepted the ponitlon of Honorary Di- 
rector, thus securing for the work two gentlemen 
of rare gifts for their respective positiuns. 



Bubinstein*! The ICaooabeet " in 



[From the Monthly Mutieal Record,} 

The sppearanoe of so eminent a man as Rubin- 
stein in the arena of Musical Drama has not failed 
to excite the attention of watchftil criticism. His 
ambition soars high, and he undc»ub?edly possesses 
in a remarkable degree the characteristics which fit 
him to embrnce the whole range of his art. Mure- 
over, Rubinstein is ntit one of those *' savants'* who 
shut themselres up in their cell; he moves in the 
ver}* flux of international life; he is almost ubiqui- 
tous; for with indomitable energy he lends to the 
prmliiction of his instrumental *conipo?tltions the 
weight of his presence and co-operation in most con- 
tinental cities. And who could hear him without 
being struck with his talent and marvellous versa- 
tility no less than with his powerful individuality? 
He so rivetM our attention, and is himnelf so com- 
plet(*ly absorbed by his art, that we might trace his 



sublime musical eloquence almost to the " inspired 
Cs^tnllsn springs." This, then, is the composer of 
" The Mscc4il>ees.** Let us now see if this opera 
verifies the moral of the fable — " A Tosuyre on con- 
nnit rartisan." »»»»»» 

It is conceded that the reviTal of the drama as a 
vital and fundamental part of opera is a merit which 
belongs almost exdualvely to Wagner. Whateyer 
we may think of his school, he has indisputably 
proved the necesslt}* of building the musical struct- 
ure of opera upon a solid dramatic foundation, and 
by the breadth and boldness of his style haa clothed 
it with new vigor. In this respect his standard 
has found u-iverssl acceptance: and Rublnatein haa 
not departed from it in his ** Maccabees." 

The history of a nation fighting, as the Jews did, 
for their religion, must always abound in stirring 
incidents, and bring into prominence alike the best 
and the worst aspects of human nature. And no 
period of the hlatory of the Jews could yield better 
material for a great irama than that of the revolt 
sg inat the Syrian mle under the Maccabees. The 
bonk of Rubinstein's opera is derived from a drama 
of the same name ; and so admirably has Mosenthal 
succeeded in adsntlng it t^t the purposes of a pow- 
erful score that the book may truly be prononnoed 
one of the hest ever produced. The following may 
aerve as a rapid sketch of its leading features : — 

The first act finds Leah, the head of the Hasmo- 
nees. in Modin. surrounded by four of her sons — 
Judas. Eleasar, Joakim and Benjamin— and the Jews 
and Shimltes preparing for the annual feast. She 
upbraids Judas, her eldest born, for his wsnt of pat- 
riotic seal ; not only does he negrlecthls duty to the 
sacred cause, but he has brought disgrace on the 
family by choosing for his wife Noemi, the daugh- 
ter of a Shimlte ; to Eleasar her favorite son she 
confides a dream in which he appears aa king and 
high priest ; for she lor»ks upon him as the hope of 
Israel. JcMkim arrives from Jerusalem with news 
of the death of the high priest, and calls on. Leah to 
appoint a successor from among her family. Judas 
refuses; Eleasar eagerly accepts ; but he hss hard- 
Iv received Leah's blessing, when the Syrians enter 
Modin under Gorglas, who announces the capture 
of Jerusalem, and in the name of Antiochua Epipha- 
nes demands recognition of the Greek gods. An 
altar is erected, the Syrians offer a sacrifice to Pal- 
las Athena, and already the Shimites show signs of 
submission, when Judas rushes upon the altar, de- 
stroys It, and atanding on its fragmenta. vowa that 
none but Jehovah shall be worshipped In Isrsel. 
The Jews now attack the Syrians; Gorglas hastily 
retreats, and Judas sets out to lead the Jews againi^ 
the enemy. 

The second act shows ns Judas at the head of his 
victorious army In pursuit of the Syrians. But the 
setting sun snnounces the approaching Sabbath; 
the Jews, regardless of their leader's remonstrance, 
kneel down in prayer; but they are surprised by 
the Syrians, ana a general massacre ensues, from 
which Judas alone escapes. Eleazar. on the other 
hand, has g^me over to Antiochus ; under the name 
of Phatm. he is not only the favorite of the king, 
but has also won the heart of his daughter Cleopa- 
tra ; and in the second scene we find him and Cleo- 
patra exchanging ardent professions of love ; she 
tells him of her beautiful go Is and goddesses ; if he 
will worship them, he shall be crowned king at Je- 
rusalem; and so they hasten to Antiochus. for t6 
his own ambition Phaon Is read}' even to sacrifice 
his fsith. The third scene takes us again to Modin. 
Leah and her people are celebrating their vict4)ries 
with cymbals and dances; but the thankssriving is 
interrupted by the Shimit-es, who bring tidine* of 
the massacre of Emaus. They accuse Leah of hav- 
ing bnmght all this misery upon the people ; she Is 
seized, and tied to a tree ; Joakim and Benjamin 
are torn away from their mother to bo handed over 
to Antiochus as hostages ; Lesh is f:>rsaken by all 
but Nodiiil. whom she had hated and despised ; No- 
^ml saves her, and she speeds to the Syrian ca*np, 
hoping to obtain from Antiochus the release of her 
children. 

The third act finds Judis in the beleaguered city 
of Jerusalem, a fugitive, unknown, and aixiously 
avoiding the people, despslring of an all but hope- 
less cause. But the Jews stiil believe In him aa 
their leader; and hearing them implore Jehovah 
for his return, he steps forward ; they recognise 
him ; and in an impassioned appeal he enjoins them 
to make a i.npreme effort and arm for a sally. It is 
;here that Noemi finds her huslMnd ; from Ms "Rose 
of Sharon " ImT learns that Elearar has betrayed his 
fpeople, that Joakim and Benjamin, and even hla 
mother are at the mercy of Antiochus. His soul is 
in arms ; he feels that Jehovah haa ehoaen him to 



deliver Israel, and seta out to aocompHeh hie sacred 
task. The second scene shows oa Antiochus in bia 
tent, brooding over a terrible dream in which he 
recognizes an evil omen fW>m the gods. Eleazar 
and Cleopatra try to dispel his fears by the hope of 
an eaay. victory ; but Gorgiaa enters and aooonhcoa 
that the Syrians refuse to fight against the Jews ; 
and preseDtly Leah is admitted. She implores An- 
tiochus to release her children ; she offers her own 
life to save them ; but the king is immovable ; on- 
ly by renouncing their faith can they eecape death 
by the fiaroes. At this moment Leah reongnizea 
Eleazar, and appesis to him ; but even hie and 
Cleopatra's Intercession cannot movls Antiochna. 
The children are brought in, and Leah offers tp die 
with them. But Antiochus has reaerved a mora 
terrible fate for her ; she shall see her cblldreo dfe. 
Eleazar, obeying a higher influence, voluntarily 
shares the fate of the martyrs; but suddenly the 
scene darkens ; peals of thunder tell Antiochus that 
he is pursued by the Eumenides ; and he and his 
followers toke to flight Judas is approaching with 
his victorious army ; but Leah dies in ecstasy be- 
fore her son. and NoBmi appaars on the s(>*iie; and 
amidst praises to Jehovah. Judas Maccabssus 
receives the reward of his valor*- the crown of 
Israel. 

It win be seen from this brief outline that the 
book has all the characteristics of a powerful dra- 
ma ; and there are but one or two incidents which 
seem open to criticism, such aa the massacre of the 
Jews in the second act, and in the third act the 
somewhat too sudden conversion of Eleazar, fc»llowed 
by the precipiute flight of Antiochus. But all the 
characters are powerfully drawn. There is Leah, 
her intense love for her children, comMned with 
her ambition and her almnat fanatic religious asal ; 
there is the noble and upright character of the Jew* 
Uh hero, as opposed to the weak and vacillating 
Eleazar; NoSmi's self denying love, and the idyllic 
charm which snrroun'ls this ** Rose of Sharon." as 
contrasted with the absorbing passion ami dazzling 
beauty of Cleopatra ; the Jews, Shimltes and Syri- 
ans always taking part in the action, and all opposed 
to each other ; and there is, above all, the strrmg 
contrast between rigid monotheism and the softness 
of Greek worship. Surely the most ambitious com- 
poser could not nave desired a g^reater variety of 
material t 

The score of " The Maccabees " strikes w at onca 
as a very remarkable work. It was feared that a 
drama so abounding in great contrasts would tempt 
the compoMer into a display of that uneven and of- 
ten excessive instrumentation which mara the effect 
of some of his esrlier compositions. But in " The 
Maccabees " Rubinstein shows himself in an entire- 
ly new acpeci. His individuality strongly aaserta 
itself in this, as it does in most of bis works; nor 
can we fail to notice throughout the opera a touch 
of that mysterious power inherent in the musfo of 
some of the Slavic races. But the opera reveals 
more ; It shows originality and brilliancy backed 
up by routine and great erudition ; there are no 
signs of the spasmodic efff>rts of an over-oxelted gen- 
ius ; dignity and a certain daasic repose porvada 
the whole ; and even in the torrent and tempest of 
passion be shows, to use the poet's langnaga, thai 
temperance which gives it smoothness. 

Tne features which Robinstein's opera has In com- 
mon with the advanced modern school are, contin- 
uity of action, and an absence of ** aria " in the 
strict acceptation of the term. Ita distinctive feat- 
ures, on the other hand, may be summed up as fol- 
lows:— 

(1) The vocal element predominates over tbe In- 
strumental. (2) Both hannony and instmmenta 
tion are marked by great simplicity. (8) A leading 
part la assigned *to the chons. 

It is obvimis, thee, that as regards the vocal and 
instrumental treatment of an opera, Rubinstein fal- 
lows a course diametrically opposed to that marked 
out by the Wagner sdiool. Wagner, we know, re- 
gards the orchestra, and not tbe voice, as the prin- 
cipal agent of expression ; and the chorus but sel- 
dom finds a place In such works sa the ^'Nlbelungen." 
And now, in the face of this doctrine, Rubinstein 
haa shown in his " Maccabees " — what Indeed the 
immortal composer of '* Fldello " taught nalong ago 
-»that it is quite possible to produce great and gen- 
uiub effect without transferring the eloquence from 
the stage to the orchestra, and that It Is quite possi- 
ble for the chorus to take a prominent part in tbe 
action. The Introduction to the opera rather tenda 
to the oratorio style; the recitative Is bold, and 
may not unjustly be described aa a.purai* fbrm of 
the Meyerbeer racitatlve ; the few duets which the 
composer has introduced, such as the love dnei of 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, APBIL 15, 1876. 



213 



Eleazar and Cleopatra in the Moond act, and Judaa 
and KoSmrs dnet in the third, are remarkable for 
their lyrio l)eaat7 ; and every act rises with rhetor- 
ic preeiaioD to its cUinaz, which in every instance 
is reached by the choms talcing np the sabject im- 
mediately preceding ; thus, in the first act, Jndas 
declaring the glorv of Jehovah after destroying the 
altar of Pallas Athena; in the second act I^ah's 
tbank^ving ; in the third, the Jews recognisinff 
MaocaMsus— all these are scenes which, by the boloU 
ness and grandeur of symplionic treatment, tell 
with irresistible force, 'there is perhsps but one 
feature in the opera which seems to invite criticism. 
Rubinstein has introdooed one or two Hebrew mel- 
odies, such as Leah*8 " Adonai Shaddai," in the first, 
and a kind of thanksgiving strain in the second act 
They are unquestionably highly effective; bat it 
baa been remarked that, considering how very an- 
reliable is the tradition as to what original Hetrew 
melodies reidly were, it was hardly Judicious to 
drag into the opera, as it trerefautetumieux, strains 
wliich he probably discovered among the forgotten 
lore of some ancient synagogue. That, however, is 
a question of minor importance, on which diversity 
of opinion can exist ; it does not affect the excellence 
of this remarka* 1e work as a whole ; and the mas- 
terly treatment of a grand subject, the boldness of 
conception, the consistency with which he has 
avoided mere theatrical effects by rigidly subordi- 
nating form to substance ; — all these are merits the 
more to be extolled as he has earned them in a field 
which is comparatively new to him. His " Macca- 
bees " has been produced in Berlin and Prague ; his 
** Nero" has been accepted, and is reported to be 
in rehear&al in Vienna ; and. what is perhaps the 
most severe test of all, the doors of the Gewandhaus, 
of Leipzig, have been thrown open to him and bis 
" Paradise Lost" 

Bnt the production of such a work taxes to the 
utmost the resources even of an opera such as that 
of Berlin. There were rumors of a hitch at the 
time, and the great vocal*difficulttesof the score had 
probably something to do with it. And Leah's is 
certainly a part such as probably never before fell 
to the lot of an alto ; It requires an artist of Marie 
Brandt's exceptional ability and powers of endur* 
ance to do it justice. I know of no baritone who 
euroa s s es, or even equals Beta ; hU gigantic voice 
ana powerful figure alike tower above both chorus 
and orchestra ; and there is someti.ing sublime in 
this man, as with fiery eloquence he pours forth 
those majestic declamatory passa^res in which the 
Jewish hero, fiirhting for a sacred cause, rises to the 
very summit of his enthusiasm. Truly, this Is an 
ideal MaccaboBual The performance is In everv 
respect exeinplary ; for the opera is mounted with 
great magnificence, and with all that artistic care 
which the mansgers never fail to bestow on the 
production of a work Uk.'ly to add to the lustre of 
the temple of art unUr den Linden, Rubinstein 
saperintended personally the first performance, 
and honors fell thick upon him. The opera has, 
since then, been repeated regularly almost every 
month, and it is only quite recently thst the com- 
poser met with an even more enthuHastic reception 
tn Prague on tbe first production of " The Macca- 
beea ' in tha . city. C. P. S. 



< ^1 



MM AOOOUXT OF OITI OV BAITDSL's LXAST KXOmt 

woaxa. 
[IlS^&mihe Courier.) 

The Handel and Haydn Society will perform at its five 
Irandred and ninety-third concert, to be given on Xaster 
flnndajf the oonoluding concert of its sixty-first season, 
Handel's oratorio of Jbehtia, this being its first perform- 
ance in America. It is a little singular that the work, 
aa a whole, has been suffered to remain so long in nej- 
leei, as the reeords of the society show that several of 
the ebomses and solos have been sung from time to 
time at its concerts, two choruses having been offered 
as eaily in its history as 1816, at its second public con- 
cert Joekua Is, like JMat Macoabenu, a military and 
warlike drama. The text is in vene^it would be akin 
to fiattery to call it poetry— and was supplied by T. Mo- 
rell, who was also the author of the book of Judae Mae- 
eakeme, and also of a sort of patchwork made up of airs 
fkom HandelU work produced by Smith, Banders 
amanuensis, after the death of his great master, in 
ITV, entitled Qtdetm. Morell, who died in 1784, aged 73 
years, was a clergyman, a man of learning, and an in- 
dnstrlous writer, his pen having aided him in earning, 
tn addition to the income derived from a aauUl benefice, 
a respectable livelihood. The words of ^l«aDafMkr.Aata«, 
Tkeoderm, J^pkiha, T^e DrUmph ^ 2%m, and, presuma- 



bly, the The (hoaeiomal Oratorio, were also from his pen. 
The name of Moreil, recalls the following stoiy lUnstra- 
tlve of Handel's violent temper : One day, Morell repre- 
sented to Handel that the music of an air did not exact- 
ly render the sense of the words ; whereupon Handel in- 
atantly flew Into a most foolish passion, and cried out, 
with the anger of insulted pride: "Yat, yoi| teaeh me 
music I De musiCf sir, lah good music. It Is your notes 
ish bad. Hear de passage again,'* repeating it vehem- 
ently on the harpsichord. '* Dere ; go yon, make words 
to dat music." Handel wrote Joekua July 19 to August 
19, 1747. being then in his sixty-third year, and It was 
first performed during the following year. The follow- 
ing Is the argument: 

Pawt L The children of Israel celebrate their mlrao- 

ulous passage over the river Jordan, and their entrance 

into the land of Canaan, under the guidance of Joshua. 

Joshua receives from an angel his commission to go up 
against J-^cho, and prepare the people for the anack. 
The mutual attachment of Othniei and Achsah, and the 
departure of Othniei to Join in the war against Jericho. 

PastH. The destruction of the City of Jerieho. The 
feast of the passover kept. Tidings brought of the de- 
feat of Israel at Ai.' Joshus rouses the people to renew 
the attack. Othniei re-visits Achsah. Her father, Ca- 
leb, dismisses him to the war in defence of the Oibeon> 
ites, the allies of Israel. Joshua and his army rescue 
Oibeon from the five confederate kinas of the Amorites. 
The miracle of the sun and moon bemg stayed in their 
course during the battle. 

Pabt ni. The wars having terminated, the people 

celebrate the praises of Jo«hua. He allots to Caleb the 

portion of the land which has been promised him by 

Moses. The gratitude of Caleb and the members of his 
tribe. Caleb promises to bestow his daughter Achsah 
on whoever shall subdue the city of Debir. The task 
undertaken by Othniei, for whose success the aid of the 
Almighty Is invoked. Othnlel's triumphant return from 
vio'ory. Beeeives the reward of his valor. The happy 
condition of the people, and their grateful ascription of 
praise to the Almighty. 

Joehua abounds in instances of Handel's dramatic 
power. The gentler passion even Is depicted in the 
song by Othniei in reply to the promise of Caleb to give 
his daughter, Achaah, to whoever shall take the city of 
Debir. <« The city la thine," orlea Othniei: 

Place danger around me, 

The atorm 1*11 despise ; 
What arms shall confound me. 

When Achaah's the prise? 

A specimen of sonnd-palnting Is cited by Hawkins as 
follows: ** He has endeavored, by the harmony of one 
long, extended note, to impress upon the imagination of 
his hearers* the idea of the great luminary of the uni- 
verse arrested in his conne ; or, In other words, to make 
them hear the sun stand still." Handel's biographer, 
Schcslcher, admits that JoehtM may be reproadhed with 
having too many recitativea, bnt daims that it also con- 
taina many supreme beantlea. He says : " Achsah's air, 
' Hark, 'tis the linnet,* with a simple accompaniment of 
the violin and fiute, Is charmingly graceful, and will al- 
ways be certain of its effect, lam surprised that con- 
cert singers do not avail themselves of it. 'Heroes, 
when with ^orj burning,' Is one of those valiant and 
heroic inspirations in which Handel excelled. In the 
march there la aa admirable mingling of religious feel- 
ing with martial andadty." Shield, one of the veterans 
of English musie, says, in his theoretical book entitled 
TntrodwcUenn/Bormonf: "Travelling from London to 
Taplow with the father of modem harmony [Haydn], 
and having, during the preceding evening, observed his 
countenance expressing rapturous astonishment during 
the concert of ancient music, I embraced the favorable 
opportunity of asking him how he estimated the choms 
in JoeMma, * The nations tremble.' The reply was, he 
had long been acquainted with music, bnt never knew 
half Its powers before he heard It, and he was perfectly 
certain that only one inspired author ever did, or ever 
would, pen so sublime a composition." To make this 
wonderful chons known in foreign cities, where English 
oratorios are not collected, Hr. Shield has given the 
score of it in his work but regrets that his limits would 
not silow the insertion of its Impressive introductory 
air, *' Olory to Qod." Another air in Jbthua, ''Powerful 
guardians," had an immense and deserved success. It 
was afterward added, in a detached leaf, to the hMnd- 
\)ook» ot Judae Maecabceue mud ot Joeeph. • • • • 

The characters of the oratorio are as follows: Joshua 
[tenor], leader of the laraelites; Caleb [bsss], a ruler of 
the tribe of Judah; Othniei [tenor or alto J ayonthftil 
warrior, betrothed to Achaah ; Achsah [sopranol, daugh- 
ter of Caleb ; an Angel [soprano], who brings to Joshua 
his commission. The following are the sdolats engaged 
for the Easter performance: Mrs. Jennie Van Zandt> 
Miss Adelaide Phlllipps, Mr. Joseph Mass, and Mr. My- 
ron W. Whitney. Mr. Zerrahn will direct the perform- 
ance, and Mr. Lang will he the organist of the occasion. 



^^li Vi loimal d P ttstc. 

BOSTON, APBIL 15, 18f«. 

Baoent Oonoerta 

To keep the cbaln complete our record must go 
back some weeks, beginning with 

Me. B. J. Lang's two concerts at Mechanics Hall, 
on Thursday afternoons, March 28 and 80. His 
programmes were unique, the distinctive feature be- 
ing the great prominence given to the French com- 
poser who haa excited so much Interest here of late, 
Camllle Salnt-SaJIns, organist at the Madeleine In 
Paris, a musician thoroughly trained in the best 
classical school, at home in Bach, and with a streak 
of genius in him. Oerman publishers, like Leuckart 
of Leipalg, accept his works, although he la not 
wholly free from French sensationalism. The sen- 
sation at all events has been a fresh one, and the In- 
dividuality seems unaffected. On his visit to Eu- 
rope last summer Mr. Lang was commissioned by 
the Harvard Musical Association to procure, for its 
Library and Its Concerts, some of the principal com- 
positions of Saint SaSns; and of the collection which 
he brought there have figured In the Symphony 
Concerts : 1. the second piano concerto (played by 
Mr. Lang); 2. the concerto for 'cello (Mr. Wnlf 
Fries) ; and 8. the most Important of his Symphon- 
ic poems, " Phaeton." Theodore Thomas also haa 
brought out two of the minor aymphonio poems: 
Le Rouet tTOmphale and the Donee Macabre, More- 
over in Yon Bnelow's programmes there waa an in- 
teresting string Quartet by this (to the American 
public) new oompoeer. So that the musical season 
of our city has, for better or for worse, had a pro- 
nounced flavor of Saint-Sadns-lsm. And now again, 
in these two pro;^ammee of our very popular pian- 
ist, more than the lion*s share haa been given to 
compositions and arrangements by Saint-SaSns. 
The first programme was aa follows : 

Variations for two Plano-Fortes, on a theme by 

Beethoven, Op. 86 Samt-SaHna 

Mr. Arthur w. Foote and Mr. B. J. Lang. 

Slumber Bong, Op. 1 Bobert Frans 

Miss Ita Welsh. 

£ f Largo flrom the Fifth Sonata Bach 

% Overture to the Twen^-Bigbth Cantata. . . . Bach 

Air from the Thirtieth Cantata Bach 

Osvotte fh>m the Sixth Sonata Bach 

Polonaiae, ) 

March, { Op.6 Saran 

Walts, ) 

Mr. B. J. Lang, 

Bong, "L* Addle,*' Mosart 

Miss Ito Welsh. 

Concerto No. 2, in O minor, Op. 28 Salnt-Sailns. 

Andante sostenuto— Allegro schersando^ 

Presto. 

Mr. B. J. Lang. 

The theme of Beethoven, on which Salnt-SaSns 
has made masterly Yarlations for two pianos, is 
that of the Trio (after the Minuet), in the Sonata in 
E flat. Op. 81, No. 8. These Yarlations seemed to 
us to be modelled in some respects upon, or sug- 
gested by, Beethoven's own remarkable Yarlations 
(Am Op. 85) for one piano on a theme from the Sro- 
%ea. Like them they are developments of Ideal con- 
tents, character, rather than mere mechanical and 
ornamental " variations," and abound In rich con- 
trasts both In rhythm, harmony and sentiment, 
holding up the one theme In the light of shifting 
moods. Like theee, they end with an elaborate 
fugue. They are difficult, but were exceedingly 
well executed, and the Impression was so good that 
one would welcome the first opportunity of hearing 
them again. 

The four selections from Bach are tronsorlptions 
by Saint-SaSns. The first and fourth are from the 
Six Sonataa composed by Bach for Ylolln without 
accompaniment. Admirable works, full of ideal 
beauty and consummate art^ and still a study for 
the foremost violinists of the present day. Indeed 
the Ylolln melody is so constmeted as to be virtu- 
ally complete in Itself, carrying Its own harmony 
along with it Bnt they are published with a very 



!, 



2U 



DWIGHT»S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



beantiftil and sjmpathetic pianoforte accompani- 
ment by Schumann ; to hear them in that form, ia 
a far higher pleasure than to listen to the best pos- 
sible transcription, and no doubt this by Saint-Sa- 
fins is a fine one. The Largo (in F) has a most 
lovely flowing melody, gentle, thoughtful and se- 
rene, bringing a spell of sweet peace over one who 
truly listens. The Oavotte (in E), in Rondo form, 
is one of the brightest, freshest, most nalTe and piq- 
uant of the many charming movementa in that- old 
dance form which are found in Bach's Tarions 
Suites, Sonatas, etc., and Justified its place at the 
conclusion of the group. The OTerture to the 28th 
Cantata (the 20th must be the one meant, according 
to the order of the Baeh-GeidUcha/ft edition) Is a 
brilliant JPresio movement in D major, of very much 
the same character with the opening of the Magnifi- 
eat. It is scored originally for three trumpets, two 
oboes, string quartet, tympani and organ obligato ; 
and was here so arranged and so played as to make 
a very enlivening piano piece. The Cantata Is one 
of thanksgiving and praise. — ^The Air from the 80th 
Cantata is one of those which Robert Frans has ar- 
range^ with piano accompaniment (No. 1 in the 
set of nine), preceded by a short recitative : " The 
herald comes, announcing the King." The Air is in 
A, AndaiKU wn, molo,—9k tender and melodious ex- 
hortation, in which a very winning syncopated mo- 
tive alternates In a curious manner with extended 
passages in triplets. The first words, which we 
will not venture to translate, are : 

Kommt, Ihr angefochf nen SQnder, 
Eilt nnd lauft^ ihr Adamsklnder, 

Ener Hetland ruft und schrelt 
Koromet, Ihr veriirten Schafe. 
Stehet auf vom SQndenschlafe, 

Denn jetst 1st dif Onaden Zelt. 

These four little pieces, well contrasted as to key 
and character, and thoughtfully inter|>reted with 
due discrimination of expression, gave general 
pleasure and helped to increase the growing inter- 
est in Bach. 

Any new contribution from Saran (Franz's friend 
and pupil) is sure to be listened to with eagerness ; 
but these three little pieces (Polonaise, March and 
Walts, op. 6), although pleasing and not without a 
certain individual flavor, seem to us slight and 
commonplace compared to what he has given us be- 
fore ; yet they will have charm for many. 

The brilliant and original Concerto by Saint-Sa- 
fins lost not a little of its effect in the absence of an 
orchestra; but on the other hand the pianoforte 
part, heard in a smaller room, and played with the 
same consummate mastery as before, with the ac- 
companiments well sketched in upon a second piano 
by Mr. Foote, was a vivid reminder of the first per- 
formance, and was warmly appreciated. 

Miss WxLBB eang Tieck's '* Slumber Song" to 
Frank's exquisite music, very sweetly, with delicate 
refined expression, but her voice sounded to us more 
thin and childlike than it has done at its best. The 
simpUcity of Moxart^s melody was lost in the effort 
to express too much ; it became sentimental ; a sing- 
er of so much promise, and so musical a nature, 
must be on her guard against that danger ; respon- 
sive audiences are too apt to mislead in that direo- 
tlon. — ^ThC second programme follows : 

Trio to F major, Op. 18, for Piano-Forte, Yiolto 

and TiolonoeUo Balnt-Safins 

Mr. August Fries, Mr. WnU Files and Mr. 
B. J. Lang. 

Bong: •< Metoe Rnh' ist bin.'* Schubert 

Miss LilUan BaUey. 
Air from the Thirty-Sixth Cantata Bach 

Chorus from the Thirtieth Cantata. Bach 

Fugue in B major (well tempered clavi*d). Bach 

Gavotte from the Second donata Bach 

Andante from Goncerto No.l.op.17 . . Satot-Sallns 
Bong, ** Muimelades Lttftchen, BlCithenwtod/' 

Jensen 

Concerto to B Hat minor, Op. 83 Tsohaikowsky 

Andante non troppO maestoso— Allegro oon spir- 

ito— Andante sempUce— Allegro vivace aasoi— 

Allegro con fnoco. 



The Trio by Saint-Safins, of which this was our 
first and only hearing, is classical in form, free from 
extravagance, poetic and felicitous In its sugges. 
tlons, and for the most part light' and delicate in 
treatment The first movement (Allegro vivace) 
has an airy, playful theme, a passing breath of air, 
first caught by the 'cello, then the violin, then the 
piano takes it, and it develops In a most graceful, 
genial and artistic manner, showing that the com- 
poser has the master faculty of making much out 
of slight materials. The Andante (In A minor) has 
a serious, impressive, bellad-like character, yielding 
at length to an episode in the major, of a quicker 
movement, and in altogether sweeter and more gra- 
cious mood, — a continuous legato melody in one or 
the other of the strings, while the piano furnishes a 
gentle harp-like figure of accompaniment. The 
Scherso (Presto) seems for some measures a mere 
random touching of a few single notes, careless and 
impromptu, but growing into a theme, into a con- 
sistent movement beautiful and fascinating. The 
final Allegro still retains the character of lightness 
and Is a fit conclusion to the whole ; there are fe- 
licitous ideas in It, and we are Inclined to call It the 
most Interesting movement In the Trio, which was 
very finely rendered. 

Four more transcriptions from Bach I The Air Is 
from the Advent Cantata: "Scbwlngt freudlg 
euch empor," a broad and flowing melody for the 
Soprano, to the words: Aueh mil geddmp/Ufi, 
Bchwaehm Stimmen, ete, (Even with subdued and 
feeble voices may Ood's majesty be honored). It Is 
very beautiful, and it may be interesting to com- 
pare this song without words, into which Saint- 
Safins has turned it, with the arrangement by 
Frans for voice with piano accompaniment. The 
Chorus : iVeiM dieh, gtheifgU Sehaar, is a quick, ex- 
ulting movement, with a certain Oavotte-like swag- 
ger,- inspiriting and healthy music. The Oavotte 
from the second Violin Sonata (Tempo dt BowrrU it 
is marked) was recognised as a yivadous, quaint 
old friend, — whether In a new garb entirely we 
cannot say. These pieces were all gracefully and 
characteristically rendered ; but Mr. Lang's treat- 
ment of the noble fugue in E seemed to ns a shade 
too sentimental.-*It was a delicate and beautiful 
Andante which he played to us from the earlier 
Concerto of Saint-Safins (we hope our readers are 
not already weary of so frequent mention of the 
name). — ^The Russian Concerto suffered peculiarly 
by being deprived of its orchertral background ; for 
it is a work conceived in the extreme modern style, 
dependent upon brilliant accessories and color con- 
trasts for its full effect. Without these, what in- 
trinsically remains, with all its Ingenuity and brill- 
iancy, seems poor and uninspired and dull. Mr. 
Lang bad mastered Its immense technical difficul- 
ties surprisingly well ; but it did seem as If, in put- 
ting off the gala dress, the soul had also faded from 
the features. How much of the pretentious music 
of to-day can bear this test? But Beethoven Is 
Beethoven if you only feel his shadow pass you in 
the twUight I 

A fresh and Interesting feature of this concert 

was the singing of Miss Lilliait Bailkt, — ^her first 

public effort, we believe. She Is a bright, enthusi- 
astic maiden of sixteen, with a soprano voice of sin- 
gular purity and sweetness, and of a sympathetic 
quality. For one so young she seems to have made 
careful studies, as well as to possess Intelligence be- 
yond her years, and we should say a decidedly mu- 
sical nature. Certainly it was no slight test for 
such a child to sing (In Oerman) Schubert's Oretch- 
en at the Spinning Wheel, with good understand- 
ing and expression, although of course it lacked in- 
tensity. The song by Jensen is a charming one, 
with a beautiful accompaniment, and was sung 
gracefolly and sweetly. But after all, it is still a 
child's voice, with childlike feeling, promising much, 
and hence the gpreater need of care and patient rip- 
ening in private study before coming out in public 
concert life ; there all the danger lies. 



Tbi twelfth concert by Pupils of the Collxoi of 
Music or Boston Universitt deserves notice If only 
for its excellent programme. It certainly indicates 
a positive advance to our ideas of musical education, 
and in the best direction, when the ambltlou of the 
pupil Is engaged in the study and interpretaUon of 
such masterworks as these. Of the performances 
(under the direction of Mr. J. C. D. Parker) we had 
Ume to hear only a few ; but what we heard was 

altogether creditable to the teacher and the taught. 

m «. Air and Yariatioos rSarmonlonsBlacksniithl. 
^* Handel 

ft. March from Op. 6 Baran 

Miss Annie M. Soaie. 

1. Themeaod Variations to C-mlnor, Op. 1...8anua 

Mr. Fred. H. Lewis. 

* a. Two Nocturnes, op. S7 Chopto 

* ft. Oavotte to C*minor 8atot4asos 

Mr. J. D. Buckingham. 
M a. Andante Favori in F Beethoven 

* ft. Yalse, Op. 64, No. 1 Chopto 

Mr. D. 8. Blanpied. 

a. Fairy Tatei Op. 142, No. 4 Balf 

6 ft. Prelnde Chopto 

c. Tarantelle Thalberg 

Miss Susie A. Pearson. 

6. Faschtogsschwank [Carnival Pranks] Op. SS| 

Schonann 
Mr. Allen W. Swan. 

7. Concerto to B-mlnor [acoompanied by Sd piano] 

Allegro msestoM— Lanrhetto— Bondo. 
Mr. John A. Preston, Jr. 



Mtss Amt Fat s Concert, at Mechanics' Etoll, (Sat- 
urday evening, April 1), failed to attract so large an 
audience as her friends had g3od right to expect ; 
but it was a musical, appreciative company, and the 

programme worthy of their best attention : 

Concerto. O mtoor Mendelssoha 

Miss Amy Fsv, Mr. Aug. Fries, Mr. Henry Suck, 
Mr. Chas. Wetns, Mr. Wnlf Fries, Mr. Ang. 

Steto. 

Slumber Song Frans 

Mr. George L. Osgood. 

Phantaisf e Stneoke Schumann 

a. Des Abends. [BTeningl. 
ft. Anftehwung. [Soaring]. 

Quartet to D. fOp.M] Haydn 

a. Allegro moderato. c. Menaetto- Allegretto, 
ft. Adagio cantabile. dL Ftoale, Presto. 

Grand Polonaise^ major Lisst 

}a. Thou Sanny seam Schumann 
ft. Old German SpitogSong Mendelssohn 

Mendelssohn's last Composition. 
Mr. George L. Osgood. 

Cansonet Jensen 

Yalse Impromptn • ..Lisst 

Xtttde, Sharp Minor, \ niM«M«« 

Btude'DFlatkaJor, f Chopto 

In the rendering of these various selections Mies 
Fay showed all the brilliancy of execution, the f)r«e, 
bold, sure hand, of which we spoke after her concert 
at Cambridge. It was also evident that she had 
studied sU the compositions carefully, both as to 
technique and Intention. Yet there was felt a cer- 
tain hardness and lack of the sympathetic quality in 
most of her interpretations. Doubtless it was owing 
In a great measure to embarrassment. The some- 
what unfortunate acoompaniment to the Concerto 
(the double bass not making an appearance) may 
well have disconcerted her ; it was a correct, but 
rather a literal, cold rendering. So too in the 
Schumann pieces there was too much oonscious ef- 
fort ; while in the Polonaise and Walts by Lisst. 
the brilliant mastery seemed too much the triumph 
of determined will ; she possessed the music (play- 
ing all from memory), but the music hardly pos- 
sessed her. We can truly say, however, that some 
of the later pieces, especially the graceful Cansonet 
by Jensen and the C sharp minor Etude by Chopto, 
were played with feeling and expression. That this 
lady, In whom Liszt has taken so much interest, is 

destined to take a high place among our pianists, 
we can hardly doubt. 

Mr. Osgood's singing was admirable ; and the 
Haydn Quartet formed one of the most genial and 
refreshing features of the concert. 



YoB Badow Eecitalni 

For real earnest lovers and students of piano- 
forte music, last week was a long, taXL festival in 

Boston. Five rich programmes — two of them en- 
tirelv from Beethoven, one entirely from Chopin, 
one irom Schumann and Mendelssohn, and one from 



<i0^' 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, APRIL 16, 1876. 



215 



8ohubert and Liszt, ^were played to well nigb ab- 
solnte perfection by this wonderful artist, who holds 
all these thing^s in his memory, as well as in bis fin- 
flrers and his brain ; nor can we any long^er scrnple 
to confess that ho has them all too, in the best sense 
of the phrase, 6y hearl. For how else can we acconnt 
for snch an absolute fidelity of memory, each clear 
conception, sore, discriminating^ grasp of each oom- 
poser^s Individaalrty. and of the whole Intention, 
even into the minntest detail, of every composition ? 
Conld yon set a sonlless machine to do all that ? If 
not done con amore, could it be done at all ? This 
man's whole life and being are absorbed in these 
interpretations. Yet so trne are they, and so com- 
plete, in every sense, that they impress yon as en- 
tirely impersonal ; yon are not listening to Yon 
Bnelow, it it Beethoven, or it is Schumann, Chopin, 
Ifendelsaohn ; his own individnality never obtrades 
itself, never warps, nor even colors what it trans- 
mits. Yon wonder at the quietude, the seemingly 
Impassive coolness of the msn who sits there so in- 
tensely occupied In working miracles almost. It is 
the " sleep " of the top, the rest of complete, unob- 
structed motion ? If it was once much a matter of 
the will, it must now be matter of the heart ; in the 
interpretation of Beethoven it must be something 
more than practice that makes easy. 

We spoke of the interest which these concerts 
have for students ; never before have we seen so 
many listening with the volume of Sonatas in their 
hands. And this is the true way to appreciate these 
masterly interpretations. What you see before 
you in notes and characters upon the page, is in 
a marvellous manner taken out of the book and put 
Into the air as living sound ; you hear it as you read 
it ; the ideal has become audible and real ; and it is 
done as quietly, as perfectly as the sun takes pict- 
ures ; you feel no effort, no disturbing Intervention 

of fingers and of mechanism. This may be or may 
not he genius ; surely it is an invalnable help to 
anyone who must depend upon the sense of hearing 
mainly for any positive perception of the beauty 
and the meaning of those ideal and most difiicnlt 
tone-poems which two or three only in a generation 
are competent to execute as they should sound. 

The only serious obstruction to complete appreci- 
ation and enjoyment was the vast sise of the Music 
Hall; such music requires close commnnion in a 
a smaller room ; Yon Buelow, to be sure, has such 
remarkable distinctness of touch and positive com- 
mand of tone, even in the finest phrases, that the 
ear loses less than usual when he plays ; but even 
he is obliged to play aome Dassages not altogether 
as he would desire, to make them heard. In the 
present ease, too, the audience was seldom larger 
than could be accommodated in a Chamber Concert 
hall. 

Now think of the intense mental concentration, 
the unrelazing muscular and nervona strain, the 
hidden evermore renewed excitement of the man 
who has been giving concerts of this exacting kind, 
night after night, and with no aid from others I 
(The matin6e of Saturday was the llSth perform- 
ance he has given in this country since his arrival 
in October). We have only room for a glance at 
what he has done for musical culture in our city in 
that single week. The programmei* ought to tell 
the story for themselves ; the rest may pass with- 
out saying, or be summed up in the general remark, 
already made, borne out by many witnesses, that 
everything was rendered with a marvellous perfec- 
tion. In the first Recital (Monday afternoon, April 
8), we heard three important Sonatas, besides otner 
rare and noble works, of Beethoven : 

1. Sonata Patettea. Opns 14. 

8; Adagio eon Yariaslonl. Op. 84. 

8. Sonata quasi Fantasia. Op. 87. No. llnBflat. 

4. Sonata. Op. 110. In A flat. 

(Moderato caatabfle molto espresalvo— Allegro 

molto [Scheraol—Finale: Becitativo, Arioso e 

Foga). 
B. Fantasia. Op. 77. 
6. ZY Variations. Fuga ed Andante Finale on a 

Tbeme of the Slnfonla erolea. Op. 86, In E flat. 

We have never heard the Pathetic Sonata played 
more entirely as It stands In our mind, after many 
years of study and familiarity with, in all respects 
of tempi, accent, phrasing and expression. The 
Adagio was rich, dear and satisfying, even in some 



measures which are apt to sound obscurely In the 
lower portion of the keyboard ; and with what an 
exquisite piquancy and lightness he tonched the 
theme of the Finale ! We also thought we knew 
the Sonata quan Fantatia in E fiat before ; but this 
time it had new richness, beanty, vividneas of mean- 
ing, and new fire. In the great Sonata of the later 
poriod in A fiat — ^that deep and passionate dramatic 
monologue — all the exquisite tenderness and beauty 
of the Recitative and Arioso were sensitively clear 
in form and accent ; the Cavtabile was perfect, and 
so was the Fugue. To know snch works rightly, 
one must be a masterly pianist himself, or wait for 
one like Biilow to vouchsafe to him a hearing. — ^The 
second number of the programme is that remarkable 
set of Yariations of which each one Is a new crea- 
tion, born of the first theme, yet each in a different 
key and different form, as Minuet, March, etc A 
more elaborate series is the J^otraYariations, ex- 
tremely difiicnlt some of them, but not for this in- 
terpreter. Perhaps nothing gave us a fresher 
pleasure than to hear that wonderful Fantada — ^the 
perfect type of a Fantasia, which you can imagine 
to have been improvised at one heat; we have often 
looked at it, tried easier parts of it, and longed to 
hear it. This time the longing was fulfilled, even ' 
to the perfect realizing of all those fleeting, delicate 
auroral coruscations and embellishmenta which we 
should think no fingers, but only electricity could 
render. 

The other Beethoven programme (third Recital 
on Thursday) offered four Sonatas ; thus : 

Sonate. Op. 81. No. 8 In D minor. 
Sonata. Op. 109. tn B major. 

[lntrodaxlone—Pr««t1S8imo— Andante molto can- 

tablle con Yariaxlonl]. 
Rondo Capriccfoso. Op. 189. rPosthumons work]. 
Sonata Appasnionata. Op. 57, in F minor. 
88 Variations sur un Tbeme orif^nal. in G minor. 
Lea Adleux Pabsence et le retour. Sonate caracterls 

tique. Op. 81, a. 

We may not stop to tell how admirably the two 
" Tempest " Sonatas were given, especially the fai- 
ry-like Rondo finale of the first, and Indeed all of 
the Appasnonaia ; nor how perfectly the sentiment 
of " Les Adieux " etc., the yearning and the rapture, 
were expressed, — one of the loveliest of the Sonatas, 
very seldom heard in pnblic. The Rondo Capnccio 
seemed to us commonplace and slight for Beetnoven. 
The 82 Yariations on a Theme in C minor were set 
forth in all their significance of contrast. 

The Schumann-Mendelssohn Night (Tuesday) is 
memorable for the inclement storm without and for 
the rare feast which rewarded the few faithful ones 
(barely 200) who braved its fury for the love of no- 
ble music. Here is the programme : 

1. Robert Sebumann : 

Third Orand Sonate In F minor. 
Allesro—ScbenEo— Quasi Yariazionl- Prestissimo. 
8. R. Scbnmann : 

[ol <* Blumenatttck.'* On. 19. 

[6] *< Abends'* and " OriUen,** from Fantasie- 

stUok. Op. 18. 
Tel Marcbe Noctame. from Op. 88. 
[a) Romance. Op. 38, No. 8. 
J>] Novellette. Op. 81, No. 7. 
8. Felix Mendelssobn : 

a) A11e<ro Grazloeo, Op. 33, No. 3. 
b\ Prelnde and Fagne. Op. 80, No. 1. 
e\ ^cberzo. Op. 7. No. 7. 
d] Yariations in B flat. Op. 82. 
>] Orand Capriccio. Op. 7, In F sharp minor. 
I. Sebumann: 
" Wiener Fascblnff.*' five fancy pieces. Op. 88. 
Allegro— Romance— Scberzino—IntcrmezKo— 

Finale. 

The little company n^.ade up by cloDcness of at- 
tention and sympathetic, frank applause, for lack of 
numbers, so that the magnetic rapport was complete 
between the giver and receiver. That Schumann 
Sonata was quite new here ; in the first edition it 
was entitled a " Concerto without nccotnpaniment," 
— « notion of the publisher's, we think. It is full 
of original, imaginative strength and beauty, with 
traits here and there of the impetuous young Da- 
vidahUndter spirit. The theme on which the quan 
Variazioni are written, was composed by Clara 
Wieck, and has a solemn, almost tragic grandeur. 
Some of the smaller Schumann pieces were new to 
most, and very interesting. So were some of the 
Mendelssohn selections; the Allegro Grazioso, the 
Grand Capriccio, and the quaint, bright little 
Scherzo, are singnlarly fresh and genial, and were 
exQuisitely played, particularly the Scherzo, which 
called forth a general murmur of delight. 

And now we must bring this to a swift conclusion, 
simply recording the last two programmes; that of 
Friday evening, April 7, which claimed our pres- 
ence elsewhere, and that of Saturday afternoon, — 
the Chopin feast which was, in some respects, tlie 
most remarkable of all, the opening and closing 
numbers being entirely new to most of us. 



lY. 

1. Franz Schubert: 

Grand Sonate in A maior, Clast work but one). 

All^ro—Andantino— scherzo— Rondo. 
8. F. Schubert: 

t Impromptu in S flat. Op. 90. No. 8. 
Bl^le in G major. Op. 90. No. 8. 
Oaprlccio. Op. 142, No. 4, in F minor, 
bubert: 
Two Walts-Caprices. Illustrated by Frani liszt. 
[Soir6es de Yienne, No. 4 and 3.] 

4. Franz Liszt: 

a] Le lac. ) 

b] Eclogue. I TrOogls Suisse, 
cl An bord d*une source. > 
tfj Polonaise bAroYquCi in S major. 

5. It. Liszt: 

a} Dans les bois. ( 

b] Danse des Gnomes. { Etudes de Concert, 
cl Mozourka brillante. 

cfj Rhapsodic Honsrroise, No. 18. (IMdi^ a Jos. 
Joachim. 

Y. [Chopik]' 

1. Third Grand Sonata In B minor. Op. S8. 
Allegro maestoso— Scherzo viface—Larjeo— Finale. 

8. [a] Yariations on a Romance of Herold's Opus 18. 
\b' Noctame, Opus 87, No. 8. [c] Impromptu, 
Opus 86. [d] Three Waltzes, Opus 34. 

8. [a] Brtllade, Opus 33, in G minor. [b] Nocturne, 
Opus 9, No. 3 in B major. [el Selection of Ma- 
zurkas, (d) Berceuse, Opus 67. («] Polonaise, 
Opus 58. 

4. Grand Concert-Allegro in A major, Opus 46. 

Hakdel axd Hatdn Socivtt. a week of Yon 
Buelow Is followed by a week of Oratorios. On 
Sunday evening the third and most successful pres- 
entation in this city, and this country, of Baches St, 
Matthsw Patnon Music was given before a very 
large and deeply Impressed audience. We need 
more room than we have now to speak of it. 

— On Wednesday evening, — ^Mlle. Tibtjkhs hay- 
ing signified her wish to make her farewell appear- 
ance in America in our favored city— Mendelssohn*s 
" Hymn of Praise " and Rossini's l^tahat Mater were 
per^rmed. 

Next Sunday evening (Easter) an Oratorio en- 
tirely new to our public, and of a heroic, joyous 
character, well suited to the season, Handers Jonk- 
1MI, will be performed ; an account of it, from last 
Sunday's Courisr, will be found on another page, 
together with the list of solo artists. The Society 
has been fortunate in procuring, through the kind 
intervention of Mr. Dresel, now in Leipzig, the ad- 
ditional accompaniments prepared for It by Julius 
Rietz, the Dresden Kapellmeister. 

And this reminds us of a similar service which 
Robert Franz has done for our Oratorio society, in 
completing the orchestral score of those portions of 
The MemJi which Mozart left in the imperfect, 
sketchy state in which the score came from Han- 
del's hands. The following letter was read at a re* 
cent rehearsal of the Society : 

To the Prettdent c/the Handet and Haydn Soetety. 

Halle, Feb. 17, 1876. 

Most Honored Sir: — T have received your wel- 
come letter of the 28d of January, through Messrs. 
Breitkopf and Haertel of Leipsic, and also your en- 
closure. For both I would convey to you my most 
grateful thanks, and pray you to transinit the 
same to the Directors of the H. H. S., In Boston. It 
has given me great pleasure to be able to show my 
friends in America how deeply I felt myself indebt- 
ed to them. In many years nothing but what 
showed kindness and affection has reached me from 
them ; and that too, at a time when I was strug- 
gling in my own country with many hindrances. 
These tokens of sympathy' aided much in my devel- 
opment, end raised my flagging courage, when it 
otherwise might have failed. For such gifts there 
can be no return, and I shall always • therefore re- 
main deeply in your debt In the assurance of my 
deepest respect, I remain, 

Your obliged 

Robert Feaxz. 



ICnsio in Chicago. 

Mabch 86.— Since my last letter a great msny musical 
events of some interest have taken place liere, due no- 
tice of whlcb I bave been compelled to omit for lack of 
time to do it properly. Among tbese were tbe Yon Bue- 
low concerts, of wbicb tbere were four, all but one of 
whlcb I bad tbe good fortune to hear. You bave already 
spoken to Justly of his playing that nothing remains for 
me to add save to record the fact that they were ex- 
tremely well received and had very fair houses, amount- 
ing. I am told, to something over five thousand dollara 
for the four, which was very good for concerts given by 
two persons only, as these were. For mvself I am una- 
ble to find Von Buelow lacUpg in soul. His playing is> 
of course, first of all intelligent and intellectual; but I 



•Mtmmtm^^m^^ 



216 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OP MUSIC. 



am nnable to imagine thit h« eoali carry In bis memo- 
ry tho immensA repertory of p'eces alwaji nt his cora- 
m ndi if they did not exis*: for him as so mach mnnical 
imagination. In other words his playing seems to me to 
indicate that these things exist in his mind as tone- 
pictnros, or dreams remembered, and reproduced for 
the delight of the audience. Mnsic ^eems to roe a part 
of his natorp, a mode of speech not distinctively his 
▼emacttlar, bat so thoroughly acquired and so habitaal 
in pracUce as to bare become very far from a merely 
I slavish reproduction [however able] of notes set down 
for him by some greater enchanter. At sll events the 
playing is delightful. 

Another aAtir of no small local Interest is the Incep- 
tion of anew chonl society for the study of Omtorio. It 
is a West Side Institution, of alfont a hundred members* 
working away at '* Samson " under the direction of Mr. 
Blarkmsn. When they appear In public I hope to be 
there to hear. 

The second concert of the ApoMo society occurred 
something over a month ago with a good programme, 
though perhaps a shade too Bnglish, the most trying 
numl>er nf which was W%gner*s<' Pilgrim Chorns *'from 
'' TannhKuser,'* whirh was done remarkably well., 
Throughout this concert the superior discipline of the 
Club was very apparent. The piano-playing on this oc- 
casion was done by Mrs. Reglna Watson, a lady who at 
one time had some lessons of Tnnsig, and who played 
here last winter as I wrote yon at the time. Although 
of considerable attainments she is hardly a good public 
player,' by reason of her great nervousneas. 

Then again there was a private musical evening given 
by the Hershey School of Musical Art, at which the pro- 
gramme was as follows : 

1. SonaUinC, op. 7 LudwigBerger 

H. C. Bddy. 

o (a. In queata tomba oscnra. Beethoven 

** \b. "Dec Fischer" Curschman 

Mrs. 8. B. Hershey. 

•• I The MavbeTls'and the Flowers, } -Mendelssohn 

4. Sonata in D minor, op. 3t. No t Beethoven 

Mrs. Clara von Klense. 

. (a. "Good Night*' H. Clarence Eddv 

*• 16. Medje Oonnoii 

Mrs. Clara D. Btacey. 

0. Caprlccio Brdllante in B minor Mendelssohn 

Mrs. Clara von Klense, 

with second piano nart by 

Mr. H. Clarence Eddy. 

Mr. Bddy is not distinctively a pianist, his touch lack- 
ing in the picturesque, though It is always a pleasure to 
heir so fine a musician; for refined and elegant phras- 
ing and repose and accnra-'y of execution are not suiB- 
..cieutly common, nfrs. von Klense Is a new comer here 
from Berlin, a pupil of Kallak, a lady of great refine- 
ment and of a very delicate and elegant touch combined 
with considerable technique. She will devote herself to 
teaching, and I regard her as a veiy important accession 
to our local forces. 

Last Thursday nl^t came the third Apol!o concert, 
with this programme: 



1 . Rhine ?^ong .•....•.•....■•.•■...••■•••...... smart 

2. Night Winds that so gently flow . . Baptlate Calkin 

3. Sonata Appassinn<ita, op. 57 Beethoven 

Miss Julia Rlv«. 

. (a. Serenade Marschner 

*• \b. Miller's Song ZSllner 

6. *' Bel Bagglo " [Semiramide] Rossini 

Miss W E. Benzlger. 

6. Latin DiinkinflT Song R. Oen^e 

7. Hvmn to Mnsic Lachner 

. r a.' Ballade in Ab Chopin 

•• \b. Polonaise in B Liaxt 

MIsa Julia Riv«. 

9. On the Water Twi th Baritone solo] Abt 

10. ** Staccato Polka," vocal Mulder 

Miss Benzlger. 

11. WalUfArlon] Vogel 

The most ambitious number was the Hymn to Music 
by Lachner, wherein he seems to have undertaken more 
in the line of descriptive illustration than the resources 
of a male chorus, with its somewhat monotonous timbrs, 
permits of doing well. Throughout the evening the 
singing of the Club wasof the most superior description. 
In all points they have not only gained, but reached a 
point of very fine attainment— far beyond any chorus 
singing ever heard here b^ore. I am very sorry io be 
unable to send you Mr. Upton's opinion [the TYibuiU] ; for 
the precision, pure tone, Intelligent coloration of tone, 
solid intonation, fine shading, and balance of the parts, 
are all qualities which would have delighted him, .had 
he not been detained at home by sad domestic affliction. 

It is perhaps doubtful whether an abler chorus con- 
ductor than Mr. Tomlins can be found in this country. 
Certainly I have never heard choi»l work so well done, 
and I can only regret that such consummate patience 
and skill should not be applied in a broader field than 
that of the male chorus. If, for instance, one could hear j 
the " Elijah " choruses performed with the finish this 

concert evinced, and accompanied by an orchestra 1 ke 
Thomas', with real art'sta for the solo*, thert would be a 
perfofmance it would do one good to hear. 



The pianii^t of this concert was Miss Biv^, who has 
been playing a number of programmes in tMa vicinity 
during the last three weeka. The quality of her pro- 
grammes ynn can Judge fmra the specimen, which ^s all 
I haver<»om for, the programme of a Recital given here 
1 ist night. 

Beethoven— Sonata Appasslonata, on. S7. 
Schumann— Faschingachwank. op. 96. 
Roechel— " Beside the Sea." 

Mrs. S. B. Herahey. 
Beethoven— Concerto in C minor. 

'(Second piano part by W. S. B. Mathews]. 
Choptn-a— Ballade in G minor. 
ft-Yalse In DA. 
e~S«*hfrzo In B6 Minor. 
Weber— Perpetual MoHon. 
R'tff -Gonnod'a Wal z fn '* Romeo and Juliet." 
Lbist-RhapsiKlie Hongro!se. Ko. 2. 

These selections were played before an audience of 
about four hundred [completely filling the room] and 
were r waived with great applauae. All the critics agree 
that Miss Rive haa splendid technique and plays L<sxt 
and that sort of thing in a way th'\t leaves little room fpr 
even hypc-crltlcism So [ pa« thit and come to speak 
of her Chopin playing. In which also I think she excels. 
I could pardon one who disagreed with this verdict at 
tthe Apollo concert, where her rendering of the A flat 
Ballade came after two pieces liy the chorus of seventy 
voices and eoold not but suffer from the contrast In vol- 
ume and depth of tone. But last evening her perform- 
ance of the Ballade in Q minor and the Sohnrso in B flat 
was, simply, grea^. For here we had flrst of all con- 
summate technique; secondly perfect accuracy to the 
very lant and most minute point; third a conception of 
the music which made it grand, picrure«qne, and pro- 
foundly significant ; an 1 finally tha whole combined with 
a degree of enthusiasm and fire that one seldom heirs 
equilled even in the greatest artists. He -e in leed one 
heard the performance of an artist In her beat mood. 
Equally fine in its way waa her version of the lovely 
thirdconcertqof Beethoven, or which »he played only 
the flrst movement and Reinecke's cadenza, itself a moat 
elegant piece of composition, and played little If any 
short of perfection. Having hud the opportuniry of 
hearing this concerto several times I am the more con- 
fident that the critics underestimate the artistic ability 
of this most talented young lady. And so I might go on 
and speak of her version of the great Sonata appasslon- 
ata and the Schumann pieces, but I forbear. Every mn« 
sician has his own idea of these great master-works, and 
the work of any interpreter necessarily runs counter to 
some fkvorite notion or other, especially as the great 
minority of those who hold and express in words their 
ideas of such pieces lal>or under an imperfection of tech- 
nique that disables them from grasping the true climaxes 
of the piece, and so they labor for certain effects here and 
there which however excellent in themselves are incom- 
patible with a broad grasp of the piece as a wliole; as 
soon as an artist is able to present the whole piece he is 
obliged to reserve something for those moments where 
the composer has intended the pssslon to culminate, and 
this comes at the expense of many possible effects at 
less important points. 

Miss Riv4 played a programme substantially like the 
one here given before the young ladies in Ferry Hall 
Seminary at Like Forest, and so what I hen aay is the 
conclusion arrived at after several hearings. 

Mrs. S. B. Hershey is also a recent comer here, a con- 
tralto, who to a pure tone and irreproachable method 
adds a broad and noble delivery, and is a singer who In 
spite of a voice no longer fresh, is an artist of a higher 
type than we have had here before. 

I ought also to speak of Mi«s J. W. Benzlger of New 
York, who sang at the Apollo concert. The lady is, I 
am told, young and of considerable aocomplishment in 
music, and on the evening in question made a great sno> 
cess with the audience; in spite of which I am sorry to 
be obliged to add that her selections were artistically 
insignificant, and even such as they were, were not Jus- 
tified by tlie finish of delivery which alone could excuse 
a singer for offering a large audience of some twenty- 
five hundred people four selections, all trashy [the Ros- 
sini " Bel raggio '* being the best of the lot.] She seems 
to have aimed at the school of Carlotta Patti, but of 
course in precisiou of execution she haa vet a gr»*at deal 
to learn. I can and do forgive a great oieal to singers; 
they may sing out of tune if they cannot remerolter the 
key; they may murder the text as they usually do; but 
when they presume to offer the best concert audience 
that can l>e gathered in this city [be it better or worse] 
four selections totally wanting In nobility and signifi- 
cance, nothing but perfect execution can absolve tnem; 
and even then I must be permitted to have my opinion 
of their taste. 

The Beethoven society is engaged on important woiks, 
of which more anon. 

Mr. Wolfnohn has commenced a series of Chopin reci- 
tals, which are larg**ly attended by those who are able to 
command a holiday on Saturdays. 

I had It In mind to pay my reapects to some of the mn- 
aical criticisms here; but this is a broad [though shal- 
low] subject, and demands more room. 

DEU FaXT'SCHUETZ. 



Sjrenal ttniittn. 



I)B«CRn»TIVK LIST OF THE 

XBSX ^^Tjazo, 

ibll«k«« by Oliver Ols««Bi * C«. 



> <•» < 



Vooali %i%\ 'U*) AooompanlmeBt. 

Beyond the Smiling and the Weeping. 8g 

and Quartet F. a. F to f. BaotL 80 

** Sweet, sweet Home.'* 
Lord, tarry not but come I" 

The Quartet mav be omitted, when the whole 
becomes a lieautiful soo, adai..g to the attract- 
iveness of the fdvurice hymn. 

Song of 1870. Song and Cho. 6. 8. d to ij. 

Lorttz. 80 
A spirited Centennial song. 

Neber come home no mo'. Bb. 4. h to F. 

Stvrmeek. 40 
» An* litae Mose^wen, be*8 deed loo, 
now he used to dance and singi " 
A queer combination of negro words, with real- 
ly first-class music and sentiment. An effective 
exhibition song. 

Baby mine. Lithograph Title. F. 8. c to F. 

Jobnaion, 40 
" Fve a letter from thy sire. 
Baby mine I Baliy mine I '* 

A wondtfrfMly sweet ballad bv If aekay. very 
jMipnlar. Now newly omameDteu with a picture 

Const'incy. C major and minor. 4. e to E. 

Otnmod. 85 

** My eyes are faint with all the light, 
My h-inds perplexed wiih all thrse flowers." 

Oonnod sets hia notes In aong as gema are set 
in gem mosaics. This song is Je wel-llk« for bright- 



With the Tide. G. 8. d to F. Jordan. 80 

'* S'owly the tide came creeping in 
Thro* the clamor of biltowy strife.** 
Two atriking mnsical picture* — the tide and a 
life coming in ;— a life and the tide go ng out. 

Betrothed. (La fldanzata). With Violin 

obligato. O. 6. c to F. Haeken»oUner, 40 

•* with whitest rosea.*' 
'< Dl rose blanche.** 

A highly wrought romance, whose violin notes 
change it nearly Into a duet. The combined effect 
is rich and pleasing. 

The yeiled Picture. F. 8. d to F. Gounod, 85 

** The memory of a love as brief 
As a sweet summer di^." 
Xxqnisite. 

New Song! of Gas Phillips. (Oofty Gooft). 

each 40 
No. 8. Mrs. McSooley's Twins. G. 2. 
dtoE. 
" 4. Limburger Sheese. B6. 2. c to F. 
*' 5. Belogny Sassidge. F. 2. b to F. 

The contrsst between the gems of Goimod and 
thene rough diamonds. Is aumoiently great Bnt 
the latter are capiul in their way, andattraet the 
multitude. The Belonies that *< makes yon 
heald-y.*' The cheese " dot makes you siidrong,** 
and the twins that make such a **murtheiin' 
squall,*' are all very comic to hear of. 

Adaptations from Select Authors bv Clou»Um. 
No. a. Easter Hymn, by BendeL 25 

**A hope, with comfort fraught. 
Triumphant over death and time." 
Onartet and Solo, and a really beantlful adap- 
tation. 

Hildebrand Montrose. 2. D to f. Barrigan. 40 

Miss Jennie Hughes sings it, and ** the boys *> 
like to hear it. 

Flower of the Alps. (Fleor des Alps. ) 4w 

E6 to ft. WekorHn, 40 

** Echo mocka my monmfnl sighs.'* 
" Bcho plalntif viens reculUtr." 

A Swiss air of oonslderaUe variety, with the 
customary harmonies to provoke the echoes. 

lastrsmtstsl* 
Two Waltzes. Prattf eo. 80 

No. 1. Pull down the Blind. G. 4. 
Introduces " Tommy maki* room for your Anntie.** 
No. 2. Dancing in the dreamy Walts. D. 8. 

Introduces '* A Letter in the Candle.** This and 
Ko. 1 have well defined, agreeable melodies, and 
are likely to be favorites. 



ABDRXViATiONS.—Degrees of difficulty are maiked 
from 1 to 7. The key Is denoted by a capital letter, as C. 
B6, etc. A large Roman letter marks the lowest and the 
highest note if on the staff, small Roman letters if be- 
low or above the staff. Thus: *<C. 5, c to K'* means 
" Key ot C, Fifth degree, lowest letter, c on the added 
line below, highest letter, £ on the 4th spiace. 



■Uta 



rfM 



^tm 



I** 








mml 





ttstr. 



Wholb No. 914. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, APRIL 29, 1876. Vol. XXXVI. No, 2. 



Inanclible Sympathy. 

CFiom the Cbneordki, Mavdh 11.] 

Tt WM said, I think, of Macaalay that, al- 
though he was an excellent talker, those who 
were mnch in his company could not bnt be 
struck with his *' extraordinary flashes of si- 
lence." Here, indeed, there is proof thst it is 
sometimes wise to hold one^s tonjrue, and that 
the profoandest sympathy with what is passinflc 
at the moment is not always audibly expressed. 
I have now in my recollection an instance of a 
man, highly cultivated both in literature and 
the arts, who prided himself upon the belief 
that he had educated his daughters to become 
**good listeners;" and, in truth, I have never 
met more intelligent guests in an assemblage 
where anything was -said worth hearing. **8ir, 
if vou do not mean anything, do not say any- 
thing," was Dr. Johnson's rebuke to a mere 
talker; but I might go further, and advise such 
persons not to say anything unless what they 
'* mean "will compensate lis for the vsluable 
time they would occupy. When we are in the 
prpsenoe of men endowed with a special gift, 
It is good to tfain ourselves to a mute admira- 
tion of this gift It must be remembered that 
it IS a great power to compel an audience to 
listen, and all who possess this power, as a 
rule, rank higher than those who are con- 
stantly drawing forth expressions of approval; 
for where the personal obtrudes, the atten- 
tion is so distracted that the judgment slum- 
bers. 

To apply this fact to the drama, it is neces- 
sary only to recall to mind those actors who, 
holding their auditors breathless throughout 
entire scenes, tacitly forbid applause, and to 
contrast them with those who, seeking for au- 
dible marks of approbation, are perpetually 
'* making pointo. »^ As there is a grief that lies 
too deep for .tears, there must be an apprecia- 
tion of sublimity in art too profound to be ex- 
pressed by noisy demonstrations of gratifica 
tion; and this feeling it should be the actor's 
art to reach, if he would win rather an endur- 
ing fame than a temporary notoriety. The de- 
cline of the stage as a vehicle for the represen- 
tation of human feelings and actions may be 
dated from the time when the actor obtruded 
himself beyond the author, and nought his own 
glorification at the expense of the drama. An 
effective speech, a good exit, an exciting situ- 
ation, became positively necessary when the 
worship of the executant was the one thing for 
the management to foster; and ** sensation 

Sieces " arose on the ruins of the plays which 
epended for their success upon carefully- 
wntten dialogue, variety of character, and a 
well-constructed plot. But, although the 
Drama has thus degenerated, we do not find 
that when anything good is plsced before them, 
our audiences, as a rule, destroy the effect by 
undue and indiscriminate applause. Portia, 
for instance, in the trial-scene of The Merchant 
ilf Vmiciy at the conclusion of her speech upon 
Mercy, is not called forward to the footlights 
to make a curtsey and pick up bouquets. Ham- 
let is not made to take up Torick's skull, after 
he has thrown it down, and deliver his oration 
upon life and death to Horatio over again. 
True it is that, within the recollection of many, 
an encore was attempted in a tragedy ; but this 
good-humored joke only proved how utterly 
absurd such a proceeding would be were it in- 
tended in earnest. An amateur — known as B^ 
ms9 OoatsB, from his always acting this part — 
finding the applause continue, and a demand 
raised for a repetition of his dying scene, actu- 
ally believed that this ovation was a compU- 

ifc— L— ■ H I — ■■ ■ iMi ■ ■ I . H 



ment to his acting, and would probably have 
died once more, in obedience to the request, 
had he not brought down the laughter of the 
house by innocently saying to the actor who 
bent over him, *' Do you think they mean it? ** 
It is scarcely in accordance with the prevail- 
ing notion that the taste for the irreatest musi- 
cal works is very rapidly spreading, to assert 
that the audible sympathy which in a theatre 
is under somewhat reasonable control, should, 
in the opera-house and concert-room, be so 
reckle^slv shown as utterly to ruin the poetry 
of the art. Tet that such is the case can be 
proved by the experience of all in the habit of 
attending musical performances. At the Op- 
era it is thoroughly understood that the dram- 
atic action is to be suspended whenever a 
show-piece has been snng, the vocalist being 
overwhelmed with applause whilst tl:e rest of 
the company either look on or help the favor- 
ite of the eveniuff to gather up the floral offer- 
ings which are showered upon the stage. If 
an encore should be insisted upon, the absurd- 
ity of repeating the expression of feeling I have 
pointed out as impossible to occur in a pTay is 
here enacted without a show of protect, the 
few intelligent dissenters from such an anomaly 
being compelled to silence by the majority. 
Certainly a very decided stand was made 
against this system by a portion of the audi- 
ence during the late representation of Wagner*s 
Lohen^frin at the Royal Italian Opera: but, cu- 
riously enough, in spite of such manifestation, 
in this very Opera occurred one of the most 
glaring instances of thoughtless encores I have 
ever witnessed — the assembled warriors in the 
flrst act, who express in a highly dramatic cho- 
rus their wonder at the distant appearance of 
Lohengrin, in a skiff, drawn by a swan, beins: 
compelled to be astonished over again at his 
approach, although Lohengrin had in the mean- 
while arrived in front of the audience, and 
was waiting to sing the farewell to his trusty 
gpiide. 

These interruptions to the continuity of dram- 
atic action by the clamorous demands of the 
many are of course so obviously absurd as to 
strike every thoughtful listener in an Opera- 
house ; but we have equal violence offered to 
art in our concert-rooms. A|>plause constant- 
ly breaks in where kn effective passage has been 
well played or sung ; and it appears a recog- 
nized fashion to drown the purely orehestral 
portion of a Concerto by a tumultuous burst of 
delight at the solo performer, which ha or she, 
despite the enormity of such a proceeding, is 
expected to acknowledge. It might be imag- 
ined that the concertos of Beethoven, Mendels- 
sohn and manv others are constructed so as to 
render such a desecration of a composition im- 
possible; but the gforification of the executant 
has so far superseded the *' inaudible sympa- 
thy" which the creation of a great master should 
inspire, that even those whose better judgment 
might recoil from such an action in a more ar- 
tistic atmosphere are often led by custom to 
join in the applause. During the performance 
of a Symphony it is certainly not unusual to 
interrupt the. work by marks of satisfaction 
whenever a particular passage is effectively 
given, and plaudits are therefore reserved for 
the conclusion of each movement. Here, how- 
ever, occurs a dilemma which it is difficult to 
meet; for it is impossible to say whether the 
applause is bestowed upon the music or its ex- 
ecution. Somebody, nevertheless, must recog- 
nize it, and as the work is often by a decease<l 
composer, and each instrumentalist cannot con- 
veniently make his obeisance to the audience 
in front of. his desk, the conductor usually 



turns round and bows himself. Surely absurd- 
ity can no further go. Solo vocalists, from 
experience, know perfectly well how to draw 
forth a solid round of applause ; and, even at 
the sacrifice of the intention of the composer, 
they make the best use of this knowledge. 
The encore, although of course not so absolute- 
ly ridiculous as when occurring in an Opera, is 
almost always opposed to tne wishes of a 
minority of the auditors: but, as any expression 
of dissatisfaction might be interpfeted by the 
artist as a slur upon the mannner in which a 
composition has been rendered, it is seldom 
that many voices are raised in dissent; some- 
times, indeed, an unseemly battle rages between 
the opposing factions, yet few can doubt on 
which side the victory will invariably lie. 

Bat it may be said that vocalists and instni- 
mentalists who come before the public require 
constant applause as a stimulus to their exer- 
tions, and that they have no other method of 
ascertaining what impression they have made 
upon their audience. To this I would reply 
that nowhere is one of the grandest forms of 
musical art — the Oratorio — so thoroughly ap- 
preciated as in a Cathedral, where even the 
faintest murmur of applause is strictly prohib- 
ited. Here the eloquence of the music is in no 
degree deprived of its mighty power by the 
clapping of hands or the inexorable demands 
for certain portions of a work to be repeated. 
The feeling of devotion called forth at the 
commencement by the sacred character of the 
composition is never for a moment disturbed ; 
one unbroken sequence of ideas is presented to 
the audience in a manner so perfect that the 
execution seems a component portion of the 
work; and although there is a consciousness 
with the listenere that every department, both 
in the orchestra and choir, is thoroughly effi* 
cient, the audible expression of this conscious- 
ness, even if it were permitted, would seem a 
sacrilege to all whose thoughts are centred upon 
the sublimity of the music itself. Will it be 
asserted, then, by any executant that this **in- 
audible sympathy " is not fully apparent to all 
concerned in the performance of the Oratorio f 
nay, more — that the deep and earnest attention 
of the audience during a solo, and a half-sup- 
pressed emotion at the close, do not convey a 
higher tribute of admiration to a sensitive vo- 
calist than the ringing plaudits which can only 
be replied to by bows and curtseys, even if it 
do not lead to that still more absurd acknowl- 
edgment of public favor, the repetition of the 
entire piece? Surely at the Three Choir Festi- 
vals, where perfect silence reigns, the effect 
produced by a solo singer is as obvious as at 
the Opera — ^indeed, even more so, for vehement 
applause at our lyrical establishments has now 
so little to do with real success, that the more 
impassive listener has been taught to regard it, 
like the cheere of a mob in the streets during 
the prognsss of a noted personage, as a necessa- 
ry noise, but little indicative of the true feeling 
of the people. 

All who have faith in the effect of musical 
education must feel that the remedy for thia 
evil will grow out of the advanced intelligence 
of our audiences. The only reason why the 
most interesting points of a drama are not con« 
stantly interrupted by violent applause and 
demonstrations of delight is that the listeners 
underatand what they are hearing, and will not, 
in consequence, allow the interest to be bro- 
ken. When, therefore, they are equally capa- 
ble of comprehending the meaning and co i- 
struction uf a musical composition, they will 
repress all attempt to lavish marks of reward 
upon executants during its progress. **Inatt' 



218 



DWIGHT»S JOURNAL OP MUSIC. 



dibte 8pmpatby " is not only the traest homa^re 
to the work, but to the worker; and any audi- 
ble reco^ition of an artist's powers should be 
limited to appropriate times and places. That 
this desirable reform will gradaally be eJGTected 
there can be no doubt; and we must learn, 
therefore, patiently to wait. Meantime, how- 
ever, it is good that these truths should be oc- 
casionally spoken, for they may not only assist 
in helping forward a more healthful appreciar 
tion of art in this country, but in proving to 
the composer that his real duty lies rather in 
endeavoring to strengthen the judgment of his 
hearers than in courting their favor by writing 
down to their weak points. 



** Trifltan and Isolde " in Berlin. 

CComspondenM of the London MkHcal World.] 

The long-expected event, the event looked 
forward to with such extraordinary curiosity, 
has at length come off. Richard Wagner's 
T^rufnn and Isolds has been performed at the 
Royal Operahouse before an audience such as 
is seldom found within the walls of that edi- 
fice. Not a seat was empty, though the ordi- 
nary ** high " prices of admission were doubled 
by order of the Intendant-General, Herr von 
Htilsen, while the outside ticket-sellers charged 
twenty thalers for a place in the pit. So much 
t^e better for Wasmer and his Grand -National- 
Festival - Stage-Play - Tetralogical - Trilogy at 
Bayreuth, to which the Emperor, who was 
present on the first night, as he had been pres- 
ent at the grand rehearsal, ordered the re- 
ceipts to be given. The Wagneritet were nat- 
urally wild with delight, and picture Wagner 
giving up the triumphal car which he now 
uses. After what has happened, they regard 
it as a one horse aJGTair, and think their master 
ought to exchange it for a more brilliant vehi- 
cle drawn by two crowned heads, an Imperial 
and a Royal one, instead of by a king only, as 
hitherto. 

It would be presumptuous in me to dilate at 
length upon the beauties of the piece. I will 
confine myself to stating that the first act went 
off satifllactorily. How could it be otherwise 
with people who had paid heavily for the priv- 
ilege of witnessing the performance, and who 
wanted, by ** making-believe" very hard, like 
Dicken's Marchioness with the orange peel, to 
persuade themselves they had a fair return for 
their money. It had been rumored about, 
moreover, that the Emperor was a convert to 
Wagnerisra ; and the game of follow-my-leader 
is played elsewhere than at school. Justice 
requires me to state, however, that Mdlle. 
Brandt was a most effective Brangftne, while 
Mdme. von Voggenhuber as Isolde, and Herr 
Niemann as Tristan, made love as warmly as 
the most uncompromising partisan of the Art- 
Future could possibly desire. But such erotic 
manifestations tax the artists' resources incon- 
veniently. Though there was a wait of at least 
half-an-hour between the first and the second 
act, neither Isolde nor Tristan had sufiSciently 
recovered from their previous amorous efforts 
to do as much as they might have done for the 
interminable love duet in the latter act. The 
public gave unmistakable signs of being bored, 
and well they might. The third act went off 
with somewhat more spirit; but, if you ask 
me whether I regard the performance sa a thor- 
ough and genuine success, I answer unhesitat- 
ingly : I do not. It strikes me that very few, 
not Wagnerites, do so regard it. 

Besides the artists alr^y named, the cast 
included Herr Betz as EOnig Marke, and Herr 
Bchmitt as Kurvenal; but neither gentleman 
especially distinguished himself. The chorus 
was exceedingly shaky from time to time, 
though it has not very* much to do. The or- 
chestra, on the contrary, performed its arduous 
task with wonderful dash and correctness. 
At the fall of the curtain, we had applause, 
recalls, aud ** ovations " to all concernea. But, 
this notwithstanding, Triitan und Isolde is not 
a genuine triumph. 



To prove that I am not alone in mv opinion, 
I subjoin an article from the Berlin Bcho of the 
28rd March :— 

" On the 20th March. Richard Warner's musical 
drAma of TVtMian und Isolde wsn performed for the 
first time on the roy«l stage ! Thi^ siirnificant event 
compels na, at tlie last moment before goint: to 
prera. to take up. our pen — the pen which we would 
so willinsrly nllow to remsfn quiet on the sabject of 
a work which — nay, really and truly, dear reader, 
it is a difficult thing to cfnide the pen a^inat the 
prodaction of a man from whose tiead and heart 
there have spmnflf srenial works, bnt whom we now 
behold, in a path far removed from that of human 
morality, and of Nature, employing the mairic tones 
of mnsic in the service of — srroasnessf Sublime 
Mnsic. canst thou snffer that the emotions of love 
and affection, even of the moet passionate kind, of a 
man for a woman, and of a woman for a man, of 
that affection which sinks deep into the purest 
depths of the human breast, and to cherish and de- 
velop which in all its purity are the tasks of all hu- 
manity ^-cinst thou suffisr loTe to be degraded by 
furious! V bellowing the tones created for thy mod- 
est service, and that a degenerate screaming of hu- 
man voices should convey to us the movements of 
the human heart 7 Canst thou suffer that, spning 
from a fancy run wild, brainleu words should be 
coupled with disorderly caricatures of thy other- 
wise so lovely strains 7 And when thy most fa- 
vored servants, thy Olucks. Mosarts, Beethovens, 
Webers, and their splendid creations, their Iphifl^ 
nias, Paminas. Leonoras. Agathas, and Euryanthes, 
are all incapable of resistinn^ the tendency to what 
is common, that stream which is overwhelming thy 
kingdom, as well as other things, why dost thou not 
send us thy Messiah, that, with the vieorons words 
of truth he may purify the temple, and strew about 
more healthy seed ! If, In the second act of this 
drama, Tristan and Isolde, during an entire hour, 
writhe hero and there about the stage in the wild 
Intoxication of love ; if, like lunatics, they shriek 
forth the moat meant nsrless and stupid verses, per- 
fectly incomprehensible for a healthy brain, and 
gradnally excite each other with an ezaimrerated 
amount of strength and effort ; if, in the third aet, 
the hero, Tristan, wounded to the death, flings him- 
self here and thbre incessantly before our eyes upon 
a bear-skin ; if. in addition to all this, an orchestra 
is let loose, which, be^oning with low tone-distor. 
tions, keeps continually pulling itself toflcether to 
indulflTS in the wildest tumult, that brays down 
everything else ; if this heralds in the Drama of the 
Future, then, dear reader — ^then rejoice with us, for 
ont of the dark night there will arise the bright 
light of day ! Ons more victory like the present, 
and Waflrner's belauded works of the Future will be 
inevitably swallowed up in the abyss of oblivion. 
It strikes us that the ruddy dawn of due apprecia- 
tion is already approaching ; that a slight twilisrht 
is making Itself perceptible on the horison of public 
opinion. Thonerh the noise-seeking enthusiasts of 
the Wafl^erian Muse took care there should be no 
want of the usual uproar, though many less inter- 
ested persons, stunned by the surging waves of the 
orchestra, were carried away to applause, the calm 
observer could easily perceive that the largest and 
bef>t portion of the public were uodeceived, as they 
rose from their seats, and, with, sobered feelings, 
turned their backs on the work they had just heard. 
There is not the sllirhtest doubt that, after some few 
representations, TVisian und Isolde will undergo the 
well-merited doom of never again awakening. So 
the only question remaining is to what end so much 
useless labor has been expended, and such an 
amount of artistic efforts sacrificed. This is a ques- 
tion whicli we shall endeavor to answer in a more 
comprehensive notice in our next number.* 

Referring to the production of TWstea und Isolde, 
a eorrespondent of the Daily iVeiM says :— 

" The dramatic effect of the work is exceedins^ly 
powerful ; the mnsic Is Wacrnerian. That Is to say, 
the plot is pkilfol, and skilfully worked ont, and the 
music is well adapted to illustrate, and even inter- 
pret the plot. No mistake is more commonly mode 
than to speak of Wagner^s music in an absolute 
sense. There is no such thing as Warner's masic, 
which is sometimes called the music or the future, 
but ouly Wagner s opera, which may or may not 
become the opera of the future. Wagner's ' theo- 
ries * are not theories of mnnic, but theories of the 
opera. Hence it Is impossible togi ve a correct i Jua 
either of th«» text or of the music separately. The 
two are inter-dependent; they are so ftined to- 
gether in obedience to a philosophical principle. 



that they must be studied, not simply together, bnt 
simultaneously. Ever^ artist lias a risrht to de- 
mand that his work be judged in relation to his ob- 
ject and principles, and no one hM suffered more 
than Richard Wa/^ner from violation of this risfht. 
Lst me illustrate by this very opera In the clan- 
destine meeting in the crarden between Tristan and 
Isolde there is a pnrfonged duet To many it 
doubtless seemed an interminable duet. It was a 
development of Schopenhauer's theory of love, which 
seems to be some mysterious reconciliation of eter- 
nal separation with eternal union. It took the two 
nearly three-quarters of an hour of hard singrtng to 
work out the problem. Now, if any portions of 
this music were rendered alone instrumentally. they 
would perhapa s e e m to be an uomelodions jarscon. 
But music, and text, and subfeet, and sorroondinsea 
are all harmonious in the opera, and bound together 
by a philosophical principle of unity. Unlesa a man 
can think himself into this principle, or realise It to 
his rofnd a^ applierj on the staaie, h^ has no right t» 
criticize Wagner. It would be as absurd for a 
Frenchman to pronounce Hegel's philoaofyhy false, 
because to him it waa imiotellijpble. There are 
men who do understand Hegel, and to them his 
philosophy is the spring of all intellectaal prog 



A commmsronmitT of the I>aUy TeUgre^ gives a 
very amusing, though occasionally flippant descrip- 
tion of TMtian and Isolde as performed in Berlin. 
The following are aome of his general remarks : 

" In Tristan and Isolde, Mr. Wagner haa achieved 
one of the most amaaing feats ever attempted by a 
musical composer-— he hae pntduoed an opera over 
four hours in length, which does not contain a sin- 
gle melody of any description whatsoever. There 
is not an eight-bar tune in any part of tlie pieoe, or- 
chestral or vocal. In one of this geotlemanli works 
can be truthfully said to overflow with easy melo- 
dies- with the sort of tone» that a person endowed 
with a quick musical ear can pensively whistle as 
he strolls home from the theatre, or pi^ out on the 
pianoforte-keys after liaving once heard them. 
Leaving, however, JUsnn, TannlUnkser, and ZoAm- 
^rta out of the Question, In which nnmbers that are 
quite nnmistakaoly songs may be found opoo riipor- 
ous search, I will merely observe that, oompared to 
Tristan and Isolde, the Ffi^ Duiekman Is a verita. 
ble Little Warbler, and the Meislersinffer worn JVunft- 
berg, a choice selection of negro melodies. One 
phrase, composed of enharmonio modulatlona, ar- 
rived at by semitonic extension at both ends of the 
initial chord, pervades the whole opera in an inex- 
pressibly tiresome manner. It is intended to be 
typical of the Lieke s irant or Slisir itAmore — ^how 
Mtter an apothecary's mixture oompared to Doni- 
aetti*s sparkling potion r-7 upon which the chief 
dramatie Incident of the ptay turns, and the audi- 
ence la pitilesikly constrained to drink of it, figura- 
tively speaking, unUl the hardiest stomach turns 
and the most Spartan endurance breaka miserably 
down. The opera Is one louflr dose of this sickly- 
cordial, dided ont by Mr. Wagner ad naus s am in 
countless spoonfula Not only is this crashing per- 
formance remarkable in the respect that its author 
hss developed ah almost superhuman Ingenuity in 
keeping it void of melody, but in the still more sur- 
prising peculiarity that its orchestral accompani- 
ments are contrived to bear such relation to the vo- 
cal parts that the audience can never be sore wheth- 
er or no the sloffer be emitting the note written for 
him or her, as the case may be— an arrangrawnt 
which Is not without considerable negative advan- 
tages to an executive pertoKnel, any member of 
which, with one conspicuous exception, is constitu- 
tionally incapable of singing the simplest music in 
tune, as is'the case in the corps dartistes to whose 
discordant utterances I had the misfortune of listen- 
ing yesterday evening. The harmonies of lyistan 
and Isolde are preparad and resolved In such sort 
that you never know where to have them, and are 
alternately suspended upon tenterhooks of anticipa- 
tion — tonterhooks forged out of your musical expe- 
riences and reasonings— and hurled into abysses of 
disappointment. The tricks — some of them diabol- 
ically malignant — thus played with the voices and 
instruments of the executants and with the ears of 
the listeners are innumerable, and display a weird 
cleverness on the part of their inventor. There la 
not an instant's repose in Tristan and Isolde, save 
between the acts : the tension of the oral nervea is 
unretDiited — nothing conies off as it might be ex- 
pected to " eventuate "—all is confusion, accidentals. 



■J 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, APRIL 29. 1876. 



219 



diraialshed aeveBths, minor reflolutions when major 
ones neern to be forei^one conclusions and vice versA, 
horrid discords, false concords, moaninfl^s, irmnt- 
in^, and yells — a Tery Pandemonium of sound.** 



The letter eoneludes thus : — 

*' It mnst not be inferred from the tone or snb- 
stance of the foreseeing letter that I andervalae Mr. 
Wagner*s merits as a mnnician and a poet, or that I 
am prejudiced ai^inst his compositions in either 
branch of art I went to hear Trittan and AoUe, 
sincerely boplnjo^ and, I may say, over-oonfidently 
expecting, to derive extreme fpratification from lis- 
Uning to the ripe work of a great master — for snch 
Is. or was, Richard Waj^ier, moH nnanestionabiy. 
I came away from the theatre bitterly disappointecl, 
haTinir undergone real safFering where I anticipated 
keen delight. The trath is that rrtsfan tmd Iwlh 
is as bad a work as Lohengrin is a good one — radi- 
cally l>ad. vicions, unrighteous, without a redeeming 
lentiire of any genuine significance. In it every 
canon of musical art is Violated — above all, that 
crowning one which decrees that music shall be 
beautiful tnani louL Ita very skeleton is at once 
monstrous and deformed, and the onter case in which 
the bones are enwrapped is full of subtle diseases, 
and defaced by every imaginable bloteh, stain, and 
excrescence. It is a circumstance to l>e mourned by 
every true musician that the author of so noble a 
production as the Flitgende Hollander should have 
Inillcted such an insult upon the divine art as TVis- 



Ifoncnro Ferdinand Hiller^s comparison of Wag- 
ner and Napoleon IIL, the PaU MaU GwuiU ob- 
serves: — 

^ Is there not, again, something Napoleonic— as 
the word was used up to the year 1849 — ^In Herr 
Wagner's compelling the musicians and musical am- 
ateurs of Europe to take ticketa for bis Bolreuth 
performances at the rate of £46 for the entire series, 
or £16 for a series of four? In economical Oerma- 
ny £16 Is a good deal of money to lay ont on fonr 
days' operatic representations; and £46 Is more 
than It would cost a rich amateur to go to the opera 
every night for a Tear. When Balzac, In inflated 
momenta, called h\mAelf the ' Napoleon of the pen,' 
it is not QQite clear what he meant But it Is cer- 
tain that Balzac onee concrived, more as a dream 
than as a reality, the notion of having his own 
drama of Vatiirin played before such an andience as 
Napoleon I. assemDled at Erfurt, and as Herr Wag- 
ner will bring together— for the first time since Er- 
furt — ^at Balreuth. Napoleon I., at his great theat- 
rical festival, is said to have had 'a parterre of 
Kings ; ' which seems improbable, since, if all the 
Kings had been placed in the pit, there would have 
been no Royal personages worthy of the position to 
oocupv the 'dress-circle— supposing the private box- 
ea to have been reserved exclusively for the Emper- 
ors and their suites. Herr Wagner expecta not a 
royal and military, but a royal and musical audi- 
ence to hear his trilosy ; ud the Generals of Erfurt 
will be replaced at Balreuth by .eminent composers 
and diatingnished etr(«iost. Those stransrelT consti- 
tated persons who, like Ferdinand Hiller, derive 
nttle or no pleasure from Wagner's music say that 
it is not as an operatic composer nor aa a theatrical 
manager, but as a manager of men, that he has suc- 
ceeded in Inducing so many of the great personages 
of the earth to promise their attendance next au- 
tumn at Balreuth. Such may be the case ; but that 
la not the oaeetion. The question Is whether the 
Bairenth gatnering is worthy of l)einfl: considered 
Napoleonic, as in the style of the first Napoleon, ^^r 
only Napoleonic as in the stylo of the third." 



^ » » 



Oil StBM Tonu— Herr Panef f Leetiire 

on the Piano Kviie of Sebeitiaii 

tad Snuoinel Badh. 

[Beperled In the Xmi^m Jfiwfeo; ^fomfartf, April 1 ] 

HiEBft Ennar Pauxe devoted his second lecture at 

the So«th Kensiagton Museum to ^ The Freer Style 

of Pianoforte Musio as lilnstrated by the works of 

Sebastian and Emannel Bach, and their now 

nlmoat-forgottea contemporaries." The lecturer 

■aid:— 

It will be remembered that we spoke In the first 
lecture of the different kinds of Instrumento, the 
Clavichord, Virginal, Spinet, etc ; It Is now neces- 
sary t9 glance at the different musical forms, Alls- 



mande, Sarabande, Bourr^e. Gigne. ete. Of the 
dance, nothing was retained but the charateriAtic 
expression, the time not beins: regulated by the 
dance. Great attention was bestowed on the work- 
ing out ; Counterpoint was used for the part writ- 
insT, the Double Equiration was added to give brill- 
iancy ; and the Suite was thus installed as expres- 
sive of the dance. No compoeers brought this form 
to snch perfection as Handel and Bach ; they under- 
stood how to preserve the characteristic expression 
of Allemande, Bourr^, Chacon n^. Courante, Gi«;ue, 
Hornpipe, Passepied, Polonaise, Minuet, Saratande, 
ete. Tlie characteristic expression of these forms 
will be perceived more completely by arranging 
them under the measures 8-4, 6-S, and Common 
Time. In S-4 time are the slower formn : the Sara- 
bande, Chaconne, Courante, Minuet, and P(*lonsise ; 
in 6 8 time are the Siclliano and Giene, which re- 
sembles the modern Tarentelle. and the Saltarello; 
the Gigue is writt<*n also in common time, but it is 
l)est in 6 8 time ; It was first uned in Ireland, and 
the melodies of that country still retain ita charac- 
teristic expression ; it is said also to have been 
played for rope dnncincr. which seems likely to be 
correct, in so far as the balance would be more ea- 
sily maintained to a duple than a triple measure. 

In Common Time are the Allemande. BonrrAe, 
Hornpipe, Gicrue, and RisrauHon. Bach, howpvor, 
wrote the Bonrr^, which is the same as th«» Horn- 
pipe, in S-4 time. A cnrsory eflsnce nt the old dnnce 
forms shows how important thev were in Clavecin 
mnsie; each had its charm, and bv them cnmpo»orft 
learnt how to invent more fa^cinatinsr tunes. We 
see then how Important the people's music, the^ 
dance, was to Instrumental mnsio generallv ; and in 
this widening and coninlidatinsr of popnlar formp, 
we eee, also, why mnsic hsssnch a great hold on the 
public, which is, because it keeps up a connection 
with the lowest ranks of societv, and refines the 
popular sirs and dsncetunes, thns attninln? a pop- 
ularity which paintiRsr and poetrv c'>nld not havp, 
althou?h the latter can do a frrotX deal in the form 
of popular sonars. We may point ont. «» pnittnttt^ 
the difference between the cvdical and the simnli* 
forms; the former contains the snite. sonatn, snd 
anv piece having three or four movements; the 
latter, any piece having a sinsrle movf^ment 
only, as the nocturne and fsntaMn. The partita — a 
form used by Bach — was the same aa the i«nit«, he- 
Ing in several parta. In the toccata, as used in old 
music, from to&^re, to touch, certain pa^sssres wer*» 
repeated over and over, and In a fr«»er stvle; the 
capriccio has now tnken its place. The ricercstji, 
from ricereare, to seek, was like a prelnd«», preparinor 
the hearer for the principal piece : another explana- 
tirm of it is that it is an art-fusrne oontaininsT all 
sorts of contrapuntal devices. Fuarue, from fupa 
flicrht, is a composition in the strictest style, in 
which a subject Is introdnced by one part, and re- 
peated by the others accordin? to fixed laws. Sym- 
phony was not used for such forms as Haydn and 
Beethoven wrote, but was an overture or anythine 
coming before the aria. In all ItAlian operas In 
which there was no overture, a sinfonla was written 
by the old composers. We see that the sonata Is 
an abridgment of the snftp, which first contained an 
allemande, courante, sarabande, travotte orbonrr^, 
fugue and giirue. Scarlatti, Coupcrin, and Rameau 
showed how these forms could be used. Bach per- 
fected and idealised them. The peculiar atrengrth 
of Bach consista in the suasion of intellectual force, 
and an amali^mation of the profoundest science 
with the most charming and refined art. which was 
hitherto unknown. It is acknowledged that he 
owed much of this power to hitf severe st.udv of con- 
temporary composers. The works of S'^arlatti, 
Conperin, and Rameau were then very difficnlt to 
procure, but his enenrT of will overcame all obsta- 
cles. He perused Italian and French works, not 
copying their form, but penetratlnsr Into their intel- 
lect and spirit; and new, after 127 years, his fugues 
and suites have the same charm as when the vener- 
erable master first put them on paper. The first 
stage of Clavecin literature thus came to a trium- 

{>hal conclusion with Bach, who gave it the last fin 
shing touch. The smaller forms were rendered so 
perfect as to become models. Our admiration and 
interest In Bach is not therefore merely historical, 
but excited by the beauties of his style, which we 
do not find antiquated. He was so thorough an 
expression of the spirit of his times, that In playinc: 
his compositions we are transported one hundred 
and twenty years back, forget our modern feelinfirs. 
and what we call rococo in others, we never feel 
with him. He worked out hia figuree with more 
loflric than others, cave them greater significance 
and & higher meaning, which resulted from his pow- 



er of intellect ; and we find in him a link with the 
present., for although we have attained to a richer 
expression and have better instruroenta, no progress 
in harmonization has been made since Bach. Ic ia 
no exagsreration to say that in his works may be 
found every chord and harmony used by composers 
after him ; and we may go so far as .to maintain 
that the modern composers, such as Brahms, adopt 
the system of Bach, and In listening to their music 
we feel nearer to that of the old composers, than 
when we hear Beethoven, Weber, or Schubert. 
With Scarlatti and Conperin we feel at once that it 
ia old music ; it sounds strange, cold, and old-fash- 
ioned, and excites curiosity rather than sympathy ; 
the heart is not warmed by it. Bach is also popu- 
lar as being one of the main sources of pianoforte 
playins: and practice for all who would become effi- 
cient executants. It may be said that throoeh the 
mastery which Bach attained, it Is to him that we 
o>ve the initTative to the free style and the eonsoli- 
dalion of rules. Although the oa^is of the free atyle 
rt«ta in scientific treatment, still there were boun- 
daries that prevented a free treatment. All was ob- 
iective or out.wsrd : the form wassrill supreme, and 
kept intact with almo«t rellsrions care. Bach's 
works, in the order of their difficulty, would be, 
beginning with the easy, the duetts, Inventiones, 
•ymnhonies, six French suites, six English suites, 
six parlit*^. which msv be played with real pleas- 
U"^e, the toccata*, which are interesting:, the concer- 
tos, the chromatic fsntaaia: a mine of noble harmo- 
nies; and the " Wohl Tcniperirte Clavier," the 
forty-ei'jrht preludes and fuT»ie% which are amonu- 
ment of the hisfhest art. "Wohl t^mperirte" means 
well-tuned. Be'bre Ba^h. tnnins: was not snfficlent- 
Iv advanced to enshle the performer to play in all 
the keys: and Bsch. who not onlv h.id crentus. but 
al«o mechanical skill, found ont how t^ perpetuate 
hi^ achi*»vement when h« wrote his " Wohl-temper- 
irt4» Clavier," which is. ind^n^d. not onlv a monn- 
mnnt of art. b«it a triumph of human int^^Uect, a ver- 
itable boiik of wiftdoro. 

As si>ecimcna of th** g''eat SeSisMsn Bach, Her- 
Paner played: Inventi-me^ No<. 1, 2.8, 4; Suite 
Anglaise. No. 2, in D minor; Prelude and Fua^nein 
C sharp major, from the first i>ook ; and Air and 
Gavotte In D major. The lecturer continued — 

Before passinsr to Emanu(>l Rich we must men- 
tion Ft'iedemann Bach (1718-1780). sohia of whose 
Polonaises anticipate that ro'nantic feeMng which 
•laved so import an* a part in X\w later Clavecin lit 
erature. He was rather a di^^ipat-d man, and eith- 
er too careless or too idle to write his impositions, 
so thst we have only fifteen or ei rhteen preserved. 
The Polonaises are the mo«t finished, and deserve 
to be well-known: thev are. of course, not like the 
modern ones, but when wp think how old they are, 
we find them astonishinely full of sw»ot harniony. 

The lecturer having: plaved two of Friedemana 
Baches Polonaises, continued: Emannel Bach, the 
second son of Sebastian, declared that G 'Pman mu- 
sic was especially adapte'-i to unite the qualities of 
the Frencn and Italian styles. He was more a man 
of the w>rlJ than his father, snd anxious to regard 
all that was most plea.aing. With all the difference 
between him an J his father, we perceive the same 
order and clearness in the works of both, although 
in loftiness of ideas SebasMan was far superior. 
Although nearer to us in point of time, and, indeed, 
forming the connectinsr link between old and mod- 
ern music, yet Emanuel Bach*** music sounds more 
antique than that of his father. While Sebastian 
was a stranger to fashion, Emannel was much influ- 
enced by the taste of his time, and showed a desire 
for ornament and elegance which, compared with 
the dignity of his father^s style, sppears of less Im- 
portance. Emannel waa more honored by his pub- 
lic, than Sebastian waa by his ; his music was more 
easy, but it is undeniable that Sebastian will always 
stand higher than his gifted son. Emanuel rendered 
Important service in introducing a freer and more 
Innependent style., and endeavoring to slug on the 
Instrument ; he possessed refinement, elegance, and 
pleasantness, rather than grandeur. He largely de- 
veloped the sonata form, and waa the predecessor 
of Haydn. Another of hia merito is his essay. "Die 
wahre Kunst Clavier su spielen," published In 175S, 
which Haydn declared to be the school of schools, 
and from which Clementi said that he had formed 
his style of playing. Ita merit lies in anbjeeting 
practical playing to a strict analysis. 

Aa an Ulustratioii, Herr Pauer played Emannel 
Bach's concerto in A major, from the first set for 
oonnoiaaears. Before concluding, said the lectur 



220 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OP MUSIC. 



er, it will be well to sammarize what has been 
said:— 

Sebastian Bach consolidated the forms then in 
fashion, rounded and improved the Suite, contain- 
ing; all the dances then in fashion, and for a similar 
application of science in the pleasantest forms we 
seek in vain among his contemporaries. In har- 
monization we have not made much progre9S since 
his time; but we have improved in melody. Bach's 
melodies have a certain modesty, they laclc boldness 
and nervous force ; nor is this any reproach to him, 
but a result of the insufficiency of hio means, and it 
is a sign of genius that he could write such works 
for such instruments. He excelled especially in sa- 
cred compositions. He concludes the first period 
of Clavecin literature. Emanuel Bach consulted 
the public tattte more, and wrote in a lighter style. 
He developed the Sonata form, and gave the first 
indications of that lyrical style which made Haydn 
and Mozart so charming. A transformation was 
effected ; the scholastic style disappeared before a 
more natural one, which with Haydn and Mozart 
attained greater importance, Emanuel's form becom- 
ing rounder and more plastic. The latter nsed the 
pianoforte, and from this capacity of the instrument 
for loud and soft-, playing resulted in part the differ- 
ence between Sebastian and Emanuel. To complete 
the subject, the contemporaries of these composers 
should be mentioned ; amonsr these were Francesco 
Dnrante, Baldassaro Galuppi, Padre G. B. Msrtini 
and Domenico Parsdies in Italy, Schubert in France, 
and Grann in Germany. 

Herr Pauer concluded his interesting address by 

playing, as specimens of these composers : Studio in 

A, by Durante ; Sonata in D major, by Galuppi ; 

Gavotte and Ballet by Father Martini ; Sonata, by 

Paradies; and Minuetto and Allegro molto, by 

Schubert. 



•♦• 



Pro£ Paine's Symphony. 

[From the New Tork ITatton.] 

The symphony is, Indeed, one which well repays care- 
ful study. For while it cannot he said to indicate a 
** new departure " in the art of symphonic writinn^, it U- 
lustrates forcibly how much can be achieved without 
overstraining^ the mould elaborated by Beethoven for 
this form of music. It serves to support the opinion of 
those who hold that in many respects the extravafrances 
of modem instmmental music are due to insufficient 
mastery of the technique of contrapunUd and thematic 
treatment. For want of skill in the use of the lej^ti- 
mate means of developing a fnndaroental melody, rood- 
em composers have too often resorted to the excessive 
multiplication of themes,or to lU-orfranized modulations^ 
or to sensuous effects of rhythm or of instrumentation, 
snrprisinfT for the moment, but in the long run tedious 
and unsatisfactory. Schubert and Schnmann, and 
among second-rate composers Liszt, are sll in some de- 
gree amenable to this criticism; while Mendelssohn, on 
the other hand— the one modem symphonist who in mas- 
tery of form rivals the older masters— with all his Vir- 
gilian elegnnce and majesty, is lacking in the deeper 
emotional qualities to which Mozart and Beethoven 
gave expression. Hence the Inference hcs been fre- 
quently drawn that further progress in the path mnrked 
ont by Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven Is impracticable, 
and that the greatest wealth of musical expressiveness 
can only be attained at the present day by partially or 
wholly discarding the strict sonata-form in which these 
masters developed their greatest thoughts. Without 
seeking to decide so far*reaching a question, we think 
one may safely cite Mr. Paine's symphony as valuable 
testimony to the unsoundness of this inference. Mr. 
Paine*s easy mastery of the whole technique of musical 
form is so conspicuous that no competent listene * oan 
fall to be struck with it. As a contrapuntist he has few 
rivals, and of the various resources of thematic develop- 
ment ho has acquired such thorough control that the art 
is ever concealed by Its own perfection. A musical 
criti'> will soon be struck with this on studying the score 
of the first movement of this new symphony or of some 
of the principal choruses in '< St. Peter." The listening 
public, which does not understand the technical secret 
of such effects, will still recognize the masterly compre> 
henslon which foresees the end from the beginning:, 
which never gropes or fumbles for a decisive chord or 
leading turn of melody, but promptly strikes It as if its 
position were fore-ordalned and could admit of no doubt 
or misgiving. This mastery of form is still further ex- 
empllfled in the clearness with which the musical themes 
asse t emselves amid the sweeping current of subor- 
dinate sounds, so that they are easily carried away from 
e oncert-room and dwelt upon in memory. A thor- 



ongk master of form never loses sight of the fact that 
the most complicated symphony Is but a highly-devel- 
oped song, and this fact Mr. Paine has not lost sight of. 

Now, along with this formal power, which enables the 
composer to make two or three bright phrases tell a 
long and consistent musical story, we think it may be 
fairly conceded that the new symphony shows maiked 
originality in invention of themes. It is not easy to de- 
cide such a point upon technical considerations, but ev- 
ery one accustomed to hearing music knowa the charac- 
teristic turns of melody which distinguish the woiks of 
original composers— the ear-marks, as it were, by which 
their style of thought is betrayed. One would no more 
hesitate between the melodic phrases of Chopin and 
Mendelssohn than between the literary phrases of Car- 
lyie and Macaulay. In this respect, If Mr. Paine some- 
times recalls to us the tones of Bach and agsin of Schu- 
mann, yet on the whole there is a freshness and novelty 
about his themes which awakens interest, while it is 
saved from provoking us by the formal skill which elu- 
cidates each motive, until on its final recurrence It com- 
pels our assent and causes all our mind and heart to go 
along with It. 

Such an Interesting combination of melodle fertility 
with classical form should be enough to make us recon- 
sider some of the questions which there has lately been 
a disposition to let go by default. Such a work as Mr. 
Paine's symphony is in itself a protest against the in- 
ferences which might be too hastily drawn from the re- 
cent prevalence of compositions In the various styles of 
Raff , Rubinstein, and Liszt. Indirectly, it Is a protest 
against unreserved acquiescence In the methods of com- 
position of which Wagner is the great representative ; 
although, with its close adherence to classical form, Mr. 
Paine has drawn upon modern sensuous resources of 
instramentation to no less an extent than Wagner, and 
in so doing the sympathetic skill with wbicb he has 
considered the idiosyncrasies of every instrument Is by 
no means the least of his merits. Both in melodic de- 
velopment and in orchestration the slgniflconoe of If r. 
Paine's work lies in its attempt to attain originality of 
musical expression without deserting classical form, 
and by its success in this will its permanent value be es- 
timated. For the present, we think Its favorable recep- 
tion augnrs well for the success of future attempts which, 
with wider experience and In yet bolder mood, its com- 
poser is likely to make in this direction. 



^^ 



Joachim and his Datraoton at Berlin. 

The High School for Music, which, in connection with 
the Royal Academy of Arts, can. under Joachim's ad- 
mirable management, boast of continuous success, has, 
for a considerable period, been the object of attacks as 
unwarranted by fact as they are spiteful. These at- 
tacks have found characteristic utterance In a small 
pnbllcation, which has recently appeared, from the pen 
of a Herr August Reissmann, of Berlin. The said publi- 
cation, both as regards form and contents, can be design 
nated only as a pamphlet. The author (who makes no 
secret of the fact tliat the appointment of artists, not 
natives of Prussia, to the High School, very sensibly 
wounds his strongly developed local patriotism) disc ss- 
es, in a strikingly partial tone, the work done by Joachim 
and the masters under him; overwhelms other artists, 
nearly related intellectually to the master, with unjusti- 
fiable invectives, and, finally, allows himself to be' car- 
ried so far by his blind zeal as to call the attention of 
the Lower House to the alleged abuses in the Royal 
High School. With regard to the value and the Justice 
of these attacks, especiaUy in so far as they are directed 
against Joachim pertonaliy, the Chamber of Deputies 
fully enlightened the general public at the sitting of the 
16th March. During the consideration of the several 
items In the estimate* of Public Worship and Education, 
the subject was brought under discussion. An honora- 
ble member. Dr. Loewe fCalbe], who began by stating 
that he regarded as well-founded some of the com- 
plaints against the insUtvtion, took Joachim's part in the 
most energetic manner. He said that: "The persons 
who made the complaints had injured their cause ex- 
tremely by giving the complaints so peraotuU a charac- 
ter, and, more particularly, by directing them against 
the Director Qt the High School for Music Individually, 
an artist of the first rank^ whose genuine artistic dispo- 
sition is proved most strikingly by the fact that, as exe- 
cutant, he presents the public with the masterpieces of 
our classical period in the best way— a perfect manner; 
doing so with rare tlf-alnBgation, tot be does not exhib- 
it the pretension of other executants, who come before 
the public merely to shine by means of their technical 
skill, their dexterity, or their own compositions." 

Immediately afterwards. Dr. SchOne, Oovemment 
Commissary and Privy Councillor, spoke as follows:— 
" The honorable member who has just sat down Informed 



QS that he wished and expected the Government to state 
what was their position with regard to the very violent 
attacks of which the Academy of Art, and eepeclally the 
High School for Music, had tieon the objects. Oentle- 
men, the Government really desires nothing better than 
to do so; not, however, on the ground that they consid- 
er it their duty to act as the representatives of literary 
productions, for the discussion of which this is not the 
place, bat because they hold themselves justified In de- 
claring that. In the present and in all similar instances* 
they have adhered to the principle, which will certainly 
meet with the approbation of this honorable House, of 
conscientionsly investigating every criticism, no matter 
how bitter and inimical it might be, directed against any 
matter and its requirements, and of appropriating and 
tnmlni; to account whatever in such a criticism was jus- 
tified by the fact ; but attacks which have nothing to do 
with/actf nor with truths and which bear tht Hamp ^ Ui^ 
fntrt motived upon their J^vntt such attacks, gentlemen, it 
is our principle simply to despise." 

Thus have been repulsed the attacks against one of our 
best and most disinterested artists, who, to the glory of 
German art, has. In so short a time, raised the Music 
School of the capital to a most flourishing condit'oa. 
The blow intended for Joachim has recoiled with doable 
force upon him who aimed it.— German Iktper, 



'•"^ 



Handel's Oratorio^ ' SosanmL' 

M. Schoslcher. In his Life of Handel, records that 
the oratorio ' Susanna ' was composed when Handel 
was sixty -three years old, and was written between 
the nth* of July and the 12th of August, 1748. hav- 
ing followed • Solomon,* which was composed in the 
same year, between the 5th of May and the 19th of 
June. Both works were performed at Covent Gar- 
den Theatre during the season of 1749, and such 
was the popnlarity of ' Susanna ' tliat It was iriven 
the same number- of times as 'Samson' and the 
' Messiah ' that is, four times, whereas ' Solomon ' 
and ' Hercules ' were only performed twice. * Su- 
sanna ' was revived with new additions and altera- 
tions, at Covent Garden on the 9th. 14th, 1 6th. and 
21 st of March, 1769 — a year to be remembered, for 
on the 6th of April the ' Messiah ' was given nnder 
Hnndel's direction, for tKe last time. And every- 
body knows he died on Good Friday, the ISth of 
April follow! nsr. The only other reference to ' Su- 
sanna' in M. Schoelcher's book is this : "The coup> 
lets in ' Susanna.' ' Ask if yon damask Roee,' were 
worth a fortune. They were ensrraved in every 
form. TTu Jjndit* Maffozine gave them to ita sub- 
scribers even as Ute as 1793. They were sang with 
other words, ' Let rakes and libertines,' in ' Love 
in a Villajfe,* a comic opera, produced in 1762." 
Now this transfer of one of the principal airs io 
' Susanna,* that sung by her attendant in the second 
part, when the former is sighinsr for the return of 
her " dearest youth. Joachim," from a sacred to a 
secnlsr work is indicative of the nature of the book, 
as well aa of the style of the music. ' Susanna ' ia 
no more an oratorio than ' Acis and Galatea; ' it is 
essentially a serious opera ; there are no antacronia- 
tic elements of seels and believers to call forth the 
compo8er*s powers of contrast. 'Snsanna * is a stage 
story of a girl persecuted by two villains, whose 
titles are those of" Elders ; ** Joachim, her hnsband, 
is the tender alto ; Chelsias is the fond father of the 
heroine, who has a faithful friend in the attendant, 
who has been crossed in love \ I>anie1 is the right- 
eous and sagacioas judge, who cleverly croes-ezam- 
ines the two proeecntors, and convicts them of per- 
jury, and thns the dhtotUment is reached, with the 
voices of the people, who have acted thronghont the 
work 88 a Greek chorus, singing — 

A virtuous wife shall soften fortune's trown. 
She's far more precious than a golden crown. 

Instead of being sung in the concert-hall, ' Soaan- 
na ' should be acted and sung in the theatre of the 
Alexandra Palace with a mite en scen^, the words, of 
course, being modified and brought within the ap- 
proval of our dramatic licenser, for it seems as if 
situations and dialoguo will pass muster in an 
oratorio which would not be permitted in an 
opera. 

Setting aside, however, the consideration of the 
drama and poetry of ' Susanna,* unqualified admira- 
tion must be expressed for the dramatic attribntes 
displayed by the composer in setting the story ; the 
most remarks ble skill is exhibited in individualizing 
the characters, each one having musically a special 
physiognomy, so to speak. — hence the markeo con- 
trast in the music allott^'d to the first Elder (the 
tenor) and to the second Elder (the bass), the form- 
er sly and insinuating, the latter reckless and fiery. 
Susanna's strains have a type of their own, afTec- 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, APRIL 29, 1876. 



Unnat«, deTntlonal, raiijinet] In aorrow. kn<l joyfal 
vhrn truth triumphs. Chelsisn aod Jiwclilm h«va 
dl'tlnct'.vB wttinK<: bntlt miiy be presumed Ihit 
In aHiealne Dinlel ta ft BDprunn ITindol had in view 
■ HlnffeF of the period. Thi> dlstinctinn in the pnrtx 
the cnmprwer etronelv in«nire«tii In the ilr <if Inment 
of the •ttendant, ■' Benpeth the cTprem" Bioumv 
Bhude." Ai for the great elr nt ' Sueanna.' " If 
guiltless blnfld be yoar iDtent." Trom the days of 
Handi^l it hiu been the cArrif de babiille of our'Uad- 
Ini; Kipmnna at mu'lcal feititals and conrvrta: it 
requires power and pathos of the highest dramatic 
order of expression. In no other oratorio la Handel 
greater in tils aol"s than in ' Siiaanna,' It may be 
aa well to qunle tlie two baas airs, forcibly sung by 
Sianor Full. " The oak that for a thons*Dd yeara" 
and the " Torrent that sweeps," with Ita orchpatral 
nndercurrrnt : the aire f<ir the tenor, nicely siine by 
Mr. Sliakesneare. " Te Tcrdant hills " and '■ Bloom- 
ing as the fac« of Fprini ; " the three airs of the con- 
tniltn (Joachim), excellently delivered by Win Julia 
Ellfln. " Clooda overtnlte the brighleel." "On the 
rapid whirlwind's winK " (finely scored), and the 
Ken."G..ld within the fumsce tried" (encored). 
The three soprsnn parts were steadily sure liy Uias 
Anna Williams (.Susanna), M^a Marie Arthnr, who 
donbled the Attendant and David. The ch irnsei 
have notthehresd'h and grandeur which Handel 
haa diaplayed In his other works ; they are few and 
far between^^ll in 'our tiarta. the beat of which Mrr 
the " How lontr, O Lord,^ " Rlghteoua Heaven." In 
the 6rst part, the " O Joachim, thy wedded truth." 
ending the second section ; but nothing cAn approach 



It ia a graphic picture of a mass of people exclaim- 
ing. In alternate pnsaages, that " the cause Is decid- 
ed, and the sentence decreed." The trio, " Away, 
■way, ye tempt me both in rain," by Susanna and 
the two Eldera. would tell Dnwerfully on the stags. 
As the Bcore stands originally, ita performanoe 
would have occupied over lour hours : but it has 
been prudently reduced by some 
and. even with thia ahortenln^. tl 
too long and tedious; thejudicini 

geoQsly with the monotonona chords of the violiin- 
eello and double bass n»unlly employed. Mr. H. 
Weiat Hill conducted with tact snd discretion, and 
kept the orchestra well Bubilued in BnE>taln1ng the 
■oloista. The Additional accompanlmenta have been 
made by U. Hnlberaladt, whose only fault la that 
he has been much t.io ab'<teniinna. as the songs were 
Bueceptihie oT more Iree nse »f the wind band than 
be baa employed. No apology was rtrquir ed of the 
coniurtor fur the extra accompaniments, added by 
H. Halberstidt ; but Ur. Hilt might have requested 
indulgence from the hearers of ' Sn<wnna ' fi>r inflict- 
ing on them a dull and dreary analyBiaotthe music, 



thentio details : wblle the subseqaentbooka of Carpanl, 
"Bayle, and Orosaer contained little frerh Inrarmaelon. 

larfljF lirieT. Raydn's life waanoLBn erentful one. al- 
houBli it extenrled (mm ITW to 19M: hla [wo oratorios, 
The Creatlno ' and ' The Seasons,' were wriiten sfier ha 
liad reached his sixtieth year, Neicto hia early atnif;- 
gles in Vienna, and his harlnR ttae Esterhaiys as tils 
latrons, it wUI be Hiyrtn's visit to London tn vm which 

ry. But, setting aside tbepartlculan of Haydn's every- 
lay lite, Berr Pohl baa prodiRlouB labor before him, as 
lemuBtpassln review four oratorios, oiieraa [19], aym- 
.homes ;ne«Tlyl2»t.ionaaee,'S[abatUBi*r,''TeDeum,' 
ilTertorinms, TDOieU [31], qusruta rgs], Bonataa [44;,can- 
ataa, itaaee-muiic, f antHBlas for dlrera Inatnimenta :— 
in short, wlihont anticipating the ootrect numbers which 
~ - ■ - -1 e.entually Biipply, there will be over 800 
W compreiiend In tbe thematic ehionolog- 
whlch the biograpber proposes to aupply. 
■TT Pohl, IndofRilcalilv indastriousashels, 
It the labor before blm. H;ly<ln wasacre- 
a reformer and an orlglnaKir; be was the 
le cteatbms nf Mouri, Beethoyan, flpohr, 
ate. It baa been affirmed that there is not 
a point in moilem oreheatraclon the germ of which can- 
not Iw traced to Havdni and yet hla nnventlnnB, his In- 
noiatlnns. anil his iKiveltles have the tyiieuf >wch a aeem- 
Ini Btm]iliclty. hi> style beInK so clear and Inr^ld. One 



ecitatives are 



nable work without acknowledgment, while credit 
Is given to Dr. Chrysander. wh'i had Hindel'a MS3- 
Irom the former, for some pirticulara aa to tbe 

Whatever may be the u1limat« position taken by 
then- Handelian revivals at the Alexandra Palace, 
pnrfeeaora and amateurs mu*1 be graleful to the di- 
rectors lor the proiluclion of works so iiiiiz i;nored : 
the mine is rich enough to warrant further explora- 
tion. — AAtrumnm, April 8. 



Hate 



The London AlAenaun 



TbelMtb anniversary of the blrtb of Joseph Fr 
Haydn, affectionately called Papa Baydn. wsa celebrat' 
ed last night [March 3lBtl In EieUr Hall by the Bacred 



>rogreBB.of tl 



Haydn-l 



masical world to the Moi^niphy. no 
composer, by HerrPnlil, the Bist volume ot 
been published In Berlin. In this noik. Hen 
fair lo prodiite an account of Haydn '8 career. 
lireasHerrPhUlppSpllu-a 'Jobann Sebast 
TlMae two blograpbiea will, it Ib to lie hoped 
lated Into English. Wa do Dot propose to nodce spec- 
ially Herr Polil's opening volume,— li will be betcei 
wait for the work In lU entirety; bntthere has not been, 

S. Mayer, A. C. Diei, O. A. Orie^nger. 

E. FTamery, J. Lehreton, and J. P. L 
peared In 1gO»-ia. were published ta 



reels dismi 



:lng uinof of the vitality of H 



nnslc la t) 



rations of a BeetlMvon can mtiltnle against tbe tmpies- 
alon pnidnced nn any auiUtoTy by tbe melorltouH Birnlns 
of Hay-ln, which remain an everlaatisK proiast acaluat 
ngllneaa »nd abnence of tone. 

FMK in hla ' Biognphtfl ITnlverselle dea Mnstni^ns,' 
haB, In afew wordfl.lustly de«crlbe<l the geBlns of Hayiln : 
— " Compoatteur lliusEre, dont 1e nom T^vdl-era Eou- 
Jonn le souvenir de la perfection dans toutes le« parrlea 
de I'art qn'JI a cultlvA. Or^nd bomm'^ nut Agu'c dans 

dre de beaaa>s r*gidl6rfs, pares etlirlilauW!i,ailmlrables 
produlis del plus arlmlrsbtcfi pi-oportronsilont le iMiel- 
oppement de la penMe artlBtlque »lt auaeeptlUel" 

Wa^er'i Centanniol Uuvh. 

The mannscrlpt of thn U.DM march, written tor the 

as closrly written pages, and is all In the composer's 
own hanci. Amorebeaotlfalraaaicalantograph Is rare- 
ly seen. Every note is as clear and elegant and sym- 
metrical as print. Thecharacleniareaue, bat dlitlnct 



a score mnst 


have 11 


ed seven or 


eight long daya oC 


steady applic 


Hon. T 






Brand Peot 




. tor the ope 












oflheUniteC 


aiatesol 


America. C 




catedloiheT 


omen's C 




W.gner. 












re are placed, as a motto, the fol- 




:aoethe 


























m and to Ufa 












ely ma»si.e. 


lamlglitbaTebeen 


exi>»cted from Wagner on Mtch an 


Acoaslon. Besides 


the nsual atrl 


grdlnst 












liautboys, th 




ta, three ba 




bassoon; torn 






one bass trumpet, 






■alnlia.thre 




and military 


Snims, c 


mbabi, eong 





la slngoliiT. fo 
meat is practically obsolete — unless Itmsy have been re- 
eently revived in Oermany— and a substitute may readi- 
ly be iDUndrorlt. A recent tclegr.im from Burcpe stal- 
ed that aitlllery.eic., had been introduced In tbe finale; 
It Is hardly necessary to say that the leport Is entirely 
unirue. Althau);htheMBrcbabauadslaatriklDgeffects, 



r adds i 



wis to be K< 






wing note! 
iriplet whli 



wlib marked accent, and consequently must never he 
hurried." It Is this triplet yrblch characleriiea the 
whole March and rlrea It an Individuality quits Its 



Jo[l|rii<i ftTim Uiia paint at view, 



WU'ii-^1 examples would be 
the irniment which tbe 



it,"nnii hringi^ the work- 

t.., Ml -lied here, and Herr 

,11 I..' appear in Enroiie 

roT^nce In Phlla- 

Ihted^ Th^src- 
[,i v:« on^bestra uutll II 
n he ichciirsed nntll aft 
tied In Philadelphia —AiHi- 



IBnsic ^ktali. 



Lmrzio. Verdi in the Gewandhaus I Verdi'a 
Rfq<unn fas given twice there, In the 19th and 20th 
coneerta of the regular subscription series. On the 
first occasion, wo read, there was an immense at 
tendance, and although opinions differed aa to the 
merits of the composition, the applaudera formed a 
decided majority. Od the second, the hall was half 
empty. Ume. Peschka-Leutner was the principal 

WiR8B4Dm. A striking proof of the admirable 
performances here Is the het that, lor inatanee, 
Rehnmann's Owiwmu (produced In February. 187ii 
has been, up to the preeent moment, performed 
twenty J>ne time* hefore houses invariably crowded ; 
that njieraslike B-ri/ifii*' have for years been great 
atlraitlnne. and that Wagner's operas (with acar 
ly any cuts] are. according to the n|.inlon of the 
obI snd other papi-rB, given in an absolutely perfect 
manner. Lnst year, one hundred and twenty-ftmr 
operas, by twenty-eight dlflTerent composers, were 
performed. There were, also, six Symphony Con- 
certs. Among the works played for the first time 
here were Alda, Li R-i f.i *(, Mel'aiiu, and Jfm. 
/red. with Schumann's muale. There were, likewise, 
a Inree number of revivaK Although the present 
year is not far advanc-d. the management — saya lh( 
'ThralThrirf—hit* already given two new works. 
Mniart'a Co-i/nn TuUr and Verdi's Rrqiitm. beeides 
twenty-four npew ■"'' *•" Srmphonv Concerts; 
and is preparing tiit BUrirrrmeitltriiia/il. a new op- 
era by Jean OHmrn, and Dai aoldeiu Kreui, hv I- 
BrOn, Among the revivals will he llluck's Orphtut 
and Lortaing'B WUdtliuti and Opmt-Probe. 

CoLoaxn. T>r. Ferdinand Hlller haa composed > 
new grand choral work, entitled PromrlABu, which 
has been performed with great applause at the 
GQrzenich Concerts. 

Pabib. At the Orand Opera they hare been ring- 
ing the changes on the FfHs-ttKobi and Faful; while 
at the Op6rs-Comique there are no lesa than twelve 
atanrlard workB, omlinuallv varying the repeeaen- 
tatlons. The fact Is that people are atlll not tirod 
of gazing nt the mnrvels of tbe cnlosaal new build- 
ing, and are vet to offer a fair judgment as Co tiie 
operatic performances in the lallt. The Parisians 
have built a theatre, about the splendor of which 
they are conceited ; but. when surfeited with sight- 
seeing, another tale will have to be told, a more del- 
icate task to achieve. Meanwhile we must wait aud 
see what Jiannt iTAre will do. The Choral Bym- 

Chony of Beethoven was g;iyeD at M. Faadeloup'a 
lat concert — GraphU. 

London. 



lever. Ha awaits public opinion, i 
forbenra from eilolllng his own wares in advai 
In this he ahowa wisdom, bccsnse public opinioi. ._ 
never, or, at lejat. very rarely, influenced by a pre. 
amble of official criticism", in which everything ia 
warranted good. Moreover, he haa quite enough to 
rely upon In the exhaustive repertory he already 
commsnde-^lx operas by Meyerbeer, five by Roit- 
slni. seven by Doniietti, three by Bellini, seven by 
Verdi, one esch by Flotow, Qomei, PoniatowakI, 
Ricci. A. Thomas, Campana. Cimaroaa, Weber, 
Beethoven, and Wasner. two by Oonn.id. four bj 
Anber. and three by Mmarl— *S'in all. From then 
he intends to draw as expediency may suggest, nni 



222 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC- 



there it smell dlfficnlty in ifnewinj^ to wWcb emonif 
tbem moct frequent prominence will be awArded. 
Many emetears, reroemberlnjf the encceee of Loheti' 
grin lest inmmer. looked forward with eajjer expec- 
Uncy to Wafifner's Tannh&witr, and would have 
been disappointed had it not figured at leant amonir 
the probabiUtiee of the season. Poor Tannh&niter, 
which was promised before Lohengrin, has >.een 
rather shabbily treated. However, bettor late than 
never ; TannSdwaer is the second in a list of four 
operas, " three of which at least " are to be ijiven. 
Tbe otheis are Verdi's Atda, (which, since iU pro- 
duction by the Khedive in Cairo, at an enorraons 
outlay, has been travelllnfif over Europ«». and even 

5 aid a vinit to America), LElinr d'Am<tr€, and 
fotkinEgitto. DSlinre^n only be looked npon 
as a novelty, inasmuch as Mdlle. Zare Thalberg is 
for the first time to essay the part of Adina. If 
Tannhdmer and Alda (which Mr. Oye claims the 
exclusive ri|Dfht of performing in Enerland) are both 
Iflven. it is to be feared there will be little chance 
for Rossini's l/be*. the production of which, in 1849. 
at the old theatre, under the direction of Sir Mich 
ael (then Mr.) Ca^U, is still remembered, with sati«- 
fkction. It is, moreover, one of Rossini's ^andest 
works. There is the more likelihood of Tannhat^^r 
and AUa, v^\ng that Madame Adelina Patti is cast 
for the leadlnji^ woman's part in one. and Mdlle. 
Emma Albani enjoys a similar distinction in the 
other. If these two, or either of them, combincfl 
with Moti, are forthcominif, there can be no valid 
cause for gmmblinfl:. To turn to the catslosrne of 
engagements, we find eight new names— Mdlles. 
Rosavalle, Emma Abbott. Proch, and Eva do Svn- 
ne 'berg : Signors Conti. Monti, Tamagno, and Gay 
arre. The four ladies are, we believe, sopranos : 
two of the gentlemen are tenors, and two of them 
basses. Mdlle. Abbott, if we are riarhtlv informed, 
has won some distinction in the United StAten ; but 
abou*. the other ladies, except Mdlle. Proch (daugh- 
ter of the popular composer of that name), knowing 
nothing, we can say nothing. The name of Signor 
Tamagna, first among the new tenors, has spread 
abroad; and Signor Oayarre is reported to have 
earned golden opinions at Milan and other Italian 
cities, where he seems to enjoy equal favor with the 
pnblic and the press. It is, therefore, with some 
disappointment that we read in a foot note how, 
though pledged to Mr. Gye for several seasons, hav- 
ing previously contracted certain engag**i^^"^ 
abroad, the arrival of Signor Oayarre during the 
present year is " not certain." But the director has 
IS tenors without him, and among these stind- 
conspicuous M. Capoul. the Fret^chmon, who won 
BO much favor at Her Majesty's Opera a short time 
since ; the rest including Signers Nicolini, Bolis, De 
Sanctis, Marini. and others whose names we need 
not cite. Among the baritones, besides M. Maurel, 
we find that old favorite Sii^nor Grasiani, Sisrnor 
Cotogni, and Signor Medica (his first appearance) 

only missing the honored name of M. Faure; 

while at the head of the basses are Signors Bagagi- 
olo, Capponi, aampi (bufo\ and Tagliafico. Mad- 
ame Patti^ Mdlle. Albany Mdlles. Marlmon, D'Ang- 
eri, Smeroschi, and Scalchi will, as might have been 
expected, occupy their accustomed posts ; but to go 
ftiHher into the list of ••prima donnas." "contraltos," 
" comprimarioa," etc., is out of the question. — 
Timet. 

CftTSTii Palaox Concerts. The directors have 
fulfilled tbeir nromise of giving all the symphonies 
of Beethoven during the present series of concerts. 
The 9th, the great choral symphony, the* CoioM^u, 
was produced on Saturtlay — Finit earonat ofnu. 
The diflicult task of rendering the vocal solo parts 
was entrusted to Mdlle. Johanna Levier. Miss Annie 
Butterworth, Mr. Edward Lloyd, and Signor Foil. 
Tbe choruses, scarcely less difficult to msster, were, 
of course, undertoken by the Crystal Palace choir, 
whose steady advance towards excellence has been 
the subject of general remark. How the orchestral 
movements are executed, under the directlDu of Mr. 
Manns, our readers need scarcely be told. Each 
time the Choral Symphony is heard at these con- 
certs the better it is understood, and the firmer hold 
it takes. The programme also included an over- 
ture, FuUrpe (not ITu Merry Wttfet of Wiwb&r, as 
originally advertised), and two vocal pieces by the 
late C. l!. Horsley. Euterpe, an "Ode to Music," 
was composed expressly for the Inauguration Festi- 
val, in 1870, of the Town Hall, Melbourne. Of the 
two vocal pieces referred to, one was a song, " The 
night shades gather," lirom Euterpe, the other a rec- 
iualve and ur from Oidetm, last of three oratorios 
which Mr. Horsley composed, the other two being 
])avid and /of^ But about Euierpe generally we 
shall have an opportunity of speaking when the 

. 



Ode is produced entire, which it is to be hoped may 
be not lon«? hence. After songs from Der Frei' 
aeh&tz and Le JVozm (Signor Foil and Mdlle. Levier). 
the conor»rt wss hrouflrht to an end with the overture 
to GniUaHme Tett.^M»t9kal World. 



JtmgKs Itrarnal of SJnsk 

BOSTON. APRIL 29, 1876. 



The Oratorio Wetflc 

Our old Handel and Haydn Society sra^e three 
notable performances on the evenings of Palm and 
Easter Sunday and the intervening Wednesday. 
The most important was that of 

Baoh's PASsTOTf MusTO, sccordins: to the gospel of 
St. Matthew. This was the third time this wonder- 
fill work has been attempted in Bost4>n or this coun- 
try. The Society began with arlvln? barely half of 
it in their triennial festival of 1871. At the follow- 
ing festival (1874) they filled an evening's pro- 
srramme with nearly two thirds of it, indudlnsr for 
the first time the stnpendons and immensely diffi- 
cult oponine Chorus, and deepened the impression 
which in many listener ^ was deep at first This 
time the omissions were fewer, and yet they must 
have amounted to more than a fourth part of the 
work. The selections on the whole were more ju- 
dicious, and in their connection more effective 
The most Important additions were a conMderable 
number of those short., vindictive and exdt-ed cho- 
ruses of Jewn, taunting and clamoring for crucifix- 
Ion, which, as representing that many-headed and 
many-voiced monster, the populace or mob, were 
formerly called turhm. These are wonderfully con 
structed, double choruses, in eiflrht real parts, with 
independent orchestral parts besides. They are 
sudden guHs, whirHinds of harmony, gone in a 
moment, but their effect is msr^sllous, and they en- 
liven the serious sentimental proflT^ss of the work 
with most vivid dramatic representations of the ex- 
cited crowd. They are so qnickly gone that the 
hearer has no time to consider the consummate art 
Implied in the Intricate yet clearly expressive poly- 
phonic texture of each little piece ; hours seem con- 
centrated in an intense moment Such are (all in 
the Second Part) : " He guilty is of death ; " " Tell 
us, thou Christ who gave the blow ; " ** What is that 
to us ? " " Let him be crucified ; ' " He saved others, 
himself he cannot save, etc. ; " and the startling, 
appalling shout (diminished seventh chord) upon 
the word " Barabbas," in answer to the question : 
•' Whether of the twain will ye that I release unto 
you ? " This chord was struck with surprising ac- 
curacy and unanimity by the whole chorus of five 
hundred, considering that they had no leading 
notes. And all these little choruses, requiring the 
utmost vigilance and self-possession for the attack, 
were given with spirit and precision, although with 
not quite the snap of the preceding evening's re- 
hearsal in the smaller hall The conductor (Carl 
ZxaRABir) had bestoweJ especial pains on them, 
impressing all the necessary cautions. — Nor should 
we omit to mention the curious little chorus, in the 
First Part, where the Twelve mingle their eager 
exclamations : " Lord, Is it I ? U It I ? " 

Several Arias and Recitatives, before omitted, 
enriched this performance, namely: for Soprano 
(No. 12), " Only bleed, thou dearest Heart ; " the 
recitatives relating to Peter's denial ; the Tenor 
recitative : " He will not speak ; he heareth and Is 
silent," but not the beautiful Aria which fbllows ; 
"^ftiuW/" ("Behold how still, how calm I"); the 
Alto recitative : ** Great Lord of heaven, bete itapds 
the hlessed Saviour bound ; " but not tbe Aria to 
which it leads; the Alto reclUtive: "Ah, Gol- 
gotha " (No. 69), and Aria (with ejaculations of cho- 



rus) : " Look where Jesus beckoning stands ; " final- 
ly, that most beautlfnl Bass recitative : " At even- 
tide, cool hour of rest," not however, completed by 
the equally beautiful Aria ; " Cleanse thee, O my 
soul." 

On the other hand to make room for these fresh 
numbers, there were omitted ; the Soprano Aria 
(19). " Never will my heart refuse thee ; " the Bass 
Aria : " Come, blessed cross," with Rec (65 and 66) ; 
several short pieces of the narrative Recitative, 
whose place was more than supplied by fresh ones ; 
and, what is more important, several of the Chorals 
sung before. Indeed only four, out of the fifteen, 
were sung this time ; this is to be regretted for the 
grand repose they bring at proper moments ; their 
broad, rich, chaste harmonies are so tranqnilising, 
strengthening and uplilting to the soul. It is a kind 
of all-pervading harmony, which seems to flow in 
(as it were silently) on all sides, from around you 
and below, like a full tide, to buoy you up to high- 
er life. The same remark may be made of some of 
the larger choruses, the opening one especially. — 
There still remain to be given, for the first time, be- 
sides some arias, recitatives and chorals, at least 
two of the most Important numbers In the work, to- 
wit : the magnificent, long, profoundly solemn cho- 
rus (figurated Choral) which forms the conclusion 
of the First Part : " O Man, bewail thy sins so 
great ; " and tbe opening number of Part II, the Al- 
to Aria, with Chorus : " Whither has thy friend de. 
parted?" which by Its romantic, pastoral vein 
forms a fine contrast with the rest— But it was im- 
possible to give all in a single evening : as it was, 
it lasted very nearly three hours — ^hours of intense 
enjoyment to most of the vast audience apparently, if 
irksome more or less to not a few ; for people dlffe'' in 
tbeir natures and mental conditions, and it is simply 
a question of experiwnce and time as to Bach*s music ; 
ask the singers, now that they have studlt^ It and 
In a measure learned it whether (key find It dry or 
tedious I Certain it is, that that whole crowds with 
very few exceptions, listened attentively until the 
last chord was sung. To give the Passion Music 
entire will require two performances, either in the 
morning and evening of a single day, like Good 
Friday, or on two successive evenings; and we 
have' great hope that another year will bring us 
that 

Of the performance on the whole, considering 
all the circumstances, we can hardly say too much 
In praise. It was a great advance upon the previ- 
ous renderings. Mr. Zerrahn covered himself with 
credit by the seal, the energy, the judgment with 
which he had worked the whole matter up ; the re- 
hearsals had been urged through with great tact 
and efficiency, and he conducted as one who had 
come really to love and feel the music ; there was 
genuine enthusiasm In It The Choruses, almoet 
without exception, were remarkably well sung. 
We have already spoken of the turbulent choruses 
of Jews ; tbe short choruses of the disciples, in the 
First Part slso went well,— better than before ; the 
Chorals so well that one only wanted more of them. 
The gretU double choruses, at the beginning and the 
end, and the exciting "Ye lightnings, ye thunders/' 
made a profound impression. We have described 
them so fully on former occasions that we need add 
nothing here. In the sublime opening : " Come ye 
daughters," the questions and responses between 
first and second chorus were prompt and disUnct, 
and the intermittent verses of the Choral " O Lamb 
of God," for the Soprano ripiemo, rang out from the 
dear voices of some sixty boys in the gallery, sup- 
ported by clarinet and cornet in unison, with tel- 
ling power ; tbe ensemble of all the voices and the 
instruments was overwhelming. We only question 
whether the movement both of thia, and the oon- 
cludlng chorus: "Around thy tomb here sit we 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, APRIL 29, 1876. 



wdeplng," vni not taken > little too hit for Ihs bnt 
elfcct ; qoT cm we help Mill reeling that the latter 
ang for Uie moat pari, particularly at the start, 
loo loud to auit *o tender a hymn of parting at the 
tnmb; the word* aay: " murmur low In tones >up- 
preat ; ' — not that it should be all loo low, sunk to 
t whisper, lo guard ai^inat which aentlmental 
weakoesa we suppose lo be the meaning of the/orU 
sign at the beginning, and to leare a chance for 
pinnuriniD ciintrast at the words; "Best thee >oll- 
Ij. «,(tly reaU" 

Also in the single (four-part) chornaai the great 
mass ol Toiees were beanUrnlly blended and subdned 
o light and shade. We reftr to those aoft. retreah- 
ing Chorals, wonderfully harmonlied, which ever 
anon rellcTe the agiinlied Tenor reclutlre: "O 
grief,' and the lovely Aria, with Oboe obligito. 
" So slumber shall our sins befall ' comes In again 
and again, each ^me with a new harmnnj and an 
enhanced expression. And the short qupstlnns : 
"O where?" etc., which Interrupt the Alto ardo ;, 
" Look where Jeaua beckuning stands ; ' and nEcain : 
" Mj Jeau, 50od ni^ht," which fiinns the choral 
burden to the several sentences ol Bass, Tentrr, Al- 
» and Soprano solo, near the end. (" TheLord hath 
lain him down to rest,') — were given with delicate 
irecision. 

Here we may aa well rpcak of tli* iDstrnmenta* 
tion, which waa that nf Ri>bert Frani, ar.d in the 
rendering of which throa^jhoat, alike in tlie accoai- 
Imeot of chnraae* and solos, oar Boston orchea 
tra won tor itself sincere praise. It was a dilBcult 
nd an nnwnnied laok, and, nniler the circumilan- 
es. many mast have been sorprieed at the leal and 
readiness with which the musicians, who had but a 
ainele full rehesrasl. aeemed to Uke to it, and at the 
lisfaclury manner in which it was accomplished. 
The solo instruments which are mads Migalo in 
aeveral of the Arlaa the oboe (Hr. Jaspkb), the Hate 
{Ur. Oocana), and twice the violin (Mr. A Fatia 
and Mr. HntLALr). — were very nicely played. We 
lot say that there waa no room for Iniprovemeat. 
we think we saFaly may point to this approach 
iicellence in the orchestral service of the Pasmon 
Music aa one of the fruits of careful drill in the Win- 
er's Symphony concerts, and as an illustration of 
.he importance of keeping such an nrcheatra t<«eth- 
er by giving it all possible employment upon these 
higher taaka. 

The solos, of course, ofFer the greatest diiSaoItips. 
They are all difficult to unaccustomed slngera. 
though they be artists in irore modern styles of 
music; and many of then are difficult to unaccus- 
tomed hearera. Our Bach culture is hut half be- 
I. The Bach melody is peculiar ; one has to he- 
la graduatlT familiar with its forms and steeped 
in ita apirit. It is to* serious, too quiet, ton sin- 
cere, too religliiusly musical and too mnxically re- 
ligious, too devoid of modem effects, and it demand* 
too ei.lire a self-surrender uf the singer, to mike it 
readilv appreciable to all, to any who have not 
•omething In their nature that draws Ihem to It by 
Innate affinity. Among our excellent Tocalista 
hardly any have been nurtured upon Bach ; those 
who have will never find la music more unfailing 
bread of life. — But this time the solo efforts were all 
creditable, some of them sucoeserul in a high de- 
gree. It seems a pity, while we have among us a 
ainger who Is so sminently in the best sense an ar- 
tist and musician, and so at home lii Bach aa Hias 
ra Doria (have we nut recently had evidence ?), 
I she should not have been called to take part in 
the performance. Uiss B»se had many qualifica- 
tions for ths Soprano portion, bnt noi all. She has 
a clear, pure, evenly developed voice, a finished 
style of eiecDtion. and she had itudied the music 
faithfally. approaching the task with reverence and 
no doubt with diffidence, and yet with courage and 
determination, it was a conscientious effort, and 
there can be no denying that she sang welt. It is 
only that neither the character of voice, nor her 

Erevlous musical atmoapheresnd cnltnre were much 
1 aympathy wit!> Bach ; the Bach reeling was not 
there. And yet there Is much to be said in praise 
of the chaste style and discretion wlih which she 
ig the Air. "(July bleedf aodln the plaintive Duel 



which precedes the outburst of the Lic;htntng Chu- 
rns: Bud the exquisite Aria with the flute solo: 
" From love unbounded." 

To Mnie. SuDKBsnaarr were assigned the impor- 
tant Alto aolos in the second part; and here we 
had an artist of long experience in ths Bich schn-il. 
as well as in all the great schonls of vocal art : one 
who thoroughly knew and understood the musio, 
and who came hick to It with strong enlho'iasm 
and with desire to signify her undiminished faith in 
it, with leal to convert to it new listeners. Of 
course her rendering of the great Aria; " O pardon 
me. my Qoi' {Srbarmt dich). in npito of some nn- 
pleasant tones, was a fine leswin for our singera. 
There wss psrhnps some oceaslonsl exaggeration of 
the psthetio accent In the reciUtlves : " Hare 
stands the blessed Saviour bounl" and " Ah. Gol- 
gotha I' but it waa very grand, impressive decla- 
mation; and the Aria: "Look where Jesus beck'- 
ning stands " was miist arllatically given, with dne 
tenderness and fervor.— The Alto aolos In (he first 
part w-re fairly sung by Mrs. Lacr> IIastixos 
OooDwis. whose low tones are rich and large, bnt 
her delivery somewhat couMrained sod cold. 

Ur. M. W. WnxTXKT was unable, on acount of 
hoarseness, to appear, which was a general disap- 
pointment. But all were surprised st the excellent 
manner in which Mr. J. F. Rkdolphsem, who look 
his place at a few hours notice, delivered the bean. 
tifnl and holy reciutlve whicli falls to the part of 
Jrsua. It was moat crediUble to hii musicianship. 
hit quick in>«Iligence and Uste. The other Bass 
sidaa (including the recllallve of Feier and of the 
High Priest, the Aria (with Recitative :) " Gladly 
will I, dU resli^lnz.' the Aria : " Give me back ray 
deanxt Master,' and the beanlirul ReciUlive : " At 
eventide," were sung by Mr. J. F. Vfixcm. all in his 
best voice, snd in a Uslefnl. noble etyle. Bach ev- 
idently has begim to gain posseinion of him. — But 
the difficult t«sk of alt. and on the whole most laud- 
able achievement, was that of Mr. Wm. J. WixcH, 
who took npoa him not only oil the frequent and moat 
trving reeilallve In the connecting narrative of tha 
^t^fSdiit, bnt all the Tenor solos that were sung 
besides, — a most exacting and exhaustive tiutli. And 
on the whole he di.l It admirably, making alight 
mcidlflcatinos in now and then a high and fatiguing 
phrase of the recitative, but giving it for the most 
part with aweet. clear voice, and with diatinct enun- 
ciation. In the solo with chorus ; " I'll watch with 
my dear Jesn," his voice was sometimei so subdued 

hear it until lie had been singing several messures: 
that wss the only drawback to an otherwise artis- 
tic, pleaiing, beautiful performance. — Mr. Lava pre- 
sided ably al the Organ. 

FAaawaLt or Mu.a. TiaTJKiS^ The great prima 
donna having expressed her wish to sing her hre- 
well in this city, and with our oratorio Socluty. 
Boston was ready to avail herself of the honor, and 
it waa arranged (at very short notice, with smill 
chance for rehearsal betireen the Piunaa iftuteand 
/a>AT«) to give the " Rvmn of Pr Ise ' and Roesl- 
nl's malnl Mater on Wedneaday evening. April II. 
The Mtiiic Hall was crammed, and the reception of 
the noble singer was moat cordial. In the necessa- 
ry abaenre of Mr. Zerrahn. Hr. Laid conducted. 
It waa difBcult on a theatre night to collect all the 
desirable musicians for an orchestra; yet the open- 
ing Symphony movements and mo>t of tlie accom- 
paniments to Hendeluohn'a beautiful Li^aang 
were quite well rendered, and the chorus singlni; 
was with alight exceptions excellent. Mite. Twt-. 
ira dniivercd the first solo: " Prai<ethou the LonI, 
O my Soul " with great energy and fervor, and In 
her noble and commanding atyle. with full, aweet,' 
penetrating tonei- In the Duet ; " I waited lor the 
Lord," which she aang wltli Miss Claba dHAiv, a 
light bnt pleasing Soprano, her tones seemed not 
au synipathelic as they are sometimes ; but the aan- 
tance annaUDciug ; " The night ia departing, depart- 
ing r rang out with thrilling and Inspiring splen- 
dor ; It seemed lo Inxpire the whole mast of singers, 
for never have we heard them slnz the exlremelv 
diScult chorua which immediately (bllows with such 



spirit and precision. Hr. Ton ICabl's voice was 
•wert, but hardly equal to the dramatic intenaity of 
the lenur solo ; " Watchman, will the ni^ht soon 
pa«aT" 

The &ahai Afaler showed more aigns of hesty and 
imperfect preparation, not having recently been 
sung by the Society. Mr. Tom Karl aang Oh/us 
nrn'mnni Tprf accepUMy, Bnd all the other tenor ao. 
I. &llss Dbasoil. with her powerful and tel- 



Tieljeni did nut aeem well matched in quality, la- 
deed all the concerted pieces, Inclndlag the beauU- 
ful quartet: Qiumda firput, suffered from the im- 
l>erf«ct blending of the voloea. Mr. T. F. Soluvaii 
pang (ho base aolos with a good tolid voice, but In 
rather a dry style, and not always in perfect tune. 
Mile. TicTjaxs wss admirable throughout, but 
sremed to reurve her fnll power for her Incompar' 
ahly magnificent rendering of the Injamm-ifu, 
which brought the concert to a splendid climax, 
the weak fugue, with which Rossini terminate* his 
SlaAaf. being wisely len off. Theenthuslasni nfthe 
audience knew no bounda ; and It waa long before 
they ceased to recall the noble singer, overwhelm 
ing her with plaudits. All took leave with regret 
of one whom all felt to be the nohteet living repra- 
aentutive of the grand school of vocal art. 

" JoauuA " (performed on Easter Sunday) moat 11a 



AnauATDa PniLtipra la Oraax. The Tiviucripl 

TXt Cbmlitg Statn ^f Jtnl'tn Oftra. The brief nertsa 
nt otierallc repreacatallonii to b« given at the BoaloD 
Theatre, next week, will In nn'ler the <l1reclion at a ilw 

PaCleH Mrsa A'lela de Pimil^p<,'^ai|mor''Falinleri'ai^ 
iilgnor T.<gliauletra. Slimora M»rla Palmlerl la a •l)' 

frsIloof bleb Kuropean rapotallon. In ' Kornu," "II 
mvatore.''^' BemfiMilile?' 'Fsnal.' "lAdo," 'Un 



'H Monday 



won KrestillsUnction atllie prlni'lpnl opeia honses, In- 
clU'lfng Ls Hci a at Milan, the Snn Carlo* nt Nsples, ind 
IheCailo Fen|r«sl Venice, Slie hu slun rawle a veiy 
suceesafiil pn.fciwlonsl tour thmiiirti Sonih America and 
Mexico, anil wss on her way from Meiico lo Europe via 
New Tnrk. when Mlw Plillllnpa i"ii>-eede<1 In prevailing 

np^nhpr 1.. ii-;. ;■;'■''", ,^''' ''.': ";■'."'■ yet SUnK 

«."l(.>ni'Ai.1iHv, -ell krloivo lo nil [lie l»:iillBg Italian 

At,<^. [>^ M1ssVh>lllp|>a and Blrnor tkgllBprrtr* It la un- 
ne-ru^ry [o speak allMecli. Tbelaiter has vrithla tika 
pi«' 140 seasons eatabllihed an rnylsMe reinitalloii.and 
eemiK in Hoainn a lame drrle of ariinlrern. In addition 
to iiua nilmitahle qnartetiaof artist*, the Imnne will In- 
clii If 1 msgnlllceni arrsT Dt talent. Of ihe shinties of 
Ml-» MaKlSa PblUlppa. atst^ nf Mlsa Arte1.il<le, the pub- 
lli^ li^ve ftttson lo ABtMpal* mneti. Tb\'- nril-te oil] 
pinij^hlr make tier iMbiit In the flne rUe or Ar-aee. In 
■' K.niirsmMe." SIgnorlna Perslanl. wiwvihd ?<oj(we, 
M'. T<>in Karl, tenor. M. Oan-in OottschA. ,hrotW nf 
iIk ^.■p^r: rateil plant^l, baritone anrt Sliimir HacelU, 
tH-"(r. will also he mem1)eta of the cnrtmanv. The mid. 
du t'lr will beSlEnorTniusal, and Ihe 
cb.-Ttia>idafnl1chnms. The»aM>ti 
ex'^ii^t;, null, prulwlily with "Konui 



cana, (the tatter wdl be pleasantly remembered in 
this city as Miss Mary Fav) have Isttly given a 
noncert In the Slng-Akademie nt B rtin, of which 
the entire Press there speaka In term< of hi^hHst 
praise. Two passages translnted in the Aieiriuur 
are a fair apecimen of the notices which he before 
us in a large roll of German newspapers. 

The Frfm^"'--^'t s^Ktt. as follow*: — 

•■ Mr. Hherk-^i Is one of ibe most utented of Ihe nn- 
meroos plant- - "ho liave been educated by Profensor 
Knilak. Itir iu{u'rnaonsio speak nf an silmlrsMe de. 
veloped teeaa-V"' Ini-ouDeatlon witb a pupUof Knllak'a, 
and eqaaliy i < tl''»> tosny whsi Iniluence the mastrr'a 
lailebaihsd <ti tiie pupli-a, tsmanlfeaiedboth Inibe 
choloe of ai . ^r.mitiie ami m the thomngbly artlstiQ 
coiBprehensl< < i Hin iilecea Hlecled. tn both respecu 
Mr. Bbemoo- ' '~ -:>> bided a ntah atandaid of require^ 
m-nt, Weh.-! -l1r»>ibBar'lBaccKKI»p1.iylneordich'a 
fuRue In Cm i. m.' tniiMcrliTlInn l.y lKiIT The qnt- 



Thr JAnUnirv-Z'ltxafp remaAa : ■- A loach wMob ^vsa 
the fnlleat (uDKa In sbadlng. pretesilna atreme delloa- 
oy as well a* the greatest force, a btUKant taelinlque asd 
a dMiih Df feeling, prove Hr. Bherwood lo nnaaed ai '- 

dlvlSnallij In th* tr— • •■ -• "■- -' — Env... ^ 

directness of its s' 

blood-relatlonabip 1 ,. 

Mrs. Blierwoodls spoken of id the fMntaaber Keleba- 
AnselRCr aa " an eioellent mlalreas of ibe piano, toll of 
power and of artistic execatloa." Hhe he* *pent the post 
three years In mnslivil aiudy iu Berlin, Cassel and Wei. 
mar. Onr people uIl] hAve the opportunicj to Judge Cor 
themselves, as Mr. and Un. Shetwnnd 1nieL:d to appear 



1 alioui the middle ot Maj. 



224 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC 



Made in New Tork. 

Nkw York, April 10, 1876. In my laat letter I Inad- 
vertently omitted mention of tlie fifth concert of the 
New York Philharmonic Society, at the Academy of 
Music, on Saturday evening March 17th. At this con- 
cert and at tho general rehearsal preceding it, Mr. Geo. 
Matska took the place at the conductor's stand usually 
occupied by Mr. Bergmann, and the fact that Mr. Matz- 
ka was able to do this creditably, at very short notice, 
speaks volumes for his ability as a musician, as any one 
having an idea of the nature of a conductor's duties can 
readily understand. 

The programme was one of the best which the Society 
has offered this season. It began with a Symphony by 
Raff, No. 2, in C, which, although It does not approach 
the *• Lenore*' and " Im Walde " 83'mphony, Is neverthe- 
less sufficiently interesting to merit a place on the pro- 
gramme. Part Second opened with that transcendent- 
ly-beautifnl symphony of Schubert's, unfinished, like the 
window in Aladdin's towor; and Spohr's overture 
** Faust,** Op. 60 ended the list. 

The solo pei former was Mr. Joseph White, who has al- 
ready appeared at one of the Philharmonic Concerts 
earlier In the season. The policy of securing a good In- 
strumental soloist, even though the same name shall ap- 
pear on the bills more than once in a season, is a very 
great improvement upon the course too long pursued by 
the society of making the stage of the Academy an asy- 
lum for broken down vocalidt** to whom 'twere charity 
to listen. The most conspicuous merits of Big. White's 
playing are the accuracy of hisstoiiptn": and the perfect 
purity of his intonation. His defects are a want of pow- 
er in bowing and a lack of breadth in his style, which is 
sometimes felt in his conception of classical music. In 
him are lacking Just those traite which bring Wieniaw- 
Bki into the front ranks of the interpreters of such mu- 
sic,— the nerve power, and broad sweeping bow. Too 
frequently, however, Wienlawski, like Ole Buirs Irish- 
man, plays "^by main strength be jabber*,** and his rap- 
id passages are often rasping. 

Sig.Wliite's playing is characterised by feflneimiftnt 
ntlher than by power; although his remarkable intona 
tion makes every note from his violin distinct and pene- 
trating. Being recalled after hi4 first piece, a Ballads by 
yieuxwmps, he played a graceful composition which we 
understand is his own. The second piece allotted him 
on the programme wis Bach*s magnificent OUweohna In 
D minor, and, for encore, a tfaoottcr alsoby Bach. Both 
of these pieces were well played and elicited great ap- 
plause from the audience. 

With regard to the orchestral performance we have 
noticed, tor many years past, that it Is always better 
towards the end of the winter than at the beginning; 
the improvement being due te the practice of the play- 
ers together in the concerts and frequent rehearsals. 
Altogether this concert was the most satisfactory of 
those which have taken place in the Academy this sear 

son. 

March 36^h to April Ist, was a memorable week. Three 
evening concerte and two matinees by Dr. Von Bnelow, 
at Chickerlng H»ll, with programmes, as in the week 
preceding, of solid pianoforte music with no distracting 
elements. [They were the same which he gave in Bos- 
ton a few weeks since.] 

The audience was larger than during the Beethoven 
week. The variety of selections performed made the 
bUl more attractive to the public, but at no time was the 
hall filled, the usual ceremony of dead-heading the 
** Itrofession ** being omitted by the management. 

From Beethoven to Chopin is a long leap ; and the pro- 
gramme of Monday evening demanded very different 
qualities from those hitherto displayed by the perform- 
er; yet the Chopin recital was to us the most interesting 
of the series. We do not go to the length of believing 
that Dr. Von Buelow really is inspired by the fitnil and 
erratic genius of the Chopin music; but ttie companion- 
ship of IJsst, who is a player after Chopin*s own heart, 
must have left ito mark on his performance. We do 
not mean to say that Dr. Von Buelow merely imiUtes 
Liszt, tmt rRther that he is so much an artist that he 
oould hardly fail of profiting by such valuable hints as 
were thus thrown in his way. We felt therefore that, 
by his playing, we should be drawn nearer to Chopin and 
^e leault JusUfled the anticipation. 

The programme included a number of those pieces 
which are oontlnnally played at in our concert rooms by 
pianists great and small; and we wonder how many of 
thesf gentiemen, having listened to Dr, Von Buelow, 
would again attempt the familiar Nocturne op. 27, No. 2, 
the Ballade in O minor, the three Waltxes op. 94, or the 
Bertxute. The latter Dr. Von Buelow plays as we are 
told that Chopin himself always did, with only a very 
sltffht accentuation of the bass', while the delicacy of his 
touch is something Indescribable. In the bold heroic 
measures and martial coloring of the /MmmCm he was 
BO less striking. 



On Saturday evening, April 8, the Brooklyn Philhar- 
mo- ic Society gave the last concert of an unusually 
brilliant season. The selections perfonned were the 
fir«t and the ninth Symphonies, and the Trio " Tremate 
empi tremate,** all by Beethoven. The New York Ora- 
torio society did the vocal part of the Symphony, and 
the Quartet comprised Miss Clementine Lasar, Miss 
Henne, Mr. H. A. Bischoff and Mr. Franz Remmerta. 
The trio was sung by Miss Lasar.and Messrs. Bischoff 
and Bemmertz. A. A. C. 



♦-•- 



From a Homesick Absentee. 

Philadelphia, April )9, 1876. 
Fli>r DwighVt Journal <ifMu9te : 

The Boston Handel and Haydn Society has made a 
great gain in public estimation by their recent perform- 
ances, ralmost in the nature of a festival], and musi- 
cians here and elsewhere are not slow in acknowledging 
it4 The performance of that stupendous creation of 
Bach, the St. Matthew Passion, for the first time in this 
country with any degree of completeness, is an event 
worthy of note; and though some may have gone to lis- 
ten in the expectation of being simply p/«a««(f, and were. 
as a natural consequence, disAppointed in their expecta- 
tions, we say to such, you must mske yourself acquaint- 
ed with the work, and then, and onlff then, you will be 
gratifif^, your soul will be elevated while listening to 
that wondrous story of our Savior*s trials and death as 
told to us through the medium of song; and ntch song 
as the world never heard before nor since. 
Let no discouraging reporte deter the Handel and Haydn 
Society from giving the public occasional opportuni- 
ties, say once in each season if possible, of listening to 
that most sublime creation of musical art. 

And then the Joshua of Handel for the first time like- 
wise ! It really makes the blood tingle in one's veins to 
read of such things and 10 be deprived, for the first time 
in many years, of the pleasure of listening to them. 

You may well ask what has all this to do with Phila- 
delphia? I answer it has much to do with this place, for 
if the parent society sets a high standard, all others will 
seek to emulate it, and if the contrary were the custom 
how soon we should sink to meaner work I The Handq 
and Haydn Society of Boston is acknowledged by all as 
standing at the head of all similar organizations in this 
country, and a thrill of Just pride is experienced when- 
ever the name of the society is spoken in the presence of 
any one who has ever been associated with it. 

The great Centennial chorus inaugurated for the open- 
ing day, numbering some eight or nine hundred, are 
holding their weekly rehearsals under Mr. Buck and Mr. 
Thomas alternately, and a successful musical opening of 
the great exposition is anticipated; but your regular 
correspondent will tell your readers aJ about that and I 
will not enlarge upon it. L. B. B. 



Mesmxt's " JoAH OF Abo." The Paris correspondent 
of the London 7Ym<« telegraphs to that Journal on April 
6: " The first performanve of Mermet's opera otJoan of 
Arc was given this evening. It is scareely possible for 
any pen to do Justice to the brilliant aspect of the audi- 
ence which crowded the Grand Opera to-night. Four- 
teen thousand requests for places had been sent to the 
Director. The wildest attempts were made to secure a 
stall, a chair, a stool, or even standing room. It is now 
ten years since any new grand opera written for the Par- 
is stage was brought out, and that, too, was one of M. 
Mermet's entitled Roland at Boneevmat, Joan f^/Arct of 
which M. Mermet wrote not only the music but also the 
words, was to have been brought out at the old opera- 
house Just when that building was destroyed by fire. 
That was a lucky accident for M. Mermet, for his opera 
will have a longer run under present circumstances. 
There is not much to be said of the libretto. It is a suc- 
cession of tableaux rather thain a drama in which one 
act is bouud to another. The first tableau represents 
the hamlet of Vancouleurs, where Joan was bom, and 
the arrival of Joan at the court. The second tableaux, 
the- Court of Charles VII. at Chinon and the arrival of 
Joan and her departure for the battle-field. The third 
tebleaux, the Camp at Biois, an orgie in the camp, ap- 
pearance of JoHU and her departure for the combat. 
The fourth tableaux, the Siege of Orleans and Joan*s 
teot under the walls of the city. The fifth tableau, the 
coronation of the King in the Cathedral of Rheims. 
There the composer has closed the series of his tableaux 
and Joan's bic»graphy. I shall not say much of the mu- 
sic. His learned harmonious composition, from which 
melody is banished, has neither the sweet and charming 
mu ic of Boasini, nor has it the grave, strong, anxious 
Han of Meyerbeer. It is something between the great 
Italian and the great German school. There is more la- 
bor than inspiration and more conviction than enthusi- 
asm in It. Mdlle. Krauss and Fanre were cheered as 
warmly and as frequently as opportunity offered. The 
iMtter plays the part of the King, the former that of Jo- 
an. In the house praise was scanty, and the author ex- 
cited but small applause. I think It will be well not to 
trust to (he first impression, and that the opera will be 
better liked when it is better known. Wliat really ex- 
cited genuine enthusiasm to-night was the soenery.'* 



DBSCBIPXrVB LIST OF THB 
XSSX XiAXTSZO 
^■Mtelieid l»T Oliver IMta«a dk €•. 



■*-K 



Vooali with Fitno Aooompaaimeiit. 

Where the sweet Arbutus grows. Sods and 

Chorus. D. 3. d to D. Ihrior. 30 

** I'hen I'll M>eet yon, Rosalinda, 
Where the silver streamlet flows.** 

A very sweet song and chorus In popular style. 

Love Dews linger on the Grass. £. 3. d to F. ' . 

BooU. 80 
** Yet only Love can bring 
Their glory to our feet,^* 

Shows a pure and elegant taste in all the words, 
—in all the mnsic. 

Sleep, dearest, sleep. Serenade. Ab, 8. 

£ to F. Waud. 35 

"Only the night winds free 
Around thy door are sighing.*' 

An unusually good serenade, neither too lulling 
nor too startling. 

My Cross of Moss. D6. 4. d to F. MulUr. 30 
" Thou oft Shalt spettk of Jesus crucified.** 
A religious song of great pathos and beauty. 

If. O. 8 d to £. Keens, 35 

** I*d rive my love a rroea of pearls. 
Ana make her always wear it.'* 
A very playful and pretty love song. 

Walk at Sunset.. Duet Soprano Voices. 
O. 4. b to g. Fiwi. 60 

*< See, the setting sun is glowing 
To yon sparkling sands away I ^ 

The lower voice may well be an Alto or Messo- 
floplteio. A bright, sparkling duec 

InstruntBtali 

The Little Shepherdess. A Summer Idyl for 

Piano. Lithographic Title. G. 3. WiUon. 60 

Of the same genera] style as ** The Little Wan- 
derer,'* and ** The Shepherd Boy,** by the same 
composer, and is a charming eomposiuon. 

La Petite Mariee Galop. (The Little Bride). 

G. 2. Aronaen. 40 

Neat little French airs, prettily combined. 

Forest Scenes. 9 Piano Pieces hy R. Schumann. 

each 30 
No. 1. Entrance. (Eintritt). B&. 8. 
" 2. Huntera in Amhush. ( Jsger anf 
der Lauer). D minor. 4. 
The 9 " scenes" which these commence, w!tb- 
OQt being purely descriptive music, coi respond 
admirably to the " moods** excitod in th mind 
by the situations indicated by the titles. The re- 
maining ones, "Flower,** *• Haunted Nook." 
'* Prophet Bird,** eto. have their own peculiarities 
and beauties. 

Hard Pan March. C. 8. CatUn. 80 

There*s nothing like good hard pan to march on, 
and this is a brlt»K air to stop to. 

Flower Festival Polka. £6. 4. Strartu. 80 

A pretty name for a brilliant fitrauss piece. 

Boulangere a des Ecus. Talse. 3. Aronsen. 60 
Bright aire from an Opera Bonffe, by OfEenbach. 

Princess Wunderhold. C. 4. BiehL 40 

** Princess ** Wondrous^fair,** is here celebrated 
In successions of bright, crisp, staccato passages, 
with othen to contrast. Oeneral effect very pleas- 
ing. 

Brilliancy. Medley Quadrille. 8. Schaekt 40 

The airs are " Pretty as a Picture.** '< Put my 
little Shoes away," ** Tx>mmy m:ike room,** ** One 
little sweet Kiss.*' '*The day when youll forget 
me,*' •• If I only Icnew,** and *• No harm in klss- 
ing.'» 

Yalse des Perles. 8. Lanu>ihe. 05 

A set of 4 waltses, with introduction and Ooda, 
full of rich melody. 

£leanoi-en Waltz. 8. Parlow. SO 

Melodies rather smooth, gliding and tranquil 
than brilliant, but very sausfylng and tasteful. 

Valses der Amoureuses. 8. Lamotke, 00 

Lovera* (Amoureuses) Waltses, Should be the 
most agreeable of any, and these cannot fall to 
please. 

My Sweet PoUywog. Galop. Lithograph 

TiUe. D. 3. TUsbtgUm. 60 

Pollywog takes to a gallop more naturally than 
to singing. A lively galop for dogs or men. 



Abbrvviatioxs.— Degrees of difflculty are marked 
from 1 to 7. The key is denoted bya capital letter, as C, 
Bb, eto. A large Roman letter marks the lowest and the 
highest noto if on the staff, small Itoman letters if be- 
low or above the staff. Thus: **C. 6, c to E" means 
'* Key of C, Fifth degree, lowest letter, c on the added 
line oelow, highest letter, K on the 4th space. 



i^*^ 



^01 



•^L. 




toiglfs 




Quml 





Whole No. 915. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, MAY 13, 1876. Vol. XXXVI. No, 3. 



Haydn with the Esterhaiya 

(Trandatod for this JoonuU from the new Biography 
of Haydn, by 0. F. Pohi.. BerUn, 1876.) 

The Hungarian free town of Eisenstadt 
(Hungarian Eis Marion, or Little Martin) 
served for Haydn^s only dwelling place, during 
the yeara 1761-66. From that time until the 
year ,1700 he lived there only in the winter 
months; and after his first and second journey 
to London he visited the royal town annually 
at least in the summer or the autumn season 
until the year 1803. Let us briefly try to bring 
the place before us. 

Eisenstadt lies in Lower Hungary, 6 miles 
from Vienna, a mile and a half from Oeden- 
burg, and about the same distance from the 
New City of Vienna. The town, consisting as 
it were of three parts, numbers nearly 500 
houses with over 5000 inhabitants, and stretch- 
es away in almost a direct ascent along the 
Leitha mountains, which slope here to the 
plain. Far away over this, in a wide half 
circle in the direction of the Neusiedler lake, 
the eye enjoys a picturesque scene bordered by 
mountains, while in the opposite direction 
charming wooded heights are seen partially 
transformed into luxuriant vineyards. On the 
Vienna side, as you come along the highway 
running through the villages Great and Little 
Hoeflein and shaded by old chesnut alleys, you 
pass the mountain parochial church and the 
neighboring wide-spreading Angel inn,* and 
then the high mountain town (Eisenstadt am 
Berge), chiefly inhabited by Jews, with the 
cloister and hospital of the brothers of charity 
founded by Prince Paul Anton Esterh&zy in 
1760. 

The palace grounds adjoin the mountain 
town; here through a broad iron railing you 
enter the extensive and almost regularly four- 
sided palace square, bordered on the left by 
the princely e^hlo$$^ opposite to which is the 
double building adorned with pillars for the 
stables and for the prince^ body guard of 
grenadiers that used to parade here in his time. 
The fourth side of the square has some build- 
ings, and from here you pass, by three nearly 
parallel streets, into the lower town. At the 
end of this, near the last town gate, which 
survived but recently, stands the parish church, 
and outside the walled enclosure stretches fin- 
ally the suburb, called Brandstatt. The two 
great fires which visited Eisenstadt, occurred 
soon after the time here referred to, in the 
years 1768 and 1776 ; before this time the town, 
with its buildings and defenses, presented a 
very antique appearance in contrast with its 
present handsome streets. But though the 
town itself and its social intercourse have nn- 

•The wayalde Inn *' Znm Engel/* fonnerly a Franels- 
ean Convent, is used half as a tavern, half as apix>To«t*B 
house. The tavern served for the social gatherings of 
the members of the theatre and orchestra. In the hall 
sometimes plays were acted, balls were held, and wed- 
ding and other festivals were celebrated. Haydn was 
frequently a guest there in oompany with friends. 



dergone many changes, still the charm of the 
ever rich surrounding Nature Has remained the 
same. Tlien, as now, a walk into the fruitful 
vineyards, through the fields teeming with 
crops, along the highway shaded with trees, or 
upon the mountain tops into the magic coolness 
of the woods, sufficed to refresh heart and 
mind. One who possessed a house up there, 
as Haydn afterwards did, in the cloister street, 
received, even at his working table, the glad- 
some morning greeting of innun(ierable song 
birds who made their nests in the adjoining 
park. 

The object of our journey is the princely 
Schloss, which, seated so high, commands the 
region far and wide like a watch tower. Re- 
built in 1688 by prince Paul, by its massive 
foundations and its noble forms, it speaks for 
the energy of its genial founder. With its 
four great comer towers with copper roof, and 
three smaller ones covered with white lead, 
presenting on all four sides a far stretching row 
of windows, surrounded with a deep moat, ov- 
er which a drawbridge led to the main entrance, 
it was imposing not merely to its own land, 
for we find a careful copperplate etching of it 
in a work which appeared in 1607 at Augs- 
burg. The alterations date from the year 90 
and odd of the last century; the moat was 
filled up, the front toward the square was 
adorned with a balcony and with statues and 
reliefs in red marble, representing the ances- 
tors of the princely house, and the park side 
was made broader with a double row of col- 
umns and a balcony; at the same time the 
Schloss square was dug down and levelled. 
The Schloss contains a great hall beautifully 
frescoed, the recess of which served in its time 
as a theatre stage and for display of the great 
orchestra; a smaller, not less costly hall was at 
the time devoted to chamber music and to the 
ordinary performance of the musical Kapelle. 
In the finely decorated domestic chapel, which 
serves at the same time for the palace parish 
church, the choir, spacious as it is, was not 
yet in the best period of the Kapelle ample 
enough to contain the whole body of musi- 
cians charged with the musical service also in 
the mountain church on certain days. 

The stately park, immediately adjoining the 
palace, laid out in the English style, adorned 
with the temple resting on Corinthian col- 
umns which conceals Canova*s statue of th® 
princess Leopoldina, with shady walks and 
aisles, ponds, waterfalls, artificial rocks and 
immense greenhouses, spreads itself out upon 
the gently rising height, from whose summit 
one overlooks in a ravishing panorama the 
park itself, the far reaching princely zoologi- 
cal garden, all Eisenstadt, and in the further 
distance the castle of Forchtenstein enthroned 
upon high rocks, the environs of the town of 
Oedenburg and the greater half of the Neusied- 
ler lake. 

The above mentioned mountain church, at 



the entrance of the mountain town, consists of 
a chapel and an unfinished dome church, both 
erected by prince Paul toward the end of the 
17th century. The chapel, strangely planted 
on an artificial height, is the goal of numerous 
processions, on account of its miraculous image 
of the Virgin Mary which is set up there. 
This Mount Calvary forms in a certain sense 
one whole with the mountain church itself. 
How large the original design of the latter was, 
may be seen by the rotunda used at present for 
the church, which was intended for the sanct- 
uary of the projected dome church. The Em- 
press Maria Theresa, on her visit in August 
1707, named it the Pantheon of Eisenstadt. 
Haydn directed his Masses here too, as well as 
in the palace chapel, and his body rests now 
in the vault of this house of God. (The spot 
is marked upon the inner wall of the church 
by a Latin inscription and a shrouded lyre.) 
The completion of the dome church was re- 
peatedly contemplated, with some modifica- 
tion of the first gigantic plan. Thus we find 
in the year 1708, after the church had just 
been newly restored, a "model for the moun- 
tain parish church '* handed in by the theatre 
painter Peter Travaglio, for which 147 fiorins 
were assigned him from the princely treasury. 
It is still relate^, to-day, that prince PauFs suc- 
cessor, in view of the enormous outlay required 
for any sort of a completion, tried to render it 
impossible by putting up the present building 
close in front of the part of the church already 
finished. In the beginning this served for a 
tavern, later for a music building. Numerous 
members of the Kapelle had free quarters as- 
signed them here. Here Haydn^s brother spent 
the last years of his life : Michael Prinster, the 
clever homist, who lived through the most 
brilliant period of the Kapelle, died here on 
the 5th of August 1869, at the age of 86, and 
here too on the 8th Dec. 1810 was bom the af- 
terwards world-famous anatomist Joseph Hyrtl, 
whose father, Jacob Hyrtl, held the place of 
oboist in the princess Kapelle. At present 
there are living In this music building the 
present princely Musical director, Karl Zagitz, 
and the now 78 years old, and still active Jo- 
hann Lorenz, who entered the Kapelle in 1816 
as violinist, — son of the excellent contrabas- 
sist, Joseph Lorenz, who died Oct. 13, 1817. 



Eisenstadt has witnessed all the changes that 
have occurred in the princely Kapelle, its ori- 
gin and gradual growth, its days of highest 
splendor and its decline. With the record of 
the princes of the house of Esterhazy, all enthu- 
siastic friends of Art and science, we are in a 
condition to follow the history of the Mnsik- 
kapelle, which reaches back to Paul, the found- 
er of the princely house, through all its 
stadia. 

PauVs predecessor. Count Nicolas, kept a 
harper at his court. Nicolas was Ohergeipann 
of several counties, was elected Palatine in 



226 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



1625, and died, at the age of 03, on the 11th 
September 1045 at bis favorite seat of Gross- 
hdflein. 

Paul, bom Sept. 8, 1685, received the prince- 
ly diploma from the Emperor Leopold I. on the 
8th Dec. 1087; and on the next day he (as 
Palatine) and the Archbishop of Gran, George 
Sz^chenyi, placed the crown of St. Stephen oq 
th« head of the Archduke Joseph as the first 
hereditary King of Hungary. Prince Paul was 
a highly gifted man, filled with deep religious- 
ness, a comforter of the poor, alike distin- 
guished as a warlike hero and as a diploma- 
tist, and animated by a love for art and science. 
Besides his literary activity in a religious di- 
rection, he cherished music also with espec- 
ial fondness. He fortified the castle cf Forch- 
tenstein built by his father in Hungary, found- 
ed the famous treasure house there, and created 
an extensive picture gallery, containing the 
portaits of all the ancestors of the house. We 
have already mentioned the palace which he 
built, and the projected dome church in Eisen- 
stadt. As an instance of this great prince's 
enthusiastic devotion to his church, we may 
point to a truly magnificent procession, under- 
taken by him in the year 1692, to the already 
mentioned church of Mariazell, much resorted 
toby pilgrims, — a procession which yet seeks 
its equal.t Trumpeters and kettle-drummers 
are named in it, besides musicians marching 
two by two and singing litanies. If these 
musicians did not already form an independent 
church choir of the princely establishment, 
at all events its origin dates from the first year 
of the following century. ... A striking 
proof that the Prince always had at heart the 
formation of a vocal choir, is furnished by a 
contract, preserved in the original, between 
Prince Paul and John Joseph Fux, k. k. mu- 
sic composer, afterwards court kapellmeister. 
This interesting document, signed by both 
parties, was made out at Vienna on the 1st of 
June, 1707, and stipulates that Fux shall in- 
struct two boys (eastrati) "in the art of sing- 
ing,'* for which he is to receive a monthly 

t The order of the procrMion wm as follows : The lewl« 
er of of the procession In a long blue robe, bearing a 
wreath on his head and a staff and coat of arms; three 
men decorated in like manner, bearing the great red, 
gilded banner; 3860 boys from all the estates, walking 
two by two, after every hundred a couple of banners ; 
2360 grown men ; IQBO older Inhabitants of the estates; 
100 cltlxens of Eisenstadt, with the town banner in their 
midst; boys with little colors, followed by trumpeters 
and kettle-drummers; musicians, in pairs, singing the 
litany; a standard with 6 ministrants and on it the 16 
mysteries of the wreath of roses; the parish priests and 
other ecclesiastics in choir frocks; the statue of the 
Christ child borne upon a pole; 4 ecclesiastics in full or- 
ders; 4 prelates and other ecclesiastics with musicians; 
the Palatine Paul Esterhiisy himself; many counts and 
barons in pain, especially Counts Ladislaus Csaky, Em- 
merich and Peter Zichy, 3 sons of the Palatine [Adam, 
Joseph and Sigismnnd], CountM Joseph and Franz Es* 
terhkzy. Stephen N4dasy, etc., and the rest of the nobil- 
ity and officers of the court i 8 rlrglns clad in white, 
with golden crowns upon their heads, bearing staffs and 
coats of arms; 4 maidens, clad likewise, with the statue 
of the holy Virgin; the wife of the Palatine; several 
countesses, the widows Bsterhiksy and Nidasdy, the 
Countesses Clara, Juliana, Christina, Maria B«terh4zy 
and otHer ladies; 120 nobler ladies; 1235 virgins from 
the various estates, with loosened hair and wreaths; 710 
ladies; 610 men, stretching out their arms In the form of 
a cross, and each of these divisions led by standard 
bearers. Finally coaches and chariots, camels and hors- 
es closed this procession, which consisted of 11,200 per- 
sons.— The way from Bisenstadt to Mariazell amounts, 
with so large a train, to about six days Journey. 



honorarium of 10 florins for each boy. As Fux 
further promises to have both boys also in- 
structed tit lUerU^ together with the singing 
boys who happen to be in his house (that is to 
say, those of St. Stephen*s, where Fux then 
officiated as kapellmeister), the prince gives 
the preceptors 20 florins annually for their 
pains. According to a second contract, dated 
Nov. 9, Michael Hammerl, terrier-clerk of the 
church of St. Dorotliy at Vienna, received for 
half a year 100 fl. cash, for which he had to 
deliver to the boys good food, and to each a 
measure of wine daily {^''guetU KoHy leeden tag- 
lieh ein Man Wein,^^) as well as provide for the 
washing of their linen {^^die ieeU$s Weseh vxu- 
ehen gu kutm." — But prince Paul himself 
looked after the condition of musical affairs ; 
and that he devoted himself in earnest to com- 
position, we have proof in his setting to music, 
for one and several parts, the church hymns 
for all the festivals in the year; for accompan- 
iment he used alternately the organ, violins, 
violas and bass, bassoon, trumpets and tym- 
pani. The melodies are truly churchlike, flow- 
ing and easy to be sung, and the harmony and 
carriage of the parts show a skilful handling of 
polyphonic composition. These church songs 
appeared in a volume, of large form, with lux- 
urious title page, and each voice part by itself, 
neatly engraved in copper, in 181 1.^ The 
prince had already in 1801 conferred with the 
University engravers, Jacob Hoffmann and Joh. 
Jacob Freundt, in Vienna, about the engraving 
of the plates. These pledged themselves at 
that time to furnish the whole work, 800 pages 
(without title page) on 150 copper plates, by 
January 1702. But the work was delayed, as 
the title shows, until the year 1711. For plates 
and engraving Hoffman and Freundt received 
together 550fl. besides three buckets of Hun- 
garian wine. Prince Paul died on the 26th 
March, 1718, at Eisenstadt, and was there laid 
in the family tomb which he had founded. 

Under Michael, Paul's oldest son and succes- 
sor, we find mention of several musicians, es- 
pecially the princely Hofmtuihu Ferd. Andreas 
Lindt, who died an old man of 78, in the year 
1720. His six children were taken into the 
Eapelle together, and one of his sons was liv- 
ing in the time of Haydn. Besides the Court 
and field trumpeters and tympanists, who, like 
the other musicians, were bound to assist at all 
times in Eisenstadt and on journeys, in the 
church choir and in the table music, there is 
mention since the year 1715 of several court 
musicians, among whom were the lute-master, 
afterwards tenor, Anton Aloys Duraut, and, 
already a Kapellmeister, Wenzel Zivilhofer. 

With the 1st of January 1720 we find our- 
selves at last on solid ground. On that day 
Prince Michael appears to have reorganized the 
Eapelle. Eleven decrees lie before us; of the 
6 court and field trumpeters some have served 
already, and must now work partly in the 
choir as singers; a subsidy is granted to the 
six Lindt children ; Antonia Lindt is appointed 
court soprano; the lute-master Durant appears 

tTbe title reads: Barm&nia cmUHt* tu Mo€Jodki§ Mu- 
9ica§ Pitr Dtcurmtm toHui Anni adhib^ndas ad Vtum Mu9- 
ieorum Authort Ihiulo mcH Romani ImptrlJ Frtncipe JPtto- 
ra9 d* Oalanta ngni hungarkf I^alatimo. Amno Domini 
MDOCZl, Hare we find the name written Estobas, de- 
noting the origin of the princely house. Haydn used 
the same in dating his letters from Bsterfaasy. 



again; in the castrato (alto) HansPaulus Knie- 
bandt, who got afterwards the highest salary, 
wo have probably one of the two singing boys 
who were sent to Vienna in 1707. ... At 
the end is attached the decree of the before 
named Kapellmeister (CopeUa Maguter) Wen- 
zel Zivilhofer; he drew a yearly salary of 820 
florins, besides rent, a measure of wine daily, 
a few wheaten rolls, and every year four cords 
of wood and other usual allowance. They are 
all bound as before to put their talent at the 
Princess service everywhere, in the church and 
at the table ; and the Kapellmeister must also 
serve both as composer and performer. The 
yearly outlay for thisKapellc (reckoning goods 
in money) amounted to about 3058 florins. 

(To be Continned. 



• •> 



** "Lb Deluge" by Saint Saeni. 

The Paris correspondent of the Leipzig SUffnaU, 
io his " Musical Ooesip ** of March 9, writes as fol- 
lows. 

" In the midst of the deluge of concerts we have 
yet a concert of the Delu^. For such is the title 
of the latest work of Camille Saint-Saens, which was 
performed for the first time in the Chatelet theatre 
on the 6th of March, nnder the condnctorship of M. 
Colonne. This tone-poem Is introduced to the pub- 
lic by the composer as a biblical poem, and rests 
upon a musically exciting text by Gallet An or- 
cLestra, foar solo singers and a mixed chorus are 
employed to give expression' to the ideas of the 
composer. 'Tlie Deluge' forms one more in the 
series of his earlier creations in the field of descrip- 
tive music : Phadon, Le HohM tTOmpkaUe, La Ikmrn 
Macabre, This time the human voice oo-operatas 
with the orchestra, and this newest labor, in exten- 
sion and development of means, is altogether the 
most important thing which Saint-Sadns has writ- 
ten. The three parts into which it is divided are 
filled out by recitatives, airs, choruses, or purely 
orchestral roovementt. ' The laj'ing out is that of an 
Oratorio. 

" A fngued prelude for orchestra, which oontains 
beauties, forms tho introduction to the biblical nar- 
ration. The first part descrilies the fall of Man, the 
wrath of Ood, the covenant with Noah ; the second, 
the deluge ; and the third, the going out from the 
ark, concluding with the reconciliation of the 
Divine. 

'* The first part contains, I think, the most sue- 
ocssful numbers. The description of the Fall is one 
of captivating beauty ; the treatment of the single 
voices as well as of the masses in this part is excel- 
lent ; the invention is fresher, and both outline and 
melody are more full of life and of originality, than 
in the other two parts. Of course the artist puts 
the centre of gravity of his creation in the second 
part, and in his description of the Delnge attempts 
the floblime. A flood of harmonies, a weltering 
multitude of bold rhythms, a chaos of audacious 
chords serve' as foil to tho unchained fury of trom- 
bones, trumpets, tympani, etc., to fill us with the 
terrors of the avenging elements. Heaven and earth 
work together, the shrieks and groans of the gigan- 
tic children of the earth, the howls of monsters and 
the startling call of the svenj^ing Angels pervade 
all space with unexampled woe. The design it co- 
lossal, and no wonder if the execntion be only par- 
Ually successful. Upon ourselves this tone-painiing 
operated more externally, and our soul remained 
free from inward horror. Mnch, to be sure, must 
be set down to the account of the orchestra, espec- 
ially the players of wind instruments, who were not 
equal to their task : we had expected better things 
from M. Colonne. la fact this description of the 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, MAY 13, 1876. 



227 



unchained elements U more powerful in the pitno- 
forte nrrangement. 

" The third part leems to as the least aaccessfnl 
— jost there, where we expected that the poet woold 
paint in all the colors of the rainbow, and prreet the 
recorery of Nature with the jubilation of a youthful 
heart, and open all the censers for the feast of the 
reconciled God. his pencil ^ows a little tame. For 
a moment, to be rure, he grazes the Pastoral Sym- 
phony — ^fortunately without doing it any barm — 
but the high affinity is not enduring. But none the 
less the work upon the whole merits our full recog- 
nition ; it proceeds from a Master, who is at home 
In all the mysteries of XH ; it has numerous beau- 
ties to show, and announces above all a plastic mind. 
What we miss in it is that peculiar drastic, pictorial, 
thoroughly characteristic handling, which distin- 
guishes for instance the DanM Macahrt, Saint- 
Safins might exclaim with Musset: *My glass is 
small, but I drink from my glass.' The reception on 
the part of the audience was deservedly a very warm 
one. Tlio second part had to be repeated on ac- 
count of the malicious hissing of some enemies." 



♦-^ 



Jeanne D*Are. 

OPBBA IN POUR ACTS AND SIX TABLEAUX, WORDS 
AND MUSIC BT X. A. XBBMBT. PBRFORMBD 
TOR THE PIR8T TIME AT THE GRAND OPERA, 
PARIS, ON WBDNE8DAT, APRIL 5TII, 1876.* 

M. Mermet ought to mark with a white cross the 
above date of the 6th April, 1876, and vow eternal 
gratitude to St Vincent, the patron of the date in 
question, since his unfortunate opera ot Jeanne tTAre^ 
ordered by M. Perrin after the astounding success 
of Roland d Rtmcevanz, and enthusiastically accept- 
ed by him, has at length found its way on to the 
stare on the day aforesaid, after having traversed a 
series of redoubtable ordeals, changes of parts and 
of their rt^resentatives, and loss of manuscripts; 
after escaping war, fire, and, what is worse, the risk 
of not beinff sung by the baritone-king. Everything 
well considered, M. Mermet ought not to complain 
of his vexations and anguish of mind, however nu- 
merous and vivid they may have been ; for charita- 
ble souls were moved In favor of an author thus 
pursued by adverse destiny, and his score, which 
might very easily never have been performed, save 
for the war or the burninc: down of the Opera — 
since no one would then have cried out about per- 
secution or wept at the author's hard lot — had bo- 
come absolutely Inevitable after these repeated catas- 
trophes. It was utt4<rly impossible to fulfil the ob- 
ligations due to the author without playing his 
work ; so It was better to do It sooner than later, 
and endeavor to conquer auccess by the magnifi- 
cence of the mw0-«fi-jef ne and the number of super- 
numeraries, a plan which M. Halanrier understands 
▼er^ well, as he has already proved by his splendid 
revivals of La Juive and of HamUi, 

The author of Roland d Ronee9*mx constructs his 
own poems, sffcer the manner of Berliosand of Rich- 
ard Wagner; but, while these two served them- 
selves because they would have found no one who 
would conform to their difficult tempers and their 
innovating exactions, M. Mermet, who is easily con- 
tented, who exacts nothing, and introduces no in.- 
novatioQs, is, at one and the same time, librettist 
and composer, not from conviction, but from ambi- 
tion, and because it pleases him to assume the doub- 
le gilded crown of poet and musician. He is not 
over-successful In the attempt, but it would be very 
ungracious on our part to be more particular than 
he la in a matter in which he Is the more directly 
interested. The poem of Jeanne ^Are has struck 
him as well calculated to serve his inspiration. Let 
us begin by examining it before passing to the mu- 
rio which it has inspired, and which is in no way 
out of keeping with . It. There Is not, properly 
speaking, a single detached piece la the opera. The 
latter Is a series of scenes, through which pass di- 
vers historical or iroaelnary personages, one only 
of whom — namely, thelieroine — is really important 
Even she does not play a pre-eminent part She is 
often on the stage, and suiga loudly and forcibly, 
but wItlKNit exotlng in us more emotion than any 
of the other personages, mere sopemnmeraries, 
charged with giving her time to breathe. 

The first act takes, place before the houae of 

•From La Borne el OaattU JlMcaU, 



Jacques d*Arc, in the village of Domreroy. Some 
female peasants come to implore the protection of 
the Laaies' Tree (L'Arbre des Dames), an old oak, 
to which the popular belibf attributes magic power. 
On heariufr their gentle strains. Jacques chides the 
foolish things for being joyful, when people are 
killing and pillagins: a few leagues off — when " the 
peasant ploughs and the en^my renps " (" le paysan 
iaboure et Tenneroi rdcolte.**) At this moment there 
arrives a body of French soldiers, led by their Cap- 
tain, 6a-«>ton de Metz, who is ^ing with them to 
join the Dauphin's army, but stops on the road to 
sing a military arietta. After he has launched at 
Qneen Isabeau a just anathema, which all repeat in 
chorus, the tocsin sounds, and the horizon is tinged 
with flaming light, while women, children, and old 
men rush on, fleeing from the conflagration. Ex- 
cited beyond measure by this new misfortune, 
Jeanne, who has hitherto been dumb, yields to the 
transports which agitate her, and, as thous:h im- 
pellea by divine inspiration, announces that the 
English commander, Salisbury, has fallen on the 
banks of the Loire. His death is a pledge of victo- 
ry, she exclaims, and France will not perish ; for, 
as the indispensable ballad (imitated from a popular 
prophecy) puts it : " A Woman has lost France, and 
a Virgin shsll save it " (" Une femme a perdu la 
France, une vierge la sauvera.**) 

There now arrives a man, sufliniently character- 
iced by bis red cloak and red beard as a traitor. 
This is Richard, a captain in the service of Charles 
VIT., but sold to Isabeau. The King haa sent him 
to Vsucoulenrs, thoueh why we cannot very well 
say ; for. as Jeanne d'Arc has not yet revealed her- 
self, the Kini; can neither have sent for, nor heard 
of, her. Like every leading operatic personacre 
with proper self-respect, Richard does not ask his 
way of the hundred individuals surrounHInc: him till 
he hss sung an introductory air, in which he boastJi 
the merits of his ** Stout Sword " (" Solide ^p^c.**) 
He subsequently grows troubled, and feels himself 
" inundated with perspiration " (" inond6 de sueur ") 
on hearing Jeanne reveal Salisbury's death. We 
now have a melodramatic atuiante quartet, sung by 
Jeanne, her Father, and the two Captains, the said 
two Captains having come to Domremy solely to 
take part in the concerted music. After this, Rich- 
ard continues his journey to Yaucouleurs, and 
Jeanne, left alone with Gaston, unfolds the sacred 
mission for which she has been selected by Heaven, 
and begs him to present her to the Sire de Baudri- 
court. Oaston, who feels somewhat love-struck for 
the shepherdess, accedes to her demand, and i etires. 
Proud of the resolution she has taken, aod. at the 
same time, troubled at it, Jeanne mournfully bids 
farewell to her native village, while Heavenly Voices 
urge her to set out and obey Ood. 

The second act Is laid at Chinon. Richard first 
sings a grand air, unfolding to tho public his shame- 
ful schemes. The break-up, he exclaims, is general. 
L would have sold my soul to the devil, but the dev- 
il refused It ; so I will make a bargain with Isabeau 
and the English. He then adopts a tone of irony 
and continues thus : 

" Le Roi n*a plus nl sou nl maille ; 
Dans lea bomiMtncea de la Cour 
Le merle a remp1ac<§ la caille ! " 

(" The king has not a rapp l«^ft. At the conrt ban- 
queta, the blackbird has replaced the quail.") 

He retires discreetly en perceiving the Dauphin 
and Aente Sorel arrive, hand in hand, and diseours* 
ing of love. In vain does the favorite strive to 
awaken noble sentiments in her companion's heart ; 
Charles replies love to Agnte, who talks honor. 
When, at length, the lady, driven to extremities, 
exclaims : 

" Et si l*Ang1ais prend Orl^ns, 
Que vous resterait-il c4ans T " 

('* And, if the English Uke Orleans, what will you 
have left here ? ") The King will answer : 

" Toi, ma belle, 
Mon royanme, c*est ta beauts." 

("You, my sweet one. My kingdom is your 
beauty.**) 

Is not this excruciatingly gallant T Richard now 
appears, bringing with him Jeanne from Vauoou- 
leurs after a perilous journey — all journeys are per- 
ilous in music — ^Imt tne Dauphin refuses to receive 
her. He prefers gathering round him all his Court 
for the purpose of celebrating the saint's-day of Ag- 
nds, to whom he offers a flower, while drinking "to 
the baiuty more beautiful than the flower " (" i la 
belle plus belle que la fleur.**) To-morrow will be 
soon enough for serious business; to-morrow will 



do for the burghers of Orleans, who demand an au- 
dience ; but fling open wide the doors to the joyous 
minstrels sent by King Ren6 1 Agnds joins her 
voice to theirs in singing the " Air du Lu^in.** which 
treats much of heather, green sward, and rural 
swains. All present are billing and cooing to their 
hearts' delight, when the enemy show th»mselves 
at the foot of the walls. After the bad news we 
have the good. Oaston de Mete end Ambroise de 
Lnr6 announce to the King that Jeanne has beaten 
the English. Charles decides on receiving a person 
who thus enters without permission. He confides 
in her when she has proved that she possesses the 
gift of double sight, nrst by recognizing him while 
confounded in the crowd, and then by repeating the 
prayer which he addressed, in the solitude of his 
oratory to God, the All Saints' Dsy previous. 

To ruin Jeanne, Richard endeavors to excite the 
jealousy of Agn^s. He conducts her. at night, near 
Jeanne's tent, where he suspects thst the handsome 
Gsstqn de Metz, Agnds's faithless lover, will come 
to gaze upon the heroic shepherdess, with whom he 
is secretly smitten. And Ajcnds does surprise Gas- 
ton at the feet of the sleeping Jeanne. But the lat- 
ter indignantly drives from her presence the recre- 
ant knight, and replies so nobly to the accusations 
of her jealous rival, that Agnds allows heri^elf to be 
easily persuaded, and devotes hersMf to the Msid's 
cause. Everyone now comes on. Amonir the per- 
sonages is included an Astrologer, who walks al^ut 
night and day, at Court and in the countr5% and 
prophesies with equal success the Future and the 
Past 

In the second tableau of the third act, the French 
camp, pitched on the banks of the Loire, before 
Blois, is Invaded by a band of gipsies, who dance, 
sing, and tell fortunes, to say nothing of the women, 
who ogle the men-at-arms, and shamelessly allure 
them by their lascivious postures. The orgy winds 
up with a wild and furious rondo ; mad women and 
inebriated soldiers roll under the tables. Suddenly 
Jeanne appears, clad in complete arir.or. She ad- 
vances straight up to the female revellers, who flee 
before her, and drives forth the wretch, Richard, 
who has been sowing dlfcord In the army. She 
then causes the contrite and humiliated soldiers to 
go down on their knees, addresses a short reprimand, 
and rushes off with them to deliver Orleans, amid 
the strains of the sacred song of " Veni, 
Creator.** The whole end of this act must have 
struck the sudience as fatally imitated from the re- 
volt in Le Proj^UU. 

Richard, who has vowed Implacable hate against 
the Maid, prepares an ambuscade to make her pris- 
oner. But he has reckoned without Gaston, whom 
he has got in his power, and who cries out ** Eng- 
lish !** on seeing Jeanne about to fall into the trap. 
Richard kills him, and flees. Jeanne arrives, and, 
for an Instant, laments the fate of her preserver ; 
but the Heavenly Voices command her to go to 
Rhelms, and have the Dauphin crowned there. She 
obeys, and the last tableau represents the Cathedral 
of Rhelms, where Charles, consecrated with great 
pomp, entreats Jeanne to ctmtinue her work of de- 
liverance. She still consents, though the Voices 
are silent, and she beholds. In a rapid vision, the 
horrible doom in store for her. All this scene Is a 
necessary but flagrant copy of the fourth act of Le 
PropKHe, 

Jeanne d'Arc has hitherto been rather scurvily 
treated on the stage, especially in music. In the 
majority of theatrical pieces possessing a certain 
value, as poems or as^ramatic works, fancy played 
such a lai^ part that it was impoerible to accord 
them any attention, for If there is a subject which 
commands respect, and a figure which forbids the 
slightest modification, it is certainly that of the he- 
roic girl who liberated Orleans; to modify the 
character, even for the better, would be to spoil it 
We may, perhaps, strictly speaking, find a decent 
drama or tragedy on Jeanne d'Arc ; but no musical 
work with her as its heroine will bear examination, 
beginning with that set by Verdi, on a canvas imi- 
tated from Schiller. M. Mermet's opera, mediocre 
though it be, has at least the recom mends tion of 
treating seriously serious things. He does not make 
Jeanne d'Arc sing a Idve duet with the King, to the 
great iTatisfaction of the evil spirits, who overpower 
the good ones; he does not represent Jacquea 
d'Arc accusing his daughter of witchcraft before the 
assembled Court and people, and himself defivering 
her up to the English. These fine 'inventions, de- 
veloped by Schiller, have come down from Shaks- 
peare, who was the first to forge them in the Second 
Part of ffenrjf VI Viewed in this light, M. Mer- 
met's work is treated in a highly commendable 
&shion, and I see nothing to laugh at in it, not ev- 



II 



228 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



en the expression of " Viepffe au bois chenn " ("Vir- 
gin of the hoary wood,**) which seemed to divert the 
public vastly. Yet this, like certain other expres- 
sions, is borrowed from old and naive legends, 
which it is always as well to turn to accoant, if we 
would give a modern piece a more ancient and not 
unbecoming character. Some subjects, however, 
are well adapted for a play and for music, and some 
are suited to neither. I am much inclined to be* 
lieve that Jeanne d'Arc belongs to the latter. His 
tory, after becoming legendary, clashes, immediate- 
ly we would place it on the stage, with material 
obstacles of such a kind that it is nearly impossible 
to surmount them. The task becomes still more 
difficult with a character, like Jeanne d*Arc, sur- 
rounded by an aureola of popular admiration. The 
living representation of such a character will always 
appear very imperfect to superior minds, and very 
wearisome in its serenity to less delicate auditors. 

I have not heard Roland d BoncewoMX, and regret 
the fact from only one point of view — I sboolc} have 
great difficulty in expatiating on the relative merits 
of two works comparable only with each other. 
My regret, however, is perhaps superfluous, .for M. 
Merraet's music scarcely seems to lend itself to a 
deliberate study, and still less to long ssthetical 
considerations, which, doubtless, would strike the 
author as highly singular. It pleases or it does not 
please ; it seems deliciously soothing to some ears, 
and extremely boisterous to others, and there is an 
end of the matter. The composer entertains very 
strong convictions, on which he makes no conces- 
sions ; but those convictions are altogether peacea- 
ble. The best opera, in bis eyes, must be the opera 
in which the musician, freed from all vain pre-occu- 
pation about ideas, sentiment, or expression, has 
been best able to scatter about, according to his 
fancy, a number of couplets, gay or sorrowful, a few 
village refrains, and a host of warlike marches, with 
fine specimens of unison, sustained by violent blows 
on the big drum and strident outbursts of the cym- 
bals. Among the composers of to-day, some sacri- 
fice expression to purely singing melody ; others 
are, above all things, anxious for truthfulness of ex 
pression ; and others, lastly, devote all they know 
to the work of the orchestra. I have certainly 
heard Jeanne d'Arc, but I should be puzzled to say 
what the author prefers, or for which musical ele- 
ment he cares most; it is, perhaps, the human voice, 
but he spares it very little for one who expects such 
great services from it 

The first act contains a chorus of village maidens 
similar to every other chorus of village maidens ; a 
chorus of soldiers similar to every other chorus of 
soldiers ; a ballad and a captain's air similar to nu- 
merous other ballads and captain's airs ; and, lastly, 
a quartet, identical with many other quartets, in 
which the personages, animated by the most differ- 
ent sentiments, express them by the same melody, 
which does not render exactly a single one ; it is 
the triumph of expressionless music. The following 
duet between Jeanne and Gaston offers nothing par- 
ticularly striking; and then, in the romance, when 
Jeanne Dids farewell to her villajj^e, I perceive only 
how much presence of mind this young eirl, with 
her feelings worked up to so high a pitch by her 
country's misfortunes, must possess, to indulge in 
such surprising vocal contrasts. The JlnaU of Ce- 
lestial voices is, of course, constructed with the 
voiceii of the chorus above the stage, who begin by 
alternating with Jeanne, and end by singing with 
her ; the contraiy would have astonished me. I do 
not see much to mention in the second act ; some 
rather insipid compliments of the King's or some in- 
stances of vocal coquetry on the part of Agn^ 
Sorel, imitating the call of the clarion by a fine 
roulade ; I am not sure which to prefer, the Dau- 
phin's drinking song, the village air of Agn^, or 
the refrain of the Minstrels, but I do not much ap- 
prove of the short march-like air with which Am- 
nroise and Gaston announce Jeanne's arrival at 
Court. As to the fnale for all the voices with which 
the King salutes the " Virgin Deliverer," it struck 
me as poosessing less brilliancy than the author may 
have desired. Taken all in all. the best piece in 
the entire score is, perhaps, not the trio between 
Jeanne, Richard, and Master Jean, where the Astrol- 
oger predicts in turn the King's approaching eon- 
secration and Isabeau's shameful death, but the ro- 
mance of Gaston contemplating Jeanne asleep: 
" She is pure, she is chaste and beautiful " (Elle est 
pure, elle est chaste et belle,**) an agreeable melo- 
dy, which, by the way, M. oalomoo gives very 
well. 

The tableau of the camp afforded M. Mermet full 



scope for something gay and full of color ; he has 
only half succeeded. The grand orgy-chorus: 
''Friends, let us carouse I " ("Amis, faisons ripaille T) 
possesses tolerable spirit and dash ; but the song of 
the Armagnacs — where we hear a good deal about 
nachf for the sake of the rhyme — is not overpower- 
ing. In the g^and pae daetion of the ballet tnere is 
a long and somewhat difficult solo for the horn ; 
though not very new, it is not unwckome. Jeanne's 
address, calling the soldiers to reason, is suflSciently 
energetic. As for the final canticle, built n]> on the 
theme of the " Veni, Creator," first sung by Jeanne, 
and then repeated by all the voices of the men, 
women, and children, supported by all the wood 
and brass, it necessarily produces a powerful effect 
of sonority. The first tAUau of the last act is very 
short, for it contains simply a chorus of English 
soldiers carousing in contrast with the sacred chants 
of the French at a distance, and then a few words 
pronounced by Jeanne over the corpse of the unfor- 
tunate Gaston, who entertained for her so pure a 
love. The great ^scene of the Cathedral, also, is 
subdivided into two parts: a grand march, executed 
by the orchestra and the organ — certainly longer 
than the march in Le Prophke- and followed by a 
chorus of the people singing one of the Songs of 
Solomon, and then the oath taken by the King in 
the presence of God, the People, and the Church. 
The demands addressed to the King by Jeanne, and 
her last hesitating scruples, are treated very curtly, 
so as to bring about, as rapidly as possible, the 
grand final Hosanna in honor of Jeanne, of France, 
and of Heaven. 

Mdlle. Krauss supports, without bending nnder 
it, the whole weight of the opera, which is summed 
up in a single part, a part not always easy to sing, 
and demanding an immense expenditure of vocal 
power. But. when calculating the time she must 
nave spent, and the pains she must have taken, to 
learn and create the character, we are seized with 
regret that she did not rather employ her zeal and 
talent on one, such as Armida or Julia, really wor- 
thy of her. This did not, it is true, depend upon 
her, but she grew strangelv enamored of a charac- 
ter which might cost her cfear, if she had to sing it 
frequently with the energy and exertion she exhib- 
itea at the grand rehearsal and on the first night ; 
it is now tolerably certain that, in the natural course 
of events, she will escape the danger. M. Fanre 
and M. Manoury are both up in the part of the 
King, and have sung it alternately. The latter gen. 
tleman renders it merely in an agreeable and satis- 
factory manner ; he does not invest it with the ele- 
gance and distinction imparted to it by M. Faure, 
who is a roaster of his audience as well as of his 
voice, and manages both equally well. The charac- 
ter, however, does not possess more importance than 
the subordinate characters of Agn^ Sorel, Richard, 
Gaston, and Master Jean. But for M. Faure's inter- 
pretation of it, it would not stand out more strongly. 
For Mdlle. Daram. MM. Gailhard, Salomon, and 
Caron, all actors of merit, who do not spare them- 
selves, strive in vain to work tlieir respective per- 
sonages into the first rank ; the author has certainly 
no ground of complaint against them, but the con- 
verse could not be assert^ with equal truth. 

After giving my opinion of the author and the 
artists, I have now to award M. Halanzier his due 
share of praise. This is not the smallest, for, as I 
said when I commenced, he resolved to get up, with 
almost royal magnificence, the first new opera pro- 
duced in the new Operahouse. The scenery is most 
beautiful. The village green at Domremy, the ter- 
race in the park at Chinon, commanding'the valley 
of the Vienne, the dismantled boulevard under the 
walls of Orleans, the Cathedral of Rheims, and, 
above all, the camp below Blois at sunrise, with the 
Loire stretching out into the distance till it is lost 
to sight, are pictures painted by real masters. The 
costumes, also, designed by M. Fr^miet, the sculp- 
tor, are exceedingly rich, and the armor is in no 
way inferior. I was especially charmed with the 
fantastic habiliments of the King of the Truands 
and his escort, which M. Lacoste must have cut out 
from some series of Callot's. Their garments, so 
truthful and so amusing, even suggested to me the 
idea that comic vestments — ^nay, absolutely rags — 
might be turned more to account than they are, in- 
stead of the costumes usually worn by daneeuee, 
which are always something like each other, what- 
ever pains may be taken to introduce variety into 
them. AnoLTHK Jvllixn. 



Chureh Mule in Vew Tork. 

[From tiie 7HbuH§t Aprfl 9B,] 

UirUSUAL CBAKOCS IN OHOmS — HARD TIMKS ASTD 

PBSini FOE LCSS ELAnOEATK VU8IO THE CAUSES 

— COfTTECTS FOE VACART POSITIOSIS — 

FEBSEIIT MEMBEESHIP OF THE 

CHOIES. 

Probably at no time since New York became the 
centre of nigh salaries in chnrch choirs have there 
been so many changes as there will be duKng the 
year beginning, May 1. It is a matter of very lit- 
tle difficulty to determine the reaaon for the fidling 
off of musical appropriation, and the consequent 
change in the membership of choirs. The primary 
cause is the " hard times.** Again, the arguments 
in favor of volunteer or congregational singing have 
determined several churches to dispense with a quar- 
tet of salaried singers altogether. These caoaes 
have thrown out of employment a large number of 
singers, including many of the favorites, who lasve 
given up their situations rather than submit to a 
reduction of salary. But their places have been, to 
a great extent, filled with new singers, or those 
whose lack of reputation makes it p<Sitic to accept 
such salaries as may be offered, ana the coBseqoenee 
is that many singers who have been prominently 
before the cnurch-g^ing public have been obliged at 
the last minute to accept much lower salaries than 
heretofore or leave the:r positions. 

Although a few committees are yet holding out, 
in the hope of secaring a Titiens or a Mario at the 
low figures induced by the large snppTy, the major- 
ity of the positions are now filled, and the sound of 
the musical "trot" has cease 1 As an illustration 
of the Mnaic Committee's work, take the "trots" 
which have Just bcoken up at the Rev. Dr. Chapin's 
Church, at Fiflh-ave. and Forty-fifth-st, and to 
which the grentest publicity has been g^ven. The 
position of soprano, made vacant by the engage- 
ment at the Broadway Tabernacle of Miss Thorsby, 
was eagerly sought, and about 50 singers snoeeeded 
in obtaining the opportunity for a practical trial in 
the church. The announcement of the first even- 
infr's test was answered by a crowded bouse, and 
when the request was made that all those desiring 
to take part in the contest should remove from the 
body to the gallery of the church, nearly the entire 
congregation arose, and with rolls of mosic roarebed 
to the rapid beatings of their own hearts to the 
seats above. For three hours the panorama of so- 
pranos passed over the musical disk with one ener- 
vated organist and two alternating blow boys in 
the bacli^Tonnd. "Angels ever bright and fair" 
appeared to be the favorite selection, and when it 
came to the words, " take, O take me," which were 
delivered with all the pathos demanded by the text, 
it appeared a direct and touching appeal to the 
hearts and pockets of the committee. Soon after 
1 1 p.m. a fresh orchestra was substituted, and it was 
nearly midnight before the contest was adjourned 
until another evening. 

The expenditures for chureh music, for this year, 
have been reduced, as a general rule, one-third, and 
in many cases one-half, from last year's schednls. 
Whether this reduction is to be a permanent thing 
remains to be seen. The result will be watched 
with much interest by those whose prindpal reven- 
ue is thus curtailed. The number of socli persons 
is very great. At Mr. Wardwell's agency, the ap- 
plicants for si':uations reached nearly 200, sufficient 
to supply 60 churches with choirs ; and a single ad- 
vertisement for tenors and basses was responded to 
by about 180 persons. The general reduction of sal- 
aries, with the introduction of less elaborate music, 
has not been accomplished withont more or less in- 
ternal strife. In large congregations there appears 
always to be a difference of opinion on the question 
of church music, and it is stated that the present 
moye for low prices, with the consequent selection 
in many cases of less prominent singers, has not 
been brought about without much debiate. In one 
church where the question came up the young mem- 
bers, finding they were about to lose their choir, 
swept the board of the Music Committee, the mem- 
bers of which had served for years, and formed a 
unanimous committee to sustain the mnsical prestige 
of the chureh. The majority of changes from chmr 
to congregational singing and the a£)ption of the 
volunteer system are made in the Presbyterian, 
Baptist, and churches other than IVotestant Episco- 
pal. In the latter, while the reduction of salariea 
nas been effiocted, mxuic plays too important a part 
to admit of a precentor unaided except by the eon- 
>ion. The principal choir changes are as fol- 



I 




lows: 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, MAT 13, 1876 



IX rEOTBSTAXT EPI8COFAL CHCBCHES. 

At Trinlly Chareh the chmngei b«T8 toed Tery 
few, it beiaff the policy of the corporstlon to ni«k* 
thorn MMldom m pcwBlblo. Tha ityleottlie minlo 
ud the Tnsnner In which It is presented wilt be al- 
tered In no material poiota. Arthur H, Heultcr, 
«■ heretofore, will be the orginirt and nnuical di- 
rector, with Henry Carter ai rusoclate orfranlst. 
The cboir compriw* tS treble, S alto, 6 taaor, and 
S bar -' - 



jDly place where a chancel cboir is not emplojed. 
The choir Is m follows : Decani— Sopre no, Reb«cc« 
B. Cuoki coDtrilto, Cecilia A. Kemble; tenor, 
Qeorge Oawald O'Reilly ; bass, John Palmer. Cin- 
tores— Soprano. Sabrlna Doro; contralto, Orella 
D. Mertin ; tenor, Cbarlea Forater ; bass, Edward 
Korria. 

At St John'i Chapel, tn Varick-it. the death of 
Charles Edward Horsley left vacant the position oF 
organiat, which is now filled by Geo. F. Leieune, 
formerly organiat of the Anthon Memorial Chareh 



tn Weil Forty-BiKhth-«t. In the Interval precedine 
the aelection of Mr. L^euns the poaition wu filled 
by F. W. Thnrsch otTrlnitv Church cboir, a popll 
of Hr. Heulter. The maiiD will be of the aame 
character as heretofore, the strength of the choir 
remaining about the same. 

Waller B. Gilbert Is sUll retained aa organist and 
director of music at Trinity Chapel, in Flfth-at., 
near Broadway, and there 1* nothing; to note in re- 
gard to any chan^ in the musical aervlcee. 

After two years absence at the Church of the Ho- 

luel P. Warren relnrns to Grace 

s the intent 
prominent feature of the services, a 



Ij Trinity, &ami 

Chareh, and it is the intention to make the i 



under his form- 



which during the paat year has bsen 
filled by Mra. Ketcham and Mme. Brlguoli, has 
been secured by Miss Hubbeil. The choir is as fol- 
lows: Soprano, Miss Ida Hubbeil; contralto, Misa 
Anns Draadll ; lenor, Geo. Simpson ; baaa, Adolph 
SohsL 

At the Church of the Holv Trinity, at Forty- 
second St. and Hadlson-ave., there will be a com- 
plete change In the musical system. Since ite or- 
SuiiaUon, the choir. Including Mme. Salvotti. Mrs. 
ividson, and Mr. Sohst. together with a large 
ehome, hai been under the direction of S. P. War- 
ren. Joseph U. Guild. Mr. Warren's former assiat- 
snt. will be the organlet, while the choir, cnnsiatin(( 
of volunteer singers only, will be led by Mr. Per- 
kins, who will also take charge of the social meet- 
tnga aa precentor. The absence of Mr. Warre 
probably will not interfere with the organ concert 
with which his name has been associated for th 
laat two seasons. A strong desire has been ei 
pressed tu the effect that they be continued eac 
season, although there appeara a determination t 
place the coccarte upon a somewhat mure popular 

At the Church of the Incarnation, at Madlson-ave. 
■nd Thirty'fifth-at., an entire change has takei 
place, not so much from economy, it is intimated. 
as a desire for less elaborate mnaic The church 
has been prominent among those making 
specialty, and the present experiment is lo be tried 
In answer to a request from thoee of the congrega- 
tion desiring less ambiUon In the organ loft. The 
choir is aa fultawa; Soprano, Mlsa Harding: con- 
tralto, Mlsi Hetlsr; tenor, Mr. Harvey 1 bass, F.G. 
Bonme ; organist. Carl Waltere. 

At St Mark's Church, at Stuyvesant-it. and Sec- 
ond-ave.. during the coming year, the music will be 
rendered by a double quartet, under the direction of 
the organist, Hr. Beames. Dr. Hills, whose nan- 
appears aa tenor in the 6rst quartet, wilt join. In a t 
weeks, the choir at the Dutch Reformed Church 
mth.ava. and Forty eighth-st The membership of 
the choir is as follows; First quartet— Soprano, 
Madams Dowland; contralto. Hiss Jennie Dicker- 
sou; tenor. Dr. Arthur T. Hills; bass. Otto D. Leh- 
Second laartet — Soprano, Miss Rachel Sam- 



There has been a complete revelation at the 
Church of the Atonement, at Madison-ave. 
Twenty-eighth-st. Miss Roaburgh oomea fron 
Briatow's choir at Zion Church, and ths contralto 
and tenor from the Ciiurch of the Incarnation. 
choir U made up aa fbllowi : Soprano, Miss Ida 



Roaburgh ; contralto. Ura. Rassell ; tenor. Frank 
Guild; bass, F. Nellson (or sabstitnte); organiat, 
Mr. Fltasimmons. 

The choir of Calvary Church, at Fourth ave. and 
Twenty -first-at., la eo leldom in want of ■ member 
that when the position of soprano became vacant 
this Sprine there was an eager company desirous of 
filling it. Miss Wood from the Churuh of the Atone- 
ment waa the fortunate candidate. With this ex- 
ception, the members remain the same as for many 
yeara past, aa follows : Soprano, Miss Ssrah Wood ; 
contralto, Mrs. Payne; tenor, Mr. Thatcher; bass, 
Ur. Bsetwick ; organist, Joseph Hoaenthal, 

Two new voices have come into the choir at 31. 
Thomas's Church, at Flfty-third-sL and FiFth-ave., 
Hl«e Lehmann and Mr. Wilkie retiring. The latter 
will probably go to Chicago. Hr. Nichols, his suc- 
cessor, was for a few months tenor in the choir at 
the Church ot ths Holy Trinity. George Wm. War- 
ren retains the leadership, and will have the usual 
double chorus in connection with the quartet, the 
membership of which is aa Followa; Soprano, Mrs. 
Gulager ; contralto, Mlsa Wynant; tenor, Chaa. 
Nichols ; baas, Thos. P. Wickes; organist, Geo. Wm. 
barren. 
Owing to a reduction in ths salaries oF the mem- 
ers of the choir of St. Bartholomew's Church, at 
Madlson-ave. and East Forty Fourth -St., it was 
thought St one time that there would be a change 
in the principal quartet ; but this is not the case, as 
all the solo singers remain. The quartet oomoris- 
Soprino, Urs. Imogene Brewn ; contralto, Mrs, 
la Buckley-Hills; tenor, H. A. Bischoff; bass, 
at Remmertt. Mr. Carl Walters. Gen. Dodge's 
former aesistant at the organ, goee lo the Church 
of the Incarnation, at Uadisonave. and Thirty. 
filth-aL 

e choir of St Stephen's Church, in West Forty- 
.st. Is composed aa follows : Soprano, Miss 
Oeorgie Blackman; contralto. Miss Julia Long; 
tenor, R. P. Orabam ; bass, S. Thompson ; organist, 
J. P. Jardine. 

The membership of the choir of St. Clement's 
Church, in West Thlrd.Bt, will be as follows ; So- 
prano, Hiss Annie Graham ; contralto. Hiss Suoie 
England ; tenor. Benj. C. Kash ; bass, C. C. Wil- 
liams; organist G. J. Tattam. 

At St Ann's Church, on Eighteenth.st, near 
Fifth ave., the quartet gives place to a chorus choir 
largely composed of members of the congregation, 
under the direction of James Maclaory, organist. 

At St George's Church, at Rutherford-place and 
Ea^t Siiteenlh-st, Dr. S. Austen Pearce will sue- 
ceed W. F. Williams as organist Under the lat- 

cel choir, from which the organiution known aa 
the Young Apollo Club was made up. It is under- 
stood to be Mr. William's intention to travel with 
the club. Dr. Pearce will change the cliaract 
the music by forming a mixed volunteer ehor 
about BO voices. A limited number ol these singers 
may receive a nominal salarr. although no pretense 
in this direction is made. 'The music will be prin. 
cipatly choral in Its nature, with very little solo 
singing. 

Zion Church, at Thirty -elgbth-at and Uadison- 
Mve,, changes the namber of aingera in its choir 
from Four to eight. The old quartet is scattered, 
Mrs. Anderson (MIsi Barron) alone remaining. Mr, 
Brifltow, as organist still retains the leadership. 

The Church of the Holy Saviour, on Toenty-fiftb- 
st, between Hadiwin and Fourth-avea,, reUlna the 

¥ resent choir aa follows; Soprano. Misa L. C. 
homppon ; contralto, Ulsa J. C. Smith ; tenor. Mr. 
H. A. Maas; bass, Mr. O. P. Warner; organist, 
Mlaa A. F. Lehman. 



month. The contralto is lUsB A. 
Telle, and Ebe baas Slg. BaeelU. 

Bt. Peter's Church in Barclar-st., the renlar choir 
lata of a quane': although on cburcb Golidays as 
eatra anil a lemale chonu connected with the society 

their aid. At present, the position ot teno ~ 

— • ••^flUed until Fall. ~ 



a aa follows: SoprAuo. 
o, Mia. Joseph Ford; i 

The c^iolrofSt , Palrti 

Its , also has the aid of 
in festival occasions. 



ibershlp 
Tiaoiiul) i baas, Matthew J. 

Cathedral , at Molt and Prinee 

islcal orEanltailon 
nder the diractlon 



r. Pecbi 






be comiiiK jear will lie vety much 
Roman Catholic Chatches than In 
irahlp of the principal choirs, aa a 



aCions for music are also unchanged. The majority ul 
these elinrches make their slngen' contracts fron month 
to month. St. Peter's Church and the Church of the 
Nativity are eicepttons to this role. Several have vol- 
nnteer choirs, among which maj be mentioned the 
Church ol the Tranatlguratlon, at Uott and Park-sta.; 
Bt. Bridget's Church, at Avenue B and Elghth-sl. ; fit. 
Oabrlel's Chutch, at No. S12 Eut Thirtj-seveuth-at. ; 
Cburcb of ttie Immaculate Concepdon, at No. EOS East 
Fourteenth-st, and Bt. Paul's Church, In West Flf- 

H. L. Danforlh,^ the organist, retains the leadership of 
ttie music at St. Stephen's Church in East Twentr-elghth- 
Bt lladameBrignoll, tbeaoprauo dailBit a i>ortlon ot 
last rear, was a member ot Qraee Church choir the last 



1 1.^ '■holr o( (he Church of the Naiiiliy, at > 
■11 i-ii>' . Is 03 follows: Soprano, Miss t. Bnk 
inlr^.Xailjme F.Levy; tenor, A. I>eliolio(I; 
)l il.iitilen; oreanLst, Henrr Oreiner. 

,. .... ^1 u _. ,w. tfiiphtDj.nfSn. 37 

ttf be™lw" i 



i Epi 



Drnadway Tnbemac 
Formerly, under ti 






roDon 



Tick D»- 



tlnu of Q. 



and from WllUamabuigh, 11 
rs: Soi>nknr>, Hiss Emma C. Tb 
lulse Finch: tenor, J. R. Nllflrn 

organiat, Urs. Chriatopber. 



Ktf armed Dutch 
h-^I. Miss Bmlna 
"I by Hiss Tall 



Soprano, UIab Mary Tall 



complete cliange 
r, MISS Hall, was th 



L and Lritogton 

ed from thenar 
I minHier. The 
nbl^ 1(5 ihe sing- 



ing ol the instrument, making tt a matter of Una dilB- 
enlty tokeep thekey. The choir la as fallows: Soprano, 
Hiss Kate K. Stark; contralto, Ulsa Louise H. Kemlo; 
tenor, Oeo. G. Rockvood; t>aas, Jules Lumhard ; organ- 
ist. Freeman Oednay. 

At theWestPnst>rterlaiiChsrch,anForty-eecond-et., 
between Fifth and Slith-avea, the quartet remains ths 
same as laat year, with the eiception of the oontralto, 
who comes from the Swedenborglan Church choir. The 
membeiatalp is as follows: Bopruo, Miss Henrietta 
Beebe; contialio, Mlaa Liide Foalar; lenor, Theodore 
Toedt; bass, Relnhold L. Hennas) organiat, P. A. 



'f \}\ Poids" Cbnreh, a 
.. tF ni, tillows: Soprani 
Ki. Mia, 11. Jt. Davts; U 

I'lil-innl: organiat, C. F 
.■Krhii[.-li,alFHll 



Fonnh-ave. and 
Mlas C. A. Haw- 
lor, N. B. Wood; 

id Thinj leventlt- 
"--")ws: B^r 



Fitlfa-ave. 

nc, '!■■.. H'i.r. .:!. M m. Hamlin]; co'nMaiwTM'iss"aiuT 
J'>"''|, ' r. 'I' 1 'il; uaa«, Mr. Danforth; organist, 

At the Tabernacle Baptist Chureli,on Second-ave., be- 
tween Tenth and Eleventh- its., a volunteer choir, made 
no of the members of the congregation, will uke the 

The Rev. Dr. Armitage'a Church, at FifUi4ve and 
Forty-elilh.st., retains last year's cboir, aa follows; 
Soprano. Hiss Mary Adams; oontralto, Hiss Crane; 
tenor, Oeorge B. Eddy; bass, E. Gilbert; organist, T. 

With Che eieepUon of soprano, the choir at tbe Bev 
Dr. Booth's cbnreh, at Unlve rain-place and Tenth-at 
rnmaioB the lame as last year. Aa now organlied It In- 
oludes; Soprano. Mra. Smith [Miss Wbeeler): contralto, 
Mies S. M. Gordon ; tenor, David SImms: bass, Alfred 
Hay ; organiat, William Smith. 

The quartet choir ot the Churchot the Heaalah, at 
Park-ave. and Thlny-fonrth-al,, waa broken up In Jann. 
ory, since which lime the music bos been led l« a aopr*. 
no and baaa. It is the intention to have, during tbe tam- 
ing year, either a precentor or volunteer ehoms, proba- 
bly the latter. 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OP MUSIC. 



a Miu Thww* Weroeke; 

iiili»lto. UtuMnnr WernekB und Mrs. H^^l^^ook: tMior, 

r. BronkI and W. Ditnnuiin ; biM, H. Hadm uid Cbu. 

'srMkfl i OTpmtlt, Hanrj Orelner. 

AttbeTsDipleBcEb-EI, atLflilnKton-STa. uiil Slit}- 
tblrd-M., the eholt !■ oompoMrt h (oHowi; Bopnon, 
Mrs. rnnca Hbm, Mm. Wlftanrt mil Mrs. Cohn ; cnn- 

a and Mr. 

Tba sholr Id the Hadiian Squan Preabyteriui Ctannh 
la one ot thorn meotlnnedu miiklna: few, ItiuiT. cbuin* 
froni T*ar to )reaT. Tb* roemberehlp \a ■« follnvs; 80- 
iHwn, Ulu Anna Simon: contralto, HIh Henne; lennr, 
Chaalu FrltKh; ban, Hennwn Troae; organul. T. S. 

At ihe Church of the DiTine PatornltT, alFlIlb-ii'e. 
and rDrtT-flrth-iE..IhB choir still remalna InMnipletr, 
-iBt«oor notyet ' -'-- ■"-- ""' '^- -■—■-■- 



t foUoo. 

' L Aahfoid; baM, Oeo. 



:. Dejo; organlit, 



choir is 



Bolden. 

One rmj comman mode of ntnnebXMni 
the lalarlod quartet sltoitaCher and sniace 
to lead tba consregatlan. This unnsemet 
lot7 aHlte 10 tbose who do not wish tobara 
dooa br proxT and to tboM wbo dsaira : 



nrth-H.. Mr. Kllaen-' 
B*fTow>. fomeFlTtan 
«ent[ 



nhyn. 



r. OnnlAtOB'B Church, at Flflli-:i' 

, HQ Sixth U>(1 Baventh-av«. [Rr. 

•rd'sl, Mr. William TnhlM, fonnerlT Wnor al V 
pin**, *lll lead tbs slniclDK. At the BnpdPTil 
Cbnreti, ThlrtT-IUttHe^ b " ~' ■ ' 



CharcB, 



Blgh salaries In BrooklrD choir* haTe aitStrtd aboai 
•a mncb m those In (he ebnrcbei In ibla cltj. Bo far as 
can b« dtsuonred tiMre Is on]; one Instance where an 
le of api»x)pil«tlOD can be noted— at the Ra- 
fornied Cbntch on Himison-at. Tba choir at this 
ehnrchilM followa: aopmno, HUa XUa Coddln^n; 
contralto, Ulaa Mary Jefferson! ""f- Trank Hsro- 
wald; baaa, Stanley WUllaioson; orgaolat, W. B. Tr«- 






iidlnKthalilieposltlnn of tenor would 

Camp, the leader of Plymnnth Charch 

empowsred by ihe Music OBminlttee to send 
foraelnicr, TheEentlenunsaleGtedlaaaldt 
Buceeufnt as a concert alnger. sltbotilh hli 
name ha?e not roacbed iho public ear In this 
BABtleman dops not lake the posiHoo until 
and It Is naderstood that Kaeene Clarli wlIT I 
BlltQM durlOK the Bummar. Tbe chorus will 
nail a* heitlclore. 



Stoig^'s Jmumal of Slusit. 



MAT J8, 187*. 



The Oratorio Week. 



It ipMki veil for the vnterprlea and high artls- 
ttc pBipou of our tlme-bonorod Handel aod Haydn 
Sodety, that the; could e1oa« this season with a do- 
ble Or«torio of Handel Derer before attempted here, 
immediately alVer so iDGcesafnl a production of 
Baoh'a Passion Huslo. Jothua, an oratorio in tha 
le high heroic strain with Judat Ifaccaiaiu, had 
it< firatperibrmance before aBoatonandleDce, which 
filled the Hoiic Hall, od the eyenlng of Eaiter Son- 
daj, April IS. Like moet of Bendel'* oratorios, the 
e, ■■ it was left by blm, wee very iaooiDpleta 
end sketchy ; many iDatramental parla ware want- 
li^ to SU out the harmony; he could proTlde for 
that himself whan he preelded oror the performance 
■t the organ ; but that to Tnaaiclana of our day la a 
loat art Accordinftly there had to be done for It 
— what Judai Jfaaabant aUII so aadly needs — what 
Uoiart did for the MtniaX, what Frani did for 



Bach'a Paaaion Music — the work of completing the 
instrumentation by another hand 1 and that could 
only be entrusted to a mualclan of the highest order, 
Iboroaghly Imbued with the aplrlt of those old mas- 
ters and at bome In the whole style and feeling of 
the works in qursilon. Happily in the present case 
this serrlce had been rendered by the Dresden Ka- 
pellmeister, Julias Rletz, (Formerly Mendelssohn's 
■Dceeasor at Leipilg), who had fumlibed additional 
orchestral parts for wind instrnmenta for • perform- 
ance of Jo4h<ia at the DOssaldorf festival in 1811. 
Th* Ailrtriittr of the day before the performance. In 
■ brief eommonlcstton CTldently from the President 
of the Society, shows how a copy was obtained. 

Dr, Robert Frsni, the well known composer, who 
la. perhaps, of all mnslcisna, beat qnalifind to jud^e 
in snch a mattrr. has a high opinion of RIeti's work, 
and It was from him that'Mr. Otto Dresol borrowed 
the parts that he mlirht have them copied eipreuly 
for the Handel and Haydn Society. There can be 
no doubt that they wil! add ereally to the effect of 
the orstorin. which will doubtleas attract a lanre 
amlleare. The society siso owes to Hr. Dresel'i 
intercession the additional parts to Handd't 
"Heaslah," composed by Robert Frani to com- 
plete those written- by Mourt Dr. Pram had nn- 
dertaken this work some years ajco, bnt had laid It 



aside 



ilshed at a 



When 



quested to do so for the Handel and Hayiln Socie- 
ty by the board of management, through Hr. 
Dresel, he reanmed his labora. and the result has 
become the eictuslve property of the society. At 
Christmas, or perhapa even at an earlier date, the 
Boston public will thus have an opportunity of 
hearing lbs " M»siah ' as It has never been heard 
elsewhere, enriched not only by the additional 
accompaniments nf Mozart, bat also br those of Dr. 
Frani, whoae Intimate knowledge of Handel's masie 
and profound respect fur his genius assure na that 
he haa worked in the spirit of Handel, and haa add- 
ed only that which will enhance the beauties of his 
moat anLlime creation, 

JoAna, althongh not to be ranked with Handel's 
greatest oratorios, contains several of hit grandest 
and most graphic ehoroass, some arias of frreat 
beanty, aa well aa some of ■ berolo and Inspiring 
strain ; and it abounds In rvdtaUvs (psrhaps a 
weariness to some) which Is always fins, diacrimi- 
natlng, eloqnent and true to situatioa and to char- 
acter. Its martial and heroic strain is welt relieved 
by tender [Husages oF love. Some parts of the ear- 
lier ehorasea. like: "In wat'ry heaps affrighted 
Jordan rolled," remind one of the more massive, 
but in Ide* not grander, doable choruses In Itrad 
' , Sg!/pl, There are no double chornsea in JotAua. 

The work itself, as well as the perfoimanoe on 
the whole, proved mors acceptable than had been 
commonly anticipated. Indeed it was listened to 
throughout with every alga of pleaanrcj and we 
think it will be welcomed whenever It shall be again 
announced. We borrow from the Olobt an sceount 
of the performance which agrees well In the main 
with oar own Impreaaions. 

" Joshaa," while tacking ths tnsplratlanal power 
snd sublimity that saturate and glorify " The Hes- 
-lah ,' is yet lets panderons than " Samson," and 
lore svmmetrical than " Judas MsccabKua." The 
rosrtlsl character of the alory, which is fully as- 
■erted In the music, is most happily tempered by the 
ill-pervading religious sentiment, and there is not a 
lull moment from ths banning to Iha snd. In 
ths first part, which illustrates the preparaUon of 
the tribes of Israel for battle, the epl«>de of the 
meeting of Achsati and Othniel ia given such prom- 
inence as to make it the feature of this portion of 
ths work. Achsahls Introduced in the plaintive 
■Ir, " Oh I who can tell, oh I who can hear of £g ypt 
and not shed a tearT' Hearing Othniel's praises, 
she fancies the sweet compliments come from the 
birds of the forest, and sings, to the accompaniment 
of the flute, an exquisite aong, " Hark, 'tis the lin- 
net' Then, meeting with Othniel, they together 
sing a love dno la Iht pastoral atyle, " Onr limpid 
atreama with freedom flow." Their wooing is In^ 
terrupted by tha trumpet call, and the first part 
closes with a grand choras, " Hay all the hoets of 
heaven attend him." 



rus, " Glory to Ood.' Some passages in thii 
ber, nnUbly the phrase. "The nations tremble." have 
scarcely been excelled ei'en bv Handel In hia most 
inapired moments. A masnificent air for the bass, 
'■See the raginz Rames arise," follows, which ia suc- 
ceeded by a chorun, "Almiihty ruler of the shies," 
which describes ths mirseolous pssaage over Jordan. 
A auperb recitative accompanlrs Joahna'a invncslioa 
to the sun and moon, and the ehcru-, "Beholdl the lis- 
tening sun the voice obevs " forma a erand climai to 
the second part The third and closing p»Tt fairiy 
bristles with gems. Besides the well known bai^ 
air, " Shall I In Msmre's ferlile plains," and then the 
not onfamlliar soprsno air, " Oh, had I Jubai's lyre," 
occurs a fine aria, "Place dauber around me," for the 
contralto, a anbllme chorale, "Psther of Mercy." and 
fie great chorale from Judaa.* "See the conquering 
hero comes," which is Introduced to celebrate the 
triumph of young Othniel. From thia outlins nf 
some of tU features it mast bs evident that the 
work Is of eiceptinnsl variety and interest, afford- 
ing soloists and choraa rich opportunitisn, which, 
in the performance last night were not sll^led. 

The leading soprano part was snni by Mux. Var 
Z^niT. This nrtiat's style is not cntlrel v sulud to 
orstflrio, and, in some of her solos, she was not 
especially successful : albeit she sang her mnaic 
carefnliy and conscienlloust)'. Her rendering of 
'■Oh. who can tell," was wanting la the depth of 
feeling which the piece demands, and la " Hark I 'tis 
the linnet" Ihere was a lack of that dellnacy and 
naivety for which the ma«lc called. In " Oh I bad I 
Jubai's lyre," nothing was wanting: for the piece 
was exactly fitted to her brilliant style, and she won 
a hearty encore. Hiss PniLLirrs aa Othniel jnsUfled 
tha title that haa aptly been tiestowsd upon her by 
■n eminent critic, ot the most emotional singer 
'-nerica has produced. All her -' 
" "eii, especlsllj 

Place danger . _. 

nas never appeared to better advantage than in 
Joshaa. He touched the opening notes of " Haste. 
Israel, haste," rather torpidly, but made up for thia 
slight dellnqnency by taking s splendid high note 
at the end of the piece, and in his recitative, " Oh, 
thou bright orb," roes tn a very high poiat of lyric 
power. Mr. Johk F. Wnron ia entitled to warm 
commendatiou for his singing of ths baas part, Ca- 
leb, which he assumed at very short notice, owing 
to the continued illness of Mr. M. W. Whitney. 
The audience was In full sympathy with Mr. Winch 
in his trying position, hut his sffbrts called for no 
Indnlgt-nce. Hia principal air, " See the raging 
flames," was magniflcenily given. Miss Saiah C. 
Ftsnn merits favorable menUon for her good work 
in recitative. 

To the choras belongs much of the splendid «Q0- 
c«ia sttainsd- Considering that the work was 
eutirelv unfamiliar, the choral performance was 
marvellous in its uniform smoothnesa and power. 

Artiata might well learn useful lessons of this 
chorus in the great art of mualcal expression. The 
orchestra was, not unnaturally, a little timorous at 
times and left the chums to do the brunt of the 
work. Mr. Z»a*Hi> held the OMon, and kept the 
chorus up with his usual sucoeji. He was honored 
with a delicate but aignificant testimonial from the 
lady members of the chorus, in ths form of a bean 
tiful floral tyre. His discovery of this tribute, which 
occurred at the end of the first part, created . - - ' 



Xendelnolm'i " Son and Struger," 
A charming entertainment was that devised by 
certain charitable ladles, and given in the fine new 
ball of the Toung Men's Christian Union In Boyls- 
ton Street, on Thursday evening of lost week, before 
s very large and cultivated andisnce who had pnr- 
ohaaed tickets privately under the doable indnee- 
ment of arUstic plsasnre and of sympathy for want] 
Mendelssohn composed this " Liederapisi," or oper- 
etU : Hiimk^r out Jtr FrmiU, aa he called it dar- 
ing his early visit to England, and took it home 
with him to Berlin, to be periormed in private by 
his relatives and friends for the sliver wedding of 
his parenta. His friend Klingsmann prspared the 
libretto, which contains some graceful poetry, and 
suitable for ballads, arias, trioe, chomsei, etc, aa 

It was llrat oonpoaed for AsAoo, and af tarwnida 



adopted Into /luiat.— CD. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, MAT 13, 1876. 



231 



well as a plenty of spolcen dialofi^iie. The English 
version Is by Chorley, made since the death of Men- 
delssohn, who kept the offering sacred and refused 
to make it public. The masic is of a fresh, simple, 
delicate and graceful character, thoroughly musi- 
cian-like, and always genial and imaginative; 
Dramatically it is not exciting, but it is interet>ting 
to an unsophisticated taste. Its tone is pure and 
innocent, mingled with some clever drollery, and it 
is ftill of felicities. We could not help comparing 
it with Cherubini's " Water Carrier " which doubt- 
less the young Felix knew and admired. 

The performers were amateurs and volunteering 
artists, Mr. B. J. Lanq conducting, under whose 
direction the performance had been most carefully 
prepared, so that the representation of the work, 
both musically and scenically, was complete. The 
graceful Overture, in the first theme of which Men- 
delssohn said he made his filial bow before his par- 
ents, was finely played on two pianos by Mr. Lang, 
assisted by Mr. Parks*, Mr. Leon hard and Mr. 
SuMNBE. The Soprano part (Lisbeth) was sung and 
acted with exquisite vivacity and grace by Miss 
Clara Doria. The sad and anxious part of the 
mother (Ursula) was taken by Miss Ita Welsh, 
whose sweet, rich and expressive voice was heard 
to fine advantage in the opening Romance, and in 
the duet and trios later. Mr. NATnANiBL Childs 
sang the tenor part (the son and stranger, Her- 
mann) very sweetly and showed experience in act- 
ing. To Dr. Bollard wts assigned the comic part 
of the pedlar, Eaus, who did it admirably, particu- 
larly his larffo al/aeMnm song : '* I am a roamer 
bold and gay." Mr. Wm. F. Apthorp was capitally 
made up for the respectable old German Mayor, and 
sang his one note in the Trio doubtless quite as well 
as the composer's brother-in-law, the painter Hensel, 
for whom the part was written. There was also a 
watchman (Martin) who does not sing, but adds to 
the picturesqueness of the situation (Mr. T. R. Sul- 
LivAif). But the most captivating picture was the 
last scene, where the festive chorus came in, in gay 
village costum'W ; their singing too was very musi- 
cal and satisfisctory. Altogether the performance 
was a great success ; the only drawback being, we 

surmise, that most of the company found so much of 
spoken dialogue a little " slow." The accompani- 
ments were beautifully played by Mr. Lang, Mr. 
Leonhard assisting him again in the interlude 
("Night and Morning.**) 



A Week of Italian Opera. 

We have had no better operatic combination here 
during the past season, than that of which we be- 
lieve Miss Adilaidr Phillipps was the prime mov- 
er, and which gave six performances last week at 
the Boston Theatre. This enterprise on the part of 

Miss Phillipps was prompted in a ^<*at measure by 
her strong desire to further the artistic career of 
her younger sister, Mies Mathildr Phillipps, in 
whose education here and abroad she has taken so 
deep an interest, and of whose successes on the lyr- 
ic stage in Europe we have heard so much. Shar- 
ing the honors with these sisters was the prima 
donna soprano of the troupe, a star of consequence 
elsewhere, but now greeted here for the first time, 
Signora Maria Palmieri, of whom, and of her hus- 
band, also of this troupe, we read : 

She was bora in London, but although English by 
birth is as thoroughly an Italian artist as any daughter 
of that sunny land. At an early age she was sent to 
Italy and placed under the tuition of the most eminent 
masters, fihe made her debut at Leghorn during the 
Carnival of 1862-63, and at once achieved brilliant suo- 
oess. In the autumn of 1863 she was engaged for La 
Bcalat at Milan, where she created an immense furore as 
Lucia, and was at once re-engaged for the ensuing Car, 
nival season. From thence she went to Oenoa« Turin- 
Florence, Trieste, Palermo. Brussels and Venice, meet- 
ing everywhere with extraordinaxy success. Just prior 
to the late war in France, she had entered into an en- 
gagement for three years, with M. Bagier, of the Thea- 
tre des ltaliens» Paris ; but the breaking ont of hostilities 



prevented Its fulfilment. She was for the third time se- 
cured for the San Carlo, Naples, for the season of 1870- 
*71. After three years more of uninterrupted snccess 
throughout Italyi she made an extended tour abroad, 
and but recently arrived from Mexico. SIgnor Tito Pal- 
mieri, the tenor, has been connected with the company 
at Les Itallens, Paris, where he sang with the famous 
Mme. Penco, and also with Mapleson*s Orand Italian 
Opera Company, London, where he sang with Mile. Titl- 
ens and other great artists. 

Of other members we shall speak in course. As 
to the repertoire, we were somewhat disappointed, 
as we know Miss Phillipps was herself, that it was 
found impracticable to bring ont several of Rossini's 
operas, besides the Semiramide^ — say Cenerentola and 
II Conte Ory, As it was. Norma was performed on 
Monday, in which Signora Palmieri established her 
claim ; fhniramide on Tuesday, which was the oc- 
casion for the younger Miss Phillipps ; La Favt*rita 
on Wednesday ; U Trottaton Thursday ; on Friday 
evening, two acts of Semiramide and two of the Fti- 
voriia ; and Semiramide again for the Matinde of 
Saturday. 

We were only able to be present twice ; first to 
witness the truly powerful and admirable singing 
and acting of Adelaide Phillipps in La Fawnrita, 
We do not like the music of the opera : it has always 
seemed to us barbarous and coarse, with the excep- 
tion of some pieces in the latter part. Much of it 
sounds empty, commonplace and thin. Sitting at 
the noisy end of the extended orchestra, and very 
near, much of it seemed to us ambitious trombone 
solo with very thin accompaniment But the work 
is dramatically constructed and gives fine opportu- 
nity for impassioned song and action on the part of 
Leonora, and the tenor and the baritone, all of 
which were well filled, the first we might almost say 
superlatively. Miss Phillipps, in spite of some loss 
of freshness in her upper tones and now and then 
slight faultiness of intonation, sang superbly, and 
threw great Intensity of feeling, both of the tender 
and the proud sort, into her voice and whole im- 
personation of the character, producing an impres- 
sion which continually deepened to the end. Mr. 
Tom Karl lacked only more reserved force for Fer- 
nando ; he sang very sweetly, in a refined and taste- 
ful style, and exerted himself earnestly and not un- 
successfully in action as well as in the rendering of 
the music We had much pleasure in hearing for 
the first time (though he has sung here once before 
this winter) Sig. Taoliapixtra, the refined and 
graceful representAti ve of the King. We have heard 
baritone voices of richer quality ; but his is pleasing 
and effective, and evidently highly cultivated ; he 
sings with true expression, in a chaste and earnest 
manner. The basso, Sig. Baoxllo, sings moderate- 
ly well, but gave but a tame conception of the stern 
old monk. 

After the modern operas, so declamatory and 
straining for effect, the Favaritae, TVovaforet, and 
the like, it was refreshing to hear again, after a long 
silence, even a half only of the melodious, sumptu- 
ous, stately music of Semiramide ; perhaps the half 
was better than the whole would have been, for 
such extremely fiorid melody soon cloys. Yet this 
is m^teie / It is full of melodious ideas, full of spark- 
ling invention, exquisite and even expressive in its 
perpetual embellishment, its subtle JfortVure. always 
dignified and regal, if barbaric, Oriental in its tone, 
and rising now and then to real grandeur and almost 
sublimity. In harmony likewise, not less than mel- 
ody, and in rich and vivid instrumentation it is a 

masterwork of the peculiar Rossini genius. Aa 
both the orchestra and chorus were respectable 
(under the firm and quiet conductorsliip of Sig. To- 
MASi) and the performance altogether of an even ex- 
cellence, we confess to having for that hour or more 
recalled with real pleasure those old strains which 
haunted us in younger days, — music worthy of its 
theme, all gold and purple, — luxury and {>omp and 
pride. 



Signora Palmibbi, as the Queen, proved herself a 
singer fully equal to such music, one of the moat 
pleasing and artistic we have heard for some time ; 
and she moved about at home in her surroundings, 
a mistress of the lyric stage. Miss Mathilda Phill- 
ipps was the Arsace, the young warrior returning 
to Babylon. She has a good stage presence, moyes 
with dignity and freedom, and bears herself nobly 
in the encounter with the dark and haughty Assur. 
Her voice, singularly like that of her sister, is a cou- 
tralto of a remarkably rich, pure and sweet quality, 
particularly powerful in the highest and lowest 
tones, but all well developed, and having the charm 
of perfect freshness. She evidently has sought in- 
struction earnestly and eon amcre, and identifies 
herself completely with her part and with its mu- 
sic, which very seldom finds a better ringer. A 
cultivated ear and taste need ask no surer pleasure 
than to hear the contralto music in Rossini's operas 
so charmingly interpreted. M. Gastok Oottsohalk, 
in the part of Assur showed himself the possessor 
of a powerful and well trained baritone voice, and 
sang and acted like an artist, though he has not the 
old art of rendering the frequent fiorUure with dis- 
tinctness. The parts of Idreno and Oroe, the high 
priest, were acceptably filled by Sig. Palmieri and 
Sig. Bacini. 

The first and last acts of La Favoriia followed ; 
and how coarse and common did that music sound 
after Rossini I Miss Philufps even surpassed her 
former effort in the last scene. — ^The Opera won 
much praise, — we fear, more praise than pay. 



Concerts. 

We have barely rofim to allude to a few concerts 
of interest, which we had intended to notice before. 

Mr. John Orth, a young American of German 

parentage (originally from Kew Bedford), returned 

about a year ago from Germany after six years of 
earnest study. He is now one of the principal piano 
teachers In the Boston Conservatory. His matinee 
(April 26) at the new hall of the Y. M. C. Union, 
gave fine proof of the wide range, the intellectuality 
and thoroughhess of his studies. He played, first, 
from Bach : the poetic, graceful Prelude and Fugue 
in C-sharp minor from the Well-tempered Clavi- 
chord, and the irreat Organ Toccata in 1> minor, in 
a remarkably full transcription by Tansig. Firm- 
ness, sccuracy and clearness characterised his ren- 
dering, rather than fine sentiment or light and 
shade. The touch was strong and hard. But in a 
group of smaller modem pieces there was more of 
grace and^nMM in his interpretations. These were : 
Prelude, E minor, op. 72, Raff; Gavotte by Silas ; 
Concert EtuJe, Kullak; "Consolation," Lisst; Tar- 
antelle, Von BQlow ; Swedish Wedding March (par- 
ticularly charming), Soderman; and Valse bril- 
lante, — A flat, op. 84, Chopin. We could not re- 
main to hear Lisst*s transcription of the Schubert 
Fantaisie, op. 15. The very beautiful singing by 
Miss Adxlaidr Phillipps (Aria by Handel: "Dove 
sei," and " Oh I Fatima," Weber) added greatly to 
the interest of the concert. 

The Opera robbed us of Mr. H. G. Tvckxr's con- 
cert at Mechanic's Hall, May 8, which we learn waa 
very successful. Mr. Tucker played, with Mr. 
Foote, those Variations by Saint-Sa^ns on a theme 
from Beethoven, which were introduced in Mr. 
Lang^s concert ; an Blttde by Rubinstein ; an Alle- 
gretto by Schubert; Lisst*s Galop ChromaHque; 
and the " Introduction and Allegro,'* op. 184, by 
Schumann, which he had played before with or- 
chestra in one of the last Harvard Concerts. Miss 
LiLLiAif Bailvt sang. 

A few more remain. 



Thx Xew England Normal Musical Institute wHl open 
at East Oreenwich, R. I., July 20, and continue till Aug. 
17. The Board of Instructors will consist of Dr. X. 
Tourjte, Carl Zerrahn, J. C. D. Parker, B. J. Lang, O. 
E. Whiting, J. O'Nell, L. W. Mason, J. H. Wheeler, H. 
E. Holt, D. 8. Godfrey and others. A series of lectares 
will he given by Dr. TOurj^, H. K. Oliver, J, K. Paine, 
B. D. Allen, 8. R. Kelley, John H. Norman and others. 
A series of concerts will he given, at one of which one 
of the great oratorios will be performed, and for anoth- 
er the assistance of a large chorus fh>m Boston ll tO« 
cured. 



-^ 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



For onr Chioa^ CaTreapondent. 



•chine on jonr Taloib 



IcUa on my ainging « tbe Apollo Club Concert glyen In 
Chicago on tbetJrd or Usnb TtalicritlcUuwu signed 
" Dot FrelKbma." Wlti bli abniT), bnl donhlltM kind- 





og, time andTeiy bmrt work m»y yet 


snmbla me to win ereu "Dsi FTeucbneti-i" appruval 


oTtl. 






ofnirMilwtloDion 


liiit oceulon u by fir too HTere. 




n New York, Mile. Tletlen* ntiilned 


'■a.lltagg1o".nd 




thera wu not tbs n 


>n to be foDTid In the Und, to acenae 


hor of offering (nu 




md Hvftr. I tb 






t forwd to ; and In doing go. I ear- 


BeeUybegyoatod 


me the Jnatlce of allowing that It la 















' BtMMtato Fvlka " of Mtllder la purely 
aucb aa any artist, wHb a tolerable amount ot Tocalln- 
tloa would naturally aeleet, and la aa mach open to tbe 
cbargeofbelng traili,a>lhe"Carof>al ot Vralee," or 
any olber anch piece. 

Hy encors aong to thli, being a ballad, needa no de- 
fence, aa they are ever freab and erer welcome. 

■• Det FrelBcbUti,'- In hla contempt for the above aeleo- 
tJoua, ieema to me to be caitlng a alnr on the good tuts 
of the audience, wblch be blmaeir calls one ot ibe beat 
to ba gatbeied together, and tor wboae hearty, kind ap- 
pTorall aball be erer deeply gnttetal. Tbla wonld ot 
eonrae alao apply to tbe Clab which did me the honor of 
aendlng for me, and of allowing these pieces on their 

a Concert la to be of a itrlctly claaal- 
eal order, no (Inger In her aolo Ima any right to depart 
from It; bnt when noipecltlcatlon has been made to thla 
effect, ihe ongbt to hare ber own choice In the matter; 
and Unothlngworse than "Bel Rigglo" and" Staccato 
Polka" dltgracei the prognmime, "I>er FrelaobUu" 
ongbt to conBlder hlmaeir both lucky and bleat. 

To eonclude; If "Der Fralachenta" really wlBbesto 
glTS young artlats (btbenafl^otbla targe experience and 
ae*ei« moslcal taste, let him doao In ageutlerandmore 
encouraging manner; as many, like my»lf, willing to 
accept adrlce, would be disheartened when aaaalled In 
hla style. Of oourse, I shall not be so, aa I will do bim 
tbe JnsUoa of bellerlng It was meant tor my good, and 
andsaTorto profltby hit comments. 

Tery truly yonrs. 

TfLEiLmaA K. BBuxian. 

au v. MM Stral, JT. Y. 

'Wrllbslet Colliot. Tbe yonng ladles ot this at- 
traetlf e InstlMtton continue toenjoycholce programmea 
of piano-forts music glrsn In turn by oai beat Boaton 
artists. Tne third Recital, Friday erenlng, Uarcb ti, 
nsby Mr. B. J. Laho, who played; 
Harmonlea Poetlguea et Bellgienaea '. Benediction de 

DIeu dam la Solitude Llut 

NoctamelnCmlDDr, Op, 18 Cbopin 

Caprice in B mloor. Op, IS— 1 Mendelssohn 

pantalale, on a theme hy Rossini Llait 

SonaU In D major, for two rianofortes Monurt 

Alkvro cnn apirt to- Andante— A lltgro molto. 
Mlas O. B. Randall and llr. Lang. 

Allegro In C m^or Handel 

Spinning Song In A major Lang 

Bonrrteln O major Handel 

Caprice In C major Lang 

TrsAscriptlon of Weber'aB major Polonala«...LlBit 



tlon (April It) was the 

by Ernst Peraho.] 



a. OsTotte. Op. W.Cmino 

l^^lir^.S'iicil/'-'V 

HonaU. Op. IT-1 Jn E Fla 
a. "■meWalkto'Emmaaa, 


.^^tNew]....S^n™ 
SB-1, [IJ«wJ....^Fr*lel 
a biblical .ketch, Og,^ 










!:£m&';Sj.Mj-' 




c. Baiciro'lle, arranged by 
Tema con VariailonT, from 


St. Peterabonrp," 

anblnateln 

Beethoven 

iait Schubert 

String Quartet In D- 



On Friday evening, Hay S, Kr. J, C. D. Paukb look 
his tam as reciter and IMcrpTetorot the foUowlng In lar- 
es tine matter: 

Bulle In E major Bach 

4. Gavotte'. 6.' Polonal-o'. t. BoonSe. 
; Mennel. S. Olgne. 

loif«mji '"™'* 



ndelaaohn 



Muioal Setdinp uid SocitaU 

Kb. Bditob: Li addition to yoarcbroniela of mnalcal 



al imi 



BDlog reunlona of tl 
beMendelaaohnHnal 



mtloned a course of 
atudenia, past and 
InitltDie,fori 



. The e: 



shavi 



been btographlcal and mlscellaneoos rmdlngs foi 
formation npun anbjects Inlloiately connected with mu- 
ale, lis hlsloiy, that of tbe Piano and Organ, tbe Uvea ot 
great musicians, celebrated vocalists, etc.. eta.,— after 
which tboas present have alternately redtad aome song, 
aria or duet, Sonata, Fantaale, or whatever form ot mo- 
slcal composition may have bMO Ihe subject of study 
during the Interim. To commemorate the birth day of 

tlrcly to hla compoaltlona, preceded by ttadlng a com- 
prehensive sketch ot hla lUe. The closing ncltal tor 
this season, on Satnrday evening, April la. was de- 
voted to selections from Beethoven aa In the foUowing 
programme: 

Overture to Leonora, Wo. S, In O, [4 bands], 

CanxoDSiU; "La Titatellee.'' 

BonaU Pathatlque, Op. IS. 

Bong; "Adelaide." 

Arietta' bnttai " L'amante Impatience." 
Paatoral Symphony, No. B, [four hands]. 
Uanytrlcudsot tbe pupila who were 
tbemaelvei delighted with the snoceas of the 

with tbe accuracy of teotanlqae, purity of style 
rectness of sipresilon, In both vocal and In 
performances. All who have participated in Iheae mu 
Bical evenings will ever rvmember them wlib pure ani 
Moaious. 



WoBciaTKB, Mass. From the Worcester OatUi, al 
April M, we learn that a large audlemse was preaent at 
Ibe pianoforte reclUI given by Mr. A. W. Foora.of Boa- 
ton, at the rooms of tbe Worcester County Mualc School, 
on Saturday atlemoon. Mr. Fiwte plays with remarka- 
ble facltlly of execution and Intelligent expression tor 
so yonng a man; andahowsao aptitude for the profes- 
Blon be has chosen which must, with perseverance, re- 
snltln his occupylngahigh place among New England 
planisu. Mr. Foots waaasalaledon this oocaalonl^ Mr. 
L. S. Ooering, the flutist. Tbs progianiae was of the 
Otst order. Mr. Facte played LIsit'a panpbtase on the 
" Rlgoletto '■ theme, and the Ave selecttons comprising 
the third number, entirely ftom memoiy. Following Is 
the full programme:— 

t. Fantalsleft>tFlanofons,lnFihaipmInor,IOp.Kl. 



2. Fan 



h«lb,"[Op.47]... 



>r Flute, on theme troi 



S. Pianoforte pi 



3. No. 1] Adolph Henaelt 

Le ftoaalgnol " Frani LlaM 

Op. 4S,No.ll Adolph Jenaen 

iS, No.i] Joac-hlmHaff 

1 C], for Fiuto and Flanotoj^, 

phrase on a theme from "KlgaJet- 



Fbbs ObqaN Rkoitau. The orginlat ot the FIrsi 
Church, on Berkeley Street, Kr. H. E. PabkhdRst, wU 
reaume the good cuatom of bla predecesaor, Mr. Thayer 
of giving afCamoon recltala on Ihe Une Walcker orgai 
of that chnrch. He wlU begin on Thursday afternoon 
Kay IS, wltb the fotlowtng programme i 

First Organ Sonata Mendelssohn 

"—'■■' ' Fugue In — — 



Fifth Orgi 



Oavorl 



...Handel 
...Oluck 






Kb. Thatbb's organ redtala at tlw new Old South 

church will be on Wednesday af tamuona at halt-paai 
three o'clock, commencing Kay II. He la also giving a 
aeries of Thursday evening recitals at the bllndaaylum, 



lb Boaton, where th 



SjetisI fliititts. 



J.IBT OF THE 

Z<A.TESX S.CT7SIO: 



VmbI, Tltk Ksao Aooi 






Hock of Ages. CentfonU HTtnti fot Pour 
Voice*. Ab. Bud Db. i. to Ah. Bmerioa. K 

" Rnck of Ages, cleft for me" flrst appeared In 
the '■ floepel Keasenger" March ITT^ A. K. Top- 
lady, editor of the paper, and author of the hymn. 
It Is therelhre a century old, and In this elegant 



f the World untold. O. 3 E. to e. 



« I aak not If there beat on earth 

Tbe lover Is well onnt«ited with hlsehoice,— aa 
every singer will be with thia smooth (lowing 

On the bine Ware. Duet, SopiMio Voices. 
F. 3, to f. Panopca. S 

" Coma I to lovers ever kind 
Tbe allter moon shines bright." 
A son of " twrcarolle" daetef much beauty. 

O, for the Wing* ot b Dove. G. 4. d to g. 
JfendetssoAn. 4 



The litt!e black Wetich. F. 2. c to D. BetUy. SO 
"In Sonth Carolina I waa bom and bred!" 
Eaay and merry song and dance. 
Rotes nither while in Bloom. Song and 
Chorua. G. 8. F to F. Perqf. SC 

"Fade and die and leave US hHioly." 
Considerable variety d pleasing chorus. 
Hy sweet Polljwog. Title. E. 3. a to 

E. TUHngUin. 6C 

"From'- Row Mlehfl." and Is alDoeh senti- 
mental tribute to a one-eyed dsg. 
Wbere mr Fkiriea dweU. Lith. Title. Ai. 3. 
E to F. Crabtn. « 

" In a eotlage brown, tar awav from town, 
Hy falriea dwell :-one, two. Ibree." 
A sweet, pure, rausleil home song. Cany it 
home 10 ymr boms fairies. 
O, Lonl, diamiaa lu. No. 8 of Otto Lob's Sa- 
cred Pieces. O. 4 to g. 

(Notice that In trio and quartets the pitch of the 
highest note, only, la given. In aolo annga both 
tbe higheat andloweat pitch are given. Bee abbra- 
viatlona). Tbla Sue trio is tor Boprano, Alto and 

Denon Woods. Eb. 4. c to g. Oatty. I 

" 1 sighed my heart Into the boughs 
Whereby the enlven aooed." 
.lean Tngelow wrote the beantlful worda, which 
are happily adapted to the musle. 
I Bm ever near thee. B. 4. E. to B. Navarro. I 
-row's painful drtammg. 



35 



Well sung, sh 



Grand March. (Grand Colored Llth. Title.) 

S. Bb. Dovmbig. 6 

The march la a spirited one. and the colored 
.. ._... _._. ..._^jjg ptfS* I" una of 



the I 






purchsslng. 
Good Bye. (LebewoU). Fantaala. 3. F. 

Oiwe. 31 

Of general "nocnime" or"rover1e" ehaiao- 
ter, with the " good-bye " eipnsaloB wall brought 



practJcc- 

Vanitf'Fair Waltge*. 3. KntffhL d 

Four Waltiss. with introduction and eodai In 
Mr. K'9 well-known brilliant style. It tlieydono 
worse al Vanliy.Palr than to play auoh tne mo- 
alc. It la not so ted a place after all. 

ADBBiviATions.— l>egreea of difflenlty are maike 
from 1 to T. The key Is denoted by a capital letter, aa C 
Bt.etc. A large Roman Inter marks tbe lowm andth 
highest note U on the staff, small Roman Ictien It bi 
tow or abnvo the suff. Tbus; -'C. », c to E" mean 
" Key of C, Fifth degne, lowest letter, c on the adds 
line below, highest lAai, R on the 4th space. 




bifllfs 




nxml 





Whole No. 916. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, MAY 27, 1876. Vol. XXXVI. No, 4. 



The CeatenniaL 

PBOGftAinCS OF THE OPENING, PHILADELPHIA, 

VAT 10. 

1. 10.15 A.M.— NUUmal Mn, by the orchestra. 

9. 10 30— Arrlral of tbe President of the United States. 

5. Centennial InanflmmtioB March, by Richard Wafi^ner. 
4. Prayer, by the Rlffht ReTerend Bishop Simpson. 

ft. Hymn, by John Greenleaf Whittler. 

Music by John K. Paine of Massachasetts. 
Organ and orchestral accompaniment 

CENTENNIAL HYBIN. 

BT lOHX O. WRITTISft. 

Our fatheri^ God 1 from ont whose hand 
The centnries fall Uke strains of sand. 
We meet to-day. nnited» free. 
And loyal to our Innd and Thee, 
To thanlE Thee for the era done. 
And trust Thee for the opening one. 

Here, where of old, by Thy desisrn. 
The fathers spake that word of Thine 
Whose echo is the glad refrain 
Of rended bolt and fallin? chain. 
To gjace our festal time from all 
The zon^ of earth our fi^uests we ealL 

Be with ns while the New World grreets 
The Old World, throning all its streets, 
Un veiling: all the triumphs won 
By art or toil beneath the sun ; 
And unto common |^<>od ordain 
This rivalship of hand and brain. 

Thou who hast here in concord furled - 
The war flails of a li^thered world. 
Beneath our western skies fulfil 
The Orient's mission of good will, 
And, fireifi^hted with Love's golden fleece, 
Send back the Argonauts of peace. 

For art and labor met in truce, 
For beauty made the bride of nw. 
We thank Thee, while withal we crave 
The austere virtues strong to save, 
The honor proof to place or gold. 
The manhood never bought or sold I 

Oh I make Thou us. through centuries long. 
In peace secure, in justice strong ; 
Around our gift of freedom draw 
The safeiruards of thy righteous law. 
And, cast in some diviner mould. 
Let the new cycle shame the old ! 

6. Presentation of buildings to the comroiffsion by the 

president of the Centennial Board of Finance. 

7. Cantata, by Sidney Lanier of Georgia. 

Music by Dudley Buck of Connecticut. 
Basso Solo, by Myron W. Whitney of Boston. 

THE CENTENNIAL MEDITATION OF COLUMBIA. 

BT SIDXBT LAKXXB. 
X. 

From this hundred-terraced hei^fht 
Sight more large with nobler light 
Ranges down yon towering years ; 
Humbler smiles and lordlier tears 

Shine and fall, shine and fall. 
While old voices rise and call 
Yonder where the to-and-f^ 
Weltering of my Long-Ago 
Moves aM>at the moveless base 
Far below my resting place. 

n. 
Mayflower, Mayflower, alowly hither flying. 
Trembling Westward, o'er yon balking sea. 
Hearts within FarewiU, dear England^ bighing, 
Winds without But dear in vain replying. 
Gray lipp'd waves about thee shouted, crying 
No! IlthaUnctUl 



III. 
Jamestown, out of thee — 
Plvmonth. thee — thee, Albany — 
Winter cries. Yefreete: away! 
Fever cries, Te hnrn : away! 
Hnng^er cries. Ye ttarve : away ! 
Vengeance cries, Your grave* thall itay ! 

rv. 
Then old Shapes and Masks of Things, 
Framed like Faiths or clothed like Kings — 
Ghosts of Goods once fleshed and fair. 
Grown foul Bads in alien air — 
War, and hin most noisy lords, 
Tongrned with lithe and poisoned swords — 

Error, Terror, Raee and Crime, 

All in a windy night of time 

Cried to me from land and sea, 

No! T%ou ahaU not be ! 

Hark I 
HucTYienots whispering yea in the dark, 
Puritans answering v^in the dark 1 
Yea^ like an arrow shot true to his mark, 
Darts through the tyrannous heart of Denial, 
Patience and Labor and solemn-souled Trial, 

Foiled, still beginning. 

Soiled, but not sinning, 
Toil through the stertorous death of the Night, 
Toil, when wild brother-wars new-dark the Light, 
Toil, and forgive, and kiss o'er, and replight 

Now praise to God's oft-irranted grace. 

Now praise to man's undaunted face. 

Despite I he land, despite the sea, 

I was ; I am ; and I shall be^- 
How long. Good Angel, O how long ? 
Sing me from Heaven a man's own song I 

vn. 
" Long as thine Art shall love true love. 
Long as thy Science truth shall know. 
Long as thine Eagle harms no dove, 
Long as thy Law by law shall grow, 
Long as thy God is God above. 
Thy brother every man below. 
So lon«;, dear Land of all my love. 
Thy name shall shine, thy fame shall glow I" 

vm. 

O Music, from this height of time my Word unfold ; 

In thy large signals all men's hearts Man's Heart 
behold ; 

Mid-hen ven, unroll thy chords as friendly flags un- 
furled. 

And wave the world's best lover's welcome to the 
world. 

8. Presentation of the Exhibition to the President of 
tlie United States by the President of the Centen- 
nial Commission. 

0. Address by the President of the United States. 

10. Unfurlinit of the Flag, Hallelujah Chorus, Salutes 

of Artillery and Ringing of the Chimes. 

11. Procession through the Main Building and Machin- 

ery Hall. 
13. Reception 1>y the President of the United States in 
the Judges* Pavilion. 



Haydn with the Eiterhaiya 

(Translated for this Journal from the new Biography 
of Haydn, by 0. F. PoHLt Berlin, 1876.) 

(Continued from Page 898.) 
* * * * * -p^xxX Anton Esterb&zy be- 
came of age in the year 1784, and entered at 
once upon the princely majority. His person 
is of peculiar importance for our task. His 
mother had nourished in him an unquestiona- 
ble sense and love for music ; he also played 
himself the violin and violoncello, and be ap- 
pears to have had one of the brothers Lindt 



(who hitherto had formed the orchestra) for 
teacher. His interest for music 9hows itself 
particularly in the numerous scores collected 
by him in Vienna, Dresden, Milan, Home and 
Naples, — scores, still preserved, of operas, ser- 
enatas, pastorals, and instrumental works. . . 
The marriage of the Prince with the Marchesa 
▼on Lunati Visconti of Lorraine was already 
contemplated. The marriage was childless; 
the Princess died at Eisenstadt on the 4th of 
July, 1783. In 1750 the Prince went as am- 
bassador to the Court of Naples: before and 
since this time he had been prominent in the 
war of the Succession and the Seven Tears War, 
and rose to the dignity of a field marshal. 
Twice he placed at the disposal of his Empress, 
at his own expense, a complete and well 
equipped regiment of hussars. In the richly 
decorated uniform of his regiment, in a blue 
dolman and wearing the knightly order of the 
golden fleece we see him painted in the castle 
at Forchtcnstein, surroumled by 80 ofllcers of 
his regiment in just so many portraits from life 
in oil. For nearly 80 years the musical Kapelle 
stood under the protection of this Prince ; dur- 
ing this period we see it steadily progressing, 
although slowly; yet it still moved within 
modest dimensions, just large enough to pro- 
vide for the church service and the table music, 
and sometimes, with the aid of some Italian 
singers from Vienna, to glorify a family festi- 
▼al in the princely house by the performance 
of a larger dramatic work. Thus in 1755, on 
the Princess birthday, there was a performance 
in the palace of an Edoga Peutardle by the Ab- 
bate Giov. Claudio Pasquini, the music by 
Francesco Maggiore, of which the text book 
and the score are still preserved. It speaks 
for the cleverness of every member of this lit- 
tle Kapelle, that they were able also to perform 
Wemer^s Oratorios and Masses. 

Shortly after the Prince assumed the govern- 
ment, the orchestra for the first time was 
strengthened by a flute, oboe, trombone and 
tympani; and whoever else in the prince's 
household knew how to sing or play an instru- 
ment, was, with or against his will, enlisted 
into the Kapelle if he happened to be needed.* 
For instance in the years 1750-60 we find sev- 
eral chancery officers named at the same time 
as musicians. Also the school teachers of the 
neighboring villages of Great and Little H6f- 
lein helped as fagottists in the table music and 
in the choir; the palace schoolmaster, Jos. 
Diezl, sang in the choir as tenor, and was also 
enrolled in the field music; and his wife too 
was bound to frequent the chapel choir. In 
the year 1754 the remuneration of the Kapelle 
had risen to 2728 florins. The highest salary, 

• The employment of the servants In domestic musi- 
cal productions, was no uncommon practice in tlie last 
century. An advertisement in the Wiener ZeUung reads : 
'* Wanted, in a noble house, a servant, who understands 
how to play the violin well, and to accompany difllcttit 
Pianoforte Sonataa." 



234 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



strange to say, was drawn by the tympanist 
Adam Sturm (285fl.); ^^^^ ^<> him came the 
two oboists, Karl Bracn and Anton Ereibig 
(200 and 227fl.) Besides bis salary in money 
each musician at that time received annually 
800 lb. of beef, 1 hog, 9 nindlets of wine, 80 
lb. of suet, 12 pecks of com and wheat, 40 lbs. 
of salt, 80 lbs. of candles, 6 cords of wood and 
the usual- supplies for the kitchen. The afore- 
said Adam Sturm (ob. 1771) served the prince- 
ly house for 80 years and was, as the weather- 
worn inscription on his tombstone testifies, one 
of those queer fellows, of whom the Kapelle had 
always several to show. 

On the 1st Jan. 1759 the membership of the 
Kapello received the most important addition 
it had ever had : Earl Friberth was installed as 
Tenor and Court-state musician ; and one year 
later the Soprano, Anna Maria Scheffstos was 
appointed *' Choir and Chamber Singer. The 
Prince, now for the first time regularly settled 
down in Eisenstadt, was evidently in the best 
mood for improving his Eapelle. His oft-told 
visit to Count Morzin and his acquaintance 
there with Haydn*s compositions must have 
called his attention to the fact, that his now old 
and invalid Kapellmeister was no longer in a 
condition to satisfy the advanced requirements. 
A substitute was urgently demanded. And by 
a fortunate coincidence, just at this time the 
dissolution of Count Morzin^s Kapelle took 
place. The Prince seized the opportunity and 
secured the person of the now free musical di- 
rector of the Count, to whom the offer of a new 
asylum must have been all the more welcome 
that it relieved him so unexpectedly from all 
anxieties about the support of his family. 

Of the preceding negotiations we have no 
detailed account, but there is still preserved a 
contract ( * * OonvmUion und VerhaUungi-Nonna^'') 
executed in Vienna on the first of May, 1761, 
which with its fourteen paragraphs makes rich 
amends. Accordingly, ({. 1): He (^) Joseph 
Heyden was received as Vice-Kapellmeister 
into the service of Prince Esterhfizy with the 
understanding, that the Kapellmeister hitherto, 
Gregorius Werner, *' although incapacitated 
by his great age and feeble health for the suit- 
able discharge of his duties, still remains Ober- 
Kapellmeister in consideration of his long, in- 
dustrious and faithful service/* and that Jos- 
eph Haydn shall be suliordinate to him, so far 
as the church music is concerned. But in all 
other cases, whenever musical perfonnances 
take place, the musicians are collectively re- 
ferred to the Vice-Kapellmeister. (This order 
aims already at an increased activity of the 
Kapelle, in dramatic, orchestral and chamber 
music). {. 2. It is expected of the Vice-Ka- 
pellmeister, who is from this time forth to be 
regarded as an officer of the household, that he 
will know bow to conduct himself soberly, and 
to the musicians under him not brutally, but 
discreetly, calmly and uprightly, as it becomes 
an honor-loving house officer of a princely court; 
Moreover that, in the performance before per- 
sons of high rank, he, the Vice-Kapellmeister 
with all the musicians will always appear in 
uniform; and that not only ^*Er Joseph Hey- 
den *' himself shall be neatly dressed, but that 
he will see to it that his subordinates shall du- 
ly present themselves in white stockings, white 
linen, powdered hair, and either in a cue or 



bag, but all alike. {. 8. Since the musicians 
are referred to him as their Vice-Kapellmeister, 
said (Er) Joseph Heyden will deport himself in 
all the more exemplary manner, so that they 
may take example from his good peculiarities ; 
hence he will avoid every familiarity, promis- 
cuous companionship in eating, drinking and 
other intercourse, so as not to forfeit the respect 
belonging to him, etc. — {. 4. He must perform 
at once every composition ordered, but not com- 
municate it to anyone, nor allow it to be cop- 
ied ; nor must he without obtaining leave com- 
pose for others. — {. 5. Said Joseph Heyden 
must appear daily in the antichamber at Vien- 
na or on the estates, forenoon and afternoon, 
and wait until he learns whether there is any 
music ordered, and see to it that all the musi- 
cians present themselves at the right time, and 
take note of the tardy and the absent. — §. 6. 
He must do his best to settle any differences or 
grievances among the musicians, so as not to an- 
noy the Prince in unimportant cases; only when 
something exceptional occurs, which said Jo- 
seph Heyden himself is unable to set right, 
must he report the matter to the ^^ho^Hntl. 
DurMauchV^—i. 7. Said Vice-Kapellmeister 
must look out for the safe keeping of the mu- 
sic and the instruments, and be answerable for 
the same.— {. 8. Said Joseph Heyden is bound 
to instnict the female singers, so that they may 
not forget in the country what has been taught 
them with so much labor and expense by dis- 
tinguished masters in Vienna; he must also 
keep himself in practice upon various instru- 
ments, with which he is acquainted. . . . 
{. 11, grants him a yearly salary of 400 Fl. rhn., 
besides a place at the Officers' table on the es- 
tates, or half a gulden daily for food ; also '* a 
new uniform each year." This agreement 
({. 18), dating from the 1st of May 1761, is 
concluded for three years, with the under 
standing that, in case said Joseph Heyden 
should, after this time, wish to seek his fortune 
elsewhere, he is bound to signify this intention 
half a year beforehand. Meanwhile his lord- 
ship not only promises to retain him in service, 
but holds out to him the expectation of the 
Upper-Kapell-meistership after a satisfactory 
discharge of duty, his lordship on the other 
hand reserving the right to discharge him at 
any time during the period of service. 

This document requires no commentary; it 
gives us a thorough insight into the internal 
economy of this afterwards so famous musical 
Kapelle. Much is demanded of Haydn : he 
must be director, composer, arbitrator, overseer 
and instructor all at once : moreover it is ex- 
pected of his zeal, that he will raise the Kapelle 
to a height that will redound to his honor. 
Well! has not the **honor-loving house officer" 
fulfilled' this expectation splendidly! The 
princely house made him a costly present — he 
left a more beautiful one in return for it. . . 

The continual use of the third person, **£r," 
or he, before the name of the new Kapellmeis- 
ter, had not at all at that time the repulsive 
and insulting sense attached to it in our day. 
Frederick the Great also used it toward his new 
Kapellmeister Reichardt, whom in the begin- 
ning he addressed with **Ihr*' (you, or ye), as 
toward a subject. With his musicians, even 
with those who daily accompanied him, in- 
cluding most distinguished artists, the King 



made little ceremony. *^Send in the musi- 
cians!" was his order to his pages. He was 
also curtly styled in the official reports of the 
steward, and in the orders of the Prince, *^der 
Hayden. " It required an impulse from without 
to bring about a change here ; for after his re- 
turn from London crowned with honor, when 
this disrespect on the part of the then Prince 
became too much for him, and he complained 
bitterly about it to his high patroness, the 
Princess Maria Joeepha Hermenegild, he was 
thenceforth on official occasions always ad- 
dressed as **Herr von Haydn," and often also 
*' Wohledelgebomer" (well and genteelly bom), 
or ** I>ear Kapellmeister ron Haydn." 

Haydn^ personal appearance we can now 
bring well before us. We have to think of him 
in uniform, in light blue frock with silver lace 
and buttons, waistcoat also bright blue and 
with silver trimming, and with embroidered 
ruff and white cravat. So he is represented 
in the oil portrait taken about the year 1768 or 
*69 in Esterhaz (probably by Grundmann), in 
which he is to be sure much flattered. A por- 
trait painted on wood about the year 1770, by 
J. A. Gutenbraun, corresponds more nearly to 
the description handed down of him. This 
Appeared in an excellent copperplate engrav- 
ing (in the pointed manner) by Luigi Schiavo- 
netti in London, and in a lithographic copy at 
Patemo*s in Vienna. (An engraved copy by 
J. Jenkins, published by Thomas Kelly in 
London, has no artistic value.) Haydn here 
appears in civic dress, bent a little forward, 
sitting before a piano; his left hand rests upon 
the keys of the instrument, while the right 
hand, slightly raised, holds a pen, and he seems 
to be dreamily and seriously collecting his 
ideas. Here as always, even when out of ser- 
vice, Haydn is neat and simple ; thus attired, 
he was prepared at any moment to receive 
guests or to appear before his Prince. 

The best portraits confirm what Dies and 
Griesinger and others tell us about Haydn*s ap- 
pearance. He was rather below middling stat- 
ure, stout and firmly built; the lower half of 
his figure nsemed too short in proportion to the 
upper, to which appearance his mode of dress- 
ing may have contributed. The features of 
his face were tolerably regular, full and strong- 
ly drawn, and had something energetic, almost 
harsh, but could in conversation, through the 
look and pleasant smile, gain an altogether 
mild and amiable expression. In ordinary in- 
tercourse a certain circumspectness and mild 
earnestness, inclining rather to dignity, spoke 
from his whole physiognomy and bearing. He 
wa$ never heard to laugh aloud. His look was 
eloquent, animated, yet moderate, kindly and 
inviting ; out of those dark -gray eyes spoke the 
purest goodnef9 of heart, which knew only 
good will. **6ne may see by my face, that I 
mean well with every one," said Haydn of him- 
self. The brow was broad and finely arched, 
but received a certain short proportion through 
the way in which Haydn wore his peruke, 
which, only two fingers breadth above the eye- 
brows, concealed the upper part of his fore- 
head. This peruke, with cue and a few side 
puffs, was worn by Haydn all his life; fashion 
had no influence on the form ; Haydn was true 
to it till death. As the master suffered from a 
polypus, (an inheritance from his mother), the 



BOSTON, SATUKDAY, MAT 27, 1876. 



235 



lower part of the nose was swollen and dis- 
torted, and covered too, like all the other strong- 
ly browned parts of the face, with pock-marks. 
Add to this a firm, protruding underlip and a 
broad, massive lower jaw. Thas Haydn *s head 
presented a strange mixture of the attractive 
and the repulsive, the genial and the trivial, 
which led Lavater, who had Haydn's silhou- 
ette too in his collection of portraits, to char* 
acterixe him thus: 

** Something more than is common I see in 
the eye and the nose here ; 

Also the forehead is good; the mouth is 
rather Pbilister." 

Haydn thought himself ugly, and never could 
comprehend it therefore, that during his life 
he was loved by so many beautiful women. 
'*It could not be my beauty that beguiled 
them f ! *' So he said roguishly, while at the 
same time he frankly confessed that he had 
always looked with pleasure upon pretty 
women ; and he always knew something agree- 
able to say to them. 

Haydn spoke in the broad Austrian dialect ; 
his voice was rather high than low, and some- 
what nasal in consequence of the complaint 
above mentioned. In the French language 
he had little facility, but he spoke Italian flu- 
ently and gladly. Past the age of sixty, his 
stay in London made him familiar with the 
English language. Latin he knew well enough 
to enable him to study his Fux*s Oradu* ad 
FamoMum in the original and to set the mass 
texts of his church to music. In spite of the 
long years that he resided in the land of the 
Magyars, Haydn was not master of the Hunga- 
rian language, since in the places where he 
lived the German was principally spoken ; in 
the princely house German was the court lan- 
guage, and only the servants talked in their 
native tongue with one another. 

Although he was mostly of a serious and qui- 
et frame of mind, Haydn liked to g^ve a hu- 
morous turn to the conversation, and occasion- 
ally to weave in a lively anecdote. His natural 
modesty never allowed the most powerful 
springs that animated him, honor and fame, to 
degenerate into immoderate ambition . He re- 
garded his talent not as his own work, but as 
a gift from heaven, for which he believed that 
he should show himself thankful, and with 
this his religious feeling was in harmony. 
Haydn was heartily fend of children, and these 
in turn bung upon their ** Haydn-Papa*' (as 
they called him) with all their souL Haydn 
had always sweetmeats ready in his pockets, 
and every walk into the open air gave opportu- 
nity for new conquests among the grateful 
troop of children. Of Haydn's happy gift for 
transferring his playful nature and his humor 
to his compositions, we shall see numerous ex- 
amples. He was well conscious of his own 
worth, and praise that was sincere delighted 
him; but he could bear no flattery, and be 
showed himself in such cases even rude. Well 
disposed to everybody, he was sensitive if he 
perceived that any one wished to abuse his 
kindness; then he became even irritable and 
gave his irony full vent. 

So much in general about Haydn's personal- 
ity, as it presents itself to us in the middle pe- 
riod of his life. 

[To be Continiied.] 



For Dwiffht's Joomal of ICasle. 

Miuie among the lower classes of 
Saxony and Pnusia. 

Now and then there croes the rounds of the musi- 
cal press a brief paragraph or story of which the 
incidents are said to be Tarnished by the average 
home-life of the rural German. Very pretty pic- 
tures are painted of 8trln«^ed qnartet^, from the 
classic masters, performed at the evening fireside 
by representatives of three or four generations of 
amateur peasant musicians who, having limbered 
their fingers by fourteen hours toll in the sugar-beet 
or potato patch, are In fine condition te grasp the 
Implements of the stringed musician and cultivate a 
green-house crop of duos and quatuors. 

Now the writer of this paper knows better. Flat- 
ly and squarely, such is not the case. The contrast 
between fact and fancy is as great as that between 
the front and back of Raphael's Madonnas. The 
stories present a bright and pleasing picture ; the 
facts, a dull and mottled blur. The average Ger- 
man, even of the middle class of tradesmen and 
storekeepers, with bis heavy chorals and dog-trot 
people's songs, is as far behind the Vermont farm- 
er's daughter, or the Kansas pioneer, in musical 
and literary respects, as can well be imagined. 

It will be the oUject of this paper to show that 
the much vaunted musical talent of Germany is 
neither national, nor even sectional, but strictly 
local, — confined to a few centres, and to a limited 
class at those centres, and that, venturing beyond 
thU civilised pale, the inquirer would find himself 
in a wilder nees bare of musical foliage or fruit, save 
an occasional primitive and stunted variety. 

In a narrative of this sort, the third person be- 
comes so burdensome that I shall drop it and take 
up the more convenient Ego, 

Impelled by the fear of the severe cholera epidem- 
ic, and by a desire to see the country life of the 
peasants with my own eyes, I took stage to Koelso, 
(near T&gllch) a small Prussian town about twenty 
miles from Lelpsic. Koelsa is a walled town of 
nearly 1600 inhabitants, and is duplicated by nu- 
merous walled towns, at distances of two or three 
miles, as like each other, at least to the foreign eye, 
OS the bricks by which they aie surrounded. In 
population, and perhaps in the average possessions 
of its Inhabitants, it could be aptly compared with 
such towns as Woodstock, Vermont, WatervlUe, 
N. T., or Olathe, Kansas. How did it eompare 
musically T 

Well, In writing upon the music of the rural 
German, I eften find myself groping about in be- 
wildered search of the subject. Were a few bare 
and fragmenUry facts allowed to escape my memo- 
ry this article would have to stop right here, with 
a full period and exclamation point. Sing T The 
rural German never sings, except when he is drunk. 
Play t What on earth cenld he play on t In Koel- 
sa there survived two pianos, weather beaten old 
hulks, one key in three totally dumb, the other 
two shockingly out of tune, and the whole affair as 
buuing and wheezy as a Denver asthmatia Such 
instruments are generally found keeled over in the 
fourth story of a factory, not for repairs, but to fur- 
nish stray strings and ivories fur second-hand 
pianos. One stood in the minister's parlor; the 
other, in the principal restaurant The minister 
could barely thumb out the first strain of a trivial 

waltz ; the restaurant keeper's son could play a few 
school-g^rl marches, while the siinple peasants 
stared in open-mouthed wonder. l/wo or three 
times, at twilight, I heard the dismal strains of a 
flute or violin winding its uncertain way through 
the easy turns of a popular song ; but beyond these 
very primitive signs, there were not the fnlntest in- 
dications of that surcharged. o?erflowing state of 
musical enthusiasm so often aocredited to the rural 
German. 



But I had one forlorn hope left — the church. 
The village school master, report said, was a great 
organist, and the singing very grand. So, one Sab- 
bath morning, I wended my streetless way, throueh 
lanes and back yards, through the little enclosure 
filled with graves and adorned with fttded yellow 
wreaths, and entered the low and dingy audience- 
room. I waited patiently for the first note, deter- 
mined to give an impartial hearing. Now, I am 
not naturally a very nervous man, and a profession- 
al training of a half dozen years had reconciled my 
ear to ordinary discords ; but the first chord per- 
petrated upon that miserable little pipe-organ made 
my whole frame graU^ from sole to crown. Any- 
thluff so hideously out of tune It had never been my 
fortune to hear. And the player was worthy of his 
Instrument I That quadrupedal old choral was made 
to travel, now on two legs, now on three, lurching 
and stumbling occasionally as It pried Itself around 
some awkward corner of the phrase ; but the four- 
part harmony was never preserved. The wretch- 
edness of the singing was relieved by a touch of the 
ludicrous. Twenty or thirty baggy and bnttony 
boys leaned about. In easy attitudes, and watched 
that timeworn old choral as a Southern fowler would 
watch a flock of rice birds ; wait till it came within 
easy range, and then fire both barrels 1 So, when 
the theme soared aloft, they complacently listened. 
In expectant silence; when it descended to their 
level, they all broke out in short, play-ground 
shouts, giving a very secular effect ; while, through 
it all, the pedagogic organist blazed discordantly 
away as though his instrument were on the point of 
bursting. My last, flickering hope of finding any 
appreciable musical element In the rural German 
was very suddenly put out I visited half a doren 
neighboring towns with the same suooess. • 

Had I been able to premise the social oondition of 
the Prussian villager, I should have logically ar- 
rived at the same conclusion ; for modern music, 
either In Its conception, or its {nte.*pretation, is not 
a prairie flower, nor even a hardy vegetable ; it is 
an ezotlo, a hot house plant, healthy and beautiful, 
but requiring for its nourishment leisure, surplus 
means, and, above all, education. Of these requi- 
sites the peasant possesses not one. Fourteen hours* 
dally toll leaves neither mind nor body, of man or 
woman, in condition for the enjoyment of music 
much less for its necessary drudgery. Twenty 
cents a day leaves no possible margin for profession- 
al Instruction ; and virtually the German peaaant u 
un/edueaied. 

Much has been written and spoken in praise of 
the Prussian school system. Doubtless, every child 
of flfteen years ean both read and write hut — never 
doea. The bi-weekly mail from the whole village 
consisted of barely a half dozen nondescript letters. 
There were but two dally copies of a little newspa- 
per, whose leaves were about the size and shape of 
a Hampshire farmer's window pane. Reading and 
writing were holiday tricks, to be exhibited on rare 
occasions, not a dally performance, a necessity, al- 
most a second nature — a needful channel for friend- 
ly thoughts and suggestions. No such thoughts 
arise to demand expression or conveyance beyond 
the limits of the family circle. The race of life for 
the prize of adequate dally beer, cheese and rye- 
bread Is too close to admit of such distraction. 

Many pretty things have been written, both in 

poetry and prose, concerning the naturalness of 

music. To a limited extent, they are true. In a 

state of physical health, and natural respiratory 
habits, the instincts of Nature may have amply suf- 
ficed for the monotone of the old Greek chorus, the 
doleful interval of priestly chanting, or the con- 
stantly recurring fourth of the Fiji war-song, for 
the notes emoloyed lay strictly In the middle of the 
, voice, and did not exceed the range of the inflexions 
of ordinsry conversation. 



236 



DWIGHT'S JOUKNAL OF MUSIC. 



But to hold ench pnmUlve views with retard to 
the more bmbitions modern music is a js^and mis- 
take. Through constant hearing or through hered- 
itary influences a musical sentence may be accurate- 
ly conceived, but not pronounced. The cor.*ect 
performance, even of an ordinary ballad, or Kinder- 
ttueh, is prompted by no adequate instincts, nor 
suggested by any analogpous acts of daily life. All 
other comparable acts snegest and strongly insti- 
gate muscular efforts which positively conflict with 
artistic execution. 

For instance, the child is called to strike a cer- 
tain key of the piano. Does not every similar act 
prompt him t^ stiffen the joints of finger and wrist 
in order to push down the resisting block of wood 
and ivory T Will he be led. by intuition, to strike, 
at the outset, as though no resistance were expect- 
ed T On the contrary, this conflict between natural 
and artistic habits must be relentlessly carried on, 
under professional generalship, if complete success 
is to be secured. Singing, indeed, appears, and 
really is, more natural than piano playing. The 
requisite muscles are naturally controlled by musi- 
cal thoughts, by mental images of sound, while in- 
strumental performance requires the associate im- 
ages of sight Yet instinct, alone, furnishes no 
safe conduct over the perilous heights of modern 
song. For the youthful vocalist, a high tone, even 
the highest note of a commonplace ballad, suggests 
incriased effort. Its shrill intensity, its unwonted 
elevation instinctively prompt unusual physical 
exertion, and this impulse must be gradually over- 
come lefore even a tolerable quality can be given 
to the singer's higher or more powerful tones. 
Moreover, the respiratory habits, at least of the av- 
eragc American, must be reformed before the natu- 
ral process, even for medium tones, can be 8«tcured. 

The rural German is shot off from artistic in- 
struction by the insurmountable barrier of circum- 
stance. His thoughts run in grooves, worn deep 
by the friction of a hundred generations and no 
sudden and jarring departure is possible save in 
cases of rare and extraordinary genins. His mind 
appreciates as little as his body executes, and any 
marked musical advance must be heralded by an 
almost revolutionary change in his national laws 
and domestic condition. H. 



Handers " Theodora " in Portland (first 
time in America.) 

The Haydn Association of Portland, Me., has dis- 
tinguished itself of late years by the production of 
several standard Oratorios, Cantatas, etc. It was 
the first Society to bring out Prof. Paine's " St. Pe- 
ter ; ** during the past year it has given Schumann's 
" Pilgrimage of the Rose,* Randegger's " Fridolin," 
and lately (May 11) "Theodora," an oratorio to 
which Handel himself was partial, yet which has 
been performed but seldom anywhere, never before 
in this country. We c«)py the following notices 
from Portland papers, from which it appears that it 
wall given without an orchestra, and merely with 
pianoforte accompaniment. One of these writers 
says well that, until the Society can afford an or- 
chestra, they cannot hope to give an oratorio in per- 
fection. But in this case more than an orchestra 
is needed; something for the orchestra to play 
would still be wanting ; for this U no exception to 
the other Handel scores ; the instrumentation needs 
to be completed by some Mendelssohn or Robert 
Frani. However, it was a creditable enterprise on 
the part of the Portland Society, and may lead to 
something more complete. 

[Frcnn the PorUand FirtM, May 12.} 
The rendition [ ?) of "Theodora" by the Haydn Associa- 
tion last evenhig was meet successful; and once heard 
so favorably, this lovely and noble work of the compo- 



ser can never be again relegated to the neglect which 
has Ionic been its unjust fate. The cordial thanks of all 
who were fortunate enouf^h to hear It are due to the mu- 
sical knowledge snd enthuslaitm of the friend of irood 
music at whose suggestion the Hsydns studied " Theo- 
dora; *' to Mr. Coyle, whose genuine love of what is best 
in his art and prompt, wise and vigorous management 
constantly encourage and direct the efforts of the soci- 
ety ; to Mr. Kotsschraar, whose appreciation and delight 
in music instantly communicate themselves through his 
spirited baton to the forces under his control ; and, fin- 
ally, to all of the performers, who acquitted themselves 
so faithfully and well. 

The overture, in O minor, is admirsble. It consists of 
four well contrasted movements, a stately and impres- 
sive m/i<>«fo4o. an interesting fngne, a simple but exqui- 
sitely lovely pa.«sage in E flat, which though marked 
"Trio** has neither of the technical traits of that fonn 
of composition, but is in the minuet manner. The Cou- 
rante which, returning to the original key, concludes 
the overture, is energetic and entirely Handelian in 
style. The opening recitative and air are allotted to V»- 
lens, and a description of these applies equally to all the 
music of his part. It Is large, forcible and warUke, in 
the ffrandicM manner, full of iraperb storms of rage of 
Handel's " Polyphemus,*' or Harapha— It is Indeed in 
"Ereles vein, the tyrant*s vein,** and gives a Rembrandt- 
like shade to the pure coloring of the solo music of the 
other characters. 

The part of Theodora is exceedingly beautiful in its 
dramatic effect ; and the* pathos, delicacy and strength 
of the music allotted to her is one of the most finished 
delineations of the composer. Her first aria, " Fond, 
flattering world.*' is dignified and exalted. •' Angels 
ever bright and fair,** is too well known to need praise 
here, for it has long been appreciated as one of the most 
beautiful of sacred songs. " With darkneas deep ** is 
filled with pathos, and the accompaniment enforces the 
expression of the vocal part with full-scored and ex- 
prefsive harmonies. " O that I on wings could rise *' is 
a more elaborate air: and, although beautiful In Itself, 
has less interest than the preceding one. Tn the prison 
scene with Didlmus, Theodora's song, "The pilgrim*s 
home ** is at once intense and pathetic, pleading and 
forcible. The duet *' To thee *' is full of courage and ex- 
alted tenderness. The da«t of Theodora and Irene is 
well contrasted in itfl fervor of dramatic characteriza- 
tion ; the loving solicitude of Irene and the hope and res- 
olution of Theodora are a beautiful sketch which Han- 
del was not slow to color with matchless skill. The clos- 
ing duet of Theodora and DIdimus has an expression of 
repose and unshaken trustfulness; the voices tdoyb to- 
gether for the most in parallel thirds, giving a harmon- 
ic effect of singular sweetness and purity. 

The part of Irene contains the fine air " Bane of vir- 
tue;'* the pleasing "As with rosy steps the mom;*' 
" Defend her, heaven," the exprMsion of which seems 
at times delayed by numerous notes, and consequently 
lacking in point and spontaneity. The air: "Lord, to 
thee ** is one of the noblest and most beautiful of the 
many that Handel has written for a contralto voice— a 
part to which he has allotted much of his most intense 
and pathetic music. 

In the part of Didimus the air " The raptured sonl '* is 
powerful and exalted, embellished Mrith the routadet 
that are familiar to lovers of Handel. ** Kind Heaven, 
if virtue ** is an air somewhat in the manner of the com- 
poser's operatic writing, at once tuneful, strong and 

natural in the higheat degree. " Sweet rose and lily ** is 
tender and melodlons. 

Among the airs of Se*ptlmiu8. " Descend, kind Pity** is 
notably fine; " Dread the Pmlts of Christian folly ** is a 
florid song, an excellent specimen of its k«nd. "Thongh 
the honors'* Is vigorous and manly. "From Virtue 
Springs '* Is earnest and expressive. 

Of the numerous recitatives of the oratorio, it is 
enongh to ray that they are fall of the dignitv, variety 
of characterization, and beauty of declamation oy means 
of appropriate intervals that are always to be noted in 
Handel's writing in this department. 

The choruses are, in general, less elaborate as they are 
less nnmerouM, than those of the composer's weightier 
oratorios— the " Messiah,** Samson *' etc. The flrat cho- 
rus " And Draw a Blessing Down " Is spirited. That In 
which Is declared the penalty of refusal to sacrifice to 
the heathen gods» has a singular Interest apart from its 
merit. The first measures of it are nearlv identical with 
those of the " Pastoral Symphony " In the •« Messiah ; ** 
which the diacoverv within a few years of a manuscript 
bearing in Handers sutograph the significant note, 
" 2fo9tna '*— as well as the internal evidence of its pecu- 
liar measure and rhythm— provea to have been derived 
from the hyrani*, which for conntless years, it has been 
the custom of the mountaineers of tlie country around 
Rome to sing before the wayside shrines of the virgin, 
during the nine days (noiwna) preceding phristmas. 
These days are precisely those, It Is well known, of the 
old heathen Saturnalia— whose pagan licence became 
later Christian liberty, and whose songs of revelry, it Is 
by no means impossible, were retained— as were some of 
the curious superstitions of that period— unchanged In 
form but converted to higher meaning. How far this 
theory of ours Is to be credited, ft Is at this time, of 
courpe, impossible to say; but one thing is snre»that 



Handel had profound knowledge of musical history, and 
a sublime sense of the fitness of things which gave to 
his work much of its eternal weight and anthorl^. The 
rem lining choruses of Romans: "Queen of Summer" 
and "Venus, laughtng from the ^les,*' are spontaneous, 
briniant and full of luxuriant galty— fit hymns to cele- 
brate the golden myth of the goddess luim of the light 
foam of the sea. Among the choruses of Christians, 
" Come, mighty Father/' and '* All power in Heaven 
abovi " are serious and contain much admirable writ- 
ing. " Go, generous, pious youth ** is exceedingly beau- 
tiftil. sympathetic, and forms a fine riose to the first part 
of the oratorio. The most important number of the 
work is the chorus " He saw the lovelv youth." This U 
written in three distinct movements; the first of which, 
plaintive and woeful, relates the death of the widow's 
son at ICain. The lamenting volcea follow each other as 
if In sad procession, tearful and unlit by any hope— un 
til after a little silence, with a sudden cnange of key and 
tempo, occur the words •• Rise youth, he said.** This 
brief passage, like a ray of sudden sun -precedes a su- 
perb nigue " Lowly the matron bowed." Too much ad- 
miration cannot be given to this wonderful chorus, which 
the scope of dramatic expression and technical treat- 
ment comldne to make one of Handel's greatest inspira- 
tions. The concluding choruses ** How strange their 
ends,'* and •• Oh, Love Divine," blend loving grief for 
the sad fate of the mnrtyrs, with hope and rejofoing for 
their strength and faith. * 

The part of Theodora was preciselv suited to the pure, 
large voice and dignified, sincere style of Mrs. Wether- 
bee. She is a singer who possesses the "grand manner^ 
of the traditional school of singing; and her exquisite 
finish of execution and noble voice were heard to exeat 
advantage. 

ICn. Ooudy, to whom was given the part of Didimus, 
sang with marked dramatic effect. Her rich contralto 
improves oonstantly in the using, andhae a wann, shad- 
owy quality that 19 very expressive. 

Miss Milllken made her dehut as Irene, and sang very 
sweetly. Her voice gives much promise of fhture excrl- 
lence; it is a fresh girlish contralto, with facility In its 
upper range, and sweet and round In tone. She Is evl- 
dently well grounded In the elements of mnaic, too often 
neglected by young singers; and her care and accuracy 
of time and phrasing deserve much praise Study wfll 
develop the many good qualities of this youthful 
voice. 

Mr. Coyle tang the music of Valens with great spirit 
and effect. He possesses the valuable power of losing 
himself entirely In his part, and singing with an uncon- 
strained and spontaneous force that results most happi- 
Iv. His rich, powerful h*u*o. fine phrasing and genuine 
dramatic power were admirably displayed, and are well 
fitted to render Handel's ronalc. 

Mr. Thurston's round, mellow tenor and refined, man- 
ly singing were, as always, moat delightful and satisfap- 
tory. 

The recitatives of the Messenger were well delivered 
by Mr. JcHtlan. 

The chorus sang, as is their wont, with admirable pre- 
cision and intelligence. The effect, as of the muted 
strings of an orchestra, in the funeral chorus; the an- 
perb harmonic effect in the closing portion of "All 
power In heaven ; " and the lovely " Oo. generous, pious 
yoQth " attested the fine training of the singers in spee- 
la] points, while each and everv chorus was proof of 
their genera] excellence. Mr. KoUichmar conducted 
with his naual fire and spirit. Mlits Blancbard's accom- 
paniments were carefbl, sympathetic fud in every way 
successful. Her earnest study is rewarding her riehlv, 
in an excee<lingly good techniqwt and appreciative^ ded- 
icate and snAcientJy powiarful style. 

[From the J^nHand Adverttter."] 

We can easily undcistand why llieodora failed to 
prove a popular success. Notwithstanding the beanty 
of the music — noticeably that of the aria " An- 
gels ever bright and fair," the air of " Witfk darkneas 
deep," Theodora's prayer for death, her duet with Didi- 
mus, where the latter urged her to break from prison, 
Irene's song •< As with rosy steps the mom,'* the arias 
by Didimus. the splendid choral piece *- He saw the 
lovely youth," with the following " Rise youth " and 
" Lowly the matron bowed,"— the oratorio, with its fre- 
quent repetitions of the various themes,— apparently 
similar to the well-known dm cejpe— which are really the 
finish to the airs tliemselves, requires so much time in 
its production, that the average listener becomes tired 
before the closing chw-os. If the oratorio could be con- 
densed Into a work of two parte reqofring, ait the furth- 
est, two hours and a half for Its preaentatlooy leaving 
out the less important music, it would be a much great- 
er success. If the music of this oratorio had been the 
best Handel ever wrote there might be more reason for 
its firequent production, hot, with few exceptions, we 
hardly think the airs and choruses equal to the great 
composer's other compositions, aJthough very melodi- 
ous. Then again, as we have had occasion to say often 
before, for the perfect production of an oratorio there 
must be a good orchestra, and, until the Haydns can 
afford one, they cannot hope to give an oratorio in per- 
fection. The instrumental interinde between the afas: 
" Oh I that I oo wings could rise," and " With darkneas 
deep," and the chorus " Glory, peace, and rest," with 
the fading sound of the instruments, are strong exam- 
ples of the necessity of an orchestra to give the proper 
coloring and effect to the mosic Still until a Portland 
public win pay for an orchestra we must be thankful 
the society have the pluck to produce works like Theo- 
dora, Fridolin, etc., without one. Mise Blanchard, the 
able pianist of the Haydns, was worthy of praise for 
the care with which she performed ber arduous duties. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, MAT 27, 1876. 



237 



Mrs. Wetherbee was In fine Toice and sang the mntic 
allotted to Theodora with that finished style so marked 
afeatureofprobablT the best singer of oratorio mnsio 
In New England. There may be yonnger and fresher 
TOlcea. bat none so thoronghiy competent for the work ; 
on which so much reliance can be placed. Mrs. Gondy*s 
rich, expressive contralto foand the mnslc of Dldimns 
especially suited to it; and Miss Milllken~as Irene— dis- 
played a Toice of considerable promise— slightly nasal In 
tone, and requiring careful application in a good school, 
but still possessing rosny excellent qoditles. Mr. 
Ck>yles* admirable interpretion ofhi* numbers, as Valent, 
not only showed him in the light of a thorough artist, 
but demonstrated that he is to be considered among the 
best bassos in this part of the country. He adds the 
character of a faithful student to very remarkable nat- 
ural ablli^, and had he made a profession of oratorio 
singlns, his splendid voice, singularly keen appreciation 
of his masio, and great dramaUc power, would have giv- 
en him a very high rank among the best known Ameri- 
can singers. Few artists could have given an air com- 
mencing with such harsh words as " Racks, fdbbets, 
swords, and fire,** with so much dignity, or commanded 
such attention. Mr. Thurston's sweet tenor found good 
expression in the florid music of Septimios, and Mr. 
Cloyes dell voted the recitatives of the mestenger appro- 
priately. In faet we believe we can truly «ay that the 
Haydn Association is the only one In New England that 
can furnish its solo talent without requiring the aid of 
Boston singers. 

The choruses were all given with that careful shading, 
that is a marked feature of the Haydn Assoolatlop, and 
Mr. Kotzschmar conducted with the skill that has 
brought up from raw material a well balanced choral 
association, that takes rank among the first in the coun- 
try, and whose efforts are appreciated not only in Port- 
land, but throughout the United States. 

Moiio in London. 

Hie Majxstt'b Opiba. Mr. Mapleson^a season at 
Drnry Lane Theatre (temporarily, pending the com- 
pletion of the new ** Orand National Opera-house " 
on the Victoria embankment) opened April 29, with 
the rentrie of Mroe. Christine Kilsson (Roiizaud) as 
Margaret in Gounod's Faust. Mme. Trcbelli was 
Siebel; Sig. Stagno, Fanst; Rota, Mephisto; Del 
Puente, Valentine; and Mme. Bauermeister, Mar- 
tha. The Ttmet critic soys : " It is difficult now to 
detect points for criticism in Mme. Nilsson's Marga- 
ret, so deeply has she studied and so completely 
mastered the prominent phases.** — Mr. Mapleson's 
general arrangements are summed up as follows : — 

His season must inevitably be a short one. The sub- 
scription is restricted to thirty nights. On the other 
hand, the director makes it a boast» fairly enough, that 
he can begin at once with leading artists; which, as we 
have seen, he did on Saturday night. The repertory of 
works to be presented in the course of the series < on- 
tains no absolute novelties; but there are some revivals, 
or giMMi-revivals, that will be interesting to amateurs; 
and among them, especially, Cberubini's superb Medea 
[with Mdlle. Tietiens as the Colchian Priestess] OUlIo, 
and Robert U DUtble [for Madame Christine KUsson.l 
Sixteen other works are named, including Fidelia, and, 
of course, Lohengrin, all more or less familiar to habitu- 
al frequenters of Her Majesty's Opera. Besides the ar- 
tists just named, and those who appeared on Saturday, 
Mr. Mapleson has re-engsged Mdlles. Marguerite Chapuy 
and Elena Varesi, the one French, the other Italian— 
both light sopranos of tbe first rank, and both already 
accepted by the patrons of the theatre as worthy mem- 
bers of a powerful company. There is also a new comer, 
Mdlle. Rodanl, from Milan, about whom great expecta- 
tions are raised, and, we hear, on Jnstlmible grounds. 
The name of M. Faure alone Is enough to ada impor- 
tance to the list of baritones; while that of Herr Roklt- 
ansky, who has not been among us for five years, gives 
extra weight to the basses. Two other singers, unknown 
to London— Signers Broccolini and Florlm— are also se- 
cured. Signers Fancelii, Campanini, and Dorini are 
among the tenors ; Mdlle. Justine Macvits [contralto], 
Herr Behrens [bass], Signers Del Puente, Oalassi, and 
Romnni making up the catalogue. So that for a short sea- 
son tlie manager la efficiently supported in each separate 
department. M. Sainton retains his post as leading 
solo violinist, Mr. Willing [of the Sacred Harmonic So- 
ciety] Is organist. Mr. F. Godfrey conductor of tbe mill- 
ury band [the Coldstream Guards]. Mr. W. Beverly 
<* scenic artist,'* and Mr. Edward Sterling stage mansr 
ger. It is needless to say more. 

The opera on Monday was La Sonnamlmta, for the first 
appearances of Mdlle. yaresl and SIg. Fancelii ; on Tues- 
day Mdlle. Tletjens made her renirie in Semiratnide; and 
on Thursday Mad. Nllsson made her second appearance, 
the opera being La Traviata, To night, Lucrena Borgia, 
with Mdlle. Tietjeos. 

Of Tieijens, on her first reappearance it is said : 

Her entry in all the stately magnificence of that Assy- 
rian queen whose peerless representative she is, was the 
signal tor a fervid and unanimous demonstration. All 
parts of the bouse were of one mind, and from gallery 
to stalls applause rang out till tbe recipient of so much 
honor must have been wearied even by the grateful la- 
bor of acknowledgment. 

Mdlle. Tle^ens has vome back to ns in raoh good 
*< form," that, assuming this to be the result of her trip, 
we may reconcile oursMves to the prospect of an Amer- 



ican excursion as an annual event. Her voice on Tues- 
day was in magnificent condition, such signs of over- 
work as were obvious last season having completely 
disappeared. Its sonority and clearness, as well as ma- 
jeekic volume, recalled, in point of fact, the Therese 
Tletjens who so long reigned at Her Majesty's Theatre, 
and sustained the glories of that historic house. In oth- 
er respects the great artist returns bettered bv change 
of scene, and, generally speakine. Is as well able as ever 
she was to keep her place on the stage. None could 
doubt this who witnessed the performance of Semiramide 
on Tuesday night, the character being represented with 
unusual breadth of outline and finished skill ; while the 
ezhaustlnff airs, duets, and concerted pieces in which 
Semiramide takes part, never derived more advantage 
from the co-operatinn of any artist. 

The prlHUc donna wss associated, as on so many form- 
er occasions, with Madame Trelielli-RettinI, whose fin- 
ished rendering of the munlc of Arsace once more 
charmed sU hearers. Signer Rinaldini again represent- 
ed Idreno creditably; Herr Behrens was an impo«lng 
Oroe. Signer Costa a better than average Ghost, and Sig- 
ner Rota, as Assur, raised himself higher in general es- 
teem, sinking the difficult music surprisingly well, and 
acting with nre intelligence and propriety. 

« 

Back's B-Mixor Mass. This performance — the 
great event of the musical season — took place on 
Wednesday, the 2dth. For this purpose a choir, 
comprising many amateurs well known in London 
musical circless, had been organized, who have 
been rehearsing every week for about five months, 
under the able direction of Mr. Otto Goldschmidt 

Suffice it to say that the common opinion which 
designates it as Bach's greaiett choral work ai^pears 
to be well founded. It abounds, as might have been 
expected, with the most massive — we had almost 
said elephantine — fugues, and airs of the most in- 
tense pathos ; and all equally marked by that devo- 
tional and reverential tone which in every note of 
siicred music he wrote is Bach's great characteris- 
tic, and which makes one feel a desire that one could 
have known the great master personally and com- 
muned with his mind. 

The performance was, on the whole, and accord- 
ing to the standard set up by other large gatherings 
of musicians, a very good one. It would be invidi- 
ous to select any one of the four soloists, Mesdames 
Lemmens-Sherrington and Patey, Mr. Cumminga 
and Signor Federici, for especial praise, where all 
worked with might and will and in the spirit of 
Bach, to render the music as he would have wished 
it. To Madame Patey's lot fell the air which we» 
consider the gem, viz., '' Qui sedes ;" and to the same 
lady and Madame Lemmensthe duet, " Christe elei- 
son," which struck ns as eqn%l, if not superior, to 
the duet, " Domine Deus," sung by Madame Lem* 
mens and Mr. Cumminga. All three were admira- 
bly sung. Mr. Federici's part was uninteresting, 
but only by comparison. Knowing that he has 
been for some time in indifTerent health, we were 
pleased to hear him sing so well.. That there 
should be no room for improvement in so young an 
artist he would himself be the last to deny, even to 
himself. Improved health and work will bring this, 
and no doubt modify a slight tendency to hardness 
in his tone. 

What shall we say of the choir t When we could 
hear them, they showed that their five months re- 
hearsals had not been thrown away, and it is not 
their fault that we can say no more than this. Will 
it be believed that for a choir of at most 160 voices 
— and these for the most part coming from the upper 
classes of S4>ciety. in which voices are notoriously of 
light quality, and deficient in that resonance and 
metallic quality which distinguishes our Northern 
choirs, selected (we do not say it invidiously) from 
a lower stratum — for this choir there has been en- 
gaged a bond of seventy (!) performers, including 
drums (I!) and the organ super-added (I). Boots it 
to say more t The choir did their best ; we may 
say they did very well, fof they were heard occa- 
sionally. But it is obvious that the Mass, compris- 
ing, ss it did, so many choruses, was on this account 
not heard at all, as a perfect whole ; very frequent- 
ly the points of the fugues were hardly peiceptible 
except to those who, score in hand, knew where to 
look out for them, and many of the finest passages, 
for instance where the bassos descend by a magnifi- 
cent and stately progression of octaves to the low E 
(in the " Sanctus ") were totally lost. It Is cruel to 
think that so fine an opportunity should have been 
lost of letting this worlc be heard in all its grandeur 
of effect, to say nothing of the chance of reading a 
lesson to those conductors of our festivals and large 
musical gatherings who persist in ignoring the 
claims of that not unlovely instrument — ^the human 
voice. We speak openly and advisedly, knowing 
that roost of our musicians and, we may say, all our 
chorus singers, both professional and amateur, are 
of the same opinion, and in the hope that at the 
repetition of the Mass on May 8th, some reduction 
may be made of this overi>owering oombination of 



wind, catgut, and org^n pipes. It is an insnlt to 
so fine a choir, somewhat unevenly balanced thongh 
it be, and unfair to the great (German master, to 
thus drown the finest part of so magnificent a work 
in the noise of so huge an orchestra. — Mutical Stan^ 
dard, Apr. 29. 

De. Saxukl Skbastiait Weslxt. The Muneal 

T^mee, of May 1, pays the following tribute to 
snother of the leading English musicians recently 
deceased : 

It Is but two months since that we recorded the 
death of one of our most distinguished church- 
musicians. Dr. Gauntlett ; and it is now our painful 
duty to announce that another certainly not less 
eminent worker in the same field of art has been 
taken away. Dr. Samuel Sebastian Wesley, the 
organist of Oloucester Cathedral, died somewhat 
suddenly at his residence, Palaoe-yard, Oloucester, 
on the 19th ult. at the age oi sixty-six. 

Dr. Wesley was the son of an even more celebrated 
composer than himself- Samuel Wesley, whose 
motets, " In exitu Israel " and " Exnltate Deo," are 
familiar to our concert-goers through their perform- 
ance by Mr. Henry Leslie's choir, and deservedly 
rank as masterpieces. The subject of the present 
notice was born in Louden, in 1810. At the age of 
nine he was chosen chorister at the Chapel Royal, 
St James's, and, when only seventeen years of a^, 
in 1827, was appointed to his first post as organist 
at St James's Church, Hampstead-road. He was 
subsequently organist at St Giles's, Camberwell. and 
other churches in and near London, and in 1832, 
became organist at Hereford Cathedral. Thence he 
went to Exeter Cathedral in 1835, to Leeds parish 
church in 1842, to Winchester Cathedral in 1849, 
and to Gloucester in 1866 ; this last appointment be 
hold till the time of his death. 

As a performer on the organ Dr. Wesley had few 
equals. In his extempore playing he was es]>ecially 
great, combining fertility or invention with scientiflo 
combination in a way in which few could approach 
him. It is, however, upon his compositions for the 
Church that his fame will chiefly rest hereafter. He 
has published numerous Services, of which a Chant 
Service in F is perhaps the best known, while many 
of his anthems are stock pieces in our cathedrals. 
Among these may be named, " Ascribe unto the 
Lord" "Blessed be tbe God and Father," and 
(probably the most popular of all) "The wilderness 
and the solitary place. He also distinguished him- 
self as a composer of hymn-tunes — his "Aurelia" in 
Hymne Ancient and Modem, is well known through- 
out the length and breadth of the land. Numerous 
admirable specimens of his workmanship may also 
be found in The Hymnary and other modern tune- 
booka. His most important contribution to this 
department of music, tiowever, is his " European 
Psalmist," which is well-know.n as one of the nnest 
existing collections of psalmody. For the instru- 
ment on which he was so great a master he pub 
lished but little. 

Owing to his naturally retiring and sensitive tem- 
perament, Dr. Wesley was less generally appreciated 
than he deserved. He was a genuine artist who has 
left biff mark upon mnsio in this country, and the 
place which has become vacant by his decease will 
not easily be filled. 

Mme. Claea Schumann gave a " recital," at St 
James's Hall, on Thursday afternoon. There was n 
very crowded audience, who received the great 
pianist with enthusiasm, unanimously recalling her 
after every piece. Her programme included selec- 
tions from Schumann, Beethoven, Brahms, and 
Chopin. In the violoncello Sonata, Op. 6 (Wo. 2, 
G minor), of Beethoven, Ma J. Schumann enioyed 
the valuable co-operation of Sig. PiatU ; and fa the 
variations on a theme of HaydnVi, compoeed by Herr 
Brahms for two pianofortes, that of our admirable 
pianist. Miss Agnes Zimmermann. Sig. Piattl 
played in his own matchless style Schumann's 
Aiindlied, arranged for violoncello, and was encored. 
Mad. Thekla Friedl&nder sang pieces by Lotti, 
Schumann, and Mendelssohn, accompanied by Sir 
Julius Benedict The "recit«l" was thoroughly 
eiyoyed by all present, and Mad. Schumann, retired 
with fresh laurels on her already overcharged brow. 

" A Link with the Past." The Mueieal World 

(April 22) expresees its " hearty sympathy with tbe 

tabjoined tribute paid by the learned and eloquent 

writer of the annotated programmes for the Crystal 
Palace, to one of tbe worthTett^ most indefatigable, 
most conscientious, and able men ever, in any mtj, 
oo&nectei with music and mariolani : " 



i^«. 



238 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



" The writer ctnnot pMS this dfty without record- 
iofT the death of a geotfemAn to whom the Crystal 
Palace ooncerte, and many other mnslcal perform- 
ances in the country for half a ceninry past, have 
heen greatly indebted — Mr. Wiluam Goodwin, the 
mnsic-ltbrarian and copyist, who died at his place 
of bnsinoss on April 1, aged seventy-nine. On that 
day Mr. Goodwin closed a life of incessant, honora- 
ble, and active labor, which had brought him into 
contact with nearly every musician of eminence and 
every amateur of enthusiasm in the country ; and 
there were few out of the great number who thus 
knew him, from Mendelssohn downwards, to whom 
he was not a valued friend, as well as a most intel- 
ligent and useful servant. His information on all 
points connected with his calling was inexhaustible. 
His practical knowledge of music was very great, 
and many a piece played as the production of its 
ostensible author was, if the truth were known, 
scored by him at the last moment, the original not 
being obtainable. He suffered much for many 
years from domestic losses and from the illness of 
which he died ; but no obstacles interfered with his 
enervy, punctuality, or good nature. However 
much appearances might be against him ' Goodwin ' 
might always be depended on. "G." 



JtDig^'s Imnal of JOinsk 



BOSTON, MAY 27, 1876. 



The Centennial Mnsia 

Of the musical part in the opening ceremonials at 
Philadelphia we cannot speak from actual heaving. 
In due time, it may be presumed, the new compoei- 
tioDS will all be published, and that will be time 
enough fbr forming a deliberate opinion of their 
value. Meanwhile the critic correspondents of the 
press did as in patriotic duty bound, and in the 
name of their " Great Claimant " Wagner, bade us 
believe that Music stood upon its highest pinnacle 
that day, side by side with proud Columbia on her 
"hundred-terraced height" For the present we 
content ourselves wjlth copying, ts a fair specimen, 
one of the most glowing, of the rhapsodies which 
they have blown, through all the trumpets of the 
press, to all the comers of the continent, — the 
globe, — the following 

[FBOM a STAVF CORRBSPOKDEirr OF THE 

TRIBUNK.] 

Pbiladelphia, May 10. — ^The ceremony beinff so 
peculiarly a musical one, it cannot be regarded as 
anything less than a piece of national go^ fortune 
that the direction of the music shoum have been 
guided from the first by lil)era]ity and good senile. 
There was nothing in it that the most serious musi- 
cian could bold unworthy of the occasion ; there 
was no attempt at sensational and unaKistic eifects ; 
and yet the close attention with which the multi- 
tude listened, and the hearty applause with which 
they hailed all the pieces composed for the occasion 
— the March, the Hymn, and the Cantata— showed 
that the selections were well chosen to suit what is 
called the popular taste. When M. Offenbach was 
Iftted last week in New York, Mr. Chauncey Depew, 
unless the reporters belie him, remarked to the com- 

nr that his was the only music which a thorough- 
nmusical person could enjoy, and he evidently 
tiiought he haa made rather a neat compliment Per- 
haps if he had seen the crowd about the music- 
stand to-day he would revise his opinion. It was a 
very hot and uncomfortable crowd, packing the 
muddy roadway and struggling for breath as the 
multitudes pouring in behind pushed the front 
ranks up against the weak cordon of militia and 
police which tried to keep a passage open from the 
music-stand to the speaker's platform. Most of the 
time there was a hard tussle between the soldiers 
and the mob, not very creditable perhaps to either 
side, yet not an angry quarrel by any means. Dur- 
ing the prayer it was especially loud and lively, but 
whenever the music sounded the pushing ceased. 
Wagner was listened to with the closest attention, 
and a loud burst of applause came from the multi- 
tude when the March was over. The Hymn made 
a very marked impression. The Cantata was 
equally successful, the bass solo being encored, 
and Mr. Buck being called for with three hearty 
cheers. 



The first piece on the musical programme was the 
selection of National Airs, played while the distin- 
guished guests were finding their way in small par- 
ties to the places provided for them. Twelve coun- 
tries were represented in this grand combination 
piece — Germany, Austria. Italy, Anhalt-Dessau, 
Great Britain, France, Holland, and Russia, among 
the rest. Hail Columbia bringing up the end. Three 
pieces were applauded, the " Marseillaise,** *' God 
Save the Queen," and our own blessed tune, and 
may be the others would have been similarly hon- 
ored if the crowd had recognized them. Many cer- 
tainly were very pretty ; two or three — ^the Austri- 
an, British, Dutch and Rnssian for instance — are 
really noble ; and they were admirably arranged, 
not mangled into a potpourri, but simply strung to- 
gether with little connecting passacres of musician- 
like workmanship, and then played in their integri- 
ty. The instrumentation was admirable, and the 
splendor of the orchestra which Thomas had col. 
lected, with its noble foundation of basses, its full 
force of string«i, and an uncommonly rich collection 
oi reeds, was quickly made apparent to those who 
could hear it at alt. Of course in the open air a 
great deal of the effect was lost, and they tell me 
that the invited guests on the grand stand opposite 
were very unfavorably .situated, but many of the 
multitude who stood where fate led them fared much 
better. Gen. Grant was greeted with " Hail to the 
Chief,*' and Dom Pedro was to have been compli- 
mented with the Brazilian Hymn ; but our good 
friend from Rin has a way of throwing other people's 
plan? out of gear, and he spoiled this project by 
marching in unannounced wtiile the orchestra was 
in the midst of something else. 

The real interest of the celebration began when, 
after the Presid<*nt had slipped into his neat, the 
orchestra struck up the Wagner Inauguration 
March. No praif^e which has been lavished upon 
this noble composition overstates its merit, and we 
are greatly disappointed in the taste of our country- 
men if It does not soon become one of the most pop- 
ular of Thomas's concert pieces. Althousrh the 
rhythmic movement is perfectly regular and distinct 
throughout, yet on the first hearing the ear unac- 
customed to analyzing a composition will perhaps 
listen for a more strongly marked swing in the mu- 
sic. But what they want is only the skeleton. It 
is really there, covered with such a rich and elabo- 
rate texture that there is a possibility of overlook- 
ing it We know of no other composition in which 
the essential ceaseless beat of the march has been 
combined in such an extraordinary manner with the 
characteristics of the symphony. The ordinary 
march is merely a tune of simple structure, more or 
less carefully harmonized, and played over and over 
again, now loud, now soft, but always the same 

J>lain tune. But Wai^ner, adopting the rhythm as a 
bundation, has taken a short phrase, or theme, and 
developed it after the manner of Beethoven, led it 
through ingenious modulations and harmonic chang- 
es, then taken a second theme, and finally a third, 
treated them separately and treated them together, 
and led up by tnem to a magnificent finale, forming 
a climax which it would be almost impossible for 
the simple march movement to produce under any 
composer's hand. Thus in listening to this Centen- 
nial March we are not reminded of any military 
music we have ever heard before, even from Wag- 
ner's pen. There are passages whose heavy and 
majestic movement reminds us of the " Meistersing^ 
er," and there are phrases among those lighter por- 
tions intended, as Wagner tells us, as a reference lo 
the beautiful women of America, which recall the 
poetry of *' Tristan und Isolde." But it is not a 
copy of anything, nor a reminiscence ; it is a purely 
original work — perhaps one of the most original 
things Wagner has written since " Tristan.*^ It 
goes without saying that the instrumentation Is of 
the most gorgeous description, for in the use of the 
materials of his orchestra Wagner is by general 
consent one of the greatest masters who ever lived. 

There are portions of a more delicate character 
which must be heard In the concert-room before 
they can be properly appreciated. I speak from 
knowledge, for I nad the privilege of hearing it in 
the Academy of Music. A great crowd of people 
will hear it to-morrow at the first concert in Thom- 
as's new music hall. Every seat In the hall has 
long been sold, and a great many people from New 
York have telegraphed for places either far the first 
or some following night Keaders of Th« Tkibunb 
may remember that in reviewing the March last 
month we mentioned that among the extra instru- 
ments required for it was the long obsolete bass 
trumpet, and that it was doubtful if such a thing 
could be found. It may be interesting to know that 



after a careful search Mr. Thomas has found one. 

Mr. J. K. Paine's setting of WhiUler's Centennial 
Hymn was a success quite as marked in its way as 
the Wacrner March. There was only one thing that 
it could be, and that was a simple choral melody. 
Mr. Paine has made a beautiful piece of work, and 
put into it true religious feelinir and great elevation 
and dignity. As it poure<1 forth from the throats of 
the 800 ladies and gentlemen of the chorus, with 
that superb orchestral accompaniment, I think the 
whole audience— at least all of it which got near 
enough to the stage to be within the influence of the 
music at all — ^felt a stlrrinG: of the heart Certainly 
when It was over the character rather than the 
amount of the applause, accompanied as it was with 
a little indescribable movement in the crowd, showed 
that the mu^ic had hit Its mark. 

Then we had Mr. Dudley Buck's CanUta. You 
have so lately published an account of this excel- 
lent work that I will not try to analyze It agnin. 
but content myi>elf with saying that all the merits 
which I frmnd in the score seem still greater merits 
in the performance, and tliat a multitude of fresh 
beauties appear In the chnrmin? and fresh orches- 
tral accompaniment Mr. Buck's work Is dramatic, 
hnt it is simple enough for a irreat popular occasion. 
There is not a dull pagi* in it There Is not a page 
which does not seem to be In just the right place a^ 
a paK of a well planned whole. He has In a very 
high degree the art of writing for the voice ro as t^i 
bring out Its best qualities, and the analogous art 
of scoring for the orchestra. The hymn with which 
the Cantata opens is a good illustration of his suc- 
cess in one* line; the accompaniment to the bass 
solo, admirably sung by Mr. Whitney, shows what 
he can do In the other. These two parts of the work 
made the greatest Impression yesterday: but when 
the Cantata Is heard under cover it will be found 
that the middle portion has srreat dramatic strength 
and abounds in subtleties which are lost in the open 
air. Whatever may be said of our display inside the 
Exhibition buildings it must at any rate be admitted 
that we have shown our guests something in the 
way of music of which we have no reason to be 
ashamed. 

In the " Hallelujah Chorus," sung while the Com- 
missioners and other people were filing into the 
bnildinsr, Mr. H. L. Roosevelt's noble church orsran, 
situated in the transept whose window opened just 
over the singers' heads, was employed with tfie 
orchestra, and it was effectively used also In Mr. 
Paine's Hymn. The band was 150 strong, the 
nucleus of course 1*eing Thomas's own mtn. The 
chorus sang magnificently, and showed that it had 
been most thoroughly trained by somebody who 
understood his bnsin<«s. A better body of sopranos 
I have rarely heard anywhere; j.a.o.ii. 

— So say you, Mr. foreman ; so say you all, gen- 
tlemen ? — We intended no comment ; yet we must 
be permitted to suggest a doubt whether the ver- 
dict will stand, being so manifestly an ez partf ver- 
dict Woi the music altogether a piece of "national 
good fortune ? " Was its direction (by which we 
suppose is meant also Its selection) guided from the 
first by " liberality and good sense ? " Liberality 
to be sure ; it was indeed liberal and more than lib> 
eral to pay |A000. for one noisy March, — more 
probably than Beethoven crot for td\ the Nine Sym- 
phonies 1 But as to the " good sense " of making 
such account of any March at all, especially of send- 
ing for it to the most partisan composer of the age, 
the egotistical " great claimant " who so far has suc- 
ceeded only In building up a* great fanatical party 
for himrelf, and making himself the fashion of the 
hour, but is by no means yot accepted in the jober 
judgment of the sincerest friends of Art, — those who 
feel and judge as Beethoven, Schubert, Mendelssohn, 

Schumann would have felt and judged If they were 
living now, — as to the " ar^od sense*'^ of that, why, 
common sense forbid 1 We can assure this enthusi- 
astic writer, that many a "serious musician" doet 
hold it to have been " unworthy of the occasion." — 
" No attempt at the sensational ? " When the Cen- 
tennial was captured from the outset by the Wag- 
nerites, when the musical side of It was Waenerlzed, 
was it not most effectually sensationaliied t 

Then the bringing it Into comparison with Beetho- 
ven (" developed after his symphonic manner,")— a 
March, which has repeatedly been declared equal or 
superior to — what? to those stunning monstrosities, 
the Schiller and the Kaiser March I — It is called 
eminently " popular ; " and yet It reminds one of the 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, MAT 27, 1876. 



239 



Me'nUrtinger and of Tri»ian and Uolde! Bat then the 
modern orchestrn is such a wondroiH mechanism — 
a new era in iUelf,— a new created world, and Wair- 
ner is its God! The •* instrumenUtion," nobody 
will doubt, is " ffofj^eous ; " bat is there not reason 
to suspect that this was about all ? Can any amount 
of jforgeous ihstrumentalion supply the want 
of inapiration, of intrinsic meanini^, of sublimity ? 
Now 80 far as we can judjre from a sinarle readinsf 
and hearinfi^ of the pianoforte arransjement (in 
striped covers) of this paragon of marches, we arc 
persuaded that the instrumentation, the gorgeous 
blaie and intensity of orchestral cl(»thinff and col- 
orinsr. mu^t have been all. For a thins: more com- 
monplace and empty in its themes, more disappoint- 
ing as the " development" goes on through a most 
tedious tryine over and over of the same sort of 
fruitless variations of eflfect to a most Inordinate 
length — anythin&r more uninspired and uninspiring, 
with so great pretention, so little calculated to give 
a moral, spiritual lift to the great multitude upon a 
great occasion, we can scarcely imagine. 

We think there are several musicians in any of 
our cities, even Americans, who could have com- 
posed all that was needed in the shape of March 
for that day. But how much better it would have 
been to take \\\b ffreaieft, the mostincrinslcally noble 
and uplifting that exists, even if not expressly or- 
dered, even if somewhat old. Would that have 
made it less appropriate, or less popular? How 
much more inspiring, more in the spirit of the great 
unity and triumph of such national world's festival, 
the glorious March Finale of the Fifth Symphony 
would have sounded I Handel or Beethoven would 
seem to be the truest musical prophets for a solemni- 
ty like that. 

We approve, however, the policy which dictated 
the procuring of original productions from some of 
our foremost native compoeers. Of the result' we 
are not yet prepared to speak. 



to have it repeated at once, to deepen and make 
clearer the impression. We envy the Londoners 
their privilege of hearing the wn^le of this great 
Mass, the only peer of the Jfusa tolemnU of Beetho- 



•»• 



Oeori^ L Oigood'i Concert 

Instead of a series of Historical Concerts, as in 
the past two years, Mr. OsaooD this time concen- 
trated his thought and efTort on a single evening 
with a remarkable programme— rich, significant, 
select, and for the most part new. Mechanics Hall, 
on Thursday evening. May 11, was filled iwth a 
moet appreciative audience. Mr. Osgood had for 
co-workers his own mixed Chorus of forty voices, 
Mr. EBHtT Peeabo, pianist, Mr. J. Mcllalt, violin- 
ist, and Mr. S. L. Sttdlet, accompanist 

Mr. Perabo opened the feast with a very clear and 
artistic rendering of a Toccata by Bach, followed by 
a Fugue by Handel, both in E minor. The former 
is the opening movement of the sixth Partita, be- 
ginning with a poetic, florid, free fantasia, leading 
into a fugue of singular imaginative charm, after 
which the free fantasy returns. The Handel Fugue 
is from the fourth SuiU, of which the theme announ- 
ces itself so positively with a thrice repeated note. 
The two pieces together were a good prelude to 
the grand feature of the programme, which came 
next: the wonderful Crudfatnt from Sebastian 
Bach'a B-minor Mass, which shares with the Mat- 
thew Passion Music the glory of being the two 
greatest works of the greatest master of all time in 
sacred music. Still again we are In E minor I 
(modulating in the last measures intp^he relative 
jnajor). Into this short piece of four-p^rt vocal har- 
mony, — resting on a Batwo Continuo which consists 
of a sfngle phrase of /our measures (8-2), descend- 
ing in even eights by semitones from the tonic to 
the dominant, and steadily repeating itself until the 
final cadence — Bach has Crowded what a wealth and 

depth of solemn feeling and expression 1 It is im- 
possible to describe the siibtile art with which the 
voices intertwine and blend, after each part singly 
has uttered the mournful phrase C9'ucifixu», the 
whole giving the impression of a sea of sorrow in- 
exhaustible and vast as ocean. The admirable 
training of the nicely balanced choir of sympathetic 
voices was shown 1o great advantage here. All 
was smooth and even and subdued, with only gentle 
swelling and subsiding, and the ensemble very sweet 
an<r musical, the utterance distinct, the intonation 
pure.* So noble a thing needed to be heard more 
than once, and it was a wise thought in Mr. Osgood, 



ven. 

A good relief, after this intensity of mood, it was 
to hear a group of Songs by Robert Franz (a. "The 
Lotus Flower" (FWm<); b. "On a Thornbush bloom? 
a rosebud " ( 0»fermdd) ; e. " In May * (/>o.) ; d. 
** Marie" {Ootinrhd'T), interpreted so feelingly, with 
fine discrimination and artiAtic style by Mr. Osgood, 
who is so much at home in German lAeder of the 
finest class. 

Again the chorus voices blended almost to per- 
fection in the most satisfactory rendering we have 
ever yet heard of that puro gem of «acred harmony, 
the Ave Verwm of Mosart. And then followed the 
first performance of a new Sonata, for Violin and 
Pianoforte, by Prof. J. K. Paine, in three move- 
ments: AVegro eon fuoco; LargheUo (in canonic 
form) ; AUepro vivace. It is a spirited and genial 
work, and seemed written con amove, as well as with 
much skill and learning and i>o lack of fresh inven- 
tion. The fiist Allegro (B minor, 8-4) starts off 
with an enor<;y of purpose, which it well maintains, 
with* the relief of a more pleasing well contrast«d 
second subject. The Larghetto (in which we confess 
we should not have suspected, by mere hearing, the 
presence of the Canon) has much beauty, though it 
seemed to us as if in some of the latter portion the 
inspiration was a Httle at a loss how to go on, so 
that for some measures it was vague and tame ; per- 
haps another hearing might remove the feeling. 
But the Finale was full of life and sparkle, a play- 
ful, happy movement, at the end of which the de- 
light of the audience culminated in such enthusias- 
tic and repeated plaudits that the composer had to 
rise in his seat and bow his acknowledgments. 

The next selection was extremely interesting: 
Schumann's Cycle of, Qongs. Frauenlieh^t und L^ten 
(" Woman's Love and Life"), op. 42. which Mr. Os 
good sang for the first time in this country, only 
the first two of the eight songs having been familiar 
here before. He sang them in the original German 
of the very beautiful poetry by Chamisso, the audi- 
ence following with their eyes a fair translation by 
Baskerville. The Utttle poems breathe the delicate 
eonf«'8sion o' a woman's heart, from the first stirring 
of the tender passion in the maiden's breast, through 
all the phases of admiration, worship and devout 
self renunciation toward "the noblest" man and 
lover ; the ecstasy and seeming dreamlike impossi- 
bility of finding herself belcfved ; the pressing of 
the ring to her lips; the call upon her sisters to help 
deck her for the wedding, and the momentary sacl- 
ncss at "joyfully quitting their bright circle" ; the 
premonitions and fruition of maternity ; and finally 
the grief of widowiiood. which seeks consolation In 
recalling the sweet history and dreaming over love's 
young dream again. Schumann has entered into 
the inmoet heart and spirit of these verses, repro- 
ducing them in music with an instinct almost femi- 
nine, so delicate, so natural, so fresh, so subtly mod- 
ulated through each phase of feeling, is the expres- 
sion he has given to the entire poem. And there is 
plenty of contrast in the songs ; if there be any 
sameness, it is simply that of the continuous inten- 
sity of such a theme, with that of Schumann's indi- 
viduality. It would require a long and separate 
article to go into an analysis of these eight lovely 
compositions, and we shafl not attempt it here. The 
best interpreter is such a singer as we had on this 
occasion, — although we could not help feeling that 
they ought by good rights to be sung by a woman. 
But Mr. OsgfXKl threw his soul into them with real 
fervor, and expressed the spirit of the poem and the 
music, with such abandon, such sympathetic and 
discriminating insight, and such artistic refinement, 
that all felt the beauty and the meaning of the work. 
The adcompaniments were finely played by Mr. 
Perabo. 

The Chorus then sang Gade's soft and dreamy 
music to Heine's " Waterlily"; Mr. Perabo played 
a onaint and spirited Gavotte in C minor (new) by 
Saint-Sagns, a Menuet by Beethoven, and Schu- 
bert's BarcaroUe, transcribed by Lisst ; and Mr. Os- 
good sang a tragical and striking ballad: "There 
was an old, old king," by Rubinstein, the " Asra" by 
the same, and very beautifully the "Friihlings- 
glaube" by Schubert. Robert Frank's " May Song." 
one of the ma<tt exquisite of part-songs for mixed 
voices, so fretth and buoyant, and the parts grace- 
fully and subtly interwoven, was sung in the most 
satisfactory manner, and had to be repeated. This 
would have made a perfect ending to the concert. 
The three Aforceaux by Rubinstein, for Violin and 
Piano, may have been very good, as doubtless they 



were well played ; but we confess — what we suspect 
to have been a pretty general experience, — to being 
in a weary, dull condition for appreciating anything 
of the sort, after listening to so much of such varied 
and absorbinsr interest. 



4^ Attention Is called to the advertisement, ou the 
first page, of the Mniitc School of the Maplewood Insti- 
tute at Pittsfleld, Mass., which enjoys a high repoution. 



i«^ 



«Bofton Church Choin. 

now HAED TniES AFFECT THE SEEVICE OF BONO. 

[From. the Sunday Herald, May 14.] 

Never before, within the memory of '* the oldest in- 
habitant,'* have there been so many professional singers 
and musicians out of business in the city of Boston as 
at the present time. The < hard times,*' that universal 
curse, which during its prevalence has affected every 
known occupation and industry, has made its influence 
felt even In the worship of the sanctuary, and important 
changes have taken place, such as would never have 
been tolerated for a moment under better auspices. 
Quartet singing, which has been a costly item in the ex- 
penses of some churches heretofore, has in many in- 
stances been altogether a1>olished. In others, the sala- 
ries have been largely reduced. In others still, profes- 
sional singers have been dismissed and volunteers sub 
stituted, whose chipf merit lies in the attribute that they 
are willing to serve without pay. Occasionally it is 
found the entire singing service has been revolutionized, 
and from l>eing performed by a choir haa become con- 
gregational. Nearly all the engagements with choir 
vocalists at the different churches are made during the 
spring months, generally about the 1st of April or dur- 
ing that month. The applicants for vacancies occurring, 
or about to occur, are always largely in excess of the 
number that can be employed, and the amount and 
range of talent to select from is at all times large. For 
ehoirus choirs abundance of excellent material is at hand 
for first-class directors, music teachers availing them- 
selves of the opportunity for good practice tl\ns a^orded, 
and recommending their pupils for this «zercise. Be* 
sides, every congregation furnishes a greater or less num- 
t>er of willing volunteers for the service of song, among 
whom are many of decided talent. That there has been 
a steady progression In the quality and performance of 
church music in this city for some years past there can 
be no question. /}areful selection of talent; the gradu- 
al substitution of first-class compositions for the sense- 
less trash in vogue a few years since; the recognition of 
the merit of the whole question of the musical service; 
and withal the inevitable emulation excited, have chief- 
ly contributed to this result. Following is tiie composi- 
tion of some of the principal choirs In the city, with the 
changes which have lately taken place in their organi- 
sation: 

BOWDOIN SQUAEE CHUECH (BAPTIST.) 

At this church Mr. Charles H. Wbit^ier is organist and 

director. The preaent organisation of the quartet choir 

is the same as has existed for three years past: Soprsr 

no. Miss Angle Trescutt; alto, Miss Mary Hall; tenor, 

Mr. Hiram Hall ; bass, Mr. John Young. Mr. Young left 
the city about two months since, to oe absent a few 
months, and during his absence his place is filled by Mr. 
Peevy. A chorus choir is al>out being organized, to con- 
sist of fifteen voices, in addition to the quartet. The 
singers are meml)ers of the society. 

CLAEENDOir STEEET CHUEOB (bAPTXST.) 

Miss Carrie E. Symonds, organist. All the members 
of the quattet are salaried. There have been recent 
changes in its organization, and it now stands as follows : 
Soprano, Mrs. A. L. Ellsworth; alto. Miss Ella Cleve- 
land; tenor, Mr. J. C. C. Cooper; bass, Mr. S. N. I>ick- 

erman. The singing is partly congregational. The ser- 
vice at this church dlfters from that of other Baptist 
Oiurches in that responsive readings of the psalms form 
a part, after which reading the congregation join with 
the choir In singing the Gloria in Excelsis. A new organ 
has been supplied here since the fire in the church about 
two years ago. 

HAEVAED STEEET CRUECH (BAPTIST.) 

A change In the quartet at this church occurred In 
December last, at this time Miss JotieBrainard of Hyde 
Park being employed as alto. The present organization 
is, soprano, Hiss M. 8. Bntterfleld; alto. Miss Brainard : 
tenor, Mr. Albert W. Daniels; bass, Mr. Frederick W. 
Goodwin; orfcanlst, Mrs. W. A. Woodside. Miss Brain- 
ard took tha place of Miss C. 8. Chamberlin. 

SHAWMUT AVENUE CHUECH (BAPTIST.) 

At this church Mr. J. A. Rising is organist and direc- 
tor. The choir is quartet, all salaried. Soprano, Mrs. A. 
C. Kendall: alto, Mrs. W. E. Bryant; tenor, Mr. Georse 
J. Parker; bass, Mr. Arthur W. Porter. Hera the ser- 
vice differs somewhat from that of other Baptist chnrch- 
ea. After the opening anthem the Doxology Is sung by 
the choir and conjerefRation. After the praver a vocal 
response, and the Gloria after the reading of the Scrip- 
tures. The hymns preceding and following the sermon 
ara congregational. 



•^ammmm 



i^^ ^M^k^l^HtaBirf^^^iM^ka 



240 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



UNION TKMFLB CHURCH (bAPTMT.) 

A complete change has ocearred in the choir of this 

chnrch dnrinfl: the present year. Mr. J. S. B. Knox took 

the place of Mr. C. H. Morse, organist, April Ist; Miss 8. 

H. Clough that of Miss B. A. Humphrey, soprano, Fe1>- 

mary Ist; Mr. O. C. Stebblns that of Mr. W. W. Davis, 
tenor, on Febmary tst. The remaining members of the 

auartet are, alto, Mrs. Henrietta Reid; bass, Mr. J. W. 
avis. Miss Humphrey is at present awav concertizing. 
The members of the quartet are all salaried. 

CENTRAL CHURCH (cONG. TRIN.) 

The present organization here is a chorus choir, with 

Mr. L. A. Torrens, director, and Mr. J. P. Weston, organ- 
ist. The singing is largely congregational. 

MOUNT VERNON CHURCH (CONO. TRIN.) 

This church had a quartet choir, until Aj ril Ist, this 

season, when it was decided to continue with chorus 

choir only. Mr. Ackus is organist and director. There 
are akxint 30 voices in the chorus, all members of the so- 
ciety. No salaries are paid, except to the organist. 

NEW ENGLAND iOCIRTT (cONO. TRIN.) 

Organist, Mr. George E. Whiting. The singing in this 
society is by both quartet and chorus. Tlie quartet is 
composed of: 8oprano. Mrs. !1. M. Smith; alto. Mis. A. 
W. Porter; tenor, Mr. W. G. T(>wer; bass, Mr. Clarence 
E. Hay. The chorun comprises 2S0 voices, under the di- 
rection of Mr. Eben Tourjee. Tlie order of service of 
song is, two pieces by quartet, two bv choral choir, and 
two by the congregation, six at each service. Beaides 
the organ accompaniment six comets are employed. 

PARK STREET CHURCH (cONG. TRIN.) 

The sinffinfl: has been both by quartet and chorus. Or- 
ganist ana director, Mr. J. C. warren. In the qtiartet, 
soprano, Miss 6. C. Fisher; alto, Mrs. Jennie M. Noyee; 
tenor. Mr. Cornelius Clienery ; bafs, Mr. C. M. Lewis. 
Mr. Chenery has just taken the place of Mr. A. B. Fur- 
long, who resigned the position. The chorus consists 
of about ao voices. The quartet is salaried. 

RHAVMUT CHURCH (cONG. TRIN.) 

There have been no changes in the choir at this church 
for some time. Organist, Samuel Carr, Jr. In the qiiar- 
tet— soprano, Mrs. Georgia H. Bent; alto, Mrs. H. B. 
Sawyer; tenor, Mr. Geoi^ W. Want; bass, Mr. A. C. 
Ryder. No chorus. The quartet is salaried. In the ser- 
vice the last hymn is congregational. 

UNION CHURCH (cONG. TRIN.) 

At this chnrch the tinging Is entirely eoDflrivgatlonal. 
Mr. J. B. Rhodes is organist, and Mr. Bridge Wheat 
precentor. 

ARLINGTON STREET CHURCH (cONO. UNIT.) 

Singing by quartet. Organist, Mr. G. W. Sumner. In 
the quartet: Soprano, Miss Ella M. Abbott; alto. Miss 
Julia Wells; tenor, Mr. D. G. Bridgham of Taunton; 
bass, Mr. J. R. Baldwin. No changes during past year. 

HOLLIS STREET CHURCH (cONO. UNIT.) 

Congregational singing. Organist, C. L. Capen; 
soprano, Mrs. F. P. lYhitney. No changes during past 
year. 

KING*8 CHAPEL (cONG. UNIT.) 

Singing by quartet. Organist, Mr. John W. Tufts. 
The quartet comprises, soprano, Mrs. O. T. Kimball ; 
alto, Mrs. F. E. Barir; bass. Mr. D. E. Soencer. Mr. C. 
H. Clark, tenor, is about to retire from this quartet, ex- 
pecting soon to visit Europe. There have been no 
change* during the past year, and. with the exception 
of the tenor, none are anticipated for the present. 

SECOND UNITARIAN CHURCH (cONG. UNIT.) 

The singing at this church is by ttie following salaried 
quartet : Soprano, Miss L.Oage; alto, Mrs. Hale Jacobs; 
tenor, Mr. Iklward Prescott; bass, Mr. A. F. Harlowe. 
Organist, Mrs. J. W. Crawford. Director, Mr. Edward 
Prescott. Mrs. Jacobs took the place, not long since, of 
Mrs. A. Ellison. 

BOtrra congregational church (cong. unit.) 

There have been no changes in the quartet choir at 
this church during the past year. Its organization is— 
soprano, Mrs. Julia Houston West; alto, Mrs. J. F. 
Winch; tenor, Mr. W. J. Winch; bass, Mr. J. F. Winch. 
Oiiganist, Mr. B. J. Lang. 

church op the advent (episcopal.) 

The singing here is by a surpliced choir of 30 voices. 
Choral service. Organist, S. B. Whitney. Rev. J. W. 
Hill, precentor. 

ST. mark's church (episcopal.) 

Comparatively recent changes have brought an entire- 
ly new oi^nlzation into this church. Organist and 
iuartet havo but lust commenced service here. Mr. S. 
>. Studley has taken the place of Mr. B. L. Buffington 
as organist. The qtiartet as now existing is composed 
of— soprano, Mrs. F. H. Hathome: alto, Mrs. C. F. Whit- 
ing; tenor, Mr. N. F. Thayer; bass, Mr. F. H. Hathome. 
Quartet salaried ; no chorus. 

ST. paitl's church (episcopal.) 

There have been no changes in the choir during the 
>a8t year. The quartet is as follows: Soprano, Miss M. 
~ imer; alto, Miss Florence Holmes; tenor, Er. Jofiiah 
Osgood; bass, Mr. George R. Titus. Organist, Mr. Elli- 
ott W. Pratt. This organization will continue until 
September next, when it is expected important changes 
will be made, by which the present form of singing ser- 
vice may be alMuidoned. 



pas 
Tui 



BKCOVD METHODIST CHURCH. 

The organization Is the ^ame nn during the past year ; 
Qnnrtot— soprano, Mi«« fl. M. Qodbold : alto, Kf n». Abl*y 
Corey; tenor, Mr R. B.Fij»hcr; baas Mr. Jame<4 Gilbert. 
Organiiit, J. A. Norrls. The quartet is salaried. 

SSCOND UNI verbalist CHURCH. 

There have been no changes durine the past year. The 
service Is by a salaried quarter, aa follows: Soprano, Mrs. 
J. C. Ravborn ; alto, Mrs. W. R. Wadleigh ; tenor, Mr. 
M. L IngalU; ba«a, Mr. Gardner Gove. Organist and 
director, Mr. H. J. Smith. 

first METHODIST CHURCH. 

A quartet and chorus have Juat been establifihed at 
this cimrch. Tlie chonia comprises 100 voirea a nd la con- 
ducted by Profesaor El>en Toui jee. Organist, Mr. Harry 
Denron. One cornet is alf>o u*ed in accompaniment. 
One member of che quartet is salaried. 

tremokt street m. b. church. 

Previous to the first of last month the singing at this 
chnrch has been by a qnnrtet At that time a change 
was made and cnnm'egatlonnl ainglng adopted Organ- 
ist, Mr. Allen W. Swan ; precentor, Mr. Frank T. Ware. 

OLD south church (coxo. triv.) 

Rome changes have recently taken place in the quartet 
at this church. As at present orrnnlze<l it comprlaes: 

.^onrano. : «iro, Mrs. J. T. Kempton: tenor, J. C. 

Collins; bass, W. Beeching. Organist, S. M. Downs of 
Andover. 

FIRST UlCRARIAN CHURCH. 

No changes in this choir. The quartet comprlseii : So* 
prano, Mi.«a Clara B. Nickels: alto, MIpa Abby R.Clark; 
tenor, Mr. W. H. Fes«enden ; liass, Mr. J.F. Rudolpbsen. 
Organist, H. E. Parkhurst. 

SMAXUEL CHURCH (EPISCOPAL). 

The choir at this chnrch is quartet. Organlot, R. A' 
Bancroft; soprano. Miss H. A. Russell; alto. Miits Nellie 
F. Wood; tenor, L. A. Treat; bass, G. W. Dudley. No 
chorus. 

■T. JOHN'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH, HIGHLANDS. 

At this church the singing is by a chorus choir. Or- 
ganist, Mr. Edwin W. Gould. 

CHURCH OF ST. JAMES THE APOSTLE (ROMAN CATHOLIC). 

Singing by both quartet and chorus. In the quartet 
the position of soprano is at present vacant, no perma- 
nent anpolntnient having been made since the resigna- 
tion of Mrs. B. M. Wade, some four weeks since. Re- 
mainder of quartet— alto. Miss T. Flynn; tenor, P. A. 
McLaughlin :Dass, T. O'Brien. In the chorus There are 
30 voices. Organist, A. P. Turner; director. Dr. E. C. 
Bullard. 

OHUROR OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION [CATH]. 

At this church the siniring Is by quartet and chorus. 
Organist, James Canlfleld. In the quartet— Flmt sopra* 
no, Mrs. Charles T>ewls: second soprano. Miss Annie 
Flynn; alto. Miss Ita Welsh; tenor, Mr. Lonis Pfau; 
bass, r. H. Powers. Thirty voices in the chorus. No 
changes during the past year, and noce anticipated. 

CATHEDRAL OF THE HOLT CROSS (ROM. CATH.) 

In December last the singing at this church was 
changed from quartet tn chorus alone. Mr. J. Falken- 
stein Is director, and Mr. F. Donahae organist. In the 
chorus there are 120 voices. 

FIRST BOCIETT fCOVO. UNIT.], MRETIXG-HOUSB BILL, 

Organist. Mr. Henry W. Edes. The quartet which has, 
until recently, been engaged at this chnrch, has now 
been broken up. Mrs. T. Drake, alto, and Mr. H. K. 
White, Jr., remain with the society until other engage- 
ments are made. 

MT. PLEASANT CHURCH [CONO. UNIT.], HIGHLAVDS. 

Singing by quartet choir, Mr. N. O. Whitcomb, direc- 
tor; organist. Miss L M. LIbby. In the quartet: Sopra- 
no, Mrs. Julia Howard, engaged the flrat of the present 
month : alto. Mlsa Alice A. Morse ; tenor, N. O. Whitcomb ; 
ba^s, chandler Wright, engaged Jan. 1, 1876. Fonnerly 
all the hymns were sung by the congregation and choir; 
at present only two hymns are congregational. 

FIRST RELIGIOUS SOCIETT [CONO. UVIT.], HIGHLAKDS. 

Singing by quartet choir. Organist, Mr. C. R. Ford. 
In the quartet— Soprano, Mrs. Cleorge K. Hooper; alto, 
Mrs. Hastings; tenor, Mr. J. H. Stickney; bass, br. C. 
W. Goddard. 

FIRST UNIVER0ALI8T CHURCH, HIOHUHTDS. 

In this church the singing during last year was by a 
quartet. This was given up on Apm 1, Just pass«d. A 
choruA has tteen organized from the society members, 
and the singing is now performed by it. Organist, W. 
J. D. Leavltt. 

ST. JOHN'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH, CHARLESTOWK. 

At this church Mr. James E. Greenleaf is organist and 
director of music. The sfnging is by both quartet and 
chorus. In the quartet— Soprano, Miss Allwright; alto 
Mrs. George E. Rogers; tenor, Mr. Frederick Bacon; 
bass, Mr. Charles H. Yose. In the chorus, 26 voices. 

CHURCH OF THS UNITT [CONG. UNIT]. 

Singing by quartet. Organist and director, Mr. How- 
ard M. Dow. In the choir— Soprano, Miss Abbie Whin- 
ery; alto. Miss Ellison; tenor, D. F. Fitz: bass, H. C. 
Bamabee. Miss Ellison took the place of Mrs. Addle 
Ryan Coolidge. 

MAVERICK CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, EAST BOBTOX. 

At this church the singing is entirely coufiregatlonal, 
not even a precentor being employed. Some of the 
prominent singers of the society sit upon the seats nesr- 
ent the pulpit, and the music is directed by their voices. 
The organist is Mr. — Wood. 



Sperial 'S^atitti. 



DESCBIPTIVB LIST OF THE 
T S 8 7 2^ 
ibllsli«« br Oliver INtse 



T7 8 X O 



€•• 



» <♦» < 



Vocal, with Flaao Aeoompaniment 

Centennial Hymn. Am annflr ftt the Opening 
Ceremonies at Philadelphia. D. 3. d to P. 
Octavo copies for Chorus Societ«es, 10 cts. 

J. K, Paint, 90 
" Onr Fathers* God! From ont whose hand 
The centuries fall like era'ns of sand. 
Wo meet to-day. united free. 
And loyal to our land and Thee.*' 

Thi^ Is the fine choral: brought nut at the flrat 
great event of the Centennial. Everv one will 
need a copy. Evpry choir and chorus will use it. 
Words by Whittler. 

Singinf; at Sunset C. 3. d to E. AU. 90 

** SInginir at the sunset, angela vofres hear, 
And the harpinga of the harpers, ringing, ring- 
ing rlear." 
Veiy sweet poere to equally sweet mnsle. 

A Maiden stoi>d on a sea-bound Bark. F. 

4. d to P. Abt. 40 

" But she heeded not, as sh«> looked on the deep. 
With an eye that knew not fear." 

Highly wrought, pathetic and beautlftd. 
Quite aufcAU (Comic). B6. 2. d to D. iee. 80 
Brannigan's Pup. (Comic). B5. 2. b to P. 

_ " Ooftit Ooqft» 40 

Two very amusing songs, ably written. 

Stormj Petrel. (Bass Voice). D. 4. A to d. 

(Bass staff.) Boolt 80 

*' Where the tempest flies on a wing of might. 
And the billow rolls in a robe of whits.*' 
A bass song of lofty character. 

Lights far out at Sea. E. 4. £ to g. Eayrs. 85 

** Now In the gloaming and the hush, 
All nature seems to dream." 

Centennial Chorus. Magnificent Colored Lith. 
Title. Quartet or Chorus. P. 4. 

c to P. Millard. 75 

" Our nation's song and err shall be 
For God, snd Home, and Liberty 1 " 

A great piece everyway, and well fltled for sing- 
ing this centennial year. The picture on the title 
page Is well worth purchasing, if only to frame 
and keep. 

Parewell. Song for Bass or Baritone. E. 

4. B to d. Eichberg. 85 

*' The crimson sunset faded into grey. 
Upon the murmurous sea the twilight fell." 

The above marks refer to the Baas stafr, with 
the Bsj>s aef . Words are by Cella Thaxter, and 
are strikingly beautiful. T'hat Eichberg should 
well interpret them is a matter of course. 

iBstnmieBtsl. 

Plower of the Plock. March. 8. "Eb. Green, 85 

A neat and elegant march for festive occasions. 

Porest Scenes. 9 Pieces by R. Schumann, ea. 80 

These have l>een previonsly noticed, as a whole, 
but the music is too good to oe passed without a 
particular description. 

Ko. 3. Flower that bloomed alone. (Ein- 
same Blume). 3. B6. 
Sweet, simple, yet with fine workmanship. 

No. 4. Haunted Nook. (Yerrufene Stelle). 
8. D minor. 
*' The flowers of this haunted place 
Are pale for lack of sun.** 

A mysterious ** story without words." 

No. ft. Smiling Landscape. (Freundliche 
Landschaft). 8. Bb 

Hovoment In easy-going triplets, suggesting no 
end of sunshine and cheerful thought. 

No. 6. Wayside Inn. (Herberge). 8. E6. 

Might well have been written after listening to 
the chat of village neighbors at their rustic inn. 

No. 7. Prophet Bird. . (Yogel as Prophet). 
4. B6. 
A perfect tangte-of sweet bird-songs, prophetio 
perhaps of summer. 

No. 8. Hunting Song. ( Jagdlied). 4. E6 

Very sprightly; suggestive of bugle notes, gal- 
loping steeds, and the like. 

No. 9. Parewell. (Abschied). 4. B6. 
A fitting farewell to a noble set of compositions. 



Abbrevtatioxs.— I>egree8 of difficulty are narked 
from 1 to 7. The key is denoted by a capital letter, ss C, 
B6, etc. A large Roman letter marks the lowest snd the 
highest note if on the staff, small Roman letters if be- 
low or above the staff. Thus: *'C. 5, e to E'* means 
'* Key of C, Fifth degree, lowest letter, c on the added 
lUie below, highest letter, E on the 4th space. 





mul 





WnohK No. 917. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, JUNE 10, 1876. 



Vol- XXXVI. No, 5. 



The Xinitrers dune. 

Translated from Uhlavo by C. T. BmooKi. 

Then Rtoorl, tn Inniriroiie iKet. a eastle tall and i^rand ; 
Blue ooenn eangbt its glancea o'er many a leagne of 

l«nd; 
Fair, fracrrant eardens round it, hvng like a garland 

brght, 
Within leaped np fresh f onntalns in rainbow-tinted lij^ht. 

There sate a hangb^ monarch, for lands and wars re- 

nownM; 
All pale and dark and olondy sate h% the throned and 

crowned; 
Fnr whnt he thinks l« terror ; hi« looks the? bode no (rood . 
And what he speaks is dafl^n* And what he writes is 

blood. 

Two mtn^tre^s to thi« castle came or.e^, % nnble pair: 
Th« one, his locks were golden— the other jrrev of hair; 
With harp In hand the old man, a i^tately stenl he rodA— 
The blooming yonth beside him with step clastic strode. 

The old man spake his comrade: 'Be ready now, my 

soni 
Think o*er onr deepest mnsic. sound out the fullest 

tone; 
Bach thrin of pleasore summon, and sorrow's pierolng 

smart I 
To-day mnst break, or nsTer, this proud king's flinty 

heart.' 

The minstre's twain baTe entered the lofty pillared hall ; 
The mon!«rch and hir consort sit high enthroned o'er all: 
The King, in dreadftal splendor, like Moody Iforth-lights 

gleamed; 
The Qneen. benign and tendisr, like the full Hay moon 

beamed. 

The old man struck the harp-ctrlngs,— h« swept them 

wondrous well, 
And richer still and richer, came sounding up the nrell ; 
Then forth with heayenly clearness the young man's 

Toiee n streamed^— 
The old man's, wildly blending, a ghostly choral seemed. 

Of lore and spring they chanted, and golden days of 

bliss. 
Of freedom and of manhood, of truth and holiness; 
They sang of all the tenderness to which man's bosom 

thrills.- 
They sang of all the nobleness which man's brave bosom 

fills. 

In all that throng of eourtlingB no Jest is thought of 
now; 

The king's defiant warriors, before their Ood they bow; 

The queen, with tears of rapture, her moumfhl Joy con- 
fessed, 

And threw before the minstrel the rose that decked her 
breast. 

*Yb have seduced my people; ensnare ye now my 

bride?* 
His frame with fury shaking, the monarch fiercely cried ; 
Then at the ywutg man's bosom his flashing blade he 

flings,— 
Where gushed that golden music, the spouting heart'a- 

bleod springs. 

Like dust before tlie tempest, is fled that listening 

swarm; 
The groanins: youth expires upon his master's arm : 
He wraps him in his oumtle, then sets him, stiH and 

straight, 

Upon the horse, and leads him out through the castle 
gate. 

Before the lofty gateway, the hoary bard turned round, 
His harp on high he lifted,— that haip of sweetest 

sound,— 
Back from a marble column the precious fragments fly, 
Then peals through eourt and garden this wild and dla^ 

malciy: 

< Woe, woe on jrou, proud chambers! sweet sound no 
more shall ring. 

For erer, through your spaces, of TOice or tuneful 
string; 

Ko! only sighs and groanings, and shuddsrinc slaye- 
steps creep, ^ 



Tin Hearen's Just Tongeance leaTes you a waste, un- 
sightly heap. 

' Woe, woe on yon, fair gardens, fragrant in Hay-light's 

glow! 
This dead, distorted Tisage to yen I here do show, 
That, peeing, ye may wither, your fountains all grow 

dry. 
That ye, in coming ages, a stonv waste may He. 

' Woe, woe on thee, fool murderer; thou curse of min- 
strelsy! 
Vain an thy strife for garlands of blooiy fame shall be; 
Thy name shnll be forgotten, in endl^a night shall d'e. 
Like a last groan expiring, in a black and empty iky ! ' 

The grf>y old bard hath eaded, the Heavens hare heard 

his cry; 
The lofty waUs sro prostrate, the halls tn rnlns lie. 
Save one tall column, tcHlng what splendor took its 

flisht, 
And this, already tottering, may crumble down to-night. 

All round, for fragrant gardens, is now a barren land; 

No tree gives shade, no fountain comes gushing throagh 

the sand ; 

Ko song, no book of heroes the monareh's name re- 

he'»rae; 
Extinguished and forgotten ! that is the minstrel's curse ! 



-^^• 



Haydn witk fke E8terhaB7& 

^Translated for this JouimAl from the new Biography 
of Haydn, by 0. F. Port*. Beriin, 187B.) 

(Oontinaed from Page 235.) 

On the 18th of Mgrck 1762 Prince Pnul An- 
ton died. In the want of a natural heir he 
was succeeded by his brother Nicolas Joseph 
(commonly called by the first name only). 
This prince, to whom, on account of his love 
for pomp and splendor, like Lorenzo di Medi- 
ci, they gare the title •f *'tke Magnificent," 
was bom Dec. 18, 1714, and married in March 
1737 to the baroness Marie Elisabeth, daughter 
of the Count of the Empire Ferdinand von 
Weisenwolf. Haydn oflSciated nearly thirty 
years under Nicolas, who was to him the most 
sympathetic of the four princes whom he served 
in the course of almost half a century. To 
him therefore we have to give particular 
attention. 

Prince Nicolas, who received the MarshaVs 
staff under Maria Theresa in the year 1770, was 
a passionate friend of art and science in almost 
all departments. Magnanimity, goodness of 
heart and benevolence were the most promi- 
nent traits of his character. Even if we did 
not find these excellencies confirmed by his 
actions, we should form a liking for him in 
his portrait, which represents him ^ attract- 
ively in the uniform of his infantry regiment, 
decked with the Commander^s cross of the 
order of Maria Theresa and with the order of 
the Golden Fleece, as a man of elegant shape 
and noble bearing, of fresh complexion, and 
with a friendly, mild expression in his finely 
cut features. The Prince's appearance at 
court festivities was splendid; the wealth of 
jewels with which his uniform was covered, 

became psoverbial. But his visits to Vienna 
grew year by year less frequent ; it was posi- 
tively hateful to him to abide there. Hastily 
and often unexpectedly he left the city and 
withdrew to one of his palaces, by preference 
to Esterhax, where he lived for Art, and lor 
recreation followed hunting and fishing. 



His Kapelle found in him an upright master, 
ever ready for its support. During his whole 
reign the protocols, commonly beginning with 
the motto: '* Gott mit unsi " form a continued 
chain of acceptances or grants of money and of 
goods: seldom is a refusal found. Tet the 
prince knew how to excreise severity when 
necessary, and punished even with arrest some 
members on account of neglect of duty or dis- 
respectful conduct. But his kindness knew no 
lasting anger; the one punished was soon again 
the receiver of a gift. His personal interest in 
the musical productions was of essential influ- 
ence on their excellence. Following up the 
efforts of his predecessors, he kept his Kapelle 
employed in regular full rehearsals, in the 
practice of chamber music, and soon also in 
the solution of dramatic problems. The prince 
himself was fond of playing the haryUnt, (a 
stringed instniment which has long been obso- 
lete, being supplanted by the more practicable 
violoncello), for which Haydn wrote a series of 
compositions, and with which we shall make 
more intimate acquaintance further on. 

Haydn's relation to this prince, who almost 
immediately on his accession raised his salary 
by half, and who near his death generously 
provided the master with a pension, was hearty 
and unclouded. The prince gave his Kapell- 
meister repeated proofs of his satisfaction and 
his high appreciation: his sympathy encour- 
aged him to greater and greater creations. 
Complaints, to be sure, now and then escaped 
from the master about his secluded life, and his 
longing eyes were still directed toward Italy; 
but a word, an occasional present, delicately 
made, quickly appeased him, and more firmly 
than before he held to his lord, with whom, as 
he himself baid, he wished *' to live and to die.*' 
And these words of the man still echoed in the 
breast of the greybeard, who in the last days 
of life with grateful heart thought of the 
**kind and magnanimous" Prince Nicolas. 

Haydn was much envied by his brother 
Michael for this princely favor and quickening 
sympathy. *'Give me texts (he often said) 
together with the animating hand, that rules 
over my brother, and I will not remain behind 
him." 

The attempt has often been made to belittle 
the service rendered by the princely house to 
the spiritual and material welfare of Haydn ; it 
has been said that Haydn was used up, that he 
spent his powers unprofitably, overloaded with 
tasks which far of tener bore the stamp of occa- 
sional works than they did of compositions of 
deeper intrinsic value ; that through the seclu* 
sion of his life he had- lost every standard 
wherewith to measure his talent, so that his 
position was rather a hindrance than a help to 
him. There is some truth in this and it is to 
be lamented. But still we have to thank the 
princely house, that it offered to the master a 
congenial sphere of activity, and that too at a 
time when his name was as yet by no means 



242 



DWIGHT»S JOUKNAL OP MUSIC. 



known. The shadowy sides alluded to also 
offered their advantages. This very seclasion 
contributed to the master's originality. In 
spite of that, he was no stranger to new appear* 
ances in his art; they found their way to Hun- 
gary, or he became acquainted with them in his 
yisits to Vienna. To no other Kapellmeister 
did his orchestra at all hours stand so at his 
absolute command, to try over the composi- 
tions just completed and make sure of their 
effect. Haydn himself was far from wishing 
to attribute an importance to every work ; what 
he deemed of worth, found its way to remote 
countries. It is an entirely false idea, repeat- 
edly expressed even in these most recent days, 
that his journey to I^ondon was what first drew 
the world^s attention to him . On the contrary 
Haydn's name was everywhere known and 
prized already between 1770 and 1780. On all 
sides commissions came to him from publish- 
ers, and it was he who prescribed the condi- 
tions. He could not speak indeed of superflu- 
ity, but with a wife more economical his pecu- 
niary condition would have been more and more 
satisfactory. Where was there a prince, like 
Nicolas, to build a house for Mosart, held by 
Haydn in such high honor, and relieve him 
from the pitiful necessity of giving lessons? 
Haydn himself was contented with his outward 
position; and, although his own expression 
about it belongs more to the time which he 
afterwards spent principally in Esterhax, yet it 
is equally applicable to the years he lived in 
Eisenstadt and to his position generally. He 
writes to Griesinger : ** My prince was content- 
ed with all my labors, I received applause, I 
could as chief of an orchestra make experi- 
ments, observe what brings out the impression 
and what weakens it, and so keep improving, 
adding, cutting, daring; I was separated from 
the world ; no one was near to lead me out of 
my way and plague me, and so I had to be 
original." 

Long after Haydn's name had become world- 
famous, he was so little dazzled by the honors 
he enjoyed, that in his personal intercourse 
with the princes and the highest nobility he 
always kept a certain limit. On this point too 
he expressed himself to Griesinger: '*I have 
been in the company of emperors, kings and 
many great lords, and have heard many a flat- 
tering thing from them ; but on a familiar foot- 
ing with such persons I will not live, and I pre- 
fer to keep with people of my station.' 
Haydn has been called, quite recently, **a 
princess servant.'' This appellation is unjust; 
if we are to understand by it a creature who 
knows only how to cringe before his superior, 
Haydn was the very opposite. He was very 
well aware of his own worth, and did not need 
to humble himself in his intercourse with those 
high in place. From numerous examples, in 
disproof of the odiousness of the above quoted 
expression, I make use here of a single anec- 
dote out of Haydn's later life, which was re- 
lated by several of his fellow members of the 
Kapelle, since dead. In a general rehearsal, 
at which Prince Nicolas (the one who succeed- 
ed to the reign in 1794) was present, he made 

some fault-flnding remarks. Haydn was ex- 
cited and replied: ** Your Princely Highness I 
to understand this, is my affair." Whereupon 
the prince got up and, casting an ungracious 
look upon his Kapellmeister, left the hall, to 



the terror of the musicians, who all clung with 
enthusiastic love to Haydn. 

The condition of the princely Kapelle, at 
the time when Haydn took it, was anything 
but important. When Carpnni speaks of a 
'* grand '* or a ** select and numerous orches- 
tra," he has before his eyes the later and most 
brilliant period of the Chapel. On Haydn's 
advent it numbered three violinists, one 'cel- 
list and one contrabassist; the wind players 
were transferred from the field music. The 
Choir (if so it could be called with such small 
numbers) was composed of 2 Sopranos, 1 AUo, 
2 Tenors and 1 Bass. Tliese (with one excep- 
tion) also formed the Church choir, which had 
for accompaniment, besides the organ, only 2 
violins, 1 violoncello and 1 bass. During 
Haydn's first month several *' new mtuiei '* were 
taken in : 2 oboists and 2 fagottists, and soon 
afterwards 1 flutist and 2 French -homists; 
moreover one violinist and the only 'cellist were 
replaced by new members, and the chapel was 
increased by two more violin pfayers. 

The Contract with Paul Anton, before cited, 
was confirmed July 1, 1762 by Prince Nicolas, 
and now began a new epoch for the Kapelle ; 
heretofore it had b«en limited almost exclu- 
sively to the church service and the table mu- 
sic ; now larger orchestral, chamber and theatre 

music came to the foreground 

[To be Oontlmiad.] 



-•-♦- 



The CenUimial Guitota. 

MB. LAHIBR'S IXFLAHATIOII AHD DBFEH8& 
Tq ih§ Editor of Tk$ TriXmM : 

Sir: I a^k space in your eolnmns for the pur- 
pose of calling tne attention of my brother artists in 
America to a field of inquiry whose resolts, though 
as yet partial, are eo cnrioas thai I cannot but be- 
lieve some lojrical aceonnt of them will be at once 
of c^noine service to American art and of interest to 
yonr readers. 

Probably there are nrtt fivt English-fipealring per- 
Hons who have ever g:iven an honr*8 systematic 
thooi;ht to the fallowing question : What chanp^ 
have' been made in the relations of Poetry to Masic 
by the prodigious modern development of the 
Orcheetra t 

It is probably known to moet even of non-mnsical 
readers that the orchestra of to-day compares with 
the early orchestra much as a railway-train with a 
stage-coach. Many of the old instfuments have 
been vastly improved ; new ones have been invent- 
ed; improved schools of teeknimu have brought 
about that passsj^es which would once have been 
intrn^ted only to solo artistn are now written with- 
OQt hesitation for the ordinsry orchestral player. 
This extension of orchestral constituenta has l>een 
accompanied by a oorrespondins; extension of the 
province of orchestral effects. To the modern mu- 
sical composer, the hnman voice is simply an orehes 
tral instrument; while on the other hand each 
orchestral instiument haa become a genuine voice 
with its own peculiar roU of expression. A compo- 
ser, therefore, of the modern school in setting words 
to music will no loneer, as of old, write a solo tor 
the humitn voice with an accompsniment for the 
orchestra ; but he will write for the orchestra prop- 
er, bringing prominentlv forward la his harmonisa- 
tion oiSy those voices (whether humsn or merely 
instrumental) whose peculiar expressive powers 
appear to be required in order to interpret t^e con- 
cent ions of the poetic text. 

Now, whst purely intellectual eonoeptiona (for 
clearly not all) are capable of such orcnestrsl in- 
terpretation? This question is intended to leave 
wholly untouched the great province of emotional 
expression, in which this author believes the power 
of music to be 8Upr« me and unlimited. The Inquiry, 
strictly atated, is now : What common ground ex- 
ists to conventionally significant wokm snd the 
lineonventionally significant tonea of the modern 
orchestra ? 

Before advancing to state aoroe very unexpected 
principlea which will result from this inquiry, it Is 



here necessary to ob^rve that the attitude of Amer- 
Icsn criticii»m toward a recent poem <»f the authors, 
known as thcCentennisl Cantata — sn attitude vsry. 
inir between the extremes of entliviastic sdmiratina 
and of brutal abuse— ha* clearly revealed the cir- 
cumstance that the fundamental qnention herein 
mooted has not even occurred to more than one or 
two either of those who blamed or those who praised, 
though it would seem that not only a discussion but 
some definite solution of that question must neces- 
sarily precede anything like an intelligent judgment 
of the poem. 

It is necessary, also, to state one final considera- 
tion which makes It the plain duty of th{« author to 
begin that discussion In person. .Much of his praiae 
has come from the seetlon In which he waa born, 
and there is reason to suspect that it waa baaed of- 
ten on sectional pride rather than on any genuine 
recognition of those artistic theories of 'whi<^ his 
poem Is— so far as he now knows — the first embodi- 
ment. Any triumph of this sort Is cheap, because 
wroncrfully based, and to sn esmest artist is Intol- 
erably psinftil. Here is a situation which leavea me 
no resource except to make some s^-st^matlc declar- 
ation of the principles underlying this mstter. so 
that whstever praise or blame they deserve mavhe 
meted out to them rather than to the wh'ollv 
immaterial matter of the locality of the autbor'a 
birth. 

I desira therefore, firat, to propound theae princi- 
ples which appear to result from that new attitude 
of poetry toward muaie brought about by the mod- 
ern extension of the orchestra; secondly, to verify 
these d pribrt deductions by fSMtn d pimUri&n, that 
la to say, by examples of the precise sort of Ideas 
which have been actually selected by the greatest 
mastera of m«)dem music for representation In tone ; 
and, thirdly, havinir thus supported theory by fact, 
to esU attention In the briefest manner to the minute 
particnlarity with which these principlea ara fol- 
lowed out In the poem alluded to. 

In any poem offered bv a poet to a modern musi- 
cal composer, the central idiis. as well as every im- 
portant subordinate Idea, «hottld he drawn only fhrni 
that d as of Intellectual conceptions which ia capa- 
ble of being adequately exprepsed by orchestral 
instruments. The possibility of such expressi«Hi, 
emerginir from the b«*antiru1 soul of Gluek. nascome 
d^wn to the modern artists streni^hened by occa- 
sional holy aanctlons from Schubert and Beethoven, 
by startllnflf confirmations from Berllos and Lisst 
and Salnt-SaSns. and even by occasional reeofrnl- 
tions from Meverbeer (notably In his interpretation 
of a irhoet with the hawoons). and from Rossini' (aa 
In the William Tell overtnra). Finally, the f>te«n- 
tic illustrations of Richard Warner, while they rafer 
more particularly to the interpretation of ideas by 
t'tnes with the additional assistance of the stasis 
properties — t. f., the mnsicsl drama — have never- 
theless widened the province of orchestral effects to 
such s masrnificent horisrm that every modern mu- 
sical composer, whether consciously Wa^nerite or 
not. Is necessarily surrounded with a new atmoa- 
phera which compels him to write for the whole 
orchestra, and not for the hnman voice as a solo 
instrument and for the orchestra ss s subsidiary 
one. This principle (a), would therefore s«.*em to l>e 
self-evident, Inssmuch as every part of the text 
which does not conform to it Is manifestly notsvail- 
able for the musical composer, and so much wsste 
matter 9«ioa<l mualc 

(6) Inasmuch as only sfsneral conceptions sra ca- 
pable of such interpretation, a poem for (say) a can- 
tata should consist of one general idea, animating 
the whole ; besides this, it should be composed of 
subordinate related Ideas; each of these subordi- 
nate ideas should be the central Idea of a separate 
atansa or movement ; each stansa should be boldly 
contrasted in sentiment with its neighbor stansaa, 
in order to permit those broad outlines of tone-col- 
or which constitute the ordy meana known to music 
for differential nK ideas and movements from each 
other; and finally, the separate central Ideas of 
each of these subordimits stansaa, or movements, 
ahonld not run into each other, but begin and end 
abruptly. 

An attentive consideraUoa of this principle (h) 
will go far toward eflSsoUng a complete reversal of 
the eenerally-received opinion that a poem far mn- 
siealrepresentation ought neoeasarily to be perfeofc- 
ly clear, smooth, snd natural For consider ; with- 
out now having the space to detail an exhaustive 
list, of such concentions »» can be reproduced in 
muaic, it is sufficient to say that thDse conceptions 
are neceaaarily always large, always fceneral, Mways 
sbruptly outlined when In juxtaposiUon. An illus- 
tration drawn firom the art of painting will at once 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, JUNE 10, 1876 



243 



-i\ 



make thU pliiin. The illnmlniitinjBr power of rioaIc 
(if one fimy so express it) is. when compared with 
that of the non^mnsleal inflections of the hnmnn 
voice in prononnrinj; words, ahont as moon1ii:ht 
when compsred with snnliieht. Now fancy thnt a 
eapricirms sovf^rcljcn shonid order his ooort-painter 
to execute a pictare which was to be 1 tolsed at oni v 
by moonlight; what would be thn artist's proced> 
ore T 1q the first place he would choose a mystical 
subject ; lor moonKsrht, with ita vacuo «nd dreamy 
snsacestions, would be fsvorable to its treatment 
He would next select p^arantic Hi^ures, for the same 
reason; and while these fibres would have to bo 
even harshly outlined in order t-o make them dis- 
tinct, the painlor would permit himself indefinite 
liberty as to the backirround and as to the spaces 
between separate fissures, in order to fill these as far 
as possible with the same vafpie and dreamy subtle- 
ties appropriate to mfmnlii^ht 

The poet, called on to write a cantata* text for 
music, is preciwly in the position of a painter called 
on to paint a picture for moonliflrht; and the author 
desires that this iHustratioii ahould be kept in mind 
when he comes to show preeently how this parallel 
course haj bet^ followed. 

(c) When a poeilc text is to be famished for an 
orchestra in which the human voices arreatly out- 
number the instrumental voices, the words of the 
poem onsfht to be selected carefully with reference 
io sodi ^allty of tone as they will eiidt when suni;. 
For example, when t Itncua'ie consists, as ours, 
mainly of the two classes of Saxon and Latin deri- 
vations; and when the nature of the orchestral 
eflect desired is that of a big, numly, and yet 
'restrained jubilation, I think the poem ou«rht to be 
mainly of Saxon words, rather than the smoother- 
e«mnding Latin forms of our lanfl^uage. At 'any 
rate, 1 tded this experiment in the poem alluded to ; 
and 1 shall presently haTC occasion to refer to the 
satisfactory result of It, 

Having thus announced — ^let it here be said, with 
all disclaimer of doipna and with all the timidity 
which every pioneer should preserve — these meagre 
cMitBnea of pnnHples I eome to the second piirt of 
my task, which is to verify them by inqnlrinsr whM 
kind of ideas or poems have been selected by the 
in^ttest musical masters of modern times for orches- 
tral representation. 

The noblest work of Berliox immediateW occurs, 
In support of the position that a text /or m*isie 
should present Ki)<mntie fitrurea, broadly ontlined 
and even abruptly so sometimes, but givinsc back- 
crounds and spaces of vasrueness which the artist 
jeaves to the hearer's imscinatlon to fill up ; I mean 
the well-known " Opium-Dream of an Artist," when 
Ihe first movement presents 8:iKantic horrors sur- 
roundinir tlie virions of the loved one. the second 
contrasts this with a ball rorim soene, the third this 
with a pastMnd seeni>, the fourth this with the march 
of a doom^ man to the scaffold, and so tm. Pas^ 
\n% from 3erlloB to Lisst, I Instsnce the latter*s no- 
bler translation into music of Lamartine*8 Meditation 
upon Death. 

This immediately sni^vests the very striking tone- 
picture which Ss(nt-Sadns has made (vf a French 
verse describing: a Dance of Skeletons ; indeed, the 
first line of the verie itself Is pure gibberish, being 
only •* Zijc. rig, lig." 

As a final example, the author may mention that 
a short time ago, the Peabody Orchestra, a band of 
4# musicians, at Baltimore, directed by Asger Qam- 
erik, was requested by Dr. Hans von Buelow to 
play for him, as a personal favor, his own compost- 
Aioc, called Det 8dnffer*9 Flmek (The MinstrvIV 
Curse), being a tone-translation of Uhland*s poem of 
the saxe name. Late in an aft-eraoon we accord- 
ingly met (the author was a member of that orches- 
tra) in the hall of <he Peabody Academy, no one 
being present leades Dr. Von BuJow, Mr. Hsmerik. 
and the orchestra. Dr. Von Bulow mounted the 
stand and directed his own piece with electric fire, 
and of course with intelligent comprehension. Dur- 
ing this highly advantageous rendition nothing; 
could ha«'e been dearer than the justice of the prin- 
ciples which hsve been hereinbefore snnounced ; for 
although Uhland's poem uf the Miastrers Curse is a 
eonne<Sed narrative, yet io the tone-rendering it 
was perfectly apparent that all such parts of the 
poem as were (wnat I may call) merely connective 
tlaaoe, were simply skipped over, and there emerged 
from the mag^ficent mass of tones only the large 
cooeeptiofM of the two minstrels, the King, the 
Queen, the farewell, the curse, and so on ; and there 
were the points which the director accentuated in 
his leading of the band, practically leaving all else 
to his hearers* imaginations. 

Without the space to multiply thene examples, 



the author now proceeds to the third and last part 
of this papftr, which is an illustration from the 
Centennial Cantata itself of the manner In which 
the foregoing principles were carried out in that 
poem. 

Wlt^n the author received his very unexpected 
appointment from the Centennial Commission to 
write the text for a cantata which was to be inter- 
preted by an orchestra of 160 instruments and a 
chorus of 800 voices. It Immediately suggested itself 
to him that the principal matter upon which the 
eitixens of the United States could leifittmately fe- 
licitate themselves at this time was the fact that af- 
ter a hundred years of the Hnrest liberty ever en- 
joyed by mortals they had still a republic unim- 
Kired. The idea, then, of the Triumph of the 
'public over the opposing powers of nature and 
of man immediately suggested itself as logically 

f»roper to be the central idea of the poem ; and 
nasmuch as the general idea of triumph over oppo- 
sition is considered reproducible by well-known or- 
chestral effects, it was made at once the loarical and 
musical Refrain of tho work, nature and man shout- 
ing several times, " Ni» ! thou shalt not be 1 ** and 
the Land finally exclaiming in triiiraph, " I was, 
am, and I shall be." Thus was satisfied the princi- 
ple above marked (a). In accordance with principle 
(A) the poem was constructed in eight different 
metred stanzas, each of which was informed by its 
own sentiment, and was difFcrentiated from its 
nHghbor by making that sentiment such as re- 
ontred strong musical contrasts as compared with 
tne sentiment preceding or following It For exam- 

Ele, the first stania of 10 lines was to be interpreted 
y sober, firm, and measured progressions of chord<<, 
representing a colossal figure in meditstion. The 
next (Mayflower) stansa contrasted this with an 
a/iUafQ sea movement, rising srradnslly t4> a climax 
with the shontod Refrain, " No ! it shall not be ; ** 
the next (JameHownl movement contrasted this 
with a cold and crhostlv tone-color, the author hav- 
ing filled the stania with long e vocables in order to 
hrinqr out a certain bassoon quality of Ume from 
the human voices on the " thee, thee.** " ye.** and 
the like, and having made the stansa itself a gaunt 
and bony out* in metre and form, to type the trials 
of the early colonists as they rose before the medi 
tative eye of Columbia out of the weltering sea of 
the Past ; the next (Tvranny) stansa contrasted this 
with a renewed, but different fur^' of ngiUUn move- 
ment presenting to the musical cimposer a lot of 
ideas^religious and political oppression, war, error, 
terror, r* ge, crime, a windy niglit, voices of land 
and tea, and finally a climacteric shout of the Re- 
frain, " Nel thou shalt not be,** all of which were 
easily reprtidiicible in ttme bv the resources of the 
m>Hiern orchetttra; the next (Huguenot) stansa con- 
trasted this with a rapid and somewhat stealthy 
movement of alternating hope and fear ; the next 
brought its contrast of the outbnrst of Trium.ph in 
" I was; I am,** etc. ; the nextoffi^red an entii*e con- 
trast in the Angel's song, which I wrote with the 
understandins; that Mr. Whitney of Boston was to 
sinar it; and finality this b^sso so1«) was contrasted 
by the unrestrained outbnrst of all the voices into 
the jubilation and welcome of the last stanza. 

These separate chaiaot«rixations were Indicated 
upon the original copy of the form sent the musical 
composer by marginal notes afllzed to each stansa ; 
and the author cannot think it impVoper for him to 
avail himself of this ocscasinn to ack^iowledge the 
intelligent comprehension with which Mr. Buck 
seized these id^as an i thtf dram-itic fire with whirh 
he embodied them in tone. Finally, to conclude 
these illu'ttrations drawn from the Cantata^-the 
author, desiring to experiment upon the quality of 
tone given out by choral voices when enunclatlnz 
Soxtm words, as compared with that from smoother 
Latin derivatives, wrote \\U poem almost entirely 
in the former. Di'^regardini; their hardness in 
reading — the poem was to be snui;. not read — he 
unhesitatingly discarded smooth Latin derivatives 
for the sake of Saxon ones, being all the more decid- 
ed in this course by the loj^leal propriety of it The 
result was a complete vimiication. The manner la 
which the short, sharp, vigorous S%xoo words brok«, 
rather than fell, from the lips of the chorus, and a 
certain suggestion of liig manliness produced by the 
voices themselves in enunciating these abrupt voca- 
bles, will probably never be forgotten by any un- 
prejudiced person who was in hearing of the 
chorus on the opening day of the International Ex- 
hibition. 

In closing this paper, the author begs to remind 
the reader that all herein said of his cantata-text 
has reference solely to its technical adaptability to 
musical interpretation, and that when he had 



thonsrht ont the principles herein announced, his 
task had but bejpun ; for it still remained to evolve 
out of these materials anything possessing such 
unity as might entitle it to the name of poem. In 
p<iint of fact, the course pursued was simply to sat- 
urate his mind with these ideas, and then wut for 
the poem to come. 

Nor does the author desire it to be considered 
that he indorses all the claims of modern music so 
far as they profess to include the genuine reproduc- 
tion of pure intellectual conceptions by orchestral 
tones. In the present stage of his thought without 
daring to have a decided opinion either way, he 
simply awaits further evidence. But for the pur- 
poses of this cantata-text inasmuch as It was to be 
put forth as representative — to the limit of its prov- 
ince— of the present state of American art the au- 
thor considered that the dootrin<*s of what is 
unquestionably the predominant school of music 
ought to be reox>gnized in all their fullness. 

Which latter remark enables the author to close 
this paper by putting the followinsr question : 

Since, taking the meanest possible view of his 
cantata-text it* was at all events a faithful attempt 
to embody the status of poetry with regard to the 
most advanced musical thought of the time, made 
upon carefully-evolved laws and with clear artistic 
purpr>ses, which is more worthy of his countrymen's 
acceptance, that or the far other endeavor of certain 
newspapers to belittle the larsreet annivcrwry ct:le- 
bration of our country by the trdatment of one of 
its constituent features in a manner which evinced 
not only a profound unconsciousness of principles, 
even preliminary to the possibility of any right 

iudirment in the matter, but also a more inexcuaa- 
»Ie disregard for the proprieties of a dignified oc- 
casion and for the laws of respectable behavior t 

SlDXBT Lawiu. 
New Twk, May 19. 1876. 



m*^ 



Off^nbioh in Haw York. 

The MHaU Trade Review, May 18, writes as fol- 
lows of the musical Silenns, who is now giving, in 
New York, orchestral performances, without sing- 
ers, of selections from his own madcap operas. 

Messrs. Strakosch hsve dearly pail for their mis- 
take In not calculating the difference between what 
was and what is ; and we are excessively sorry to see 
that so courteous, so amiable, and so reliable a man- 
ager as Mr. M lurice Orau should have fallen into 
the error that, with next to nothing to offer, he 
would make an extraordinary attraction of Mr. 
Offenbach. We don't mean, and we do not wish, to 
be nnconrteous to a foreign guest hut we would 
ask Mr. Off't^nb^ch himself: H-v^ he ever made five 
dollars in Europe as a conductor ? What is there In 
his appearing as chef ^^rtikmtre that should so 
much interest the A'nerican public as to justify the 
hope that they would flick with eagtsrness to see 
him, and pay one dollar admission to a concert which 
offers nothing worth paying that dollar f The cu- 
riosity of seeing him once stttisfied, what enjoyment 
remain^ there for the eveniai* ? 

Transferring your neigiibor s dollar without his 
consent into your pc»cket is stealing, which, besides 
not being exactly moral, involves people enraged 
in that line of business in very many disagreeable 
consequences. 

Transferring the dollar with your consent offers, 
in this case, very serious diffi.tulties, because, 

1st. The programme c»ffered i« oomp'isei of works 
monotonously like each other-*:io elevation, no in- 
terest, no viriety of timbre, no color of light and 
shiftdu ; the same p'.dkns and valses. full und:>ubtedly 
of me'ody, but of such superficial and unmeaning 
melody that It !< tantAm'»unt to a conversation with 
a lady to whom you would say for half an hnir. 
" How pretty you are ! " There will be some light- 
headed, frivolous flirts whose empty vanity such 
talk may satisfy; but are they worth talking to? 
and how long will even they &:•> on listening to noth- 
ing else but such superficial flattery ? 

%\. The orchestra which executes these composi- 
tions— *a thousand times too g(K>d for it — is composed 
in so unpractical a manner ?or the purpose that it 
entirely misses its aim, and in certain parts of the 
garden is nearly inaudible. Strings in a damp 
garden where bras« in quantities is wanted are a 
great >n unpardonable mistake. 

8d. To compensate for all these shortcomings the 
people are desired to psy a dollar admUsiun — for 
what? To see Mr. Offenbach lead. Mr. Offenbach 
may be called a great composer by certain review- 
ers, and may in conversation with a reporter speak 
very highly of his own " serious" compositio/s, and 



•♦ 



244 



DWIGHT'S JOUKNAL OF MUSIC. 



TMiy even by the champion donkey of the New 
York musical press be compared to Beethoven or 
Bach ; those who know music and those who have 
common sense, and there are a goodly nnmber in 
New York, will never place him as high ns Johann 
Stranss. He has neither his originality nor his 
Icnowledge of orchestration, nor is he l>y any means 
comparable to him as a leader. He is the outgrowth 
of the governing demi-monde epoch of the Second 
Empire, the froth of tisane, neither healthy nor 
nourishing. 

A dollar has become an important snm in these 
hard times, and a " show "—the only thing which 
we ean eall this production of Mr. Offenbach — has 
become a mighty small affair. And thus it comes 
that the second performance already clearly demon- 
strated the mistake. ai.d the garden was frightfally 
empty, though the manager's excellent taste had 
provided it with trees knd plants, in themselves a 
worthy attraction. 

The rainy weather may have had aomethinsr to 
do with it ; the " nonsense," however, t«> make Mr. 
Offenbach's music responsible for the indecency of 
the words and gestures which accompanied it on 
the stage is perhaps not so great ; we even venture 
to say that if he led the op^rabonffe in all iu ob- 
jectionable form he would have by far a greater 
audience, however deeply wounding to the feelings 
of Puritans this immoral tendency of the wicked 
world may be. But the chief cause lies in the cir- 
cumstance that Offenbach's music has no intrinsic 
value beyond what we mentioned — mel«»dy of a very 
undistinguished kind, that it bears all in the same 
strain, and having become excessively popular from 
its connection with df>ubtful, albeit amusing sub- 
jecto, Fpiced with still more doubtful though amuit- 
ing action, it cannot stand on its own merits, and, 
deprived of the aid which appears objectionable to 
the one and desirable to the other, it does not take. 

The American public have been educated and 
have learned to assign its proper value to such pro- 
ductions. Music written for the voice and for the 
stage must have some real body, like generous 
wine, to be attractive in simple instrumental repeti- 
tion and arrangement ; bnt that body is not to be 
found in these 2-4 and 8-8. The variety of timbre 
in Gilmore's orchestra, the variety of style and 
compositions, the power and adaptability of the 
band for the place in which they performed were as 
many practical advantages as the monotony of the 
same style of compositions, the tameness of the 
music, the unpractical choice in composing the 
orchestra, prove disadvantageous in this instance. 
The so-called " serious compositions " of Offenbach, 
and the " masses " of which he spoke to a reporter, 
are failures, like everything he tried, not only in 
the really solemn or serioas style of music, but 
whenever he only tried to go beyond musical farce. 
His "Barcouff* at the Op^ra Comique was only 
the beginning of all the musical failures which at- 
tended his productions other than op^ra-bouffe. 
Mile. Aim6e made the same mistake once here 
when she took it into her head in a Sunday concert 
to sing a *' great air." She as well as her friend 
Offenbach oui^ht to remember the proverb: Sutor 
neuUra erepidam. We wished Mr. Offenbach, and 
particularly his sympathetic impresario, all possi- 
ble success, but we doubt its possibility otherwiw 
than in Its proper sphere — the stage of opdra- 
bouffe. 



i«^ 



►•^ 



Bach and hii Mass in 

[From the London Tlm€9,'\ 

Two great Masses have for very many years been 
talked of among musicinns and conrioisseurs as em- 
bodying the 919 pint ultra of art in a peculiar direc- 
tion — that is to say, of art an applied to the highest 
form of Catholic worship. We need scarcely name 
J. S. Bach*s Mass in B minor and Beethoven's Maas 
in D. Thes<% in grandeur of coneeprion and pro- 
portions, variety oif expression and elaborate devel- 
opment, confessedly excelled all previous and sub- 
sequent manifestations of the kind. In vastncss of 
outline, as well as in difEculty of execution, they 
were equally apart from other lliiiisrs. W* all know 
what obstacles stood, f«>r a lengthened period, in 
the way of the full understanding of Beetho%*en's 
grand inspiratioa. Even now, for evident reasons, 
it enjoys but small chance of becoming as generally 
acceptable, not to say popular, as other works of 
the master; but it has certainly enjoyed more 
frequent and better chances of becoming known than 
the " High Mass " of his illustrious predecessor ; 
and many who had only heard of the latter could, 
at all events, boast some kind of acquaintance with 
the former. The two productions, in almost every- 



thing save earnest purpose and independence of 
will, differ as widely from each other as the two 
musicians to whom the world is indebted for tiieir 
existence. And this is not so much on account of 
the ninety years, there or thereabout, which sepa- 
rate the dates of their production, as of the entire 
dissimilarity between the wa3*s in which the two 
men lived /o^ them^lves and worked for their art, 
Beethoven, though in some respects a kind of vol- 
untary reelnse, lived in a populous city, and was In 
frequent Inttreoarse with the people of mark who 
inhabited It, many of tham being his constant friends 
and patrons. Ha was «lsa anmarried and childless. 
Bach, on the contrar}*. waa a s«rt of patriarch. The 
fathsrr of a nnmereos hmily. he occapied himself in 
the various places where f^om time to time he re- 
sided, almost nnreservedly with music. The num- 
ber of works he e(*inpoaed is astoni^ihlng. and wiHild 
be otherwise inexplicable, more especially taking 
into consideration their quality as well as their 
quantity. For how long a periiid the maj<ir part of 
tnem remained unknown, except to inquiring aol- 
lectors here and there, need not be told. One after 
another, however, enthusiastic admirers sprang ap. 
who, like our own Samuel Wesley the elder, and. 
later, Mendelssohn, at Berlin, busied tliemselves 
with the Leipsic Cantor, eloquently preached his 
cause, and made the promulgation of his music 
something like a religious duty. Aided zealously 
by other intelligent musicians, ov(*r whom they ex- 
ercised an influence, they succeeded in making his 
name more and more widely known. Zelter had 
talked a great deal abont Bach to Goethe, etc. ; but 
hisyonns: pupil. Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy, afi«fr 
vanquishing no end of difliculties, got np for public 
performance the MaUhdnn PtUHhnMmtmk^ which for 
nearly a century had lain dead. Joseph Jiiachini 
and other enthusiasts followed in the wake of Men- 
delssohn, and continued their exertions as assidu- 
ously as they began them. By degrees the admira- 
tion of Bach spread far and wide, and editions of 
whatever of Bach's music could be obtained were 
multiplied with surprising rapidity. Now in Ger- 
many a Bach Society ('* BacK^entllKha/t ") has been 
for some years established, in which many learned 
and distinguished professors are employed brininng 
out and carefully editing volume after volume of his 
works, with the praiseworthy object of publishing 
all that can be found — printed or in manuscript, sa- 
cred or secular, vocal or instrumental— everything, 
in short, in an UHtion dt l»txe, which confers honor 
alike on its pmjectors and those who, with untiring 
diligence, are carrying out the scheme. Nor have 
our musicians and tmateurs in England been idle 
in the matter. No one ti^k a deeper interest in 
Bach's music than the late Stemdale Bennett, lr> 
whom we owe the first introduction of the St. Mat- 
thew Pamion in thla country. Otheis, like Mr. John 
Hullah, first to give us the splendid ** Credo " from 
the B minor Mass, some quarter of a century ago, 
and Mr. Henry Leslie, who has labored earnesily at 
the Motets, deserve honorable mention ; while Mr. 
J(»seph Barnby has added, i^er alia, the St, Jokm 
P'uuifm to the list. But the catnlogue might t>e 
largely extended. In any case. Bach has penetrat- 
ed b«>th into our churches and our concert-rooms, 
and found in each a genuine welcome. Hia instni- 
mental pieces for organ, pianoforte {davier), violin, 
and even violoncello, his orchestral musiic, bis con- 
certos, etc., are* becoming quite as familiar among 
us as their number is legion ; the most etuinent ar- 
tiat^. foreign and native, to signaliae any of whom 
especially by name wonld be invidious, delighting 
to play them upon all occaHioni*. Our organists have 
time out of mind worshipped at Bach's shrine. 

In a country where the name of Handel, Bach's 
most renowned contemp<irary (who. strange to say, 
never met Bach, although they were on several oc- 
casions as near to each other as Leipsieis to Halle), 
has been for so protracted a period a household 
word, it was only natural that opportunities of mak- 
ing the works of the Thurinsrian giant better and 
better known should be seized upon with avidity ; 
and this has been the ease. Nut only mnsicians, 
but amateurs (genuine amateurs), know their Bach, 
and can either refer to or exemplify him, as occasion 
may demand. The time seemed, then, ripe for the 
priKluction. as nearly as possible in its inteflrrlty, of 
a work which those who had studied it 'poke <*if as 
Bach's masterpiece. In fad-, it should nave been 
heard sooner. None the less credit, however, is 
due to the 'sixteen noblemen and gentlemen, the 
majority amateurs, who formed themselves into a 
comndttee for the purpose of getting up the pdblic 
performance of the Masa in B minor in as complete 
a form, and with as much representative eflSciency, 
as possible ; and it is gratifying to record that their 



expectations have been more than realized. The 
body of cliorns, amateurs and musicians, organised 
by Mr. Otto Goldschmldt, was so carc»fnlly and dil- 
igently trained by that eminent professor, with the 
co-operation, if we are rightly infoimed, of his dis- 
tinguished lady (who herself sits among the choris- 
ters), aa to be able, when time carne round, to meet 
all exiffenciea. An orehestra, too. was engaged, to 
falfil what in Bach's great scores is always an im- 
portant, oflen an arduona task, Bach's instmmentao 
tion being much more Intricate than that of Handel, 
and. as a reanlt, much moredifHcalt to play. Com- 
petent solo performers were procured for the nake 
of th* a¥iliffat0 aecompaniments to some of the airs ; 
while a qnarftt af alngers no less expert was select- 
ed fbr the aolo voice parts. Some curtailments In 
the Mans were annsldrred requisite on account of Its 
great length ; additional accoroMniments were 
tbongkt advlnable here and there (ias, for Instance, 
pfirta fif violaa and organs) ; and alterations in va- 
Ho«s pMsaffes of the onrhestmtion were found inev- 
itable, eonsideHng the diffcrenoe between the for- 
mation and capacities of eertain Instruments in 
Bach's time when aoropared with onr own. Theae 
modifications, however, and some others, are most 
discreetly contrived, more than one of the accepted 
German versions of the score having, we are ap- 
prised, been consulted by Mr. Goldschmldt^ Thua 
all was done that ooald easily be d^me fbr Che pur- 
pose; and Bach's great work (with the omisffona 
and re arrangements allowed for) has been given in 
its oriirinal ^hape before an English audience. The 
impression created at the first |ier'ormance waa 
nnmistakable, and at the second, when St. Jamea'r 
Hall was literally crowded in every part, waa even 
deeper. 

Although little anthentic information is to be ob- 
tained about the actual time at which the Mass wiss 
carried on by the author, or under what various cir- 
cumstances he completed it, it suffices to know and 
feel that its effect as an entirety is sublime. All 
that can be accurately ascertained is that the two 
first parts — ^the '• Kvrie " and the " Gloria "—were 
composed fbr Friedrich August II., of Saxony, in 
17S3. About the "Credo " and the other dl visions 
we have yet to learn particolara, and shall know 
more, perhaps, ahont Ihem when Herr Spitta sup- 
plies what is deficient in the eatalogne of C. H. Bit- 
ter. But if ever there was eoherent nnity In a work, 
it is found in this II minor Mass. Frinn the very 
beginninir ft lakes firm hold, and never relaxoa that 
hold until the end. Now and then occur some com- 
paratively tnme passages, to which we need not re- 
fer ; they are. however, only short lived, and the 
power of the Colossus is immediately mad«^ manifest 
again. That the great mnsician could look back to 
the "Kyrie" and "Gloria" which he had vcnich- 
Mfrd to' his Catholic Aoverrien, and not desire to go 
on with the work thus nobly coumeLoed. would 
seem Impnasihie; *and the astonishing "Credo," 
which is the division next f>llowing. showed with 
what l^vor he aft about resnming his task. It is 
remarked by C. H. Bitter that the pliraae lo the 
wordi •* Credo in unum Deum," led off by tenors, 
and answered by the other vcnces In sarce94ion, is 
the melmly of one of the old Gregorian Church 
sooca ; and a similar though hardly so strict appro 
priaiJiw from the Roman Gradual is noticed by **G," 
in his programme of i he Masa. They may or may 
not have been intended. 

We are not now about U.\ point ont In detail the 
various numbers. 25 in all, \nU> which the fivetn^at 
aections »>f Che Mass—" Kyrie,* " Gloria," ** Credo." 
** Sanctns." and " Agnus Dei " — are subdivided ; nor 
is it rvquiAlts %o cr>llate the sources whence Bach 
has dfrived some of the material far parts of the 
work in it<i completed form. What he borrowed 
f«N* his immediate purpose he borrowed invariably 
from hi* own stores — not always the ease, by tba 
way, with Handel. Enou^ that the Mass in B 
minor is all t^at its most arJent admirers have pro- 
nounced ; a masterpiece of Ibrra. acTenee, and relig- 
ions expression ; a thing, not fr>r a day, bnt ft>r all 
time. Since It has at length been brought firward 
by amateurs, a sense of obligation will probably In- 
dnce onr ransieal societies to fbllow their example. 
The more we hear ef sneh a work the better. 



Siiusitxl Corrts|onhntt. 



CnvAoo, Mat SO —The Beethoven Society dosed iti 
present season last Thursday evening with "Elijah'* 
given in Pljrmonth church (for the sake of the ofgan ao- 
companlment.) The choms nnmbered abont one hnn* 
dred and fif ty, and sang very fairly. The parte are not 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, JUNE 10, 1876. 



245 



perfectly balanced, the intonation was at times nnsteadyi 
and there was a general failure in extremes of shading, 
the pp. ft and ^ being alwajrs Insufficient. Nevertbe- 
less the results reached were creditable, and enjoyable. 
The prinoii>al solo parts were given by Hi^s Haskell, 
Mrs. O. K. Johnson, Mr. Dexter, and Mr. Carl Bergstein 
(Elijah). Mine Haskell has a pure, child-like roice, very 
good enunciation and intonation, but nooratorio school. 
The tenor (Mr. Dexter) also lacks oratorio experience, 
but got along Teiy creditably— enough so to encourage 
him to earnest study. Mrs. Johnson, the alto, is an ex* 
tremely enjoyable singer and made a great success with 
the audience. Mr. Bergstein has a large bass voice; he 
sang the same part In Cologne fifteen or twenty years 
ago. His style is broad and dignified and he showed 
himself the aitlst of the evening, in spite of occasional 
aberrations from the pitch, and a somewhat too Ger- 
man pronunciation of English. There was • o orchestra. 
The organ had all the work to do. Mr. H. Clarence Eddy 
undertook this extremely ungrateful and difficult task 
and carried it through in a thoroughly artistic and mas- 
terly way. The organ itself lacked sufficient body of 
" eight-feet " tone, but it Is pleasantly voiced and not 
wanting in resources, being the old eight-thonsand dol- 
lar organ of Erben*8 to which Johnson has added some 
four thousand dollars* worth of reeds, comyoaitions, 
pedal stops, new-voicing, etc. 

The audience was very large and sat through patient- 
y to the end. The performance as a whole was consci- 
entious and snecesvftil ; nevertheless without orchestra 
it is impoftslble to get a fair idea of the beauty of Men- 
delseohn*s mtisic, and unless I am much mistaken a 
large part of the audience found it rather tedious. 

I m'ght say a great deal about the work of the Beetho- 
ven Society. It is, as you know, directed by Mr. Carl 
Wolfsohn, a name long well known to the American mu- 
sical public. The society Is sui>tained by associate mem- 
berships at $10 a year, each ticket admitting three per- 
sons to the concerts and two to the recitals. The socie- 
ty gives four concerts annually, abont eight monthly 
" reunions ** at which fine music is performed— chamber 
music, songs, pianoforte, etc ; and Mr. Wolfsohn gives 
ten piano recitals. As will readily be seen the educa- 
tional value of the organisation is very great. No soci- 
ety could have a more self-devoted, enthusiastic leader 
than Mr. Wolfsohn. In spite of this, however, the soci- 
ety has not met the prosperity it really deserved and I 
am abont to point out what I think the real reasons, al- 
though to do so win perhaps give oflfense. 

To begin with, then, Mr. Wolfsohn Is not a good cho^ 
rus director. Although a very accomplished mtisieal 
scholar, and in every way competent to select a pro- 
gramme, he is not able to bring the chorus to a finely 
finished performance. His beat is not " magnetic,** and 
his ear not exacting. At the same time he has to do 
with a body of singers many of whom know nothing of 
modtdation and read music very slowly and liylefiniiely, 
if at all. Difficult passages h%ve to be hammered into 
their heads with the piano, or they are dragged through 
the public performance by a few leading voices. In soch 
a state of things a fine performance is possible only after 
thorough preliminary training in the elements of musi- 
cal notation and chorus singing, or else only in conse> 
quence of very careful and enthusiastic study of the 
difficult parts by the poo:er singers. The Beethoven 
society haa not attempted the former, and the leader 
has not been able to fully accomplish the latter. 

This would not so much matter, for good chorus con- 
ductors are very rare, there being perhaps scarcely a 
half doaen now in the country, (so that as a matter of 
course most choral societies are led by men who lack 
the peculiar genius for this kind of work), were it not 
that here we happen to have a conductor of this rarely 
gifted kind in the person of Mr. W. L. Tomlins of the 
Apollo Club— a genUeman who In point of musical at- 
tainment probably bears small comparison with Mr. 
Wolffeohn, and who shows no distinctive gift as a musi- 
cal educator. But in the ability to bring a chorus to 
sing in time and with delicate light and shade and effec- 
tive contrast, and especially in the power of getting the 
veiy best out of everysinger, he has shown a talent of 
superior order. Were the Beethoven society only a 
chorus, there would therefore be an available road to 
perfection in a change of conductors, provided the 
change wvre in the right direction. But as I have 
already pointed out^ the chorus is only one branch of a 
great plan for educating the musical taste of the publie. 
Tlie monthly reunions, and the piano-recitals have been 
among the most productive [if not absolutely M« most 
productive] of all the musical forces at work here within 
the last three years. The reimions have presented a 
formidable llss of the best trios, quartets, quintets, etc, 
of the classic scbool, as well as a great deal of Raff, Ru- 
binstein, Lisst, etc The piano recitals gave the first 
year aU of the Beethoven sonatas ; the second, a formid* 
able list of Schumann's pianoforte works; and this year 



a large part of Chopin's compositions. These haTC been 
attended by audiences of from two to five hundred peo* 
pie, who haY0 listened enthusiastically and religiously— 
an audience amiable and appreciative almost to a fault. 
1 have before expressed my opmion of Mr. Wolfsohn as 
a pianist. He has considerable technique, great enthu- 
siasm, and plays sentim utally. in not a bad sense. His 
principal draw-back is nervousness, which sometimes 
leads him to play vpiy badly. Take him in the *• broad 
and the long ** and he plays a great deal better than any 
one else in the city. The entire plan of the Beethoven 
Society is his, and it has been carried out with a great 
deal of success. To change leaders, if such a thing were 
thought of, would be to sacrifice the fundamental plan 
of the society. StUl It is quite sure that the choral work 
must be brought to a higher standard if the approval of 
the press is to be secured. A higher standard cannot be 
reached without educating the rank and file of the cho- 
rus. If Mr. Wo'fsohn,or the management,can hit on some 
plan of doing this, the Beethoven may yet become able 
to sing such choruses as those of ■* Elijah '* with the pre- 
cision, dramatic spirit, and refinement, such music re- 
quires. For them there is now no safe motto but 
" forward.*' Whither, we shall see. 

In the mstter of my report of Miss Benslger's effort 
[and great success, tooj here, I ought to add what will 
probably be apparent to the lady herself if she will look 
over my remarks ;— namely, that they were intended to 
be of general rather than partictilar application. It did 
not occur to me that a singer of sufficient reputation to 
be brought eight hundred miles as the bright particular 
■tar of a concert could be otherwise than amused at any 
opinions a country critic might venture on. Such selec- 
tions art offered by leading singers everywhere, except 
In those communities where there happen to be musical 
critics bold enough to resent it. To what end has one 
the endowments of an artist, If he is only to repeat " O 
mio Fernando *' H id vmne ^eevs, oA mau^eam. It is pre- 
cisely btcau$9 it is the fashion to limit eoneert selections 
to some one or two songs that I commented so on her 
selections. While I freely admit the duty every singer 
owes her selMove and her bread and butter, to present 
herself before an audience in selections calculated to 
please and to show her art to the best advantage, I 
would have her remember the debt she owes to the Im- 
provement of the public taste, and for every time she 
publicly says *' Good Devil," I would have her add. In 
equally clear enunciation, <* Good Lord.** I had the hon« 
or some years ago to make similar strictures on Farepa's 
selections, and should have been glad to have done the 
same for Titiens had occasion offered. Meanwhile I still 
survi ve as Dbb FaxTSonuxrz. 



••♦•■ 



Organ Mnsio in Hew Tork. 

New ToRK. Mat 28. — ^The or^^an concerts at the 
Cliurch of the Holy Trinity, under the direction of 
Mr. Samuel P. Warren, which have been held dur- 
ing the seasons of 1874-76 and 1876-76, came to a 
close last Wednesday ; — the concerts having reached 
the sixty-first The work and honor of sustaining 
these concerts and keeping them up lo their high 
standard, fell almost exclusively upon Mr. Warren. 
His success in this respect has been most praise- 
worthy. Upon a comparison of programmes and 
their dates, we think yon will find, that no organist 
in this country has done more for pure taste in or- 
gran corapooltions, nor shewn greater enterprise in 
bringing out new works, particularly of the new 
school of German writers ; nor have we ever heard 
seleeUona rendered with a truer spirit to the works 
in hand. Wo subjoin the list of the works which 
Mr. Warren has played during the entire series. 
You will remark how full It is, and also that tbere 
is hardly a number to which the most fastidious 
taste could take exception. 

The greater number of these works have not 

been attempted or played before in our City, and 

some have not been presented by any other organ- 

ist here or elsewhere. Probably the greatest new 

work, with the notable exception perhaps o( the 

Reubke Sonata In C minor, that has been brought 

out by Mr. Warren, is Lisst's colossal Fantasia acd 

Fugue on the Choral : Ad no9, ad aaluiarem undtun. 

The foilowing description appeared on the pro* 

gramme when it was presented, and aa it gives a 
good idea of the form of the work, we give it in 
full : " The Choral melody on which this composi- 
tion Is founded, is employed by Meyerbeer in his 



opera The PropkeL Liszt haa made a formidable 
work from it — unique in character (unless perhaps 
the Reubke in C minor, which it probably inspired, 
be placed on the same footing) as it is colossal in 
dimensions. It consists of three movements. The 
first— 4he Fantasia proper— opens with a Moderato 
leading into an Allegro. To this succeeds an Ada- 
gio, certain passages of which will be found sug- 
gestive of an episode in the "Dante" Symphony. 
A short transition {AUegro deeud) leads to the Fugue 
AUegretto to^ moto.— This Is wrought out very elab- 
orately after the free, bold, Impetuous manner of 
the eomposer.-^regardless of traditional form and 
treatment The Choral, In ftill, massive harmony, 
appears at the end as a most appropriate and im- 
pressive elimax.* — Mr. Warren has given us three 
presentations of this work, and fire also of the great 
Reubke Sonata, of which we have spoken in a form* 
er lettar. The technicality of these works is not 
greater than the difficulty of bring^Ing out their true 
meaning and idea. 

Among the many additional works which hare 
been played by Mr. Warren only in our City, are 
the Adagio in A flat, and the Concert Piece in C 
minor, IVo. 3. by Thiele (both in manuscript), which 
were originally written for two performers, and ar- 
ranged by Haupt of Berlin for one performer. The 
Mieme of the Adagio is beautiful, and the Concert 
Piece is ftilly as effective as any of Thiele's Concert 
works. Lisat*8 Prelude and Fngue on B-A-C-H, 
many of the felleltoos but difficult arrangements by 
Best, Hanpt's Fngue in 0, Carl PiuUi's works, 
Rheinberger's Sonatas, etc, etc,, have also been pre- 
sented. The concert rariations on Sanetiuima 
by Mr. J. H. Cornell of this City, are admirably 
written, their main charm eonsiatlng in the excel- 
lent hsrmonies which he has employed. The new 
Fantasia and Fngue by; Professor F. L. Ritter of 
Po*keepsie, proved to be a work of the dramatic or- 
der, eflbctive and original in treatment ; and both 
of the morements are admirably worked up to a 
telling climax. 

These recitals have been comparatively well at- 
tended ; certainly they have been highly apprecia- 
ted and enjoyed by the few ; and Ihey have proved 
of great value to those interested in the study of 
organ works, the number of such being larger than 
is generally supposed. J. A. 



14 
• < 
•f 
M 

•i 

II 
t* 
It 



Mr. Wabbxk*s Sxlxotionb (1874-6, and 1876-tf. 

ALBnnoHTSBxnom. Fugue in B minor. 
AncHBR, F. Introduction and Concert Variations In X. 
Baob, J. 8. Trio Sonata In E flat 
Trio Sonata in D minor. 
" .1 #• c. 

Andante from Sonata In B minor. 

Passacaglia. 

Canzone, D minor. 

Prelude and Fugue in G. [Book 2 No. 2). 

" " " A. [ " 2 " si. 

Fantasia and Fugue in O minor. [Book 2 No. 41. 
Frdttde and Fugue in C minor. [ " 2 ** 6 

** •* «• A minor. 

•* " *• E minor. 

" " « B minor. 

" " «• K flat. 

•* " « a minor. T 

Fantasia and Fttgue in C minor. ( 
Prelude in O major. 
Fngue la 6 minor. 
Fantasia in O. 
Toccata in F. 

Toccata and Fugue in D minor. 
6 Choral Kreludes. 
BvBK!fa,H. Fantasia in C minor. Op. 28. 
Best. W. T. Air and Variatlon« in A. 
Arrangements from : 
Bach, Pastorale Symphony from ** Christmas Ora- 
torio." 
Beethoven, « Hallelujah *' [Mount of Olives]. 

" Andante and variations from Septet. 

*' Adaftio from Trio, op. 8. 

Handel, *' Harmonious Blacksmith " Variations. 
Haydn, Andante, Quartet in F. 

*' *• The Heavens are telling." 

" Andante, Symphony in B flat. 

<* Andante from Symphony in D. 
Menddlssohn, Canxonetta from op. 12. 

■• Overture in C, op. M. 

Meyerbeer, Schiller March. 
Moscheles, **nommage a Handel,'* op. 92. 
Moxart, Motet in D. "Deus Tlbi." 

« tATKhetto. Quartet In B flat. 

'* Ancunte, Symphony in B flat. 
' Bomberg, Andante, Symphony In B flatl 



If 
It 
11 

14 
l< 
if 
II 
i< 
•I 
If 
M 



2 

2 
2 
2 
2 
2 
8 
8 
4 
4 
8 
4 



81. 

91. 

101. 

!: 

■S; 

" 11 . 



DWIGHT'S JOUENAL OF MUSIC. 



BebulMrt, F«njitM n 



■ Ad»(t1n »od Finmie, ,_ 

■ Larrbetlo, Bnnpbonj Id E fli 
' OnrtorB Id D mijnr, np. IS. 



COKMELL, J.H. ConoartVuUtlonioii 

Omnd March. 
Pm, Cbmktiaii, Bon»t» in I Itat, np. «. 
TrbkxibAi.vi, G. PmiMCKcllB In B A*t. 

fl«tiB.K.Tr. » ofMn olec» op M. Wnl. 1 

Gin.uMrr.'lt. MBiTta TFllgleaM, op. IS. 
ruitulB tn C ulnar, op. IT. 
XOtm In 



PrrrpWn XedlU>I<Di 

Prelude, Theme. T» 

HAiniin.. CDncerto Ko 3 

Concerto Ho. B Id T. 



P.M. 



e ■■ G. [MutDseripl}. 

1e in C ■h*rp ralnoi.op. It. Ns. 4. [HM.] 

-id ViTinUoDi In A flel, sp. M. 



■nd TkrlaHone in 



I. op.«, 
Tsent* tn A flu. op. M. 
Liffhetto, Sjmphony.op.M. [kit. Arebat^. 



lERinx.J I. 



C ibiTp nlDor, op. W, 



. Td. r«nU»la Etol 



LniT. Fhake. PrelodranilFnmiein !*-■ 
'■ Are Tibrli " by Anwdeli of Idth c« 
"OrmpmnohK* 
FenUeU "ndFnEue 00 "Ad noe, 

Kleolel, " Kin' feete Burit" 0«ftnr« 

" Morceanx de Concert, ■' Robin del bt 
VACF.>imsi. ff. A. Anrtenlelnfl. 
Matllt.A. Boli»UlnI>nilror. op, 1. 

MDmLmnnH. Pieladen and Fagnea, op 
BonaU lo C mlnnr, Ko. 1. 



_._._.. ._,.ielnC. 
PrTBI.J.F. Fenlula In O minor. 
PlOTTi.CARL. Fnnluta iiirn[Deforni,Ka. B, 

Prelndn In D. op. 3, No. E. 

BTmn fin' Orj(iin, np. B. 
rwflUT.E. Anduita con mnln, from Bon■tl^o 
SraBRTt J. Bonett In C minor. [PulmM]. 
_ toBB.J, Fuitapleaon>U, op.W. 



tUTTEB, F. L. FintaMi wrt Fugae 1 
BAlKT-SAintS. BhBpsortie No. 1. 



.._ , .lEmT. Andnn-e (rMiineo in <1. 

Thiilie. L. Chnwn*tlo renWeln mnrt FogM. 
Theme end VallHtlmiii In A flat. 

Concert pi«TB InCmlnnf, No. I, 
Concert piece In K Hei mlnnr, No. t. 
roncenplecelnCnilnor.No.S. pli-l 
Fncne In D minor. 
Adicloln AllKt. CWenmcriptl, 

" ■- ■" lU'nEflM.^ 






noLDVAmn. OT«tB[« to " »l»<mntaln. ' 

.. . ^-.j-i a— ^j...... nf-J JlTiy til 

' ifldiinniiiMr Hl^t'i Diium." 



Jtmi", Brld>1Snn|[IranffeddliiclItufa[MT.B.P.W.1 

Mnnaeerlpt. 
lCt!RmAM»3i. Orertnr*. Noctnr^ and Rcherwi from 



lCa>A*T. -Fir»To"& 

" Mule fin*." 

SomMADH, ClaHa. Rommnelnlr. 



I. [ui 

S«7S^RrM«tei.;S.*'Mon.»h.Ie.l«T.8.F.W.] Hi. 
TnoT, JowAMt. ^' Hleht BoB«[.'' 
TAonn.R. LoheontUi Introdmtloii. 

Tanahemer Orartnre I»it. 8. P. W.l Me. 

"Ketoterelneer"— Intfodnctlnn toSii Act 
iriBm|-C.M. "Jiit<ile«,"<'Ob*ron"and"Xar)«nttM" 



Pmipnntix. Mat !8. At preMnt there It bo 
niulo) aunctlan here of Impurtanoe except the 



Tbome* orcheitrt. *t the corner or Broad end Hm- 
ter Street*, on the ip-oanda of the Forreat Haneion. 
A concert hall has been ballt, aimllar to the one In 
Central Park, New Tork. The Handon la need for 
realanrant, etc The attendance haa been v*r; 
■mall ftaoa the opening ; bat vhnt It haa lacked In 
qaantlty It bu made op la qnatitj. Viaiton of 
hlghcnltnre fKim other eonntriee and from different 
tMtlont of oar own, manib«ra of tb« Ckblnet, and of 
different branchei o( thej^^ernment, toother with 
a brilliant aiaemblaf^e of ladle*, compoae the aodl- 



wlth the exception of the 
" Innognratlon March * for which It la utd Warner 
recelTed^tefAowowf JoUen— have been exeellenL 
Why doe* Hr. Thomaa perform thl* March at ever/ 
esncertt te a qoeetlon naked repeatedly. At the 
bottom of the programme a note laforme the reader 

that the march la pnbllahed bj and in for aale 

in the Ban. Iflt la plajrd nightlj b; the orcheatra 
for the pnrpoae ofadrertlalag It, and Indudng the 
people who bear It to porehaae ec^tea of It, I think 
the pnblUhera have made ■ mistake. The people 
who hay and who will buy " The Grand Centennial 
Inaopimtliin March " are thoae who haTo neTer 
heard It Ollmore'a Band play at the Kxpoeltinn 
bnitdlnca dally: in the mnmlnE at Machinery Hall, 
la the afternoon In thr Main Hall. Tlieycloee their 
ensmremant thla month and are lo be anceaeded by 
Cnrrler'a Band from dneinnnll. 

Qolle a numberof dlatioKnlahed piaalats are an- 
noonerd to play here daring the iwaBon ; amnn^ 
othera, Mlei Julia RiT«. Mr. S. B. Milla, Wm. Bhrr- 
wood. Max PInnir. A. H. Peane. J. H, Bnnawitt 
(who ie now In Vienna). Emit Liebline (nowln Ber- 
lin), l^iarlee Jarrla, J. K, PaUiaon. L, E. Levoiwir. 
and Mr. Biwcniiti.— Of three, Mr, BokotUz. Mr. 
Pattlaon, Mr, Jarvls, and Mr. Levaumr ere hrre ; 
Hr. Boaeoylti playlne; the Stelnwar piano, Mr. Jar- 
Tla the Chlckerlnr, Ur. LrTaaiu>r the Derhfr Bmth- 
er^ and Hr. Pattbon the Weber. Htea Julia Kivi 
I* mgteei for a eeriea of recltele to be e^rrn In the 
Bill of the Toanft Hen'a Chriitlan Aeanclatlnn. and 
ahe waa to hare opened on the 12th.bat her aerlnoe 
iltneaa canaed a poatponement Ther will he siven 
aa aoon a* the lady'e health will pennlt. All nflhe 
prominent {and enme who are not prominent) plann 
and orcaD minDFactarera are repreaented here, and 
the nanal wire pnllini; haa rnmmenmd. A laoKha- 
ble circnmatance happened Wedneaday CTenlne: one 
of the eihlbitora «1'hed to utlafy iilmaelf how a 
Grand piano wnnld soond ODt on the platform In 
the eenlre of the rotui,da. where Oilmnre'i Band 
play. He applied for permla>ian to plare bin in- 
itrnment there after the cloae of the Eipnaitiim. 
which waa granted, A rival maker, hrarlnc of It. 
mabed off to the chief of the Bnreaa nl InilallailoD. 
•aylnK that it was notjaat and that all ahnuldhare 
* ch*nn In pat their Inatramenta ont (here. The 
ehiat told him " noohjeetlnn wonid be made to any 
one who wlahed to place hia piano on tbe platftjrm," 
Tiie mannfaetiirer rii'hed off Immedlalely, and 
bmatrht hia " Orand " and hIa performer, and not. 
wIthaUndInK the remonalrance of the other, placed 
hta Inatrument on the pTaltorm hy the aide of hi* 
rival'B and told hIa performer to eommonee. The 
llrtt exhibitor rloeed hi* plonn and rellred. Very 
few hn\ga planoe are on Exhibition. BIQtbner, 
of Lelpiir, haa a very fine Qranil ; nil the rert are 
only mediocre. Erard of Paris harr on Exhibition 
at the rooina of Hesan. Gould and Flecher, aereral 
fine Inatmnieata. 

The fiffht amonK Ih* piano aad oi^pui men prom- 
iae* to be very bitter; "War. to the knife' haa 
already been declared between tbe powerful pli 



i..n.fl«.r,f,. 


C.H. 


iinijK* 


lonmol of Stnsit. 


BOSTOS 


, JDITS 10. ISTe. 



CoBoerU. 

May and e*r1y Jane belong to the aong; bird*, 
with and withont wings. Onr yocal Clnba, — It ia 
theira by right to aing out the loox concert aeaaon, 
and aaher In the aummrr. The Amu.o Clui eaae 
Id tbe greet Hualo H*U belbre crowd* of friend* 



twice in the laat week t>t May. Tlieir 

tbe same for both eTeoins*, Hay Sd Md Iflth, wa 

•• follows : — 

I, NIebtan the O-ean* Bramhvh 

1. DHnkloc Song* Inx 

t. Beretuul** Appel 

nrbe dnet ennf; hy Mr. Stlckney and Mr, Lorlnc.1 

t. Warder eoni* BaS 

Barrtone Polo <>nd Chnrn*. 
ITbe aoio *nn( by Mr. J. T. Winch.} 

1. Oboma of D*rTl*haB— " Boln* e< Atlwn*.' 

[Tha piano aettlnir nf the arehearral I 
b(H. Saiat-Sabia.] 

1. Ereninir Beene* 

1. ItallBB^id 

TeMir 8olo ewl < hnnu 
[The aolo •aoai Inr Dr. 
4. Tenor Solo -"Adalald'" 

Snc h; Hr. W, J. Wlnehl. 
SUant Nlsht — . „.« 

1. TbaAlalshtT Sohabeit 

Tenor fMn and innnis. 
[TiMaolOKUg by I>r- Lmcnuli 1 Xi^lah wordi by 
Mr. Spracnef. 
The aflDin mulled with an aalerlak ware tianiilat- 
ed for the clnbby Hr. Charles J. Aoracue, and were 
BBBc on thl* ooeaaloa for the flrrt time In tbla ooan- 

Wa may trnly say that we haye never enjoyed an 
Apollo Concert qnlte eo well as thl* one. It has lonx 
aeemed (s if they had abont reached the last limit 
of attalnaUe perfection In the balanoe atid well 
blended leattty of their yoioea, and the nice, effac- 
tiye and expressive eiecatioD of whatever mnaio 
they are wont to nnderUke. Bat thla lime they 
nwlly poebed the limit farther bnek ; the rloh, full, 
nanly, (Weet ensemble of tune, the precisian, force 
and delicacy of exccntioa, the truth to every ehade 
andconlraat of sentiment, were more remirkabia 
than ever. The aelecUona, too, though atlll kept 
mostly within the rather exhaaated and monotonous 
sphere of male pai t-Bongs, hid uncommon freshness: 
eome uf them a beauty and Ideal charm more and 
mora rare in recent effarta to enrich a repartulre 
ao narrow In Its very natum. Mr. 8pra~aa ha* 
been happy In hia exploration after fresh material, 
a* well aa Id hia singable tranalattons. 

" Kight on tbe Ocean ' by Brambach Is a plena of 
exqnialtely soft and tranquil harmony, and wo* ex. 
qutaltely enng ; the "Evening Scene,' by Debol*, 
even mi)re so, in which the pure upper tenors 
•eemed liir a while to bang poised In the seventb 

" The Evening Star, so golden bright 
Bhlnee o'er the earth with tender light' 
(Tot it m*y be tliat onr memory playe a* false In 
Identifying thl* effect with the wrong piece). The 
''Drinking Song' l>y Lni gave room for eo many 
queer and grotesque tricka of yoealiam,*!! oxronled 
witJi auch ptayfnl eaaa and oertaloty, that it* repe- 
litl'm vaa demanded with great eagernea*; yet It 
seemed tn ni more odd than really hnmomaa. 
There was more true muaieal fnn and hnmnr In the 
"lUllan Salad," which oar German 'Orphena' 
Daed to stng somet1mr« in their cinb room. This la 
a elngulerly happy, and one may aey elegant, arlln- 
Ug csrlcalnre of all Ihe obvious peculleritles of mod- 
ern Italian opera. Bjf aa inganloas medley of mn- 
■leal terma [}>ian>, doUt. 'tuts, i(r.). with the com. 
monest ear-calching words and phra>ea nf the 
librettos (OOiclo/ Iitnaol AUa FiNdftCa, elc, 
— Ctnt rtMia, nm /iiria, in Itmpa Ji Palaeea), It forms 
a text which aings and aounda (a well aa any, and 
yet la altogether meenlneles*. The mnsic ie an 
equally Ingenious potpourri of *11 sort* of passaxee 
which yon can hardly believe were not aatiially 
written now by Roaslni, now by DonlsettI, now, 
more strikingly, by Verdi ; for sometlmee. by mean* 
of the nndertona accompaniment In a poKlon of the 
yolcea, the orcheatra also and the whole acene are 
moat palpably snggestad. It waa all rendered to a 
charm, the whole Club entering into the humor of 
it, — eapeclally Dr. Laxohaid, who aang the tenor 
solo, that run* through much of It, and aang It with 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, JUNE 10, 1876. 



247= 



ft finer qaality of voice, a freer and more telling 
power of tone, and more Artistic truth and finish of 
expression, than we have ever heard him sing before; 
thoni^h in these last respects he has long excelled. 
Dr. Langmaid*8 sinf^injp: was no less satisfactory in 
the more serious and noble strain of Schubert's "Die 
I AttfMtkC which formed an edifying, grand ooncla- 
sion to the concert— The Duet (Tenor and Baritone) 
in Appel's "Serenade" was finely sung by Mr. 
SncKXBT and Mr. David W. Loriito. 

The piece of moat pretention in the programme, 
in grandeur of theme, and in length, breadth and 
elaborateness of treatment, is the ** Warder Song " 
by Raff, including as tt does a Chorale and a brill- 
iant fugucd " Hallelujah ** at the end, besides a tell- 
ing baritone solo to which Mr. J. F. Winoh did full 
justice. The work has some fine passages and is 
full of characteristic and ingenious effects, yet we 
must confess we found it heavy and fatiguing as a 
whole, although It had been judiciously reduced in 
length. 

The whirling Dervish Chorus,— a little thing, but 
showing the imaginative creative genius of Beetho- 
ven as nnmistakeably as greater tilings— was never 
sung so perfectly in Boston : and the acoom]>ani- 
ment was well sustained on the pianoforte with a 
firm, unflagging hand by Mr. Tuokcb ; of course an 
orchestra would have made the impression more 
vivid and complete. " Adelaide ** was sung (in Eng- 
lish), with fine voice, and in an exprdssive, tasteful 
manner worthy of the immortal love song, by Mr. 

W, J, WlXOB. 

The repetition on Friday evening was equally 
suecessfbl, and distinguished by a presentation, 
without speeches or parade, which we find thus re- 
ported in the Ad9€rH$er : 

Upon the stage of the Music Hall, during the 
concert of the Apollo club last evening, was to be 
seen a very beautiful bronze statuette of the Apollo 
Belvidere. This work — a Barbedienne and an 
exquisite iipeclmen of Its kind — was obtained 
through Messrs. Bijrelow. Kennard A Co., expreraly 
for the active members of the Apollo club, who last 
nisrht presented it to their conductor, Mr. Lanir. 
The gift was certainly an appropriate expression of 
the feeling of admiration and regard cherished by 
the corps for the accomplished artist under whose 
goidadce they have won so many artistic tri- 
umphs. 



Thv Fosm Club, an amateur choir of mixed 
voices to the number of forty or more, has just com- 
pleted lis eighth season. Its peculiar mission, and 
a commendable one for at least one choral society 
among the many, seems to be the study of new 
works, which* are performed in several concerts ev- 
ery season, with pianoforte accompaniment, in halls 
of moderate siie, before audiences of invited- friends. 
There is a modest air of privacy about it ; the pro- 
grammes do not give the names of the solo singers, 
nor even of the accomplished eonductor, Mr. Gbobok 

K Wmmio, who preaides with msrked ability at 
the piano, and who has composed for the use of the 
Club some quite elaborate and interesting works, 
with graphic and ornate accompaniments. 

Three concerts have been given during the past 
season, of which the second was devoted to Cade's 
" Kalanus," a dramatic poem relating to Alexander 
In India, and In which choruses of Greeks and In- 
dians are strikingly contrasted ; it was sung here 
for the first time, and we regret that we had not the 
opportunity to hear it On Thursday evening. May 
26, two Cantatas, which w^ understand the Foster 
Club has given once before, but new to us, were 
sang In Mechanics Hall. The first, by Mr. Whit- 
ing, Is called " Dream Pictures." A poem of eight 
six-line stanxas, of much beauty, describes the fltt- 
ting smiles and shadows, and the shifting pictures 
nf a sleeping maiden's dream ; she " wanders alone 
'mid fragrant bowers ; " the scene is changed to a 
brilliant ball ; then the Vesper be!l and a rellgioiH 
ecstasy; then the sweet guitar " 'inirl orange groves 
and citron trees; ** then the battle-field, and an she 
is filled with terror for the fste of her hero lover, 



she wakes, t^ find it fortunately all a dream. Here 
are themes for a fine series of contrasted musical 
effect-s, and Mr. Whiting seems to have nsed them 
to advantage, although we thought the strong 
wings of his inspiration rather drooped toward the 
end. It is mostly cKoms, with some ersceful solos 
for Soprano and Alto (Miss Ita Welsh), which were 
well song. The composition is melodious, some- 
times in a delicate vein which recalls Schumann's 
" Paradise and the Peri," the choruses well woven, 
and the fluent, highly figurative accompaniment Is 
pleasingly descriptive. 

The second Cantata was much longer, — Mr. John 
Francis Barnett's setting of the weird *' Ancient 
Mariner," by Coleridge, entire. The work has made 
its mark in England. If not to be measured with 
similar works by Mendelssohn. Schnmann, or Oade, 
it shows a culture imbued with these influenees, 
well trained musicianship and mastery of form, a 
refined poetic sense, and frequent marks of fresh 
invention. Indeed the spirit, the strange fascina- 
tion of the modern antique ballad are well repro- 
duced In music, bating here and there some level 
and comparatively commonplace passsses. Most of 
the choruses are effective and very graphic ; some 
are truly pathetic and full of beauty ; one of them, 
in light, fairy Scherzo style, happily expresses the 
lines: 

About, about, in reel and route. 
The death-fires danced at night ; 
The water, like a witch's oils. 
Burnt green, and blue, and white. 

Another gives a vivid picture of: 

The upper air burst into life ! 
And a hundred fii*e-flags sheen. 
To and fro they were hurried about ! 
And to and fro. and In and out, 
The wan stars danced between. 

And there i^ exquisite beauty In the Soprano solo 
with female chorus, to the words : " This serhph 
band, each waved his hand," etc. 

The choruses were sung with life, precision and 
fine light and shade, and so were the solos. The 
fresh, clear, brilliant, true soprano of Miss Lilisn E. 
Norton,* a voice and talf nt full of promise — made 
a rare sensation. Miss Ita Welsh, Mr. Allen A. 
Brown, snd Mr. David W. Loring complete J the 
quartet of soloists, and sang their parts like artists. 
Mr. Whiting played the exacting accompaniments 
with masterly ease and grace, while he conducted 
the entire performance^ 



Wb were sorry not to be able to avail ourselves 
of the invitation of the Indies composing the new 
" Cbcilia Quabtxttb " — Miss Abbib WmxirBBT, Mrs. 
J. W. Wbston, Mrs. J. H. Long and Mrs. H. E. 
Sawtbb. — who, with the assistance of Mr. B. J. 
Lano, gave a reception to their friends st the Des- 
con Hon«e on Wednesday (vening. May 81. We 
hear their singing warmly praised. The Olobe 
says: 

This quartette, which ha« recently been formed 
in Boston, must at once take a high po.Mtion, in our 
musical circles. Mrs. Long, after a retirement of 
several years, will bring back to the concert room 
the stj'le and grace of an accomplished artiste, which 
always charmed her many friendo. Mrs. Weston, 
withher rich voice, her culture snd experience, is 
always a great attraction. Mrs. Sawyer has 
schieved great success in the concert room and ora- 
torio, and certainly Is not surpassed as a contralto 
by any among us, while Miss Whinnery, though not 
long a resident here, has already established herself 
in favor by her fine, pure soprano voice and her cul- 
tivated taste. A quartette of ladies is a new feature 
in our musical world, and is likely to attract consid- 
erable interest from this fact, while the acknowl- 
edged t«lent and culture of the artistes who compose 
it will insure the favor of the public. 



Miss Abbib Louisb Cabt, laden with laurels from 
St. Petersburg, had come home for brief vacation ; 
Miss CiJdiA Louisb Kbllogo, In the bloom of re- 
newed youth and in better voice than ever, was 
hovering not far off; our old friend Bbigmoli, like 
one risen from the dead, was resdy for the vocal 
fray again ; a new pianist, who had been praised 
among the foremost in Berlin, Mr. WiluamH. Shrb- 
wooD, had returned to his native America with his 

Eisnist Boston bride ; and Mr. Listemanx, with his 
Boston Philharmonic Club, had come in sleht again 
after lonor concert wsnderin8:a* in Ihe West; and of 
course the wnrder of the Music Hall observatory, 
most watchful of stargasers under this portion of 
the musical firmament, was quick to note the fortu- 



nate conjunction and scire time by the forelock. 
Hence the announcement of a Grand Concert and 
Matln6e for Friday evening, June 2, and Saturday 
afternoon, June 8. On both occaalons the Music 
Hall was well filled. Each and all were successful, 
encores were plentiful, everybody had his money's 
worth, and Peck was smiling. 

The two ladies were welcomed with great warmth, 
especially the last comer back. Miss Car^. They 
aang some of their more hacknied operatic pieces, 
such as served to show that their tuneful organs, 
and their facile, fluent execution, and their style 
and all their vocal arts were still in perlect preser- 
vation, and even iett«r than before, — and a few 
sentimental ballads. Miss Kellogg's selections were.: 
'* Ah, fors e lui " from the TVaviaia, the Mad Scone 
from Lueia, two duets with Brignoll (Ardltfs "Una 
Notte a Venesia," and " Parigi, o cam " from the 
Traviaia), Sullivan's " Let me dream again," etc. 
Miss Cary gave: " Pieti, piet&* frOrti Lt PropMU, 
Mignon's Roroansa (*'Knows'tthou the land ") oy A. 
Thomas, and for ballads, Sullivan's "Looking back," 
Marston's " Tender and true ; " and each sang other 
bs;llads when recalled. It is needless to tell with 
what consummate art the favorite Soprano and 
Contralto both sang; we had them at their best, 
and the applause was without stlnt-^Sig. Brignoll, 
only a few weeks since prostrate with a very serious 
illness, looked a little pale and nervous, but his voice, 
well husbanded, showed much of its old power and 
nearly all of its old sweetness ; and with his sound 
It%lian. method and sensitive expression he sang so 
as to be heartily applauded: "M'sppari" from 
Martha ; Balfe's " Come into the garden, Maud," In 
not very bad Enirlish ; *' In terra cl divisero," by 
Mercadante; Hatton's "Good Bye, Sweetheart^" 
besides the Duos with Miss Kellogg. 

Mr. Sherwood made a decided mark at once ; flrst 
in Schubert's " Wanderer" Fantaisie, op. 16, as ar- 
ranged by Liszt, very effectively, for two pianos, 
his wife (formerly Miss Mary N. Fay) playing the 
second. In this ne showed a remarkably lifesome 
and elastic touch ; strong, clear, brilliant, and yet 
sensitive, refined to all the subtile delicacies an'l nn- 
ances of expression. His technique is of the finest 
we have heard in any of less note than the Rubin- 
steins and Buelows : and there is a certain winning 
Individuality about his play and his Interpretation, 
which we know not how to describe. Clearly he Is 
in esrnest; and he showed it not only in the ren- 
dering of this piece and the Liszt transcription of 
the great Bach Organ Fantaisie and Fugue in G- 
mlnor ; but also In his smaller pieces, which Includ- 
ed a Concert Etude ( Waldetranteh/m) by Liszt ; a 
clever Cspricclo of his own ; a Novelette in E major. 
No. 7 of Op. 25, by Chopin ; and a very difficult and 
brilliant Octavo Study, in E flat, by his master Kul- 
lak. 

Each concert was opened and closed by the Phil- 
harmonic Club, yrho played with beautiful precision 
and exnression the Allegro and Allegretto Schers- 
ando ot Beethoven's Qusrtet in C minor, from op. 
18 ; the Finale from a Qiiint«t in C by Svendsen, 
op. 6; the ever welcome Allegro and wonderful 
Adagio from Mendelssohn's B-flat Quintet, and the 
Presto Finale from the Beethoven Quintet in C. All 
very well, and admirably played, could we have on- 
ly heard it In a smaller room ; but in that vast Mu- 
sic Hall, too tantalizing and absurd ! — ^There were 
instrumental solos also. Mr. Listbm abb played the 
'* Devil's Sonsta," by Tartini, in his. masterly and 
faultless manner, bringing out all the beauty and 
the nervous accent and the quaintness of the old 
Italian violin school ; also a Hungarian Fantasia by 
Ernst; Mr. Bblb made his French Horn ting Schu- 
bert's " Am Meere " and a Song without Words by 
Mendelssohn ; and Mr. Habtdbobx did full justice 
to a Concerto for the violoncello by Servala. 



Handel and Haydn Sodety. 

The annual meeting of the Handel and Haydn 
Society was held May 29th. C. C. Perkins, the 
president, occupied the chsir, and, in the absence 
of Parker Browne, M. tSrant Daniell was chosen 
temporary secretary. The librsrian reported that 
there had been added to the library during the 
year 100 pianoforte chorus scores of the "Messiah," 
and some orchestral music. He also presented a 
tabulated list of the works performed by the society 
from December 25, 1816, to April 16, 1876. 

The treasurer, Mr. George W. Palmer, reported 
that the receipts for the year had been 119.261.00. 
Included among the items were the followimr* 
From the '* Messiah," I8629.R6; from the "Crea- 
tion," $8030.26 ; from the Passion music, $1244.60 ; 



248 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



portion of the TiMens concert. |1124..t7; from 
Jo'him. |I674.ftO. Thcjcentral exn«>nA<«g, inrliidin]( 
the rent of the hall, ef-c.. were 18078.04. mid the ex- 
pends of the concerts have iMed up the remainder 
of the receint«, leavtn; a b-ilaMce of $54.22 in ihpt 
treaearv. TK** indebt4*dnead has been reduced, how • 
ever, from $2750 to $2000. 

Mr. Pa1m«'r, who 14 aim chairmtn of the examln- 
Ingr committee, reparted that 172 caniidates fir 
memherAhip had been examined, of which number 
80 had bees reeeived and 92 rejected. Of those re- 
ceived 2i were 8t>pranofl,.26 altos, 10 tenors and 19 
bassos. 

The president made a brief address in the nature 
of a report. He susnpe^ted that it would be a tc**'^\ 
plan to have a libraiy room, where the music could 
t>« kept, and of sufficient sixe to be a pleasant place 
of resort for the members ; and that a double quar- 
tet of the beH singers in the sncietv should be se- 
lect^ to examine iniisle and report uf>on it« merits 
to the Siiclety. He reported that thirty rehearxals 
had t)een hold, at which the sveras^e attendance was 
840 persons, and that six concerts had been sriven, 
at which the averat^e attendance wa<4 475. He also 
•united that a musical festival lie held this year, 
and this susri^tion was rereived with applause. 
He took the opportunity to present to the s<iciety 
two larfl^e folio volumes of the Hai^del edition of the 
Messiah, and he un^ed upon the meml»ers the 
impirtanoe of more frequent donations of such a 
character. 

The thaiika of the society were extended to him 
for his fs\tt. 

The election of officers was then proceeded with, 
and resulted as follows: President, C. G. Perkins; 
vioe-Dresident, Oeornre H. Ohickerinir; secretary, 
A. P. Browne ; librarian. J. H. Stickney ; treasurer. 
Oeori^ W. Palmer ; directors. J. S. Sawyer, R. 
Beechinir. F. H. Jenks. W. F. Bradbury, M. E. 
Daniell, A. H. Wilson, O. T. Brown and J. D. An- 
drews. 

Mr. John A. Nowell called the attention of the 
society to the presence in the meeting: (kf Mr. B. B. 
Davis of Brookllne. who had attended reafularly 
sixty annual meetinsrs. Mr. Davis responded 
briefly, testifying: to the sreat if^ood he had received 
from his connection with the society and parti ci- 
patifin in the noble thoughts and words of the ora- 
torios. 

There was a lonfij^ discussion on the advisability 
of laylniE: an aasesssment upon the members of the 
society to pay off the debt. A motlcm to make the 
assessment seven dollars was lost by a vote of 21 
to 84, and It was then voted to assess 6ve dollars 
on each member. A motion to reconsider was lost. 

The consideration of the proposed amendment to 
the constitution was postponed, and the meeting ad- 
journed. — Advertiter. 



L 



The Handel and Haydn Society. 

Tbe following laalUtof the works pertormed from 
December 28. 1816, to Ai>rU 16, 1876, prepared by tbe LU 
brail in of the Society for presentation at the annual 
meeting. May 29, 1876:— 

KAme. ooMrosBB. nasTTiifE. ko. last time. 

Miscellaneous. Dec. 25, 1816 180 Msy 9, 1874 

MeiMiah Hsndel Dec. 25 1818 66 Dec. 25, 1878 

Creation.... Ilayda Feb. 16. 1819 80 Dec. 26, 1875 

Dettiugen Te 

Deum Handel Apl. 1, 8 Mch. 1, 1862 

The Interces- 
sion H.P.King Jan. 25, 1825 1 — -. 

Mass B-flat.. Haydn Jan. 25, 1829 6 Feb. 2, 1834 

MassO-flat..Moaart Aid. 11, 1 

Mass Bnhler Dee. 13, 2 Mcta.27,1831 

Mount of Olives, 

(Engedl).. Beethoven Dec. 22, 1838 8 Feb. 27,1868 

David. 8. Neukomm Feb. 28, 1836 67 Apl. 10, 18S9 

Remission of 
Sin C. B.Horn Oct. 2, 1 

Hymn pf the 

Night S Neukomm Oct. 1 , 1837 2 Apl. 23, 1813 

Mount SInsi. 8. Neukomm Oct. 4, 1840 7 Aug. 21,1811 

The Last Judg* 

ment L.Ppohr Mch. 20, 1812 8 Mch.17,1844 

Saint l*aul . . Mendelssohn Jan. 22, 1843 9 Dec. 27, 1874 

Transient and 

Eternal. ..Romberg Apl. 23,-^ 8 Dec. 15, 1844 

gtabat Mater. R««rtlul Feb. 86, 90 Apl. 18, 1876 

HamiH>n.. .Hnndel Jan. 26. 1815 32 May 5 1868 

Moses in Egypt. Rossini Dec. 21, 45 Feb. 29, 1868 

Jadas Macca- 

I1CDUS Handel Dec. 15, 1847 15 May 5, 1874 

Elijah Mendelssohn Feb. 13, 1848 40 Nov. 8, 1875 

The Martvrs.DonizetCi Dec. 16, 1849 7 Jan. 27, 1850 

The Ninth Sym- 
phony ...Beethoven Apl. 2,1863 6 May 6, 1874 

Sonoroon . . . .Handel Nov. 18, 1855 8 Dec. 9, 1><55 

Rf^qnlem Mass. Mozart Jan. 18, 1867 2 Mch. 29.1857 

Ell. M. Co4to Feb. 15, 4 Nov. 27,1864 

Hvmn of 

k^raise . . . .Mendelssohn Apl. 10, 1858 12 Apl. 12,1876 

Israel in 

Bicypt .... .Handel Feb. 13, 1860 4 Jun. 24,1872 

Ode on St. Ce- 

eUU*s Day .Handel Nov. 28. 1868 2 Dec. 6,1863 



Festival Ov- 

^rtnr» O Nlcolal Mny 23. 1^65 

Psdm XLII.MendHwohn M y 13. 1^66 
Jephtha ..Hundt^l F'^b. 17, 1««67 

Fs ilm Xrv. Meniel'sohn May 5. 1868 
Na^rnin....M Costa Mch. 27,1868 

The Woman of 

Riraarli..W. S Bennett May 13, 1871 
Hear my 

Frarer.... Mendelssohn May 7,1874 
ChH«tti« ...Men'lelssohn May 7 — — 
F«almXr.Vi.D. Buck May 7,— 
Th* Passion 

Mu»ie St. 

Mitthew..Bach 
St. Peter. . . . J. K. Paine 
The flensons.Haviln 
Joshua Handel 



- May 9, 1<*71 

1 

1 
2 



Deo. 26,1868 



2 
1 
2 



Feb. 6. 1875 



Feb. 6, 1875 



Apl. 9, 1876 



May 8, 2 

May 9. 1 

Apt. 28, 1875 1 

Apl. 16, 1876 1 

This enumeration does not include performances 
where only a portion of an oratorio was performed. 
Previous to the pro^lnction In a complete form of Tk0 
Mf9*iah and Tht Ov«t<l«tt, and Ths FaMUm MmHt, jutrtM 
of each work had been song. The first part of KHjak 
was al«o idven at one of the concerts during the Beetho- 
ven Fpsrival, in New York, June 1870. The Miscellane- 
ous Concerts include the above performances, but do 
not include those in which the society formed a part 
only of the choir. Such, for Instance, as the concert* of 
the two Jnhi'ees in Bosfm— excepting that at which 
F»m^l in Kft^t wa4« given— ani most of tbe concerts of 
the Beethoven Festival in New York. It appears from 
the table that the society has brought out durinir Its 
sixty-one seasons forty-one important choral works, of 
which there were few that had previously been snng in 
Boston or even in the United States. The foV owing 
table showfl the number of performances given each 
year from December 25, 1815, up to April 18. 1876:— 



1815.. 


XO. 

.!!'.14 
...17 
...13 


TRAS. 

1836... 
1887... 


ICO. 

...16 
...15 


TICAH. 
1856... 


KO. 


1816.. 


l'«7 .. 
1854 .. 
1880... 


...11 


1817.. 
1H18.. 


18.18... 
1839... 


...11 
...17 




]ftl9.. 
1820.. 


1840... 
1841... 


...19 
...18 


laoo.. . 

1861... 
1862... 
1863... 
1804.... 
1865... 
1886 • • . . 
1867.... 
1868.... 
1800. .. • 
1870. . . . 
18n..., 
1872.... 
1873.... 
18T4 . 
1875.... 
18T6.... 




1821.. 
1822.. 


1842... 
1843... 


.. 15 
...18 




1823.. 




...18 




1824 . 


1845... 


...20 


...13 


1825.. 
1896.. 
1827.. 
1828.. 
1820 . 


1846 . • • I 
1847.... 
1848 ... 
1949.... 
ia60.... 


..28 
..14 
..19 
..10 


.'.'15 


18.10.. 


laM.... 


..11 


..16 


1831... 
102.., 


1S82.... 
18R8.... 


... 9 
..12 


•:A 


18.% .. 


1854.... 


..14 


..18 


1834... 


1855.... 


..11 


.. 6 


1838... 






.. 8 



The concert given April 16, 18T6-«n which o easlon 
Handel's Joshua was brought out— was the Ave hundred 
and ninety-third concert of the society. The concerts 
were given in the following places: 

Stone Chapel, No. 1 te 7, inclusive, Dec. 25, 1815, to April 

8, 181T. 
First Church and Channcey-place, No. 8, July 5, 1817. 
Boylston Hall, No. 9 to 190, inclusive, March 20, 1818, to 

Nov. 8, 18.-M. 
Helo'^eon, No. 20 to 396, inclusive, Dec. 29, 1839, to April 

4, 1862. 
Music Hall, No. 88? to 893, inclusive, Nov. 29, 1852, to April 

16, 1876. 

Includ4>d in this last interval are a few concerts given 

in other halls. Besides the two Peace Jubilees and the 

Beethoven Festival— already referred to— the .society 

took part in the opening ceremonies at the Crystal 

Palace, New Yoric, 1854, and in a series of coneertn in 

conjunction with Thomaa's orchestra, at Steinway Hall, 
1873. 



-•-•^ 



«♦-•- 



Mozart Complbtb.— Messrs. Breitkcpf & HXrtel, the 
eminent music publishers 6f Leipzig, have issued a pros- 
pectus of an undertaking which can only be described 
as ooloss d. This is nothing less than the publteation 
of a uniform edition of the entire works of Mot rt, at 
least one-third of which exist at present only hi -manu- 
script. Some idea of the enormons extent of the work 
may be formed from the fact that the list of vomiKMii- 
tions given in the prospectus comprises 15 masses, 381it.- 
anies. vespers, offertories and other small sacred pieces, 
21 operas, 66 pieces of vocal music (concert airs, etc.), 
with orchestral accompaniment, 09 songs with piano, 
and canons, 41 symphonies. 77 orchestral works of other 
classes, 49 concertos. 49 quintets and quartets, 118 piano- 
forte pieces with and without accompaniment, and 17 
sonatas for organ with instruments— in all 540 works. 
This is not only more than double the number of pieces 
contained in tbe complete edition of Beethoven, pub- 
lished by the same Ann some ten years since, but there 
Is a much larger proportion of extjnsive works; the 

whole collection will probably fill seventy or eighty vol- 
umes! Ill foi-m it will be siuiuar to the edition just re- 
ferred t<i, and to that of MendelS!<ohu now In the course 
of publication, and it will lie issued at the same very 
nioaerate price— about seven cents per sheet. 



Special Botitt.'s. 

JJJ.LI. ._ J ,111 II I ■ ^*- 

DBSCRIPTIVB LIST OF THE 
XB87 2^X78XO 
itella]|f<4 bv Ollv«v DiCaom 4k €•• 



» «>» % 



Vooal. with Flaao Aooompaiiment. 

If in thy Heart X bear a Part D. 3. d to fr. 

AhL SU 

" Fr>r such tmstini; love as mine, 
Thou wilt not say me nay.** 

Has the eustomary elegance of Abt's melodies. 

Letter from Cousin Mary to Coiiain Fred. G. 

8. d to E. Ltcocq. 80 

"Mark this ! TIs no atlkir of mine." 

A neat little musical French letter, gracefully 
" noted. •* 

New Tear*8 Clilmes. C. «. dt'>F. WrighUm, 80 

" O the mnsicsl. sweet clamor. 
Of the New Year's chimes again.** 

An nccsslonal '• nm ** ImltMtes tbe bells, and 
renderx it a good imitative s<mg. 

Norah*8 Messaf]^. 6. 3. d to E. BtnedlcL 35 

*<Ah, surelv thou wilt not forsake me, 
Kor stt*al from my life all its light.'* 

Quite pathetic. 

Gentle Zephyr. (Placido Zeffiretfo). F. 8. 

d to F. Qlwer. 80 

•• niiell die sei Misplro." 

*' 8 ay thou'rt some lover*s sighing.** 

A pl^asInT Bnellsh-Ttallan song, which has the 
merit of being easily snng. 

The Kioa of a Little Cbild. C. 2. e to D. 

HuHaK 80 

" T.<ke th«» first fresh scent of the violet wild. 
That'll k'ssed by the morning dew." 

A charmingly sweet epera song. 

Sing, little Bird. A minor. 4. e to F. 

Sickherg, 80 

«« Dance, little child, O #hild. 
While sweet the small binis sing.*' 

Words 1 y Celia Thaxter. A pem of a song, so 
n*^t!v oontri -ed that it reminds one of Bobert 
Franx*s productions. 

Keeping Step together. March for Reform 

Cluba. Solo and Cho. A. 2.EtoF. Loeke, 80 

<' Hurrah I Hurrah I strike ev*ry Joyous key I 
Hurrah! Hurrah I tbe pledge has made us free.* 

The music makes a perfect vocal marrh, and ia 
therefore quite appropriate for many occasions 
in the grand temperance movement, now in pro- 



t> 



InstnuneataL 

Centennial Gilop. C. 2. Stdan. 40 

Centennial Waltzes. 3. Fliege. 7.5 

Martha Washington Waltses. 8. Arowton, 75 

Martha Washington March. Mack, 60 

Washington's (Old) '' G. 2. 40 

Wanhlnfftoii's (New) " B6. 3. Arowton, 60 

Horticultural March. A. 2. Maek. 50 

Machinery " G. 2. •* 60 

Brazilian (or Dom Pedro) March. C. 2. 

Maylath 40 

Memorial March. C. 2. Mack, 60 

Agi {cultural " D. 2. <' 60 

Centennial *^ JJt Z. "60 

Centennial Polka. F. 8. Baumfildtr, 40 

Here Is a brilliant eo1]ecti'*n of " centennials,*' 
all with very handsome iilustrated title pagtti* 
those with the Centennial Hufldings havinc: per^ 
hapa the liest pictures of the kind pubUshed. 
And the musks is all good. 

Menuet. From Lachner. B minor and 

mi^jor. 6. Perabo, 60 

An elegant, cri«p, precise piece. A true Minuet. 
Belongs <o Perabo's '* 18 Selections.** 

Petite Marie. (Little Bride). Landers. 3. 

Arow¥m^ 40 

Containing the pret^ airs of an Opera Boeoflb 
of the above title. 



Stray Suuheam. F. 8. 



Cloy. 85 



80 it seems that stray sunbeams are in the key 
of F. For this is a true sunbeam of a piece, and 
worthy of tbe author pf the ** Northern PMurl.** 

Princess Wnnderhold. 4 hands. C. 8. 

BlthL 75 

Also composed for 8 hands, and is a neat and 
taking piece. 



Abbhvviatioxs.— Degrees of . difficulty are marked 
f n>m 1 to 7. The key is denoted by a capital letter, as C, 
RA, etc. A lari^e Roman Iptter marks the lowest and the 
highest note if 011 the staff, small Koman letters if lie- 
low or above the staff. Thus: **C. 6, c to B** means 
'* Kev of C, Fifth degree, lowest letter, c on the added 
line below, highest letter, B on the 4th space. 





mml 





Wholb No, 918. 



BOSTOIf , SATURDAY, JUNE 24, 1876. Vol. XXXVI. No. 6. 



A Monday 



2^VA» 



I Dream. 



{From " Ihtneh.") 

A FlatUaHa. OnnpoMed nnd dedicated to Al« frUnd, Mb. 
Abthub S. CHAPPBLf., ^v A<« MCT grot^^/Hend, 

Mr, Punch, 

[There Is no erlfl^nt mieon why this T^ry orfjrinal and 
moel fnncinating: oompoeftton shonld be styled * Fantas- 
ia*' any more th^n the other ftrand compositions of the 
same master. That it *b eonstmcted in a whoTly inde- 
pendent mann^, and that each morement shows a c^r- 
♦%in fantastic character, is tme. To analyse the so-called 
" FantsMl't " In detail wonld occupy more spsce than 
ean be afforded; bnt a brief quotation from each of the 
principal th«nnes will snfllceto call attention to the char- 
acter and plan of each saecessive morement.— Oitr Own 
AnafyUetU Pr^fframmM."] 

Introdu»ian*~-AlUgretlo, 

A winter eTenin(r» and a spacious room, 
A ereepinfi: fofc, and a myatprions gloom^ 
Ko sl^ht nor sound that hints the picturesque— 
A braas-bonnd piano, and a flddler*s dedc 
Ladles aitttng at their Icnittlng, 
Or chattiBfF o'er their tatfinf^; 
The Tast amphlthMitre flil'nK, 
Modest Totaries of the shilllnfir. 
And the tardy avails, up-drirlng, 
Jnst In nick of time arrlTlni;. 
Now the eras bursts into brifsbtness. 
And each heart leaps up in lii^htness. 
While a flddie'a distant flourish warns each wayward 
sound to stop. 
Do you ask me what's to-nlflfht meant 
By this flutter of excitement? 
rris the Hall of Oreat St. James's. We are at a Monday 
Pop. 

AndanU OemiabiU. 

When the soul with sorrow laden 

Finds no answer to its moan 
In the jocund rolee of Haydn, 

Or Mosart's pellucid tone; 
When our Schabert*s cunning lyre 

Falls to draw us at its will, 
And the deeps of onr desire 

E'en Beethoven cannot still; 
When the mists that bound things human 

We hare songht to pierce In Tain, 
Then we turn to tliee, O Schumann, 

Bid thee sing to us our pain. 

SdUrwo € 7H0. 

Quartet In A minor— 

Sure nothinic is flner, 
And no one e'er heard a performance diviner; 

For strength and for neatness, 

For purity, sweetness. 
And all that is blent in the joy of completeness. 

FtnaU, Jhruto agUato con Mo, 

Now with all the speed they can, 
All four playing like one man: 
And a rapture lialf-divine 
Steeps the senses as in wine I 
Joachim, Zerblnl, Strauss- 
Steadfast pillars of the house) 
Joachim, PiattI, RIes— 
Where are players like to these? 
And Sir Julius, their chief, 
With his 1 lord, green of leaf. 
To your sovereign long be loyal. 
Children of the Chappell Boyal. 
BlMmld yon fail us but for one day 
*' TrantU gloria ** of that •• Monday.** 
Let them cry from every steeple 
We're no musio-loving peopl^^ 
While we're drawn from every part 
By the magic of Mosart; 
While two thousand souls are cloven 
By the beanty of Beethoven^ 
They may caU us what they will; 
We wUI eome and listen stilll 



Haydn witli fke Esterhazya. 

(Tranalated for this Journal from the new Biography 
of Haydn, by C. F. Pohl. Berlin, 1875.) 
(Continued frem Page 942.) 

. . . Haydn now had his hands full: in- 
struments were modelled and improved ; mrsic 
and che«»t8 for its safe-keeping; were procured ; 
a provisional stage was erected ; compositions 
were delivered, rehearsals held, controversies 
settled, and petitions to the Prince examined 
and endorsed. And how modestly and timid- 
ly the young Kapellmeister ventures to draw 
upon the princely treasury! How diminutive 
one of his specifications of expenditures in 
comparison with the frightful ones of Concert- 
master Hummel afterwards ! To all appearance, 
Haydn did not dare to charge to the Prince's 
account the full expense of copying oat his 
own long and probably first Symphony which 
he ever composed for the princely house : he 
helped to do the work himself, nor did lie ever 
afterwards hold it beneath his dignity to com- 
plete and revise parts. 

The transgressions of his gay subordinates 
caused the master the most trouble ; many were 
dismissed, and taken back at Haydn's suppli- 
cation, again dropped and finally again re- 
stored and often with increase of salary. The 
indulgence and mildness of the prince made 
the members of the orchestra unheedful ; they 
overstayed their time of leave, or went away 
without permission and committed various of- 
fenses. Then came penalties, deductions from 
the monthly wages, imprisonments and tempo- 
rary expulsion from the Kapelle. Truly touch- 
ing and heart-winning then are Haydn's en- 
treaties for remission of penalty in the case of 
such as mere light-mindedness may have led 
astray. In a long written petition the master 
appeals to the heart of the prince, suggesU all 
possible excuses for his client and, after ex- 
hausting all the counter arguments, seeks to 
get at the prince upon the weakest side. Thup 
in one case, in order to make sure, he builds 
upon his master's insatiable lore for continual- 
ly new pieces of music for his favorite instru- 
ment, the BaryUm ; begins with a warm word 
in behalf of three musicians threatened with 
serious punishment, and while he signs himself 
the prince's ** most obedient and humble ser- 
vant Haydn," adds immediately, leaving the 
prince no time for reflection, the flattering 
words: •* who after the holidays will take the 
liberty of handing in to your Excellency a 
New Trio on the BaritUtn,^ 

The C-major Symphony above alluded to, 
which is in five movements, and of which not 
only the oichestral parts but also the autograph 
score exists, shows that Haydn meant to offer 
something important and unusual; for in this 
work occurs the solitary instance of the inser- 
tion of an independent dramatic recitative for 
two principal violins. Undoubtedly the en- 
gagement of Tomaslni furnished the occasion, 
and we see at once what tasks he could offer to 



this young artist scarcely twenty years of age. 
♦ ♦ ♦ * Haydn gave to this Symphony the 
title "Le Midi;" and then he also wrote a 
Symphony **Le Matin" and a Concertino "Le 
Soir." The first, Le M(U%n, in D major, for 13 
Concerted parts, appeared (in MS. copies) in 
Hamburg and Vienna; the last, in G major, 
8-8, also for two obligato violins, appeared in 
1767, in MS., at Breitkopfs, and the last move- 
ment bears the inscription ** la tempeatd.^^ Dies 
says that Haydn was commissioned by the 
prince to take **the four seasons" for the sub- 
ject of a composition, and that he had set them 
in the form of Quartets, which are very little 
known. Perhaps he meant the three orchestral 
pieces we have just named. 

Le Midi, probably the oldest autograph of a 
Haydn Symphony that is still preserved, bears 
already, like some autographs from the year 
1760. the superscription "In nomine Dei, "and 
chises with "Laus Deo." This reveals the 
pious sentiment of Haydn, who, like Sebastian 
Bach's /. /. (Je9ujw>a\ undertook every work 
under the protection of his Creator. He re- 
tained this practice always, even in his secular 
arias and opera scores. Frequently he makes 
use only of the initials L, />., or 8, D. G,, 
(Soli Deo pioria) ; also Lave Deo et B, V. Jf., 
(Beata Virgini Maria), to which is sometimes 
added "etom^si* (et omn^i rnnetii),*^ The 
most cmphatical conclusion is borne, among 
others, by his opera "L'infedeltA delusa:" 
Laui omnipotenti Deo et Beatiseima Virgini 
Maria. 

[After enumeratina: various compositions of the 
same period (1761-4)— Syrophonica, Concertos, 
Trios, etc. ; lUllan " Comedies " {La Mareheta Ke- 
pola. La Vedova, R Dottore, R SganareUo ;) a Pssto. 
rale in 18 Scenes, on the same subject with HandeVs 
" Acia and Galatea ; " a TV Deum ; a Festival Can- 
tata for the birthday of hU Prince, etc., etc., — ^the 
biographer proceeda to tell us of a singular surprise 
which came upon Haydn one day.] 

Haydn was surprised one day (in 1765) by a 
remarkable document, in which the Prince ac- 
cuses him of neglect of duty and recommends 
i6 him to be more diligent in composition than 
he has been heretofore! If this document did 
not lie before us filed and dated, we might 
reasonably suspect some sort of mystification 
behind it. Haydn negligent in ofllce, indolent 
in writing I— he, whom we have heard only and 
always praised as the most conscientious of 
men in his official relations, the most industri- 
ous of the industrious! But the fact is there 
and admits of no contradiction. *' Begulativ 
Ghori KieemartonienM^'—ii the superscription 
of this ungracious warning, which begins with 
the following words : ' * Inasmuch as very great 
disorder has crept into the choir of the Eisen- 
stadt Schloss-Kapelle, through the negligence 
of the 'musicians, the bad understanding be- 
tween them, and the bad care and keeping of 
the instruments, (herrfore the Capellmeister 
Haydn is hereby earnestly enjoined" — and 



^mm 



250 



DWIGHT'S JOUKNAL OF MUSIC. 



here follow, in six sections, the detailed state- 
ments of this threatening note. 1. Haydn 
must within eight days prepare a triplicate 
inventory of all the choir instruments and mu- 
sic now on hand, according to the formula ap- 
pended (giving the authors, number of parts, 
etc.,) which he must sign and deposit one with 
••Us" (the Prince), one in the book-keeper's 
office, and the third with the choir. 2. Before 
each choir service Haydn must deliver the nec- 
essary music to the schoolmaster Joseph Diezl. 
see that the same is distributed by Diezl and, 
after the service, again put in order and re- 
turned to its proper chest, so that no part may 
get misplaced. 8. Haydn must keep a good 
lookout upon the school-master, that he keep 
all the instruments always in good condition, 
for which end •' Er Schulmeister " has always 
to appear in the choir one quarter hour before 
the service. 4. Haydn will take especial care 
to have all the choir people appear conscien- 
tiously at the chureh service and perform their 
duty with good mutual understanding. 5. 
Haydn in • • our absence " must hold every week, 
in the Eisenstadt officers' chamber, two musical 
•• academies," say on Tuesday and Thursday 
afternoons from 2 to 4 o'clock, with all the 
musicians; and, that no one may undertake 
hereafter, as has happened heretofore, to absent 
himself without leave from the church service 
or from the academies, he must once a fort- 
night send us in a written report, with the name 
and specification of the reason, whenever one 
or another shall presume to stay away from 
service. 6. ••Finally he the Capellmeister 
Hayden is in the best manner recommended to 
apply himself more assiduously than heretofore 
to composition, and particularly of pieces such 
as one may play upon the Qamba, and of which 
we have seen but very few as yet ; and, in proof 
of his industry, to send us the first piece of 
every composition neatly and correctly copied 
out." 

Haydn appears to have taken the princely 
reproof to heart, for shortly afterwards we 
meet a manifest mark of recognition. The 
Prince writes, under date of Jan. 4, 1766, to 
his steward Rah ier: ••! have this moment re- 
ceived 8 pieces from Hayden, ^ith which I am 
very well pleased. Tou will therefore give the 
same 12 ducats from the treasury in my name, 
and at the same time ask him to endeavor to 
send me as soon as possible 6 more such pieces, 
besides 2 solos. " 

If the princely favor alone was enough to 
make the Kapellmeister happy, the ringing tes- 
timonies which accompanied it must have been 
all the more welcorae, since the grim cold (the 
Danube ice was strong enough to bear the 
heaviest wagon loads) increased his personal 
necessities considerably. We see too from this 
letter the Prince's partiality for the Baryton, 
as well as his satisfaction with Haydn's way of 
writing. The letter is of still further interest: 
it is the first time that the Prince uses the des- 
ignation •• Schloss Esterhftz ; " he had, it seems, 
re-christened the little hunting castle on the 
southern end of the Neusiedler lake, the favo- 
rite abode of his diseased brother, after the 
birthplace of the princely dynasty, the Magyar 
village Esterhltza on the isle of SchQtt. His 
residence in such a cold, inhospitable, unhealthy 
place moreover shows how much he had at 
neart the remodelling of the castle, which he 
was impatiently pressing in August 1765 from 

Innsbruck. 

CT* be Contiimed. 



Gregdrian Mnsie. 

[From the Mutieal Standard, London, May 87]. 

The roemberB of the Ore^oriao Aaeociation have 
had their ennnal display in St. Paurs Cathedral, 
and. with a vast volume of vocal sonnd and a literal 
flourishing eftrumitetii, have duly impresaed aome 
thousands of spectators and listeners. An army of 
white-robed choirnien and boys, backed by a pow> 
erful orchestra add a magnificent organ, have com- 
bined to lend a factitious grandeur to a few ungrace- 
ful airs formed upon scales which are now happily 
obsolete. The rude concords with which these 
melodies were in old time accompanied have been 
discarded as utterly intolerable to modern ears ; and 
so, like a new patch upon aa old garment, the latest 
harmonies, formed upon a totally different tonality, 
have been employed to render the airs which are 
supposed to have charmed our earlieat forefathers 
in some degree palatable to their benighted de- 
scendants. 

The various pleas which the promoters of the 
Orefprian music urge in favor of its ase are, most 
of them, painfully absurd. The aentimeot that in 
adopting these mouldy remnants of a dim antiquity, 
the church of to-day is joining in tho same song 
which expressed the devoted feeling of the church 
of old, has a very pretty ring about it ; but, as a 
matter of fact, our revered ancestors, had they come 
into the flesh asrain on that festival night, would 
have been dumb-fonndered at the total change in 
the musical accessories— wonld have been unable to 
join in the song. A second plea is the greater de- 
votional character of of the plain song as compared 
with the melodies of the present day. That there 
is aboat it a sort of grim religious cast, we admit : 
but how such a feature impels to greater devotion 
we fail to perceive, and for reasons which will pres- 
ently appear. 

But it is to the ar^ment as to the more consp*e- 
grational character of the plain song that we would 
specially address ourselves. We suppose that on 
all hands it will be allowed that the music best suit- 
ed to an average cimgregation is the easiest, the 
most attractive, and the most devotional in eharac- 
acter. Now, on looking at the Gregorian melodies 
— especially the hymn tunes, we fail to And the first 
requirement. These tunes often abound in florid 
emoellishments, with frequent pasaagea of several 
notes on single syllables — a feature scarcely ever to 
be found in modern hymn tunes — and generally fin- 
ish in a way that sonnds incomplete to modern ears. 
There is an Irreflrnlarity of rhythm which eauaes the 
uninitiated to halt and atnmble in the intricate 
mases of loners and breves, while even practised 
stntcers are forced, in obedience to the instinct of 
modem pulsation, to make triplets where they were 
never intended. Under these circumstances it is a 
perpetual marvel to ns that Gresrorian tunes are 
recommended on the score of simplicity. The fact 
that they are fi^nerally snns^ in unison is no argu- 
ment whatever. To sini; the harmonies which are 
usually put to them would lax the " skill and dex- 
terity " of the best-trained aingers. A virtoe, there- 
fore, is made of necessity ; and because they mnU 
be sung in unison by an ordinary ehoir, and by the 
oonj^regation, the advaatag^s of unisonal sinsring are 
solemnly held forth. While the occaaional use of 
the unison is productive of the grandeat effects, its 
perpetual employment is wearisome to the last de- 
gree, and. as may be seen from the service-book used 
at the festival, the compilers were well aware of 
this fact. But, as we have already observed, they 
could scarcely expect that an ordinary " pariah '" 
choir would be capable of rendering many of the 
portions assigned to the harmony cnQir-^olably, 
Bach's arran^ment of the Gloria to the Magnificat. 
There is another point of which the more zealous of 
the Gregorianista and ** unisonists " may be remind- 
ed. Nature, or rather let us say a wise Creator, has 
decreed thai the compaas and quality of the human 
voice shall vary, and has at the same time marked 
out four or five broad lines of demarcation between 
the several kinds : a note easy to one voice beiag 
difficult to another. Harmony-si ngini;, or part- 
singing, aa it is most commonly call<3, is therefore 
the most natural to bodies of voieea ; and when we 
hear a deep bass growling: an octave beneath some 
high unisoniil passage, it is simply the voice of na- 
ture cryinjjc out against an ignorant, if not culpable, 
subversion of a fundamental law. It is no answer 
to this to remind us that even in harmony-singinfif 
the same evil may be found, through the ignorance 
of many members of the congregation: a small 
amount of musical training may get over this 
difficulty ; the other is a case of phyaical impos- 
sibility. 



The general attractiveness of Grei^rian melody 
is a point rarely insisted on by Its supportera. 
There are, it is true, some few tones which poasess 
this vital qualification for popnlar favor, bnt in all 
casea they aound almost as if written in the motlern 
major or minor scale. S<»me enthusiasts will 'de- 
spise this consideration (attract! veneaa) as weak and 
unnecessary, bnt the fact remains, and the popular 
taste, while it is to be Improved, mast not be isr- 
nored. It is but reasonable that the people should 
prefer to sing their hymns in church in the same 
scales as those in which they sing their songs at 
home. 

Next, in respect of devotional character, the Gre-. 
gorian melody lacks one great essential. Embellish 
It as we will with the moat f^orgeuus accompani- 
ments, it is to all intents and purposes a dead musi- 
cal Ungual^ We cheerfully arrant that when well 
executed It possesses a certain wild charm of its 
own, but at the best It is powerless to touch the 
heart in the way that the sacred melodies of our 
time do. A learned divine may preach the most 
powerful Latin sermon that ever was composed ; he 
may declaim it with the moat finished elocution, the 
most impassioned delivery ; and an ordinary Eng- 
lish congregfation will go away, impre«>ed with the 
grandeur of the flowing aentencea and the fine action 
of the preacher, but unedified and nntouched. Doe 
homely discourse in plain EnjcHsh is worth more 
to them than all the eloquent Latin sermons io the 
world. 

There Is an nnreaaonable craving in the present 
day for the revival of antiquities. Pre-Raphaelite 
pictorea, antiaue furniture, old ehina, fiadM blues 
and greens and browns, have become the hobbiea of 
the age. In like manner the Gregorianista have 
attempted a kind of musical renaiaaanee, and are 
busily exhuminfi: petrified scales and fosail melodies, 
which they proudly exhibit yearly to their admir- 
ers in a building which has long been eonseorated 
to the strains of our fp*eateet ehnreh mosiciana. 
But after all, Gregorianiam is a fashion, a freak of 
the hour, and cannot obtain any permanent sway 
while musicians yet remain to give voiee to the 
praiees of the Almighty in a living musical tongoe, 
that shall be " understanded of the people." 



•♦-•- 



The Loi^nd of the Hibslnngen. 

[The snbjeet-matter of Wagner*8 '* Nlbelangen TrOo- 
K7/* or more properly Tetralogy— soon to be presented 
In a series of four peifonnaneea at Bayrenth— la thua 
Kiven in *' Art H/k and Th»ort— ^ RiOHAao Waoxkb," 
selected from his Writings and Translated by Eowabd 
L. BnmLiNOAMK.] 

From the womb of night and of death there sprang 
a race, who dwelt in Nibelheim (Net>elheim, the 
place of mists), that is, in dim subterranean chasms 
and cavea. Thev were called NxMum^en. ; like 
worms in a dead tody, they swarmed in varying, 
restleas activity, through the entrails of the earth ; 
they wrouf^ht in metals — heated and purified them. 
Among them Alberich gained possession of the 
brifrht and beautiful gold of the Rhine — ^The Rheia- 
gold ;^lrew it np out of the depths of the waters, 
and made from it, with great and cui^ning art, a 
rinfl^, which gave him power over all his race, the 
Nibelunnren. Thus he became their master, and 
forced them thenceforth to labor for him alone ; and 
so collected the inestimable treasure of the Nibelun- 
cjren, the chief jewel of which was the Tarnhelm 
(helmet), by means of which one could assume any 
figure that he chose, and which Alberich had com- 
pelled hia own brother, Reigin, to forge for him. 
Thus equipped, Alberich strove for the mastery of 
the world and all that was in it. The race of the 
Ifiants — ^the insolent, the mighty, the primeval race, 
was disturbed in its savage ease; its enormous 
strength, its simple wit, were not enough to contend 
against A1berich*s ambitious eunnlnfif. The giiants 
saw with apprehension how the Nibelungen forged 
wondrous weapons, which, in the hands of human 
heroes, should bring about the roin of the giant 
race. The race of the gods, rapidly rising to omnip- 
otence, made use of this conflict. Wotan agreed 
with the giants that they should build for the gods 
a castle, from which they might order and rule the 
world in safety ; but after it waa done the giants 
demanded the treasure of the NibelnngeD as tlieir 
reward. The great cunning of tlis gods succeeded 
in the capture of Alberieh, and he was oonipelled to 
give the treasure as ransom for his lifei The rinsr 
alone be soui^ht to keep ; but the gods, knowing well 
that the aecret of his power lay in this, took the 
ring from him. Then he laid a curae npoo it, that 
it should prove the ruin of all who should poeseas 
it. Wotan g^ve the treasure to the giants ; oat the 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, JUNE 24, 1876. 



251 



rin^ he kept, to iosure h\s own omafpotenoe. The 
pianlA, however, forced it frum him bj their threats, 
end WotAD yielded at the advice of the three Fates 
(N^men) who warned him of the approaching down- 
fall of tlie Kods. 

The ff;iants left the treasure and the rincf on the 
Onifca plain (The plain of Discord) under the guard- 
ianship of an enormous dragon. By means of the 
ring, however, the Nibelunfren, with Alberich, were 
kept in slavery. But the giants did not understand 
how to make use of their ^wer. It was enough for 
their clumsy ideas to have once bound the Nihelun- 
g^n. 8o the dragon lay from time immemorial, 
watching with his idle terrors over the treasure. 
The race of giants faded and died away powerless 
before the new race of gods; the Nibelnngen suf- 
fered on, wretched and malicious in their fruitless 
activity. Alberich brooded ceaselessly over the 
recovery of his ring. And now the go^s, in their 
high energy, regulated the world, controlled the 
elements by their wise laws, and devoted themselves 
to the careful guardianship of the human race. 
Their power ruled over all. Yet the peace through 
which they held that power was not basod upon a 
reconciliation ; it was Drought about by force and 
deceit. The object of their high rule over the world 
was a moral consciousness, but the wrong which 
they had themselves wrought kept its hold upon 
them. 

From the depths of Nibelheim the consciousness 
of their wrong-doing rose up against them ; for the 
slavery of the Nibeiungen was not broken. Alber- 
ich had only been robbed of his maftery, and this 
not for a high purpose; and the soul and the free- 
dom of the Nibelnngen lay buried uselessly beneath 
the body of the idle dragon ; Alberich was right in 
his reproaches against the gods. 

But Wotan himself could not expiate the wrong 
without committing a new injustice. Only a free 
will independent of the gods themselves, which 
could take upon itself all the fnult and do penance 
for it, had it in its power to loose the enchantment ; 
and the gods saw the capability of such free will in 
man. They sousrht therefore to infuse their divini- 
ty into man, that they might raise his strength so 
high that he, conscious of this power, might with- 
draw himnelf even from the divine protection, in 
order to do, according to his own will, what his 
mind suggested to him. So the. gods educated men 
for tills high purpose, to be the explators of their 
crime ; and their object was to be attained when 
they had lost themselves in this human creation — 
that is, when they must give up their direct 
influence to the freedom of human conscious- 
ness. 

And now mighty races of men, sprung from divine 
seed, bloomed into being ; they steeled their strength 
in strife and conflict ; Wotan's maidens watched ov- 
er them as guardian angels. As Valkyres they led 
to Walhalla those who had fallen in battle, there to 
continue in Wotan's companionship a glorious life 
of martial games. 

But the liyht hero was still unborn, In whom in- 
dependent strength should come tn its full conscious- 
ness, so that he should be able voluntarily, and with 
the penance of death before his eyes, to call that 
boldest deed his own. At last this hero was to be 
born of the race of the Voisungs. Wotan blessed 
an unfruitful marriage of this race by giving the 
wedded pair an apple of Hulda to eat ; twins, Sieg- 
mund and Sieglinaa, brother and sister, wers the 
product of the marriage. Siegmund took a wife, 
Sieglinda married a husband (Bunding); but both 
marriasres remained unfruitful; and at length, to 
beget a true Volsung, the brother and sister them- 
selves joined in wedlock. Hunding, Sieglinda's 
husband, discovered the crime, discarded his wife, 
and attacked Siegmund. Brunhilda the Valkyr 
aided Siegmund, against the command of Wotan. 
who had decreed his destruction as a punishment 
for his sin. Siegmund had already, under Brunhll- 
da*s protection, drawn the sword which Wotan him- 
self had given him, and was about to deal Hunding 
a deadly stroke, when the god caught the blow upon 
his ^pear, against which the sword broke in two 
pieces. Siegmund fell. Brunhilda was punished 
Dy Wotan tor her disobedien^ie; he expelled her 
from the company of the Valkyres, and banished 
her to a barren rock where she, the divine virgin, 
should be given in marriage to the man who should 
find her there and wake her from the sleep into 
which Wotan had cast her. But she begged as a 
boon, that Wotan should surround the rock with 
the terrors of tone, that she might be certain 
that only tbe braTeat of heroes could win 
her. 

The banished Sieglinda, alter a loog pregnancy. 



brought forth in the wilderness Siegfried (him who 
through victory should bring peace). Beigin 
(Mime), Alberich*s brother, hearing the cries of 
Siesrlinda in her labor, went to her from his caves 
and helped her ; after the birth she died, after hav- 
ing revealed to Reigin her fate, and confided to him 
the boy. 

Reigin brought up Siegfried ; he taught him the 
arts of the smithy ; told him of the death of his 
father ; and procured for him the two pieces of the 
lntter*s broken sword, from which Siegfried, under 
Mime*s direction, forged the sword Balmung. And 
now Mime urged the youth to the destruction of the 
dragon, telling him he would show his gratitude 
thereby. Siegfried, however, desired first to avenge 
the death of his fiither. He sallied forth, attacked 
and killed Hunding, and not till then did he fulfil 
Hime*s wish, and overcome and slay the giant 
dragon. 

As he put his finger, heated with the dragon's 
blood, into his mouth to cool it, he involunt;ari1y 
tasted of the blood, and by this means suddenly 
gained a knowledge of the lansruage of the birds 
which were sinking around him. They praised 
Siegfried's wondrous deed, pointed out to him the 
treasure of the Nibelnngen in the dragon's cave, 
and warned him against Mime, who had only made 
use of him to gain the treasure, and who would now 
seek hia life in order that he might possess that 
treasure alone. Upon this Siegfried slew Mime and 
took from the treasure the ring and the helmet. He 
then consulted the birds again, who counselled him 
to win for himself Brunhilda, the most beautiful of 
women. 

Sieirfried now again sallied forth and reached 
Briznhilda's rocky fortress, penetrated through the 
fire that raged around it, and awakened Brunhilda^ 
She joyfully recognized Siegfried, the noblest hero 
of the Volsung race, and yielded herself to him ; he 
wedded her with the ring of Alberich. which he 
placed upon her finger. When the desire seized 
nim of sallving forth to new feats, she communicat- 
ed to him by her instructions her secret knowledge, 
and warne<i him of the dangers of treachery and 
faithlessness ; they swore truth to each other, and 
Siegfried left her. 

A second race of heroes, also of divine origin, 
was that of the-Gibichunsren, on the Rhine. Among 
them were Oonther, and Godrun his sister. Gun- 
ther's mother, Crirahilda, had once been ravished 
by Alberich, and she bore him a natural son, Hagen. 
As the desires and hopes of the ffod$ rested upon 
Siegfried, Alberich based his hope of resraining the 
ring on Hagen, the hero whom he had begotten. 
Hagen was pale, serious, and gloomy ; his features 
hardened early; he seemed older than he was. 
Even while he was a child, Alberich had secretly 
revealed to him the knowledge of his father's fate 
and incited him to strive after the ring. He was 
strong and powerful ; yet still he did not seem to 
Alberich mighty enough to slay the dragon. 

As Alberich wa4 now powerless, he had not been 
able to hinder his brother Mime, when the latter 
sought to gain the treasnre by means of Sieflrfriod ; 
but now Hagen waa to bring about Siegfried's ruin 
in order to win from him at his death the ring. Ha- 
gen was hostile to Gunther and Gudrun ; they 
feared him, but they esteemed his cunning and ex- 
perience. The secret of Hagen's wonderful birth, 
and the fact that he was not his real brother, was 
known to Gunther; he had once reproached Hsgen 
with being a bastard. Gunther had been instruct- 
ed by Hagen that Brunhilda was of all women the 
most to M desired, and aroused by him to a longing 
to possess her, when Siegfried came amonc: the 
GibichuniEen on the Rhine. Gudrun, inspired with 
love for Siegfried by the praise which Hagen had 
lavished upon him, gave Sieg^fried, by Hagen's ad- 
vice, a goblet of welcome prepared through Hagen's 
art in such a way that it caused Siegfried to forget 
his life with Brunhilda, and his eapeusal with her. 
Siegfried sought Gudrun for his wife, and Gunther 
consented on condition that he should aid him to 
gain Brunhilda. Siegfried agreed to this; they 
swore an oath of brotherhood to one another, from 
which Hagen, however, held himself aloof. Sieg- 
fried and Gunther entered upon their journey, and 
arrived at Brunhilda's rock-fortress; Gunther re- 
mained in their ship, and Siegfried for the first and 
only time made use of his power as «9uler of the 
Nibelnngen, by putting on the helmet and assuming 
by its aid the figure and appearance of Gunther. 
So he penetrated through the flames to Brunhilda. 
She, already robbed of her maidenhood by Siegfried, 
had also given np her superhuman power ; all her 
wisdom she had given over to Siegfried, who made 
no use of it ; now she was powerless as any ordina- 



ry woman, and could make only a fruitless resist 
ance to the new, bold suitor ; he seized from her 
the ring, with which she was now to be espoused to 
Gunther; and forced her into a room where he slept 
by her side during the night, but, to her surprise, 
with his sword lying between them. In the morn- 
ing he brought her to the ship, where he permitted 
the real Gunther to take his place nnremarked by 
her side ; and he transported himself by the powers 
of the helmet at once to the Gibichenbnnc on the 
Rhine. . Gunther reached his home upon the Rhine 
with Brunhilda, who followed him in gloomy silence; 
Siegfried, at Gudrun's side, and Hagen, received 
them when they arrived. 

Brunhilda was filled with rage when she saw 
Siegfried as Gudrun's husband; his cold, friendly 
indifference toward her filled her with amazement ; 
but she gncs'e'] the treachery that had been wrought 
against him. and demanded the ring which did not 
belong to him. but which Gunther had received from 
her ; he refused it. She demanded of Gunther that 
he should take the ring from Siegfried ; Gunther 
was perplexed and hesitated. Brunhilda asked — 
did Siejrfried then receive the ring from her f But 
Siegfried, who recognised the ring, said, "I re- 
ceived it from no woman : my own strength won it 
from the giant dragon ; by it I am the ruler of the 
Nibelnnfiren, and I will give np its power to no 
man." Hagen stepped between them and asked 
Brunhilda whether she certainly recosrnized the 
ring: ? If it wis her ring, then Siegfried might have 
become possessed of it by treachery, and it oould 
only belong to Gunther ner husband. Brunhilda 
cried out with indisrnAtion at the trick that had been 
played upon her,' and a terrible thirst for revenge 
against Siegfried filled her soul She cried out to 
Gunther that he had been betrayed by Siegfried ;— 
" I am not married to thee, but to this man ; he re- 
ceived my fayors." Siegfried reproached her with 
falsehood ; declared that he had been true to his 
oath of brotherhood — that he had laid his sword 
between Brunhilda and himself; he demanded of 
her thst she should bear witness to this. Purpose- 
ly, and aiming solely at his ruin, she would not un- 
derstand him ; she cleclarovl that he lied, and falsely 
appealed to his sword Balmung, that she had seen 
hanging onietJy on the wall while he lay lovingly 
by her side. 

The men and Gudrun besought Siegfried to repel 
the accusation if he could, and Siegfried swore a 
solemn oath in confirmation of what he had said. 
Brunhilda accused him of perjury ; he had sworn so 
many oaths to her and Gunther, she said, that he 
had broken. Now he swore to a perjury to 
strengthen a lie. All was In a furious excitement. 
Siegfried cried out to Gunther to restrain his wife; 
who so shamelessly maligned her own and her hus- 
band's honor ; he himself departed with Gudrun into 
their chamber. 

Gunther, in the deepest shame and wretchedness, 
seated himself apart and covered his face ; and Ha- 
g:en approached Brohilda, who was consumed by 
the most fearful rage. He offered himself as the 
avenger of her honor ; but she laughed at him, as 
powerless to conquer Siegfried; a single glance 
from his glowing eyes, such as had shoes upon her 
even through his deceitful disguise, would braak 
Hageft's courage. Then Hagen said he knew Sieg- 
fried's mighty strength full well ; — ^that she must 
tell him, therefore, how he was to be overcome. 
She, who had hallowed Siegfried, and had secured 
him, by secret charms, against wounds, advised Ha- 
gen that he mast strike him in the back; for 
that as she knew the hero would never turn his 
back to his foes, she had not made that also en- 
chanted. 

Gunther was informed of the plan of mnrder. 
They railed upon him to avenge his honor, and 
Brnnhilds covered him with accusations of coward- 
ice and treachery, until at last he acknowledged his 
fault, and the necessity of ending his shame by Sieg- 
fried*s death. Yet ho was filled with horror at the 
thonght of being guilty of breach of bis oath of 
brotherhood. Brunhilda scoffed at him bitterly; 
what breachea of faith had not been committed 
against' A^/ And Hagen urged him on by the 

grosneot of gaining the Nibelungen-ring, which 
iegfriad would let go at his death. At last Gun- 
ther eonsented ; Haglen planned a hunt for the next 
day, when Siegfried should be attacked ; perhaps 
his murder oould be concealed from even Gud- 
run. Gunther was anxious on her account, for 
Brunhilda's thirst for reven^ was sharpened by 
jealousy of her. — ^Thus Siegfried's death was decid- 
ed «m. 

Siegfried now appeared with Gudrun in the hall, 
brilliantly arrayea, and invited them to a saorifioe 



Mid the m«rriag« feMi. The eonspiratort obeyed 
with hypoeriticel reedineee, end Siegfried and 
OodniD rejoiced ei the apperent restoration of 
peace. 

On the followinir mominnCt Siegfried, following 
the game, wandered into a lonely rocky defile on 
the Rhinei Three water-epHtee suddenly roee from 
the flood before him ; they were the wise daoghtera 
of thoee depths from which Alberich had once uken 
the clear Rhine-gold, to make from it his mighty 
mystic ring. The cnrse and the power of this ring 
wonld be forerer at an end, if it should be given 
back to the waters, and thns dissolved again in its 
original pnre element The water-sprites longed 
for the ring, and besooght Siegfried to give it to 
them ; bot he refased it. (He bad taken upon him- 
self, while sinless, the sin of the gods, and now he 
broaght the penance of their wrong apon himself 
by his pride and anyidding spirit.) 

The sprites told him of the evil and the corse con- 
nected with the ring; he must oast it into the wat- 
ers, or he would not outlive tlie diy. But Siegfried 
said ** yon shall not cheat me of my nower, ye cun- 
ning women ; I care not a hair for tne curse or for 
your threats. What my own courage suggests to 
roe Is my first law ; and what I do acoording to my 
own beliefs, that Is decided for me. You may call 
this curse or blessing, but I shall obey It, and shall 
not strive against my own power." Then the 
women asked bim<^"Willst thou surpass the 
godst* 

And he said, " If yon would f how me the way to 
overcome the godn, 1 would fight agrainst them with 
all my courage. I know three wiser women than 
you ; and they know how the gods will some day 
be In bitter straits. It must m the care of thow 
devoted to the god% to see that I then fight on their 
side. Therefore I laugh at your threats ; the ring 
remains mine,— and thus I cast life behind me," and 
he took up a dod of earth and threw it backward 
over his head. 

Then the women made sport of Siegfried, who 
thought himself as strong and wise as he was really 
blind and dependent. 

" He has broken his oath, though he knows it not ; 
be has lost a thing of higher value than the ring, 
though he knows it not; runes and enchantments 
have been taught him, and he has forgotten them. 
Farewell, Siegfried 1 We know a proud woman 
who will have the ring to^ay, when thou art slain. 
Let ua turn to her t She will give us a better 
hearing ! " 

Siegffied looked laughing after tliem, as they 
floated singing away, and cried, *' If I were not true 
to Oudrun, I would have captured one of you I " 
Then he heard his companions in the hunt approach- 
ing, and wunnd his horn ; and the hunters, Qnnther 
and Hagen at their head, assembled about him. 
They took their hunters' meal ; and Siegfried, in 
merry mood, made sport of himself on account of 
his fruitless hunt;— only water-game had oiKered 
itself to him, for hunting which he was unfortunate- 
ly unprepared ; otherwue, he would have brought 
to his companions three wild water-birds, who had 
prophesied to him that he would die this very day. 
Hagen, drinking, took up the JMt, and askedhim if 
he really understood the song and speech of the 
birds t 

Ounther was gloomy and dient, and Siegfried 
sought to cheer him, relating in songs the story of 
his youth, his adventure with Mime, his slaying of 
the dragon, and how it came about that he under- 
stood the song of the birds. In the remembrance 
which this recalled to him he suddenly recollected 
the advice the birds had given him to seek out 
Bmnhllda ; how he had gone to the ffaminir rock 
and awakened her. The remembrance grew clearer 
and clearer within hire. Suddenly two ravens flew 
swiftly above his head. Hagen interrupted him ; — 
"What do th<ise ravens tell theet" Siegfried 
sprang quickly up ; and Hagen said, " I understood 
them that they hasten to announce thy coming to 
WoUn." With that be thrust his spear into Sieg- 
fried*s back. 

Ounther, guessing by Siegfried's story the truth 
of his incomprehendble relations with Bmnhilda, 
and suddenly reoognidng from it Siegfried's Inno- 
cence, had soiled Hagen's arm to aave the hero, but 
without being able to avert the stroke. Siegfried 
raised his shield to dash down Hagen with it, but 
his strength fklled him, and he sank groaning to 
the earth. Hagen had turned away ; Ounther and 
his men emthered syropathidng and agitated about 
Siegfried, when he opened his eyes once more and 
cried — " Bronhilda I Brnnhilda I thou glorious 
child of Wotan I How fair and bright thou comest 
to me t Thou saddlest thy steed, •millng grayely 



and solemnly, thy steed that strides dripping with 
dew through the heavens. Thou guid^st his course 
toward roe — for here there Is a hero for thy choos- 
ing ! O happy I, whom thou dost cherish as thy 
husband t Lead me now to Valhalla that I may 
drink there, to the honor of all heroes, the mead 
thou ofTerest me, thou glorions handmaid — the mead 
of the Oreat Father I Bmnhilda I Bmnhilda t I 
greet thee I " Thus he died. And the men raised 
his corpse upon his shield, and, led by Ounther, 
bore it away in solemn procession over the rocky 
hdghts. 

They set down the corpse in the hall of the 01- 
bichnngen, the court of which opened at the rear 
upon the banks of the Rhine. Hagen had called 
forth Oudrun with a shrill cry. telling her that a 
wild boar had slain her husband. Filled with hor- 
ror, Oudmn threw herself upon Slecfried*B body ; 
she accused the brothers of his murder; but Oun- 
ther pointed to Hagen ; he was the wild boar, the 
murderer of the hero. And Hagen said — "If I 
have slain him then, whom none other dared tonch, 
what was his. Is my rightful booty. The ring Is 
mine I " Ounther stepped before nim :•»" Shame- 
less bastard I the ring Is nUne — Bmnhilda meant It 
for roe f Hear me, all of yon I " 

Then Hagen and Ounther fought, and Ounther 
frll. Hagen sought to draw the ring fW>m the body, 
but It raised Its hand threateningly. Hagen shrank 
back in horror — Oudmn shrieked aloud. Then 
Bmnhilda strode solemnly between them : "Silence 
your clamor ; your idle rage I Here stands his wife 
whom yon have all betrayed t I demand my right 
— for what was to happen has come to pass." 
"Wretch!" cried Ondron, "It was thon who 
wrought us rain." Bnt Brnnhilda ssld. " Silence, 
miserable one I Thou wast but his mistress. I am 
his wife, to whom he swore faith before b9 had even 
seen thee I " " Woe is me I " Then cried Ouimn, 
" Accnrsed Hagen. why didst thou advise me of the 
draught by which I stole' her hnsband from her? 
For now I know It was bnt the draught that made 
him forget Brunhilda*" 

Then Bronhilda said — " Oh, he Is pure t Never 
were yows more tmly kept than he kept them. And 
Hagen has not slain him — no, he baa bot marked 
him out for Wotan, to whom I am now to lead him. 
For now I too have done my penance ; I am pure 
and free ; for only he, the noble one, has had me to 
wife." 

Then ahe had a flsneral pyre built upon the bank 
to born Siegfried's body ; no horse, no slave was to 
be sacrificed with him ; she alone wonld offer her 
body to the gods in h\n honor. Bnt first she took 
possssslon of her inheritance ; the helmet should be 
Dumed with him, bnt the ring she herself pot on. 

And she said :— " Thon hero overbold, now didst 
thou hold me bound to thee 1 I told thee all my 
knowledge ; thee, a mortal — and so I had to part 
with my own wisdom. Bot thon madest no use of 
It — ^thou tmstedst to thyself alone. And now that 
thou must needs give it np in death, roy knowledge 
comes back to me, and I know again the runes of 
this ring. I know too, the runes of the primal law, 
the old utterance of the Fates ! Hear then, ye gl(^ 
rions gods, your wrong la expiated 1 Thank him, 
the hero, who took your fault upon himself 1 He 
gave it into my hand to end the work ; the slavery 
of the NIbelungen Is abolished — the ring shall bind 
them BO more I yet Alberich shall not reodve It; 
ho shall enslave you no longer ; but he himself shall 
be as free as you. For I give this ring to you, wise 
sisters of the watery depths ; the flame tliat boras 
me. ahdl purify the evil treasure. Dissolve It and 
keep it harml ess t he Rhinegold that was stolen 
from you, that slavery and wrong might be forged 
from it ! Thou only. Father of all, shalt reign I 
That thy power may be eternal, I lead him to theet 
Receive him nobly — ^he is worthy of It I " 

And aniid solemn songs, Branhilda mounted 
Siegfried's funeral pyre. Oudmn bent in bitter 
grief over the murdered Ounther. The flames rose 
above Siegfried and Branhilda; auddenly they 
streamed np In brightest lustre, and above a dark 
cloud of smoke arose a glory. In which Branhilda, 
armed and mounted upon her steed as a Valkyr, led 
Siegfried by the hand. 

At the same moment the waves of the Rhine rose 
to the entrance of the hall ; the three water-spirita 
bore away upon them the helmet and the ring. 
Hagen ra&hed madly toward them to tear the treas- 
ure from them ; bot they sdied him and bore him 
with them to the depths below. 

Anton Bnbinitein in London. 

Not long ago a raport prevalM that Herr Rubiu- 
•tdn bad mada up his mind In fdtort to ftbstaia 



from public displays of bis skill as a dmple execu- 
tant, and to devote himself unreservodly to oompo- 
dtion. The report, however, seems to have been 
unfounded; ana the admirers of one of the most 
original and fkroous of pianists may, for the moment 
at lea^, divest themselves of anxiety in the matter. 
Herr Rubinstein is sgaln among us, playing his 
very best, and. It is to be hoped, not for the last 
time. His stay, owing to other engagementa, must 
be short, and the opportnnities of hearing him nec- 
essarily rertrieted ; out fe# amateurs, with Ideure 
at thdr disposal, will wittingly mlas one of them. 

The founder of the school of which Rubtostdn is 
one of the most ardent disdplea la undoubtedly 
Franz Lisst (" Abbate Lisit^") who, setting out as a 
boy phenomenon, soon came to the conclusion tliat» 
whatever had been done before him for the mecban« 
ism of the pianoforte, still more could and ought to 
be done. Impreased with this belief, he applied his 
inventive fscnlty to the task, and made wonderful 
progress, so much so that before arriving at maturi- 
ty he had achieved a popular vogue which never 
until then had fallen to the lot of any perfoniier of 
his class, urile«s we except— even if. Indeed, we may 
except — Nicolo P^^ninl. After a amies of uninter- 
rapted triumphs, and d>>splte the formidable rivalry 
long maintained by SIgismund Thalberg, the sum- 
mit of Lisst's ambition waa reached. So far con- 
tent, his public appearancea happened mora raraly 
— ^by eccentric fits, as it were. Uls chief thoughts 
became now directed towards composition ; and to 
this freih inclination of his restless and wayward 
temperament we owe a large number of works in 
all forms, from the highest to the least pretending. 
Bot the subject In hand Is connected not so roocb 
with Lisst the comprjser as with Lisst the pianist, 
although the ooropositions of Lisst have had no 
inconsiderable Influence upon thoee dedroua of 
emulating his example. Enough that, ropodng on 
his well-earned laurels, and no longer conspicuously 
In front, he hsd led the wsy to a new field of activ- 
ity, the exploring of which resulted In the establish, 
ment of what is known as " the modem aebool of 
pianism "—a school which, notwithstanding a cer- 
tain show of asthetlcs, fbr the most part treats ex- 
cepUonal powers of mechanism rather as an end 
than as a means towards legitimate art display. 
Lisst had many pupils and as many far-off devotees, 
who labored Indefatigably in the promulgation of 
his Ideas. From among the crowd, nowever, wheth- 
er of pupils or devotees matters little, thera have 
stood prominently forward Gkri Taodg, Anton Ru- 
binstein, and Hans von Buelow. The first Is dead : 
but the ramaining two. In the prime and vigor of 
their career, are the sfaunchest as well »» ablest Il- 
lustrators of tenets now spreading widely and mora 
widely, In accordance with a prevalent fisshion of 
the times. These eminent srtists, it must be remem- 
bered, do not confine their efK>rts to the oxpodtiou 
of their own works. On the ountrary, like Lisrt, 
they are eonversant with the mudc of the great 
oompoeers of the past, know Beethoven, etc., by 
heart, and (like Lisst) entertain a apodal predlleo- 
tion for Chopin. Buelow, indeed, does not compose 
at all. or at any rate, never brings before the public 
anything he may have written ; whereaa, Uking into 
account what Rnbinstein has produoed, from' orato- 
rio, opera, and cantata to symphony, concerto, and 
chamber music, Instmmental and vocal in dmost 
every shape, It Is difiicult to understand how, with 
so much Incessant brdn-work, he can find Idsnra for 
that asdduotts practice without which it would seem 
impossible to keep In perfect order such manipula- 
tive skill as his playing invariably exhibita. 

Herr Rubinstdn's first " redul " In St. James's 
Hall brought an enormous audience, including a 
more than ordinary number of well-known connola- 
seun and professors, foreign and EngHsh. The 
programme waa of a character to dleplay to advan- 
tage, not merely the manual profldency, but the 
varied resources and retentive memory of the pian- 
ist It comprised spedmens of J. S. Bach, Mocart,* 
Beethoven, Schumann, Chopin, and Rublnatdn bins- 
self, presented in almost strict chronological order, 
and so judidously placed with refereooe to each 
other as to malntdn an agreeable efSMt of contrast 
to the end. Although the sound of the unaccom- 
panied pianoforte went on incessantly, at but short 
intervals, for two consecutive hours, there waa 
acarcdy at any uiomettt a sense of monotoDy. Tho 
second and third numben fhm Bach's W d i Um pi rt d 
ClnUr (" 48 Pr^ludea and Fugues ") formed a aorl 
of contrapuntd preamble to what waa coming. 
These were followed by Monrt's Rondo in A minor, 
a gem of the purest water, which served to show 
that Herr Rubinstdn, when in eelf-oonUined rapoan, 
can bo aa vnobtrtMlydy tranqoU and a ipr ti ri ra m 



g? 



B J ' .- 



^^^" 



^iPWfW 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, JUNE 24, 18T6. 



Im ando of aBother Uad h« «>a ba fiery sad )mp««^ 
aoui. Ha graoa and daltcacj oomblaad la thli 
wara perfacti and Dothtnc in nor* ■trtklnc con- 
traat conld have wc c eadaq It than the magnlfloent 



1 AppanfonaM of BflMhoTea, Herr BaUn 
■Uln'i i(«11v*rT of the tll/yro Mnd jfwib of ^ " ' 
aaipipaMlaDcdaitliaiiinilettMir: Thejir 



to the jlnaU — wan tahaa at 
paoe. a {Nuta tha aompuacT eonld neTer hava thnnj^ht 
of; bM, on Um other hand, BeelhoTan hlmMlr 
woold have been chamod with tba reading of the 
•odxtJ*, aa Interlnde of anrpaotnE loTellnsM, dlrld- 
Ing the t«n long movamanta Trotti each other. 
whlah. when anddealy latatrapted by tha dlaoordi 
aaaoanring the approach of the IrmUtible JlnaU, 
al>aya leaTra a kind of reffnt/ul fraUiiK behind. 
nothing conld have bran trner or more eiprcMlva 
than the reading of thii. The whnle aonata. indeed, 
vat an exceptional performance, and (tirred up tha 
andlence to anironted anthnriann. The Krtattri- 
ou of Schnmann, with thglr her* and there crlm 
hnmor. came alter the " Appaulooata' aomrlhlng 
like genial comedy after de«> tragcdj ; the effect, 
hnwevrr, waa well calculated. The B minor SonaU 
of Chopin, an IntiTeallng bnt onn)aal work, terred 
to exhibit In strong relitf two oppoaite eharacterla- 
tlea of Ilerr Rabinileln'a talent — the repoaa already 
ao notably nanireated la BeelhoTcn'a "wtaKto and 
the ■•oontrullable InpeUioelty pnt forth In the 
Jb-iU, Che^n'r/ataU »«a OTeD a more prodlgtooa 
feat of Deehanleml daring than the other ; but the 
ttueful epiaode — a dUtlngnithlnic trail In the other. 
wIm aolcmn and gloomy Harcha Fan£brt — mnft 
bafire all he pralaad. It waa thia epiaode which 
created ao prnfonnd an Impreidon when, In Ifltl. 
at the lladeleiDe, a Faneral aerrlce waa performed 
to celebrate the obivqaiea of Chopin, and the organ- 
Ut, H. Lefibure-W^ly, aa«1gned the melody to a 
beantlfal " >ni hnmana'atop. It l> bat tmth to 
My that Herr Robinateln. with a oloae yet gmtle 
tonch, made the keys otlhepiatinf(irl«gl*e out tocea 
na lea* iweet and miulcal than the " vii h-imaoa'' 
Itavlf. The entire aonaU waa a treat for the admlr- 
era of Chopin, of whom there were no* a (6w among 
the aadience. Eqnally graUfled wcra thoy — aa waa 
erery amatenr. In tact — with ■ aelection From thoaa 
" Eindea ' which, had he produced nothing more, 

would have nada the name of tbetr< '- 

tmongplaniata. 



Tbc 



pmgramme Mold aotrcely haT< 
'loaloD more appropriately than by i 
I pod li one. Thei 



led I 



more appropriately than bj 
Herr Rubinitelo'a own com pod li one. Tl 
in two gronpa. The 8r»t compriaed firar ikrtchea. 
under the nneraltitleof'UlBiatnrea;'' Auhardda 



SI 
nu>< Sirmadt, and Valtt. all plouant 
and original, and nil, tha Sret and ucond especially, 
Itatened ta with Interest The next gronp Incloded 
three laolated piece*: Capriet, BarrmOt, and 
ViJm Oapria. The BtrmnlU helped to show tha 
admirable ease with whleh the Rneaian artist can 
aoalain a melody amid ebowers o' delicate and aerial 
pataagea, designed nut ao much tor the aake of dis- 
play *• of graceful ornament; the laat called forth 
anllmll«i1 powera nf exeevtinn, with an elfcct that 
both poBikd and amend the aadience, who twice 
called back tha plBDlst amid ananimoas and long- 
Mntinned plandlta. FinitcmnatopHt.—Laiid.T^ma. 
trnm the JAhIcoI flfaalarJ, Jane ■.] 
Pbilbab>o:<ic CoxcraTa. The follnwing are the 
principal nnmbera of the dith {or fifth evening) 
oMreert an Monday avening, when Herr RnMnateln 
a«lD CMBCbelore tbeiiablle; thla time more ambU 
tionaly, a* ooBipoaer oi a symphony. 



Violin. M. Raul Wlenlawsk 
EmiaatlG flTinphonT, Wo. t, Ln D minor. 

CFInt dma of perforaiaiBa In this omntiTl. 
Oreroirr," William TeU," ftnslm 

VscallaU: Mr. W. Cnmmlnn aad Mlaa Uaito 



It doee not fallow that a great arttat haa tha gift 
of OreatWe genlas; and several aiampl re might be 
qaot«d in proof of the aaaertlDn. That Herr Rnbln- 
alMn ia a eoDpoaer tar above mediocrity none will 
deny, bat bia Kicte cannot be aald lo oonslst lo the 
prodaetioo of the works of tha hirbiiet clasa. such as 
ayiopboolaa «sd ooscertoa. Of the two pianoforte 
oaaeartoa racaatl j played by him at the old and new 
Pbtlbarmonle oonceria we have been obliged Ui 
apeak in qoallfled t«rma ; they have not we believe 
wed ivllb enthnaiaam the most ardent of this great 
nan'a many admi rare. The dramatic eymphony haa 
hem heard; the oracle baa apoken; and now what 
la to be aald T Let ni avow that when the dramatic 
•ymphony came to an ond, we hit relieved. It lasts 
omt whole hour, and utterly esbanata the patlaao* 



St lb vagaansaa and prolixity. Fine writing and 
agant acbolanhip do not oompansata for the want 
of deflalta ootline and diatlnet purpnaa. The Ar«t 
mnrement, Introdneed by a lento, ia bolsterona, and 
full of aoand. bat what it algniSee as a whole we 
know not The rrpetitiona are Inanfferably tedioan. 
The aecnnd movement a presto la D minor and its 
tonic mi^or, haa a certain bold, n^Kedsrandeur and 
vivid color, but no gnidlng idea ; the atjie an g gea t a 
the eouree of life pnrsnrd by people who, too indo- 
lent to «t«er. prefer lo drift at the will of the water. 
A florid solo for the flret violin and a dasoending 
arpeggio paseage far wind Inatmneata are salient 
fnturea. The trio Is In D major. Tha adido 
(third movsment) In F major, lengthy and overdone, 
naively rellee for effect npon Ingenlons Lnstromen' 
tatlon : the hantboy* and vlnllna are well employed. 
A short largo leads to the final allegro con nioen, a 
Ivid bualliBC movement of whioh we mnoh prefer 
the eeonnd theme (d'.ice) In F, tanefnl. Snely hnr- 
monlied. and anpplemented by a anbjeot (or the 
horna. Tha coda, thcng'i loud and pretentions, li 
ineflrative, imanse really Ineloqnent The recep- 
tion of the dramntio svmphonT waa the reverse of 
raplurona, and one feeble demonitration at the end 
of a movement evidently alarmed the majority whn 
dreaded anything like ao enoore. We oonld not rit 



concerta we had oecarion to enli^ie last week, 

flayed the concerto so Rnely aa tn oonflrm the deep 
npreaslon made on hie first appearanoa. He alnga 
ilsiCelv : hii facile eie 



.■■Ooanod 



...BeilloB 



cntion almnat Justifies the III 

E laying cannot be so jfry dlflicnlt a task after all ; 
at It is the poetry of style that constjtntes the 
artist's vmteat oharm. The oadenaaa, reverent and 
■elf-denyinic. were clever concise reeapltulstiuns of 
the "gronnd' Ideaa, with a livitlmite dieplay if the 
solo instramcnt and Its grnlns. Miss Marie Duval 
PsDg " BaUi. batti ' mmit dellghtfolly. and Ur. Cum. 
mingf delivered his well-chosen excerpt from " Eo- 
rvanthe ' with the taste of an accomplishod artiat 
The concert laated three honra I 



87:— 
Orertnie. " La lelva fneaBtata " [aenualemne 

KbenU] Benedict 

Aila,--AhreBdlmlqneIenr''(UlBaDa] Bosd 

Mane. S»teker. 
HTer Int apnesranoe In Enalan'l]. 

Bnpbooy. InACrhellallan) —-.... — ..- 

Cbaneon, " Le TaDnn " 

Hlenor AdolB. 

Ceneerto, In D minor, ITo, i, On. n.... 

Herr Anton Rabin italn. 

Tfc_,, (a. "Wanderer's Nachtlled" I b_h_-j„ 

•™^ a. "HancilssVteleln" j .RnMnsWn 

Mdlle. Ttaekla FriedUbtder and Mdlle. Keilekrr. 

Boat, -' Ave If aila/' Srbnbort 

Slgnor Adolfl. 

,...■ (a. ''An(eni&l>," ftcbBhart 

"™"' (». ■■VemUlndnlM"... ~ - 

Mdne. Redekei 
Overtora [Bcmontr . . . ;^;^. . . , . 

The appearance of Herr Babinnteln of coarse at- 
tractrd an additional nnmber of visltnra. and the hall 
■aa fllled in every part The ooncerto in D minor 
la retcarded as the compoaer'a repreacntatlve work 
in tills Hiuntry. The nrat (moderato) movement is 
begnn by tha fbll orchrstra, the phrase being fal- 
lowed by Ibe pianoforte, fortlsaimo; after this oc- 
cora a second theme In F, Tha character of this 
movement Is fiery and Impetuous, occasionally wild 
and romantic, bnt never extravagant or rhapsodicaL 
The slow movement in F (moderato aasal) fs a sim- 
ple and beantlfal atrala of canUbile. varied by an 
agitato, and pleaaaotly vague as a reverie or day 
dieam ; for we contend that the mind of man Is not 
eo constituted as to be always able to think accord- 
ini to strict logical or mathematical formulas. The 
allagro finale, a aort of rondo In D minor and major, 
is a dashing movement in which the enerey of the 
pianoforte and the fall bead alternate. The dlfier- 
ent anbjecta are moat artistically worked ont; the 
acoring ia aplendid, and the Anal climax grand. We 
ranch prefer this concerto to the fifth In £ fiat pro- 
duced at the old Pbilharmonio Sodety'a ooncert a 
month aga Herr Rnblasleln was raptorously .re- 
called, and on an encore played ■ eolo, a Notttinn 
uf Chopin. 

The Italian aymphony waa brilliantly played na- 
der the baton of Dr. Wylde, and tha andlenoa en- 
cored the and«n(« In D minor. The dramatic over- 
ture of Beethoven, and tba march IWim Atballa 
(added to the acbeme) require* no comment Sli 
jBlina Benedtefa overtore In E minor and m^r la 
Intended to lUoatrata Inddenla la tha career tA U- 



naldo; bis aoloani la tfaa Fortnnat* lalandf, bia 
eacapa from the laaelaationa of ArmldA, hla final In- 
terview with her, and tha proweaa of the hero at 
the taking of Jemaalem. when Godfrey fulfilled hla 
vow, aa Taaao write*, "edogll ano voto^* W« ooa- 
feaa that wa cannot Asd tba do* to theee myateriaa 



. ity-tblrd Xew Philharmonic aeaaon, 
lldlla. Redaker made • very (avorablt Impraaaioa 
• " ■■ ■ ' .' - - Adolfiwoa 



In Roaai't air, and wi 



Xuio la B*ltim«nL— Th* Pwbodjr 

CoDwrntorj. 

(ttom the Baltimore BalUUih Jsne ID,] 
The doalng exeiclaea of the Feabedr Conaervatofj et 
Uostc show the vei7 high artistic atandanl which it haa 
reached. The orop of jODnit compoaers and artlsta cx- 
acDtant wbkh It la bringing an, an hcncn to the Inatt- 
taUon. The ccneeita eitanded throngb Are daja. The 
two first days were called " examtBaHoD concenar" and 
were given In tba small hall of the If olberry airaat hooaa, 
Tbar ware, aa tlieir name impllea. examlnaUoaa of the 
progress ot Che students, many of whom an ia the Bist 
jeaissf tlielr scadiea. Tbeae concatts were attended 
ehleflf tiy the proteaaon and oOcata and a laall oum- 
panjr of mnstetaaa apeeUUr Invited. The tboimghBea* 
of Uie training, even In the lower classes, Is verj aatla- 

Tbe laat three oe u eei ta were eildbltlDn eonceita, given 
In the large hall cf tha Inatltnta, and lo which a nnmet- 
oos public wen iavllwl. The DratwaalhaaoloeTenlng; 
tbe aeeond the evening of oonoetted music ; tfaa thbd, 
the orchestral flvenlnt. The; were lariely attended, aa 
wdlthej might be; for the music was admirably eboan 
and always creditably, eomettmea supetbly, esecatad. 
On the flrateranlBg tbe foUowiag programina waa per- 



I— L. 1 



;: HlH K°tl 






MUii Bode CampbeU. O. 

jopmLnrTrtlaMBrgia; MIsa 

Cavatlna trem tba opera luda; 

pjtni III-— L. van Beethoven.— nTarUMons.Cmlnar: 
Miss LIule Beltabocver. Fr. Llatt— " Vene^a e Na' 
poll;" gondola-aongandtaranlelle: IClBS Mattle Croaa. 

AH this waa pretUly dene. Tbe Singing sbewM - he 
pare Italian acbootinf of Signer BaraldL Tha chief ob- 
jection waa that the selections were somatlnMa UMdia- 
colt tor snob Immatnie aitlata aad snch yonng volaea. 
Bat tbe aln|lng waa devoid of faolta and bad nuaner- 
Isnia. The yonng ladlea an davalopiag their votcea ao- 
cordlng lo soand methods, and tboaawbohava aom* 
natural gift la that way an already bloaaoalng out 
Soma ot the seprana* have votcea of exQatalte timbre 
and full of praniaa. Tba plane performances wan neat, 
and tbe laat two— tbe " a Tarlatlona '■ of Bsatbovaa, 
pUyad by Miaa BetBhoover.and tbe "Teoertae X^Mll" 
of LlBM,played by Hlas Croaa-were givn In a style faanl- 
ly (alllnc abort of tba beet peitormansea of If las If ehllg, 
Klaa Kreba, or Mte Topp. 

On the aeoood evening tba (ollowln( ^nsramBa waa 

Pawr I-— Tr. ■cAnbert— tloctnns. S flat major, wotfe 
IM, for piano, vioiln, and vloloiioellni MIsa Ida Hoes, 
sapportad by Coocart-oiaaler J. H. Roaawald and Mr. 
Junnlekcl. L. van Beethoven.— Ronata. F major, 
work M forplanoandvlollar AUrtn; Aiagit ; arhmt, 
milr^n •»«>,■ JEnA, mllign iMa Imf^^,- MlH Una 
SHebler, supported by Mr- H- A. Allen. 

PabtII.— V Bellini.— Cavatlna from tbe open JtbniH.- 
HIsi Llnle KrIiReT. Cb. Qonnod,- "At Xve," sanr 
wltb ptano; Miss Kttle Maddoi. O BoHlnl— "Qufi 
esthoBiD,"daetfnini BlabatMalir; MIsara Krwar and 
Jacoba. ^ 

Flbi m.— Btitng qnartat, C major, 
compoaed (or 1 Tiolfna, viola and vh>1o 

BauJsh, ex-- — ' 

aad Jnncnii 

bsocaDTre 

" Happy Hnura ' . . --* . -, 

TImaa;'' Mr*. Li^e Annandale, ex-atodait 

qnartat, D ■tlnor, compoaed for S vtollna, vlida aad vlo- 
loneello by Bermlne Boen; AUefrv stsan; inifsnii esa 
loto; IfntuMt; AUmv; Iteura. Boaewiod, Bohaefer, 
[eti and JungnlckeL 

Tbia waa Ibe evening of concerted mnale. The Bcbd- 
en Ncetame was performed wlih good taste, MIsa Ida 
loen ahowlng aplrtt and nnderstaadlng of tbe work. 
Tbe Beethoven Sonata was aconrately played by MIsa 
SUaliler, auppoited by rrofeaai' Allan, bnt tha more- 



DWIGHT'S JOUBNAL OP M0SIC. 



nasn mra Mmewh^ fanirtad. Mia KrBcer unf In 
loratf qnall^ of rolca ud pnt« tntonMlon. Wm UiA- 
doxBlMskTeiiTutpmDlte. Sbaiuit bar baUMIi with 



iblelBthelTWBT. TbaittlnB 
brlllM Budek iboired kboni 
Idow. of *daiU]rp>tlMtlooatt.aki»a<ri*dceo(< 

' I (edlDg for Tlolln •Smm. It wu 




tlMmM witli tbe ume dslntr tomulltr. The Mcond 
nwraiBont ihowt k flSTOr of PIet*! ; » It win ba 
tliatUM KtnioiafUwrmuigeadipdMrhuledlHrl 
bntstodla^ TbamMkvlomaoftUieltTwm bBgtad 
to heufroDlflHBaBdak, iBdlranlllHlIoan. tli« 
1. Tb« aoBfi oonpoaad bj K«bMat D. Panoliiu; 
all w«ll wrtttan, and mmim dliplijr flnii mikidlo iBTVntlon 
ud iklUfnl tnitiDCdt. Te Itun tbit aha wrItM ~ 
with (nat aaaa and npldltf, and hu tlnaAy predaeod 



The third wai 

mint condemD the nnwlaa •oodout that gan onlj ooe 
arehnCnl nanlnK. The dltwtan at the OamerratoTy 
■honld BBdantaod that in hringlBc joiini artlili betora 
thepnUlc theyafaOBlddoaoln the beat poadble nuuinar. 
An tmalng lute which ali ivDesnoc ter jriano and or- 
ebeitta are orowded la aaradmbly Iode. It tha Mcoad 
and third evanliuci had been eamUned, maUnf both of 
then ondMMnl aad ooncerted, both wonld bare been 
Immaiiaelr bnpnvad. TfaoH couoerta were not eehool- 
■Irljthlnp. The; were mniloal treat! that the hlfheat 
taate ooold enfo;. Ho advertlMmieDt of the Conaerra- 
toiT— to tike th« Boat M»4ld Ttew of It^eonld ba H send 
H (plendld e«w>eert « glTm br the roang artlita and atn- 
dents. Ifthedinetoti would onlrnallK the fact that 
Umju* attba heailof the llneat art achool In America; 
that It li BO dlagnuw to them to be m iltnated, bnt a 
peat honor ; and that the general pobllo doei not nu- 
paet tbam of (iTlng leasone on the piano aoalee or Tooal 
■ol'ora'i— '( ther would nnderetand Ibeie thln|ta,the 
OonaerratOTj wonld eoon beoamaaataniana ailt la wop- 
Ihfof fame. It baa (rown to it* pieaant onTlable rank, 




P*«T It,— O. R0Mtti.-"8en«ratlnn;" loni, with 
niann; Hlu Kllle Kaddoi. O. rvinlHttl.— Nncnirne 
from the open Dim nnqua'': MIhw Bummers and 
Maddoi. Mendelpuwha Bartlioldr.-C apnea Brilante, 
B major, work ll,f0I piano and ercheatra; man Mora 
Traeman. Plaoo-coneatto, No. 3, D minor, work 40; 
Allran ammtaaatB ; Adaaitt nmalf, pmla leAmmtde; 
lUu Llnle BeltxhooTer. 

The BaetboTen Coneerto wm •npertil]' pUfed by Mr*. 
DobUa; with a tonoh poweifnl, TOt delleate, with Intel- 
ligent eone a pttoB of H* DM^eaV. and with preclaa and 
hlgblr-aDlahod •leoatton. She 1* a oloae atndent of the 
pand aebool of Kidame Aoartnoh. Kn. BeemnUer 
pinjed the Cbopin Concerto In tha clear and eleKut 
leboolol ProrConiiaender. It waa beantUnllr dona, 
refined In fading and neat In exeenllon. HIaa Lormao 
gai« the 'Weber Concert-piece adDlraUj. Shebaaaflne 
hand, which girea a noble breadth and falneai of tone, 
and bar technical skill la of a high order. Klu HatUe 
Croaa played the Weber FoloDalae with aplendld daah 
ud brilllaoCT. Her tecbnlqoe'la a thing of which her 
teacher, Prof. Conriaender, majwetl be prond. lUaa 
Xom freeman'! performance of KendalaaDtan'aCqtrlce 
wai (umewhat marred br nerroiu trepidation, which 
wai the more to be regreled, at iha played It exqa<(ll»- 
ly at rehearaal. Bhe lacked nothing bat oonfldence In 
harown Bneeapaclty. HluBelUhooireroloeed tbeeon- 
gan with the D mliwt Conoerto of llendelaaohn, wblch 
waa played with niperb Bnlah. HIai Beltihoorer la ■ 
gennlne artiit, and miut make ber mark. Bhe haa the 
technlqne and dlaidpllne of a Taterwo, and the enthtul- 
nam and daah of yoath. Her playing ihowi berimmanae 
labor and itndy, nnder Madame Aoerbaeb, and It ro- 
T«aU an intlght and depth of feeUng that are bar own. 
She la now fltted (Or any conoert-ioom. The new Knaba 
plana WW oaed in the ooncerted and orcheetral moilo, 
and the CUok«rlng piano in the jwoonpaolnent to the 

Thli concert ihowed that we hare here In Baltimore a 
piano Mhool that we eay aerloiulT la probably aecond to 
none whaterer, here or abroad. Hadame Anerbach la 



InoonpmUy tnpaiiar U all the plaoMi that bnTe been 
hare, eioept Ton BOlow and BoblnMelo, and ahe topnb- 
ably a better teaeber than either. Onr Uttle KaUe Oaol 
wrat abroad to itDdy and haa become a grwUartkt. It 
^D( couee good for bertoeee an tha great art altl« 
of Inrop*. Bat when the oomaa back the wOl And ■ 
elaatarofyoangartlaiabeie; andlf (hebe (aperlor to 
them. It will bebeeatueabebaahadgn 
better trainhig. 



SirigK* 


lounial flf Slusif. 


BOSTON 


, JUNE 14, !■)«. 



TliB BoTbton ChA Conoert 

The tonileal aeaaon. like a niulcal period, after 
MTeral half cadence*, ha* at len^h oome to a foil 
atop; and the Bo7)*ton Club wa< the 1a*t to leaTe 
the etaffe. In lie concert at tlie Hnalo Hal . 
Thanday BTenlng. June 8, the CTob appeared at ita 
beet. Better male part-elnging one can rerj ael- 
domhear. ThoTotcasareeqiulin namber, Tolama, 
and, with the exception ol the high lenora, In qual- 
ity, to tho*« of the Apollo. The >tn|terBare united, 
loyal aod Intelllmnt; and tbelr enthoelMtic, firm, 
aiaetlng leader, Mr. Omood, baabyjndlcioaa, care- 
fill training led thera on by aure atepi from good to 
better, and well nigh to beat The blcBdlDjf of 
Tolces, the clear and free dellTery of (one, the troth 
of IntoDBtioB, the certainty of atuch, tha aenalllTa 
right placing and gradation of accent, tha light and 
thade. and (cheracterbtlo of thia choir) tbe dIaUnet 
cnnnelatlon of tbe wordi, la admirable. There la 
qaick and right rcaponie to mch intentloD of tha 
leader; and from him tbpy catch Che aplrit of each 
compoalUon a* a whole. Horeorer It aemni to be a 
main point with blm to enlarge aa hat and far a* 
poealble their muaical horiioo ; to get them ont of 
the beaten track and narrow circle of mere part- 
aoDga (or mate voice*, and bring tbam Inio acajaaln- 
tance with Art-works of nobler range and ennee- 
qnence. Sacb la the aelectlon from Chemblni'a 
So/uim inng on thia occailon. The part^onge, 
too, wete freaber and better fur the moat part (a* 
were tboae at the lait Apollo ooaoerta) than we hare 
heard In aeTcral prevloua aeaaoni; aa the great 
audience felt and ahowed by every sign of pleasure. 

The taitefut little programme book (the miniature 
quarto which ha* become peculiar to auch claba here 
and In other eitiea) placed In each hearer's hands 
tha words and titles of the following idectlons: 

1. Whlttler'a Centennial Ode (or Hymn), with J. 
K. Paioe's mnnlc, originally lor mixed Tolcoi, bnt 
arranged for tbe Boylaton Clab by the author. It 
Is ■ simple Cboral or hymn tune at beat ; there was 
no cat! in the words, nor in the Centennial opening, 
for more ; aolld, serious, tranqall, welt harmonlied, 
unpretending. It did not aeem to Inspire the 
andlance on thia ocoaslon I bow br this may hare 
been due to the rehannonlilng for male roiee* we 
3t*ay; nor need wc Bndertake to Judge of the 
intriniie value of the oomposltlon, ainoe the note* 
published in the original and doubtleta belter 
form in tha AOaiitit, wbere all may judge for them. 

Ives. 

3. Then came two part-aongs; the Grata new and 
llTelyoneby Eaaer: "Tbe Beginning of Spring." 
The call to tbe flower* to " Awake I awake I ' has a 
right cheery ring, and a fln* Spring air tingles in 
the h&rmouy. It was aung with spirit. "The 
lake In dreamy slumber lies," an exquisitely delicate 

id qniet pleoe of hannouy by Schumann, wa* to 
delicately and purely rendered that the audience 
'ere transported and woidd not be oonteut without 

•eeond hearing. 

8. The Din im from tbe second Rt^um (In D 
minor), which CheruUni, at tha age of tt, composed 



for male Toloea in tbne parta. Vhy Mr. Osgood 
found it necessary to arrange it for /ow Toloee. t* 
not quite dear to na, since the work Is eetMaiy 
complete aa Chembinl left ft ; we presume howe*. 
ar that what wa* dona was Uterdlybut mrmgt. 
mtKt, tor the more conyrnient dlatrlbnUoQ of the 
task wnoug (he ri^ee*, with no addition o( a new 
part or of any Bolea not In the ehaal« and perfect 
harmony of the original. Tbia Dia tn* k a long 
•ecttoa of the work. Including aeTetal connected 
mOToments to words often treated separately, aa- 
7Ua mimm, Ra IrtmfnJa, Bttirdart, Laarmota, 
etc Tbe last, which Chembini ho* treated very 
briefly In compariaon with the wonderful eetting by 
Hourt, was bsre omltt«d. It Is an Intensely dnm- 
atlo and impresslTs rendering of the emoUons na- 
■wcring to this series of app«1llog texts ; and soma 
of the sablimeit ^ttAt are realised by aimpleat 
meant. Te give foil force to the aconring agilalo 
orchestral tntrodneOon and accompaniment (played 
on the piano by llr. PrrxuiLu]. and to the stem 
entrance of tbe rolcet (here In four puts). U should 
hare been preceded by tbe quiet annceoiDpuied 
Oraduale: Jbgrnmnabrnam, tU . But it was pow. 
crfnlly given ; aud very graphic is the fragmentary, 
at If breathlea* rrpetltioo, by voice after voice on 
the aame notes, of phrase after phrase : kJh^ aoo- 
riBn ,' taU Dmid ; ewn SyiilU, tie. Squally sim- 
ple and more grand ia the unison on A of TiAa mi- 
dividing, like the white ray into colors, on 
tbe words; ^argtmt (Mum. At the word togd 
(*hal1 oompel all before the throne) the simple r^n- 
forcAment, In unison, of the tones flrsl uttered by a 
single part, l,a* Indeed a eogtHl and most irresistible 
eOitct, and the tncoesslon of the harmonics which 
L-omplele Ibe sentence (chorda of D major, E flat, E- 
natural) is tbrllling. JTort HupthU ia whispered In 
fragmentary tmiutinnt'and reiteratioua fmm voice 
voice.- B3( we cannot here recall It all In sneh 
detail. Suffice it to say that the appalling graad- 
of Jtai trrmeitdia m^alAtit ; the touching aop- 
plication: Baltanu; the flowing, graceful Aodanti- 
(8-i) el the Rteardar; where tbe three parta 
sing simultaneonaly three staniu of the wcrdr ; the 
fierce devouring Preelo of OmftOatii mal/^du, 
here the acarcblng tongac* of flame tre vividly 
enggasted at the words : jtammiM ocriiu aiklUAi ; 
the slow movementwblch Bucceedsit; FbomienDii 
htnt3icli» : the Orare ; Laerimoi (which we wete 
sorry to have omlttod); and the sweet redgned 
Duclusion; Pit Jmn, with the gently flowing fig. 
ire of accompaniment In sliteenths, bringing ^1 
back to the thought of rest sternal, — all are treated 
In the noble, uneqaWocal and onaifected way of a 
ripe, consummate master of hi* Art, endowed with 
poetic rich ImaginationaudalwayB giving yoa the 
feeling of reserved force. 

The rest of tb* vocal piece* were parteonj;*. 
Scbubert'a Soug : " The PoeUHorn ' {Dtr Pott), one 
of hi* beat, at It wa* tars to be with la exciting * 
theme lo Inspire his geuius, had been harmonlred 
by aome one Into a four-part song ; which we think 
no Improvement, yet It sounded finely, being also 
finely lung, so that tha audlebce was quite osrrled 
sway by It. The others were : the well-known ae- 
rlons " Huntsman's Farewell," by Mendelssohn ; 
■' Auf Wiedersehn," by Becker, and " Tbe Stngar'i 
Watchword," by Wotlenhaupt, the last two for the 
first time; the last Bmacked to ua of eomethlng be- 
tween originality and Ingennlty, though on the 
whole rather a labored effort ; to the A%f Witdtr- 
ttAn / we dare eay echo answered. 

i. Fresh Interest was added to each half of the 

inoert by the piano playing of Mr. W. H. Shes- 

ooD, who fully oonflrmed the excellent ImprosdoB 

made on his first appearaice in tbe Huilc Hall. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, JUNE 24, 1876. 



255 



by Bach ; the danctng little fugged Oigue in G, by 
Mourt ; and the E<minor Fiij^e by Handel (lately 
played by Mr. Perabo). All these were rendered 
very clearly, with precision, freedom and expression, 
and with a rare Titality of accent In the eeeond 
pari he played very tastafnily one of the most po- 
etic of the Nociornes by Chopin, that in F mi^or, 
AndanU CaniabiU, from Op. 16 ; and then, In the 
way of rlrtnofity, proved himself abundantly able 
to cope with all the technical requirements of Liszt's 
wild, incoherent, ever recommencing, frnitless and 
fatiguing "Mephisto Walts." Meyerbeer leU us 
hear a waltz from the iofernal pit in the middle of 
Roheri U Diable, which is more like music, ronnded 
into form, and short, 'yet telling the whole story ; 
but this — we thought the Devil had more method in 
his— malice I 



A Hew Sydnay^i '' Dafenia " of a Hew 
Kind ** of Poe^y." 

Verily the strangest and the last reeult of Wag- 
nerism I 

It is altogether a new invention, a new kind of 
Poetry,— to- wit Orthtairal Poetry— which Mr. Syd- 
ney Lanier, in his " Explanation and Defense " o' 
his Centennial Cantata, copied from the Tribune In 
our last, seems to consider bound to supersede all 
other poetry for music, just as the Wagnerian "Art- 
Work of the Future " claims to supersede whatever 
we have known as Opera. And, it would seem, for 
simply the same reason, — because Richard Wagner 
lives 1 Plainly our Centennial poet, — who is also a 
muddan, member of an orchestra of ultra-modern 
tendencies — has eaten of the insane root, and has 
become intensely Wagnerized. This seems to be 
his argument: Wainier has given a "prodigious 
modern development to the orchestra ; " therefore 
the orchestra henceforth must dictate the whole 
form and character of poetry for human voices 1 
'^e confess this looks to us like a nan •egnUmr. Why 
and how does the fuller scoring of the modern or- 
chestra, the addition of so many instruments, the 
extra brass, the improved technique of execulion, 
change the relation of poetry to music f Does all 
poetry for music necessarily involve an orchestra f 
Has not the best of poetry, written without thought 
of instruments or voices, been set to music by the 
Handels and the Beethovens, even with their small 
orchestras, and so effectively that the wedding of the 
word and tone comes nearer the divine, than any- 
thing this modern striving after novelty can show f 

But, be the relation of i>oetry to music what it 
may, can there be any reason why the poetry a«;»o- 
ttry should not be eUar t For that is the real issue 
between Mr. Lanier and his critics. If, as he says, 
to the modem corapoeer the human voice Is simply 
an orchestral instrument, why, Ihen the least we can 
demand of it is, what we demand of every instru- 
ment (violin, flute, oboe, or what not), that it shall 
have something definite to say, that it shall phrase 
its passage rightly and distinctly, that it shall be a 
dear, intelligible voice. Words are supposed to 
contain thoughts, else why words at all. They are 
to be sung, and why sung if the thought can be 
made quite as clear without them. Doubtless the 
orchestra can do much to Intensify, to illustrate and 
hold up in stronger lights the thoughts and images 
presented by the poet ; but let him also do his part 
by writing Just as clearly as he can. It is nonsense 
to imagine that verses can be any better for musi- 
cal, or any other purpoees, by want of clearness, 
whether intentional or careless. Orant that words 
cannot say all ; that they may still, however blessed 
ib^ir inspiration, need the aid of music for the full 
and adequate expression of the conception in the 
poet*s mind ; yet to the extent that words can go, 
is it not better that they should be at least gram- 



matically Intelligible f A poem may be fine in spite 
of vagueness, never because of vagueness ; and mu- 
sic can make no use of vague or puzzling poetry 
which it could not equally. well make if the poetry 
were clear to common comprehension.— As for the 
analogy which Mr. Lanier suggests between poems 
for music, and paintings to be seen by moonlight, it 
seems like a reversing of his own theory, which be- 
gins with requiring that poetry, not clear in itself, 
shall be made clear by the orchestra ; and now it 
seems the orchestra can only invest it with a moon- 
light vagueness ! Far otherwise thought Mendels- 
sohn, who on being importuned to g^ve a verbal ex- 
planation or interpretation of some piece of music 
said: ''Impossible; how can one explain. In words, 
music which expresses what it means so much more 
perfectly than words T At the risk of seeming dis- 
respectful, we are tempted to suggest that the or- 
chestral poet's parallel is moonshine I 

To return to the idea of treating the human voice 
as an orchestral instrument ; where shall we seek 
the like f Not chiefly, if at all, in Wagner, nor in 
any of the new composers. B\it we must go back 
to good old John Sebastian ; there we have it In 
perfection ; turn to any one of his Cantatas, and 
you find there always every instrument a voice, and 
every voice an instrument Is that the modern way f 
No, that is not the art of this day. Wagner, for 
Instance, intrusts thf illustration of his poetic 
thought or image, the revelation of the inward indi- 
vidualities and characters of his dramaiU penanmf 
mainly to his orchestra ; the voice, in rambling re- 
dtative, simply interprets, calls the names, points 
with a stick, as it were, to figures as they pass in 
the unfolding panorama. We continually wonder 
that so few, either of Wagner^s critics or admirers, 
have been struck by this strange radical inconsis- 
tency between bis practice and his theory. The 
Wagner theory begins with the denial of the validi- 
ty of music per §$,ov " pure * music. Instrumental 
music, he asserts, uttered its last word in Beetho^ 
ven : there was so more that it could do unaided 
and alone ; poetry, words must intervene : hence- 
forth the Drama is the thing ; and Music must be 
handmaid to the masculine and master principle, the 
Word, or Poetry. Yet Wagner in his practice, in 
his operas (" dramatic actions ") lays nearly all the 
stress, not on the voices, but upon the orchestra. 
With scenery and orchestra, and figures in dumb 
show, we ftncy, we should hardly miss the ringing, 
so paramount and so absorbing (not to say deafen- 
ing) Is the Carlylian " wide weltering chaos " of his 
restlesii, multitudinous, incessant sea of instruments. 
The Wagner poems give the Wagner instruments 
their themes and bints to work upon. So far, 
so good ; why then, not conteot himself, like Liszt, 
with purely orchestral " Symphonic Poems ? ** And 
if Mr, Lanier designed his poem simply as " Argu- 
ment * for orchestra, was it not qtiite superfluous to 
write a poem to be read as such, or even to be 
sung? 

Mr. Lanier writes earnestly, and with unmistaka- 
ble dneerity. There are some good thoughts In his 
"Defense." He is right in regard to the unity of 
topic and of purpose which should control all the 
subordinate thoughts and topics of a Cantata, as in- 
deed of any work of Art. He has our sympathy In 
his partiality for Anglo-Saxon words. But he has 
not proved his main point, that the relation of Poe- 
try to Music is necessarily changed by any new ex • 
pansion which has been or which can be given to 

the orchestra. TblH stupendous, overshadowing 
modern orchestra, with the vast revolutionary Waff- 
ner phantom behind it, has disturbed his poetic 
spontaneity and spoiled his poem. Poet he truly 
is, we are persuaded. A .\ear ago we copied In 
these columns a long poem of his, entitlea " The 
Symphony," which in spite of some vafueness, con- 
tained passages of fresh and fine poetic umcy. There 



is a truly grand poetic thought, or image, for the 
central theme of this Cantata, to which the subordi- 
nate thoughts in the several stanzas are truly and 
poetically related. If it had not been " written for 
the orchestra," we think he would have made a no- 
ble poem of it ; and there is no thought in it which 
could not have been made readily appreciable to 
the average reader, — and none the less ringable, 
none the less fit for illustration by an orchestra, on 
that account The ideas in themselves are right; 
the conception is sublime, imaginative, worthy of 
our Centennial ocoarion, and of any amount of in* 
strumental and of vocal treatment ; the fault Is that 
a theoretic bugbear Intervened to make the verbal 
expression purposely obseure. And now, in curious 
contradiction of his theory, which he took such 
pains to explain beforehand to the composer, Mr. 
Dudley Buck's roosio Is perfectly clear as music 
(and very clever too in many parts),— just such mu- 
sic as needed no more orchestra than Beethoven had 
to bring out all Its meaning ; — ^yet, while so dear 
itself. It does not help at all to make the enigmati- 
cal lines of the poem any clearer. No, this music 
quietly takes them on its back and flows and winds 
on at " its own sweet will," unconscious of the bur- 
den. There was a chance to '* welter," too, after 
the approved Wagner fsshion ; but our composer, 
bound before all things to write musically and 
clearly, Is not tompted, and makes no particular ado 
in setting lines like : 

Tender where the to-and-firo 
Welterinjc of my Long-Ago 
Moves about the moveless base 
Far below my resting place. 



PHitiDKLraiA, Juiri 19.— The Thomas Concerts 
are now permanently established here for the sea- 
son. They were interrupted for about a week and 
a half through the failure of the Forrest Mansion 
Hotel Company to fulfil their engagement with Mr. 
Thomas. Mr. Thomas has now rented the gardens, 
and will continue the concerts on his own respondbil- 
ity. The audiences are increasing, and all lovers of 
mudc here rincerely hope that he will meet with the 
finandal suocess he deserves.— <>ilmore has depart- 
ed, and no other band has taken his place as yet> 
but, instead, the diflbrent piano makers give con- 
certs on the platform in the centre of the building, 
lately occupied by Oilmore. The only pianists of 
any distinction who have as yet appeared in these 
concerts are Mr. J, N. Pattison aai Dr. Onstave 
Setter. It was utterly Impossible to hear the piano 
ten feet from the platform. Mr. Bosoovitz gives 
redtals daily in Machinery Hall ; Messrs Pattison 
and Levassor in Main HalL Last Saturday evening 
I was present at a MtuieaU at the mansion of the 

Decker Brothers, and was surprised at the really fine 

performance of Mr. Levassor. His playing at the 

Exposition had not impressed me very favorably. 

On this occasion he played the following selections : 

Rondo Capriecioso, op. 128 (posthumous) . . Beethoven 

Ballade In O minor Chopin 

Rhapipdle Hongrolse. No.S lisxt 

The Rondo was played with artistic grace and 
feeling. The Ballade and Rhapsodic created a pro- 
found sensation. This (Monday) evening the follow- 
ing Musical Combination will open at the Academy 
of Music under the management of Mr. James W. 
Morrissey : 

Miss Clara Lonlte ICellofeK. Miss Annie Lonise Cary, 
(her first appearance since her return from Rnsda), 
Mrs. Zelda 8efn>in, Blf^nor Brignolit Slsnor Ferran- 
tt, Mr. Prans Bemmerts. Miss Julia Rlv4 and Mr. 
8. B. MillJi, Ptanisui, (thdr first appearance togeth- 
er). Mile. Bsmeralda Cervaotea, and Benor Joeeph 
White. 

Second Grand Operatio Cc»Dcert, WeduMday, June 31. 

Third and Last Operatto Oonoert, Batuxdaj evenlnct 

The sale of seats has been very large, and crowd- 
ed houses will be the result of the liberality and 
enterprise of Mr. Morrissey in bringing together 
such an ensemble of artists, and charging the ex- 
tremely low price of one dollar for a reserved seat. 
It now appears that we are not to have Mr. Bosco- 
vltx, Mr. Sherwood, Mr. Pinner or Mr. Liebling 
here. Tlie Exposition is so extensive and is so far 
from the city that visitors return at night complete- 
ly worn out and all the theatres are poorly patron- 
ized. The piano and organ war has been very bit- 
ter, but the agony is over, since the judges have 
made their decision, which has not yet been made 
public Q. H, 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIO. 



ScHinitiiN'* " OniNHnn Sca Mi T w ." Th« Iodk 
promlaed Irandatlnn. b; Uidime Fannj R«jmonil 
Rilter, of Schomkna's CotlMtcd Wrltli.gi aboDt 
llniii«. (oritclaallj nnderUkcD at tha luggMtloD or 
Uadame Clan Schumann) will appHr In tba an. 
tamn ilniDltaDeouly In London and Ttttr York. 
The very appraclstiv* and eonprteot tranalator of 
thaaa rlcb littta Oarman toIoium. ao fall of tbabaat 
■art of oriUclam, ba> (nrther addad to Iha Talne oC 
th« work b; a abort bliiKraphy of tba auui, and b; 
eiplanatorj notaa, and pbiitograpba from portrdt* 
of Robait aod Clara SohnmanD. 

Cluml Xodfl la ChiMfa 

Jmn K. Tha Apollo Concert laat Tboraday 
avenlng iraa a Tarj Intarcatlng ooeaalon, of which 
tba Indoaod TWAwm notlca {rfvaa aa |7>od an Idea at 
anything I can wrtla. Tba Hcnddawihn motet wu 
ona of tha flneat plecea of chnroa lining I ttrt 
htiard, — axpreaalva, flrm. alattja, aplrltrd, and 
parelj Intoned. Toar Serv't, 

Dek Faartonnn. 

m IPOLLO CLUl OONOCaT. 

TM ApolloClabekMadltaaa«K>iiwtthu>ttni 
oartat HcConolok'a Hall on laat Tbuadaj erenlnf, 
alatad b; Mta* Annie Lonbe Carr and Hr. 8. B. Miila. 

a * ■ ■ ■ There baa probably nerer bean a 



enoe baa been » nnanlmoailj eBthnrlaatlc. 7rom tba 
flnt note ol Dr. Ane'a qoalnt old KntJlali Riee to tba 
laat Dole of Handel'i majaatio f acne (nr doable chorea 
' laraM la l(Tpt," It ma ilallctatfnlly aojnyaiile, 
that tba hall waa oDOoaforta- 
hei 
Id ooatasd wlih. 
■naewa <tf tUa eaacart waa not oolf aa e^leetlva 
I to the WMk lA (baClabfDrtUaaaaaoa.bat It 
d tha IMt that we hate 
;hleaflo. TIpoB 
tbam-wlll be no aioaptloD tatea, 
loal. So tar aa the Htonenbor 
eonld ba bo doubt aboot Mr. Ton 
lent aa the work of the Clnb haa been tn paat aaaaona. It 
haa neiar taauhei lha Uandard of aioeUance dlaplayad 



Hniio in Rddiq, 

HiH Atnni BmVBTEa wrile* thus )i^1owini^1]-: 
[Special Oomapondenc* ^f the PUladilphia gtmlmg 



a remackatile number 



■rt by Roman 1 



carKoJIy 



tlon In male alnjilmt tke Clnb la Inoomperabla, and la 
tmt eToelled by tbe Arton^of NewTt^rk.or Itvnameaalta 
of Beaton, Tnla may leem blab praise, but la warrant- 
ed by ibajadnientof iboae whstaaTabadoppartanltlaa 
of haarliwalltheee ontanliallona. It waa a qneatlon. 
howaiar, wbMber the aama anUty that drllMd ttae male 
ehrtr In a aemewliat aarrew rawta of moalc— narraw of 
■aoaaally— woald ba able to aecompltah proimrtianaie 
laaolta wl'h a mtiad Ehoma la a mora eomprebenalro 
aad varied rapartnlra. That qneatlon waa moat bapplly 
aattlari I17 the ooncert, Ibr In a few weeka of ilme Mr 
IMallaa not osly had bla aopranoa ad altoa under «f' 
ftettre maaloal dlaelpllna. but tbay aan( witb the ten- 
on and baaaoa. already aFaanned and matoted,aa llibay 
wen aaoele ^ of jaaia' at andja e. The aipeHment waa 

for lha ohonl nnail>era ware my dlrerae aad axaetliw 
In ahaiaelar. asd bD of them, eren to the Handrl doobS 

braead an elicbt-part motet of Uandeliaobn'*, "Jndn 

"" (Aomlckt, "A 

_.. , , Whet* the »«~ 

MacfarreD'a qoanet lor ladlea' voleaa, " 



iw;" Dr. Ame'a qaali 

■iiiv—>i" MacfarreD'a qoanet , . 

•potted 8nakca;"thamadrlEal. 'WhilethaBilfbteni 
by Bird, an orvaalal aad mBdiical'WrilenitQneen BU— 
aliMh'atlmai Tabbe'aaDBr.-'Bl^tbeBoft.yeWliida;" 
tba aamber* by Koeeken asd Hattox for ihe mala Obo. 
na: aad the doable ehomadonlnt'laiaellnEiypc.'' 
Hlrtam'aaonBOf trlnmph. TUa la certainly an amy of 
BDmbetaannelrnily dlTerMlBcbaractmtataata*en aa 
old BOcliitT, and yet erery one uf tbsm waa eairted 
ttarooib. not only wlthoat Karcely bb error, hot with a 
qnalln of tone, a flnb-h of npreaaloB a perfection of 
ennndatkm. BndamnelnleorTaiiliieaa,wblsb ban no*- 
or been asecllad eren by our aodetlee of luB| atandlng. 
The parte wore ■plandhDy lad. Ibe balanoe waa Ib adnL 
rabla proponlon, and the whole ebonu kept one eye 
apod IhalrcoBdBetor and the other open their mn (c, 
Waa eaoarlnc not only pceelaiOB In attack bat peifact 
■sanlBriQ of daaa. Kara were no lagfarda. Tbeoilore 
Tb^niaa ■•ore Miaed out to a rhonu be waa rebearalng 
IB rarweU Han, aa aoaie of them bona on affrrttonair^ 
toibalttinoieae If loih to pan with It "Blioltotf." 
Tomllaa'a rhonu ondeiatood ibaoieiDinasf themna eal 
Mte. lha leBder*! peiteot control of bUitnnn waa 
wfiealally abuwe In Benedlet't" HontlnKCbonia." whau 
auon tbe enrore b - took ibe eb«nB at a freaUy acealar- 
auat tempo and carried tbem tbroub it maEnlftcenily, 
— aa Bxpeilnwnt wbleh with leee IntelKfeni and plaatlo 
■taCan would hBTB been very danttooua. Tblalnoldetit 
aloaa abowa not only bla otantlva ability bat bla pei^ 
Miaal macnetlim, wblcb la one ot the moat aiamnal 
aoalMea of a food oondBOtor. 

Tba oonoatt aa a whole waa a aotabte eraat la our lo- 

•al Bwdcal world. Ithaairiraa choral moalo a new Im- 

— le, and haa arooaed an entboiUan amonc out alne- 

wbb'b proDlaaa well for the tatnre. The Apollo 



d and muaicitly learned Mnsllfn, [he chapel-master cif 
he Pope, the head ot the renowned Blstlne Chupel 
balriUelnBl, tbe leader at tbe At. Fete r'eCbapelch^ri 
apoocl. Ihfl renerable raaeCcr ot Si. John at Latrrsn, 



hood be baa been ai 



SpttijI Sttirts. 



DBROKiPTrrx LIST or thb 



Taaal, vttt Plaw AaoaBptalMit 
Mlipah. C najop and minor. 4. b to K. 

Rorrl. 40 
S;*"¥*.*'S.'™I"'"»"'badof old, 
Vlapabt lIlBpahl Ultpabl" 
A aann of aneb pathoa aad paww. 

A CentonBta) FUgbt. BB. &' F to f . £yd^. SO 



Cantennial Ujnm. Wlilttler.— Palno. Ait. 

for Ha]« lolcM. Key of F. SO 

«o Ibire arc 1 arranemiPnte : Tnr ICIxed VMms 
I* ctel : tor llula Vm-^ [M Mel, and inetato 
toi»)for8eoleiUi[MetB]. Take your choke. 
Otir B»nii«r of Olorr. Solo and Cho. A. 

«■ K to F. ntdttr. ao 

"Warennl VaTennl <Yor land and era. 



The TllUffa Chnreb. SB. S. 4taF. fioUoa. ai 

"Tbi 
Tba 

tmiy eti 
uther Ofl. 6. S. 4 to F. Bodvt$. m 

•• And wfth dna aad aMtfiM IboMep 
WewfllloamaTfanbaraB.-' 



Inist. Tbeee two ma«I< 



clklly the Julrmril , 



id Bj^arabacl played a co 

![■ body Dt inatrumenta 

Ml belle re me when I tai 
uil ■mount at mmlcal n 
rbe Iniilni mental isu bj 



„ ....J liie Dirwitliib ... ™.. 

lOrothrr of Ibe Priooe Ttaeudotl Uarehi te San Tito, wb 
married KlH CooradI la. with Haeairo Bellotil. MuKcal 
Dlreclor. ThliHoclaty baa.dn[l0E the lait two yeon. 
shown wonderful energy and ablltiy. Two yeara aeo It 
nnrlelte dilnil In the "JMh- £a<1 year It gate lb* 
' rriMi-otBnintlnl.andtfaKapr'DElthoBcante It- 
■elf wlih floryV eaeenling the ■■JfruteA" of Handel 
'- - manerly manner. The M arehOM Domenko Tiipra- 



Iiallan 
jtton T- 

" I'hemo^cot Handel 






I l<nillaiit 



fcra pertBin>]' at boon 

■Id. thefl>al.T<>lwaBatl 
..^an Morlcal Boctety are com 
Ullrgil ehapel memben. but 



itKbuled towaid 

■ "Handelde 

Miuiafa and hit tolliwrn 

ind. 'Tbe tinicert at the Rn. 






(hey are caretallj' enlrliued. 

— >" — ot smaimr atnni 

. „._— . _Jd tha fine Inef-uL 

Orebettral SoclMyjeieonilnBtbe JTi 



-.eMAnnt ,. 

^f th^ Jl'ub>, 

Ihmat. The I 

lie UK»I aia<'Dii£]iinuuaiimirai>i«. Tbe 
nriceiili'iniilly iieitect. and ibe whole c-i 
Iven br tbeainicera without tbe up^reaa 
'bich U a raiw perfonouca; even ai 1 

nlrlH at faith, I am toldlbal'many pipe- 






;t.f}„",?; 












BBiVtaatlonloMr. Balatka to gat I aitraordinatylnldllfanoa 



T1ira« PlM«a for Piano. (Sofaalble). C. S. 

_ Ftrabo. 60 

Tbaea aMacltona are pore fnatraetlnplaeea. and 
are flDgerad and earrfnily prepared tor ^ laaner. 

OsdD WalU. For Contet and Piano. D. 8. 
_ _ PrtmiUM. SB 

TWa Walta la Vo^ Hat a aat of Onrwt and liano 
pleeea_eiititted"TbeOora(t" After pleyliuribla 



BoM of CaatiU. Galop. 8. C. XtdgU. S> 

Fan of atacoaloa aod Aoccnto, aad rery Ursly. 
OoMen Qraina. For Piano or Ontan. 

No. 1. Air Cattle Manu^ft. B«. S. 

" a. ClMB-mom Manih. Bt, S, 

" a. Poat-Chaiae Galop. C. 1. 

" *. Wfaeat Shuf Polka. F. S. 

Tber* are II ot theaaaraba ot inld, wblcb tn 
Bparfcllni nakNtiaa for CoKlBBara, and do not o- 
eeod tbe «d dagrae ot dlfflnilty. 
Ttir Hungarian Mazurka. G major and 

minor. 8. EoOtme. 40 

Haa aeertela wild b»atj wbleb la tary taklBg. 
Of Caatlle. Walts. Zb. & KwtgU. W 



iBTaBled. It la. withal, qalM 



K^niiu/andr haa b 



GOOD ITBWS. Sabbath School Stnw Book, 

br B. If . HcIktohk. Price 8fi ouln 

biiMtia. *> ct« paper. 

niBlaoneot the preuitetof ihe Bdnday Behool 

alueta, and Ha concrlLuioia bare arUaatly axanad 

tbSrb attaint. 

UKISON If ASS IN F. By TmeonoM to» 
LA Hacbb. Price tLfiO. • 

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Whole No. 919. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, JULY 8, 1876. 



Vol. XXXVI. No. 7. 



Corinne— Contualo. 

Sweet sister Pleiades I together now 

Tour beams yoa mingle la the heaTeii of fame. 
Immortal radiance conjoined yon throw 

From starrj helffhts, where all men yon aedaim. 
Kejolce, Corinne I In loneliness so lonir 

Inephered: a 8lstel^planet mounts at last 
In triumph, (lit with llsht and sonfc, 

HeneeCorth with thine her equal rajrs to eatU 
Starred tress of Berenlee, shine no more. 

And, Cpown of Ariadne, hide jour Are ! 
At length your oonstellated reign is o*er, 

A brighter duster joins the starry choir, 
Corinne, Consnelo, mingled splendors shed. 

Henceforth the Tesper-planets of the deadt 
-Cburfcr, Jktu 18. B. W. Ball. 



■•-•- 



Wsflpisf I Theatrs at Bayrenth. 

{Bdng the LUroductian to a eourm of Lecturu on 
the Poem ^if ''Der Ring dee NMungen,'' de- 
U9ered ai the Boffol JneUtution J^ Edwabd 

DAnrBBUTHXB.) 

Borne hundred yards to the soath of Bayreath, 
on a gentle eminence overlooking a wide ex- 
panse of green hilla and fields, the prominent 
point of a landscape almost English in its gen- 
tle undulations, atandfl the ^^Nibeluugenthea- 
ter "—a solid structure of red brick and wood, 
neither beautiful nor ugly, without the slight- 
est attempt at architectural show, but exactly 
fit for its purpose. Before saying anything 
about the inside of the building, it will be well 
to answer a few questions which are constantly 
being asked concerning it Why need Wag- 
ner, of all men, have a theatre to himself f and 
if there are people ready to build one for him, 
why should he have it at such an out-of-the- 
way place as Bayreuth t Are n^t the Court 
theatres at Munich, Berlin, Dresden, Vienna, 
good enough t Or could he not at least choose 
some snuff place which all the world knows, 
such as Baden-Baden or Wiesbaden for in- 
stance t And, abore all, how can such a thea- 
tre in such a place ever be expected to pay t 

This final tramp, which one*s friends usual- 
ly put forth with an air of triumph, may be 
left unanswered, seeing that matters purely ar- 
tistic never did pay, and never will; and the 
less art has to do idth money the better. But 
the other questions are not so easily settled, 
though the key to them lies in the simple fact 
that It is Wagner*s sole aim to obtain a perfect- 
ly correct performance of his work ; and with 
this end in view be has thought it advisable to 
keep that commercial element, which is the 
bane of all modern theatrical affairs, altogether 
in the back -ground . 

German theatres, occasionally and at rare in- 
tervals, turn out remarkably good work. But 
be their work good, bad, or indifferent, they 
certainly turn out a great deal too much of it. 
The managers of German theatres--Court thea- 
tres not excepted— depend for the most part 
upon a public of subscribers — not per season, 
but per annum. Tou find the same people in 
the same seat all the year round. They have 
read endless newspapers, and are continually 
clamoring for novelty; night after night they 
sit and stare, with the same stolid eyes of con- 
tented Philistinism, at Fidelio, II TrowU&re^ or 
Xa Grande Dueheeee; at LdkemgHn^ Robert le 
Didble^ or Orph^ au9 En/ere; proud of their 
musical stomach, as capacious as it is undis- 
criminating. They pay little and expect much ; 
that is to say, they expect a great deal of some 
sort or other. 

Now the inevitable result of such a condition 
of things among the public is, of course, a com- 
plete confusion and veritable anarchy behind 



the scenes: a confusion and disorganization so 
great that nine performances out of ten are lit- 
tle better than disgraceful make-shifts — dull, 
slovenly, inaccurate. Everybody connected 
with the stage has thrice as much work to do 
as is good for him: the singers' voices and 
memory are strained to the utmost: stage- 
managers have no time to obtain a good eneetn- 
hie; costumiers, scene-painters, machinists, 
rush from blunder into olunder: chorus and 
orchestra, in spite of continuous rehearsals, are 
never sufficiently rehearsed, etc. What is to 
become of Der Ring dee NQidungen in snch a 
place t Is the theatre to be shut up, and a few 
weeks devoted entirely to proper preparationst 
But the manager is under contract to his sub- 
scribers to give so-and-so many performances 
per week, and he is under contract to pay his 
artists so-and-se much per month. Who is to 
indemnify him if he were rash enough to close 
the doors ? and supposing a manager could be 
found with sufficient pluck and sufficient mon- 
ey to keep him afloat, how could the work be 
properly executed f Ko single theatre in Ger- 
many is strong enough to furnish competent 
performers for the principal rSlee from its own 
troupe exclusively; no theatre has the proper 
stage appliances to produce the requisite chang- 
es of scene, though they would not present any 
special difficulty in liondon or Paris. To make 
a long story short, if a work like Der Ring dee 
NiMungen\Bto be successfully executed, the 
executants must have the stage to themselves, 
and mus^ have leisure to devote their full en- 
ergies exclusively to the task. 60 much for 
the necessity of building — vet, after all, why 
build at Bayieuth t Well, the trilogy is as lit- 
tle fit for the miscellaneous public of a fashion- 
able watering-place as for tlie subscribers of a 
Stadt or Hof theater; and as its performance in 
any case must partake somewhat of a private 
nature (a sort of family feast, which the musi- 
cal iMu of the world prepares for itselO. it ap- 
pears obvious that the less such an undertaking 
comes in contact with certain equivocal ele- 
ments of public life in great or fashionable 
towns, the better for all parties concerned. 
Bavarian Bayreuth is a charming, quiet old 
town, with a literary and social past by no 
means despicable: healthy, prettily situated, 
easily accessible, in the very middle of Germa- 
ny. It has no regular theatre, and consequent- 
ly no theatrical or fashionable public, no lead- 
ing newspaper, political, clerical, or literary; 
its negative credentials, in a word, are perfect 
Then why not Bayreuth ? 

And Bayreuth being fixed upon : who built 
the theatre t who paid for it t who defrays the 
expenses inseparable from a theatrical perform- 
ance on so large a scale t You will presently 
see how it all came to pass, as I tell you a little 
about the history of the trilogy. 

Wagner is now close upon sixty-three years 
of age, and Der Ring dee NUbdungen has occu- 
pied him more or less exclusively, as the main 
work of his life, ever since 1847. In 1848 ap- 
peared a little pamphlet, **Die Wibelungen, 
Weltgeschichte am aer 8age,*Hhe result of his 
studies in that vague borderland where histor- 
ical facts and mythical traditions are so curi- 
ously intermingled. 

At the same time, the myth of the Niblungs 
was sketched with a view to dramatic treat- 
ment, and a drama in three acts, Siegfrie^e Tod^ 
with an introduction, a large portion of which 
is now incorporated in CHitterddmmerung, was 
printed. After the completion of Lohengrin^ 
the revolution of 1849 having entirely severed 
Wagner*s connection with Germany, whilst he 
was living as an exile in Switzerland, the work 



assumed enormous dimensions under his handfl. 
He perceived that every section of the mythns, 
culminating in some distinct action, some ex- 
ploit of the heroes, had its root and springs in 
some anterior action: and so, as a dramatist 
should address himself to the sensuous percep- 
tions of his audience, leaving nothing unclear, 
nothing unsaid or undone that would have to 
be supplied by some intellectual combination 
uf inference with inference, Wagner found it 
necessary to compose throe entire dramas, and 
prfKsede them with an extensive prelude. 

Thus the poem in the main, as it now stands, 
was finifthod and privatc^ly printed towards the 
close of 1853. After full fire years of rest, as 
far as music is concerned, Wagner betook him- 
self, in the beginning of 1856. to Ihe composi- 
tion of the mnsic, and continued writing at it 
with such arduous enthusiasm that in the spring 
of 1857 the entire scores of Dae BheingM^ Die 
Walkuere^ and a large portion of Siegfried were 
ready. After these herculean labors a despond- 
ing reaction set in. For full eight years Wag- 
ner had not heard one of his own works — ban- 
ished from German soil, he was at that time, 
perhaps, the only German who had not heard 
I/*heiigrin. Without the faintest hope of ever 
attaining a performance of the trilogy, and sick 
of heaping one silent score upon another in his 
librarv, he took to writing Trietan^ and subse- 
quently Die Meietereinger, within more manage- 
able dimensions, at least so as not to be utterly 
beyond the reach of the existing German thea-, 
tre. But TWfton, and the sketch of Die Meie- 
tereinger too. remained silent in his desk. 
Away from his few friends, unable personally 
to push on matters with the managers of thea- 
tres, fleroely denounced by the press, Wagner 
had a deplorable time of it. The German 
theatres left Trietan and leolde to take care of 
themselves^ and remained content with mutila- 
ting TannhAueer and Rienei, Then came that 
noisy and disgraceful failure of Tan^kaueer at 
Paris in 1861, and Wagner, again disappointed, 
returned to Zurich, more bitter and nopeless 
than ever. At length, in 1868. matters took a 
suddeii turn for the better. He was allowed 
t-o re-enter Germany, was enthusiastically re- 
ceived, and witnessed a perfermance of liken' 
grin at Vienna. In 1864 the King of Bavaria 
called him to Munich. In 1865 lYietan^ and in 
1868 Die Meietereinger^ which he had finished in 
the interim, were correctly performed, under 
the direction of Von Buelow, and everything 
looked bright and smooth. 

KingLudwig had promised to look after the 
performances of the IHbdungen dramas, and 
Wagner worked hard to complete them. ''But 
the course of trae love,^ etc. The king was 
willing enough to lend his aid; his people, 
however, chose to think that, he was making a 
fool of himself. Though not a penny of the 
public money was ever touched, or intended to 
DC touched, for any Wagnerian purpose, a great 
hubbub ensued. 

I presume that at the bottom of the strange 
panic there was some dim fear that Wagner*s 
personal influence might prove politically in- 
convenient. At any rate, from all Bavarian 
pulpits, both clerical and secular, from churoh 
and synagogue, and from every printing press 
in the land, a great hue and cry was nisea and 
persistently kept up. The matter was even 
discussed in the Bavarian Parliament. Munich 
became too hot to hold him, and Wagner once 
more sought refuge in Switzerland. 

But before long a show of help came from 
unexpected quarters. Carl Tausig, the pianist 
at Berlin who had made the pianoforte arrange- 
ment of Die Meieteningerj had got hold of the 



258 



DWIGHT»S JOUENAL OF MUSIC. 



estimates concerning the probable cost of a good 
performance of the trilogy. These estimntes 
amounted to about 800,000 thalers (£46,000), 
and with the complete confidence of a man of 
rare gifts in his own powers of persuasion, he 
undertook in the course of h\9 pianistic pere- 
grinations in Germany to find a thousand per- 
sons willing to lay down ftOO thalers (£45) each 
towards such an end. And he actually succeed- 
ed, within a short period, to hunt up a goodly 
number of such persons. Germany, however, 
is essentially a poor country. There is very 
little accumulation of wealth, and the few peo- 
ple to whom a sum such as 800 thalers for an 
experiment in art would not seem entirely pre- 
posterous, are exactly such as are lenst likely 
to come forward with it. Neither the Hebrew 
bankers of the great towns, nor the military 
and agrarian aristocracy, are people to whom 
such an object would appear at all desirable. 
Tausig, however, did not live to be disappKjint- 
ed. The cholera carried him off at Leipzig in 
the summer of 1871, and if Der Ring had then 
been taken to a pawnbroker's it would assured- 
ly not have fetched more than its weight as 
brass. But an enthusiastic private gentleman 
at Mannheim, personally unknown to Wagner, 
started a little association which he called 
** Wagner- Yerein,** with a view to acquiring a 
number of the 800 thaler shares by smaller sub- 
scriptions of the several members. This device 
hit the nail on the head, as the proverb has it. 
It soon appeared that all over Germany there 
were numbers of people who were ready to con- 
tribute their share, but to whom the 800 tha- 
lers Tausig wanted would have been impossible. 
Warner Societies spranjg; up right and left in 
tlie Tatherland ; alT, bo it remeinbercd, mtireZj/ 
without any move on Wagner*s part. One was 
stntiid in London; 8t. Petersburg, New York, 
Brussels, Milan, etc., followed; and the result 
has been, spite of some delay, and owing to 
much hard work and perseverance in the face 
of endless obstacles, that a number of deter- 
mined men have actually got together the funds 
required. The theatre is built and paid for. 
stage arrangements and preliminary rehearsals 
completed— In short, all expenses defrayed up 
to the present day, and a balance in hand of 
upwards of 15,000 'florins. Of course this has 
been done so far only by means of much sacri- 
fice on the part of all the principal persons 
concerned. £very fnechanieal service required 
for the building, the stage, the business manage- 
ment, etc., was chosen of the best, and paid 
for only in proportion as the giver can afford 
to give it or not. The principal singers are 
not paid at all, or only in proportion to the 
loss they sustain on the infringement of con- 
tracts they are under elsewhere. The members 
of the orchestra receive a salary sufficient to 
defray their railway fares and their livelihood 
during the months taken up by the rehearsals 
and performances, and so on with everybody 
concerned. And when I add that the princi- 
pal singers, and the members of the orchestra, 
are one and all picked men from the principal 
theatres of the great cities, and that very many 
more have volunteered than could by any chance 
be accepted, you will agree with me that the 
coming perfonnances at Bayreuth are indeeii a 
most surprising thing. 

Now for the inside of the theatre. A large 
stage with all the best-considered mechanical 
appliances, about the size of that of Covent 
Garden. An auditorium much smaller than 
that of Covent Garden — less than 1,500 seats 

1,000 for the patrons of the undertaking, the 

remainder to be otherwise disposed of ; allseats 
directly facing the stage, no side boxes or side 
galleries, no prompter*s box. In front of the 
stage, and screenea from the auditorium by a 
simple wooden reflector, a deep and commodi- 
ous pit for the orchestra, large enough to seat 
120 musicians comfortably, and so deep as h> 
render even the conductor totally invisible. It 
was a desire to obtain complete sceuical illu- 
sion, and to get rid of the disturbing aspects 
of the orchestral lamps, and the unavoidable 
contortions of the orchestral players, that led 



to this plan of sinking the orchestra and ex- 
tending the auditorium in the shape of an 
elongated amphitheatre; for if the orchestra is 
to remain invisible, it is obvious that neither 
lofty galleries nor side boxes could be admitted. 
The best way to form a picture of the theatre 
is to fancy a wedge, the thin end of which 
touches the back of the stage, and the thick 
end the bsck of the auditorium. The rows of 
seats are arranged in slight curves, each row 
further from the stage being raised al>out ten 
inches above its predecessor, and the seats so 
arranged that every person seated looks at the 
stage oetween the heads of two persons before 
him. 

The pit for the orchestra has proved perfect- 
ly successful from an Acoustical point of view. 
In fact, certain short-comings of our present 
orchestral arrangements seem to have been re- 
moved: one of these changes fcr the better, 
which I noticed last summer at the prelimina- 
ry rehearsals, is still a puzzle. The wood winds 
— flutes, oboes, clarinets, and bassoons — though 
the position occupied by them as regards the 
other instruments is not a bit nearer to the au- 
ditorium than in any of our opera or concert- 
rooms, yet have a distinctness and clearness 
of sound altogether surprising. The individu- 
ality of each instrument stands out so distinct- 
ly, and the actual volume of sound they produce 
when used together is so palpably greater than 
one is accustomed to hear, that I have in vain 
looked about for a sufficient reason. The play- 
ers, no doubt, are of the first order, but there 
are players equally competent here or in Paris. 

The brass, as might have been expected, 
sounds less bra^y than usual. That explosive 
bang which seems inseparable from a sudden 
forte of trumpets and trombones in our concert- 
rooms is subaued, yet the |M>wer of those in- 
struments is not |>erceptibly lessened. With 
the strings I have noticed no change worth 
remarking; there was an absence of clearness 
here and there, but as this occurred only in 
pnssages of extreme technical difficulty, and as 
the orchestra read at first sight (and wonder- 
fully well too), I am convinced that after prop- 
er rehearsals every note will be as clear and 
bright as it should be. 

The ordiestra is constituted as follows: 



iSPlntvloilns. 
16 RecoDd vioUiUk 

i2yioXu.* 



8 Flutes. 

1 Piccolo. 

8 OI>OM. 

1 Conio-iiigleie.t 



19 Yioloncellos. 
S Contrabsnea. 

Wood wnde, 

% Clarinets. 
1 Bass ClMrlntt. 
8 Baisooiu. 



Bran. 



8 Horns. 
3 Tenor tubas. I ^ 
SBamtabas. S* 
1 Contrabass toba. 



8 Tminpets. 
1 Bass tmmpet. 
8Tn>mbonw [tenor, baasj. 
1 Contrabass tromtwne.f 



Percumon ImtrumenU, 



4 Kettlodrnms. 
1 Bidedram. 
1 Triangle. 



1 Cymbals. 
1 Carrillon. 



And 6 harps. 



Total 114. 



m*^ 



Xvaioal Juggkriea 

Longfellow says " art is long, and time is fleet- 
ingp" qaoting the welMcnown Latin proverb ; and 
yet there are not wanting those in this world who 
trifle with the one and sbnse the other. The abns- 
ers of art may be divided into two classes, — men 
who have no creative forces of their own, and there- 
fore live on the brains of others ; and men of on- 
donbted genias who are occasionally beeuiled into 
frittering away their time on nnwortby prodnc- 
tions, which they themselves despise in their secret 

•Amongst the violas a new instmmeat ealled «'»te- 
oDfa, inventHi by Hermann Ritter, of Heidelberg, is to 
lie used. It is said to be of a clear and full sonority, free 
from the nasal twang of the osual viola. 

t Instead of the usoal como-lnglese an otto ote« has 
been constructed. 

X The two tenor tabas nnd the twobau tubas are to be 
taken by the players of the third and fourth pair of 
horcs. 

% The contrabftss trombone Is to be taken by the play- 
er of usual bass trombone. 



hearts. In every domain of art this evil has its ex- 
istence, and in Music the afilicdon is espeeially 
grievous. Tons upon tons of sheet-music ecmtinue 
to appear ss the perennisl oflTHpring of an unholy 
wedlock — Music nrarried to £. s. d. 

This evil existed centuries s|(o, thonsrh not fa Its 
present baser form. The Flemincrs. at one time the 
masters of the mnsical world, delighted in taxing 
the resources of eoonterpoint to an extent which 
banished every vestige of musical expression from 
their compositions. Circular canons, canons that 
read backwards, canons that read upside down, 
enifl^a canonS, songs in scores of parts, were con- 
sidered in those days the triumphs of musical genius 
snd learning. These musical j'jggleries have long 
been things of the past, but they have been suc- 
ceeded by still more reprehensible tricks and levi- 
ties. 

Among modern juggles the "grand transcrip- 
tions" and "fantasias'* for the pisnoforte take a 
prominent place; The u«nal m«t)iod i^ as follows : 
— Select some well-known classical or music-hall air 
(it does not matter which), and first give it out sim- 
ply, with just a few giAitle tUillations of the har- 
mony here and there to brighten it up and give it 
an aspect of novelty. Next put your melody in 
oZfisttmo, or half drown it in a flood of Icugthy 
arpeggi. Then double it in ninning octaves, or fret 
it into staccato triplets, upon the "double-t«mguing* 
principle. Lastly, thump it out iu full chords, with 
a running accompaniment of double octaves in the 
bass ; and be sure thst In this lart " variation " every 
possible or impossible modulation Is screwed la 
Romehow. Then the ** composer's " work Is done, 
excepting that the correct thing is to accord a hand- 
some royalty to the gifted pianist who may under- 
take to charm th^ ears of a fashionable audience 
with this pattern ** transcriptiun.'* 

The most hideous and revolting examples, how- 
ever, of musical jugglery are to be found in concoc- 
tions of the potpourri^ class. We sllude to such 
effusions as ''Memories of Scotia" and " Reminis- 
cences of Hibernis," in which there is a ghastly 
foregathering of national air«, linked together with 
a cheerful disregard of mnsiral relativity. For a 
few moments we are beguiled into the pensive en- 
joyment of Home pathetic air like the *' Last Rose of 
Summer," then — hey, prento 1 before wo are con- 
scious of it, we are dancing a jig in the midst of 
" Donnybrook Fair." This suddenness of transi- 
tion is supposed to be the distinguifthing feature, 
and — save the mark !— merit of these lively perform- 
ances. 

In connection with this subject, we cannot help 
referring to the modern fever for '* new chords.** 
The average enterprising oomposer of the present 
day seems to consider that the best way of snowing 
or^nality in a compositlou Is to set a series of traps 
for tbe musical ear. To jump suddenly Into as re- 
mote a kev as possible, and as often m» possible, sp- 
Kars to htm the greatest mnidcsl triumph that can 
achieved. Composers who are thus prodigal of 
musical ** efTeets " have much to answer for ; they 
are disgusting the etlucated ear with tbe very re- 
sources which, if moderstely and discreetly used, 
are an undoubted assistance to true and varied mu- 
sical expression ; and a reaction is sure to follow in 
the shspe of a predilection for the plainest and bar- 
est harmonies, caused by a previous surfeit of sur- 
prises and bewilderments ; there will thus be a ret- 
rograde movement, and the true progress of musical 
art will consequently suffer. 

Let us be rightly understood regarding these 
matters. On no account would we abolish the 
'* trsoscription ** proper ; It has Hs legHlmate prov- 
ince and uses. There are many flue orchestral 
works which, inadequately expressed as they must 
be when reduced to pianoforte score, would be alto- 
gether unknown to the general publio except for 
the published transcriptions. Bbt such transcrib- 
ing is no mere mechanical operatkm ; expert and 
appreciative musicians alone can treat tbe originals 
woKhily. We are aware that, as a rule, ciMsieal 
transcriptions do not " sell," and that they are cer- 
tainly not so remunerative as the ordinary piano- 
forte gymnastics ; but we are not without the hope 
that coroposera and arrangera have in them some 
remaining sentiment of living for the art as well as 
by it. With regard to the Increasing passion for 
new harmonies, we would by no means bang back 
from the highest developments of harmonio re- 
source; but preserve us from the perpetual and 
frivolous esr-tickling which hindera the continuity 
of thought, and distracts attention from the main 
design of a composition. To conclude, we have had 
enough, and a great deal more, of musical jugglery ; 
and in the name of all that is godlike and beautiirttl 






BOSTON, SATURDAY, JULY 8, 187G. 



259 



in music, we appeal to the miiHlcians of our time to 
have a regard to the interests of a pure art in their 
own generation, if not a fear for tne censure and 
ridicule of posterity. — Land, Mas, Standard, 



» <•> < 



The Puroell Bodetr. 

The new " Pujcell Society** (London) has issued 
the following prospectus : — 

ThB PuaCKLL SOOIBTT. 

Founded on Monday, February 31, 1876, for the purpose 
of doing justice to the memory of Hknbt Puroell; 
firstly, by the publication of his works, most of which 
exist only In manuscript; and secondly, by meeting 
for the study and performance of his various composi- 
tions. 

In his remarks upon Henry Purcell. Dr. Bumey 
said: — '* While the Frenchman is loud in the praisc«» 
of a Lulli and a Rameau ; the German, in that of a 
Handel and a Bach ; and the Italian, of a Palestri- 
na and a Pergolesi ; not less is the pride of an Euj^ 
lishmau in pointing to a name eaually dear to his 
country ; for Purcell is as much the boast of Eng- 
land in mu^ic as Shakespeare in the drama, Milton 
in epic poetry. Lock in metaphvsica, or Sir Isaac 
Newton in mathematics and philosophy. As a mu- 
sician, he shone not more by the greatness than the 
diversity, by the diversity than the originality of 
his genius; nor did the powers of his fancy prove 
detrimental to the solidity of his judgment. It is 
true that some musicians of eminence bad appeared 
in this country previouslv to him, but the superior 
splendor of bis genius eclipsed their fame. W e hear 
with pleasure of Tallis, Gibbons, and Blow; but 
upon the name of Purcell we dwell with delight, 
and are content to identify with hU the musical pre- 
tensions of our country." 

These weighty utterances may be taken as Hill 
representing in substance the opinion of EngUsli 
musicians with regard to Henry Purcell. But while 
the advance of time abates nothing of that revtr- 
ence for his genius, and pride in his achievements 
which are the inheritance of the master's country- 
men, it unquestionably increases the obligation un- 
der which we all lie to do justice to his memory in 
a Aiore practical way. The fame of Purcell is no 
longer confined to England. It has spread to every 
country where the art is cherished, and pages might 
be filled with eloquent tributes to his genius written 
by foreign pens. Only one will suffice as an exam- 
ple, and it shall be that of a Frenchman. In liis 
" Les Clavecinists de 1697 A 1790," M. AmM6e M6- 
raujE says : — " We have here a name which is not 
anything like m well known as it deserves to be ; it 
Is that m a great musician whose career In the mu- 
sical world left traces of remarkable progress. Nev- 
ertheless, the musical world, if it have not wholly 
forgotten him. has not paid the tribute justly due 
to bis celebrity. Henry Purcell is one of the artis- 
tic glories of England. He is, without doubt, the 
most able and the mo«t fertile of all the English 
composers." 

When the genius of our countryman is thus as- 
serted in other lands; when his music, as in the 
ease of M. M6rauz> volumes, is printed for the use 
of foreign couooleseors, and especially when foreign 
writers point significantly lo the neglect wliich 
Purcell suffers, it is time for us to consider what 

Kractical measures of appreciation and homage can 
e taken. The thought, however, is no new one. 
While the national tongue has for more than a cent- 
ury and a half lavished pmises upon Purcell, the 
national eonscience has been uneasy at the bestow- 
al of a barren honor and nothing more. Hence the 
attempts made from time to time to bring his works 
within reach. In 1788, Goodison made a gallant 
effort to print such of the master's MS. composi- 
tions as were then available, and actually succeeded 
in publishing, in a more or less complete form, "The 
Tempest," "Indian Queen," " Ode for Queen Mary," 
"Ghriat Church Ode," an Organ Voluntary, several 




Only about 100 subscribers supported Gooaison, 
and he had to retire from the neld. Forty years 
passed before Purcell found another champion of 
this practical order. In 1828, Vincent liovello be- 
gan the publication of the master's sacred music, 
and carried it on with such energy that in 1832* he 
had given to the world what was then thought to 
be a complete collection. It is impossible to look 
back upon Novello*s achievement without admira- 
tion for the research which made it possible, and 



without gratitude for the service rend<^red to Eng- 
lish music. But lustice was done only to one phase 
of Purcell's genius. Great thongh the master was 
as a composer for the Church, he was, perhaps, 
greater as a writer fur the sta?e, and of seculsr mu- 
sic generally. To prove this. — to reveal the treas- 
ures which ever since his deatli have been lyinjic 
hidden, to the detriment alike of his own fame and 
the repute of his country, is a manifest obligation, 
the time for the discharge of which has fully come. 
But to tills end there must be a widely-extended 
co-operation, for the work to be done is great. Of 
the amating number of secular compositions bear- 
ing Pnrcell's name very few have been published. 
He himself printed but four — ^the " Sonatas of three 
Parts" (1688); the "Ode for St Cecilia's Day" 
(1684); "Dioclesian" (1691). and the "Fairy 
Queen " (1692). Under the auspices of his widow, 
there were given to the world, •* Lessons for the 
Harpsichord " ( 1 696) ; " A yres for Theatre " ( 1 697) ; 
A second set of "Sonatas," in four parts. (1697): 
and the colleotion entitled "Orpheus BriUnnicus" 
(1H98). Add to the=*e. portions of the music to 
" Don Quixote," the works published by Goodison. 
and the three—" King Arthur." " Bonduca." "Dido 
and JEneas,"— issued by the Musical Antiquarian 
Society, and the tale of printed secular works is 
complete. But, how much remains 1 Purcell is 
known to have written music for nearly fifty Dram- 
as, while his Odes and Choral Songs still in MS. , 
number twenty-four. Moreover, since the comple 
tioii of Novello's edition of the mafttor*8 f^acrod mu 
sic, discoveries of high importance have been made. 
A folio volume known t/> be in the Royal Library, 
but sought in vain by Vincent Novello, has come to 
liffht. It is described by Burney as " PuaoKLL's 
CoMPosmovs ; • A Collrotion ok Original Manu- 
scripts IH HIS OWN HANDWRrriNO ; " and contains 
Anthems wi^h Symphonies and instrumental parts, 
and also Odes and miscellaneous Son).«ii. At York 
Minster several other volumes of Saered Music have 
been h^tppily discovered. The task of completing 
the noblest possible monument to our English mas- 
ter — viz., the publication of his complete works, is 
thus shown to oe a heavy one. But the Purcell So- 
ciety enters upon it witii a well-founded trust in 
the sympathy and support of the musical public. 
For that the Committee now appeal, desiring to en- 
rich the available treasures of English ar\ and to 
wipe away a national reproach by doing justi re to 
one of wliom the nation has abundant reason to be 
proud. 

Odes and Wkloomc Songs bt PaacBLL. ohibflt 

IN MS. 

1.—" A Sonv to Welcome Home His Majesty from Wind- 
sor, 1680.'* 
2.^** X Wricome Rnnn; for His Royal Highness on his 
return from Scotland, 1080.** 

8,_<* A Welcome Bong for the Kiufc, 1681.** 

4.—** A Welcome Aon^ for the King on his return from 

Newmarket, October 21, 1682.'* 
5.—'* A Welcome Sons for the Kin^, 1683.** 
6.—" Ode on the Marriage of Prince Oeorge with Lady 

Anne, 1683.** 
7.__««Ode for St. Cecilia's Pay. November 22, 1683.'* 

[Piluted by Play ford in the following year]. 
8.— * A We come Song on tlie King's return to White- 
hall after his Summer Progress, 1C84.»* 
0.>-<' A Welcome Song for the King, 1685.*' 
10.— •* A Welcome Sonjf for the King, 1687." 
11.— « A Welcome Soig for the King, 1688.*' 
12.— •« The Yorkshire Feast Bong, 1790." [Printed by 

Goodison]. 
13.—" A Song that was performed at Mr. Haidwell's fa 
School-master], on the Sth of August, 1688. The 
Words by one of his Scholars." 
14.—*' A Welcome Song at the Prince of Denmark's Com- 
ing Home." 
15.-^* Ode to King William, 1690." 
16..« Ode on King WiUlam's Birthday: 
17.—" A Queen's Birthday Song, 16B0. 
18.-^ Ode on Queen Mary's Birthday, April 29, 1691 
19.—" Od*) on Queen Mary's Birthday, 1692." 
».— " Ode for St Cecilia's Day, Nov. 22, 1692." [Printed 

by the Musical Antiquariaii Society]. 
21.— ^< Ode for Queen Mary's Birthday, 1603." 
22--" Ode for the New Year, 1694." 
23.— '< Ode for Queen Mary's Birthday, 1694." 
a4._« Commemoration Ode, performed at Christ Church, 
Dublin, January 9, 1991.'' [Printed by Goodison]. 

0.-.M Ode for the Birthday of the Duke of Qloucester, 
July 21 1695." 

26.-" An Ode," no date. Begin., "Hark how the wUd 
musicians sing." 

27.— '« Ode for St. Cecilia's Day," no date. Begin., "Raisd 
the Toice, all instruments obey." 

26.—" Ode by Mr. Towlev," no date. Begin., " If erer I 
mere riches did desire." 



Opbkas and Dramas. 



1. 
2. 
8. 
4. 

6. 
6. 
7. 



9. 
10. 
11. 
12. 
13. 

14. 
15. 
16. 
17. 

18. 
19. 
20. 
21. 
2-i. 



Bpsom Wells. 23. 

Auren^e Zebe. 24. 

The Libertine. 25. 

Ciroe. 26. 

Abilelasar. 27. 

Timon of Athens. 28. 

Theodosius ; or, t h e 29. 
Force of Love. 
Dido and iBneas. A com- 30. 
plete Opera, with Musi- 
cal ReeitadTe, and with- 31. 
out DialoR^ue. 32. 

The Virtuous Wife. 33. 

Tyrannlck Love. 84. 

A Fool's Preferment. 35. 
The Tempest. 30. 

Dioclesian ; or, the Pro- 37. 
phetess. 38. 

The Mas»acre of Paris. 39. 
Amphitryon. 40. 

King Arthur. 

The Oordian Knot Un- 41- 
tied. «S. 

Sir Anthony Loto. 43. 

Distressed Innocence. 44. 
The Indian Qiioen. 
The lu'liau Kmperor. 45. 
(Bdipus. 



The Fairy Qneen. 

The Wife's Excuse. 

The Old Bachelor. 

The Richmond Hclrrss. 

The Maid*s Last Prayer. 

Henry the Second. 

The first part of Don 

Quixote. 

The second part of Don 

Quixote. 

The Married Bean. 

The Double Dealer. 

The Fatal Marrlaee. 

The Canterbury Guests. 

The Mock Marriage. 

The Rival Sisters. 

Oroonuko. 

The Kniffht of Malta. 

Bonduca. 

The third part of Don 

Quixote. 

The Spanish Fryer. 

The MarrLace Hater. 

The i;HmpaTgnerB. 

The Conquest of Grena* 

ada. 

The Old Mode and the 

New. 



t> 



ft 



Hymns, Anthems, and other Sacred Music. 

Instrumental Pieces:— Fantasias in 3, 4 6, 6, 7, and 8 
Parts: Overtures, Dances, Curtain Tunes, etc. 



♦^ 



MtuIc as a Social Bore. 

[From the London News.] 

To hare brought music with a meaning into fashion, 
and to have successfully broken th3 chains of indolent 
tradition, is a very great achievement of the German 
genius . It has been often noticed that change general- 
ly creeps into a stationary society through the arts, alter- 
ing here a little and there a little in assthetic rules, which 
have been so long accepted that people have learned to 
hold them sacred. The change, however, has generally 
been from grave to gay, from lively to severe, and it has 
been the task of the vast Teutonic mind to reverse this 
process. With the aid of what tlie old philosophers used 
to sigh for, a monarch of his own way of looking at 
things, Herr Wagner has made that scientiQc which was 
rather empirical, and has invested with the pale cast of 
thought matters which used to be transacted without 
any very profound metaphysical speculation. Perhaps 
the most amusing and obvious result* of the new Ger- 
man influence in music have been its social consequen- 
ces. Drawing-room music U not any longer the light 
and unconsidered thing that It once was. People used 
to play and sing, veiy badly it seems, as an " accom- 
plishment." Music was useful to subdue the hum of 
conversation, and any music would c^o for that, just as 
any sort of peilormance on the drum will ** drown the 
cries of the victims '* in narratives of the inquisition. A 
young lady played or sang, and there was an end of it. 
Some gave more pain than others to sensitive ears, but 
few people thought very seriously about the matter. It 
was part of a girl's education to do her four hours at the 
piano a day, just as it was part of her edu,(*ation to take 
two hours of reclining on a " back-board." Perhaps the 
latter neutralized any evil effects of the former disci- 
pline. If there were enthuslasta of drawing-room music 
in the times before science, they found but little sym- 
pathy trom the giddy throng around them. Now, of 
course, all this is changed, and young men and maidens 
are capable of conversing for hours about " passages '* 
and " movements," symphonies and ftiguos. It may be 
said that young men and maidens are capable or talking 
for hours upon any subject, or upou none, and that, at 
all events, they are better employed in prattling of sym- 
phonies than of the other over-done amusements, which 
it is becoming unpleasant to name and not agreeable to 
think al)out. It may also be said, from a purely social 
standpoint, that, the more music is made a matter of m- 
tellectual and refined study, the leas will unfortunate 
children, to whom Nature has denied an ear, be forced 
to pass their mornings and afternoons over the dreary 
school-room piano. Their hours will be free for other 
forms of the higher education. 

Still, looking at music merely as a social Institution— 
M. Gautier would have said a social evil—every one must 
notice that the life of the non-musical man or M-oman is 
being made increasingly hard to him. No '* shop " is 
nearly so much talked as musical sho]-, and there Is none 
which so absolutely baffles the uninitiated. Into the 
charmed realm of melody and harmony no foe can enter 
by violence ; no one by much study and long vigils can 
learn to understand musical conversation. This fact 
marks off musical from every o^her form of <' shop.** If 
a person falls into the society of city men, he Is not per- 
haps at first very greatly edified, but by degrees, and 
with pains, he pidu up some three d, so.ne dew to guide 
htm in the labyrinth of technical terms. Even a lady 
can understand cricket " shop *' If she has been brought 



260 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OP MUSIC. 



ap with a l9ris9 and d«tennlned family of brothen* and 
tbere are enthuslasti who beliere thai the minds of wo- 
men an not Incapable of nndentanding the state of the 
odds. An sports, and every form of business, tonch life 
in some one Intelligible way; imt talk about music to 
the non>mnsical does not attach itself to any known or 
knowable link with their existence. A man may have 
the subtlest sense of humor, and yet be incapable of see- 
ing the fun of a famous remark about the counterpoint 
of Herr Wagner, and how it Is like a number of persons 
jostling each other in a narrow doorway. It is not only 
that the unmusical man does not catch the meaning, but 
that no amount of study and application will teach htm 
the meaning. Be can get the definition of counterpeiut 
ott by Iieart, but that does nothing for him, because the 
words cannot be by him connected with any Imprssslons 
of the sense, still less with any ideas. To the non-musi* 
eal, in short, musical oonTorsatlon is transcendental— 
that it to say, gibberish. Now, consi lering this, It seems 
rather hard on a small, but not exactly despicable or ne- 
farious class of persons, that musical slang should have 
stolen into all the arts. A critic tells us that the impres- 
sion produced by this or that poem resembles the im- 
pression produced by a motet or a fugue. But to the 
loTor of poetry this may mean absolutely nothlnsr, for 
many lovers of poetry, like Victor Hugo, dislike all mu- 
sic, and specially the piano. Row would a musician like 
to be told that the ** I>eatscheslleqniem *' resembles the 
third chorus in the Agamemnon of .Achylus or Bhakes- 
peare*s nineteenth sonnet? 



» i » < 



Ooet^i Comic Opera» " Taming of the 

Shrew.'' 

[jrv^m a Oonrtpondent to the** JkonOfy Muetetd Beeard.**] 

A London joarnal of some standing noticed, a 
short time ago, a new opera, entitled 7%e Tamed 
8avng€ Woman, by Gdli. The reader, in blissful 
ignorance, had visions of a prairie, of an Indian 
Amazon, of some interesting aboriginal, and the like. 
Imagine, then, his snrprise on finding that the her- 
oine is no other than the immortal poet's own 
Shrew, the " cnrst and waspish Kate," " the brawl, 
ing scold " whom Petrnchio reduces from " a wild 
Kate to a Kate conformable, as other hoa«ehold 
Kates." The scene is not in the Fsr West, bnt in 
the ciTilited regions of Padua, **the nnrsery of arts ;" 
nay, more than that, the opera rejoices in the honest 
title of Der Wderttpdrubgen Zkhmung ; and this, 
forsooth, is what a perverse ignoramus calls a 
" Tamed Savage ! " 

Bat who is Gott f Is he a rising ptar ? Or is he 
only one of those mnsical meteors whose name is 
legion, " flaming lawless through the sky ? " Gdti 
is a young composer residing in ZQrich, unknown to 
the mnsical world at large until about a year ago, 
when his Taming of the Shrew, the first-fruits of his 
labors in the field of musical drama, was brought 
out in Mannheim, and excited nnusnal interest. 
Thence it found its way to Vienna, Munich, Wei- 
roar, Leipzig, and Berlin ; and so universal has 
been its success, that by common consent he already 
ranks high among living composers : he took the 
tide at its flood, and it has led him on to fortune. 

And assuredly, for the purpose of op^ra, the com- 

})08er's choice could not have fallen on a sulject of 
airer promise. The Shrno always has a pecnlisr 
charm for those who relish contest and strength of 
character ; in none of his comedies does the poet 
portray contrasts more vividly, in none does the 
stream of his sparkling bnmir'flow more abund<int- 
ly than in the story of Katherine and Petrnchio. 
Moreover, it is a standard play on many Continen- 
tal stages, so that the composer starts with one 
great advantage : the audience is familiar with the 
snbiect. 

The book is one of nnquestlonable merit. The 
language Is vigorous, and none the worse for being 
occjisionslly colloquial, since it reproduces much of 
the original blnntness without sinking to vulgarity 
or burlesque. The author has condensed the play 
without impairing the force of its salient features, 
and hut for some additions of his own with which it 
is diflicnlt to agree, the book is highly eflTective, and 
admirnbly adapted for comic opera. 

Bnt in his Mrno Gots does not profess to offer a 
comic opera of the traditional liffht type. In form, 
he is an independent follower of Wsgner ; for it will 
be conceded that, in the contour and build of hiii 
work, he has not deviated from the principles laid 
down by Wagnor in the Meitternvger, Continuity 
of action coupled with *• infinite melody ;" predomi- 
nance of the or hestral element as descriptive of 
the «lramatic action ; arioso-recitntive, solo, and en- 
semble — these are the characteristics of Gotz's score 



as regards form. In reference to snbstanoe, on the 
other hand, his work is distingnished Vy an exuber- 
ance of pathetic melody : and this, the emanation 
of his own genius, const itntes the chsrm and lasting 
merit of the opera. He is a Gounod imbued with 
the spirit of Schnmsnn, and ft may safiely be 
affirmed that, since Fenui, no opera so purely lyric as 
65tz's Shrew has been offered to the public His 
harmony and progression often put ns in mind of 
Jensen, and sometimes of Brahms : but tho«gh he 
has evidently learnt from all the great masters, he 
is able to hold his ground among them all : for it is 
the pith and marrow of his music that give it a 
style of Its own. Bnt Gdti gives proof of another 
important quality : he shows thoroughness. There 
are no traces of an inflains here, and an inflatns 
there, committed to writing with that inoorreot 
facility which is so often mistaken for genius ; It is 
well digested, the result of mature reflection and 
earnest application, the work of a oonsoientloos 
man ; and if it lacks the effervescent lightness and 
elasticity of a French comic opera, it charms, on 
the other hand, by its more enduring and pathetic 
eloquence. 

The abnndance of melody which G(St« has lav- 
ished on his firft opera has, however, led to a very 
elaborate orchestral treatment. Like a g;iven qnan- 
tity of energy stored up. It had to be worked off 
somehow, and this ta^k he has assigned to the or- 
chestra. Hence it is that the musical element pre- 
dominates almost thronghont over the dramatic, so 
much so that many tejj^ing pointa of the book ere 
loet in the excessive instrumental by-play, and that 
compartively few scenes are really comic The 
arioso-recitative. In which the greater part of the 
dialogue is clothed, is particularly open to this ob- 
jection, and often misses its sIm altogether. It la 
in solo and ensemble that Gots shows mettle, 
whilst his recitative Is verbose and often patched 
up. 

The dramatle and lyric Interest pivots on Petrn- 
chio and Katharine ; their parts are written for bar- 
itone and soprano ; while of the subordinate char- 
acters, Lneentio Is tenor, Btanca soprano. Baptlsta 
bass, and Rortenslo basso-bnffb. The mnMcal garb 
of Petrnchio is a ms^ter piece ; full of life, vigor, 
blunt humor and oddity : a man who Is eertain of 
success, bnt conceals his love nntil. after his own 
fsshion. he has "killed his wife with kindnees." 
Katherine, on the other hand, falls somewhat short 
of the Ideal. The composer evidently found the 
Shrew hard to cope with. There is, at first, a good 
deal of the mad and headstrong humor of the origi- 
nal in her ; bnt she succumbs too soon ; she is 
cnrbed at the first meeting with Petrnchio, end In 
the last act she in sentimental, and scquiesces in the 
oppressor's " politic reign " like a genuine Teutonic 
household Kate. Sorely, this is not Shakespesre's 
Shrew. For his Kate holds out to the bitter end ; 
on their arrival in Petrnchio's house, his " falcon Is 
only sharp and passing empty," and much remains 
to be done. Gotz's Kate is not waspish enongh. 
One would like tosee Pelruchio opposed by a Shrew 
of rather firmer texture and stronger Impulse. And 
can she not be womanly for all that T 

The overture treats, somewhat sporadically, some 
of the leading subjects of the opera, as that of Pe- 
trnchio's tanly arrival on the weddingdav. '*a very 
monster in apparel, an eye-sore to the soiemn festi- 
val : " the subject of Katherlne*s defiant song, and 
that of the duet with Petruchlo in the second act. 
Lucentio's serenade, his duet with Blanea, and Pe- 
trnchio's grsnd air in the first act are full of lyric 
beauty, but the action and the recitative are heavy. 
The second and third acts are by far the best, whilst 
in the last the Interest is not snflicientiv sustained. 
The two duets between Petrnchio and Katherine in 
the second and fourth acts, when at last "their jar- 
ring notes agree," are exceedingly beautiful both in 
conception and treatment. Again, the lesson-scene 
in the third act, where Bianca prefers Lucentio's 
Latin to Hortensio*s "gamut o' a briefer sort," and 
the haberdasher, as well as the supper-scene in the 
last act, bring the comic element well to the front. 
The climax is reached in the delicious finale of the 
third act ; and the way in which Petrnchio " buck- 
lers his bonny Kate 8gain«t a million," and carries 
her off*. In F^fte of every obstacle, is enough to con- 
vince the most sceptical spectator that "such a mad 
marrisge never was before." 

Such, then, are the leading features of this charm- 
ing work. It appeals to a somewhat advanced au- 
dience, and, solid and compact as it is, it should 
be styled a lyric rather then a comic opera. More- 
over, it is by no means easy, end the part of Petru- 
chlo and Katherine are worthy of such distingnished 
artists as the Leipzig fsvorltes, Gura— one of the I 



Bayrenth " chosen " — and^Pesehka-Lentner, whoee 
Shrew shows her consummate ability in an entirely 
new aspect 

The great sucoess of this first work aogars well 
for Gdts's future labors. He is on the road to lame ; 
let OS hope that the fountain of melody Is not yet 
exhausted, and that he will not be content to rest on 
the laurela which be baa won for himself by taming 
a Shrew. C.P.S. 



The Seaden Theatre at Harvard 
XTniTenity. 

onournow or rm rtww part or vbmomal bau.. 
— ^A M AaxirioBUT snucruan. 



The aeadenrio theatre, which was yesterday for tl 
first time ooeupled, forms the eastern divisfon of the 
Memorial Han* which Is thus, eleven years after its in- 
oeptlon, finally hrought to eoflDpIetloa. The theatre, as 
its name Implies, is due to the mnnlfleenee of the late 
Mr. Charles Sanders, of the class of I8D3. formeily of Sa- 
lem, hat daring the latter pan of his Vf% a resident of 
Cambridge. In 188S, the year befors his death, he gave 
to the college a parcel nf real estate in Cambridge, val- 
ued at twenty thoussnd dollars, for the erection of an 
Alumni Ball, and left by will the som of twenty thoa- 
sand dollars in trust to the president and frt'ows fertile 
same porpose. In 1876 the property had accumulated to 
over dzty thousand dollars, and, an additional amount 
of fifteen thonaand dollars being made up by private 
snbeeription, work was begun in the spring of that 
year. 

The theatn, which in Ita general shape recalls the 
theatrea of antiquity, being nearly of a semi-circolar 
form, with a shallow stage extending along the straight 
side, is probably the largest modem building of the 
kind, being about a hundred feet aeroas in each dlree- 
tion. The stage, which Is occupied with seats for the 
president and fellows, the overseers and the various fae- 
nltfes of the university, is about sixty feet wide by twen- 
ty-flve feet deep, and accommodates two hundred per- 
sons. In the pit, or, as the Greeks would have called it, 
the orchestra, are about two hundred seats, ooenpied on 
oommenoement days hy the graduating claas and other 
candidates for degrees. The rest of tfie andienoe. to the 
number of about a thousand, are disposed in wedge- 
shaped seats, the eunH of the ancients, divided by nar- 
row aisles radiating toward the centre. Above this ia 
a gallery similarly arranged. Access is gained to these 
seats by staireaaes in the Memorial vestibule. Over the 
stage is a gallery for muaicians or singers. 

The framing of the roof oonsists principally of seven 
queen-post trusses, so arranged as to intersect each oth- 
er in plan, each queen-post being common to two trass- 
es. This eonstmctlon la diaplayed in the architectural 
treatment of the ceiling, of which the long inteneeting 
tifr^eama are the most conspieaoas feature, the oolnmns 
which rise above the points of intersection indicating 
the poelUon of the qneen-posts. These oolnmns support 
radiating rihe which form a sort of dome or half-dome 
over the pit. 

The theatre is finished in brown aah. the benches and 
chairs being of black walmtt. The walls and celling are 
boldly but simply treated in color, the ceOmg being of 
an olive green, the upper walls of buff, the lower walls 
and those about the stage of red. In each surface the 
colors of the two othera are introduced in Unea and 
bands. 

On the large wall over the stage, above the muaic-gal- 
lery, is the following inscription :— 

HIO • VX ' BILVXSTRIBTS 
ST • INC VLTI8 • LOCIS 

AKOU • DOliO • PROFVOI 

AlfKO • POST • CHaiSTVM • NATVM • M • D • C* XXXVI 

POST • COLONIAH* HVC • DBDVCTAM • VI 

SAPIBNTIAM • RATI • AKTB • OMNIA • COLBNDAM 

8CHOLAM • PVBUCB • CONDIDXBYNT 

ooin>rrAif * oskiaro * st * bogi^bsiab * DiOAVBuvnT 

QVAX * AVOTA lOKAJtmS * BABVABO * HVXinOSKTIA 

[BXTsairra 

A * UTTBBABVX * PAVTOBIBTS * CVB * BOeTBATlBVS' TVX* 

IDBNTIDBM* ADITTA 

ALVMKOBYM • DBNIQVX > FIDBI • COMMIS8 A 

[XHCBBMBBTA 
AB" BXIOVXS* FBBDV€TA* XinTIXr AD* MAIOBA' BEBVM* 

[AOABCIOOI 
PBABSTDVM ' 800I0BVM * IBSPBCrOBTM * SBB ATVS ' 

OON8ILII8 * BT • PRVDBNTIA . BT . CVRA 

rPRIVATAB 
OPTYMA8 • ARTBS * TIRTVTXS * FTBL1CA8 • 

OOLYIT • COLIT 

[riBicAMBim 

QVl'AVTniTDOCTrFVBnnrrFVUlBBVBT-QVASI-SPLBKDOB 

BT • QVI • AD • nrSTITIAM • BR VDIVNT • M VLT08 

QVAU * STBUiAB * IB ' PIBPBTTAt ' ABTBBVITATB. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, JULY 8, 1876. 



261 



IHers In the wllderneH didBnglith exnet. In ttie TMr 
•ror the Mrth of Christ the alzteen hnndred nnd thirty* 
•Ixth, and the elzth after the Ibnndatlon of their eolony, 
helleTing that wisdom sboaM f&nt of all tbinn be ciu- 
tlvated. Dj public enactment founded a aehool, and ded- 
icated ft to Cbrlat and tbe cbnroh. 

Inareaned tnr the ronntfloence of John Harrard, again 
and again aaawted by the f > lends of good learning, not 
thiy h'-re but abroiuL and flnallT en^ratted to the care 
<Kf its own chndren ; brooght safety throngh from small 
begdnnlngs to larger estate br the eare and Jndgment 
and foieSjrht of presidents, fellows, orerseers and f ao- 
nlty— an liberal arts and pnbllo and ^vate Tirtoes It 
has cnltirated. It cnltlTatea still. 

** Bnt they that be wise shall shine asthehrightnessotf 
the flmuunent, and they that bring many to xighfeeoas- 
ness, like the stars for erer and erer."] 

On the walls at the side of the stage are tablets record- 
ing the mnnUleence of ICr. Banders and the date of the 
ereetlon of the building. 

The arehiteeU are Mr. wmiam ILlfare of the class of 
IBn, and llr. Henry Van Brant of the class of 1854. The 
stone work was done by Mr. J. Lynch, the masons* work 
by Mr. L. P. flonle, the carpenters' workhy Me*rs.0r6is- 
ay and Noyce, the steam-heating by the Ifalworth Maa- 
nfsctering Company, and the painting and decorating 
byMr.W.J.McPherMn. The ooioesal heads of Demoe- 
thenes, dcere, St. Ohrysoelom, Boesnet, Ohathaas, 
Bnifce and Webster npon the outer wail, as well as the 
earred wood-woik inside, were executed by Mr. John 



•♦♦i 



ThA Ctnttmiial Oanteta. 

irrom the MtmUie Monihi^ for July. J 

Mr. Dudley Book's Centennial Cantata* U n rery 
faTorable example of the oomposer^s style. Anv- 
thing other than a masterly treatment of easily 
melwiiotta and dramatically pertinent themes, com- 
ing from his ficile pen, would have surprised us. 
We most think Mr. Book has been unfortunate In 
the text to which he has written mnaic The great- 
er part of Mr. I^anier's poem, apart from all conoid- 
erationa of its Intrinsic poeticsl worth or on worth, is 
^ItaUe to musical treatment in the dramatic, 
<ll«lamatory, Liast- Wagner style, but is ▼ery^ifl 
adapted to mosieal treatment in the porely moslcal 
style in which Mr. Buck is so graoerally at home. 
]£. Book is, above all things, a mosicinn. and nev- 
er allows the dramatic possibilities of his text to 
lore him sway from a mosieally self-dependent and 
consistent form. 

Mr. Lanier recently wrote a newspaper letter In 
which he defended at great length his choice of 
method in oompoeing this cantata-text. He there 
lays down three pi inmplee (which, in his tIcw, con- 
stitute the n, 6, e of the matter) : (a) that everv mod- 
ern moslcal composer most write for the homan 
▼oiee as a pert of the orchestra ; (6) that only one 
general conception iii permissible in the text, with 
some subordinate ideaa very broadly contrasted ; 
and («) that in the case in point the poem should 
consist midnly of 8axon words, in order to aid in 
producing an efieet of "big, manly, ahd yet re- 
strained jobilatloo.'* We have nothing to object to 
the sineerity of Mr. Lanier's convictions, and, as 
we have Intimated, we think he produced various 
phrases and movements well adapted to dramatic 
musical arrangement ; but we feel bound to oppose 
his theory tliat poetry written ibr music neecl no 
longer be " perfectly dear, smooth, and natural" 
There are critics quite as competent as Mr. Lanier 
who do not believe that the poorness of Wagner's 
texte for his own operas Is at all essential to their 
mnslcid splendor. And what does Mr. Lanier say 
to Schiller's ode, An Sm Freude, so magnlficentiy 
set by Beethoven in his Ninth Symphony f We 
know of no text, either, which might so well inspire 
a mujidan of the modern school as Coleridge's An- 
cient Mariner (though this has been very inade- 
quately used by the English composer, BarnettV a 
poem largely tnade op ot clear and precise narrative. 
jBut, to take the example which seenia to have been 
moet immediate In Its inflOence upon Mr. Lanier, 
Dr. von Buelow's orchestral rendering of Uhland*s 
BAngtr*9 FWdi, we mav observe that the simple 
fMSt of the composer's skipping the '* connective tis- 
sue" of oarrative In that poem, and dwelling on the 
dramatic episodes In lt,Dy no means proves that 
the Intermediary narrative portions are " so much 
waste matter qvoad music Without these por- 
tioos, the poem would have been comparatively 
worthlets and ineffective, and could hardly have in- 
spired any musician to the effort of Interpretation. 
If Uhland had, without farther explanation, given 
the ejaculative utterances of the xing, the queen, 

•7^ CkitUnniat JMlikMtm tf Ootvmtia, A CUitata 
for tb« Inangnral ceremonies at Philadelphia, May 10, 
181V. Poem by Bm^mt LA.nna« Muslo by Dodlbt 
Book. New York: O. Bchlrmar. 



and the singer, he would have been oniotelllglble ; 
and before his poem ooold have been translated In- 
to tones by Von Boelow, explanatory marginal notes 
woold have been required, similar to thoee which 
Mr. Lanier wisely took the precaution to send to Mr. 
Buck ; and poesfbly a poetfiumous newspaper letter 
from Uhlana would not have been amiss. Moreov- 
er, a conception to be emboditHl In words and music 
cannot safely be subjected to just the same treat- 
ment as that which is given to the impr§i$ian de- 
rived from a dear, concise poem, and aboot to be 
translated Into orchestral effects. Mr. Lanier's fon- 
damental error appears In a simile to which he con- 
fidently calls our attention, namely, that a poet 
asked to write a cantata-text Is In precisely the pre- 
dicament of a painter whimsically required to paint 
a pictore that shall be viewed only by mocmllght 
This Is as ludicrous as it Is loose In Its analogy. Mr. 
Lanier himself points out In one case the power of 
music to invest unmeaning syllables with great ef- 
frct ; and thU alone shows that music Is not an In- 
distinct medium for the transmission of impressions, 
comparing with the power of non-muMcal vocal in- 
ili^ctlons "as moonlight . . . with sunlight" 
The srllable "rig, sig, rig** cannot possibly be 
made impressive in non-musical utterance. So that 
the Idea that muElc, as contrasted with strople elo- 
cution, enfeebles and makes vegoe, fslls to the 
ground. And even grsnting that It does make 
things vague, we should say that the poet, Instead 
of adding to the dimness and mysticism of musical 
expreerion, ought to throw Into his words a com- 
pensating clearness. In either case, then, Mr. La- 
nier Is at fault He has been misled by s simile, 
and has gone astray by reason of that peculiar and 
exceesive roominess which sn oncertsin grasp of 
principles Is apt to create In the mind. HIa Uw of 
the prevailing general Idea and of the related subor- 
dinate Ideas la quite correct, but not at all new ; his 
choice of Saxon words Is highly oommendsble ; but 
his rejection of clearness and Intelligibility is a 
lamentable error. It is' quite possible that fine 
things may be produced In a mystical and Indefinite 
vrin, but no art can ever achieve greatly which 
rats out with forethought to be mystical and yague. 
Mr. Lanier says that he saturated his mind with a 
theory, and then waited for the poem to come. He 
would have done better to keep his mind more clear 
fh>m theoriee, and to have gone ardently and with- 
out prejudice In search of his poem. As it i*, In 
expounding the alphabet of a new poetic-musical art 
he has forgotten that it must have a grammar also. 
And Uiough undoubtedly revoluUonary forces have 
been at work In music, and are now at work In poe- 
try, which the general public may not appreciate, 
yet the criticisms which the Centennial cantata-text 
has met represent a healthy and instinctively cor- 
rect popular protest against what is really a hasty 
and delecttve attempt to overthrow artistic order. 

The ehttrtuier of Mr. Buck's muslo is almost f I- 
ways In keeping with the tptrti of the text ; we may 
be sure not to find him writing triumphal marches 
to words like " Cojus aniraam gementem," for In- 
stance: but all entering into dramatic details, to 
the detriment of essentially musical thematic devel- 
opment, seems to be repugnant to his natore. Now 
many of Mr. Lanier's verses are of that Involved 
grammatical structure that makes them utterly In- 
comprehensible .when read merely proeodieally. 
We must confess that Mr. Buck's setting often ratti- 
er increases than lessens this quality In the poetry. 
Take, far Instance, the linee, — 

" Winter cries. Ye freeze : away I 
Fever cries. Ye burn : away I 
Hunger cries. Ye starve : away ! 
Vengeance crlee. Your graves shall stay T 

The music to the first line is admirable : the basses 
thunder out "Winter cries. Ye freese;" upon 
which the whole chorus shriek, " Away ! " Bat In 
the two following lines, all that the listener can 
understand is, " Fever cries. Ye bum away I Hun- 
ger criee, Ye' starve awayt" In the next line the 
mnsic agidn makes the text wholly comprehensible 
and effective. There are one or two other placea 
where the sense of the text is equally obscure to the 
listener. 

Musically considered, the cantata la a most capi- 
tal piece of writing. Mr. Buck does not write with 
a very Titanic pen, but his style Is so pure and un- 
forced, his effects are so easily and naturally brooght 
aboot, that we cannot hot overlook an occhslonal 
tendency to the trivial and commonplace. The bass 
solo, " Long ss thine art" which sets oot In a quite 
sufficiently commonplace and sentimental vein, 
gains strength aa it goes on, and at the words, "Thy 
uune shall glow, thy fiame shall shine," ^ows real 



power and eflbctlve brilliancy. The fugoed final 
chorus is a great advance npon the composer's "The 
Ood of Jacob is our refuge," In his Forty-Sixth 
Psalm, and all the choral part from the words, 
" Mayfiower, Mayfiower," to the worda, " Toil, give, 
kiss o'er and repllght" U brilliant *nd barring the 
occasional obscurity we have already mentioned, ef- 
fective, dramatic even, if yon wlU, but always In a 
merely general way. 



JiDig^'s losmal of JSlnsic* 



BOSTON. JULY 8, 1876. 



Enoofesin OoiUMrte 

The privilege of the moore Is one which the 
sovereign public. In the uncontatnableness of Its 
enthusiasm. Is continually abusing. The cry of 
meor€, in its strict meaning, to which In practice 
It seems not half of the time confined, Is simply 
Again I And It Is both natural and reasonable 
that an audience should ask sometlmee for a repe- 
tition of a piece of muslo, which, either In itself 
or lu the performance, has caused peculiar and 
unanimous satisfaction. But It is a privilege moet 
easily abased; It soon ceases to be a distinction 
and becomee a bore. To keep Its exercise within 
doe limits, there are several things to be consid- 
ered: ss, 

1. The unity of the concert^ regarded as an ar- 
tistic whole. 

1 The rights ef the rest of the audience. 

S. Jostlce to the performers. 

4. Justice to the music and the composer, and 
our own musical culture in regard to them. 

All these, and perhaps more, properly take pre- 
cedence of our own momentary pleasure, which 
woold prolong Itself by an siieori. 

1. On the first point, consider that the pro- 
gramme of a good concert Is Itself a work of art, 
wisely made up and proportioned as to length, 
quantity, quality, variety, and with a skilfol study 
of contrasts. If It be a programme of the solid, clss- 
sical kind, substantially made up of aympbony and 
overtures, or of quartets and sonatas, and if a vocal 
piece or two, or an instrumental solo of a long string 
of variations. Is introduced by way of foil and con- 
trast, the hearer blindly defeats his own intention 
by vociferously encoring one or more of thesA lat- 
ter, as he will find to his cost before the programme 
Is finished ; for he haa added so much to its total 
length, indulging too long in that single sweet- 
meat till the whole grows heavy. And It seems to 
be the fotality that it is almost always the lighter 
and secondary matters, the suloa— for the poor rea- 
sou that these are personal, — that get the encores. 
The demanding of a repetition of a movement In a 
symphony or qiartet, someUmes, — ^for instance, an 
andante of Beethoven, shows better taste ; but even 
this Is dangerous and should be kept exceptiohal, 
for It alters the proportions of the work and of the 
concert Justice to the Idea and plan of the con- 
cert, then, should teach us to be eparing of our in- 
terference to disturb Its fkir proportions. If ar- 
tists, rather say virtuosos, have been so much 
spoiled by these unstinted encores, that they actu- 
ally allow for them in their programmee, aa items 
understood, the more the better,->-wby this is all 
the stronger illustration of the evil we are pointing 
out 

5. Justice to our fellow auditors Is equally Im- 
portant CTcn justice to the mlnority,-~certalnly to 
the more quiet, undemonstrative, but not for that 
4ess truly music-loving m^ority. It is not the 
best music-lovers, who most readily expreas their 
pleasure by the clapping of hands. Soch noisy 
demonstrations, too, oome In unnaturally after the 



262 



DWiaHT»S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



best kind of mosia When we are moat deeply 
moved and iotereeted by works whleh speak to 
the intellect and to the son!, we are inclined to 
the most silent form of approbation. At least 
sQch is the case with persons of that quiet, raedi* 
tative and harmonious temperament, which is 
most likely to be found en rapport with music of 
the meet classical and intellectual character. Now 
it not unfreqnently happens that where the mass 
of an audience are of tnis class, and the piece of 
Beethoven or Mendelssohn has passed off deeply 
and quietly enjoyed, but not vociferously ap- 
plauded, a few of the younfcer and more thought- 
less, by sheer force of hands and feet and lungs, 
have raided one of those thundering encores afUr 
the most hacknied overture, or operatic cavatina. 
or fantasia upon " Hail Columbia," which there is 
no resisting. The hacknied and the trifling are 
crammed down our throats by this means ; since 
the silent, music-loving many are no match for 
the others In the way of noise. The worst of all 
this is, too, that it depraves the artist, if he be not 
a person of high and unflinching artist aim and 
force of character. The virtuoso of the voice or 
violin, even the conductor of the orche<«tra, thinks 
that the polka is far more appreciated and desired 
by the audience than the symphony of Mosart or 
the overture of Cherubini, beoiuse it is far more 
loudly applauded and redemanded by the impera- 
tive and forward likers of that sort of thing. So 
he adapts his programme, as he fancies, to the 
general will ; for he must manage at some rate to be 
popular ; he gives no credit for the silent sympathy 
for his nobler e£EbrtSt which if truly counted sliould 
outweigh the noisy demonstrations of the others, 
and he commences catering systematically to what 
he falsely takes to be the puUic taste. 

S. Justice to the performer. The ineor« fre- 
quently becomes a nuisance, where it signifies not 
approbation or delight, so much as a gluttonous 
and unreasonable demand for nwre. If the audi- 
ence in this case were a musically half-starved 
Oliver Twist, it would be well ; but It is commonly 
in a state of positive plethora, that this greedy, 
avaricious appetite of a portion of an audience 
insists upon the singer or pianist coming back, to 
follow up the long and arauons solo, by an extra 
set of rigmarole, ear-tickling variations, ten to 
one on the most hacknied national or negro melody. 
It seems as if some people were possessed at con- 
certs with a jealoua eagerness to get out of an 
artist their full monev's worth. And so cheap as 
our concerts are 1 Think what amount and quality 
and variety of music is open not nnfrequently to 
thousands at a price that would be moderate for 
the mere privilege of sitting for a social hour In so 

Xeeable a place I A popular pianist, though he 
y twice, seldom escapes two of these greedy en- 
cores ; b€cau§e he has played once, they hold him 
bound to play again, and make the most o1 his good 
nature, seeing that they have got him there. The 
infant phenomenon (say some little maiden violin- 
ist) is invariably a victim. The physical strength 
or weakness of the child are not considered, — still 
less the poesiblllty that the young brain, after long 
concentration as intense and earnest as is required 
by the grave studies of matnre manhood, or the 
young heart's over-stimulated capacity of impulse 
and emotion, can become fatigueo. Iteantiful as it 
is, it is also a sad siffht to see the little girl so over- 
tasked and victimized, a gentle gladiator, for the 
pleasure of a thoughtless, self-indulgent multitude, 
who seem to know as little what Is good for them- 
selves, as they do what is just and kind for her. 

4. What should be most, but with the ma- 
jority of concert goers is least, regarded in the 
exercise of the encore, is justice to the Art and the 
composer, and our own culture in regard to them. 
We have the most familiar, even hacknied piece re- 
peated, when we let the noblest and (to us) the new. 
est pass half heard and not half comprehend* d. We 
make a personal matter of an encore, redemanding 
the singer to do over again a brilliant feat and re- 
ceive new plaudits, when we hear once through 
with barely a patient civility some one of the mas> 
ter- works, to which Music owes all its dignity as 
Art. If Beethoven or Moxart be in the concert, in 
one of their most living and eternal products, is 
there less due to these, TOdily absent, tnan to Sig- 
ner Whiskeroeo Urlo, the tenore, or Signorina 
Screecherina, the prima donna aasohUa, who have 
been so emphatically on hand with their bravura 
runs and shakes, in some thread-bare and long-suf- 
fering cavatina ? Is it not wise sometimes to try to 
find the best in that which time and the judgment 
of all qualified to iudge have shown to be the best ? 
Surely no less is due to Art and to our own culture. 



This principle, if practiced upon, would sometimes 
lead ua to encore the piece, that was not the most 
perfectly performed, for the vwy reason that it 
might be dene a second time and done l>etter ; that 
the performer might do better justice to himself 
and to the composer, and that the piece itself (new 
to OS and poorly comprehended, while we have 
abundant outward evidence that it is good and 
worth our pains to understand \^^ miffht be found 
better and clearer on a second hearing. We re- 
member a case. Miss — — tenr a acena from 
JfHeUo, the only opera that divides the world's 
opinion with Mosart's Don Juan, It waa wholly 
new to a Boston audience ; the music waa straufl^ 
and had too much In it to allow it to pass lightly 
and triumphantly off upon a pingle trial. The sing- 
er too waa less effective, less herself in it, (perchance 
some momentary embarrassment) than she was usual- 
ly. Here were two of the best of reasons for an 
encore, namely, the strong probability that the 
singer would render it mucn more effectively, and 
that the audience would *' get the hang " of the mu- 
sic better, on a second triiU. Would not the time 
spent on a repetition of the Fidelio air, that was ac- 
corded to a repetition of the ''Last Rose of Summer," 
have been a far better economy of our musical op- 
portunities f 

These are mere hints. It is easier, we know, to 
point out abuses, than to regulate by set rules a 
matter necessarily so indefinite and complex in its 
manifestations as the instinct (for it must be after 
all a thing of inrtinct, perfectly spontaneous) which 
dictates the encore in musical performances. It cer- 
tainly can do no harm, and may do some good, to 
think a lUUe of these things. 

the Lower Bliine Xniical FeetlTiL 

In these hot midsummer days we have to look 
abroad for music of much interest. These are our 
days of rest, — these longed fullest, sweetest days 
of all the year, in spite of 'the thermometer, — when 
it is good to surrender oneself, soul and body, to 
the restoring influences of Nature. If there were 
operas and concerts we should feel little disposition 
to listen to them in the crowd, still less to t>ear 
away their burden on the mind and write about 
them. 

A correspondent of the London Thnee gives the 
following account of the opening of this famous 
music meeting, which haa been held at Aiz-la- 
Chapelle : 

Tne festival of 1876 may ie said to have com 
menced on Friday last, en which day and on Satur- 
day morning most careful rehearsals were hold. 
For the three concerts six full rehearsals are insured, 
and these are perha|)S the distinguishing feature of 
a German festival, and the main cause of such fin- 
ished performances as those to which habitHh on 
these occasions are accustomed. To musicians pres- 
ent these ' Proben ' are perhaps even more interest- 
ing than the concerts themselves, as giving an op- 
portunity of observiuflT the manner In which a good 
condnctor drills his f >rces and worin them up to 
the required pitch of efficiency, and elicits with care 
and patience all nuMtcee of light and shade, giving 
finish, polish, and brilliancy to the selections. The 
che/'d'orfkeetre on the occasion under notice is Fer- 
dinand Breunung, one of Hitler's 'best students at 
the Cologne Conservatorium some twenty years ago, 
and app«»inted Mu«c Director here atx>nt 1866. It 
was hoped that Brahms would have conducted a 
portion of the music, but some hitch occurred in 
securing the aid of that eminent composer. This 
disappointment, together with the absence of Frftu* 
lein Lehmann, ^he rising soprano at Berlin, who, 
with .other artistes, is reported to be detained at 
the Bayreuth rehearsals, and perhaps also counter- 
attractions connected with that forthcoming Wag- 
ner Festival, as well as less genial Whitsuntide 
weather than usual in Germany, combined to cause 
a smaller attendance of musicians this year than at 
such previous gatherings at Aachen. As the hall 
here in which the festival is held is considerably 
smaller than either the ' Gurzenich ' at Cologne^ or 
the new 'Tonhalle' at DCksseldorf— in fact, mr too 
small for the occasion — the number of performers, 
theugh less than that usually assembled at those 
towns, is nevertheless too great for the inadequate 
' Kurhaus,' which scarcely accommodates an audi- 
ence of 1,000 persons, 'f he interior of this build- 
ing has been embellished since the festival of 1878, 
and a fine organ of 48 stops and 2,600 pipes, by 
Stahlhuth of Aachen, has been recently erected. 

The chorus contains 102 sopranos, 77 altos, 79 
tenors, and 120 basses — total, 878. The orchestra 
comprises 46 violins, 18 violas, 16 violoncelloe, and 



12 double-basses, with the 'wind' doubled (six 
horns), making. Inclusive of harpist and organist;; 
124 players, and a total number of 602 performers, 
about the nnmber of those at our Birmingham festi- 
vals. The principal soloists are Frilulein Meysen- 
beym (soprano), of the Munich Opera; Frinlein 
Kling (contralto), from Berlin ; Herren Ernst (ten- 
or), of the Berlin Opera; Wasandfer (baritone), 
from Vienna ; Pfeiffer (base), from Hildbnrghausen 
and Schradieck (violin), from Leipsig ; and Mme. 
Essipoff (pianoforte), from St Petersburg. 

On the first day— Whit-Suuday— Handera ora- 
torio ' Solomon ' was given almost in its integrity 
according to the original score, with the excellent 
organ part, made by Mendelssohn in 1885, and aa 
performed under Hitler's direction at the Cologne 
Festival of 1862. The translation of the Enghsh 
text, written by Dr. Morell in 1748, consisted part- 
ly of the version made ft>r Mendelssohn by his 
friend Klingemann and partly of that published in 
the Leipsic edition of the Handel Society, YuL 20, 
1867. The compromise is satisfactory, and the 
music of ' Solomon ' suffers less than either ' Israel.' 
* Messiah,' or ' Jodaa ' hy the adapUtion ta it of 
German worda. The overture, with its brightfu^, 
but minus its third movement, plaved by strings 
and oboes only, showed off the old-fashioned scoring 
to the greatest advantage, the fiigal subject sUnding 
out in as bold relief f^om the subordinate harmony 
aa a sharply-defined oulline of the Alps against a 
background of early morning sky. The fine lead of 
the basses in the open chorus, *Your harpa and 
cymbals sound,' told of wonted efficiency in that 
register of voice. Seldom, indeed, is such cultivat- 
ed and intelligent singing elicited from a large cho- 
rus. But here, aa at the recent perfoi-mances in 
London of Bach's B minor * Mass,' under the able 
direction of Mr. Otto Goldschmidt, the chorns 
mainly consisted of ladies and aentiemen of superi- 
or education, who had for montns worked con amore 
at numerous rehearsals. Among the choruses best 
given at Aachen was that ending with < Till disUnt 
nations catch the song,' with the graphic and effec- 
tive reiteration of those words, as if the Levite 
priest were endeavoring to burn the great lesson 
into the memory of all and for ever, and resolving 
that the Hymn of Praise should be echoed ' Through- 
out the land,' to quote the opening words of the 
glorious fugue for eight voices which shortly after 
ia takea up by the ch >rus of Israelites. The 'Night- 
ingale chorus,' always so finely given at our Han- 
del Festival t, would have produced a (greater Im- 
pression had more light and shade been infused in- 
to the vocal part. The splendid incense chorus, 
' From the censer,' In which the words. * Happy, 
happy Solomon,' are tossed about from one choir to 
the other with such fine antiphooal effect, and the 
melodlons little five-part chorus, 'From the East 
unto the West,' were, as usual, most striking choral 
items in the second part of the work. The third 
act, containing the visit of the Queen of Sheba, and 
the grand chain of ' Passion choruses,' aa they are 
known In England, or, as in Germany they are 
called, ' Wechselgesftngen,' could not produce a 
very deep Impresmon on an Eni^ish listener remem- 
berini; their unequalled performanoe under Sir 
Michael GosU at the CrysUl Palace In 1862, 1868, 
and 1871. The finest of them, ' Draw the tear from 
hopeless love,' which is seldom sung in tune, waa in 
that respect immaculate at Aachen, but the sublime 
modulations at 

' Lengthen out the solemn air. 
Full of death and wild despair,* 

seemed to need the support of additional accompan- 
iments ; and the introduction of theee chords In the 
organ part— evidently to aid the choral intonation 
in taking a difficult ' discord '—«fter the word 
' death,' and where Handel has indicated silence, 
marred the effect of one of the greatest things in 
musia 

Two of the five principal aololsts enga^^ pos- 
sessed good voices and sang with much taste- 
namely, Frftulein Kling and Herr Pfeiffer. The 
Berlin contralto often recalled the style and manner 
of Mme. Joachim, and sang well in oratorio. But, 
with these exceptions, the solo vocalists were un- 
worthy of the occasion — the soprano, tenor, and 
barytone being much below par. In the part of 
Solomon, which Mme. Sainton-Dolby has made mem- 
orable, Frilulein Kling was very efficient, and her 
rendering of ' What though I trace ' was excellent, 
despite some slight slips aa to time, and was the 
one redeeming feature in the solo singing in the 
oratorio. The voice, method, and intonation of the. 
Viennese barytone are alike unfortunate, and neith- 
er be nor the Berlin tenor seems to have an idea of 
singing Handel's bravura passages, which, being 



BOSTON, SATUBDAT, JULY 8, 1876. 



itrcmvly difflcalt, n^uim ipfdil ttaij. The Mu- 
nich mprnn hiiB some dr>in«l)e pnwpr, but her In- 
tonati'in in th# uppor part nt her toIm i« iincirtaln. 
Ml] her mode of ttlacliinK hlffh notra tii unre- 
•trainnl and Inirllmic In fact, the leu uid *bniit 
the enlni. eaprclnIlT in the oratorin, tlis hetrer. The 
tempi Inkiin by the coniliictiir. thnnzh mmellniFi 
verv different from those to vhlch GnglUh heir- 
rrn are Brcmtomed. were on the whole commenda- 
ble. The bHicht and cliarminit Inslrnmenlal intro. 
dnctUn to the Ihird act was taken preeto rather 
than atleifro, whirh made Its rewmbltnca In style 
•ad In ke; lo the Dverturs to ' Acl> and Galatea' 
all the more outleeable, and wag played with the 
Qtmnat brilliancy, eliciting prolonirrd appUoae. 

ThU firit ftwtiTat enncert ommenced at half 
past tix o'clock, and. IncIudinB a panw of nearly an 
hnar. when perTormen and aadlence ilmtled oat of 
the healed room Into the adjolnini; sardea Tor a 
noonllght promenade al fi-fco, laated more than 

The concert on Whit Monday, the leonnd day, 
poasemed. t* haa been already hinted, much inter- 
est. WIthoDta ejmphony by Beethoven, a Rhen- 
ish (estleal H not conaldered complete unleM, In- 
deed, the icreat mantttr ahanld be nlherwtse ad» 
qoatrlj represented In some larce choral work. 
Bat. as la nnr^d tn the eirellent prefafsry remarks 
In the fratWsl books, If the latter coarse Is adopted, 
and the symphonj Isoneof the masterpleivs of Mo- 
lart, ^htibert. or Schumann, a retnrn Is ever made 
Ibe followlni year to the sublime ' Sinfonie-TempeV 
reared by the ansnrpanable master. In which tem- 

tle the third, flfth. aeventh, and ninth symphonies 
irm the comer plllan. ' Aarhen has on tills occa- 
sion aelpcted the flnrt of these corner iillUrs 
(" Bchpff Her*) t-> anppoTt the protrranime of tlie sec- 
ond dav. and doubta m>t that the" Brnlra ' will kin 
die enthiialaam In all hearts, and atlnne them to 
thoroDgh enjiiynient.' That gnat work was grand- 
ly Jflven. 

Sehnmsnn's cantata, 'The Sini^er'a Cone.' cams 
nen In tbe pmKramm*. The leit Is modified by 
Piihl from Uhland's halUd.and the onmporillon was 
Srst heard at the tblrty.fifth of these featlral* in 
185T. Aa (generally In OreoV plars, the chorna In 
this work Is ■ mere beholder or listener, the dram, 
it pn-sona. or soloists, brine nnusually pnimtnent. 
he anio element at this year's festival belne Its 
•tkest feature, the ehnlce of ' Des Sin^r'e Finch ' 
aa not happy. Frinlein Rlinsr. aa the ' Rmhler. 
I," or narrator, and Hsrr Pfslffer. as (he KIni, left 
Ltle U> be desired : hot Herren Ernst and Wailnof- 
er. respectively repie>enting ' tha old harpist' and 
'the jouth,' were scarcely more efficient than In 
sln^nK Handel's mualc the preriona day. The mu- 
sic introiliiced by Schamann aa the ' ProTenfat 
•on^,' with harp obWgalo, is too charming to e*. 
cepe a re.demand, with which Herr Ernst complied. 
The laat chorus, ending 

' Versunhen nnd Tenresaen I 
Das ist dee Sini^ra Fluch 1 ' 
la thornn^hly worthy of the composer, to whoae ro- 
- itic and poetical mind a eiibiert an 3chumsnB- 
le aa Uhland's ballad conid liardiv hi) l» soiczest 
Diisiceonceivrd in athoronehlv kindred spirit. But 
le of tha work Is so dlfllcult'an'l so nnrocal, even 
..e It undertaken by tlie very best arti*Ce>, M to 
become Intolerable whfto executed bj Indifferent vo- 
eallsU; and "The Binctr's Curse" Is thus not likelj^ 
««ome popular. Its tills, may. Indeed, have a 
meanlnj; lot those who nndeitake sonie of !ta solos 
which may not have been foreseen by either author 
or composer. 

■; Mendel'Wohn.i bright and charming fiwU to 
' Loreley ' bllowed In eicellenl nintrBst. and. both 
Bsn BMne legend and the work of one who did 
-nneh lor Rhine feativats. was an appropriate salec- 
ton. The chorus and band were thoronghlr e0c- 
ent. Pifaleln Meysenheym recelred nnbwinded 
ipplsuse For a spirited and dramatic reading of the 
■art of ZaMiore, despite her ttndency to sisgtcersto 
.ndtoslnzout at tana In his{h notes: bat the well 
known voice of Mile. Ttetjens. who so often and ao 
finely tahss the principal aolo. wu ^ach misled by 
Enitttsh hearers. The limited spsce of the " TCur- 
bans' was alao a drawback: and, to qnote one In. 
ataace, at llie passage ' Denn der Wind und der 
Sturm sind wilde OrsaeH'n,' the noise was tcrriliD. 
0'.herwlse. all went well, and Headrltoohn's music 



The second part of the pronrsmme opnncd with 
Weber's (florlnuB overture to 'Eurianthe' taken a 
triHe Blower than usual, after which Bralims' 'Tri- 
■mphlied' followed. Written to commemorate 
-' Osrmas Tlctoriea in 1870.1871, and inscrilied to 



Kiven by 
Hilter at the Cologne festival two years ago. 

On the third day— Wblt-Tiiesdav— the ao.cal1ed 
'artisU' concert' was given. This InterestinK addi- 
tion to the original two days' festival was Introduced 
by Mendelasohn and is nowa permaDentinslitution. 
On this occasion the soloists are brought prominent. 
ly forward, and generally ai''e some admirable spec- 
imens of ' Licder, ' sung to pianoforte aecompani- 
ment. The progrlmme began with an admirable 

proved himself a thnrough musician of the school 
of Schumann. Oade's charming ovcrtore. ' Nach- 
kUlnge von Osslsn.' which has been heard in Eng- 
land, wan onsof the most Intereating items la the 
Aachen profrramme. Rntos by Gluck, Beethoven. 
Schubert, Weber. Mendetasohn, LIsit, and Brahms 
were coctribated by the principal srtista, each of 
them leaving the platform covered with honor and 
fliiwera. The celebrated pianists, Uine. Annettu 
£asipnlT, who ia on her way tu London, where aha 
had last year ao great a success, played Weber's 
Concerlsliick with the orchestra, and (alone) varia- 
tions by Rnmeau, Fantaslestflck and ' Tranmeewir- 
ren' by Schumann, and Li.<it'a grand Etude tn D 
flat. On tieing recalled Ume. EsslpnIT played an 
arrangement of the ralnnet and trio in Moiart's E 
flat Symphony, but the enthn elastic audience 
cheered until she played sgain. The two choruses 
which had laken moi^t at this feaUval— the ' Night- 
ingale' and 'Praise the Lord.' from * Solomon,' 
having been repeated bv the splendid Rbenlsh chor- 
I sters. the festival of ISTS came to an end with a 
well-merited demon strati on to the director. Breun. 
ung. The rain cnme down in torrents as the audi. 
ence were leaving the concert-room. 

Tbe Introdnctliin of an organ aolo, aa at the 
DOsseldort festival of IBdS. was a feature of special 
tnteraat. The instrument lately erected bv SuL 
hulh, of Aachen, «a^ worthily Inaiignratad by a 
Bne performance by Brennui>g, who thus appeared 
in the capacity of or^nlsl aa well as uimposer and 
condnctor. The soft stops are unusually excellent ; 
and in the second movement of Mendelssohn's Son- 
et*, Ko. 1, the contrast of wood and metal was 
admirable. But In the first and last movements the 
effect was not good, tbe louder slops, as well aa the 
balance of maunaU and pnlal organ, being qnlta 
nnsatisfaatorv. The latter portion eonUlna a '8S 
fL reed.' and Is sitogether far too heavy for the 
manuals. In the^aoii of the sonata the roaring of 
the leviathan ' bombarde.' and tbe andue proml. 
ueDoe thronghont of tbe bass part eaased cnr.fuslon 
end indistinetneas. The example here set mlglitbe 
advantageously followed at our festivals this year nt 
Birmingham and Bristol, where grand organs are 
usually silent on aucb occasions, eiceptlng la ac- 

■ SAVBTnKOi.D eoTrml" ITn music thrills the patrl- 
oilc soul Just now witb so mneb nower as inta appeal, 
which comes to ns on all sides. ITo tme Bnstonlaa, no 
true American, can hsip rsapondlng to It. We can add 
nnthlne In the waj ol Bibortatlan ur of argnmeni. 
which has not heen most elaquenlly presenteil over anrt 
over again. BatamonE the maDT (nrsas of the appeal 
we are struck with tlie force of tlie tollowlDg snensoon 
made In the oolumas o( the DaOy IHaU. In copyini It, 
we tske thelltiertv tomakeaslnclecorTeetlnniTHeQer- 
msn Vslhalla Is Inst not of Kailsbon (or Regensbnrg), 
not Munich, whlon le 10 or M miles awar. 
LVSi1a,Justantot Municb. 



Inoklaii 

Hall of "the InimDnals^f 



hat tArj. so elevated 

. . . _ hv the State n memorj 

jf Its llluatrioiu ilead. In (be old Nona mrtbology tbe 
Valhalla la the Hull of the Immonals, wbers those wlm 
have modejEreai surifloes lor their oiuntiv feast with 
Ihegoda. 'ThebBlbllng la a Doric oolonnade surround' 
Ing three aides of a nuadrangle. Ila marlile triCH Is 
adorned witb Biurea ot eiqnIAta daalpi and acnipture, 
repteeanilng the atta. aclennas, pmfaaatuiis and ecenpa- 
UniiB of civTilzad lite, while ranged In niches and en 
pedcsUls are the statues of those who In war and In 

or the qpsdrouffle stands a eolosMOl brume atatne iixtj- 
one feet hlgbi represenUng Bavsria their prouctrest. 

left lbs cbsgilel which -he wM wreath aronn'j the hrowi 
et tboee worthy of ber hoanr. In the Tullsrfes and at 
Tersaiilea, b)' siataa^T and painting. France keens In 
remembranee her honored dnid. Eii|[land alw has ber 
Valhalla- Westminster Abbe v -where she crowns her 
sovereigns, and where, w he ■-- - 



initonljrbi 



al iMioUph ai 



nlGus, 






Bcompllshed great 
mlehlj' opliBbl to 
lbs protfress of hnman liberty and 
ID iTiiiiM jiBJih«ii> ,nanastne pisoe where James Oils, 
imuel Adams, John Ad.ims, John Hancock and ibeir 
impatrlota withstood klnelf nreronatlve and mlnlsts- 
nl prlvllege^ihe OMBoulbT wera Westminster Ablie; 
txi burned sr uverlhrown bv an earthnnake the whole 
nriri would lament lu desininlnn. If Id some civil 
n DC tonign invasion the tide of Intlle were to 



there would be a unlveruii'on'tbi 

of the Old Pouth. 

save It- Amerion's nmii oi ma 

to tbe highest bldderl It there 



id II were to liecome a mla. a wall of 
leard from every land- Were a Londoa 
ot frsnty to ler^I it wltti tbe ground 



p colleges of the lane 
nor nf those who laid r 






yeDowoltliens,! 



— . . jeOld South mnst standi The city 

le State mnst assume its rontrol, and preserve tt tor- 
as Anaerioa's Hall at tiietmmensfs. IfBavoila 
erect a temple In honor ot her Illustrious dead. It 



commemoraiee departed worth. If Rai 

ran rear splendid edlfloea In honer of i 

Msssaehusetts he sodeadlosll noble set 



Boston -Bbsll 



beautify It. Within Its hallowed walls I 



te their virtaes. So 



CR:tBLia C.auj:To>i CorriM. 



Undo in Philadelphia, 

pHTi.j'ntKiT. it:a. The Rsrden coocerts 

„ _, „.. , CracUons bo- 

CDd those lielonglug to the orchestra have appeared ; 
I quite a number ot eminent pianlsta ate expecteil to 

t£nedMU<JulUBlie*andl!r!B!B''llllls.°"'' "'"" 
OsritnAoKi Arnica Ahd OriBA Hournc 

rather shnn. Ithebas sajr regsrd for bis eonscience 
and for the pahllo moFSls or the public taste, he cannot 

nounce Che public taste all wrong and the public moials 
no tietter than they should be, but suggests an aasump- 
tlDu of superior virlne, towsrd which, when esblblted Tn 
newspaper criticism, aseofBug publlo Is somehow spt 
to taks su aillmde of sceptlcl>m. Ooera bouffe Is not 
an leolated phenomenon. It Is liuE one nunlfi-statlon nf 
aaplrit thatlsstnowpervadea tha an ot Cnnilnental 
Zurope and fs shown In painting and sculpture and Ut- 
eratara no lees thou In music and the drama. Take tbe 
works ot the fashlonaMe rreneb painter, or mote espec- 
ially the pintarasof tbe Bpanlab-llallan school which 
our rich amataura Import alsncbtsbnlaasprires. It Is 
nothing bnt opera imuffe on canvas. Amo-ons old 

ering in palace gardens, setting traps for wealth and 
scsclon, court Jesters making sport of dignitaries, wbst- 
ever the subject, tbe picture lis* nothing In it, butreck- 
leas laughter or a erniexl aneer. Tbe spirit of oper* 

purity, sincerity SJi 



wUlbi 



SDllousni-asi and yi 



P hn.c leinied to 
hat eo«i with tfaU 
Itl do the good pea- 



istinns ot the play. They 
nd mischievous as ever bi 

lertng as uallT a- --■->■.> 
ebmanUughrng 



n<l though they did not understand one single 
it. ibey langbed aiit beartlly and cberred The 
sr who created all ihls-nutlnei'.— It Is ui very 
? to lell the people that tbe ijay Is Indecent, tbe 

iBIng and the whole thing unworthy nt an ear- 



The grand operatic concerns given at the Acsdemy of 
MiislRby Mr. James W.Horritsey.ss I predicted In my 
lostleuer, were a great aoccesa, Tbe larce Acsilemy of 
HnsIc was crowded each eve ning.andon aaiiirday night 
one tboiisand chalis weie plsced upon the >tage. and the 
aisles Dlisd with camp stools, yet hundreds were turned 



o purchase standing rooc 

julte an ovation on her ap| 

■rnlflcently, receiving 



Isry received quite an ovation on her i 
ros In splendid voice and Bang msrnlflf 



her appearance. H 



reoilers and yourself, that II Is only necessary tor me to 
rocerd her snauess. She snpeared Weilnewlsy and Sst- 
arday evenings. Miss Kellogg wosnisoenihuslastloslly 
received and sang well as she always doea. But to me, she 
Is as cold asa marble statue ; ber voice lacks that pathos, 
iribat alnoit Indeflnable something, ibat many term 
loul, and when brooghl into close eompunlonshlp with 
■ n artist like Miss Gary, brr cold, nnsymyathellc vocall- 



BungBowelli 



.always a greal 
-..MoaJay evenly,. „„ 
It stage. She la a pains- 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



Uklnit. EborMFbly ooBMlentioai irtm. Har«ffarUud 
■acM««<r«i»t w nuifcad. an Wsdnendkr eTsnlnK. 
Bhetui«MoBilv>ii<lWadiMadiirenn!DEa. HU*. C«- 
TSntM i* k TeiT pluunt }nnii|[lB(lT ol *Ui«n lammgn, 
HmrpIM Co U.I. H. Dom Fedro; dre*«e> maKntncant- 
ly, wuut > Bumher of madili; bat. In »ll klnitu*», I 
cuimturrat^niarhlntierpntwuuisnlit; pcrlups 
Id time (IM iMT nuke ■ parfonucr ; kt pnaroi her p«r- 
formun It not ftboTs medloerltit. Mr. Jnwpb WUta, 
ttis Cnbui YlollBltt, mida ■ hJt with the iiadlenM! b i 
tone it pun ud twaet. but not powerful ; be bM a hema. 
tifalt«b9lqiUMidaoiulilflnble«xeaatlani bathduki 
bnkdtta of eoDiwpUDn ud depth of eenllmaat. BIpioi 
BrlCDoU hu eeen hb pklmlst d>ji. but knowi It not. 
HaatHlolfngetahleoIdlOTM: ■■Come Into the cniden, 
Kud," >nd " Oood bye. Street beut, good taye," ete. 
Tbe udleoaa trnted him twt kindly, eBOorlnc all hi* 
immben, mon I nepaot on aMOOBtof what he hM been 
tku lor whmt he U >u>w. Ur.Bemmem hu k mairnlfl- 



wUcb aonnd thn»rr. B^ rerranti UkleoKTowlBg old, 
andblerolcBhailaatmnohof Itifraehnes*; yet he wu 
iMBlled Bn Umei. He kpp«*red db ITednndBy eren- 
Ibk only. XlH JbIIb S1t« kad Mr. B. B. mil* were dowB 
OB the prOKnrnma for ■ daet the flrit areolBg, but ll» 
)BdyhBTlns]a>tkri*eB(rDma>liikbad and not koow. 
Ins that ahe had been adrerttHd, ref oaad to appear on 
accooBt of her extreme weakneee. Mi. Mllla played a 
little Bkroarolle uC taU owb iDitead. Ob Wedoeadiy 
eranlng the yon -g lady uBder a wemendona pnaaara 
wa« Inducsad to pUy the Fin*t Wala.— Tbe efleot of 
bar TBceBl lllBeee wu yeiy appareBt In her looU. bat 
WB* not u notleaable In her pcrtormaBOe. Kr. HUI* 
pUyedaneof hliowu oompoaltlone [aBaieaiole] and 
th* tenth BhapBodle by LlMi, [tbe pTttfjamme cklled li 
the Bpiing Sonc]. Mr. Hill* played Monday and Wed- 
Buday. Ob BktnnUy anBlMt Mr. ITUIIam Sherwood 
DWla hla Philadelphia dttiX, hi* nnmben ware : 

Ml. '• A Oaprleelo of 

[»1. Ootr— — ■■- — 



1! OotkTC itady by KBllak. 






Mi. Sherwood I* 
hBTlBg (roU power, daUeaoy, 
nfUrly lOodtochBlqne. Ton oertklBly will boar a good 
nocoBnt ot him Ib the (atnre, notwIUutuidlng hla ■no- 
eon here wu not Tory marked. 

Klae Jolla B]>4 wu the radpleut of a bandaomo oom- 
pUmiut from Hla Imporlal Kiibneu Dom Padro on BM- 
ard*y oreolBR^ Hoi porformaoee on Wediiaadaj BTOn- 
Ing had faUfned her greatly and *be had noUDod the 
BkBagomeat that It wooVd bo ImpoialbM for her to ap- 
peal) bnt tho Bmperor h»Tlng oeot a reqnoot to Mr. Mor- 
il*oytoha*olIli*Bl*« pUy (he Saoond Rhapoodla by 
Tjfrt^ after mnok pemoaelOB ahe oooaanted to do ao. 
Her parfonnanea on thla oooaaton wu llko a wonderfnl 
reralktion. II wu a antpttao and delight to the whole 
honM, and wu nnteT«d beyond all crlHiilam. Her 
bvwtlfsl tonch, the limpid quality of her tone, and the 
danllng brlUianoy of harezeoudon, the fire and paa- 
alonata abandon, which tbe Intnaet Into her portorm- 
nnoe, dalloate and Intelligent pbnalng, power, depth 
andbre»dthoteonCrut,IhtT< nerer heard anrpaaaed 
hyuyutUtanaroStbe itago. At the Oonelnilon of 
hoi poituiDuuwoUwBnpaiMkBd rait* aroae and ap- 
plsadad houtOy, and HU* E1t« wa* moot enUaalutl- 
eally neallod, bat en noconat at hei oxirena fattgneon- 
ly bowad bar aoknowledgmeet*. Mba wu engaged tor 
ill month* at the ODtennlal to glra leoltala In tbe la- 
dle*' paTlllOD OB the Oenlannlal gronndaand for a aerie* 
of redtala to be ginn at the Hall ot the Ysnng Ken'* 






hu been eompellod to sanoel both engagement*. 
Hbckftioh to Mih Ca>t. 
On Wedn**day ■*enlBg after the coBcatt, tbe Maatn. 
Decker Brotbei* gave Mlu Caiy a rendition at thair 
Centennial realdenoe. Among the dlaUngniahed people 
pnaentwero: Mia* Clara Looiu Kellogg. Mr*. ZelOa 
Segnln, Mlu Jolia BiTi, Mt*. and Mle. Cerrantaa, BIf. 
BrlgnoU, Blg.Permall, Mr. Jotoph lOilte, Geo." "-' 
by, Mr. Behreni. Ml. Bammerti, 8.B. 



andMn 



wood, Mr. ud Mi*. LerUKir. Mn. Parry, Mr. 
Want*r,r«pr***Bt*UTeiof lherreu,etc.,*to. A moei 
enjojabt* teoeptton It wu, and one of the moat bril- 
liant of th* ■eaann Yoor Boneapoodent dealre* to pub- 
Mi. Caiaria* A. Decker and Mr. Jame* M. 
r their hinitnn— QB the nbore oocaalon. 

C.H. 

Wagnffirfam PlotmiL ud Jetnin. 

The Bai/rtHAfT CmTftpondm hu pabliahed the 
full " enet" of the TetralopnaLTrilt^r to bo per- 
lurmed et Bnjrenth atxt An^jnat. The fr)llov,LnK 
■re the Damea of the trtlite, the placei thej hail 



from, and the character* ther roatafn : Heir Nie- 
mann (Brrtlny Rtpcmunrl ; Hirr Bel* (BrrMnl. Wi>. 
dan ; Hrrr Hill (achwerln). AlbeHch; Herr Uneer 
(Ttayn-nlh). ftlt-KTHnd and Froh ; ITcrr Gnn rUlp- 
air). Gonthi-r; Tim Sc-hhwer (Mnnlchi, Himr i 
Hitt Vnci (Monlrfi), Lose ; H^irrKSsrl (Hambnre). 
Raeen ; H-rr IUIrhenh<>r« (Slelten). Fsfnor : Herr 
Eiif-r* (Onhnre), Fi^vM ; nrrr NIcrinT (Darmttafltl, 
Hnn^ni: Hfrr ElmHid (Berlin), D-nnar ; Mad. 
FHerlrlrh-Matcma ( Vlonnal, BrnnhlMe ; MHIle. 
Srh.-ffEky (Manleh). fllrillnds ; Mad. Grfln (Cnbnrzl 
Fricka, a Nome; Had. Jairle (narmaladll. WaL 
trante. Erda. ■ Nnrne ; Had. Janhmann Wnsnn' 
(Bn-Iln). Behwertleile. a Nome; Hdlle. Weckorlln 
{Unnlchl, Outran e : Mad. Relehrr KindermanD 
(Mnnieh). Roeawelaee: Hdlla. Lllll Lehmann (Ber- 
Hi). Ralmwire, Voellndai Hdllp. Harle Lehmann 
(Berl)n), Orllnde. Wellgnnde; Mdlta. Htapt (Kaa- 
mIV Oerhllde: Hdlle. Aromann (Vleni:*]. eteamnr; 
Hdlle. Lammart (Ber1ln\ Orimmgardo. Floaahlldo. 
The BtrlituT FrmdaAlaU, In one of It* recent 
nnmber*. w^a; — 
" Tbe MBD'iclna; Cenmfl of tb« great Bwrentli Jnlnt- 

Mwkar ■ -' ■•' - 

• RK-hw 

ot <>ard> tnr ib^gnind g^nenii ton' 



•tlorforwhat /tin ot the Btage-Pratl 
'sir <fn> KMumgrn. and f.ir what ■>*> i 
I'l thronch wblehdoor nt the nt<ce-P»i[ 



Spttisl Sttitts. 



I , }nd ARtualTn'i>inckp.iii.,l 



LHiat. ai third day. efitUnnmrnt 



whnle, ihnw wib he fn 
fa^om, Aa tlw rrader may, I 
dl'trflmtlon of th* dm*, tti^ 



haif-PM' eliht o'idMk p.n.: no 
' — •— — 1, Monimng at le«.» _ . 
bowerer peKflre. tmrn tbe 



.. . . ... bnilna Hiebt lo do 

■11owe<t, after earJi ant, a (nlrmhlT 
n-iin i->n~~i nnjAter fTom the treat, awl tn partake nf 
creature mmtnrr*— a* a isniTinn, tbat i-an he tnm offoacb 
earri. rntlllH the brarer lo *l>lt tbeRrfreehment Depart- 
ment rraa of mat. One thini la certain— tbe trpBt irDI 
be a nrr fatlrnlBrtrvat, awl w« tmat thnt the mnrdaal 
bataa-Beld will htTe « nrnperlT-nrnnlra.) aanltarr atair. 
aa well at ererTthlng clap. Profreaor Pollliier, who, at 
oneof Wamer's mnatenlbnalaatio ailmlrara, la certain 
tahe.1n BaTrenth.m^y, nerh^pa helndnrvd. In Iba In- 
lere«t ot art, tn nndrrtikH t>>e dliectlon nt itae eki-am- 
balaDoe and the mending ot broken tympana." 

The ilalton " of ImporUnre " who mav wl*h mt- 
talnty ha pxpreted to he prearnt daring the Qrand- 
If|ittnnal.Fea)lT(l Steice.Plav-PprfnrmannH will In- 
rlnda. according to the official I v-lna pi rrd Bn^mOier 
Corra}vndna alrrady mpntloned. Big. Fmopoam 
Lneoa. mnele-pnbliahrr. nf Hllnn, Dnnna Lanra dl 
HIngbetU. of Rome. Mad. HaHa Hnchnannfr, of 
Waraaw. the Grand Dnchem Belana of Rnaela, the 
Khedive of Egypt, the Emperor nf Germany, and 
the Bamnega von SchlelntU, nf Berlin. The lat* 
Sultan, alao, flgiired In the 11*1. The nam* of hi* 
>uece*aor doe* not appear ther«; thla maat nrennre* 
he due to an aecidcntBl omlulua on the part uT the 
printer. 

Cnriona anecdolM are relalad ooncemlng the ap- 

^llcalionaforrrpeadmiulnna.nf which there arc tn 

two hundred. The nnmber of appltcanta who 



not almply leglno. bat tcglnna. Their letter*, hm 
ever, are nin«tl)- conalgnod to the waate-paper baa- 
ket. Bnt aome of the petltionera are mnr* knnw- 
Ing. and. In conaequenoe, more Bn«ieaa''nl. Tha^. 
one peraon, writing frnm Vienna, pro^rd with 
mathematloal aoramcj that ha had ■ right to claim 
a free paas, and that the compoaer wa* bonnd to 
■and him one. Hit line of reaaonlng ran wimewhat 
tn Ihla effect. He had heard TmtAaiiMr m timea. 
Thli, at on krentiera ■ time, makea Sfl florlna. Ha 
had attended M perrormancea of Lohtngrin ,- IB nf 
Dtr Ftitgnidt ; and fl of Rteim. He bad alao par- 
chaaed all Wagnar'a bookt and acorra. la thla 
wa; ha ahowed that the anma Wagner had coet him 
woold. If collected and inraated, have prodnced ev- 
ery year at least enoach to pnrchaae a aeat at the 
Grand- Natl anal -Peetlral- BUee. Pla;- Perfnrmancea. 
Hia arf^ment wet apparently Ii refutable, fnr he 
obUined hia free admtaalon.— Zond: Mntical World. 
Ji ne 17. 



DBSCBIPTIVB LIST or THB 
rakllakei* kr «llT*> IHOva * Cm. 



Toati, witk FUu iMgapulBtit. 
Song oT tha Forg*. D6. <. d ta d. (Bu* 

St^-) FUbm. ao 

" Then ttrfke, bnya, atrlke, keep time with m*. 
While work anif aong go etaeeilly." 
A One rolUng, manly Hmg for Baa* volA. 

Deu Home or aj Childhood. D. 8. d to F 

. AU.dO 

•• That BnnTIt old dwolHBe.'' 
Obo more flrat-clau " Song of Hem*." 



"Pot yonr arma aronnd me tight. 
■la* me Jnat onee more tonight." 
A eharmjDg " home " *ong. 
One aw»et •anny Faoe. Song And Clio. O. 

3. d to F. Dmk*. SS 

"Soma dearloTtng beait, alwaji trD*.' 
A rteh and railad melody. 



ingand 
PraU. 9 



J(Mt where tbe Brook wlitdi. F. 8. e to F. 

Abt. ao 

"Do yon remember. In daya of mn. 
Whan life wu bii a rammer tbne of glee." 

Tha refralD, "Jnat where the brook wind*" 
eomea In treqnenily. An Hegant ung, and may 
be eaag u a dnet. If one pleuu. 

Half ConfenloTU. " I will not tell, bnt jon 

mm; gnri*." F. G. d to b. aturmeek. M 

Will be a vaiy tilt 
Speed the Plow. Song of tbe Ontngen. 

Song and Chora*. O. a. d to F. JTerteit. SO 
" Tbm apead the plow, the mIgMy plow. 



aMp*«nt- ao 



0«T. Bntheiford B. Hkjee' Orand Haioh. 

With Portntt. E. S. Jf<i«t. 40 

The flne portrait on tbe Utle will he valud u 
a fair preaentment of the featnrea of tha dlaUn- 
gniahed CMHlldata. Th* unala la daoldvdty good. 
Foreit Scene*. (Complete). Bckvmann. l.SO 
Already mitfeed [n tbe [»] tepaiMo anmbera. A 
flne olualc collection. '^ 

Snaluetta Walt*. F. S. 

Very pretty and euy. 

La Creole Oalop, D. 8. ..IroMoit. 40 

A neat amBgament from Offenbteb'a opera. 

Fun In a Fog. Gmlop BiUlante. F. 8. 

Xitlght. 85 
Doobtleta thla briutant danne wonM erenia u 
marh*'tnn" aa any other. Bat don't danoe out 
la tbe tog, Cnbeallby. 

UerT7 ThoDght. Capridetto. Eb. 4. 

JulaileSlwaL 50 
The " merry ■■ Ide* la adnlmbly oanlwl oat, the 
piece being tnll of llgbUUM and graoe. 

Hlnnfe WalUe& 3. Jflu Dntper. aO 

Three Bne waltat*, with tbe enatoBiaiy pielode 

One Hundred Tear* ago. Beverie. C. 4. 

Maek. 40 
Fntl of rich hamonlea, and rather bright than 
" pendrc," u tbe uma ■• rareila " might eng- 

Petite Marie. (LltUe Bride) WalUea. S. 

Fiatty waltua from OS*nbaidi'i open. 

ABBSXTUfnoxe.— Degree* of dimealty an naiked 

from 1 to T. The key le denoted by a capital letter, uC, 
B«,elc. Alaree Roninnl<-Iter markaiheloweataudUie 
hlgheal note IT on the tiaff, amall Koman latten It b*. 
low or above tbe ataK Thua^ -<C, B, a to B" mean* 
" Kry of C, rifih decree, loweei letter, c on tbe Mbleil 
Una below, higheat letier, X on the 4th apace. 



ftoiglfs ^mml of W^mxl 



Wholb No. 920. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, JULY 22, 1876. 



Vol. XXXVI. No. 8. 



TIlb VktiOBal Centennial Ode. 
rMn-ABMLraiA, jvli 4, 1614. 

■V BATASD TAYLOB. 



I>«t AUa Imo Om ihiAov drift. 

Lm Bnrop* buk Id Uiv ripmsd ri 

And onr tba MTWinit oeoin lift 
A brow nt hrotder ■plenitor I 
Qln> IMt to the trnKtr era* 
Of Mm Lui tbt wKlii lo IwhoM rhee 

Tha clwhiiHii nf ntomtnr kao'l ber, 

WJthlhl!lnil.7ir.!i f „.„>„ ,(,.-„.( 



VafMnilhertn 



Ani *Ii» Muidii ■( 



rirtt mnd pnrpoM of s RaM, 
'- Ri plan mhitme 
tkeitnalorTlTDi 



AjxI irlMra. BpHfud whlK ud far, 
■vth hlKk»H ymna to m»»t a itar. 
Am4 Hut Ml nanbond In tbs QanitM toDsd^ 
bnp>ilal kMda. of nld mlllanlal nrar. 
_ ABditmbrMMBiipaloaplenrtaretoinwd. 
ChUI aaa oorne-llKtai In our folI-ortMd dar, 

lo tSumaj Rrandanr Hw 

Am fay. UiRHiA ■toBT lip* and TieaTt afM : 

*' Tbon haic lapflrtad f roMom. powBr and fama 

Doolara to oa tfaf olalnl" 



ta-rlcntHt, 

la bar band tba dlitDlDE-Tad, 

Tin tbardaanf tbenmiaMliubaat 

Vltk On 14 Dvtat and tMca of itom I 
Ua M> Uhi (mod of tba rlnr-baad 

To tan tba milt of hrr braad; 

8be dmira har ploaghahan dean 
ThiMuh tbt n-alria't Umoaa (V^^ntnr'ad "latp i 

■^■'-° -"■ — * It, and Moitb, 



whan tba aaibad Klam. (nawr-iituTad, 

Har wBj to Ibe naaat Darrod, 
Asd Iba namalaaa rtTcra In tb under and foam 

Obi— allad tba torrtbla eanjroB I 

Xac udaad. till bar attarmnot b«na 

Vaa bodt. la tba anlla of a aof car ak* 

And tba i^oiT nl baaatr atlll to t>a, 
mwra Ibo lUBBted waraa of Asia dla 



m arenr bondMan'a prajei 
lb nirlead nrtbonclUBia 



TtJSal _, 

I^mbaai^ br hlmxl and in>e> 
Oaardod br fln and aval.— 
H Micnrwlt Vbat blunn in bei ablald. 
In tba clear oentnrv'i ll^ht 



Sha waa bom nf iba lanclsK oT ami. 



The ns>*)rnKblof 



la rtiiniirTHilrdl*d n 



I If Honon-I, hlend ta 

Vrom thobtmeaof tiiiwnara a^TDein 
Pba tont what aha Kara to Man : 
Joitlre, that knew nn stailnn, 

Ra)ief| aa antil ileaiead, 
Preaalrfnrannlrat'DD, 

rrHrnicafor iTiitt.'ii'Viitdaedr 

kn Ibe >i>a rFtnrn« iho rirari in rain; 



Tba dorr, ani rerall tba dabt: 

HOce ernlatlon. 

Of bunSlar nko^, 
Ff>r tha pride of thiae fxnlUtlnn 
O'ar pertl tonqnaTtil and nrifa aiibdaed, 
Bat hair the ricbt l«wr«ated 

Wb«i Tletnrr rlelda bar priia, 
And half tbe marmv taated 

ITheBOlden'laTanoa dial. 
In tba aleht of tfaem that kvre thaa. 
Bow to tba Oraatat abora tbaa I 

Harailetbnottoamlla 
Tba Idle nwnanbip nf rlicbt, 
Mor iparan to alnnwn Ireah fmn trial, 
And Tirtna Kboolsdin lonKdanlal, 
Tbe twta that wait for tbaa 
In larrer perllii of proaperltr- 

Rara. at (ba eentnn'i awf ol ■hrlna, 
Bow to thr lattaen'Ood— and tblnal 






TUa for bandf aba 



Ibaaklca, 

la ona bonlnant glow,— 
, l a adat oara, 



at Inlf tomini ^tlt 



The CMiiHo of lo-morrn*. 
id ei|u;il LhDDun'l' to ral^lce and nnj 

Hesiilc ttiw bolT wall' are met. 
■ blriTi-cry, mined of k«ii«>t bllu ud H 

Wh-rp. on JqIt'i Immortal mom 



n.-4. 

Aifaal Boorown tkr baad. 
Badiast wltta tdMalns of tba Dead I 



TbaUcbtoTm 



Bear ftnm tbi* bal'owed plaoo 
I* praver ihM pnrlflw thr ll"*, 
cbt or maran that dolaa acUpao, 

>f Han't newmnmlnaou ibv taoel 

... . J • 

of tbe Paat, 

Ailanaatood. 

ibaatbad aad Mcred blada, 

jon and rrinklln lutd, 

-. Treedom'a laat tha ataln of Uncola'a 

Heaikan. aa from that haantad haU 
Thalr 'oloea oal!: 
" Ve llrad and died for tbee; 
"W creadT dared that tbon nicfal'at ba: 
Bo. fmutb* children arlfl 
We olahn danlala which at laat fulfil. 
And treedom jlrlded to preaerw tbe« fnal 
Beaiaa clntr-hMrtad WEht 
That amllaa at Pnarer'a npilfud rod. 
Plant DoMaa that irqnlte. 
And Order tbatriatalna. opnn Ihv and, 
Ani atand In atalnhwa mlzht 
Abon an aalf, and only laaa than Ood!" 



el hnnnon)' 

ThDoi^h polcnani TaORinrleA may hara 

''ticn thv fleet foot O Hnntreai of tbe Woodi, 
Tha allpperr brinka nf ilanipr knew, 
And illm the eyealeht irew 
liit waa fit mn In Ihlna nH ■olliadei.— 

To ffaldc the Taffrant acbame. 
Bd winnow mth tmia each nnnlllcUna dieanl 

Tet lo thy Mind aball lira 

nn* fema nnspen'. anau caamre prlDlttTe. 

Toa>rM ibcblicb^t uaa nf ihlnca; 

Pur Pule, to nnnid thea in har plan, 

■— ■- ' "-10 fool ol kinca, 



id ttaj baiaber milk tn>m barren btaaita of mj 

m.—i. 

n awrad womKn-fonn I 
Of Lhe flrat P>aple'i need and niukm wronibt,— 

Tto thin, pale RbnatoC Thmiabt, 
Rnlf 'iraa Nomina and aa be in'*-hhjn'l warn,— 
Wearing: thi prleetiT tiar on Jndih'a hllla; 
Clear-ajed henrath Athene'* belm nf [old; 

Or tram Koina'aaentral lent 
Hearlai Uia pnlaea of Ibo eonllnenla haat 

In ihandi>r where bar Idfilsni rollad; 
Compact nt bl^h baiolc hcarta and wUla 

Whnaahringelr-'— -" 

■•■-'-^ofm'n.t 

at aa a natloTlliea" 



i>iiTriui,rmii, with wampnm-aoDa 

nd fralber^tnctund brow,— 

e a new Britannia, rmm 

m rqnal banner In tba hraeae, 

r trident o'er Um dnnble aeatj 

ut wllb noborrowod c™»i, 

■ own nallTe heanrr dimed,— 

t pan oomnusd. tba nDflineblnKeje, thlna 



Lnnk np, lenb fnrlh, and on I 
There'* llKtat In tha dawnlnjt akr : 

Tha doiid* are partlni. ibe nlf^bi In Konei 
Prrpite fnr the work of tbe dl^l 
Pelbw tnj putniea lie 
And far tCv abepberda itray, 

And tbe OrldB of Hit raat doaaln 
Are waltlnc for pnrar aaed 
OfknowlaSn.daalTe and deed, 

PoTkeaaeraaDahineand mellower rain! 



ftn (hall tbj Biimitb andnre. 



.......ante InlnKOn-l tha coldnf Claln, 

Compel ui boutT tbr radar powen. 
TUl tha bnnnty nf o^mlnc houn 
aball plant, on IbT flalda apart, 
le oak nf Tull. the ro>ia of AR1 



Wllhtk 



Be Junt. and the woild (b< 
Vllb tha euse loie loie o«, ■■ vs ■,,. 
And the day Bha'l nerer eome, 
That and! n« wea* or dumb 
To J'dn and amlle and en 
Ib tbe eroal l»ak, fnr ^ee to die. 



2G6 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSia 



Tha Xasioal Water-Peit— Offenbach, ete.* 

[From the Oermmn of A. W. Ambbos.] 

Motto: «<He't for a Jig, or a ttle of bawdry, or lie 
sleeps.**— Z/ttml«<. 

♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ While the old Auber^s sun waa 
sinking to its rest, without his ceasing to pro- 
duce, there arose in Paris a German composer 
(i.e., one accidentally bom in Germany), one of 
the same race with Meyerbeer, a reverse of Goe- 
the*s Antonio Montecatino^ at whose cradle the 
Graces had appeared with gifts, though all the 
other gods seem to have kept away, —a compo- 
ser, who perhaps did not himself dream at 
first, that he was destined to become a musical 
power in the world : Jacques Offenbach. 

When his OrphSe aux Enferi crossed the 
Rhine, one could laugh heartily, without mis- 
givings, to see Olympus stand upon its head. 
Who could help being amused when Orpheus, 
grateful to every God for ridding him of his 
Euridice, was compelled by the allegorical ly 
incarnate ** public opinion** to bring her back 
again out of the lower world ? (Offenbach 
hardly imagined, that in Xonteverde*s Or/e the 
hero was in like manner accompanied down to 
Orcus by Hope — la Spemsf) But Le Mariitff$ 
aux Lantem€9 showed Offenbach upon the way 
of Auber. He seems to have abandoned it 
soon enough. The bottomless comiption of 
the Second Empire was not served by Oeittt and 
wit ahne; it craved a moral game flavor, the 
stronger, the better I Offenbach *s Comic Muse 
(or whatever we may call the capricious nature 
that inspired him) began more and more de- 
cidedly to show the grinning faun; and La 
]belle Helene finally struck the key which ever 
since has been the ruling one for Offenbach 
and for the servum peeu* imUatorum }\ ho have 
composed after him. 

The Offenbach Operetta — as we must call 
the whole ffenre^ even where he himself is not 
the composer — this so-called ** Operette '* began 
to reign in all the theatres even in Germany ; 
to rob the public of desire for, and even of capac- 
ity to relish, things not seasoned with, this 
Spanish pepper; to crowd out everything else, 
and on all operatic stages, at least in the Com- 
ic department, to maintain the monopoly. 
There is a c^rtftin plant, which, where it has 
once nestled, ineradicably and past help over- 
spreads with its green mould all the clear 
water mirrors, in which once the heavens and 
the stars were mirrored ;— it is called (in Ger- 
many) the Water-peit.i 

Offenbach in all places has bis public, which 
knows only him, and only cares to know him. 
Alfred Meissner once wrote words of weight : 
** The new industrial relations have created a 
new society with purely material interests, a 
society, which nothing warms, but «vbat yields 
downright profit. Swarms of ordinary men 
have grown rich in our days, and these fiatten 
down the better circles into which they have 
crept by means of their money. Such per>ple 
fill and give the tone to the theatres, where 
only the commonest tickling of the senses, the 
insipid farce and haoknied joke have their at- 
traction. Such is the explanation of Jacques 

•TraniiUted, for this Journal, from; JiunU SUUUr 
(Jfeut IWgi), Leipzig, 1874, 

t In Worcester** Piotionary we And ** WaUr'^nntl, a 
species of conferva which forms beds of entangled fila- 
ments on the surface of water." 



Offenbach, who has long been not the only one 
in his department, and of much thai is kindred 
to him.'* 

The Offenbach city pmper on this side of 
the Rhine, is Vienna. In many a week of the 
year 1872, any one who stepped to the comers 
of the streets to read the theatre bills* could 
find announced for the Grand Opera some 
Migndm of Thomas; for the Bnrg-Theatcr, some 
drama of Sardou ; but, for the Theatres an der 
Wien, in the Leopoldstadt, and the so-called 
Strampfer-Theater. three different Operettas by 
Offenbach. VitiU German Art I 

The people's theatre, so unique in its way* 
for which once Raimund wrote his dramatic 
magic tales, where the witty joko and the glo- 
rious, imperisluible humor of the old, merry, 
true-hearted Vienna celebrated its triumphs, 
— the old tlieatre in the Leopoldstadt long ago 
became metamorphosed from the old motlest 
house, whilome Marinelli's, into that sumptu- 
ous and showy edifice, the *' Karl theater,** and 
is an outworn tradition — although there lurked 
perhaps more good sound fun in umbrella-ma- 
ker Staberl and in sergeant Klapperl. than in 
all modem caricatures together. The peculiar 
Art temple of the Muse of Offenbach in the 
beautiful imperial city is the theatre for 
which Mozart once composed the Magic Flute, 
the Theater-an-der-Wien. 

People, who know the ground, assure us 
that the respectable citizen class of Vienna 
(and Vienna, thank Heaven, has such a class) 
has finally withdrawn from the everlasting 
Offenbach histories. And really one could not, 
as he looked around on the overflowing house, 
help thinking of that accusation of Meissner*s. 
The great '' BorBenhraeh,'' as they called the 
financial catastrophe of May 1873 in Vienna, 
seems to have been the tnming point in this 
too. How they sat there, before the storm 
scattered them, in long rows, the jobbers well 
known on the exchange, the millionaire sec- 
ond-hand dealers, the funguses that had shot 
up overnight out of the bog and marsh of our 
social relations, the founders and swindlers, 
the etcroce of the money market, — while their 
wives in silk and satin, laden ridicnlopsly with 
ornament, costly enormous bouquets beside 
them, raised their haughty nostrils from their 
bozes ! Vienna has not a tingU public ; it has 
publics in the plural, from the beat and most 
intelligent down to the worst and most de- 
praved. Where the specifically Offenbach pub- 
lic belongs, we leave it to the reader to deter- 
mine. 

In the year 1873 Offenbach brought to Vien- 
na not less than three noveltiea: ^'Fantasio,'* 
*' La Boule de Neige,** and ^^Le Corsaire 
Noir." 

AiLcng these works, the most significant, if 
one may speak here of significance, — at all 
events the most pleasing and of most value 
musically speaking, is F)mtauo. Offenbach 
himself conducted the first performance^ — evi- 
dently in the best humor, for which indeed he 
bad every reason. 

A composer, who has the satisfaction erery 
day, at the street comers of a great and famous 
musical capital, of reading in colossal letters 
on the bills of those three different theatres the 
titles of his newest operatic works ; who then 



in the evening, can listen to an excefTent per- 
formance of one of the three worka in one of 
the three theatres, nay, can even cotiduct the 
performance himself? and whom the houses, 
every seat sold, overwhelm with their enthusi- 
astic plaudits, — such a composer has at least 
no cause to chime in with the old complaint of 
genius unrecognized, ^^kept back ** and *^not 
appreciated." The striking affinity between 
the two great capitals of middle Europe, Paris 
and Vienna, is often enouorh harped upon ; we 
might add that it is precisely these two cities 
in which Offenbach iii pcfson seeka and finds 
his triumphs. But Paris begins already ta be 
a little discontented with her musical adopted 
son ; it is welt known that the success of Le 
Bfti Carotte^ in spite of the 8p1«*ndor with which 
it was put upon the stage, was bat a very doubt- 
ful one; and a Paris correspondent of the 
Augsburg Allgemeine Zeitung passed thisserere 
judgment on it: ** The Egyptian plague of the 
last decade was the Muse of Sardou and of Of- 
fenbach, was that sensual depravation of taste 
by which vulgarity has become classic in the 
theatre." 

If Offenbach could pass for the musical em- 
bodiment of the Parisian light-hearted ness dur- 
ing the second Empire, it would be comprehen- 
sible that, after the downfall of the Empire, 
Am star also shoold liegin to pale. But the pe- 
culiar good and evil there is in him. isnot s^ca^ 
of description as it might appear: reject him 
altogether, grant him nothing; aod there is 
nothing gained by that. Offenbach in his mu- 
sic is often traly brilliant often piquant and 
bubbling, often amiable, and has a genuine 
Fren^'h grace of toumure ; bot on the other 
hand he is also often enough flighty, empty, 
light and wanton even to frivolity and loose- 
ness. With him we are never sure; now, as a 
fine talent, he delights us with some really 
charming melody, depicts some burlesqne sit- 
uation with an irresistible comic power, lets 
some bold, original conceit flash out, to sur- 
prise and dazzle us: but in the next moment 
be descends to merest jingle, or to a question- 
ably overnice and artificial manner. V^e are 
never sure, that after really fine momenta we 
shall not be suddenly annoyed by some sort of 
an ordinary galopade melody, or by a piece of 
mubic, which is no music, or by movements 
which by their outward and obstreperous vi- 
vacity but poorly hide their inwanl nothing- 
ness and hollowness. Offenbach speculates, 
and with success, npon the peculiarities of our 
time, but not upon the heak and most commend- 
able peculiarities. That loxaiy and lavish 
waste of means, which cannot be called tran- 
quillizing symptoms of a period of Art, with 
him are characteristic. If — to give a definite 
example^Mozart (whom we have no wish to 
bring into any parallel with OffenlMich!) in 
his Figaro contents himself with a single Cher- 
ubino, and invests this form with an indescrib- 
able charm of poesy, Offenbach, hand in hand 
with his librettist, brings upon the stage whole 
choiis of Cherabinos, whole choirs of pagesi 
where the female chorus must disguise them- 
selves in trieat and velvet jackets, as in the 
Prinee»$e de Trebiaondej or in Fantaeio; and in 
the last opera the principal and title-rdle again 
is an intensified page*s part. In his orchestra- 
tion also Offenbach never disdains to use the 



> P -I " . » . F J I f J »» »■».! 



Li 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, JULY 22, 187G. 



2C7 



most super-refined combinations of sound, tlie 
overstrained and far-fetched ways of the most 
modem French orcliestra, the "prickly" passag- 
es, the coquettish ai;a<»rt00. Listun, for example, 
to the instrumental prelude of Fantano. The 
musical texture is as loose as possible, the 
meaning of the single motives is just nothing : 
but instead of this we have piquant little twee- 
die-deeing of the violins* piquant little chit- 
chat of the wind instruments in abundance ; 
right after places simple to monotony, on pur- 
pose, suddenly conies a swann of tones like 
ants; sighing and dying pianisnimof, which 
the accidental cough of a neigh lK>r would ren- 
der inaudible, are followed by ear-splitting 
explosions. 

Meanwhile we often meet in the course of 
FanUuio quite charming mixtures of colors; 
the horn, the clarinet sing in the sweetest 
tones; the violins play round them in graceful 
motion; and even the common drum is once 
(in an aria of the Prince of Mantua) successfully 
employed for a comical effect; its crescendo roll 
ushers in admirably the fearful rin\fonato$^ 
with which the noble prince, in the course of 
his aria, repeatedly startles the ear of the 
listening princess. This and other analogous 
pieces show where Offenbach *s original tenden- 
cy and value lie, — in burlesque musical come- 
dy, in musical caricature, — a caricature which, 
often enough, is hardly l>etter than a nonsensi- 
cal exaggeration^ a hideous distortion, or any 
buffoonery (such as a droll fagotto accent) : 
but elsewhere also a musical caricature which 
shows spirit, wit, and even grace, in spite of 
the fact that it is caricature. In this sort of 
comical production the French are masters 
(recall, for example, the outlines of Grand ville, 
the well known busts of Dantan, etc., etc.,) 
and Offenbach has learned it of them for mu- 
sic. This decided and not to be altogether 
underrated talent, which Offenbach brought 
with him from his home, and which he devel 
oped in just the fittest place, to-wit Paris, led 
him also to proceed with a right insight in the 
choice of his texts, treading the path on which 
this talent could most brilliantly assert itself. 

In comparison with the mad figures capering 
about in *' Blue-Beard," in the ''Grand Duch- 
ess of Gerolsteia," in the ''Princess of Trebi- 
zond," Rossini's Doctor Bartolo is a second 
Cato. In this mad, merry world of caricature, 
this unchecked carnival of fun, we may shake 
our heads ever so seriously at times, but we 
cannot help feeling cheerfully excited, and the 
complaint we would fain raise is smothered in 
the inextinguishable laughter into which we 
break out against our will. Bo then, after all, 
these comical vaudevilles have their signifi- 
cance in the history of musical art, which is by 
no means saying that it is classical music and 
of lasting worth. Offenbach is an original, and 
if not precisely laudable and exemplary, yet a 
remarkable phenomenon in its way. But from 
his imitators, who are already beginning to 
pop up here and there, may Heaven preserve 
asl They have copied not the style, but the 
deformities of their model . We have no desire 
to see the noble art of music run to waste in 
boundless triviality, in utter shallowness and 
dreary dissipation. 

Offenbach, by the peculiar direction of his 
talent, has moved by preference in the sphere 



of parody, and, judging from his reception with 
the public, with success, — alwa/s of course 
working in g«K>d mutual understanding with 
the authors of his texts. The deities of the 
ancient world (Orpheus), the hero world of 
Homer (HeUne), the Arcadian shepherd world 
(DaphnU and Chloe)^ the mediosval romance 
(Oeneniete de Drahant\ the popniar legend 
{Bluebeard), even the specifically Venetian n>- 
mance {Brl'lffe ofSighe), all had to submit to be 
brought before the mirror of caricature and gr'n 
at us with comical grimaces. The mattt*r i(» 
not so innocent and unobjectionable sa it ap- 
pears All subjects, of which artiat!« hive here 
tofore availed thumselves, in which they have 
sought their ideals, are here brousrht to the 
rednetia ad ab»Hrdum ; it is as if Meplii^to 
mockingly smiled at us in the elegant mask nf 
a ''mfHlern man," and asked us: whether all 
the mbbisli of the Antique and the Romantic 
is. after all, worth anything. Dante^s Dirina 
Commedia Offenbach has not yet panidied. but 
who knows what may happen? Ami then what 
will be left, when such a tahula rata has buen 
made? The jubilant Cancan^ Hxufpng up its 
heels with shouts to heaven, to which others 
lift their arms in reverence ;— or. it m^y be, as 
the last residuum, the final "positif," I/i Vie 
Paruienne^ which in fact Offenbach has also 

composed I 

[T« be Continued.] 



■ » ■ 



The B3ft9n Art Xassum. 

FOBXAL OPBNINO OF THE COMPLSTBD WDXQ, 

rFrom the Daily Adyerttaer, July 4,] 

On« of tbe most sltpiiAeAnr of the events which mark 
the i-ooMtant development of pvbllu appreciation of the 
fine arts in this commanltj was the formal opening; of 
the lftti«um of Fine Art»»in the completed wing nf the 
bulidinir yeMterday noon . The exercises were simple and 
appropriate. con*istinfc solely of brief speeches by the 
Hon. tf srtln Brimmer, his honor Mayor Cobb, Dr. 8am- 
oel Kliot and C. C. Perkins, esq. There was prene'nt a 
small company of laiies and gentlemen nnmberingnot 
more than two hundred, who both iiefore and after the 
speeches examined the collections and the interior with 
apparent interest. In the remarka printed in full below 
will be found a complete hlatory of the institution, and 
a full description of the collections assembled. The ex- 
terior la unique in the archirecture of the city, and is 
constructed mainly of brick with terrsrcotta ornaments, 
the latter being used ss a building material for tbe first 
time in this country. The ornamentation is quite pro- 
fuse and prominent. The most noticeable piece ot terra- 
cotta is a l:irge bas-relief representing the genius of 
Art, and the heads nf tbe celebrated artists and patnms 
of art IB high-relipf occupy TQndela between the win- 
dows. The whole building, of which the wing already 
finished is only one-eeveuth, is on the plan of a double 
hollow square, SOO feet long by 210 wide, with two conrt 
yards 66 by 86 feet In area. The rooms now ready for 
u^e are a aeries of basement apartments for the curator, 
janitor, committees and other purposes; a large room 
for the sculpturea on the first floor; the picture-gallery; 
a mom for the bronxes, textiles and poroelalna, for the 
L:%wreucc collt<ctlon and for the Oray collection of en* 
grarings. The cast-rnom is painted a very light gray, 
and is lighted from tlie aide. The color of the terra- 
cotta on the exterior, is very nearly repeated in the tone 
of the walls of the ataircase hall and the picture-gallery, 
and the I-ght seems everywhere good, and especially in 
the picture-gallery, where there is a dnubfe skylight. 
Ventilation in this room is secured l>y perforated orna- 
mentation, which communicates with an airspace aliuve 
and again with the exterior throu/h the upper windows. 
The collectiona are arranged with csre and fill the build- 
ing well. One of the ob jt-cta of the Museum, as stated in 
the ** Act of Incorporation,** is ** to provide opportuni- 
ties and means for giving instruction in drawin*;, paint- 
ing, modelling and designing, with their iuduKtrial ap- 
plications, through lectures, practical schools and a 
s.iecial library» and of afTording instruction iu the fine 
arts.'* Tlie trustees hope to obtain subscriptions to en* 
able them to cany out t.ese iaipo;tant projects. Ad 



mlMion to t:ie museum will 1»e free on Saturday, and on 
other days the admission will be twenty-five cents. 

THE PKOCEEDING8. 

The company was called to order at noon. The first 
speaker was the Hon. Martin Brimmer, wlio spoke as 
follows :— 

a KM ARKS OP TIIC BON. MARTIN BRIMMER. 

Lndi^ and GtnUrmen ;— In behalf of the trustees of 
the Museum I welcome yun to its rooms. I congratulate 
yon that Bueton baa. at last a building devoted to the 
fine arts -a building mainly Im'omplete, and very f Hr 
from aleqnate m sl7j»,— but, we trust, 'well acUipt«*d to 
its iiuriioses, and filled with works interesting and in- 
structive. 

Xjtt me recall to you In a few words the ortg'n and his- 
tory of this unilertnking In 1869 the late Colonel T. B. 
Lawreuc«« left to tht* Boston Athenaeum a valuable col- 
lection of ai mory and arms, which he had long been en* 
gafcei in obtaining: but the Athennum had no means to 
exhibit it In a suitable way, and Mr. Lawrence offered 
the sum of €35 000 towards the erection of the building 
f >r that pnriMMe. At the same time, the American So- 
cial Science Association wtis considering the means of 
obtaluiui; tor Boston a collection of plaster casts of the 
liest sculptors. It was pioposed to combine the two 
plans, and soon the scheme of establishing a museum of 
larger proportions was put forward, and met with such 
favor that It was determined to undertake it. The 
Atbennnm, crampe<l for want of room, readily offeied 
the use of its collection h; Harvard College, the possess- 
or of a cotloctlon of engravings ma le by the late Fran- 
cis C. Oray. welcora<^a the opportunity to make them 
more aooes^Ible to the public; the trustees of the pub- 
lic library ani the Ins.itute of Technolos^y promised 

their co-o.ieradoi. .\ hirter was obtains 1 fn»m the 
legislature, and a t>oard of trustees organized under it. 
The fii-at need of the new corporation -that, of land to 
be built u:>on— h id be<^n already provMed for. By tbe 
exertions of a few gentlnnen. who anticipated the fu- 
ture want, the H Mtou Witer Power Com lany hai been 
in ln<^ed to o«mvey to the city of Boston tfiis piece of 
ground to he uoed for an iu^titute of fine arts, and ihe 
city council of B Mton, having confidence In the perma- 
nence an.l the usefulness of the proposed mufieum, 
K anted the land to the t itstees u|Mm condition that it 
appropriated for the pu lie interest. After an open 
comi>etitiou ani careful consideratiou. the truHttaeM se 
lected tdann for tlie bull ling, prepare.1 by Messrs. Htnr- 
ids and Brigham; an appeal was made to the pul»lio f^ir 
ftinds, whicli was generously responded to, and within a 
year from he organisation or a little more than a vear 
from the oncanization of the museum, about $260,000 had 
been r^uUscrilied. It waa hoped ttiat this sum wonid be 
considcmldy increa'*ed, but some unfor.unate events 
succeeiling eairh other, the Chicago fire, which turned 
the liberaltur of the public in that direcrtion, and later 
tlie Boston fire and the subsequent depression in busi- 
neSK, proven ed a renewal of the effort. The sizi* of thtt 
portion of the bull ling which it was proposed to erect 
at first hai to be curtailed, ani some delay was incurred 
in filling thiM part of It. In o*>enlng it to the public now 
we are painfully reminded of the loss by the great fire 
of the Lawrence arms, which we ho))ed would be its 
most striking ornament !>ut still there ii« verv much we 
can congratulate ourselves on poa8«^-ing. liesi les the 
AthensBum collection qnd the Grny entnuvlngs we have 
a collection of Bzyptian aniiquities, given by Mr. Way, 
and the pictures bequeathed by Mr. ^nmner. With tlie 
proceeds of the sale of a portion of these which was 
wisely provided for by Mr Sumner, an excericnt coll«>o- 
tion of ca<4ts ha^ been bought. These, with many other 
gifts and purchases of value, enable us to offer to the 
public an exhibition which we trust you will not find 
unworthv. We caiuiot. of couise, comoare thia collec- 
tion with thO!<e important museums of Euroiie, but we 
mny remark that tho!*e too had a beginning and some 
of them a le^s promUIng besrinnlng than ours. 

Our neefl^t are oi>viou««. Wo nee<l funda to complete 
the who e front of the buildinsr, wh*ch would require 
not a very formidable sum : we need funds to add to the 
collections in many of the depnrtments. The«e are onr 
most pressing want-*, imt we hoi>e 8<mie day that the mu- 
seum win have an endowment which will allow its doors 
to be open to the public free of char e, not one day on- 
Iv, I ut on every diy of the week, and we have the fullest 
confidence that this corainuni'y, nllve trt the value of a 
great collection of art, will gfvtemusly provirle for the 
rHpid growth and for the free use of tlii's museum. 

Ladies and gcntl'inen,— Ourgre.iteat benefactor Is the 
city of Boston. I am Mire you will be glad to hear f lom 
ita chief inigis^rate wonisof welcome and of encourage- 
ment. Allow me to present His Honor Mayor Cobb. 
[Applause.] 

ADDRRSS op MATOR COBB. 

Jfr. /¥f«<<IHt;.*— I congratulate y«m and your associ- 
ates, the trustees of the Museum of Fine Arts, on having 
arrived at such a sti^se in your nolle enterprise, that you 
are prepared to receive us in ihis beautiful structure, 
with your art treasures around and before us, and reaily 
to be exhlMted to the whole public. The city has done 
all that could perhaps be properly expected of It, ss a 
corporation, in, providing the land and putting its sur- 
roundings in order. The rest has all been done by the 
never-falling munificence of her private citizens. It is 
a splendid beginning. -for I suppose you regard it as 
only the beginning I. f an institution which I have no 
doubt is to become the p* Ide and the delight of our city. 
This building, though not luifignificant, is bat a segment 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



oCUut whlcb li Intended to lUnd bere ; iiiit joni roIlM- 
tlOD(,alre>d]r«>ploDiiDdli«aailtul,ir«1)nt ta urnot 
o( what jon ripaet tbc CMDlng jaiir* to *bair. 

It li tb« nitart of m b in InatltDtlon lo icrow. In tn 
fmrecIUlTe cniDRinDltT, wMch w« flitttr onnelTMoun 
■Otcinnol fall ta rrow npldlj and luinrlanllT. It 
vlUfainltti tb« nen^l Inspiralfon and cnldaacein the 
aitlHia HBiiiB wblcb li tan to appear here (nd tbers 
amoug the multiiadn of a laiua cit;, and which needa 
bat the fltttrg Inflaence to aeenre Itl developmcM and 
open lia patb to Tame and fortutM*. 

It will be a farorlte reeort of the cnltarsd few who 
fln4aeiiprem«dell)c>itin the finer crcaltrnn of art. And. 
what b moal Imporunt. ail clafaeaof out|>rople wll[ 
dertte benefit and pleaaore from barely loniilnE npon 
object! that appeal to Ibe aenae of the beautiful. Eren 
the leaat faTond and leaat cQltlvated of pennna cannot 
fall to deilTa aama refining and elevailnglnflnencea rmiu 
the alahl of beantiful thingt, FteaalT no lect thnn wla- 
don Eai an edncatlnit and nplirtloE power. We maj 
well regard tbie ntDBeum, tonther with oar public 
llhrarr, aa the nrown of our aducatlanal afalAm. [Ap- 



Jfr. Prtniant, La^it, and Aatbuun :- 



br that one word "Binaenm." I 
Df fine art! partloilarlT, li 



» he meatared 



tmt a 



ol.— a acbool in which ao 






raflad tl 



nobJeat bctdtlet o: 
yeatiy. their conataot claim. In iDch a bnlldlng aa thie. 
eaTTDimdeit by theae objecte, eo mncb beanty In them' 
ea, M> mniA heanty In their aswKliUons, we find the 
pow«T to attract, which mnat alwayt be the drat power In 
7 RWana of education. Here we have natODlyoniward 
1 and oolwacd beauty to win our nluda and baartv 
we hare what Uet beneath, the Inward feeling, the 
th of esprenlon, the aiplratlon of all that U noble 
Hue wblch hare anImMed these broabea and tbe 
eblacla, repraaented bjtba caa^a below, In long gone 
ganentlODB. We come Into ancb a preeenee ae thia.and 
there la lomethlng wtakh dnwa oot from em; reapon- 
atre fibrn of osr natore a longing, a lore and a delight 
wblch It would be *aln for me to attempt to eipreaa; 
and It la not only power to attract that win mahe tbii 
Instltntloo foreTer, a* I tm«t. memorable among the 
•dDcatlonal Inailtntlona of Boaton ; It It tbe power to 
hold an« the attraction baa once bom felt. Here are 
u which bare pmred their power for handreda, 



eipr(*>«d m fi 
here they apeak 



wblcb h 



rchlldroD. When I 



id puTpoeea of 
ire they apeak to ua, 

... -. hen the poet Roeere 

, ifPadnaandBuwontbrwairbe- 

fore bim a painting repreHntlng"TheI.ailBapp«r," 
be loftked np to It and arked of Oie monk who accom- 
panied him Into the room eomethlneotltealin^, and the 
nonh, after he bad told blm what Oie plcinrt waa aald, 
"Thirty or for^ years I haie been an Inmate of rhis 
mnnaateiy, and from that wall tbe>e (Ignrea have looked 
down npon ne and open my brethren, iloat of them 

«e: thoaa whom Iknew here when I flrat came 

iwtn ajiothcr ¥iorId; theae remain ibeaame. and I 

bare tbcoght again and again aa I linked npon thHrnn- 
rhauflng prvmce and felt what they hare (o tell me 
bow ibtrall bid ne lire. I bare fHtihat we are the 
anadowi that paM away." Tbaae fiirma bera. and ihoae 
that are eeaUered all ahont thM building, and tboae 
whieta will be mBltiplied here after thin bnlldlng lacom- 
•d, tber will be tbeTeallllea. andwewbobaieb^nn 
I eniarpii>e. and they who take It np and canr It 



aooree* and gltta of io many yeara, 

Ur. Cbarlea C. Perkins, who was iBtrodueed u one of 
the earlleat promolera of the mnienm, then spoke a* 
foUowa:— 



lUuaBd antfAan;— Thepreridentof the board of 
teea of thta Boeton Haaenm of rine Arte has depnt- 
le aa Ita honorary dlr«etor to declare It open Itam 
this di^ forth, and to bid yon and all future comers wel' 
e. It Is with no alight feellnR of pleaanre that I now 
diBcbaige thladn^; nor la It wllhoat a more than ordi- 
nary amonot of emotion, for the day of fnlfllment has 
come after many days of hope, and It la a di; which, as 
marking an epoch fn tbe partial accampllshmeni of a 
great eiilsn>nae In whirhmy Interest has been deep, haa 

anUelpsted by those of ns who atarted It all yeara a^o. 
That the opening of the new muaeum bnlldlng shonll 
take place in the Centennial year, and that tbe public 
ahonld lie Ant admitted to It on the lUi of July of that 
year, seema to ma omlDooi of ntccMS and atngnlarly 



appropriate, for It la, to eoma extent, a national arent. 
It may be called ao If considered in Its possible [nflnen- 
cca for good upon peo|iIe of all claiaea and pmfeealons, 
and especially may it be called ao In this country, where 
we bare had aa yet but acant opportnnlty to feel tbe In- 
flaentes wblch radiate from fine collecikma of worka of 
art. ThiB museum la a place dedicated lo tbe sojoy- 
ment and profluble Instraciian nf alt who enter It. Al- 
ready It eonulna murb tliat la preclaa>, ranch that la of 
blah interest; andyeithla trailding, with Ita contenta, 
la but (be siith part of what It will be when the whole 
qnadraogte la corapletsd, with Its two great oonrts, ca- 
palde of containing casta of coloaaal atataea and arthl- 
taelBnlfragmsntsi when Its picture gallary la donbled 
in slie: when ita schools of art are established and in 
operation; when, In abort. It has grown to be arlral.aa 
we hope It will, of the great induatrlal mnseuma of Ken- 
sington and 



n, we may. wlthou 
ipenlng of onr museniD a matt 
mce, for who can (ell how msi 
(Teat republic may here he led 



ration, 



fmlhered together, may be 



cslgner 



id aluffa fir the 



E (he works of art here 

obrerresQlts than they woald 
To this will come the" myriad 
nandrcfreahmenl; thearcbn- 
monnmcnts and Inacrlptlons; 
Dr the backgronnds of his 
ihea of his fair alttei 



C8 for patterns froi 



medlaral bro- 



id Oriental onamela. and porcelain ; 
take inspiration from maateiplecea of anj tbcmnalclau, 
to aeek fresh ideas for melodious atteranca. Manymen 
of many minds will come here looking for that which 
they need, and will gratefntly remember those who 
helped to create this mnsenm. Maylaakyon to listen 
to me a few roomenb irhlle I briefly nlate the hiatory of 
Its foundation and '.f tu growth ap to Its present aondl- 
tion. SixyuraagonauOctober, afewgvntlemen met 
in the rooma of the Social adenee Association (o take 
the flrat steps which resulted In the foundation of an In- 
corporated Inatitnilon, admlnlatered by a board of trua- 
teei composed ol tbeas prime moTera In the nislter, and 
of persons annnatly chosen to repr«Mnt BarrardCnl- 
verslty, the Inatltnte of Technology, the LoweD Insti- 
tute, tbe labile Library and the Atbenieura. 

By these happlly-adopted relations we hare secnied 
tto perpewal Interest of cheee literary and arlentlAe 



ns which cannot be sb>ken. 
itely set on tool toobtain sDbi 
[soalcaiatedio annuo the int^ 
11 these neeMngB the li 






rtptjonst 



gnghm. 



S Bisons. Al these neeMngs the Impor 
ertahlDg wss rtogoently nrged 17 
persons, aome of wSon are present hi 

Dnild; plan) 

accepted, that ponloi 
a now assemb^ wi 



spirited 



ii'ibe iiid onVhiehto'bBirdT^lSS'tei?'SiTe'JS'K 

-IT architects of repute, and those of Wessn. HtnriA 

Irlghsm baring been accepted, thatponlon of the 

was within the pnsslbllltls> of any rich and llbersl 
imnnltyto^erectahaadBome and aail»hle hnitdlng; 



migb. ■ 



yon will agri'^ \^ 

loos. Take, f^r 
thongh tbeexi>< 

l^iimobji;^; 

Brnnlngham 9 n 



S 



'.'he Egyptian 
tlqultles lr>.m 



Kgyvt hi 
6l!o' ■ "" 



Jl!edwl__ „. 

M uimi Intereeting olileria. 1 nr 
_. . . - Jtop with the orlafnal eHi i.i tbs 

Way colleellon l,j- Mr. Charles a. Way. which con^i-ird 
forthe moel ^i" M ,mall ol^ecis. To make It cnmilnte 
we needed soiiii'i-iaTnpl.'S of unjlptoroonm laic «'-<lo. 

would baraV'"!"'" ■"■ell the treasureof the B^ulny s'S 
seuiu, bnl her,' iii our .rry midst at Walth.-.m an.i R,.i. 

oryXowell, biaa Lowell and the heir of >'li. Fi^nt'i.owl 
all onnld gmemiidT heatew them upon na whh * cer- 
tainty ihat they wDold be appredated. This rlalng tide 
of oBr goodfortane ebbed somewhat when the Sames 
deeirpred th> Lwrrmee anum'. wbl b wae to hare been 
oarchlefA-toTDamentibnt we bar* reason 10 hone tbat 
the loss of these piedooa tblBjcs will lie In some measure 
inade nn to ns liy Hie porcSass of oblecis of another 
eNBB,(4aneren|mBter edncatlinlal Tdiie. Tbe Law- 
rence room can iDdeed nerer be what It would bare been 
K oocutred, hut thanka to tbe way i 
decorated wlUi ■)<• '-—^ — >- — --■ 
w, glren by II 
'nlqMon oiuj 

_n?for'iJl 
PDrchose the 



'.ffi! 






not hare been able to pnrchi 

inlred In the sculi.tore callerlea! 
that thenncst,— '" ."i.- -....- 

given by Mr. G^i^'b.'mwI -.„u,,,i.i.. , 

can only briefly alhide to tbe ancient pottery given by 



ileton and Ifr. Dliwell, which with that bougM 
CDeral Ce>ads hyi 1 nmher of anhsrhben baa 
'I'-' eiblblt s|ieclraen* nf B'-Kle art 



eece of srrsa of the Xf Itb centnrr. lent br Silent C>— 
llani, tbMtif U of M r. Bhaw. Hr. Kidder. iMr. Brimmer 
- tt. Wale* together with tbe porrelah- •-* •■"■- 
•namehi and Jailn eontrllmti'il 10 nnr 



nor cohM I withont 'pai-LiI liigratltiirie RHKFt to refer to 
the admirable nraycallFetlon,.fengTmTlri|[S, Wit tl, as hr 
HarT.rdroIiege,wlibihecoo«nt^nd Bi.pTobailon rf 
Mr. William Cray and also in ibn Umogos enamek. tbe 
pictures, caaU and staiaea which we bate been allowed 
to bring bllher from tbe AtlienBum. The (nistr»i of Ibe 
munom owe thu public eipresidon of their gntlinde, 
wblcb I Ukeli npon mjraelfta make.ioUie Irasleet of 
tbe Atbemeum, wbo bare noTei failed In their gnieraas 
theybail " ■ " 



tliewayofa(tob>ctaibeTplaceda(anrdl*T>OMl. Km 
the piocloiis pnrlnlu of Oeneral and Mrs. Wsihlnrmn, 
which would slons make this museum a abrine In lie *l» 
Ited by all patrtntlcABerteani'.weie not withheld. Knr 
Is this sll; for Are yea'a they have allowed oa to oempy 
Iheirplctnre-gallery wlthooi pncp.asacndleta which 
ws could nurse irar growing infant until It hsiTheanne 



I large to be coiillneir 

Thankaio them and toall wbo hare In auT way aided nal 
l^^ork whiub baa m>w reached a not unworthy statu 
That It nay cont'noe tn <aereaae In qnality eteo mai 
than qnantliyasynta roll on laawtsbln wbh-byouwH 
I know, heartily ioln. Baring, I fear, seriously trrepes-t 
upon yiinr partenre, and murb ntcaeded the lime allnti 
BdiomebyoBr]aillrtouapr»ldlngoaic«r it xiw ««] 
remal s tn me, ladlea and genilemen, to do that U 
which I came Ivforeyou. nsmely, 10 declare (hiaBeeia 
Bnsenm of Fine Arts open, and while I do so to erprei 
the hope thai the next C<^I«nolal rear may And It In 
Eondiidmofproeperliy.witb posalbllliles i>f iHpfBlan 
w this crnnmunlt* eren greater than tbiae which U 
roanders desire tor It. 
Tbe proceedings then dosed. 



■tude in Belglom. 

n^e Initials appended to the following letter, 
printed laat month to StU's Wtetly Matttgtr, Lms- 
don. will be familiar to aome of onr older mnslail 
Boatonlsns. They are those of a farmer BHtish 
Consul In this dty. who made mariT Wends here, 
and was oaa of our moat atalons mil mnat, cultiTat- 
ed amatenn in Hnaic,— Hr. Bilniand Orattas <tha 
yonnger). now repreaeotioK her Hajeatj'a goreni- 
ment In the same capacity at Antwerp,] 

Whilst Bmsselshaa been rnjoying during the past 
arsrnn the uanal series of sijmirablo Conatnaloirt 
concerts, nader the able dirrcliiin of V. Geranrt, 
M. FdtWs snecesaor. besides tlie intemtln^ sfasaas 
of olsssieal chamber mtaia provided by Ueaart. 
Brasain and Servats, the nmvtnoea have had no 
csiife to be dlssstisfled with the mnsieiil advant^^ 
and npportnnliies offered lo tbem. The rntarie* rrf 
Enterpe in Obent bare been ainirnlarly fortaruta 
in having now amongst them, as director of their 
Contn-atoir,, M. Ad. Samnpl. the late eiper4enefd 
conductor of the BrtM^pia Piipalar Crmeerls; snd 
Antwerp has been tpedslij hrored by Ilia regent 
prodnclUn in thst fsmed old city of two ininica) 
noveltirt of consideraMc inlereirt in their respei-Wvo 
deparimeBtaorart. Of these, the first, to which I 



composer himself, at the Concert of the SociAi 
Rojale d'Harnionie nn the !S<1 of last month. The 
other, of which I shall speak alterwarde, consists In 
an Overtnre and other incidentsl mnaie oomposed 
(nr the drama of CliarlolU C'nnjoy, hi M. P. Benuit, 
IHrector of the Antwerp School nf idoaia. . 

Amateurs of the violoncello are aware that the 
rtpertoire of claaeicnl soloa for that inatrunitnt is 
eoniparatireiy limited, in conaequence, partly, of 
ths inherent diflicnllies presenti^ by the inatm- 
ment itaelf. and that of real concertos proper there 
bsve been but few since Romber^s. which are now 
cnnaldered. In a ijeal measure, out of date, and ars 
rarely performed in public Rnbina'cio, 8t. Saeua, 
and Schumann hare, it is tme, written Concertos 
for the violoncello ; but the appearance of a work 
of this description by M. Vleuxtem a — who, him- 
self a cinnposrr of world wide reputation, pnasessea, 
also, as an pxecntant of the highest order, the 
fCreatest posailile experience of atrlnged liistmraeata 
and of their capabilities, could hardly fail to czdta 
very great intern>t and atlenlion- 

A majestic Altej^o forms the first inoTnnent. 
This la fuiiowed by a charmiUR and beantifnlly bar- 
monlted AHdonli erm melo. after which comeg, in 
d ie course, a nparkiini; Rondo in M. Tienxtempa' 
b-«t style, full of brilliant and efFectlTO pusages. 
Tliewfaole Isso artisUrally compoaad aa to bring 



BOSTON, SATUBDAT, JULY 22, 1876. 



269 



into prominnnt relief the best effects of the melodi- 
OUH inHniment fnr which it is written, and riolon- 
cell ^ plflyers hmre reiwon to feel roost flrrateful to 
M. Vleuzterops for so fine a worlc as he has pro- 
duced. M. Servais* pla^Mng was magnificent 
Thnujrh quite a yonns; man. he has followed clo^ly 
upon the footsteps of his father, the late M. F. Ser- 
vaia, the founder, it ntay he aaid, of the roost recent 
schfMil of vi<ih>ncello plaxins;, possessing all the best 
qualities of that, distina^uished artist— a splendid 
tone, a style of ho wine: alike elejorant and vlfrnrous, 
besides the most complete mastery orer aU-the me- 
chanical difRculties of the instrument. 

The music of CKarlotU Cordny den res considera- 
ble interest from the fact that M. Benoit is one of 
the leaders of a morement which has sprnnff up of 
late years in the Flemish Provinces of BeliB^ium, the 
object of which is the promotion or encouragement 
of a local soh<x»l of literature and art, the play in 
question Mng written in the Flemish language and 
nanns been performed during the last season atth«i 
new National (Flf'mish) Theatre, the rival to the 
ThiA're RnttaU, where the performances are ctm- 
ducted ic French. Notwithstandinc: his claim to 
occupy a somewhat distinctive positifm on this ae- 
eiiunt. it roust be said that M. BenoiCs works — 
which include two oratorios. '* Lucifer " and the 
" Oorlogy " — are largely flavored with the modem 
German or Waicner element, and in his music to 
Ckarlotte Cwrday he is accused of having drawn 
heavily upon the last-named composer f<»r his effecta, 
if not actually for bis inspirations. Admitting this 
to a certain extent, we cannot but say that his com- 
pf»sitions show considerable talent and originality. 
The oveKure of Charlotte Cordait Is especially, in- 
terestinsTf from the attempt made in it to tvpif^^^-aa 
far as this can he done by music — the troubled pe- 
Hod, in which the incidents of the drama are laid. 
Its principal subject in theme is a combination of 
the ManmllaiM and of the popular Rev«.Iutionary 
air '* fa ira," woven together with much ingenuity, 
the bold and startling character of the orchestral 
effecta which succeed each other producing in truth 
a strong impression. In its wild and confused ut- 
terances the orchestra really seems at times to 
breathe forth the tumultuous passions of that fear- 
ful epoch. '* But this is not music," say some of the 
critics. '* It is neither harmonious nor pleasing." 
No I but was the Reign of Terror harmonious or 
pleading T 

The moet difficult achievement in music is be- 
lieved to h% the invention or production of melodies 
expressing calm and tender sentiments ; but should 
we be justified in placing much lower in the scale 
the efforts of those, whose genius leads them to the 
interpretation of the more vehement emotions of 
the soul, in which the modern school so largely 
deab T £. G. 



«•-»■ 



"Awa" nr London. This showy opera, which 
Verdi wrote for the Viceroy of Egypt, was lately 
given for the first time in England at Covent Gar- 
den. Figaro says of It: 

Some attempt has been made in those reports of 
foreign performances which have reached this coun- 
try to credit Siscnor Verdi with a more or less sla- 
vish adherence to the theories of Herr Wagner. It 
should at once be stated that such ideas are totally 
erroneoaa. That " Aida * is east in a far more am- 
bitious mould than is *' La TravlaU," is certain ; 
but the assertion that the influence of Wagner can 
be traced in it to any appreciable extent will not 
bear an^ilysis. 8o fioverty-stricken a poem as that 
supplied by M. du Lucle could not possibly be 
amalgamated with the music ; we have plenty of 
the "Syren melodies," and the " dance-forms." wfiich 
Wagner so heartily despises; and, although there 
is leas of that '* objectionable juxtaposition of abs<}- 
Inte recitatives and absolute arie " to which Waf^ner 
objects, and more independence In the instrumenta- 
tion, and less using of the orchestra '* as a gigantic 
guitar," than is usual in Verdi's operas, " Aida" is 
yet formed exclusively upon the recognized Italian 
model. That Signor Verdi has paid some deference 
to the exigencies of art in that he has given the 
chief sinsrers few alraolnte solos, and fewer still of 
arie in which they may display the special agility 
or the compass of their voices, cannot be denied ; 
but that it can Im recognized as the starting point 
of a new school of thought, or that it will hereafter 
be deemed anything but an amplified and highly- 
finished specimen of the later Italian school, it 
would be impossible to affirm. Herr Wagner scorn- 
fully says that in Italian opera interesting arie must 
interrupt the conversation ait least six times, but a 



composer who Is able to fix the attention of his au- 
dience for a whole dozen of times is praised as an 
inexhaustible melodic genius. Signor Verdi, has, 
perhaps, remembered this taunt, and has behayed 
with commendable self-restraint. Yet, If he have 
given his prima donna very few pretty tunes upon 
which she may exercise her voice, he has revelled 
in his finales and in his part sonj^s — when they are 
not too dull to be interesting — in some of the'm<»st 
Verdi-lsh and un-Wagnerite of melodies. In the 
first act Radamte has a love-song, the far-famed 
'* Celeste Aida," while A'ida has a lengthy solo, in 
which she tells of her love for her father, and prays 
the gods that her parent may be restored to her ; 
but In the finale to this act (at Covent Garden, for 
scenic considerations, made an act of itself), the 
music written for the great scene of the consecra- 
tion is, on' the whole, almost trivial. The srlitterinflr 
show is a fine one, but in this scene, which should 
have been a strong one, no question of hlsrh art is 
involved. So, again, in the second act, the chorus 
of the waiting women of Amneris is frivolous, and 
the dance of Mo<jrish slaves so utterly pantomimic 
and out of place, that it was warmly hissed by a 
minority in the galleries. The grttat and lengthy 
duet between Amneris and Aida is. however, cast 
III a more ambttlous mould, and there is some at- 
tempt at a genuine diamatic effect at the point 
where the haughty princess seeks to deceive her 
slaye In order to discover the secret of her love, and 
where the slave — a king's* daughter — ^for an instant 
as proud as her rival, sinks at the royal fe<>t and 
begs for pardon. When the soldiers enter there is 
some more attempt at tawdry grandeur, but the 
introducticm of the Egyptian trumpets, on which 
the moat trivial of airs is played, can only be con- 
sidered a.g^oss pandering to sen^tionalism. The 
third act is Indisputably the strongest, in a musical 
aense, in the opera, containing a<« it doea the Prayer 
and Romance of Aida, and the highly dramatic du- 
ets between A'ida and her father and between the 
Ethiopian and her lover.^ In a dramatic sense, the 
fourth act is powerfully conceived, and when— the 
stage being olvlded latitudinally .in twain — ^Aida, 
sinks to the earth in her vofuntary tomb, and 
Radam^, bending oyer her, heara in the Temple 
above, the priests singing hymns and the dancers 
executing sacrltd dances, while the remorseful Am- 
neris, in their midst, sinks on the stone which has 
closed the living Um\h of her affianced husband, 
the effect is indisputably fine. 

The performance on the part of the orchestra was 
a good, and on the part of the chorus a fair, one, 
the mise-en-scdne being of the most elaborate, If oc- 
casionally a somewhat tawdry sort, and the stage 
management being quite adequate. No praise can 
also be too high for the representative of Aida — 
Madame Adellna Fatti— and the great cantatrice has 
rarely worked more heartily, nor with more self- 
restraint for the sake of art and Tor the success of 
the opera. Mdlle. Gindele, too, a m''zzo-s«>prano 
recently imported from Italy, was an excellent vocal 
and dramatic Amneris. But for the rest of the cast 
little can be said, except by way of apology. Sig- 
nor Graziani*8 voice is not what it wa<4 twenty-one 
years ago, when he made his d^bnt at Covent gar- 
den as Carlo, In Signor Verdi's "Ernani," and, 
though he sang and acted with his habitual earnest- 
ness, his Amonasro left a good deal to be desired. 
The tremulous Signor Nicollni made but a weak 
Radamte, M. Feitlinger was but a poor king, while 
Signor Capponi, as Ramphis, upheld the credit of 
operatic high priests, by sinsring pretty persistently 
out of tune. A special word of praise must, how- 
ever, be awaried to Mdlle. Bianchi, who sang the 
music of the High Priestess, in the great consecra- 
tion scene in the Temple of Vulcan, and who con- 
sented to take so small a part In order to complete 
the cast, but who was not rewarded for her gener- 
Oidty by seeing h«r name in the programme books. 
The spectators left the theatre wondering whether 
"Aida" would ever be as popular as- "II Trova- 
tore," but a comparison iMtween the two is impos- 
sible. *' Aida," written in Verdi*s most grandilo- 
quent style, depends chiefly upon its gorgeous mise- 
en-sc6ne, and, so long as this is preserved, and Mad- 
ame Patti retains her part, its success is assured. 
But it appeals to the eye, and not to the heart : its 
leading feature is glittering sensatloBallsm, its li 
bretto teaches no new lesson of aorallty, and, 
indeed, points no moral at all, except that the fact 
that two women simultaneously toying one man 
makes it terribly inconvenient for the oQect of the 
dual affection, while the music bss no decided indi- 
viduality, save that which Si^. Verdi haa so often 
shown us. It resembles Ins Reqniem Mass far 
more than it doea bis " La Traviata," and yet, with 



a delightful disregard of historical propriety, the 
composer places In the months of his Egyptian 
priests mu^ic which would not be unsolted to the 
Romsn Catholic Church. As the brilliant audience 
at midni};ht slowly filed out of the Royal Italian 
Opera House, they found, opposite the Royal Opera 
Hotel, a miserable street beggar, distending his 
cheeks and warbling on the cornet the melody of 
** II balen del suo sorriso," as if in mockery to show 
how greatly the Verdi of to-day differs from the 
Verdi of twenty-three years ago. 



Bxauir. From a work just published In the 
Prussian oapiUl, and entitled, Stm^itMchsr Hilekb^ick 
an/ dot Kinifflieha TkeaUr in Berlin, wdhrend da 
/un/MndtwanzigfdKrijjftn ZeOnvsnu der VerwaUuna 
deg fferm von HfiUen, vcm 1 •/iovi. If 61, Hm 1 Jnm, 
187(t (A Mtatistieai JUtrottpeet of th» 7%eairm Royal, 
Brrlin, dnring the five-a'vd-tumdy year» »/ Herr # «« 
HWeev^9 Managemeni, from the lijune, ^^'^X. to the 
Isf/iifitf, 1876), we learn the following facts. The 
number of persons connected with the aboye thea- 
tre 4ras, on the 1st June, 1851, 446; while on the 
1st June, 1876, It wsn 518. The dramatic and op- 
eratic companies, including the chorus of 189, are 
now increased to 206. Within the period named 
238 dramatic ''stars" or "guests'^ have given 
1,132 dramatic performancea ; 469 operatic ditto, 
1,846; and 73 Terp^ichorean ditto, 272. There 
were 461 novelties and 829 revivala. The toul 
number of performances In the Theatre Royal were 
6,820; and in the Royal Operahouse. 6,227; mak- 
ing a total of 12.547. That classical works have 
been duly represented, satisfactory proof is afforded 
by the BetroepeeL There were 8,796 performances 
of such works, 2,477 dramatic, and 1.819 operatic; 
that is, an average of 150 every year. Shakspeare 
is represented by 28 pieces and 880 performances : 
Mozart, by 8 operas and 460 performancea ; Schil- 
ler, who follows Shakespeare in the list of classic 
poets, by 16 pieces and 616 performances; Gdtbe, 
9 piecea and 827 performances : Lessing, 4 pieces 
and 276- |,erform«noes. Among classical compo- 
sers, Weber comes next to Mozart, with 4 operas 
and 350 performances. Shakespeare*s Merchant of 
Venice was played 89 timea ; Schiller*s Maria Stv^ 
oH, 103; Gothe's First Part of Fanet, 116; L«. 
singes Nalhan der Weiee, 112; Mozart's Von Joan, 
149 ; Weber's i>sr Freiech&Jt, 174; and Beethoven's 
Fulelio, 148. 



mann. 



Trv TSrovaiort directs attention to a contrast 
Comparing what was done in the course of one and 
the same week at five leading European Opera'^ 
bonnes, it finds that from the 4th to the 11th June, 
at the Royal Operahouse, Berlin, the performances 
were : on the 4th, Kreutser*s Saehtlnger von Orat^ 
adi ; on the 5th, Der FreieehiiU ; on the 6th, the 
l>allet of FUck nnd Foek ; on. the 7th, nothing ; on 
the 8th, OuVlaume Tell ; on the 9th, Oberon ; on 
the loth, nothing; and on the 1 1th OuMor amdZim" 
mermann. At the Imperial Operahoose, Vienna, on 
the 6th, La Part dn DiahU ; on the 7th. L'Afri' 
caine ; on the 8th, Gounod*s Romeo e Oiulietia ; on 
the 9th, the same composer's Reitu de 8aha ; on tlie 
10th, the ballot of SprHJifetter ; and on the llth» 
La Pari da DiabU. At the Royal Italian Opera, 



BnELKFSLD. The Second Wes^>ha1ian Musical 
Festival proved yery successful The charming 
site, the Juhannsberg. where the performances took | 
place, wi-h the fine view extending to the Teuto- 
burger Forest and the Hermann Monument, render 
Bielefeld extraordinarily well suited for such festi- 
vals, and the interest taken in the latest by the 
public was proportionately great. The chorus num- 
bered 218 members, and the orcheHra 53, making, 
with the soloists, a total of 277. The programme 
comprised on the first day: the overture, Z*ir 
Weike dee Hanaee, Beethoven ; and the oratorio of 
Jothva, Handel. The pieces on the second day 
were : overture to Der FrdechOtM, Wther ; air from 
Iphigenia, Gluck, and " Liebeslied," from Die Wal- 
iKlrs, Wagner (suncr by Herr Lederer, of Bremen) ; 
Sehiekealalied tor Chorus and Orchestra, Brahms; 
G major Romance, Beethoven, and three Hungarian 
Dances for violin (played by Herr Barth, from 
Monster); Songs, Schumann and Brahms (Mdlle. 
Assmann, o' Berlin); D minor Symphony, Schn- 
nuinn ; Songs from Scheffers Tron^Mter (composed 
and sung by Herr Henschel, of Berlin); Songs, 
Haydn and kendel^wohn (Mdlle. Sartorins, of Co- 
logne); and the Finale to Lorelmf, Mendelivohn; 
The ftestival was onder tha direction ol Herr Kacht- 



i^^a 



270 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



CoTeot Gftrdeo, An the Srd, Un Bafto in Mtuehera^ 
with Signore JVAng^ri, 8cmlchi« BUnehi, Signori 
BoUs und GntsianI ; on the 6lh, Ltthimgrin, with 
Bignore Albttnl, D'Angeri, Signnri Carpi, Cotosrni, 
etc. ; on th« 6th, CEUtiU du Nvrd, with Signore 
PftttI, Bianchi, Ghiotti, Gottino, Signori Bettlnl, 
Manrel, Ciampi ; on the 7*^h, J^Afrieains, with Sig- 
Bore lyAngen, Bianchi, Signori GrasianI, Bagagi- 
olo, Gapponi, Tagliafico, etc ; on the 8th, Ditwrah, 
with Signore Patti, Cottino, Scalchi, Signori Mari- 
Bi, Gapponi, Sabatier, aad Graziani ; on the 9th, 
Tannhdv^er, with Signore Albani, D'Angeri, Cotti- 
no, Signori Carpi, M. Manrel, etc ; and on the 10th, 
LEUnr d'Am&rt, with Signore Zar6 Thalberg, Cut- 
tino, Signori Cotogni and Conti. At Her Majeetv's 
Opera, Drory Lane, on the Srd, Jl BarUSrt, with 
Signora Yaresi, Signori Dorini, Del Puente. etc ; 
on the 5th, Zm Huguenott^ with Signore Tietjens, 
Yareel, Trebelli-BeUini, Signori Faneelll, RoU, M. 
Fanre, and Herr Bokitanssy: on the 6th, Fai»»ti, 
with Mdme. Nileson, Signora TrebeUi>Bettini. and 
M. Fanre; on the 8th, LSn Oiovmmi, with Meedmea. 
Tletiena, Nilteon, Signora Vlreei, Herren Behrena, 
Rokitansky, and M. Fanre ; and on the 10th. // Bar- 
bUr0t with Signore Vareel, etc Dnriag the ^me 
week M. Halaniier gave his patrons, at the Grand 
Op^ra, Parl8-*an eatabliahment enjoying an annual 
grant from Govemment of 800,000 mnes— ^Arw 
performancea : one of La$ HugumuUi, one of jFVnm/, 
and ona of Jtanne d'Are I 



Tbb Olbmt Piaho nr Amvbioa. We desire to 
draw the attention of swch of onr readers as pro- 
pose going to Philadelphia to an old clavichord, 
which will be on exhibition there among mnsical 
instruments. It Is beyond a doubt the oldest in- 
strnment of that kind in existence In onr country. 
At least we have nerer yet heard of one of greater 
age. We first noticed It In 1870, while Tisitlngthe 
store of onr friend John Kevinski, of Lancaster, Pa. 
Obaerving at a glance the approximate age of the 
instrument, we made erery effort to learn somel hlog 
definite concerning its history. The facts which we 
ascertained are but few. After examining old fsrol- 
ly records and papers, originally belonging to the 
Dickert family, and after requesting the President 
of the Female College at Bethlehem, Pa., to exam- 
ine certain parts of the records of the institution, 
and furthermore, after making diligent enaulry In 
the town of Lancaster, we learned that tne only 
piano (clavichord) was brought to Lancaster, Pa., 
in 1766. It belonged to the Dickert family. An 
aged person remembered that the instrument at- 
tnuited considerable attention, and that many per- 
sons would gather around the window to hear Its 
sounds. We also learned that the Instrument was 
probably brought over by Moravlani*, who came 
with Count Ziniendorf In 1741. The old relic came 
into the poesesaion of Mr. W. S. Gill, of Lancaster, 
aud from him it paased to its present owner, Mr. 
John Kevinski. It is '*gtbundan "—that is, several 
tones are produced by one and the same string. It 
being struck and raised at different places, thereby 
lengthening or shortaning It As this stjie of mak- 
ing Instruments was abandoned as early as 1700, 
that is, as clavichorda were after that time so built 
that each key was supplied with Its own string, 
which was then called " bundfrei," the age of the 
clavichord may be guessed at, without going very 
far uKJt%j.^-'Brm,nard^9 MMetU World, 



Single's Itmntal of JStnsk 

BOSTON, JULY 22. 1876. 

Xvfiioa ParipatetUNL 

We do noc propose to treat of dogday music,— 
of organ grinders and street mlnstrela, who like 
mosquitoes haunt the ear the most when daya are 
hottest. That sort of music we have with us al- 
ways, and doubtlesa always shall have, and in its 
way it la all well enough. But our attention is now 
drawn to ih^ eomparatively new aspect which nu- 
iio, aa a matter of performance and of bearing, pre- 
•enta In this country to-day. Music in its more 
prctentioua forms has grown peripatetic ; and the 
travelling propensity seems more and more to take 
posaession of all competent musicians. Music in 
this follows the laws of trade, and trade has been 



drawn Into new ways and methods by the vastly in- 
creased facilities of travel snd of transportation ; the 
railroad system brings the seller to the buyer ; the 
greet houses in the dtles, which formerly transact-'* 
ed their business at their own centre, now sell their 
goods through trayelling agents, eommu toyoffeuro, 
and drummers, who go forth taking orders over all 
the land. It Is gettllig to be somewhat so with Art, 
especially with Music It ha^ already gone so for 
that every music-loving city and larse town finda It 
more and more difllcultto keep up a local orchestra, 
or even a string quartet club, with any certainty of 
permanence, or any fair chance of Improvement. 
The local organisation cannot compete with the 
trayelling band, which, backed with capital, and or- 
ganised for permanence, to levy contribution 
throughout all the land, equipped and disciplined 
for constant service all the year round, can by sharp 
management and enterprise, by means of railroads, 
like Moltke^s flying batteries, present Itself at any 
moment at any point of the vast field. 

It Is well to consider the evil and the good of 
this. One example will suiBce for many ; and we 
may as well look at home for it The recent musi- 
cal history of our own city is a case in point. With 
a reputation for culture, and a seal for all that 
makea for culture, moral, intellectual or a^thetlc, 
Boston has for many years been one of the chief 
musical centres of America ; and has become so fa- 
mous for it, that ti availing singers, virtuosos, and 
even orchestras at last, have for years paat been at- 
tracted here in swarms to gather pMm honey in ao 
fair a field. Full forty years ago we had onr local 
orchestra^rauch as It was In the days of the old 
" Academy of Music ** — and we heard the Sympho- 
niea of Haydn, Mosart, Beethoven. Many learned 
to lore them ; others listeaed with respect, for they 
could feel the soul, the Man, behlfid the great 
Fifth Symphony, however great their ignorance of 
Music This lasted for some years and fovmed the 
nnclena of an audience, to which the Musical Fund 
Society (composed of the musicians themselves) af- 
terwards ministered for another period of say a dos- 
en years, with most Imperfect means, and wavering 
success. During the same time came the small 
'* Germania," led by Carl Bergman n, and by frequent 
vislta made us acquainted with a higher style of or- 
chestral performance, while they greatly enlarged 
the repertoire of truly classical and noble works for 
us. When they disbanded, leaving good musicians 
with us, the good work was taken up by Individual 
hands, an ex-Germanian, Carl Zerrahn, and carried 
on for several seaaons longer, until about the begin- 
ning of the War of the Rebellion, when subscrip- 
tions f«sll off, and for the remaining period ot those 
dark years Boston was uncheered by Symphony 
concerts or orchestra of any kind. 

By thia long and almost continuous schooling — 
that is, frequent hearing, a conaiderable audience 
was foHned here always eager to listen to any pas- 
sable performance of programmes of the highest 
kind of injtrnmentvl music ; and their aupport went 
far toward encouraging and building up a Boaton 
orchestra. To rally this true audience, and gire It 
assurance that it should hear programmes worthy 
of its constant and unanimous support, in the best 
style of execution possible under the circumstances, 
was the task undertaken by a purely amateur and 
private. society of gentlemen, mostly graduates of 
Hanrard, who believed in music earneatly enough 
to wish and try to have it recognised among tha 
" hnmanitiea" in all true schemes uf liberal educa- 
tion,— tha Hanrard Mnsical Association. The 
"Symphony Concerts* were begnn in the fill of 
1865. . The first pdnt waa to organise the nucleus 
of the best audieace— " fit though few , "^^-Hind that 
by a guaranty subscription among Its members and 



the muaic-loTing circles whom they represented. 
This plan waa thought to have in it elementa of 
permanence, and therefore of progre ss . And for 
six seasons, certainly, the success waa remarkable, 
and all the signs encouraging. . The attendance waa 
enthusiaatic, and from year to year increased in 
nnmbers ; so much so that a considerable surplus from 
the receipts could beset aside aa a reserved fund for 
making up deficiencies In any non-payins: seasons 
which might follow, as Tell as for the strengtheni ng 
and Improving of the orchertra. Thl« unwelcome 
exigency came at last; the ninth, tenth and elev- 
enth seasons have been kept up only by large 
drafts on this fund ; and the remainder of it may be 
needed to carry the concerta thronish another sea- 
son. What has brought about the change ? Not a 
deterioration In the orchestra, and the perform^tnce 
formerly hailed as excellent ; for it vrlll be agreed 
that the orchestra. Imperfect as It mniit be with l*s 
limited support and short ensraTcmenta, has played 
mnch better durinsr these 1af>t years than it ever did 
before. Kot any fault In the proin^mmei« ; for th«Ke, 
from first to last, have always (with a very few ac- 
cidental exceptlrms. and thrae only thron?h experi- 
mental, 'momentary comprmniae with captions crit- 
icisms) been of the very highest, pnrest order; for 
that was a vital poini In the pUn from th^ be?ln- 
nlnsr. What bronsrht thA change abnnt then ? 
Partly, no doubt, that restlesa love of chanire, the 
passion for novelty, the caprice of Fashion, exerci«- 
Ins: something of the same tyranny in mnsic as In 
dress,— HI weskness of the " moflern Athens ** ss well 
aa of its nsm^aake. Bnt chiefly It has been the In- 
fluence of the new peripatetic pha^e In mu«lc. as ex- 
emplified in a remarkably well organised, thorough- 
ly drilled, WMMMa^fy mnpfoytd^ and altogether adml- 
rable and brilliant travelling orchestra, which 
aeeks Its public year In and year out over all the 
land, which brin^ra with it all the new fashions In 
the way of modem compoaition, all the sensnons 
appeal and atironlns of modem Instmmentation and 
Intense high coloring snd contrast, all that excites 
momentary wonder, while at the same time It ap- 
plies all these mesns, all this perfection of technical 
training, to remarkably clear, well-phrased, latelli- 
flrible. If not always sympathetic and inspiring read- 
ings of the classical great masters. 

Now there is no denying that there Is a great 
deal of good In all this. Every town and city in 
the Thomaa circuit ia indebted to him for mnch 
good music which It would not otherwise have 
heard, and even for awakening the mnsical percep- 
tion, doubtless. In thousands. It has raided the pub- 
lic standard of orchestral playinr. and put muaidana 
eyerywhere upon their metUe. It has enlarged the 
repertoire,— whether for good or evil may be still a 
question ; but at any rate it haa gratified cnrlnaity, 
and allowed many to Judge, or get impressions, 
through their own ears, of new composers, new 
works, new schools, so much read and talked about. 
It la something, indeed, to minister to the smsll and 
prematurely old class of amateurs and half-profea- 
sionals In every musical city, who seem to have ran 
through eyerything, and who always remind us of 
the inveterate novel-reader, never easy till he has 
the laat new novel in hla hands. 

So much for the cause ; and now for the effecta. 
Partly we have reckoqed up the jrood effecta al- 
ready, and we are willing to make a liberal allow- 
ance beyond that. But there are some other effecta 
which we can only look upon aa bad. Let us liope 
that they are only temporary. Iii the first place, 
the trayelling orchestra, com posed as it is of mnsi- 
dans who find in it their sole employment and anp- 
port the whole year round, naturally excels the 
local orchestra In technical precision and brilliancy 
of performance. The eompetition is too unequal. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, JULY 22, 1876. 



271 



li prodnces » rery murked sensation, and soon be- 
gins to divide the pablic, none too lars^e At best, for 
music of tliat Icind, withdrawing much of the sym- 
pathy and the support on which the other was de- 
pendent for its means of g^wth. A large portion 
of the public, too, are easily ran away with by the 
brilliant novelties and new fashions brought before 
it by a virtuoso orchestra, just as one virtuoso solo 
player aflcr another used to run away with us. 
Robbed of the means, our own musicians are robbed 
also of the motive for improvement They cannot 
give much of their time to practicing together as an 
orchestra, if the orcliestral concerts are not well 
supported. Their orchestral engagements become 
a secondary, incidental matter with them, among 
other more sure and permanent, and mure remun- 
erative, albeit perhaps less artistic duties. It is a 
matter of dollars and cents for them, in short of 
bread and shelter for their families, and no one can 
blame them. The Society which now for eleven 
seasons has employ ed them and done its best to 
buil J up a pernianent orchestra among us, worthy 
of the musical nsme, as well as the support, of Dos 
ton, Islxirs in vain so long as the musical public, in 
seeking its own pleasure and .in welcoming and 
hi*artily admiring the good things from abroad, 
forgets the duty which we owe to our own local in- 
stituiions, and suff<sra them to languish and die out, 
until we realise the mortifying prospect of Bottan 
wthoni am oreheMtra t 

The wor-t of it is, that it becomes more and more 
difficult to Iceep good musicians in our city. If 
they are not encouraged by all the orchestral em- 
ployment that can be given them ; if these nobler 
tasks are withdrawn from them ; if, instead of twen- 
ty Symphony concerts, or even one every week 
throughout the season or the year, they cease to 
find support for ton only in a year, what motive 
have they any longer, either artistic or material, for 
continuing to reside with us f Every orchestra re- 
quires certain pairs of reed or other instruments 
(clarinets, oboes, bassoons, eto.,) for which such a 
city offera very little employment outside of an or- 
chestra; to keep these with us we must keep alive 
our orchestra, support it generously, so that it may 
constantly Improve and build itself up into an or- 
ganiiation to whose performances we shall be proud 
to listen even with a Thomas orchestra at hand. — 
This is the way it works in Boston ; it must be mora 
or less the same in all our cities, hardly excepting 
New York, which is the great centra of musicians 
in this country, and which has always at hand the 
materials for a dozen orchestras ; ite noble Philhar- 
monic Society has felt the chilling influence of the 
peripatetic rival. 

But this IS not alL If the peripatetic movement 
weakens and destroys our orchestra, no less is It 
destructive to our chances of good Chamber con- 
certed — the string Qaartote. Quintete, eto., which 
did count among the choicest musical rasources of 
a community long favored in this wsy. Never be- 
fara hss it been so hard to keep among us firat* 
clafes violinieto, 'cellifis, eto. Our Mendelssohn 
Quintette Club long since caught the fever, and 
though their families reside in Boston, they as 
musicians scarcely can be claimed as ours. Othere, 
of the cream of the orchestral string department, 
followed suit, formed Quintette Clubs likewise, and 
spend the chief part of the musical season in concert 
toura North, West and South. A new bow of 
promise shone out for a moment when the Liste- 
manns returned to us, with excellent associates, 
havinjr parted company with Mr. Thomas; but for 
our orchestra they wera of no avail, having become 
peripatetic in their turn under the name of " Bos- 
ton " Philharmonic Club. 

Is our good city, then, as truly musical as it was 



half a dozen or a dozen years ago T Can we call 
that a musical city which has not a fair esteblished 
orchestra of ite own, nor even any sura and ever 
prasent means of keeping up the old acquaintence 
with the Beethoven Qitarteto, Quintete, and the 
like ? For, we teke it, the first condition of a raally 
musical capitel or centre, is the possession of ite 
-own good orchestra. Piano-playera, many and ex- 
cellent as we can boast, cover a narrow portion of 
the field. Our vocal societies may do as honor ; 
they are composed of amateurs, and we still lack 
musicians ; nor can the great Oratorio or Cantete 
be produced inlto trae character without an orches- 
tra, and must we always gpo abroad for that T For 
indeed we shall have to go abroad for it cralong, if 
the ioterest in our own Symphony concerte reach 
so low an ebb that any Orchestra as such will cease 
to exist among us. In short what are we, musical- 
ly, or what is any city, without an orahestraT 
What are we musically as a people, a great Nation, 
at this moment celebrating ite proud century of 
progress, if every town and city is to depend for ev- 
erything orchestral on the periodical or chsnce vis 
its of a travelling company, however admirable, 
Just as we have always had to depend on speculat- 
ing impresarios for Opera T 

Thus there is evil as well as good done by the 
fine travelling orchestras. Let us hope, as we said 
l>cfore, that the evil will be short-lived and the go<id 
survive. But in the present strait thera is another 
threatening element to aggravate the trouble, — 
nsmely, the general financial depression. W^ for 
one, however, have full faith, if the friends of Mu- 
sic will only make a little extra sacrifice to help 
our own concerte to tide over the *' hard times,** 
that soon the good Ume will be coming when the 
mnsio from within and from without may safely 
flourish Hide by side, cooperating to uphold and to 
inspira each other. Nwa the weaker claims regard. 



iMraovcD BxAss IirsTBUMniTa. We are no expert 
in brass instruments— except through our ears, like 
any other layman, sensitive in that organ, and that, 
too, often to our sore discomfort. The most that 
we can do toward an answer to the question con 
taiued in the following letter, is to g^ve it to our 
readera, in the hope that it may so reach some Ar- 
buckle or Gilmora, or other magnate in the realm 
of sounding brass, and interest him to the extent 
that he may give the new " patent " instrnmento a 
fair trial and render a trae verdict on their merit. 

LaneatUr, Ohio, My 10, 1876. 

Me. Editoe : I have a set of Brass Band instni- 
mente that can be played by ordinary players in 
any key or degree of the Chromatic scale without 
changes of crooks or shanks. 

It comprises a division of the octeve without a 
hiatus, and theoratically is as complete as Is the 
double discord ol the double fklse fifUi. It Is capa- 
ble of giving any music in the r%ach of Brase. in any 
key, or making any mod*ilation known to the sci- 
ence, liiitke hnt eontrivmue Hnet 1h» inweniion of 
vo/est. How can I bring it to the notice of Musi- 
cians in Brass T 

I have written explanations to some of our '* Pro- 
fessora,** and have told it over to others. But to no 
good end. They ara able to give oomprahenalve 
ears when the FlaiM ara spoken of; but when the 
intervals of the scale in E (four sharps) are men- 
tioned, they show the bottoms of both feet at once. 

I know that my plan — patented — is worth the at- 
tention of accomplished musicians, if for no other 
reason than as a curiosity ; and I want to make an 
effort to bring It befora such for their entertein- 
nient if not adoption. Will Mr. John S. D wight be 
kind enough to make me a suggestion T 

Yonra Verily, 

B. H. OATxa. 
»■- — — -.^- - ■ - ■ . 



ST. mart's coksbrvatobt of music, 

KOTBB DAMB, IKDIANA. 

This flourishing Institutioo, of twenty- one yean' 
growth, ranks foramost among the music schools of 
the West 

Besides all the advantages of the Conservatory, 
by ite proximity to the Academy the pupils have 
opportonity to toke Drawing, Painting, Languages, 
or some other particular branch of study. 

This year, after a strict examination of the vari- 
ous "grades,** the Musical course closed with a 
concert, given in conjunction with the graduating 
exeraises of the Acsdemical department 

The music, both vocal and instrumentol, selected 
from the works of the best mantera, was randered 
in a manner which showed at once, not only the 
cttltura, but what is rara to find even among fine 
performers, a thorough appraciation of the Form, 
and proper mode of expressing the intention of the 
composer. 

At St Mary's, young ladies can obtein all that is 
necessary to fit themselves for future teachers, or 
agreeable amatenra. f f . 



♦ • 



Xuiio at the CantenniaL 

Philadelphia, July 1 S. As we pass along through 
the Agricultural, the Horticultural, the Art build- 
ing, the Main and Machinery buildings, and witness 
the products of all branches of industry and art ; as 
we consider the immense strides that have been 
made in all departmente, particularly In that of 
mechanics, so well exemplified by the giant Co^is 
Engine, not more however than in the minute 
mschinery which oonstito'tes a Waltham Watoh, we 
feel a deep sense of mortification when exchiinging 
opinions with our foraign exhibitora and foreign 
vlsitore that mime, in which we have made as rapid 
progress perhaps as in any other one department, 
has not becfn fitly represented. 

If we cannot fiiraish a mllltery Band in this coun- 
try, (and that question is beyond controveray) 
equal to those we were favored with at the World's 
Jubilee in Boston in 1872, from England, France 
and Oernuiny; we can, and did, at the inaugural, 
exhibit an Orchestra equal in many particulara to 
any to be found in the old world, albeit they 
are not Americans ; but what shall we say for the 
music performed on that occasion, and again by 
another organisation on the great Centennial day t 
The women of this country, it would seem, are re- 
sponsible for the order that was sent over to Rich- 
ard Wagner for a Grand Centennial March, for 
which the enormous sum of Five thousand dollara 
was paid ; a work of little, if any real genius ; the 
famous "triplet** so often spoken of, repeated ad 
libiiHm, being the only marked feature of the com- 
position. A Centennial Cantete written by Sidney 
Lanier, which required several newspaper columns 
from the pen of the author in explanation of his 
motives and intentions in strii^ging together ao 
many apparently unmeaning words and phrases, 
leaving it however in the minds of most people just 
about where it firat found lodgment, as an illogical, 
incomprehensible efftMion, was sent to Mr. Buck, 
who in his musical setting hss probably succeeded 
as well as any one could in giving it a presentable 
appearance. Those were the main features of the 
musical exercises on the opening day. 

The musical portion of the celebration on the 
Centennial of the day of the nation's birth was still 
more significant of our defieienoy as a nation in the 
musical art, if we are to teke the two occasions 
o -imed as evidences of our fftogrw (/). Mr. Gilmore 
was entrusted wit,h the music for that occasion, and, 
not to be outdone by Mr. Thomas in procuring the 
Wagner March, he applied to his friend Dum Pedro, 
who in turn commanded his chief musician, (have 
forgotten his name), to write a Mareh for that occa- 
sion. We believe it was furnished, and played, 
but have never heard anything more about it 

Now in the face of all this abortion in the way of 
Centennial music, is it not humiliating, when it is 
known that we have at least one musician of note in 
this country, who could have furaished aomettiing 



*< 



272 



DWIGHT'S JOUBNAL OF MUSIC. 



crediuhle If reqnested. Mr. Paine has earned the 
proud di<>tinction of being: known and acknowledged 
as a composer of decided mirit ; and it is not credi- 
table to as as a people to brinsc sach compositions 
from abroad, at gretit cost, when it is belieTed that 
bett-er could have been supplied at home. 

Three of the six months of the Exhibition have 
already paf>sed. Is it too late to have one prvand 
Choral and Orchestral demonstration in connexion 
with either the Rosevelt, or the Hook onran, in the 
Main building, on some day before the closing of the 
Exhibition? 

We ask the Commissioners to consider this, and 
let some of the best known, oldest, and most effi- 
cient societies of the country be invited to perform 
an Oratorio, and let Mr. Paine's Symphony be giv- 
en, if the time may be considered too short to write 
a work particularly adapted to a closing of the great 
eicposition. The per/ortnanee of an Oratorio by 
American singers would be a test of musical prog- 
ress, as well as the composition of a work by an 
Anterican writer. 

Such a gathering as is here hinted at, and such 
performances as would be sure to follow, would 
draw thousands inside the gates, and would go far 
towards wiping out the stigma which now rests 
upon us as a people boastful of musical culture and 
appreciation, yet at this most important time, not 
represented. L. B. B. 



PniLADKLPRiA, JuLT 13. Last Sunday evening the 
police closed the Offenbach Garden at Broad and Cher- 
ry Streets, arresting Henry R. St'lbrecht, one of the pro- 
prietors, and two of his employes. The affidavit was 
sworn out on complaint of the pastors and members of 
Dr. Peins's Lutheran Ohureh* at Broad and Arch streets, 
and of Dr. Boardman*s Baptist, on the opposite cor- 
ner; the pastor and members of Dr Hatfield's Methodist 
ehurch. on the South-eant comer, were alino subpoenaed 
for the prosecution. The affidavit set forth that the 
proprietors of the Garden kept and maintained a nui- 
sance by sellinK liquor and holding concerts on Sunday 
nights. The defendants were taken before Magistrate 
Carpenter for a hearing, but owing to the alMence of im- 
portant witnesses the hearing was postponed. Tiie 
churches are determined ro attate what they pronounce 
a ** flagrant desecration of the Lord's Holy day.** Dr. 
Boardm^in says that the concerts on Sunday night sadly 
Interfere with the religions services of bis congregation, 
and the neighboring clergjrmen reiterate the assertion. 
The garden U likely to remain closed, as the musicians 
have not been paid since July 1, and they have been do- 
ing a very poor business. 

The Thomas Concerts oontlnae growing in popular 
favor and, notwithstanding the intense heat, the beanti- 
fml gardens are crowded nightly; but very few Philadel- 
phlans are seen In the audiences. I do not think they 
naliaehow much they are losing; for an opportunity 
like the present for hearing so much good mnsic per- 
formed by one of the finest orchestra* in the world, at 
such a trifling expenae, will probably not occur in their 
C'ty soon again. Bnt it is encouraging to Mr. Thomas 
that the visitors patronise him s6 liberally. 

PlAHO*FOKTE RSCITAU. 

Mb. J. N. Pattison gave his fiftieth recital at Weber*s 
piano space, in Main building, yesterday with the follow- 
ing piogramme : 

1. Miouetto and Scherxo from Sonata, op. 31, 

Beethoven 

S. [a\ Fngneln E minor Handel 

U] Pattison 
S. Rhapsodle Hongroise, No 12 .Lisst 

The Mlnuetto and Sehersb and the Fugue were mag- 
nificently rendered. Mr. Pattison has a fine technique, 
great power, extreme delicacy, inteUlgence and concep- 
tion of a high order; he has become quite popular here. 
The 'Rhapsodle nnfortnnately I did not hear.. 

Mb. Lbvassob gave his twenty-fifth recital yesterday, 
at the space of Decker Bros. 

1. Ballade in A fiat .Chopin 

S. A llegro, Fashingsohwank Schumann 

3. Pilgrim Birds :..Satter 

4. Spinning Song, Wagner, arr. by ?Lisst 

Mr. Levassor has also become very popular here, his 
playing Is always intelligent and enjoyable. 

Ms. Boaoovrrs oontinncs to give recitals dfAly in Ma- 
chinery Hall. His programmea certainly are the best of 
any of the pianlats performing in the Xxp jsition. Vo 

— ■ ■ -. ■ .- --,....- .,■■,> 



trashy comnoMitiona ever appear on them. His pro- 
gramme yesterday waa : 

1, M«ri«b^ Airanhonlqne [new] BirHH 

2. In the F'»Tea» f oewl Stephen HH'cr 

8. W"»M^s Rmi^rihen, Etude [new] L'^r.t 

4. Hungarian Dances Br»hms 

Mr. Bneoovits plays very intelligently and arristfcally, 
but lacks power, is especially weak in his right hand. 

Mb. OrrrrtA", from PIttsbnrch. I l^elieve. playM dur- 
ing tlie past week at Ves«rs Decker Bros.* stand, sever- 
enil soin*. Also some duets with Mr Lm-aMor. He is a 
fine pianist and Pittsburg may l>e proud of him. 

The onfy pianist who has given r»^fta1s in the city is 
Miss JtTLi A Rrvv. Although still anffering from weak- 
ness, she has given three recitals. I append programmes 
in the order in which she gave them: 

Bach — 

Sarabande et Passepled. 
Beethov«%— 

[a] Sonata rbMrarterlatlqTie, in F flat, op. 81. 

Les Adteiix— L'/^ba^nce— I^ Retoar. 
[6] Andante, f-om the 5th Symphony, [arranged 
by LIsst], 
Weber— 

r^l Rondo BH^Iante. on. e2. 
\h} Movement Perpetual, 
8chnni'»nn— 

fa) B'nmenatn****!?, on 19. 
h\ Oenoireva-Fantasia. 
Chonin— • 

Sonata fn B flat Minor, on 9S. 

Ad»g<a— ffcheneo— Marohe Fnnerbre— Finale: 
RoHn»^^<n-. 

l*^^ Fourth Barearo'e. 
fh] Valse AUemande. 
Ratr- 

Or«nd Snit^. on. 91. 

Fantasia e Fnga— Oi*^ <*on varlaxloni— Cavatlna 

-Marcia 
Liszt-* 

{>»] At the Lake. 
6] Rhapsodic Hongroise, No. 19. 

U. 
Han<*e1— 
Chaconne. 

Mosnrf^ 

Minnette et Oigue. 
Beethnren— 

Sonata Annaa«lonat% in F minor, on. 67. 
Allegro assal— Andante «H>n vnriaxioni— Allegro 
ma non troppo e Presto. 
Schnmann— 

Etude Symphoniqn^, on. 13. [Theme and Tari- 

ations.] 
Bchn*^ert— 

[m ValaA Caprice. } -Arranged by Lisst. 
MenHeU*ohn- 



[«] Thr^ P'tnrlorloa, fw»ni o\*. 33. 



. Rondo BriUante in E flat, op. 29. 
Chonin— 

Sonata, op. S8. 

Allegro— Scherxo— Largo— Presto. 
Lisit— 

M vpneria #» TC-'T^oll. rOon'lo11«»ra e Tarantella]. 

[b] Rhapsodle Hongroise, No. 14. 

III. 
Bach— 

Organ Prelude and Grand Fugue in O minor (ar* 
ranged t>y Liast). 
Beethoven— 

Sonata, op. Ill, In C Minor. 
Maeatoao— Allegro con brioed anpasaionata— Ada- 
gio— Arietta con variaalone. 
Schumann— 

Krplaleriana, op. 16. [Eight Fantasies]. 
Mendelssohn^ 

Overture, Midsummer Ki<rht*s Dream [arranged 

hy LIsat]. 
Schnbert— 

Brl King [arranged by Lisst]. 
Chopin— 

(a) Polish Bone [arranged by Liast]. 

(6) Nocturne, on. 2T, No 2. 

(c) Valse Brillante, op. 49. 
Strana«— 

Walts, op. 197— Man i#^bt nnr elnmal— (arranged 
by Taussig). 
Lisst— 

Rhapsodle Hongroise No. 6. 

The above programmes were given entirely from mem- 
ory, 'and in ^ roost brilliant and masterly style, with 
but two omifeatons from the entire programmes. Her 
repertoire is astonishing; her memory more so. She 
plays entirety without notes, seldom makes a slip or 
strikes a wrong note. Bach, Beethoven. Mendelssohn, 
Schumann, Chopin, Raff and Lisst, seem alike familiar 
to her. Her beautiful, magnetic touch, elear and flexi- 
ble techn'gu*; the high intelligence and artistic style and 
finish of her performance; her thorough training from 
such masters as Mills, Bruchner,' Blaasinan, Reinecke 
and Lisst; her great power and endurance, give her 
what few— very few-rartlsts are posseftaei of. ' Miss 
Rlv4 certainly oeom>les the high ] osltion of America's 
first pianist, and to her, credit be it said that her aston- 
ishing success with the public, and the immense amount 
of praise from the press, has not made her in the lean 
vain. She is a very modest, unassuming young lady, 
and has a bright future in store. C. B. 



DBACBIPTIYB LIST OF THX 
PaMlahsid Ur Oliver !>•(••■ * G«. 

» <»» 4 

Teoal* witk Plaae Aoeompaaimeiit. 

Roll Alonitl Canipftign Song. With fine | 

Lithograoh title page. G. 2. btoC. 40 

'* Roll along! Roll along! 
Shoot the campaign battle song.'* 

A brtcrhtcamnalgn ballad for the Repabticiina. 
The ««•» conf^aina a v«ew of an ** hon«Nit Ina-l of 
Hayes,'* Wheel-er-ing along toward Washington. ' 

Heart; for Heart O. 8. d to F. Danka. 30 

" It onlv aakn n home, a place 
To act a truthful part.** 
A pleasing ballad that wOl he very popular. 

Bells, oht Changing Bells. £6. 3. d to F. 

Smart 40 

" A iovo'id W4»d'1ln|; n^**! 

Now breaks upon mv ear." 
Tli^ a«vv>*n'>anim*nt k»»#»n« nn th*» M^% nf the 
m^rrv phimes, and the song is one of the best of 
the kind. 

The Heart (H cuore). Vocal Duet D. 5. 

to a. ITiekeMoUner, 40 

" T>lr«nl 11 ror» a«a c^rta mucbina.** 
"People aay th« h««n is a mere machine for 
be^tlne. * 

L«velT Ttaii'«n-T:nn'li«*t dn^t. Just the one to 
choose for exhiliition singing.. 

Sweet, sweeter, sweetest Waltz S'^n?. Bft. 

4. F to a. C.H, Smith. dO 

•* flwA^t thT b^ntv, 
Sw«»*ter thv lov*." 
Sweetest thy spirit.** 

Nnt ranid and brilliant, but rather a smooth 
waltz movement. 

Only remetnbered hv what I ha^e don#). 

"Eh, H. Eto.^ BenHfv, 40 

Mr. B<>ntl<>r U aTa«nn«i« " Rfibbii'h «'»boo1'* n»*n 
and reviv 1 *|ne'*r. ▼»!• non** \% «•I»dl••^»^'e ♦o Vn 
t»«^^ and a rem^rka^W ni<»i)Bant portrait of the 
composer appears on the title. 

IistremeiitaL 

Song of Spring. Love Song. A. St. 

Junffmnnn, .85 

Full of sweetness, as Jongmann*s music must 
be. 

Second Rhapsodic Hongroise. 4 hand«. K 

Liiat. \M 
Ts diTided nrettv eqnalW between 3 kers. H*a 
the rrnncarlan wildnww "f ronatmetlon, und will 
be one of the most brilliant for a show piece. 

La Bonlangere a des Ecns. Landers, ft. 

.^ronaon. 40 
Nice arrangement from the opera indicated. 

Sonnda of Peace. March. (FriedeTiak1on<9e). 

O. 8. Cnrl FomU. 80 

Very eheerfnl and brilliant quick march. 

Pre^s Cluh March. V and F. 8. Mnlary. 85 

A brlTht «nd now«»fnl m%r<*b. with which the 
press rlnb should be well satisfied. 

Hattie Giilop. £6. 8. Wi^mtd. 40 

I)*<i'l*'f«y aN>v^ the s^^ndflTd of ordi»»nrT g<i|. 
on*. wb1'*b are prettT and * netite." But this Is a 
piece requiring some practice - 

Rose of Castile. Piano Arrang^m^nfa by 

J, S, KnigkL 

There are four arraneremenis : A *• Potpowjri ** 
(75 eta) : a " Mnrrh ** f J» ct*) ; a " Walts *» (» eta>, 
and «• Oalop *> (95 eta); all of able and brilliant 
workmanship. 

Beauties of "Amy Gassonet" 8. IVyon. 75 

Here are ba'f a dosen afra of agreeable aonga, 
neatly combined into a pleasing piano piece. 

Cradle Song. (Berceuse). 4 hands. O. S. 

Nichol 85 

Has an easy., swaylnc. rocking motion that will 
please. A quiet and pretty duet. 



AnmiitvrATToxa.— TtegreSes of dlfllrultv are marV^ 
f»^m I to 7 Th«» key la denoted l»y a capl'al l^er, as C, 
Iif»% etc. A larfi'e Roman l«'tter marka the lowest ard the 
higheat note if on the staff, small Roman letters if be- 
low or al>ore the staff. Inus: ''C. ft, c to B" means 
'* Key of C, Fifth degree, lowest letter c on the addod 
line below, Ughett letter, B on the 4th qpaee. 



i^ 





0ttnial 





"Whole Ifo. 921. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, AUG. 5, 1876. 



Vol. XXXVI. No. 9. 



August. 

Silence t^ftuin. The glorioas eymphony 

Hath need of piinse nnd interval of pence. 

Some ftubtle slg^nal bids all sweet sounds cease, 

Save hum of infferts* aimless indn<9try. 

Patltetic, summer seeks by blazonry 

Of color to conceal her swift decrease. 

"Weak snbterfnsre ! Each mockinc: day doth fleece 

A blossom and lay bare her poverty. 

P«x>r, middle-af^ed summer ! Vain this show I 

Whole fields of crolden-rod cannot offset 

One meadow with a sinjyle violet ; 

And well the sin&rins: thrush and lily know, 

Spite of all artifice which her regret 

Can deck in splendid pnij^e, their time to en ! 

H. H., in AitgjuU Atlanlie, 



-♦«- 



The Xosieal Water-Pest — OfFenbach, etc 

[From the German of A. W. AxBSOS.] 
(Oontlnued fram Fiiee 2G7.) 
Through this subversive tendency, this 
mockery and denial of all that was of worth 
to former periods, these nonsense plays are a 
genuine sign of our times, and thus the fun 
turns in the end to l>itter earnest. If the par- 
ody 18 not to annihilate outright the model 
which it parodies, then with all its seeming 
wantonness it must either conceal a real moral 
kernel, as with Aristophanes, or it must be as 
thoroughly good-natured as the old Viennese 
parodies of the Leopoldstadt theatre (aneini 
regime), from 1805 to about 1825. We can 
laugh at the voracity of Hercules in the 
** Birds" and then stand in wonder before the 
Famesian marble statue; we could be amused 
with "Dido" parodied, when Aeneas intro- 
duced himself and his followers with the 
words: **The su/Terers by the Trojan fire go 
about and beg for a viaticum," and then we 
could still read Virgil in a serious mood. But 
whether we could look on the Homeric heroes 
without laughing after La BeUe HeUne, is a 
question. When the "moral kernel" is 
changed so completely to its opposite, as in 
BeUne, then the joke ceases, and we have, in 
spite of the "sold out houses** and the over- 
whelming applause, only one short condemna- 
tory word to utter I 

JFantasio seems to mark a turning point. Of 
the libretto surely there is not much good to be 
said, the moment we apply to it a measure in the 
least severe. A student, who has fallen in 
love with the princess daughter of the reign- 
ing prince, introduces himself as court fool; 
in this by no means prepossessing mask he 
wins the love of the lady, drives the bride- 
groom from the field (or rather his adjutant 
who represents him, while the master plays 
the adjutant, —see "Cinderella") by juggling 
the peruke from his bald head before the whole 
assembled court; whereupon he, by skilful 
mediation, avoids the war that threatens to 
break out on account of the affair of the pe- 
ruke ( I), is at once named Prince by the Duke 
papa, and is rewarded with the hand of the 



Princess: — such an invention goes beyond what 
is allowable! Moreover the plot has scenes 
that drag, the dialogue much empty filling up 
and patchwork, whereby the nonsense lasts as 
many hours as any heroic opera or tragedy in 
high style. 

* * * * " Fool "—that is the keynote of 
the whole; beside the oflilcial fools in cap and 
bells stand the Prince and the Adjutant as un- 
ofliicial fools; and when at last, for the most 
thorough carrying out of the theme, the whole 
chorus treads the stage in fooVs dress and in 
triumphant procession, the rest of us here in 
the public begin to wonder whether we too 
do not belong as "foreign members" to the 
honorable corporation. 

Offenbach went to work in the composition 
of this book with more love and care than ever 
before. He wanted to show us that he was 
the man to write a comic opera of the higher 
kind. By the side of successful comic pieces, 
like the duet in the first act between the prince 
and the adjutant, or the excellent ensemble in 
the second finale: "Sir Adjutant, be still," — 
we meet sentimental, tenderly felt, even im- 
passioned and dramatically colored moments, 
carefully wrought and finely instrumented pe- 
riods, etc. The conclusion of the first act, 
with the singing students marching through 
the moonlight, is really poetic in effect; Fan- 
tasio*s waltz serenade is charming and grace- 
ful. At the beginning of the second act we 
suddenly meet, to our astonishment, the famous 
eoloratur princess of Meyerbeer, but translated 
out of the Meyerbeer-ian into the Offenbach-ian 
dialect ; the same act has a very stately finale, 
of which the beginning happily characterizes 
the single groups as they come in, and in the 
following ensemble already mentioned reaches 
the acme of the musically comic. The closing 
9tretta proper, to be sure, is more a thing of 
outward brilliancy, an un-Meyerbcering and an 
Offen'bach-ing of that modem grand finale style, 
where all the dramatu penancB^ with uplifted 
arms like a row of capital T^s, and widely 
opened mouths, stand close to the prompter*s 
box and scream with all their might. There 
are people who find that sort of thing magnifi- 
cently "grand." 

We leave aside the insignificant polar bear 
story. La BauU de Neige, and turn to Le Car- 
9aire Noire, where matters have a far more ques- 
tionable aspect than in Fantoiio. 

Offenbach's " Black Corsair " (Conaire JVWr), 
an opera or operetta, which — what an honor 
for Vienna! — he brought out in Vienna earlier 
than in Paris, cannot complain that not enough 
was done for it beforehand to awaken atten- 
tion and keep expectation on the stretch. It 
had been already announced, and then on ac- 
count of various hindrances put aside, in the 
season of 1871 ; consequently the Viennese had 
a whole summer^s time, with still and hopeful 
hearts, to await the moment when the promise 
should become reality. Alieady it was ru- 



mored that unheard of things had been accom- 
plished in the way of triooU — and we did not 
dream at that time that these trieote, with the 
Jlgurante$ concealed in them, were to arise 
before us in the transfiguration of the famous 
sun in the ProphSte, in the dazzling splendor 
of an electro-magnetic light rayed down upon 
them from the sofllts asif from the better world 
beyond. And when at last the longed for mo- 
ment came, then rumor made haste to inform 

• 

us that there were reporters come (twelve, it 
was said) expressly all the way from Paris for 
the first performance. For Paris, after the 
terrible reverses and irreparable losses it has 
suffered, it must be, one can readily imagine, 
a great consolation to learn, as quickly as possi- 
ble, that Offenbach has won another great fight, 
which t« be sure is not announced, as former- 
ly, by four and twenty trumpeting postilions, 
but anyhow with twelve reporters. Thanks 
to the invention of the telegraph, and to " the 
Twelve" that were sent, the Parisians were 
soon set at ease about the vital question, wheth- 
er the Oanair had pleased in Vienna. We have 
long since ceased to look into the opera books 
of Offenbach for what in common life we call 
sense and understanding. But we were accus 
tomed to meet in these mad drolleries, good 
humor, sometimes even wit and fancy. Sheer 
fun, buffoonery, which is nothing but buffoon- 
ery, has its justification in life too at the right 
time and place, and it would be unfair to wish 
to meet it with a Cato gravity of countenance, 
instead of hearty laughter. The fool, even if 
he stand not on a level with his Bhakspearian 
colleagues, the jester, who by a felicitous joke, 
by a burlesque play of words, or by any means, 
can make us laugh, are welcome people to us. 
But when the farce parades its pranks to an 
unheard of tediousness, without a trace of gen- 
ius or of real wit, then the surfeit grows on us 
from minute to minute, and instead of being 
enlivened we go home thoroughly out of tune. 
This, in two words, is the impression which 
Offenbach's latest burlesque leaves l)ehind it. 

The operetta swarms with comic figures, yet 
not a single one of them is really comic. We 
get new editions of long outworn types: the 
well known ensign Jlnmmelpuff (only more so) 
in the Offenbach version ; the deaf man, who 
misunderstands every moment, but who here, 
for the sharpening of the comical effect, is also 
a musical dilettante, according to that correct 
definition, that a musical dilettante is com- 
monly one who makes music for hit aten, seld- 
om for other people's gratification. Our deaf 
dilettante is a violinist, who with his fiddle 
solaces himself and tortures others — including 
iM, poor innocent spectators doomed to sit there 
outside of the action, — ^for the Joke of caooph- 
enous music is hunted almost to the death in 
Opera Bouffe. Besides the violinist hard of 
hearing, the devil of dilettantism possesses al- 
so the other persons of the drama ; they want 
to perform Herold*9 Zampa and what not. The 



274 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



^^C'^rsair" theme is singularly Taried in the 
action, — Zampa, in the opera which bears bia 
name, is a mythical ** black Corsuir ** at the 
mention of whom the Philistines of the piece 
tremble exceedingly, who is supposed to make 
the neighboring seas and coasts unsafe, and 
under whose mask the lover of the play entic- 
es his beloved from the unwilling uncle. No 
actual corsair once appears. Disguises play a 
great part in it all. Our great great 
grandfathers in times of yore found similar de- 
light in the Jackpudding come<ly« and even 
the title set forth, for example: ** Triumph of 
Roman virtue and valor, or Qordianus the 
Great with Jack-pudding, the laughable love 
ambassador, the curious commander, the sup- 
posed dead, the awkward murderers, the co- 
erced spy, and what mora the Comedy itself 
will explain.'' — Jackpudding (Han$w&ni) was 
long ago buried through Gottsched and the 
Neubers, but we might frame a title in the 
same style: ** The Black Corsair, with the lov- 
ers as Persian pedlars, gallant gentlemen of 
fashion, Italian bagpipers, supposed Corsain, 
and what mora besides the Comedy itself will 
explain." And it does explain more, much 
more ! A " part in tights *' formerly passed for 
a very piquant seasoning. Continual heigh t- 
enings have brought ns to such a pitch that 
we now get the pepper peppered and the sugar 
sugared. All three ladies in the Canair, after 
they have first been introduced as ladies, appear 
in the coarse of the piece in ideal, picturesque- 
romantic, parrot-like and motley men's cos- 
tame, — the prima donna in three different 
dresses of this sort^ each more gorgeoas than 
the .last. In fact the whole female chorus in 
like fabulous costume, which this time is sup- 
posed to represent the warlike dress of the men 
on the pirate ship, perform their evolutions in 
the aforesaid electro-magnetic light, — for the 
chorus of pages in the Prineeu of Trebiamd, the 
students' chorus in FanUuio, had of course to 
be outdone by some sort of heightening of ef- 
fect. How the helmets, the shields, the armor 
sparkle in the imitated sunshine, how the mot- 
ley feathers wave I 

But it goes beyond all bounds in the third 
act, where the rentier Lambrequin, the apoth- 
ecary Toulard and his son Antoninus, after a 
narcotic has been administered to them at a 
banquet in the finale of the second act, wake 
tap in a room furnished like a ship's cabin, and 
are made aware that they are prisoners on the 
ship of ''the black Corsair;", when they are 
rocked in rocking chairs nntil they become 
seardckl — and when during a pretended sea- 
fight the pretended Corsair exhorts them to 
catch and smother the explosive hollow shot, 
that is flying about, in leaden pot-lids, and 
now great balls of indian rubber, such as the 
children play with, are tossed in and, to the 
delight of the public, hop round on the stage, 
while they with their potlids strive in vain to 
catch them. 

Poet and composer seem to have pledged 
their word to one another, that they would try 
for once what and how much it will do to offer 
to the public . Poet and composer ? This time 
it is Offenbach himself who unites the double 
laurel crown upon his head I Double glory or 
double— shame. An^ ii^ fact, we are already 
so admirably discipline^ \^ t^fi Qifepbacb 



school that we scarcely notice it when proba- 
bility, good sense, nny whon monilitv and clc- 
cency are slapped in the face. Co rtnin tricks 
of silly pageantry return continually: all the 
persons on the stage form in front before the 
footlights and, tripping to some sort of a march 
melody, march crab-like backwards to the bot- 
tom of the stage, then forward again to the 
foot-lights; or they dance to some polka melo- 
dy that is struck up in the orchestra, — not as 
if this were meant for dance music at the ap- 
propriate dramatic moment, but simply and 
solely because it is a polka tune, which sets 
their feet in motion. 

Offenbach's sco^e brings in a drinkin«^ song 
with choms in the second act, in which his 
original and brilliant talent is expressed. But 
this is the first and the last instance in this 
composition. Tet the music of the Dilettanti, 
too, is treated with good humor, and even with 
a sort of geniality. One must have some little 
insight into the technicalities of composing, in 
order fully to appreciate what an excellent 
piece, for example, the frightful Symphony is, 
with which the first act closes (there exists a 
similar musical joke by Mozart). - Only the 
joke repeats itself too often— first at the rais- 
ing of the curtain in the musical rehearsal, 
where a pedantic instrumental quatuor (or 
whatever it may be), at which the deaf man 
fiddles away with his friends, is very skilfully 
combined with the quatuor (here as trio) from 
Zampa : *Me voici ; " then, for the close of the 
act, that symphony ; then in the second act the 
scene, where Lambrequin tries, with the aid of 
his bassoon, to impart to the cook Susanna the 
passage: ''He is here, is here, is here I" from 
the aforesaid Zampa fragment ; then the scene 
of the pifferarif whose snarling music (Meyer- 
beer had expressed a passionate fondness for it 
in Rome) is amusingly parodied, but also caric- 
atured ; and finally in the opera rehearsal of 
Zampa. Herold would die of laughter, if he 
were to hear how Offenbach has dressed up his 
overture. 

But it is too much torture to the ears for one 
evening, as we said before: and what amuses 
once soon satiates when it occurs twice, thrice, 
and so on. For the rest we find in the score 
some graceful moments, some piquant hits, but 
along with them much, very much that is hack- 
nied or unmeaning, noise, dance-hall music, 
stop-gaps, which betray the haste in which the 
composer was to fill some pages of his score as 
rapidly as possible with note-heads. But one 
to whom Heaven has given so enviable a tal- 
ent, one who has at his disposal such a sum of 
artistic experiences, one ^ho possesses such a 
felicitous and facile hand, ought to. be more 
careful for his own artistic fame. For this 
there is no assurance in the fact that the pub- 
lic laugh and shout at the first performance. 
To wish to build up his success on thoughtless 
love for show, on trivial sensuality, on the 
cheap laughter of a public at each good or 
wretched joke, is the worst kind of tactics. In 
Paris it is less important. There the "Bouffes*' 
is but a single little theatre, and, as in a libra- 
ry, upon whose shelves stand all the works of 
all the seven wise men, we can take up from 
the table, lying among other journals, some 
sheet of wit and caricature, amuse ourselves 
for a moment with it, and then throw it down 



again, so we may like to go to the "Bonffes" 
occasionally, for just an evening, to laugh at 
Orphee or tlie Grande Duehesu, But where 
these quips and quirks are offered us for daily 
bread, nay almost for exclusive nutriment, then 
it is time to point out emphatically that the 
true end and calling of a theatre is to be an 
Art institution, and no mere vaudeville hall, 
no dramatically transformed Cafe ehantant; 
and that the Muses protest against being rep- 
resented as ladies of the demi-monde. 
fC6ncIaflon next tfuM.) 

Bartolonimeo CrMobrL 

THI IirVIKTOR or THK PIAITO FDBTa* AXD TIIV VUTA 
RRLD n HI8 HOiroa AT rLORKXOK. 

[Corratpondence of the Spr'ng/Uld Jfepmblk^n}. 

Ftr»aK5CK, Satordny, May 20. 

This may be mllod the em of r^memhranee fo 
Italy. Now that the kin^lom in iintt4^ midipr a 
beloved Aovereiffn. and hn* rent within and without, 
the people are at lei^nre to recall the glorious mem- 
ories of the pant, and without provincial Jealooiy 
to join in doins: honor to the |p*eiit men whom their 
country has produced. The last tea years have 
seen sach tardy honors paid to Dante. Galileo. 
Machiavellf, Michael Anirelo, Ariosto, Boocaecio, 
Foflcolo, Botta and many others more or less cele- 
brated ; and their works and their personal char- 
acteriftics have been brousrht vividly before the 
minds of the present creneration. The latest rveip- 
ient of theee testimonials in Bartolommeo Cristofori, 
the inventor of the piano-forte. The week eom- 
mencinjr May 7 has been devoted to a fentival in 
commemoretion of him at Florence, wh^ch, thooarh 
not his native dty, was the placse of his reddenoe 
daring the irreater part of his life, and tha plaea 
alto, where the first piano-forte was constructed. 

I am aware that the invention of this fmtrument 
has been variously contested, thougrh not to strena- 
oQsly as its imnortanee to the mnsical world woald 
have warrenteo. Even io Italy, attention has bat 
recently been called to the subject ; and it is great- 
ly owing to the efforta of that accomplished and la- 
mented scholar, the late Oivaliere Leto Palitti. thai 
the priority of Cristofori'b claim has been vindicated 
in his own eonntrv, though it had prevloonly been 
acknowledged In England by Rimbanit la his treat- 
ise on the *' Origin of the Pfano-FtMrte," published 
at Loadon In I860. Signor Piilitti examined mora 
than 20.000 documents existing in the library of 
the Pitti pslace at Florence, in which mentioo la 
made of Cristofori. They form a pari of the ar- 
chives of the Medici, Cristofori having been an 
employ^ of the ducal family. But the most frre- 
fragable preof of Criatofori's claim Is found la a 
remarkalle article by the Marqais Sdplo Maffei, a 
celebrated Veronese writer, who lived from 167S to 
1766. He was the author of a nnmber of valued 
works, and also founded a periodical celled tha 
Literary Journal (Giornale del LitteratiX In Ihia 
periodical he published, In the yea** 1711. an account 
of '* The Piano-Forte as Recentfy Invented by Bar- 
ti>lommeo Cristofori, Harpsichord-Maker to the 
Court of Ferdinand dei Medici, Prince of Tuscany." 
This accouat is so full and minute in Its details that 
from it Siirnor Cesara Pimsicchi, tuner to the royal 
Institute of Music at Floreace, haa been able to 
execute a model, of which he says : ** As to certain 
details of proportion I am a little doubtful, but as 
to the exactness of the mechanical principles there 
can be no question." The aotbettticity of Maffei's 
statement has also received the moat valuable con- 
firmation from the discovery of a Cristafori piano- 
forte of 17S0, which ban tha asms mechanism aa 
that described by UafM In 1711, with the exoepUon 
of a few sli^rht Improvements, such as would natu- 
rally suggest themselves to an Inventor studious of 
perfecting his discovery. Of this also Ponsicchl 
has made a model (as well «s of several othera of 
the earliest known pSano-foKes), and I quote hia re- 
marks in retard to it from bis very interesting 
psmphlet entitled '* The Orii^n and I>evelopmeDt 
of the Pianf>-forte,'' published an the occanon of 
the Cristofori festival, and ta which I am much 
indebted. '* Let us now examine "* he aays, " tha 
secor.d model, and we shall see that hero the cheek 
on the hammera is sdded, and that there are alight 
changes in the arrangement of the mechanism. Or. 
better still, let us examine the piano-forte itaelf» 
from which this model has been executed, and which 
was constructed by Cristofori in 17S0. By the 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, AUG. 6, 1876. 



276 



Icindnesa of lli* pmprietor, M«no. EmcRta Mnrtcll? 
of FloiTiw«. U \n on exhibition, and wc are no lonirvp 
oblifl^ to truitt to inrliiction,- bvt liAve the reftlity 
before our eves. Tins inKtrumcnt had remainrd 
for many years neerlected in a iMniber-room, when 
by chance aome o««, openins: it, discovered the 
inacription, ' Bartholommeas Criatophori Patnvinn.«, 
inventor, facicbat Florentia, MDCOXX. Thou«h 
of coarae aselesa in ita actnat condition, this discov- 
ery led the owner to inqidre f«»r aome one who conid 
iofi»rRi her aa to ita worth, and Prof. Leto Pnliti 
waa the person selected. It happened curiously that 
at thin very time. Prof. Puliti was malcins: researches 
amonsr the letters of Ferdinand de Medici, with tli«i 
expreas purpose of finding wh«Uier any traces could 
be irained of Cristofori^s pianos, or of d<K:nnnenta 
provinnf their existence. His deliirht at this discov- 
ery may be imagined. The instniment was soon 
consi^ed to me for repairs, and put in its present 
order, and I irave a detailed report to Mme. Mar- 
talli of t1i« res<orations I had made." 

The Marqnis Maffri states, in the article above 
referred to, that Cristofori had then (1711) made^ 
three piano-fiirtea of the kind which he describe<l, 
and one of a less complicated structure ; so that it 
is probable that the actual date of manufacture of 
hia first instrument was considerably earlier even- 
than 1711. it seems, therefore, hardly possible to 
doubt that to Cristofori belont^s the etory of having 
substituted, for the quills of the ancient harpsichord 
and apinet, the invention of the hammer, and to 
have been the first who succeeded in evoking; from 
a keyed instniment that vaHety of tone which crave 
to the transfigured harpsichord the name of ''Piano- 
Forte," CristfiforTs name for his new instrument 
was *'The Harpsichord with IMano and Forte.** 
(Oravecembalo con Piano e Forte). In 1716 Marius 
presented to the Royal academy of France some 
models having the same scope as those of Cristofori, 
and in 1721 Schroeter exhibited at Dresden his 
piano-forte. But It is known that Handel had been 
at the court of Ferdinand del Medici, and there Is 
some reason to suppoao that from him Schroeter had 
rained some valuable hints as to the Improvements 
in musical iostruments which the Florentine mech- 
anician had accomplished. It is perhaps unneces- 
sary to aay that tlie action of the harpsichord was 
bv means of small pieces of w<iod with a quill (us*i- 
allv a raven*s quill) attached to their ends: the 
qnill striking the strings somewhat aa the finirers 
strike the harp-stringa. The spinet was similar, 
but more ancient and less powerful In tone. 

But little is known of Cristofori himself, except 
aa to hia business life. He waa born in Padua. May 
4, 1656, of parents belonging to the common people, 
and probably enjoyed very Tittle in the way of ed- 
ucational advantages. But that he possessed reso- 
lution and perseverance, as well as ccrafidence in his 
own eapabilitiee, ia ahown by his being willing, for 
the sake of prosecuting his studies and Inventions, 
to leave Padim for Florence, which was In those 
days to expatriate himself, a step which Italians are 
more reluctant to take than a nation of travelers 
like ourselves can imsgine. At this period Cosmo 
IIL del Medici was reigning, and was as distin- 
guished (or his aversion to music as his ancestor, 
Lorenxo the magnificent, had been lor his encour- 
agement of it, and the sister arta. But his oldest 
son. Prince Ferdinand, was passionately fond of 
music, and always anxious to encourage whatever 
could promote i*a cultivation. He seems to have 
first heard of Cristofori as a maker of musical in- 
struments of some celebrity, in passing through 
Padua on hia return from Venice in 1687, and to 
have made investigations which rendered him de- 
sirous to take the mechanism into his own service. 
At any rate, it appears, fiMra the accounts of the 
royal honsehold, that, in August of 1690, Cristofori 
was at Florence, and already at work for the Medi- 
ct Nor was he disappointed in finding in Pnnce 
Ferdimmd '* a liberal and appreciative patron, justi- 
fying his reputation as the M«oenas of the Arts." 
The first bill Cristofori sends to his royal master is 
for repairs to diflferent instruments, the second tor 
the Boanufacture of a spinet, and so on. it appearing 
that his time was by no means given up entirely to 
inventive studies. The following is a specimen of 
Crisiolbri's bills, as preserved in the Ro3'al library 
of thcPittI palace:— 
1st Beptember. 16tS. 

Due to Bartolomroeo Cristofori from the treasniy 
of Hia Most Serene Hiehness, Prince Ferdinand of 
Tuscany, for a Spinet of two Registers, made of Cy> 

eress inlaid witn Ebony:— 
ative Cypress-wood and sawing, ueb .6.10 

Ornament of Cypress-wood, 4 00 

Iron pess painted brown, 6 00 

Braaa, cloUi, leather, nails, etc., 82.00 

Wood worit and carving, S39.00 

My own work, 600.00 



The Kra of that period waa equal to Fr. 0.84, or 
16 4-6 centA of our money. 

In 1709, he a)»pe«rs to have been lodging in an 
apsKnient hired for him by the prince, and there 
is another entry t4> the same effect dated 1711. Two 
years later, he had the great misfi>rtune to lose his 
royal patron by death, and the court of Tuscany no 
longer offered to muaicians a congenial atmosphere. 
The sunshine of favor was over for the inventor. 
Henceforward, he seems to have carried on his old 
occupation as a maker and repairer of musical in- 
struments in general, only occasionally construct- 
ing a piano-f(»rte, and not too much encouraged by 
the appreciation of His discovery. He died on the 
27th of January, 1731. It ia not known whether 
he was ever married or left any descendants. Had 
Prince Ferdinand lived to afford him the opportu- 
nity and means to improve his great discovery and 
to make it known, we cannot doubt that much more 
would have been transmitted to us as -to Cristofori ; 
that with encouragement would have come fame. 
Rut, instead of this, his remaining years were passed 
in the labor necessary in meet his daily wants, and 
his later pianos do not show any material advance 
upon hi3 first modt'l. However, hid right to the ti* 
tie of inventor of the pianoforte is indisputably 
proved, and justice has at length been done to his 
memory. 

After the extinction of the Medicean dynasty in 
1737, and the subjection of Tuscany to Austrian 
rule, the Viennese pianos, which were beginning to 
bo celebrated, naturally became the fashion in court 
circles, and the nascent enterprise of Cristofori was 
almost forgotten. Thia rag^ for Viennese pianoa 
spread through all Italy ; and even France, after a 
vigorous struggle to maintain the supremacy of the 
harpsichord, had to yield to the claims of the new 
instrument, the superio.Mt}' of which Sebastian 
Erard, who established himself ia Paris, in 1768, 
aoon sncceedetl in proving. " Thus," says Ponsic- 
chl, " Cristofori*s chrysalis, which had Iain dor- 
mant, took to itaelf wings and was called by the 
name of Erard." The fainc of tlieso French pianos 
soon out8trippe<) that of the Viennese. In 1807, the 
establishment of Pleyel was founded, and sr>oo after 
that of Herz. Meanwhile England had not been 
idle, as the names of Clement!, Broadwood, Collard 
and Stoddart will suggess to many minds. In 1827, 
the first piano factory was opened in Switzerland 
at Zurich, bv M. Nicholas Hubert, which haa now 
become celebrated under the firm name of Hunt A 
Hubert. The German establishments are many, 
and the pianos of usually thorough workmanship. 
That of Bechstein, at Berlin, is best known abroad, 
and the model ia similar to the American Steinway. 
It is powerful rather than delicate in tone ; some- 
what deficient in the " singing" quality, but admi- 
rable for a large salon or concert room' and haa the 
advantage (even of the vertical pianos) of not easily 
getting out of tune. 

As to Italy, which formerly furnished not only 
the sinisrers and players on instrument*, but the in- 
struments tliemseU'es, to the world. In musical mat- 
ters she has fallen far behind other nations. Ger- 
many has outstripped her in compositi<m, and has 
become a formidable rival in musical instruction, 
while almost all other nations excel her in the man- 
ufacture of whatever deman !a delicacy and preci- 
sion of mechanism. Erfpecially is this the case with 
the piano-forte. There are factories in almost ev- 
ery Italian city, but their wares do not find a for- 
eign market, and Bcchatein, Pleyel and Etard take 
the precedence even here when d first-class article 
Is wanted The vertical piano is the one ordinarily 
in family use, and there ia a greater demand for 
cheapness than perfection. Whether It would 
"pay" to introduce here the expensive machinery 
necessary to manufacture such pianos as the Bech- 
stein. Chickering and Stein way establishments turn 
out, is a problem which I fear is not likely to be 
solved by experiment for many years to eome. 

As to the ceremonial part of the Cristofori festi- 
val, it has been simple and appropriate. On Sun- 
day, May 7, a memorial tablet, which had been 
placed in the cloisters of Santa Croce, was unveile>l 
in the presence of the hical and state authorities and 
invited guests, with brief and fitting speeches. The 
tablet is a square alab of white marble, and bears 
an inscriptiftn in gilt letters; above is a wreath of 
laurel, encircling a bar of music on which the scale 
is written ; and a hand holding a piano-forte key. 
On the ribbon which ties the garlands is the motto, 
from Lucan ; " Digit! cum voce locuti." Two grand 
concerts have been given, the first of which was a 
so-called '* historical concert," consisting of selec- 
tions from the most eminent composers from the 
time of Cristofori to the present aay. The order 



was as follows : Handel, Scarlatti. Ramean, J. S. 
and J. C. Bnch, Morart, Clementi, Beethoven, Hum- 
mel, Field, Weber. MendeUsohii, Chopin. Henselt, 
Schumann, Lisst, Thalberg, Rubinstein and Brahms. 
The mnsic was excellently rendered by Italian per- 
formers, and the concert 'was a classical feast. Prof. 
Alessandro Biagi, an eminent musician of Florence, 
executed an andante of HandePs, and a minuet and 
jig of Scarlatti*! on one of Cristofori*s pianos, much 
to the gratification of the audience. There have 
been banqueta and speech-making, on such oce»- 
sions, and a medal has been struck for distribution 
among the artists present, in commemoration of the 
fetes. 

One of the most attractive features of the festival 
has been the opening by Messrs. Briszi A Nicolai, 
at theif warerooms, of an exhibition of musical in- 
struments, ancient and modem. Firat and foremost 
in int4*reat in this exhibition, of course, are two 
Cristofori pianos ; the one of 1720, of which we have 
apoken. and another of 1726, owned in Modena. In 
appearance these pianos are aufficiently curious. 
That of 1720 (which as to mechanism is like ita 
companion, but rather plsiner as to the exterior) is 
in form like th^ so-called '* grand,** but more slen- 
der, beins: about eight feet in length and two feet 
and nine inches in width. The ease ia of eypreas- 
wood, painted a dark olive-green, and without var- 
nish. The keys are of olive wood and ebony, the 
strings are of very fine wire, and the whole inatru- 
ment is fragile-looking in the extreme. It haa a 
compass of four and a half octaves, and in aound is 
not unlike a powerful guitar, the bas4 being exceed- 
ingly weak. Not far from this venerable instru- 
ment stsnds a magnificent *' Steinway grand," one 
of the most observed and admired of the modern 
pianos in the exhibition. With its elegant Louis 
A IV. rosewood case, its iron frame and massive 
^trings; bright, new and powerful, it aeems at first 
sight to dwarf and abash its plain and antiquated 
companion. But a living idea was breathed into 
that dilapidated shell ; and in its decrepitude it in- 
spired more interest and reapect than do all ita 
modern associates. It is the embodiment of a 
thought, which has had a wide infiuence upon the 
musical and commercial fortunes of the world. The 
models of early pianofortes, by Ponsicchi, to which 
reference has been made, are worthy of mnch atten- 
tion, but the inspector will Inevitably be led to the 
conclusion that they do not present any evidence of 
material improvement upon Cristofori's idea ; and 
that of Marius is decidedly cliimsv in comparison. 
There are to be seen piano-fortes from all the lead- 
ing European houses. Stein way*s ia the only 
American house representod. 

There %re also many which are interesting prin- 
cipally or solely on account of their associations, as 
for instance that of the Empress Maria Louisa ; one 
given by Maria Theresa to the composer Pacini in 
1829; and that one on which Ronget de Tlsle first 
performed the Marseillaise, and which afterward 
becsme the property of Andr^ Ch^nier. There is a 
Pleyel which belonged to Chopin, and a Bosendorf- 
er which was. Theodore Ddhler*s. and ia still owned 
by his family. There is a large and interesting col- 
lection of instruments more ancient than the piano- 
forte ; spinets of 1569 and 1171 ; a harp of 1600 ; a 
harpsichord of 1707, which was used by Rossini ; 
and all sorts of musical curiosities and anomalies; a 
harp with keys, a harpsichord folded up like a box ; 
a pyramidal pianoforte with flute attachment, etc., 
etc Messrs. Brizz! A Nicolai and their co-laborers 
deserve much credit for the pains they have taken 
to make this exhi* ition as complete as possible, and 
for the conrteay and patience with which they af 
ford all facilities to visitors for examininst instru 
ments. E. D. R. B. 



I <•» t 



A Brief History of Two Austrian 

[From tlie London Musical World. 

At the eni of laat yenr the Vienna music-publishing 
business of Carl [quondam Tobiss] Haslins^er was sold to 
the Berlin firm of Sclilesinger [Roliert Lienan]. A fort- 
night ago that conducted by F. Bchrelber, before him 
b7 Spipa, and before Spina by I>is>telll, passed Into the 
hands of A. Cranz, of Hamburg. The founders of both 
were Austrian*. Anton DiabelU wns bom. In 1781, at 
Matsee. in the Salxbnrfc district. Oiving up the ecclesi- 
astical profeasion, for which he was intended, he began 
business at Vienna, canylng: it on from 1824 to 1854, 
when [four years previous to his death] he disposed of 
it to Spina, who, retiring in 1872. sold his stock and good 
will to Schreiber for 860,000 floiios. Herr 8chrell>er, 
however, having no ttm for practical business, and find- 
ing his own as well as every other branch of conunerce 
BuiTering under the pressure of the times, disposed of 



276 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OP MUSIC. 



intsreM [at apnilltof 2l,in>flortns],Mul Uie biul- 
wu menccil Ibw lliat at Cnuu, of Hamburi- Tba 

parchue-moDar HM SW.OCD floriru Toblu HuliOKer, 

born. In ITST, ai ZeU-im-Sec, ili Tnn Itter than Dla. 



belli, B 






I. A. SMIncr. On the dcceaw otToblM. big aon Karl 
coDtinDsd tbs BnD down to cha year of bit deaib, ISW. 
Tbe Bim itlll exiata, tbe wldtnr, Mdme. JoaeBne Haa~ 

linger, barlmc carried It on for a purfod nnder tbe old 
W7le, In wblcb abe la Imitated by tb* adoal proprietor. 
The honie of Baattnger bad been connected with aome 



dining 






onsplcn 



posinf- tmj of 
bonor and proAt. 
with Ihein In tl 






ong which arc 



. JOtDC 



Etaloffne — whtcb already 
aooni K.nnoinerentcnniiwtltiDna— aretbenameaoTUic 
moat popoUr Anatrian dance componera-LanDer, Fer. 
dlnand, Jobann and Joiepb Stranaa, Labluky, etc. But 
Dlabem and Spina aaccecded la glifnn their bnalnaaa 
Btlll )n«ater eiunalon. At tbe prcamt daj CrBTnV cat- 
■loKiw baa leaebcd the Opdt number, M^Oil. Tbta ID- 
clndaa werta publlabad hj the extinct Arm of lectaettl. 
Wbalevet conpoaltlons of Brbabfrt'a were not path 
llabed bf Haannser came ont at M.-ibelll-t. Till wltbln 



JObkB 






■pi^iecl bj tbe bonaa nt Splna-ai brelber. 
'a predeceaaor, Dlabelll, *bo flrat paMlebed 
Bflllni'a JTsmiiT, *a welt aa Donltettl'a finds. /)•■ A>- 
,tnd JToWiKNJtgJIm. To him alao Ver^l conllded 
corea of UTabuen, tl nttabm, and Uri BnttB in Mat- 
. Pptnaal*npDl<llBhedafewofOffenbarh'ao|icra. 
boulTeaan I all ot Strama'a. Sucb areuDieDf th* prin- 
cipal facta connected wlib the foandatlan and hlatory 



at lltti- sratltnde to thaa* 



oftt 

•P_ _ 

fat.ihrlTfne, ahnrt-alebted Bra 



eren and encotir: 
eoiild serer nnde 
ImTneaiumHedlBii 
Scbnbert.— D. F. 



pfon were the orl^nal dlarxtv- 
f pmmlalng cenliia— in fart. 
tbe InpaaMbfp rnir.nar. the 
at aaparatea EalkbivnDer from 



PuUidier And Compoaer Again— CUnihlp. 

tFrom tbe Same.] 
FuRi.iaREit Bim PDa Well. Dr. Bllmt 

a hl-rai7 of mj dlatlngulabed aocea- 



PTBLnnKH Rtmrca.— I mean tbe Haallnnn, Diahel- 
a, Scbrel)>era, Arlariaa. Hlelnen, Spinaa, Craniea, fte., 
'bo created noetboren, Scbulwrt, and otbera. 
Dit. SUM.— A queer lot, air. ITere Hiy BumpnaeaT 
PuBi.iinEa BFHPiia.— What wnald mDalclana have 
been without them?— what tbe art? 
Da. 81.IU.— SchDbert died lean, air; and BeethiTni 
id l« p^J compllmrnU to P'llbannoBic ilirectnn tor 
iWnEliliTianelEhihpercont. on tbe money itaey bad 



.— TuablDr.Sllmj 1 



tbe Ninth Nymp^ 

Dpi. BijH.-lndi 

bavebrongbt fnr 



. 0-day? There la a " BHef V 
FInna," which miy enllKhlen and li 

T»l. Slih.— I have isad It, air, am 
ofD.P." 

PunuaitBB nxntrvtt " t>. p," do 

talha about. Bat for my aacesh 
Schnben 

Pk. 9i.i>( —Tour BDoeaior*. 



rlr. pal the beat of It— 

brought ynn 

<n going to Bayrentb, Dr. 



—Then m 



Db. Slih.— I have already cnmpoae- 
Puai.l'iiiRR RiTHPira —I cannot attr 
miiat read about my anceatom. Com 
froia Hayreaib. and we Kill talkOTet 

And aomatbinc to add tn. and 

Db. Slim.— It cannot be Improved, 



JIMi PCBLiaHEB BUKPUi If 



Shan I pUy 
«(• npt nflXt " JTiHlnil 



Xonrt in Italy. 

It waa for tbe Bayal Dooal Theatre, a* we have aaoai- 
tained by inreitlgatiaos made on tbe tpot, that Uoiart 
compDacilbIa two operaa, "MKridate" and " Lacto 
Silla," which Heniy Beyte fde Slendahl] autM to have 
lieen written fortbeHcala, There la nomoredellgbtmi 
eplgode IB all mualoal hlttory than that of Ibeae fledge- 



had written a full scored cnncprto. the o)<ty olijecUon t 
wblch wu that It waa go didlcult nobody conid ptay l( 

lime he waa a meny. joyona boy, brimming orer wll 
fun and drollery-aoroewhnt ot tntifinl Urrlhlt. wb 
told bla tntnd le kinm and prince*, mote specially I 
they placed the rtnlln ontof tune In bl* hearim 






le little a 






I Klghta," toning nv- 

oni to the other, aendlng mililona of klaiea to hta 
leir mamma," and lender inqolriea after " Mr. Cana- 
" tn hla " Caia aorella,'" hot already a splendid per- 



iacompoaltlonaandn 
tb-i allgbteat aiiaplclr 
■dlnary pbenamcBon every a 

inberanee ot gladneia la ahoa 
IB nttle Joke* and myatlflcatlona h. 




Royal 

tre In the year ino. Indeed, hla father aeemed rather 
anilODB aboatihe tooserioug look which appeared on 
thebrlirhlrhild-faceaa Ihemnltnf thia aerere nppllca- 
Il..n. and hened kind frienda athome to pnt a titlte 
mirth Into tbelr leitera an ai to make Wolfgang lanch. 
The 1«>y amowl bimxelf In odd momenta by talking on 
bla flngere to the deaf and dnmb ano ol tbe people with 
whom they lodged; be waa eiceeiilngTy proud or hla 

Sroflcleneylnthiaarv When' Mltridale ''was nearly 
niabed a terrible panic ocrarred— the prima donna ei- 
pree-ed her double about the arias abe had toeing. How 

have composed a part worthy of being Interpreted bylhe 



ilcety. Sb* rahearaed Uie ain with her mtarttrB. Slc- 
>r Lanpngnanl. and the two conld And no wordn for 
elr Joy In Wnlfjping'l compaalllona. But envfoix 

piiIgnorinaanddld''faiB'inlt?'nr''wore^lo ^rlT'lfii'lo 



BoldfalDL „ 

note nt the original n.- . 
Ined ataneb and proof ai 



— _. Jie*.fti 

Diefano. Nov SS, ITT«. "MaeatroDon Amaden." 
Lnllpold Hoza It laughingly callablm.lnnkblMpli 
le clavier. Tbe Royal Ducal Theatre waa cranin: 
he oelinc; the opera wu a magnltlccnt 



beard ringing erica of '- EnriK 
li^.iu.iigled with lalvoa of applause 
beenT^ICpold Moiart'a feelings Khec 



What mi 

..:_.. ind beheld W. 
leat bow In the vast and delighted an 
after that Wolfgang hroniht — ■ -' "' 
— ^ula, which the JMonr " 



Ferdfnanii 

Kane had to write an oiiei 

bat the MIlMneae quite fori 

theynsMltocaniiin, ' ' 



ipreaa Maria Tbereaa bqd de- 

. ^e nnpibilB of the Arrhduke 

Uodenean princcsa. Tbe veteran 

t to ap land " n Mefim. ' aa 



ncked Haase'a opem on the head. 



caasena r-n to be forgotten "—a pmpbecv which the se- 
niiplalmnatpaltaetleally verified. In t lie following year 
8a»rt, then slileen, wrote "LneloSilla," the las' work 
he produred In Italy. During tbe praparaiiona for Ita 
perfurmance be bad 10 undergo nnmlmleas annoyai'ces 
—"thraaghtbemlamaatgemeatofibebleBseil theatrical 
people." old Lnltpold wrote; niirdld theae ceaae on the 
night of tbe flrat reprefentallon plov. 31, l'R|, for the 
wfaola audlenee waa kept waiting In tbe Tbeaire three 
bonraafiertbe propertlmebefnretha Htformance be- 
gan. Moreover, the tenor had fallen ill and acalbedral 
aingar who waahaatily pntln bla place, being quite on- 
aecnstomed to the boarda, and having In one part In up- 
bmid the prima donna, a|>peared ao painfully In eameit 
that he looked aa If be waa EOiPE l« box her eara. Uf 
ronive ihe audience lansbed, an^ it teUa much In favor 
of Ihe dlacriml nation ofiliese Milanese opera-goera that, 
notwIthatan'Mngall tbe attendant In Ishapg, the opera 

- WolfgaBB la wail." wro-e LnUpotlfMoian'juIi "ai'^thls 



A Clarinet Coneerta 

When DAhtcronce advprli'eil a enneert In Gerraa. 

nf. a atranger presealed biinseir with the following 

Uy nnmr ia W . sir. I am a ffnat dnrinit 

phyrr, an.l I have come tn H with the inlenlion 

nf exhibiting mr talvnt. Bnt, aa I am known bat 
little here.-yoii iviH 'I" me a areat eervice bj allow- 
In!; me tn 'per*>rm b ai>Ii> in llie ritneert you sr* 
nhnnt to irfve. The i-fli-tTt which T hnpe tn produce 
will attract atlpntlon. and I siialt thus owe jvu tbe 
aorwsa -if mv flrat cincerl." 

" What dn vna wi-h In perform at id; coocertT" 
aakeil tlie i.hlieine Dotiler. 

" A crantl clarinel cincertn." 

" Well. air. I accept vo-jr iifler. anj will pnt ynd 
down tn mj pr.«mmine. Come tn |bp rehearsal 
this evening, 1 am ileiiKhted lo be of aervic* to 

TiiP evening arrived, ibe orchestra Bsaemblcd. 
oar aotiiiat appeared, ami the trrnnd concerto waa 
brenn. Accordini; to Ihe laslilimable cnstoin of 
aome mnnit-ians. he rrfrained froni the perrimnanee 
of his own pan, meroir marking the lime Rir theor- 
cheetral reneamal. Ifhe princl|»il In/ft stmnitl]' re- 
eembled the peasant mnreh in the FtritrhVt. and 
annnded rather nddly to the llstenira. Dohler waa 
aneaST. "But," thought he, "the principal part 
will make it sTI rii;ht. The ^atleman in pmbublj 
a >kil)riii performer, and we eant expect that a 
^rrsf rdirikif ^ayer abuuld abo be B peat CDtupo- 

The next erenlnff the clariitet plarer entrra npoD 
tbe »•*([*, aumewlint dashed hy the iinn>en«e ap. 
plniise beat.iwed on Dohler himself. The nrcheslra 
perform the tnBi, which ends In ■ hold un Ihe cb<wd 
nf the dominant, after which tbe enlo cnmmencra 
" Tram. pam. pam, lire, lire la re ta," like the march 
in the FrtitAtU. When the hold is rearhed. Ihe 
orcheatra atnpa. the pcrformpr advances his rijhl 
foot, ralaea hia Inatrament, and b'>1ding his <-lbowa 
hnriinntallT apread. appeare renlT lo beinb. his 
cheeks swe^l nut, he piiffi. he breathes, he tcroaoa: 
— bnt it> rain I no sound eonrea lorth from the re- 
belliona instrument. lie then piHcra hia rli^t eye 
to the bcH end and Iwka through it aa though it 
were a teiescope. and discovering nothing, tries 
"gain, blnwin^ with rage: — bnt not a sound I In 
d-spsir, he motions to the muaiciana to recommenca 
the fufi: " Tram, pam, pam. tire. lire. U re la," 
and while the orcheslra playa. the great clarinet 

flayer, putting tlie inatrument between hia legs, 
astily removes the reed, and paaaes the awab Into 
the tuV. 

All this took time, and the plt1le« orcheatra hsv- 
ing flnished its IntH, a^in came Ui the hold at the 
chord of the domlnsnt. 

" Encore! Encore! begin again I' cries otit tba 
great plarer, and again the mueirians restime tbe 
" Tram, Bam, pam.' For the third time tbey sonnd 
the chord which precedes tlie aolo. But the clari- 
net is not read; : " ihi ropD/ encore, encore T " and 
the now laughing musicians a^^ain repeat: "Tram, 



i-JlviT"' 



K. la re la." 



havlng re- 
adjusted the disnriiculatpd joinU of Ihe importn- 
nnle ingtrumcnl, replaces It between hia leg*, and 
bi-ginf to scrape tlie reed with a penknife. By this 
time Ihs sndience wsa shaking with laughter, at the 
novelty and rldiculnusnesa of the scene. 

At Inal. he thinks ail is right ; ftir the fourth time 
the orcheatra renchca the hold of the ("Hi. the solo- 
ist raises hia instrument, epreads anew his eltraws, 
piilTs, Bweata. reddens, swells; — but nntlilng comee 
Inrth t Finaily.Dne supreme effort calls forth, with 
violent eijdueion, the moat terrible toiat that ever 
isaned from B tortared reed. A hnndred pieces of 
satin, torn in unison, the scream of a flock of vam- 
pire^ cunid never equal tiita trigbtful ear-plerciag 

The hall echoed with a aponUneous upk of hor- 
ror, foltowed by s tremsnduna spptause : and the 
trembling solulat, advancing ui the fuotllghla, stam- 
mered out: '' Ladies and gentlemen, I ilun't know 
— an ae— cident — to my clar — I net — but I will 
mend it and — I 1>eg that you — will come to my 
Soirte — oext Mod — day, and bear tbe — tnd of my 
H. Bbkuoi. 



Offenbach on Xniio In AmerioiL 

OKenbaoh promiae* to write a little book abont mtulo 
In America when be gel* back. Now,^ ste should like to 
know what Olfmbaeh knows abont music In America. 
Did he glean hla lalormatlon at the Lotos Club and tke 
ore Oarden, or did be have It traiHlUad fran tM 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, AUG. 6, 1876. 



This la them 



icent and ridleoIODi Inatuia of x 
ibla. UiMlfasiiiuilcil tute ind at- 
MimnFnU of a peopti an to be tnainiariied In (he pub- 
lie b«T-icaTden. Thti dalljr papera ars In gntt part n- 
■ponalble tor thia nnilOD that the dlTCnluenKnt-loTlns 
crowd u-a the patrooa of an. Hiulclai-onatutlrbeliiiE 
raUdlnltaqnalltTaiidaDeccubythapubllc-iniuMiiient 
atondard. II a bad1]r-niaiiai;ed concvrt-tronpe eims Co 
pleues, tha mil ileal taiteof the eonmnnltj Is aasHlled; 
U a prima donna aing* lo ovnUoirltii houaea, the dla- 
cHmlnailDTi and culture of our people liae. 

Tbe ilmplefict Is ihat noneef tbeae ttalnftaare ao ma- 
terially tBfcttd by ihe *nt«rt»1nioeiita and tboir p«r- 
Inrballons as onr contemporaries lmt][ln«- Then 1> 
outside or and bejrond ibe taabltu«a of llie bMlIi an anor- 
nunia pnhllool which tbe press tnhea no aacount.aa It 
ceitalnly iboutd In all attempta to estimate the advance- 
ment of a communlt; In an culture. We thauld like to 
know how much knowledge can be Ruined of Ihe actual 

P*rfnrmaBoea and the aadlencei at Mr. Ollmore'a con- 
ccrta; or, Indeed, at any eoneeru ? What accoant la 
there taken of all Ihe ceaHleaaacflvitlea In the homes 

there be made of the ihou'andB of sincere aindenia in 
private who an maaterinK the art t of the hundreds who 

an looking Into tbe literature no less than (he ac'ence 

enormous manufacture of Initromenta; of the expansion 
of the mnalc trade ; the uro wtb of nnaloal llleranin, in- 
dloailDK [hat our people are no longer only able to feel, 
re begun to think; tbe employment of teaefaen; 



ereloprnt 



ough It 



higher order 



, and the Increased demand fur 
otnn^lcal compositions T 

While we are fenllng the pulse of the opera manager, 
and patting the foreign conductor on tbe back, music le 
maklnftalleDtatrideaIn the ranks of the people who are 
not at the show. Let oi not forget this. 

If the Centennial year could diacloae all lu triumphs, 
music would shine among la garlands. A hundred yean 
aim waa a Tolceleaa void for us compared with the na- 
ItnTolces andnatire wurkera who nowhnow a sonnet 
from a aarahand. W« owe Tcry little to Offenbach and 
his congeners for the progress we hare made out of the 
barbarism of negro minstrelsy. He tickled us a while, 

we anuichl out the masters, and set about atndylng the 

Bo we got on and no thanks to bin. 

II la hardly poaalble that he can dlacem out progreaa, 
for he wore spectacles and wa did not worsblp him ar- 
dently.- J^fc TVndi itnlM. 

Lint ftt a H&tinM, 

[From tbe Dally Adrertlaer.] 
Mr. B. O. rratt hi a young wesWmer, who baa made 
mnslsal composllion Che aiplratlon of bis life. HIa bla- 
lory Is a couching one. Tbrown upon bisownreaonrees 
when a little lad of 13, be supported himself In Chicago 
and studied music without a teacher until, In 10 or II 
yean be had saied enough to take bim to Deriln. Here 
hebCfcan Ihe study of music under Kullak. and gaveeT' 
iremUeofeomlngoutabrllllantartlst; but, before 
the end at the llrsi ]r*ai, be strained his hand so tbac It 
waa Imposiible for blm to continue his praallce. In- 
sMMl of nelng crushed, his courage rose higher, and he 
decided to be a compu-.ef. He set himself, tbentore, to 
this new ambition, and haa been bnlfeling tbe world 
manfully and rheerfull; tor it, ever since, lint In Berlin 
aad iheu In Chicago, Now again be baa gone to Ott- 
many to try and gain tbtiesncb a recognition as will as- 



n bis 01 



IS lu 



Weimar In the hope of some kindly encourai 

InAe of bis own compositions, to which tbe musical cir- 
cle or Weimar should be Invited. Aa he mentioned 
Uot's name, " You will not think of Inviting biro I " in- 
terrupted I, appalled aC a pieanmptlon which 1 should 

celve paralleled In my own case If I should aak Al- 
fred Tennyson or OeorgeEIIoI, great literary sUGCesaes 

Jie top of the ladder, lo listen to the efforis of my 
bnmbleaelf, at tbe bottom, "Uf coursel shall aak him. 
I should consider I la«ultcd blm II I left him out," an- 
swered this typical Amerlean. 

The afternoon waaralny,and the ladles of tbe daaa 
did not nntnre out. Pinner and one or two ocben 
dropped In, and I began to (ear tbat our friend would 

have an andlence. But, a little after 0, the door iDd- 
denly opened and In Its frame appeared Llsit's striking 
preaenge, with a dozen or more young men behind blm. 

» completely " taken down," But there Is never any 
telling what LIsit will do. Hals said to rise atGorS In 
M morning, and to work nntU II or U, aAat whlob it 



Im bow be spends 
the rent of Che day. Probably he would as soon Jlantr 
In one place aa another. At any race, there be waa, and 
In such an angelic mood, too, that he looked like asaint, 
all ready to be translated, (It must be confessed tbat 
he either looks that way or like something exactly Ibe 
opposite.) He took tit. Pratt's notes In bis band, and 
Immediately msde himself comforuble, with the sym- 
pathetic Pinner on one side of blm and another conge- 
nial spirit on the other. He waa always looking around 
for Pinner, by the way. " Where la PlanerT " be would 
say^ And, In tact, if people wonder why Llsit has been 
ao loved and adored, it Is partly i>ecause few are so de- 
pendenc npon buman lympatby aa he. As ray friend 
aays, " be Is piiulng out bis tendrils all the 



which 



Tved that this Infnn 



Is it unlvi 






■ally out. 



nghlmatthelefih 
. of the company bel 
very piece, LIsxt wc 



e playing 
:myplaee 
io, all the 



lid CO 



a lc,ai 



or (he other, or suggesc hera and there an alteraclon, IE 
was pretty to see them logetber, and made me think of 
nothing so much ni of a great, grave, shaggy lion, and an 
audacionlbutapprebensive little hare. Tbe young com- 

wlth the most genial apntiiedcMce in his own mistakes 
or Failures. This made tint lerv gentle, sod It was tru- 
ly ei<iulslce to hear him put bis handH on pome cboni In 
a piece, and by one of his mibile modulatlona tran-IOnn 
the whole phrase. He tearbps Just ss some mssten of 
literature might dlacourse on poetry, and Illustrates any 
point In band by snnicbea from this eomposer and that 
Ihrc^ughnut the whole range of mnslc- 

When Hr. Prati was aliouetwo-thlnis through his pro- 
gramme, ha bad lights brought ln,ss tbe rain made It v-ry 
nark, and also some wine. Then Mr. Oarlcks hid tbe 

ihoDghttoolferthe '- Master" ■ elgar, and in 

Ifs all the men In the room were smoking and 



lire the good sc 



■nmen in making 
ly should we gtntr 
wee? Ceruinly 



performer Liszt, cigar in mouth, Ulktng [n Oennan or 
French, while his hands wanrierpd over Che keys even 
though only in snate T -■ ■ ' ■>" i.lii"iinli-Tiui;h 

er forget. Unit was he 



studio at \t^ar. an lo. 

was often i-resentac i. 

small and slight, witl, ■■^•ij .J^.^ ^..,r ji.J l ji:... j .,..,all 

taller, and German in type, with aubnm hair, broad 
brow, calm, eipres-ive and extremely large and Inint- 
noiis buel (ryes. Behind. CallN allll, perfect In beigbl 
and sbspe. was De Scbenlss,— an aliaolute blonde, with 

and living eves, and the features and throat of a Grerk 
siatue: In shori, aucb a siieclmen of humanity aa. In 
these days of croased breeits and mixed races. I had sup- 
posed Impoaslble, This Narriiaus. we heard, wss tha 
last lonely solob of an ancestry of ages, and, with a 

novilnf the Neapolitan prince, Cnsamaislma, might have 
'- riltentor bim: '' Nacnre hadevidently been mak- 



ing t>e Scbenisaes for a grei 









— . . .le exquisite, thoioiigb-hri 
lot help thinking that. It unlllie Na 

become a great, or even a Hue artist, be will be a genius 

When, after about two hnun. Lisil flnnlly tank hli 
leave with bis train, my friend and I embrarrd each oth- 
er, and almoet embraced Mr. Pratt,— SO delighted were 
we for his nake to feel tbat his own tact, and graceful 
position of learner merely coward the master, had made 
the matinee we bad so dreaded a charming occasion. 

Iioid," more applicable In regard to an^ undertakln 



ind Mr. Prai 



to any undi 



happy 






ought 



Loodon. 

Hn Muxttt's OrEkA. The Matieal Standard 
(July 8), regrets to report the continued indisposl- 
Unn of Mdlle, Tlliens. In cnnarqaeuce of which both 
'- FIdelio ' and " Semlramida " have been tempora- 
ril; withdrawn From the bills. " La FigKa del Reg-- 



^ " had b»en announood fi 

urday, but at the last moment 

was substituted. Inssmuch as tne nenr neuutanta. 

Udlle. Rodaui, had also suocumbed U> lIlDesa. This 



"Maria 



character, and is (grateful, after dinner, and a 
day's work, sa a beaker of Moet or Sill«ry. Mdlte. 
Varesi eustsioecl the title-part, and evoked a 
merited encore for the " Rose ' son;j i n F. Signor 
Fancelli won a bit hr " M'spparl tntt' ■ 
Madame Trebetli-BeUlnl. the Kaney, acldeved ber 
triumph in the air, "II too stral." Herr Behrans 
undertook the part of Sir Tristan, and Slgnor Fior- 
ini was the I'liinkett. The operm was repeated on 
U'mday, in debult of " Semiramide," when the 
audience aitain encored Ihe two popular nnmbere. 

" Lohengrin ' and " Faust " have been the other 
oiieres of the week, and " MLraro " Is fixed for to- 
night. At the last perfDrmanrr of " D^>n Giovanni,'* 
the charmiDif French prima donnn. Madame Roie- 
Pcrkins, filled the part of Donna Anna with brilliant 
success, ID the absence of Mdlle. Titieus. 

On Sntnrdaj, Jutv IB, in plaec of " Figsro." ■«* 
rcpeat>-d " II Barhlere di Siviirlia,'' with Udme. 
TrrhflUi-Betltni as Rmina, a part not tlie Ix-st adapt 
ed to thisBnt^llcntand mini ven-slilearli>t, Mdme. 
Trchelli. however, if she failn to realize the oliarac- 
Icr of Ihe saucy, onqiiellish Resina, who boaatithat 
she can be a Buckioi;-d'>ve or a viper as she may 
chnnsp, sinea tliu music mont arli*licHlly. She 
evoked a furore after "Una voce pnco fl," -"' 
repeated, by request, a rather ponr polka by Alary 
(from n fon^tien opera), introduced in the Lesson 
Scenr>of Act II. 

" Marts ' was repeated on Tuead.iv, and a raorn- 
inc performance of "Lohen^in" look place on 
Wednesday. "Fidelio'was promised for Thora- 
day. With reference to Washer's opera, it should 
be stated that Mdme. RoicPerkins has taken the 
part of Ortrude («■ well as Donna Anna) during the 
indispositioD of Mdlle. Titiens. 

Musical Umio!>, Ths.eii;hlh and last mating oi 
Tuesday was remarkable for two new works, and tbe 
presence oT two eminent pianists, both, by the w«y, 
DOW settled Id Paris: — 

OuarcettnD, Oo, U P, Tscbalkowskr 

tFlrsttlmelD Endsnd] 
Quartet, B flat, Op. «l. Piano. Tlolln.'Vlnla, and Tl- 

otoueello BalDt-SaSas 

[First time In England,] 

Soln Violin, Iniro, and navocie F, Rles 

Air from the Suite, in D Bach 

[Wicb Quartet accompaniment ] 

Duet, for two Pianofortes. Op, K Ralnt-Satoa 

[Variations on a Tlieme- the trio of Beetho- 
ven's sonala-in E flat, Op, St.] 
MM Saiuc-SaCins and Alfred Jaell. 
Pianoforte Solo 8a]nt3a«na. 



FIret Vinlln 

Bniond Violin 



■med on Tuesday 



Executants. 

!,..il.6llo Bernhardt 

vioia M.Hollander 

Violoncello M, Lnaserre 

Pianists Blgnnr Alfred Jaed 

M. Baint,ea«ns. 
Tschaikowsky, a Rnseinn composer of noble birth, 
aged 3fi. has worthily adopted the maxim, nobltm 
ofitigr, by devuting himself to the fllady of a Gne art, 
for which he seems to have discarded the law. 
Tschaikowsky isnowFrcfesior of Harmeny at St. 
Peteraburgii. He has produced two operas, soma 
chamber and orchestral compositions, and a long 
The quartet for strings in D, per- 
.__ _= jriginalworlc.atonce 

eeived with entbitsiosm, a temper of mind rarely ex- 
cited at the Mii-ical Union. The first movement. 
very pleaslnjc and chsracteriatic. struck na — to be 
critical — as rather incoherent ; but aa the quartet is 
an early work, the oompoaer may not have then ac- 
quired the art of eonlinnity. There Is a second 
snbject in A, on tbe fourth string of the violin : the 
whole movement displays much scholarship. The 
andante canUbile, ia B flat, is unquestionably the 
gem of the work. The atyle is tender and plaintive, 
and a piiiicato pedal %ura for the violoncello im- 
parts much piquancy. The coda sugzesta the idea, 
of '" linked sweetness, long drawn out," A second 
theme occura In D flat. This andante was repeated 
bj gene--' •■"■-- '^'- ■-—- '- - --^--- 



ral deairi 



denote the Inventive faculty of the writer. The fi- 
nale Id D major, based on ■ rustic Or pastoral tiiems 
of great simplicity, leads to > aecond^ subject jn F. 
The whole is well worked out, and. In the second 
part, florid counterpoint embeliiihea the text. This 
quartet is a valuable addition to the repertoire of 
Professor Ella. Let db specialty praise the admira- 
ble and wnlt-woveD parUwritiug. 



278 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OP MUSIC. 



Next came the pianoforte qnartet of M. Saint- 
Sa^nii, orsranist of La Madeleine, and In hlj^^h repute 
on the Continent both as an orf^anint and a piano- 
forte-player. The qaarUft comprises an alletrretto 
in B flat, of poetical and fanciful style ; an andAnte 
maesto«>o in G minor, oriffinalty and unaffectedly 
antique: a poco alleflp^etto (or scherzo) in D minor; 
and an alleiErro finale which beiplns in D minor (A la 
Beethoven), but ends In the oricrinal key of B flat. 
The quartet was much admire<1. partlrnlarly the 
two second and the third moTemenU. The themes 
invariably arrest the attention, the subjects are well 
amaljoramated, the distribntion of parts Is clever, and 
the leadini; instrument fully asserts Its pri>nd pre- 
rotative, althon&rh without arrofriince or intrnsive- 
ness. M. Saint-SaSns chose f«>r his solo a couple of 
"Transcriptions d'apris Sebastian Bach,** and a 
well-known gavotte of the sime master, often played 
by Joachim. He is a i^rand player, but we reserve 
ftirther remarks on this point for his own Recital. 

Leopold Auer was recalled after his delicious so- 
los, the first accompanied on the pianoforte by 
Saint-flaens, and the second by the full strinjB: quar- 
tet. The m«'lody of Bach moved the audience with 
electrical effect. The j^rand climax of the matin6e, 
hf)wever, was the duft for two pianofortes, first 
played by M. and Madame Jaell. at Paris in 1874, 
andf a 3'ear a<ro (1876) at the Musical Union by 
Madame Mentif?ny-RAmaury and M. Alphonse I>u- 
vernoy. Here Is, indeed, a diamond set in pearls I 
— 76i<}, Jmly 8. 

Tni PniLHAEifONic SociBTT closed their sixty- 
fonrth season on Monday last, in a style rijrht wor- 
thy of themselves. The following was the pro- 
gramme : — 

Two Movements of the Unflnisbed Sympbony In B- 

roinor Scbnbert 

BeHt ed i «' Ch! per pletk ml dice " I 

Aria r* Ah! psriate" f [Abramo], 

Mdme Edith Wynne. 

Concerto in K minor, for the Pianoforte Chopin 

Pianoforte, Mdme. Bsdpoff. 



Eroica Symphony Beethoven 

Becit. edTAria, "Ml tradl** [Don niovannl]..MoBart 
Mdme. Editli Wvnne. 

Solos for 1 a. Theme and Vaiistiona Ramean 

Pianoforte 1 A. Efnde de Concert Lisst 

Pianoforte, Mdme. Ksslpoff. 
Jubilee Overture Weber 

Conductor Mr. W. O. CUSIN8. 

The concert opened with 8chubert*s Unfinished 
Symphony, the two movements of which, althoui^h 
sublime and scratifyinsr in the extreme, cannot but 
leave behind a feelinp: of disspp<»inlment at not beinji^ 
able to hear such a work in its entirety. Mdme. 
Edith Wynne, absent on acconnt of ill health, was 
substituted by Miss Emma Beasley, an able vocal- 
ist with a fice voice at her command. Handel's 
'* From Mighty Kings ** (Judas Maccabeus) she sani; 
with accuracy and spirit, two absolutely necessary 
inirredienta in Its performance ; whilst in Taubert's 
'•Cradle Song** she exhibited crreat taste, and in 
both was heartily applauded. The name of Mdme. 
Essipoff, as a pivnlst. Is too well know to admit of 
mnch comment upon her powers , suffice it to say 
that the audience were simply electrified as well In 
her renderinsT of Chopin's pianoforte Concerto in E 
minor, as in Rameau*^ Theme and Variations and 
the Etnde de Concert by Liszt. Beethoven's im- 
mortal work, the Eroica Symphony, was, of course, 
a feature of great Interest. The attention which it 
received throughout is a sufficient proof that an 
English audience, thousrh sometimes unappreciativc, 
knowa how to do honor to a great masterpiece. 
After We)>er's Jubilee Overture, the audience, evi- 
dently reluctant, left the hall to ponder over the 
past season and enjoy the anticipation of the next 



BrBMiHOHAM FisTivAL The scheme for the Bir 
mingham Musical Festival has now been finally set- 
tled, the following being an outline : — On Tues<lay 
mominir. August 29, according to custom, Mendels- 
tohn's '* Elijah " will be given, the ** Messiah " occu- 

Sying its accustomed place on the following Thurs- 
ay. A new cantata oy Mr. F. H. Co wen, bearing 
the title of " The Corsair," and miscellaneous selec- 
tion, are down for Tuesday ; while on Wednesday 
morning Prof. Maefarren's oratorio *' The Resurrec- 
tion,** specially composed. Hummers " Alma Virgo," 
and Mendelssohn's " Hear my prayer," will be ren- 
dered. For Wedneaday evening Nid Gade's sacred 
cantata, " Zion," and a miscellaneous selection, in- 
cluding a symphony, are underlined; and the 
Thursday evening will be devoted to Niel Gade's 
cantata, '* The Crusaders," and a miscellaneous se- 
lection, comprising the incomparable overture to 
" William Tell." For Friday morning three sacred 



works are chosen, vix., R|>ohr's " Last Jwdgment," 
Wsfirner's " Holy Supper" (first lime in England), 
Beethoven's mass. No. 1, in C; Mendelssohn's "St. 
Paul " bringing the Festival to a close on the Friday 
evening. 

The principal Tocallsts are — soprani, Mdlle. 
Titlens, Madame Lentmens-Sherrington, and Mdlle. 
Albani; eontraltl, Mesdames Patey and Trebelli- 
Bettini; tenors, Mr. Vernon Rigby and Mr. E. 
Lloyd : bassi. Mr. Santley, Mr. Cecil Tovey, and 
Mr. FolL Althongh there is an absence of star ar- 
tists, the enormous expense placing them almost 
beyond reach, the above list, for the rendering es- 
pecially of the sacred works, could not be better se- 
lected. The only cause for regret that can possibly 
be felt will be the name of our celebrated tenor, Mr. 
Sims Reeves, being eliminated. The band, as usn- 
al, wHl be made up of 140 of the finest procurable 
instrumentallsta ; snd the chorus, 9fi0 strong, will 
bo under the condnctorshlp of Sir Michael Coata, 
Mr. Stimpson presiding at the organ. 



ALTBMBOUBO. A fcatival baa been lately held at A1- 
temlMrarg in Germany. The programme contained the 
following names: Bsch, Beethoven, Brahms, Berllos, 
Lisst, Stade, Baint-Sallns. Rubinstein, Tschircb,Laaaen, 
Winterbergsr, Pr: Kiel, Tolkmann, Raff, Herzofren- 
basch, Fltaenbafsea. Zopff, Dritoeke, Bruch. Tanbert, 
Bnngert. Beer, Becker, Mllller, Schuls-Beutben. Pierre 
Cornelius, Orleg et Rimski Korsakow. The first day 
was devoted entirely to sacred mnalc A concert was 
held in the morning at 11 o'clock in the cburdi attached 
to the dnke*s palace, when were performed Psalms by 
Stade. a Kyrie by Tscblrch, the asth Psalm by Maroello 
Wlnterberger's ** Airs rellf^eox,'* two numliers of LIsxt's 
" Consolstions,** arranged for violoncello, largo and al- 
legro, from a sonata by Tartlnl. witb organ accompani- 
ment, the solo part being beautifully rendered by the 
violinist lleckmnnn, concertmeister at Cologne, an In- 
terludium by Platti for tbe organ, ezeented by M. Pret- 
ty, the organist of Lelpsig, and Bach's celel>rated Pngae 
in six parts, composed by him upon a motif which Fred- 
eric tbe Great gave bim in 1747, during Bach's visit to 
Berlin. This dlffleult work was performed by M. Stade, 
director of music at tbe court of AltemlMurg. A mod- 
em oratorio by Fr. Kiel, entitled *' Cbrlstus," was per- 
formed on tbe afternoon of the aame day. Tbe second 
day of the festival was held in the large ball of the 
Schtttaenhanss and waa marked by tbe performance of 
Beriios*s *< Romeo et Juliette," Llsst*s " Prometbens,'* 
and a Concerto of Volkmann's. This is tbe first occa- 
sion npon which Ber1loi*s " Romeo and Juliette '* haa 
been heard in its entirety in Germany, and It seems to 
have created a highly favorable Impression. Lisst. who 
wss present at the performinoe of his own work, re- 
ceived an enthnsiaatlc ovation. These two days of 
grand instrumental and vocsl music wer^ snoceeded by 
concerts of cham' er and symplionic music, etc. The 
principal nnmliers were Brahm*s Qnatnor, Op. B8, a 
Quatuor by Henonenbuscb, a Vocal Quartet hy Ratls- 
tionne, tbe chi^f point of which was ihe introduction of 
some ancient foar-part snnes known under the name of 
madrigals, snd another Quatuor by Saint-Sa8ns« Op. 41. 
several violoncello solos pei formed by th«* celebrated 
Oerman violoncellist, Omtxmsclier. annaserlesof lleder 
and four part choruses. At the last concert M. Brassin 
obtained a most bri'liint success by hi^ playing of Orieg'e 
concerto. The greater part of the programme wss occu- 
pied by LisU*s " Bittalle des Huns," at the performance 
of which Lisst himself took tbe organ A talented young 
pianist, Mdlle. Remmert, a oupil of Llszt*s, played s fan- 
tasia upon Beethoven's *' Rnius of Athens '* witb such 
skill and taste that IJsst himself raised his hands tosp- 
plaud her. The four days* festival drew together a large 
concourse of people from all parts of Germany, and es- 
p<>clslly from Belgium. A considerable number of for- 
eigners were also prenent.— loiuf . Mu$. Standard. 



Jtmg^fs lonrnal of SInsk 

BOSTON, AUGUST 6, 1876. 



Dr. Angott Wilhelm Ambroid 

Musical literature and criticism have met with a 
serious loss. German papers contain a simple an- 
nouncement of the death, June 28, in Vienna, of the 
well known musical critic of the " Winner SSeihmg " 
and the ** Wtener Ahendpott,** Professor A. W. Am- 
bros, the distinguished musical historian, essayist 
and critic, from whose lighter miscellaneous writ- 
ings we were even now translating for our readers 
the paper about Offenbach and his school, having 
heretofore presented to their notice his excellent 

appreciation of Robert Franz, his article on " Music 
in Italy." etc. These are from the two very Inter- 
esting volamea of his miscellaneons pa|ier8, not only 



about Music, bat about other arts, delightful remi- 
niscences of Italy, etc, which he had collected and 
published ia 1872 and 1874, under the title of 
" Bunte Blfltter.*' These very readable and genial 
essays, together with a work upon "The Limits of 
Music and Poetry," are full of valuable auggeatioo, 
just discrimination, and deep Insight, while they 
have almost the wit and sparkle of Hector Berlios, 
and place him in the front rank with such contem- 
porary German writers about music as Ferdinand 
miler, and Hanslick of Vienna. His moat impor- 
tant work is his (alas, unfinished !) ** History of Mu. 
sic," of which three octavo volumes have appeared, 
(18<tl-68). bringing the history down only to the 
time of Palestrina. It promised to be the moat 
elaborate, complete and thoroughly digest-ed of all 
histories of Music Vol. I. treats of t.Se first begin- 
nings of the art, and of the music of the ancient 
world, th9 pre-Hellenic and the Antique-Claasic pe- 
riods. Vol. n. contains: 1. The first ages of the 
new Christian world and art ; 2. The development 
of vocal mu«ie In parts. Vol. Ill, the period of the 
Renaissance down to the time of Palestrina, inclnd- 
ing the period of the Netherlanders, music In Ger- 
many and England, and the Italian masie of the 
fifteenth century. We know not in what state of 
forwardness he has left the execution of the remain- 
der of his plan ; but it is to be hoped that further 
volumes will appear.. 

Ambroa also won distinction, in the earlier por- 
tion of his life, as a composer : althongh none of hta 
music, so far as we are aware, has rosde itself known 
on this side of the Atlantic nor can we remember 
that it has figured in European programmes during 
the last ten or twenty years. Doubtless the Ger- 
man musical journals will soon bring us full and ap- 
preciative notices o' his career. Meanwhile we 
gather from an artW by Moritc Bermsnn, found In 
Bernsdorff*s Uuivenal Lexictm der TbnJtamsf, the 
following particulars of his earlier and middle life 
It will be seen that tl.e aoeonnt . stops short of the 
period In which the liierary works by which w« 
know him were produced. 

Ambroa was bom at Mauth, near Prague, Nov. 
17, 1816 ; so that he had not completed his sixtieth 
year. The musical Instinct appeared early in him. 
lie was hardly four years old when he could sing 
by ear, correctly, every melody he heard, and he 
soon began to play them also on the piano, and 
even to attempt all sorts of variations on th«m. 
But his parents had destined him for the state aer- 
vioe, and he received a very careful education to 
that end, without any sort of regard to his musical 
talenta. It was the same at the gymnasium in 
Prague, where the poet V((o Horn was his room- 
mate. In fact his musical tendency waa so kept 
down, that the art impulse of the boy s(>aght to 
make air for itself upon another way ; he obtained 
a place in the Prague Academy of Desigj, which 
he attended very assiduously for several years, i' .d 
so kept his imaginative faculty alive and.atrong. 

At last the deeifcive moment arrived, when it be- 
came clear to him, that plaster busts and modelling 
hi clay were not enough to satisfy his longing. Ho 
had been present at a performance of Dom •/ifon, 
cavie home from the theatre in a prodigious state of 
excitement, and now all his thoughts and dreams 
were music. Whenever he passed the windows of 
the music shops, he paused and said to himself: If 
I only knew which of these notes is called e and 
which <f, I would ficd out all the rest for m^-self." 
To realize this thought he begged one of his school- 
mates, who passed for a great musician with the 
young troop, for some instruction in notation, and 

offered him as a reward the whole of his somewhat 
slender allowance of pocket money. Declining tbe 
remuneration, the friend fulfilled his wish with 
great alacrity, adding also mnch with regard to the 



BOSTON. SATUBDVY, AUG. 5, 1876. 



279 



principles of maaic, so far as he knew them, and 
thereby laid the foondstion for Ambroo'a further 
Diuaicftl aelf-cnitnre. 

la 1887 he had finished' the study of JiirHnru- 
dence, and at the same time had made himself » 
irood pianist, and become well acqaainted with the 
theoretic works of Turk and Reicha. Pai^inn^ the 
next two years partly in rural sttclasion, partly in 
travels, which essentially enriched his musical per- 
ceptions, he underwent the prescribed four severe 
examinations before the juristic faculty of Prague, 
and in 1889 obtained the degree of Doctor of Laws ; 
then he entered the state service in the imperial fis- 
cal ofRce at Prague, where he had time tn devote 
himself with greater seal than ever to the art of 
music, and soon attraeted the attention of those ex- 
cellent artists, Kittl. Veit, and others, so strongly, 
that they readily helped him with advice and in- 
struction, especially in composition, in which he 
had already made a few attempts. 

About this time he had made the acquaintance of 
Robert Schumann, then the centre of a circle of 
young and earnest artists under the name of 
" Davidsbandler," and our Ambros soon became one 
of the roost lealous members of that humoristic and 
fantastic " David-league,** working in its spirit very 
earnestly in word and deed. Especially is it to be 
ascribed to his exerUons, with those of the able 
critic B. Outt, that the almost proverbially stiff 
conservatism of Prague in musical matters gradual- 
ly gave room to a freer (QovemenU While Outt in 
his critical essays searched and discriminated with 
sharpness and with clearness, Ambros wrote, under 
the name *' Flamin, der letzte DavidsbQndler.** more 
la the spirit of the " storm and pressure ** period, to 
win ground for Beethoven, Mendelssohn, Gade, etc., 
but very often !n a manner imitated, even to certain 
favorite turns of expression, from Jean Paul, which 
eertainly could not be called an excellence. 

In 1847 he was for the first time moved to come 
before the public with a composition ; a concert ov- 
ertnre, after the manner of Mendelssohn, of which 
the subject Is taken from the Oenotfeva l«*gcnd. It 
succeeded so well in the first performance, that it 
had to be repeated in the following concert. 
And now Ambros came out under his real name, 
and produced a few weeks later in a concert of the 
Cecilia, nnder his own personal direction, an Over- 
ture, to OtK&Uo, ifhich wss received with such un- 
common favor, that the comptiser was exhorted to 
write music for this great tragedy entire. This 
task was completed and at once brought to hearing, 
and won the good opinion of the fauiooi Alexander 
Dreyschock, who took the score with him to Lon- 
don, where even now, in Drury Lane theatre, (** to 
our knowledge," says Bermann),,Shak8peare's trag- 
edy is given with Ambros's musie. to which, more- 
over, a connecting declamation has been written for 
concert performances by A Meissner and M. Hart- 
mann. An overture to KdthekeH voh HeUbromn also 
found deserved recognition some time later. 

In 1848 Ambros was appointed state solicitor in 
matters of the Press, a position which, in the course 
of that stormy period, parUcularly in Prague, grew 
more and more difficult and threatened almost to 
wear him out bodily and mentally. But a long stay 
In Vienna during the next year restored his strength, 
and here he completed a grand Stahat Mater, which 
was performed with success by the Singakademie of 
Prague. In 1860 he received the appointment of 
state attorney of the Prsgue provincial tribunal, and 
was shortly after called to the directorship of the 
Conservatory there, to wliich he dedicated his grand 
Symphony in E minor. Moreover several piano- 
forte compositions (Sonatas, Trios, etc.), and songs 
have appeared by him. As a composer he belongs 
fully to the direction struck out by Mendelssohn 



and after him by Gade ; and, as with them, a pecu- 
liarly religious and folk-song element, a leaning 
toward Nature and the Idyl, characterizes him. At 
the same time, In consequence of hi^ strict school, he 
has kept clear of all the modern extravagance. He is 
chiefly an instrumental composer, his treatment of 
yolce parts being n(>t seldom hard and awkward. A 
multitude of hisssthetical and critical writings have 
been printed in the journals, particularly In the 
Ntm* ZeiiMchrift founded by Schumann. 



Faix Oboan RacrrAiA We were not able to at- 
tend any of the five afteinoon recitals given in the 
months of May and June, by Mr. II. E. Parkrusst, 
on the fine Walcker onran, of which he han charge, 
in the lieautiful First Church (corner Berkeley ai\d 
Marlboro' streets). But we had intended, before 
this, to record the projjrnmines, which do credit to 
his taste, while ri'port speaks highly of his inter- 
pretations. We make room for them now. 

JToylS. 

rirst Oryrsn Sonata, In F minor Mendelssohn 

Allefnt> mo'i, Adairio. Andante, Allegro vivace. 

Pfpludf* and Fnp;ne, In C Bach 

Fifth Or^an Conrerto, In F Handel 

LArffhetto, Allegro, Alia Sicilians, Presto. 

a. Oavotte Olnck 

Qm Anoame. ..... .••.••.•.*•«.•....•.•••.. iseeKnoven 

Oflertoire,lnF minor Batiste 

Jntie 1. 

Fantasia and Fngue. In G minor Barh 

Fifth f Irfcl^n Sonata, In D Mendels«ohu 

Andante, Andante con moto, Allrfcm maestoso. 
Marche Religtense Adolpbe Adam 

0a A rduiic* ••••••• «••••••■■ •••••••••■■• •• ■•■■ \^iiO|jin 

c. Minuet Handel 

OffertoireIn D Batiste 

Jun€ 8. 

a. Vofsplel. " Komm, Oott, Schoepfer/* Bach 

A. Fuirue, in B minor Parkhiirst 

a. Givotte Olark 

b. fiouK without words Mendelssohn 

e. Presto Beethoven 

First Organ Concerto, in O minor Handel 

Larghetto, Atleirro, Ada;;io, Andante. 
First Organ Sonata. In Eflst Bach 

Allegro moderate. Adagio, Allegro. 
Schiller Mareh Meyerbeer 

Jufu 15. 

Offertoire, InOmlnor Batiste 

Prelude and Pug^ue, In O Bach 

a. Andantino Schumann 

6. Mnnette Handel 

c. BapratpUe B*«thoven 

Second Organ Sonata, in C minor Mendelssohn 

Grave, Adagio, .\lleirro, Fnica. 

Second Oripui Concerto, in B flat Handel 

Andante maestoso, Allegro, Adagio, Allegro. 

/aatf 2S. 

Concert Sats Thieie 

Theme and Variations Heise 

Prelnde and Fugue, in C minor Mendel.'tsohn 

a. Gavotte B»ch 

b. Andante Schumann 

e. Minnet Handel 

Concert Fantasia Freyer 



Utilc cum Dulci. The Tuims of last Sunday 
gives the following attractive picture of summer 
studies and diversions amon r the teachers and pu- 
pils under Dr. Tourjee's charge, at their temporary 
home on the cool shore of Narraganset Bay. 

The Musical Institute at East Oreenwich, R. I., 
is in the midst of its summer tabors, and we may as 
well add pleasures, for Dr. Tourjee recognizes that, 
healthful recreations as well ar study. Is a prime 
necessity. On the 2 1st, Prof. Cyr of Boston, gave 
an interesting lecture on the French language, its 
euphony and its relation to music This ^as fol- 
lowed by an illustration of the m'isical capabilities 
of the Italian language, by E. 3. Metc^itf of Bojitm. 
The studies were o<mUnued through Saturday, and 
on Monday the students made an excursion to Block 
Island, in ' the fine steamer Canonicus. Tuesday 
morning. Miss Charlotte Hawes, of Boston, gave a 
sketch of Lisxt, the composer. On the same day, 
Prof. J. O'Neil gave an interesting lecture on the 
voice. The same evening Prof. B. I>. Allen gave a 
lecture on Haydn, with illustrations from his piano 
and vocal works. Wednesday, Mr. Francis H. 
Brown, a pisnist and author, of New York, gave a 
lecture upon the question " Why Women have nev> 
er attained a position as musical composers," and 
Mr. Kiel block discoursed upon the " Art of Teach- 
ing.** In the afternoon, Mr. O. £. WhiUng gave 
an organ recital, and in the evening Mr. J. C. D. 



Parker conducted the In^titnte chorus thron&rh a 
rehearsal of '* The Me/^sfah " and Mendelssohn's 
" Loreley." Thursday, Mr. W. F. Ai»thorp deliv- 
ered a lecture up<»n " Wsgner'^ Theory of the 
Drams, and his poem of the Kihelungen /* The 
students were to make an excursion to Newport 
yesterday, and on Saturday n<'Xt they are to viiiit 
Boston. In this city they* will listen to a concert 
on the ereat oripan at Mu»ic Hsll and vlnit the Fine 
Art Museum, Natural Histtory Rooms. Public Li- 
brary. Faneuil Hall, Slate IIon<e. Bunker Hill Mon- 
ument, etc. The irrand musical fostivsl at Rocky 
point, in which the Institute chorus will take part, 
will come off on Friday. August 11. 



" Ehcoxx * Again. Apropos of our remarks, a 
few weeks since, about the "encore nuisance,** or 
the abuse of the encore, one of our readers writes 
to us as follows : 

"Ma. Eorroa, In enumerating: reasons asrainst en- 
cores, I think you have omitted one of Importance. 
Frequently when a piece of classical mu^ic Is ffiven 
in a concert, it may be for the first time, and if not, 
classical music seems to be the hardest thing to 
mske people repeat, the hardest thing to heAr often 
enonsrh for familiarity; people wish to hear it 
asrain snd encore the singer or player. They coolly 
give in return some piece of doggerel, or s«»me piece 
of their own, just what no one wishes t4) hear. We 
try to apolosfise for them and say cla«sioal music is 
fatiguing, they are too tired to irive a repetition, so 
they give something easier. But I don't believe 
thst is the reason. I think they take the applnnse 
as entirely persofial and i^lve what they think will 
draw more applause, and leave a pleaded impression 
of them and their voices, or their execution, on the 
bulk of the audience. Whereas the encore, as an 
intention and a purpose, earne from a few people 
and was for the music, not the performer. I think 
it ought to be gratified. I suppose there is no poa- 
sibility of distinguishing between different kinds of 
applsuse : bnt th<f present habit is very provoking, 
to sav the least. A mere repetition would take 
much less time and interfere generally much less 
with the programme.** 



Dxraorr CoNsxavATOBT. — ^Th* final musical re 
hearsal took place Friday evening, June 9, with the 
following programme : 

Conrterto— In C Minor— <I Movement, with Ca'lensaV 

Quintet Accompnniment Moxart 

Miss Kitty CarrlnfTton. 

Concerto— Op. 25— (II and III Movements.)— Onintet 

Accompaniment MendHsKohn 

Miss Mary Harrah. 

Concerto— Op. 19-(n and HI Movements.)-- Qnlntet 

Accompan imen t Bennett 

Miss Mary Andras. 

Rondo Brillante— Op. S9,— Quintet Accompaniment, 

Mendelssohn 
Miss Kate JmcoIm. 

Concerto— Op. 1S5— (II and in Movements)— ()nfntet 

AocompanlnH*nt Raff 

MiM Elisa Jenklnp;. 

Rakocsy March— Two Plsnos— Riirht hands.... Usst 
Misses Colby. Steams, Ward» Baxter. 

The five solo performanoes (says the Detrftit /Ves 
PriM) were all remarkably fine, each pupil di^play- 
inir an almost faultless technique, and elegant tfMich, 
a full, clear vibrating quality ot tone in the legato 
psssa^es. and an unusually careful attention to 
phrasing and finish. 

The Concertos, by Moaart and RafF, and the E flat 
Rondo, by Mendelssohn, were heard in public for 
the first time iu this city. 

From the time of Mr. Hahn*s first public rehear 
sal at the Detroit Female Seminary, three years 
since, our citisens have been treate«l to a successi'in 
of surprises In the line of piano-f >rte playing, which 
on this occasion culminated in a climax hitherto un- 
known in this locality ; snd the successful renderinjr 
of such a programme, before an audience composed 
largel^y of our best known profe^^sional and amateur 
musicians, demand for Mr. Hafan a high place as an 
instructor. 

Musical events like this, are productive of only 
the very best results and frequent recurrences can- 
not be too strongly urged. 



280 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC 



Music in Philadelphia. 

THOMAS CONCERTS. — AMERICAN MUSIC. 

Philadelphia, July 26. — Wednesday ereningr, 
July 19, Mr. Thomas devoted entirely to the works 
of American compo8cr8. Of course such a pro- 
gramme most be mea/^re, and there will be mauy 
to find fault with its omissions if nothing else gave 
reasons for fault finding. This is io the nature of 
such an undertakinfl:. Several able American com- 
posers were not represented ; but where all could 
not appear, the names of Pry and Paine were per- 
haps as appropriate aa any, for Fry and Paine rep- 
resent the two eras of American Music — the one 
when it whistled as it went for ** want of thought." 
the other after the culture of half a generation had 
aet up the American art intellect on aomething like 
a level with that of other nations. William II. Fry. 
or*r late esteemed townsman, had many fine quali- 
ties and much ability ; but as a composer he was 
not great At a time when the n^thetic condition 
of the whole country was a feeble copy of that in 
other countries, he produced Lenora, the first opera 
ever written by an American. Other compositions 
of his will be recalled, and it was a grateful tribute 
to a genial roan that Mr. Thomas should have 
opened his American programme with the little 
symphony : " A Day In the Country." Twenty 
years ago Mr. Fry delivered a racy and interesting 
lecture on music in this city, before the last Har- 
monic Society. In the course of his remarks he 
said : " It is the little ship which gets over the bar ; 
the big one sticka fast in the sand." lam bound to 
aay that Mr. Fry gat over the bar— >got over a great 
many bars in fact— of very dry, uninteresting mu- 
sic But as a contribution to a chronological pro- 
gramme the " Day in the Conntry," was interesting 
and deserved its place. 

Prof. John K. Paine, of Harvard Universit}*, born 
in Portland, Maine, la the most scholaily of all 
American composers. He earned his reputation 
early and haa retained it ; but none of his somewhat 
numerous and occasionally ambitious productions 
is at all comparable to his Symphony in C minor. 
The conception and the whole treatment of this 
work show the brain and handiwork of a master. 
The themes are so ^agreeable, the instrumentation 
BO rich, natural and unforced, the spirit of the whole 
composition so healthy, and its form so symmetri- 
cal that Mr. Paine's new symphony is unquestiona- 
bly the best large orchestral work yet produced by 
any native composer. The first movement is calm 
and- dignified, the strings being very busily en- 
gaged. The brass is but moderately employed, and 
the flutes and clarinets used with rare taste and 
judgment There is a slight resemblance to Men- 
delsaohn In the graceful appropriateness of this in- 
•tmmentation, although not the slightest sugges- 
tion of Mendelssohn in the subjects. The Scherzo 
is admirable, and contains a ** trio" which is theun- 
doubted gem of the whole symphony. This intro- 
duces the longest solo, given out first by the clari- 
net, then by the oboes, then the first violins take it. 
which then recur to the Scherzo. This theme is 
simply exquisite. The Adagio opens at once with 
a beautiful motive for the viploncelloe and is hand- 
led with consummate skill and feeling. — ^The fourth 
and last movement, "Allegro vivace," is less inter- 
esting than the others, but they of themselves se- 
cure for Mr. Paine's symphony a high position 
among musical creations; and I entirely agree with 
L. B. B., in your last issue that Mr. Paine's pen 
should have been employed Co write the March for 

the opening of our Centennial, and strongly urge his 
suggestion to the Centennial Committee to close 
with his new symphony if no work tor the occasion 
can be arranged for, or produced. 

"The first Concerto in E-flat." by Mr. Alfred H. 
Peaae, waa given fur the aecond time. Its first per- 



formance was at one of the Peabody concerts in Bal- 
timore some months since, where its Huccei>s was 
said to be quite marked. It is a work of a very 
high order of merit, very effective, and is finely in- 
strumentated. Too many octave passages abound 
and he too frequently makes the piano merely the 
accompanist, while the orchestra carries the burden 
of nearly all the themes. Mr. Pease performed the 
piano part well ; he is a good player, having a firm 
and even touch. The success of the concerto here 
was quite pronounced and Mr. Pease was recalled 
by a storm of applause, in which the entire orches- 
tra joined, and was taken by the hand by Mr. Thom- 
as and congratulated on his success. 

Mr. J. N. Pattison. Mr. L. E. Levassor, Mr. Fred. 
Boscovitz, Mr. Bialla, and Mr. Courlander give 
pianoforte recitals al the Exposition daily. Mr. 
rnttison*s and Levassor's recit«U are better attend- 
ed than any of the others. Miss Drasdil. Sig. Brig- 
noli, Sig. Ferranti. Mr. S. B. Mills, and Mr. Lcvas- 
sor, are ndverti«ed to give a series of concerts at 
Atlantic City, Cape May, Long Branch, and N'ew- 
port, under the management of John W. Morrissey. 

The Brass Band competition advertised by the 
Centennial Commisnion to take place this month 
failed to come off. Only eight bands entered, and 
on the day of trial only two put in an appearance, 
who refnt«ed to play, so that there was no playing 
for a prize at all. Quite a number of Band Masters 
were present who gave various reasons for their 
Bands not competing; some said the conditions did 
not suit them ; others that it was not soon enough ; 
and again some said it was not late enough, etc 

NOTES. 
Miss Julia Riv« is at the Clifton House, Atlantic City, 
where she Is rapidly ref^tning her health. She Is en- 
R:af^ to make a concert tour thta fall, and will go to 

California. Mr. Alfred H. Pease la stopping at the La 

Pierre House In this city. Vr. J. N. Pattison Is a guest 

of (he Belmont Ilouse.-— Mr. Fred. Boscovitz resides on 

Oirard Avenue near Eleventh Street. Mr. J. H. Hohn, 

one of the proprietors of the Detroit Conservatory of 
Music, Is <' doing the Centennial.** He returns to De- 
troit this week. Mr. I»ais Levaasor is the acting 

*' Mine Host '* of the Decker Brothers. Centennial resi- 
dence 300 South 16th street. &Cr. Bialla, the organist, 

boards comer Fortieth and Oregon atreets.— -Miss 
Emma Cranch, the contralto of Plymouth church, Brook- 
lyn, is visiting friends here, and the Centennial. Mr. 

Arthur Mees, a Cincinnati pianist, is spending his sum- 
mer vacation here. Mr. Wm. Sherwood, of your city, 

is spending a few weeks with his parents at Kansaa 
City.— -Mr. Mills plays with the Thomas orchestra next 
month.— —Miss Annie J. Borle, the fine soprano of New 
York city, is also here. Address care of Wel>er*a Piano 
apace.—- Mr. Julius Schiedmayer, one of the judges of 
musical instruments, has received his dlschame and 

sailed for Stuttgart. ^The old House of **Lee and 

Walker',*', under the new management of the Messrs. 
DItsons, Is becoming quite popular, and deservedly so, 
for more courteous and pleasant gentlemen are not to 
be found in this city in any business ; from the head of 

the house down to the porter, the same polite attention 

la paid the customer or visitor. Theodore Ttiomss has 

taken a furnished house here.— Mr. Robert Goldbeck, 
of St. Louis, is expected here in Auenst.— -Mr. L. Jas- 
enler of Dayton, Ohio, is here. AddresM, care Knabe 

Piano stand. Mr. W. 8. B. Mathews, of Chicaeo, will 

probably be here the last two weeks in August. Address 
care Weber piano stand. C. U. 

» ♦ > 

Chicago, Jih^t 26. — I lately had the pleasure of 
hearing Mr. H. Clarence £ddy play the following 

programme on the organ : 

Sonata, No 1 Alex. Ouilmant 

[First time in Amerioa.] 

Marche Nnptiale Alex. Guilmant 

Cantilena Pastorale " " 

Marche R«l{gieu«e <* " 

Concert-sate in £ flat minor Thiele 

PassacagUa in C minor Kach 

Sonata in B minor Rltter 

Here, as will be seen, are four works of the first 
order of difficulty ; namely, the sonatas, passacaglia, 
and concert-satz. The Guilmant sonata is a splen- 
did composition, a work of real genius. While it 
shows its French blood, its elevated and serious 
character place it entirely above the works of other 
French compoaera for the organ. It is of a bright- 
er order of imagination than the sonataa by Bitter 
and Merkel, nearly as scholarly, and far more effec- 
tive. It is extremely difficult. All of these pieces 
were rendered virtuoso- wiae, and artistically. 

DkB FaBYBOHttZ. 



DBSCBIPTIYS LIST OF THE 
.XS8X X^X78ZO, 
»al»llah«i4 l»T Oliver nitaan * C«. 



i «»» I 



Tooalf with Piano Aooompaaiment. 

Centennial Days. C. 3. £ to F. Pratt 30 

A aplrited ballad In popular style. 

Centennial on the Bndn. B6. 3. £ to F. 

French. 90 

*' Hnrrah for Seventy-Six, and Tankee Doodle too.*' 
Oemlc Song and Chorus. 

The SoniTS my Mother loved to sing. Song 
and Cho. F. 3. F to F. " Gus Phillip:'' 40 

** Dnys to me yet fr*M»h and preen. 
Better f<«r than grlltterinf; fsnld.'* 

Hnmor an<1 pnthos are not far apart and It hafv. 
peii.1 thit this Kcnsr of " Oofty Gnoft " Is one of 
the sweetest and moat touching of " mother " 
snnga. 

Song of the Old Bell. £. 3. b to £. 

BarrL 30 
•• Plnir. dnni;. mv raroIe»s sonfr. 
Merry or sad, i^ut neither long.*' 

A fine old, ringing song: for Alto or Baritone. 

Happy Days gone by. Quartet G to g. 

SmUh. 85 
•« ChrtTllv. cheerllv, on we float 
Over the rippling tKle." 

A flrst-rate, merry boat sonfl:. 

Far from thee. (Loin de toi). £5. 4. 

d to g. Brugiere. 30 

•• How rnn T ever ssy * farewell • 
To thee, my own tme heart.*' 

Just the one to fielect for concert alnglng. Capa- 
ble of great expression. 

Bow down and hear me. Quartet. 4. C. 

E to a. Wieaand. 50 

For mixed volees. The snbject Is quiet, bnt 
there H no much variety that the treiitment may 
he cslled brilliant. Srilo for Bass, followed by 
Duet, THo and Quartet. 

IiitnuMBtal* 

Encore Oalop. D. 3. Jf. F. IT. Smith. 35 

Will pleaae for an encore, and Just aa much the 
first time. 

Rondo for Piano. In C. 4. Beethoven. 50 

This Is the " Leliert and Stark** edition, snd has 
valuable notea for the assistance of the player. 

Dance Music from " The Porter of Hayre.*' 

J. 8. KnighL ea. 30 

No. 1. Waltz, a. 2. 

« 2. Galop. F. 2. 

" 8. Polka. F. 3. 

" 4. Polka Redowa. B5. 8. 

Prettv and evay melodies from an opers not 
generally known. 

Golden Grains. Winner, ea. 30 

No. 4. Beed-Organ Melodies. 2. 
Fine, easy melodies in varioua keys. 

No. 6. Mill- Wheel Waltz. G. 2. 
A almple and sweet melody. 

BOOKS. 

THE SALUTATION. A Collection of Sacred 
Music, consisting of Hymn Tunes, Anthems, 
Motets, etc., designed for Public Wor- 
ship, together witli a complete System 
of Elementary Instruction, Glees, 
Four-part Songs and Choruses, 
for Singing Schools and 
Musical Conventions. 
By L. O. Emebson. Price per copy, $1.3S. 
I'er Dozen, $12.<i0. 

The name of the author Is, perhaps, anffldent recom- 
mendation. Sinfi^ers who have used ** H \rp op Juoau.'* 
'- Ji!BrLATR,*' or ** Choral Tribittb," will, of course, 
take this book, which la their worthy •uccesaor. 

EMERSON'S CHOnUS BOOK. By L. O. 

Emerson. Price $1.25, or $12. per doz. 

An excellent collection of the best Sacred and Secu- 
lar Choruses, which will be an acqalaition to the library 
of any musical society. 

Abursviatioxs.— Deirrees of diiRculty are martced 
from 1 to 7. The key is denoted by a capital letter, aa C, 
VUt, etc. A laree Roman l«>tter marks the lowest and the 
bigheat note u on the staif . small Koman letters If be- 
low or above the staff. Tlius : ** C. 5, c to B " meana 
** Key of C, Fifth degree, lowest letter c on the added 
line below, highest letter, £ on the 4th space. 



\2l 





mxml 





Whole No. 922. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, AUG. 19, 1876. 



Vol. XXXVI. No. 10. 



The Xosieal Water-Peit ~ Offenbaeh, etc. 

[Ftam the Oerman of A. W. Axbbos.] 
(OoDdaded from Page S74.) 

The trophies of Miltiades would not allow 
Themistocles to sleep: and after Offenbach*ft 
Vienna triamphs, there was found a man. who 
with raliant pride exclaimed: *^ aneh'' io, etc. 
That man was Johann Strauss the younger. 

Great was the jubilation when Johanr 
Strauss, lonfi: known to the world, like his fa- 
ther, the senior Johann, and most favorably. 
as the composer of graceful dance music, 
stepped forth with IBs opera "Indigo." A 
second Offenbach ! Our Paris on the " beauti 
ful blue Danube ^^ could now offer in return to 
the Vienna on the Seine its own natiire Offen- 
bach, and offset the operettas of the Bonffef> 
Parisiennes with an operetta on home ground. 
In fact, the tumult of joy and exultation re 
minded one of the moment after the battle of 
Aspem, which gave proof that the till then 
unconquered Emperor of the French could af- 
ter all be beaten. The right tone was indeed 
hit well enough, both in the book and In the 
score. As Offenbach^s libretti sneer at all that 
is possible, the antique, the romantic, etc.. so 
here a uniirersally known sb^ry, out of thr 
Arabian Nights, was set opon its head ; and. 
if the music might have been more enjoyable 
with dancing feet than with listening ears, yet 
the dance melodies were altogether charming, 
and almost warranted the hope of seeing a new 
genre of opera bloom forth, namely, the Dance- 
Opera, — a sort of companion-piece to HeineV 
** Dance Poem." Really it would not look 
bad If, in a re-modelled Iphi(fenia^ King Thoap 
were to express his anger in the rhythms of a 
waltz, and the Furies sing a polka to Orestes. 

The snqcess of ** Indigo" might have set 
Herr Johann Stranss*s mind at rest about bis 
immortality as an opera composer; but the 
Offenbach -ian flowery path along an alley of 
laurel trees, once entered, lay before him too 
enticing. Where U leade — we did not for the 
time concern ourselves. But if the world once 
had its seven wonders, and Greece its seven 
wise men, yet, after'all, the present has but one 
Offenbach, and with this one can be as well 
contented as the earth and the other planets 
with one sun. Offenbach, moreover, has one 
quality, which no man will deny him, — he has 
eeprit. Take that away, with the French 
piquant humor of. his melodies — at least the 
best among them— and what is left? Sheer 
frivolity, that empty musical jingle which, af- 
ter one has listened to a composition of this 
stamp for three hours and a half (in flat con- 
tradiction of the diminutive *' operetta), leaves 
behind it such a feeling in the head and nerves, 
as if one had been travelling so many hours on 
runners, and could not get rid of the jingle of 
the sleigh-bells. 

Whoever, therefore, would be Offenbach the 
Second, or the Third, bad best conrider be- 



forehand whether he can be that. Strauss 
seems to be clear in his own mind about this 
previous question ; — he has brought us a new 
OperetU: **The Carnival In Rome." The 
theatre bill already displayed for ns as it were 
the riches of the world and the glories thereof : 
**The decorations all composed and painted 
by Herr A. Bredow. decorator of the Imperial 
Russian Court Theatre at St. Petersburg and 
\fo8Cow, with the assistance of Herr L. OrQn- 
'eld, decorator of this sta^e. The new cos- 
Mimes, partly after the designs of Herren F. 
Franceschini and Alfred Schrelber, prepared 
by upper- ward robe-keeper Herr Eberius and 
by Costumer Mr. Chalain, in Paris, executed 
In cartoons by Charles Hall^, in Paris. The 
living flowers (Fleun animees) after the design 
of Herr Eberius, from the flower manufactory 
of Herr Schlesinger. The velocipede chariots 
and velocipedes from the Iron foundry of Herr 
Karl Lenz. The occasional dances arranged 
by the ballet-mistress Frau Therese Kilany." 
Then followed a list of the persons, 17 of the 
male sex and 18 of the female ; and for a good 
ending: ''Shepherds, shepherdesses, lads and 
lasses, children, canonesses, models, grisettes, 
oainters, papal zouaves, Roman gensdarmes, 
^bb^, monks, water-carriers, flower-girls, ice- 
dealers, hawkers, beggars, sailors, servants, 
butlers, Roman peasants." It makes one gid- 
dy I — a eon tutti; e came la taUe di Oioea/at^-^ 
as Manzoni^s Doctor Azecca Garbugli would 
•<ay. 

Adolph MQIler, the once much praised poet 
of **Die Schuld," defined Opera as a "jumble 
of Art and nonsense." This definition suits 
the genre of the modern so-called Operetta per- 
fectly; only one must leave out '*Art," and 
put In its place some other kind of word, such 
as frivolity, obscenity, scsndal, or the like. 
Such works as ^* La Timbale d* Argent^^^ or 
'* Abelard et Bdaiee^^* are certainly In shameless 
impudence the last extreme that has been seen 
upon the stage since the " Calandra^^ of Bib- 
bimo. It is time at last for a very serious 
word, and truly we shall not lack the courage 
to S])eak that word where it Is needed. 

And so we confess, that we coime away from 
the Camital in Borne with a sort of moral and 
sesthetic sea-sickness. The charming piece by 
Sardou, which Herr Joseph Braun took for the 
groundwork of his libretto, without deeming 
It worth the while to name its source by even 
a syllable, brings into the action what residuum 
of sense and of consistency are left after this 
re-working up; all that is added, and that 
makes the '* piquant spice,'- is of such a kind 
as to demand of us the serious resolution, while 
we write, to express ourselves as moderately as 
possible about it. The unblushing openness, 
the faun-like laughing nalteU^ with which the 
adulterous connection between the young 
painter Arthur and the Countess FalconI, is 
here treated as something perfectly natural, — 
a matter-of-course, — something that can not be 



otherwise, can not but disturb the composure 
of everyone who has any shame or shyness left 
from the old times of 'Markness" and of 
''spiritual bondage." 

The Countess might have also formed a lia- 
Mon with the silly coxcomb BcnvenutI, in the 
first act, had not the Count woke up at just 
the right time in the railroad carriage. The 
Count, whose family arms are a pair of antlers 
on a gold, or blue, or red field, steps forth with 
.this escutcheon plastically chased in silver on 
his cap, like Actfeon after the transformation I 
In Rone Madame Countess Is put Into a nun- 
nery, as a security for her virtue. The theatre 
bill. Indeed, alludes t^ such an institution, 
and the nuns appear In an unheard-of red dress 

of their order, like boiled lobsters but no 

man can for a moment be deceived as to what 
U meant. The "nunnery" has aCapucin (I!) 
for porter— of course a hideous caricature of a 
monk. Near the cloister is an oeUria, where 
the "Oerman painters" with their "models" 
hold uproarious orgy. If scenes of this stamp 
are to be described, it may be done as Hogatih 
has done it on one of the pages of "The 
Rake's Progress." The friend of Art, who 
possesses Hogarth's engravings, can lock them 
up from his daughters and half-grown sons. 
But to see a wild bacchanalian tumult, from 
which the Graces have fled away with scorn, 
and where only the Mfenads are left, repre- 
sented In glaring gaslight on the open stage, 
while from all sides of the auditorium maiden 
faces look toward the stage ; to see It, too, all 
treated as a harmless amusement by the gen- 
tleman who wrote the text, — that is indeed 
rather strong. 

Such are not at all the manners or the mor- 
als of the painters and the models in Rome ; 
and Rome, altogether, as it is here portrayed, 
is only a monster offspring of a diseased fancy, 
in which every feature of truth is wanting. 
With the young German painters in Rome, 
upon whom the eternal city Is wont to exer- 
cise, almost without exception, a grand, up- 
lifting, morally strengthening and purifying 
influence. It is a real- pleasure to associate; 
profligates, such as are here presented to 
us, one will hardly ever find among them. 
And so far as the female models are concerned, 
the strictest morality is, so to say, a point of 
honor with these mostly poor, and also In the 
great majority of cases, brave and blameless 
girls in Rome. They give every year, in a hall 
at the fountain of Trevl, a ball, where reign 
propriety, morality, and that peculiar native 
grace of children of the South. At all events 
it is not the Rome of artists that we see in this 
new Operetta. 

The decoration in the Vienna performance, 
with the dome on the left floating in the clouds 
(a piece of painting for which the "Imperial 
Russian Decorateur " did not require a great 
deal of Imagination) represented the "Liber an 
Basilica;" so, by a strange and carioas accl* 



282 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 






dent, the orgy was celebrated on the very spot 
where, in reality, the noble German painter 
Overbeck had his studio. By the side of the 
otteria, however, is the nun cloister, the stage 
being divided ; while on the left the painters, 
with their girls, are shouting their ** Jue/iAet" 
and trtd-la-la*, the nuns in procession, bleating 
something intended to sound ** pious,*' file into 
the cloibter church. But so soon as they hear 
the jubilation and the dance music, they, too, 
begin to dance, and fall into a wild ean- 
can 1 

If Carl Borromeo, Thomas ft Kempis, Vin- 
cent de Paul and Fenelon were to come back 
to-day, it would not at all surprise us, as 
things stand, to meet them next week in the 
best comic journal, caricatured ^ith distorted 
monkey faces; but eanean-izmg nuns have in- 
deed sowewhat astonished us. We take the 
liberty to earnestly invite the poct*s attention 
to the Eagionamenti eafniecian of Pietro Areti- 
no. The monstrosities of the cloister-scenes, 
which he will find there, have nothing to do 
with actual life ; they belong only to the bes- 
tial fancy of Aretino ; — but perhaps much of 
it, draped, if need be, with an apparent and 
transparent mantle of decency, and executed 
by the Ballet in a good arrangement, would 
appear not badly. Since we hare had the ex- 
perience in Vienna of seeing an image of the 
Virgin Mary carried at the head of a mock 
procession, on All Foors day, we look with 
composure upon anything and everything. 
And we may almost thank Heaven for it; for 
when it has reached the uttermost extremity, 
there will and must come the reaction, — all 
things have their limits, even patience. 

How the action goes on ; how Arthur climbs 
over the dividing wall, from the osteria into 
the cloister, to a rendezvous with the Countess 
Falcoui, and what further passes; how the 
Capuchin bursts in with a lantern and a big 
stick in his hand, and so on— all this one may 
see for himself, if be desire it; we have no wish 
to follow the libretto any further. 

About the score of Herr Strauss we will be 
short. That one who has for years conducted an 
excellent dance orchestra, and has provided it 
with distinguished dance compositions, should 
have an accurate knowledge of the orchestral 
instruments, their mixture and effect, is un- 
derstood of course . The make of the opera, 
too, in the orchestral part, is fitted together 
with a sure hand, and the voice-parts are well 
and effectively treated, even to the extremely 
curious bravura aria of the Countess in the 
cloister court. Occasionally there emerges a 
piquant polka motive, which certainly would 
please us greatly in the ball-room. The Polka 
plays a great part through the whole; down 
to the drinking song of Arthur, w^e heard this 
graceful dance at least 12 or 13 times. Inter- 
spersed are waltzes, Undler, ctc.,« among them 
a very pretty beginning, which really rings in 
onc*s head after the opera, but soon, very soon 
the darling polka, or something like it, hops 
into the midst of it; the composer is like a 
canary bird, who begins the little pieces that 
have been taught him, but before you know it, 
relapses into bis native wood song. Much, 
like the close uf the first act, comes on with 
all the pretention of a grand opera, with mas- 
sive effects, etc. Uerr Strauss had celebrated 



a great triumph, and carried a rich harvest of 
laurels home with him. Should a new Glnck, 
Mozart or Rossini appear, we earnestly beg he 
may be pelted with rotten apples, so that there 
may be some distinction. 

If we have any longing expectation for the 
promised theatre of ** Comic Opera " in Vienna, 
it is because we hope that it will purify the 
polluted scene of the Muse of Musical Comedy, 
and will teach us once more to find pleasure 
in refinement, spirit, wit, true comedy; not 
in frivolities, tomfoolery and showy spectacle, 
— in really beautiful and graceful melody, — 
not in dance- jingle, for hours long, — in short, 
in real works of Art. Heavens I what compar- 
atively idyllic times were those, full of para- 
disaical innocence, when Fra Diatolo was found 
** questionable," on account of the very harm- 
less evening toilet of 2k!rlina, and when some 
people took offence at the Domino Noir^ which 
in our day would rather seem to be a piece for 
English young ladies* boarding-schools. May 
the leaders of the future new enterprise be 
mindful of the rich literature which stands at 
their service ; and may new talents tread upon 
a field where many and genuine laurels may be 
gathered I Tes, may heaven grant us a new 
itinerant ballad-singer {BAnkeU&nger) like 
Wenzel Mfiller, whose popular music — a genu- 
ine product of the merry, hearty old Vienna — 
was sound to the core; whose tunes, in good 
part, live on as people^s melodies, and to whom 
Riehl has raised a monument well merited. 
But away with the corrupt and prurient Paris- 
ian over-fineness! 

This newest operetta paints us the sacred 
and the secular Rome with such astounding 
fidelity and truth, that it is no wonder if we 
are reminded of one notability of Rome, to 
which we wish the whole genus of the so- 
called ** modem operettas" might be con- 
signed ; it is the — doaca maxima. 

Vienna, it is said, is soon to have a theatre 
for comic-opera exclusively. We fear, we 
fear, it will be only one Offenbach-theatre 
more. One cannot exclaim, like the Crusaders 
of old: **Deus le volt," but he can say: 
**Populus le volt." The Muse of the comic 
opera has rich treasures in store, the thing is 
only to bring them out. They have recently 
grone back in Paris to Pergolese*s 8erta Padro- 
lui, in Florence to Cimarosal We apprehend, 
a public, nourished on the pure milk of Offen- 
bach operettas, will find all else distasteful. 
Besides, our singers, who every evening must 
outscream the brazen masses of the most mod- 
cm orchestra, have as good as unlearned how 
to mg; whether they ever could act, is a ques- 
tion. To comic opera, in the true sense, both 
arts belong. When we have once got so far that 
levies en ma$$e of half -naked Jigurante$ can 
compensate us for all else, — for singing and 
acting, for wit, art, beauty, — then we may 
fondly bury the better Art- work, and inscribe 
hiejaeet on its grave. Hemmed in between the 
giant hospitality of our modern giant operas, 
which with gigantic means labor for gigantic 
effects, and the platitudes, the childish frivol- 
ities of the Opera Bouffe, it is no wonder if the 
public, in the eod, should lose all judgment, 
all artistic taste, — should yawn over Mozart, 
fall asleep. over Gluck, and even discover a fine 
cue upon the head of its once deified Rossini. 



On the Treatment of Baeh'f Organ Xoiie. 

The following is the text of the paper read at a 
meetlni^ of the London CoUeffe of Organists, July 
6tb, by Mr. James Hlggs, Mas. Bae., Ozon: — 

One of the chief featarps of Bach's munlc ^ner- 
ally, and of his oi^n motiic especially, is lt« con 
tmpnntal character. To most of those present the 
oxpresiiion contrapuntal will, of course, need no ex- 
plnostioo, but I may perhaps be permitted to lAy in 
paasinsr, that the term is applied to the eombinatioo 
of melodies, such as bv their Incidental Intersection, 
produce harmony. Harmony, mere harmony, takes 
cofirnisance of the snceesrion of Individnal chords ; 
counterpoint of the eonstmctioo of melodies de- 
■Ij^ned to combine together. In a word, to borrow 
the Idea of Mr. HulUh, counterpoint is borisontal 
mosic, harmony is perpendicular ; connterpoint is 
conptrncted In layers, harmony on columns. 

Contrapuntal ronsic seldom or never commends 
itself to the taste c»f the nninltiated or musically in- 
ezperieneed, at the first hearing;. There are many 
reasons that help to explain this; I will mention 
hot two. Firmly, the ear is embarrassed by the 
verv richness of the melodic feast presented to It ; 
and, secondly, the phrasing, which in ordinary mu- 
sic is generally coincident in all the parte. Is oth- 
erwise In contrapuntal mas|||^ the close of a phrase 
in one part, will here moat often fall In the middle 
of a phrase in some other part, and the hearer kises 
Interest when he falls to follow parts that orerlap 
and entangle one with another. The fault is in the 
hearer, not In the mnsic. It will be readily admit* 
ted that if some eultnre and power of analysis is 
helpful to the mere hearer, soch onallficaiion. but 
In afar higher de;rree, becomes absolutely necessary 
to all who would eiisay the performance of the 
blirher elass of contrapuntal mnsic. 

The fttirue Is the central form of nil Bach*a organ 
mnfic, and Is Indeed the true foundation of the art 
of onran playing. We shall find that If the mani- 
fold diflicolties of this cisss of composition be van- 
qnished. Bach's prelmlcs and choral-preludes, bis 
trios and concertos (all written more or less in fuiral 
counterpoint) will offer little difficulty to the player ; 
and while I shsll hope, if time perinit, to retorn to 
detailed mention of some of these other works, I 
will now call sit^ntion to some of the more prom- 
inent features of fui^ue. 

'* Fugue " is defined by the writer of the article 
in the recent and valuable DietUmarg of Mtmcal 
7erm» as '* A polyphonic composition, constructed 
on one or more short subjects or themes, which are 
harmonised aceording to the laws of counterpoint^ 
and introduced from time to time with rarions con- 
trapuntal devices ; the Interest In thefte freqnently 
heard themes being sustained bv diminishing the 
Interval of time at which they Allow each other 
out (the ttrdio) ; ani monotony being avoided by 
the occasional use cf episodes, or passages open to 
free treatment." 

The subject of a fugue should be a short and 
striking melodic phrase, with features so well de- 
fined as easily to'irapress the memory. In order that 
its re4ippearance, from time to time, may be recog- 
nized. The subject, being led by one |>art^ is an- 
swered or responded to by another part. The 
answer Is really a repetition of the auhject, gennr- 
ally in the key of the dominant. Sometimes, how. 
ever, there is a slight modification of the subject 
when it appears an the answer, and this is the case 
when a skip or modulation from tonie to dominant, 
cr viet vena, has occurred In the original subject ; 
for In this case the rule Is that the tonio shall be 
answered by the dominsnt, and the dominant by 
the tonia 

The scale Is dividid Into two unequal parts, one 
extending from the tonic to the dominant (a fifth )» 
and t,he other extending from the fifth to the upper 
tonic (a fourth). Whatever In its skip or models- 
tlon hss occupied the larger half of the scale, ia In 
the answer compressed within the smaller half; and 
whatever waa contained in the amaller portion, ia 
expanded to cover and occupy the larger halfl 

The counter-subject is the melody that followa 
the subject and accompanies the answer ; it is usu- 
ally constructed in double counterpoint, that ia, in 
counterpoint that will admit of inversion. (A fa- 
miliar example of double counterpoint, known prob- 
ably to every one present, is furnished by the 
leading subject of the finale of BeethovenV aonata 
in A fiat. Op. 26.) The counter-subject, being thus 
eonstrncted, is available for employment both above 
and below the subject. 

In the analysis of a fngne. It ia desirable to as- 
eertaln where the subject closes and where the 



< 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, AUG. 19, 1876. 



283 



eonnt(»r-(rabject be<Hnfl, for they are not alwave 
cIcMely adjacent one to another, bat are freqn^ntly 
separated by a few noten of coda. An examination 
of the first response and anbseqaent early entrien of 
the euhject and counter-subject, will serve to deter- 
mine the^ limits. 

Here may be the most fittinc: place to mention 
some of the chanj^s often practiced on snlnect and 
counter-subject by means of aMffnumUUhn, the value 
of the notes beini; commonly doubled ; or by dim- 
inuHoH. the value of the notes being halved ;' or by 
m««r«fon, ascend^nff intervals beini; represented by 
di^soendini; intervals, and de8«««nding by awendinir. 
The anbject is often embellished ; an example is af- 
forded by the erreat Q minor orj^n fufl:ne. A sub- 
ject is sometimes constructed to furnish its counter- 
subject by diminution, or by reversed diminution ; 
Bach's Art of Fttjpte will furnish examples. 

In the study of a fufme, the student will find it a 
profitable method to divide It into sections. By 
observing the order in which the several parts are ' 
made to enter, he will find that the composition will 
Baturally rans^e itself into more or less distinct 
(p^mps of etibjed and answer, and thcM will be sep- 
aratcNd by what are variously termed efnandea, inter- 
nudiaie harmnmift Of dtfjTTMStaws. In the first ff^ofx^ 
he will uniformly find the subject led int-o each of 
the parts. This fcroup is called the txponiHon of the 
fuflrue ; here the material to be used is set forth, the 
principal key established, and the sr^np ends prob- 
ably with a modulation toward the dominant 

The middle group is devoted to such modulations 
as the oompciser may select. Fumie does not invite 
to distant modulation, but is usually confined to 
the principal key and its immediate relatives. In 
this f^roup the subject may not perhaps appear with 
rei^larity in each part, and the interval of reply 
may be more varied than in the exposition. 

The last group has a^ain to establish a key. 
This is the group in which the stretto and pedal, if 
employed, will appear. The term ttrtito is applied 
to that part of a fugue where the subject and an- 
swer are drawn closer together, the reply begin- 
ning before the antecedent is finished. This device 
may occur once or oftener, but where it Ia repeated 
it is r»snal to make each repetition of the stretto 
elttser and closer ; to this end the strict rules of fu- 
gue are often relaxed, and the theme itself freonent- 
Iv undergoes some slight but necessary moaifica- 
tion. 

The pedal, or organ point, is the technical name 
given to the t4>nic or dominant, when employed as 
a holding note during many change of narmony. 
It is often used towards the end of a fuarue or other 
comp<isition. The stretto of a fugue is not unfre- 
quently constmcted upon a pedal point.— (The ex- 
pression will not be confounaed by any one present 
with the pedal pari) One principal rule with re- 
gard to a pedal point, ts that the pedal note shall 
form an essential note of the first and last harmony 
heard upon it When toward the end of a compo- 
sition, dominant and tonic pedals are both employed, 
the dominant pedal is used esrller thsn the tonic 
pedal ; on the other hand, a tonio pedal is freqnent- 
ly heard at the commencement of a composition. 
The grand toccata in F major is a noteworthy ex- 
ample of this. 

. Episodes are employed in fugues to afford some 
relief from the monotony that would result from a 
too incessant use of subject and counter-subject 
Yet the themes of the several episodes are generally 
drawn from fragments of one of tlie more essential 
parte of the fugue, and as the more strict parts of 
the fugue liiav be reversed or inverted, augmented 
or diminished, so recourse is often had to these de- 
▼ices to f^irnish ideas for an episode. Underlying 
all such variation of subject and oount«r-subject, is 
a deep »slhetic meaning and regard for that natu- 
ral and universal law of beauty and order, that 
teaches us to seek and admire unity in variety, and 
variety in unity. Two chief features characterize 
every melodic phrase, viz., the length and the or- 
der of tones. In seeking to develop, from a given 
melody, other Idndred melodies, what so natural as 
to try a lengthened or shortened form ? The sim- 
ilarity of interval and direction being the link that 
binds the varied to the original theme ; or the rhyth- 
mical form and uniformity of melodic step may be 
retained, while the direeUtm of the step is reversed, 
and still a connection with the original will be re- 
cognised, even by those who may be auite uncon- 
scious of the means by which the variation is effect- 
ed, and wholly ignorant of the technical signified tion 
of ougmentatMn, diminution, or inverticn. Other and 
more remote deductions from a given theme are 
useful to the same end, that of preserving the unity 
of the composition, and it does not detract from 



their value that the method of their deduction is 
not at once fully comprehended by the hearer. 
" Deep in our nature (says a thoughtful and elo- 
qent writer) the«*e exists a tendency to seek amonir 
all int«resting objects points of resemblance, and 
when some intuition, keener than our own. reveals 
that re«emblHnce, we bow to its truth or acclaim its 
beauty." Such is the admiration with which we 
must reflrard the discovery, by Bach, of the latent 
capabilities of many of his subjects. 

As I deem the power of analyzing a composition 
to be of vital im|)ortance to a performer, and as 
absolutely essential to a proper treatment of the 
work he undertakes to interpret, I shall not apolo- 
gise for the time this branch of the subject has oc- 
cupied, nor for saying yet a few more words in the 
same direction. 

There are many varieties of ftigne. as simple fugue 
with chanGTeable counterpoint and without reg- 
ular oount«r-subject These is the more regular 
fueue, with its counter-subject In double counter- 
point There are fnsrues on two or more snbjectii. 

Fnirnes on two subjects are Vritt^^n on two whol- 
1y distinct plans; in the first kind the two subjects 
appear t.oe«ther or nearlv so. and the fugue is 
worked throughout with the«e two subjects mutn- 
allv attending one another [Ex. Orsran Fugue B 
minor, vol. iv., paee 46. German edition]. 

In the second kind of fusrue on two subjects the 
first subject is announced and worked with a coun- 
ter snbjpTt. and then a new subject is stsrt«>d and 
developed by \t*e\f; afterwards the two subjects are 
combined toirether [Ex. Fuirne, C minor, vol. iv.. 
pare 86]. Three subif>cts are sometimes combined 
in the same manner [Ex. B minor Fugpe, vol. ii. 
pare 88]. 

The well-known At. Ann's fugue is an example of 
three subjects combined on a diff 'rent plan. The 
work is in reality a chain of three fn&rties held to- 
ffHher by the chorale subject of the first movement 
The first portion is in allabreve time, and takes the 
opening of St Ann's psalm tune for its subject. This 
is worked with an appropriate counter-subject for 
thirty-six bars, when it closes with a perfect ca- 
dence in the principsl key : from amidst the final 
chord of this cadence there arises a new principal 
subject in 6-4 time ; this hs«, at first, its own conn- 
t4>r-snbj(>ct but is afterwards combined with a mod- 
ified form of the original subject This middle 
part, by Ua 1isrhtne«s and elegance, is in markod 
contrast with the solidity and diirnity of the first 
part, and also with the brilliant and enert^etic final 
movement in 12-8 time, founded on another subject, 
with which is again combined the chorale subject 
of the allabreve. The extremely diversified nature 
of this beautiful composition invites a correspond- 
ingly contrasted use of the organ ; but of this more 
her<»afler. 

There are other kinds of fugue, as the well-known 
"Giant,** the theme of which is from a chorale. The 
fnirue is really in three parts, with an added special 
figure assisrned only to the pedal. It ia no doubt 
from the giant-like step of the pedal that the fugue 
has obtained its name. 

Some fuiTues are specially rich in the possession 
of episodes of marked contrast I will mention as 
sn example, the great E minor fu?ue [vol. ii. page 
70], that which is sometimes called the *' Wedge 
Fugue ** from the shape of its subject It is a fugue 
of great beauty and interest, and affords, I believe, 
a solitary instance of Bach's application of the da 
cafK> form to an organ fugue. The contrast of the 
brilliant episode, with the solid grandeur of the first 
and last movement is, I think, rarely equalled even 
by Bach himself. In speaking, as I hope shortly 
to do, on the registering proper for Bach*a orsan 
workn. I may probably desire to refer again to this 
magnificent work. 

In what I have hitherto said, my object has been 
to call attention to the importance of an intelligent 
understandinir of a composition, as one means to 
aasist ttiward an intellis:ib1e performance of it, and 
as the greater must include the lesser, so under- 
standing somewhat of tlie construction of fnerues, 
must prepare for a ready comprehension of all other 
organ music, in which imitative and pol3*phonic 
elements, combined by florid knd syncopated coun- 
terpoint, are essential features, ^ut if a correct 
conception of the intention of the composer is in- 
dispensable, ic is not the only qualifiojition the per- 
former needs, for of course there must be ability to 
reproduce, with the fingers and feet, those impres- 
sions which the mind has received. The fingers 
trust attain to perfect independence, that such a 
degree of legato and staccato may be employed as 
is necessary, and that the phrasing pmper to one 
part may be attained without interfering with that 



dne to another part, played by the same hand, for 
all polyphonic mnsic consists of parts of individual 
interest ; and to incise the various melodies, so as 
to resolve them into their several sections and peri- 
ods, is one chief difficulty in the way of a transpar- 
ent performance of such music. 

While the nature of the organ demands smooth 
and connected playing, yet a mere mechanical per- 
formance of the itotM, be it ever so exact, without 
phrasing, and due separation into Its eonstituent 
parts, will bear no more reseroblanoo to the true 
renderiufi: of the composer^s intention, than would a 
rapid and uniformily connected articulation of the 
letters, or word*, of the " Paradise Lost** convey to 
the mind of the hetrer any idea of Milton*s poem : 
or to take another illustration ; the ear will be as 
much bewiliered by such a disjointed grinding out 
of mere notes, ungronped into section or phrase, as 
would the eye, if sf>me morning we should receive 
our TVmes printed without capitals, marks of punc- 
tuation, or spaces between the words, but present- 
ing only a conglomeration of lettera extending 
over 16 or 20 pages. We should then as little en- 
joy our newspaper as some specimens of the " exe- 
cution** of contrapuntal music that we at times 
have to endure. 

The difficulty of correct phra.slng is much en- 
hsnced by the fact that all Bach's oriran mnsic is 
entirely without phrase marking and musical punc- 
tuation. We must not, however, conclude that be- 
cause no marks of phrasing occur in the printed 
mnsic, that therefore, it is to be unpunctuated in 
performance, but as Professor Griepenkerl says: 
" It will impose on the player a necessity for a pre- 
vious and careful analysis of the piec^ to be played, 
an accurate division of it into its principal and se- 
condary passages, so that he can declaim it like a 
speech with a correct observation of the unexpressed 
punctuation. In order to effect this object, he 
must very often not hold the notes as long as they 
are written, particularly at the conclusion of a 
period or passage. It has been and still is the cus- 
tom of composers to write out fully the concluding 
notes of the principal and secondary passages, in 
cases where they should be held, st most, only 
three-fourths of their written value. Attention to 
this will often facilitate the fingering, as it will al- 
low the same finger to be applied to two successive 
notes; but the player would totally mistake the 
tendency of these welt meant and well founded 
hints, if he thought t^ follow them by convoying to 
the hearer the principal and secondary passages as 
separate pieces, for he ought to deliver one con- 
nected whole.** Another point that demands a few 
words in pssaing is the vast importance of the care- 
ful cultivation of the power of the ear. as after all it 
is the supreme arbitrator in musiosl matters. It 
may be laid down as a rule that no performance 
can give pleasure to the hearers, in which the per- 
former himself does not participate, and this parti- 
cipation in the enjoyment of oontrapuntal music 
will be founded in a great measure on the power of 
hearing concurrent melodies. Toward the atUin- 
ment of this power I believe the study and practice 
of two-part music to be invaluable. The Fifteen 
Inventions In two parte, and some of the Preludes, 
among the forty-eight, will be found useful, and 
after they have been mastered on the piano, if they 
be token to an organ with two manuals, their prac- 
tice will be found very improving, and will open 
the mind of the student to the enjoyment of many 
combinations and eontrasto of organ tone. Still 
with a view of cultivating the hearing powers, I 
would recommend the subMquent practice of three- 
part music, such as many of the Forty-Eight 
Fugues, the Three-part Inventions, and above all, 
when the student is advanced enough, the Six 
Grand Trios or Sonatas for two manuals and pedal. 
I am fully aware that many of these are mechanical- 
ly more difficult than some four or five parts mnsic 
that may be named, but as a rule they are easier of 
oomprebensiou by reason of the smaller number of 
parte. 

The rate of performance Is another importent 
element in the treatment of any composition. Now 
while every musical work has internal evidence of 
ito rate, within certein narrow limite, yet within 
those limite the consideration of the com oi nation of 
organ tone on which it is to be played, the space in 
which it is to be played, and tne skill of the per- 
former 6y whom it is to be played, are all imp<»rt- 
ant For manifold combinati'ins with ponderous 
tones are not so well suited for rapid playing, as is 
more simple, lii^ht and flexi* le tone. A lari;e and 
resonant building being more apt to confuse 
sounds, will require a mo^e mi^asured rate than 
would be proper for a smalL'r space, and it is better 



281 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



for sny performer to take a composition at a rate 
thoroofj^hly within his power, than in attempt! n;; a 
fcreater pace, to over-tax his execution, and so as- 
Boredlj TatI in his performance. 

A right nnderbtandin^ of the sij^ns emploj^ed by 
Bach seems very essential to a right treatment of 
hn works ; yet in many cases I can hot regard the 
beats and other graces ne employed as rather doe 
to the fashion of the day tnan essential to the 
spirit of his mnsic. The age was much inflnenced 
by the perishable tone of the harpsichord, and 
other similar instrnments ; no tone of any consider- 
able length was available on these instruments 
without the freshening influence of a beat, a tnrn, 
a shake, or some other eml>elliahment. Under the 
article " Harpsichord Graces ** in the Dtctionar}* of 
Musical Terms, the atadent will jRnd much interest- 
ing nmd valnable information on this subject. 

rie be Continued.) 



'S/^'^%^^\XS^*>» 



Hoaurt'i WorkiL 

Of all the great comi>08ers there can be Tittle 
df)«bt that Moiart was the most prolific. It is in- 
deed probable that the actual number of Haydn's 
works is larger ; but it must be remembered that 
the composer of the " Creation " lived to the age of 
seventy-seven, while Mozart died at thirty^ve. 
Tet during this short life he produced, as we know 
from Ritter von K6ctiers thematic Catalogue, at 
least 626 complete compoeitions, besides nearly a 
hundred more or le^s extensive fragments of others. 
It is therefore hardly surprising that of this enor- 
m<ius mass of mnsic a considerable prc'portion should 
still be entirely unknown. There are more than 
two hundred works which as yet remain in manu- 
script, while a large number of those which have 
been publiiihed are so incorrect and incomplete that 
they can hardly be said to be known at all, as Mo- 
sart wrote them. 

It will readil}' be imagined that the publication 
of a complete and unitorni edition of the entire col- 
lection of Mozart's compositicns must be a truly 
hercnlean undertaking — one, indeed, npon which 
none but a firm of the very first rank c«>uld enter 
with any chance of success. A prospectus now lies 
before us, issued by McMrs. Breitkopf and Hartel, 
of Leipzig, the largest and most ertiinent music- 

£ublishing house in the world, for such an editi(/n. 
[essrs. Breitkopf and Hiirtel, as many of our read- 
ers will be aware, published some ten 3'ears ago a 
complete edition of Beethoven's works, and they are 
at present engaged upon a similar labor for the 
works of Mendelssohn. Both of these, though ex- 
tensive undertakings — the Beethoven edition con- 
taining 264 works, while that of Mendelssohn, when 
c«>mpleted, will comprise 167 — are mere child's 
play in comparison with an edition of Mozart. It 
is not merely the number of the works but the ex- 
tent of many of them which renders the task so co- 
lossal. Out of the 626 works given in Kochel's 
Catalogue, about 640 will be included in this edi- 
tion, the remainder being either lost, not quite 
complete, or of di>ubtful authenticity. These 540 
works will be diviled into 23 series ; and a brief ab- 
stract of the contents of each will doubtless prove 
interesting to our readers. The first seven series 
comprise the vocal music, viz.: 15 masses, V lita- 
nies and vespers, 31 miscellaneous pieces of sacred 
music. 5 cantatas with orchestral accompaniment, 
21 operas, 66 airs, trios, quartets, and choruses 
with orchestra, 39 songs with piano, and 20 canons. 
Next come five scri^ of orchestral music, including 
41 symphonies, 41 divertimenti and serenades, 21 
marches and small orchestral movements, 25 sets of 
dances, and 21 concertos for a stringed or wind in- 
strument, with orchestral accompaniment. We 
then have three series of clianiber com(MMitiona — 9 
stringed quintets, 81 stringed quart«-td, 8 duets, 
and 1 trio. The pianoforte works occupy seven 
more series, divided as loltows: 28 concertos, 11 
quintets, quartets, and trios, 43 s<matas and two 
sets of variations for piano and violin, 8 pieces for 
four hands, 21 solo sonatas and fantasias. 15 seta o( 
variations, and 18 smaller piano pieces. The 
twenty-third seiies ccmtains 17 sonatas for or^an 
with orchestral accompaniment; and in .additifm 
there will be a supplemental series containing the 
most important incomplete works, such as the ** Re- 
quiem " and the operas VOca del Cairo and Lo 
iSpoio deiu90, as well as any of those at present sup- 
p -sed to be lost which may come to light while the 
edition is in progress. 

From the above enumeration it will be seen at 
once that the task which Messrs. Breitki>pf and 
llftrtel have undertaken is an enormous otm. The 
twenty-one operas and forty-nine symphonies alone 



would make a goodly collection, and these mre but 
two series, though of course two of the largest, out 
of the twenty-three. It will prv>bab1y be a reas«m- 
able estimate to say that the whole collection will 
fill some severty or eighty volumes. In form as 
well as in type, it is to be uni orm with the editions 
of Mendelssohn and Beethoven, and is to be brought 
out at the same extremely moderate price— about 
fonrpence for a sheet of four pages. The publishers 
further guarantee that the coat of the whole edition 
shall under no circumstances exceed £50. Sub- 
scribers who do not wish for the entire collection 
can take any one or more single series. It is only 
contemplated at present to bring out the works in 
full score; but the publishers express their tbtention 
of prhiting also the separate parts of those which 
seem likely to be useful for concert purposes. 



The London Seaion. 

Hkb Majbstt's Oprxa. Dbuxt Laivk. — Mdlle. 
Titiens. to the great satisfaction of her admirers, 
and stiTI more the devote«'8 of Beethoven, actually 
appeared in " Fidelio" (the only representation this 
year) on Saturday last The scene will not be for- 
gotten. Call it ovation, or triumphal entry, or, as 
Shakespeare says, " what you will," the conviction 
was carried to the mind that England, with all her 
faults, holds fast to her old tried and ''aithful ser- 
vants; and that she will never ungratefully with- 
hold from them the right hand of cordial esteem 
and encouragement, even if they should be, as all 
mortals mnst be, sooner or liter, in the decline of 
their powers. The fickle Parisians broke the heart 
of Nourrit, the great tenor, by their freezing recep 
tion after he had lost his voice. Mario, on the con- 
trary, when, in a §imi1ar crisis of his career, inva- 
riably found in Lond<m a warm welcome ; and poor 
Giulia Gri9i, the pet child of the ''Purit-ani" in 
1834, raised hands of sympathy and affection to the 
last, when she could not always sing a simple bal- 
lad exactly in tune. Mdlle. Titiens. however tem- 
porarily distressed by physical indisposition, is still 
in her prime ; and a consultation of musical doctors 
in the corridors on Saturday, resulted In the edict 
that she had sung her best, and that the fine voice, 
clear, brilliant, and resonant as ever, may bid defi- 
ance for many years to the inflexible old fellow with 
the scythe and sand-glass. 

To expatiate on the Leonora of Mdlle. Titiens, 
quoad the dramatic delineation, would be almost 
impious supererogation. On the first appearance of 
the favorite in the 4th scene of Act. I., the action of 
the opera was arrested by a furore of applause and 
vociferous bravas. At the end of the first act, a re- 
call ensued, and three large bouquets were thrown 
upon the stage. The climax is indescribably fine. 
Leonora, in masculine attire, stands in the breach 
between her husband and his dastardly assassin, de- 
fies Pizarro with a pistol, and then, as the trumpet 
outside annonnces the deliverance of heaven through 
the means of the minister, gives way to the feelings 
ofawomsn and a wife by sinking into Florestan's 
arms. So nature asserts her prerogatives. After a 
general recall and a shower of bonqnets innumera- 
ble, the heroine of the opera was called tor three 
times as a special mark or honor, and a last bouquet 
reserved, perhaps, by aome enthusiastic man with a 
love for effect, was 'picked up by Herr Behrens, 
who eame from behind the scenes to perform the 
graceful act of service. Signer Gillandi evoked 
mnch applause for his fir«t air in A flat ; Signor 
Galassi, Herr Behrens, Signor Costa. Signor Rinal- 
dini, and Mdllc. Bauermeisler snsUined respective- 
ly the parts of f^zarro, Rooco, the Minister, Jacqui- 
no, and Marcellina. The fine 4-part canon in G, so 
effective from the modulation, towards the close, in- 
to the subdoroinant of the key. was encored ; also 
the third overture in C, played as usual, between 
the first and the second acts. No. 4, in E maior, 
having done duty as the regular prelude. The Na- 
tional Anthem was sung af^r the opera. 

At an extra performance en Monday, for the ben- 
efit of M. Faure, "11 Don Giovonrii " was per- 
formed, and then the portals of old Drury were 
finally closed. 

Seventeen operas by ten composers, in fifty -one 
representations, have been presented during the 
season, which began on Easter Tuesday, the 18th 
April. *' Lohengrin " was performed 5 times, 
*• Faust" 10; and "Don Giovanni" 7. Mr. Maple- 
son was unable to produce (as pronisfd) the " Me- 
dea" of Cherubini, Rossini's "Othello," Balle's 
"Talismaiio," and "Figaro." Seritma inconvenience 
resulted fiom the illness of Mdlle. Titiens and 
Chapuy (who could not appear at at!.) Si;;nori 
Dorini and Floriui failed to make any profound im- 



pression ; bnt the engagement of M. Faure nMy be 
set off as an innnenso advantage, and the refom of 
Herr Rfikitansky w;na hailed aa a boon. The old 
favorites heM their ground firmly ; am) Madame 
Roze-Perkins, alike attractive as a musical artist and 
a belle of fa^^cinatiiM^ prei*ence, rendered invaluable 
aid as Donna Anna and Ortmd during the abeence 
of Mdlle. Titiena Sir Michael CmU, the o>nduc« 
tor, must be thanked most cordially for the fine ex* 
ecution of the band, the precision of theclioral sing' 
ing, and the completeness of the enst mble. Tout 
ewijfhd ; la toiU ttt iomU€.-^Mu9. Stgaui, July 29. 



ROTAL iTAUAX OTBBA. 

Sbasok. 



ScmfABT OW THV 



The Corent Garden Italliin Opera-lumse terminated 
the oeason 00 Saiwiflaf (July 16tn) with a performance 
of Meyerbeer's ** Etoiie de Nord/* Madanae Adelina 
Fatii snsufning the cbaracter of Catberine and M. 
Manrel that of Peter the Oreat. At the opening nigbt, 
en Tuesday, the 28tb of March, the npera waa Roastnl** 
'*WilM«ro Tell." with SigBor MarM aa ArBoldo. M. 
Maurel, Goglfelmo Tell, and Mdlle. Bianehl, Matilda. 
These two works Indicate that gmnd opeia is the main- 
stay and atti:action of the nndertaking. The worka 
which have been produced from the SSth of March te 
the 16th of July are now specllled, with the nanbers of 
encb representation:— Hoaart'a '*Dob OlovanBi" Ave 
times. **Nosse dl Figaro*' twice, and '-11 Flanto Maglco^* 
twice; Doniietti's <^Bisir d'Amore" four times, ^Don 
Pasqaale^ three times, ^•Lacla'* three times, *«La Fig- 
lia" onoe, and "Favoriu*- once; Ckmnod's •^Fanar' 
twice, and * Romeo e GtnlietU'* once; Roesloi'a * D 
Barbiere** three times, and •'Gugllelmo Tell" four times 1 
Verdi's "TravlaU" Ave times, ••Travatore" twice, ••II 
Ballo" four tim s. ••Rigoletto" three tiroes, and •• ATda** 
Ave times; Meyerbeer's •Huguenots" twice, ••Dim iimh" 
three tiroes. ••Afiicaine" twice, and **Etoile** four times; 
Bellini's • Ronnambnla" once, and • Puritani*' twice: 
Arabrolse Thomas's "Hamlet" once; Flotow'* **Marta'' 
three times; Riccl'scBnitbers L. and F.) •'Crlaplno e la 
Comare** once; Wagner's •Lohengrin" three tlaaea an4 
••Tannhiuser*' eight times; Auoer's '*Fra Diavolo," five 
times. 

As operas are sometimes chsnged at the last moment, 
the accuracy of the numbers given in thl.H list cannot in 
every inatance be relied upon, nnt theannonncementa of 
each evening have t>een followed. Out of forty-eight 
operaa enumerated In the prospectus, aa comprisihg the 
repertoire of the Royal Italian Opera, no less than twen- 
ty-seven have been performed, and, in addition to the 
stock prodnctions, two rrand operaa have t>een brought 
out for the first time in this oonntry, namely, ••Tann* 
hikuser" and ** AYda.'* Two points are, therefore, eatab- 
lished— first, that the promises In the season programme 
have been honorably carried ovt ; and, secondly, that aa 
regards quantity there cannot l>e any grounds for com- 
plaint, although as to guality there ia much to object to. 
There were three peri<>nnances In the opening week; 
these were followed by four in^each of the two following 
weeks flv« nights each in third and fourth weeks, and, 
from the 1st of May, began the series of six repreaentar 
tions a week. This waa ctmtinned for the re^t of the 
season, and only broken on the Derby Day; May Slat), 
Wednesdays, June 12th, 19ih. an«l 9Bth. On Wedneaday, 
the 5th of Jaly, there was a morning performanee of 
•AYda." It is necessary to call attention to theae re- 
turns, because they prove how utterly imposs ble it baa 
been, owing to the-succesalon of the almost nightly op- 
era idghu, to secure siifllcient rehearaala for worka of 
magnitude. For such light operaa as * Lucia," **0on- 
nambula," •'Don Pasquale," ••Ellsir d'Amore," ••La Flg- 
lia." ••MarU," * II Barbiere," and the very familiar, bnt 
more ooraplleated, worka of Signor Verdi, no great 
amount of preparation beyond one planofforta and one 
orchentral rehearsal Is required ; but when productions 
so Intricate, dram itieally as well as operatlcalty, aa the 
••Ho^enots." the •Etdlleda Nord." ••Faust." ••Romeo 
e Omiietta.*' **Don Olovanni.'* "Nocse di Fu;aro," ••U 
Flauto Hagico >* ** Lohengrin.^* •'William Tell.^-Favori- 
ta,*' ••Africahie," etc.. are to Ite put on the stage with a 
heavy mim en mim, it Is obvious that their execution 
will be unsteady and imperfect, unleaa they are carefully 
rehearsed ; great injustice is done to the composers, and 
no end of annoyance and disappointment is experienfcd 
by the opera-goers. First nignta, whether of revival* or 
of noveltlea. are only dress rehearsals, and a high tariff 
is not established for trials, but it is chaiged In order to 
ensure the highest class entemble. Looking over the Il«t 
of operas, Uie selection made seema most singular. M. 
Gounod's *'Romeo and Jul;et»" the ■•Hamlet" of M. Am- 
broiie Thomas, the **Favorlta" of Donisetcl, the ^•Son- 
nambnla" of Bellini, the ••La Figlia" of DoniaettI, the 
••Crispino e la Comare" of the Brothers Ricci were all 
given but once. 80 much valuable time meat iMve been 
lost in mounting them, that it is impoeaible to gueaa 
why some of them were mounted at all. ••Hamlet^ Is a 
ponderous production, even at the Grand Op^ra in Par- 
te; it is Meyerbeer dduied; the only poaaible ezcuae for 
playing It nere would be if Madame Nils«on were the 
Opneligand M Faure Hamlet, for on those artiata aole- 
ly deof^fided Itt orifdnal auocess. *H.*riaplno e la Co- 
mare^ is an operatic farce, quite unworthy of belmg Im- 
ported here, and the only time for producing It at 
Covent Garden waa when Madame Adelina Fatd waa 
AnnetU, and bigiM>r Ronconi Crispino. Numeiicallj 
there waa an extraordinary list of artiats engaged aa 
principals, but if the casu of the operas be examined, 
their weakness, in too many caaes, is piilpabla. Out of 
the entire number there was not an artist adeouate to 
sing and act Donna Anna, Selika, [••Africaine^j, Leo- 
nora [* FavoriU"], Valentina [** Huguenots"]; there waa 
not a tenor who could be called a competent Raonl, or 
Vaaco di Oama, or Fra Diavolo. or Hairnet, or Fauat, ur 
Coont Almaviva. or Fernando (••FavoriU"], etc. The 
baritones and basses were in better form ; there was one 
contralto with a fine voice, but who was no actress, Sig- 
nora Scalcbt. We may dismiss MestUmes PezaotU. 
Saar, D'Angerl, as having occupied . posttiona beyond 
their powers. The tenors, Siguori Nicollnl, Carpi, Bolis, 
De Sanctis, Pavani. Piaua. and BettinI cani.ot be con- 
sidered first-rate artlsta— utilities they may be styled. 



BOSTON, SATUEDAY, AUG. 19, 1876. 



285 



The b«ct of them wan Slimor C«ipl, who Is aitiitfc. but 
is no actor, nnd haa no etaee pres4*nce to rompenaate for 
deficiency of dramntic talent. Stirnor M»rini*B orjirnn 
haA been nrecarinas. bat be was miperior to hit cnl. 
leainiea. Mdlle. SmeroMhl, Senor Gayarre, Sirnor Ta- 
maeno, and M Capoul. mentioned in the prninecttts, 
never appeared, nor did Mdlle. Eva de Synnerneric, a 
contralto, who was announced to make her d^bat. as 
Pierotto, in "Linda.** Ai|;non M«>dtca. Monti, and ContI 
wore nonentltlM. There were two hMsea not uromised. 
M. Feitllnger and 8lcn'>r Ohilitertinl, bat their non- 
comlni; wonld have been no Iom. IIm result of the 
debuu of Mdlle. Emma Abbott, of Mdlle. Rosav^lle 
fMlss Tut'kerl, and of Mdlle. Proch was diMWttrous. 
Madame Patii maintained her supremacy; while Mdlle. 
Albani confirmed the impression of last season, that in 
the Wagnerian r6pertotre she is at her best. Mdlle. 
Thalberg has certainly made no profrress artlntleally; 
she Is a mere machine, without nnslbility. Mdlle. Bi* 
anchi Is useful as a comprimaHat but Is out of place as 
a pHmm donna. There remains Mrllle. MArimon, the 
Belgian jfrlmn tfoaa^', who, after Madame PattI, was liy 
far the moat accomplished vocalist of the company, and 
also posseases no ordinary histrionie capablililes. In- 
stead of sharinfr the leading parts with Madame PattI. 
she his only been heard aa Norlna in ^Don Pssquale,** 
the Queen of Nl^ht in the 'Mactc Flute ** the Queen In 
the '^Hniruenots.** and Elvira in the < Don Giovanni.*' 
We are not expressiuic merely iralividual opinions about 
the unaocountable nesrlectol Mdlle. Marimon, and the 
Ktraniceness of the selections in the casts of this season, 
but we are echoing the criticisms of subscribers. One 
complaint from the latter iit a rr petition of an oldfcrlev- 
anoe, and that is. the appropriation of so maoT Saturday 
suhscrlptlon niichu to the mediocrities, altnou^h that 
evenlnfr suits the convenience of so manv members of 
the LeKlslnture. end of the professions. iThe name of 
Madame Patti only figures on four Saturdays, and her 
fir<4t appearance was on a Friday. Mdlle. Manmon never 
sane on a Saturday nifrht. 

The production of "TannhUnser** and "AYda,** It has 
been nrged, atoned for many disappointments and vexa^ 
tinns, and full credit mav be awsrded on that score; but 
there is a moral oblifCiitlon binding on lm| resarfos, Ite 
they who they may, to supnlv their subscribers and sup- 

EDrtrrs with I'oveitles whir6 have ftrone the round of 
nrope. Moreover. It is oar contention. In which we 
know we have the sjrmpathy and concord of leading con- 
noisscnrs, that no opera and no artist ought to be pre- 
sented without proper preps rati<m. At the risk of 
repetition we mnat again maintain that public opinion 
is decidedly opposed to the conversion of high-priced 
Italian Opera-honwes into training schools for singers. 
The system of trying to thrust novices on the 1 vric stage, 
in place ot finif^hed vocalists, lndei>endenUy of Its injus- 
tice, is a mlstsken policy, commercially as well as arUst- 
Ically.— JMciMiMM. 



RoTAL AoADRifT. — - Madame Chr{st.ine Kilsson- 
Roasaud distributed the prises to the pupils of the 
Royal Academy of Music iu Tenterden Street, on 
Friday afternoon, July 21, nfier -an able and elo- 
quent address to the meeting by Prof. O. A. Mao- 
farren. Principal of the Institution. The prelimi- 
nary concert, hitherto held as a means of display- 
tnsf the prowess of the pupils, has been abolished 
for certain sufficient reasons. The only perform- 
ances on Friday were R. P. Stewart's concert fanta- 
sia in D minor for the or^n, (by Mr. Rose), Men- 
delssohn's 43d Psalm, in 8 parts, "Judge me, O 
God," and the National Anthem. Among the prises 
were the following :•— 

LncoM Silver Medal (from a design bv T. Woolner, 
R. A.) in memory of Charles Lucas, for the compo- 
sition of thn Magnificat for one or more solo voices, 
chorus, orchestra, and organ. — Eat4>n Faning ; high- 
ly commended, Oliverin L. Prescott. 

Parepa-Ro$« Odd Medal^ in memory of Eupbro- 
syne Parepa'Rosa (endowed by Carl Rosa), for the 
singing of pieces selected bv tne committee. — Mary 
Davies; highly commendedf. Annie Alba, Amy AvI- 
ward, Jessie Jones, Agnes Larkcom, Marian W^il- 
liams. 

StemdaU Bennett Prite (Purse of Ten Ooineas). 
in memory of Professor Sir William Sterndale Ben- 
nett, Mn4. D., M. A.. D. C. L., for the playing of a 
composition by Professor Sir William Sterndale 
Bennett, selected by the committee. — Kate Steel ; 
highly commended, Janie Burrongh, Ethel Goold, 
Edith Brand, Margaret Buckoalt, Nancy Evans. 

We gather from Professor Macfarren's introduc- 
tory address, " that the Royal Academy is in a 
prosperous state. There are now 886 studentf ; 
every -one of whom, by talents and diligence, may 
reap the advantages of the school; and whoever 
contributes to the furtherance of musical education, 
affords the means of advancing an art, the highest 
(as the Professor truly olserved) in promoting the 
civilisation of the country. The scholarships, per- 
manent and temporary, are of the greatest use in 
promoting sound and thorough muScal education. 
In some cases the fees of promising pupils are paid 
by the Professors or the Committee of Management 
A "Balfe" scholarship will be founded from the 
proceeds of the Balle Festival to be held at the 
Alexandra Palace to-day (Saturday). The proposal 
made by the Society of Arts for presenting a larger 
nuanber of free scholarships, has been declined on 
account of the conditions. Professor Macfarren, at 
the doae of the proceedings, thanked Mdme, Nils- 



Bon-Rousand for her condescension In the warmest 
terms, and the fair lady, in reply, expressed her 
high sense of the compliment, and asked permission 
to present a prise of her own next year. Professor 
Macfarren, with some emotion, referred to the 
presentation of a testimonial by the students of the 
Royal Academy to hi« Secretary (snd one of the di- 
rectors). Mr. Evres, in the forni of a handsome sil- 
ver salver and ladle. 

We noticed amongst the audience, besides the f>ffi- 
cials. Ladv Goldsmid. Dr Stainer, Mr. A. S. Snlli- 
▼an. Mr. Brinley Richards, Mr. A. Randegger, and 
Sir T. Barnard. 

We agree with a contemporary that the various 
medals and books presented to the prise pupils do 
not clearly indicate their educational status, and 
that there ought to be s<^me sort of classification as 
at the Universities.-— y6uf. 

PRTtnAXVoxTO SociRTT. — The directors have pnb- 
lished thQ following interesting summary of the 
seaion, 1876: — 

This evening (Monday. July 10) oonclndes the 
sixt.y-fonrth series of the performances of the Phil- 
harmonic Society. In the course of the season, 
during which a novelty has been introduced In the 
shape of two morning crincerts. tho following works 
have been given. Those by English writers sre : — 
The Overture to the Naiades and the Merry Wives 
of Windsor, and a Song, bv Bennett, the Overture 
to Ltive's Labor Lost, by W. G. Cn«ins; and songs 
by J. L. Hstton pnd E. J. Loder. Those bv French, 
Polish, and Russian writers are: — theOyertnre and 
an Aria from Mirella. and a Sacred Song, by Gou- 
nod ; some Solos and a Concerto for pianoforte, by 
Chopin ; a Thome and Vsriations, bj' Ramesu ; and 
a pianoforte Concerts in E flat, the Drsmstic 
Symphony, snd two Lieder, by Rubinstein. Those 
by Ttslian writers are: — a Scene from the opera of 
li Sacrifisiod'Abramo, by Cimaross; the Overture 
to Anacreon, by Chernbini; a Sacred • Song, by 
Rsndegger ; the Overture to William Tell, a Cava- 
tina from Semiramide, an Aria from L'Ttaliana in 
Algieri, and a Cavatina from II Barbiere. by Rossi, 
r i ; an Aria by Stradella ; and a Bolero, by Venii. 
Those by Germsn writers are: — the Suite \n B mi- 
nor, bv Bach ; the Heroic Symphony, the Pastoral 
Symphony, and the Svmphonies in A, C minor, 
and D, the pianoforte Concertos in E flat and G. the 
violin Concerto, the Sonata In C, dedicated to 
Count Waldst-ein, the OveHure to Egmont, and the 
Aria, "Ah Perfido,** by Beethoven; a German Re- 
qniem, two Lieder, and a selection from the Hun 
garian Dances, by Brahms ; a violin concerto in G, 
by Brnch ; a Romance, by Dessaner; a Concerto 
for Violoncello in D minor, by Goltcrmann; an 
Aria by Handel *. a Symphony (the Bear), and a 
Theme with Variations for the pianoforte, by 
Haydn ; a pianoforte C<moerto in F minor, by Hen- 
selt ; a Solo Piece for Pianoforte and a Praver, bv 
Hiller ; a Lied, by Klengel ; a pianoforte Solo and 
a Lied, by Lisst; the Scottish Symphony, Sere- 
nade and Allegro Gif»Joso for pianoforte, the Over- 
tures to the Isles of Fingal, the Calm Sea and Proi- 
ETons Vovage, and Ruy Bias, and two Lie<ler. by 
endelssonn ; the Jupiter Symphony, the Overture 
to the Zauberflote, and Arias frotn the Operas of 
U Flauto Magico, Le Nosse de Figaro, Don Gio- 
vanni, and Idomenoo, by Mosar^; a Movement 
from the Wallenstein Symphony, by Rheinberger; 
two Movements from the Unfinished Symphony in 
B minor atid a Lied, by Schubert; the Symphony 
in C and the pianoforte Omcerto in A minor, by 
Schumann ; the Concerto in E minor, and the Over- 
ture to Jessonda. by Spohr; a Lied by Taubert; 
the Preludes to Lohengrin and Die Meistersinger 
von NQrnberg, by Wagner ; the Overtures to Der 
Freischuts, Euryanthe, and the Jubilee of Augustus 
IV. of Saxony, and a Serenade from the Opera of 
Euryantlte, by Weber. 

The instrumentalists that have played solos are : 
^^n the pianoforte — Madame Schumann, Madame 
Essipoff, Mdlle. Mehlig. Herr Barth, Mr. Charies 
Hal)^, Herr Jaell, and Ilerr Rubinstein ; and on the 
violin — Herr Auer, Herr Joachim, and Mens. 
Wieniawski. 

The vocalists that have appeared are : — Madame 
Bianca Blnroe, Madame Bodda Pyne, Mrs. Osgood, 
Madame Trebelli Bettini, Miss Bolingbroke, Mdlle. 
Ida Corani, Miss Marie Duval, Miss Thekla Fried- 
lander, Mias Catheriite Penna, Mdlle. Redeker, Mr. 
W. H. Cummings, Mr. Edward Lloyd, Signor Pol- 
Hone Ronxi, Mr. Wadmore, and Mr. Santley. 

Mr. W. G. Cusins, Master of the Music to her 
Majesty the Queen, has, for the tenth season, coo- 
ducted the concerts. 

The Directors for this year are :— -Mr. G. F. An- 



derson. Mr. Francesco Berger, Mr. Walter Macfar- 
ren, Mr. G. A. Osborne, Mr. C. E. Stephens, Mr. 
Harold Thomas, and Mr. J. Turle. 

The baud comprises IS first violins, (Herr Straus 
princi]Mil). 12 sec<md violins, 9 violas. 10 violoncel- 
los, and 8 double-basses, 2 flutes, 1 piccolo. 2 oboes, 
2 clarinets, 2 bassoons and a " counter bassoon," 4 
horns, 2 trumpets, 8 trombones, 1 bombardon, 8 
drums, Ac, 1 triangle, and 2 harps. Mr. E. J. 
Hopkins is organist 

'The members of the society number 89, the asso- 
ciates, 87, the " female" (lady 7) associates, 20, and 
the honorary members, 12. These last (the honor- 
ary members) are Mrs. Anderson, Herr Gad6, Mr. 
Otto Goldschmidt, M. Gounod. M. Stephen Heller, 
Dr. F. Hiller, Herr Joachim, the Abb6 Lisst, Herr 
Riets. M. Antoine Rnbinstein. M. Verhols^, and 
" although the Inst not least," Herr Richard Wag- 
ner. The venerable honorary treasurer of the so- 
ciety. Me. G. F. Anderson, continues to bead the list 
of (seven) directors. 

Obatoxio, Ao. The Mntieal T^mM, in summing 
up the London season, remarks as follows :— > 

Nothing need be said of the Sacred Harmonic So- 
ciety, save that the usual number of concerts have 
been given, and the usual number of works per- 
formed. But little appeal is made by this institu- 
tion to the general public ; and if the subscribers, 
therefore, are satisfied with the reproduction of the 
same compositions year after year, there can be no 
jnst cause fur c«>mplaint. The Crystal Palace, aa 
our columns have testified, has honestlv fulfilled 
the promises in the prospectus; and if Bfr. Manns 
wonld only discountenance any attempt to meddle 
with the intention of composers, by adapting and 
re-arranging works the form of which na4 been 
stamped by its author, we should have nothing but 
praise for his laudable efforts to promote the spread 
of really good music. The Alexandra Palace has 
made a rapid stride in the right direction during 
the season. The revival of UandeFs two almost 
unknown Oratorios, " Esther " and " Susanna." 
would alone have entitled, the directors, and espe- 
cially Mr. WeiKt Hill, upon whom has devolved the 
heavy responsibility of producing such elaborate 
Wfirks, to the thanks of all music-lovers ; but, apart 
from the<*e compositions, the programmes have lat* 
terly been in the highest degree interesting, and we 
may now confidently antlci|Mte 4 brilliant future 
from an establishment which has manifested both 
the will and the power to produce the gr€at works 
in art. 

During the season two works have been pro- 
duced-~one representing the old and the other the 
new German school — each with adequate interpre- 
ters, b4^>th vocal and instrumental, and each coo- 
ducted by an artist wh«»se heart was in the cause he 
advocateil. We allude tr> the *' Mass in B minor " 
of Bach, and the " Legend of St Elisabeth " of the 
Abbd Lisst. Now, what was the result ? On the 
fir.«t representation of Bach's Mass an enthusiastic 
sudience applauded every number of the work aa if 
it were a revelation in music ; on the second per- 
formance every seat in the hall was filled, and the 
excitement could scarcely be repressed within 
reasonable bounds. The " Legend of St Elisa- 
beth," on the contrary, fell flatly upon a large body 
of listeners fully prepared to receive with favor a 
compoaition which had been lauded by its admirers 
as one of the choicest specimen* of the " higher de- 
velopment " of creative art If we are to draw a 
moral from this fisct. It is that works which repre- 
sent form and power are ever fresh, and that neither 
apathy nor opposition can crush them; whilst 
thfise which have the negative merit of abolishing 
the old models without creating new ones, can gain 
but the suffrages of those who, fancying It an age oT 
art revolution, are content, as in political revolu- 
tions, to accept the moat prominent opponents of 
law and order as the moei enlightened apoatlea of 
the coming creed. 

MtTSiOAL DisoiT98io!r.*-The "Musical Association 
for the Investigation and Discussion of SMbjecta 
connected with the Art and Science of Music" 
seems to have been given over to the mathemati- 
cians. Pa|>ers involving much thought have been 
read ; bnt we scarcely think that the Society ap- 
peals forcibly to either creative or executive musi- 
cians. No doubt it is interesting to inquire into 
our ** perception of the direction of a source of 
sound, or to listen to a discourse on the *' vibra- 
tions and resonance of columns of air," but all this 
has in reality nothing Ui do with music ; and if the 
Council of the Society think with us that eome 
practical result should be achieved by these meet' 



286 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



{n$^, A Tigorons coarM of Mtlon will be at once ne- 
eesMry. The Association lias atresdy enrolled the 
names of poveral eminent men ; and if papers on 
really useful subjects be desired, there are many, 
we think, who would be both ready and willinsf to 
be something more than mere ornamental members. 



CoiroEKTS.— Those mnniprel entertain- 
ments which used to be termed " Benefit Concerts ** 
are now fast dlMppearin^, their decline no doubt 
datinff from the discoyery ofthefsct that they were 
no '* benefit** either to the art or to the artist The 
performances of orchestral and choral works, and 
the Recitals of Chamber-music, which have arisen 
on the min« of the former fasliionable gathering^, 
so thorouflrhly represent at the present time the real 
place of music in this country, that both executants 
and composers should be watchful — ^if they care for 
anythiniT beyond their .mere personal advancement 
— that those to whom they submit the result of 
their talents shonid not only be amused, but, as 
Handel said, " made better " by what tiiey hear. 
Enarland is gradually shskinit itself free from the 
reproach of not being a rousicul nation ; but let us 
not rush to the opposite extreme, and go wild with 
excitement at every composer and performer — na- 
tive or foreign — ^presented to our notice. However 
hyperbolical may be some criticisms, whether ver- 
bal or printed, upon aspirants for our favor, there 
is always an under current of wholesome opinion 
which should at least be reppected. The fasniona- 
ble lounirer and the impulsive enthusiast are eonal- 
ly danzeroos elements in a concert-room. Healthy 
music cannot flourish save with healthy surround- 
ings : and it will be well for the pnigress of the art 
!n this, as in every other country, when the words 
§aloH and virinoto are banished for ever from the 
musical vocabulary. — Ibid, 



StotgK^ lonrnal of ^nsk 

BOSTON, AUGUST 1». 1876. 



The Baireuth FaftivaL 

The musical interest of the past week, here and 
everywhere, has converged to a single focus, to the 
decayed old town of the Margraves in the middle 
of Germany, where Richard Wagner has at last 
had the opportunity of realising to the full, with 
all means and appliances, his own ideal of the only 
right kind of scenical and musical performance of 
the only right kind of Opera— or, as he styles It, 
"Art-work of the Future." On four successive 
evenings, beginning on Sunday, the 18th, the first 
round of performances of the three plays of the 
trilogy, " The Ring of the JTIbelungen,** preceded 
by the Vorsplel or Prologue, " Das Rheingold," has 
been actually given in a iqost novel kind of theatre 
built solely for this purpose, and before a most 
brilliant and distinguished audience, including 
Emperors and Grand Dukes, musical magnates like 
LisxtSand Gounod, critics from all nations, Toung 
America being largely represented in that charac- 
ter, and curious quidnuncs, who have means and 
leisure for all such rare oocasiona. Our own news- 
papers since Monday morning have been full of it ; 
for several of the leading New York papers not 
only sent their special or staff musical reporters to 
the scene, but have actually gone to the formidable 
expense of lengthy Cable reports from day to day. 

Of course the audlepce was msinly made up of 
the faithful, the ardent adherents of the Wagner 
party ; nothing hut their enthusiasm — in many in- 
stances amounting to fanaticism — would draw 
very many Into that expensive pilgrimage. From 
these, of course, the first reports proceed, and na- 
turally they are glowing ones. That the occasion 
as an oeeasion was to be "a success" was a fore- 
gone conclusion ; equally sure beforehand was the 
thorough excellence of the performance— the won- 
derful scenery, the orchestra, the carefully selected 
and specially trained actors and singers, or rather 
musical dedaimers, for Herr Wagner himself had 
the selecting and the teaching and arranging, down 



to the smallest detail, of the whole. The success of 
the occasion could with safety be authenticated on 
a single seeing and hearing, and proclaimed by 
telegraph; the success of the Wagner School of 
Opera Is another quwition, and can only be deter- 
mined in due course of long experience. It is very 
easy for your newspaper correspondent, fresh from 
the excitement of the first night of wonders, with 
the plaudits ringing In his ears, and all his senses 
daied by the strange phantasmagoria of Rhine 
ujrmphs, shadowy Scandinavian gods and monsters, 
and marvellous scenes and transformations— all 
passing before an audience in the dark, as It were a 
huge mag<c lantern with brilliant musical accompa- 
niment—very easy for him to send off his lightning 
despatch, proclaiming it '* a triumph of the new 
school of music, final and completer But 
the last is not yet; and it would be 
safer, wiser and more modest to wait 
awhile before rushing to such wholesale con* 
elusions. Such proclamations remind us only of 
the patriotic town meetings of which wa used to 
hear in some of our rural districts, in which it 
was unanimously "Resolved, that we are the 
greatest nation on God*s footstool." The thing 
does not go by proclamation ; and we have yet to 
hear from those who/iM^/tf, and who are qualified to 
jndge and are in no incontinent haste to pronounce 
the "final and complete" solution of a question 
about which the wisest and most thoughtful will be 
the longest in making up their minds. Let us not 
be misnnderstood ; we repeat it, we have no doubt 
that the Festival has been in many ways a triumph, 
a remarkable success, as it has been altogether 
unique. Bnt for all that, there Is still reasonable 
room for thinking it qnite possible that the rou«ic- 
loving world is not yet ripe for loving Wagner's 
Nibelungen shadows, and his subordination of mu- 
sic to poetic legend, and his " infinite melody " or 
" molos," better than the kfunan music, human yet 
divine, of Mozart, Beethoven, Weber, Cherubini 
and the rest. 

Moreover we have yet to hear the real criticisms. 
These will come later. One would fain learn how 
Gounod was impressed ; how Lisst would be, we all 
knew beforehand. Bnt it is more important to 
know what men like Ferdinand Hiller, Lachner. 
Taubert, Richter, Robert Franz, Reinecke, and 
others, think about it; or whether these musical 
magnates were even present, as we are told " near- 
ly all the leading musicians of Germany" were. 
Judgment by cable telegram can hardly fix the 
status of the "Music of the Future." 

We write as one of the unconverted, and we can- 
not step off froip our own shadow ; but there are 
many of us ; and we could name a goodly list of ar- 
tists and of critics of the highest musical authority, 
who are under the same condemnation. It is to the 
verdict of such as these that Wairncr has to look. 
As Robert Browning says of Verdi': 
Wbile the mad lionsefnl*s plaudits near out-bang 
His orchestra of salt-box, tongs and bones, 
He looks through all the roaring and the wreaths 
Whers sits Rossini patient tn his stall. 
' We go to press too early in the week, or we 
would gladly have copied largely from the enthu- 
siastic first reports referred to. We make room 
here, however, for one more reasonable and moder- 
ate than the rest, that of the correspondent of the 
New York Thnet, who we are told is a German. 

Baibxtth, Aug. 18.— The performance of the trilogy 
** The Ring of the Nibelungen," the life-work of Berr 
Blchard Wagner, began hers to-day with the first opera 
of the series, <* Rheingold.'* The theatre was crowded 
by an andlence which, on the whole, may be classed as 
the most dfstlngniBhed that ever assembled for a similar 
purpose— distinguished In art, In letters, and in poll- 
tics. It embraced the Emperors of Germany and Bradl, 
and several reigning Grand Bnkes, Dukes and Princes; 
Prince George of Prussia} the Grand Duke Vladimir of 



Russia; Abb« Lisst, Miss Anna MeMlg, Miss Minnie 
Hauck, Naehbaner, Bervis, Paul LIndau, several French 
composers, and many other notabilities were present. 
The art and Itteratare of the whole world were repre- 
sented by eminent people from both continents. 

The rendering of " Rheingold *' was continuous for 
mors than two hoars and a quarter. The orrhestral ef- 
fects and characterisation were veiy fine. Herr Wag- 
ner's theory of mnsieal declamation was carried even to 
excess. And this will the more readily be nnderstood 
when It is known that a few bars for three voices made 
the only tiumMt nnuber in the opera. 

The scenery was admirable, surpassing even the 
hlghly-wmught ezpeeUtloBS of the spectators. The 
opening Bhine scene, with a partlenlaily novel contriv- 
ance of swimming nymphs, was highly snccessftol. The 
splendid Cavern pictare, and the brilliant Wslhalla, 
were a wonderf ally clever management of lights and 
transparent donds. The metamorphoses were less 
•klllfully sooompllshcd, bnt the general impression as a 
spectacle was exoenent. The house belnain total dark- 
ness during the entire re pr s s enutten, added Immensely 
to the illusion. The aeonstlc properties of the hall are 
perlbetion itself, bnt there is not a breath of ventflatlon, 
and the heat was overpowering. The rendering was re- 
markable in point of the prwlsion with which the difll- 
enlt music was maatered by the singers and the orches- 
tra. The voice of Herr Bets, who was the Wbtan of the 
opera, is one of great t>eauty and power. The voice of 
Herr Vogi, as Lop*, was excellent, and his acting capi- 
tal and full of signiflcance and subtlety, and called 
forth the only ontbnrst of applause following the aolll- 
oquy. which is replete with nice shades. Herr BHers 
and Herr Reichenberg as the giants jn^^ur and /^aoft 
had the requisite ponderous voices. Herr Hill as Atbe- 
rich is an excellent actor and sineer. Herr Schlosser as 
Mims is a superior comedian. The three Rhine dangh* 
ters are endowed with charming tones and sw«>etneas, 
and their performances were most correct. Ifesdamea 
Orlln and Hanpt wers able representatives of FHeka and 
/Wis. 

The orchestra was composed of 113 of the pkdced ma- 
sicians of Germany, Hans Richter leading, with Wllbel- 
my as cA</*d attaqtu. There is nothing finer imaginable 
than the delicacy and fullness of tone of the aecompani- 
ments. The shading was exqnislte, and the fact that 
the band was unseen, hot heard with absdnte distinct- 
ness, added to the mystery without affectlnarthe bright- 
ness of the coloring and the force. In brief the elabo- 
rate plans to heighten the illaslon of the stage repre- 
sentations were InstlAed by the success which was un- 
questionably achieved. 

Herr Wagner superintended the whole work. He was 
omnipresent as stige manager, condnctor, and promp- 
ter, and all that was possible to make the performance 
as reaHstio aa practica le was aeeomplished under his 
direction. At the conclnslon there were lood calls for 
Herr Wagner, which were unacknowledged. 

The Emperor of Germany remained to the end, and 
was received with enthusiasm, and departed amid a 
great demonstration from the entire andlence. 

The impression created by •• Rheingold ** is. mns'cally 
considered, not significant. This opera is necessary to 
the comprehension of the trflogy, bnt it lacks even the 
slight element of human Interest possessed by the suc- 
ceeding works, indeed, it is much closer to fairy spec- 
tacle than to drama, but it is needed nevertheless as a 
key-note to the subsequent incidents. The Inflnence on 
the public was less strong than was anticipated. Herr 
Wagner's tried friends were load in their approval, but 
the miscellaneous snd decidedly cosmopolitan element 
which composed the vast majority of the aadlence was 
inclined to coldness. In Hct the manifestation of ad- 
miration was extremely faint when compared to de- 
monstrations usually attending ordinary first nights. It 
must be remembered, however, that the assembly was 
exoeptionably critical, and that mnch of the spirit of a 
Jury with a prisoner on trial before them was eahibited. 
The artists fbit the weight of their responsibility, and 
the rare earnestness of all the artists on the boards was 
perceptible In the house. 

To spectators who were not mnsiclsns. and attending 
absolutely the first hearing of the opera, •* Rheingold " 
must be a sealed book. The musical motives which re- 
present characters and acta pervade the open, and are 
used by the author with answerving eonelstency and 
great tact; but knowledge of the score or fsmlllarity 
with the opera is Indispensable to a full appreciation of 
the work. In addition the strain upon the attention Is 
tremendous. It Is hopeless, therefore, to look for popu- 
larity for the work, at present at least. 

Whoever atteiM^s future similar r epr esen tations must 
do so with the Intent to labor if he would be pleased. 
This may be the temper of the mnsic-lover of the future, 
but It is certainly not that of the music-lover of the 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, AUG. 19, 1876. 



■d. jKhiaTamania at incb nugsltad* u* 
c« In ft llfMloM. 
Tbli week's eipcrlniml* an mrionil; IntenMlnic, 
but win b>VB nn ranlt, u far u an bo prrdlcted f mm 
to.dar'i rtpmenUtlon. At muat. It Is a marval tbal 
■ucha|{lfaallaiinderU1ilng can be oarrled oat k 
oestfnllT. As It la, the Baireaita perfonuuiee li a 
d«r In Itaelt, bnt ao1<r aHcrU the ItopoaalbllrtT of Uw 
eonplala reallaation of Hen Vicoer't ibeorlM. 
To ulKbt the uwD la slilius »1U) ■ Roe lllumlnail 
tbe (tmu, whicb an fall of people. Thewbolepop- 






. Ills 



Huiand Btrutm biie u-rlied In the cItT to MCend 
lefenlval. Tbara an about ilxtf oon-espondeDU of 
.merjean, Oemun, aad otber oowipapen pnaent. 



At Hoa 

Musical i 



Her* and There— Fettlvali, && 

The Sympbonj Concertaof the HarTHd 



nil 



Doone. Tlte Snt flre and the las 
■far, will he aepaiited b:r an Intanral of four weeks, ao 
that tbe data* win be a* fallows; Mac. *. A Dm. T, 1 
jBPe4i-Feb.I,ia,Manibl,U,». Tber wUI he raali 
Ir orebestral and elasatcal In character, eeeBiing U 
•oUda, Ibe faenllsli of a jcood >]rmpboBlo entartaii 
ment Brat, and leaTln^ special attnu- lana. Mdo arilati 
Ac, to depend npan tbe anuxut ef soppon glien lo U 
cancerta I7 tbe publlo. 

Tiam present ruraOTS and appearances^ thla Is aboi 
all that Bottan can relj aiK>n wILh anj certalDl; for a 
cbestiml nasletblsneKt winter. Tbe admirable orebn 
tra of Tlwodore Thomas la leparted to baie made 
losing bssiness (for Ibe MroDd lime) la Ptalladelpbla 
■nd to haTe aataaltr disbanded. BlUI we think It 
bardlrbe that an orianliatlon wllb Bo much life I 
aboold not be soon nenidtated. BnntrMr. Tho 
cannot be blamed If be haa ** gat slok of plptnf 
IMTlnc tfaa piper hlmwlf." The reieUtian baa . 
prised, for bllberto be baa alwari been repreeenled [at 



lo print: 



atlT a Btjle for so 



lefall e 



iraehl* 

I. and It was ver? natural tba 
lanldflTe oat finally ; the onl] 
lid keep on Id so splendid anc 
Ipag a porlad—MiteD or dgbt 
re remarked to an Inlenrlewer 



id qnlte enaagh of that. r«p1e 
ICC between an artist and a tra 
ej want main Chicago or Bait 
r me ; bot tbej mnat p«y far It 



iBOf H 



. Prof. 



and adnlrabl; adapted to good mnilcal efltei 
J. K. Psioe Is at the head of tbe committee of arranf 
meuta. and the prof^mtDCS will be wBtthjaf the c 
TjBi*eTBlij. Three of Ibe six ctrnsert* weiv Intended 
be of orebestral mnalc, for whli:b tbe Thonuu arctiestra 
wit engiced, inasmuch as ttaeae concert* will bare to 
take place in the nenlna, wlwn Biwlon muninlana are 
not available OB account of theli enEaBcments at the 

The prellmlnarr arraogenienti tortheannnal festlvsl 
of thr WotccBter Coontr Mnalul AtaorUIlan sie nearly 
completed. Tbe choms wl.l beclB active work tbe flnt 
Mrndaj In Beptemher. at FlymoDth Vestrr, Worcester; 
the daya selected Cor the fetUta) are Oct. », fc 4, ^ and a, 
and thr aervlces of Cnrl Zertabn and B. D. Allen hate 
been securrd as oandor-iors. E B. Slor? ban been se- 
cured as pianist, snd Q W. Sumner at orxanlst. Pnr 

.vTaniremeatB have been jMiftcted with Mlta 

oulte Kellan. Hlsaaara rtorla. Mlat Harr H. 
md Miss Hrorl-tla Beebe. MiM MaUlda Pbll- 
Mr*. Flata B. Banr. rontnltot, hi ■— ■- - 

..........and J. K. Nllaoaaf New Tntk, - nL ... . 

Meuta. W.lllam H. Kxnanald and John P Winch. Tbe 
ore* nlaattons, aalde from the assoelatlan, to Uke part In 
ths featlval are the Phllhainunlc CInb of Boeian. the 
nennanla B«nd,thlrtjjileees,or Boston, sod tbe New 
TarkOleeanh. MIssBeebeandHr. Nlllson and tDen- 
\tn of tbe laner, and Utu Stone, Mrs. Barrr and Mr. 
MoDnnald an of tbe Bostna Lfaam Opeta Campanr, 
The prlnrluBl worha telected are Handel's orauirto of 
"Jeahua" and Itnsslnl's "Btaliat Hater." Mltcella- 
neouB ehorusrs will also be Important f''aturesln tbe 
Bmcramnw, which iBcliTilesflveeonoertannd Ihm mat- 
InMe. 1lH natio*es are lo be alven Moitdaf, Toesdajr 
and Wetlneadar afternoons and tbe Kratof Ibe series at 
eoacertt will be clven Wedneedai evening. Concerts 
araalsaarTsnseilhirThimfliy afternoon and evening 

Prklajt tftemoon and 

neada; eveolng, will 



nara L 
tipe and 



t. Collins 



will termlnulB with the omto.. .- .- 
artlBl*, orchesliB and ctwrus.— TVmucrfpf. 



irmonic CI1 
and Th 

ibita," aaltlog 



The musical festivBl at Roekr Point, B. I., on F 
last, under tbe management of Dr. K, Tourjee, wi 
menaelr sooceisf ul. Carl Zerrahn wu the oondnctor, 
and tbe cborut of about fnar btindtad voice* was made 
np of the MusIb Hall and Grace Chnroh cholm f nim this 
cltj, tomaof the metnbeie of the Handel and Haydn 
Society of Bostan, and the New RnKland Nonnal Mnsl. 
esl Institute now In sesilon at East Greetiwlob, R. I. 
The WendelsBobn Quintette C,\ah and iwreral other ol 
our well-kDowu Bnslon artists. Tocalistt and Ihstni' 
mental 1»IB, also participated. 

Tbe Btlenrtance fmm all points wet veirUnre. Xraiy 
boat from Provldenre was erawded tn lu almost oapacl. 
tj, and extra bnsta bad to be ran (o aooommodate the 
crowd. There wee anolber itrand Inflnx of people from 
Newport, and larjce excursion parties airlred ^ steam. 
erfrom New Bedford and PsU River, nfty at more 
jaehta from varlooa pnlnit upon Narragaiuett Bay, and 
aometbinc like a thonsand osTrlages fnm the Interior 
alaoaldedlDSwelBnEtbannmberofvlBlton. 

Them were present In the eoorae ol tbe day at leaat 
Mteen tbontan'I petsaiu-~b7 many tboatands Ibe larg- 
eet aseegsldage at Bocky Polat Ibis ssaton. The prinied 
proenmme wbb eapeiied at the o«tset tbrongh ihe ac- 
tion of some person at Providence, who nef:leet«d to 
forward the chorus-books aa directed, hut Dr. TDar]ee'a 
well-known energy end ability aupplled all dellciendet. 
In fact much more waa performed ibsti was promised, 
and the only marked chaata In tbe plen of tbe fe 
was to provide a niaoellaneoat ooncert In tbe forei 
and to pos^one tbe choral performances until tl 



Theconci 

bnlldlng It 



I were held In the Torest Circle, and the 

conslmcted that those as* 

could listen to the perforui 

n the Ineide. Tbe motnln 
Domprised ITeber's overture to " Olteron,'* peiformed 
by tbe Uendelatobn Quintette Qab; the bnffo song, 
"I'm* Regent," from Balfe't opera, "The Sleeping 
Queen," inng by the dislingnlahed baritone, Hr. J, F. 
Rndolphsen; tbe lint morement of Scbn mean's Piano 
Qnlnlet In K Hat major, performed by Mr. J. C. D. Pi 
kerandMrasre. B^haltn, Allrn, R'lo and Hrnnlg of 
Ibe Quintette Clnb: the Poknslae from Ambmae 
Thomaa'a opera of "MlLTon." sung by Ulss Fanny Kb|. 
Ingjc; and a duet. "The Flabemien."^ by Oaliuati, ren- 
>}mA by Uetsrs Jemet UcOrannaban and C. O. CaH. 
two excellent Wetterti vncallau. The solo perform- 
ances were In everr cats worthy of hlgb pral>e. hat ihe 
effect was In soirelnstanoea lost from the f ant that the 
lace In hrtter adapted te music of the loader claaa. 



Misa Krll 
•equally good re 



neUted tir 



e Club furnished U 



surged u 



.-.igwltb 

I of Bunker Hill." The 



Tbe buildings 



werereflliod several times o' _ _ _ 

hnagry mnllltaile wllbout, hat (here wae yet no lack 
tbe tilvalves snd their cnncomitaata. 

At Ihe afternoon ermcrrt the choras took a promlnen 
mtrtand aeqaltted Itself with great credit under Hi 
Zerrahn'* afile dlreetioa. Tbe lint setectlon was " Th 
ainry of Ood " from Haodel'a Meulah. Thla was give 
with eirelleni effe- 1. " 

The Mendelssohn Qutot*^te Club next played the ovei 



■■iNins'lse BrmlHia IwCbopln. _,. ,,. 

-I iMiltiei -' Hliihty Jehnvata " (maalc by a 



.e by MlM K'llncgi 1 



tj tw iMji rnoTa>i and tbe la- 
•• SUhsi Mairr." Mlu Kellois 
In -S<,n4l.,g nwra, duf- W. 



ObitnATT. 



g Ructlnrs 



Carl Bergmann, for many yean leader nf tbePblllur- 
wBlc and Arlou tncledea, died laat Theradiy night at 
he Qerman Hospital Id tbltj:lty. He had been In poor 

ned by extreme tnelancholy produced by tbe death of 
bit wife, wblch occurred aeveral months ago. After 
tbla event he became moody and morose. Slcknut 
compelled him In the middle of last 
OeorgflNatika his poaitlouat leader of the Phllhannoa- 



tbisfo 

waa obliged lo aedi refog* at tbe flerman Hospltd, 
vben be died on Tbnfeday night at II o'cleck. 

Otrl Bergmann waa bom at Xherabaeb, Basooy, April 
11,1B1. Hlamnsletlts - - - 

selves Tsry early In bUlUe. Wben eoatcely « yeare old 
ho was planed nader tbe iBtlnotlan of Adolf Sinmer- 

iDg nmovwl to tbe cKy of Breslau. he became a student 
of Heaee, arenowiMd organist and eomposer, and In 
that city be commenoed hia muslaal caresr, grat at Hsel- 
list,then as soloist and leader or tbeBrealag oraheetra. 
Bergmann was never a prolific compooer, and most of 
his compotlllans. (ncladlng several concert pieces, an 
opera, and a syrapbony, were written before he bad at- 
Ulned bla nth year, ^rom IH2 to 1H8, as leader of 
seTeralorehesttaa, beniel with snecest In the dtleeof 
Vienna, PMih. Wataaw. and Venice. Having taken aa 
ac Ive part In the rebeniou of 1M«, he waa compelled to 
leave the country. Re choee America at his ratnt« 
bomp, and In company with several DiuiclaBa he arrived 
at New York In the Autumn of IM», and again aealonsly 
devoted himself to hIa profestioB. In IRU be beeame 
leader oriheOetmanlaBoclety, a poSltioB wblch he held 
nnta tbe disbandment of the aasoeiatlon foar vean 
lalet. Together with Thro.Bltfeld and CkrlAaMhBti 
be andettook Ihe management of tbe PhUhanuonle So- 
ciety, and when several yean Isier hie ooadjntarsttt. 
tnrtMd to Surope he became aole dlrecior, and It w^ 
largely tbrongh hli exenlops that the society attained 
II* present s andard of excellence. In lUS he accepted 
the leadership of tbe Arlon Society, and In tbe same 
year organised and conduetsd tbe gnmt Oennan 8ae«g- 
erfesi whkrh was held In the f amnos Winter Garden 
Tbeatn. He also gave a aeries of grand amoerte at the 
City AssembryRoama, which became exceedlng'y pop- 
alar. Bat ha eohlered a more notable sueers* asooo- 
duotor of both Oeimaa and Italian opera, nteforaer 
be Introdueed at NIblo's Oardon In lUe. and hecoa- 
dncMd the orchestra at tbe Academy of Mnsiu ob tbe 
memorable night of Deo. 1, 1MB, 00 (he aeoeakm of Ihe 
flralpradaclianof " L'Af ricalue " In tbla countty, wtth 
Carosd-Znochl aa AKta, Manollnt sa Fexe tfs Oama, 
aad BeUlnl aa AAiala. Bergmann early rwwgiilaad the 
excelleneeof Wa^*r'suiuk:,and wet one of the flnl 
mnalclBBs who sougbt to Introdooa ms norelljof Its 
style iDlo th* American concert-raam. 

His foneral took place on Saturday under Ibe aoept- 
eea of Ibe AeobcBbrodel Baclety,ot wblrh he waae mem- 
ber. On Friday night Ihe body wae bniagbl from th* 
hnspllel to Ibe hall of tbe society In Butt Faartb^t., 
where many peiKine ylewed tbe body daring Hatardsy 
morelBg. Through eome miaandeiMawHng. Iba newt 
of hit death did not reach many of bla maMeal *•*«- 

-1.. 1 .....^ ..-,. ^ ihofanenl. 

comparative^ 



Arlim SncletT Intoned 

" Pllgrini<a flwiu.." fro 

panled by a hand from 1 

ceded by tbe nnmarons inuwrni nt 

Mr. Bergmann belonged, tbe body w 



e membeia of liie 

•bgnsrr. aKom. 
1 noclety. Pre. 



Ic Soclev, which he I 



1 held I< 



It a) years. ' three weeks. 



En Boate £>r Biirenth. 

The following heat; note it from a yoiinj frienil 
gathering chance flowers of mu>tcal delli;ht npon 
tbe way to the irreat Wegner FestlvaL Truly " the 
boys " are having a good tims : 
BADxa.BiDKi, Ang. t.-I think yen wilt be Inteneled 

restof us went la at Berne. It was at a litUe summer 
beer theatre, called tbe SchUill, on a gmt height 
above the town, and thi opera was " L'Oca del Ctlio,'- 
byMoiajt. Vaan't that a flndl Isuppoae ons ml|^ 
wander alt over Europe lor a year and not meet (t. 
Borne of the songs, kc., were tburaoghly characlarlatlc 

For the real, we have heard St. Satns play the plaho 
twice In London ; Alfred Jaell, Mdme. EsslpotT, Adellna 
Faitl,ina realty auperiiperformance at Ooyent Garden, 
Dt "Aide;" two yretched attempt* at "Lohengrin'* 
SBd "Tannballaer"*! Drury Lane and Covent OanleBi 
a very chanulug "Ophelia" (Ambrolse Thomaal. by 
Alhani,who baa Improved wenderfnlly,' " Faasi" and 
[mtrabtlt atcM) "Der Frey<ctaata,"at the New Open In 
Pari*, of which last the ml- n lefiu, Ac. were snperii, 
tbe rest not much. We have also beard Wldor play tbe 
superb Oavallle-Coil organ at St. Bulplce; anything mat« 
ble I have never heard. 
toBaJreath the end of this week, to stay almoat 



W, 
■ thret 



288 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



Opera from the Back. 

Reader, whether you are youn^ or old, male or 
female, you have doubtless often lonsred to srain ac- 
ce99 to that myetic r^t^lon which is bounded on one 
side by the curtain of the concert-hall and on the 
other by the stas^e door. If you have ever obtained 
admission there, nothing: that I can say will remove 
the longinj; to see for yourself what the kings and 
queens of sfing look like, and do, when they pass 
from your gaxe into the wings. 

Tliere are quite a number of people who have 
been once or twice behind the scenes of theatres, 
who take the grenteitt delight in tearing to pieces 
all your illusions, but the viritors on the operatic 
stage are very few. Two Gerberuses gnard the en- 
trances with never-ceasing vigilance, and no one but 
the impresario, conductor, and the stage-ma nasrer 
is permifted Ut introduce a friend. The neces!«ary 
attendants upon the female singers are, of course, 
allowed, and it is wonderful the number of attend- 
ants a fashioi«able prima d^mna will think it due to 
her disrnity to maintain. 

Business as well as inclination calls the writer 
to visit the operatic stMge nearly every nijirht dur- 
ing the season, and he now attempts to describe 
what is seen there. The time is seven c»*clock, p. 
m. We have passed throui^h the short passage 
which leads from the stage-door to the sUge. 
What an immense, black cavern opens before us I 
The first scene is not yet set, and nothing breaks 
the space between the curtain and the rear wall of 
the building. In the wings a few lights, carefully 
covered with wire shades, snflSce to make darkness 
visible, and in crossing the stage yod barely escape 
Cf>llision with closely muffled forms in cloaks and 
slouch hats, who have the look of bandits out of 
work. These are the members of the male chorus, 
who are generally the first to assemble. They are 
redolent of garlic, and scraps of French, German, 
Italian, and Ensrlish enter into their talk. It Is al- 
most as impossible for an outsider to understand 
anything they say as it is to distinguish a word 
when they sing in chorus. 

But see ! the stage begins to grow light ; the 
gasman has lisrhted. though he has turned up only 
a very tiule, the long rows of gas jets which stretch 
overhead, from side to side of the stage. There is 
a row to each set of grooves. The scene-shifters 
now commence ti> liastle about and are by no means 
careful whom they run against. Next the ladies of 
the choruM arrive in knots, and amid ha^ty recogni 
tions of the nobles who are soon to lead them in 
procession, pass up to their dressing-room. 

It is now nearly half-past seven ; there is a little 
bustle at the stage-diwr, and a lady, who is a per- 
fect mountain of wraps, passes hurriedly across the 
stage and enters a room which is built at the back 
of the proscenium br)xe8. She is the prima donna, 
and we may not enter her sanctum till her toilet for 
the first act is made. Having watched her safely 
ensconced, we turn again toward the entrance in 
time to meet two gentlemen, who come in, arm in 
arm, and engaged in a most friendly converse, 
though their loud voices and animated gestures 
misrht almost incline one to think them angry. 
They are the good tenor and the wicked baritone, 
who are always fighting and who always love the 
same i^irl. Why is it that it is not possible to be a 
tenor and a villain ? 

While we have been enlaced in looking at these 
•tars in the operatic constellation, the scene-shifters 
have made great advances in setting the stage. The 
opera to be given is Lohens:rin, and the river 
scene, which is what is technically known as a 
" drop ** — that is to say, a scene that is rolled in- 
stead of being stretched on a frame — is set as far 
back a^ the last grooves. Behind this there is a 
•pace of about ten feet, through which the dramatU 
pertona can pass from one to the other side of the 
stage. About e'lKhi feet in front of the drop is, as 
It were, a hedge of canvas, some three feet in height, 
and painted to look like water. At a similar dis- 
tance in front of this is a second hedge, and yet 
nearer again to the f<x>t-liglits is a third, which re- 
presents the bank of the stream. In the grooves at 
the wings are the trees, which are supposed to 
fringe the edges of the water. Behind these wings, 
and extending from floor to the "flys," or plat- 
forms, built on a level with the top of the prosceni- 
um, are rows of gas-jets which are now lighted, 
and. as far as scenery goes, all is in readiness for 
the stage-manager's approval Here he comes ; he 
takes his stand in the centre of the stage, shouts a 
few unintelligible directions to the gasman, and the 
scene begins to assume the appearance of bright 
daylight. 

The wings on the left are now thickly peopled 



by the chorus. There is a larjfe firreen-room, but it 
is very seldom u«ed, as the rhonsters prefer to 
" stand round." The musieians are all below, lost 
amid the lahvHnth of wr>odwork which supports 
the fltasre. There is a loud knock at the door lead- 
\nz into the au'litnHnm. The crasmnn or his as- 
sistant opens a little trap, sees who the knocker is. 
and unlocks the dofir. There enters a cTMntleman 
in full evening: dress, who is s<ruorarlinir despe- 
ratelr wiih the last button of his new whit* kid 
gloves. In Teplv to the general salutation he 
crives a kind of collective nod, and then taps 
arently at the prima donna's door. " Who'b there T 
The answer is the name of the conductor, and he 
is immediately told to enter. We will take the 
liberty of accompanyinsr him. Madame, who is 
already dressed, sits in front of a lookine-?lass. 
putting the finishing touches to her face, while one 
attendant arranges hf^r wig and another puts on her 
slippers. The c«mductor compliments her on her ap- 
pearance, is rewarded by a gracious smile, and is 
then asked to slacken a certain tempo, or to see that 
the orchestra is not too lond in some special s.«lo. 

We psss out a?ain with th* conductor, who is 
immedist^lv arrest-ed bv an excitable little man. 
who talks to him most earnestly This is the 
promi>t.er. a kin'l o' M'»hamm*»d s coffin, who passes 
half his timie with his head and shoulders ab »ve the 
stAge, and the lower part of his body and lejrs be- 
neath it. The heat in that little box of his is 
frightful, and how he can endure it. and yet sine: 
everybody's part, is a mystery. Here comes the 
Lohengrin, with his dress sewn over with white 
metjil spsngles, which flfive it the appearance of 
armor. He is accompanied bv a Isdy who watches 
him very closelv. It is his wife, and w<»e be to any 
one whom she thinks her hn«bsnd is a little partial 
to. But what have we here T It must be that we 
are looking at Lohenqrrin through the wronsr end of 
our opera srlasses ! Not so : it ii a child dr«»sse<l ex- 
actly like the tenor and nisde up so well that he 
looks a perfect miniature edition. When Lohengrin 
is first seen at the back, it is this child who is 
pushed betw<>en the drop and the first hedge. He 
has a miniature chariot and a miniature swan, and 
like his larsrer orifirinal is propelled by a man under 
the framework, who travels alona: on his hands and 
knees. The mif'iature parses across the stacre only 
once, and then the tenor takes his place and finishes 
the journev. 

The opera is now about to commence; the 
stasre is crowded with people, and the noise of their 
talking is almost a roar. The st^sre-managcr calls 
order : the first notes of the prelude are heard, and 
the members ot the chorus begin to take their 
places. They are crowded in here and pulled ont 
there by the staire-mana<rer till they present a sym- 
metrical appearance. Then the contralto, a "jolly ** 
woman, and the bsritone and bass, take np their po- 
sitions. For some reason hitherto explained, con- 
traltos never give themselves the same airs as so- 
pranos. They don't have attendants following their 
every step, and they don't require liquid refresh- 
ment at every possible opportunity. Now a bell 
rings, which is a signal from the conductor ; the 
st4isre manasrer shouts a last direction, and rushes 
off just as the curtain commences to go up. 

'the prima donna is a very curious product of 
nature and art. She is generally wonderfully well 
impressed with her own importance, and though 
she seems so angelic and looks so beautiful, has a 
temper, and has l>Aen even known to swear In seve- 
ral languages. Her two attendants follow her, and 
whenever she leaves the scene one throws a cloak 
around her, while the other admini><t«r8 dark-co- 
lored liquid refreshment. Usually the attendant 
has two glasses. You. fashionsble young man who 
sit in a front row of the parquet, and fancy you 
Wftrship the prima donna, never think that she 
oWfin her sentiment to stout and her pathos to port. 
It is a curi<»u8 fact that the worse the singer the 
greater the number of attendants she needs. 

There are some people who are universally 
dreaded behind the scenes. Among them, the 
tenoi's wife, the prima donna's husband, if she has 
one, or her mother. The last is always the worst. 
There is always, in her opinion, a conspiracy 
against ma hellafiglia, and every one is looked upon 
with suspicion. 

Many is the joke that has been made about the 
appearance of the female chorus singers. Most of 
them have been in the chorus for twenty yc$ars, 
and l«K)k like it. There could not well be a greater 
shock than to meet one of thase aged and withered 
females who, having taken off her dress, is prepared, 
in petticoats and stockings none too clean, to per- 
sonate an angel in the tableau of Marguerite's 
apotheosia. — Tht Arcadian, 



,,,,, , ■■!■ • —^^^^^^^^ 

DBSCBIPTIVE LIST OF THS 
]P«l»ll«hsi« bv Oliver Olta#B «c C#. 

Vooalt with Plaao Aeoompaninant. 

Little Leaflets. Little Flowers. F. 4. E to a. 

BeetJiOten. 80 

*< Z'»p1iir, nimm's auf delne Flligel.*' 
*' Zephyr, wftti thy breesy flnjrers.*' 

Beantifnl thoughta, first expressed by a German 
poet unci jidorned with Beethoven** mnsic, and 
now nicely furnished with English as well aa Ger- 
man words. 

Centennial Song and Choms. 6. 3. d to E. 

PerkuM, 85 

" — — this f ifr land of our* : 
— — our boast and our pride." 

Word« by E!ten M. Hastings. Good music and 
patriotic tnou^bta. 

Roving in the Twilight A. 2. EtoP. 

ValU). 30 

'* nis beaming eyes were my light. 
While rov ng In the twilight.*' 

The pretty accent on my Indicates the neat char- 
acter of the song, which & easy to sing. 

To the Winds, dull Care I O. 8. a to D. 

Mane, 80 
*' Dark Despair, return no more." 
Quite an effective song for Alto or Baritone. 

The Land of Galden Glory. Song and Cho. 

D. 2. d to E. Prior, 80 

*' * T is an Eden, ever fair." 
Bacred song and choms of attractive character. 

Shall Erin's Harp Strings wake no more ? F. 
8. d to g. Danka, 80 

« Oh t wske and tell 
The story of her wrongs." 

A real Irish patriotic song, of great fire and 
spirit. 

lastrtneatalt 

Martha Washington March. With Portrait 

O. 2. Mack. 40 

A fine march, quite worthy to go with the beau- 
tlAil face on the title. 

By tlie Brookside. Idyl. G. 8. Golde, 60 

Almost enttrelv In lifirht triolets, which very 
prettily Imiute the ripple of the miniature river. 

Good Bye. (Lebewohl). Fantasia. F. 8. 

<7<>ae. 85 

A piece which seems to say :~bat yon cannot 
tell what: but a piece that Mkt to yon, all the 
way through. Let your fingers converse with it! 

Reminiscences. (Nacklange). A5. 8. Lange. 40 
In perfect taste. 

Always Gay. (Iromer Lostig). Polka Bril- 
laute. C. 8 Stiehl, 85 



It 



** Immer InsU^" masns a little more than * ray. 
It means "full of fun,** so full th « tone mw«< dance 
to let out the efflervesoence of spirits. Tiie mualo 
is quite merry enough for the name. 

Nonpareil Polka. G. 2. Br<mwn, 80 

Pretty Polka, and nit-e instructive piece. 

BOOKS. 

THE ENCORE. A cf>llection of Secular and 
Sacred Music for Singing Schools, Day 
Schools, Conventions, Musical Acade- 
mies, College Choira, etc. 
By L. O. Emrksost. Price 75 cts; Per Doz. $7.50 

This book occupies the same rnmnd aa the 
<* Soifo MoKAnrH,'' and is the liest kind of book 
for Singing Scho<»]s while its numerous f^nod 
and eaoy pieoea recommend it for all musical 
meetings. 

THE WHIPPOORWILL. A collection o< 

School Songs. By W. O. P£BKUIS. 

Price 60 cts. 

A new. bright snd attractive collection, by 
the author of *"OoiiDaN Bobiv." 



ABBR«viATio?rs.— Degrees of difllcnity are maiked 
from 1 to 7. The key Is denoted by a capital letter, as C, 
BA, etc. A large Roman Mter marks the lowest and the 
htirhest note » on the staff, small Roman letters if Ite- 
low or al)ove the staff. Thus: •*€, 6, c to B" means 
'* Key of C, Fifth degree, lowest letter c on the added 
line below, highest letter, B on the 4th space. 




toig|fs 




mxml 





Whoi^e N^o. 923. 



B0ST0:N^, SATURDAY, SEPT. 2, 1876. 



Vol. XXXVI. No. 11. 



Translated for this Journal, 

Bubinstein as Opora, Oratorio and 
Symphony Composer. 

CFrom the German of A. W. Ambros.) 

The musical historians of future times will 
be somewhat puK/.led if they undertake to draw 
the spiritual portrait of Anton Rubinstein. 
From the works of TIandel, Bach. TTaydn, 
Mozart, Beethoven, 0. M. von Weber and 
others, we can represent to ourselves their im- 
apre (i.e., their artistic imaofe, not the acciden- 
tal outward personal appearance) in firmly 
drawn outlines— the special traits will fit them- 
selves together in one whole, without any es- 
sential mutual contradiction. This impression 
will still exist, if we consider the career of the 
artist as a steady proj^ress, as a development, 
whereby the works with which the artist be^n 
show the most striking difference from those 
with which he ended; as is the case with 
Beethoven; the Beethoven of th6 Septuor is, 
after all, the Beethoven of the Ninth Sympho- 
ny; the hand-writing is changed, but the writ- 
ing hand has remained the same. Artists, who 
in their style are fixed and uniform, and who 
during a long creative activity never change a 
feature in their artistic physiognomy, like J. 
S. Bach, are very rare. How is it now with 
Rubinstein? 

The afore-named musical historians of future 
times will have to assign him one of the first 
places among the composers of our day ; — but 
suppose now that, upon this ** declaration of 
immortality " (the propositio interta of tlie ju- 
ristical ** declaration of death'*) a contradic- 
tor, an opponent, an advoaUiu didboU should 
step forth and hold up to the historians certain 
works of the composer, how the historians 
would be staggered! If it possible, for in- 
stance, (they will ask), that a work like the 
** Ocean Symphony" and a work like the op- 
era ** Feramors " can have sprung from one and 
the same imagination, that they belong to one 
and the same author? A majestic, powerful 
Symphony, and an Opera, whose trist sterility, 
whose want of invention, life and freshness 
might make us doubt entirely the composer^s 
talent, so that we might grant him the knack 
of making, but should deny him the creative 
faculty! — ** Doth a fountain send forth at the 
same place sweet water and bitter? " asks the 
apostle James. 

The contradiction frequently begins with 
Rabinstein in single works; they sometimes 
resemble the king's image, composed of gold 
and worthless metal, in Goethe's fairy, tale. 
Words especially — the verbal text — appear to 
operate as a hindrance with Rubinstein; he 
moves most freely and most happily in pure in- 
strumental compositions. If that half crazy 
priest, of whom Qoethe tells in his '^Campaign 
in France," zealously maintained, that 
** through the word all things are made," so 
one might say the reverse of Rabinstein : that 



through the word all is ruined. His Oratorio, 
*^ Paradise Lost," leaves as little doubt about it 
as his **FerAmor8." Nay it goes so far, that the 
purely instrumental movements in **Feramor8" 
are comparatively the best and most attractive 
part of it; for example, the Ballet pieces (al- 
though these bear no comparison with the bal- 
let music of Qluck or Meyerbeer). The first 
parts of the very short instrumental prelude of 
the opera come upon us with surprising beau- 
ty, — a fantastic, dream-like legend from the 
East, like the prelude to Schumann's **Peri:" 
— but no sooner has the curtain risen, than the 
very first chorus, which is designed to describe 
to us the joyful confusion of a festive and ex- 
cited crowd of people, only gives us, contrary 
to the composer's purpose, an unpleasant pict- 
uit of confusion. In an obsolete book by 
Kotzebue, entitled ** Chronicles," occurs a tale 
invented by the author in obvious emulation 
with Wieland's **Oberon:" and in the tale 
there is a King Purmentor, who is a powerful 
giant-, but only until midnight, for with the 
stroke of the midnight clock he shrinks up to 
a pigmy, and becomes the former giant only 
with the sunrise. So one might fancy that 
Purmentor - Rubinstein had composed the 
** Ocean Symphony" before^ and "Feramors" 
after midnight. 

The text of ** Feramors"— designated as a 
** lyrical opera in three acts " — is composed by 
Julius Rodenberg after Thomas Moore's *'Lalla- 
Rookh." Moore's poem is very poetically con- 
ceived: the episode of the **Peri" is particu- 
larly celebrated (and not first through Schu- 
mann's music), and, more than that, it has be- 
come popular; and the lively interest in the 
'* terrestrial paradise" upon the Rokna bath, 
in Cashmere (an interest, which formerly, at 
least on the part of the ladies, was limited es- 
sentially to the shawls to be had there) dates 
properly from Lalla-Rookh. From that Roden- 
berg has taken his libretto. To relate its ac- 
tion were a desperate undertaking — and the 
poet, by the designation *Myric" opera, 
seems to have anticipated the objection that 
in ** Feramors " as good as nothing happens. 
Lalla-Rookh is Princess of Hindnstan, is accom- 
panied on her bridal journey to the king of 
Buchara, to whom she is betrothed without 
ever having seen him. by the singer Feramors, 
to whom she loses her heart upon the way, nev- 
er dreaming that it is the king, her betrothed, 
in his own person; her surprise therefore in 
the last scene is a very agreeable one. The 
episode of her friend Hafisa, who has been per- 
secuted by the grand- vizier from Hindostan, 
Fadladeen, with annoying love proposals, but 
is finally led home by the Buchara ambassador, 
Chosru, as his bride ; the incident, that Fera- 
mors, falsely charged by Fadladeen with hav- 
ing drawn a dagger on him, is arrested, and 
that Chosru thereupon condemns the alleged 
would-be murderer to the gallows, until he re- 
veals himself as king of Buchara (like Almavi- 



va in Figaro^ he scorns to tell who he is, and 
goes willingly to prison), — all this brings very 
little or no life into the more than meagre ac- 
tion. A very odd 4>n8sage, after Feramors has 
been expressly sentenced to **be hung," is put 
into the mouth of the Chorus: ** Away to the 
gallows, let his b'.ood flow 1 •' That verse de- 
served to be by Schikaneder and to stand in 
the Zauherflote, 

But meagre as the libretto is, one asks him- 
self what C. M. von Weber would have made 
of it, the composer of Oheron^ of which the li- 
bretto suffers from the opposite fault, and in 
the over-fulness of its action brings swiftly 
changing scenes before our eyes after the man- 
ner of a show-box. Well as Weber there knew 
how to unfold all the legendary magic of the 
East in wonderfully brilliant colors, would he 
have succeeded here perhaps? And Rubin- 
stein? He seems to have thought of something 
of the same kind ; much in it reminds us of his 
** Persian Songs," — and the chant of the 
Muezzin: ** Allah il Allah, Mahomet razul Al- 
lah ! " is reallv the Oriental motive, as we know 
it through Villoteau. But in spite of all this, 
we never leave our cooler and less colored Oc- 
cident one moment. Looking for the happier 
moments in the broadly laid out composition, 
we must name before all the rest the conclusion 
of the first act: that song of the Muezzin, to 
which the chonis answers with a sort of psalm- 
ody, the "Allah il Allah" repeatedly resound- 
ing between the sentences (of sacred, but on 
the part of Fadladin at times of strongly world- 
ly import). 

The song of the Princess in the second act:' 
** O holy Night " becomes warmly impassioned 
in its course; and the scene between Feramors 
and Lalla-Rookh, a scene upon which the chief 
weight of the whole work falls, the reciprocal 
confession of love, the kindling rapture of the 
lovers — all this has warmed the composer up; 
in other circumstances the effect of this num- 
ber would be quite different; but unfortunate- 
ly we are already too unstrung and out of tune 
through what has gone before to yield our- 
selves to the impression. The scene which im- 
mediately precedes, and which is very long and 
not entertaining, between Fadladeen and Hafi- 
sa, is especially fatiguing. In this Fadladeen 
the poet of the text has evidently had a gro- 
tesque comic figure in his mind, something 
similar to Mozart's Osmin, but less rough, for 
an Indian Grand Vizier, even if he is supposed 
to be a grotesque comic figure, will behave 
somewhat differently from the mere garden 
overseer of a Pasha. But if the grand Vizier 
Kara Mustapha, ten minutes before he was 
strangled, had sung precisely as the grand viz- 
ier Fadladeen sings here, we should not won- 
der. The composer makes not the slightest 
attempt to illustrate the comic Fadladeen of 
the text with comic music ; so that, after all, 
Fadladeen is not at all comical, but simply 
tedious. The Ballad, which Feramors sings in 



292 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



enriched in some instances with phrase marks in a 
manner that I have never seen in any other edition. 
It also abounds with just that kind of information 
respecting the construction of the music, that is of 
the hisfhest value to the student. 

Not only are we indebted to Dr. Oauntlett as a 
pioneer in the cause of modern or^an-buildin<v. and 
as a real musical etiit'tr ; but those who h'^ard him 
in his best days will certainly agrree that his practi- 
cal akill a^ an organist was most influential in form- 
ing a right appreciation of the music he delififhted 
to expound, and instrnctive to those who emulated 
his performance. I onsrht to add that, as Dr. 
Gauntlctt's idea of a Bach or«ran was an orcran of 
grand individual tone, so his habit, was to play Bach, 
especially his fugues, on what may fairly be de- 
scribed as a full organ. 

The Choral Preludes, which in Germany are es- 
teemed as among the greatest of Bach's organ works, 
are not in this country equally appreciated, proba- 
bly because the themes on which they are founded 
do not appeal so directly to OMr sympathies; but 
unquestionably in these works are enshrined many 
of Bach's highest and deepest thoughts: let me but 
recall to your memory the marvellous six-part 
counterpoint on the chorale, "Aus tiefer Noth," the 
same chorale that Mendelssohn employs in his third 
sonata. There is much to be learne() from a caie- 
ful study of the Choral Preludes as to Bach's treat- 
ment of the organ, as they are more richly marked 
than any other of his works. It may not be out of 
place to give a caution to those who nse the Ger- 
man edition, by saying that there are instances in 
that edition of changes made in the arrangement of 
the parts that may embarrass the student. It was 
Bacn's frequent custom when assigning a melody to 
the pedal in 8-feet tone, to write the pedal part on 
the middle stave of the three, its pitch was thereby 
shown. In all euch cases the German editors have 
placed the pedal part on the lowest stave, but in 
some instances have neglected to mention that it 
should be played on 8-feet tone. An examination 
of the two last bars of " In duici jnbilo" will furnish 
a self-evident example. (See Ger. Ed., Vol. V., p. 
89.) There is a similar omission in the Canonic 
Variations on the Christmas Hymn, the work Bach 
sent as an exercise for admission into the Mizler 
Musical Society of . Leipzig. (See Vol. V., pp. 92 
—101.) 

The ussge of great organists roust be of interest 
in considering the treatment of Bach's organ music, 
and I know no greater authority than Mendelssohn. 
That his opinion was in favor of a moderate power 
for fugnes is shown to some extent by his marking 
the fugues in the 2nd and 6th of his organ sonatas 
as /or. notff. You will remember he defines in his 
preface that by the term forte he means the great 
organ, but without some of the most powerful stops. 
That Mendelssohn gave no favor to a restless harle- 
quinadin^ Irom loud to soft by freqner^t changes of 
stops is, 1 think, shown by the fact that in but one 
single movement throagfiout the whole of his Six 
Sonatas has he prescribed any change of stops 
during the continuance of a movement. The excep- 
tion is in the third sonata ; and this, too, reads as 
a pertinent lesson not always to be too eager to 
throw into prominence even an important melody. 
The chorale on the pedal he leaves to penetrate 
through the brilliant superstructure, without en- 
forcing it on our attention as he might have done by 
prescribing special prominence for the pedal. 

It has been my object in the remarks I have made 
to call attention to the various methods of register- 
ing employed by, or suggested by, authorities on 
the subject, rather than to enforce any opinion of 
my own ; still, at the risk of repeating what I have 
said before, I will again record my sense of the im- 
portance of clear, describing, unconfused, and un- 
confusing tone as of prime importance for the per- 
formance of a fugue, and again protest against fre- 
quent and wanton changes of s! ops. Notwithstand- 
ing, I think the happy custodian of a real good" 
organ that will combine, as it should do, will be 
wise, if, having a giant's strength, he forbear at 
times to use it ; if, by a moderate use of the power 
of hifl instrument, he occasionally reserves some- 
thing to add at the stretto or coda, on the principle 
of the post boy, who " saves a trot for the avenue," 
he will often make a more impressive finish. 

In conclusion, I will briefly recapitulate the points 
I have alluded to as essential in the proper treat- 
ment of Bach's organ music, viz., the power to 
understand so much of their construction as to be 
able to resolve them into their elementary phrases, 
periods, and sections ; a mind ami ear keenly alive 
It) their many points of interest and beauty ; a mod- 
erate time for their performance, such mechanical 



skill as shall offer no impediment to the realization 
of the composer's intention, and an instrument of 
grand, beautiful, and distinct tone. 



Gable Ecstacies from Bayrenth. 

FIRST ROUND OF WAONER'S nUEHNENFESTSPIEL 
** DER RING DES NIBELUNGBN." 

FIRST DAY, AUG. 18. 
[BY CABLS TO THE TRIBUSTB]. 

Bayreuth, Bavaria, Sunday, Aug. IS, 1876. 

The first part of Wasrner's great musical drama. 
" The Ring of the Niblung." was performed here 
this cveninsr with overwhelming success. The the- 
atre, erected for the occasion, was filled with a bril- 
liant company. The Roval Box was occupied by 
the Emperor William of Germany, the Grand Dukes 
of Weimar, Baden, and of Wurtemberjr and their 
suites. Among other spectators were I>om Pedro 
II,, Emperor of Brazil, nearly all the leading musi- 
cians of Germany, about 160 Americans, mostly 
from New York and Boston, acd people from all 
parts of the world. 

Excepting some trivial arrangements of scenery, 
the representation was perfect. The acting was all 
crood. The elaborate stage machinery was admira- 
ble in its working, and the effect of the music was 
magnificent beyond all description. It far surpassed 
expectations, and the general verdict is that it is a 
triumph of the new school of music, final and com- 
plete: 

The performance lasted two honrs and a half with- 
out intermission. The audience listened with silent 
attention till the very close, when there was a tem- 
pest of calls for Herr Wagner, but he did not ap- 
pear. No hostile demonstrations were made. The 
city is illuminated to-night acd all the people are 
in the streets. 

When the Emperor William arrived yesterday 
he was received at the railway station by Herr 
Wagner, of whom he inquired with great interest 
whether it was true that so many Americans had 
come to witness the performance. J.R.G.H. 

[From the New Yotic Herald.] 
Batreuth, Bavaria, Aug. 13, 1876. 

The 13th of August, 1870, will form an epoch in 
the history of mivic second to none in importance. 
The long dream of Richard Wagners life has been 
realized, and his unquestionable genius, unbending 
will, indomitable perseverance and a rooted belief 
not only in the heavy task he imposed on himself, 
but in his absolute power to acccomplish it success- 
fully, have brought forth the desired fruit. When, 
thirty yoars ago, his opera of " Rienzt " was pro- 
duced in Dresden it was but the reflection of the 
style of his early friend, Meyerbeer. Since that 
time his artistic nature has cast off all fetters of 
servile imitation, and the culmination of the labors 
of a lifetime is found in the great music-drama 
commenced to-day in this town of Bayreuth. The 
performance of *' Rheingold," which is the introduc- 
tory music-drama to the " Ring of the fiibelungen,*' 
commenced at seven o'clock this evening, and lasted 
three hours. Long before the prescribed hour for 
the opening of the festal theatre all Bayreuth was 
excited, and the vast concourse of visitors were out 
of do«rs, eagerly awaiting the moment when they 
could enter the temple of music, the Walhalla of 
lyric art 

The Emperor of Germany, the Emperor and Em- 
pre'ss of Brazil, the King of Bavaria, Prince George 
of Prussia, the Prince of Uohenzollern, Prince Wil 
helm of Hesse, Grand Duke Vladimir of Russia, the 
Grand Duke of Mecklenberg, the Duke of Anhalt- 
Dessau and a large number of other titled magnates 
occupied seats in the Princes' gallery. About sixty 
Americans attended the performance. The scene 
in the auditorium of the theatre before the com- 
mencement of the music drama was an exceedingly 
brilliant one. Looking up from a seat in the am- 
phitheatre toward the Princes' gallery, the eye was 
dazzled with the splendor of the uniforms of the 
suites of the various royal personages, forming a 
bright background to the large assemblage of visi- 
tors that filled the 1300 seats of the amphitheatre. 
Above the royal gallery was a eecond one, in which 
a large number of the citizens of Bayreuth were 
seated. An unusual feature for a German opera 
house was the prevalence of full evening dress, 
which lent an additional attraction to the body of 
the theatre. 

At seven o'clock eight trumpeters, stationed in 
the opening or front of the theatre over the amphi- 
theatre, g.Hvc the signal for the commencement of 



the work, and the echoes of the long trumpet call 
hnd scarctdy died away towards the diiitant Fich- 
telgebirge ond Kulon^ when from the " mystic 
ab^'ss " the opening f«lrnins of the invisible orches- 
tra of Ilans Richter floated through the house. To 
those accustomed to the brilliantly lighted effect of 
the great opera' houses of Europe, the appenrsnce 
of the Wagner theatre was very singnlar. The au- 
ditorium was quite dark, lii^ht there bein^ consid- 
ered by the composer as calculated to distract the 
attention of his liearers. Another strange feature 
was the supprefision of all outward applause, which 
is also reirarded by Wagner ns annoying and de- 
structive to that continuity of thonsfht necessary f«»r 
the Tull appreciation and enjoyment of hie great 
work. 

When the curtain rose on the first wene, the bed 
of the Rhine, the effect was so life-like that it was 
diflicnlt for the audience to restrain their delisrht. 
The three Rhine nymphs or nixies. Wosrlinda. Vell- 
gunde and Flosshilde, apfMsared. gliding about sing- 
ing and chasing each other among the rocks. The 
"water music" which acompanie-* this scene is of that 
flowing, undulating character that fits the dreamy 
songs of the n3'mphs and is foil of charm. W<^- 
linde sings the opening measures with the s^rance 
words. "Weial waga f Woge, du Welle!" The 
voice of Mme. Lillic Lehmann blended admirably 
with the orchestral accompaniment. Marie Leh- 
mann and Minna Lammert. who represented the 
other two nymphs, were no less effective. The ap 
pearance of the dwarf, Alberich, and his seizure of 
the magfic " Rheingold " formed the next feature in 
the opening scene. 

From the waters of the Rhine to the mountain 
tops, on which the gods were discovered slumber- 
ing, was a noiseless and remarkable change. Here 
occurred a long duet between WotJin (Odin), the 
snn god, and Fricka, his wife, followed by some 
characteristic music for the giant<«. Faffiier and 
Fasolt. As the scene prr^ressed Freia. the goddess 
of Love and Spring, Froh, her brother, Donner 
(Thor), Loge, the fire go<l, and Erda (Earth) were 
heard, each having some peculiar instrumental n«o- 
ti/hy which he or she might be recosrnized. This 
phrase, although generally short, partook much of 
the character of the personage it represented. From 
the monntaihs to Nibelheiro, the dark abode of 
Alberich and his dwarfs, was a sombre change. 
The repulsive Alberich monopolizes the greater 
portion of the music of this scene, and it was a se- 
vere test for the barytone voice of Carl Hill, one in 
which, however, he was entirely succes.'«ful. The 
scene ended with the capture of the dwarf king by 
the sun god and fire goa. Back to tlie mountains 
again, an agreeable change, especially as in the 
Nibelheim scene every part of the theatre was in 
glot>m. The gods droj^ed in their onwilling pris- 
oner and forced him to givb up the ring and all bis 
other treasures. The curse which Albisrich hurls 
after the ring is a grand piece of musical declama- 
tion, and Herr Hill delivered it with rare effect and 
emphasis. Erda's prophecy of the sad ** twilight 
of the gods " is one of the features of the work, and 
it received due justice from Mile. Luise Laide. The 
appearance of Erda, as she rose op in the midst of 
tne gods, was very picturesque. The last scene 
represented the gocfs crossing over by what was de- 
signed to represent m rainbow bridge into tbo pal- 
ace of Walhalla, rejoicing at the recovery of their 
goddess Freia, while from the depths below rose 
the sweet voices of the Rhine daughters, apostro- 
phizing the magpc " Rheingold " of which they had 
been robbed. The concluding trio of the nixies 
was very beautiful. The scenic effects were grand 
beyond description. There was no noise or delay 
in the changes of scene; everything worked like m 
charm. The lighting arrangements of the sti^;e 
were perfect. The curtain fell on the last scene at 
ten o'clock. The artists, one and all, acquitted 
themselves to the satisfaction of the maestro him- 
self, and Hans Richter deserves all praise for the 
admirable inanner in which he handled the .orches- 
tra and led his 120 instrumentalists safely through 
the intricacies of the score. The fallowing was tne 
cast : — 

Wotan, Franz Bets, Berlin ; Donner, Eugene 
Gura, Hamburg ; Froh, George linger, B-iireoth ; 
Loge, Henrich Vogl, Munich ; Alberich, Carl Hill, 
Sctiwerin ; Mime, Uarl Schlosser, Munich ; Fasolt, 
Albert Ellers, Coburg; Faffner, Franz von Reich- 
enburg. Frankfirt; Fricka, Frederike Griin, Co- 
burg ; Freia, Marie Haupt, Casset ; Erda. Lnise 
Lii'de, Darmstadt. Rhine daughters — VVoglinde, 
Lillie Lehmann, Berlin ; Flosshilde, Miuna Lam- 
mert, Berlin. 

Few will indulge in sleep to-night io Bayreuth 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OP MUSIC. 



until N vtrv lite hnur, at leiut. u all are dlHcnnln^ 
the aTunt ot th> day mnd InJulgin^ In tufIoub thso- 
rlM *■ to the other portion! of the Rreit music 
dram*. Thf introductnry work, " Rhelnirold." ha* 
rasde a profonnil impreMinn, aven on llioas who 
came witli prpjiidicea against Wai^nar and hla 
work*. The perturmance was a revelation In opera. 
the tarnln^ point, perhaps. In the hiator; ol the 
lyric itage. 



[From the New Toik Trtbtma] 

B«T»UTn, Banrla, Aoic. 14, I87S. 

The performance here Uvday of " Tha Walkyrie," 
the aeconi) opera In the drama of " The Rina of the 
Nibiune,' becan In the afternoon at 4 o'clnck and 
ended at 7: SO. with an inlcrval <if an hour between 
the acta. A great impresilon had been made on the 
day brfore by the proloeiie, " The Rheingold." but 
It was Burpaa'sed In the efTect of what haa been aeen 
t(i-dar. The frienda of the new school of mualo. of 
which Wai^ner la the dUtinguiahed repreientative. 
were jubilant beyond meaaure when the firat act 
waa produced, wTiich made an impreaalon profound 
and Terj general th roughcnt the crowded theatre. 
At the clone of the opera, when tha entire back- 
fCTound of tlie ataRe waa filled with a aaa nf Ice the 
apeetacle waa wonderful beyond worda to drscriba 
it. li waa impoRttbla Co reetrain the enthaaiaam of 
the aadienoe, and alorms of applnnae freqn(nt!y 
broke In upon the actinia *o that it waa Interrupted. 
■nd.effiirts were made to restrain the ardor of the 
uaembled adruirera of the g^reat drama. 

At the end of the acta the leading performara 
were called for amid hearty cheering, and though 
aaveral anch elTorta were made, none of tham ap- 
peared to gratify these deslrea. The reason for an 
declining was explained by Herr Wagner and the 
leading arllata, who aaid that an (ppearance before 
the curtain would tend to violate the unity of Iha 
representation. The Emperor William, aeveral of 
the nobility, nearly all the KTeal masicUna of Ger- 
many and France, and diatinguiahed dtliena and 
critica from Tarloua parts nf Europe and America 
were present aa on tba day before. The Emperor 
remained through the whole performance of the 
opera, and when entering and leaving the royal box 
waa greeted with loud cheers. When tha day's fea- 
tlral had eloaed be went to Babelsberg. 

[From tbe New Tork Tlmss]. 

B*TBECTH, Bavaria, Anp. 14. 
The interest in the extraordinary muaicsl featival 
■t present In progreia in thla little Bavarian town 
conllnaea to inereaae, " Die WalkHre," the first 
division of tbe great trilogy, waa performed to night, 
and made a much stronger impreaiinn than last 
night's rendering of " Das Rhelngold.' which waa 
reganled merely aa a prelude to the tiiree more im- 
portant of the citmposer'a works. It must be sd- 
miltvd at once that the dramatic interest and effrct 
of "Die WaikBre" are very powerful. Thelaatact 
is exceedingly melodiona and pathetic, and the pub- 
lic were unuanally moved by Its tuneful membera. 
The orcbeatratlon haa seldom if ever been equalled, 
and displayed marvelous solidity and vividneaa. 
The score Is generally richer, beeanae of the nurm. 
bU at Ita membera. Thereisan admirable love duet 
in the first act, witl, a trind peroration, where 
SUgmaMt draws the charmed sword from the tree. 
There is also a dainty lore song, and other highly 
pictorial scenic Incidents greatly Increase the gen- 
eral effect The music of tha second act, however. 
ta generally tirssoms. There ia a duet between 
Wotait and Frita, but tbe scene where Suffmimd 
bears in Sitgdindt is fiill of beautifully tuneful pas- 
sages and most tnuuhing melodies, while the com- 
bat between Handitig and Sitgrnimd, ended by Wo- 
laa'* ioterfereDee. forms a powerful and vigorous 
climax. The third act la wholly fine, opening wilb 
the celebrated " ride of the Walkyrlea," the effect 



8itgtiindit confession of love for SiegrnunJ, which ! 
delightfully rich and meledinus, the orchestral por- 
tion oS the senre being notably sweet and Rusnt, and 



ting termination to the grand mnsic which preeedei 



IL The subsequent act U exceedingly Uno. tlie mu- 
sic bein^ remarkablv realUtic, and at Ihe sametimo 
trnlv Wagnerian, aiid Imparting startllne force to 
the play ol the flames abnnl the rock where the 
slumbering Walkyrius recline. 

The representation was exceedinglv good, the 
honors being divide.! between Mme. Materna. aa 
BrMFinAifA-, and Herr Niemann— who is not what 
he was In the days of hia patron. Ring George of 
Bsnnver — grew hoarse during the perforraance. 
Herr Niemann's declamation in thi flrat act was 
notably artistic and feeling. Mme. Materna'a rich 
and powerful voice never once failed, in apite of the 
tremendona strain upon her organ necessary to pro- 
dace tbe hlich notes of ^runiiAiUe's music. Herr 
Beti, as Wotan. must bs mentioned with the fore- 
going aa having acquitted himself with much credit 
The grand voices of those three aingera combine the 
peculiarltiea of Wagner's text with Infini-^ skill, 
their delivery of the worda being as gratifving as 
were the beauty of their tones. Mile. Sche^iky, as 
SififtliiuU, displayed a light voice, but sang and 
acted with deep feeling and appreciation. In the 
parta remaining, the aoinewhat thanklesi charactora, 
all had competent repreeentatives. The orchestra 
was Faultless in every respect. The addition of an 
organ atrengthena the bass passages, and produces 
an extraordinary effect. 

The scenery waa capital, and had anch manage- 
ment aa Is aefdom witnessed, the liglit clouds pro- 
ducing continual changes; ever in accord with the 
incidents of thp plot of the opera. The dissolving 
views of the Walhyries were not very aucceSBfiil, 
and left much to be desired. The fire scene was 
more satisfactory to the spect^ators. but the resourcea 
of the immense itHge of thsBaireuth Theatre, would 
have admitted of a far grander and more ImpreMive 
picture. At the close of the opera the scenic effect, 
when the entire background of the stage was filled 
with a aea of Ice, waa wonderful. 

The audience was Identii-Jil with that which wit- 
nessed the performance of " Das Rhelngold " on 
Sunday ulght. One aponUneous out-burst of the 
moat hearty enthusiasm on the part of the auem- 
blaga over one of Mme. Hatcrna'a most splendid ef- 
Forta was promptly repressed by the watchful at- 
tendants. There was unanlmons applause at the 
end of the eeveral acta, but It was not eontlnuoue, 
Herr Wagner having Isaned printed reqnefts, which 
were liberally distributed about the house, not to 
recall the artists, nor himself, because such Inter- 
ruptions served only to mar tlie unity ot the repre- 
sentation. 

The work of the opera commenced at 4 : 80 In tbe 
alternoun, and terminated at about 10 o'clock in the 
evening, including two intermiasiona of forty min- 
ulin each. The spectators were well pleased with 
the efforts of both composer and artists, but made 
loud compialntaofthe Intense heat In the theatre. 
The great distance from the town over a dusty road, 
with no shade, and no restaurant accommodations, 
also caused much discomfnrL The discontent In 
these regards is dally Increasing. F.A.S. 

TBIBD DAT, AUOITBT 16. 
tFiom the Tribune.] 
BATHmrn, Bavarda, Wertnesd^, Ani[. 10, ISTB. 

^ of Herr BMi's UinM, which whs seri- 
lih hoaiseneaa, rendered II BO. He per- 
• "-— ud great care was 

rmed lo-ds; with 

t^boure, Inclndlnt Inlermlsslona each of an hour's 
duration and occurrtngbetweei - - ■ ■ - 

sscoiid and third acre, ~ 
Walkfren" on UondBT I 

Inve Bceua between Slegmund and siei1lu%' 

closing ipecurle of "Tbe Rldeof the WslkTren." with 
Its will] melodies and wetrd shapea, seemed to have 
attnlned tbe fa1|^hest point possible. 

The equal of those efltacts was hardly expected todaj. 
Bat [he enthusiasm seemed nonetheless. PnrhapB the 
ImmedUUelr fotlowlng the death ot the draeou 
.. . .»„.... 1. _ ited Siegfried. 



The brUllani scenes in "Tbe 
reach the extent of 
which greeted the 



raf ner was 
bl^^of 






louse, was received with creat applsuse. The >i 
mnrtitslon was reserved for the last moment, wl 
vouni man met Wotan at the Ifttle hillock, br 
javelFn, paaaed tbroDEh tbe flame, and awakei 
beaDtltDl Brmhlld, who became bla bride. T„<i .v.. 
songs tliej sani and the ac«imp.njln|r ataue deoorttlon 
afforded greardellalit. and produced a most slriklnK 
airect. Amonic tbe dlstinenlabed nersoni present to-alEht 
was tbe Austrian Prima^lulBter. Count Andrassy. To- 



entitled "Tbe TwJIiht or tbe Oods." 



[Special Despatcb to tbe N. T. Times.] 

BATBEUXa, Bavaila, AngnaE It, 

The partial recovery at Hen Beta, tlie lepreaentatlve 
t Wotan, jwrmttied the continuation al the Rreat 
nusical festival this evenine. The Interest In Ihcperfor- 

e to wblch "e .lattors are 



loee'llngljr te 



_ jwakenli_ 

voices with tilrd BonBa responsive to Slechied's appeal . 
This effect Is uniMTilleled In freahnesa and loveUness 

dl''v°dedbemeen'wo^''s scene wIc'lferdauidBlnrMed-s 
dlscovei; of Brilnnhllde. Tbe rich erave strains were 
exceedingly Impressive, but tbe itrangtb and culminat- 
ing force tit the act 1,1 In the flnal duel. Tbia has (treat 
mclndinusners and vlcor. iltbongh It must be noted as 
somewhat pro trade if and spMmodle, anil the voices 
Id tbe JinruA do not hannoulEe lit Eh* hwmai^ HiM- 

Erme''.'^Uatcfna° who^^splen'dld 

remark. Is deficient In finish. Re lacks ttieclciir ela«ntldn 
of Herr Niemann wbo represented Slegmnnd In the 
ICaltllrs on Monday aijrht, and bla notes were vctt false 
towardtfae close, his voice breaking badly. Hsrrdchlos- 



ipeclij triumph for 
iBfrTedTfara obriged I 



ilarty V 



me.IaldeasBrIa, 
euhenc as Fafner 
jrlhy or nralae. 
waa wrfecE, and 



playing tbrmigb tbe foliage produced the most exqnIaEte 
astalls of ll^t and shade. Tba closing scene of the 
opera, where BrUnnbllde is aroused from sleep on the 
Rery rock, made a striking effect. 

The representation commenced at 4,111 P.lf., and ended 
atsaa, with two Intermissions of thlitj-flve minutes 



[Prom the Trlbone.] 
BirBKurn, Bavaria, Tbundar. A 
Tlw first series of Wagner perrormanoes, 
' ' night w— -- 



ealled "Ootlerdammt 



THE WAONSS HAKQUET. CLOBHIQ eCXHEI. 
[By Telegraph to N, Y. Times.] 

BjvTBBUTa. Atg. IB. 

The Wanner banquet tOHjay waaasplendid anilr.hotb 
in point of nnmhen and In the character of tbe guests. 
Ho fewer than KM people were'presenc, 

Herr Wagner made a Ions speech, explanatory of bla 
words nitered during the festival prevlons to this evrn- 
intc- Tbe remarks ttien Indulged In meant only that. 
France and Italy having operas of their own, Oermanv 
wished that she l»o eonid now have a new Ijrlc and 
dramatic art. He then thanked the artlata. lo whom all 
were Indebted. HealBothanked the people o( Flayrenth. 
who bad helped hlmsomueb.and shown so mnch Interest 
in bis work. He next expreasedlnwarnrtemishlsKrat- 
Itude to tbe Uansfine Committee, and said to them his 
success waa largely due. 

As he finished, the guesU and the public ontalde of the 
ball applanded u the ectio, and cried, **Hoch I Uoeb I 
Hochl Wagner," In ttas nsual demonatr*tlrs way. 
Wagner was then escorted ationt tbs ball, the guesta 
rlalni and talutlni blm aa be passed. Kme. Lucca and 
Ms wife were with Mm Attheendof bla walk his Milan 

fanrBl leaves on his head. The oamposcr was deeply 
touched, and made a sCftond speech expressive of tbe 

K' Lt liTnirijfislijii whli-hllii- restivai had produced on him. 
-"'■''- I <" I. : i U-'i' :.. made a most happy address. 

Wtf".' ..i-.^r-i'iiu-r.rn 'iirs also cxlonded to Wagner 
1)1 \ <[< ll.>:i-t .<;;.! M .\]ii^anyl. Then Wacner paid a 
gf.i.ij,i.M. l.iji.-i..U-rr l,iMt,hlsoldfnend and teacher, 

bt-'n ti'nr.i Cr lurii Tlie venerable LIsit rose and 



[II 



ing to Wagner, 



eedinely unique 
ity and good ha- 



294 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, SEPT. 2, 1876. 



Mmioal Critioiim. 

(Trom Ihe Allutlo UDDCtalj.) 
AitbsnmlTlntemicntanddi? critic nfMD filli t 

T*en|cnlMM««itlslbeiiii-<— ■ • •■— 

an«Bwntlal Imperfaettoi 
mliUihi thcM T~ * 



ufs: " UDQaectlnaaMr eorapoMn Mnnot ba Indlff I 
u to th« iiMi>in«r <d whlcb tbelr vorka an prtwintod to 
the pnblls, ilDOa the Ultar esa muilfenlji moelTe a cor- 
tect tinpreaalon ot a nampoaltloB only train * good per- 
[onoanee." The lait part at tbti ftatement la doubly 
tnn wben tlw tanlta In a b»d perfoniUDM arlsa 
from a mlaconoeptioD of tbe compoaor's Meai ■ 
from any techotol Bxecatlra ahortoomlng on the part 
of lbs perfonnera; tn whisb oaae the " iBlalllttent pab- 
llo " ii oanally t«o prone to charge the composer 
mneleal plaUtode* nhlch arc wholly dne to tbe aai 
iDoompetenee of tlte Interpreter. Indeed. It reqali 
expert of so eommos decree of crIticiU aeamen t 
be upon tbe r1|cbt 



ty, yetwhntan aatonndlnaly rare pbenomeDon he 1*1 
It In hia abwDce, tin Kralghltorward, boneit man at 
»a pMsable aiUietJe light* may da moob. if tie wtll 
ily Tn-.ii.Mly conippl hlniMlt with Mylnc w^it ba 

1' iipver fors«t what'a oomblnatlon of i|ii:iIiM>'e It 
I--- lo nnnbleaman to pane JadffmPnl aub>'^r:itli'ii[ 
or. n npw work; let falm flnt ten falmaer, hel«T< 
niuri'i ladeolarethliKOod and thnt bad. Vp'm 1 
Ik Ii', we tblnk that iDflalonlably more hami ni'L) i 
ijii' trv inl-'placad blame than ^ty mlatdaoed prAi^i- 
» w<>rk that (a damned at the oncaetby the 'vt:»[,ir 
•^IiirHdf ttaepen" Tua but a Eloomy fntarf bcfi^r*- 
liTPM tbeoompoaitlonlh»the(rlnnfiy«hlnlne witliil 
.irl"ii-i liiatre ef nmleaerreil nralae Bcqairps ihrrihi 
■iiiiiri.-ncelhMexpoeej iltatheacnitlny of eifrv i.n 
■ ■■in.tpr whether It ererixwurted io»nmaniltii« ili 
' TM II If ten en- In demanding inn mncta at a rumft. 



That 



1 GTitlO It 



nable raqnirement both of tbe » 
poeer and pobllc. It may well be queatlooed w 
any one bnt a uadelaii can be as adeqbaM ]iida 
eompoiltion, eren under tbe m 



ITOOld 



llnltlon < 



J Incline 



Ltelllgent 
practliied organ*," too narrow, cannot deny that I 
^lma/fK<i tbe beat Jad(e of matter* that ooms 
wltbln hi* own depanmeot of knowledge. There are 
men who — thongb foreign to tha practice, and only 
allghUy Teraad tn the theory of mualo— baTa edooaled 
their natural gift*, by long familiarity with One mnaic, 
to a pitch that will authorlM thtm lo contldeT tbelrown 
opinion of Kline ralne in ea<e* nbate they really bear a 
ww^ adeqnately perfomwd. Bat the man who, witlt- 
oat being a moalclan blnuelf, can dlactlmFnate between 
a poor oompoaltlon and a poor performance, la a anlB- 
clantly nro oslt to be looked upon rather a* a monatnw- 
Ity tban a normal homao IndiTldual. We know that 
(ome "knlgbta of the pigtail," who look opon mnaic 
merely a* th* traniubataolliiion of a eotieotlon of bUek 
dot*, metronome mark*, and lullan abbreviation* into 
correapondlng aogndi, will aay, on the other band, that 
a aaperb perf ormanoe will often make a coraparatlTely 
worlblea* Donpoaliion appeat of greater lalne than It 
actnally la. But ttal* la not true ; It !■ both pbyitcally 
and metaphyileaUy Imponlhl*. Kothing can oome of 
nothing i no peiformer, were be thrice a Liait and a ma- 
gician to boot, can get more out of a oompoattlon than 
Ilea In it. It 1* monitroualy nntne that the more awell- 
lag and dlmlniabing lonca. whlcb are exactly enoagb 
Inilleated by the cngrarad notra and expraaiion-marka, 
ooniUtota mode. Tbey are no more moalo than the ma- 
ohanlony correct ntteratHM of printed word* and ten- 
tence* la bnman apeech. Tbey ate bnt tbe fleah, bone, 
BTid grliUe of ranilc, bat no mar* raa*la Itielf than the 
cerebral hetalapbere* are the human aoul. They are, so 
tiipeak, themerephyiloalorguiBDr maalc, that appeal 
t> oar unae*, tkroogb wtalah tbe eaaence of made ap- 
peal* to onr aiMil*. JItj, we would even aay that, tai * 
osrtain high BMiaa, that la Ihe graateat and highaet ms- 
■lo which DMMt dopenda npon a One parformutce forln 
aleqnate reallaatlon, not the wont and lowest. U It 
tike* a Ton Bnalow to ahow n* that LUit'a Rlcordauia 
b not wholly worthle**, what a verily Titanla playai 
would it not take to reraal to u all the height* and 
depth* of Beethoven's Opna 106 Sonata T There la, to be 
(are, aniBde*tiuctlble*«inetblngtn tbe blgbeat mnaic 
that avan a poor perfonnanoe, let it twlit and diatort It 
aa It nay. cannot entirely mai. But let ua not IDranHi- 
nant imagine that beoaoM we enjoy ao Inideqaale per- 
fiirnunce of a high wotfe more tlkan a peifeat pflrform- 
■neeof Blowone, we (herefote have graapad the high 
work in all IM glorlon* parfeoUon; wa have OMigbt only 
tar-oft gUmpee* oC tbe wonderful thing. It I* ooncelTa- 
bte bow quick and scute the Intelllgenea ouut b* that 
gao, at the &nt or aecond hearing of a compoaillaD, 
pietse through the diitortlog medium of an laadequta 
performaBoa, andgraapthe high poealbilltlaa that acta- 
ally U* Inlhe mnaic itaelf . Sneb critical Inaigbt I* to b* 
aoquirad only by long taobnloal mental drill, added to 
great general nilbeHc onltnre. A natarali Intrlnalo os- 
padly la, of coanc, preanppoMd. Thia brlnga n* direct- 
ly to our point. If the mmlcal critic doe* not pOB*ea* 
tbiitkciilty In an eminent degree, by what right doeabe 
pnaume to eaconnter thl* truth-aeaklng world with hi* 



Tery Ihr«*holdof pllh]le^H-o-' 
■— ••-ven merellstoly flimc 
of bring al«ay«Tltiiiii< 
ibleklndofcrfttclim b 



leSchnm: 






le Parthenon caaia^ 
y, Onr nijoymt 






ny, Unl OlTmpliin Lumenlo e Trlonto, brgrnrtirB Lliil'a 
Taaso It* chlvalrlc brilliancy? I* Tachalkowikl'* Con- 
certo any the leaa vlforona, becauae Beethoven'* great 
K-flat Btanda nnai-proached? Let this sort of orlticlan 
atop, that tbe world may aec more clearly what li to be 

dry " critltr, with the brain 
I SDiil of a enat, who hia 
choola lo t& own oonfu- 
aton, and woDia measure mnaic with fal* contrapuntal 
fnol-rule, (a Indeed an Iryltallng mortal, bnt don com- 
paratively llttlebarm. Belnghlmaelf merely a thinking 
inacblnr,be ran never apeak a vital word; he can pnl 
two and two tecetherandmakeadeafflnlngcackleabont 
having batcbed^four.bnt beyond thl* he «an hardly add 
lo the aieek of the world'* experience. But the nntn- 
tored " ealhoalaat," who*e ewelliiig •onl apara* all 
earthly abackl**, wim, witbont betog able to leoegnlas 
*a mncb a* a cnas-relation wben he aeea It, much lea* 
when he bears It. aoara bllaafnlty about hi the rulma of 
high art, hero-wonhip, and the sublime and beaulllnl In 
general, launching Ihonrier-bolU with one band and 

nunner: A< will aver mnalu an Inexplicable aatonlab. 
ment to tbe thlnklns observer. When the hnman mind, 
trom among Ita virion* pOHlMlltle* of prncfese.chooee* 
tbe direction of doing what it know* sothlng aboot, be 
it tbe baildlDE of montuMut* or the writing of review*, 
there I* no telling what anbllme beigbla of bewilder- 
ment It may not reach. To read some of tlieee naen** 
writing*, one woold think that, Ilka Paraoel*a* Hoann. 
coll, " by art they receive their Ufa, by art they teoelve 

!^7_'..^_''a^P_"*.v5""''''°'' t>r u* ■" t>"r <wm: 



-if any lABdmark lava their o 

.lotlca within what a *mall d 

of thalT own tonataDea eonlnaa thair ooui 
M ualeal ortBo^ Ihantore, may well b 

''' — ' '-rk at tha flrat liearlog. alui|ij* ukhi*q 

, ., ^._ nothhigof It. Tbe very (hot that wa do 

not imdatatand a thing oagH to make a* Umld in ciltl- 
-"-■-T U; for wbM bafUia moat oatmitrnl noii*eM«aw> 

<tfdl*e<i*Mngwliatwedouotaomprehandr Snap- 

Jndnaant ha* a goed many (ins to anawer tor. M the 
M*£ wa Boae of o* know a eompodUoa a* well a* tbe 
eampoaer himadf , iaaat of all at tha Bnt bearing. Tlr- 
gii'* Aneid I*, a* we all know, diyenoughraadingwlien 
oooeby ttiaaldet Bdicttoaary andgraiBmar; ao let ua 
'~^ feel raaeoBBUy at home la K eompoaltkin baton wa 
_■ — .. •. .. — -{i, certainly before 



weaayanylhlncM 


j;',tTt7"- '- 


fbijK' 


Journal of jSl'ii^' 


BOBTOI 


, SEPT. a, I87S. 



Th« NibeliuiffMi TtIIoct. 

Tba Bajrentb FecUval ia over. Thrioa bu the 
Trilogy with Frslnda been parfenned, and Wag- 
ner"* Ideal theory " matortalliad.' Of tbe first 
mand of reprasantatlona, thanks to Ihe enlarprlee 
or tha Sew Yoch preu, wo have had daily rather 
full report* by Cable telegraph, ao that we read at 
brsskhst the next mam<ni( oF the ecstscie* experi- 
enced away ofTiii the middle orQermany the even- 
ing baFore. Indeed the looit remarkable thing 
about the whole event so far seem* to contl^ lathe 



importance ^van it by newepapers and Id tha e 
traordinary amoant of enthnaiaam transmiltrd 
through the Ocean wires by half a doien of their 
reporter*. Thess l^orts (with the exception of s 
few mislaid) we have bronght together Tor cnnvent- 
ent reFerence brreafter. Probably we ahall not be- 
gin lo icet the more dellbrrate and critlrsl revtewe. 
not only by r-porters but by high musical authori- 
obUI snme short time after th* whole festival 1* 
over, and the Bayreath theatre — giine np pprhap* 
In general OSUtrrUniniirtHtg, and crack of doom- — 
Meanwhile, very briefly, what can we gnlher fmm 
these hasty taleftrama of first impresainna T 

First, ■■ we have *ald befoiv. that tlie a»m''>n, 
a* tnoh, prodnced a great aenaatlnn ; that an andi- 
enca, aneh aa baa arldom or never bren aaipmblnl, 
was beride itself with enthusiaam ; from which the 
reporter* rn*hcd lo tha enncin*ioD that the aoeei'S* 
of Wsgnerlsm la "final and complete t' 

Next they talk more of tha show, the wnnderftil 
soenas and transformaUon* than oF the niaKic, nni j 
remenihering occasionally to aay that this was fine, 
w»* wonderful, tha like whereoF waa never heard. 
So br then a* deacHbed, what U thl* Kibelungrn 
play bnt Helodramatic spectacle on a vaot arale, 
with grandiose plot, and an extremely brlllisnt, ef- 
fective orchpBlral soeompanlment, the audlunce 
(sprcUtors) tilting " In tbe dark ' before Ihemigbly 
magi a lantern T 

Than wa gather, that tlie Hnridan of the Tnlnre 
finds hi^ best naa For mnaic ss s ranninff aeeompsn- 
meat to plots and characters (1) aof tmuii. bat 
mythological and «h*d<iwy, and nn-moral, not to 
say Immoral. The Grevk mytboioey, gnds. demi- 
gods and hsroes, Is esssnlially himaH, and an lend* 
ItselF more nstanilly to opera, to miaie, which la 
also human ; and to the natural derrlnpment of 
mnsie Into forma, melodic, polyphonic, free, arlai", 
choruses, concerted piece*, eto. Can any one sr*i- 
ly believs that an audience can resPly be inr«resl«d 
In the Nibdangen plot as aach T Surely it ia con- 
Aiaad and tcdions reading; aa apectacie (with all 
tha Bayreuth conditions) it may be very well and 
quits engrossing to the rhlld-llke fancy : but hsa It 
meaning? hss it human ialerentT d<»s it Inuch 
deep emotions, ihe vary end hnd aim nF music T or 
any emotion at all, save that oF wonder t Think oF 
• huge dragon ainging, or declaiming rrtftrnfim, by 
means of a man oonoealed within with a speaking 
trumpet I Stegfrlpd. to be sura. Is hpmtc and su- 
premely bnva and strong, and so tkr human ; lint 
ha Is Invincible by msgic spell ; he gnp* through 
fire and wins Bmnhllde only through the magie 
ring. fThe young ooaple of Inltiataa in the Za-ttr- 
filU do It by their own yirtna)- But Bronhllde. 
the Walkyrie ra^den, Odia'a favorite daughter, en 
noble and self-sacrificing, and «o wronged T— Ihers 
indeed is ons that does appeal to hnmsn srmpath- 
iea, a figure in some sense enblime, — sntireiy so In 
tha oonclndlng scene, whrr* *he, sseending in ths 
al flame*, pronounces ths doom snd finsl down- 
faU of the god* and their Wslhalla. Bnt whether 
the whola plot, by any Inward logic, tend* to this, 
ind whether It have any such significance regarding 
lumsn destiny and Freedom, as one of Wagner'* 
:hlef expoanden(ilnirner) has suggeeted. Is lomt^ 
thing about which we nrs by oomaan* clear. How 
the burning up uf Wutau and his crew gsve liberty 
in we eaoDot see, coniidering that " the curse 
oT foU," that blight of gods, seems to have been 
man'* chief InheritanCB From all that t 

Now ns lo ths music, It is Opera (or Opera's sue. 
ceasor and "liigher deceliipmenl'^ without Arias, 
or choruses, or any oF the old melodic fiH-ms. There 
ie nothing but rtciiative, one only speaking at a 
time.^Kir rather a sort of ronlinuims munlciil recit- 
al. deelamaUon, which never comes round into it- 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, SEPT. 2, 1876. 



•elf Uti« u) air or ndod;, bat keeps formleeily and 
tmndy on, ■ ilij^htl; mnriol modtflotion of mare 
UlklDg. and which Wegner therefore call* JMm or 
" Infintta melody* (rather eaylDd«Sntte). To f^ve 
It any mnstcal coDiUteney and oharm, th« orcbee 
tra aMtunea the who1« harden of the poetic plot and 
rabject, and the mdtln^ pennna merely point out 
and explain the iDceeulve phieea In the moving 
diorama. And why no Aria ! Becaneeltta Onnat- 
oral — from a proaalc. literal point of Tlew — to ana- 
pend Uw action of the play while ope U aioKlng; 
tbroDgh hia melody, benaee It vIolalM dramatic 
tnith. Vo donbt tbi> la oftan carried to an abenrd 
degr«e In tbe old opvraa; bat not alwaya. Is there 
no dramatic ^nth, no trna and IndlTldoal eharac- 
terliaUoii Is .Dm Aait and fiiUto f Do we not 
know Donna Anna more lotlfflately for the arlu 
aha rings t And when it eomaa to the ooncarted 
plecea, the trioa and qnarteti, does not mnrio here 
llUittralo one of Ita cbM advantagea o*er apokrn 
dialogue. In that it preaento tn yon at one and the 
same moment several IndWidaaliilo, together mak- 
loK Dp inrlndioDii harmony, and rpodrrin); each 
character trnnfparfnl, bo that you (eel irluU lAty art, 
and care roorn for that than fur what th«y aay or 
doT And how UDi^akablj the Aria, or the trio, 
not abnaed, but wisely nsed, nontribntea la that 
bumbf of the Artwork, which seema to be a very 
aKnnd:<ry cnncrrn with Wairncr! — And why i>hould 
a fine Chomt conflict with dramatic truth T Noth- 
ing throws more life and freahneis into a long muii- 
ooJramatic perfurmancc, and there are plenty nf oc- 
casions lor tatrodDoing them nstnrally Into any plot. 
» part ofthe plot. Why may not pca)>anti. soldiers. 
■tadenta. water. >pirit9, fairies riaa toerther by at 
good rmuon as the scene ia painted out befure the 

That Wagner will exert a powerful Inflnence lo 
reform many of tb> obuaes of the old Italian Opera, 
wa e«a raadUy believe. He Is Calling attention to 
the Importance <4 Ideal consistency, of dramatic 
truth, of aignificsnt and really poetical llbnttoa, In 
place of the triviality and nonaense wlilcb have 
been so common In operas chiefly writlen to dta- 
plaj the prima donnas and tenorce. But thia la 
nothing new ; Oinck did tbe same, and much more 
roodesdy; nor can we ace that It requirea a com- 
plete revolution of oar whole theory of the rela- 
tione between poetry and music lo effect thla. 

We have only room for bintr. Time only can 
decide the fall intrluilr worth and power of Wag- 
nerinn. To Judge from these Cable rhapaodiea, It 
la all over with tha old art of Music which haa mln 
iaterad aoaweetly and ao deeply to our souls. That 
lithe divine Art no longer. Bach and Handel. 
Ifourt and Beethoven, and all that sat upou hlt[h 
thrones, an supereeded, hnrted lllcfl Saturn down 
into andleaa night, to make way fur this terribla 
Jupiter, this KIbelungen cloud-corn pelling Wagner. 
Tet we dare believe, upon the other hand, that musi- 
cal huEsaulty will sUU ball with more delight than 
ever " the large utterance of the elder gods." 

Tni TnoHia OacnanaA. We alluded In our last 
to tbe current reports uf the dlsbaodlngof this mod- 
el crchaatra an well known throughout the length 
and brradth of the land. But hardly had onr paper 
gone to preaa when the following announcement ap. 
Md editorially in the New Tork 7riiiDu (Aag. 
18): 

We art anthorlied to contradict the statement 
that the disco ntlnoanoi of the concerts In PhilHdel- 
phla and the temporary breaking up of tbe orcliea- 
tra win be allowed to interfere with Theodore 
Thomas's work during the coming Winter. This 
annonuoement will be greeted with unfeigned pleaa. 
by all lovera of good mnsic throughout the 



country. Mr. Thomaa haa befn at work alifloat un- 
remittingly for more than ten years, and hia labors, 
which have been of tha most eibauating characlcr. 
as well as the worry and aniiety neceaaarlly Inci. 
dent lo such an undertakinir aa hia, mn<t have gnne 
far toward wearlnif out hi' strength. Aftrr a much 
needed rest, which he has thoroughly earned, bu 
will reaume hia work with renewed vigor. He haa 
not vet announced what are to be hia (.lana (hr the 
coming campaign, but we may preaume that he will 
ointlnne hi* flymphony ConcFrta here. They can- 
not be apared. nn matter what may be the achleve- 
menU of the Phiiharraonle Society under its new 
direction, and Ur. Thomsa may feel aaanred of the 
anpport of the public and of the preaa, ahould he de- 
cide to rsanma them. We cannot have too much 
good music, and we have had altogether too iilLie. 
Beeldes. both societies are sure to be benefited -by a 
llttlfl healthy competition, which wilt keep them 
from atagnaling and Inaure to the public an oppoi- 
tanlty of hearing the beat new works of contempo- 
rary oompoeers. Perhaps, too, Hr. Thomas may 
not confine his oonoerta to thla city, hut may play 
in. others In which he can feel aura of adequate eup- 
pnrt. It ia a sreat misfortune. Indeed a great dia- 
grace. that New Tork. which ought t.i be tbe chief 
scene of hi" lab'>ra. haa not provided him with a 

E roper hall In which u> play, that we mii;ht have 
im irllh ns Ihmnshnut the year. His Symphony 
Concerts are admirable, ao far as they go. but there 
is much to be done in other directions. There la an 
Immenaa amoont of that charming class of c<iinpo*l- 
tiiins, chamber music, whlcli la for our audiences 
allngether a terra IncoKnita. and there can Ira no 
m"i* eiim|ictent Interpreter "f theae worltB thnn 
Thomas. It may b<' ticcanae of the dullneu of huai- 
oesa and tbe nriiveraai feeling of poverty that no 
one aiwma to com* forward to the support of the 



ime let Tliomaa have aii 
erta he la able to elve, tl 
eapair and go <iut of tlis 



1 the n 



antry. 



This will be g'Hid newa to moaic li.rers every- 
where 1 at lenat Philadelphia and our own city are 
promised some share of the pleaaura, according to a 
farther " aulhuriied " atalemont in tha OattUe 
(Ang. M) : 

Mr. Thomas will reorganlae hia orcheatra, and 



tbe ladlea of the Centennial Commlttoe, at the Acad- 
emy of Unaie. This festival will continue for aome 
tea or twelve days, and it Is Intended that It shall 
be worthy the year it la meant to oommemnrale. 
Hr. M. W. Whitney, and Mad. Uadelinii Schiller 
have already \ma engaged. After this. Mr. Thom- 
aa will go to New Tork with hia new orchestra and 
give a aeriea of aymphony concerta there- He will 
appear la Boston and give another series between 
the 111b and letli of December- 

LaUr. The Advortlaor of Monday haa the (bl- 

In reorganising his orchestra, Theodore Thomas 
will not reduce It In number, and will retain nearlv 
nil of the performers wlio have hitherto bei^n with 
him. Hia firat perrormancea will be given at the 
Academy ofUusIc, Philadelphia, under the auaplcea 
oflhelsdiea' Centennial committee, from the 20th 
to the 30th of September. He will appear In Boe- 
ton November 18, IG, 17 and 18,— the last dale to 
be a uiatln^, — for symphony and popular concurta. 
For these a subscription list will be ahortiy opened 
at Music ball. Mr. Thomaa will not give any aeries 
of aymphony concerta in Boston this veaiion. and 
the dat^B mentioned are the only onea upon which 
he will he heard here. 



School of Tooal Art in FhlUdoIpUa. 

WeoontlnaetorecelTe excellent report of pniress 
from tfalB iDStttnUon, founded hardly two yeaia ago, and 
cbleflr DironKti the insplrallon and tbe eneinr at that 
dLatlnguUbed vucal teacher, Mine. BibhaBbil is, whose 
remarkable and verr original treatlaea on " The Voice 
in Slnglnf" and "Tbe Voice In Spaakloic" mnit be fa- 
milial to ininjrarouT reader*. ThadealgDorUilsBcboa], 
aa stated in tbe original proapectna la " lo provide tbe 
maana f or a tborough vocal training, tuaed on XiM atd 
luUan maihod ; so tliat all wbo wlah to fit themselves 
lor tbe prolesalon ol either Teuher or Artlat can do BO 
In this country, and with moderate expenaa." The alms 



and plan of the School are more fully azplalsed In am- 
cwii drcnlar (July, IRTS) ; 

Aa tbe promlaent object of Ihta Bcbool la to train and 
eduEBte acbolan lo tie teadHTBlhay are expected totake 
the pmliinn of Aaalatanlaln tbe Si^oot as Soon as capa- 
ble, etrlng nnl mnre than six leasons each wedi. Tbey 
win thna have Itielr first experience of llielr profft sal onal 
dntlea under tbe Immediate snpervlslDn and advioe of 
the Prlndpal, and hating honorably paased throngh the 
ODuna of foar yean, always under Instruction, tbeywlll 
be famished with diplomaa to thai efrecl. No pnpfl can 
be eonaldered qualified or autborind to leaeh ootalile 
the Sohool, unless hSTtng anch diploma, or tn special 
caaea, permlaalon from the Principal. 

The claaoes In th- mitltaUon of the Voice, win con- 
alatof two anhnlnrn each, and there will be three iHSons 
per week, of on> hour raeh lo anch class. One-third of 
Iheae lesaona will be given by Mrs. X. Seller, Principal 

Scholan preparing to be Artists will not be reiiulrrd 

br !■!' " In Dm malic declamation. Style and Sipreaslon, 
a»i ' . . ' -"itlngof twoftcholan. 



t> \\n i-onAilcnre In performance, and that 

It, . .^ I' I' ,^ -' .t mityjiidi^ of their prrvreM. 

Inatruciion will be glvMi In ihe Ciiltiiai1"D of the 
Vnlce; 8tylB»nd Eipreaalon; Dr»m«tle DerlamaMon; 
Choral and Choir SinKlngi Piano for aceompnnlmenl; 
Harmony and Compoaltlon; Hialoty and .Ktthatlca of 
■ Pbyalology of the Vocal Or- 



e Italian 



1 Oerni 



'111 be taught by 
rnHU, Ur.n. A.Clarke Carl 
Cueala, and Ur FeH 



er, Mr. M. H. 
arl Rellar, V. D , K'ne <le la 

tmcted on the Piano by Hiss 

otion will eifnd ovw Four 



celvetheniplDinaoftheEbool. ° can re- 

Of course asrhoonikethls.lnwli1chall Ihe atncUea, 
wblle ihey rover a Inrfce part n( Ihe whole Aeld nf mnal- 

«1 coltnre.— of making tlnerrit and inie tenctwra nf 
BlnelnR,~doeB not compete na to the number of Its pn- 
pile with tbe great popnlar Conaervatorlca which count 
their hindreds and almost their thouannda. But the 
hope of Ita foundera haa an far been happily renllKed. 
B^nnlnit with » a- holara on the 4th of January, ISIS, II 

the close of the taat term In June. Thla n amber does 

Ij Id single blanches, of whom, there were thirty-live. 

minble, the pupUa aiudylnii eameatly and falthtally 
with a high artlBtic aim. 'They have Improved a Rt*at 



>e Seller) " Uian my priTaCe acbol- 



artoratorlo for their 


my whole energy to 
ad arilala and teach 


awantofgoodtlnR. 






ly be educated. That there la a w> 



singing." 

LrronnsLD, Cohh.— Here Is ibe proeramijie of a con- 
cert given by tha Ulcblleld Musical As.<K>c1atlon at 
Congregational Halt, on We^lneailay evening, July as. 
ne performers were: Dr. Wm. DemlnK, IM Flnlfa ; C. 
Demlnic. tad to. ; Dr. H. E. Oates, Vliila ; O. A. HIckox, 
Otito ; Julias Demln^, Ctoatrai«(» ; E W. Hufoy, Cbr- 
iul;andC. y. Danlela. Pbma/lirtr. apparently all ama- 
laum. and setting a good example to lovera nf classical 
music in other towns and eltles : 

Hondo from Trio, op, ST, Belsalxer. 

nano. Violin, Violoncello. 

Aadantlno from " Tront " QuInlFt, Schubert. 

Piano, VIoKn, Viola, Tello, Baaao. 

TloUnHolo, Hauaer. 

C. Demlng. 

fbiale from Trio, op, U MendelasahB. 

Piano. Violin. VIolancello. 

Andante from Trio. np. ids. KaR. 

l-laae. Violin. Violoncello. 

nnalefroaiSonau, op W. Hendelasohn. 

Piano. Violoncello. 

ComelSoIp, nth Air De Berlot. 

Mr. E. W. Meafoy. 

Quartel. on. IS neetboven. 

Piano, Violin, Viola, Violoncello. 



DWIGHT»S JOURNAL OP MUSIC. 



The Wagner Trilogy. 

(mwn Ihe Eienlng Ouette. Aug. M.) 
■m* reiHMts tlut 1»TB reached m trom Bnyrmilh re- 
^rdlDg the performBnce ol Wegners ' Ni(»luii|ti>n 
Blny" are oaturallj meagre and unsattafaclary. We 
hear TBTy little BlioQl tlie music. Bod ovemnicS about 
ttie inuinsfl entbuslasm of the audience and tlie Kor- 
[eonKaeHor the icenlc efteRta. The undertakluR baa 
apparently been a c'eal Hscceia, and has fully reallK»d 
me hnpeiotlta projector. Wagnei 



Hiscoml 



ilneil him 



berori 






eanliatlon. The flne-alrnne nervonareaaol aMoaartor 
the melancholy scK-abBorptlon of a Beethoven lonld 
not have fon«ht any inch battle. Ornlus of the hlitbeat 
order M retWnB, and nol assertive. It worka tor Ibe 
daj in which It lives, and, failing there, walta patiently 
(orpoalerliytodoitjusllce. ButWaenetwi 



path. He 



the mil measui 
Ins hie Eanntle 

his wny step b] 
movablynnni 






iB lite. I 



1 eojoy 
d, fllnf- 



tle ror his 

sup, wlU 



ivlng li 



his claim). 
WOIld at larite, In llie name of art. for tl 
bl« him lo full! tlliiJitrale hi* theories ot 
gpnerously i-eaponded, providing bim w 



established bis principles 

le lyric drama we do noil 
las worked a beneficial rel 



measure prevail ; t 
phase olhls art to 



voted hlB 1 



Ik for nothing bi 
unllty bul Wai:ni 
n-llhool eopj-lng 



y WaRner* are poMlLile, but the 
r only cornea once In an aRe. 
ool prevail, tlartng Its rcIgn we 



. There will b. 
'■'take, became the open 






thouRhlaof the composer. The music aimpiy acwm. 
uanles Ihc action and palnis It a> well a« It may. Thii 
1. .11 vp.v well In lu way, bul we muBt conCeaa we pre- 
i« ihlXpllclly ot «.e older method, where the- murt- 
Jhin is unable t* Hde to adml.atlon and to rtpuie o|»ii 
ih-Kioh nf ataxeuropertletitlliierlnB with dsiiiinfr no- 
irf ^6^ offiMnl*' and ■ Fidello'^' do not need thc»< 
r^unei^ Then««ipr1mltl^eu,roanai»ga wlU notde 

frSct from their proper P™»V'S-™i/^?C^lt ahSlf bJ 
indisneosable lo the music ol WMner that It shall b< 
i:,5e3tre'ery»te™alijdJu«t£splc^dorJ«^^^^^^^^^ 

5s.'s \ss^i:rhri;irt'™"«.t'T r^r biow^i^^^^ 
^Jr■«^'^tSX"t«5.ren?rhfp';".:s,^lrS;p!aT 



Plot of " The Twilight of the Qodi." 







misery to goi 

if ffleicfried, 



ande. The curaa of e< 






wblcb had brniiRhC 



ihlch encircled them. To then 

*BiTrhlldTennipturert iuh'tbe 

„ jltstohto care all the knowlodge 

jbe had derived Irom her mother Erda, (be AIl-wlH 
Goddess, and in so doing loaes It henielt. In return for 
this manirestatlon ot love, Hl^rled places (he Ring 
upon her hand M a token of eternal love and remem- 
bmnce. and depart* from the cave In which they dwell 
seeklnE for adventure on the earth. He arrives on the 
bauka of the Rhine at the castle of a powerful family 
named (ilhlubunjE, where he [orms (he aciiaala lance of 
three children of Che house, named i«apectlvely Ounler, 
Hagen, and Outrun, (he latter being a daughter. 

The evil genlDB of the house ie Rngen, the Issue of an 
Intrigue between the mother of the iSlblchunga and Al- 
berlc, Prince of Ihe Bwarfs-orlglnal poespjwir of the 
Ring and anlhor of the curse cant upon (t. Hai.-en knowa 
the Btnry of SleRtrled'e life, and la continually urged by 

lunft™ (a"xecnuPlt. Blaplan b> briefly Ibat Blegfried 
flhall marry Outrun, &nd Bfynhlld become the spoilt of 

■nd^sturef he la^U of wl^ s'ayinKS, md skilled ln"he 
art of preparing magic draughia. Ihe nn-nspecHni 
Slcprfrled drinks the potion and l>ecomei affected with 

nm friend. He has a golden helmet capable ot enabling 
lis owner la B.<Buine at will any shape he drslrea. The 
Glblchung children plot together. Gunter's bom t^ 
sounds from over the Khlne; he has been on a IHp of 
adventnre; heentershlsbomeanJH recHved with great 
Joy. Outrun aaaumea an appearance which greiily fw- 
clnatesthe young Siegfried; hia soul Is enrnpturedwlth 
her beiiuly. and be learns lo love her. Gunter tells the 
sinry of his adventurei ot how he ha. met Ihe beanllful 
Brjnhlld and longa to make bet his wife. That name 
has no sound ot music, nnawakenlng powerlo the mem. 
oiy ot Siegfried, and out ot hl> cener" - •- — ■ "- - — 



m of Bunlei 



"'^™ 



A scene then opens reprerentlng BrrnbUd alone, Bll- 

ga^nj: sadly at the RluR. ShelsstanledwlthlheKiund 
ofBvrniT steeds, and one of the Walkyren, her own als- 
a faceclnudeil with sorrow, appears and lella 
of the gloom that reigns In Walhalla, tlie do- 



le lUrlchtrul owners. Bu 



h Ihe gift lit ^leg- 



lo her ehnmber, lint SiogfrleiT la 



Id^egfrieir 



iepslr. Bijrnhlldin 111 
depart for the Oiblchuni 



It lathenagned Ibat SIcgfrledshill be slain. Hegoes 
gut to the forest in the mom I ng, and >t l»t finds him- 
self on the bank* of the Rhine. The Dauclilers appear 






«,[!' I - IS dli>msyed that hbi iirldc ba> already 

he< I. (lit ,< I. ,'of histrlend. Hacen steps liehlnd tleg. 
rr<.;J Aud idnngesa spear Into bsWly. He talis to the 
floor, opens his eyes, fancies himself In the act of Bwak- 

Ounier, lnwh1ch*Gunler Is killed- Brynhlld now ap- 
pesroand knows thesituntlon. ShelakestbettlnEfrom 
her dead lover's hand, saying. ' I claim my inheritance." 
At her call a huge funeral pile is erected apOB the banks 
of the Rhine and DlegfrlHTs body plained upon It. As 



o ne world by the H 



r the Ring, 
asa from vK 



have perished, and the powi 
ery of the Ring are broken. 



I. Itltllieelfect 
of heroic endeavor, unrestrained by 



ui trequently fnnnd In '\ 



deatlny- *"* "* " 



le worda; OnHla «I 



Sptfial 'Baiitts, 



DUd^IPTTTK LIST or TBI 
r«MlBfe*<l by Ollvar DUa«B * C«. 



Toot], Willi 7Im» AeoaiDPMliBeBt. 
The Oarden of Rosei. E. 8. b to E. 

GabHel. SS 

*' I walked In Che garden of rtnes wHh thee. " 

Arranged for Biiptano. and alto for Alto voice. 

A aweet bit ot poetry with good music. 

Three Sonet by F. Bnott. each 30 

No. I. Muter T^ve. F. 3. F to P, 

" Kow he »izh< In ileeo dIstmH. 
Holgho ! hPlgho, Ibe fellow t " 
No. 3. A LetFpr Eb.ZT.tn 7. 
" I'm alone d.-nrent Frcl. bnf I'm hippy, 

I'm happy In thinking of yon. " 

Pat RnoD«j. P. 2. c to D. Ghvfr. 40 

" Fat Rooney was tpooney on Kathleen Mschree. " 

A very " Bate" Irish ballad. Worda by Rowanl 



<- Ich welit eln Ueer. eln weiivr- " 
An Imnreaslve suMect iben<vnf "Fargetfol- 
neai." ably treated In word and mualo. 

Hio Picclrells. (Mylittledoarone.) C. 4, 



appropriate muaic. 



Little Fancies. PopuUr Tbemea, ttmn^ed 
and fingered for the piano-forte, b; 
H. WgtsoD, each 
These are for h^glnnen, and are neat Ilitls 
probably eicenl Ihe Snd degree of 'linicnlty. 



«. Ptlnims of NIghl. 

t. Campbells are cnnli 
D. I.andof (heSeal. 
in. et.lNUricktDay. 



. Roeent Allahdale. 



M. Bloom on the By*. 
I>^ GuRtar Merkel. each 

'- In the merry Month of May. 
underachonen Monat HaLj 



In It* gracefirl beiuly, quite a 
alnglng.'- 



ropriate 
birda w 



New Hochelle and Pelham Coach Galop. Bb. 

2. Sprcl: 50 

On the title )s a Ana view of the roai-h In qura- 
tlnn. wlih paBvncen cvldenlly having a " tip- 
top- lime. Music prMlv, wlifi vsriout llretj 
whlp^naps and calls by the cornet Inlenperaed. 

Alwlne, Haztirka Brillaate. C. 3, Kollinfi. 40 

A flery piece, pretty and spaifcllDg, quite dlOkr- 



froin ordinary M>i 
Merry Peal. Value joyeuse. Efi^ 
A very gracefHl walla, on '-' 



8. SlwnL CO 



Eagte March. C 

Coachinir Oalop. C. 3 
It the fSlr 



Jtatlfrnbt. 40 
lottae move.' 

._.,,_.,. «at had iBtt 

imed from a ride behind four spirited blgh 



ABnnaTiATTiys.—neereeB of dinmlty are marked 

fmin 1 to T. The key l> denoted hy a caplisl letter, ai '• 
Bi, etc. A larEB Roman l-lter mnrks Ihe lowest and I 
highesi note If on the sOKf, email Roman leltota if 1 
low or al-ive the SUIT, Ttns: ■' C. S, c to E" mes 
■' Key nf C, FIfih degree, lowe.t letter c on the add 
line betow, highest letier, E on the 4tb space. 




Wslfs 




0EntaI 





Whole l^o. 924. 



BOSTOIT, SATURDAY, SEPT. 16, 187G. 



Vol. XXXVI. No. 12. 



Translat«<1 for this Journal, 

Rnbinsteiii as Opara, Oratorio and 
Symphony Compoter. 

(From the German of A. W. Ambrom.) 
(Concladed from Page 290.) 

One shonM aIwA78. I think, jud^e an artist 
by the best he has accomplished, and not mnke 
this or that less successful, or unsuccessful 
work a matter of complaint. If we observe 
this rule re^i^rding Rubinstein, his fame as an 
artist is secure. • 

It is worthy of hipfh recogrnition that he, 
brourrht up as a virtuoso pianist, is not con- 
tented with the wreaths that fly toward him on 
all sides, hut strives after the highest musical 
goals. And in this, instead of following in 
the footsteps of the great masters of the past 
through paths made smooth by them, he would 
fain bring us something new, entirely new, 
open new ways, discover new domains — and 
this we wust reckon highly to his credit, what- 
ever his success. 

8o too in Oratorio. Let us look more close- 
ly into his *' Paradise Lost*' (his second, the 
" Tower of B.^bel " being the first.) An Orato- 
rio by a modem artist is an event, if only 
heeatue it is an Oratorio. Mendelssohn with 
his two oratorios, of which the 8L Paul par- 
ticularly made a sensation on its appearance, 
had revived the taste and mood for this kind 
of composition ; but the age is not peculiarly 
inclined to this whole class. Ferdinand Hil- 
ler*s *' Destruction of Jerusalem,'' an eminent 
work, full of musical beauties, and truly daz- 
zling traits in parts, remained, in a most in- 
comprehensible manner, almost unconsidered. 
The following oratorio by Hillor, ''Saul,*' was 
a falling off from the first. The oratorios of 
L5we (** Huss," «' Lazarus," the " Seven 
Sleepers," etc.), were named by everybody 
with respect, and no one cared to bear them. 
When it came to great and worthy oratorio 
performances at Qerman musical festivals, they 
were most fond of going back to Handel. For 
Kiese wetter after all is right in thinking, that 
by the side of these, works nothing similar, even 
approximately, can be named. Tet there are 
treasures of that period not yet brought to 
light. 

Rubinstein found himself moved to bespeak 
the composition of an oratorio text (by whom?) 
founded upon Milton's "Paradise Lost." That 
he thereby placed himself partly in competition 
with Haydn, need not have disturbed him; 
what Haydn brings before us in his Creatiariy 
has a radically different artistic tendency from 
that which Rubinstein follows in his Verlorens 
Paradisi. Besides, he does not call his work 
an " Oratorio in three parts," but a "Sacred 
Opera in three acts." It is singular enough 
that the first German opera in Hamburg, with 
which the theatre there was brilliantly opened 
in 1678, treated of the same subject ; it was en- 
titled: " The Creation, Fall, and Redemption 
of Man," the text by the Imperial Poet Richter, 



the mu.Mc by Theile, the Ballet by Feuillade. 
So that there was somethin<]r, and indeed very 
much about it to be seen, whereas with Rnhin- 
Rtpin we must content ourselves with hearing. 
Where we are ppomiRed **Acts," we may ex- 
pert artinpr, action, if only indicnted in the 
verbal text. But in Rubinstein's oratorio or 
opera libretto, things seem peculiar. The 
turning point of the whole, the Fall through 
sin, does not come expressly before us; it is 
only depicted to us in tones f !) through the 
instrumental prelude of the third part or act; 
but the liveliest imagination, even had it in- 
herited Heine's "tone-pirture talent," will 
hardly be able to make out the apple tree, the 
serpent, and the " Eritit sicut Deut " from an al- 
ternation of counter-figurations and of strange 
fagotto accents. The poet (if he may be called 
so) does not even stand upon the vantage- 
gronnd, of having "a polished language poetize 
and think for him." • ♦ ♦ • 

It is purely comical when Adam enters upon 
life with the words: "Who am I? 1 Where 
am I f I" X^Cogito^ ergo turn, occurred to one of 
the listeners). • • • • ♦ 

* * * It is always a very serious matter 
for an Epos, not to say for a drama, when one 
has to do in it scarcely at all with human be- 
ings, but with mere Cherubim and Seraphim, 
with the devil and his grandmother, or (as in 
Wagner's Rheingdld) with mere gods, giants, 
nixes, dwarfs. Milton helps himself as he can ; 
he lets his demons shrink at need to the dimin- 
utive size of ants, or expand to gigantic big- 
ness; be lets the angels fight battles — even 
with artillery — and more of the same sort. All 
this was unavailable for the librettist, and so 
there remained in the end nothing but forms 
devoid of physiognomy, or names: "Raphael, 
Michael, Gabriel," a "Voice," behind which 
modest incognito no less a person than the 
Lord God himself is hidden — and so on. To 
Haydn's Creatvm this is no objection, although 
the text of that is far from masterly. With 
Haydn the names Gabriel. Ariel, Raphael, sig- 
nify no more than the superscriptions Soprano 
toloy Tenore tolo. Bono tola would have signified. 
Whether the Soprano or the Tenor sings you 
versified meditations upon the refreshing 
greenness of the grass or the healing attributes 
of plants, 18 really all one; but it is quite 
another matter where ^e are supposed, as in 
the "Paradise Lost," to see in the bearers of 
the names the bearers of an action also, the 
persons of a dranca. SuflSce it to say — Rubin- 
stein found the text satisfactory for his artistic 
ends, and he composed it. So nothing more 
remains for the rest of us but to see hotp he has 
composed it. 

The resemblance between the head and face 
of Rubinstein and those of Beethoven has often 
been pointed out, and our lithographers do 
their part to draw our attention to it as strong- 
ly as possible. A mental resemblance would 
be, that Beethoven and Rubinstein both began 



a;) pianoforte virtuosos, and with both the sig- 
nificant composer came speedily to light side 
Vjy side with this virtuosity. But with Beetho- 
ven the composer so pressed the pianist into 
the back ground, that soon there was hardly 
any talk of the pianist; with Rubinstein the 
virtuoso crrew higher and higher and over the 
composer's head. But few will fail to recog- 
nize, that amcng modem composers Rubinstein 
belongs to the group of the elect, in tl^at he is 
more upright, more lofty, and entirely in ear- 
nest in the matter Certain Trios, Sonatas, 
etc., of Rubinstein, his "Ocean Symphony,'* 
which we have already praised, and many oth- 
er things, are pieces which represent their kind 
in a must highly respectable manner, and we 
shall always have to name their composer in 
the first rank among the musicians of our time. 
But it is equally true that one seldom carries 
home from one of his larger compositions a 
wholly pure and unblurred impression. That 
good advice of Goethe's, on his writing table 
and his drawing board : "If in the bad hour 
thou wilt rest, the good hour will be doubly 
blest," seems to have been less present to the 
mind of anybody in the world than to the mind 
of Rubinstein. When this tSte de bronae has 
once got out the first page of a composition, on 
he writes until the last, whether the imagina- 
tion is willing or not. Moments of the latter 
sort bring passages against the grain, forced 
and unedifying: but these at least are never 
flat and spiritless ; and they would strike one 
less unpleasantly did there not stand close be- 
side them beauties, sometimes beauties of the 
first rank. 

In "Paradise Lost," too, what is good and 
excellent altemates with what is indifferent, 
and even with dreary moments. As a whole, 
the work makes a painfully fatiguing impres- 
sion. Where lies the reason ? We will at- 
tempt a general answer to the question. Music 
has its life, its efiScacy above all through two 
elements: through sound, definitely stamped 
fnotiv€$, which speak to sense and to imagina- 
tion ; and through their sHillf ul, clearly intelli- 
gible, and artistically inspired development 
(Dureh/uhrung), By this last word is not meant 
a merely contrapunt«l or technically correct 
working up, but one whereby the body of the 
composition builds itself cp upon a f undamen* 
tal motive, more or less clearly present or im- 
plied, analogous to the organic development of 
plants or animals, or as the Gothic architect 
constructs his mighty cathedral after a simple 
fundamental formula. Richness in fundamen- 
tal motiveB is a gift of God, a matter of genius 
— scarcely ever has any one possessed it in a 
higher degree than Mozart and Franz Schubert. 
If we look around in our modem mutie^ we find 
thai we hate a terrible deal of mind and oitonieh' 
inglyfew idea$,* To be sure, it is still possible 

with this to write large works, whole operas 
(and not altogether bad ones), as for example 

•The Italics are cur's.— Ed. 



298 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OP MUSIC. 



Max Bruch^s ** Loreley." Behind the modem 
nickname of *' absolute melody,'* and the over- 
weening regard for it expressed by Wagner and 
his sfttollites, there lurks after all only the old 
chagrin of iBsop^s fox over the sour grapes, 
which he cannot get, because they hang too 
high for him. Where shall a real fund of fresh, 
new fnoliwi^ then, be found I 

The striving for immediate success, and 
shrinking from dry labor on the wooden school- 
bench, has nearly made an end to the other 
element of music, good devdopment. But 
how much both are worth, our young geniuses 
may learn from many an old gentleman of the 
old school, like Franz Lachner. The **Gcist'' 
of to-day is like the rich uncle in the play, who 
has to pay all his nephew*s debts in a round 
sum. We are in a certain sense again approach- 
ing the first beginnings of (our) music about 
the year 1600. From high sBSthetic grounds 
the Florentines at that time threw overboard 
the whole rubbish of melody and counterpoint; 
and into the place of it stepped a kind of dec- 
lamation most exactly conformed to the natu- 
ral accent of each word and syllable. 

For us the e£fect of this $tHe reeUatito or rap- 
prMentaUvo (as they called it) is that of a leaden 
tediousness. Out of this hollow, pathetic dec- 
lamation the genial Monteverde and his pupil 
Cavalli created our Recitative and its formulas 
for exclamation, question, answer and conclu- 
sion. For nearly two centuries we have lived 
on it, and could live on it more than two cent- 
uries more ; that too has become rococo ; either 
the recitative is entirely banished; or it re- 
solves itself into the *^ infinite (indefinite?) 
melody " of Wagner; or we come to hear reci- 
tatives, as in Rubinstein's 'Taradise,'* which so 
weigh us down with heaviness that they might 
stand beside the recitatives of Anno 1600, and 
in their way are something remarkable, although 
by no means edifying. 

In sacred music we have been accustomed to 
see an artistically well-motived use made of 
certain solemn forms of counterpoint. Do we 
not breathe more freely when, with Rubinstein, 
the concluding chorus of the second part sud- 
denly sets out in the fugue style ? But alas I 
we are soon sobered; for the clear, organic 
working up, which the old masters knew how 
to give to such movements, is out of the ques- 
tion with a modem. In the whole length and 
breadth of Rubinstein^s ''Paradise" it would 
be difficult to find half a dozen motives of 
really pronounced physiognomy; and in the 
place of an organic, sound development we have 
declamations, intere: Jng, surprising succes- 
sions of harmony, harp effects, trombone eflfects. 
Where we expect, nay demand, accents of 
passion, of feeling, of pain, of joy, etc., there 
is ever the same dreary, declamatory tone. If 
by any miracle the poet offers the composer 
such a moment, — for example, the last Duo 
between Adam and Eve — the composer lets it 
pass unused. Now he surprises you by some- 
thing strikingly beautiful, and instantly you 
are travelling again through a melancholy 
waste, where no flower blooms, and no palm 
rastles. Who would not, upon hearing the 
first choms of the heavenly ones, which sounds 
BO extremely solemn, so mild and full of splen- 
dor, expect a musical work of the very first 
rank ? Or what would he conclude about the 



work, who should chance to hear the noble, 
fresh and graceful choras: *' How all is full ^f 
buds ? " — How surprising is the genial descrip- 
tion of Chaos (so wholly different from Hay- 
dn's); how surprising, too, the illustration of 
*' Let there be light I *' through the illuminat- 
ing, unexpected six-four chord I We have be- 
come so very mudi accustomed to this famous 
moment with Haydn, that we are really aston- 
ished to see that the thing can be conceived 
otherwise. 

In the second part (up to the moment of the 
creation of animals, where the composer's 
wings suddenly become lame) one beauty offers 
its hand to another; but from this praise we 
must except the infelicitous painting of the 
shrill locomotive whistle, which is intended to 
realize to us the height of the firmament. Sa- 
tan with his blustering arias is not significant- 
ly painted ; for the conflict of demons a mortal 
hardly would be hardly adequate — unless he 
were some Handel or Beethoven, whose storm 
passage in the first movement of the Ninth 
Symphony hits what would be about the right 
tone here. God should not sing at all, and 
certainly not in the Tenor. The way in which 
Mendelssohn has steered clear of this rock in 
'* St. Paul," and which is perhaps tfce most in- 
genious feature in the whole work, was not 
applicable here ; we hear more than too many 
ehorases without that. But when the ' 'Ancient 
of Days," whom the painters impersonate as a 
majestic old man with a long beard, suddenly 
begins to compete with Arnold voq Melchthal 
and Raoul, we feel some slightly atheistic 
symptoms. In Oratorio this does not seem to 
be the final end and purpose of the work ! 

The Vibelongen Trilogy at Bayreuth.— 

Fuller Eeporta. 

rntsT DAT. 

(From a Letter of the Tribune's Coirespoadent.) 

Tri RnnrK DAuoHnas. — ^Wagner believed that 
the best possible subject for a musicsl drama is the 
popular legend or myth, because It leaves the poet 
and composer the ipreatest freedom in treatment, 
adapts itself naturally to draroatie purposes, and 
appeals at onoe to the emotional as distingnished 
from the intelleotaal nature of the spectator. Out 
of the old story of the nibelcni^, tne race which 
dwelt in the Mwels of the earth and wrooght in 
metals, he has constructed the t^zt of his great tril- 
ogy. It is the story of a mafpcal ring made by the 
nibelnngs from the stolen treasure of the Rhine. 
Like the Inst of gold. It brings a cnrse upon all who 
hold it. The go^s obtain it from the nibelungs bv 
force and fraud, and the overthrow of their rsce U 
the consequence. They cannot undo the wrong 
themselves have done, but they rsise up a mortal 
hero who of his own free will shall aceomplieh the 
reparation ; and Siegfried accordingly, though he 
himself fsllft a victim to the curse, is the means of 
restoring the ring to the Rhine-dausrhters, its origi- 
nal posses sors. Then the power of the gods passes 
away, and gives place to human free wiH snd intel- 
ligence. The story is told In a prologue and three 
part?, each occupying an entire evening. It is the 
prolojiTQe, " Rheingold," which I shall now try to 
describe. The instrbmenUl introdnction depicted 
the restless movement of the deep river. It o^an 
away down in the lowest register of the contra bass- 
tuba, and flowed on, on, on, with the same Mmple 
chord of £ flat, now rising, now falling, with in- 
creasing beauty and variety, till it changed rather 
abruptly into the graceful melody of the Rhine- 
daughters, and.tbe curUin, drawn back to the sides, 
disclosed one of the most surprisins: scenes ever set 
forth in a theatre. We looked into the obscure 
depths of the Rhine. The stage to iu whole height, 
seemed to be filled with watrr. At the bottom were 
rugj^ rocks and dark caverna Toward the top 
the waters were a little clearer, and a faint quiver- 
ing light struggled through them from above. Seen 



across the dark theatre with the wavy music com- 
ing up out of an Invisible chasm between us and the 
river, like a wall of separation between reality and 
Illusion, this far-away picture was like a vision. At 
first, in the dim and watery light, it was impossible 
to distinguish one shape from another. Little by 
little we became awara of graceful forms in flowing 
blue robes rising and sinking in the upper waters, 
gliding among the rocks witn waving white arms, 
and callinc: to one another in a gentle and joyous 
melodv. These were the three Rhine-daughters, 
guardians of the Rhine Gold. Nothing could be 
more charming than their frolic trio, embellished as 
It was by such wealth of instrumental illustration, 
such remarkable stage mechanism and poetical scen- 
ery. Here we saw at the very start the world-wide 
difference between the orchestra of Wagner with Ita 
freedom and eloquence of dramatic exaression, and 
the " accompaniment " which sustains the voices in 
the old school of opera. Here indeed it may almost 
be said that individual performers in the band be- 
came as truly dramatU pemma as the actors on the 
stage. Soon the fluent character of tbia beautiful 
water music was disturbed by the introduction of 
a new theme, and In the increasinmr light we dis- 
cerned thtf figure of Alberich, the ntbelung, groping 
among the rocks in the bed of the river. He pur- 
sued the Rhine daughters with arooroua eagerness, 
and they swam above him, sinking sometimes 
almost to his grasp, but always eluding it, and 
jeering at him wito mock tenderness and merry 
laui^hter. The Alberich of Carl Hill, and the Rhino 
daughters personated by Lilli and Marie Lehmann 
and Minna Lammert, were all admirable both In 
voice and action. To the distant spectator the 
mechanism by which the motions of swimming and 
floating were so aptly counterfeited was entirely 
incomprehentlble, ana the illusion was perfect I 
believe the women rested on saddlea supported by 
iron rods which their long drapery oonocMUed. The 
motion was given from below. In the midst of the 
sport a bright light began to shine at the summit of 
tne rocks, and suddenly, after a charming orchestral 
interlude, the glow of the gold broke forth from the 
point of a steep cliflT, the horns giving out at the 
same moment a motive of great brilliancT and pow- 
er. The music rapidly became more and more aujl- 
mated as the Rhine daughters greeted the apparition 
with joyons exclamations. They told Alberich of 
the wonderful power of this sold, which no one could 
obtain without renouncinic forever the joya of love, 
and In the course of the dialogue two other motives, 
both to become important in the development of the 
drama, were successively introduced. The nibel- 
ung pronounced a curse upon love, and with violent 
effort reached the summit and seised the gold. The 
light was quenched. We could just see Alberich 
throw himself headlong from Uie rock Into th^ deep, 
while the Rhine daughters with a cry of dismay — 
a modification of their first cheerful melody, changed 
into the minor key — sank from sight, and darkness 
settled over the scene. Here, during the rehear- 
sals, the waters disappeared, almost Impereeptibly, 
as if swallowed up In thick clouds, but to-night a 
blunder of the machinists marred the effect. The 
orchestra continued the work of dramatic illustra- 
tion in a long and beautiful pasaage, ohaaffing grad- 
ually to more heroic strains, and as the music 
changed so the clouds too ffrew thin, vanished, and 
left open before us a beauttful morning landscape. 

WoTAir Aim ALBEaiOB. — ^The foreground was a 
flowery field, supposed to represent a high table- 
land. A barrier of rock, overlooking the valley of 
the Rhine, bounded it in the rear, and in the dis- 
tant backffround the gates and towers of Walhalla 
loomed indistinctly through the clouds. Wotan, the 
chief deity of the Norse mythology, slept on a 
frrassy bank with his spouse Fricka by bis side. 
The splendor of the morning came forth as the or- 
chestra played the magnificent passage which aym- 
bolises the stately castle of the gods, and recurs in 
the course of the trilogy as one of the principal 
leading motives. Fricka awoke Wotan from nis 
dreams to look at this stronghold which the gianta 
had built for him while he slept. In a superb dia- 
logue she reminded him that the builders would 
soon oome to cfalm their promised reward, which 
was nothing less than the possession of Freia, the 
goddess of youth ; and here we heard one of the 
most imposing as well as important of all the lead- 
ing motives in the work, the ponderous descending 
scale in the bass indicating the law which binds the 
gods by their plighted word. The proud dignity of 
the " All-Father,^ beautifully expressed in the rich 
bass of Franz Bets, contrasted finely with the agi- 
tation of his spouse and the alarm of Freia, who en- 
tered hastily a few moments later, and prayed for 



. 



BOSTON, SATUEDAY, SEPT. 16, 1876. 



299 



help against her parsaerfl. Pullowing close npon 
her delicious melody we heard in the orchestra the 
measured tramp o^ the ^iant% Fafner and Fasott, 
and their unj^ainly fibres were seen climbing up 
from the yalley and crossing over the roelcf. The 
rest of this brilliant scene almost baffles description, 
and certainly to convey by letter any idea of the 
richness, force and vividness of the music is quite 
out of the question. The giants insisted upon the 
terms of the bargain. The cries of Frlcka and Freia, 
the threats of the brother godi Donner and Froh, 
the anger of Wotan, could not mrive them. Not 
daring to break his word, Wotan asked advice of 
Loge, the god of fire, and as this subtle character 
was introduced we heard the strains of the fire 
music so familiar to American audiences in connec- 
tion with the finale of the " WalkQre." Loge, In a 
melody of the most picturesque beauty, which 
called oat an untimely out irresistible applause, de- 
clared that there was nothing the gods could offer 
the giants in exchange for Freia, except the ring 
forged by Alberich from the stolen treasure of the 
Rhine, thus formulating, so to speak, one of the 
chief ideas of the trsgedy, which is the conflict be- 
tween love and the lust of gold ; and after a magnifi- 
cent passage, in which the " ring melody " asserted 
a marked prominence, and each of the divinities in 
turn asked characteristic questions respecting the 
power of the gold, the giants agreed to wait until 
evening for a final answer, taking Freia meanwhile 
as security. Dragging after them the distressed 
goddess, Fafner and Fasolt, great hulking fellows, 
roughly clad and walking with biz staves, climbed 
down tiie rocky descent and left the gods in melan- 
choly thought. At once a gray mist settled npon 
the heighta. The light fsded. Everything b^^n 
to wear an appearance of hoarr age, for the ^ms 
had not tasted that day Freia's life-renewing apples^ 
When they lamented their fading power Loge 
mocked at them, and at last Wotan agreed to accom- 
pany the fire-god to the abode of the dwarfs and 
take possession of the ring. This was the crime 
from which flowed all the misfortunes of the divine 
race and the tragedy of the drama. As Loge. fol- 
lowed by Wotan, disappeared in a chasm of the 
rocks, a thick vapor issued from the opening and 
gradually overspread the whole scene. The vapor 
changed to dense clouds. The music of the orches- 
tra became more animated; the fire-motive re- 
curred; a deep red glow began to suffuse the 
clouds, and as they slowly dissolved we heard the 
hammering of anvils, and then there lay before us 
the subterranean caverns of the nibelungs, with a 
l<mg vista of rock, at the extremity of which shone 
the gleam of forges. We saw Alberich beating his 
brother Mime, whom he had compelled to foree for 
him the tarn-helmet, gifted with the power of mak- 
ing the wearer invisible. He tried the helmet, and 
to the g^reat terror of Mime vanished in a cloud, 
and then, during an orchestral interlude based upon 
the anvil melody, Wotan and Logewntered, coming 
down from above by an opening into the free air. 
Their scene with Idfime was wonderful for its strong 
definitions of character, and the Mime of Carl 
Schloeaer was enlivened bv an amusing groteeque- 
nesa, particularly noticeable when in a rude rhythm- 
ic melody. 

** Sorglose Schmiede, 
Schuren wir sonst." 

with the anvil melody again in the accompaniment, 
he told Wotan and Loge of his once happy life and 
his sufferings under Alberi'ch's blows. But if I un- 
dertook to describe all the incidents of this visit of 
the gods to Nibelheim I should soon exhaust your 
space if not your patience. Alberich was induced 
by the cunning Loge to exhibit the properties of 
the tarn-helmet. He disappeared, and in his Dlaee 
there was a hideons crawling creature. He nisap- 
peared again, and took the form of a toad. These 
two contrivances, I may remark, were the only 
common-place theatrical devices of the evenin/r. 
Wotan set his foot upon the toad ; Loge grasped it 
by the head, the helmet came away in his hands, 
and Alberich lay helpless on the ground. The gods 
bound him, and hurried him to the heights above. 
Cloud and mist covered the stage once more, as the 
orchestra, in an interlude so vivid that it might be 
called a musical panorama, led us back to the as- 
semblage of the divinities. We passed again 
through the noise of the smithy, and we heard the 
heavy tread of climbing feet which bad ushered in 
Uie giants in the second scene. At last we were 
shown the table land, still covered as before with a 
dull haze, and Wotan and Loge appeared with 
their prisoner. For his ransom Alberich caused 
the dwarfs to bring all the treasures of Nihelheim, 
and to these the gods forced him to add the helmet 



and the ring. Thus stripped of all his power he 
was sent back to the lower world, but before he 
departed he laid upon the ring the terrible curse : 

'* Wle duroh FIneb er mir icerieth, 
Verflucht sei dleser Ring/* 

which, as an orchestral motive is to play so impor- 
tant a part in the music of the whole drama. As 
the giants approached with Freia, the mists broke 
away; the light of youth appeared again on the 
faces of the gods ; only the towers of Walhalla in 
the background remained still veiled in clouds. But 
Wotan*s pnrpose, while giving the giants the rest of 
the treasure, was to save the ring for himself, and 
hence when the payment came to be made he kept 
it on his finger. Fasolt and Fafner were to have as 
much gold and silver as, heaped up between their 
staves, would cover Freia from sight.- The whole of 
Alberich*s ransom except the ring was placed upon 
the pile; even the tarn-helmet was surrendered; 
still there was a crevice which the ring would lust 
fill. Wotan refused to give it up. The giants in a 
rage were about to drag Freia away; the scene 
grew dark asrain ; when from a cleft in the rocks on 
the right a iHuish light appeared, and the figure of 
Erda, the universal and eternal mother, rose from 
the earth. She warned Wotan in solemn snd mys- 
terious strains of tlie misfortunes impending over 
Walhalla, and counselled him to avoid the fatal 
gold. The god stood for a moment in deep thought, 
and as he leaned upon his spear we heard the ma- 
jestic motive which indicates the binding force of 
Wotan's word. The ring was given up. Joyous 
strains accompanied the liberation of Freia and the 
dispersal of the clouds. But Alberich's curse was 
not long in working^ its effect The giants Quarreled 
for the possession of the ring and Fafner killed F%- 
solt, put all the treasure into a sack, and took him- 
self oft 

Then came a finale which in picturesque effect 
and musical beauty surpassed all the great scenes 
which had gone before it. The gods were at last to 
take possession of their castle. Donner stood upon 
the summit of a high rock in the middle of the 
stage. Swinging his hammer, he collected the 
mists which still hung about the background, and a 
black thunder cloud enveloped him. Out of the 
darkness we heard his voice and the ominous roll of 
the heavenly artillery, till with a blow of his sledge 
he dispersed the clouds in a dasslins fiash of light- 
ning, and a rainbow stretched from tne rock where- 
on he stood to the stronghold in the sky. A deli- 
cious melody succeeded the stormy passage in the 
orchestra, and the gods, gathering around the rock, 
prepared to cross to Walhalla by the rainbow bridge. 
The monologue of Wotan : 

<« Abendlich strahlt 
Der Sonne Ange,** 

before he led the way to the new abode, is one of the 
most elevated of all Wagner's conceptions, and as it 
was delivered by Betz, with snch richness of illus- 
tration and startling harmonic devices in the or- 
chestra, we felt that we had reached the climax of 
a flrreat poem. The celestial procession ascended 
and moved slowly on. Suddenly we heard from 
the depths of the valley below the chorus of the 
Rhine daughters bewailing the lost ring, and with 
this fascinating music resounding in our ears, with 
the full splendor of the sun revealing for the first 
time the magnificence of Walhalla, and the reful- 
gent group of the gods advancing towat d its shining 
fcates, the curtain fell, and the first evening was at 
an end. J. R. G. H. 



SECOND DAT. 
(From the Same.) 

Batrkuth, Aug. H. 

Thk Walk^rk. — An interval o( many years is 
supposed to take place between the prologue which 
we saw last night and the action of the drama prop- 
er which began with "The WalkQre" this after- 
noon. Wotan, in the meantime, to create a race of 
heroes (volsungs), capable by the exercise of human 
free will of repairing the wrong done in the theft of 
the gold, had begot Siegmund and his twin sister 
Sieglinde of a mortal mother. Sieglinde. carried off 
in infancy by enemies, had been married against 
her will to Hunding. Wotan and Siegmund, clad 
in the skins of wolves, had become the terror of the 
forests. When the play begins, Siegmund, dis- 
armed and separated from his father, is flying from 
his foes. A great deal of the music of this division 
of the trilogy has been heard in New York, so that 
the whole seems more or less f Amiliar to us, and 
motives are constantly recurring which we have 
learned to understand and love. The oschestral in- 



troduction was played by Theodore Thomas last 
Summer as a sort of prelude to the Love-song. Of 
course heard in that way it was impossible to grasp 
its true character, and indeed it muH be said of all 
concert arrangements from this great work that 
though we are grateful for them, in defect of any- 
thing better, they gpve bnt the shadow of an idea 
of what the music really is. This introduction por- 
trays a storm in the forest. — portrays it not only 
with immense power, bnt with an orijy^nality which, 
considering the abundance of good storm-music al- 
ready in existence, is certainly surprising. We 
heard the voice of the thunder, the angry sweep of 
the wind, and the driving of the rain against the 
branches, and as the uproar bemn to die away the 
curtain rose. The scene wss the interior of Hund- 
ing's abode, a hut built around the trunk of a huge 
ash tree which loomed up through the middle of the 
apartment. A fire burned upon a great stone 
hearth at one side. There were couches of skins 
and trophies of the chase, and other tokens of a 
rude warlike life picturesquely disposed in various 
parts of the cabin. Siegnnund (Niemann) wounded 
and breathless stai^gered in at the door, and sank 
exhausted by the fire. To him f^om an inner cham- 
ber entered Sieglinde (Schefsky). She revived him 
and gave him drink. Brother and sister did not at 
that time know each other, and at any rate in the 
days of the volsungs. people are supposed not to 
have been very particular about the niceties of re- 
lationship; nevertheless it was something of a 
shock to find them within a few minutes madly in 
love with each other, and there is no doubt that en- 
joyment of the music that followed was marred by 
the impossibility of sympathizing with the charac- 
ters. Yet what could be more beautiful than this 
long love duct ? It began with a graceful undulat- 
ing motive, a Utile fragment of melody in two parts 
which returned again and again in the course of the 
drama. It gathered force and passion, and when 
Siegmnnd before putting the drinkins:-horn to his 
lips caused Sieglinde to touch it with hers, the two 
part motive chans^ed to a delicious slow melody in 
the orchestra, which reminded me. not in its idea, 
but only in its general form, of some of the tender- 
est portions of '* Lohengrin." The sweet intercourse 
of tne lovers was interrupted by a strongly marked 
phrase in the orchestra which indicated (as Wagner 
tells us) that Hunding had come home and was put- 
ting his horse in the stable. Sure enough, Hunaing 
(Niering) straightway appeared, looking very ugly 
and suspicious. He asked of the stranger the story 
of his aaventures, and Siegmnnd told it in a com- 
paratively simple and rhythmical song written in 
a style wnich Wagner uses sparingly, but always 
with great effect. There is a sample of it in tne 
music of Mime in " The Rheingold," and we shall 
see two fine specimens to-morrow in " Siegfried." 
With the aid of this style Wagner always snoceeds 
in giving dramatic life to a mere narrative-— a task 
in which the ordinary musician is almost sure to 
fail. When Siegmnnd spoke of his f ither in the 
course of this story we heard in the orchestra the 
majestic music with full, soft harmonies, which ac- 
companied the appearance of Wotan and the towers 
of Walhalla In the second scene of "The Rheingold," 
and so we knew the secret of Siegmund*s parentage. 
Hunding, however, recognized him only as an ene- 
my of his clan, and he vowed revenge. Siegmund 
should have shelter for the night, but in the morn- 
ing they must fight. As Siesr^nund, left alone by 
the dim llfht of the fire, lamented his desperate con- 
dition, without shield or sword, and in the house of 
his foe, Sieglinde returned, having given her hus- 
band a sleeping potion. She told hor gnest of a 
stranger who haa once come to their hut, and driv- 
en into the trunk of the ash tree, up to the hilt, a 
sword which no man was able to pull out again, and 
as she spoke we heard agsin the Wotan music just 
referred to, as well as some of the music accompany- 
ing the entrance into Walhalla in the last scene of 
" The Rheingold," and we knew thereby who the 
straneer was. The love music now recnrrod with 
redouoled beauty, and rose to uncontrollable rap- 
ture. Suddenly wide doors at the bick of the hut 
flew open. How shall I describe the surprising 
scene? Into the dark chamber poured the full 
glory of a ravishins; Spring nisrht. The woods be- 
yond were flooded with the golden rays of the moon. 
And then began, very softly, Siegmund's famous 
love song : 

** Wlnterstllrme wichen dem Wonnemond, 
In mildem Llchte leuohtet der Lenz,*> 

which we thought we knew at home, hnz fiund this 
afternoon a perfectly fresh thing. Without the set- 
ting the gem loses nearly all its brilliancy. With- 



■— .A- 



300 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



oat the miieic and action that have led np to it, 
without the presence of the woman to whom it is 
addressed, the snperb poetic picture eet ahont it, 
and the associations which enaole ii8 to identify the 
▼aryin^ motives in the orchestra with scenes thnt 
have crone before, the 8«>ng is the mere pale and 
bloodless spectre of itself. Resides, it is a duet, not 
a 8.'>lo. The monolocn^e of Sioji^mnnd was answered 
in eqoally tender accents by his companion, and in 
alternation they carried on the amorous mnsie to a 
climax not attainable in oar imperfect arransrement 
for a sin^l^ voice. Sie^^mund reco^rnized the sword 
as the weapon which hts father had promised him 
should be at hsnd in his sorest need. He named it 
Nothonia:. the invincible. With a wrench he drew 
it from the tree. He clasped Sie^linde in his arms, 
and to the most passionate and stirrinj? of mnsic the 
cnrtain fell upon an act the whole of which was 
like a prolonged delicate romance. 

Ama Till TnTKKMMSioif. — There was an inter- 
mission here of a foil honr. The liffhts were tnrned 
np, a lan;e part of the andience left their seats and 
crowded the restanrants which stand on earh side 
of the theatre, or else wandered about the terraced 
plateau and dranh in the mnch-needed refreshment 
of pare air. A call blown on the trumpet brrmsfht 
them baek to their places. A second blast a few 
minotes later was the sienal to resnme the perform- 
ance. The people qaickly settled in their places, 
and the play went on. The settini^ of the first st«ere 
picture was one of the most elegant of the whole 
crenfnii^. The scene represented a rocky place, 
across which stretched a great natural arch ; throngh 
it led th( descent to a lonj^ valley seen in distant 

ferspective. Wotan stood in the foregronnd, with 
is spear and armor, and near at hand was his 
dacgrhter and fayorite Walkyrie, Briinnhilde (Fran 
Materna), the principal female character of the 
drama and donbtless the greatest of all Wagner's 
creations. She too was armed, wearing coat of 
mall over her long robes, and carrying snield and 
helmci. Wotan commanded her to make ready her 
horse and In the approaching fight between Sieg- 
rannd and Handing to give the victory to Si^mand. 
She hastened to obey, mounting from rock to rock 
with the wild and joyful '* Hoio-toho I " which we 
hear so prominently in the Ride of the Walkyriea. 
Bat Fricka here came to insist that Wotan shonld 
punish the lovers fbr their lawless passion. She 
appeared at the summit of the rocky arch in the 
background drawn by two rams in a little chariot. 
It did not aeem to nie that the rams added anything 
to the tWkti of the ecene ; indeed, thongh they were 
very good for aKificial rams, the first impulse of the 
spectator was to laugh at them. Theatrical machin- 
ists and decorators produce some extraordinary il- 
lusions, but they have never yet succeeded in simu- 
lating life. The long dialogue in which Wotan and 
his spouse disputed over Siegmnid's fate was anoth- 
er ot those great dramatic scenes, full of fine dis 
eriminations, of forcible declamation, and of almost 
il1im!tab1e suggestireness, which alone would point 
out Wagner as the greatest [!] of writers for the mu- 
sical stage. The motive which indicates, in its heayy 
bass, the bindii^ force of law even upon the gods, 
waa given out in the orchestra, and as Wotan sadly 
yielded his will, we heard BriJnnhilde's cry in the 
distance, and the Walkyrie appeared npon the ridge 
of the arch. She led her horse by the bridle,-^a 
glossy black creature, with fine head and well- 
arehcd neck, cleaa limbs and shapely shoulders, 
who trod the boards as if he were on his native soil, 
and came down the winding path with ease and 
grace. Here at last was an animal an ornament to 
the stage. Brftnnhilde knew that Wotan's heart 
was with Siegmnnd, and she tried long but in vain 
to Bake him adhere to his original decree, and allow 
Bunding to be slain. There was a striking tableau 
when, kneeling and resting her arms upon Wolan's 
kiiee^ she looked up into his face while in a low and 
sad monologue he explained the necessity under 
which the gods were btmnd. It was almost a rerit- 
aiivo pmrkmtt, chiefly with a deep bass accompani- 
ment, until the oft-repeated motive of the beginning 
of the second scene of ** The Rheingold ** grew out 
of the instrnmental part, and the song then rose to 
greater animation. Briinr.hilde, however, perse- 
vered in her intercession till Wotan angrily com- 
manded her to obey. In the character of this war- 
maiden whose duty it is, with her eight sisters, to 
point out the heroes that are to fall in battle, and 
bring their sonls to Walhalla, there is an element of 
human tenderness shown in the highly emotional 
music of this, scene and developing afterword, in 
the third and fourth pArts of the work, into the 
sublimity of passion. Even the most careh»s listen- 
er, however, must have been struck by the great 



difference between the pnre and lofty sentiment of 
the Walkyrie and the fiery spirit in the mnsic of 
Siegmnnd and Sioglinde. who next came np from 
the valley ffyinar together from Ilnnding's honae. 
Their duet in this sitnatiem was marked by the 
greatest int^-nsiiy of feelinor, Siesrlinde imasrinir.ir 
that she heard the horn of her pursuing husband, 
until at last she fell exhanat^Hl in Stegmnnd*s arms, 
and he laid her senseless on a bank. BrOnnhilde 
then appeared to the hero destined for Wslhalla. 
There wss an exquisite dislogne in which she an- 
nounced his fate, and replied to his questions as to 
the fntnre state. When she told him that Sieglinde 
would not be with him there he drew his sword 
that they might both die tojrether. Brunnhilde, 
moved by the spectacle of their love, promised to 
disf>bey her father snd point out Hunding for death 
instead of Siegmnnd. Now the clouds b^an to set- 
tle over the rocks, the horn of Hunding was heard 
in the distance, and Si^^^nund running to meet him 
was lost to view in the mists. We heard the /oices 
of the two men. and thronifh occasional rifts in the 
clouds, by the light of vivid fla^^hes which accom- 
panied the stormy music of the orchestra, we saw 
them in conflict on the summit of the ridge. Then 
the f<»rm of Brijnnhilde appeared in the sky, hold- 
ing her shield over Siegmnnd. But suddenly on 
Hunding*s side a red li<rht broke forth and Wotan 
wss seen extending his spesr, against which Si^ 
mund's sword was shattered and the hero fell. 

The Walktbies* Riob. — Again there was an 
hour's rest, and we came to the famous third act, 
with much nf which Americans are already some- 
what acquainted. The introduction brought ns to 
the well-known Walkuren-Ritt, somewhat slower 
and less energetic than we are accustomed to hear 
it at home. When the curtain rose one of the sis- 
ters was seen looking out upon the clouded sky from 
the top of a high rock ; three others were grouped 
around. They watcheid for the return of the rest 
of their number from battle-fields, and as often as 
one was seen in the distance, the watchers laised 
their weird cry, " Hojo-toho." Then across the sky 
at the back, in a flash of lightning, passed the figure 
of a mounted Walkyrie, with the corpse of a war- 
rior thrown across the saddle. The illusion, pro- 
duced by a sort of magic lantern, was very well 
managed. Each Walkyrie as she arrived was sup- 
posed to leave her horse in a wood to the right, and 
came upon the stage in propria persons, to join the 
strange chorus. The last to come was Briinnhilde : 
she came not from battle, but fled from the wrath 
of her father, and she brought not the body of a 
hero, but the living Sieglinde, for whom she l)egged 
the protection of her sisters. The concerted pns- 
saare in which the Walkyries interceded for Briinn- 
hilde was a remarkable example of Wagner's ability 
in a kind of composition which he seldom employs, 
because his dramas seldom afford occasir>n f«>r it. 
The interview between Wotan and BrunnhiMe was 
so full of beauty that I hardly know how to describe 
it The anger f*f the god was mingled with the 
sorrowful tenderness of the father, and the music of 
Briinnhilde was one long succe^ion of the most su- 
perb and moving strains. In no previous part of 
the ijrork had psssion risen to such intensity and 
emotion f.mnd.such sympathetic expression. The 
last scene, known in our concert-rooms as " Wotjin's 
Abschied," took ».lnce in the twilight. The god 
pressed his daughter in a long embrace, and laid 
her to sleep under a spreading ash. He covered 
her face with her helm. H<.> laid her long shield 
npon her breast. Then we heard the fire mnsic — 
slower, I thought, than we have it at home— ^and all 
along the ridge of rocks across the middle of the 
stage the flames sprang up. The steam effect was 
ased here with entire success, and as the re<] vapor 
curled upward to the roof it was difficult not to be- 
lieve that the scene was really in flames. Now at 
least, if never before, did we realise h.iw great a 
creation this wonjerful finale is, and as the curtain 
fell there was a general outbreak of enthusiasm, 
with shouts and clnpping of hands. The perform- 
ance began at 20 minutes after 4 and ended at 10. 

There were none of the disarrangements of the 
mechanism such as were noticed the first night. 
On the other hand there was a perceptible disar- 
rangement in some of the voices. Wotan was evi- 
dently very much fatigued, anJ Fricka was not as 
good as before. Niemann I cannot like. His voice 
is worn and husky and his love-making is brutal. 
Like the others he suffers no doubt from the unpar- 
alleled labor of getting ready for this extraordinary 
performance. The singing of nearly all the artists 
was better at the dross rehearsals than it is now, 
and it was better yesterday than it is to-night. The 
Briinnhilde however was quite equal to the work 



thrust upon her. Fran M it^rna. the f<ivorit« of the 
Vienna opera house, is a tall and st^ititly-built wo- 
man, nrrt- t-o(> corpulent for her height, yet with aa 
ungraceful fullness about the b:ick and shoulders. 
She has a noble and pleasing f:ice, prominent and 
regular features, black hair, expressive eyes, and a 
shape ly hand and arm. Her voice is large, clear, 
and abundant ; her intonation is pare ; in point of 
culture she ranks with the very lx*8t srttsts of Ger- 
many, while in dramatic power, int^Higence. and 
conscientiousness she has few superiors. She is 
indeed an exceptional artist. Most of the German 
singers— even the best — will not l>e at tlie trouble 
of saving their voices. However, the faolts and 
merits of individual actors and actresses are of no 
moment in compari.ton with the greater questions 
involved in these representations. 

J. B. G. H. 



(From the New Toric Times). 

• • • • There Is no overture, in the common sense 
of the term, to *' Das Rlielngold,** nor to any of the op- 
eras of the trflog}', but merely a brief prelude, imitative 
in ** I>as Rheingold '* of rippling waters, and su^rgesting 
the accompaniment to the " bathers* chorus," as ft Is 
called, in the French score of '* Les Hninienots.'* The 
curtain rises upon a sobmartne picture, showlnn: the 
depths of the Rhine, a roc-k npon which lies the charmed 
gold being in the centre, and rbe river surrounding and 
covering; it, and reaching to the top of the stage. The 
effect of the imitative^ mnsic. added to th^t of ttie scene, 
was excellent and the weird but tuneful strains allotted 
to the three Rhine danshters, as they swim about the 
rock and keep guard over the treasure, are exceedingly 
sweet and pretty. The aoene with AXberick Is only worth 
notice because of the measures of the RheintHehUr, such 
as one seldom finds in Herr Wagner's writings, and the 
more welcome in that the voices are now and then al- 
lowed to mingle in dainty harmony. .iiAcrldl's music is 
characteristic enough^ but It is not specially impressive, 
although certain bars aocoropanyfng and imitating the 
sliding of AlbeHeh down the rocks tm be pursoes the 
fleeting maidens may be eonaldered by Herr Wagner's 
admirers as very significant and dramatic. Later on is 
a f reah and bright /vj^fv, niustnitlve of the gold of the 
Rhine glistening In the first beama of the morning son, 
and the greeting of the treasure by the water-maidens 
is also pleasant in its f reahness and tunefulness. Alber^ 
ieV« cnne of love is as vijcormis as need be, but, 
although its theme recars a hundred times daring the 
progress of the opern, It can only be said to have the 
conventional meaning assigned to it. .^berkh^t flight 
with the treasure doses the scene. 

After the clouds which have covered the stage disap- 
pear, a mountain top, with the new abode of the gofls, 
the Walhalla, built by the giants and towering above, 
meets the eye. The grave and rich harmonies of the 
Walhalln- motive resound, and then comes a long duet 
between Wioian and Fricka^ mere declamation, though 
containing aome fluent and graceful measures. The 
entrance in succession of the several deities is marked 
by appropriate themes, the arrival of Loget the flie-god, 
being heralded and his presence being accompanied 
throughout by chrmnatic progressions quite soggesttve 
of the flickering element over which he has sway. Bat 
previous to Li>Qt*» arrival, the giant's FamM and Fktfner 
have come, to a motive of appropriate rooghnesa and 
heaviness, and they claim the goddess FrHa aa the 
wages for their lat>or as bnildersof the Walhalla. Xo^c's 
words and music at this stags of eventa make np a won- 
derfully Mephistophelian sort of speech, bat it is rather 
speech than masic, and so Is, in fact, the whole remain- 
der of the scene, which concludes with the departure of 
IFoten and Loffe for mbelheim, where they intend to 
wrest AibeHeh*9 treasure from his grasp, and give it to 
the giants Instead of FHla. 

Clouds of steam, the noise of which la duly flmlUted 
and swelled by the orchestra, ascend, and when they 
disper-e, NIbelheim, the subterranean abode of the 
dwarfs, is disclosed. The motive Illustrative of the 
clink of the dwnrfs' hammers npon their anvfls Is decid- 
edly suggestive as heard in these gloomy depths, and If 
all the themes were as pictorial, so to spenk, aa this one, 
many of Herr Wagner's Intentiona weald be plainer. 
Unluckily, If I except a curkms dmning ditty sung by 
Mime in the scene, and a not mfelicitoas attempt to 
heif^hcen by music the droDery of comic lamentations 
when Mime lies groaning on the ground, after iieing well 
thrashed by the invisible AlhfHeh, there is nothing but 
what the Italians would term " dry " recitative until 
Nibelheim vanishes, the elaborate music aooompanving 
AlberieA''$ metamorphoees not being efl«»ctive even in a 
purely imitative sense. . , . 

AlbeHeh, havinfi been caught by the conning of L^ge, 
Is dragged upon earth, and Wotan and the nr^od are 
once more on the mountain-tops below the Wa'halla. 
More imitative music, now lUostrative of the loosening 
of cords, ensues as Loffe unbinds Albericht after he has 
been robbed of his gold and his riufi:; but from this p»=lnt 
antil a few bars before the end of the opera tJie ear does 
not seize one strain of perceptible beaatgr or expresaivo- 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, SEPT. 16, 1876. 



301 



and Fafitrr slaving FatiAtim 



r^^„ ..^....f. -,— . - " Ihai /Vria 

mMOt w<th the linmonalt, Joy ts reslorHl lo th» 

' nonlhemoQiiUlo-ior*. Abtitt mclo-draaia ut 

_.._. J..... -.-h of llBhin nc pierce* 

onoiu r«.lnl»w-l>rliliB 



italmmtrinKof bigb Tialln 



me* Md tinkling 



MrinRof bigb tI 

of iDLrp* apoD I brout unci «nnoi 
emu the bticlice anil enter Itwir 
Rhlnr-dkOKhteri bewiilllnE Itie 1 
Ide riwD b«ln« Mil] mlnEllDE M 
tlwmei on hiEb. Aad bere [he 
tUiplnsnlri." 

The InleraM oT 1*M nlEht'* lenrcMoUtlon icre*. in my 
ludpuen^ rmther ont of the iieif omence th«n out it the 
open. The taetrumentiitloBot "DMRhPlngoM li In 



wn^llDK 



fWhiiiMfWi the pf rfumit.. . 
•client, Mul ficenic tmlu bad p«ltli 



ibeWlsry lo It. em 

> cloyed ifier half an hour 
work of tbe band, which I* 
ne In qnanlltv and qualllT. 



(ntlBcBtlcni 



Ibe bend ft 



depwid wbollynpi 

arid twei'n neraunu) With Herr Wll'hdi 
Downed vtnllnlit, a* tk// d'altafiu, aild Herr 

Vienna, as conductor, aail, whether accomt. 

Tolee ornecntlnic InKtrumenUl paxuicfa oii1y,tu ui*- 
clalonidellcaoy, and volume o( lone were lacb M It lias 
iMverbaeDDyprlvHeKC to listen to. /)n the itac* lb" 
lendmnE of " One RbelHROld " waa »lmo«l — UulileM 
aslntlieorcbeatralchaara. Herr BeU. who penonaied 
Wo*™, bo a voice ol rare fnrm and compaaa and « nwn- 
mandliuE prewnre thoroiiKlily In accord wlib the pbyil- 
cal attrlliiitM o( tbc majwtfc cbiTKCter he portrnyed. 
All ths volcee. however, were gimi and Irrsh, while the 
method o( eon^, of enun*. wa* rtlametrlcally oppnseit lo 
ttae liallan mi^bod the elfociuftbeMfoirfebeliiirof.eB 
Mcrlflcol to that of power. 1 bo enril»a anil dlfllciiU 
leelUtlvM— partkiilarly dinenlt aa to IniotaBon— were 

throDEboDt rendered wltb exccedlnc oa™ — •■ 

with uDnwervtni-mpect u U> the BlKnlnci 



e, No. 1. Rue Vniltant. In front 
hy a srttlnc of velvet, through 



idthenafnatcbaftu 



knd nouhly Ihe i 






n(clllw»l'(.rHerrVnK»l ivl. , . 

the Sre-cod anil the Md of ounulHK " the nunf nr- a 
kind or Sompanlnn-AMch Id U. Fun's Xrphi'l«r'-"f- 
Craft and plantlbnityluAed In gvetTmaTemeiii..r tula 
arUat, and his loni " apeechea "— for I oan arnnfii re- 
fottothem bTanynibername— were dellterwl "iiii Jn 
e«n doqnenee wbleh tb« dlffimlUe* or tbe imitk lid 
DotMCtn to hamper In the least. Once and nui'v «i^ 
durlnsihoeianlnedldlhe audience tgoak nut in iicnrtj 
planilitt. and ttala atlbedOM otone ol I.Mft'1 Hninii ite 
and HllT (ddresses. Tbe female rAlei In ' Das RIkid- 
«ild"are of minor Import, FniUlelo Ortln.wh.. "as 
>HclH. ntn ed poeaei of ex 
be ice Frame H aa ia_ M sc 

TIM « W 8C ff riflOte ™ 

ofrai iMseleote be arl« accou h- 



In^ld 



reullly imagined chat 



ele as an opera, il t.,^ , ....-» -■■■-,- - 

cate waa laviBhed ddod Ita suge attire. Thla 
much iplmdor and maaalvenesii. although I cannot ad- 
mit that It eBkced any of my reooHeellons of what scenic 
doB. The most novilplilurewa- that DTwenled at tbe 
oflWt "f the evening, when tbe liedoF the Rhine 11 Been 



VslbalLi Iwyfiml -ai 



-al In the detail* o 






brli-ht, bot ralhi 

ohnd-plecea'and «^ored IlKhl. 

view or the satiMmnean ahwle . 

oeUeDl, and a iininK and highly leillstio conCrut wii" lib; 

tabled bv alhiwlnR the iiray li|cnt of adtstatKuuier wi.,id 

to pais tAronib an aperture hlKbaplnttaerorky ce Ihik, 

whuaon theolhereldeor IbecaveallWH red wiili ihe 

Elare of tbe imllblei. Tlie cbani^ of AUkH^I', »b« 

■klllfully maniKCd; tbe lllurlnnof Ibe 'nlnln» ><Tl<lEe 
^33l^^lin"hesSLr^EsoS<iX^^ 



the whiiie « 
which ran 
Ubiet bean the followini; ii 



On Saturday, the ISlh, the pro((rainnie com- 
menceil at the Cathedral with a solemn maiu. per- 
formed by the Philharmonic Socirty and the Choral 
Society (both u( Diion), asuialed by the MaUriu of 
the Cathedral and the pupila of the Ci>mmnna1 
itehoiib. Nolwithatanding hia great talent aa an 
nn^uiat and eompoaer ol sacred musk, Rameau hag 
left no mass; consoiinently • mass in B flat minor, 
by DIetsch, anollicr Dijon eompoier, 

janw. Two hours later the slalno of Rai 

waa eolemnly Inaucuraled in the old Place du Thei 
tre. It la tn bronze, and Is the production ol M, 
Giipjne Guillaumc. a mcniber of the Institute and 
Director of the Ecole des Beaax.Arta, and who, 
having been bnrn at Montbard, nenr Dijon, may be 
almost conaidered i lellnw.townBinan of the compo- 
ser. The latter is rcpreaented at about fiRy years 
of age. He la in n standintc posliire, clad vrry slm. 
ply, am) with his neck bare. At hii feet lies a vio- 
lin. Hia rieht hand reals npon the keyboard of a 
harpaichord, while the other grasps a manuacrlpt 
■ a pencil. Ilia eve is gailnit intently into space, 
honith he were under the inlluencB of inspira. 
I. The statue was much admired, but there was 
•nerally expressed opinion that the pedesUl la 
lufly. This, however, is a defect that can easL 
ly be remedied. Two very Interesting apeecfipa 

'-'ivere.1, one by M, Enfert, Ihe-Msyorof Di- 

the other by M. Charles Polaot, chairman 
"of the Festival Committee. In the evening, at the 
'.Tbiitre, there was a perfortnanco exclusive- 
ly of works or portions of works by Rameau. The 
•ORramme Included: Part One— (") Overture to 
M/WnifffiM.Ihe Philharmonic Society: (2) Air 
nm DarJauvt, U. Carroul ; (3) " Lea Nlaia de 3o- 
loiniB " and " Les Cyclopes," piecaa (or the hsrpal- 
cliord. M. Salnl-Saene ; (4) Air from Catlor a Pol- 
'.<ac, Mdlle. Judk: (G) Trloa, MM. Salnt-Saens, Taff. 
inel, and Reucksel ; (61 Air from Dardaimt, M. 
Jourdan; (7) Air from ffi/)po(,rfe«(-<ri™, with flute 
ipaniment, Hdlle. Seveata and M. Taffanel; 
ihon lecture on Rameau, by M. F.mlle Marck, 
of the Paris Odfinn. Part Two— (1) ■' Trio of the 
Fates," MM. Jourdan, Carroul, and Dien ; (S) Air 
from Ca-lor. Mdlle, Jung ; (S) Air from Ca«for, M. 
Carronl; (4) Minuet from C'oKor. Mdlle. Soveate ; 
-) Air for the flut*, M. Taffanel ; (fl) Air from Ca,- 
r M. Dieu; (7) Duet from Ln FHa <t Hibi, Mdlles. 
■veste and Jung ; (8) Chorus from DardaniU. Cho 
1 Society. Part Three— Ballet adapted to Ihi 

Crlncipal aira composed by Ramsaa. and execatec 
y Ladies from the Scale, Hilaa ; (1) Eotranci 
march : (i) Sarabande : (3) Rigandun ; (i) Scena 
(B) Gavotte; (S| Paaeeplcd ; (7)3<.'ena: (B) ForlaDe 
,d (9) Tambourln. The airs were selected by M 
_ liimlnre de Lajarte, and the aeleetlon reflected 
great credit upon that gentleman's Mate. 

On Sunday, the ISth, there was a grand Interna- 
tional competition of " Orphtons." Reed Bands, and 
Fanfares. The jury, comprisingarllala ol Paris and 
Dijon, was uader the presldencv of Baron Taylor. 
The ceremony of distributing the priies took place 
In the principal courtyard of the Malrie, and was 
followed bv a grand official banquet. In the course 
of which Eiaron Taylor made a most brilliant speech. 
During the banijnel the town waa magnificently II- 
Inminated ; a concert was gi^en In the Bola da Pare 
hy some of the Sodeliea which had competed in the 
afternoon: and at the Grand.ThUtre there was a 



day, the Itth, with a concert given In the morning 
by the Bon Marehi Musical Society ; a coDcertglT- 
en In the evening by a mixed orchestra of military 
and civilian bands; a general Illumination of tbe 
town ; and a grand military tattoo by torchlight 

StTch were the principal features of a Festival 
which may be |uatly termed nallunal. for the whole 
' " was almost as deeply Interested aa Dijon 
- I .^ (,,g , 

gratulating each other upon tbe success with which 
evervthing went ofl; it may be aawell to atate that, 
had It not been for the dlalnlereated. lealoos, and 
untiring efliirta of one maa. Dijon would have had 
no Festivnl, and Rameau no aUtue. That the Fes- 
tival has been held and the aUtue erected is due en- 
tirely to M. Charles Polaot, who for flfteen long 
J 'ears, through good report and evil report, has 
abored lovingly and incessantly to bring about ■ 
consummation ao devoutly lo be wished. All hon- 
or to M, Cbarlea Poisot! 

—LonJom U<tncai World. 



The 



The Bamuv Futivtl at Dfjon, 
he proceedings ccmmenced. on the evening of 
the nth August, with a sort of pnJogue in thegi ' 
of a grand musical proceasion. comprialng all 
local baada and the bands of the regiments 
tioned Id the old Burgundian capital. The procea- 
sion, headed by torches, traversed the principal 
Btreel*, stoppli.g to play st various points, sui ' 
the Port of the Canal de Bourgogne, the '. 
Saiot-JeaD. the Place Saint- Nicholas, the Place 
cy, and the Place SainvPierre. It performed also 
at the Hotel' de-Ville, iu the Court of Honour, and 



th? 14th. there was a 
grand military '■ Carroueer," or tonrnament, got up 
by the oflicera and Don-commiasloned offlcera of the 
10th Regiment of Dragoona and of tbe 18th Regi- 
ment of Chassenrs i Chevai. More than twelve 
thouaand spectalora were present. In the evening 
there was a grand concert, under the direction of m, 
Aobard. Director of the Dijon Conservatory of Mu- 
sic The performers were the professors of that es- 
tablishment, sasisted by artistsfrom Paris and else, 
where. Among the itaraa of the programme waa 
an " Ode to Rameau.'* written by a native of Dijon, 
M. Stop, tha welt. known draughtsman, and impres- 
sively recited by M. Frederic Achard.all theailisU 
advancing successively to crown with laurel the 
compoaers bast Tbe Featlval wound up on Tnea- 



The Shape of the Ear. 
(To the Editor of tbe London " Hnrical ITortd.") 

Sin. — A recent curaory description of the well 
known Uoiarteum. from the pen of an Intelligent 
correspondent Id a daily paper, mentions the fact 
that, amongst the interesting relics of the " dlvii 
composer exhibited to the public gaie at Saliburg, 
is a drawing of hia ear '• ahowing an abnormally 
large ' bell,' as though nature intended him to be a 
gllted listener," It Is nolevorthy that in all por- 
traits, except thoee painted by the sun itself, next 
to the boots, the ear seems to present to the painter 
the greatest difficulty. It Is rarely one saea a shoe 
beautifully drawn ; perbapa it Is atlU rarer that the 
ordinary covering for the Awt preseoti anything 
that can be made beantlful, even by a skilful drafts- 
man. With the ear the obssrver cannot help r 
marking the same absence of indivldnallty. Any- 
thing will do for an ear ; and a daub or two, that 
would with equal propriety, represent a dried fig, 
or an early oyster, would do duty for the above or- 
gan. In calling attention to this matter. I trust the 
question of the "ah^pe of the ear," aa bearing npon 
capacity of yarions kinds, will receive some atten- 
tion from thnae who may have to select candidates 
for loatrnction In mujlc, or to Impart gnidaucs I 
tbe musical student. In no art is taste so capriclon 
as in music. As to the Beautiful In poetry or paint- 
ing, there will be little dlRiculty in setting up uni- 
versally acknowledged standards of eicetlence. 
But. alas. In mU'ilc, such la not the case I Discords 
that tn some are simply hideous, are to others hon- 
eyed swet^tneas. What Is an opiate to the one seta 
the other dancing. " One man's meat," lo nse an 
old adage, " is another man's polaon." Minds are 
nut alike, nor are any two interior ears alike. Thli 
part of the subject la beyond human reaearch at 
present ; but an questionably there is a very Impor- 
tant branch of thin knowledge that Is directly with- 
in the scope of scientific reanaroh. Nay, more, it 
Ilea immediately under the eye of everyoBo, and 
may be instantly observed, and tnrned to practical 
account by everyone who chooses to make uae of his 
henlties. This is a careful and oomparatlve aurvey 
of the shape of the exterior human ear. With the 
view of stimulating research In this direction, I bag 
to call the alteutlon of musical people, and others 
Interested, to the subject. The " lnSnil« variety' 
of shape iu ears will immediately atrlke them at 
amply sofllclent to account lor preference being giv- 
en either to "Tommy, make room for your uncle' 
or Lo/lerufriit. Juat as In the eye there may be col- 
or-blindness, so in the ear there la melody, or har- 
mony, deafness. Many possess syea that do not see 
identically ; ao do many possess ears that do not 
hear Identically. One eye sees a little aalant of the 
other ; precisely so with the ear. " First pull the 
mote out of thine own eye ' might moat justly bo 
supplemented with the kindred exclamation, "First 
remove the obxtruetion tram thine own ear, and 
then ehalttbou hear clearly what gratifies or annoys, 
as the case may be, thy brother'a ear." If a man 
have a defectlvs eye, he would not be likely to win 
the priie in a rifle contest; so, with an Imperfect 
ear, there must necessarily be a faulty musician. 
The bidden causes of perfection may t>e nnmeroHS 
and profound ; yet some canees that prevent perfec- 
tion being attained, or even hoped for, are patent to 
everyone, A few of the results ofmyown observa- 
tions I venture humbly to submit, ia the trust th 
something mure may beelicited on this, aa I believ . 
most interesting question. And I shall be extreme- 
ly glad ir any person who ia otoplaion that my cc 



302 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



elusions are premature or erratic will kindly oon- 
tribute the result of his or her indi^idoal experience. 
Small ears are invariably nnder g^eat disadvantaflre. 
Larare ears are osaally indicative of a more compre- 
hensive taste. A narrow "harp" — or harp-like 
opening — always denotes a good ear for mnsic. If 
the harp is very regular, yon may safely prognosti- 
cate a correct intonation. For a singer the rim 
mast be very even and the circle unbroken. Any 
protuberance on the rim of the ear will occasion a 
slight discrepancy of intonation — the sinsrer will 
not be at an times alike. Some have a double harp ; 
this is dangerous to the success of the singer. A 
perfect double rim is, on the other hand, highly ad- 
vantageous; this is, however, open to the weak- 
ness of being easily satisfied with sweet sounds of 
any kind. The ear with no rim is the most dainty 
and difficult to please ; it appears to receive, almost 
as it were by selection, only the best sounds — ordi- 
nary sounds have no attraction for it These are a 
few of the leading features of the ear. Seeing that 
we have casts of pianists' hands, would it not be as 
instructive to have casts of composer's ears T Sure- 
ly the one is as important to the musical student as 
the other. — ^Yeurs very truly, 

On>mo« ToLHVBST. 



9%K^ lonmal of JSlnsk 



BOSTON, SEPT. 16, 1876. 



The Fint Bayreuthiad. 

*• FerhaiM, since the wbole affair Is intended for a re- 
generation of the Olympic Games, we shall count time 
In future by Bayreuthiads, as the Greeks did by Olymp- 
iads: ' In the third year of the twelfth Bayrenthiad It 

came to pass, that' *' etc., etc. 

A. W, Amhro*, 187S. 

Bayreuth and the Nlbelungen Trilogy still occu- 
py perforce the greater part of all our space. It is 
a thing which it coats so many words simply to tell 
of and describe I And when it comes to the criti- 
cisms, to the discussion of the Wagner theories, and 
the subtle metaphysical and mystical, and even 
theological (!) expositions and interpretations with 
which the Wagnerites beset us on all sides, — it 
would require a whole room in our Public Library 
to hold them. Fortunately there are no musical 
events to chronicle at home of late, nor much else 
of any consequence in Europe ; the Musician of the 
Future has been suffered to monopolise the whole 
field, and he has virtually had the world for audi- 
ence, though most of us poor stay-at-homes were 
only present there vicariously. 

We do our best to place our readers on a level 
with the fortunate ones (or the unfortunate, as the 
case may be) who sat before the wondrous magic 
lantern in that novel theatre. With this view we 
copy to-day a large part of the very g^phic de- 
scription of the first two performances by the Trib- 
tme correspondent, who in a literary point of view 
at least writes admirably, and brings the mystical 
strange plot, the very scenes, intelligibly and vivid- 
ly before the mind. In what he says of the music, 
we must bear in mind that he went there a thor- 
oughly committed Wagnerite beforehand, and it is 
quite natural that he should find everything, with- 
out exception, ** exquisite," sublime," " grand," un- 
surpassed in pathoe, etc, and that he should speak 
of Wagner as " this uuapproached master of the 
orchestra." We do not adduce these letters as mu- 
sical criticism, but simply as helping us to form an 
idea of what actually took place in Bayreuth, mak- 
ing us imagine ourselves part and parcel of that 
audience, sharing its transports, if we are that way 
predisposed. Some others paint the thing in far 
less glowing colors ; of course the bored, the disap- 
pointed, will be heard from last We also give the 
first of the letters in the New York Tttnet, which 
may be useful for comparison; and we intend to 
give more both from these and other sources. 

The real eriiieUm, as we have said, will come la- 
ter. Already it begins to come in driblets. All 



that we do get, not only from the letters and the 
criticisms which have as yet come from Bayreuth, 
but from our careful reading of Wagner's four libret- 
tos, with more or less dipping into the piano ar- 
rangements of the scores, only confirms our own 
conviction as heretofore expressed in these columns 
many tiroes; namely: 1. that, whatever the suc- 
cess of the Trilogy, in its influence upon the " Art- 
work of the Future " it can only stand as something 
tut ffimrU, one thing among others, and that it will 
not in the least impair the charm or the validity of 
older forms of musical Art, created and developed 
by the long line of great masters ; nor will Opera, 
in ita best instances, cease to warm the heart and 
the imagination Just as much as ever, because this 
formid ible shape of melodramatic Drama with elab- 
orate or chestral accompaniment or background has 
been set up beside it. 

2. That it is not " development," not the logical 
outgrowth of the whole history of music, as it has 
been claimed, but it is revolution ; it tends to over- 
turn established principles of Art, to paralyse its 
finest forces, and pull down the glorious fabric 
which its inspired master architects have been for 
ages building up. In short, it is reversing the 
wheels of time ; it Is going back to the first begin- 
nings of Opera in 1600, when the attempt was made 
by scholars of the Renaissance in Florence to repro- 
duce the old Greek Drama, chanting the words in 
dry and endless recitative. Oo back to the mea- 
gre Italian Opera of that day, and you find Opera 
without arias, or chorus, or concerted music, opera 
in which the music is wholly secondary to the 
words, and, with the exception of the modem or- 
chestra, why not almost entirely in accordance with 
the new Wagnerian Idea? 

8. That, placing music in so subordinate a posi- 
tion, whatever importance it may succeed in acquir- 
ing for itself as a thing sui ffensrii, it can only con- 
cern the genuine music-lover, as such, in a limited 
deg^ree ; it may form one of the curious side dishes 
in a rich life-long musical experience. 

4. That this music, by the very nature of its pe- 
culiar structure, lacks entirely that prime, essential 
quality of all true Art, repote ; which is almost the 
same thing as saying it lacks beoMfy. 

6. Th at it is all the more fatiguing and monotonou s 
for the reason that the action may not pause for any 
" indulgence," as Wagner would say, in an Aria, a 
Duet, Trio, or ensemble. It recklessly, in wilful 
slavery to system, renounces the charm of these nat- 
ural forms of music. Where music is free to follow 
out its own spontaneous Inspiration and expression, 
it is pretty sure to take these forms ; and 
the Melody, the Aria is as much an expression, 
a revelation of character and feeling, and even more 
so, than the words of the text chanted or recited in 
musical tones. This again is only saying in another 
way that the music lacks repose. — Just so, too, nat- 
ural charm, repose, are forfeited by the disregard of 
easy modulation ; the continual spasmodic breaking 
away from one key into another wholly unrelated ; 
the contempt for the " family tie " In harmonies ; 
and Just so, also, by the absence of anything like 
thrnnaUe d/ndapmeni^ for the recurring characteristic 
" motives ' in the orchestra are simply so many la- 
bels attached to the several persons and things to 
be remembered in the plot, — a very different thing 
from a thematic g^rm developing itself according to 
the intrinsic laws of music. 

6. That the legendary subject matter of the 
drama, the strange medley of gods, grants, mon- 
sters, heroes and incestuous lovers, — while we ad- 
mit that there is much power and true poetic fac- 
ulty evinced in many parts of the four librettos — is, 
save as material for picturesque and brilliant spec- 
tacle, essentially bewildering and tedious ; and that 



music comes only into a very forced connection 
with much of its protracted dialogue, which is more 
interesting and intelligible when merely read, than 
it can be when sung or musically recited. Take for 
instance the long curtain lecture between Wotan 
and his Juno (Fricka), the one defending, the other 
rebuking the violation of the marriage oath and the 
bridal union of brother and sister; or the long mon- 
ologue (26 pages of music) in which Wotan, in shame 
and anguish, pours the whole scandalous story into 
the pure ears of his daughter BrQnuhilde ;— can any- 
thing in the shape of music be more dreary than 
this scene ! 

— But we cannot enter into all these paints of 
criticism now. Our present object merely is to 
mention a few points, and show how far they are 
confirmed by the more thoughtful criticism which 
begins to come to us from Ba}Teuth. From the 
glowing reports of the wholesale admirers, which 
naturally came first, we appeal to these ; from Phil- 
ip drunk to Philip sober. Already, in the first let- 
ter of the New York Timet, which we have copied, 
we have something more discriminating in regard 
to the Bheinffold music. We still wait for copies of 
the Nette FreU Pmte of Vienna, which contain the 
letters of Dr. Hanslick, the foremost music^il critic 
now in Germany. Meanwhile we are Indebted to the 
New Yorker Democrat for his concluding summary, 
which we translate : — 

" Upon Art-historical predictions the critic enters 
as unwillingly as earnest astronomers upon weath- 
er prophecies. Tet so much seems to us extremely 
probable: that the style of Wagner's Nihdungen 
will not be the muric of the foture, but at the roost 
one of many styles. Perhaps too only a fermenting 
yeast for new develepments reaching backward to 
the old. For Wagner*s latest reform consists not 
in an enrichment, an expansion, a renovation inside 
of music, in the sense that the Art of Mozart, Beet- 
hoven, Weber, Schumann, has been; on the oon- 
trary it Is a turning and twisting round of the pri- 
meval laws of music, a style against the nature of 
human hearing and feeling. One may say of these 
compositions: they have music, yet they are no 
music. To point out one thing for the provisional 
orienting of the reader: Through four evenings we 
hear people singing on the stage, without any self- 
sustained and clearly stamped melody, without a 
single duet, terzel, ensemble piece, without chorus 
or finale I This alone proves already, that the 
knife is laid not to outlived forms, but to the liring 
root of dramatic music Friends of Opera, who are 
not acquainted with Triatan and the Ntbehmgetk- 
Rifig, are very apt to suspect the adversaries of this 
later progeny of Wagner of being enemies of Wag- 
ner altogether. They think always of the FlUgen- 
dsr ffoUdnder or Tatmhdnaer, which are Ihndamen- 
tally as different from Wagner's newest music, as 
two things can be in the same art. One can con- 
sider Tannhdueer one of the most beautiful of oper- 
as, and in spice of that regard the Nibelun<^ as the 
very opposite ; in fact he must do so. For what 
made and still makes the success of Wagner's earli- 
er operas, is the constant union of the descriptive, 
the specifically dramatic element with the charm of 
comprehensible melody, the alternation of dialogue 
with musically conceived and musically formed en- 
sembles, choruses, finales. All that can remind one 
of these excellencies has Wagner in his NihUttngen 
banished till no trace remains. 

" In fact, Wagner's NiJMung-Ring is something 
wholly new, fundamentally different from all that 
went before, an nniqne thing standing for itself 
alone. There are three main points which in prin- 
ciple distinguish thi% mu^ic from sll preceding op- 
eras, including Wagner's own. First, the want of 
independent, rounded vocal melodies, into the pla6e 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, SEPT. 16, 1876. 



303 



of which steps ft sort of exalted recitfttion, with the 
' infinite naelodj' in the orchestra as a hasis. Sec- 
ondly, the dissolation of every sort of form, not 
merely the traditional forms (Aria, Daet, etc.), but 
of symmetry itself, of all musical log^ic developing 
itself according to laws. Finally, in the third place, 
the exclusion of vocal pieces in several parts, duets, 
terzets, choruses, finales, with the exception of a few 
fleeting small attempts. 

" Now to remore voeal part-song, duets, trios, 
choruses, from the Opera, on the plea that they are 
undramatic,' is to ignore the most valuable achieve- 
ment of musical art and go back two centuries to 
children's shoes.* . It is the finest possession, the 
most peculiar charm of music, its greatest advan- 
tage over the drama, that it can let two or more 
persons, and whole crowds of people, express them- 
selves at once. This treasure, for which the poet 
must envy the musician, as Schiller felt so deeply 
in the composition of his Bride of Mttnna, Wagner 
has thrown out of the window as superfluous. In 
the Nibdnngm^Ring two. or three, or six persons 
may stand beside each other on the stage, yet nev- 
er do any two of them (with a few momentary 
slight exceptions) sing at once ; always it is one af- 
ter the other, as in a court of law. What torture 
it is to fellow this single-file singing geese march 
the whole evening, he only knows who has himself 
experienced it But when Wagner through four 
evenings, one after another, protracts the tyranny 
of this monodical style, he almost suicidally obliiares 
US to see the absurdity of his method and to yearn 
for the ir.uch despised old Opera once more. All 
this is Aggravated by the unexampled length to 
which single scenes and conversations are stretched 
out," 



' The Mineaird of Paris had a critic present (** un 
musicien aussi competent qn' impartial,**) who with 
a great deal of admiration mingles such sentences 
as these: 

" Charming commencements of phrases in all that 
act ; but the gate of heaven, hardly opened, shuts 
immedUtely ! **— <* Without Ita third act, the OSUer^ 
ddtmmerung was a disaster. You cannot form an 
idea of the profound ennui which those two first 
acta brought over the public. It is perhaps for this 
reason that the ^rtisans ^ptand mSme of Richard 
Wagner proclaim the Gditerddmmerung the chef- 
d'osnvre of the tetralogy. For our part, having not 
the foith that saves, we will pass over, If you please, 
ihese two interminable deserts of music, and come 
at once to the third act.**—" And now what are we 
to conclude T Must we say with Wagner, that the 
Germans have at last an Art 7 . . . . Let Mo- 
lart, Weber, Beethoven reply." 

Another Frenchman (M. Albert Wolf, we pre- 
sume), in F^ro, says there are two men in Wag- 
ner, the lunatic and the inspired, and pronounces 
the operas as a whole " the dream of a lunatic who 
thinks to impose upon the world a most frightful 
•orfe of art.** We copy from the IroHMcripi : 

The snabtanoe of the judinnent against the Wagner 
experiment is this— that there are paassei'S of unop- 
proAcbed and inoonoeivable elevation, CrPI when the 
spectator Is exalted and cairled away by an Indescriba- 
ble enthoslasm. But the long endurance of tbe "con- 
tinnpos melody "—that Is. tbe mnsic without rbythmlc 
form* whieb is, bowever, Wafpier's one peculiar contri- 
bution to art,— Is too irreat a price, they say, to pay for 
these moments of exaltation. Tbu amounts to saying 
that the very thing on which Waener particularly bases 
his dalm of a great acbieirement is Just what spoUs his 
work. <' This music of tbe futurei'^^says tbe Figaro wri- 
ter, " witb tbe exception of a few passages, is doomed 
to certain forgetfulneitf," and furthermore *- that part of 
tbe work which cannot be strictly called tbe mnsic of 
the futare is alone really good.*' Tbe music of tbe fu- 
ture that accompanies and illustrates tbe maiestlc dec- 
laration of tbe god Wotaa and wbicb that f aithf nl Wag- 
nerite, the aocompUsbed critic of the New York Tribune, 

a Chinese shoes, which pompress the foot and allow no 
development I— (Eo.) 



foond so impressive, ibis disgusted Parisian critic de« 
rcribes thus: " Wotan comes in during the second act 
to get off a piece which, watch in bund, lasted for twen- 
ty-flveminntes; not a situation, not a phrase, nothing 
but a horrlbiA cacophony which lasted for one hour and 
a half, one of the most overpowering acts that was ever 
heard in anv theatre. The Lunatic gets the better of 
tbe Inspired.*' 



An Italian critic, in Aimodeo, of Milan, finds 
much to praise, yet writes : " One of the most seri- 
ous calamities is the absolute want of chorus ; and 
the other, that never are the roices united, with 
the exception of the short iertettino of the nymphs 
in their hymn to the Rhine gold. This want of 
union in the voices is felt particularly when there 
are a dozen persons on the stage. This is very 
hurtful to variety, and generates continual weari- 
ness of such excessive monotony, while in the or- 
chestra noisy {ttrepHott) ripieni so abound as to 
generate confusion and nothing else.** He speaks 
also of " recitatives interminable, heavy and moat 
irksome." 



Mr. Joseph Bennett, one of the critics whose full re- 
port upon the festival, in tbe London MuHeal Time»t ^^ 
shall be tempted to Uy before our readers hereafter, 
writea: 

Tbe queatlon, of eourse, arises— and a most important 
one it is— whether a drama for music should so rigidly 
eonsult its own separate necessities, and yield nothing 
to tiie eondltlons of its aUlsnoe. My own answer given 
deliberately after the experience of Bayrenth, la in the 
negative. It Is true that Wagner baa so far recognised 
the demands of muKlo as to identify each scene with 
some distinct emotion, powerfully expressed; but even 
this is not enough to save his theory from rejeotlnn. In 
eveiy drama so constructed there must be passages with 
which mnsie has nothing to do, and the effect fd which 
mnsic, especially when written on the principles here- 
after mentioned, simply mars. But the question under- 
lying all is whether Wagner has not bit upon a fallacy 
in supposing that he can, from a practical point of view^ 
subordinate music to drama. In theory, his system ap- 
pears perfect; In reality, I doubt whether it will ever 
work. The way to test this is for the audience at Bay- 
renth to ask themsel^M what part of the compound 
thing there presented engaged most of their attention* 
Wagner, as the oiBcial mouthpiece of bis system, would 
urge that the mind should have been sensible of nothing 

hut a whole ; but that was Impossible. The three grand 
elements— mnsIc, poetry and stase representation— stood 
separately before everv eye, ann there can be no doubt 
as to wbleh wss most earnestly regarded: which was 
most discussed, which contributed before the others to 
the Judsment pronounced. The predominance of mnsic 
In all tb«*se respects might have been foreseen, and was. 
in fact, inevitable. Araodate mnsic and poetrr on eqnal 
terms you cannot. Tbe more universal, emotional and 
powerinl art will prevail ; and not all tbe force of twenty 
Wagners can alter the fact. Wherefore, I contend, that 
to write a drama witb a view to dramatic exigencies 
alone, and then to ally it witb music, must not ouly re- 
snlt in failure, but Is contrary to the very nature of 
things. 

And on tbe question of the human interest, as well as 
of U>c elevation of the poem and the plot he says too 
truly: 

Looking at this wonder-story, with its array of gods, 
demons, giants, dragons, miraculous gauda, potent 
drinks, and what not that ever entered pito the fabulist's 
head, it may naturally be doubted whether the drama at 
any time approaches the speetator near enough to touch 
the spring of his emotions. That it does so, here and 
there, Is true, but it la also a fact that generallv speak- 
ing, we care little what beoq|me8 of anybody oonoemed. 
The supernatural beings, when not repugnant, are indif- 
ferent, tbe mortals as a rule are more or leas contempti- 
ble, while upon all rests tbe dark shadow of an Incestu- 
ous crime BO rare even in the days of myth that Frioka 
exdaima, urging Wotan to punish Blegmund»— 

** Bridal embrace 

of brother and sister! 
When, where was It known 
to mate witb the child of your mother! *' 

IS this story, wherein poetic beaniy and ingenious cir- 
cumstances are allied to oblldlsh Imaeinfngs, made black 
by association with a sin, which horrifies even a goddess, 
and degraded by oonnection with love that rises in but 
a single instance above animalism— Is this a model for 
tbe national muslo-drama of Germany? Heaven fore- 
fend! 

This writer too assures us, what we opined before, that 
<* the more eminent among German musicians stayed a- 
way ; Brahms, Hiller. Yolckmann, Joachim, Rnblnstein, 
Rail— none of these put In an sppearance, for reasons 
aboot which It would be impertinent to speculate.*' 



The London Spectator says: 

The Wagner Festival at Bayrenth appears to have 
been a great success. The composer had bis own way 
tbroughonttlbla audience Induded *' a pit fbll of kings,'* 
and all the resources of the carpenter and the soene- 
painter were stretched to the uttermost, with a grand re- 
sult In effects. Correspondents have described the com- 
poser's dramas to all the wortd, and the festival has 
been allotted as much space in the journals as the ac- 
count of a great battle. The only drawback to the festi- 
val seems to be its toM want of mtUUif, The king of Ba- 
varia enjoyed himself, and Herr Wagner enjoyed him- 
self, and hundreds of musical fanatics are supposed to 
have enjoyed themselves, but bow Is Art advanced by a 
massive ceremonial which it takes months to organise, 
a world to attend, and kings to pay for? We prononnoe 
no opinion on Herr Wagner's music, but vahat can Ms 
world ffoin/rom music which rtguiret for fStU efeet 9uck 
giffantie aceeatorietf The sculptor who can only carve 
on mountains may be a great sculptor, but neither tbe 
praetioe nor tbe understanding of senlpture can be im- 
proved by htm. Coneedlcg for the moment all that 
Herr Wagner claims, there is something Oriental, some - 
thing barbaric, in this way of taking the ears of the 
world by storm. It is as If a musician illustrated a new 
conception of tbe laws of harmony by a miraculously ad- 
roit use of steam whistles, gongs and cannon. It la mu- 
sic for Brobdingnagisns endowfsd with immortality, not 
for poor little ants, with only some 15/K)0 days of nutta- 
rity. 

Th« Abt op Muno Safi ! " Shall there be no 
more cakes and ale because thou art virtuous ** and 
a " reformed " follower of Wagner ? The London 
7%nu$ mnaical correspondent begins hia report of 
the Bayreuth Festival with this consoling para- 
graph: 

. Having advanoed half-way, we are in poesessten of 
tolerably fair grounds for estimating the results, more 
or less probable, of Richard Wagner's colossal undertak- 
ing— we mean with regard to its general influence upon 
the " art-work of the future." Our own Impression, af- 
ter hearing RhHnffotd and tbe VoZfcfir*, is that the art of 
mnsie, not In its trivial manifestations, whteh are of 
small consequence, but as It is understood and practised 
by tbe ** great masters," stands in no danger from tbe 
gods and giants, dwarfs and heaven-deacended heroes, 
that people tbe soenarinm of the NibeUtngen, Ring. Opera , 
In the legitimate acceptance of the term, will rest pra- 
elsely where It was; and operatic composers worthy the 
name, to say nothing of *' tbe piping operatic singing 
birds," who give voice to their melody, can rest in quie- 
tude with arms enfolded. In strlet truth, the Tetralogy 
<or Trilogy with Vortpta, '• les deux se disent '*) Is no 
opera at all. It Is a play, the speeches in which are de- 
claimed, rather than sung, to orchestral aocompanlmeot ; 
If that may be called accompaniment which has nearly 
all the business to Itself, and to whioh the development 
of the melodies, such as they are, Is chiefly assigned ; If 
that nwy be called accompaniment, which, caring noth- 
ing for the physical stamina of the stage declalmer, pur- 
sues Its Independent coorse In all measures and modifi- 
es tlons of measures, the tonality ever shifting fmm kry 
to key, careless of tbe hitherto recognized laws of moih. 
ulatlon, from tbe pulling aside tbe curtains even to the 
polling to thereof, and after. Tbe fact that the Tetralr- 
gv is not opera may bringnonsolation to many who p^r. 
sfst in Ifking what Herr Wagner styles •' that doubtful 
kind of Entertainment.** Op4*ra being safe, it Is no Ipfs 
pleasant to be Informed, on Wagner's autbori^, by Mr 
Dannrentber, one of tbe master's sealoua apostles, that 
while ** drama " (Wagnerian drsma) must In future be 
" the height of men's musical ambition," tbe " various 
beautiful forms of inscruroental music now current " will 
not *' cease to be cultivated ; "—so that the f^irther bear- 
Ins of symphonies, quartets, sonatas, and trios still llrs 
within the pale of orthodoxy. Fortified by such aasur- 
ances, a brief survey of what has already been witnessed 
of this memorable week's proceedings may be entered 
upon with more equanimity than might otaerwlse have 
been the case. 

Finally an anecdote, sufficiently Wagnerian. It Is ra- 
lated by IC. Albert Wolf In U Figaro, ** The scene oc- 
curred during the rehearsals. The first act of tbe IFaf- 
JtOrt represents an Interior; an immense fiie blazes on 
tbe hearth, and, to render the lllosion more complete, 
M. Wagner asks a machinist to add clouds of smoke, 
wbicb Incommoded the tenor to snch a point that, at 
tbe last general rehearsal, be said to the maater of mas- 
ters :— * Pardon, Is It not possible that you can have the 
smoke suppressed? '^'•/hnwiis,' replied Wagner; *as 
there Is no smoke without fire, there Is no fire without 
smoke.'—* But this smoke prevents my singing.'—' Ton 
will sing In spite of It; the smoke is necessary to the en- 
semble of my work of Art I '— ' In that case,' said Nie- 
mann. ■ nothing easier than to arrange the affair: make 
the chimney sing, and 111 do tbe smoking I ' *' 



304 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



Philadelphia, Sept. 12. Theodore Thomas, un- 
der the auspices of the Ladies' Centennial Commit- 
tee, is to give a two weeks festival at the Academy 
of Music here, commencing on the twentieth inst. 
There will be eight evening performances and two 
matinees. His soloists are Miss Drasdil, Miss Beebe, 
Miss Henne, Mr. Whitney, Mr. Remmertz, Mr. Bis- 
choflf, Mad. Schiller (piano), Miss Brown (piano), 
Mr. Mills (piano), Mr. Sherwood (piano). The 
Ladies' Centennial Chorus will assist 

Strakosch is giving opera at the Academy this 
week, with Palmier! and Bolocca. I am told they 
had a very large audience last evening. 

Mr. J. N. Pattison has been quite ill, but is now 
at his post of duty. His recitals are largely at- 
tended. 

Mr. L. E. Levassor has added a vocalist to his 
morning reciUls given daily. Yesterday be bad a 
fine programme : 

" Oh Best in the Lord *' Mendelssohn 

Mrs. A. Hunt. 

Polonaise in E flat Chopin 

Schereo f xx>m SonaU, op. 31 Beethoven 

"Waiting" Ilillaid 

Mr*. A. Hunt. 
Rhapsodie Honcroise, No. 3 Liszt 

Mr. Levassor has firmly established himself here 
as a careful and conscientious pianist, and has made 
a host of friends and admirers. Mr. Bialla con- 
tinues his delightful organ reciuls ; but they would 
be much more entertaining to his regular daily au- 
ditors, if he would increase his repertoire. Mr. 

Coulander has departed. Miss Julia Rive, whose 

charming artistic recitals I have before mentioned 
In my letters, is at her home in Cincinnati, in excel- 
lent health. A project is now on foot to effect an 
engagement with her for a series of recitals to be 
given either in "Judges" or "Memorial" Hall. 

The Kinkel Brothers are also expected to play 

in " Main " Hall during October, assisted by Levy. 

C. IL 

Knsie in Cincinnati 

CiicciXKATi, Aug. 30.— As our musical season is about 
to open, I thought it would be interesting to your read- 
ers to know wbat we intend doing this season in the 
Western musical metropolis. Mr. Otto Singer has re- 
turned from his Saetem trip, and will commence hto 
labors next week. Chief among them will be the drill- 
ing of the chorus for the coming Biennial Musical Fes- 
tival here next May. Mr. Singer has done a great 
amount of good in this dty and suburbs, and I am glad 
to be able to say that he is appreciated. The city is, as 
you are doubtless aware, the home of quite a numlier of 
fine pianists. I think it will not be claiming too 
much to say that the first place as a pianist, not only 
here, but in America rightfully belongs to Miss Julia 
BiTS^In this, her native city, her talent and genius 
was first aclcnowledged and fostered. Her performances 
here have always been perfect ovations. Last evening 
I had the pleasure of hearing her render the following 
classical programme: 

Bach— 

Grand Prelude and Fugue in C Minor. 
(Well tempered Clavier, No. 2). 
Mozart— 

Fantasia in C Minor. 
Beethoven— 

(a) Bonata Pathetique, op. 13. , ,, _ ^ 

Grave ed Allegro— Adagio cantabile— Rondo. 
ib) Allegretto from the 7th Symphony (arranged 

by Liszt). 
Mendelssohn- 
Fantasia in F sharp Minor. 

Andante— Allegro con moto— Presto. 

Schomann— 

Two Romances, from op. 28. 
Chopin — 

(a) Fantasia Brillante in F Minor, op. 49. 

(c) Four Masourkas. op. 17. 

(cO Allegro de Concert, op. 46. 
\7afirner^~ 

Sinning Song from the Flying Dutchman (ar. 
ranged by Lisat). 

Liszt- 

(a) Ricordansa. 

ilf) Rhapsodie Hongroise, No. 10. 

Her Uchnigue is superb; better, with the exception of 
Rubinstein's and Von Bttlow's, than that of any pianist 
that has ever been heard here. These two are the only 
pianists with whom she can be compared ; yet do not 
understand me to say that I do compaie her with these 



great masters, as being their equals. It would be 
very unfair to weigh a young pirl of twenty-one in the 
same balance with men of fifty, who have studied, 
taught, and conducted all the l.irge works of the great 
masters fifteen years before Miss Riv4 was bom ; yet 
such are the great excellencies of her performance, that 
she has universally, wherever she has appeared, been 
compared by the critics and the profession to these two 
great artists, which is really one of the highest -compli- 
ments that could be paid her. Her accuracy, technique, 
Immense repertoire and memory (she plays entirely 
without notes) are points which in no other pianist known 
to me can be compared to BUIow. Her strength, fire 
and wonderful bravura, on the other hand, unconscious- 
ly recall Rubinstein. Miss Rive's technique leaves noth- 
ing to be desired, except that perhaps her trlU (which is 
astonishingly full and even) might be a little more rap* 
id, especially when she shakes with the third and fourth 
flngere: her phra«inff is above praise; her touch exqui- 
site; the tone she produces broad and firm; her endur- 
ance and strength marvellous. Her conception,— ah ! 
now we begin to tread' on delicate ground. No artist 
has ever appeared in thi« country that has not been un- 
mercifully criticized on this])oint. Some said Yon fiU- 
low could play Beethoven, but he did not comprehend 
Chopin. Others said that he played Chopin divinely, 
but was ** not the man to grapple Beethoven ; '* and so 
on through the list. Almost every critic has some mod- 
el by which he compares, and on which he bases his 
judgment, and when they hear an artist depart from 
their '* model " they are " up in arms " in an instant.- 
My own impression is, that Miss Rive's conception is 
that of a thorough artist, and no one at her age (cer- 
tainly no lady) so far as I know, has ever accomplished 
the work on the piano forte that she has. She will give 
a series of classical recitals this winter. 

Hemrt G. Andres, one of Miss Riv6's earliest teach- 
ers, occupies a high position here as a teacher, pianist 
and organist, excelling on the latter instrument. Cincin- 
nati is largely indebted to Mr. Andres for her many ex- 
cellent performers, and it is also pleasant to say that he 
Is appreciated. His annual Chamber concerts are al- 
ways well patronized and highly enjoyed. 

Mr. Armim W. Dobmbr, a young pianist recently re- 
turned from Europe, has a fine position, and a large 
class. His recitals last season were artistic and instruc- 
tive and will be looked for with high anticipations tills 
season. 

Mr, Webnkr Stbixbrbaker, one of our oldest plan, 
ists, still continues teaching, and occasionally gives re- 
citals and chamber concerts. Several will be given this 
season. 

Mb. p. Lbvamoskt, a very fine pianist and an excel- 
lent teacher, will probably join forces with some vocal 
talent and give three chamber concerts. 

Mr. Carl Pallatt is an excellent teacher and a fine 
accompanist. He has not fully made up his mind about 
bis Fall campaign, hut in all probability will give one or 
two soirees. 

Mr. Otto Sinokr I have already mentioned. If his 
other duties permit, he will give three Chamber Con- 
certs, assisted by a string quintet from the " Cincinnati 
Grand Orchestra.*' Mr. Singer's Chamber concerts 
heretofore have been the best In that line, that we have 
had here, and it is to be hoped that he will not be so 
pressed with other duties that he will be compelled to 
omit them this season. 

Bio. A. 0. Alpisi, one of the best voca^ teachers in 
this country, will probably produce the opera of ** Mar- 
tha" with his pupils. 

Sio. Janatta, also on^ of our leading vocal teachen, 
who brought out *< Martha ^ with great success last year, 
Is making an effort to produce the " Bohemian Girl '* 
this season. 

Madams Pauunb Rive, the mother of the gifted pi- 
anist, and one of her teachers, will give two concerts 
with her pupils; they are always enjoyable. 

Mbs. Hanist Kbbr, one of our best teachen, will al- 
so give two recitals with her pupils. 

'* The Cincinnati Gruid Orohestra '* will give five sub- 
scription concerts, this being their fifth season, lliey 
number fifty instruments, and are under the baton of 
Mr. Michel Brand, formerly of the Thomas orohestra. 
Mr. Louis Ballenbergh is the business manager. There 
has been a great deal of opposition to the management 
and conductor lately, and strong efforts have been made 
to break up the organization or to put it in otlier hands. 
While there Is certainly room for improvement, both in 
the orohestra and management, it is better than any 
other city in the Union enjojrs outside of New York, and 
in my judgment, should the present organization be 
broken up, it will be a long time before we have another 
equally good. It should be the duty of every music lov- 
ing citizen to do his utmost to encourage and Bu«taln 
it. A. G. D. 



Spuial 'S^nticts, 



DBSCBIPTIYK LIST OF THK 



Pabllakeid by Oliver I»lCa«a * €•• 



> <•» « 



Vooali with Piano AooompaniiDont. 

Gone to the Silent Honie. Song and Cho- 
rus. E5. a. dtoE. Prior. 80 

" The little feet ihat long aro 
Ran np and down the lane.^ 

Simple and alTecting ballad in popular style. 

On Summits of the Other Shore. Song and 

Chorus. B&. 3. KtoV. Danks. 30 

' Her smber hair Is shining bright." 

One of the prophetic songs, that are alwsys 
beautiful. 

Wrecked and Saved. • Descriptive Song. B6. 

a. g to F. Knowles. 35 

** All snils were gone, — the ship a wreck 
And downward sinking fast." 

Previous " shipwreck " son|c« have been writtm 
that are diflicult and hifrhiy wnmcrht, bnt this 
excels In being easy, snfllciently flraroalic, and 
ezciting enough to command the attention of an 
andience. 

One Hundred Years of Freedom. Quartet 

and Chorus. F. 3. c to g. Dank*. 90 

** Peal out, ye beUs I Ring joyfully, 
And cheer us on our way.,, 

A cheering Centennial Chorus, with good Bass 

Solo. 

Tom and I. 6. 3. c to g. Danka, 90 

*' We kisfird each other, Tom and I 
Beneath the linden tree/' 

Nice little love song. 

Pretty as a Picture. Fine lithograph title. 

A. 3. EtoF. Bishop, 40 

** O, my heart is gone, and I'm forlorn. 
A darling face has won me." 

One of the prrttiest of bright faces on the 
title, and a sparkling, pretty song. 

The Old Journal. C. 3. d to £. Gabriel 35 

'* And then I think 1 hesr him sing 
From golden gates above. " 

A serious but beautiful song. 

laitrameBtali 

Art Building (Memorial H all) March. C. 2 

SUeher. 40 

A very musical easy mareh, with the magnifi- 
cent " Memorial ** pictured on the title. 

Tilden and Hendricks' Grand Mai^h. With 
portrait on the title. D. S. Mack. 

Music has no party, and Mr. Mack has done 
well by all the candldaies. Portraita of both 
Tilden and Hendricks are given. 



40 



Operatic Medley Waltz. 8. 



Cheneif' 75 



A very spirited set ,founded on popular opera 
melodies. 

Medley of National Airs. S. Grobe. 75 

Familiar Airs. Magnificent Picture Title. 

Empire Grand March de Bravoura. A. 3. 

Phelp9. 40 

A bravoura mareh, with plenty of crashing 
chords and octaves, rendering it powerful and 
• brilliant. 

Night in Venice. Gondelied. A. 3. Kolling. 95 
An easy, melodious piece, admirable for study. 

BOOKS. 

The Wliippoorwill. A School Song Book hy 

W. O. Perkins. Price 50 cts. 

Mr. Perkins' Imc book: " The Golden Robin *' 
had a laree sale, snd this one is at least equally 
good, with an elementary course, a laree numlier 
of bright new songs such as girls and boys are 
sure to like, and a rew hymn tunes for opening 
and closing services. 

DictionaiT of Musical Terms. Ry J. Stainer 

ana W. A. llarret, of Oxford University, 

England. Price in boards $4.00. In 

cloth $5.00. 

This is a comprehensive work quite worthy of 
Oxford and of the accomplished compilers, and 
is rather a succession of valuable treatises than a 
dictionary. Illustrated with many wood cuts. 



Abbrsviations.— Degrees of difficulty are marked 
from 1 to 7. The key is denoted by a capital letter, as C, 
Bbi etc. A laree Roman letter marks the lowest and the 
highest note ix on the staff, small Roman letters if be- 
low or above the staff. Thus: **C. 6, c to B" means 
** Key of C, Fifth degree, lowest letter, « on the added 
line below, highest letter, B on the 4th space. 




toigbfs 




uxul 





WnoLB N"o. 925. 



BOSTOIS^, SATURDAY, SEPT. 30, 1876. 



Vol. XXXVI. No. 13. 



For Dwight** Journal of Muidc. 

Ooseley on Masioal Form.* 

BT W. B. B. MATHBW8. 

The subject of Musical Form, althouprh by 
so means difficult in itself nor uninteresting, is 
probably the least understood of any depart- 
ment of Musical Theory. This is excusable 
for English-speak incT amateurs, for until this 
book appeared I belicTe there was no treatise 
on the subject in Encrlish, except a very mea- 
gre and unsatisfactory ** Outline" made by the 
present writer some years ajro. In Germany 
the case is better, for there are several treatises 
more or less extended, from the glittering and 
high-sounding generalisations of Marx, which 
lead the pupil to imagine that he knows the 
whole subject when in fact he has merely a 
yague glimpse of it. to the misty and confused, 
yet after all practical manual of Richter, and 
quite a number of smaller works known to me 
only by report. Besides, the course of study 
in the best German schools recognizes the true 
source of knowledge of Form, (viz. : the csage 
of genius) and requires of the student copious 
analyses of classic master-pieces. 

Owing to the scarcity of books on this sub- 
ject in English, it was with great pleasure that 
I procured a copy of Prof. Ouseley's new treat- 
ise. The book is an elegantly-printed one, 
(*' Clarendon press ") and sells at a high price. 
It is also clear so far as it attempts to teach 
anything, but all it tries to teach might as well 
have been done in twenty pages as the hundred 
and fifty here spoiled. For. to be perfectly 
plain about it, a more unsatisfactory and slip- 
shod ** treatise" I have never seen from the 
hand of a well-educated author; the justice of 
which condemnation I hope to show in the se- 
quel. But first let us briefly outline the sub- 
ject of *' Form," as it is expounded by the best 
authorities. 

The foundation of Musical Form is found in 
the three principles of Symmetry, Unitv, and 
Contrast. Observe, I say ** contrast," and not 
"variety," as many writers do. But why 
"contrast" and not "variety?" Contrast, I 
answer, is definite : variety is indefinite. There 
may be almost infinite variety and yet no con- 
trast. Variety may be foolish, a freak of 
meaningless modification; contrast is intelli- 
gent, co-ordinative, comprehensive. Contrast 
is one of the elements that gives Beethoven's 
music the precedence over Mozart's. Form, 
then, rests on Symmetry, Unity, and Contrast. 

The unit of form is the Period ; the molecules 
are Motives, Phrases, and Sections. A motive 
is a germ, or as Lobe says, "the figural con- 
tents of one measure." When from a motive 
we rise to a Phrase, it may be in either of three 
ways: by strict sequence, that is, with no new 
material ; or second, by the help of new materi- 

*A TreoUteoH 3ru9ical Form and General 09mpo»Uion 
by the Rev Sir F. A. Gore Ou«-eley, Bart. M. A., Mas. 
Doe., Profeiittr of Music in Oxford Univemlty. 



a1. For example, let these be thd two motives 
combined to make a phrase: 



i 



I 



■Phrase. 



I 



t 



mmM 



I IKotivet. I IKo tive 2. I 



Here we have an antecedent. With two oth- 
er motives we make another phrase, a conse- 
quent of the first, since it brings us to a partial 
repose: 



I 



I 2nd Phrase- 



I 



I IKotive 3. I Motive 4. I 



Here we have out of two phrases a section, 
which is as a whole an antecedent, to which 
must follow the consequent: 

3d Phrase. ^ 4th Phrase. I 




Herein all we have a period: "a melodic 
formation consistinsf of two similar sections, 
standing to each other in the relation of ante- 
cedent and consequent.* The period becomes 
shortened by shortening one or more phra«es, 
and when shortened, of course less satisfactory. 
It becomes lengthened by extending the ca- 
dence formula like a coda, or by repeating the 
two measures immediately preceding the ca- 
dence. It becomes complex when composed 
of three or more sections, a formation common- 
ly arrived at in repeating the first section in 
another key, a habit of Schubert*s, for exam- 
ple. This treatment of the period when fully 
carried out, is extremely fine, and for it we are 
indebted to Richt«r. 

Next the period-group requires attention. 
The "period -group" is. I fancy, a notion of 
Lobe*8. Period-groups are dependent or inde- 
pendent. The independent period-groups are 
the song-forms of two or three periods— possi- 
bly four. Dependent period-groups are of vari- 
ous character, such as "transitional," "con- 
cluding," "elaborated," names pointing to 
traits of their harmonic treatment and their 
relation to the larger works of which they form 
part. 

The song-forms contain each but one princi- 
pal subject. 

The forms containing more than one subject 
are the following: 

Song-form with Trio, in which the 8ong-f«rm 
is the principal and the trio the second, each 
being complete and finished in itself. Forms 
containing two or more subjects are those 
called " Rondo " by Marx, a term which be 

• This deAnition I f^t from a friend, Prof. J. C. Fill- 
more (of RIpon College) wbo has translated Richter's 
F^frmiehre, bat I am sure he fonnd nothing so neat and 
definite in that 



stretches so as to make it cover the Adagio in 
the Sonata Pathetiq^u, The rondo forms are five 
as he gives them.f 

2nd Rondo Form. 

Principal, Episode, Principal, Conclusion. 

Example: Adagio in Sonata in F, Beethoven, 

Op. 2. 

%rd Rondo Form. 

Principal. Episode I, Principal. Episode II, Prin 
cipal, Conclusion. 
Example : Ad&&:io. Sonata Pathetiqne. 

4th Ro%do Form. 
Principal, Episode I, Principal, Episode II, Prin- 
cipal, Episode I, Conclusion. 

Example : Finale to Sonata in C, op. 2, Beetho- 
ven. 

6/A Rondo Form. 

Principal, Episode I. Conclusion, :| Episode II, 
Principal, Episode I, Conclusion. 

Exaxple: Finale to Sonata in F, Op. 2. Beetho- 
ven. 

Sonata- Pieett.* 

The principal and characteristic movement of the 
sonata. 
Its plan is : 

1. Principal, Episode, Conclasion: (Repeat from 
beginning.) 

2. Elaborated part: Principal, Episode, Conclu- 
sion. 

Example : the first movement of any of the regu- 
lar sonatas. 

The second part, the Durehf&hrungt-SaU, as 
Richter calls it, is extended to dimensions 
about equal to each of the other two divisions 
in the sonata-piece. All of these forms admit 
of transitional periods and period-groups ad 
Ub.^ and in long pieces they abound. Here we 
have a perfectly consistent and logical develop- 
ment. The forms are all symmetrical and ad- 
mit of perfect unity ; as they get wider they 
permit a, greater variety of contrast, while in 
the sonata-piece we have, through the elaborat- 
ed periods which follow the repeat, the strong- 
est possible aesthetic contrast, with no sacrifice 
of unity at all.. 

Of the Sonata as a whole, of course I need 
not speak. In the proper treatment of these 
lies the whole of Musical Form, since other 
forms are but modification of them. For this 
idea of a systematic development we are in- 
debted to Marx ; for the clear treatment of the 
sonata-piece, to Richter. Turning now to the 
work by the English Professor, what do we 
find f A very pleasant treatment of the sim- 
ple period, with no adequate explanation of 
shortened, extended, and complex periods, 
(points of vital importance to whoever would 
analyze the classics) : after which he gives us 
the whole of Form in two chapters. 

Prof. Ouseley recognizes seven forms, which 
he says " have been adopted and commended 
to us by the best classical composers." The 
principal ones are the following: 1. The An- 
cient Binary Form. 2. The Modem Binary 

t In place of the German JTauptMU I use « Principal," 
and for StUentaU " Episode.*' 
• jerman SonaiawtM. 



i'- 



306 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



Porra. 8. The Teraary Form. 4. The Minu- 
et form . 5. Tlie Rondo Form. 6. The Vari- 
ations Form. 7. The Fugue Form. He gives 
two patterns of what he calls the Ancient Bi- 
nary Form. 

No. 1. 

i. Principal melody, say sixteen bars, in princi- 
pal key. 
it Combininnf passages modulating simply and 

quickly into the key of the dominant 
iil Second melod}*, in dominant, key concluding 
the first division, with or without a " repeat." 
iv. Principal melody {So, 1.) transposed into key 

of Dominant, and perhaps curtailed slightly. 
T. Combining passages, modulating simply and 

briefly into original key. 
yi. Second melody transposed into original key. 
and so concluding the whole piece. 
No. 2. 
i. Principal melody in principal key, leading 

into 
iL Secondary melody, in the key of the Dominant ; 
after which a return to the original melody 
curtailed, concluding in the same with double 
bar, and a repeat, 
ill. New melody, in relative major or minor (as the 
case may be), treated with secondary melody, 
etc., exactly like the former division, and end- 
ing ib the same key as it begins; then Da 
Capo, the original first division, ending at the 
first double bar. 

'*Mo8t of Handel*8 songs are written in one 
or other of the above varieties of this form. " 

His ** Modem Binary Form " is in effect that 
of the 8onata$aUy and therefore I do not copy 
bis long analysis. His ** Ternary Form-' I 
confess myself unable to quite make out ; it 
seems to be either the second or third rondo 
form as applied to slow movements. Then 
follows the **Minaet-formand Rondos. There 
are two schemes of rondo. I give both : 

Ilrtt Roftde Form, derived from Binary Form, 

First Division. 
i. First original theme, with accessory melodies, 

etc., often ending with theme repeated, 
it Bridge to lead from first to second theme. 
iiL Second original theme, in new key. 
iv. Accessory ideas and passages modulating 
back to 
T. First theme curtailed and repeated in its orig- 
inal key. 

Second Division. 

let Sub-eedion. 
vL Perpetual modulations and developments of 

both themes, 
vii. Hslf close on dominant (pedal) of original 

key. 
viii. First theme in extenso, but without sccesso- 
ries. It may be slightly vsried or embroid- 
ered. 

2}uf Sub-eedion. 

iz. Accessory passages and episodical develop- 
ments, leading into 

z. Second theme in original key. 

xi. Short accessory developments leading into 
first theme in original key, curtailed. 

xii. Coda and conclusion. 

Second Hondo Form, derived from Ternary Form. 

Ftret Divieion. 

i. Exposition of original theme and accessory 
melodies, with slightly modulating passages 
leading to 

ii. Original theme in same key, but curtailed. 

Second Divieion, 

iiL Begin in new key with new themes, and 
slight modulations, leading back to same key. 

iv. Bridge, or accessory ideas, modulating back 
to 



V. First theme in original key, uncurtailed. 

Third Portion. 

vi. Modnlatinsr developments formed ont of all 
previous themes, but nltimately leading back 

vii. First theme in original key, varied and cur- 
tailed. 

viii. Co<]n and conclusion. 

Then follows his treatment of the •* Air and 
Variations " and an allusion to the Fugue form. 
The former contains directions for composing 
variations, one of which is that: **N. B. In 
making variations the original bass and har- 
mony should neterht altered, '* — a rule requiring 
to be taken with a very liberal grain of salt. 

The theoretical part of this treatise is supple- 
mented with eighty or ninety pages of exam- 
ples, which would have been valuable if well 
selected and competently explained. Unfort- 
unately, however, the larger part of this space 
(over fifty pages) is taken up with a Sonata 
** composed in the style of the Mozart epoch " 
by the author himself, which, of course, illus- 
trates nothing, unless it be the composer^s com- 
prehension of his own theories. For Gram- 
mar, of which "Form " is a part, is the analy- 
sis of music, and its conclusions are determined 
by the usage and consent of genius. .What was 
wanted in this part of the work, then, was co- 
pious illustrations from Mozart and Beethoven, 
or at least references to them. He has in a 
number of instances expressed himself in a 
way leaving no doubt that by "modem binary 
form " be means the Sonata-tatt. His rondo 
forms are entirely unlike anything with which 
I am acquainted, and are not supported by ev- 
en a single reference to a classical or any reput- 
able author. The ternary form is nowhere il- 
lustrated save in the adagio to his own sonata, 
and there is no reference to examples elsewhere. 
It approaches the form of the Adagio in the Son- 
ata Paihetique. 

On the whole, therefore, I regard my con- 
demnation of the book as fully maintained. 
But at this point I am liable to the charge of 
having myself promulgated certain formulas of 
form and then condemning a distinguished au- 
thor because he promulgates different ones. 
To this I reply, the formulas which I have bor- 
rowed from Marx and Richter and promulgated 
in English, illustrate the promineut feMures of 
all the forms from those of a single period up 
to the Sonata, and are supported by copious 
examples from Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, 
and others. Especially are 'these formulas sat- 
isfactory when applied to Beethoven, since they 
explain all of his works. 

Prof. Ouseley's formulas, on the other hand, 
do not place the Principal and Episode in prop- 
er prominence, and very inadequately explain 
(if at all) the forms of classical instrumental 
music as we meet them in practice. Besides, 
there is no excuse for this kind of slackness, 
for an edition of Beethoven's Sonatas has been 
accessible in Germany for some years (Lebert 
and Stark's), in which the principal points cf 
the forms are indicated by the marks, H. S. 
(Haupteats), S. S. {SciUMoU), Sch. S. {SMm- 
tat2\ etc. 

If anything could console me for the sketch- 
iness and incompleteness of my own early work, 
it would be to find a Professor in Oxford per- 
petrating such a book as this. All of which 
is respectfully submitted in the hope of saving 



some other credulous aspirant after knowledge, 
from wasting a ^ve dollar bill, which was good 
as gold, to some extent. 



» <ai < 



Tlie inbelungen 



at Bayreath. 



TiriRO DAT— SnCOFRIBD. 

[fboic a STArr coaaESPoiiDRifT op ths TBiBirm.] 

Sien^rried is the hero born of the union of Sieg- 
mund and SloffUnrle. and de^ttlncd to be the aeent 
in ropairin^ the wrong done in the theft of the Ringr 
and at the same time of brininng the rpisrn of the 
divinitipff of Walhalla to an end. Sieglinde died in 
firivini; birth to birn, and the child was broni^ht up 
by the dwarf Minx^. who hoped to um him in reoov- 
orlng the Ring and the Tarn helmet. The instm- 
mentjil introduction made une of the anvil motive, 
and when the cnrtain drew back we saw the dim 
interior of a great eavern in a wood. On the left 
waa a smithy, with a srlowing fire and an anvil, 
where Mime Rat hammering: at a sword blade. On 
the right a few steps led up to the opening 
of this rocky retreat, and bevond we saw a 
beautiful vista of forest, with fcolden light bathing 
the foliage. It was not a ncene to astoniah and be- 
wilder the spectator, like that of the depths of the 
Rliine, but it was a picture whose tone and eumpo- 
sition delifirhted the arliotie taste and pleased as 
better and better the more we looked at it. There 
waa lesM of decoration and ra<^hanism employed to 
"Siegfried," end fewer eharaeters appeared upon 
the stage than in any of the other divisions of the 
work, and yet the effecta, musical and dramatic alike, 
far surpassed those of the previous evenings. Mime 
was a personage of inferior importance in "The 
Rheingold ; " here ho became one of the chief actors 
in the story, and the remarkable ability of which 
the representative of the part fpive proof on Sunday 
evening was now Illustrated with much greater 
fullness. Herr Schlosser of Munich, to whom 
this role was allotted, is highly esteemed tiM a 
delineator of "character parts,** and in Mime he 
seemed to find a congenial opportunity. The dwarf 
was malevolent and hypocritical. In the opening 
scene he sat scowling and Cfnnplaining over his 
work. He oould not make a weapon strong enough 
for the volsunflT. Brands that the giants raiflrht have 
wielded Siegfried shattered with a siuflrle blow. 
Only the sword of Siesrmnnd. broken against Wo. 
Un*s spear, would fit his hand, but all the art of the 
dwarf could not mend that terrible blade. Mime 
was still hammering and lamenting. In a song of 
firreat vigor and a certain rhythmic reirnlarity, when 
the merry notes of a hf>rn were heard in the wood, 
and Siegfried came bounding In, driving a bear by 
a rope. Oeorg Unirer, who personated the hero, is 
a tall, handsome, well-built fellow, with a robust, 
half-trained tenor voice of good quality, and a free 
and dashinii: mftnner. Dressed in a short coat of 
skins, with bsre arms, fiowii^g yellow hair, short 
beard, and a silver horn slung at his belt, he was at 
any rate in appearance an ideal hero of the North- 
ern race. He amused himself a. while with Mime's 
fear of the bear ; he tried the snord just made for 
him. and broke it at the first trial ; he threw him- 
self In anger on a couch of sklnR ; he repniaed the 
dwarfs advancen, and dashed from his hand the 
proffered food and drink. When Siegfried came 
into the cavern, it was as if ahicrh wind fresh from 
the fir-clad mountains swept through those dark 
recAMes. There was a wonderfiil scene when the 
dwarf drew close and began to tell what he had 
done for him. how he had found him as a helpless 
child, snd fed end clothed him — 

Als mllendes Kind 
Zo{? ich dich anf, 
Warmte mtt Klelden 
Den klelnen Wnrm,— 

and how he got no thanks for his pains. And Si^- 
fried frankly replied that he did not love the dwarf, 
and could not love him. In this scene sn exquisite 
melody, of which arrest use is made afterward, is 
given to the violoncello. The psychological dis. 
ti action between the two characters was preserved 
in the music and strongly marked by the actors al- 
so. Siegfried, impatient of Mime's hypocrisy, at 
last insisted upon knowins: the secret or his birth. 
He extorted from the dwarf the story of his moth- 
er's death and of the broken sword, the nsrrative 
being interrupted by the constant aU«mipt of Mime 
to recur to the catalogue of his benefactions, " Als 
zulfendes Kind cog ich dich auf,** which Siegfried 
checked with angry iropetuositv. " That,** he cried, 
" shall be my sword. Weld the pieces for me this 
very day, and I will go forth into the world, free as 
the fish in the stream and the bird in the air." So, 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, SEPT. 30, 1876. 



307 



With a melody of chtracteristlo strength and fresh- 



** Wie Aer Tiscta froh 

In der Flath Mcbwimmt, 
Wl6 der Pink frel 

Slch da von 8Cbwlngt'*~ 

'he dashed Into the sunlight and disappeared. 

TRK FOROINO OF TH8 SWORD. 

The whole had been vWtd. dramatic, and elevated 
even above the common level of this work. Now 
we were to have another equally impressive, but in 
a very diflferent style. Glow upon the departure of 
Sieiorfried entered Wotan, in the disguise of the 
Wanderer, a character which he preserves through- 
out this diyisifm of the play. A broad hat half 
concealed Ms features. A dark blue mantle hid his 
figure. A reddish beard fell over bis breast His 
snear with the potent runes served for a staff. A 
glow of light, so artfully thrown that it seemer] to 
radiate from his face. Indicated to the spectator the 
presence of a supernatural being. He asked for 
hnepitality and was rudely repulsed, but seating 
hims«-1f by the cavern fire he staked his head upon 
his ability to answer any three questions the dwarf 
might choose to put liim. Nothing could have 
been more dramatic than the ensuing dialogue. 
The majestic nttersnoes of the god were clothed in 
music of the most elevated and imposing character. 
The craft of the dwarf found expressltm In strangely 
contrasted strains, while the figure of the actor, as 
he crouched ungainly hv his anvil, questioning, 
musing, losing hlmsetrln perplexity over his 
strange visitor, was a bft of realistic personation 
which I shall not soon forget. All tnls time of 
course the orchestra continued its larreat work of il- 
lustration and suggestion. " What race lives in the 
bowels of the earth ? ** — here we heard the same mo- 
tive which accompanied our Introducdon to the 
caves of Nibelhelin in ''The Rheingold." What 
race works on the earth*s back f " — here came a^ain 
the tramp of the giants as it fell upon our ears when 
they went to fetch away Preia. ** Who dwells in 
the doody hetghtsf — the oft repeated motive, which 
f>'mb>liaes the power and glory of the gods, came 
to us with the answer. Mime In his turn was able 
to reply when the Wanderer asked him about the 
volsungs and the virtues of the broken sword No- 
thung ; but who might mend that sword he could 
not tell. " Only he who has never known fear shall 
weld Nothunc anew,* exclaimed the god, and so say- 
ing he went forth again into the forast, and as he 
went a mighty nusic, as of rushing winds and the 
tossing boughs of great forests, rose out of the or- 
chestra, and lightning flashed in the skv. Mime, 
remembering that Sieirfrled knew not fear, sank 
trembling to the ground. There was a short im- 
preeelve scene In which Mime portrayed his terror, 
whiln the bass tvba, to which Wagner has given 
soch great power of expression, uttered underneath 
the orchestral aceompaniment a suggestive passage 
ofitso#rn. The dwarf cowered behind his anvil. 
Suddenly the music changed ; we heard In the forest 
the v<4ce of Siegfried ; the breezy song which fol- 
lowed him when he rushed forth in the earlier part 
of the act recurred again, and he burst into the 
cave, calling loudly for the sword. Mime, still agl- 
tatecl and bewildered, repeated only the words of 

WoUn: 

*' Nor wer 6n% Fllrchten nle erfuhr 
Sehmledet Nothnng nen." 

Roused at last, he tried to teach Slegfrid fear. 
He told him of Fafner, who In the form of a drsgon 
kept guard over the treasure of the Nibelungs, in a 
lonely region called Neidhnle. But Siegfried's 
spirits only rose the higher at the tale. He longed 
to attack the dragon, lie demanded to be led to 
the spot He csUed for the pieces of his father's 
sword, and welded them himseK by the dwarfs 
forge. As he stood with his hand on the bellows- 
rope, and the flsmcs glowed about the iron, he sang 
the great Song of the Smithy : 

•< NottaunfTi yothung, 

NAldlichcs SchwertT 

Was mosatest dn serspringen? ** 

— a song to be given with full chest and head erect 
and a bold and manly voice, a song tliat breathes of 
heroism la every note, and rouses the coldest lis- 
tener to a passionate delight It is difficult to write 
of this long scene in Mime*s cavern without an ap- 
pearance of exaggerated enthusiasm, but the strong- 
est possible praise would not be too strong for such 
an extraordinary creation of genius, and I am sure 
that there was hardly an intelligent man in the 
theatre who did not feel his pulses beating quicker 
and quicker as the act devehiped itself. The blade 
was drawn red from the fire, hammered and tern 
pered and fitted to the hilt (let me remark here that 
the forge and fire were real,, and they were real 



sparks which flew from the Iron when it was beaten 
on the anvil). Siegfried's exultation rose as he 
drew near the end of hi^ task; with every repetl 
tion of the song, " Nothuns:, Nothnng. ho-ho ! ha- 
hel I ho-ho ! ha-hei 1 " the excitement increased, till 
the sword was finished, and he tested it by striking 
a terrible blow upon the anvil, cleaving the it on 
block In twain. Then the curtain fell. 

SIKGPRIED AND THB DRAQOlf. 

In the second act, a portentous Vorspiel, we 
saw the exterior of Fafner's cave, a hnsre pile of 
rocks filling: the background, a forest opening on the 
left, beautiful spreading trees and clnmps of reeds 
extending toward the fronts It was dsrk night, snd 
we dimly discerned the figure of a man leaning 
against the rocks. It was Alberich, who hannted 
the spot where Ms stolen treasures lav bid. There 
was a fine scene between him and the Wanderer, 
Wotan, over which as it was somewhat episodical 
in a dramatic sense, T may pass briefly, only remark- 
ing that according to his custom Wagner gives the 
god here a sort of solemn declamation, while the 
melody, which is of the most exquisite kind, is as- 
signed almost entirely to the orchestra. The noise 
of a storm-wind and a sudden gleam of light fol- 
lowed Wotan as he disappeared from the stage. 
Then day began to dawn. The faint twilight was 
followed by the rosy blush, and in the growing 
lli;ht the beauty of the foliage revealed itself. 
Mime led Siegfried upon the scene and showed him 
the cave of the dragon which he was to kill. For 
the dwarf, since he had not been able to prevent the 
young voisung from getting possession of the terri- 
ble sword which was to conquer the dragon, had 
resolved first to aid him in his enterprise and then 
to kill him and secure the treasures. Here asmin, 
as in the first act, the characters and purposes of 
the dwarf and the hero were wonderfully discrimi- 
nated in the music When Mime had gone away 
Siegfried threw himself upon a grassy bank at the 
foot of a tree. And now oegan a pastoral scene of 
delicious delicacy and elegance. The orchestral 
part <it what followed has Men called almost sym- 
phonic in its character, as it certainly Is in its beau- 
ty and richness. As Siegfried in a charming strain 
of tenderness, such as he had not hitherto shown, 
mused on the history of his birth, and gave voice to 
the half-defined aspirations which drove him into 
the world, the orchestra filled the scene with the 
music of nature. The still woods woke to life with 
the rising of the sun. The murmur of rustling 
leaves, the sighinjr of the waving branches, the 
whir of myriads of Insects, the morning in*eeting of 
the birds, rose and fell upon the sir. It was the 
birds at last that drew Siegfried from his revery. 
" Ah," he cried, " how often have I tried to under- 
stand their song I Let me imitate it, and perhaps 1 
shall know what it says." He msde a pipe from a 
reed which he cut with his sword. Tne futile at- 
tempt to reprodnoe the music of the festhered 
tribes on this rude instrument is treated by Wagner 
with considerable humor. Siegfried threw away his 
whi<«tle, and seating himsalf at the foot of a tree took 
up his silver horn. " This at least." said he, " I can 
play." He wound upon It an exceedingly pretty 
and merry tune, the effect of the scene being greatly 
helped by the fact that the horn passage was played 
not in the orchestra, as is usual in such c^ses, hut 
by a performer concealed behind the tree. 

The horn aroused the giant Fafner, and we saw 
him in dragon's guise (the German text calls him a 
" great worm ") roll out of the cave. The machine 
was bifl: enough for a man to stand upright inside its 
head, and the voice of the Fafner of the first even- 
ing iMued from its chasm of a throat The battle 
that ensued was short and, to tell the plain truth, 
rather absurd. In drawing his sword from the body 
of the slain dragon some of the blo«>d fell upon 
Siegfried's hand ; it burned like fire, and he put his 
hand to his mouth. Instantly the understanding of 
the language of birds came to him. From the 
branches overhead we heard a light soprano voice, 
in phrases which most ingeniously wedded articu- 
late speech to bird-like tones, direct Siegfried to en- 
ter the cavern and secure the helmet and the ring. 
We heard it again warn him asrainst the treachery 
of Mime, and behold the dwsrf, when he ap- 
proached, was made to utter not the false profes- 
sions that were framed on his lips but the malice 
and murderous purpose that lurked in his hesrt 
He offered a poisonecl drink, and Sie8:fried slew htm, 
threw his body into the cave, and blocked up the 
entrancv with the carcass of the dragon. It would 
bo useless to try to describe the music of this ani- 
mated scene, or rather I should say this succession 
of scenes all crowded with incident Every action 
had its appropriate accompaniment, every word fit- 



ted exactly its musical expre^on. There is no 
such thing as analysing music which chanees as 
rapidly and freely as the shspes in the evening sky. 
At one moment the orchestra told us of quarrel and 
and conflict The next. It brought back the music 
of the words, as Siecrfried stretched himself beneath 
the trees and in gentle sccents. Ismenting his deso- 
late condition,* a«ked counsel of his friends the 
birds. Asrain the pretty voice came from the tree- 
tops. It told him of Briinnhtlde, and bade him 
penetrate the barrier of fire, and win the most orlo- 
rious of women for his bride. Siegfried started to 
his feet A new psssion burned in his veins, and 
with the first experience of love, his mu<iic took a 
chansced character. He was no hmger the rosy and 
bare-llml>ed youni; savascOt rejoicing in his freedom 
and strength ; higher aims snd deeper feelings than 
he had yet known msde him another man. At his 
call a bird fluttered down from the trees to show 
him his way, and led by this strange guide he set 
forth for the rock of fire. 

BRUBNNHILDB^B AWAKBMINa. 

The third act was introduced by an orchestral 
passage of a sombre and mysterious character, with 
sustained harmonies of marked importance for the 
trumpets aad trombones. Asrain ihe curtain rose 
upon nif^ht and a wild landscape. Steep rooks 
stretched across the baekgiouna and over them 
lowered an angry sky. Thunder rolled and light- 
ning flashed from the clouds. Hither came WoUtn, 
the Wanderer, to call up Erda for counsel and 
prophecy. At his summons a fair.t bluish light be- 
gan slowly to appear in a hollow of the rocks, and 
we saw dimly the figure of a woman clothed in 
black robes and a silvery veil rise half Into view. 
Little by little, while the solemn music went on, 
the form became more distinct and radiated a strong- 
er light. But Erda would give no advice in the 
coming crisis of the divinities of Walhslla. She 
had parted with her wisdom to Briinnhilde, and 
when Wotan told how he had imprisoned the Wal- 
kfire In sleep and fire, Erda veilea her head in dis- 
may and was silent The god foresaw the downfall 
of his race throngh the triumph of human free will 
in the person of Siegfried, but in accents of inimi- 
table dignity and sa-lness he avowed that he did not 
regret it, and after a scene of great power, pervad- 
ed by a dignified pathos, he commanded Erda to 
sink again to her everlasting sleep ; the lisrht faded 
away, and the Wanderer was left alone. The storm 
had now ceased, and dawn b«^an to show in the 
sky. With the morning light came Siegfried fol- 
lowing his bird, which fluttered a moment upon the 
scene and then disappeared among the rocks. Here 
then was the path to Brtinnhilde's prison, but when 
Siegfried attempt«Hl to pursue the way, Wotan 
withstood him, and barred the approach with his 
spear. A blow with the sword Nothung cut the 
spear In two. The power of the gods was forever 
broken. While the ponderous motive in the bass, 
so often cited, was thundered forth— this time, how- 
ever, with halting and disturbed rhythm, to indi- 
cate that the law was at last fulfilled — lightning 
flashed, fiames began to gleam among the rocks, 
and Wotan disappeai'ed. Siegfried hailed the out- 
break of the flames with cries of joy, and as they 
gradually overspread the rocks his exultation rose. 
He plunged into the midst of them. We saw him 
for a few moments pushing forward, an J then the 
clouds of ted steam rising from below and the ruddy 
vapors dropping from above enveloped the whole 
scene. In a moment a curtain of gauxo had fallen 
across the stage, and behind it the whole theatre 
seemed to be wrapped in flame and curling smoke. 
The orchestra meanwhile continued an interlude in 
which there was a marvelous combination of the 
two characteristic melodies of Siegfried with one 
of the motives of Wotan*s Farewell in the last 
scene of ** The Walkare." 

When the flames died down we looked upon the 
other side of the barrier of fire — ^the summit of 
Brunnhilde*s rock, as in the 8d Act of " The Wal- 
kare." Briinnhilde lay as Wotan left her. the helm 
over her face, the long shield covering her body. In 
the background the glow of advancing day strug- 
gled with the fading light of the flames, when Sieg- 
fried mounted the rocks and came upon the scene. 
He raised the shield and helmet he cut the fasten- 
ings of the armor, and Briinnhilde, waking from 
her sleep, recognized in the young .vulsung her ap- 
pointed deliverer. The whole of this last scene was 
virtually a love duet of the most impassioned charac- 
ter, its spirit changing as Briinnhilde, no more a 
goddess, but now in heart and impulse a woman, 
was swayed in turn by f^ar, by trust, by modest 
tenderness and burning love, snd Siegfried gave 
loose rein to feelings which seemed to engross his 



308 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



wholp nsturc. I,"ve flnfl, nlikp nf llie lfnr?Pr irnfl 

l'xil'n.i«n.'hii!! <'Vrr wriirrn a xrpiio libe Hih 
which ('■rtli>8 th« IMon^r vith Ihe drnmntli' trnth 
of ¥V1TV phmRP iinri »\ulenw» of mrh rtfrp in'izht 
Intolh^hiiiniin he.rt.[!?] Ii hw nil Iherh.rBctfH^lic 
~ linrnrp ind clt^arixis of V/ngarr'i: prciillnr ri.rni 
of meloiKe tlralnmntion. and n Ernit ^fi "f whal 
the Imxt rnllivatrd Far rcro^ites as annTe and 
wril-df lined melody. The pnmpo'er resorlsin Itlo 
a comir.on device of Ihe older arhoolgvhtch heseld' 
om .llo"« hiniHlf. emplojlnz Ihe Iwo voieeain c<m- 
rert inftend of altprnati'ly, and ihe rapliiroiiB Rnale 
reminds one Romeirhat or the Italian tlrella. ll^re 
Fran Malerna, the only woman 1i*lnt[, I am sure, 
who coold «inR BrOnnhilde. was saperh. Unirer 
WM not a bad SiesTHe.l. Warner clinne him main- 
ly for his line tic'ire and bearing, and when he be^an 
lo stndy his part he wbs a inunician of very ordinn- 
ry abilities, IIo has still a ereat deal to learn ; 

difficult perfarmance. But minor dcffcts of Intcr- 
pretHtion were lost tieht of in the effect of a Acene 
which roused the whole andience to entraordinary 
iteinent, and broujrht the Bvenin^ to a glorious 
close. J. R. G. H. 



opera, "Siegfried" Is Krenii 
as "The Walk Ore " son 
to-niKht we reacb an aver 



bere rise to what the bcurUdered speccatoT believes 

be their last expression ; and moreoTer Id tliis as In tbe 

oilier diTlilons the ellniax Is reached Knilnally, Ifaelaat 

tlclpatlonsortbe andience kept canaMutlr alert 

Ibe final drapplng of the curtain. " The Dnak of the 

la "has fnr lu apeclal subject [he atonemei 
SISKfrled and Ibe eitlnctlon of tbe glories of Wall 
It begins with a moumfnl prophecy of the approai 

, When Ihe aiatee waa dtacloaed, after a very brief 
prelude, the Ibtee Komes, or Tales (one of whom was 
■onated by tbe celebrated Johanna WaRner], were 
descried by tba dim IlKht on BrUunhilcle-g roek. They 
iw to one analhet the golden rope of fate, and In Its 
inds read with dlamay of mlifortunes to the p>ds, 
: music here, Ihe most slfnilBonl part of wblch was 
in-according to Wagner's frequent nsage— to the 

solemn portent, At last the rope parted, and crylnf? 



cb. combined witha motlre oti 
Wagnrr has built up a magnlBcei 
between Blegfrted and BrUnnhili 



of h 



e Walkyrle,glvlnghlmher horse, toolileai 
I spirit inspiring 



lusic 



wbole tragedy wllb the ardenl 
stttates one of Ita main aprlngs of action. Here again 
■latema, who bears npon her strong sbouldera ao much 
of the burden of the last three nighta moved and elee- 
trlfled the whole boase, Hnsband and wife exehaneed 
vows of eternal fldellly, and Siegfried, having placed 
npon RrUnnhllde's finger I' e Ring of the Nlbelnngs as 
a wedding token, disappeared In the valley, tbe notes of 
bt> sliver burn coming up from below while the Walby 
rle watched bis retreating form. 

Thus far we bad only a prologue to the drama. Tbe 
cnrtain remained drawn dnrfng a long mstmmenul In 
lerlnite. but there waa DO Inlemitssion, The Interiorle 
was one of the most besntlfnl and Ingrnloua thIni-B lo 
the whole work. It was founded npon the note> of the 
n, which changed almoat Imprrceptlhly lnt» a 'Ort 
L'beno. Ilther molivea Identlfled with the hern were 
rward Introdnceil, and tiie whole were ooni'lned In 
■enincent specimen of Imposing 'nd Intricate com- 
idnn worttnr of this nnanproacbaMe [ I] master of the 

aiage was set to represent a enurt in the dwelling or 

Ountber, a chief at tbe race of the Rllilchungs on the 
Klilne. The room Into which we lonked opened right 
id left Into Inner auartmenu. At the rear ii waa not 
Elosed, but from Its outer edge a pleasant slope led 
iwn to the Shore Tbe rlverT coming from lEe far 
.ck-gronnd, flowed by on tbe left. Trees and rock^ 

e river nupe^red on the distant horlaon. The arphi- 



eren ihi' andttnrinin hnd nfl^e t" ref ert: hnt ihe 

nmlnii'tloii camp tmm ihrre s< It wnnM hnve •lone [ 
ture Thlawan cnntrniy lo sll ihesiilpal niace, i 
le mmli waa a--nilral'le. At a niafri table on nne I 
at nanibeT iKngi^ Aura) aad M* alaVr Ontnm : 
(rrlin), wjrh rlrink'ng bnrna fwfnr* thrm. On tha - 

leret waa nnn-heiM hair-hmtherHarni (Wrhr), ! 
a1 s-n of Alherlefa anil thpeTHpilneHleof thia ; 
on of tha dntma, HMm aancr tne nralaea of Vlee- , 

whom he declared la be Ibe llltcn hem lo wed I 
me, and of Rrdnnbllde whom be wMied Onntker 
:e to wUe. Ha<en*a tilnt being to cM posaeo'lnu a( 
ng. In Ihe nldnof this eo^Tersaiion !tipgfr1ed>a 
'ledhtanee, and presently be arrived 
— '••- — *■-■ "-osnlialliy. he gave In 



nights, If 

. , . riy for a wedding, 

and even sK be spoke (tmlher and ihe mnilie I ride, 
BtCnnhllde, arrlVftl bi Ibe I oat, and were dialled Khh 
)n):fHl •reli'Biatlniia The whole nlihlsrhnms. or note 



. IteeelTed wltb eonlUl hi 



■o'berhood wi b Oanllier. drinklni 



:b him from a bom tn wbkh eaeb hi 



this Intereailng seene. The 
urea bronght linek remlDlin-TBces of the Nllielheim mn. 
fICi and the osth was aeenmpanled by an exptesiife 
phrase which waa merrlv the oft-repealed "biw motive" 



o Hagen> advice t. 



. — iwb>lebad 

idmlnilon, and readily 

niTj a" recSi"c?lon''Sf 

was roaglcalli' etlaeed. 



hiB pawlon ft>' BrBanbllde. That was ihe raptarnus ri- 



nr Siegfried 
m^l'orty of 



Matema delivered iba m 



new and paaalon are artfully unired, and tme womanty 
leellni, with whirh Ihe opera had not greatly roncemed 

flnda free ami sympathetic expression. WUfi il-i- Hr—nri. 
nr« uf Wsltraiite, •eeompanied by dnurf a: i 

sbe aped tbronub ihe air, evening csme on j ' ( 



claimed BiUnnt ' 



Hagen'i knee, and wblnperln) 
was Alberlch. who came to urge hli 
of Stecfrled and Ihe aeiiare of Ih 

alike, aa Alberlch whispered hia wl 
Hagen ' 



him as be slept. It 
Imon to the murder 
ha ring and helmet. 



asflgur. 



I half artlcnlate 
ne and welcomes tempta- 
lects the paaaage seemed 
iiu In the whole wort for 
rben the llgare of Alber* 



irlglnallty and strength , 

leh gradaally melted away, aao nu voice came to na out 
bf the Impenetrable dnrkneea into which he disappeared 
-"Sei trec,Hagea. meln SohnI Bel treul Sel trenl"— 
Ihe effect was little leas tban awful. Homing then 
iawued. lo a little orchestral paisage of great beauty, 
ind hardly was tbe auo op before Blegtrled, wbn had 



JiOuntI 



Sagen , t>y a blai't 



ill hy the power of the bet- 
r form and called earaesily 
hIa bom tnd a 



a lime, and Uking 
here and there, each 

he whole combined tn 
I— tbeflistlnitanceol 



falkyrles 



ner Wlien fflei>iyiedeatn«>lhnhfn'niihehon>e'eadlrg 
Qnttmr by ihebaiiri,and fnllnweill y ihe ■ omen of ihe 
ehoma, BiBcnhlldeaaa nteipowered wllb horror and 
amaitmenr, hnt 1>iegfrled did not know her. R eixr- 
nlalng the ring however on bis llngrr, she enenvd the 
trirk that bail been played niwn her. and Mlldty de- 
mnmeed Blegfrled aa ■ traitor. She declared that she 
waa already wediled to Mm and wiiuld bave nona other 
for her bnahand. and Ouniher, who did DOT knew nt 
fiiegi'rled'B ralalioaa with Hrlinnhi ile, waa fllleil with 
ansidi-ion and reaentmeM. nf wh'ph Ilagen took advan- 
tage In plot with htm far flieftiled'adenih. I nnst not 
dwell loo long apoDihe Incldenis «f ibis crowiled and 
escliing arena. Siegfried swn-e apnn the point of a 
apear that he had been tme 10 Ills ostb of bnHherhnod. 
timnnhtMe mahril forward and swore to the imlb of 
her aceuaailnn. The race or Ihe Injured woman, the 
arootoos lifalnatlnB of fliegtried. the tlmld and baiting 
tTcaebei* nf Gunlber, the malignity of Karen, tbe per- 

Kiitt of themnttlMde, wereall portnycd wltb amax- 
vlvUneas In nnale whirh, thnngh nor atrfcily an en- 
semble, contained cnncerieilpassaeea of the mvt hrll- 
liint cba racier. Dramatkailv It Is one of ibe Bobleat 
Wagner has ever written. Brflnnhllde being Ihe central 
figure about which all the other persoDneeagmnp them- 
aelvpfl and to wbnse glorious passion alltbe other smll- 
ments of the composition seetn to Itc trihniary. When 
the people had dtapeived, Hagen f ndnceil Gunihertoaid 
him In compaaslng Slnfrted's death, and l>y working 
npon tbe Jealooay and hist resentment of RrHnnhllde he 
leameil from her that the volnnng was vulnerable only 
In the back. It seemed as Ifweweretoguon from one 
grand ireneto anniher srlll grander, sod the eiclle- 
ment became olmnat painful wheg tbe pireat choma was 
fnlliiwed hy Ibe slill rreatprMo In nhlrh Ihe emotions 

men'na'd|/t'n<-tly mariert. "HcVwrhsd an^eicellent 
eianiple nf ihe rarreclnpsa of Wagner's tbrorv. An 
Italian composer would hare suspended tbe SL-tlon nf 



.^ Wagner allnws ibem 

tn give free eapresslon to the language of passion, while 
tbe orchestra, doing what volees alone were compel ed 
to do In tlieold echonl. anppllea what la necessary to 
shape Ibe whole Into an ebiqnent and complete melody. 
The scene waa Inicrrapledbylbeappearaueeof atmnpe 
of children, dancing and atrewinghranchessudflnwera, 
and then came the wedding procwalon, Gntnine In (be 
midat borne aloft upon a shiel't, and Sl^fried walking 
by her side, Onnther took Brllnnbllde t^ the band and 
forced her to join tbe cortege. I'tien the cnttain fdl. 



IB third act, S1eafried,B< 
where the path led doi 



ea from a high bank to the brink of the river. There 
the Rhine da nghters, exquisite creations of this muat 
poeOcsl of mnddana. ro-e to the surfaee with their 
beanriful song. They besinigbt Siegfried to restore the 
ring, but be refused. When bis companions overtook 
him tbey proceeded to Dske good cheer: and Siegfried, 
seated in the middle, told tbe atory of bla adrentores. 
The mnalc Iwcsme more and more wonderful aa we ap- 
pmached the catastrophe. Accompanying Siegfried's 
narratlTe, tbe orchestra reviewed, so to speak, all tbe 
prominent points of his career. We bad the aODg of the 
smithy snd the piping of the birds. Just Iben Iwo rav- 
ens fiBw acroM tbe stage " Those are ttie harldngen," 
cried Hsgen. " of yoilr corning to Wotan ;" and aa Sieg- 
fried turned to look at tbem, Hagen's spear pierced bis 
back. In tbe hour of death the bsro recovered bis rea- 
[qulslle aong, with a falghly original 



Dllnaplay 



It, tn which 



arpain 



:plred. They raiaad him on hii 
priceaslon returned to the 






if this division 



ibilde. 



'the 



opera, tbt funeral march which so sceompllshed bntnn. 
friendly a critic as Haosllck of Vienna bas pran«DCed 
the greateat since Beetboven'a Heroic Symphony. The 
praise Is not too strong. Whether for the Barcliy of the 
theme, Ihe sympathetic cbaracler of tbe movement, or 
tbe splendoia of tbe orcbeatral combioaHoBa, the march 
la unrivalled, and Ihe bstener la not only Interested bat 
ig nkiolliar motlvea after a 
leem to belong 'n this voy 
n light 



.nrprlMd to find It Int 



place. Whe 

clooOs began to drift acmos tbe acene. gradually 

ccallng tbem as they lulled np tbe steep bank. Before 

the last of the men had gone off tbe stage tbe whMa waa 

hidden. 

ought i'iegfried'B body to tbe baU ef tbe 



(llbichnncs tbe curK uf Albericb was aot long la work- 
ing again Its avtl effects, aunlher and Ragen onarreled 

Fnilsnfay. T 



_. _. Siegfried's llii- 

fn dismay. Then Brannbllde enured. ATI steed back 

.^ >— I ,. .. Bbe comprehended n€iw the mya- 

ndnct. In a long monolngne of ile- 
e declared beisclf Siegtited's only 

men prepare the tnneral pile. It woBld be Impaaaltde to 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, SEPT. 30, 1876. 



309 



convevbva mere drucrlptlTe letter, any Idea of the 
b<>:«ntT nxul erandeur of thlsflnnl scene, th« crown of a 
work "whose ffr«»«tne«»a l« bevond praise. They bnilt the 
pilo bv f hp bank of the river, and when It was finished 
♦hcv plpced the bodv on it (hnvlnpflratdefHv exchanged 
the' renl P!«Hrf ried for an effl?v\ and covered It with 
wreath* of Innrpl; but firs^ BrUnnhndetookth*»aRcnr»»ed 
Tinpfronri Wn flnp*»r rea«lved to destroy both It and 
h*»r»«'lf t'^jrether. 8he a«»l»ed a torch and threw It upon 
thi» pile. The flames pbot up with their c'ouds of lurid 
smoke. Her ho'n«e was led forward ; she srasped It by 
the bridle, and dashing; forward to l^ap Into the flames 
disappeared tn the crowd. Suddenly the blazlnp: p'le 
fell tofrether: Are seemed to sprlnp up in nil parts of the 
hall; the roof and columns of the portico came cra«blng 
to the f;ronnd ; the waters of the Rhine rose and en- 

Snlfed the spot where stood the fune»-al pile ; and the 
Lhlne dauehters recovered their treasure by the sacri- 
flce of Brttnnh'ide. .A r* d jr'are next overspread the 
horizon, and when the clouds lifted we saw In the dis- 
tant sky Walhalla in flames, and the crods in dismay 
frroupeil around the central fleure of Wotan. So ends 
the colossal work. " Th«» G3tterd8mmerun(r** beimn at 
4 and ended at 10:15, with the usual two hours of inter- 
mission. At the close the whole audience rose in a tran- 
sport of enthusiasm, and shouted for Wasmer until he 
came before the curtain and in a few words, spoken in a 
clear and pleasant voire, expressed his satisfaction with 
the efforts of the artists and the readiness of the people 
to sustain the hip;hest efforts of art. He was called for- 
ward acrain, with shouts and cheers and the waving of 
hats, and then there were loud cries for the conductor, 
Hans Kichter, who, however, did not respond. 

J.R.a.H. 



A Young Lady'B Experience at Bayrenth. 

[The followinfr letter to a friend from an American 
g^rl, who is studyiniir music in Germany, is sent to ns 
with liberty to publish.] 

/Vant/bW, Aug. 26, 1876. 

Drar a : Two weeks ago to-day a lon^, lonsj 

train of cars (so Ions: tbat the men and women in 
the fields stopped their work to g:aze at it) wended 
its way, not very rapidly, towards Bayrenth. As 
the train, an hour or more behind time, finally 
reached the station, it was not hard to realize that 
the occasion was truly a "Festival." The Bay- 
reuthers with one accord were gathered together to 
see the arrival ; among the most ** well to do " peo- 
ple of the town, were also peasants in their neat and 
pretty Sunday costumes, all kept in line and order 
by bright helmeted officers, and evidently intensely 
interested by the sight of the throng that poured 
from the cars. From every window and house-top 
about the station flags were flying ; for the Emper- 
or of Germany would soon arrive in a special train ; 
and nothing could be done, in the way of attending 
to baggage, etc., until His Royal Majesty had been 
received and disposed of. No one appeared to be 
in any hurry to withdraw from the fascinating 
scene. 

An interesting crowd it was to wander about in ; 
interesting to watch the pleasant meeting between 
acquaintances, artist-s, musicians, and distinguished 
people. LLiztwas there, looking very atniable and 
very odd in his long coat and old-fashioned hat, 
speaking with great animation with some fine ladies, 
probably Princesses and Court-Ladies. Mehlig too, 
— my precious Mehlig, standins: upon a chair chat- 
ting with friends I Many people stood upon chairs 
for a better chance of seeins: the Emperor when he 
came. The idea of seeing the Emperor was not to 
me exciting (I have often seen him in Berlin) ; I 
was much excited when I discovered Mehlig. 

Well ! finally the train bearing the old gentle- 
man arrived, and intense and prolonged were the 
enthnsiastic cheers that greeted him as he stepped 
from his car, walked through the parted crowd to his 
carriage and was borne off to the palace. His Ex- 
cellency safely out of the way, we bej^an to think it 
time to convey our&elves to our lodgings in the 
town. There were not carriages enough in waiting 
to accommodate such a large number of applicants ; 
we pick up a small boy to carry our small hand- 
bags and proceed. We see Wagner himself I ! — sit- 
ting back in his open carriage, and doubtless feeling 
triumphant; possibly contrasting present circum- 
stances with those of but a few years ago, when he 
straggled with poverty and the prejudices of the 

musical world. A proud moment it must have 
been for him, the realization of all his aims and de- 
sires. The little city was perfectly exultant ; the 



main street bright with flags and festoons of greens. 
Our room, which we engaged a long time before, 
was :n a very pleasant part of the town, and looked 
out upon the Jean Paul Platz and upon the statue 
of that grand old hero and poet. From what we 
afterwards heard of the miserable lodgings etc., we 
had every cause to congratulate ourselves. The 
room was just as neat and charming as possible; 
our Frau S , painstakins: and interested in our 
welfare ; but with 9urh a gift of speech as I have 
never before seen a human sister endowed with ; 
and her nse of which almost exhausted roe. We 
wondered if we could live through her occasional 
visits in our room ; but her goodness of heart final- 
ly reconciled us to the overwhelming capacities of 
her tongue. 

The first performance, "Das Rheingold,** com- 
menced at seven in the evening and lasted two, or 
two hours and a half without intermission. But 
the following three days the opera commenced at 
four P. M. So, when we left the house at two, we 
drove directly to the Theatre restaurant, where we 
dined, and afterwards had only a short time to walk 
about and see the people before entering the thea- 
tre and taking onr places. How interesting and 
fascinating that week appears to me ! In spite of 
the intense heat, such as we have not had before 
this Summer, it remains only a delightful recollec- 
tion. And still I can say, I was not roused to en- 
thusiasm by the opera. It was less enjoyable in 
point of music and beauty of idea, than others of 
Wagner's operas. In splendor and harmony of all 
th<f stage arrangements it was marvellous ! Of the 
four evenings I enjoyed the second, " Walkiire," 
best ; the music was the most beautiful ; and yet it 
was jnst that I had wondered if I could sit and see, 
the text which I read beforehand was so abominable. 
Wagner did not respond the first evening to the 
immence applause that followed the fall of the cur- 
tain, although the Emperor was present. For some 
20 or 26 minutes Wagner sat, it is said, with folded 
arms in some room behind the scenes, hearing the 
tumultuous calls for Warner ! Wagner ! Wagner I 
urged by the conductor of the orchestra and would 
not move. " I do not wish it ! I ** " I do not wish 
it ! ! " he is reported to have said. 

Yes I he is a queer man, a remarkable talent ; one 
cannot help admiring the wonderful will and ener- 
gy of his nature. At the same time one must de- 
spise his character; utterly unprincipled, utterly 
r^ardless of heavenly or human laws, his toiU is 
his law of life. His wife, the daughter of Liszt, and 
wife formerly of Von Biilow, is said to be very gift- 
ed and to render Wagner much valualle assistance 
in his work. She is very tall, has a very large 
nose, resembles her father somewhat, but is called 
very homely; I did not find her so; her face is 
striking and interesting. It is true she has the Von 
Billow children with her ; but of little Wagners 
there is but one, and that is the little Siegfried, well 
named as one may see who reads the Nibelungen. I 
saw Wagner's house from the street ; It is not al- 
lowed to enter the garden. It is a square, plain 
house ; over the door a painting from a scene in the 
Nihdungen, I presume the inside must be interest- 
ing and characteristic of the occupant. I do not 
wonder that you found it difficult to understand the 
legend of the Nihelungen Lied after twice reading or 
even more. It seemed very complicated when I 

first commenced- it. Yours, 

C 

Birmingliam Mnaical Festival 

(From the London AthensBum, Sept. 2.) 

The opening morning concert, last Tuesday, of 
the Triennial Festival in aid of the funds of the 
Oenernl Hospital, was a great financial as well as 
artistic success. The general execution of Men- 
delssohn's ' Elijah * may be classified as one of the 



most perfect ensemble* of that masterpiece ever 
attained since the memorable production of the 
oratorio, under the lamented composer's direction, 
in 1846. The appearance of the interior of the 
Town Hall, newly and tastefully redecorated, was 
a sight to see, as the vast auditory rose to listen to 
Sir Michael Costa's arrangement of the National 
Anthem. It was soon ascertained that the band 
of 140 players was first clsss. The finely devel- 
oped instrumental prelude, following the announce- 
ment of the famine by the Prophet, proved that 
the balance of sound had been tccurately judged. 
The successive fugual points were clearly developed, 
and the brilliant tone of the strings was judi- 
ciously balanced with the wood and brass through- 
out the accompaniments. The choralists, both in 
the quality of their voices and in the precision of 
their attacks, were quite up to the standard of ex- 
cellence reached by the Festival Choir, showing 
that their trainers, Messrs. Stockley and Sutton, 
had done their work right well. The solos for the 
soprano, for the contralto, for the tenor, were 
sung by Madame Lemmens, Madame Trebelli- 
Bettini, and Mr. E. Lloyd, and in the second 
section Mdlle. Tietjens, Madame Patey, and Mr. 
Vernon Rigby were the artists. As is usual, and as 
is, in fact, imperative, Mr. Santley had the weight 
of the entire music allotted to the title-part. The 
seven singers were up to the mark ; the only ex- 
ceptions which can be fairly urged against the 
vocalization were in the double quartet, *' For he 
shall srive," and in the quartet, '' Cast thy burdon,** 
wherein, while praising the precision of the vocal- 
ists, the j^i9te mVieu of the part-writing was not 
attained : the voices did not blend so sympatheti- 
cally as could be desired. In the second part ad- 
verse criticism was disarmed. The President, the 
Marquis of Hertford, exercised the customary privi- 
lege of the position by signalizing for tlie encores, 
which perhaps, in sacred music, had better be 
avoided, although there is much to urge in favor 
of encouraging leadini; soloists, to whom applause 
is the breath of their pr fessional life. The lower- 
ing of the pitch of the organ, so far from being a 
lKX>n, turned out to be a bore, and something 
beyond, tor its flatness was at times a nuisance. 
This vexed question of tuning instrumenta to suit 
the exigencies and exactions of voices of high com- 
pass is a constant source of disappointment and 
annoyance. 

It is scarcely requisite to refer specially to the 
other works conducted by Sir Michael CostA with 
his usual presence of mind, clearness of beat, and 
unapproachable accuracy, such as ' St. Paul,' the 
' MesMah,' * The Last Judsrment.' the Mass in o 
of Beethoven, etc., as five novelties have been pro- 
duced at this festival. Precedence mn«t be given 
to the veteran composer. Prof. Niels Gade, of 
Copenhagen, whose genius was discovered by Men- 
delssohn, and which recognition led to his being 
the sncce»4or to Dr. Ferdinand Hiller as Conductor 
of the Leipzig Gewandhaus Concerts, but, since 
1848, the composer has resided in the Danish . 
capital. He has contributed two works to the 
festival, the one a sacred cantata, ' Zion,' and the 
other a ^uon-sacred cantata, ' The Crusaders.' In 
both productions he has set subjects previously 
treated by other musicians ; thus the ' Zion,' Op. 
49, in the words, is an abbreviated version of Han- 
del's ' Israel in Egypt ; ' there are the laments of 
the Children of Israel — their passage through the 
sea, thcdr captivity in Babylon, their return to 
Zion, with tne prophecy of the new Jerusalem. 
According: to the printed pianoforte and vocal 
score of Messrs. Novello, Ewer A Co., who have 
aUo published the 'Crusaders,' the 'Zion' was 
written for baritone solo, chorus, and orchestra; 
but the part was too high for Mr. C. Tovey, and it 
was altered to suit the tx>mpaBS of Mr. Vernon 
Rigby. The numbers comprise an Introduction, 
two /ull choruses, and a solo witli chorus ; but the 
execution last.s longer than mi^ht be expected 
from the paucity of pieces. The writing ic broad 
and massive, but it is wanting in contrasts; the 
ideas are melodious, the treatment b<»th for voices 
and instruments indicates the command of effects ; 
but on ' Zion ' it is needless to dwell further, as it i^ 
almost totally eclipsed in important attributes by 
the ' Crusaders,' Op. 60. Here, again, we have a 
libretto treated by Gluck, Rameau, and many other 
men of note ; but Niels Gade asserts his individual- 
ity. His poet was Carl Andersen, and, of course, 
Tasso's ' Jerusalem Delivered ' is the basis of the 
text The English translation for the festival is by 
the Rev. J. Troutbeck, and is also published by No- 
vello dc Co. There are the three divisions, with 
the prefixes of ' In the Desert,' ' Armida,' and 
'Towards Jerusalem.' The characters are Peter 



310 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



the Hermit (Signor Foli), RiiiAldo (Mr. E. Lloyd), 
And the soreereas Armida (Miid»me Trebe11i>Betti. 
ni) ; the choralUts are the Crusaders, the Sirens, 
and the Pilgrims. Niels Oade is at his best in the 
' Crusaders ; ' it is a compoeition the forms of which 
are anite orthodox, and the ideas are remarkably 
striking ; it is the writing of a scholar and of a mu- 
sician who has both fancy and imagination. The 
orchestration is ingenious, able, and picturesque. In 
splendid contrast is the music of the witchery of 
toe sirens to tempt Rinaldo, with the solemnity of 
the tones of the Crusaders ; the orchestral prelude 
to ' Armida ' Is a little gem. To dwell on the varied 
beautlee of the cantata Is Impossible In this Issue of 
the Athenmum ; but It will doubtless be produced 
in London, when a further reference to the numbers 
will be a pleasing task. Niels Oade conducted both 
hie works with much animation. 

Mr. Macfarren's oratorio. In two parts, ' The Res- 
urrection,' It may at once be stated, is not another 
' St John the Baptist,' which will remain his finest 
composition. The book by Dr. Monk, of York, Is 
certainly very Inferior In interest to the other. The 
mistake has been made that the reeurrcction Itself 
has not been set by the composer, who begins with 
the coming of Mary Magdalene, to the sepulchre, 
and finding the stone has disappeared. But no 
characters are specified. It is a Narrator (Mr. 
Santley) who has seventeen recitatives, without the 
intervention of a single air, to describe the Incldenta. 
True, it may be urged that the composer's Intent Is 
to portray the series of emotions experienced by 
the apostles and disciples after the resurrection, 
leaving to the overture, which is a fine one, the 
task of depicting the awful events preceding the 
rising from the sepulchre. This prelude has two 
themes, which are heard In the oratorio : first. In 
the scene where Jesus Is assumed to appear before 
His disciples; and, secondly, at the end of the 
chorus, "He is the Resurrection and the Life." 
The composer has skilfully availed himself of the 
advantage of Iteration to Illustrate significant sltna- 
tlona or special passages. The great drawback 
is in the number of reflective phrases In the manner 
of the Oreek chorus, commenting and moralising. 
The introduced hymn, first suni; simply In unsc- 
companled harmony, and then with very able con- 
trapuntal development. Is too frequent. Of the cho- 
ruses, the one distinguished for pathos Is the ** Woe 
unto us," but the jubilant outbreaks are the most 
exciting ; thus the one in f, " This is the victory," 
with Its fugue, is grand and masterly, and another 
one In d, " He is the Resurrection," is full of power, 
majestic, and massive. The soprano has two songs, 
" For this our hearts," In f sharp minor, and the 
other a hravura, "Sing, rejoice! In a, exulting 
enough, but both airs taxed the powers of Madame 
Lemmens. In the two airs for tne contralto (Mad- 
ame Patey), the music Is more sympathetic; the 
first, " Let us have grace," Is somewhat dry, but the 
second. In d flat, *' His right hand," Is very melodi- 
ous and graceful. Mr. Lloyd (the tenor) has two 
numbers, one in x, " Now Is our salvation," and the 
second a teena, " The wsg^ of sin," in i minor and 
major, which is rather complex. The duet between 
soprano and contralto, In o, " In due season," and 
the trio for soprano, contralto, and tenor, In a flat, 
"The peace of Ood," are devotional and tranquil. 
On the whole, however, a first hearing of the ora- 
torio, without the advantage of a reference to the 
score, which Is not published, conveyed the impres- 
sion that it is heavy, and that the instrumentation 
has been too forte for the voices. There are the 
signs of labor and hard workmanship, rather than 
those of Inspiration ; the ' Resurrection ' has not 
the consistency and coherency of * St John the Bap- 
tist,' and this may partly have arisen from the nar- 
rative portion of the 20th chapter of St. John's Gos- 
pel having been too much mixed with texts In the 
nature of sermons from other parts of the Bible and 
New Testament, besides turning to account the 
Book of Common Prayer and popular hymnology. 
It is also possible that some haste took place in tiie 
composition, owing to the occupations of the Prin- 
cipal of the Royal Academy of Music. His brother, 
the pianist and composer, Mr. Walter Macfarren, 
conducted the ' Resurrection.' 

The scriptural scene, for tenors and basses, 'The 
Holy Supper of the Apostles,' by Herr Wagner, 
will give little trouble to notice. The composer 
must nave had an odd notion of the voices oi the 
followers of the Saviour to have made them slug as 
If they were in a German beer-garden. The twelve 
spostles (Matthias replacing Judas Iscariot^ shout 
to the disciples with that excess of modulation pe- 
culiar to the composer. The orchestration Is In the 
restless and florla style, with his favorite figures for I 



the stringed instruments of iteration. There are 
^y^ movements, but the whole is too boisterous and 
demonstrative to be acco^tted as the devotional 
strains of Inspired apostles, who could not have had 
a notion of the music of the future, unless there had 
been a musical Judas amongst them to deny the 
masters. 

Mr. Cowen's cantata, ' The Corsair,* adspted by 
Mr. R. E. Francillon from Lord Byron's poem, only 
requires the dialogue or recitatives to be introduced 
to make the work a complete opera, for It is better 
adapted for the stage than for the concert hall, ex- 
cept In the Instrumental Items (the enir'aetn), some 
of which are masterly. The vocal parts have a 
mixed Italian and Balfish type, and are always tune- 
ful. Mr. Cowen, In fact, seems to be In search of a 
style, and It will be a matter of surprise, yenng as he 
Is, If he does not obtain Individuality. In striving to 
characterize the Turkish music, he has used disa- 
greeable discords here and there ; these would be 
considered correct at Constantinople, but were a mis- 
take at Birmingham, but, barring a few flaws, there 
was often considerable charm In his cantata ; the 
chorus of Almas Is exqulslse, and the storm move- 
ment Is cleverly scored. Mdl le. Tletjens (Oulnare ), 
Madame Lemmens (Medora). Mr. Lloyd (Conrad the 
Corsair), and Slgnor Foli (the Pacha Seyd). have 
been well voiced; the duets between Medora and 
Conrad, and between the latter and Gulnare, are 
well contrasted; a ballad by Madame Lemmens, 
" I know not," with guitar obblioaio (Madame Prat- 
ten), Is quaint and pleasing, and the §eena of Mdlle. 
Tletjens called forth her powerful high notes with 
ringing force. 

A new ballad by Mr. Anderton, a local organist, 
entitled 'The Felling of the Trees,' with full score, 
and conducted by himself, was sung by Madame 
Patey, and was of sufficient interest to entitle the 
composer to a more prominent place In the week's 
programme. 



BOSTON, SEPT. 80. 1876. 

The Upshot of Wagnerifm.— Edward 
Huiilick'i Samming TTp. 

In our last number we gave some significant ex- 
tracts from the concluding letter from B lyreuth of 
the able musical critic of the Vienna JV«im FreU 
Prtfe^ as we found them In a New York German 
paper. Having the Freit Prttu Itself now before 
us we proceed to translate the omitted passages. 

Bayreuth, Avff. 18. 

" Yesterday we had the GdtUrddmmerung aa the 
conclusion of the whole cycle. With the now com 
pleted execution of the Bayreuth programme the 
Music of the Future has become a power of the 
Present. Outwardly at least, and for the moment. 
Upon Art historical predictions, etc. (See lael num- 
ber, page 802.) 

"Let US hear the master's own 

words about his new musical method In the Nibel' 
uftffen, *l have,' he says (Vol IX, page 366) 
' raised dramatic dialogue iUelf Into being the main 
substance even of the mueieal performance ; whereas 
In " Opera," as such, the moments of lyrical delay, 
fitted Into the action for this purpose, were consid- 
ered available for what was supposed to be the only 
possible kind of musical performance. It Is music, 
which, while It Independently brings us into sym- 
pathy with the motives of the action in its finest 
ramifications, at the same time enables us to pre- 
sent this action with drastic definlteness. As the 
actors have not got to express themselves to us 
about their prompting motives In the sense of the 
reflective consciousness, the dialogue gains here 
that naive precision which makes out the life of the 
drama.' — ^That reads very finely, but in the execu- 
tion Wagner's purpose is by no means reached, and 
the Mai blending of Opera and Drama, after as be- 
fore, is an Illusion. Through this alleged equalis- 
ing of the importance of word and tone, Wagner 
cramps the efllcacy of them both alike. The music 



wants to expand, the words to press onward ; there- 
fore conUouous dialogue belongs naturally to the 
Drama, and sung melody to the Opera. This par- 
tition is not contrary to nature, but Wagner's 
method, of llfUng both kinds of Art up Into one, is 
contrary to nature. The unnatural singing speech 
or speaking song of the Wagneriau Nihelungen 
neither compensates us for the spoken word of the 
Drama, nor for the work sung In the Opera. The 
first, because with most singers one cannot under- 
stand the text at all, and even with the best only 
here and there in passages. But since for the sake 
of the scenic effect the auditorium of the FeeOpid- 
haue Is totally darkened, all opportunity of looking 
into the text book during the performance is entire- 
ly shut oft Hence we sit helpless and lisfcleas be- 
fore these endless dialogues of the slng^ers, at one and 
the same time thlrstipg after plain speech and ever 
Intelligible melody. And what a dialogue ! Neyer 
have men talked so with one another (nor gods 
either probably). Springing to and fro in remote 
intervals, always dow, pathetic, overstrained, and, 
substantially, one precisely like the other. 

'* Since in tlils ' Music-Drama ' the acting persons 
are not distinguished from ^h other by the char- 
acter of their vocal melodiev^ In the old ' Opera' 
(Don Juan and Leporello, Donna Anna and Zeril- 
na. Max and Caspar), but are all alike in the physi- 
ognomical pathos of their speaking tone. Wag* 
ner undertakes to supply tills characterisation 
through so-called ' reminder or leading-motives' in 
the orckeeira. Wagner had already given consider- 
able extension to this rausico-psychological auxiliary 
in Ta$mhdu9er and Lohengrin ; he carried It to ex- 
cess In the Meiaterwinger, and In the NiAehtngen he 
complicates It Into a regular arithmetical example. 
One easily holds In mind the two or three melodi- 
cally and rhythmically pregnant leading motives of 
Tannhdueer or Lohengrin, But how does Wagner 
proceed about It in the Nibelungen f We have the 
answer In a pamphlet, offered everywhere for sale 
here, by Herr von Wolzogen: * Tliematie Ouide* 
(or leading string), a sort of musical Bideker (or 
Murray), without which no respectable tourist ven- 
tures out here. Far away from Bayreuth, one 
might find such a handbook comical ; the serious 
and mournful thing about it is, — that it is necessa- 
ry. Herr v. Wolxogen adduces not less than ninelg 
leading motives, with their names and notes, which 
the tormented Festsplel visitor has to Impress upon 
his mind so as to recognise them everywhere amid 
the whirl of tones throughout four evenings. Not 
only persons, but Inanimate things too have here 
their Individual leading motives, which emerge now 
here, now there and enter into the most mysterious 
relations to one another. Here we have the Ring 
motive, the motive of Thraldom, of threatening 
Doom, of the Rhine-Gold; the Giants' and the 
Dwarfs' motive, the Flight motive, the Tsm-helra 
motive, the lead-motive of the "weary Siegmund ;* 
the Sword, the Dragon, the Dream of Vengeance 
motive, the motive of Alberich, of Siegfried, of Wo- 
tan, and so on to No. 90. This rich musical ward- 
robe, which every hero brings along with him, la 
only worp, however, at his feet, down In the or- 
chestra ; on (he stage they have absolutely nothing 
on In the wsy of melody. 

"With few exceptions (the WalkUrenriti, Walhal- 
la, the anvil motive, Siegfried's horn call) these 
Leil-moHven In the Ntbetungen-ring are of small me- 
lodic or rhythmical coinage, consisting of a few 
notes and frequently resembling one another. On- 
ly an uncommonly favored ear and memory can 
possibly hold them all. And If we succeed In this, 
if we have actually perceived that the orchestra 

makes here an allusion to the god^, there to the gi- 
ants, and then to gods and giants both at once~> 
what great thing have we gained by it? A process 



BOSTON, SATUBDAY, SEPT. 30, 1876. 



311 



of pure understanding, a reflective comparison and 
inference — ^tlie Ntbdungen music points cootinaally 
away to sometliinj; beside and above itself. Any 
full feeling and enjoyment is impossible, if under- 
standing and memory must stand continually on the 
watch to catch allusions. This mystic-allegorical 
tendency in Wagner's Nibdungnirring in many ways 
reminds us of the second part of Ooethe*s Fa\ut^ 
which forfeits so much of its poetical effect precisely 
because the poet has " mysterised " so much into it, 
which now plagues the reader lilce a riddle. 

"Many a golden word in Vischer's latest book 
about the allefrorical nature of the second part of 
Fatut applies to the charact«'r of the last Wagneri- 
an music-drama. This also is in text and music a 
poem which one cannot understand without a 
learned key, which consequently fatigues and dis- 
quiets, instead of refreshing aiid delighting. Veri- 
ly we come at last to Yischer's result, that, where 
it comes to the question of an aesthetic diagnont, 
nothing, unfortunately, is arrived at by the demon- 
stration. Whether a tone- work sprang from the 
depths of musical feeling, or out of the retort of in- 
genious calculation, that, however obvious to the 
individual, cannot be scientifically proved. Yischer's 
proposition, that the feeling of the beauty of the 
poetic life can be demonstrated to no one, seems to 
me to hold good roost especially for music. In the 
old, pre Nibelungcn ' Opera ' the compoeition fol- 
lows the universal laws of musical logic, forms a 
series of symmetrical and rounded organixms each 
intelligible per t«. The masters gave us in the 'Op- 
era* music, which through its unity was intelligible, 
through its beauty enjoyable, and through its inti- 
mate harmony wiih the action dramatic. They 
have shown a hundred times over, that the ' absolute 
melody,' which Wagner scouts, can be at once emi- 
nently dramatic ; and when in several parts (or poly- 
phonic), especially in the finales, can sum up and 
conclude the progressive action energetically. To 
remove vocal part«ong, duets, etc., from the Opera 
as ' nndramatic' is to ignore, etc. {See laet number, 
pageZG^.) 

" We do not fail to recognize the new trait of 
grandeur and sublimity which Wagner lends to his 
work by the fact that every act contains only two 
or three scenes, which unfold themselves in the 
moat quiet breadth, nay frequently seem to stand 
still like plastic images. From the restless scene- 
shifting and the overfulness in action of our ' grand 
Opera* the Nibelungen-Ring distinguishes itself 
moat advantageously precisely through this sim- 
plicity. But a straight forward epic breadth need 
not diftort and dislocate the drama in that manner. 
It is hard to conceive how a dramatic composer so 
familiar with the theatre can suddenly lose all sense 
of proportion and not feel, that conversations like 
those of Wotan with Fricka, with Brilnnhilde, with 
Mime, etc, tax the hearer's patience most intoler- 
ably, and must utterly stupefy him by their insati- 
able loquacity. For the unheard of length of the 

Walhalla scenes in Rheingold, of all the con versa- 
tions in the second act of the Walkurie, ot the six 

questions' in Siegfried, and so on, one seeks in vain 

for any dramatic or musical reason. An eloquent 

advocate of Wagner, the vivacious Louis Ehlert, in 
his critique on " Tristan and Isolde," snggests that 
every namber of it be considerably shortened, to 
eive the opera a chance of life. Now it may well 
be asked: Where was there ever a real dramatic 
composer, in whose operas every piece of music can 
be abridged at pleasure and without harm T Yet 
in listening to the Niitdunaen-Ring we came com- 
pletely to the same conviction, that every scene 
would bear the most extensive euU without the 
smallest harm, while on the other hand one might 
spin out in this style as much longer as he ])leased. 
" The new method of the ' dialogicai Music- 
Drama ' rejects in fact all musical measure and pro- 
portion ; it is the formless infinite. Wagner, to be 
sure protests, against our judging his * stage-play ' 



from the stand-point of music. Why then does he 
make music, and very much music, four long even- 
ings full of music T In many places there appear 
musical beauties of ravishing effect, both strong and 
tender ; it is as if the new Wagner wished to re- 
mind us of the old. We can only allude at present 
to the Rhine Daughters in the first and fourth 
piece ; to the Spring song of Siegmund and the Fire 
Charm in the second, to the mingled forest sounds 
and the beginning of the love duet in the third. In 
the Bayreuth representation one could observe how 
every such bud of blooming melody was recog- 
nized with visible rapture by the audience and 
pressed to every heart. When after two hours of 
monodie desert there appears a bit of song in parts, 
— ^the closing chords of the three Rhine Daughters, 
the singing together of the Walk&ren, the few thirds 
at the end of the love duet in Siegfried^ there passes 

something like a joyous thrill of deliverance after 
long imprisonment over the faces of the hearers. 
These are very si|?nifieant symptoms. They (rive 
clearest evidence that the musical nature in Man 
is'Dot to be denied or gagged ; thnt the new method 
of Wagner is not a reform of traditions which we 
have outlived, but an assault upon the musical sen- 
sibility inborn in us and which it has taken centu- 
ries of education to develop. And thousrh this as- 
sault be undertaken with the most brilliant weap- 
ons of the mind — Natnre withstands it and quietly 
hurls the besieger back with a few violets and 
roses. 

'* The plastic energy of Wagner's fancy, his as- 
tonishing mastery over the techniqtie of the orches- 
tra, and numerous musical beauties reign in the 
Nihelvngen with a magpie power, to which we will- 
insrly and thankfully yield ourselves captive. These 
singrle beauties, which creep in as it were behind 
the back of the system, do not prevent this Hvelem^ 
this tyranny of the word, of nnmelodious dialogue, 
from planting in the whole the seeds of death. The 
strange and gnrtreous colorins:. the intoxicatinsr ▼«• 
por of the orchestra in the NiMnngen-Ring embrace 
us with a demoniacal spell. But as Tannhaeuser in 
the Yenus-berg longs for the dear familiar chimes 
of earth, so we soon long from the deepest heart for 
the melodic blessing of our old music. ' Shall I nev- 
er, never hear it more ? ' ** 



The Seaion at Home. 

Signs of musical activity are beginning to ap- 
pear,— more numerous than ever in regard to music 
schools, conservatories and pnvate lessons, as will 
be seen by running the eye down the advertising 

columns of any Boston newspaper. And in the 
way of concerts and popular musical entertain- 
ments, — though the announcements and, we pre- 
sume, the arrangements, are unusually timid and 
behindhand, — enough is already promised to show 
that our city will find more than lenten entertain- 
ment during the winter that is close upon us. 

The Handxl and Hatdx Sociitt resume rehear- 
sals to-morrow evening at Bumstead Hall. Beyond 
the fact that they will of course give the Meeeiah at 
Christmas, — and with the additional accompani- 
ments made expressly for the Society by Robert 
Franz, — the proi^ramme of their winter's work is 
undetermined. But this is Triennial Festival year, or 
rather we are on the eve of it, and before next May 
they will be deep in the study of important Orato- 
rios, Cantatas, etc., Ixith new and old, including 
(let us hope) the Passion Music once more. 

Mb. Ernst Pxrabo will lead off in the Chamber 

music. He will ipive three concerts, assisted by 

Mr. John C. Mullaly and the Philharmonic Club (B. 
Listemann <& Co.) These will occur at Wesleyan 
Hali, on Oct. 28, Nov. 8 and 10, to begin at Z\ P.M. 
Mr. Perabo will present novelties by Prof. J. E. 
Paine, Richter, Raff and Rubinstein. 

Friends of the Harvard Symphony Concerts, 
who v. ay have been disturbed by rumors of a pos- 
sible change of place, will be pleased to learn that 
the ten concerts will be given, as they uniformly 
have been during the past eleven seasons, in the 

BotUm Mutie Hall, — beginning on Thursday after- 
noon, Nov. 0, and continuing at regnlar intervals of 
once a fortnight for five concerts ; then a pause of 



four weeks, followed by five more from Feb. 1, to 
March 20. Of the programmes we shall probably 
be able to give some information in our next issue. 
The price of season tickets will be $10. The pub- 
lic sale will commence at the Music Hall on Monday 
morning, Oct. 80 ; but persons who desire an earli- 
er choice of seats with the members of the Associa- 
tion who guaranty the Concerts, may easily secure 
it by applying (before Oct. 20) to any member, 
either directly or through Mr. Peck, or Ditson's or 
Prtkfer's music stores. 

All reports persistently agree that Theodori 

Thomas will give no series of Symphony Concerts 

here this winter ; and even that our enjoyment of 

his admirable orchestra, which after all seems not 

to be " disbanded," will be limited to a period of 

less than two weeks in the middle of November. 

They are to be of a " popular " character, and the 
dates fixed are Monday. Nov. 18 ; Wednesday, Nov. 
16; Saturday, Nov. 18 (Mating); Monday, Nov. 
20; Wednesday, Nov. 22. Season tickets may be 
secured at Mr. Peck's office. 

— The Thomas Orchestra are to take part, more- 
over, in several of the subscription concerts to be 
given in the new Theatre of Memorial Hall at Cam- 
bridge, under the management of Profl Paine and 
others. These will be attractive to music loving 
frie;i(ls and neighbors of the University beyond the 
bounds of Cambridge. 

Most of the Chamber Music, we fancy, will be in 
the form of Pianoforte Recitals ; for we grow richer 
every season in the number and the quality of ac- 
complished resident pianista ; besides Mme. Schil- 
LRR, Pkraro, Lano, Lronhard, Parker, Pktbrsilba, 
and others well known, we have now Miss Amy 
Fay, and Mr. Sherwood, whose performances will 
excite no little interest. Among them all wo shall 
be very sure to hear a plenty of Beethoven, Bach, 
Schubert, Schumann, Mendelssohn and^Chopin, to 
say nothing of their followers. ** 

— The Mendelssohn Quintette Club is preparing 

with renewed vigfor for the winter campaign. Wo 

read that 

"The club will not|eo West till the end of January. 
This Is in deference to the calls for services in New Enc- 
land. Lovers of classic music will gladly learn that the 
club intends driving a short series of chamber concertt 
(in Boston) early in the reason. They have made a val- 
uable acqnisition to their number this se«son,by engag- 
ing Mr. Alexander lletndl with his double baM. They 
have prepared many pieces of the new rompoiier, Satnt- 
Safins, and much of the available ( t) mus .c by Wagner. 

—The Boston Philharmonic Club, we are sorry to 
learn, have made so many engagementn elsewhere, that 
they cannot promise another series of their admirable 
Chami>er concerts, which proved so grstlfvlne to the 
best music-lovers last year, although Alas for Boston!) 
not reumneratlve. They will assist, however, in various 
concerts of the higher order now and then, besid s play- 
ing liefore some of the Lecture crowds. Truly this pe- 
ripatetic policy (perhaps necessity) of so many of our 
beat musicians who compose the several Quintet Chibs. 
is a.serions Injury to good musie here at home. Why 
cannot Boston and places within a few hours' rearh ol 
Boston furnish st^^ady occupation and support for at 
least OM organisAdon of the kind? And then such men 
would be available for a permanent good orchestra. 

Mme. BaairoFF, the Russian pianist, who, we are told 
on excellent authority, takes rank above sll the lady pi- 
Milsts now in Bnrope, is to eive three concerts In the 
Boston Music HaU In the latter pait of December. 

This is the fall season for Free Organ Recitals. Mr. 
Bon«JneT^ATER gave his ninety-third last Weflnesdsy 
at the Old South Church, on Boylston St., assisted bv 
Miss Mary Slocum, with this programme : 

Sixth Organ Concerto, Handel : Vorspiel^gchmUcke 
Dich, Bach; Sonata in C minor, op. 27, Rhrin- 
berger; Variations on Pleyel's Hymn, Oerrish: Ave 
Sanctlssima, Bugene Thayer: VarlaUous on Nurem- 
burg, for two performers, Thayer. 

Mr. Parkhubst, at the First Church (Berkeley and 
Marlboro* Streets) began on Thursday, at 4 P.M. Mr. 
Thayer's next will be Oct. 4. at 8 o*clock.-Meanwhile 
the Oreat Organ at the Music HaU Is played every 
Wednesday and Batarday noon. 

The vocal Clubs— the Apollo, the Bovlston, the Foster 
Club, etc ,— are getting their voices into practice again : 
and we hope that «• The Cecilia " will soon followsuit. 
we make no account as yet of those nice little quartets 
of singing birds (soprano and contralto) who have here 
their nests, but fly about tiie country far and near. 

The many friends of Mr. August Kreissicann will 
reiolce to learn that he will soon be back among us, and 
with health so txt restored that we may hope, not only 
to hear many a fine Frant song sung as only he can slug 
th^m. but to welcome his genial face and his inspiring 
Influence again in some ofhla old posts of Influence. 

More anon. The list is by no means complete. 

Letters from New York and Philadelphia too late for 
this week. 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



'WORCESTKR, UaOK.— ThB 

Ing Ihe fl^Et week In Oclobr 



I ol lb« CI 






Fi™t ronnert— Wl■^n«^(llly^Te^!n^, Oct. 4. Rwinlnr 
'■ 9iih« MaCar." Min M«v K, a-onB, sopmno. Mr. J 
C. Colllnn. 1,-nor, Mr". Finrii B. H«tn, wnloiHo, M: 
'WDIUm R. Mai^ilon <]il, baas: accoinninlmenls tiT ib 
Fbrihnrni'iiilc niih. anil ctinrum hr the aav)rlnI<on 
aino, locul and Inatminenial nil-cellan'nu> wiectlon. 
by thfl abora tocal artlsu, PbUiianDoaic Club and ipiuiil 

B««)nrt Concert— Tliarad ay nftf rooon, Orl, S, KncUsh 

S'eea part-«nner», mnrirlcalii and ■oloa, liy the Eiidi'h 
lee Clnb nf New York ;^(s8 HmrieltaBwIw toprano, 



Mr. J. R. KHu-B. t. 



r. KTIas 



. Finrh 



I a Holhi 



B. Aiken, ba* 
rniea b7 the a) 

Third Concert— TbnrMnv »r*nli._. _ . .. 

neons seln-tlona hy MiK? rinra I/ialAe Kfllnirc, Mlas 
LonlM K. Flneh.Mr J R Ntlaen, full EDcllib Glee Club, 



C. FloTiD, acL;oiD|;iinlst ; 

Ml>ce1lit- 



Wlnch, tniia. icreat ..._ ... 

aeeoiapaolmenl b; the Oennanla OrcheaCra and gnat 

of Mon- 

The peifonnere at the matlnfe* •til be priDclpally of 
tbe memiversht]) of the vuoclatlon, ItornlUf Kailona 
will be held dally darlnfr the contlnaance of tbe featWal 
for rehearsal of the cborua mniic, under the dlracllon of 
CatI Zemihn and Mr. B. D. Allen. 



Emipof*. the Rnielan planUt, who iral HI 
London last Winter, viU come to thla 
coantrj dnrini the Antnma, She waa born at 8t. Felera- 
bnrelnlHl. berfatherbeloga roonKllorof the conn, 
andadtitlaenlahedmualcalamatcar. Attbeage of 13 
■he KM entered at tbe Conaerraior? of Bt. Petersborg 
(of which An'on Kublnateln was the director), where she 
Kftlned the Ugbeet bonori. After the completion ol 



repntalion belii« fullv eat 
RiiMia. Mme. Ksslpofl ia ea 
memnry, plnylne alwava wIf] 



ij-lnl 



™jPj,JT'nS 



pr«i*r of Chopin, haiini; a vprv pcire teRhnlqne: and 
allhoueh her eienuUnn l« niin'm.-iv liold, and «l>e playi 



Tn Hasou SSOTTAL*. The following Hat of worki 

performed in Tarioaa oltlea In the InUrior of New Xoik, 

during the past anmraer, at DiailcRl conTenthona feaU- 

yala, etc., by Iti. Wilmah MAaOH, certa'nly showaa 

pvat improrenent In the general taat«. to wbich pro- 

Krammasof so hiKh an order are acceptable. In ana 

city Hr. Haaon (tare nine pianoforte recltala, plsylnR at 

tbe ninth entirely from Scbnmtun'a oompoaitlon. Here 

la tbe repertol re : 

OeorKe Frederick Handel. lS8i— ITSa. 

Air a la Ilourr«e. 

BultelnFmlnor, (No. n— I. Pretnde: i. Faga; 

3. Allemande: 4. Conranto: B. Gleue. 
Chaeonne In F. 
John flebaallan Bach. 1«W-1IM. 



Chriatopher 01>ick. 

Oavotte from Don Jnaa. 
LodwlK Ton Beethoven. 

Op. T-Orand Sooat* In S flat. 
■' IS-Sonale pathetlqae In C mini 
•• sa-RonaUinAflaf. 
" 35-(Na. S) SonaU (Moonlliht). 
■■ 110— Sonata In A flat. 
Trani Schnbert. 
Op. M-KlsEle. 
■' lM-{No. Sj Impromptti. 

Felix Mendelaaohn Bnrthnldy. 
Op. 14 -Rondo caprli^oso, 
•' «2-<ITo.e)8prlnRaon)[inA. 
■' <n-(ND.4| Spinning aonfi In C. 
Prelnda In Kmlnorc'Hatretempa'' i 
Boberl Schm 



1TH-17BT. 



Op. 12-Fiinl 



S, Mo. 4, Ko. B, Mo. «, Ho. T, 



Ko. 3, No. 3, No. 4, Ho. S, So. «. 



'' 3R-<'Bmlv<)I at Vienna. 
(R nnmhenil 
On. n-(N». !> Romnnee In F abarp. 

" M- '• I 

1 Fani.ialestUcke In A. 



iF, 



" IM'!)chlaniinnlled. 
Fredrrto Chnnin. 

Op. T-(No 1^ Manirka, 



■ M-(No. ISlPrelud 

• »-Iinpromntuln 

' K-(«o (iVor-tim 

' St- ■' SMirnrka 

■ SI- " 1 Wiltr In 

• S4- ■' « Wilt! In 

• 3T-(No, »i NoMnn 

■ 4«- •■ 1 Fnlonal 

• «-Wi1tx in Aflat 

' 4J-B>ll!i'l" <n A, 

' 48-<No. llNoMiiri 



Rhapvvlle Hnnemlse, Tin. 11, In C ebari) minor. 

Chant Polonaise (Chopin). 

SIclsmnnd Thn1l<er|[. IMl-ltTl. 

Romance, sana parolei. 

Adulnb Henwlt. ' 1*14 

Etude 31 olaean j'elali. 

Joafhln Riff IKS 

Op ISMNo. DOiTolto. 



I Etude Melodlqne. 

X lAfllense. 

i Erlnnerung an Venedlg (Tanben- 



Anton RnhlnsWIn. 
Birex'olle l-i O 
Ifrlodia In F. 



NEwyoRK, Dr. Leopold Itarnroach sneeeedi the la- 
lented Bnymann aa Condnclor of the Philbarnionlc 
Sorietj. The proiiramme liir tbe aeason will donbtleaa 
m be forthPOmlBit. Meanwhile we read Iha queer In- 
telligence that tliB Society "wIllKlTO Wagner'a ■ Ring 
le NibelanEea.' 






It tbe t 



Mr. TBI 

teaannof the Symphony Toneerta will beitin Sitnrdaj 
nlnK, Octnber 31. Mr. Tbomatwlll combine with hla 
hestra. tbia wHitsr, a chams 6i picked yoloei, which 
Intenda to make permanent. In arrandnit pro- 
dlfllcnlty 



n And a 



■lely.wl 



BytblBi - 

- 1 and oreheMfAt 
preaentad '- -^ 






Kirkar with the orfheacrn 



tbe ai 



wbile th 



erofili 



hmiyooncorta Is fTevne-\." ^Anfrltan Arl JBUmJil. 

FBOVthe"RomeHot«s"of theJAufc IVoib SnUf 
It take tba following Items: 

TberabeanalaottheOrabiTio Sod'ty of New York 

rill onrnmenre on Beptember IS. "Elijah," "TbeHra- 



r choral worka by II 






wlU ba tncei 



mted d>ir 

Mr. Adolph NeoendornwIllclTeaaerlnotBlTSnnda; 

mrerta at Ptelnway Hall, In aid of as many charlta- 1> 



iated attbeparforman 



leatra of iiiiiy Inatminantallal 
.. t — v.^.. a Krmnda 

mBayraoih, where 



n Dec>nn'<er IS, •». 28, and 30, and nn 



RebearaalB preparatory to tbe performince of "D V«»- 

cello Fantaania '■—'Wagner'a "Flying Dutchman •■— 
will be<la In ahoat a week. Tba opera will be bmught 



i-ipenbrtni will iieiinn-'te Umln. The re 
:horaa, and of a highly proBclent orcheal 



^ID^ 



Spetial "Botictn. 



DEflCBIPTIVK LIST OF TBB 
rialtltatir4 kr Oltrrr DItaoit * Cm. 



Togal. wilb FiU* AoeompmlmHtt. 

In th« Month of Finwera. ( Del Anonr. I 

O. 2. B to E. MoUoy. 3. 

" In a riow-ry mead, his boroehe aiaid. 
Where Ihi> sheep were watched by fi bine 

A mirtellauBly sweet hallnd. with a Utile 
French refrsin. " Aimer O liel unonr. Aimer 
toajonra. " 
Hayes nnd Wlieeler rallying Son^. Song 

and Cliorus. Aft. 2. c to E. Thompioa. & 
' KoKoth.nnRnii'h noBasl, no Vest." 
A apirltrd campaign aong. 
Who1l weep for me when I am KOti*f 
Song and Chorus. Bb. 3. d to F. 

PraiL 31 
"Who'll apeak one senile word of praiae." 
FInr mualc and good poetfy, the latter by 
Oao. Cooper. 

Come to the Heiurt thntls thine I From 

ETHDEeline. AA. 3. E to q. « 

me quickly, my rtarllnR- 

_ „ jfSriuna'' mentioned'' above. 

Plctiire I Hie. 
Rose of Tenuesiae. Song and Choms. 

F. 2. c to F. Daak*. » 

"The Slimmer davawere brlchteat 



My Hetrt atlll lingers here. Song snd 

Chorus. B6 3. FtOR. Oeary 3 

Tary benntlful and effective. 
H^es nnd Wheelnrt Hurrah! Sons and 
Quutot or Cliorus. A. 3. E to F. 

FerliinM 31 






wblcb Uat case, It & In tbe key ot Bt. 
lutnmenttl. 
Madsnie Pompadonr'a Parorite Hinnet 

C. 3. Ln Rorht. * 

Qnalntandbeantlliil. A kind of piece that 
would make an excellsnt portion of one of tbe 

Heart Secrets. Salon Piece. Q. 3. Popp. 4 

Thrre may not lie much In a name, but the 

bllaa which InvarlKbly fKllows a " fop " In thli 

woild, la finely InJlnted In thla muale, whicb 

ta very pleaatng. 

March of the Blues and Grays. F. S. French. 9 

Composed for a Richmond, company, which 

orders. Oood company and tfnt rata march. 

Sail on I Talse brillante, Q. 3. Snlght. i 

Bright aa a jewel. Salllntolt. 

Onr Regiment. Quick March, E6. 3. KntghL 9 

Quick March la another name for Qnlcketep. 

Any n^ment will ateo the lighter for the 

playing i>f thla •nper-brill Ian t much. 

Centennial Polka. Lith. Title. D. 3. Erakavtr. 4 

Of great brilliancy and '■anap." CanniHfafl 

topleaae. View of the great Centwulal Bulld- 



Erwtn. > 

!■. S. 

Hrytr. 8 



Hamilton Uazourklt. BA. S. 

An easy and gracetal Mamrki 
Light Spring. Polka ( Hoch hinauf. ) F. S. 

YarT merry. Nlmbb 
when It la played. 
" 101" March. O. 2. Fau^ 

The strange tlile arises from the fast, that It 
laOpualolDfFanat'aaimpnaltlona. Also, per- 
hapa, from the fact that It la 101 times as good 



played. Vety wideawake hant«r's melody. 



ABPKiviiTinm.— Degree a of dItOcally are narl 
fmm 1 to 1. The key Is denoted by a capllal letter, ai 

low or above the etaff Thus: "C, C, c to B" me 
Una below, 'bigbeat letier, B on the 4th apace. 





nxul 





Wholk No. 926. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, OCT. 14, 1876. 



Vol. XXXVI. No. 14. 



Tba Hibelnngen Trilogy at Bayreuth. 

BT JOSEPH BENNETT. 

(From the London Musical Times.) 

When Richard Was^ner flrst announced the 
carrying: out of his darling enterprise at Bay- 
reuth, men wondered why his choice fell upon 
such a place ; they have wondered ever since, 
and they are wonderin^ic now. The master has 
thick-and-thin admirers, who credit him with 
the D^ft of infallihilitv. and believe that the 
fiction of the English Constitution. **The Kinjf 
can do no wronsr," mav he applied in his case 
as an absolute fact. Yet even these people can 
discover for Bayreuth nothing better than neg- 
ative recommendations of a more or less whim- 
sical kind. My own experience convinces me 
that scarcely could a worse selection have been 
made. As a difirnified and respectable little 
town, with certain literary and historic associ- 
ations, Bavrenth is, no doubt, a fit retreat for 
a man who desires to labor *' far from the mad- 
ding crowd *8 ignoble strife ; " but to mak*; it 
the scene of a great gathering, to put upon its 
feeble resources an unbearable strain, and con- 
sequently to inflict upon visitors a host of dis- 
comforts, was a step only explainable by 
reference to the wilfulness in which great men 
sometimes permit themselves to indulge. 
Among Wsgner*s qualities is a grim humor 
quite familiar to readers of his literary works, 
and it may be that a resolution to entice the 
musical world off the hisrhway, so to speak, 
and along uncomfortable bye-paths was a 
practical manifestation of it. Anyhow, the 
feat gave proof of his influence, and every one 
of us who wasted hours for a morsel of food, 
after fighting for a place in which to eat it; 
who domiciled in strange quarters, and — not 
through poverty — became acquainted with 
^'strange bed -fellows;*' who panted along dusty 
roads in a broiling sun, because the score or so 
of vehicles in the place were engaged twenty 
deep — every one of us, I say. had the consola- 
tion of knowing that here was practical homage 
paid to intellectual and artistic might. It was 
all of consolation we could get, and I am afraid 
it did noi prevent a good deal of bad languasfe. 
The natives, poor souls, did their very best 
under the pressure put upon them, They were 
willing enough, but fancv the chances they had 
in an encounter with 2,000 hungry and earnest 
strangers. As for the hotels — well, I will only 
ol)serve that, if the statistics of the big lunatic 
asylum close to Wagner's theatre do not show 
a remarkable accession ^f patients from the 
clnss of landlords and waiters, my belief in the 
relationship of cause and effect will receive a 
blow. 

Wagner chose a pretty spot for his theatre. 
There is a hill some 1.500 yards from the town, 
crowned with a wood, and having fields on its 
lower slope. Some distance up the slope stands 
the building, with a terrace on its town front, 
whence the eye ranges over the valley of the 
Red Main to the lofty hills beyond. Flanking 
the theatre, but slightly lower, are two wooden 
refreshment houses; and, lower still, the ex- 
meadow is planted with young trees, which 
border winding walks, the beginning of apleas- 
aunce '* of the future." For the theatre itself 
little can be said— at any rate as regards the 
exterior. It it decidedly not beautiful; it 
comes very near being ugly, and signs that it 
has been erected * * on the cheap ** are more ev- 
ident than pleasing to an aesthetic eye. But, 
here again, what matters f '*The play's the 
thing,'' and Wagner cares more for one small 
accessory to his stage business than for the 
whole concern in front of the curtain. Look 



into the theatre and be satisfied of this. There 
may be a recognition of personal comfort, even 
of luxurious taste, in the F&r«ten Galerie, but 
elsewhere behold a Spartan simplicity. It is 
assumed that he who goes to the Wagner 
Theatre does so as a lover of art. In that ca- 
pacity alone is he recognized. **I will give 
you. " says Wagner, ** a good view of the stage ; 
i will put my orchestra out of sight, and you 
shall not be annoyed by a gesticulating con- 
ductor; but if you expect a box in which to 
lounge, if you think to have light for the ex- 
amination of ynnr neiffhbors. or for the poring 
over libretti, if you expect facilities for dis- 
turbing the house by going in or out as you 
choose, then don't come to my place, for none 
of these things will you get. As you are not a 
prince, I cannot ask you to the Filrsten Gal'.»rie : 
but here is a cane seat in a vast parterre risincr 
tier above tier, so that everybody sees well all 
that he ousrht to see. Take it or leave it." In 
such practical fa«hion is the whole business 
managed, and there has not been any grumb- 
ling. Some of the French and Belgian critics, 
it is true, wrote early letters home in a state 
of wonderment, but they grew reconciled when 
it appeared that a musical drama is not neces- 
sarily connected with a fashionable lounge. As 
for the Germans, they out-Wasrnered Wagner, 
and I believe that they would have sat out the 
performances on spikes had the master so or- 
dained. 

What a crowd was that which filled Bayreuth 
on the eve of the Festival! Emperors and 
princes came, and were received with acclama 
tion, Wagner himself going down (in a dress 
coat and white tie) to greet the German Raiser, 
and to hear from the imperial lips that the 
imf>erial mind was a blank in the matter of the 
artistic questions at issue, but that a national 
enterprise should be supported. Bayreuth, 
for some days before in process of waking, 
opened its eyes wide to see the old soldier. 
But there were many others present quite as 
remarkable as he, though the more eminent 
among German musicians stayed away. Brahms, 
Hiller, Volckmann, Joachim*. Rubinstein, Raff 
— none of these put in an appearance, for rea- 
sons about which it would be impe^-tinent to 
speculate. But all countries were well repre- 
sented, and the visitors' list published from day 
to day was a roll-call of eminence not only in 
muRic but in kindred arts. Franz Liszt made 
a prominent figure on more accounts than his 
own personal distinction, and, indeed, the 
Festival would not have been complete with- 
out him. In the days when Wagner had not a 
friend, and was picking up a bare living in 
Paris— when, moreover, the two were unknown 
to each other, it was Liszt who recognized the 
future author of **Der Ring des Nibelungen," 
and, in the nick of time, gave him precious 
encouragement. Hardly less important and 
gratifying to Liszt, therefore, than to Wagner 
himself, was an occasion which justified his 
previsions and realized his hopes. Among 
others present who eng-iged more or less atten- 
tion were such musical lUterateur$ as Herr 
Flanslick, of Vienna : Signor Filippo de Filippi, 
of Milan; M. Albert Wolff, of Paris; Mr. 
Wheeler, of New York; and Mr. Davison, of 
London r while professors from all countries 
could be reckoned by the hundred. In short, 
the gathering was unique— the grandest trib- 
ute ever paid to the genius and will of a single 
man. 

Life in Bayreuth during the Festival was busy 
enough, if in many respects uncomfortable. A 
large portion of the time not spent at the thea- 
tre was necessarily occupied in fighting for 



food, and for the balance there were plenty of 
claimants — old friends seen after long parting, 
new friends anxious to be useful, and chance 
acquaintances whose share in a mstter of com- 
mon interest gave them a riarht to attention. 
Nobody waited for an introduction to anybody 
at Bayreuth. People ignorant even of each 
ot'ier's names became confidential over the 
invariable erlass of beer whenever opportunity 
offered, and till far into the night a buzz of 
conversation rose to the unaccustomf>d heavens. 
Of course opinions often clashed. There were 
some present whrt could not recognize the 
amazing perfection of Wacmer's work, and 
who, in the face of terrible odds, had the bold- 
ness to sav so. Such couraire should have 
commanded the respect of their opponents; 
but, as far as my observation goes, the out- 
and-out Wagnerian is an intolerant person, not 
disinclined to ui^e muscle as a m^ans of con- 
version to the faith. At all events the meeting 
was disgraced by sundry quarrels and at least 
one assault, with which, it is to be feared, the 
majority sympathized, looking upon it as the 
pardonable result of laudable enthusiasm. Life 
in and about the theatre scarcely varied from 
day to day. As the performances— save that 
of "Das Rheingold "—began at 4 o'clock, 
there was, first of all, a hot walk to the build- 
ing along an nnwatered road, then a lounge in 
the shade, or a ** restorer " in the refreshment 
l>ooth. or an amusing inspection of the very 
remarkable-looking people who by means of 
long unkempt hair, d la Liszt, proclaim them- 
selves devotees of modern German art. These 
mustered in strong force, and vied with each 
other in eccentricity, the palm of strangeness 
being unanimously accorded to a brother and 
sister (both, it is said, pupils of Liszt), who 
wandered about. " looking mysteriously no- 
where." the gentleman in an odd be-feathered 
hat. from under which streamed black straight 
locks, the lady in no hat at all. and with her 
tresses waving wildly. While these and such 
as these pissed in review, a little procession of 
royal carriages ascended the hill; and. if Em- 
peror William were there, as on the first two 
days, the Germans gathered round the state 
entrMUce to greet him with the dismal, long- 
drawn *' IToch ! *' which does duty for our more 
vigorous and exciting *• Hurrah!" Then a 
blast of trumpets summoned all to enter, the 
'* call" being invariably one or other of the 
Nibelungen motivi. It never took the audience 
long to settle down, and when the trumpets 
once more sounded and the lights were lowered 
till darkness became visible, a peremptory hiss 
stopped all motion and noise. During the per- 
formance silence and stillness were maintained ; 
but on the curtain falling after each act, it was 
a sight to see with what relief the entire fifteen 
hundred poured themselves out of the theatre, 
blinking in the sunlight, and hurrying to find 
wherewith the exhausted body might be re- 
freshed. So the days went on till the entire 
drama had unfolded itself, and the crowd, 
their curiosity satisfied, melted away, leaving 
Bayreuth to prepare for the next batch of visi- 
tors. The first series of representations, I 
should add. did not pass off without some dis- 
appointment. Owing to the temporary illness 
of Herr Betz, who filled an important part, the 
performance of »* Siegfried " was pnt off from 
Tuesday to Wednesday, and, as a result, not a 
few had to leave without witnessing **GOtter- 
dSmmerung," while many more were nnablo to 
attend a public supper given on Friday for the 
purpose of bringing Wacmer and his patrons 
together. But matters might easily have been 
worse, as it would appear from the case of Herr 



■?^iRv«ras 



■^^^^^"^ 



314 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



Betx that the leading r^^M were not ** under 
studied." 

The arrangements of the theatre for art pur- 
poses were singulHrly complete, and no quest- 
ion can arise as to the future in!l:t(moo of such 
of them as departed from established custom. 
Complete success attended the hidden orches- 
tra, not only because* a distracting spectacle 
WAS removed from the ken of the audience, 
but because, without loss of purely musical 
effect, a distinct and appropriate mental im- 
pression was created by the flood of sound 
streaming from a concealed source. Wagner*s 
idea of a veil of music rising between the spec- 
tator and the stage, coloring all beyond with 
its rich hues, thus found justification, the re- 
sult being precisely as he descril>ed it. But 
some one may ask, ** How could a hundred and 
fourteen instruments find room without a huge 
ungainly chasm between audience and stage? " 
The answer is that the orchestral seats 
were arranged on an inclined i>1ane descending 
far beneath the ** boards." At the bjttom of 
the plane were stationed the brass and percus- 
sion instruments, the *' strings " occupying the 
higher rows. By this plan the ▼isil>le width of 
the orchestral pit was not great enough to be 
an eyesore, while the position of tlie loud in- 
struments secured depth and majesty of tone 
without blatant noise. That the orchestral 
players were satisfied with their novel station I 
cannot say. They objected on principle to l>e 
put out of sight, and they complained, with 
good reason, of most exhausting heat. True, 
because they were invisible, they could — and 
did — play in their shirt-sleevej ; but this free- 
dom hardly compensated for a situation which 
many of them declare they will never again 
occupy. Thanks to the good oflSces of Mr. 
Dannreuther, I was able to inspect the arrange- 
ments on and behind, above and beneath, the 
stage for the working out of scenic effects un 
equalled in inagnitudc, elaboration and splen- 
dor. That I was much the wiser for gazing 
upon a mass of fntricate machinery cannot b« 
said with any regard for truth, but I came 
away with profound respect for the inventive 
skill of Herr Brandt, of Darmstadt, in whom 
Wagner discovered a man able to satisfy his 
most extravagant desires. Later on I shall have 
occasion to speak of the more prominent feat- 
ures in a series of stage spectacles, which may 
be regarded as the nepluM ultra of their kind. 
Fortunate in scenic resources, Wagner was not 
less so in all other departments of the compli- 
cated apparatus required by his music-drama. 
In Herr Doepler, of Berlin, he had an artist 
able to dress the characters after a fashion at 
once truthful — as far as truth can \ye ascer- 
tained — and pictures()ue. The stage groupings 
were admirably superintended by Herr Pricke, 
of Dessau; while Herr Richtcr, of Vienna, 
filled the all-iniiK)rtant post of conductor in a 
manner absf>lutely l)eyond reproach. I may 
say this the more emphatically, l>ec;iuse I have 
never seen Hen Richter. He is known to me 
only **by his fruits," and assuredly never did 
music so exacting receive such ample justice. 
It may be urged that the compIeteneHs of the 
])erfoniiance arose from a multitude of rehear- 
sals. Of course it did— otherwise Herr Richter 
and his men would have wrought a miracle. 
The secret of their success, apart from individ- 
ual skill, was simply hard work. Let inc give 
Karticulars on this head. The orchestral re- 
carsals alone of the four dramas were thirty- 
six in number — nine /or each drama, to say 
nothing of subsequent rehearsals more or less 
*'fuJl." Many of these lasted four hours, the 
** wind " occupying two hours, and the strings 
the other two. In point of fact, active prepa- 
rations began on the third day of June, and 
continued without intermission till within three 
days of the performance. **No wonder," it 
may bo said, **that the result was perfect." 
The wonder is that, in our days of hurry, so 
much patient labor was thought needful and 
cheerfully bestowed. As a matter of course, 
the instrumentalists were the pick of Germany. 
Herr Wilhelmj led the 33 violins, having under 



him eight concertmeisters, to say nothing of 
artists well known as performers of chamber 
music; while the 13 violas, VZ violoncclli, and 
8 double-basses, added to this spleuilid army 
of fiddles, made up a string band such oa could 
only before have been dreamt of by the con- 
noisseurs whose hopes it more than realized. 
Among the ** wind " were 4 flutes, 4 oboes, 1 
cor Anglais, 8 clarinets, 1 bass clarinet, 4 bas- 
soons, 1 contra fagotto, 7 horns, 4 tenor and 
bass tubas (expressly made for the occasion). 8 
trumpets, 1 bass trumpet, 4 trombones, 1 doub- 
le-bass trombone, 1 bass oboe (also constructed 
specially), 1 double-bass tubii, drums, ami 8 
harps. The preponderance of bass in this 
scheme, especially of ^^ sixtcen-feet tone," must 
at once strike every reader. But in practice it 
was none too much. On the contrary, it gave 
surprising majesty to the ensemble, while the 
nuuien)us phrases for the bass alone were ro1le«l 
out with a force that sometimes approached 
the awful. As to the uniform excellency of 
the orchestra I ciinnot l>e particular, because, 
even if space were available, words would fail. 
Enough if I invite the reader to imagine all he 
can in the way of merit, and then l>elieve that 
he has not done justice to Herr Ricbter^s won- 
derful band. Turning to the vocal artists, let 
me first put on record their names and charac- 
ters: F. Batz {Wotan)^ A. NTiemann {8iegm*ind)^ 
O. Unger (Sisufrini and Froh\ E. Gura {Q an- 
ther and Donner), H. Vogl {fjCfffe), C. Hill (.4^. 
herUh\ C, Schlosser (Mime), A. Eilcrs (Faaolt), 
P. von Reichenberg (Fa/ner)^ J. Niering 
{Handing), G. Siehr (Hagen)^ A. Matema 
{Brannhilde\ F. GrUn {Fridea), M. Haupt 
{hreia), L. JaTde {Erda and Waltraufe), J. 
Schefzky (Sieglinde), M. Weckerlin (Gutrune), 
L. Lehmann, M. Lehman n. and M. Lammert 
(Rhine Daughtere)— in all twenty artists, not 
counting the representatives of three Norns, 
eight Walkyries, and a chorus of nine women 
and fifteen men. That all had been carefully 
chosen the result proved. The acting in most 
cases was irreproachable; in some super-e.xcel- 
lent. In stature and bearing Wagner's chosen 
ones realized his ideal; nor were they destitute 
of the physical qualities necessary to sustained 
declamation at the top of the voice against a 
powerful orchestra. That no more than two 
or three had any right to call themselves vocal- 
ists is true, but as Wagner gave them no vocal 
music, in the ordinary sense of the term, the 
fact mattcfred little. They enunciated his lines 
with vigor, ami left the musical effect to the 
safe care of the band . Among the artists spec- 
ially worthy of honor were Frau Matcrna, 
whose BrilnuhiUe, a fine dramatic and declam- 
atory character, is fitly described as splendid. 
Herr Betz. as the gloomy Wotaa^ showed great 
power, while the Loge of Herr Vogl and the 
Afinie of Herr Schlosser were creations of the 
highest order. The stage effects gained their 
impressiveness chiefly through certain novel 
meiins, for, though the scenery was good, it is 
often, as scenery, equalled on the English 
stage. Drifting clouds were odmimbly simu- 
lated by a clever contrivance; the lightning 
and thunder, instead of burlesquing, exactly 
reproduced, nature, and the use of steam made 
possible such a display of apparently real 
smoke and flame as had never before been at- 
tempted on any stage. Per contra, the magic 
lantern did its work a^ badly* as usual in the 
represcn tuitions of the Walkyries flying through 
the air, the beasts were mora grotesque than 
appalling, and in the performance of ** D.-is 
Rh'^ingold " accidents happened which, consid- 
ering the months spent in prepanttion, were 
without excuse. 

The preliminary and subordinate part of my 
task hero ends, and I come to the gist of the 
whole matter — What is this new thing which 
Herr Wagner has bestowed upon the world? 

It must be obvious that, in answering a ques- 
tion so comprehensive — when the thing com- 
prehended is four long dramas — I cannot enter 
into minute particulars. To do so would be to 
flll this number of the Afueieal Timee^ and still 
leave much unsaid. All that I may attempt is 



manoeuvring 



the imparting of what autumn 
commanders style a ** general idea," by means 
of Its many details a.s' space allows. 

First, let me touch the poem. *' Der Ring 
des Nibelungen " consists of four sections: an 
Introduction, ^' Dos Rhciiigold," and a trilogy 
— *-Die Walkilro," "Siegfried," and *'Gdtter- 
dSmmerung." So constituted it is a complete 
work, bound to|fether in all its parts by the 
closest tics, having a distinct beginning, an 
equally distinct ending, and comprising within 
itself all that is necessary to perfect elucida- 
tion. Looking at the technical completeness 
of "Der Ring des Nitwlungen," it is easy to 
a<wnme that the plan was carefully defined from 
the outset. Not so, however. It grew under 
the author*s hands till that which was once 
but a single drama became four. Curiously 
enough, it stretched backwards in point of 
time. Dealing at first with results arising from 
hidden causes, Wagner felt the necestrity of re- 
vealing those causes^ and so was led to the 
source whence all the effects arose. We have 
his own authority for believing this; moreover, 
he has told us exactly where ami under what 
circainstances be l>egan the work. Having 
drawn a succession of heroes — ^the Dutchman, 
TannhaOser and Lohengrin — from the region 
of myth, he lof>ked about, more than twenty- 
five yeare ago, for a successor to those famous 
gsrsonages, and, after glancing at Frederic 
arbarossa only to find that historical charac- 
tere were unmanageable, according to his the- 
ory, he alighted upon Siegfriefl. one of the 
roost prominent actore in Teutonic and Scan- 
dinavian mythology. Siegfrieti was a tempt- 
ing subject. Himself a splendid being, he 
formed the central figure of a group of events 
unsur|)assed in romantic interest and poetic 
beauty. But as the limita of a sing'e drama 
would not admit even the chief events of Sieg- 
frimrs life, Wagner chose those immediately 
preceding his death, and based upon them the 
poem now known as " Gotterdumuicrung " — 
ftmrth and last section of " Der Ring des Nib- 
elungen" — but then entitled "Siegfrie^VsTod." 
The story of this drama is higlily exciting, and 
its outlines show that the author had in view 
an impressive stage spectacle analogous to that 
of * ' TannhaQser ^ and ' ' Lohengrin. " We find 
the same rapid series of exciting events, the 
same highly- wrought climaxes, the same em- 
ployment of crowds upon the stage, and, in 
short, all the elements of spectacular lyric 
drama as accepted by Wagner at an earlier pe- 
riod of his career. How much "Gdttenl&m- 
mcrung" differs from " Siegfried's Tod " the 
author has not revealed. It is prob!ible that 
some additions were m-ule, but internal evi- 
dence goes to show that the poem, as we have 
it, belongs mainly, in |)oint of dramatic con- 
stmction, to the ** Lohengrin^* period. Like 
all its successora, however, it differs as to the 
character of verse. For reasons he has fully 
set forth, but which need not be discussed here, 
Waiifner adopte I in '* Siegfried's TckI " the on- 
rhymed alliterative verse of the old Teutonic 
and Scandinavian poets, believing that its 
marked accents and positive rhythm l>est har- 
monized with the idea he had formed that the 
mel(t$ should be suggested by, and grow from, 
the ** wonl." I take an example of this form 
from Mr. Alfred Fonnan's excellent transla- 
tion of '' Der Ring des Nibelunjj^n " — a trans- 
lation as yet only circulated in private, but 
which, it is hoped, will soon be made public — 
choosing part of a song that throws a halo of 
beauty even around an incestuous love-making 
of brother and sister: — 

** Winter storms moke way 

tn the wakeniDK May; 

in pludd splendor 

prospers the Spring; 

on bendfn)^ breeses 

buoys bis journey, 

weaving; wond«r 

on bis way ; 

over Held and forent 

floats his frMbness, 

wide and wakening, 

langbs his look. 

He sounds tn boundless singing 

of buoyant birds, 

breath Is sweet 



■ II ■> 111 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, OCT. 14, 1876. 



315 



wltb Rcent he slfrtio; 

Ma Uqulil Moorl Mooms ont 

In life uf blossoms; 

90o<l and leaf 

nro the leap ttf his heart. 

With irrace ot leentle weapons 

he forces the world ; 

winter and storm pive way 

to his stately war." 

In this poem Wagner saw the ideal of muRico- 
dramntic poetry, and throufirhout '*Der Ring 
de« Nibelungen " it is exclusively employed. 
Adopted as a matter of convenience by the 
composer, he alone perhaps can fully estimate 
its value; but impartial listeners must have 
felt that, brought to the test of performance, 
greater variety is required. Under certain cir- 
cumstances, the nigged and strongly-accented 
lines are all that could be wished ; under oth- 
ers, more particularly when soft and tender 
sentiments prevail, both ear and mind — per- 
haps from force of habit— demand a gentler 
rhythm, and long for the suave effect of 

rhyme. 

[To be Continued.] 

The Antwerp FeitiTaL 

TO THE KDITOR OF BBLL*S WKKXLT MBSSCXOKa. 

Antwerp^ Awftut 21. 1876. 

Sia, — As the «tt«ntion of your renders was some 
tiine (tince drawn to the MiiMcal Festival, announced 
as alxiut to be held at Antwerp nn the 13th. 14th, 
and 15th instant, it may possibly be interestini^ to 
them t<i hesr soinetbinjc; of it4 results. It should, 
in the first pUce, be stated that this meetinjr forms 
the third of a neries recently set on f<»ot in this 
country, and thnt in future similsr gatherings will 
be \\e\h alternately in the following towns — Brus- 
sels, Ghent, Antwerp, and Lldge — the Utter of 
which will celebrat-e its first fei^tival in 1877. The 
ohif>ct of these meetings — in support of which sub- 
sidies sre granted by the Government, as well as 
the provinces ar.d tWwns concerned — is that of fos- 
tering and proinotlnfir musical art in Belgium ; and 
on this late occaf>ion it was Intended to give more 
especial prominence to the compositions of FUini*h 
contcmporsry writers, whose inspirations are main- 
ly derived from the Teutonic scnool; whereas the 
Walloon or French-speaking element, on account of 
its natural affinities, is to a greater decree subject 
to the influence of Latin art. It is evident that the 
experiment of g:iving so leading a place to what 
might be termed merely a local school was a bold 
one. but the result has proved that its promoters 
bad not over-rated their resources, and were able, 
within the restricteii limits of their self-imposed 
prcifrrammf, to produce a considerable variety of 
interesting and attractive works. Of the fourteen 
pieces performed durinfi; the course of the Festival, 
throe only were foreiirn (German), and of native 
product iomi five were Walloon and six Flemish; the 
ftHnner exclusively orchestral, and the latter mainly 
choral. 

In order to give due effect to the important works 
about to be interpreted the following executive for- 
ces had been collectetl: — Orchestra, 158 perform- 
em (Including 40 violins, 14 tenors, 11 violoncellos, 
and 12 double bassesV reinforced by a j^aud organ 
frura the factory .of N. A. Cavailld-CoM, of Paris, 
and comprising, with the sini^rs, 900 exeontants 
in all; the whole under the able and tnergetic guid- 
ance of th«» cfmduct«>r, M. P. Bonuit, directtir of the 
Antwerp School of Music. 

To av<iid trc^passinjt too much upon your valua- 
ble ^pace I will not attempt a detailed description 
of each piece — which. Indeed, would reauire a clos- 
er acquaintance with these re<*ent worts than can 
be afforded by a sinj^le hearin:;- but will limit my- 
self to an enumeration of the compositions per- 
formed^ with some slight observations, for the pur- 
pose of conveying if possible a general impression 
of the whole 

The first day's performance embraced : — 

1. Overture to the opera of Hamlet.. Alex. 8iadtfe1d 

2. "TheFour Am'* Willem De Mol 

S. An Ovei'tnre (So. 2 of the collection temie<l: 

** Fragments Symphonlquea *^ Th. Radoux 

4. Ninth Hytnphony Beethoven 

The following was the selection for the second 
day : — 
I . OanUtar ** We thank Thee, O God" J. S. Bach 

3. Concert Overture J. F.F^tis 

S The *< Wood" Leo. Van Gheluive 

4. The «* Oorlog >* (First and Second FarU). 

P. Mnoit 

The programme ef the third and do^ng day was 
as follows :^ 
1. Third Symphony K. L. Hanssens 



2. Jacqueline of Bavaria J. Van den Eeden 

3. Andaute from the Second Symphony, 

Chevalier L. De Burhnre 

4. Introduction and Weddinc Chorus, fmm the 3d 

Act of the Opera of T^hengrin R. Waaner 

5. Plsnofo'te Concerto (M.S.) O. Huhertt 

6. I^ B^u4diction des Armes H. Waelpnt 

Upon the three masterpieces of German musical 
art above enumerated, which are well known in 
Ensrland, It will be hardi}* necessary to dwell. They 
had been studied with special care, and, notwith- 
standing that the interpretation on some points of 
one or two of th't movements of the Ninth Sympho- 
ny might be open to criticism, yet. on the whole, 
the execution was excellent, and an effect was pro- 
duced, which will not be readily forsrotten by those 
F resent. While speakini; of the Choral Symphony, 
cannot refrain from referrinjr to a particular point, 
which struck me forcibly on this occasion, hearing 
this rarely executed work as I did. after an interval 
of many years and under more favorable circum- 
stances, undoubtedly, both in respect of power and 
completeneHS of execution. It is this. The part 
played by the wind instruments in the first move- 
ment as well as in the Scherxo is exceptionaMy im- 
portant, inasmuch as the ever- varying subjects with 
which those movements abound, ori<;inatinr in some 
cas«*s with the wind instruments, taken up and am- 

Clified by the strings, and then suddenly wafted 
ack to the wind for completion, or vice rernd in a 
corresponding manner, seem almost to require that 
the power of strins^s and wind should be equally 
divided, or, at least, that the contrast between the 
two should not be too marked. Was not the latter 
the case here T In other words, were not. the wind 
instrnmenta, oonsisting of four flutes, f »nr oboes, 
four clarinets, four bassoons, and one double bas- 
soon, i»eak in comparison with a strinsred force of 
77 instruments, those being the relative fisfures giv- 
en in the enumeration of the late Antwerp orches 
tra T Although but little qualified from technical 
knowledge or experience to offer a positive opinion 
on such a subject, I venture to soesre^t it for con 
sideration to those better able to decide the quest- 
tion, as applied to the Ninth Symphony — a produc- 
tion so f[:lorious in itself as to justify, it necessary to 
render its effect more complete, any deviation from 
the ordinary practice. 

Followino: the works by native writers, in the or- 
der in which they appeared in the proflrramme, the 
first to le noticed is the Overture to HamfH — ^a fine 
conception, giving evidence of his^h promise on the 
part of the composer, the late Alexander Stadtfeld. 
The overture is sufficiently erand. soflicientiv ten- 
der, and sufficiently mystical to form a suitable in- 
troduction to the great Shakspearian play, thous^h 
what the opera of HamUl may be I ao not know. 
After the overture came the first part of the lament- 
ed Willem l>e Mol's Four Affu^ the words of which 
are written by Emanuel Hiel. a well-known Flemish 
poet« It consists of an introduction followed by a 
succession of choruses interspersed with solos, and 
shows much elevation of sentiment and style, 
although a certain decree of sameness and want of 
animation detract from its general effect. M. Ra- 
doux*s " Symphonic Frainnsnt ** is on the other 
hand striking and impressive. It commenoes with 
an introductory passage by horns, dying away in 
the distance, the subject leing afterwards taken up 
with great effect by the whole orchestra, and the 
writiiig thrtmghout displaying much freshness and 
variety. M. r^tis' elegant and spirited Concert- 
Overture, admirably executed by the orchestra, was 
followed on the second day by the final chorps of 
Leo Van Gheluivo's '* For^t,** a most attractive and 
interesting composition, which was received with 
}(reat favor by the public. The first and second 
parta of M. B^noit's '* Oorlosr," the execution of 
which occupied full an hour and a half, completed 
the second porticm of M<»ndav's programme. The 

Coem of the ** 0'»rlog " (the Flemish word for war), 
y J. Van Beers, an author of hiifh reputation, is 
very fine and orifl^inal. It opens with a descriptiim 
of Spring and the happiness enjoyed on earth by 
the human race, until the pride and arrogance of 
man tempted the spirits of darkness and of evil to 
humiliate and punish him, by visiting him with the 
greatest of human calamities — war. The poem pro- 
ceeds to display the effects of the ambition of the 
rulers of the world, embracing vhe desoripUon ef an 
immense battle, iu which the most violent and furi- 
ous passions are let loose, with all the appliances of 
destruction and death. In the midst of which the 
evil spirits appear, jeering at man, and mocking 
him for his blindness in afiowing himself to be thus 
made a fool of; the whole terminating with a sort 
of double hymn or chorus, descriptive of the wild 
rejoicingii of the victors on the one hand and the 
lamentations of the vanquished on the other. The 



treatment of this difficult subject by M. B^noit is 
very able. Fnll of marked. contrasts, replete with 
tenderness and harmony in parts, the more agitated 
portions of the poem are interpreted with startling 
enercry, and with a sustained power, taxing to the 
utmotft the executive abilities ahd efficiency of the 
orchestral and choral mawes, and also, I may add, 
the attention and sensibilities of the aiidito^, 
wrought np to the highest pitch by the unusually 
sensational character of the work. 

Notwithstanding the extreme heat of the weath- 
er, and the fistisrue, which misrht be supposed to fol- 
low such a prolonged effort, the third day's perform- 
ances were carried out with undiminished spirit. 
Commencing: with M. Hanssens^ lonut snd elaborate, 
but extremely pleasiufp. Third Symphony, we reach 
one of the most interestlnsr of the Flemish works in 
the programme, the JaefJha van Beieren. {Jaequelifu 
of Bavaria), by J. Van den Eeden. This dramatie 
Cantata, the words of which are by Hiel, contains a 
very fine baritone solo, extremely well sung by M. 
Blauw^ert, who^ clear and rhythmical pronunda- 
tioh of the Flemish words proved the aaaptability 
of that langua^re as a vehicle for music, especially 
in the interpretation of strong: emotions. The An- 
dante from tho Chevalier L. De Burbure*s Beoond 
Symphony reflects much credit npan the taste and 
talent of this accomplished amateur. Hubertrs 
Pianoforte Concerto, tliouirh perhaps not an extra- 
ordinarily melodious work, pleases by its vigor and 
bold orchestral effects. It was finely executed by 
Mdme. Shnitsler-Selb. of Antwerp, an amateur pian- 
ist ^of first-rate talent and ability. 

The Festival, hiirhiy succe«sful a^ it must be pro- 
nounced to have been as a whfde, was brouii:htto a 
suitable termination by the Canta'^a of M. Waelput 
of Ghent, entitled La BimSdietion de» Armet — an in- 
genious and effective fusion or Gombinst.ion of vari- 
ouB national airs, including our own " God Save the 
Queen," composed on the bccasirm of the meeting of 
the International Rifle Association in that citv in 
1872.-1 am, Sir, yours, etc., £. G. 



♦--»■ 



Felioien Cetar David. 

F^licien C^sar David, the French musical compo- 
ser who^e death is annonnced, was born at Cadenet, 
in Vaucluse, April 8. 1810. He sans In the Cathe- 
dral at Aix, and at the age of 20 entered the C<m* 
servatory in Paris. Soon after he joined the St. 
Simonians, f«>r whom he composed the music of the 
choruses sunsr in their establishment at M^nllmon- 
tant. On the dissolution of the sect he betook him- 
self, with 1 1 of his companions, t<i the East, there 
t«) realise his theory of life in andi«turbed peace. 
The plague forced them to flee from Es:ypt through 
the desert to the coast of Syria. It is said that they 
drasrg^ s piano with them over the sands, and 
ofleh when they rested on their toilsome march, 
David sent forth enchanting strains from the in- 
strument, makini; his comrades forget their misfor- 
tunea M. David returned to France in 1885 and 
published his ** Melodies OrienUles.'* In 18 U he 
produced the ''Desert," a choral symphony, abound- 
insc in mel'>dies and harmonic beauties. He wrote 
several operas, including " Moise sur le Sinai '* 
(1846), "Christophe Colomb** (1848), and " Lalla 
Roukh " (comic opera), 1862. In 1869 he became 
librarian of the (Conservatory and member of the 
Institute. 

It must be nearly fifty years, or thereabouts, 
since an Enii:lish nobleman, beins upon his travels, 
wandered into the old church of Saint-Sauvenr at 
Aix, and was amased by the voice of one of the 
choristers. It was so fresh and glad, so melodious 
and pure, that he made some inquiry after the child, 
and soon saw a small urehin whose eyes glowed 
like livins: coala The little fellow looked as thoufl:h 
he had stepped out of a caovas painte<l by Murillo, 
his aspect had such a rich southern wmrmth and 
delicacy ; but the child*s ignorance was something 
to astound even a British traveller of half a century 
aim, and he had some talk with the I'ical clergy on 
the subject, till the talk ended, a« such talk usually 
does, in good wishes, with substantialproof of them. 
The boy. he learned, was the son of a loesl fiddler* 
" Something must and should be done with him," 
said the priests. Then he was foil of inarticoUte 
harmonies, nothing more ; a sort of homsn musleal 
box to which there was no key. Such at ten years 
old was F^licien David, who has just died, an offi- 
cer of the. Legion of Honor, and one of the eminent 
men of this ipeoeration. 

Eyes, kind or shrewd, perhaps both, being thus 
attracted to this child, he was taken on charity or 
speculation into the nearest Jesuit college, and there 






316 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



became remarknble for an unnsiifilly retentWe mem- 
ory, and for a perpetual deMre to play on the violin, 
which sometimea amnsed the worthy fathers, and 
aometimea disturbed them, For the fraternity was in 
no aen^e ci^nApicuous for its love of mn^ir, mo that 
younj; David had to do much of hin fiddlinsr by 
atealth. or nnder difiicnlti«*a. Indeed, the mu^ioian 
and the elerj^yman who had chari^d themselvea 
with bis education had 90 little sympathy with each 
others' mode of thous:ht and fcoliner. that they patt- 
ed before young David was auite eijerhteen ; and he 
had for the remainder of his existence to strive 
against the disadvantage of being scarcely half ed- 
ucated. Either the confinement, or the discipline 
of the Jesuit college, however, seems to have given 
him such an nncontnillable desire to escape, that 
he enscaged himself as a lawyer's clerk for the mere 
semblance of freedom ; but finding that the law3-er 
liked fiddling less than the priests, and that be had 
no notion of paying a penman who had large ideas 
of spate time, the idea speedily suorgested itself to 
M. David that he should search for emplo^-ment 
elsewhere. Happily his search was soon successful, 
because he was too hungry to be over nice, and at 
nineteen he obtained the poet of leader of an orches- 
tra in a small country (heatre. The place was bet- 
ter than none, for it kept him Ironn starvation — 
more cannot be said of it ; and he left his new situ- 
ation within a year, determining to cast himself, 
with nothing but a strong will and the consciousness 
of genius, on the great rttv of Paris. That the 
venture was successful, all the world has now 
known for many a year ; but the misery he suffered 
was so intense and S(i prolonged that he could nev- 
er remember the terrible wretchedness through 
which he passed without something very like a 
shudder. He could not be induced to speak of those 
times, save to a few intimates, and whenever he 
heard of any promising young man attracted by 
his own reputation into the career of art-, M. David's 
counsels to him were anything but hopeful or en- 
couraging. He was wont even to say, with some 
bitterness, that ** It took a great deal of privation 
and ill-treatment to make a composer.** 

Nevertheless his triumph when it did come sur- 
passed all the glories of his contemporaries ; and it 
was as sudden as it was complete. Up to the age 
of 84 he had gone groping amidst wants and mis- 
fortunes, with only one glim|)ee of the light beyond. 
This solitary gleam of luck waa when Cherubini 
took him up in a good-natured way, and put him 
into the Conservatoire. There he got some sound 
ideas of composition from Lesneur. F^tis, Benoist, 
and Reber ; but he was so long unable to turn them 
to any lucrative account that he almost lost his 
courage, and appears to have quite taken leave of his 
prudence. He turned a Democ. Soc. (as the wilder 
sort of French Communist was then called), a Saint 
Simonian, a rough Red Republican, and mixed in all 
the rumbustical proceedings of the Pdre Enfantin. 
He wandered in a ragged and miserable state 
through Asia and Africa in pursuit of these delu- 
sions, but at length got thoroughly tired of them, 
and came back to France, where in 1844 his great 
piece, the " Desert,** came out, and fairly electrified 
the public. 

One honor, observes M. de la Rochefoucauld 
with infinite truth, " is security for more,' and the 
rest of the eminent composer's existence might have 
oni}* been marked byn series of successes; but en- 
vy hints that be had seen povery too nearly to be 
moderate in the pursuit of gain when gain was to 
be had for the chase of it. Critics competent 
enough to decide the question peruist in- declaring 
that the subsequent works of the great composer 
added more to his fortune than to his reputation. 
Envy, however, will always have something to say, 
and the best course which charity van take is never 
to listen. His death had been forseen for some 
time past by his friends, and he himself observed in 
Cliat clear plain way of his, that he should never 
rtae from the b(*d on which ho laid himself down 
when first taken with his fatal sickness. He kept 
all the vigor of his intellect till the end, and passed 
into another state of being at the age of sixty -six 
years and five months, with all his faculties unim- 
paired. Paris loses in him a familiar and charac- 
terisdc figure, and the world of art one of the most 
saoeessfnl, if not the greatest, masters of the French 
acbool in music. — iMidsm Dailtf New$, 



A CHARMING anecdote is told concerning the late 
PeHcien David, On the composer*s applying to be 
admitted to the Academy of Fine Arts, every mem- 
ber formally promised to support his election. 
When tha day arrived, not one voted for him. One 



of the vow-breakers called upon him immediately 
afterwards. " Perhaps vou have been astonished," 
he said, "at what has taken place." *' Certainly." 
replietl the artist. " Well, the fact is," said the 
Academician, " that we had a prise of 20,000 francs 
to bestow. We could not gUe it to one of our own 
members, and. as we thouifht it micfht be of more 
u«e to you than a nominal honor, we did not elect 
yon." TThe following day M. David received the 
money, which was very welcome to him, as he was 
far from being a rich man. — " 8e nan 9 vero e btn 
tropoio^'^London Miuieai World, 



«/V%^«A««XS^«^«^«i- 



The Story of Bithop'i Dramatic Oleaa 
and Songib* 

BT J. 8. CITRWEir. 
*From the Tonic Sol-Fk Reporter. 

It is well known to most pervms that nearly all 
the Tocal compositions of the late Sir Henry R. 
Bishop were written for the musical dramas which 
he prt>duced in connectiim with snch pla3'-wrights 
as "Terry, Morton, and Planch^. These dramas are 
now buried and forgotten ; only oi«e of them — Guy 
MannerinfiT — can be said to keep its place on the 
stage. Not so, however, with the graceful songs, 
glees, and choruses with which they were accom- 
panied. These are still song, thouarh their origin 
IS forgotten. Unfortunately, in separating these 
pieces from the .••tortes to which they belong, we 
almost of necessity lose much of their dramatic 
force and meaning. There are allusions in the 
words which it is impossible to understand without 
knowing the play ; and even when the words sre 
clear, it is additional pleasure to know the dramatic 
situation to which they l>elong. 

A year or two since, by the kindneas of the late 
Mr. T. H. Lacy, who took a i^ood deal of trouble in 
the matter. I became possessed of a number of word- 
botiks of Bishop's dramas, nearly all of which are 
loni; since out of printu In these yellow and musty 
books, some of them more than fifty years old, we 
find the song^ and glees of Bishop in their original 
setting, and are able fully to understand their moan- 
ing. As Bishop was concerned in some sixty or 
seventy dramatic productions, it may be well un- 
derstood thnt my collection of word-books is far 
from complete. Not even Mr. Lacv*s long experi- 
ence as a dramatic publisher could ^elp him to dis- 
cover copies of all. Those I have, however, are the 
moflt popular, and contain the vocal pieces best 
known to the sineers of to-day. 

The opei^a of " The Slave," the words by T. Mor- 
ton, produced in 1816, opens with a quintet which 
is one of the best known of Bishop's vocal pieces. — 
"Blow gentle gales." The scene is a seaport in 
Surinam. A negro rebellion has taken place, and 
the oppressed slaves have very naturally turned 
upon their oppressors, and given them a taste of 
arbitrary rule. The party of planters, etc., have 
taken refuge in a fort on the seashore, and they are 
discovered as the curtain rises, standing round the 
flagstaff. The glee is aung by an Indian giil, Som- 
crdyke^(an agent), an officer, a planter, and the 
planter's boy. The words are given as follows: — 

trtri.^B\0Wf gentle gales, and on your wing, 

Our long expected succors bring. 
Ofieer.^hook ! look again ! 
^^m«n/yAc.— 'lis all in vain. 
J?oy.— Lo t behold the pennant waving. 
Planter and 0<rf.— Tis the sea bird's pinions laving; 
J U.— Hark I a signal fills the air. 
JHanter.—TiB the beetling rocks resounding; 

Tls the hollow wave rebounding. 
^;/._Wild as our bopes-<leep as our despair! 

The last. words are hardly uttered when ships are 
seen in the distance, and the expected succor from 
England arrives. It will be noticed in the piano- 
forte editions of this glee that immediately before 
the words " Hark ! a signal fills the air,^ a bass 
note occurs, with the word *' gun " written over it. 
No mention is made of the firing of a gun in the 
book of words, but no doubt it was paK of the ac- 
tion. It sliould be added that " The Slave " wa<« 
one of the most popular of Bishop's dramas. The 
public conscience. was agitated at the time on the 
subj«'ct of slavery, and the play was designed to set 
forth its horrors. " It is delightful," says the pref- 
ace, ** when our amusements are thus rendered con- 
ducive to humanity." No other concerted piece 
from "The Slave" has survived, but three of the 
songs are still heard. "My highland home," is 
sung by Malcolm, a Scotch naval officer, in a trans- 
port of aflfeclion. " Pretty mocking bird," is sung 



by Zelinda, a quadroon girl, on the return o^ her 
lover. She exclaims, "what sounds are those? — 
ah f the note of the mocking bird. Sweet song- 
stress, thou who hast so often echoed mv strains of 
woe, now strive to emulate the song of joy." 

Living echo, bird of eve, 

Hnsh thy warblingr-cease to grieve! 

Veathered warbler, wake the grove. 

To notes of Joy, to sonjis of love. 

Pretty mocking bird, thy form I see, 

Swinging with the breeze on the mangrove tree. 



»» 



Sons of freedom, hear my story," is also sung 
by Zelinda, when the worst terrors of slavery are 
pressing upon her. " Oh I " she cries, " that my 
humble voice conld reach thoae hearts who pity the 
children of afifiction." 

Sons of freedom I hear my story ; 
Meroy well becomes the brave; 
Humanity is Britain's f^lory— 
Pity and protect the slave. 

Free-bom danghters wbo, poasessfng 
^yes that conquer, hearts that save, 
Orset me with a sister's blessing, 
Oil ! pity aod protect the slave. 

" Maid Marian," a lesrendary opera, by J. R. 
Planch^, was produced in 1822. It is founded 
chiefly on a novel with that name. The quintet, 
" Though he be now a srrey, prey friar," is the first 
faniiTiar piece. Friar Michael has Just taken leave 
of Baron Fitxwstcr, and left his castle. " He's a 
jolly fellow, after all," cr.kn the Baron, ** and has 
seen vountrer and merrier days." Then the Baron 
(1st Tenor) strikes up "Though he be now a erey, 
grey friar." and is followed bv his daughter. Lady 
Matilda (Ist S.). who sings '' Little he reck'd of the 
matin bell." The first "servant (Bass) contlnoea 
with •' Though chamrefnl time," and a pug* (2nd S.) 
follows. " Though he be now, etc." Then these four, 
with a second servant (2nd Tenor) join tryether, 
" Little he recVd, etc." " Hart and hind are In 
their lair." is a glee and chorus, A.T.T.B., snn<r in 
Robin Hood's camp, with a chorus of ye<»men. 
"Yonder," says Robin Hood, "arises the bonnie 
moon to liarht our greenwr»od revelry.'* " With 
hawk and bound," is a hunting glee, snng by four of 
Robin Hood's men as they nre sitartinj; for the chase. 
" Come comrades." says one, " Let us fr>l1ow oar 
brave captain, Robin, we may strike a deer or two 
now before sunset. Oh f 'tis rare sport." The ses- 
tet, " O bold Robin Hood," is likewise sung in a 
glade of Sherwood forest. A court has juH been 
held, and Friar Tuck has performed the marriage 
ceremony for Robin Hood and Maid Marian. Scar- 
let sinjTS the first solo. Little John the second, and 
Much the miller the third ; the remaining parts be- 
ing taken by the fore'ters. 

" The Law of Java " was a play by George Ool- 
man the younger, produced in 1822. The glee with 
which it opens — Mynheer Vandonck — ^ia known to 
all admirers of Bishop. The scene is in a square 
court in the Patacti of the Emperor of Java, at Ker- 
ta-Sura. Outside the door of the imard-room a par- 
ty of Dutch soldiers are discovered, seated round a 
table, and drinking. They at once strike up their 
eiee, which tells of the potations of the tippling 
Mj-nheer. 

Mjrnheer Vandunck, though be never was dnmk, 

81pp*d brandy and water dally. 
And he quencb'd bis tbint with two quarts of ttie flist 

To a pint of the latter, daily, 
Slng1nr» " Oh, that a Dutchman's draught coold be 

As deep as tbe rolling Zuyder-Zee." 

The entry of the sergeant puts a sudden stop to 
their revels. They assure him that, in this hot cli- 
mate, it is drinking that keeps them up ; " quite 
the contrary," he replies, " 'tis you that keep up 
drinking." The duet, " Away when we flee, love," 
sung by Nouijadee. a native girl, and Asrib, etptain 
of the Imperial prisons, her lover, is still p(»pular. 
Escape, to her, means freedom from slavery. 

Away when we flee, love, 
And soon will that be, love. 
Yes soon, my love, soon, 
Tbe sun will have fled, love, 
And left us Instead, love. 
The light of the moon. 

" The Knight of Snowdoun," produced in 1811, 
was adapted from Scott's poem, " The Lady of the 
Lake," by Thomas Morton. The first familiar piece 
we encounter is the ever popular " Tramp Chorus." 
The scene is in a High1an>l village. A company of 
Highland people, preceded by pipers, all gaily 
dressed, pass toward tlie gate of tbe Abbey, where 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, OCT. 14, 1876. 



317 



the weddini^ of Alice (the maid of the fair Ellen), 
with Norman, a young^ Hif^hlander, la about to be 
celebrated. At the moment the Abbey i^iite opens, 
Murdock. a rival of Norman, rushes forward, ooar- 
Inu the fiery croR«, and ploceRltin Norman*« hands. 
Norman; scorning dishonor, bids a hasty farewell 
to his hrlde, and speeds away with the fiery sicrnaU 
The men srather up their arms prepared to follow, 
and old Norman, the father of tne bridegroom, 
cries, srlve me my old claymore and battered tar- 
get. Now, brave pipers, soand a large pibroch, — 
let Clan Alpine's banner floa*;, sun yoor gleaming 
blades, strike your clattering shields, and troop to 
Sir Roderick's aid." Then comes the chorus. The 
solo. It need hardly be said, Is taken by Alice, and 
with this glimpse of her story her reference to 
" Norman " becomes Intelligible. 

Now tramp, tramp, o'er moss and fell 
The batter*d gronnd returns the sound, 
While breathing chanters proudly swell 
Clan Alpine's cry is *' win or die." 

JSotOf Alice, 
Guardian spirits of the brave, 
Victory o'er my Norman wave I 



Chortu* 
Now tramp) tramp, etc. 



[Exeunt. 



The " breathing charters" refer to the chanters of 
the bagpipes — tlie pipe on which the piper plays. 

The elaborate concerted piece. "What ho I clans- 
men, oh,** forms tlie finale to the first act. It is 
sung by soldiers of King James, who are searching 
for Earl Douglas. They come upo" the cave where 
he lies hid. It is eald to be haunted, and Alice, 
Norman and Ellen, by their subdued ringing from 
within, succeed in frightening the soldiers, and in- 
ducing them to retire. The chorus, " Hall to the 
chief." o<*curs In the second act. Roderick has dis- 
covered the place where young Douglas Is confined, 
and the boats containing the rebel chief and his 
men are seen in the distance approaching the fort. 
The warder waves the royal banner, and the sol- 
diers sing defiance to Roderick.- Then the chorus Is 
beard : — 

ChonutJ^rom boaU on the lake. 

Row, vassals, row, for the pride of the Highlands; 

Stretch to vour oars for the evergreen pine; 

Oh! that the rose-bud that graces yon islands 

Were wreath'd in a garlsmd around him to twine; 
Loudly should then 
Ring from each glen, 

Roderick Ylch Alpine Dhn— hol—ieroel 

Chorue firfUM boatt (nearer.) 
Loudly should then 
Ring from each glen 
Roderick Yich Alpine Dha— ho I— ieroe I 

Then the troops engage, and Roderick Dhu is 
victorious. I have been told by a Highlander that 
the words, " ho ! ieroe," correspond in Gaelic to 
our ** Hip, hip, hurrah." If so. Bishop has made a 
mistake in causing them to die away faintly, as if 
they were a lullaby. 

The only piece from " the Ethiop " (produced in 
1812) that need be noticed. Is the finale, '* Joy ! 
joy ! raise the shout," a short and jubilant burst of 
song. The scene of the play is in the desert, and 
the words have been altered from the original. 



• • 



The Carl Eosa Opera Company. 

The autumn season will begin early and with 
spirit. Mr. Carl Rosa intends this year to take up 
his quarters at the Lyceum Theatre, which will be 
opened fur operatic performances on Monday, Sep- 
tember 11, and close on Saturday, December 2. 
The repertmre includes eighteen well known operas, 
inclusive of five by the English composers, Ralfe 
and Wallace. Sir Julius benedict's Zt/,v of KiUar- 
ney (produced at Dmry Lane Theatre in 1862) Is to 
be renewed with alterations and additions. Cheru- 
bini*s opera. The Water Carrier, so successful at the 
Princess's last autumn, will, of course, be repealed, 
and Wagnerltes will rejoice that \\\* opera The Flying 
Dutchman Is to be performed (in English) with new 
scenery and wondrous mechanical effects. Positive 
novelties to an English audience are the 'JtKonde of 
Nicolo Isouard, the Oiralda of Adolphe Adam, and 
Pauline, the first essay of Mr. F. H. Cowen In this 
department of the art. Panliiu has been specially 
composed for the Carl Rosa Company. Fldelio will 
be produced, thanks be rendered to the powers 
above, as originally composed, without recitatives. 
" For which relief, much tlianks." 

The list of vocal artists is a promising one. We 
need only name Mdlle. Ida Corrani, Miss Julia Oay- 



lorfl, Mrs. Avnslev Cook, Mdmc. Ostsne Torrianl, 
Mr. Henry Nordblom, Mr. C. Lyall. Mr. F. H. Cel- 
11, Mr. Avnsley Cook, and Mr. Santley. New sing- 
ers are Miss Giulia (why not Julia ?) Warwick. Miss 
E. Thornton, Mdlle. Agnes Bertlnl, and Mr. Percy 
Blandford. Mr. Curl Rosa will conduct the band 
to be " led ' by Mr. Csrrodus. Here, then. Is a cap- 
ital entertainment for the dull season, when falling 
leaves, done brown by sun and storm, announce a 
bad time to come. In the meteorological sense. 

The history of the season In 1875 justifies the 
most sanguine expectations. — BeUe Meuenger, 



Music in Philadelphia. 

THB OPERA. — BBLLOCCA. 

Srpt. 24.— I can imagine the sardonic smile with which 
Mr. Max Btrakosch engaged Mdlle. Bellocca for Ameri- 
ca. W* complained that the sttirs he had hitherto giv- 
en us were too old, that their voices were worn out, and 
that they had lost their personal attractions. Now, 
thought he, I will give them a singer who is young, 
whose voice is not yet even developed, and a lady whose 
beauty will make them forget everything else. The en- 
gagement of Mdlle. Bellocca will prove one of his great- 
est mistakes. All who saw her in her best rftle, Rosina 
in the '* Barber of Seville,** must have had a feeling of 
disappointment, an anticipation unrealized. The lady is 
young and iiuite handsome; she has a graceful figure' 
and a charming stage presence. Her voice Is mezzo so- 
prano, of moderate sweetness, though several notes are 
unpleasantly harsh. Her school and method are good, 
but she has been unwisely pushed forward to the front 
rank without sufflrient preparation. Her rendering of 
the Interpolated airs in the music lesson (Oounod*s 
" Serenade,'* Wallsce*B " Good Night and Pleasant 
Dreams,** and the Russian " Nightingsle,**) confirmed 
this opinion; for she sang them all with fine effect, dis- 
playing a finish, ease and sympathetic power of expres- 
sion, which we looked for In vain during the rest of the 
evening. Her remarkable accomplishments as a lin- 
guist deserve special mention ; her pronunciation of the 
words of Wallace's song was almost devoid of any for- 
eign accent. She appeared in La Fanorita on Friday 
evening. With the brilliant performances of Lucca, Gary, 
and Phillipps still fresh in our memory, she appeared at 
great disadvantage. On Tuesday evening, the closing 
night, she sang in Rossini's Semiramidet over which 
we draw the mantle of Charity.— Mad. Palmierl haa 
pleasant stage address, a beautiful soprano voice, and 
excellent method, and as an actress displayed great I]rr- 
ic power.— Her best effort was the " Borgia; *' she was 
in good voice, and from a promising beginning, steadily 
gained In force and effect, until she won a real triumph 
in the finale of the last act. Her singing and action 
throughout were strong and dignified, often In marked 
contrast to Mr. Conley when they were brought together 
in the scene : *' Com'e Bello," which was rendered with 
delightful smoothness ; and "A mo tua Madre" won a 
deserved encore. The closing air: " M*odl, ah I m'odi,** 
was sung with Intense feeling and the most brilliant ex- 
ecution. Miss Henne Is not equal to the part of Maffeo 
Orsinl. She has a sweet, well cultivated voice and a 
good method, but lacks in strength and her . acting is 
weak and spasmodic— Mr. Conley was at great disad* 
vantage in being brought into such dose contrast with 
Palmierl and Brignoli. With a voloe of great power 
and fine quality, his style is uncouth, rough and unfin- 
ished.— It 1« not only experience that Mr. Conley lacks, 
it Is instruction. 

Brignolt's Toioe retains much of its old time sweet- 
ness. His acting waa unusually spirited, and he never 
appeared to be more of a gentleman. His forbearance 
In the drunken scene in the *' Barber '* and his unwont- 
ed graclousness were causes for astonishment to old 
opera-goers. Signor Qottschalk, who made his debut 
as ^Igaro, waa much too heavy and stolid; he executes 
with remarkable facility, however, and ** largo al facto- 
tum," was well rendered and was tnmultuou#ly encored. 
Of the rest of the cast, excepting Miss Cooney, charity 
requires silence ; and yet her mantle la not broad enough 
to cover the misdeeds of the Chorus. The orchestra was 
fair. 

THB CENTENNIAL FESTIYAL. 

Wednesday evening, Sept. 20, we had the first of the 
series of ten concerts by Theodore Thomas, aasiated by 
the Women's Centennial Chorus of five hundred voices ; 
they gave the ** Hallelujah Chorus ** from the Meeeiah 
with magnificent effect. Thomas gave his Centennial 
Inauguration programme entire. Whitney was the on- 
ly soloist; in the grand aria from the Creation i ** Rolling 
in Foaming Billows " he produced a profound sensation. 
Mr. Thomas's Inaugural concert has proved very suc- 
cessful, bat little thanks are due the Philadelphians, as 



bis audience were almost entirely strangers. Centennial 
sight seers. 

Thursday evening, Sep. 21, waa a Beethoven Niort. 
The third of the Leonare overtures, to Beethoven's only 
opera, is considered by the majority of critics as the 
grandest of the Immortal four. How the noble orches- 
tra interprets it, is an oft-told tale. Mr. Whitney*s 
masterly rendering of the sublime aria: *<In questa 
Tomba" waa above praise; genuine bursu of ap- 
plause recalled him three times to the stage and be was 
finally compelled to repeat It— which was the only encore 
of the evening. After that came the great E-flat Con- 
certo, the Oifval de bataUle of pianists. Mad. Schiller 
was not well advised when she chose so great a work. 
She showed in It a well rounded touch, good technique 
and extreme delicacy, but there wa^ no internal illumi- 
nation, and no power.[? !] Her lack of strength was espec- 
ially noticeable in the Allegro ; the lovely Adagio waa 
given with exquisite grace and tendemeas, but the Ron- 
do, like the Allegro, proved too much for her. The im- 
mortal C-minor Symphony closed the concert. 

The programme of the third concert was as follows: 

Prelude, ) 

Choral. S Adapted for Orchestra by J. J. Abert, 

Fugue, ) 

Bach 
Aria—" Shall I in Mamre*s fertile plains *' (Jo«hu»,> 

Handel 
Mr. Myron W. Whitney. 

Scenes from " Orpheus " Oluck 

Miss Antonia tienne. Centennial Chorus, and 
Orcheatra. 

Vorspiel— " Lorelev •* MaxBruch 

Krakovlak— Grand Rondo de Concert for Piano and 

Orchestra Chopin 

Madame Madeline Pchiller. 
Aria— "I*m a roamer " (Son and Stranger), 

Mendelssohn 
Mr. Myron W. Whitney. 
Overture— Tannhaeiiser Wagner 

There was a slim audience although the programme 
was one of the best of the series. The principal feature 
was " Scenes from Oluck's Orpheus." an opera which 
has never been given here in its entirety, and the lovely 
music of which is not as well known as it ought to be. 
The music is essentially dramatic and depends very 
much for its effect upon dramatic surroundings, for 
Oluck never Intended that his opera should be divorced 
from its appropriate dramatic and scenic accompanl* 
ments. Miss Henne has a sweet contralto voice of me- 
dium strength, which showed to much better advantage 
than it did In opera last week* * .he is altogether 
without dramatic fire, and though she sang very finely 
and oorrectly (her correct Intonation Is to be especially 
commended) and with praiseworthy distinctness, it was 
in the manner of oratorio and not of opera. The chorus 
was fairly effective and showed good training, though 
Ita singing wus marred by a slovenly pronunciation, the 
ladles preferring '* Cerebus " to " Cerberus ** and being 
quite uncertain how to pronounce " Burydice ; " but the 
singing nevertheless waa praise-worthy. Mr. Whitney 
gave a noble rendering of the airs from Joehua, and 
Mendelssohn's *' Son and Stranger." 

Saturday evening was the Scandinavian Night. The 
pr<^cramme consisted of Gade's Symphony No. 5; Fairy 
overture: ** Aladdin," by Hanemann; Fantaala: *' Vis- 
^>ns in a Dream," and ** Coronation March *' t>y Svend- 
sen. The piano concerto in A minor, opus 16, of Edward 
Grieg, was played by Mr. F. Boscovitz; and solos were 
sung by Messi s. Whitney and Kaufman The commence- 
ment of Gade's Symphony is decidedly Mendelssohnian, 
and is admirably scored. It was given by the orcheatra 
with fire and spirit; but the themes are dry and unin- 
teresting; the scherzo of the second movement waa de- 
cidedly the gem of the composition. The wonderful 
sprightliness of the strings, the fine intonation of the 
reeds, and the graduated power of the brass inatru- 
mento, gave to the movement a dash and fire that re- 
lieved much of its inherent weakness. In the third 
movement, AndanUno graaioeo, the strings became quite 
poetical and fairly idyllized the beautiful phraaes allot- 
ted to them. The finale is stormy and Ineffective. It is 
very pretentious in style, but it fails in ita salient pointa 
of attack. The Concerto of Edward Grieg Is a veiy dis- 
jointed, spasmodic composition. The composer evident- 
ly placed more reliance on the orchestra tlian he did on 
the pianist, as far as tlie artl>»tic resultt of the perform- 
ance of the work are concerned; yet he haa Imposed all 
the greater burden on the planiat, to assert Individuali- 
ty and predominance, qualities dear to every arUat. Mr. 
Bosoovita does not possess much power or delicacy ; hia 
touch, style and technique are not those ot a virtuoso, 
and aa a'planist he is much beneath Mad. SchUler. The 
fairy overture of " Aladdin " is aocentrle Imt not artis- 
tic; it la extremely difflcult to discover the relation be- 
tween certain movementa. The Orchestra did nobly. 

Oct. 4.— The Centennial Musical Festival closed last 
Saturday evening,. Mr. Thomas having given six con- 



318 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF .MUSIC. 



certs. Many of the pieces performed last week were 
repeated. ICad. Schiller played the " Fantasia on Hun- 
irarlan airs ** arranf^ed for Piano and orchestra by Lisst; 
also the Polonaise in S, by the same author, and a Bach 
Concerto, for three pianos, with Miss Marlon Brown and 
8. B. Mills. She lacks the strength and fire necessary 
to interpret Liszt, and cannot be ranked with either 
Krebs. Mehltg. or MIs^ RIt«. [?] Miss Brown played Noc- 
turne in B major, Walts in B minor (Posthnmoiu) by 
Chopin, and Impromptu in A flat, by Schubert. Her 
eCTortswere extremely amateur-ish and ineffeotlTe; it 
was a matter of astonishment to many, that Mr. Thomas 
should place so weak a soloist on his proin^mme. On 
Thursday evening Mr. 8. B. Mills played the O-minor 
Concerto of Mendelssohn, and it mast be acknowledged 
that his success was complete; great power, superb 
technique, and fine touch, are qualities, as shown by him 
in the performance of this Concerto, that cannot be 
praised too highly; his interpretotlon was a little cold, 
but in all other respects masterly. The quartet from 
"Rignletto" sung on the last evening by .Miss Henne, 
Miss Drasdil, Mr. Blsehoff and Mr. Remmerts. was rim- 
ply disgraceful. The orchestra was fully up to its usual 
high standard. 

Strakosoh gave two concerts at Horticultural Hall on 
Thursday and Friday evening of last week to very poor 
patronage. To see Maurice Strakosch at the piano 
brings back the days of Adellna Pattl's youth; but there 
were few who would have recognised, without the aid of 
the programme, the staid-looking gentleman, with Jet 
black hair frineing the bald spot on the top of his head. 
But there was Brignoll as a connecting link with ante- 
helium days, and ^ere was Bellocca. whom Strakosch 's 
trying to make us listen to in place of the Diva, to whom 
Russian diamonds have thus far proved far more accept- 
able than American " rag money.** And when we see 
her bright eyes and pretty face and her winning ways, 
we almott think he has succeeded. She sings and then 
we wish that Maurice had not been so hasty. Why 
could he not have waited? Why not have taught her to 
at least take breath properly ? Her respiration is faulty 
to the last degree. Why not strive to soften the harsh 
tones in her voice and tell her that it will not stand 
reckless forcing? And if he mwU and vHH push her for- 
ward now, why not take " Home sweet Home '* and 
** Kathleen Mavoumeen ** from her repertoire^ that every 
one miy not notice these faults? Mdlle. Bellocca has 
some lovely tones In her voice and these flaws are not 
irremediable. Brigu'^ll again gave us his everlasting 
and eternal ** Good bye, Sweet Heart ** and *' Come Into 
the Garden, Maud." Mr. Conly has sn excellent ro\t^ 
and sings carefully, though occasionally he Is very false 
in intonation, and far from perfect in execution. 

C.H. 



Nrw Tork, Sbpt. 35.— The Philharmonic Society will 
give six concerts and eighteen rehearsals during the en- 
suing season, under the direction of Dr. Leopold Dim- 
rosch, who has accepted the position of conductor of the 
orchestra. The directors of the society announce that, 
with the coS|>eratlon of the New York Oratorio Society, 
they will be enabled to produce Interesting work for 
Chorus and Orchestra; particular reference being made 
to works hitherto unknown to American audiences. In 
this connection are named selections from Wagner*s 
«• Ring des Nibelungen.** This Is interesting news to 
persons who are aware of the remarkable manner in 
which Wagner*s music is usually performed by the 
Philharmonic orchestra. The plan, adopted last sesson, 
of giving a mating prior to each concert is discarded ; 
and the old plan of public rehearsals is resumed. Three 
of these rehearsals will precede each concert. A new 
feature in the subscription list will be the Issuing of sea- 
son tickets for the rehearsals only, for the scoommoda- 
tion of those unable to attend the evening concerts. 
The concerts will take place at the Academy of Music 
on the following dates :— Nov. 4, Deo. 9, Jan. 13, Feb. 17, 
March 24, and April 28. 

At Steinway's, Theo. Thomas will give six Symphony 
Concerts, which will take place as follows: Oct. 28, Dec. 
2, Jan. 6, Feb. 3, March 10, April. 7. Public rehearsals 
will be given in the afternoon two dsys before each con- 
cert. Mr. Thomas will combine with his orchestra this 
winter a chorus of picked voices, which he intends mak- 
ing permanent. This is an announcement of some sig- 
nificance, showing that a long step is to be taken 
towards that to which we have always looked forward 
as the culmination of Mr. Thomas's musical labors, 
namely, the performance of Opera, or "Musical Drama,*' 
in the best possible manner. 

The New York Oratorio Society will give four con- 
certs, beginning with the Kti^th on Nov. 8. The second 
performance will be on Christmas night, when, accord- 
ing to the usual custom, Tlu Meittah will be given. At 
the third concert, Feb. 28, there will be a Cantata by 



Bach, and the DeuUche Requiem of Brahms; also the 
second act of Glnck's Orpluw, MIiM Anna Drasdll will 
sing the solos. The last concert will be on Apnl 19. 
The society will have the assistance of the Philharmonic 
orchestra. 

Max Strakosch will begin a short season of Italian op- 
era at the Academy of Music, on Oct. 3. Among the 
singers he has encraged are: Mdlles. Bellocca, Palmieri 
and Persian! ; and Messrs. Brignoll, Tom Karl. Palmieri. 
Tagliapletra, Carleton, Conly and Gottschalk. The rep- 
ertoire comprises // TVMators, Norma^ Barber fnf SenilU* 
Fnvortta, LucrtMla Borgia, Mignon^ Semiramide, It is al- 
so hinted that Alda will be given if the necessary prepa- 
rations can be made in time. 

A. A> CJ. 



Jlmg^fs |0ttrital of JJlusk 



BOSTON, OCT. 14. 1876. 



Importance of a Local Orchestnu 

Do the fHend** of music here in B istnn, prouil of 
its musical good name, and eaijer at all times to 
hear the best, ever stop to think what is the most 
import-ant musical problem (orusf I)o they begin 
to realize how nil essential to the real musical char- 
acter and projrress of a city is a well-equipped and 
permanent Orchestra, on which it can rely for all the 
higher artistic U.<«ks, whether of Symphony, or 
Oratorio accompaniment, or what not. independents 
ly of the chance visits of any travelling^ companies, 
however excellent and welcome alw-iys when they 
come? We fear that only a few. of the more 
thoughtful ones, ever stop to look at it in this light. 
The crreat majority, the public, go for the present 
excitement and amusement only; they run after 
the " laH best ** according to the quotations of the 
fashionable price current ; •• We go for the ftert," 
they say. " and show our Uste ; Boston- will toler- 
ate nothing that is second-rate, nothing that is only 
struggling to become bettor, nothing that has not 
reached its own ideal : we go for victory won , 
nothing succeeds, and nothing ought to succeed. 
Wketueeen/* — This, if not common talk, is very 
common feeling, or perhaps more truly want of feel- 
ing, as it is surely want of thought. 

Now here is the state of things in this so-called 
musical city, or centre of a musical community, to- 
day. With all our proud traditions, our rich mem- 
ories of Symphony and Oratorio for the past thirty, 
forty years, there still is not sufficient patronage for 
concerts of the highest kind of instrumental music 
to enable an Orchestra lo play together often enough 
or keep together long enough to become quite wor- 
thy of the musical reputation of our " Athens." 
For this consummation, so devoutly to be wished 
for, there must be support, encouragement, not for 
ten concerts in a year, but any number up to ten 
times ten ; nr>t for one short season, hut for the 
whole year round, with some vacation, or substitu- 
tion of popular light programmes in the hot 
months. 

Worse yet : so largely has the patronage fallen 
off from what it used to be six or eight years ago, 
when there was no frequent competition from with- 
out, that it has verj- perceptibly weakened the in- 
ducements for the best musicians to remain in Bo£- 
ton. They either move away to other cities; or 
they form themselves into little Quintet parties, 
Philharmomic Clubs, etc., and go " starring it " all 
winter through the West, so that, though they are 
of us, they are not with ns ; or they relapse from 
the true pitch of higher tasks and the artistic habit, 
temper and high-motived practice, into mere rou- 
tine " bread " tasks, working in street-bands, ball- 
rooms, theatres, indifferent as to what sort of music 
may be set before them. It is only the habit of 
playing good music in a good orchestra, (with such 
Chamber concerts as naturally grow out of and ally 



themselves with the mere fact of its existence), that 
can keep up the true artistic tone of a musician ; the 
other occupation is demoralizing to him as an art- 
ist, however honorable it mty be to him as a man. 
Now this is the problem once more offered to the 
true friends of the cause of Musical Art here for the 
coming season : Shall Boston be allowed to sink to 
a mere provincial character in so vital a matter as 
the p«*se8sion of a decent orchestra f But the poo- 
session implies the support. We cannot have the 
orchestra we wish for, unless its concerts shall be 
generously supported. In the number and tlie 
quality of instruments, in fine accessories in the 
shape of instrumental and Tocal soloists, and cho- 
ruses, even in the freshness and variety of pro- 
grammes, the providers, with the best will in the 
world, must find themselves limited and cramped, 
and the fair proportions of their plan curtailed and 
drawn askew, so long as a scant subscription gives 
economy a veto upon every programme. — unwel- 
come g^iest at the artistic feast, like the physician 
at Sancho Panza*8 table when he was governor of 
an island. 

Granting that we have not the materials or the 
means for what can be done in so vast a city as 
New York, so full of good < musicians ; |p>anting 
that no Bost<m orchestra, for several years to come, 
perhaps, can compete to advantage with the techni- 
cal perrt*ction, the sonority and brilliancy, to say 
nothing of the copi<»us repertoire of the Thomas 
Orchestra ; granting that the short-comings have 
been many and discouraging, and that the prospect 
of anything very brilliant tor the imniedtate future 
is but vague and uncertain, yet is it not best to con- 
centrate all the support we can upon fostering an 
effort which, if persevered in, may yet work ont 
good results T Even to preserve a nucleas of the 
right activity is better than to let all slide. 

This is the policy and motive of our Symphony 
Concerts. They have struggled for eleven years, 
not without improvement and good fruits. The 
twelfth season is about beginning. The managers 
make no large promises. They offer only what they 
know to be intrinsically aood and in the ri^ht direc- 
tion. They have labored to secure the enentiaU oi 
good orchestral concert^, — the means of presenting 
the best Symphonies, Overtures, etc., in the best 
practicable manner under the circumstances. All 
else, as solos, choruses, etc., is let to depend entire- 
\y on the measure of support given by the publia 



Concerta 

Mr. Wm. H. SniCRWOOD.'Tbe '*Five Hnndred 
and Fourth Recital *' of the N. R. Cooservatory. last 
Saturday noon, in Wesleyan Hall, was rendered in- 
teresting by the performance of this accomplished 
young pianist, who had been heard here two or 
three times only in the beginning of the summer, 
on his return after several years of study in Ger- 
many. The hall was crowded, and the programme 
for the roost part fresh as well as choice. We give 
it as printed ; it will be understood that all the pi- 
ano-playing was by Mr. Sherwood. 

Sonata in D-maJor. Op. 10. No. 8 Beethoven. 

Presto.—Laryo e mesto.—lfennetto.— Rondo. 

Song. " Mother, oh. smg roe to rsst,** Frans. 

Miss Julie w. Thornton. 
( Ktudes in C-mlnor. Op. 10 No. 12. I 

"* \ Etudes in F-sharp m<nor. Op. 10. No. 5. i 

Chopin, 
ft. Romanza In F-sharp major. Op. 28. No. 2, 

Schumann, 
e. Etude. Allegro feroce. Op. 106. No 2. 

Moecheles. 
(New in Boston.) 

Song. "Embarrassment*' Abt, 

a. " Norwegian bridal party passing by." On. 10. 

No. 2 Ori^. 

(First time in Boston.) 

ft. Masourka in C minor. Op. Sherwood. 

(First time in Boston. In press with O. D. 
Russell A Co.) 

e. Octave Study. 2nd Rook. No. 7 Knllak. 

(Second time in Boston.) 

The Beethoven. Sonata— one of the strongest, 
richest in ideas, and most impressive of the earlier 
ones — was rendered with great certainty and clear- 
ness of conception and of execution. Mr. Sher- 
wood's technical mastery seemed complete ; just 
and expressive phrasing, light and shade, fire and 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, OCT. 14, 1876. 



319 



force and delicricy, were preRont where rcqulretl, 
while the verve and brilliancy of his playing^ were 
remarkable. The solemn and impaflsioned chords 
in the excei»dinjrly ffrand jMtgo (in I> minor) were 
ao firmly, evenly bronjjht out that one felt every 
tone composing them, ao that the li^ht answering 
melodic fragments were all the more finely con 
traeted and pathetic. If there wan anything to 
question, it was occasionally too free indnlgence in 
an overpowering fortissimo. That was a grand sort 
of music to hear fur the first time after a long aura- 
mer*s fasting ! 

The C-minor Etude by Chopin is a fiery, passion- 
ate Allegro, the technical point oi ntndy lying in a 
rapid restless figure for the left, hand constantly 
traversing the scale In arpc::gin. like an angry sea 
accompanying the strong chords of the passionate 
complaint above. The rendering was adequate and 
characteristic. The second Etude waa put down 
wrongly in the bill ; it is in 0-Jlat major ; — a bril- 
liant flight of triplets, full of joy and grace and 
sparkle ; and it was charmingly played. The love- 
ly little Romansa by Schumann, — a sweet and ten- 
der lullaby, or at lea^t Norturne, — was in complete 
plete contrast to the stormy and very difficult bra- 
vura study of Moschcles, to which the executant 
was fully equal. The " Norwegian bridal party ** 
began naively and prettily enough ; a fresh and 
simple mt'lody ; which lost its . charm, however, in 
the " middle passage,** when it came to be worked 
up and tortured into>hat wilful and uncouth elabo- 
ration which aeeras to be so cha.-acteristic of the 
young composers of the North. Then we could im- 
agine that the light-hearted and melodious party 
was atthcked and stoned, like our torcli-light pro- 
cessions by the rough and u neon tain aide young pa- 
triots. But the theme was welcome when it came 
back ag*i'n in its simplicity. Mr. Sher wood's 
Masourka was pleasinir, if not strikingly original ; 
and the Octave Study of Kullak (one of his princi- 
pal teachers) showed him again to advantage in the 
brilliant, b«>Id bravura style. 

Mlsa Thokntox, a pupil of the Conservatory, has 
a sweet and sympathetic voice. — a little tremulous, 
perhaps from fear — and sang her songs in a pure, 
unaffected and expressive manner. 



Tub WoacBSTKB Fkstival appears to have boen 
io every way successful ; particuliirly the Oratorio 
of Jotikna (Handel.) Look for a full report in our 
next number. 



Mr. Pkrabo*8 three Matinees begin on Friday, 
27th inst., at 8i P.M. The first programme in- 
cludes : a Toccata by Bach, followed by a Fugue of 
Handel; J. K. Paine*s SonatA in B minor, for piano 
and violin (Mr. Mullalt), op. 24 ; transcriptions, 
by Reinecke and by Perabo (Schubert's " Der 
Neugiericre " and a Berceuse by Rubinstein) ; Sona- 
ta in A-minor, piano and violin, op. 26, by E. F. 
Richter (first time in Boston); six Studies by 
Orund, Seeling and Eschmann ; and three Morcenux 
by Rubinstein, for piano and violin, op. 11. The 
second and third matinees will occur Kov. Sand 10. 



Tnc Cambridge Concerts, in the Sanders Theatre 
(Memorial Hall) start with a very promi:fiing sub- 
scription, and offer six choice fea«ts, three of orche?«- 
tral, three of chamber mu'^ic. The fir!<t will be 
given by the Thomas Orchestra, on Tuesday even- 
ing, Nov. 14, at 8 o'clock. The programme will in- 
clude, among other things, Beethoven's Seventh 
Symphony and Leonora Overture, No. 8, and for a 
novelty a MS. Overture by Prof. Paine, suggested 
by Shakespeare'a *' As you Like it.** — ^The second 
oonoert will be given by Mme. Madeline Schiller, 
pianist, Mr. Geo. L. Osgood, tenor, and the Boston 
Philharmonic Club, Bernard Listemnnn leader. 



Pakt-Soxo CuTB*. The Apollo, Mr. B. J. Lang 
conductor, gave the first public rehearsal to its as- 
sociate members last Tue*day evening at Horticolt- 

nral Hall. The B«iylston Club beiran rehearsals 

la«t week. It still has the benefit of Mr. George L. 
Osgood for conductor, and Mr. George W. Sumner 
takes the place of Mr. Pet^rsilea as pianoforte ac- 
compani.it and soloist. We hear that the choir has 
been ranch enlarged and improved, especially in its 
liiifh tenors. The Club proposes to give five con- 
certs this season, the first about the middle of No- 
vemi>er, and the repertoire has been enriched with 
several new and interesting works. 



Mk. Euoknb That an, assisted by Miss Cecile Gard- 
ner, gave his ninety fifth fri'C organ r-cital in the 
Old South church on Boylaton street on Wednes- 
day afternoon. Programme: 

Fifth or<ran concerto Hsndel. 

Vorspiel : An Wass«» flU«sen nrtitylon Bach. 

For two mqnunls snd double pedsls. 

Ronaf A In C minor, op. 27 Rh^inberger. 

Variations on a theme of Beethoveup Op. 45, 

Merkel. 

Id vile of the Rose Knerene Thayer. 

Variatirms on the Russian Hymn, for two per- 
formers Eugene Thayer. 



A Bkixfit Concert, for the sufferers from yellow 
fever at Savannah and other Southern cities, will 
be given by Mr. William Garrett, at the Boston 
Mu«ic Hall, on Monday evening, Oct. 16, under the 
patronag<« of His Excellency the Governor and His 
Honor the Mayor. Among the artists who gener- 
ously give their services are: The Bay Stat* Opera 
■Company (composed of Mrs. Anna Granger Dow, 
Soprano, Mrs. Jenny Twiohell Kempton. Contralto, 
Mr. C. R. Hayden. Tenor, Mr. SUnley Felch, basso, 
and Mr. Wm. E. Taylor, accompanist) ; the Men- 
delssohn Quintette Club ; Mme. Madeline Schiller, 
pianist ; Mmo. Wm. Garrett, and several of her vo- 
cal pupils; Mr. H. G. Tucker, pianist, Mr. S. B. 
Whitney, or«;anist, and Mr. Wm. Garrett, basso; 
besides the full choir of the Church of the Advent 
(80 voices). Tickets to all parts of the house, with 
reserve<l seats, ^/l!y eentt. Such a cause appeals to 
th% best sympathies of all. and we should think it 
would need but a hint to ensure a crowded house. 



SiOMORA Louisa Kapp-Touxo Cappiaxi, a prima 
donna who has had a distinguished career in her 
day, biith in the Italian Opera in Parma, Nice, Bar- 
celona, Genoa and Milan, and in the cities of South 
Germany (especially Vienna and Munich), where 
her assumption of such roles as Donna Anna, and 
the like, have led to comparisons with Grici, an- 
nounces that she has arrived in Boston, with the 
intention of '* teaching pupils in drawing-room sing- 
ing and finishing singers for the Opera." She was 
a short time in this country with the Maretsek- 
G rover troupe in 1868, and made her debut at the 
New York Academy of Music as Selitha in Meyer- 
beer's *' L'ACricainf*," meeting with great success. 
The Scotim^H, of Edinbnrg, which claims her as a 
count r3- woman, say* of her (Feb. 1872): 

Madame Kapp, though a South German by birth 
and education, is a Scotch woman by extraction. 
Her maiden name was Youn?, and her forefathers, 
we believe, were pulitical exiles of 1746. She has 
studied her art under the first masters in Italy as 
well as Germany, and while she has been held in 
the hiifheitt esteem in Vienna and Munich, she was 
a star of the first magnitude in the Scala at Milan. 
She vi«ited America a few years ago, but was then 
in England only for a passing visit on her way to 
the New World, and she had at that time the honor 
of singing with great acceptance at Buckinghftm 
Palace. On her return from Germany to America, 
two or three years sgo, bho made up her mind to 
retire into private life, and till now she has adhered 
to this resolve: but on this her first visit tf) the 
country which she is proud to regard as her "Vater- 
Innd." she has, fortunately for us, been persuaded to 
abandon it» and appear once mure l>elope a public 



audience. We have hardly ever heard a finer ren- 
deri nflr of the grand though familiar song, **Robert, 
toi che Vaime," otherwise " Roberto tu che adoro," 
which Madame Kapp chose for her deifiii. Her 
voice is a soprano of exceptional power and com- 
pass, in quality bearing some resemblance to that 
of Mdlle. Tietjens. In method and techuioue^ as well 
as in refined feelins:. she is all that could oe desired. 
Her style of sin|!:ine is far more impassioned than 
that of the great artist along with whom we have 
named her; her style is more that of the opera 
than the concertroom ; and hence the impression 
she made in the song from " Roberto," to which she 
imparted all the dramatic fire and fervor which she 
would have given it on the stage. 

It is also stated that-, before the death of her hus- 
band, late Austrian Counsellor of State in Trieste, 
she cultivated her talent as an amateur in oratorio, 
church and parlor sln&:ing. and afterwards had the 
honor of appearins: at ih*t court cone *rt« of the Em- 
peror of Austria, the Kin«r of Bavaria, the Duke of 
Cobourg. Queen Victoria and the King of It^ly. 
We doubt not she will prove an acquisition here, 
l>oth as a teacher and a concert singer. 



Muio in the Conneetieut Talley. 

Windsor Locks, Oct. 4. 1876. 

Mr. Editor. — Some of j'onr readers having been 
long interested in the progress of the Mendelssohn 
Musical Institute, of Boston, Mass., which during 
the past twenty years has steadily pursued its on- 
ward and upward course, it may give them pleasure 
to know something of the vacation work during 
this and the previous summer, of its Director, Prof. 
E. B. Oliver. 

In this pleasant village resides a lady, who about 
the time of the commencement of the Institute, as 
Miss Julia S. Dexter, was a pupil of Prof. Oliver at 
riitsfield, Mass. She has bect>me here, as Mrs. H. 
R. Coffin, an enthusiastic patron of music and musi- 
cians, making her influence felt far and near as an 
ardent promoter of all that is I'Ure and good in the 
art, as well as being an amateur artist of unusual 
excellence. KnowLig the prvMsUvities of her form- 
er teacher for being useful while others only recre- 
ate, she erathered a small class of pupils who have, 
during these two seasons, earnestly pursued the 
study of Organ. Piano, Harmony, and Vocal Culture 
under his tuition, and have made cf>mmendable 
progress in interpreting the higher works of the 
best masters which he has laid before them. 

It was in this reeion also, many years since, at 
Farminict(*n, that Prof. Oliver labored aasidoously 
during five years preparing the way, and by earnest 
work, laying the foundations for the delight and 
pleasure now often enjoyed there in listening to the 
performances of outside artists, which his pupils 
then shared in greater measure, being themselves 
the performers. One among many of tho^e Dupils, 
now the wife of that deaervedly famed Cf>nduct4>r, 
Theodore Thomas, will recall with eager delight 
the musical efforts of those days, and the stony path 
by which she was led into the upper regions of 
musical study and enjriyment, learning to appreci- 
ate and desire acquaintance with the works of those 
masters, whose most worthy interpreter ahe may 
now admire in the pers(»n of her husband. 

At that time Sonatas, and the htiph t forms of 
Musical Composition were rarely called for or ar- 
tery pted by amateurs, and seldom performed even* in 
public. It is in this regsrd, that the work of the 
Mendelasohn Musical Institute may be truly said to 
have been onward and upward, its standard from the 
befiinnini; having been only the highest, and its 
whole influence on the side, of genuine classical 
music. 

Frequent Readings and Recitals have been held 
here during ihese seasons, to give information upon 
biocrraphical, technical and »4thetical subjects con- 
nected with music, and to encourage the study of 
its best composers, by performances of their wi>rks 
given them for practice. During this summer, also, 
the lady above-mentioned has generously caused to 
be printed for private circulation, a neat edition of 
a short essay by Prof. Oliver, entitled, *• Music, how 
to study it,'*^ which givea some idea of the method of 
teaching pursued at this Institute, the students of 
which are found in all parts of our country. Hop- 
ing to refresh all these with news of its success, and 
to extend the knowledge of its privileg^i to many 
who are seeking where such opportunities may be 
found, I send this short sketch for your columns. 

ELivs. 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



"."E 



AkOThek OuBMAir Cmric on Waotiib. The follow- 
ing persiflage is nt 1«m( unuainR. P>n1 LInilsu, Die 
feuIUetonlat of DU Orgtnaari Berlin, deliten lila Juilg. 
merit under ibo guiie of ■ drenm. Nor is It witbout 
|»lii(,^p>r(lau1arl)' the nn-punctualad psrt. He s^ya: 

As I i&y. receotl]'. In a good comfortablo bad, Ilind * 
fearful dream. I dresroed ihnt I touad myieir In ■ dls- 
eontolate region. It naa quite ■ pecalUr Undsirape 
When jon lookKd Into It clovly fou brcame aware of 
mlgbtf, Impoaing beauties— arrogant moantaina, E^orl- 

waa joflesa, Inhdrmonloui. of an noBnrthly gloom. Ths 
great hot ano stood Fast, languid and nnlnwreftlng In 
ng, horrldl; yellow sky, out of which every 

eolorBeem»d id han been hlmwrf T).. .ir 

was so tbicit that the flery ball did not bll 
' It looked like a flrat-clan eab-lamp. 

Id onpranive, and tireaomi. An indi 

MiaofaiilrltrelEnednvpreverylhine. besiiies loywii. 
..J- draanier. onlT one lUioE tieinc eii*ie<l aninni theae 
Joyless Burma nil inc^a tall, nniwmforUMe msn. He 
seemed to be reciting an enorniniis m'lnolngne. Aa I 
was, fonnnatelv far myself, a pretIvcaod<ll>tan«from 
him. I could not iin.leijitan<i what h*e» a. tnlklTiE abauti 
■11 I could catch was ft conaiderable variety of sorts and 
ton-aof a pacDliar laughter with whli'h lie now anil 

or"ilo, hel" "HI, hfl" or "Ho. hoi' "l ha.l, ',l'uri»E 
the last few itayi. henri and read a jcreat deal about 
'' leaillni* nutla!?' and the impressions o1 my w^ltirii; 
h'.uMr.-imelo^efrontlnmyd'enin I "il'l m T•^^fM, 

a,-.oin,.nnlB:l W* speeeh with rilrem^W tlveiy panlo. 
niiiiiii' i;p,Mires the while the speech liseir flowed al.ir^i;, 
wiihout any manner of einphaala, of pau'B or nJ rii'itlon 
«!" 1 Slid to myaell: '■ Ibic t- ilH 
tan I'an.rc.> hfs eijirp»-i..r, (r.i,« 

IS whimsical f^Dow r 

the lanilscnpe. plan 
4H>ul<l not hiirlm m 



III of hia words te 



poinierl- 



•a flni n 



owner hl-hl I shall not he-ha I be made happy I: 
itoien gnndi don't benefit anvboily but why atu 



after all ti'll you the whole atCry hn-l 



owner hl-bll the rluK 
anaiii until atlastlba tli 
itamln ilon'tintemiptme IknowH-bnlyc 

was hith timetbsi thitstuiiiil old fashit 

— away with the resuirlng of the hliliarta attaining 
mciinnsof sentences Iriln the new never ending 
ince Is ihe style of lite fuinre you hare aeen wbit I 

n hrea'hii I* now voiirtumtawlllandlfYuu chnote 
Qallnowharea a yla." • • • • Here I awak- 

with a cry o( ai-ony ; the sweat wa< mlilng olt ro. 

forcheait. My first Eiaocs llztiled upon a vr^oma of 
ic'wnaasr ' ' .K ;u "?._ • *j; " 






a letter from Lelpalc, tin 
in we come to draw the lin 
ditlons at the upper 



ThoBB who eipecied and conflilently hoped for the 
downfall of Wagner and his theories, are hardly left a 
fiiDtof i;round losianii on,nnd It la pitiable to nofce 
tbe anmlish wlih which they cry not for some man of 
celebrity and unbiassed judentcDt to come forth to their 
defence and condemn the thing. In this CDnnectlon we 
pannol forget that venerable fo«sil, John 3 DwiKht. 
who Is resj)ected like an old broom " for the good he haa 
done," and who Uvea and feeds on Bach and Qluck. 
Tbls celebrated genius and would-be critic did not at- 
tend the Bayreuth festival, and therefoTe bad no oppor- 
lityand norightto Jodgeof iti«rsonnlly at all. 






:tum and tnslaled thit all the critic* 



who pralswl the work and lie renderlni: were wronei that 
althongh they had llBteiied lo II and prei>at«d their opin- 
ions cvl.lently with ear* (and in polDl of abilln many of 
themfarexoel thejtenileaian InqaeathMj.atlll he who 
had nothernoiitofhlaowu State, neither had listened 
tn a note of It aa performed at Bayreuth, waa after all 
rhe reliable antbority npon which to judge of its merits. 
It in a pitf to sea a mnn olitain aacli conlldence in hlm- 
■I'lf Uiat he loses coiiHUence In every one heidde. It Is a 
cause of regret that a critic nhiae oiilnlons were onco 
worthy of respect ahonld become ao bigoted and ohsil- 
naie as to forfeit that mpect; It Isaad that a man of an 
originally liHUIantmiellect should be so blimled lo all 
progeria. a< to blnnt his Judgment and render him 
worthleas. Bat to every true musician there is esronr- 
agement In the (act that almost without eicepllon. the 
strong antl-Wagner)ies wbo have attended the Bav- 
reuth F ailval, hare come away [■■[ convrrUid. Their 
let era are full otenihnslanm, an pnlhiiaiasm not iemi>o- 
rary and auperll -Isl. tint nennanenl and enduring. Kr- 
en llie composer hinueit could hanliv hive eiperted 
snoli a pnwerfnl eff-ct to iw created tn his favor. Here. 

yitlual,ipproi:ress,Wagner-s Ideas will alwaya hold an 
important place, 

Tltere, teaderl Ii la only fair that you should h« In- 
forroeilboivbndweare; and you wUl know henceforth 
where to seeii the Information. 

Kfitaph for a mnslesi director :— 

But Time 'has Ijeaten him at last. ' 



(one,- oiiaerved Clienihlnl very reslgrtedlv. and ibis 
was the whole of his funeral oration on the dMMsed 



{Aug. 2i| is answerable for IhefoUowlag. If swallowing 
the monster whole be any merit, tbe writer certainly de- 
serves a leather medal from Ihe Emperor of Bayreolh, 

last aenlenee la pmfonnrtly auggeftlie— namely, of the 
proverb; "You cannot eat your cuke and have It." 



Germi 



» be *ald an both sides. J 
nan here haa no temptation to go to opera for per 
>l display. Sheennnot excite envy with her fnnc; 
hat.focthlawouldlnterfere with the rights of the peo 



itidng consplcnou 



,ol,byw. 



attention In herself. The 

(llrtlng of fans or 'kerchief s. no sly glancei, no (Intter, 

"giggle, ordii|)lay of » desiifl to be seen hv strangers, 

*P^1 yfjife. ■ 



[ir giggle, ordlnilay of 

,.';jM,.,fiife.'Aw.m.,. 
.... „ nlertaintnent here 

moUier who woiilr 



itiductagirlhi 






Jf"So"h^™ 



mean-It Is all very well for a " Muslo Trndn Journal ") 
have had Iheir columns full, ail aummer long, with the 
freellghtot piano eihlbllora at the Centennial eiposi- 

ting tbe gilt of the whole ihjng neatly served up In a 
nutabellln the Boston CtonniunHvarM, thus; 

In the mstter of Centennlnl piano awards, Weber 
"received it," Swtnway'oiiinineS it," Docker "secured 
It," Chickerlng " loolt It," Knabe waa ■' awardad It," 

- " other* - got it." 

Baib CoHri-tKEXT. A monthly paper publishedin 
Connectlcnt, called tocmlt' J/ii»icat and UaKtnlc Joumat, 

aders probably are not all Masons, any more than they 
s WftgnerttcB, we offer them a chance to read it. 



The " Music of the Future " baa become the Uusic of 
tbe Present. The triumph of Wagner is complete, and tbe 
claclciais (>lc). the dry contrapuo tista, the dlaclples of the 
old.school romance, those of Bach and strict and form 
the upholders of French and Italian melody have all 

what It WBi. The old well-worn favorites will lie quietly 



aside. 



a will ii. 



o give WiMrner alone the 



w"blch h!!!riu» Kco'itU tb^approval of "h^moat"c?flI- 
cal audience that ererc.llecteir to Judce n woik of art, 
la not a aingle efforl of a ereai original mind, ll la 






a; he Is 



:hildofG 



rntlonfmm Kerlkitaiiil fr..i, . ,i LI'.zt 

and Frmi [l.n imth coTiii III ■ i- . j poetio 

Hach's pasilou inn-i,' |"|, liliKk- liin.-. -in. and 
Beelhnven'BNInili-'*viii|ih-".v. Mi-i [lici ■m\i liiid that 
the--N~ibelunEen" i.Mlx'iHIni-.il ik'^i-nml mi. i'lir formal- 
isms of Moiart, H >mIf^. IU>-.~:,n :, n<l ' M' i i^hiiu t.ili grow 



tbe ■■Nil 
Isms of 



rsfroi 



•Id olAelting of Bava''rta and the knlebtly help oILIsit 



^gttial ftfltiff-''* 



Tual, with Plane AossmpsBimeBt. 



"In brigbleat beauty, fharming each hi-art. " 

Love and Sorrow. (Amore e dolore I Ah. 

6. d to g. Lucantoni. 40 

" My alEha would move thee.- 

Flowlnc Iiatlaii music, one third of It iriplets. 

BlossoDM. B6. 3. d to g. HaUon I 

Wher'er I turn yeamlling greet." 
A perfectly sweet flower *ong. 
I must leave you, my Dnrllnt;. Sonff nnrt 

Cboriu. rw. d to F. Gua. Phillip*. 10 

One of l-hlllip'.Tootty'onofirNew Songs, ol 






beau II fid. 



Album for Onfnnfa'i. Concert Music for 
the Orean,wltb PedaliuK nn') KcfriMm- 
tion. Eugnar Thajier. 

No. ], Sixth Ontan ConotTio.^b.R.llandrl. 1 00 

This is an arrangement by Beet, wlih marks 
and direcllnna by Ur. Thayer who as well as 
any one. nnderstandi what mnsic will pleaBt 
organlBle and their audience. 
•So. 2. Choral Variations in E6. 7. Smart. SS 

The Choral la Impressive, and nnt diffl- 

splsndld practice both tor hands and feet. 
No. 3. Thrae AdAgio& Ab. Bt> niid G. 

6. Voleictnar. i 

The dlfficnllT In pUying any ol these concert 

Kecrs depends Bo much on one's mastery of 
e pedals, that the marking al.ove may be loo 
much or tAO Utile rorTariooa players. FIrat 

No. 4. TarifttioiiB on " Nuremberg. " A. 

7. Thayer. 75 

The familiar air aHi> In tbe enjoyment 

No. ID. Vnriiitious on "Auld Lang 

Svne." F. fl. Thayer. 60 

Aniiiher old nine very much enriched with 
Its 4 sort Span harmony, 

pel formers. 

■wers of Autamn. (Herbitbluthen.) 



ine with his delicate u 

Booxa, 

A LOESCHHOHir'B PlAHO STUniKH. 

No. 3. Op US. Books 1, 2 And 3, each 11.25 

TfiheH- ■ '""■- '- - '- • 



nod lee ci 



>t fall 10 



Thr OnoANisT'e Remakcb. Eiuy arrangemeiit 
of tlie most beautiful piccea of the greRt 

masterg. By Enjtene Thayer. 
Vol. I. Music for Chnrch Service. 
Thia "volume" cnntalns 10 Dum1«rs, each one eon- 
Read Organ. Prloe per So. (l.a». 

Anna ■ VI ATinis.— Degrees of dlSculty are marked 
from I Ui T. The key Is denoted by a cajiliai letter, s- '• 
B*,eto. A large Roman h'lter marka the lowest and 
highest note If on the stnIT, small Romsji letters If 




Irrurital 





Wholk No. 927. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, OCT. 28, 1876. 



Vol. XXXVI. No. 15. 



For Dwlght'i Journal of Miulo. 

The JSwB of Slow Piaao Practice. 



BT W. 8. B. MATHEWS. 

In the following pacagraphs it is very likely 
I may repeat some of the ideas in my piece on 
'* Mental action in piano-playing" published 
in this Journal (p. 60, vol. xxxiv, I think) ; but 
how many of them I cannot say as I do not 
happen to be able to lay my band on that par- 
ticular number at this time. Whether I do 
repeat o)* not, I hope the importance of the 
subject and the new light thrown on it may 
prove my justification. 

I do not hesitate to say that more than three- 
fourths of the time spent in piano-practice by 
players generally is wasted. Bato they waste 
it would take too long to tell. In many cases 
they practice unproductive exercises. This, 
however, does not signify so much as the fact 
that even these are practiced in a wrong way. 
For there is scarcely any conceivable exercise 
which may not be made useful by a good mode 
of practice. Even a book full of ill-digested 
and (if I might so say it) un-radical exercises, 
like Lebhert and Stark^s, may be useful to pu - 
pils if properly practiced. 

Every well-tanght piano-player who reads 
this, is familiar with the injunction oft repeat- 
ed, to ** practice slowly.'* Plaid y, I hear, used 
to direct a certain number of times slow and a 
certain number of times fast, as the rule of 
practice to be applied to all kinds of passages. 
Four or five times slow, and four or five times 
fast, was the rule, I believe, or near enough for 
our present purpose. Mills, the pianist, makes 
great account of slow practice, and applies it 
himself to everything, even to a review of 
pieces long familiar and many times played in 
public. Mason makes this principle his "joy 
and his song,** as hundreds of his pupils can 
testify. Miss Julia Riv6, whose technique is 
acknowledged to be of a superior order, prac- 
tices everything i^ry slowly. With her the 
slow practice far exceeds the fast. If she plays 
a passage four times slowly, she will play it 
fast not more than twice ; then comes another 
turn of slow practice. Such, I suppose^ must 
be Mr. Lang's method, from what I hear of his 
accuracy and elegance of playing, — and in 
short such is the method ef every great pianist, 
except perhaps Liszt, who never practices at 
all. 

What U iUne practice f For every pianist 
there are three grades of speed in all passages 
admitting of rapid playing. They are, first, a 
very slow rate. So slow, namely, that each 
motion is fully determined by the will, and 
there comes the response through the sensory 
nerves that the motion has been fully per- 
formed; ttfter which there is a moment of repose 
before the next motion is ordered. Very slow 
practice is any rate of speed that admits of this 
moment of mental repose between the recep- 
tion of the sense of having played one note, 
and the act of beginning to play the next. 



The second rate is moderate — ^the rate in which, 
as soon as the mind becomes conscious that one 
key has been played, it orders the next, with- 
out suffering a moment of repose to intervene. 
The third rate is that of velocity^a degree, of 
speed in which the will orders a series of acts 
at once (as, e, ^., four octaves of the scale of 
A, or three octaves of broken chord of C, etc., 
etc.,) and the fingers .play them as rapidly as 
possible, the mind not being conscious of the 
fact that one key has been played before it or- 
ders the next. 

Perhaps a little further examination may ren- 
der this plainer. There are two nerve fibres, 
the motor^ and the teneory. The motor nerve 
transmits from the brain or some lower nerve 
centre an order for the muscle to contract ; and 
it contracts. The sensory nerve transmits im- 
pressions from without. These sensory im- 
pressions are not always transmitted to the 
brain, but stop at a lower nerve-centre and are 
reflected back in the shape of a motor impulse 
which effects a new muscular adjustment to 
meet the emergency. Thus if I am kicked, I 
do not have to wait until I hear of it up in my 
Menearium ;' but as soon as the spinal chord finds 
out that such is the fact, it telegraphs to the 
nearest leg or Arm to " answer immediately " 
— which order I hope my arms and legs may 
long have the muscle and the grace to obey. 
Thus it is that in walking or riding, the differ- 
ent muscles adjust themselves unconsciously so 
as to preserve the equilibrium of the body. 
Motory and sensory impulses are propagated 
with different degrees of speed. The motor 
impulse travels at the rate of about 92 ft. a 
second ; the sensory at the .rate of about 149 ft. 
It is understood, of course, that muscle con- 
tracts only in obedience to an order received 
through the motor fibres of the nerve. 

In the case of acts that are completely voli- 
tional it appears that each one is separately de- 
termined and ordered by the will, and com- 
pletes itself in consciousness whenever the 
sensory nerve has returned the information 
that the act has been performed. Any series 
of muscular motions may be made habitual, in 
which case they can be performed while the 
mind is thinking of something else. The shoe- 
maker lasts his shoe, creases the channel, folds 
and waxes his thread, sews the seam, rubs 
down the channel, and so on, while he is busily 
engaged in conversation, or in a "brown 
study'* on the question of ways and means. 
The blacksmith heats the iron, hammers and 
shapes it, all the while carrying on a discussion 
of politics or theology. His apprentice also 
heats and hammers his iron while carrying on 
a base-ball discussion with a mate. He spoils 
his job, and is cautioned by his master to mind 
his business and keep his mind on his work 
next time. So, too, the player goes through a 
familiar piece unconsciously. The beginner 
makes a mistake as soon as his mind wanders 
never so little. 



All of these acts, so well performed without 
thought, have become habits, and no longer 
require the mind to order each separate detail. 
The beginners who failed, had not acquired 
the habit. To a certain extent each worker 
became a machine. He was merely an autom- 
aton — that part of him which made shoes, or 
shaped the iron, or played the piano, that is to 
say. The shoemaker was conscious only of the 
general intention of making shoes, and of hav- 
ing cenveyed himself to the bench where were 
the necessary materials. All of him not en- 
gaged in making shoes was asleep or actively 
engaged in something else. A part of him 
breathed — also automatically. A part of him 
circulated the blood — also without his will. 
A part of him talked and thought theology or 
politics. A part of him worked away at the 
contents of his stomach. The man really, you 
see, was not m&king shoes at all, — that was 
only automatism, just the same sort of a thing 
as the heart beating, the lungs breathing, or 
the stomach churning the victuals, the opera- 
tion of a machine. All there was of him just 
then that was really man^ was the part talking 
theology— except away down in one comer of 
his being ^ike a tooth-ache) his love and anx- 
iety for his poor sick daughter. 

Let us attend more closely to these machine- 
performances. Are they in any way defldent 
or imperfect t Not at all. Every motion fol- 
lows in its proper order, beginning only when 
the previous one has been completed. Unex- 
pected exigencies are met and allowed for with 
all necessary intelligence. 

To such an extent may this machine-like 
ability be carried that the acts themselves may 
be conditioned on sense perceptions received 
through parts of the economy remote from 
those performing the automatic acts. For ex- 
ample, I have seen a once eminent organist 
play when so drunk that he was with difficulty 
seated at the instrument, and when I am very 
sure he couldn't possibly have distinguished 
between the " I ** and the * 'not I. ** He played, 
of course, from notes. As long as he could 
keep his eyes open his hands would play what- 
ever his eyes saw. But A^knew nothing about 
it. 

All piano practice, whatever its nature, has 
for its object to produce the habit of playing 
that passage or piece. The only part of play- 
ing that is completely volitional and not at all 
automatic is the melody, whether one means 
by this merely the air, or the counterpoints. 
When the melody is played automatically the 
playing becomes soul-less. 

Playing may be poor in respect to its mech- 
anism, or in the player's imperfect conscioos- 
ness of the music. Ability to think the mueie is 
the first requisite of an artist. Some persons 
are extremely obtuse in this respect. Any- 
thing beyond the most elementary combina- 
tions eludes them. How to develop the musi- 
cal perceptions I do not now stop to inquire. 



322 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



At this time I concern myself only "with the 
mechanism. The player mast have a great 
stock of standard passages, embracing all the 
major and minor scales, the yarioas arpeggios 
and broken chords, and the osnal accompani- 
ment, formulas. Each of these mast be subject 
to control by a merely general order of the 
mind. When one wills to play four octaves of 
the scale of G, the hand should adjust itself to 
the white keys and proceed to business, the 
thumb falling on F and C without farther di- 
rection. And similarly of every other passage. 
But how can this come about ? Is there some 
tree off which one can gather these passages 
already prepared, or the leaves of which one 
may eat and be brought into so comfortable an 
ability t Not at all. There is only one way, 
and that is in pursuance of the following law: 

Any uriet ofmu$eulaT acU may leeome auto- 
matte hy heing performed a tuffieient numiber of 
timM M aperfeeGy eorreet eequenee. 

Let the series of motions in question be ten 
in number. How does the average pupil set 
about mastering it I Why something like 
this (w being the unknown quantity, the mis- 
take.) 

Ist time,! (carefully). 128456789 10 

2d '* 1284567890; 

8d " 12846678a; 10 

4th " 1 2 8 4 5 6 7 a; 9 10 

5th '* 1 2 8 4 5 6 a; 8 9 10 

6th *' 1 2 8 4 ff « 7 8 9 10 

7th «' (carelessly). 1284a;678a;10 

8th ** (vei7 carefully). 128456789 10 

9th" 128«56789fl; 

10th «' 108466709 10 

And so I might go on for pages, The won- 
der to me is that they ever get a piece near 
enough right to permit one to recognize it 

Here then we are, at length, able to see 
the value of slow practice. The necessary 
number of perfectly infallible performances 
which form the basis of automatism, can be se- 
cured ordy in slow practice. Each one of these 
three steps must enter into the performance of 
every single motion in the series. First, the 
volition to play a certain note. Second, the 
consciousness of having played it — the sense of 
having the finger on the key. Third, the mo- 
ment of repose, in which the mind clearly ap- 
prehends the next note to be played. This 
•low practice may be faster or slower, accord- 
ing to the activity of the player's mind. The 
beginner must play as slowly as one note a sec- 
ond. The artist may play four or five. I have 
heard Miss Riv6 practice Oustave Schumann's 
Tarantelle at the rate of about three notes a 
second, although in the performance It goes at 
the rate of from eight to twelve notes a second. 

The average rate of transmission of the mo- 
tor and sensory impulses through nerve tissue 
is about 120 ft. per second, or about 7200 ft 
per minute. In automatic performances of the 
fingers the motions are supposed to be con- 
trolledlf rom one *of the nerve centres in the 
spinal coulmn, giving approximately five feet 
for the travel of the* two impulses for every 
key played. This, supposing the muscles to 
obey instantly, would give about 1450 notes a 
minute as the ultimate of velocity, or about 24 
notes a second. Any one who will play a scale 
four octaves in nine$ (going through nine times) 



at half this speed will be likely to find the ex- 
ercise somewhat fatiguing. 

Exclusively slow practice will spoil the play- 
ing. It takes the life out of the music. It 
must, then, be alternated with the two other 
degrees of speed, in the proportion of say six 
slow, six moderate, and three faetj and so on, 
over and over until one learns the passage. 
This is not a rule. It is merely an indication 
of the proportion necessary to be observed in 
order to secare accuracy without sacrificing 
the musical quality of the playing. And it is 
in the almost total neglect of this kind of 
practice, that pupils in general may find the 
reason of their poor success. 

i t mt I 

The nbelimgen Trilogy at Bayrevih. 

BT JOSEPH BEmfBTT. 

CFrom the London Motlcml Timet.) 

(OonUnaed flram Page 815.) 

From this neceMsry di^TMston I return to the 
story of the dnima. Having completed the poem of 
" Siegfried's Tod " (" Odtterdftmrnorang,") Wagner, 
enamored of his anbject, and necessitiOea to show 
much that.else had to be {ntellectaally perceived, 
took up the earlier life of the hero, from this 
spranir a second drama, called at first *'Junger 
Siegfried," and now, as " Siegfried," forming: the 
thi A section of the great work. There is reason to 
asenme that here the whole scheme of " Der Ring 
des inbelnngen " dawned n|K>n the author's mind. 
The force of circumstances earned him, almost de- 
spite his will, further and further back to the origin 
of that which had previously occnpied his thoughts, 
and from the working of this necessity arose " Die 
Walkfire" and " Das Rheingold," connecting nlti- 
mate effect with remotest cause. It is not difficult 
to see in these later dramas — ^I avoid the word /«• 
brelU throughout, especially here, where it would 
have no business at all — how Wagner had passed 
completely under the dominion of a theory that the 
poem ought to make no concession for the sake of 
musical effect He had laid out " Gotterdftmmer- 
ung " with a view to the usual mingling of solo and 
concerted piece (though in setting It to music at a 
later time ne refused the opportunities his own hand 
had prepared, and crowded the stage with dum- 
mies) ; out its successors* became, more and more 
rigidly, dramas. In '* Siegfried " there is not a sin- 
gle chorus, and only a few oars of concerted vocal 
music In " Die Walktkre" there is one chorus for 
female voices, and in " Das Rheingold ** we have 
what, elsewhere, would be called a trio. In effect, 
ther^ore, the three works just named are " plays," 
throughout which but a single voice is beard at any 
given time. Unhappily for those who do not ac- 
cept Wagner's theories, they are ** plays," moreover, 
in the fulness — should I not say prolixitv T— of 
their dialogue. The poet is wholly regardless of 
the musician. He will utter ererythlng necessary 
to the completeness of his poem — and very often a 
good deal is thought needful — the reeuft being a 
series of conversauons, some of them wearisome 
repetitions, others abounding in allusions, and based 
upon ideas which are all very well for a reader who 
can pause to think, but which, on the stage, and as- 
sociated with music, are embarrassing. Take, as an 
example, the interview betweed Wotan and Erda in 
the third act of " Siegfried," where 188 lines are de- 
voted chiefiy to telling us what we already know, 
or to references the significance of which by no 
means lies on the surface. I do not urge this as 
against the beauty and oompleteness of the poem, 
but simply to point it out for consideration as con- 
nected with a '* drama for music." The question, 
of course, arises— and a moat important one it is — 
whether a drama fO^ music should so rigidly consult 
its own separate necessities, and yield nothing to 
the conditions of its alliance. My own answer, giv- 
en deliberately after the experience of Bayreuth, is 
in the negative. It is true that Wagner has so far 
recognlsM the demands of music as to identify each 
scene with some distinct emotion, powerfully ex- 
pressed ; but even this is not enougn to save his 
theory from rejection. In every drama so con- 
structed there must be passages with which music 
has nothing to do, and the effect of which music, 
especially when written on the principles hereafter 
mentioned, simply mars. But tne quesdon under- 
lying all is wnetber Wagner has pot hit upon a 



fallacy in supposing that he can, from a praetical 
point of view, 8ulx»rdinate music to drama. In 
theory, his system appears perfect; In reality. I 
doubt whether it will eyer work. The way to test 
this is for the audience at Bayreuth to ank them- 
selves what part of the compound thing there pre- 
sented engaged moat of their attention. Wagner, 
as the official mouthpiece of his system, would urge 
that the mind should have been sensible of nothing 
but a whole ; but that was impossible. The three 
grand elements — music, poetry, and stage represen- 
tation — stood separately before every eye, and 
there can be no doubt as to which was most ear- 
nestly regarded ; which was most discussed, which 
contributed before the others to the judgment pro- 
nounced. The predominance of music in all these 
respects might have been foreseen, and was. in fact, 
inevitable. Associate music and poetry on equal 
terms you cannot. The more universal, emotional, 
and powerful art will prevail ; and not all the force 
of twenty Wagners can alter the fSact Wherefore, 
I contend, that to write a drama with a view to 
dramatic exigencies alone, and then to ally it with 
muaic, must not only result in fiUlnre, but is eontrap 
ry to the very nature of things. 

Leaving these general oonsiderations^ I approach 
the particular illustration of bis theory with which, 
in *' Der Ring des Nibelnngen." Wagner has fur- 
nished us. uoea it prove that the doinain of myth 
is that wherein the writer of mnaio-drama should 
look for his subject ? The answer is neither an un- 
qualified " Tes ^ nor an unqualified " Ko." On the 
one side, the poet is free, in myth-land, from a num- 
ber of embarrassments and restrictions which sur- 
round him elsewhere. He can, as Wagner has 
ahown, well define and oondense the emotion of each 
particular scene, and he is not bound by historic 
truth or regard for conventlonalitlea. These are 
such immense advantages, that I am far from aure 
whether they do not outweigh anything on the op- 
poiiite side. But, per toiUra, it may be urged that 
the more mvthical a subject the further does it 
stand away from the sphere of human interest and 
emotion. In all ages the greatest dramatists have 
reoo|rniMd this cardinal &ct. Take Shakespeare 
and nia " Midsummer Night* s Dream " as a con- 
spicuous example. EssenUally a fiairy drama — the 
embodiment of a myth — the " Dream " is full of 
every-day humanity. The Athenian lovers. Bottom 
and his crew, the Duke and hia oourt^ are all so 
mixed up with Oberon, Titania, and Puck, that we 
are never sensible of a want of personal aympathy 
with character and event. But in " Der Ring des 
Nibelungen" the humanity i% speaking brcMidly, 
too faint for a sustained and absorbing interert. 
Note the subjoined outline of the story running 
through all four dramaa, and say whether it eomes 
very near the heart : The Rhine Daughters guard 
a golden treasure in the depths of the river. The 
treasure gives control of the world to its possessor, 
but can only fall into the hands of one who for- 
swears love. Alberich, a Nibelung, representative 
of the subterranean powers of evil, fiilfils the condi- 
tion, seizes the gold, and fashions out of it a ring, 
the embodiment of bis acquired might. At this 
time Wotan (Odin), eliief of the upper goda, is in 
in difficulties. He has engaged giants to build him 
a castle, Walhalla ; and not liking to ^ve them the 
reward agr e ed upon, descends to the Nibelnngs on 
a raid after the Rheingold and ring. By trickery 
he wins these, and with them pays the giants, not 
before Alberich has attached a curse to the ring, 
the first frait of which Is seen when one giant kills 
the other in a dispute over the spoil. The survivor 
carries off the ring, and, in the guise of a dragon, 
sleeps upon it, too brutish to avail himself of its 
power. Wotan, desiring to defend Walhalla, allies 
himself with Erda, the Earth (Goddess, by whom he 
has nine daughters, Walkyries, whose business it is 
to people the god's abode with the bravest knights 
slain in battle. Wishing also to obUin the ring, he, 
by another alliance, raises up a hero, Sle^nnd, for 
whose use he deetines a sword so buried in the 
stem of an ash that none other can pull it ont^ 
Siegmund meets with his twin sister, Siegllnde, 
married to Hundiuff, and though the relationship is 
discovered, carries her off aS hIa wife. On the in- 
terpodtion of Wotan's wife, Fricka, a subseonent 
combat between Hundingand Siegmund is made fa- 
tal to the seducer, though BrQnnhilde, the Walkyrie 
charged by Wotan to efHect this result, disobeys and 
protecta, unavailingly, him whom she should have 
caused to be destroyed. Wotan himself intervenes, 
and the god-given sword, Nothung,. which Sieg- 
mund has drawn from the ash, shivers agidnst the 
god-held spear which symbolises Wotan's power. 
Sieglinde, after the fight^ seeks refuge in a forest^ 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, OCT, 28, 1876. 



323 



and BrQnnhllde is oondemnod to dlnep, rarrounded 
by fire, opon * rock. tiDsii man fthall wakn her and 
claim her as his wife. The ineestaous nnion of 
Siegixmnd and Sieglinde prodacen a son, Sie^ried. 
who, on the death of his mother, is reared by Mime, 
brother of Alberich, in hope of, throosrh his means, 
winnin^^ the ring: for himself. Siecrfried. by-and-hye, 
discovers his parentage ; welds toeether the pieces 
of the broken sword, Nothnn;^ ; kills the drajc^on- 
giant ; kitla also Mime, who attempts treachery ; 
carries off the ring, and by miracnlons means, nn- 
deratandlng the languas^e of birds, hears from them 
of the sleeping Brunnhtlde. Longing for human 
sympathy, and not knowing fear, he reaches Br&nn- 
hilde*s rock, plunges through the fire and wins the 
maid. But be cannot stay with her always, and 
sets forth in doe time to see the world and seek ad- 
ventare. Lighting on the Court of King Gonther. 
he drinks a magic draos:hl brewed by Hasren. son of 
Alberich, forgets even the existence of BrQnnhilde, 
becomes enamored of Gntnine, Gnnther's sister, and 
to obtain her agrees to win BrQnnhilde for the King, 
who has beard of the sleeping^ heroine, yet cannot 
fiioe the fire. Siegfried fulfils his promise in the 
guise of Ganlher, and Brunnhilde is carried off as 
Gunthei's wife. But the treachery is revealed 
through the ring, which Siegfried, acting for his 
friend, had wrested from Briinnhilde (who wore it 
as a love token) and forgotten to hand over to Gun- 
ther when they changed places. Full of revenge, 
the outraged woman reveals to Ilagen where Si eg 
fried Is vulnerable, and, in the conrse of a hunting 
excursion, the Nibelnng's son kills the hero. The 
body is carried to the palace, where Brunnhilde, 
potting the ring on her finger, leaps into the flames 
of the funeral pyre. The Rhine overflows the spot, 
and the Rhine Daughters recover the accnrsed orna- 
ment at the moment that Walhall in flames pro- 
claims the downfall of the reign of force and the 
advent of that of love. Looking at this wonder- 
story, with its array of gods, demons, giants, drag- 
ons, miraoulons gauds, potent drinks, and what not 
that ever entered into the fabulist's head, it may 
naturally be doubted whether the drama at any 
time approaches the spectator near enough to touch 
the spring of his emotions. That it does so, here 
and there, Ls true, but it is also a fact that, general- 
ly speaking, we care little what becomes of anybody 
concerned. The supernatural beings, when not re- 
pugnant^ are indifferent, the mortals as a rale are 
more or less contemptible, while upon all rests the 
dark shadow of an inceatnous crime so tare even in 
the days of myth that Fricka exclaims, urging Wo- 
tan to punish Siegmuud : — 

<< Bridal embrace 

of brother and sister t 
When, where was it known 

to mate with the child of your mother P* 

Is this story, wherein poetic beauty and ingenions 
circumstances are allied to childish imaginings, 
made black by association with a sin, which horri- 
fies even a goddess, and degraded by connection 
with love that rises in but a single instance above 
animalism — is this a model for the national music- 
drama of Germany T Heaven forefend. 

Here I have done with the poem of " Der king 
des Nibelungen." A consideration of the music is 
obviously impossible within the limits of the pres- 
ent article. Let it be postponed, then, till space 
enough is available for the treatment of a subject at 
onoe so novel and so important in its relations to 
the "Art-work of the future." 

[?• be Contlnned.] 

The Story of Bidiop*! Bramatio Glees 
and Songa* 

BT J. S. OUKWJUT. 

(Oontlnned firom Page 317.) 
" Znma, or the tree of health." was produced in 
1818. The book was by T. Dibdin. The scene of 
the story is in Lima, Peru, and the action lies be- 
tween Uie native Peruvians and the Spaniards. 
The glee, " The Silver Queen," opens the play. The 
scene is in a romantic valley ; in the centre the 
Quinquina tree, on which the moon shines brightly. 
Four natives. Chinchilla, Zoro, Azan, and Zegro, 
take part, as follows. Chinchilla is waiting for a 
moonlight meeting with her lover, a Spaniard named 
Piequillo:— 

Ciinr.— The silver queen, whose cheerful ray 
Znomes the stream with seeming day, 
Can warm this wakeful, anxions breast, 
To meet my love, when others rest. 

*Fn>m the Tonic Sol-Fa Rep<»ter. 



ZoRO.^By yon pnle moon, the signal soon 
Chiv.— Shnll sound no longer drearily. 
ZoBO.—Kre night Is done, ere morning sun 
Then wUl the shell sound cheerily. 

Aeait attd Zbgro etvtbk. 

AZAV.— When the firefly lights his cold, pnle lamp, 

And the storm>bird sleeps on the «edgy swamp, 
When the moonbeams o*er the waters play. 
Then will our tribe no longer stay. 

Cnnr.— By yon pale moon, the s^^al soon 
No more shall sound so drearily I 

Azan.— Bre nlirht is done, ere morning snn, 

All.— Then will the shell sound cheerily. 

The next piece of interest is the echo duet. Znma, 
a native maid of honor to the Spaniiih vice-queen, 
is much separated from her husband, Mtrvan, by 
her attendance at the palace, He has appointed a 
meeting with her in a remote part of the palace 
garden. Zuma enters, looking for Mir van. " Mir 
van not here," she says, " why has he thus called 
me from my duty, and left me in suspense 7 " 

BOHO DCXT. 

Zuma.— Whither, whither is he straying? 
Soft he whisper'd in my ear. 
Hasten, Znma, no delajrlng, 
Mirvan soon will meet thee, dear. 

MlBVAN (wrrHOUT). 
IClrvan soon will meet thee, dear* 

(ZUMAOOBSODT— MntVAN SIITBB8.) 

MiBVAH.— Thy voice I hear, and now retreating 
Yields alternate hope and fear; 
Echo, that sweet voice repeating, 
Charms thine anxious lover's ear. 

ZUMA (WITHOUT.) 

Charms thine anxious lover's ear. 

Zuma kmtkbs nuBma tsibd ybbsx. 
XntVAX.— This way; 
ZuxA.*— This way; 

®^***^ i'tisshet 

' The chorus, " Daughter of Brror,** occurs in the 
third act Zuma, though a Peruvian, is greatly 
attached to her mistress, the Spanish vice queen, and 
grieves to see her wasting to aeath from fever. The 
bark of the Quinquina tree is a sure remedy for her 
illness, but the Peruvians have sworn a solemn oath 
never to reveal its healing properties to their 
oppressors, fhe Spaniards. Zums, wiUi the logic o 
affection, thinks that if she can but administer doses 
of bark in her mistress's coffee she will get well with- 
out knowing the reason, and thus her own oath will 
not l>e violated. Jealous courtiers detect her in the 
act of putting what seems to be poison into the cof- 
fee at her mistress's side. Zuma is of course unable 
to say anything. Fear of her tribe forbids that she 
should reveal the real nature of the liquid, for did 
she do so, not only herself, but her husband and 
her boy would be sacrificed. Ou the other hand, 
her silence is interpreted by the Spaniards as sure 
evidence of guilt. A guard of soldiers drag her 
from the boudoir, while a chorus of monks and nuns 
assemble around her, hoping to convert her on her 
way to prison. As the procession forms, the sym- 
phony is heard, and the voices of the chorus enter 
in solemn and stately Adagio : — 

Daughter of error, hear I 

Heart tremble and obey I 

O, may the penitential tear 

Fall, till thy gailt be passed away. 

Zuma, confident in her innocence, does not heed 
the calL She is firm and calm. — 

Hour of death, and hour of terror 
Firm, thy coming I await! 

Then the time quickens to Allegro as the hope 
that her innocence will be vindicated dawns upon 
her :^ 

And see, a cherub seems to smile I 
And hark I his heavenly note I hear! 
As if it said. *' yet, yet awhile 
Endure the storm, 'twill quickly dear." 

This has been softly followed by the chorus, still 
bent on preparing her for death : — 

We call thee, hapless child of error, 
Think how near thy certain fate. 

The opening Adagio movement is then — ^In the' 
original version of the opera — repeated, and Zuma, 
overpowered by her feelings, falls senseless in the 
arms of two monks and the scene closes. The next 
day Zuma is taken for execution, and the fatal pile 
is indeed lighted, when the vice-queen, whose fever 
has been cured bv drinking the medicated coffee, 
appears in the nick of time and orders her maid to be 
spared. The plot, it will be seen, is complicated 



and rather absurd, but it is necessary to understand 
it if the meaning of the words is to tie nnderstood. 

The operatic drama of " The Virgins of the Sun," 
was produced in 1812. The book was by Frederick 
Reynolds, and the scene is laid in Peru, near the 
convent of the virgins. The quartet, with solos, 
" Is it the tempest that we hear," is sung by two of 
the virgins within the convent, and two Spaniards 
who, on an errand of love, are seeking for admission 
and shelter from the storm. The elaborate finale 
to the second act, *' Vengeance we swear," abounds 
with admirable effects. Alonso, a Spaniard, has in- 
duced Cora, one of the Virgins of the Sun, to break 
her vows and marry him. For this the one penalty 
of the law is death to her and hers. The scene is 
in the hall of audience in the palace, where the 
priestesses of the Sun are telling the king of the 
disgrace brought upon them. Soldiers advance to 
seize the aged father of Cora, and Alonso her lover, 
singing their low breathing chorus. The priestesses 
and women who are near intercede for the twain, 
and turn to the priests, one of whom replies in the 
bass solo, " Ton false slave ** is Alonso. After all, 
Cora and her relatives are not sacrificed, but re- 
served for trial, and in the end get off with whole 
skins, for the king repeals the law. 

"Guy Mannering," adapted from Sir Walter 
Scott's novel by Daniel Terry, was produced in 1816. 
It is full of music that has survived. The story is 
simply that of Scott's novel. The curtain ribes on 
an old fashioned chamber of Mrs. M'Candish's inn. 
Several farmers and others are seated at the table, 
drinking. These at once strike up the glee 

The winds whistle cold. 
And the stars glimmer red. 
The flocks are in fold 
And the cattie in shed. 



« 



A merry, social glee, and well snug, good neigh- 
bors,' cries the jolly landlady when they have fin- 
ished. Those who are acquainted with Scott's 
story will remember how Lucy Bertram, who is 
homeless and an orphan, is induced to accept the 
hospitality of her father's Mend, Colonel Mannering. 
The ludicrous medley, " The fox jumpt over the 
parson's gate," can hardly be separated from its 
dramatic connection. It forms the finale to the first 
sot Dominie Sampson, Miss Mannering, and the 
chorus, take part in it. The Dominie is overjoyed 
at the thought of his young mistress going to five 
with Colonel Mannering, and gives vent to his feel- 
ings in a grotesque way. '* I do remember me of 
a catch, which I was wont to sing twice a year," he 
says, *' when a bursar of St Leonard's College, St 
Andrews, with good appro-ba-tion." Then with 
many contortions and efforts, like one who first 
forgets words, then time, at length he breaks out 
with absurd tMshfuiness — 

The fox jumpt over the parson's gate 

And stole his poultry from under his nose, 

** Aha t '* quoth the parson, who popt out his pate, 

" A good fat hen, and away she goes.** 

Then Miss Mannering addresses Lucy Bertram, 
and presses her to accept Colonel Maunering's offer 
of hoepitality : — 

Calm, lady, calm yonr troubled breast I 
Beneath our roof of friendahip rsat 

The Dominie, having got to tfie pitch of singing 
a song, cannot leave off, and blurts in upon the ten- 
der accents of the ladies with rough snatches of his 
catch. Afterwards the chorus joins in, but still the 
Dominie's voice is heard, in ludicrous contrast to 
the rest The lullaby 

O slamber, ny darting. 
Thy sire was a knight, 

is frequently introduced into the play — sung to a 
simple air. It is represented to nave been used 
from an ancient period in the Bertram family to 
soothe the slumbers of the infant heir, and it awakes 
early memories in the mind of Henry Bertram, 
when he returns to the ancestral home from which 
he was decoyed in early childhood. The Echo du- 
et, " Now hope, now fear," (which must not be con- 
fused with the Echo duet in Zuma) i« sung by Miss 
Mannering and her lover, Henry Bertram. Bar- 
tramps parentage is not yet known ; he is at present 
Sin unknown adventurer, and Colonel Maiinering 
has forbidden his advances towards Miss Manner- 
ing. fie however comes on the lake to her window 
by night, playing on his flute an Indian air which 
they both know. ** It is indeed the very air he 
Uught me." she savs, " 1*11 sing it! if it be he, he 
will answer it." Then she begins — 

Now hope, now fear, my bosom rending, 
Alternate bid each other cease. 



T" 



324 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



At the finale words. ** Fm here ! Fm here," Ber- 
tram rushes up the bnlcony steps from the lake, and 
embmces his beloved. She blames him for soekf ngf 
a stolen interview, after her brother has forbidden 
their intercourse, wherenpoo he sings his passion 
ID the song^ — 

Be mine, dear maid I tbis faithfnl heart 

Shall never prove nntme ! ' 

Twere easier far from life to part. 

Than cease to live for you. 

The sripsy ^\ee and choms, "The chonarh and 
crow," occnrs in the third scene of the second act. 
The scene is in a wild and romantic part of the for- 
est, where the pip^ies have their camp. A ppsy 
hnt is in the centre, with a fire within. Men. 
women, and children minsrle in the ijronp, engaered 
in cooking, and various other employments. The 
gipsies are about to set out on their nightly depre- 
dations. A gipsy boy, Franco by name, " a prom- 
ising young chick in the croft," sings the first 
solo — 

" The Chough and crow to roost are gone," 

and a gipsy girt the second — 

*' Both child and nurse are fast asleep," 

the rest of the gronp joining in chorus. The soncr, 
" Safely follow him." oi which the music is by Tom 
Cooke, is sung by Gabriel the gipsy, who has com- 
missioned the boy Franco to bo the guide of Henry 
Bertram and Dandie Dinmont. 



•• 



Clari, or the maid of Milan." produced in 1R2S, 
contains one piece that is known in every English- 
spcakinsr country — " Home, swee^ home." Clari is 
a beautiful peasant girl, who has exchanged her 
father's lowly cottage for the splendor of the Duke's 
palace, and become his bride. But she pines for 
the simple life she has led, and as she enters, 
fatigued and melancholy, she sings this song. The 
words are by John Howard Payne, an American, 
and though the music was called by Bishop a " Si- 
cilian air," it is noty generally agreed that it was 
really composed by him. *' It is the song." says 
Clari, " of my native village — the hymn of the low- 
]y heart, which dwells upon every lip there, and 
like a spell word, brings back to its home the affec- 
tion which e'er has been betrayed to wander from it. 
It is the first music heard by infancy in its cradle; 
and our cottages, blending it with all their earliest 
and tenderest recolIectiouA, never cease to feel its 
magic, till they cease to live." The air is heard 
again during the play, a chorus of villagers sing it 
when Clari revisits her home. 

" The Miller and his men." a melo<!r8ma by J. 
Pocock. was produced in 1813. The opening scene 
is on the banks of a river ; on an emifience near a 
mill is at work. The Miller^s mc* are seen in per- 
spective, descending the eminence. They cross the 
river in boats, and land near a cottage, with their 
sacks, singing the round — 

** When the wind blows 
When the mill f^oeo. 
Our hearts are all light and meny*" 

The Sestet, "Stay, prithee, stay." occurs soon 
after. Count Frederick Frt iberg and Karl, his ser- 
vant, are benighted, »nd seek shelter at the cottasr^, 
where dwells the honest Kelmar, and Clandine, his 
charming daughter. After a meal, the travellers 
rise to go. Karl imagines that they mre among 
enemies; Claudine and Kelmar urge them to 
remain ;^ 

CukVD.— Stay, prithee, stay^the night Is dark. 

The cold wind whistles— bark r hark r hark I 

The next scene is in a cavern which is the resort 
of banditti. They are seen variously employed, 
chiefly sitting carousinir round tables on which 
are flasks of wine. etc. They join in the eborns — 

Fin. boTS, and drink about, 
Wine win banish sorrow. 

After a time they prepare to sally forth on their 
nightly errand of rapine, and before tbey go strike 
up the choms — 

Now to the forest we repair. 
Awhile like spirits wander there ; 
In darkness we secure oar prey. 
And vanish at the dawn of day. 

" The fall of Algiers." a melo-dramatic opera, was 
produced in 1825. The opening choms — 

Far away ftom every pleasure. 
Parched beneath a burning sun, 

dpscribes the depression and misery of the slave 
life. The scene is laid in Africa, in the grounds 



adjf'ining the country residence of the Bey. Sever- 
al slaves are engagecl in laying out a garden — some 
digifins:, others raising walls. When the symphony 
is finished, they come forward and join in the cho- 
rus. It is no sooner done than they are interrnpt'ed 
by the driver, "What ho ! to work there, you lazy 
rascals, is this the way you employ your time ? To 
work, I say, or I may chance to make yoo sing a 
different tune." 

" Aladdin, or the wonderful lamp," (1826) con- 
tains the glee " Who first will strike the deer." The 
words of the opera are by O. Soane. The glee is 
snnc: by the huntsmen, and they enter to a sym- 
phony of horns. Aladdin contains a great deal 
of music, but only this piece seems to have sur- 
vived. 

"Don John, or the two Violcttns," (1821) was a 
joint production of Bishop and Mr. W. H. Ware. 
The only piece of interest that it contains is the 
glee for five voices, '* Now by day's retiring lamp." 

" Cortex, or the conquest of Mexico," (182S) was 
an historical drama, in three acts, the poetry by J. 
R. Planch^. The ingenious round, " Hark I 'tis the 
Indian Drum." is the only piece familiar to singers 
of to-day. This is sung by Marina, Francisco, and 
Alvara^o. 

" The Maniac," (1810) contains "The tiger conches 
in the wr)od," " Push about the bottle, boys," and 
"Merry bojs, away." 

In the case of the last four operas I have not suc- 
ceeded in obtaining a book of words, and have 
gained my information from the music as it is sep- 
arately published. 

A number of Bishop's glees were written for the 
Shakespearean * adaptations of his time. Among 
these are " Come, thou monarch." ** A cup of wine," 
"What shall he have that killed the deer." and 
" Spirits advance." All reader of Shakspeare will 
understand the dramatic place of these songs. 
" Allegiance we swear." is from " Henri Qnatre," 



(IB20), " Hark I Apollo strikes the lyre." is from 
a musical entertainment called " The Royal Nup- 
tials," and produced in 1816, in honor of the mar- 
riage of the Princess Charlotte (then the heiress 
apparent to the crown). 

It must also be bom in mind that Bishop's glees 
were not all written for dramas. His non-dramatic 
glees include the following : — 

The fisherman's good night. 

I gave my harp to sorrow's band. 

O by rivers. 

Up, quit thy bower. 

When wearied wretches. 

Where art tbon, beam of light. 

Forester»S sound the cheerfhl bom. 

No more the moon with tepid rays. 

Where shall we make her grave. 

Sportive little trlfler, tell me. 

Ronllda. 

To harmony. 

In tears the heart oppressed. 



Br. Handick on the Wagner Theatre. 

" Qiu diable attaUM faire dam ceite Qoihref** 
What, in the name of fortune, induced Herr R. 
Wagner to fix on Ba3'reuth as the place for the per- 
formance of his Stsfire-Festival-Plays ? is a question 
which might naturally sugge.«t itself to the benight- 
ed persons who have not read the composer's liter- 
ary works, and thus does Dr. Hanslick discourse 
upon it :^ 

" But why at Bayreuth of all placet In the world? The 
notion of building a new theatre in this locality formed 
no part of Wagner's original plan. He thought, at the 
outset, of using the old Bayreuth Operahouse, a stately 
monument of Margravlan magnlficenoe In days gone 
by. But the more he reflected on the requisite altera- 
tions, the more he found that the bouse would not suit 
him. He soon perceived that be must build as he re- 
formed— from the very foundations; a new kind of 
opera demanded a new theatre. He adhered, however, 
to the small and remote town of Bayreuth, so that the 
specutor's attention might not be diverted from the 
composer's work by the influences of a large city. In 
Bayreuth be might, Wagner believed, assume that the 
public would he In the festive mood best calenlated for 
his purpose. In this respect, according to the unani- 
mouB utteranc«s of numerous visitors, he appears to 
have made a mistake. A townlet like Bayreuth Is In no 
way fitted for such an Immense Influx of strangers. Not 
only is there everywhere a want of comforts, but fre- 
quently of necessaries as well. I do not know that a 
man Is likely to be in the most l^>prDpriate frame of 



mind for enjoying art when for a week he taas oeenpied 
Inconvenient lodgings, had a wretcbed bed to lie on, 
lived badly, and, after a trying operatic performance fxt 
from five to six hours, not been sure wbetber, by dint of 
bard fl^htfng, be aball be able to procure a modest mor- 
sel of food. Few faces return an afilrmatlve answer; 
and many persons who came here beaming with evtha- 
slasm weie seen yesterday, with far less gladsome looks, 
toiling up the bot and dusty road which leads to the far- 
off Wagner Theatre. Kven the artists engaged in the 
performances Indulge in well-groanded complaints. 
How easy, they say, mlgfat many a defect (such as tbs 
nnsatl^faetory manner In which some of the smaller 
parts were cast, etc.,) not evident rnitfl erident at the 
general rehearsals, have been remedied In a large city, 
while In Bayreuth any chonge Is out ot the question. A 
distinguished member of the band had the mlsfortvne 
to arrive with a violoncello half smashed on tSm road; it 
might easily have been repaired In any capital, but Bax- 
renth boasts of no instrument-maker. I will not dwdl 
longer upon this part of the snbjeot, whicfar with the 
motto: * Wer nU $eln Brod in BofrtmOk a*e,' Is better 
suited for humorous treatment than for any other. I 
simply wanted to e xp ies s my opinion, thorongliiy cor- 
roborated by my experience here, that the proper plaee 
for a great art-enter p rise Is a great city. 

" And what about the ultimate fate of the Wagner 
Theatre? Has It been erected, people frequently ask, 
really for the Rtna det mhelvmren alone f At the onset 
Ws^er^A r^Iy was to the effect that: 'The principal 
object of this new institution was nothing more than to 
supply a locally fixed potnt of muling whert the btMtkeaP- 
rieal arUttt in GfrmanymiwhtpractlBe and cany on their 
art in a blfrher and more original style than usual.' In 
bis 8r.hJwmbericJUt Wagner narrows the circle still morSr 
and says that the Bayreuth performances, indefinitely 
expanded, miirbt indude *perhap» every kind of dramat- 
ic works, which, In consequence of the origtnaU^/ ot 
their conception and their ^eaa^mlr Oermmn ttjfle, could 
lay claim to especially correct execution.' That this did 
not iAclude operas originany Italian. like Don Jman / or 
French, like Armida ; or with spoken dialogue, like Der 
Frtimih^M and /V<f«7f#, is a fact well known to e very on e 
well posted vp in Wagner's writfnfTS. It would, iiMesd, 
be a piece of absurdity to visit Bayreuth on purpose to 
hear operas by Mozart, Beethoven, and Weber, which 
are. as a rule, tolerably represented at the theatres of 
the various (German Courts. Nobody labors any longer 
under the illusion that the theatre erected for the JKbH- 
nnffen will henceforth be devoted ea/irtothe Nfhehat^en. 
But here we find ourselves involunurily in a dllemmav 
which forces itself upon us. It Is either not possible to 
produce Wagner's Nihthm^enrinff any where but in this 
Stage-Festival-Playhouse — in which case, Wacner^ 
tremendous labors would he out of all proportion to tbe 
quickly fading success achieved— or the work may and 
win be brouf^t out at other large theatres; In which 
case, the erection of so costly a bnildinr of his own 
strikes one a** a strauffe piece of luxury. Bnt, however 
bitterly Wagner condemns our theatres, with which he 
will ' never again come in contact,* everything Indfnes 
Irresistibly to our second assumption, and Wagner him- 
self will find it difficult to oppose the current. Svery 
serious work of art requires to be heard sevend ttmes; 
it can produce Its due efltect and command due apprecia- 
tion only by periodically recurring impressions. To think 
of restricting theprincipal work of his whole life to Bay- 
reuth would, in Wagner's case, almost resemble profes- 
sional suicide. The number of well-to-do Bayreuth nil- 
erims is far from beinir as lar^re as Wagner oonid desfre ; 
least of all do these I\MinmcU9kerren represent the Oer- 
man people, fbr whom, we are informed, the MMmnf^n- 
ring Is Intended. If Waarner wished not merely to amuse 
a handful of persons with bis greatest creation fat a par^ 
ticular place and on one particular occasion, but desired 
to see that creation rake root in the nation Itself, he 
must, without more ado. confide It to the ' accursed op- 
eratic theatres.' It is, in fact, alreadv decided that Ti- 
enna will becrin by performing Die ITafiHErv. and that 
Munich will brinir out the entire THloffif. The work, 
unless I am mistaken, maybe lEotup with somewhat less 
msfrical machinery, but it win, notwithstanding, be ren* 
dered, In a nrasical sen^. satlsfactori^. If the JfiMmn- 

S*nritM shows shrns of defective vitality in Yienna, 
Innich, Berlin, and Dresden, because the colored steam 
is less suifocatini;. the Danirhters of tbe Rhine swim 
less elei^antly, and the Walkyrie do not ride so fast, 
there must be something wrong %rith the prfaidpal tlkinr. 
the mufrical kernel of the work. The more irenufoe ana 
frreater the Inward poetic viicor of a dramatfe composi- 
tion, the more easily can ft bear eAKyrtoemines in the 
nsode of its performance and the manner In which it is 
irot up. 7>on Jwan and Der /WCscMte, Kffmvmi and Di% 
tttimb^, bold the audience spellbonnd even in unpretead* 
inir provincial theatres. And it is in small theatres that 
tbe operas of Wagner himself, thoae to which he owes 
his fame, his popularity, and, consequently, the possibil- 
ity of the whole Bayreuth undertaking— TbaaMvaer. 
J>er1(Ugend€ IToOdndfr, and ZoVa^ria— have obtained 
for him the srreatest followinfr. The most briOfant soe> 
cess of the Nlbeltmoen at Bayreuth— a success as good as 
assured beforehand- alTords no trust-worthy testof the 
value and eflbct of the composition. For this ft Is req- 
uisite that Bayreuth shall foomer to EUnope after Bu» 
rope has Jonmeved to Bavreuth. Tbo mountain has 
come <mee to the Prophet; the Prophet most now go to 
the mountahi. 

*' Tbe Wagner Theatre Itself is one of the most Inter- 
esting and Instructive sf ^hts imaginable. ITot by its ex- 
terior, which is architectarally poverty-atricken, and 
Impnees by its position alone, bot by the senslbis novel- 
ty of Its internal arraniiretnent. Immediately on enter- 
ing, tbe spectator is struck by the auditorium ; rows of 
seats risiner, like an amphitheatre, in a semi-circle, with 
a low gallery, the * Sovereigns' Box/ behind them. 
Tliere la no other box in the whole honse. bnt In the 
place of boxes there are pHIurs rifd^t and left. The spec • 
tator etijoys from e\'ery seat an eqnally good and unob- 
structed view of tbe proceedings on the stage, and of 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, OCT. 28, 1876. 



325 



nothtofp else. At tbe beginning of the performance the 
aaditonum is enveloped In complete obecurity. The 
brifchtly lllaminated stage, on which neither aide nor 
foot liriiU are Tisible, appears like a picture of Klowing 
colon in a dark frame. Many scenes almost resemble 
transparencies or views in a diorama. Wagner hereby 
emphasises the axiom that: * A scenic picture should be 
exhibited to the spectator with all the Inaccessibility of 
a dream.* The most remarkable object is the invisible 
orobcstra, * the mystic abyss/ as Wagner named it, ' bc- 
CAQse its offlce is to separate the Real from the Ideal/ 
It is placed so low as to remind one of the engine-room 
in a steamer. It is, moreover, almost entirely covered 
by a kind of tin roof. The musicians cannot see the 
uightest portion of the stage or of the public. The con- 
doctor alone can see the sinirers, but not the audience. 
Wagner's genial idea of sparing us in opera the irrit^ 
ting spectacle of all the musicians fiddling, blowing, and 
thumping away. Is an Idea of which I long since repeat- 
edly acknowledged the merit, and of which, on the Mu- 
nich model, I endeavored to act as provacandlst. In his 
Bayreuth Theatre, however, Wagner strikes me as hav- 
ing gone too far, that is to say, too deep ; for through the 
whole of BhHngold, though, it Is true, I did not mlsB the 
eleamess of the orchestra, I missed its brilliancy. Even 
tbe most stormy passagM sounded muted and veiled. 
There is no doubt of this being a boon for the singers, 
but slightly at the expense of the instrumentalists, to 
whom the most important and the most beautiful part 
of the work Is confided. Judging by the muted sound, 
hardly anyone would have suspected the numerical 
strength of the orchestra, the eight harps of which, for 
instance, sounded to me like only two or three. But it is 
not merely in important matters, such as the noeition of 
the orchestra, that Wagner has taken pains to hit on new 
arrangements, with the view of reminding us as little as 
possible of our operatic theatres. He has done so in 
smaller matters as well. Thus the signal at the com- 
mencement of the piece, and at that of each act, 1b giv- 
en, not by a bell, but by a trumpet-flourish ; the curtain 
does not rise and descend, but parts in the middle, and 
so on." 



*» 



While delighted to give credit where credit la 
due, we must remind tbe reader that Herr R. Wag- 
ner cannot claim to have originated those changes 
in the Bayreuth Theatre which are indlspoUblj 
ameliorations. Very many years have elapsed 
iince Or^try suggested them ; the amphitheatre-like 
anditorlom, every seat in which would command a 
clear aod unohstructed view of the stage ; and the 
Invisihle orchestra. Such an orchestra, by the way, 
has, on a small scale, long been familiar to the fre- 

auenters of the Prince of Wales's Theatre in Lon- 
6n. Whether we should consider the abolition of 
boxes advantageous or the reverse, is a moot point ; 
still the idea is Gr^try's, not Wagner's. It is true 
that Or6try did not snggest the advisability of di- 
viding the cnrtain into two portions, and drawing 
them aside in opposite directions. But that plan 
was adopted by Mr. Macready tt Drury Lane, and 
by Had. Vestiis, at the Olympic, and their example 
has since been followed by other occnpants of the 
managerial throne In England. Herr R. Wagner 
may, however, proudly boast of having substituted 
a trumpet-call in lien of the bell sounded by English 
prompters, or the three knocks in vogue among 
their French colleagues, and we readily acknowl- 
edge, in the name of a grateful world, his right to 
all the glory so Important, so essential, and so mo- 
mentous an Innovation deserves. — London Muiieal 
World, K. R. 



^^/>^/\/>/N^S^>- 



Schumann*! Literary Works. 

We are happy to announce the fact that the liter- 
ary works by ^hnmann will soon be published In 
America. Before endeavoring to gire our readers 
some Idea of the Importance of this work, and of 
the difficulty of the labor of translating It, let ns 
mention the name of Madame Fannie Raymond 
Rltter as the person to whom English-speaking mu- 
sicians will have to be thankful for what will prove 
to be to them the opening of a storehonse of rich 
and rare thought We learn that the work has 
been undertaken In response lo a request of Madame 
Clara Schumann, hoping that thereby her husband's 
works and character might be better understood by 
English-speaking people. It will appear In Eng- 
land and America simultaneously. The publisher, 
who copyrighted the American edition, Is the pres- 
ent representative of the German house which first 
published Schumann's Mutik und Miuiker, The 
translation will be prefaced by a biography, and 
accompanied by notes, which no doubt will throw 
much light upon the many mysterious expressions 
in which Schumann's style abounds, as well as upon 
the various personages who are from time to time 
caused to speak. It will also be accompanied by 
the portrait sent to Mrs. Ritter by Madame Schu- 
mann. Schumann's literary labors do by no means 
occupy a low or Insignificant position, when com- 
pared with bis musical works. Schumann was one 
of the most remarkable men of hi^ period, making 
his Influence felt both in the concert-room and 
through the press, as a founder and editor of a mu- 
sical iournal. Of Schumann, the composer, we 
need here say nothing. If, as a composer, he de- 



parted from the style of the past, he did not do less 
so as a critic and newspaper writer. The sp irit of 
1880— that time of political restlessness which 
awoke the world out of its slumbers after a long 
period of sleep — no doubt was also felt by the young 
student of Heidelberg. Schumann was already 
known as composer before he entered upon hCs 
career as editor and critic. It was In 1888 that he 
attempted to start a musical Journal In Vienna. 
But, though Beethoven had scarcely been dead ten 
years, the musical glory of Vienna had departed. 
The point of g^vity of the musical world had been 
moved further north. The easy-going southern 
Vienna was not the city to comprehend the spirit 
that moved and labored in Schomann. Though de- 
lighted with the far-famed sociability of the Emper- 
ors city, we see him take his departure In April, 
1889, and henceforth he is fixed as one of the stars 
of the Leipslc constellation. The Mendelssohn- 
Schumann period was for Lelpslo what the latter 
part of the classic period was for Vienna. 

Schumann was a composer, a poet by nature, and 
yet an acute critic. His Ifeue ZeiUchrifl was in 
many respects a total departure from the old beat- 
en tract, which had been pursued for so many 
years by the Leipzig Allgemdne Zeitung and the 
Cceeilia, He fought against that stagnation which 
had settled upon the classicists and their critics ; 
he would not attach that Importance to form which 
theorists hitherto had Insisted upon ; and if he did 
once In a while overstep the limits of prudence, he 
did, on the other hand, thoroughly arouse the mu- 
sical world. Criticisms like* his had never been 
written before, and they fairly hewed and cut their 
way Into public recognition. His praise was as 
delicate ana deserved as his criticism was refined 
and just He had the faculty of hmng bare the 
weaknesses of men in a few words. There was no 
bungling when he took hold of the dissecting knife. 
He had the power of reaching a point by apparently 
going in an opposite direcuon from the one he 
aimed at. He was full of Jean Paul, and the style 
of that writer makes Itself unmistakably felt. The 
young, boisterous editor caused the old masters, 
with their ancient theories and periwigs, to look In 
dismay. That sharp controversies ensued was but 
natural, and that Schumann was not slow to retort 
Is evident from these very works. 

Schumann allowed several personages (fictitious, 
of course) to speak In his journal. There was Fhr- 
eiian, who debates with Ataebine, displaying humor 
and sarcasm. And, again, there Is J2an>, the auto- 
crat, who settles thi* dispute with a wise sentence 
or two. Then there la Chiara, which name stands 
for Clara Sehumann, and Merilia, a substitute for 
Mendelttohn. Not less Important names are the 
Ihivide-BuendUr (David Leaguers), who were for- 
ever In arms against the Philigtinet. What the 
David Leaguers meant Is not difficult to tell. Some 
think that the name had reference to the friendship 
between Schumann and Schunke. But the Intro- 
duction of the Pkili»tme would cause one to look for 
another explanation. Der Philister (the Philistine) 
Is a most characteristic creature. He resists the 
onward course of the times ; he is Impracticable ; 
for ever croaking, and looking with horror Into the 
future, while he delights in the past. He loves the 
old regime, and does not admit of a change in any- 
thing, no—not if he can hdp ii! If Improvements 
m\ut be made, he deems himself the only safe per- 
son to make them. To him young and old ought 
to look for counsel and wisdom ! 8o he think$ I He 
has an ominous look, shakes his head wisely, puts 
his finger to his nose, smiles contemptuously at the 
sayings and doings of the young, or treats them 
with a patronizing air. He Is contracted, and for 
all deems himself the embodiment of all that is 
worth knowing. He is a prosaic creature, dry and 
shrivelled like old parchment He Is the extreme 
pole of the young dare-devil of a student, for whom 
ne prophesies final destruction. The German Uni- 
versity student generally U an egotistical creature ; 
hence he styles all town-people Philistines, until at 
laat he becomes covered vrlth the dust of the office 
of State, and In his turn is called a Philistine. Do 
not laugh, dear reader, at Germany, for the Philis- 
tines are upon us, too. We find them among theo- 
logians, eaucators, editors, lawyers, farmers, in 
fact. In every pursuit of life. Against this class of 
persons Schumann turned his weapons. Hence the 
assumed name of " Davids Bnendler," or David 
Leagutre. And a noble, fearless David Schumann 
i»as, slaying his Philistines on the right and on 
the left, spreading dismay in their very camp. 

Thus Schumann started out with criticisms boil- 
ing over with sarcasms and pleasantries. But, as 
he became older, he also became calmer and more 



serious. Although the volcano ceased to labor in 
throes, and did no longer spit fire, that consuming 
power was still there. The form, the importance of 
which he formerly strove to lessen, he now recog- 
nized as £Aebody wherein the soul of music breathea. 
And later, when Wagner and Liszt startled the 
world with their ideas, we see Schumann cautious 
and, in a sense, even conservative. Weary, he at 
last. In 1843, laid down the pen, and the paper 
which he had founded was continued by Brenael, 
who, as our readers may know, took It over into the 
camp of the Wagnerites. Much might be said 
about the style and character of the articles as col- 
lected In the work now soon to be Issued. They 
must be read In order to be appreciated. Such arti- 
cles as those on Chopin, Op. 2 ; on Beethoven ; on 
Beethoven's last g^oschen ; on Kalkbrenner, Hers, 
Hummel, etc., are rich, racy models of criticism. 
They cannot fail to attract attention. It was in 
1864 that the writings of Schumann were first pub- 
lished in book form, and twenty years have thna 
been allowed to pass before so beautiful, so rich a 
work was translated Into the English langoage. — 
Brainarde Mutieal World 



* ♦ > 



A Berlin Critic npon Wagner. 

"The first of living composers and of living borea" 

is the heading which the Kew York World gives to 

the following letter from a special correspondent in 

Vienna. It is amusing, much of tho criticism just ; 

but the concession (" highest place among living 

composers ") is more wholesale than a more nuiaieal 

critic would have made; most eompicumu place 

would be a safer thing to say. 

VnmrA, September 22. — ^The retrospective glan- 
ces on the great Wagner festival are perhaps more 
profitable , if not more interesting, than the criticisms 
which were delivered at the time of the perform- 
ance. Then, every observer's mind was heated 
with the splendors of the occasion, his judgpnent 
biased by a fete patronized by monarchs and nobles, 
or his temper tried by the difficulties In procuring 
food, and the hardships of the well fillea German 
town. Now, however, men have had time to look 
about them, to revise their first Judgements. The 
nsthetlcally Inclined have exhanstM themselves 
and friends by their oft-repeated literary and musi- 
cal criticisms; the less nsthetical have grumbled 
themselves into a bad humor and out again over 
the discomforts of Bayreuth, and the public are 
soberly trying to decide whether Wagner is or is 
not what ha professes to be. The excltament is by 
no means entirely gone. The windows of the pho- 
togrraphers In Berlin and Vienna are full of extrav- 
agant and fantastic photographs Illustrative of the 
various Wagnerian operas ; the music dealers dis- 
play Wagrner's compositions in every conceivable 
form, for every conceivable Instrument. It Is inter- 
esting, now that it Is all past, to gather up the more 
valuable criticisms of the Bayreuth exhibition, es- 
pecially from the composer's own fellow-country- 
men. The suggestions and conclusions of Paul 
Llndan are of considerable worth In many ways. 
His letters to a paper In Breslau, during and after 
the festival, attracted a great deal of attention, and 
were quoted In some of the London and even in 
some of the Paris journals. The letters have been 
revised and published in pamphlet form, and a 
glance at the contents will give a fair Idea of a keen 
critic's and a talented wrlter^s judgment of the 
'' Wagnerian triumph." 

The name of Lindau has become widely known 
In Germany by means of his paper, the Oegenwari, 
the most able literary weekly In Berlin. He calls 
his pamphlet " Temperate Letters from 
Bayreuth." (I^u^Ueme Brief e am Bayreuth), 
The adjective is well applied. The letters hare 
none of that unwise enthusiasm conspicuous among 
those who would see In Wagner the combined gen- 
ius of Goethe and Beethoven, or, to use the extrav- 
agant language of one critic, *' the gradual manifes- 
tation of the All In ^schylus, Shakespeare and 
Wagner.** Neither does Llndan go to that other 
extreme which is so well exemplified by the sharp 
pen of Wolf In the Figaro, and which would make 
Wagner a musical charlatan, or the Impersonation 
of all that ik tiresome and conft^ng. Lindau is 
not a musical critic, and approaches the works of 
Wagner upon their literary side especially. This 
does not prevent him, however, from some very 
sound observations on " the music of the future." 

Llndau's letters have in them, besides, a great 
deal of Intelligent criticism, a fair amount of humor 
and a large amount of common sense. The literary 



=J 



326 



DWIGHT»S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



critic has Almost as much to do with Wagner as the 
musical. He is author at once of words and music, 
and, though not claiming to be the creator of the 
poetry of the future, he writes in a style for which 
he has certainly no precedent in the history of 
German literature. Criticisms from a literary side 
cannot be favorable, and Llndsu, while treating the 
whole festival with moderation and even with ad- 
miration, finds himsef compelled to criticise most 
severely the Wagnerian poetry and, in so far as he 
is capable, the Wagnerian music too. To enumer- 
ate in English the faults of Wagner's librettos would 
be difficult, but there is an alliteration, a terrible 
obscurity and a barbaric mutilation of language 
which are likely to be vexatious to a critic whose 
home and speech is German. Lindau gives lively 
and entertaming sketches of the p*>eparations for 
the festival and the circnoistances attending it. but 
as he says that " American newspapers were more 
strongly represented than any other foreign jour- 
nals," it is unnecessary to quot« from these descrip- 
tions. 

The chief idea which pervades Lindau's letters 
is this : That Wagner is indeed a great musician, 
but not the creator of a new art; that Wagner is a 
great musician, but by no means a great poet ; that 
Wagner is a great musician, but full of obstinate 
faults, which the revision and curtailing of his suc- 
cessors must eradicate before he can attain a seat 
in the musical Parnassus of Germany. Lindau 
found the scenery in many parts magnificent, but in 
general a great bungling m the stage effects, and a 
great awkwardness on the part of the composer in 
adapting his scenes to the human imagination. The 
composition and performance of " Rheingold ** is ad- 
mitted by Lindau to have been good, but in making 
this admission he deplores the tiresome and long 
spun scenes and orchestral parts, and ridicules such 
poetic effects as the opening ohoras of the Rhine 
meroiaids : 

"Weial Waga! 

Wagalaweial" 

and, later on, the chorus of monosyllables, which 
closes: 

" Wallalallalalala leiajahel." 

"These cries." he says, "which, according to 
Edmund von Hagen, have a deep philosophical 
sense and meaning, to remove us out of the circle of 
real life into the realm of the ideal, to abstract the 
scientific fact of the priority of speech to developed 
thought, these opening words, on their presentation 
in musical discourse and in combination with instru- 
mental adornment, did not produce on me the com- 
ic impression that I had obtainei in the reading. 
They made no special impression, and that is the 
best thing to be said of them." But Lindau's criti- 
cism is not all of this trivial kind. In speaking of 
VogeFs execution of one of the airs in the " Rhein- 
gold," he pierces very delicately the armor of the 
upholders of Wagner. In the execution of this 
melody — " a melody in the good old sense of the 
word" — Vogel won the (greatest applause. "Should 
it not make the Wagnerians somewhat uneasy that 
just at the point where this peculiar diverging 
score is once by chance interrupted to pursue the 
way of the old opera — that just there where it 
approaches, even in the least degree, this old form 
of opera,— that just there the effect was the most 
direct, the purest and the strongest ?" 

The " Walkuere " Lindau criticises very severely 
for its absurd scenery, its fantastic music and its 
long-winded prosiness. 

His description of the entree of Fricka(one of the 
heroines) on the stage in " Walkuere," in a chariot 
drawn by horses, is very amusing : 

" What kind of a span of horses is it to which in 
advance the honor of public praise is given (L «., in 
the chorus at Fricka*8 approach ?) A pair of poor 
stuffed beasts, with tired-ont, wagging heads, are 
pulled in on wheels — only a somewhat augmented 



play for big, overgrown children — a pair of baa- 
sheep, nothing further." 

Then when the horse Graue comes in view amid 
great choruses in his honor, Lindau says of him : 
"There has more been written about this same 
horse than about many talented artists and many 
distinguished men of learning. Ah I we have at 
last seen the good horse ^-g^ntle as a lamb, mourn- 
ful as a war-horse out of the ranks, which eats what- 
ever in can find and follows its master's body. And 
this good beast is saluted with the wfld cries and 
the indomitable quavers of the " Walkuere : " 

Hojotohol Hojofeobo 
Hetaha, Heiaha 
Habei, Habei, Heiatia. 

We have come to Bayreuth to see at last a Hoioto- 
ho horse. And what have we seen T The regular 
HotteMih Ffsrd, or hobby-horse." 



It is in connection with the immediately succeed- 
ing part of the " Walkuere " that Lindau atUcks 
very sharply the. long continued dialogues of Wag- 
ner's dramatic music. 

" If in this long, long, long act, this everlasting 
address and response, or rather this everlasting ad- 
dress in the presence of another, would but for a 
single time leave the domain of musical declamation ! 
* * * I beg only this once for what we unedu- 
cated people call melody. • • • Give me a 
frank, iree melody, be it ever so bad ; give me a 
VolUlied with HcSdnoh and Jnehhfh ; despise me 
as much as you will, but torment me not with your 
eternal^ melody which is no melody. 

" Spitzer has made a bitter but very true remark 
about this kind of endless melody. 'Endless melo- 
dy — that is, as if one should call a pool of stagnant 
water an endless dewdrop.' " 

We give these few extracts from Lindan*s letters 
as fair specimens of his views. 

The criticisms we have quoted refer only par- 
tially to the genius of Wagner, but give an idea of 
what the general impression of the Bayreuth festi- 
val is among a large number of educated artistic 
Germans, of whom Lindau is both leader and mouth- 
piece. 

The critic is most severe on Wagner's speech at 
the close of the " Goterdammerung," the hist opera 
of the series. 

The graceful gift of oratory has been denied to 
Wagner by the muses; every time he opens his 
mouth somehow something unfortunate happens. 
In most cases he limits himself to abusing several 
of the chief factors of his results, the artists, the 
management, the press or something else. The 
disagreeable experiences which he had in this way 
a short time ago at Vienna have not made him the 
wiser, and the greater circumstances of the artistic 
event of the close of which we are speaking, made 
him give even larger dimensions to his abuse. This 
time the universe must have pretty much believed 
on him. Wagner said : " You have now seen what 
we can do. Have the will now. and, when you have 
the will, we shall have an art." 

Lindau continues : " His cold words, emotionless 
and joyless, acted on us like a plunge bath. WhatI 
Has not Wagner more to say than this— no thanks 
to throne, to public, to artists and to artistes, to 
press and to the little town that did its utmost for 
his fame T And if we have the will what then ? 
Then we havfr— Art What then have we had hith- 
erto T Have all ideal productions of the grandest 
minds been vain bungling and worthless trifling? 
* * ♦ Does your Art catechism tasch : Wag- 
neir was from the beginning, is, and shall be to lul 
eternity." 

Lind<iu concludes by allotting to Wagner the 
highest place among living composers, but he main- 
tains that while Wagner is the manager of his own 
music be will still torment and weary his andiences. 
As for his being the musician of the future, the found- 
er of a new art, the critic denies it. He compares^ 
Wagner's revolution to the newer post-classic devel-' 
opment of French literature, which supplemented 
but did not supersede the literature of the preceding 
age. and MoUere, he adds, still towers above Victor 
Hugo. 

Criticism of criticism is a futile and useless task, 
and we leave these fragments of Lindau's views to 
speak, coming as they do from an Impartial source. 

MAOKDOXIAir. 



Jloigli's lottmsl of IStnsic. 



BOSTON. OCT. 28, 18»«. 

Bandi and Theatre Qrcheftrai. 

Any musical person who may chance to listen to 
a band upon a square, or some smart cornet player 
in a theatre, is forced to make tn his own mind one 
criticism: — ^These instruments are continually 
attempting what it is not in their nature properly 
to do. Think for instance of an overture, by 
Rossini or by Auber, played by a mere military 
brass band I all the tones brass, all of one kith 
and kin, cousins, uncles, aunts and if^hat not of the 
Sax-horn family, and all sophistications, by means 
of keys, valves and pistons, of old-fashioned genuine 
trumpets, trombones, etc., born for plainer, sterner 
work, to enable them to imttaU and put 4HI the 



flexible graces of violins, reeds, human voices t An 
overture is essentially an orchestral compoaition ; 
without an orchestra it would not exist ; and the 
very essenci of the kind orchestral, is that there be 
contrast and variety in color and in quality of tone, 
pastoral reeds and flutes in pleasant contrast an- 
swering to harsh and thrilling brass, and both in 
still more striking opposition (as also in ingenious 
commingling, reconciliation, mutual support) with 
the violins and other strings, which constitute the 
intellectual, refined and soul-like nucleus or " quar- 
tet " of the whole. Now what a coarse, monoto- 
nous and awkwardly ambitious effect is produced, 
when instruments all brass attempt to do all this ! 
No doubt they do It often very skilfully ; there is 
surprising virtuosity and smoothness in the execu- 
tion of some of these oornet^players ; you would 
not suppose they could do so much ; but what do 
you care for it when done ? We have had occasion 
more than once to admire the ease, precision, fluency 
and generally good tune with which one of these 
brass bands went through a lively overture by Ros- 
sini. To be sure there was one clarinet among 
them— and that^ as if to justify its place there, made 
of metal 1 Yet was it necessarily but a dull carica- 
ture of the overture, as any one would feel who 
heard it, just before or after, executed by a proper 
orchestra. 

Overtures, however, are comparatively rare 
and exceptional in these band concerts. It is still 
worse in the fcr more frequent case of " operatic 
arrangements," where throats of brass are made to 
do the work at once of orchestra, chorus, and dra- 
matic solo voices. In this way are served np the 
Trio from iMcrma Borgia, the " Miserere" from 77 
Trwaiori, and endless potpourris from fkshionable 
operas, movements from Roasinrs Stabai Mattr, 
songs by Schubert, two-part songs by Mendelssohn, 
etc., etc Here oornets, sax'horns, valve trumpets, 
trombones, monster ophldeides, assume the person- 
ality of courtly and refined gentlemen and ladies, 
the heroes and heroines of history, beings of poetry 
and pride and pathos : — and is not the effect some- 
what ludicrous ? Does it not recall the fable of the 
ass who climbed into his master's lap because he 
saw the dog encouraged in it T In these tragic solo 
impersonations one cannot but remark a peculiarly 
vulgar and clownish quality of tone in the brass in- 
struments. There is something in their singing 
which we can describe only by comparing it to the 
broad Yankee country-fied sound of the vowel in 
syllables like how and now. Onr sense of bearing 
is affected by it somewhat as our sense of touch and 
smell are by the handling of copper coins. Tubas 
and oornets may go through all the figures, scales 
and cadences of voices and of violins or flutes, but 
they cannot deny or change their own nature. That 
nature is a useful one, and its sphere honorable: — 
why do they not stick to it manfully and be con- 
tent to do their proper work and not affect to fill 
the sphere of others ? These instruments are ex- 
cellent, as lions, in their place, but they were never 
meant to "roar you as it were a nightingale." — 
We might allude, too, to another staple article in 
these "light" programmes: to those inexpressibly 
tedious Variation pieces, in which your comet man, 
red in the face, tortures a poor melody to death, 
warbling and twiddling through an endless super- 
fluity of runs and roulades, destitute of sense or 
beauty, and degrading music to a mere mountebank 
display of difficult achievements. 

But we hasten to the conclusion of the whole 
matter, which is : That every combination of musi- 
cal instruments sounds best and gives most satisfac- 
tion when it performs that kind of music which was 

pHginally written and designed for it. Leave over- 
tures to the orchestra. Leave opera trios snd en- 
sembles to the opera singers ; leave Fides to La- 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, OCT. 28, 1876. 



327 



g^Dge, Lncrezia to Grisi, Mig^on to Nilsson, 
and Edgardo to Mario, and let him not die perpetn* 
ally in braes bande and hand organs until we all 
grow sick of him. The brass band was the creation 
of military wants ; let it discourse martial mnsic. 
Those swelling and heroic marches, with rich, 
crackling, startling harmony, and prond, buoyant 
rhythm ;^hey are genuine, and your brass band 
never sounds so nobly as when it plays them ; yet 
even these, many of them, would make finer and 
less cloying music, were the band composed of reeds 
as well as brass, and were some of the brass in- 
struments suffered to retain their old legitimate 
forms, instead of being emasculated into clumsy imi- 
tation of soft reeds and flutes, to sound like a man 
who AngH faUeUo. We like truth of tone; would 
have a trumpet be true trumpet, piercing, shrill, 
defiant, jubilant, and not subdued to ring a senti- 
mental maiden's part, or warble variations like a 
flute. — ^Beride marches, doubtless there may be 
other forms of composition suited to the peculiar 
genius of brass bands. Rich and solemn strains of 
harmony, dirges, hunting pieces, etc. Religious 
chorals, well arranged and harmonised, have admi- 
rable efiect sometimes so rendered. Then again 
the brass portion of an orchestra, alone or with the 
rest, contributes wonderful effects in special pas- 
sages where the composer needs them ; but all their 
spell Is broken, if they occur too often. Remember 
the trombones where the statue speaks in Don Oio- 
vofiiii, and how Hoaart has made them terrible by 
keeping them to that point in the background. 

The bands themselves know very well the need 
of alternating and relieving the monotonous im- 
presrion of brass music, through the evening, by 
something of a finer and subtler sort ; and accord- 
ingly most of them have the faculty of transforming 
themselves into a small orchestra, with a few vio- 
lins, claainets, etc, suitable for dances, or accom- 
paniment to solos. And we must say that now and 
then a set of Strauss or Labitsky waltxes, which 
we have heard them play in this way, have seemed 
to us deddedly the best selections of the Promen- 
ade Concerts ; they are light, graceful, enlivening 
and refined, and withal true, and without false pre- 
tence or aflRBctation, compared with operas re-ooined 
into brass, showy variations, and the like. We do 
believe the general audience enjoy them more. 
There is much beautiful music in the waits form ; 
it is at least genuine* and, if rendered by a decent 
orchestra, not by a brass band, it is most appropri- 
ate for such pleasant, free and easy gatherings. 

Of coarse, so long as we have only brass bands, 
programmes must be very limited, or must contin- 
ue to be made up in great part of such questionable 
and unedifying selections as we have been describ- 
ing. For ourselves we would rather listen only to 
the marchee and the waltzes ; but these give hardly 
sphere enough to the musicians, and would keep 
the public out of the fashions of the day in musicf 
which might canse some murmuring; they know 
the WagnsT murio is now fashionable, and they 
must have a taste of it, even from a cornet band. 
But now suppose that all our bands were more 
complete and composite, with contrast of reeds and 
brass (of which we have comparatively few real 
models In the country), and suppose we could have 
common theatre orchestras of forty, instead of a 
doxen or sixteen instruments ; then how much rich- 
er might the programmes be I How it would en- 
large the repertoire ; and how much better over- 
tures, etc, would sound being given as the compo- 
sers meant they should be given, and not in meagre 
adaptations and mere caricatures 1 

Fbsb Oboih RxorrALS. Mr. H. £. PAnKHumsr has 
lust concluded his second series of Thursday after- 
noon Recitals at the First Church, in Berkeley 



Street. Mr. Parkhurst was a pupil at the Stuttgart 
Conservatory, also of Professor Haupt (J. E. Paine's 
teacher) at B««rllo, and of the famous teacher and 
organist of St George's Halt, Liverpool, Mr. W. T. 
Best. We give his programmes, sincerely disap- 
pointed at finding the recitals over before we were 
able to hear one of them. 

/. 

1. Prelude and Fugue, In D minor Mendelssohn 

2. Pastorale Bach 

S. Fourth Orean Concerto, in F Handel 

Allegro moderato, Andante maestoso, 
Adafiio, Allegro. 

4. Second Onran Sonata, in C minor Bach 

vivace, Adagio, All^^. 

5. Offertoire, In O Wely 

// 

1. Fourth Organ Sonata, In B flat Ifendelssobn 

Alieero con brio. Andante religioso, 
Allecretto, Allefnro maestoso. 

2. Torsplele. Kos 44 and 45 Baeh 

8. Introduction, Theme, and Variations Hesse 

A (a) Largo Beethoven 

** (ft) Andanle Silas 

6. Toccataand Fugue, in D minor Bach 

III 

1. Offertoire, in O Batiste 

Q (a) Bonrrte Bach 

^' (h) Prelude..... Niederraeyer 

3. sixth Organ Concerto, in B flat Handel 

Allegro, Larfchetto, Alieero moderato. 

4. Prelude and Fuicne, in F minor Bach 

6. Introduction, Theme, and Variations. •••.Freyer 

/r. 

1. Passaeaglia Bach 

2. America, with Variations Parkhnrst 

• (a) Vorspiel, No 58, His last composition, i «.«ai« 

4. l^ird Oritan Sonata, in A Mendelssohn 

Con moto maestoso, Andante tranquUlo. 

6. Third Organ Concerto, in O minor *. Handel 

Adagio, Allegro, Adagio, Allegro. 

r. 

1. Sonata, in D minor Kerkel 

Allegro moderato, Adagio, Allegro con 
ftaoco Fnga. 

2. Third Orgran Sonata In D minor Bach 

Andante, Ada^o e dolce. Vivace. 

8. Overture to Occasional Oratorio Handel 

4. Chromatic Fantasia and Fugue Thiele 

6. Festival Overture Llsst 



WonoKSTia, Mass. Musical interests appear to 
thrive at "the heart of the Commonwealth" re- 
markably well for these " hard times.** The suc- 
cess of the Annual Festival, financial as well as mu- 
sical, gives s!gn that better times are not far off. 
Mr. B. D. Allen has resumed his " talks " on musi- 
cal subjects, full reports of some of which we have 
copied in past years. It is certainly encouraging 
that there are six or eight hundred people there 
who are sufficiently interested to spend an evening 
once a week in this way ; so many hardly would be 
found, we fear, in Boston. Here is the programme 
of his first " Evening with the Musicians," (Sept. 

28): 

I. Ancient Oreeic Hymn to Calliope. 

First published in 158t, by Vlcenso Galilei, 
father of the celebrated astronomer, Galileo 
- GalUel. 

n. Specimen of the Gregorian Chant, which came 
into vogue during the latter part of the sixth 
century. 
The harmony and Modem notation have been 
supplied by Mr. C. P. Morrison. 

m. " A sweet and aisreeable " specimen of the ear- 
liest harmony extant, Hucbald, about 900. 

IV. Troubadour Music, Adam de la Halle, 1240- 

1286. 
1. Discant. 2. Chanson. 

V. Folks-songs. 1. Irish Melody, *' I go not forth." 

2. Scotch Melody, "Here awa f there awa ! *' 
8. English Canon, "Summer is a cumen in.** 

12D0. 

VI. Ancient Instrumental Music. 

1. Se1len(i;er*8 Round, as harmonized by Byrd 

for Queen Elizabeth's Virginal Book. 

2. Welsh Melody, as performed by the harp- 

ers to the stanzas of the Datgelnied, or 
Reciters. 
S. Dance Tune. Earlier than laoo. 

Vn. The Folks-song in Modem Composition. 

1. Vocal, (a) Hungarian. "Darlings two had I," 

lb) Bohemian. " The Forsaken." 
<c) German. " O tell me Is my wander- 
ing love," R.Franx 

2. Pianoforte. Polonaise. Op. 26, No. 2, 

F. Chopin 

On the second evening Mr. Allen was to illustrate 

the Catholic music cf the Flemish, Italian and Ger- 
man schools. After that, the Madrigal, Glee and 
Part-Song. And so on for perhaps ten evenings. 



GoneertSy etc 

The first Harvard Symphony Concert is an- 
nounced for Thursday afternoon Nov. 9, at 8 o'clock. 
The programme consists of four sterling works of 
the kind that never become stale: Schumann's 

" Oenoveva " Overture ; Chopin*s F-minor Concerto 
played by Mr. Lbonhard ; the " Jupiter '* Sympho- 
ny Dy Mozart, and that grand Marcne Heroique, in 
A minor, by Schubert (arranged for Orchestrd) 
which was heard here for the fitst time last winter. 



Mr. Hugo Lkonhakd has prepared three admira- 
ble programmes for the recitals of piano-forte music 
which he is to give in Wesleyan Hall on Fridays 
Nov. 11 and 24, and Dec. 1. They are as follows : 

7. 

1. Sonata, op. 101 Beethoven 

i Nocturne, op. 87, No. 2 Chopin 
Study for Pedal Piano, op. 66 Schumann 
Etude, op. 10, No. 8 Chopin 

8. Prelude and Fugue, No. 12 from "Well-tempered 

Clavichord" .Bach 

4. Fantaisie, op. 17, ("Durch alleTOne tKnet,** etc.,) 

Schumann 

II 

1. Prelude and Fugue, No. 22 (Well-tempered Clavi- 

chord) Bach 

2. 'Novelette, op. 21, No. 8 Schnmann 

8. Sonata Schubert 

4. Concerto, F minor, (orch. accomp. for second 

piano) Chopin 

JIl 

1. Prel. and Fugue, No. 1,...'. Bach 

2. Fantasie, op. 49, F minor, Chopin 

8. Variations 84rleuses, Mendelssohn 

4. Sonata Appasslonata, op. 67 Beethoven 



Mb. Pxbabo*s second Matin4e next Friday. He will 
play Preludes and Fugues by Bach; a new Trio by Raff; 
Qaartet for piano and strings by Beethoven ; Romanza 
and Scherao by J. K. Paine, (piano and 'oello,) etc., etc. 
The Philhannonic Club will assist. 



Mb. Johv Obth, who has made his mark here as a 
pianist, with the aid of Mr. W. J. Wixch, tenor, will give 
some matin4es next month. The ntto composers come in 
for a large share of the programmes: Raff, Tauslg, 
litzt, etc., for the piano; Jensen and Raff, for the 
voice. 



Mmlo in New Tork. 

New York, Oct. 23. — ^Theodore Thomas, whose 
absence from our city during the summer months 
has been greatly regretted by all lovers of music, 
seems determined to make the ameTtde honorabU for 
having deserted us for a season. Beginning on 
Thursday, Oct. 5, he has given, at Steinway Hall, 
an almost uninterrupted succession of musical even- 
ings, which, although he calls them " Popular Con- 
certs," contain only those elements which are the 
reverse of that which we were accustomed to con- 
sider as popular music. It may be, however, that 
ihtk is a roianomer in appearance rather than in 
reality, and that Mr. Thomas gives this title to his 
soirees in simple recognition of the great change 
which he [he alone?] has brought about in the 
musical taste of the community. A few years ago 
no one would have dreamed of offering an orches- 
tral work of Schubert's as an attraction to secure a 
large audience. The majority of concert-goers 
then would have preferred Spohr^s " Consecration of 
Sound** to the Symphony in C. But last year at 
the Oarden concerts a " Schubert Night " meant a 

crowded house and a delighted audience. Mr. 
Thomas has not popularized the music, but he has 
educated the people and refined their taste by con- 
stantly [?] placing before them that which is refin- 
ing and elevating. I have attended but one of these 
concerts, but the programme of this will show the 
quality of alL The selections offered at this concert 
were taken entirely from the works of Mendelssohn, 
beginning of course with the breesy, romantic and 
altogether lovely Symphony in A minor. This 
was followed by the aria, " Infelice," which was 
very well sung by Miss Henrietta Beebe. Follow- 
ing this came the first movement of the Violin Con- 
certo in £ minor, so well played by Mr. S. E. Ja- 
cobsohn that the omission of the remainder was a 
matter to regret. Miss Anna Drasdil sang " The 



328 



DWIGHT»S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



Voices of Touth " with» it seemod to me, an exag- 
geration of eentiment, which however was londly 
applauded. 

Those who have heard Mr. S. B. Mills play the 
G-Diinor Concerto for piano and orchestra (most of 
us have enjoyed that privilege) know that he gives 
US a performance with which, on the score of brill- 
iancy, correctness, taste and finish, it is impossible 
to find fault. The second part of the concert began 
with this work, and Mr. Mills played it with his 
usual success, but with characteristic imperturba- 
bility. Those who have heard this Concerto played 
by Rubinstein or by Clara Schumann, know that 
there are more things in it than are dreamed of in 
the philosophy of Mr. Mills ; but there is nothing 
else to be said against a performance which is in a 
high degree finished and artistic. 

The dnet : " I would that my love," (Misses Beebe 
and Drasdil), and the Overture to "Midsummer 
Night's Dream ** brought the concert to a dose. 

I enclose programmes of some of the other con- 
certs also. 

11. Beethoven Night, OeL 6. 

Overtnre— Leonore, No. 3. 
Arietta—" In questa tomba.'* 

Mr. Myron W. Whitney. 
Concerto for Piano— No. 5. E flat. 

Mme. Madeline Schiller. 
Bongs from Op. 48— Nos. 6 and 7, *' An dir alleln." 

Mr. Uyrhn W. Whitney. 
Symphony— No. 6, C minor. 

IIL Popular Niffhi, Oct, 6. 

Overture, All Baba (first time) Cherubint 

Aria—" In diesen heil'gen Hailen "—Magic Flute, 

Moiart 
Mr. Myron W. Whitney. 

Allegretto, Bth Symphony Beethoven 

Aria, " O, Fatima.** (A* u Hassan) Weber 

Miss Anna Drasdil. 
Fantasle on Hungarian Airs, Piano and Orcfa., 

Lisrt 
Mme. Madeline Schiller. 
Grand Centennial Inauguration March Wagner 

Suite, " L'Arlesienne," new Georges Blxet 

1. Prelude. 2. Minnet. 8. AdagMtto. 
4. Carillon. 

Aria, •' O, ruddier than the cherry " Handel 

(Acis and Galatea). 
Mr. Myron W. Whitney. 

Traeumerei Schnm ann 

Serenade Haydn 

Cavatina, " O mio Fernando " (FaTorita), 

Doniaettt 
Miss Anna Drasdil. 
Overture, «< William Tell" Rossini 

IV, Grand Matinie, Oct. 7. 
Overture—" Consecration of the House"— Op. 134, 

Ik AA fch A V AH 

RecltatiTe. "And God said, Let the waters," ) 
Aria—" Rolling In foaming billows," j 

Creation Haydn 

Mr. Myron W. Whitney. 
Adagio— Ingeborg's Lament, ) 

Scherzo— Elves of Light and Frost Giants, ( 

Symphony : Frlthjof Hofmann 

Krako viae— Rondo de Concert, Piano and Orch., 

Chopin 
Madame Madeline Schiller. 
Grand Centennial Inaaguration March Wagner 

Suite, L'arlesienne, new Georges Bizet 

Aria—** I'm a Roamer '* (Son and Stranger), 

Mendelssohn 

Mr. Myron W. Whitney. 

Traeumerei Schumann 

Serenade Havdn 

Mflsrchen Raff 

Mme. Madeline Schiller. 

Rhapsodic Hongroise, No. 2 Lisst 

Orchestra. 

Vni Sectmd MatifUe, OeL 1 4. 

Overtnre— Fingal*8 Cave Mendelssohn 

Andante Cantabile— Op. 9T Beethoven 

[Adapted for Orchestra by Lisst.] 

Ari»— *'Fer pieti, non ricercate*' Mozart 

Miss Anna Drasdil. 

Concerto, Piano and Orch.— F minor, op. 21. .Chopin 

Larghetto and Finale. 

Mr. S. B. Mills. 

Symphonic Poem— "Phaeton " Saint-flailns 

Overture— Oberon Weber 

Nachtgesang Voigt 

Sidlienne Boccberini 

String Orchestra. 

Piano Solo— a, Soiree de Yienne Schuberi-Lisst 

ht Spinning Song, Flying Dntchman.Wagner-LIszt 
Mr. S. B. Mills. 

Romanze— '* Non conosci," pf Ignon) Thomas 

Miss Anna DrasdJl. 

Funeral March of a Marionette Gounod 

Introduction, > 

Nuptial Chorus, > 3d act Lohengrin Wagner 

March Tempo, ) 

These concerts will continue during part of the 

present week, this evening l)eing a Beethoven night, 

and Wednesday evening (last concert) a Wagner 

night, with selections from the Nibdungen-Rifig, 



For the first Symphony concert, the following 
pieces are in rehearsal : 

Symphony, No. 8, in F Beethoven 

Fantasia in C, op. 16 Schubert 

Mme. Madeline Schiller. 

Dramatic Symphony : Romeo and Juliet Berlins 

Orcnestra, Chorus and Solos. 

The Philharmonic Society, has in rehearsal the 
first act of Die Walkuref which they will perform at 
their first concert A.A.C. 

Woioeiter County MoBioal Assooiatioii. 

The nineteenth annual Festival of this well known 
Association began its rehearsals Monday morning, Oct. 
2d, with very good attendance, increasing in numbers 
from day to day, until the phoms numbered fully five 
hundred at the closing concert. The Festival, taking 
place two weeks earlier than usual, allowed the engag- 
ing of artists that could not have been obtained after 
that week. The numbers attending the festival, both 
as visitors and in the chorus, insured the management 
against failure financially, and they are apparently atriv- 
ing to place the Association on a similar footing with 
those of Europe. 

This year there were only two matlnte:, bringing the 
number of concerts to six. The principal features of 
the matinees, was the singing of the ** Select Chorus." 
The Monday matinee gave the ''Ave Maria" from 
Mendelssohn's "Lorely," and the <'The Chorus of 
Houris " from Schumann's " Paradise and the Peri " (for 
female voices), Mias E. J. Sumner taking the solos. At 
Tuesday's matinee, the same " Chorus " (mixed voices) 
gave the *' Finale " from <* Lorely,'* solos by Miss Jen- 
nie Patrick. 

The first concert (Historical) took place Wednesday 
P.M., the programme showing a composition of sever* 
al of the classical authors from the days of J. S. Bach, 
A.D. 1685, to those of Chopin, A.D. 1840. Mr. Allen de- 
serves great credit for arranging and carrying to a suo- 
CMSf qI close this very interesting and instructive con- 
cert, and for the success of the ** select chorus," at the 
matinees and concert. 

Of the second concert, the first part was miscellaneous. 
The soloists were Miss Mary Stone, Mrs. Flora B. Barry, 
Messrs. J. C. Collins, and W. H. Macdonald of Boston. 
Miss Stone sang very nicely Donizetti's Cavatina ** Reg- 
nava nel silensio." The concert closed with Rossini's 
**Stabat Mater," the solos taken by the above named 
singers. 

The third and fourth concerts were miscellaneous. 
The English Glee Club sang, as only their Club can. At 
the third, Thursday P.M., Mr. W. H. Merrifleld played 
yery well the ** Fantasia on themes from Rigoletto " by 
Liszt. The chorus sang the '* Centennial Hymn " of J. 
K. Paine; " Hymn for Soprano solo and chorus " by Mr. 
B. D. Allen, (solo sung by Miss E. C. Ni^u); and '* To 
Thee, O Country,'* by Eiohberg. At the fourth, Thurs« 
day evening, Miss C. L. Kellogg appeared with the 
Glee Club. Miss Kellogg sang well, considering it was 
a provincial town ; but her continual instruction of the 
pianist (in the encore song), distinctly heard half way 
across the hall, was perhaps consistent with the woman, 
but was not appreciated by the musical audience 
present. 

The fifth, (Symphony) concert, with the (Jermania Oiv 
chestra, Zerrahn, conductor, was extremely long (two 
hours and a half). The entire Heroic Symphony of 
Beethoven was given, and was too much fbr one time. 
Miss Matilda Phillipps sang admirably. Mr. John Orth 
was the pianist. The overture ** Meeresstille und glttck- 
liche Fahrt," by Mendelssohn, was the most pleasing 
and enjoyable performance. 

Sixth concert. Oratorio of ** Joshua," Handel, on Fri- 
day night. Soloists, Miss Clara Doria, Miss Matilda 
Phillipps and Mr. J. F. Winch of Boston, Mr. J. R. Nil- 
sen, Tenor, of New York. For the time allowed in 
learning an Oratorio, it was well given. All the solos 
by Miss Doria and Mr. Winch were rendered in a very 
artistic manner. It was Miss Phillipps's debut in Orato- 
rio singing, and was a decided success, except that in the 
closing of the Aria : ''Heroes, when with glory burning," 
the tones were disagreeably harsh, which is not usually 
the case with her. Mr. Nilsen, from commencing well, 
ended finely, receiving hearty applause from all, by his 
singing the air, '<With rsdoubled rage return." The 
choruses were sung well as a whole. " See the conquer- 
ing hero comes" received an encore. 

This has been without doubt the most successful festi- 
val yet held here, both financially and musically. The 
receipts were between 94S0O and $5000. Great credit is 
due to the management for such success; also to the 
conductors, Messrs. Zerrahn and Allen, for their com- 
petent and thorough work. S. 



Spttial %aiitts. 



DBSOBIPTIYB LIST OF THE 



, T ^ & T IS^ TJ & X a , 



i < •» < 



Yoealf with Piano AooompaniaisBt. 

Sacred Quartets. Arranged from Abt. 

Mendelssohn and others. Each 40 

Nfo. 1. My Opening Eyes. F. 3. F to g. 

Ko. 2. See from Zion's. F. 3. d to g. 

No. 3. There is a Land. A. 3. E to g. 

There will be moro of these, forming a pleas- 
ing varied for choirs. 

Three Sacred Quartets. Hooeiu. Each 30 

No. 1. The Ix)rd is in his holy Temple. 
F. 3. E to F. 

No. 2. Jesus, Lover of my SouL £6. 3. 
dtoE. 

No. 8. Trisagion. "Therefore with 

Angels." D6.4.dtoD. 

These are fine quartets of a Ohoral, dasslcal 
nature, with organ aooomp't, and with arrange- 
ment of stops indicated. Can be safely 
oommended. 

She's a Bosy, She's a Posy. C. 3. o to F. 

Bishop. 35 

"She's a berry; She's a cherry." 
Yery lively and comic. Bndswith a dance. 

The Woman who stole my Heart G minor. 

d to B. Porter. 30 

<*Her face is as fair as the Galla ^ower, 
Her hair a golden hue." 

All the words are as pretty as the above, and 
the melody Is very neat and taking. 

A knot of Blue and Orey. Ab. E to F. 

BMop. 25 

*'Xaeh fouffht for what he deemed the right, 

And fell with sword In hand." 
The rlf^ht kind of Union song, containing 
thoughts we all alike Itoel. 

Drifting Apart Song and Chorus. G. 3. 

d to D. Keens. 90 

"For the cold cruel words that were spoken. 
Drift us farther and farther apart.'' 

Sad sentiments, truly, but beautiful musie, 
which may cheek the ''drifting" of some who 
hear it. 



lattrameatalt 



BaUerslf^. 35 



le. G.2> 

\ 2. ) 



Winner, each 80 



Polo Waltz. F. 3. 

A good hearty waits. 

Hill-Side Quadrille. 2. 

Chimney Comer Beverie. 

Wood Shade Walts. F. 

Belong to Winner's "Golden Grains,*' of 
which there are 18 pieces, all easy and pretty. 

Echoes of the Surf. Yalse de Salon. C. & 

Etson. 40 

A very graceful title for a brilliant and ftrace- 
f ul composition . Flay It as a memento of sum- 
mer seaside rambles. 

First Battalion March. G. 3. Head. 85 

Difficult springs in the left hand, for which it 
is fine practice. Otherwise easy. 

Heart and Arm Mazurka. F. 3. Ward. 40 

A brisfht maxorka of considerable variety. 

Wagner's Select Compositions. With portrait 

Ko. 1. Album Leaf. (Albiiroblatt) £5. 4. 60 
The first of a number of eleerant arranfctl* 
ments from the now famous works of Wagner. 
Good portrait. 

Bevival March. D. 3. Sousa. 85 

Introduces the beautify "Sweet Bye and 
Bye," In a manner which perfectly delights the 
hearer. 

Album for Organists. By Eugene Thayer. 

Ko. 5. Variations oti God Save the Ejng. 

C. Fisher. 75 

No. 7. Two Canons on a Choral Theme. 

A. Hdiipt 00 

No. 8. Variations on ''Sicilian Hymn." 
• F. Thayer. 00 

These first-lass pieces will be of the 6th or 
the 7th decree of difficulty, according to the 
**pedal sktlP* of the performer. For manuals 
and pedals, and carefully marked for changes 
of stops. The variations, (and perhaps the 
others) would be "popular'' voluntaries. 



Abbrvviatioxs.— Degrees of dilBcnlty are marked 
from 1 to 7. The key Is denoted by a capital letter, as C, 
Bfr, etc. A large Boman letter marks the lowest and tbe 
highest note if on the staff, small Boman letters if be- 
low or above the staff. Thus: *'C. 6, c to E'* means 
*' Key of C, Fifth degree, lowest letter, c on the added 
line below, highest letter, E on the 4th space. 




l0urttal 





Whole No. 928. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, NOV. 11, 1876. Vol. XXXVI. No, 16. 



Br. Hantliftlr on the "Sing dei 
Hibelnngen.'' 

The London Ifuneal Wi^rld says: '*Hear 
farther the great Viennese critic (Wagner*8 
Bane, as Siegfried was Fafner's Bane) on the 
Bayrenth performances,** and translates as 
follows : 

''In my last letter, I endeavored to describe 
the character of the Iftbdungtn mnsic, as well 
as the mental and physical worry of my stay at 
Bayrenth would allow. While still under the 
oppressive weight of what I have gone through, 
I must to-day say something aM>nt the total 
effect of the entire performance. Before pro- 
nouncing a final and conclusive opinion, I 
must wait till I am farther off as regards both 
time and place. 

" The impression produced upon the public 
by Wagner*s J^ibdunf^sfiring was not due in a 
preponderating degree to the music; had it 
Men so, we must have designated it as totally 
crushing, even after the first two evenings. 
The most brilliant quality possessed by War- 
ner is the varied nature of his powers. This 
variety enables him to work at one and the 
same time with the special talent of the musi- 
cian, of the painter, of the librettist, and of 
the stage-manager, and to effect in the last 
three characters what he could never have done 
in the first alone. It is more especially the 
feeling for the picturuqtie in Wagner's fancy 
which is incessantly at work in the Ifibdungeny 
and it is from this feeling that the first notion 
of many a scene appears to have spruhg. If 
we examine the photographs of the scenes due 
to the highly poetic imagination of Joseph 
Hoffman, we are involuntarily struck by tne 
idea that such pictures arose in Wagner*s mind 
before anything else, and that the appropriate 
poetry and music followed in their wake. This 
IS the case with the very first scene of the ' Pre- 
lude.* The Daughters of the Rhine singing 
and swimming -about in that stream, and, for 
182 bars, surrounded merely by the waves of 
the long-drawn out triad of B flat major, pre- 
sent a picture which we admire without being 
very strict about the mnsic. This part of the 
performance went off very well at Bayreuth 
because the scene and the machinery for the 
swimmers, which was worked from below, were 
very successful. From this point the musical 
charm of the SheingM rapidly falls, and, as 
the susceptibility of the hearer, held fast unin- 
terruptedly for nearly three hours, dries up 
simultaneously with it, he leaves with a feel- 
ing of deadly monotony. As a whole, it is 
really on Warner's unexampled authority alone 
that this Rheingold will be accepted, partly by 
blind and partly by pretended entlnisiasm. 
The second drama, Die Waikure, commences in 
an unusually spirited manner with the entrance 
into Hunding*s house of Siegmund, who is 
fleeing from his pursuers. For the wearisome 
length of the scene at table (Siegmund, Bund- 
ing, and Sieglinde) we feel giadually compen- 
sated during the love-duet l^tween Siegmund 
and Sieglinde, in which the B-fiat major move- 
ment, ''Winterstfirme weichen dem Wonne- 
monde,*' comes in like the sunshine of which 
we have long been deprived. Here we bask at 
any rate in a ray of melodious and sustained 
songl Notwithstanding this, the first act of 
Die WaHUre^ which, judging by the score, we 
had regarded as the gem of the whole work, 
did not quite realize the hopes entertained of 
it. The blame must, perhaps, be partly attrib- 



uted to the tenor, whose voice was insufllcient 
and wanting in tenderness. With the second 
act an abyss of wearisomeness opens before us. 
The god Wotan enters. He first holds a long 
conrersfllinn with his wife, and then (turninf^f 
to Brdnnhilde) delivers an autobiographical 
address, which fills eight whole pages of the 
text-book. The narrative, in slow time, and 
utterly devoid of melody, encompasses us like 
a dreary and far-stretching ocean, on which a 
few miserable scraps of ' guiding motives * fioat 
toward ns from the orchestra. Scenes like this 
remind one of a species of torture which was 
very popular in the Middle Ages, and which 
consisted in waking up with pin-pncks a pris- 
oner utterly overcome by sleep. We heard 
even Wagnerites designate the second act as a 
misfortune for the work as a whole— a veiy 
unnecessary misfortune, since with two strokes 
of the pen the two scenes might be extirpated 
and scarcely missed by anyone. But Die Wal- 
I;t2«w generally is only connected by the loosest 
bond with the action of the other parts of the 
work. We learn nothing in it which we have 
not already heard in BheingM about the fatal 
ring, while, for what comes afterwards, there 
is nothing of importance except the punish- 
ment and enchantment of Brdnnhilde in the 
concluding scene. The third act rises musical- 
ly to greater power and breadth. It first does 
BO, thanks to the Walkyres, whose wild singing 
with, and irrespective of, each other, imparts 
an agreeable animation to what they do. The 
Ride of the Walkyriee and the ^re Charm are 
known, from being performed at concerts, as 
two magnificent pieces of daring tone-painting. 
In my notices of them when they were so heard, 
I relied upon their connection with the other 
portions of the drama, and prophesied that 
they would prove much more effective on the 
stage than has appeared to be the case at Bay- 
reuth. This may be explained on two grounds : 
in the first place, the ' mystic abyss ' of the 
Bayreuth Theatre is very far from possessing 
the captivating brilliancy and spirit of an open 
conceit-room orchestra, and the visitor does 
not hear the two pieces till towards the close 
of the opera, when he is tired and dulled by 
what has gone before. — We must not predict 
from the score the greater or less effect of Wag- 
nerian operas and scenes on the stage. I was 
taught this by Siegfried^ also, which I thought 
would be far less effective than Die WaXkHre^ 
while the contrary proved true. In the very 
first act, a tone of freshness, something realis- 
tic, something natural and hearty, breathes 
through the work. It is true that this element 
degenerates considerably in the 'Schmieder- 
lieder * into the coarseness of Hans Sachs's Cob- 
bler-Song, and sacrifices half its effect to im- 
moderate length, yet it stands out very refresh- 
ingly from the stilted style of the preceding 
evenings. But what can we say of the long 
scene ^tween Wotan and the dwarf. Mime t 
Each gives the other three questions, and each 
of them answers his own three with the min- 
uteness of a student well coached up previously 
to presenting himself for examination — the 
entire scene is simply superfluous. Indeed, we 
may be sure, immediately only the tip of Wo- 
tan's spear is visible, that we have half an hour 
of the most crushing wearisomeness guaran- 
teed. 1a this 'dread God,* who never knows 
what is necessary and never does what is right ; 
who, in the first drama, has to yield to his 
domineering wife ; in the second, to a stupid 
giant ; and in the third to a bold youth — ^is this 
unctuous pedant to be venerated as a divine 
ideal 'by the German people?* Even in his 
absence, Wotan manages to embitter our exist- 



ence. In the first act of the Odtterd&mmerung^ 
Wagner is unable to find an opportunity of 
bringing him on the stage, so a new and super- 
fluous personage, Waltraute, is introduced, to 
give Brfinnhilde an endless account of Wotan 's 
unsatisfactory condition and sorrowful frame 
of mind. The second act of Siegfried left upon 
me a more pleasing impression than anything 
else. It is here that the feeling of the "Wav- 
ing Wood ** (Siegfried seated in the early dawn 
at the foot of a tree and listening to the song 
of the birds), is most deeply felt and most con- 
vincingly rendered. It is here that Wagner*s 
virtuoso-like tone-painting celebrates its noblest 
triumph, because it works with more natural 
means, and is steeped in purely human feeling. 
Were it not for the eccentric and ludicrous 
scene with the singing dragon, which, wounded 
to the death by Siegfried, becomes sentimental, 
and, as though out of gratitude for the thrust, 
relates to the hero its biography — we might en- 
joy this act with unalloyed pleasure. In the 
third act, we have again to endure a long con- 
versation between Wotan and Siegfried. The 
latter fortunately shivers the sleep-inducing 
spear of the divine watchman, and forces his 
way into the * glowing blaze.* For Br Ann- 
hilde*s awakening. Wagner flnds the tenderest 
tones: the ensuing love scene, also, is at 'first 
sweet and full of fragrance, as far, at all events, 
as it can be under the ' system.* Unfortunate- 
ly, its conclusion puts us out of temper by its 
smoking heat; it is the heat of an over-heated 
steam boiler. We are all acquainted with the 
excited gruntings, stutterings, and screamings 
of the latest creations of Wagner*s muse at such 
fervent moments, on which the curtain falls 
' very quickly.' 



li 



The Gdtterddmmerung strikes us as being 
dramatically the most successful of all four 
pieces; we now move once more upon this 
earth of ours, among beings of flesh and blood. 
We see. unfolded l^fore us, a real story, but 
the introduction of the 'drink of forgetful- 
ness,' which affected us so painfully even in 
the perusal of the work, strikes us as more re- 
pulsive and unintelligible than ever. Though 
the music of OdUerdAmmerung is carried out 
with a degree of industry which might do 
credit to bees themselves, and with more care 
than the music of the preceding dramas, there 
is yet a marked falling off m it. The first 
three dramas struck us, it is true, as sterile and 
unnatural in their musical method* besides be- 
ing partially forced and abstruse, yet there ran 
through them a warmer and more rapid current 
of blood, a more original vein of invention, 
pointing to an earlier period as the date of their 
ori^n. A peculiar kmd of wearisomeness and 
fatigue stamps the OdUerdAmmerung^ on the 
contrary, with something resembling the la- 
bored efforts of old age. Nothing grows and 
blossoms spontaneously ; the new motives are 
utterly insignificant; and the musical demand 
is supplied mostly in mosaic fashion from the 
earlier leading motives. The first act, which 
plays quite two hours, oversteps the utmost 
limits of our patience, and what comes after- 
wards leaves behind it the remembrance of only 
two striking pieces: the characteristic funeral 
march over Siegfried's corpse, and the song of 
the Daughters of the Rhine, those musical re- 
deeming angels of the Jfibdungenj^ng, ^ There 
appears to me no doubt that Wa^er*slpower 
of musical invention, the place of which no 
virtuosity can fill, is rapidly on the decline, 
and the winged expression of the ' Wagner- 
Dfimmerung,* that new from lip to lip here, 
contains a sorrowful truth. 



d 



330 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



**I have simply Riven in a few rapid touch- 
es the general impression produced by the foar 
yUfelunffen dramas; anything like a detailed 
analysis of so gigantic a work is, in the limited 
space at my disposal, quite out of the question. 
As I have said, we must abandon all idea of a 
pnrely musical impression. Wagner felt very 
well that the pleasure of listening, and listen- 
ing to tuch music, was insufficient for so pro- 
tracted a term of theatrical imprisonment; so 
he gave the public all sorts of things to look at. 
Never before in any opera has there been such 
an accumulation of scenic marvels. The most 
wonderful thinirs which we have hitherto con- 
sidered impossible, or of which, to speak more 
correctly, we never even thought, follow one 
another in the most rapid succession. Such 
are the Daughters of the Rhine swimming far 
down below the surface of the water; the Oods 
walking over the rainbow: the transformation 
of Alberich into a dragon and then into a toad ; 
the dragon vomiting forth fire ; the Fire-Charm ; 
the Twilight of the Gods, etc. The poet has 
afforded the composer the widest scope for the 
latter*8 virtuosity as a tone-painter. But should 
it be a dramatic compo8er*8 hiffhest ambition 
to write music for a quantity of fairy machin- 
ery ? Karl Lemcke, one of Wagner^s avowed 
partisans, laments, in his very favorable notice 
of the Nihelunffenring, the injurious influence of 
these ' conjuring tricks, with a flavor of Bea- 
cons Hall of Magic about them,' which simply 
lead to our ' elevating into a relifrion our wor- 
ship of the fairy force.* Indeed Wagner's NSh 
elunffenrinff resembles works of this class far 
more than aught else. His material effects 
form a strange contract to the pure ideality for 
which, as he boasts, his work is distinguished. 
He is invariably striving to produce the strong* 
est possible eiiect upon the senses by all the 
means in his power. Even before the curtain 
rises, the mysterious heaving and surKing of 
the invisible orchestra is intended to affect the 
hearer as a slight indulgence in opium eating 
would affect hira — and, when the curtain is 
raised, but ere a single one of the characters 
opens his lips, we are under the continuous 
cnarm of a magically- lighted fairy-like scene; 
in the numerous night scenes, a vivid electric 
light illnminates the forms of the principal per- 
sonages, and colored clouds of steam wave 
hither and thither, now rolled up together and 
now dispersed about the stage. These clouds 
ofsteAm, which in Rheingcld actually supply 
the place of the curtain between the acts, con- 
stitute one of the mightiest weapons in Wag- 
ner's new dramatic arsenal. Asa formless and 
fantastical element calculated to entrap the 
senses the uprising steam agrees espcciallv well 
with Wagner's musical principle. He himself 
compares the mutU which is heard from his 
invisible orchestra to the ' tapan rising under 
the seat of the Pythoness,' since * they throw 
the hearer into an enthusiasljc state of clair- 
voyance I * From this there is but one step to 
the introduction on the stage of particular 
scents and odors — they are recognizea by phys- 
iology as being particularly effective in work- 
ing upon and strengthening our feelings. We 
speak quite seriously. Who does not know, 
from our nursery tale^, that fairies are surround- 
ed by a sweet perfume of roses, while the Dev- 
il regularly leaves a smell of brimstone behind 
him 1 The principle of making aU the agents 
which work upon our feelings co-operate in 
strengthening certain emotions, and certain 
things represented, ought also to employ our 
olfactory nerves for the purpose of exciting our 
participation in the joy and sorrow of the per- 
sonages of the drama. Wagner has laid under 
contribution -all the modem discoveries in the 
application of science ; with amazement did we 
see the gigantic machinery, the gas apparatus, 
and tiie ^team engines upon and under the 
Bayr0ftth nage, Wagner's Nibeilungen could 
no more have been composed before the inven- 
tion of the electric light than without the harp 
and bass-tuba. Thus it is the coloring^ in the 
widest acceptation of the term, which, in Wag- 
ner's latest work, coven the meagre design and 



usurps unexampled independence. The anal- 
ogy between Warner as a musician, Makart as 
a painter, and Haraerling as a poet, is self- 
evident. It is by its ensnaring influences over 
our senses that this music acts so powerfully as 
a direct nervous irritant upon the great mass 
of the public, especially on the female portion 
of it. The share of the professional musician 
is his interest in the high-pressure technical 
employment of the orchestra and in listening 
with strained attention to find out how it is all 
* done.' We consider neither the one nor the 
other of trifling importance, but neither should 
preponderate overwhelmingly. Neither the 
prefessional greediness of the chapelj^Baster nor 
the haschish dream of the fair enthusiast con- 
stitute the be-all and the end-all of a tone- 
poem ; both are conceivable, and often actually 
present without the soul of music. 

'^But with whatever hcpes or fears people 
might have wandered to Bayreuth, all were 
united in the conviction that we were about to 
witness an extraordinary event in a thsatrieal 
sense. Even this expectation, however, was 
very imperfectly fulfilled. We have duly ac- 
knowledged Wagner's sensible arrangement of 
the front of the house, and, also, in connection 
with the machinery, the scene of the swimming 
Rhine-Nymphs in the Prelude, From this 
point, however, everything gradually fell off. 
That there was a hitch at the very first change 
of scene, and that everything stuck, is a fact 
on which we will not lay too much stress, for 
it may happen in any theatre, though it would 
have been preferable for it not to happen in 
this * Model Performance ' at Bayreuth, a per- 
formance which had been in preparation and 
trumpeted up for heaven knows how long. 
However, there were instances of absolutely 
wrong and defective scenery, and that at the 
most important points. The rainbow over 
which the Oods walked to the Walballa was 
placed so low as to be taken for a painted rus- 
tic bridge. Siegmund's combat with Hunding, 
and Wotan's share in it, in the WdOnii% took 
place in such darkness and so much at the 
back of the stage that not a soul among the au- 
dience bad a suspicion of so all-important an 
event. 80 far from appearing on norseback, 
the Walkyres simply passed along the horizon 
in a series of very clumsy and indistinct * dis- 
solving views,' like the Wild Hunt in l>0r 
FreiuhtUM, In Munich there were young 
grooms, dressed as Walkyres, who leaped back- 
wards and forwards on thick carpets; their 
riding, of ghost-like speed and accompanied by 
no sound, was incalculably effective. What a 
paltry Court Theatre can do should surely be 
within the capabilities of the Model Theatre 
at Bayreuth. The wall of fire which oug^t to 
have encompassed Brflnnhilde on aU sutai, 
blazed at Bayreuth onl^ l>ehind her, leaving the 
fair sleeper on three sides perfectly free and 
accessible. How that^ also, ought to b^ done 
the Munich Operahouse showed us long ago. 
We pass over the ridiculous goats yoked to the 
carnage of the Goddess Fricka, and the poor, 
wretchedly weak old horse, not ridden by 
Brflnnhilde, but led bv the bridle and held fast 
by a strap passing under the stage, as well as 
the many failures in the lighting department: 
we will merely mention the concluding scene 
in the QdUerddmmsrung^ where the scenic art 
of the WM^er Theatre ought to have done, 
and intended to do, its best. Who did not 
look forward with delight to the moment when 
BrClnnhilde, accprding to the express assurance 
of the text-book, * vaults wildly upon the steed 
and at one bound dashes into the burning fu- 
neral pile t ' Instead of thb, Briinnhilde calm- 
ly leads her miserable Rosinante behind the 
scenes and never thinks of doing aught in eith- 
er the * vaulting ' or ' dashing ' Tine. The bold 
Hagen, too, who should 'fling himself as 
though frantic into the stream,' walks out at 
the right wing and two or three moments 
elapse before we behold him in the Rhine. 
The said Rhino, flnally, which, * tremendously 
swollen, rolls its waves into the very hall,' 
wobbled with its badly painted waves, evident- 



ly sewn together at the top, like the Red Sea 
at a country performance of Rossini's MM. If 
in leading scenes like these the performance 
d4fe9 not and cannot realize the express directions 
which Wagner gives in the text-book, and 
what Wagner promises the public, there cannot 
possibly be any further question of a ' Model 
Performance.* By far the most successful por- 
tion of the whole exhibition were the scenes, 
as picturesque as original, by Joseph Hoff- 
mann: had they been faithfully worked and 
lighted in a more suitable manner, they would 
probably have produced a greater effect even 
than they did produce. The scene-painter 
holds only half the effect in his hand; the oth- 
er half depends upon the art displayed in light- 
ing, an art which resembles the scoring of a 
musical thought. This second half was not 
complete at Bayreuth, and Hoffmann's ideas 
appeared in the photographs more melodiously 
conceived than they actually sounded in the 
Festival Playhouse. 

"With regard to the muncal execution, the 
greatest share of praise is due to the conductor, 
Hans Rich ter, and Mad. Matema, who sang 
the part of Brflnnhilde. We ought to feel 
pleased that three of the most eminent artists 
— Richter, Hoffmann, and Mad. Matema — 
— come from Vienna. With regard to the 
•rchestra, we must extol not only its admira- 
ble performance, but also the snper-hnman 
self-abnegation with which, shut off from light 
and air, and without coming in contact either 
with the stage or the spectators, its members 
did their work as cellarmen. The first violin 
was played by that renowned and well-proved 
artist, A. Wilhelmj; the instmment itself from 
which he obtained such dulcet sounds he vaunt- 
ed to us as the production of our Vienna 10- 
strument-maker, Zach. Over all her fair col- 
leagues towered Mad. Matema. A bom 
Brfinnhilde by vocal power and figure, she 
gave proof of having made wonderf ulprogreas 
in a dramatic as well as every other respect. 
May she retum to us from this murderous cam- 
paign with her voice uninjured ! The concert- 
ed singing of the three Daughters of the Rhine 
was excellent; Mad. JaTde was very admirable 
in the small part of Erda; insignificant the 
representative of 8iefflinde ; and utterly insuffi- 
cient the representative of Gutrane. On the 
whole, the gentlemen distinguished themselves 
more than the ladies. This is especially trae 
of Herren Vogel (Loge); Schlosser (Mime); 
Niemann (Siegmund); BeU (Wotan); Hill 
(Alberich) ; and Reichenherg (Fafner). 

** That the great majority of the Bayreuth 
pilgrims broke out, after each of the four 
dramas, into rapturous applause was a matter 
of course; it was with that intention they had 
come. The conviction which I expressed in 
my first notice, that the vitality and effect of 
Wagner's latest work must be proved in other 
theatres, remains unchanged. Doubts, how- 
ever, may be entertained whether, after the 
impression produced by the Bayreuth Festival 
performances, our managers will evince any 
particularlv lively solicitude to undertake the 
trouble and the expense of so costly an experi- 
ment." 

And this (says the Translator) is the general 
impression produced upon a most competent 
and unprejudiced judge by the Model Perform- 
ances of which we had heard so much, and 
from which we were taught to expect even 
more 1 Another example of the trath centred 
in Horace's well-known, and oft misquoted 
line : — 
'^Parturiuntmontes, nascetur ridiculus mus.** 

N. V. N. 

•^^^ — — — «i= 

What is Bnglifh Opoat 

Now that the Carl-Rosa Campaign is at itshelght^ 
it may not be noprofitable for as to review the oft- 
mooted subject of £o<clish Opera, sad ask what 
progress has been effected in this department . of 
mnsieal art daring late yean. 



t 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, NOV. 11, 1876. 



331 



In the iint plftce, we m boond to ask, what is 
Englieh Operm T The Domeraas experiisenta la this 
direction, from the celebrated Pyne end Harrison 
Tentare downwards, hare so fkr failed in at least 
one, and that the most important respect— the estab- 
liiihment of a ftoni /Mr and distinct English school 
of mnsleal drama. If we iplanoe at Mr. Carl Rosa's 
past and preeent repertoires, we shall find that, 
with a few exceptions, the works he presents are 
Italian and French operas " done " into English. 
He miffht as well put a tronpe of forei^ers on the 
•taa^ all speaking onr lanirnage with a rery bad 
accent, and call it English drama. It is impossible 
thai anomalies of snch sort can ever obtain a per- 
manent hold on onr public, who would much rather 
hear Italian aire anng by Italians, and to their orig- 
inal Hliretti. Even if we look at the most snceess- 
fol English opera*— >that is, operas eompoeed by 
English writers to English worde— we shall see 
that they are purely Italian alike in general struct- 
ure and in detail. The fact is that the class of mn- 
meal composition which we are accustomed to dis- 
tinguish as opera, or operatic, is essentially un-Eng- 
lish in character. The dramatic action and forms 
of expression to which operatic mnaio is by long 
association inseparably wedded, can in no way be 
brought to accord with the more phlegmatic and 
reticent character of the Teutonic mind. The ecs- 
tatic loYC-making, the rhapsodical monologues, the 
tragic recrimination scenes, the— to our eyee— ex- 
aggerated speech and gestures, which make up the 
material of what is known as " opera,** are so entire- 
ly foreign to onr mode of thought and life, that when 
they are brought home to us in our own tongue, a 
sense of the ridiculous at the same time intrudes 
itself, though sorely, it may l>e, against our will. 
With our Italian flrlends, however, the opposite of 
this is the case. Naturally excitable in tempera- 
ment and Tolnble in speech, their musical drama is 
a true— though poetic — reproduction of their every 
day life. When they gr^t each other as old 
friende, instead of the English handshake, they rush 
at each other in an ardent embrace. When they 
make lore, it would come Tcry naturally to them 
to do their wooing In an improvised aria, sung on 
bended knee. Just as we see them upon their own 
stsffe. The discussion of the most trivial snbjects 
will put them in a state of seeming frensy. When, 
therefore, they see and hear Italian opera, they 
view a tolerably fiaithftil picture of things as ordi- 
narily presented to their minds. They see their 
own thoughts, emotions, and Uvea, Just tinted with 
the slightest pink glow of romance, and all their 
sjrmpathies go forth to such a representation ; in- 
deed no other form of musical drama would attract 
them, or be regarded by them as legitimate or real. 
Now the converse of all this is applicable to our 
own race ; and onr Teutonic brethren In Germany, 
always in sdvance of us In the respect of musical 
art, are beginning to be dlssatisfiea with the old 
formula, hitherto accepted because there has been 
nothing better to t«ke their place. Into the art 
theories of Richard Wagner we cannot now enter, 
but the recent demonstrations at Bayrenth are in 
ftict significant of the growing desire, amongst Ger- 
mans in particular, for some form of musical drama 
more suited to their own sympathies and tempera- 
ment. Whether Wagner has Ibund the form which 
will satisfy this want is a question which time 
alone can fullv answer. In the meantime, Italians, 
and others who have been brought up In the old 
traditions, crv out that this new thing is not opera 
at all. But, indeed, it is only a battling for terms. 
The word " opera ** has been and is so intimately 
associated with the lUlian form, that it is difficult, 
and perhaps scarcely worth while to di^serer the 
tie. Give the Teutonic requirement a new name, 
and the atmosphere of this wordy war will at once be- 
come clearer. What we really want Is a species of 
musical drama which will suit the German or Engllnh 
mind in the same manner as *' the opera " suitJi the 
Italiana or French. If we regard our own nalional 
music, we are as for off from the derired goel as 
ever. The so-called ** English Opera,** to which we 
are sometimes treated. Is nothing more than Italian 
opera dis^ruised, and If people go t;i hear it. It is 
because there Is nothing better for them to hear. 

But foKher, looking at the essentially non dra- 
matic cast of the English mind, we are tempted to 
ask, is a popular English music-drama possible T 
The truth Is, we are eminently a song or " ballad " 
loving nation, and the old ** BVllad 0|ieras ** derived 
their one-time pupularity from this fact. For the 
same reason, disjunct arias from the Italian operan, 
if they are sufficiently " taking.** are warmly re- 
ceived at the same time that their dramatic cininec- 
tion is totally ignored. Eng'ish people go to hear 



Italian opera because of the aoli of a Patti or a Tltl- 
ens. They care little for the rest of the work, be- 
yond, perhapa, the mis e s n segue / and an Italian 
opera without " stars ** would be simply Intolerable 
to them. On the other hand the cantata or oratorio 
form is for more popnlar with onr own countrymen 
than it is with the Italians or French. England 
baa been the special home of oratorio ever since 
the days of Handel. An oratorio is nothing more 
than a collection of songs and choruses, more or less 
connected by a certain relativity of subject Eng- 
lish people are content to take their music, aa they 
take their other pleasures — " sadly,** or to he more 
correct, quietly. Not that they are lees fond of fun 
and humor than other nations ; they can enjoy to 
the foil an opera boufle, where Indeed extravagant 
speech and violent action aerve to enhance the 
sense of incongruity which attends upon the enjoy, 
ment of wit and humor. The never-failing audien- 
ces at the Christy's or German Reed*s point to the 
possibility of a genuine English comic opera. But 
with respect to the more important and dignified 
form of musical drama, we have some mii^vinga. 
The English are not a "dramatic" race, even while 
they may l>e called a play-going people. Good act- 
ing is for rarer on the average English stage than 
on continental boards. Looking at opera in the 
same lls^ht in which the Italians or French are able 
to regard It, as a drama beautified by music. It fails 
in any appeal to the closeet sympathies of our nat- 
ure. While the actual music interests us, we in- 
cline to forget the story, or if at times we think of 
both we are apt to become disconcerted. To our 
minds It partakee of the ludicrous when the hero of 
a story takee to sinsrlng an elaborate aria in the 
midst of his death throes. In short, a traoredy set 
to music Is a thing beyond our comprehension. 

This is a subject to which the attention of Eng- 
lish musicians cannot l>e too strongly directed. 
That the sof-ifie/ani "English Opera** is a follure 
from the hlflrhest point of view,** few will g%insay. 
We should like to hear the views of other tMnkers 
upon the subject ; it is possible that after all some 
way may be found out of our present cllfficulty. — 
latuhn Mnaieal 8imidanL 



t^>^^^>f^'^%^^ 



BeUini'i XenudiUL 

At eleven o*clock In the forenoon of Friday the 
16th inst, the mortal remains of Bellini were offi. 
dally delivered up to the meml>ers of the Commit- 
tee, despatched by the town of Catania, to carry 
them back to the composer's birthplace. Pdre- 
Lachaise was not crowded. Only a few invitations 
had been issued, as the Committee had not been 
long in Paris. There were two or three hundred 
persons present, among thom beinsr the Prefect of 
the Seine, the Prefect of Police, MM. Vaucorbell, 
Perrin, Carvalho, L. Escudler, Muilo, J. Barbier, 
G. Gottrau. L^n and Ludovic Halivy, Joncidres— 
the only French composer who thought it worth 
while to attend, and he Is a jonmallst and critic as 
well as a musleian^Delahaye and R6ti, represent- 
ing the Opeia and the Conservatory. resJMctively, a 
few members of the Press, and a certain number of 
Itnlians resident In Paris; outside the cemetery, 
however, some two or three thousand aight-seers 
had collected. 

The first thing to be done was to verify the Iden- 
tity of the body. Thtmgh the latter was embalmed, 
the featnres of the Deceased had in foH-y-one years 
become irrecognlssble, and the ceremony of verifi- 
cation was a mere leiral form. When it had been 
gone through. th<* coffin was closed and placed In a 
magnificent enter coffin of cedar-wood, covered with 
red velvet, and ornamented with an inf>criptlon, a 
cross and four handles, the cross and handlea being 
of mastiive sllrer. After the nsnsl prayers, the 
Marquis dl San Ginllano, who spoke In French, de- 
livered an address thsn^lnsr France f«»r the wsy In 
which she received Bellini in 1685. Ritrnori Cnrro 
and ArdiisonI then made speeches in Italian to the 
same effect. MM. Escodier, Grimaldi, and Michel 
Masson (the laH representing the Society of Dra- 
matic Authors and Composers) pronounced a few 
touching words, which found an echo In the hearts 
of those around, among whom wss remarked, weep- 
ing bitterly, Bellini's old friend, Sig. Francesco 
Florimo. The tomb henceforth empty, has borne 
rinoe the 15th Inst., a second inscription referring 
to the ceremony m hich tor»k place on that day. It 
runs thus: — "'Cv<«?ma. Grain aUa Fmncin, Nft 
richiamare. U Ctneri Vlutttri, Qtt^nia Lapidf /mae, 15 
SfHemhrt, 1876** ("Catania, Grateful to France, 
When recall! nir the illoHrions A<«hes, Placed thl-* 
Stone, The 16th Septemlier, 1876.") By noon ev- 
erythiog waa orer, and the Catanian Committee left 



with their precious charge for Italy. The Italian 
papers aUte that the Municipality of (3aUnla have 
had a gold medal struck for presentation to the City 
of Paria. On one side is tlie portrait of Bellini, 
and, on the other, the inscription:—"^ Parig%,per 
U rrttUmIe Ceneri, CoioMiaruiomotmnU' (" To ParU, 
Cai^na, graUful for Hu rettUMium of the osAet of 
- f«^*_2« GoMtUe MiuieaU, 



Htrofnrd FottlTftL 

The unu«ual success of this week*s FestlTal proves 
that " the meeting of the Three Choirs," the oldest 
musical institution in England, if not in Europe, 
still flourishes both root and branch. 

Ortainty was felt by all who came that the feast 
of harmony would be abundant and excellent, for 
the conductor and manager wss none other than the 
able and o(t-tried musician, Mr. Townshend Smith, 
who had fhimed a capital programme, and engaged 
an orchestra, comprising renowned singers, a fine 
band, led by the gifted Sainton, and a powerfol 
chorus ; forming an €m»emble capable to cope with 
any difficulty, and afford gratification to every lis- 
tener. The quality of the band was early demon- 
strated, in the overture to El^ah, given on Tuesday 
morning. The double basses led off the mysterious 
and weird-like subject, treated by the composer In 
fugal form ; the other strings, each in turn, taking 
up and Increasing the intensity of the theme, until 
the united orchestra told, with marvellous voice, the 
horrors of impending famine. All doubta of the 
band's proportions, balanoe, and unity of pitch were 
Instantly set at rest. The chorus also proved its 
efficiency and good qualities ; considering the num- 
ber of voices, the effect was magical, and couvinced 
me that vocal tones are more fovored by the aoous- 
tlc properties of the building than those from in- 
struments. The solo soprano parts were judiciously 
apportioned, Mdme. Wynne delivering the strains 
of the broken-hearted widow with fervor of soul, 
and Mdlle. TIetjens declaiming the angelic appeal, 
'*Hear ye, Israel,** with m^esty of voice. Mr. 
Cummings was doubly successful — ^In his own part, 
and that allotted to Mr. Sims Reeves, absent through 
indisposition. Miss Enriquex and Mdme; TrebelU 
divided the contralto music; the accomplished 
English lady giring the air. *' Woe unto him " with 
tender sentiment and suavity of voice ; the French 
songstress exciting the listener to admiration by 
dramatic force. Consideration at all times should 
be shown to him who undertakes the tUb of the 
Prophet. I can never withhold sympathy from one 
charsed with the most onerous and laborious task 
found In any oratorio. Not only does It try to the 
utmost his phvsical power and endurance, but it 
also makes exhaustive demands upon his mental 
resources. Mr. Maybrick, the Elijah of this FesU. 
val, has several pleas to put forward to claim the 
right of a hearing aa the representative of the 
Prophet Amongst them are a commanding figure, 
sentiment, compsss of voice, and murieal knowl- 
edge. Theee Qualities enabled him to sing all the 
music accurately, and the delicate portions feeling- 
ly , but it must be confessed the rugged grandeur of 
the character waa not made manirest. 

S«*lections from SoMnmm and the first part of the 
CrtatwH were performed in the Cathedral on Tnei- 
day evening, when the glorious fabric waa inveat^ 
with a fresh charm. Blank and dark were the 
walls, by day reliered and illumined by 

"—storied windows richly dight^ 
Casting a dim religious light." 

Lurid glares of gas fell upon the stately pillars, and 
pierced through irloom to the fiir-off roof; giving a 
weird-like appearance to nave and aisle, and pro- 
ducing an effect on those present not uncongenial 
to that experienced in listening to the strsins of the 
CreatwA, Strange to sav. HandeVs music did not 
ffo well. The chorus singers were careless, and 
some of the soloists fatigued. Not so Mr. Cum- 
mlnsrs. although he had again to do dfiuble duty. 

Wednesday morning was devoted to the 'Laai 
jHdffment and Htrmn of Praite, Spohr^s dkef- 
^€tH9f has graduslly fixed Itself as a standard work 
at the Festivals of the Three Choirs. It has done 
so in spite of cildness, gibes, and sneer. Why has 
it endnred T Becanse it Is adapted to the church ; 
its subject and mode cf treatment are alike appro- 
priate to the sacn*d place. It moves the listener to 
contemplation of a subject the mo^t awful In lm|>ort 
thn>ugh the emotions of the heart. Instead of ter- 
rifving by 1is:htnings and thunders. It l<%ads thesoni 
to hearken t«> the gentle voice of the Redeemer and 
the Sfiugs of the redeemed. Under itn inflnence the 



332 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



wenrj one of enrth feels reet is nigh ; the sin-strick- 
en is assured of grace ; the bereaved finds comfort : 
tears are wiped from streaming eyes ; and sorrow 
giv^es place to holy joy. The strains of '' Blessed 
are the departed * fall on the ear as if they were 
whimperings of corofortin}? assurance from dear ones 
passed into th« happier land. The performance 
was excellent. The quartet of English vocalists, 
Mdme. Wynne, Miss Enriquez, Messrs. Cumroini^ 
and Lewis Thomas, could scarcely be improved 
upon; and the band and chorus were admirable. 
The Hymn, of Praite formed a delisrhtful sequel to 
Spnhr's work. The symphony was played grandly^ 
and proved the most engaging occupation for the 
instrnmentalists, and the liif^hest- test of their abili- 
ty. Mdlle. Tietjens and Mdme. Trebelli sang splen- 
didly. Mr. Sims Reeves waa announced, but Mr. 
Gummlngs again acted as deputy. Mr. Reeves*s ill- 
nesses prove a wide-spread calamity, for those de- 
prived, of hearing him share his misfortunea. He 
demands sympathy from all. The committee tele- 
graphed Mr. Lloyd, who was from home. Mr. 
Rigby wan known to be in Italy ; but why did they 
not seek assistance from Mr. Montem Smith T He 
has claims upon them ; his connection with the 
management, his former services, and present capao* 
ities should have induced the committee to have 
sought his aid. Mr. Cnmmings, however, proved 
fqual to the ordeal of worki'nfir a Festival single 
handed. None could doubt his skill and knowledge, 
but his fragile fignre and delicate appearance may 
give impressions of nneqnal strength. In tfie end, 
however, the fearful were convinced that he has 
above all things staying pnwt*r. 

On Thursday morning Mr. J. F. ^rnett*s orato- 
rio, Jlu Rainnff of LatHriu, was performed. It was 
the novelty of the Festival. Everything that pro- 
ceeds fy>om this young comuoder's pen commands 
attention and respect. He nas pursued the study 
of his art with an industry and assiduity unhappily 
rare. As a consequence, nothing in his writings is 
found hurried and crude. Instead of being satisfied 
with ideas as they start from an imperfectly trained 
mind, he patiently aims to pres4snt them in the 
forms of the great masters. In Mr. Harnett's melo- 
dies a striving for beauty is slways perceptible, and 
often reached ; his choruses are generally built up 
with contrapuntal art. and his instrumentation man- 
ifests a knowledge and command of scoring in all 
the fulness of modern development. These miali- 
ties arc seen in every page of Ifu Rai»ing of Lata- 
riM, and prove its author to be an able and prac- 
tised musician. The composer has suffered from 
the usual calamity — he has been unfortunate in his 
libretto, which seems to be a prosy commentary 
upon the miraculous events mther than a clearly 
told narrative. Much of his finest music is devoted 
to subjects which have no appropriate application 
to the wondrous story ; appearing, in consequence, 
more like a strinar of separate anthems than parts of 
a whole. Unity is thereby utterly sacrificed. 
Whether we do or do not agree with Wagner's dic- 
tum, that music should be subordinated to poetry, 
certain it is that in the book of any drama, sacred 
or secular, the parts should he subservient to the 
whole ; nothing should be inserted that stops the 
action, or impedea the progress of the story. This 
looseness and disjointeaness in Mr. Barnett's libret- 
to have reflected evils upon his music. It is often 
diffuse. Has he not followed his models too slavish- 
ly? Imitation ia praiseworthy in a student or 
workman, but not in a master. Wagner, by some, 
is deemed an iconoclast. Ood forbid he should 
break the glorious images left us by the great mas- 
ters ; but if he could destroy the moulds taken from 
them, in which composers cast their thoughts, he 
would do the world a service. The oratorio was ex- 
ecuted with seal and ability. Mdlle. Tietjens, 
Mdme. Trebelli, Mr. Cummings, and Mr. Lewis 
Thomas sang to -perfection their several parts, and 
the band and chorus honored the composer, who 
conducted, with their clbaest attention and heartiest 
effiirta. 

Gounod's Mass followed. Having- often admired- 
itjn the concert-room. I was disappointed in find- 
ing it somewhat feeble In the cathedral. Its pict- 
uresoue coloring scarcely made up for its want of 
solidity and grandeur. How diffi»rent was it with 
Beethoven's " Hallelujah " from the Mount of (Xivenf 
The bursting forth of its wondrous strains seemed 
to shake the building. 

The evening concerts at the Shire Hall have be- 
gun to take a subordinate position at the Festivals 
of the Three Choirs. Will they give place to cathe- 
dral performances ? Until they do, Mr. Townshend 
Smith is too good a musician to allow them to pass 
without their teaching something sound and classic 



He selected Beethoven's Pastoral Symphony and 
Mosart's *' Jupiter " for the edification of the peo- 
ple, who received them with acclamations. The 
only instrumental solo given waa by M. Sainton, a 
man and an artist tanM rtprocht. The band on this 
occasion was conducted by his friend and old pupil, 
Mr. Weist Hill. Mr. Sims Reeves's absence was 
very much felt, although the numbers allotted him 
in the programme were taken by Mdlle. Tietjens 
and Mame. Trebelli. The ladies undertook the Usk 
at a sacrifice of effect ; for, aa Mr. Reeves's songs 
were placed either before or after their own, they 
had to sing too consecutively for their own comfort 
and the appreciation of the audience. Mdme. Edith 
Wynne delighted all with her charming ballad sing- 
ing. The voice of Miss Enriquez suffered not in 
comparison with any. Miss Bertha Griffiths pleased 
by her agreeable singing and unaffected manner. 
Mr. Lewis Thomss sang a new song by W. H. 
Thomas, called " Homellght" Mr. Maybrick found 
the concert-room less strange and exacting than the 
Cathedral. When Mr. Cummings appeared, on 
Thursday night, to sing " Tom Bowling," he was 
greeted with cheers for his immense exertions dur- 
ing the week. Subsequently he received a letter of 
thanks from the committee, enclosing a cheque of 
fifty guineas for his extra services. Bravo, Cum- 
mings I 

An immense audience, rather, I would say, con- 
gregation, assembled on Friday morniug to hear 
the Mwnah, All concerned treated it as an act of 
worship. 

Mr. Townshend Smith conducted throngh the 
week capitally, leading his people as much by his 
genial smile as the *' stick," Mr. Done, of Worces- 
ter, did good and unostentatious work at the organ, 
and Mr. Lloyd, the newly elected organist of 
Gloucester, commenced with ability his Festival 
duties, for which I wish him many years of health 
and strength. — Lond, Mum, World. 

PsNcxxDD Gwrmr. 

Hereford, SepitmJber l^tK 



The Late Dr. Bimbanlt 

The death of Edward- Francis Rimbault, LL.D., 
announced in last week's Alhefueum, leaves a void 
not only in the musical world, but also in a consid- 
erable literary circle, and it is such a void aa can- 
not readily be filled up. Dr. Rimbault died in his 
own house, 29, St. Mark's Crescent, Regent's Park, 
on the morning of the 26th of SeptemMr, and was 
buried on the 30th, in Highgate Cemetery. He 
had completed his sixtieth year on the preceding 
13th of June. 

The rpecial knowledge which Dr. Rimbault pos- 
sessed, and in which he was, perhaps, unrivalled, 
was twofold : first, as to all that related to Early 
English music, including the history of the art and 
of its professors, from the commencement of the 
sixteenth century to the end of the last ; and, sec- 
ondly, as to the contents of Early English printed 
books, any, or all. of which he would read whenever 
he could ifind them, for the chance of gleaning some 
forgotten information and taking note of it. No 
sooner had he acquired new evidence upon any con- 
teated point, upon biographical details, or upon any 
forgotten subject, than he would place it at the ser- 
vice of his literary friends, with a liberality which 
is not often paralleled. Indeed, his readiness to- 
oblige was not limited to personal friends, for he 
was alflo ready to impart his peculiar information to 
any literary inquirer ; and it is not much to say 
that a considerable number of books upon antiqua- 
rian subjects by various authors ^ere greatly im- 
proved by his advice and assistance. His own re 
searches were commenced when only in his teens, 
and were so well known to others that al the age of 
twenty-four he was requested to accept the secreta- 
ryship of the Percy and of the Musical Antiqusrian 
Societies, the former for the reprinting of Early 
English poetry and popular literature, and the lat- 
ter for Early English musical compositions. For 
these two societies, which both endured for about 
eleven years. Dr. Rimbault edited fourteen works. 
Subsequently he accepted a place on the Council of 
the Handel Society; and, later still, on that of the 
Camden Society, which alone survives. For the 
Handel Society he edited three oratorios, and for 
the Camden two works. He was the factotum of 
the Motet Society, and edited Marbeck's Book of 
Common Prayer (date of Edward VI.,) and numer- 
ous collections of anthems, chants, etc.. for publish- 
ers. On the literary side, he edited the works of 
Sir Thomas Overbury, the Hon. Roger North's 
Memoire of Mueiehe, and many more. It is unnec- 
essary to recapitulate them, aa the list up to 1860 



was supplied to M. F^tls, and may be found in bis 
BiogrtHMie Univeredle dee MugieUna^ It waa the- 
love of his special subjects which ii^dneed Dr. Rim- 
banlt to edit such works, and to give his time to a 
most careful series of biographical and bibliograph- 
ical notes which accompany them. The remunera- 
tion for an editor rarely exceeded that of the twelve 
to twenty-five copies which a society gives, and 
which the editor aistribntes among his friends. The 
money to buy so raluable a collection of booka aa 
Dr. Rimbault possessed was supplied, first, by » 
kind godfather, and, secondly, by his professional 
earnings. The latter were limited, on account of 
the great share of time which he devoted to litera- 
ture. He was habitually abstemious, and hla only 
luxunea were old books, and now and then an old 
carved bookcase, or a bit of old stained glass. Such 
was the man. It is probable that this famous libra- 
ry will now be dispersed, for lack of the master 
mind, and the consequent decline of a modest income. 

W. CHArrxLL. 



Mofical PitdL 

Mr. Sims Reeves has addressed the subjoined let- 
ter to the Athenmnm : — 

Orange Mount, Beulah Spa, Upper Norwood, 

It is very painfnl to me to be draggeil into some- 
thing like a public controversy by the personal re- 
marks of your musical critic, as to my being ** the 
main cause of an agitation that has led only to con- 
fusion and discord." etc No reform of standing 
abuses can be effected without a certain measure of 
debate. There are always opposing influences that 
must be overcome, and tempHr>rary strife may be 
well purchased by the final advance of the true in- 
terests of art Uniformity, this irentleman assures 
us, can only be secured by legislative enactment, 
as in France. This may l>e so ; but, though we are 
a law abiding people, we do not fly to a central an- 
thority on all occasions, and I almost fear that ma- 
sieal art is not yet quite sufficiently yalued in this 
country for a legislative enactment of such a kind 
to be within the range of immediate prol»abilitiea. 
We must, then, as individuals' do what we can and 
may, and I, for one, am willing to incur the charge 
of interested motives, which your musical critic, 
not very graciously perhaps, urges against me, if 
thereby I can promote the cause of art and benefit 
my admirable fellow artists, both English and for- 
eigu. And now to answer the allegations urg^ 
against me aa briefly aa possible. 

1. I really cannot take upon myself the credit 
for the reduction of the organ pitch' at Birmingham, 
because it is notoricus that this was an absolute 
necessity (snd letters In my possession from the 
managers prove it), in order to conform the pitch 
to the reduced one at Dmry Lane. 

2. I can undertake to prove, if need be. by the 
works in my possession, that the pitch in Italy and 
in Germany has never been so high as that of Sir 
Michael Costa. I may venture in this connection 
that my esteemed friend, Herr Joachim, plays on a 
different violin in Germany, with thicfker strings. 
Here he brinsrs one with thinner strinirs. to suit the 
abnormal pitch. This one fact wonld be conclu- 
sive as to the continental usage in the eyes of on- 
prejudiced inquirers. 

8. If an unreasonable pitch was persisted on to ' 
the eleventh hour, and a sudden dhange then car- 
ried out, and disasters evoked at Birmingham, aa 
your contributor alleges, I can surely in no sense be 
held responsible. The chief artists at Dmry Lane 
had previously forced a reasonable reduction of the 
pitch on Sir Michael Costa. If this reform had 
been steadily adhered to. there could have been no 
confusion a nd no disasters at Birmingham or else- 
where. ^ 

4. I declare unequivocally, and for the twenti- 
eth time,* that I only ask for the pitch of Donselli, 
David. Dnprez, and Nourrit. I most entirely con- 
cur with that great composer, Mendelssohn, that to 
transpose this in oratorios is ^highly objectionable. 
I atn convinced that Handel, Mendelssohn, and all 
other masters, felt the color, as it were, of the keys 
they wrote and write in. Hence I am always un- 
willing to transpose, and that is just why I wished 
to secure the normal pitch, which will render tran- 
posiiig unnecessary. 

5. With respect to those great artists, Mdme, 
Patti and Mdme. Nilsnon, it is wholly unnecessary 
for me to vindicate their course of action, and I can- 

' not but express my surprise at the liberty of com- 
ment which your musical critic has allowed him- 
self, with regard to the latter aKist more especially. 






^ ^. 



■^* 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, NOV. 11, 1876. 



33a 



XTnpleAMDt personalities are rarely ont of place In 
the disenflsion of a public interest, where priyate 
Hlceii and dislilces should be wholly set aside. 1 need 
only Airther obeerve that the pitch at Hereford was 
tuned to that accepted now both at Coyent Garden 
and Dmry Lane. 

I have no delusion on the subiect of pitch. XTni- 
formity is doubt less most desirable, but it roust not be 
uniformity in that which is abnormal and extraord- 
inary. The pertinacity of my old friend. Sir 
Michael Costa, has alone so long retarded this ea- 
seniial reform, which, howeyer, may now be said to 
baye carried the day, finally. To the yery person- 
al concluding remarks of your contributor, I haye 
only to reply that I am quite willing to accept his 
assurance of good will, and to recognise his past 
assertions that I am necessarily the chief loser by 
my inability at times to fulfil my engagements, 
whether to directors or to the public. Nobody can 
regret, need I say, as deeply as I do, the practical 
extinction of yoice from which I sometimes suffer ; 
the kind and art-Ioying public will understand, I 
am sure, that I haye made great pecuniary saeriflo- 
es because I did not like to take pay for services 
which I could not discharge so as to do justice to 
the music I was called on to perform. Personal ex- 
planations are always painftil things ; to me, I may 
say, peculiarly so. It Is certain that I never disap- 
point the public without being far more grievously 
disappointed myself; but our frequent changes of 
temperature are most trying, and no care or caution 
can narantee me against occasional attacks which 
prohibit me for a season to leave the house, and 
yield my public services to that art which it is the 
highest ambition of my soul to forward by all the 
legiUmate means within my reach. 

J. Sims Rsiyia. 



» !•> t 



Wagnei^i Tlying Ihitohiiiaii " at tli« 
Londfln LjooiuiLi 

(From the "Academy.") 

Sy the production of an English yersion of Dtr 
FUtgmdn SoUdnder at the Lyceum Theatre, last 
Tuesday evening, Mr. Carl Rosa has fulfilled what 
is in many respects the most important of the prom- 
ises of his prospectus. The work had, it is true, 
been previous] {'heard in England. It was brought 
ont in 1870 at Her Majesty's Opera, under the man- 
agement of Mr. Wood, but it was only played two 
or three times, at the close of a season, and has not 
been since repeated. There is, moreover, at the 
present time, so much more general knowledge on 
the subject of Wagner, and so much greater Inter- 
est felt in his rousTc than was the case rax years sffo, 
that I was by no means surprised to learn, on arriv- 
ing at the theatre, that there was not a seat to be 
had in any part of the house. 

The story of the " Flying Dutchman " is so gen- 
erally familiar that it will be needless to dwell upon 
it in any detail. Suflice it to say that the three 
acts of the opera, as laid out by Wagner, show us, 
the first the ill-fated hero, the second his meeting 
with the maiden (Senta) who is to redeem him from 
the curse resting upon him, and the third the self- 
sacrifice of Senta, and the consequent salvation of 
the Dutchman. For the episodical incidents of the 
drama, readers may be referred to the libretto it- 
self. 

The " Flying Dutchman ** was first produced at 
Dresden, under the direction of the composer him- 
self, in 1848 ; and, after a recent visit to Bayreuth, 
it was most interesting to compare atid contrast the 
Wagner of thirty y^ars ago with the Wagner of the 
present day. At first sight it would seem as if two 
works coald hardly be more nnlike than Der FUe- 
ffende ffolldnder and Per Ring det NibelHnaen, In 
the former we find abundance of concerted music, 
in the latter scarcely any ; in the former the vari- 
ous numbers of the work are mostly detached, and 
we find airs, duets and choruses much ika In an op- 
era of Mosart*s ; while. In the latter, one piece runs 
on cootinuonslv into another throughout an entire 
act» abd, in the Hheingold, throughout a whole 
drama ; in the former the melody is of the conven- 
tional form, with a very large predominance of 
four-bar rhythms ; in the latter we find the nnend- 
liche m^odU so difficult, nay, often so impossible, to 
separate Into its component parts. Ana yet, with 
all these important differences, no one who is toler- 
ably fsmiliar with Wagner's music can fail to per- 
ceive that in the earlier work are to be seen the 
germs of every one of those innovations which make 
the Bayreuth Tetralogy so different from everything 
thai has preceded it. True, the composer has not 



carried out his. own theories to their logical issue ; 
he has in more than one number made concessiobs 
to public taste which now he would certainly repu- 
diate ; such, for example, as the double cadenza at 
the end of the slow movement of the great duet be- 
tween Senta and the Dutchman in the second- act, 
or the occasional repetitions of the text for the sake 
of musical rather than dramatic effect. But we see 
here throughout the work an early instance of Wag- 
ner's masterly employment of LeitmoHve, of which 
the opera contains several : we meet with examples 
of his strikingly novel and abrupt harmonic transi- 
tions— rach as the remarkable modulation from A- 
major to O minor in Senta's ballad (Act II.>— nsy 
more, we find psssages in which purely rousicsl 
beauty is sacrificed for the sake of dramatic appro- 
priateness. Such is especially the case in the 
Dutchman's first song, " How oft i' th! ocean's deep- 
est gloom." Yet, *on the whole, the difference of 
style between " The Flying Dutchman " and Lohe%- 
ffrin is even greater than that between Lohengrin 
and the Rwg dm Nihdungen, 

If there were any present in the Lyceum, on 
Tuesday eyening, who still believe the often refuted 
but hardly less often repeated calumny that Wag- 
ner cannot write melody, they must, if capable of 
sppreciating melody at all, have been considerably, 
astonished. The work absolutely 'abounds In 
" pretty tunes." In the first act, the second subject 
of the overture, the Steersman's song, and the whole 
duet between Daland an(i the Dutchman ; in the 
second act, the celebrated spinning chorus. Senta's 
ballad,' and the final duet ; and in the third act, the 
Sailors' chorus, and Erik's song, "Is that fair day 
no more by thee remembered?" are overflowing 
with melody; and many other pieces might be 
named which, though less popular In style, and per- 
haps less attractive, are hardly inferior in real 
beauty. A curious and interesting point with re- 
gard to the melody is the coincidence in rhythm be- 
tween the chief subjects in the great duet betweeir 
Senta and the Dutchman in the second act, and 
those in the duet between Elsa and Lohengrin, in 
the third act of Lohengrin. As there is very little 
resemblance between the dramatic situations, this 
coincidence is probably due to the fact that the po- 
etry of both scenes is written in the same metre — 
the decasyllabic verse. » » » » 

A few words will snfiice to speak of the perform- 
ance, thouflrh a column would hardly do more than 
justice to Mr. Rosa's exertions in presenting so diffi- 
cult a work in so thoroughly satisfactory a manner. 
The part of the Dutchman was splendidly sung and 
acted by Mr. Santley, while Mile. Torriani, as Sen- 
•ta, could hardly have been surpassed. The part Is 
one of her best, which is no m(>an praise. Mr. 
Psckard was very satisfactory as Erick, tut Mr. A. 
Stevens, as Daland, seemed scarcely t«> possess a 
sufficiently powerful voice for the part, being In 
places overweighed both by the orchestra and by 
those who were singing with him. The small parts 
of Mary and the Steersman were excellently given 
by Miss Lucy Franklcin and Mr. J. W.Turner. 
The orchestra was, as it always is, perfection, and 
the chorus singing was most admirable, especial 
praise being due to the elaborate double choruses 
which open the third act. The whole performance 
was one reflecting the highest possible credit on Mr. 
Rosa. 



(From the London *' Sporting Dramatic News.") 

The opera has been several times repeated by the 
Carl Rosa Opera Company, end is performed by 
them In the most complete and satif»factory manner. 
All musical smatenrs are aware that it was written 
before Wafrner had found itpolitic to concesi his pov- 
erty of melodic invention by preach! nsr those new 
doctrines which have recently been illustrated at 
Bayreuth ; bnt it contains the germs of his latest 
theories, and its vocal melodies are to a certain ex- 
tent subordinate to the claims of Ita instrumenta- 
tion. Dismissing the Wagner controversy for the 
present, let us examine the dsims of " The Flying 
Dutchman " to a high rank amoni; standsrd musical 
works. The plot was constructed by Wasrner him- 
self, end is founded on Heine's ▼ersion of the legend, 
adapted by Heine from FitzbalVs dr^ima, which had 
been founded on an account of the legend printed in 
Xackwood't Magtuine. It is customary with Wag- 
ner's sdmirers to extol his libretti, and to give es- 
pecisl praise to his glorification of the female sex, 
as exhibited in such creations as Senta, El^a, and 
Elisabeth. Are these creations really entitled to 
the admiration with which they are ^y some per* 
sons regarded T Do the women of Wai^ner realise 
the pure and lofty ideal which he is said to have 



attained T Mr. Jackson; like other uncompromising 
adherents of Wagner, insists strongly on this as- 
sumed fact In the interesting preface to his Eng- 
lish adaptation of Der Fliegende HoUdnder, he says 
— ** We may regard it as a l>eautiful characteristic 
of Wagner's ereations that woman, this pure, noble, 
self-sacrificing woman of the future, brings release 
and joy to man. In TamMtuer, it is the pure, holy 
love of Elizabeth thst calls the erring minstrel from 
the abode of sensual pleasure to a higher and purer 
existence ; in Lohengrin, it is Elsa, tne pure' maid- 
en, who attracts the Swan Knight from his sunny 
abode to the warm invigorating embrace of earth ; 
in " The Flying Dutchman " it is the naive, simple, 
dreamy Senta who, in the immensity of her sym- 
pathetic love, sacrifices herself in order to bring 
release to the sufferer. All Wagner's female crea- 
tions are but embodiments of the most yaried pow- 
ers of Goethe's ' eternal womanhood, whidi draws 
us ever towards it' " 

So far as Elisabeth is concerned, it must be ob- 
served that she does not rescue Tannh&user from 
his sensuality. That loathsome hero is steeped in 
foul desires up to the end of the piece, and the only 
indication of repentant feeling is the brief supplica- 
tion i^hich, in nis dying moment, he makes to the 
spirit of Elisabeth to pray for him. Why Elisabeth 
dies, how she dies, and in what manner her death 
can beneficially affect Tannh&user, is not shown in 
the drama, which at this polut is not merely myste- 
rious, but misty, foggy. We should be sorry to 
utter " anj scandal about Elizabeth," but we fail to 
see anything to distinguish her from the ordinary 
i-un of pious young ladies. Elsa is a much more in- 
terestinfj^ personage, and in the first two acts of 
Lohengnn, the character is exquisitely conceived 
and elaborated, bnt in the third set she breaks the 
oath which she had sworn to her deliverer, and, 
with offensive pertinacity, persists in demanding 
from her husband those particulars of his anteced- 
ents which she had sworn she would never ask him 
to reveal. The littleness of mind and the deliber- 
ate peijury which are shown in her inqulsitlveness, 
are not compatible with a lofty ideal, and are justly 
punished. Senta is equally unacceptable. She 
certainly displays an immensity of *' sympathetic 
love '* for Van Der Decken ; but, in doing so, she 
bresks her plight with her affianced lover, Erick, 
and behaves in a perfectly heartless manner towards 
that luckless youth. Here, again, we fail to per- 
ceive the realization of ideal purity and goodness. 
Much praise hss been bestowed upon Wagner's em- 
ployment of Heine's distortion of the old legend, 
and we have been told to admire the plot in which 
Van Der Decken is allowed to revisit the land once 
in every seven years, and is promised release from 
his miserable existence, so soon as he shall gain the 
love of a perfectly pure and faithful woman. It is 
cynically implied that he has vainly sought for such 
a b*ing. throoffh weary ages, until he meeto with 
the pure and faithful Senta. the quality of whose 
faithfulness has been exhibited in her perjury 
towards the honest lover to whom her f«ith was 
plighted. Surel y this much lauded alteration weak- 
ens and vulgarizes the story. We have to picture 
the Dutchman's visits to land, his many wooings, 
introductions to family circles, invariable jiltings, 
reetnbarkations, and periodical returns. He becomes 
a fsmiliar object in seaport towns — ^Is sketched by 
artists for illustrated papers — ^is bantered by the 
seaside population, and becomes prosaic The orig- 
inal story is not without ludicrous poinU, and, con- 
sidering the kind of vocabulary generally popular 
among sea-faring men, Ihe condemnation of a Dutch 
skipper to eternal misery, because he has been 
" guilty of bad languare,^ seems rather a severe 
mode of inculcating refinement of n^anners. Yet 
the old legend — its leadinj; motive once accepted— 
is infinitely preferable to the prosaic version adopt- 
ed by Wagner ; and although it may not be suita- 
ble for dramatic purposes, there is something terri- 
bly appalling in the story of the Phantom Ship, and 
its wretched commander, doomed to ploujirh the 
seas forever— shut out from human sympathy-*-de- 
nied the grasp of friendly hands and the music of 
loving voices— shunned by every ship— driven 
wherever storms are fiercest — mocked by verdant 
shores, never to be trodden — unable to caft off the 
horrible burden of existence, and compelled to sail 
for ever round the world In hopeless desolation. 
Surely there is more poetry in the familiar old sto- 
ry than in Wagner's Dutchman, with his periodical 
arrivals at Wapping, Liverpool, Stf>ckholm, or 
Havre, in search of a Mrs. Van Der Decken. 

The overture is familiar to amateurs, and is an 
illustration both of the faults end merits of the com- 
poser. The instrumentation is masterly, and it con- 



834 



DWIGHT»S JOURKAL OP MUSIC 



tains many ImpreMiva and pletnresqiie paiM^ea, 
bat It la apoUed at tha oonelaaloD by boIit axaff^ 
iraratioii. Tba " Sailora* Choraa," tha " (S(p1niiiiig 
Choma," Senta'a " La^^ndary Sang,* tha " Staara- 
BiaB*B Song * ErloVa romanea, tha dnat batwean 
Santa and Van Dar Daoken, and indaad, all tha 
mnalc of tha aacond act may ba pralaad without 
atlnk Tba long dnat in tha firat aet batwean Dal- 
and and Van I>ar Daokan la a tadlona foraatalUng of 
tha kind of mnaio which Wagnar now writaa, and 
tha third aet la by no maana aqnal to tha aacond. 
Tha opara cannot ba aceeptad by nnprajodioad 
jn^^raa aa a worthy companion to anch maaterplacaa 
aa Moiarlfa l>im OfoaaniM, BeathoTen'a /Utfto, 
Wabar^B Dtr FMbcMUm, or Roarini'a OmOmumt TiH 
StUl, daaplto ito Ineqnalitlaa and dafaeta, it haa 
many olalma to admiration, and la avidantly tha 
work of a man of ganina. Aa wa hava alraady rtat- 
ad. It ia admirably parformad at tha Lyceum Thaa- 
tra, under tha direction of Mr. Garl.Roaa, and avery 
mufical amateur should araU himaelf of tha oppor- 
tunity of hearing It** 



< ^< 



Kme. BhIpqA 

Thia celebrated pianist^ who will make her dShui 
in Steloway Hall, on Not. 14. arrlTed in this city 
aboard the steamer Labrador, of the French line, on 
Not. 1. She is a pupil of Mr. Leachetitsky, profes- 
sor at the Russian Gonaenratory of Mualc In St 
Peteraburg, and arrlTaa here with a great reputation 
earned in the greatest cities of Europe, before the 
most competent Judges. She Is generally admitted 
to be agraaterand more artiatlc organisation than 
Yon Buelow ; and it is stated that Rnbinatein held 
her his equal, or, at least, that he expressed himself 
to that effect. A prlTsto letter from London written 
by one of the moat eminent crltica of that dty atates 
this : " I know the capacity of Mma. Esslpoff well 
She is a magnificent pianist of the school of Liszt 
and Rubinstein ; hr more able than Yon Buelow 
and not nearly ao incorrect. She la a most beautiftil 
woman, and ftill of pluck." Here foUowa a story 
showing her presence of mind, which hoTiog no ref- 
erence whateTcr to her musical accomplishments, 
finds ao place In this paper. Mr. Leachetltaky, her 
profeaaor, whose father was long and well known 
nluiaelf aa a music teacher In Yianna, married his 
clsTcr pupil. Mile. Easlpoff, who, aa It aeems, con- 
tinues her maiden name. 

Mma. Annette Esslpoff will play the following 
selections at her three first concerta at Steinway 
Halh^Flrst concert— Concerto [ChoplnTI in E minor 
with orcheatra ; toccata. Bach ; minuet, Mosart ; gaT- 
otte, with Tariationa, Rameau ; nocturne, Chopin ; 
Traumaswirren, Schumann ; Zur guitarre, Hiller ; 
Alouettea, Leachetltaky : waits, Rubinstein ; Ian- 
taisie Hongrolae, No. 12, Llsst Second concert — 
Concerto In D minor (piano and orchestra). Rnbln- 
stein ; Prelude and ftigue, with chorale, Mendels- 
sahn; Oigue in B flat minor. Bach ; sonata In A, 
Scarlatti ; barcarole, 4tnde and walti, Chopin ; noc- 
turne. Field ; SUUidchen, Schubert-Lisst ; dtude In 
D fiat minor, Llsst ; gsTotte, Silas ; polonaise in E 
(piano and orchestraV Weber-Llsst Third concert 
(piano and orchestra)-— Coacerto in O major, Beet 
hoTcn ; concerto In D minor, Henselt ; concerto in 
O minor, Mendelssohn. The magnitude of the pro- 
grammes referred to will glTe an Idea of the won- 
derful Teraatility of the fair planiste snd her confi- 
dence in her own powers. Three concertos In one 
CTsning are a trying ordeal for any pianist 

M. YiTlen, professor of the Tiolin st the Brussels 
Conserratolra, and a ladT singer trill support Mme. 
Esslpoff.— Jfaste TVad* Review, 

Jbig^'s Immntl of Posit. 

BOSTON. NOV. 11, 187«. 

Bonne ftantencat from Moriti HaaptmaniL 

The wise old Csntor of the Thomas-Sohule In 
Leipslg, who died In 1870, in his seTcntyscTenth 
year, waa a philoaopher and thinker, as well ss a 
musician of the moat sound and sterling character. 
His genUl nature led him into frequent correspond- 
ence with his musical friends ; Indeed he seems to 
hsTC put hia whole muaical life and thought into 
the^ iMniliar letters. Sometlmea to be sure they 
go Into such deep metaphysical and almost mystical 
speculation, or into such intrlcaciea of mathematics. 



aa to make no rery eaay reading for the moat of ua. 
But In the region of hIa own Art, thaaa lettera are 
full of the moat pregnant obaarrationa, the most 
dear and aearehlng criticism. They abound In aen- 
tencaa of pith and points Among other topica which 
occupied his attention were the theoriea of Wagner, 
about which, from the time when theaa theories be- 
gan to ba agitated, the lettera contain many apt re- 
marks, sincere, diapaaslonate and aameat, and wall 
worth considering In this year of " the firat Bay- 
reuthiad." 

Wa propoae to reproduce a few of them in Eng- 
lish,— so fer aa they wHI bear translation. They 
are taken from the little Tolnme recently edited 
by Dr. Ferdinand Hiller, which contalna (by way 
of aupplement to the more copious Tolunves of cor- 
rsspoudanoe with Hausmann) a aerlaa of letters to 
Spohr and others, besldaa rarlous astracta, with 
headings to denote their topics, from letters with- 
out name or date. We begin with one of theaa ; It 
CTldantly haa reference to Wagner's Idea of combin- 
ing the Arte In an Art- work of the Future, and la 

entitled : 

" OnaAMMTKUvaT.'* 

That Is to say ColUeUm Art He aaya: " I can't 
concelTe the state of mind of certain people, when 
they come to read auch indisputable truth opposed 
to their crsok-brainad and shallow dicta.— HaTe 
they really faith In their own doctrine T I cannot 
l>eUeTe It What they are after with their aundered 
arte and their Conjoint Art [StmderkOnalen^Wke the 
Swiss political term, Somier-Bmm d ^ and OeaamnU- 
huui] Is utter nonsense,— and shows not the least 
Idea of that dcTelopment through which things 
must and will come to pasa.— They would haTa us 
stick tha crown of tlte tree with all ita boughs snd 
twigs Into the ground, and let the root grow out 
What has unfolded itself must grow together again, 
mnat become ons ;— as If this oneaeu had not re- 
mained throughout the whole unfolding. But in 
the Opera, If one and tha aame person Is to l>e both 
poet and compoaer, how Is it with the singer, the 
scene-painter, the dancer, chorus and orchestra? 
Must all these be able so to enter Into the idea of 
tha creator, that they may repreaent his unitary 
work T To ma the rery idea of composing music to 
ona*a own poetry Is something repugnant ; It Is like 
marrying one's self; It lacks contrast for the union 
out of which a new Independent entity may aprlna:; 
It la and mnat remain a hermaphroditic sort of busi- 
ness, out of which nothing artistically aound can 
coma;** 

" When we go away oppreaaed, tortored, crushed 
from an Art-work, we can be sure that Ito creator 
waa no genuine aKlst, howcTer much he may haTe 
flattered himself that he haa excited ua so much 
more than the classic masters do. Whst do I care, 
after all, for the ik^consolsble lamentation of a com- 
poaer T I rather turn away from It. like that lord 
of the manor who saw a lame and ragged beggar 
come into his courtyard, and said to his serTsnt: 
' John, take a whip and drlTo the fellow from the 
yard ; the poor beast moTes my pity too much I ' " 

Here is a passage from a letter to Otto Jahn 
(1855), after reading the first Tolnme of the latter's 
llfeofMoiaK: 

" Our young artiste always want to achicTC aome- 
thing extraordinary; and therefore nothing ordi- 
nary [in the sense of orderly and normal ordeni- 
Uck] ever comes to pass. The old composers began 
with the ordinary — ^i.e.. the regular, the orderly, • 
and po found themselrea mo-e surely on the way. to 
doing something extrsordlnary. Even the great- 
eat men of former timea began with making nothing 
different from what was made in those tim«> by oth- 
ers whom they respected, recognised and honored ; 



they looked up to them ; to-day they mount at onen 
upon their shoulders^ Than first of all they built 
up for themaalTaa a ieekmigne (In compoalUon). which 
CTcn with the amalleat talento gained more certain- 
ty, than you will now find with tha exoaptionally 

brilliant. Artista learned first of all their handi- 
craft, their technical profioaaion, In which nowadays 
our artista to the end have aomething dilettantish. 
I do not except one. Who Is there now who could 
make auch a thing aa the little Mosart Masa In C 
major, with two oboea, tmmpeto and tympanlT 
Not Mendelssohn, not Spohr ; and that not because 
it la by Mosart, but only becauae it Is by a finished 
and complete compoaer of that time ; lor 1 am not 
thinking of Ito poetic quality, but of ito natoral, un- 
aought, sure and certain make, in which not the 
leaat thing could be changed without the riak of 
aomething awkward and unc6uth, 

" Some of the deTcrePt of our c o mpoaera, to be 
aura, have possessed themselTcs of a certain eaoair 
/aire, which is well enough ; but it }» rather their 
own private mark, bv which they may be reoog- 
nised at once, and which no one else can do In the 
same way without beeoming a plagUrist Thl# Is 
not what I referred to In what I aahi of the C m^or 
Maaa; that was no modes or styles of speech, that 
was speech In itself. It Is hardly a good fortune for 
a young compoaer to form himself in timea like oaKa, 
In an atmoaphere, or esipor-aphere, aa we Oermana 
translate It, such as now surrounds us. No erne 
leame io wriie pttrelff : kom are ia^ntre and imwAojs- 
eame AoN^hie io eeek and Ma mure eatpreemaat 

" But is it not In the highest degree untrue, when 
s nonsensical young blockhead aeeka to p<mr oat 
his deep sorrows, though with a mere C and O- 
major chord he might express all that A* haa tha 
natora to feelT Goethe aays aomewhere: 'It is 
easy to speak when one has nothinr to say.* That 
may be true, therefore It is well to learn to apeak, 
before we have anything to say which la hard to 
express ; only not with modes of speech, but with 
natural and simple words, without ' notwithstand- 
ing,* ' nevertheless,* or ' to be sure,*—- terms which 
childlike spesch never uses, anymore than it would 
all the harmonic, enharmonic and un-harmonie, un- 
melodic mistiness of our unchildlike musical young- 
sters. With undesr harmonv goes unclear rhythm 
pari paten; indeed It Is IntrinslcsUy one with Ik 
The sense for sound, intelllslble messnre in aa rare 
as for sound- harmony ; one hears rhjrthmlcal groupa 
and phraaea, but no intelligible perioda. If we 
could only translate such abaurdities Into aome oth- 
er viaible or tangible form, the artiatlc nothingness 
of such praeticea could not fall to be obvious ev- 
en to the narroweat understanding. ' 

Here Is more In the same aplrit, — rather a long- 
spun snd complicated German aentence, but, to 
keep ito flavor, we try to tranalato it aa literally aa 
we can:— 

" I confess T find the least possible of mannerism 
in Mosart. But when such originals appear as our 
newest composers, who conduct themselves so alto- 
gether otherwise than other poor mortal children, 
who are In all and everything apart, who aeek the 
true everywhere only In the new, and want to free 
us from what Is only a chain to tkem. In their unor- 
granic After- Art natare, but what la oar freedom, for 
which they magnanimously offer to bestow on us 
their own subjective, penned up, unfree personalitT, 
~^a poor, meairre specislity, instead of the whole 
overruling divine-human i^plrit of the universe, ss it 
has expressed Itself In all ages through the Inspired 
month of divinelv gifted men to the understsndlng 
of all, not too hlirh for the least, not too little fir 
the highest,— then we feel that with them a7 Is 
manner, for everything exceptional is mannerism 
and PhaieUrei as well. All that Is easily imitated. 
The color of the huiran skin is an nndlstingnlshahle 
union or blending of yellow, blue and red ; and one 
over whom the deur God had not drawn auch a skin, 
would find It very difficult to color himself human- 
ly ; at lenst the greatest painters have great pains 
In bringing out the color truly, and vary few suc- 
ceed. With a parrot or a gnldfitich, which have 
their variegated colors side by side so nicely feps- 
rated, the colorlnsr Is an easier matter ; and if It 
would not be so easy, on account of steture snd 
some other circnmsUnces, to make one*s self, by 
mettus of color. Into a parrot or a coldfinch, sines 
msn, while he has two leg» like a bird, yet has ao 
feathers, yet surely there would be fewer difiiculties 
in becoming strikingly like s baboon with a red and 
blue snoot by daubing on the colors out of sny pots 
you plvS'ie.** 



BOSTON, SATUBDAT, NOV. 11, 1876. 



336 



mnch for the present There is enough in 
It to niminete upon for one short spell ; perhaps 
oor young men of " the Future ** will not find It al- 
together easy of digestion ; yet it may do them 
good. 

ConoarUi 

EB3itT PnABO. The first two Matinees of Mr. 
Perabo were eagerly attended, the Westevan Hall 
beinff filled to repletion, and gave generally great 
satisttction. We were accidentally kept from at- 
tending the first (Oct 27), of which we haye before 
given the programme. All the critics nnite in 
praise of Prof. Paine's Sonata In B minor, for Piano 
and Violin, and testify that it improved upon a seo- 
ond hearing. 

The second Matinee (Fridav, Not. S) had, we 
thought, the Ihult of too great length, and of tajcing 
the attention with rather too many altogether new 
works between the Preludes and Fngues of Bach 
(from the *' Well-tempered Glayichord," Books 1 and 
S, in C major), with which he opened, and the Beet- 
hoven Quartet for Piano and Strings, op. 16, ar- 
ranged by Beethoven ftrom the Quintet Ijie latter, 
though a long piece, was a great refreshment after 
the raur new works. It cost no strain to listen and 
surrender one's self without r ese rve to such fresh, 
genial music, making that perfect unity of impres- 
sion which the real masterworks of Art are sure to 
da The Quartet was meet admirablv played, both 
on the part of Mr. Pbeabo, and of Messrs. Lzsn- 
M AHir, Bbu and HABTDnosN, of the Philharmonic 
Club. It is indeed very rarely that we listen to so 
pure a reproduction of a classic work. The Bach 
pieces were very nicely, clearly rendered by the 
eoncert-glyer. 

Of the new works, the one of most pretention, and 
the beet, was the third Trio, in A minor, op. 155, 
hy Raff. Indeed we found more In it to Interest us, 
than we are wont to find with Baff. The first move- 
ment AUegro offiiaio, to be sure, did pot entirely 
carry ns away, and it reminded us too often of his 
" Lenore " Symphony. The Scherso {AUwro aMoi) 
Is briffht and full of grace and delicacy. The Ada- 
^idCo has a quaint, ballad-like melody, followed by 
several ingenious and rather captivating variations, 
in which the 'cello, violin and piano become by 
turns the leading Instrument Ana have enough to 
do ; it needs not to be said they did It well. The Alle- 
gro Finale, with Larrhetto prelude, waa brilliant 
and exciting, making fit climax to the whole;— Then 
followed a Beretu»e by Rubinstein (op. 50, in B mi- 
nor), a piano work, arranged for string ouartet by 
Perabo ; It was delicate, but we think we had rather 
hear it in the original form. A new work by Paine, 
Romania and Scherso, for Piano and 'Cello, op. 87, 
made quite a pleasant Impression, especially the 
Scherio, though hardly a work of so mnch mark as 
his Sonata Dno. — ^There were fresh, bright things, 
too, in the ** Novelette und Melodie,** op. 8S, by 
Zaver Scharwenka, a new name to us. 

MisslTA WxLSH's Concert at Meehaofc's Hall, last 
Batarday evening, drew a select and nunenMS aadience 
and proved a hl^y agneable oooaskm. This was the 
prugrunme: 

1. Quartet Fidello. Beethoven. 

t. Air with yk>UnObllgato..n Segno.. Mereadante. 
Dr. Bnllard and Mr. Aug. Fries. 

». Bomane> Marie 8tnart.....]fiederme3rer. 

Miss lu Welsh. 

i. Bonata,FMaJ.,ppAforPiaao-forteAyiolfai.Meff. 

Meesrs. B. J. Lang and Aug. fries. 

6w Duet Contralto and Tenor Bpohr. 

Miss Ita Welsh and Dr. Langmald. 

•. Cavatlaa <)nllavooe Btfllni. 

7. 0oog TheHldalffo Schumann. 

•• riano-forte Solos. .a Prelude Bach. 

bCaprice WIdor. 

e Gavotte. (Air. bj C. Saint 

8a0ns.) Bach. 

t. Bong Out on the Books.. Jtaintoo-Dollnr. 

Miss lU welsh. 
!• Qaartet Oberon Von Weber. 



The opening Quartet (the OBiieit from FidMo) 
nieely snng bj the foar vocalists above named ; and 
was fbe breeay spirited and florid Quartet from OUrwn^ 
which made a capital dose to the promlacnons pro- 
gramme. Miss Welsh's voic« has lost none of Its swset- 
ness, and has rather gained in evenness and flrmnesp, 
though the quaUtv at times is sHll a littls ehndllke. She 
sang the very Itallao mek>dy by Hledermeyer with great 
tenderness of expression; and nvs In rseponae to an 
eneors a more onginal Bossinl-lsh little baUad melody. 



ny and aad, which mlffht have been from OiMo or 
from GMMTMCsla. The Samton-Dolhy tong was song, 
tpo, with much pathos. But perluqpe the most beiMn- 
fnl thing snng at all, and very beantltelly snng, was the 
Duet by Spobr. Mrs. Sioth waa in flne voice and sang 
the florid Oirflasset more effectively (hardly lUce the 
Und that ftrst night in Castle Garden I) than she did a 
FranaSong for an encore. Dr. Lajtokaid's sloclnff 
was altogether artlstlo and delightfnl, both in the Bpohr 
Dnet. and the Quartets, and in Behnmann's ** lUdaigo," 
which he gave with a neat deal of spirit; only the tem- 
po was a mfle fast Dr. Bullaud sang, as bs always 
ooea, with latelllgenee and reflnement The aceompan- 



ImMits were playsd with eertaintf and good dlserlmlni^ 
tlon by Mr. Abthub Foots. The Bonata-Doo by Grieg, 
and the short piano solos, were pleasing contributions 
both in matter and in execution. 



Hauvabd BvuPHomr Oosiokbts. Of the opening 
concert next week. The second programmot for Kov. 
SS, is as follows: 

PartI. Overture to <*LodoidEa,"(»UniMM:Bce- 
na and Romania, from the ** Hngnenots," JTsyvrftssr 

Sfr. B. W. Lahgmaid): Overtnrs : ** The Hebrides,*' 
'tnd»U90hn; Bongs.— Pabt IL Seventh Symphony, 
JteMoeta. 
In the third concert (Dee. T) Wm Julia Biva, the 



Stung pianist of Cincinnati, who has become so highly 
stinfl|ni8hed,bnt who has never appeared yet in New 
Sngland, will play the C minor Concerto of Beethoven 



and the second iOoMedls ^Mi^rolss by Ltsat.— Mr. Laoir- 
HAVD will play the r minor Concerto of Chopiii in the 
fourth concert Dec 11. 



Tn first Thomas Concert on Monday evening, 
oflbrs a long and varied programme; For Over- 
tares, ToHHkShuer and 06«nm / for Piano with Or^ 
chestra, Liszt's arrangement of the Schubert Fan- 
taisie in C, op. 16, played by Mr. Wm. H. Sherwood, 

who for solos will also play a Fugue (E minor) by 
Handel, a Nocturne by Chopin, and his own Caprio- 
cio, op. 4. For vocal solos. Miss Henrietta Beebe 
sings Mendelssohn's Concert Aria, " Infelice * and 
Engliah ballads ; Mr. M. W. Whitney sings Beetho- 
ven's "In questa tomba" and a couple of Scandina- 
vian songs. For noveltiee, the orcnestra is to play 
an Admo and Scherso from the *' Frithjof " Sym- 
phony by Hoftnann ; " Nachtgesang," by yolfft,and 
" Slcilienne," by Boocherini (Strings alone); and 
the second Hungarian Rhapeody by Lisst The 
other concerts foUow on Wedneeday evening, Sat- 
urday afternoon, and Monday and Wednesday even- 
ings of the following week. 



Mb. and Mat Wm. H. Shcewood, pianists, pro- 
pose giving a series of five piano recitals, the first 
to take place about the midale of November next in 
which are to be brought out a great variety of choice 
works for two pianos, piano solos and duets. Near- 
ly or quite all of the following compoeers will be 
represented : Scarlatti, Bach, Handel, Haydn, Mo- 
lart Beethoven, SchubeK, Mendelssohn, Schu- 
mann, Chopin, Lisit Henselt, Tausig, Von Buelow, 
Moschelee, Brahms. Weltsmann. Rheinberger, Thal- 
berg, Rubinstein, Knllak, Reinecke, Raff. Wagner, 
Gnstav Schumann, Baiviel, Dupont Raff, Grieg, 
Jensen, Wm. Mason, Rufer, Maas, Mosikowski, Yon 
Weber, Roche, Sherwood and others. Mr. Geo. L. 
Osgood and other prominent artists will assist Mr. 
Wm. H. Sherwood has made a most successful <II5ii< 
at the Thomas concerts in New York, oi which the 
N. Y. press speak in highest terms of praise. He is 
to appear in the month of November in a succession 
of Theo. Thomas's concerts, beginning in Philadel- 
phia. Subecription lists will sboKly be placed in 
the music stores for the series. — Orj)hmt$, 

Mmio in Hew Tork. 

Nov. 4, 1876. Steinway Hall was crowded on 

the night of the first Symphony Concert Oct S8th, 

when Mr. Thomas offered the following programme : 

Bymphonyt No. 8, in F. Beethoven. 

nmi ----- - ^ . . 



InC, op-. 16 Behnhert 

Adapted for piano and orehestra by Usit. 
DramatiG Symphony* ** Bomeo and Juliet" Op' 17, 

Berllon. 
Orcliestra» Chorus and Solos. 

The Eighth Symphony contains none of the bold 
and ambitious conceptions which mark the fifth and 
the seventh of the immortal seriee ; nevertheless it 
is instinct with genius, the various Motets contain- 
ing nothing commonplace or stale, and developed 
and combined by the hand of a master spirit whose 
touch gives life and breath to every theme. The 
Symphony received the moot delicate and refined 
treatment at the hands of the orchestra to which 
tlie All«gretto is exceptionally familiar through fre- 
quent repetition at the garden concerts. 

Schubert* s great Fantasie was played by Mme. 
Madeline Schiller with her accustomed brilliancy 
and accuracy, but not with entire clearness, some of 
the rapid passages being blurred by unskllftd use 
of the lond pedal. The poetic spirit of the piece 
was finely developed ; the lyrical cry of the "Wan- 
derer " theme being very efliwtlve. The composi- 
tion is dnunatic In a high degree, bat lacking In 



unity. The orchestral setting is particularly happy 
and the orchestra was perfection itself. 

The Romeo and Juliet Symphony la best defined 
in the words of the great critic who was its com- 
poser. 

" There cannot be any misunderstanding as to the 
nature of this work. Although voices are often em- 
ployed In It it it neither a concert-opera nor a can- 
tata, but a symphony with choruses. 

If the voices are introduced almost at the outset* 
it Is In order to prepare the mind of the hearer for 
the dramatic scenes about to be ill u st r ated by the 
orchestra, as also for the sake of the gradual musi- 
cal development of the choral masses, whose too ab- 
rupt entrance might detract from the unity of the 
work. Thus the Prologue, in which, as In Shakes- 
peare's play, the chorus Indicates the action, is re- 
cited by but fourteen voices. Afterwards, we hear 
(behind the scenes) the chorus of Gapnlets (men) 
only ; later, in the funeral ceremony, tne Gapnlets, 
both men and women. At the opening of the Finale 
we have the two enttre choruses of Gapnlets and 
Montagues, and Friar Laurence ; at its close, the 
Uiree choruses combined.' 

This last scene of the reconciliation of the two 
families belongs strictly In the domain of the opera 
or the oratorio. It has never, since Shakespeare's 
time, been represented on any stage ; but It Is too 
beautiful, too musical, and too well adiapted to crown 
a work of this kind for the composer to think of 
treating It otherwise. 

If in the celebrated " balcony " and " graveyard 
scenes'* the dialogue of the two lovers, Juliet's 
" asides " and Romeo's passionate outbursts, are not 
sung, if in fine the duets of love and despair are 
given to the orchestra, the reasons for this are nu- 
merous and evident First — what alone would suf- 
fice to Justify the composer —because It Is the case 
of a symphony, not ox an opera. Again, as duets 
of this kind have been vocally treatd a thousand 
times and by the greatest masters, another kind of 
setting was attempted, from prudence and as a mat- 
ter of curioeity. Moreover, the very sublimity of 
this love rendered Its repreeentatlon so haaardooa 
for the mnsidan that he had to give to his imaginn* 
tlon a latitude which the positive s^nse of the words 
sung would not have admitted, and to recur to In- 
strumental language, a language which Is richer, 
more varied, less determinate, and, by its very 
vagueness, incomparably more effective for the pres- 
ent purpose." 

The work was admirably rendered ; the soloists 

being Miss Antonia Henne, Mr. Geo. Werrenroth, 

apdMr. Frans Remmerti. A.A.C. 



WoBOlSTB^ Mass. The ^, Oct SB, has the fol- 
lowing report ^th programme, d Mr. B. D. Al- 
len's " Evenings with the Musicians." It will be 
seen that Roemnrs Pro PmcoIu Is set down as '* an 
amusing composition " ; if this be a typographical 
blunder, it shows that chance can be ironical. 

The subjeet of Mr. Allen's lecture in the Music Bohool 
Murse last night wss Catholic Church Music, and was 
listened to by the usual Intelligent audience which Is 
drawn to Ftymonth ehaptf on the oeoaslon of these 
Bvenings with the Mnstcians. Musi«al illustrations 
formed a prominent feature of the lecture, Mr. Allen's 
deeerlpttone and suggestions serving to give his hear- 
ers a olear understanding of the compositions performed. 
The programme Included stf ections firpm Flemish, Ital- 
ian and German compoeets in chronological order, as 
follows: 

Canon, by Wm.Dafhy, about the year 1400, sung by a 
ohorus numbering eighteen. 

Canon, comnoaed for Louis XH. of France, by Joa- 
quin des Fres In 1445-lBll, a langliabie affair. 

Aye Maria, by Jaoquee Areadelt In 1550, a solo very 
finely rendered by O. R. Hayden. 

Jlalmn, 

Hymn, Alia Trinata Beata, unknown oompoaer In 14—, 

2L 9**f^!lPL^SL¥'!S* ^* ^**^'*'? ^'STHb ^'** ^™- Bpauld- 



Ing, and Messrs. ChMsette and B. T. Hammond. 

Sentence, We Adore Thee, Otovanni Pa]estrina.la 
1014-1504, choins. 

^The Eighth Fsalm, Be n edetto Maroello In 1000-lTao, a 
ohorus. Miss Mary Beebe taking the solo. 

Quia set homo (Btabat Mater), Emanuel Astorn In 
1601-1780, a dnet ny Misses Slue Sumner and Alloe 
Proutj. 

Solo, from the tlst Fsalm, G. V. Fsrvoleai in mo-lTM, 
byMrs. A. C. Monroe. 
Jtequlem Attemam, Lnlgl Chemblnl In 1780-101% 

i¥» A eis ff i>wn SUbai MaJat, O i oaeeh In o Bosaini In 
lTOO-1800, an a ma slny (//) ttm puHhm ^ sung hy Mr. B. T 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



Tut» MIram, tram tbe Requiem, W. A. Haurt In 
tH-1792, HOE br Mia. Brown, Mn. lliuuot, Hchii. 
[■fdes and Hunmoiul. 

nani-Dia fmni D«itiehe M«M, Fnu Bebub«rt tn 
diul eompiNltian, kid|; br ■ mala cbo- 



ITM- 



Oflertorr, Unu Tlrgo, J. IT. Hnmnwl In ITTS-IBST, tb* 
■olo br Un. J. SMvut Bimrn. 

Mn. J. Stcwut Blown, the prindpal loloUt of iba 
■tsdIde, uhe all hermnilc In tin mxt laKtfaftoty man- 
Bar, and tSa concert waa exceedloclr InteiMtlnt 
throagboDt. Mr. Allan (iTe, In tbe conne of big lam- 
nre,a plaaaantulliDteto tbfl merit of tbewnrir of our 
baraacampoeera, Ueeara. llon1jan,Staama and Dan*. 

FbilIadxu'hia. The Uat oigbta of October were 
the lut of the Eellogg Engltsh Opera at the Acade- 
my of Haitc Hiu Kellogg herself, ICmi. Julie 
Rotewald, Hn. Zetda asgaib.Mr. Haaa.Hr. Conly, 
and Hr. Peakea took put in Hcyerbeer'* " Star or 
the North." 

DariDK last week tbe taat Centennial Mnileal 
FMtival Cancerta ware k^^o- aider the direeUon 
of Theodore Thomu. with the aid of the Women'a 
Cantenalal Choroa (400 TOlcea) ; Mrs. H. U. Siallh, 
and Mln Emma Thunby, Sopranot; the Swediah 
Lady Qoartetto of etngera ; Hr. H. W. Whitney, 
BMeo ; Hr. Jarria and Hr. Sherwood, planiati, Hr, 
Jacobaoha. TioUniat, and the Thomaa Orcheatra. — 
Of one batareln the clottng pragraatme the Sdh- 
itig SuBttiH aaka : 

Ii IE reallr *">» that tbe Oestennlal aathorltlei pto- 
poee to Biaka the hlnnder of lnQt>dnelng " America '* 
iolo the mnaieal px^tramme of the cloaln^ dart It la 
eo anBonnoad. thoagh not eOelallr. " America " It tbe 
nUanomer wblch aome i^afnlded Yankee plaateied orer 
"God Bare the Elngl"* aome raara ago, wben a plena 
paredr of that (anKKis national aong of Great Britain 
Blnj(lBs aoboois of Mew Kng- 
'Ood Sa*elhe King I" or "tbe Qnsei 



lajnlr ahonld not be oo 

parade oirr larcenr of It before onr Briuah gneala on tbla 

yte do' not need to co abroad for utlonil aonEi, 
wherawitb lo eloae the Eiblbltlon. A couple of ataniaa 
of liie *' Star ipaoEled Banner," tranapoeed Into a low 
ker to avoid tbe hfchHt rang* of the melodj. would be 
BQnir with aplendid effect by anr American aaaem>>1age- 



it the people'! patrloUam, and far more appropriate to 

■' ' — "-in Ibe "America," wbicbla — -" ' 

e parodr purloined from 



•dr parlolned 1 
la It belong!. 



aotlre and entarprialng tc 



winter, wblle at the name time keeping allre the Inter- 
eit wblcb la already felt in regard to the great nrodcal 
feaUral for iSTt. Tbe ClnclnneU Orpbeni will glre en- 
tertalnmenla thia rear luBaenger Hall on the following 
datea: Nor. BIh and IMh, Deo. Sd and ITtb. The Cln- 
elnnati Orcheatra will be eonaldetablr atcengthened for 

"■ — ■-" — '-Meaitaamncbliexpectedotlt 

- "■ tbe tanefal tra»el![ 



IM winter aeason, and al 



_ jt* pact hlatorr JaatlDss. Of . . ._.. „ 

Mara, Kenonc, Belocca. and (be Carlberg Opera Compa- 

aatleaatirni *M( na, tbe lattn with tbe "nring 
tohman " aa the attraction. Loeal ooneerta br prom- 
liieni member* of the piofeHlon are alreadr promlaad In 
cheerful abandanea. Blgnor* JannoKa and Alllal will 
both DiTar operatic entaminment b* home (alenL Hr. 



n. Blnser, J 
MlrdeOghtf 



New Tokk. Tbe Trihmt'* criHe, aUll all aglow 
with the Bayrauthlan baptliRi, telle nt in laat Bit- 
irday'a paper : 

The laat lebeanal of Ihf New-Tork Phllhanaonlo Bo- 
ole^ for It* Oiat ooBoact took plao* reatardar aftamoon. 



boTcn'a Vlfth Brraphonr and tbe flrit act of 
■ Die WaUllra " were gliea. The Srmpbonr 
ill placed. Tbcre waa great want of finish *1- 
gbodt'thfl atrlng* were ragged and aoratcbr, 



niDK tbe work, batJtia d 
roach can get hia men ' 
'017 creditable parformi 



enoogh In hand 

to-nlgbt. Howt ... „ 

made anenda for anr ahonaonlng* In the Sjmphon;. 
Tbe mnilc Itself. In the Brit place. I* eatremalT baull- 
f dI— anrttaing mneta more beautiful. Indeed, It la hard lo 



Academirla-BlRbt,w 
reapecta exttemeW i 

fnU; bean Of ol music 



le extremeir 1 

Id, and It fa 

IDE about ibla new m 

waioer'acaa aJIord 



stfnE. In man; 



DEontTUro ImnnnrT OmiA. Tbe brilliant opening 
of a aeason of English opera at tbe Phllsdalpbla Aeade- 
nj of Motio deaarre* oongntnlatOTT notice,, aapeclallr 
a* It follows Immediately a diamal tallnre of tbe black- 
gaard Trench opera on tbe same stage, Tbe attendansa 
at the rrencb perlormancea fell off to almost nothing, 
laat week. Thia week baa opened wltb one of tbe larg- 
est and most taiblonable andlencet the theatre can 
bold, attraoted to bear > not rery gteu performance of 
an English version of an old and hacknejed Italian op- 
era. But the mnalG la goad, ttaa atory Is decent and the 
artistabeban like geDtiemen and ladles; and It Is a 
good sign when these featnree of a performance at the 
Academy are appreciated. 

The ran for blachgaard open, poUteIr called gpfra 
taa/i, which pnralled among the stookbolders and oth- 
er Eabltuei of ihe Apadtnyof lloslo a few years ago, 
cannot be aeoonnted for anr more than can other forma 
of ntorUd appetite, or mania, or disease, which ooca- 
alonally appeara even Inlhebeatsoelety. Bat there was 
aueb a rage, and It led to ImmeBse (aceesa tor tke prima 
donuaoflhe first s|Mr*»MiABeaBon.wha was the Bgll- 
est and Tnlgarest woman that ever was allowed to take 
a leading part on tbe Academy sU|n. abe wbo ' 
erTOleeBormethodtocomioeD'' '— •- - -'- 
Insolent, andaclaus tndecenciei 



T as a slnire 









I .11- blgh 



bouse, or to any above 

proaperouB home. Am 
onetration of ihls fact. 



?M^m»m 



if Ftalladelphla during iii,- sea- 



mmedlately foilowlnE Ihedem- 
imea a condrmaMon of li In tbe 
ceas for the Kollong Xngllsh 
t treat tbe one greal merit of 



Tlallnlsts. On thu pi 
dial, an edifloe aald to tuve been b 
depicted a t«ntle Agnre seated, uii 
■ sort ol viol with tour seringa a 



There has tieen no lack of Isdy 



a, atterheidlvon 



t In early ages ladlea so 



>d bersdf with playing i 



" Stie aingi and she plar*< 
And Bbe fnoweth all the ke: 









ifflSS . 

Ing." Id ITSg. Bignoia 
llclyoa tbe violin in 
TanavlclBl, bom In : 



of the Empiess Josephine 



1 helng can nlar with more feel- 
Ylttorla dalr Occa played pab- 
tbe theatre at Milan. Sicnon 
Tan .1 Turin, waa a violinist of 
■njoyed the apeclal favor 
ulse l>auttierat,aFreucb 

wbicb abe gave In London, from inp to ITW. In Itl I 
AInor* Oerblnl performed on the vMIn, ia Paris, In 
UK Had. ruipowlea, Um wifeol a Polish Colonel, played 
Ibe violin at the London FlillbanDanlc Coneerts. Ve 
ate told that timss who osni* to lani^ remained to ad- 
mire. Tbe names ot Krahmen, Scholti, Newman, Hum- 
Icr, and TIttorIa de Buooo are those of renowned female 
vloUnlal*. Many will remember the Jtomprodnoed In 
IBtO, and later, by the slitera Jfllanalla. Had. ITormau- 
Kerada is professoresa ot the violin In the Academy of 
Btoekbolmi and to this list of lady vIoUniaU muat bs 
addsd tbs namss of Camlll* Crso and Silas OoUlas. 



Spttial Soiiffs. 



.TEST KAxrazo, 

r •llT*r »■*■•> * O*. 



Tosal, with Plaas issi 



■paalx 



Tsfc« thla HeMfra to my Dftrling. D-minor. 
4 d to F. Dudeke*. M 

••TM her In the gsntlait wblspw. 
That in death I bless her name." 
Full of pathos and eipresslon. 
The; are beokonlng me. Sods and Chonia. 

E& 8. d to F. Xyld. 30 

Since tbe early dawn of day." 
Of that beantlf ol bind tbat always pleases. 
LltUe John BotUeJohu. E6 3. F to g. 

Femald. U 
"And there on a rook aa( tbe lltUe msrmaM. 

Aad sh* was ainging so loe." 
A pnttr and hnmorou* narration of L. J. B'e 
affair with tbe little aea-malden, with whom be 
deManded to the region where Dive* lives, and 
wh*re he has dDutHlesa became aa old salt. 

8h« loved me in Life'a Summer time. G. 8. 



mr spirit Ilka a prayer. 

Vwy aweet, oveir way. 

Asgeli wanted her in Henren. Song and 

Chonu. O 8. e to E. LjfU. SO 

"There this flower of eartb must lie. 
The angela pinched It la its iihwrn." 
Hournfnl, hBautUnl worda, and sweet mosle. 

Tb* ShUora Onm. 4 F. F to a. 5iiUI«m. M 

"But the gaUaat fleet ehall pnoOj steer. 
And warrioDB shout above ttiee." 
A gallant tritmle to a brave aallor. A good 
eonoert aong for a beany volee. 
I'm feelhtar like % Big Bnll-Frng. A. 8. 

E to E. Tong PattoT, SS 

■-Bull never can forget Aleena. 
Stltcblng on a sewing machine.'- 
Pine potnlt of tbs ftoc. and grotesquely sen- 
timental ballad. 
A pUln Te Deum. Eb S. K. to F. ThOem. X 
Two pages ot Chanta, with Soprano and 
lienor aolos. We need mr— ■»- ri— w. •... . 
obangi, and tbla la slmpii 






Gotrdder. SS 



Star of Empire Harcli. G 8. 

Quile powerful, ret elegant li 
Legends, (Tonttuck). D. 8. Lamge. SS 

Oar of Lsnge'a tasteful pieces. Thae pneUee. 

Nearer my Ood, to Thee. Q S. Ananaied by 

Fernald. K 

A simple and pretty tnnscriptlen. 
Emma FolltB. D S. SergtriM. 80 

Prettr pleee'foT learnera. 
Throe Eaay OperKtl'e Diiets for Yiolin and 

Piano. Stekbtry. 40 

No. 1. Aladdin. 1. By Hove. 

'■ a. Contnlundiata. By AilUwn. 

" 8. Coi and Box. " " 

S neat novaltlea which will please Ibces who 

have a violinist in the famllr- Perh^s 3 would 

eicress the dinonltr- 

Bright Batterflles. Idylti 



Ltmga. 40 



IneaiaUble. Talaa brilUute. F. 4. IFel*. 00 
Bright waits, [not sst of waltiea) with a oeiuin 
unusual richness In Ita brilliancy. 
Album tor Organiite. By Engene Thayer. 
No. 9. Fugue In C-malor. 6. B«Mpi. BC 

One of a flne set tor advanasd player*. 
Organlata Beliance. By Engene Thayer. 

Serrice Frelude, in O. JfuIIer 
Romania. Siuset 

Two fieeponse*. Bnttsww 

Serrioe nvlnde, tn V. " 

Fugue. Rliti 

In Hemotiam. Bpok 

Serrioe Prelude in F. Sttm 

Harch Eeroifliie. No. 1, Bckubtri 
•1.1G 

ABBiaviArtoira.— Degieea of dllBenltv an maiksd 
from 1 10 7. Tbe key is denoted by a capital letter, as C, 
Bt,ete. A large Soman letter marks tbe lowest and the 
blghest note II on the at^ small Roman letlen If be- 
low or above the staff, nna: "C. », c to B" means 
■> Key of C, Fifth degree, lowest letter, c on tbe added 
line below, hlghcat lettar, E on the 4th ipaea. 





nxml 





WaoLB No. 929. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, NOV. 25, 1876. Vol. XXXVI. No, 17. 



f »• 



The Mofleal Student 

Aif^ WooHl and miirrtod an* a< 

They apeak o' the nrasieal beantlea 

O* Bach aa* Beethoven an> a* ; 
But waea me, o* a' their Inreraioiia 

They ken almost naething ava.' 
Their ch<ntl8 o* the sixth in the minor, 

Wi* dominant sevenths an' a*. 
Their diseords wi* neat preparations, 

▲n* line resolutions an* a* :— 

Plagued an* hothered an* a', 
Bothered an* plaipied an* a', 

Wi* chords o* the sixth an* the sarenth, 
The ninth, eleventh, an* a*. 

The snbjeet i Juat had completed. 

Had twa or three fifths In a raw, 
WI' Ither sic fause-like relations, 

Conseoative octaves an' a'. 
My discords, I tried to rssolve them. 

By contrary motion an* a'; 
But tbo* I had contrary mellofi, 

*Twaa coa ^ r g ry only to law. 

Plagued an* bothered an' a*, 
Bothered an* plagued an* a', 

Wi' a* their confounded gutpemttotu. 
Which simply means k an jimo fty low. 

An' then cam* their fugues an' their canons, 

Augmented, diminUUd, an' a', 
Which only dimimUhsd my chaacet 

O' getting them rieht ava*. 
But then cam' the end o' the 

A JoHy relief free a*— 
When my chords went to §i9e$ an* 

An' I to the Hielands, hurra' I 

Freed f rae bother an' a'. 

Dominants, tonics, an' a'; 

Me§oMmg the whole into pleasure, 

The best resplallon o' a*. 

V.B.I.8. 



The Wagner FeetiTml at Bayrentk 

BT JOSBFH BKHIIBTT. 

(Prom the London Musical Times.) 

(Concluded from Page 828.) 

Having, in a fonner article, diicnssed the 
poem of *'Der Ring dea Nibelangen,** I now 
approach its music, not, however, for the par- 
pose of detailed criticism. To go point by 
point through Wagner^s score — a monument of 
industry and perseverance — would demand 
qualities second only to those which made its 
creation possible. Furthermore, such labor is 
needless. Great as may be the individual 
claims of ^'Der Ring desNibelungen/' musical 
men are not so much concerned about it, per S0, 
as about the new and startling principles em- 
bodied. Wagner's drama might disappear to- 
morrow, but the theories upon which it is 
based would remain for acceptance or rejection 
just as though nothing had happened. Conse- 
quently, I have to deal, before all, with prin- 
ciple and theory; but this cannot be done apart 
from a discussion of the music to the drama, 
aince the latter presents itself as an authorita- 
tive exposition of the former — so authoritative 
that the fate of the one may be considered as 
carrying with it the fate of the other. Let me, 
then, take both Wagner^s theory of dramatic 
music and his ^' Ring des Nibelungen "—to re- 
gard this in the light reflected from that, and 
et0s MTss. 

The theory may be stated briefly, thoogh, if 
Wagner's voluminous aronment be a necessity, 
the reasons Uj^n which It is based would take 
long to exhibit. I shall avoid the reasons, not 
merely because there is no space for them here, 
but because I now aim at criticism from a prac- 
tical standpoint, and to take my reader into 



the wilderness of Wagnerian verbiacre would 
be to harass hia mind and tax his patience un- 
necessarily. Here, then, without further pref- 
ace, or settinsT forth of Why and Wherefore, is 
the root of Wagner's musical system as applied 
to drama — the Ward muet dictate the Tone. 
From this brief thesis sprinsfs the whole art- 
fabric about which the world is talking. The 
Word must dictate the Tone — that is to say, 
the Word must be brooded over by the compo- 
ser, whose instinct will divine its musical equiv- 
alent, to which his skill will give expression. 
Beyond the ran^ of the Word the composer 
may not go, and he must follow it whitherso- 
ever it lead. Nay, he must bring his eye so 
closely down to it that anything Asides, even 
a contiguous word, is unseen. It is not for 
him to move to a distance, painter-fashion, that 
a number of objects may blend and furnish 
materials for an artistic design. This would 
be inimical to the absolute supremacy of the 
Word, which demands individual attention, 
and reduces the unfortunate composer to the 
position of the man in arithmetic books who 
undertook to pick up so many eggs, placed 
some yards apart, in so many minutes, starting 
on a separate journey for each. The athlete in 
question never had more thi^n ene egg on his 
mind and in his hand at a given time, and, 
like him, the Wagnerian composer moves from 
word to word, putting his ear to each and jot- 
ting down its note. About the influence of 
this strange procedure upon musical form I 
shall have somewhat to say by-and by, but it 
will be convenient now to remark its working 
in a less mechanical and more important direc- 
tion. A reader may here interpose and say, 
"Can there be any result more important than 
the break up of form, upon which music, not 
less than any other art, depends for all its in- 
tellectual and much of its sensuous charmt'* 

In reply, let me state that there are pages upon 
pages in **Der Ring des Nibelungpen '* where 
the music, taken in conjunction with its dra- 
matic surroundings, satisfies every requirement, 
formless though it be — as form is commonly 
understood. Listening to it, the unbiassed 
critic finds himself on the verge of a belief 
that Wagner has hit upon a system which, how- 
ever strange, belongs to the Eternal Verities. 

But the action of his fundamental theory in the 
direction at which I have hinted is attended 
by no such results, simply because a drama, 
properlv so called, cannot be constructed with- 
out obliging the Wagnerian composer to shut 
his eyes to the sole objects of art — mental ele- 
vation and sensuous pleasure. A drama, while 
a work of art, is an exhibition of human nature, 
and would not be true unless it set forth vice 
as well as virtue, obliquity as well as straight- 
forwardness, that which is mean and small as 
well as that which is noble and great. In ' 'Der 
Ring des Nibelungen " Wagner recognizes the 
fact as completely as can be desired. We have 
seen that his drama abounds in trickery and 
low device; that even his gods are gamblers; 
and that hardly a character is free from chica- 
nery. It is to the discredit of the master that 
he shows us this apart from any high moral 
purpose; but, genendly speaking, the drama- 
tist uses that which is ugly to enforce the de- 
sirableness of beauty, and makes virtue more 
attractive by contrast with vice. But between 
music and the drama, so regarded, there is not 
the smallest analogy. The ** divine art," ab- 
stract in its very essence from everything in 
the material and moral world, has no necessary 
connection whatever with anything materially 
and morally objectionable. He, therefore, 
who makes the connection does so on his own 



responsibility, and is solely accountable for the 
result. Looking at Wagner's theory of the ev- 
olution of the Tone from the Word, and not 
less on his practice as exemplified by **Der 
Ring des Nibelungen," in the light of this un- 
questionable truth we see at once the fallacy 
of both, and underetand how both fail on a 
vital point. Composers, from the earliest 
years of the lyric drama until now, have had to^ 
deal with baseness of character and meanness 
of sentiment; but they have treated these 
things under the influence of an idea that their 
business was not to drag art down to the level 
of its subject, but always to maintain its dig- 
nity and worth. Wagner, on the other hand, 
sees no dignity and worth in music as such« 
but hauls it anywhere and everywhere, over 
flower-decked meadows or through bogs and 
swamps, tied to the chariot wheels of the w ord. 

Aware of this fact, and familiar with the story 
of "Der Ring des Nibelungen," the reader can 
form a tolerably accurate idea of much of the 
music. Sweet waters do not run from a foul 
spring, neither do thistles produce figs. Simi- 
larly, the scenes in Wagner's drama, where 
that which is physically ahd morally repulsive 
dominates, cannot, according to the theory he 
sternly practises, be attended by other than re- 
pulsive music. Even at this distance of time a 
kind of shudder passes over me as I recall the 
wide dreary deserts of barren sound through 
which at Bayreuth Wagner smilingly conduct- 
ed us, as though they were strips of the Prom- 
ised Land, flowing with milk and honey. His 
grotesque imps, scheming gods, and stupid gi- 
ants were continually evolving their musical 
equivalents, and all their lies and dodges were 
reflected in false and tricky strains. It would 
be easy to give a hundred examples of this 
fact — to cite passage after passage, in intermi- 
nable procession, which, from a musical point 
.of view, has nothing to recommend it. I did 
so at Bayreuth, in the hearing of one among 
Wagner's most ardent supporters, and whs 
calmly assured that a musical result was not 
intended. If so, musicians may well demand, 
with no little indignation, why the apparatus 
and resources of music are used for the low and 
unworthy object of mere noise — why the purest 
and most beautiful of arts is employed in so 
demding a connection, married to the mean 
and low, and prostituted to the creation of re- 
pulsiveness. 

I need not stop to show how the notion of 
evolving the Tone from the Word is destruc- 
tive of form, which, in its very nature, presup- 
poses the independence of music as regards 
structural lines. Where the business of the 
composer is 4imited to catching each idea as it 
falls from the mouth of the poet, and clothing 
it in an appropriate musical dress, he can enter- 
tain no notion of symmetrv, fitness of parts, 
beginning, middle, and end ; the grouping ahd 
general arrangement of that which he produces 
being dictated by another. We see this con- 
stantly exemplified in ** Der Ring des Nibelun- 
gen," though there are occasions when Wagner 
so handles his dramatic material as to miike the 
resources of form available. The music streams 
on down the course of the poetry, turning and 
twisting in infinite convolution; now calm,' 
now stormy; now flowing over smooth sand, 
now whirling in eddies among rocks; now ex- 
panding into a broad reacfi, now rushing 
through a gloomy ravine; now dear as crystal 
and now (more often) opaque as a Black Coun- 
try canal. Nowhere do we find the lines which 
commonly break up dramatic pnusic into sym- 
metrical forms, as a microscope breaks up a 
snow-flake into a multitude of perfect and in- 



^kA 



333 



DWIGHT»S JOURlfAL OF MUSIC. 



dependent crystals. Like the brook which I 
have used in figure, the music is continuous, 
varied, not by reasons of art, but only by the 
dramatic circumstances which control it. It 
has already been indicated that this system is 
not nedessarily an evil. There are scenes in 
** Der Ring des Nibelungen " where the form- 
lessness of the music never occurs to its hearer 
— where the poetry of the situation inspires so 
much beauty that mind and sense are '* pos- 
sessed " to ukt exclusion of consciousness that 
anything is wanting. Such is that of the in- 
terview of Siegmund and Sieglinde, and of 
Br&nnhildeand Siegmund, in *'Die Walkare;" 
of the forest episode in '^Siegfried,*' and the 
awaking of Briinnhilde by her hero. In these 
instances, as well as in others which might be 
named, Wagner's system is shown under condi- 
tions that make it compatible at once with dra- 
matic truth and music ft* charm. But how does 
the result arise 9 From any excellence in the 
system itself? By no means; rather is it the 
consequence of things lyirig outside the sys- 
tem—the consequence of situation and poetic 
thought, the music springing from which is 
beautiful, without regard to form, like the 
merry noises of nature on a summer's day. 
Turning from the scenes where this result is 
produced, we find others, in which the compo- 
ser, having no such help, lies at the mercy of 
a theory, and is bound down by it so that he 
cannot employ the full resources of his art. 
Almost of necessity, there are occasions when 
the open: tic composer derives little hc^lp from 
his subject, which has its moments of exalta- 
tion and depression, of emotional arsis and the- 
sis, like everything that refiects the waves of 
life in a human soul. At such times he can 
sustain the interest by his own artistic mean?. 
The poet retirss into the background, but the 
musician comes to the front, and the balance is 
preserved without change. How many exann- 
ples could be cited in which a poor dramatic 
situation is thus redeemed by tne composer*s 
art! But Wagner makes this impossible. If 
the poet retire, his shadow — the composer — 
goes with him ; if the one sink, down goes the 
other, albeit there lie close at hand the means 
of keeping afloat. Herein, as the case appears 
to me, consists a weakness second only to the 
deadly heresy that the Word must inspire the 
Tone. In order to secure the advantage of a 
damatic truth which is not very obvious, and, 
by comparison with that sacrificed, is valueless, 
Wagner bars the composer from all the resour- 
ces of form even when he is, through no fault 
of his owa, reduced to the last extremity. The 
matter has only to be so looked at in order to 
ensure prompt rejection for this feature of 
Wagners plan. But if anybody wishes to see 
its actual working, let him turn to ** Der Ring 
des Nibelungen " and regard painfully the pag- 
es wherein the musician, dragged by the poet 
through quagmires of dreary talk, is bouna by 
the system to be as fiat and unprofitable as his 
tyrant. If that experience do not convince him 
nothing will, and further argument is useless. 
But the chances are in favor of a conclusion 
that the abolition of form in dramatic music, 
however possible to a certain extent without 
serious loss, cannot be accepted as a general 
principle apart from the gravest sacrifices. 

Rejecting Wagner's theory of the absolute 
domination of the poet, we reject all that is 
fundamental; but some things yet remain, as 
exemplified in *'Der Ring 3es Nibelangen," 
for further thought, and among them the so- 
called ** characteriaation of themes : " that is to 
say, the representation of persons, feelings, 
and situations by moUH^ which regularly ap- 
pear whenever the things represented are placed 
before the bodily or mental eye. This oevice, 
it is hardly needful to point out, is not of Waff- 
ner's creanon, but one found ready to hand, 
and brought to the hishest pitch of develop- 
ment in his latest work. Judiciously used, it 
is of immense service, as helping to define and 
realize character, besides enabung the musi- 
cian to suggest or strengthen ideas. Take, for 
example, Uie Funeral March of Siegfried 



(<*Odtterdftmmerung,") which recalls nearly 
every leading incident in the life of the fallen 
here, and makes the musician a biographer 
without taking him outside the bounds of his 
art. It must frankly be said for Wagner that 
he illustrates the use of this new power to per- 
fection. The ingenuity with which he inter- 
poses, interweaves, and varies his character- 
tnotivi is infinite. Every connoisseur must re- 
gard with profound respect and admiration this 
feature in the work, conclusive as it is, not 
alone of high intelligence but of splendid mu- 
sical genius. Here, nowever, we touch but the 
fringe of that which, in ** Der Iting des Nibel- 
ungen,'.' shows the greatness of the composer. 
No one who has followed me thus far will im- 
agine that I entertain a blind prejudice in 
favor of Wagner. No one, therefore, will 
question my sincerity when I avow that the 
master's latest work argues his possession of 
qualities which rank him oy the side of the first 
musicians. * *Der Ring des Nibelungen" teems 
with evidence of jo^enius. Its form may be fan- 
tastic and its pnnciples a perversion of that 
which is musically true, but the underlying 
power is magnificent and overwhelming. Let 
there be no mistake here, because error would 
imply a want of the commonest perception on 
the part of him who errs. Wagner is an illus- 
trious victim of his own theory. The Franken- 
stein of composers, he has vivified a monster 
which compels him **to do such tricks before 
hiffh heaven as make the angels weep. " What, 
otherwise, might not this great and remarkable 
man have wrought for his art 9 His capacity 
is boundless. From him melodv streams as 
from a perennial spring— the ** Nibelungen "is 
full of it— while his imagination never fdls, 
his power of comprehending and expressing 
dramatic feeling and situation is always true, 
and. within the limits he allows himself, his 
employment of musical resources shows the 
hand of a consummate master. *'Der Ring 
des Nibelungen " will remain for all time a 
proof of these gifts, and a monument of gen- 
ius. But it will testify to something more; it 
will show how even a man capable of being its 
author may go wrong in the very essentials of 
his craft; how he may in the pride of his intel- 
lect and the splendid daring of conscious might 
become the Satan of his order, war a^inst the 
Eternal Principles, and govern only in Pande- 
monium. Something of Milton's Fallen Spirit 
surrounds Wagner with a strange mixture of 
attraction and repulsion. Among the gods of 
his native heaven he might have been great, 
and in that which is now " his own place" he 
lifts himself in Titanic grandeur. But let ns 
not forget that he is powerful chiefly for evil. 
Let us take care that neither in toad-form nor 
any other does he sit at the ear of the fair art- 
world, pouring therein sophistries to work ir- 
retrievaole ruin. 



•/VWtAA^rfS^W 



■<^^»^'^^^^^^ 



Chiireli Choin in AmtriML 

The following article on American Church Choirl 

appears io the SpoiHth Ouardtan : — 

It may or may not be known in Sootland that in 
the United States the ehareh eholrs form a very 
lanre proportion of the masloal oomroanity. In 
eacn ennroh there is a ' musio committee,* charged 
with the management of the music ; and it is to a 
great extent on the qoality of the musie and of its 
performance that the popularity of tke^ great major- 
fty of the cbnrohes of New York depends. The 
American Gharoh, it mast be remembeijad, is a free 
Charch, and boaais of ao State support In the 
eyes of the Repnblio all Chnrehes are alike, and so 
long as they do not oflSnid against the olvil or the 
moral law, all religions are of course tolerated. As 
eadi ohuroh is dependent upon its supporters and 
npoa the size of iu oongr^n^tion for toe income of 
itself and of its religiout staff, it almost necessarily 
follows that there is an immense amount of oompe- 
tltion. Indeed, the affairs of the church are in this 
respect managed upon something which seems very 
much like oommercial principles ; end as larse con- 
gregations roust be attracted, it follows as a logical 
consequence that there roust be an attraction. In 
these attractions there Is, of course, a very creat 
amount of competition, and matters have progr e ssed 



to such a pass that the rau^ic of a fMhionable New 
York church cosU annually a verv larc^ sum of 
money, far larger indeed than we should dream of 
pnyintt for it in the United Kingdom. Nor is this 
competition confined to one sect All enter into it 
with heart and spirit, and American Episcopalians. 
Roman Catholics, end Hebrews, and even the sot- 
di»ini simple Baptists, Presbyterians, and^ Coven- 
anters, run a mad race for popular support in a way 
which would, if the character of the people were 
less known, shock their brethren on this side of the 
water. Even Plymouth Church, the elect of which 
is Mr. Henry Ward Beecher. has its music commit- 
tee and a very eitensive choir, under the direciltm 
of a Mr. Camp: and a few months ago, when the 
post of tenor soloist became vacant, and no vocalist 
effldent enousrh for the purpose could be discovered 
in the United States, the leader of the choir was 
empowered by the music committee to send to Eng- 
land for one. The gentleman selected is. we learn, 
said to have been siiooessful as a coooeK sinirer. al- 
thouirh his name and fame have not yet reached the 
public ear in Brooklyn, where the Flymooth Church 
congregation is located. 

The church choirs of New York are very hicfaly 
paid, and indeed we are informed by a lady vocalist 
who, long a member of Amerieaa church choira, has 
recently arrived to settle in England, as a concert, 
singer, that the best and most popular members are 
frequently paid salaries amounting to 100 dollars, 
or £S0 a week. Inasmuch as the average salary of 
a ehdr-singer in England is but £10 to £60 per 
year, the great difference involved in the compari- 
son will be obvious. Nor are the New York 
churches by any means economical in the number 
of vocalists they engage. Trinity Church, a Protest- 
ant Episeopal chnrch. boasts of an organist and mu- 
sical director (Mr. Arthur H. Messiter), besides an 
associate organist, a leader of the choir, and a choir 
of 16 treble. 6 alto, 6 tenor, and 6 baas voices, all 

Jrfcked vocalists, while other churches are equally 
Sortunate in this respect. 

But the high saUries paid to the voealists of 
church eholrs have prodnosd a re tr ograde, or rath- 
er a progres s ive, movement in Ikvor of a more sim- 
ple form of divine worship. The prices paid have 
really become so high, that many churches in the 
year which commenced on May-day last, have been 
compelled to dispense with the choir altogether, 
and this has ^used a Hood of out of work vocalists, 
thcincrease of the supply in relation to the demsnd 
necessarily in many cases decreasing the salaries. 
Mr. Wardwell, who owns perhaps the largeet ehureh 
choir agency in New Yora, has in his books, it is 
said, over 900 applicants, while a single advertise- 
ment for tenors and basses was reponded to by 130 
individuals. A oerUin Miss Thursby, long a favor- 
ite to the New York churches, havintp retired from 
the ehoir of the Broadway Tabernacle, and an ad- 
vertisement for a new soprano having been Inserted 
in the newspapers, numerous singers snceeeded in 
obtaining the opportunity for a practical trial in the 
church. The announcement or the first evenlng^s 
test was answered by a crowded house, and when 
the request was made that all those desiring to take 
part in the contest should remove from the body to 
the gallery of the church, nearly the entire conjrre- 
Itation arose and, with rolls of music, marched to 
the rapid beatings of their own hearts to (he sests 
above. For three hours the panorama of sopranos 
passed over the musical disk with one enervated or- 
ganist and two alternating blow-boys in the back- 
ground. ' Angels ever bright and fair * appeared to 
be the Ikvorite selection, and when it came to the 
words. *Take, O Uke me/ which were delivered 
with all the pathoa demanded by the text, it ap- 
peiured a direct and touching appeal to the hearts 
and pockets of the committee. Soon after 11 p.m. 
a fresh orchestra was substituted, and it was nearly 
midnight before the contest was adjourned until 
another evening. 

But another and br more serious alteration hss 
also been eflected In the musical arrangements of 
many of the New York churches. Espedalty In 
the Preabyterian, Baptist, and churches other than 
the BplsoopaU the change has frequently been rosde 
from ohdr to congregational singinr, and in the 
adoption of the volunteer system. There is also s 
tremendous run upon precentors, the salaried quar- 
tet heing abandoned altogether, and the precentor 
leading the congregational singing instead. This 
change is eminently satisfactory, as well to those 
who do not care to have their singing done by 
proxy as to those who desire a curtailment of ths 
expenses. But the chaoses have not been made 
without vigorous opposinon on the part of many 
members ot the eongrsgatlon ; and ia one ehnrch. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, NOV. 26, 1876. 



339 



H U Mid, when the qQMtion troM, the more youth- 
fal memhera, findinn^ they were likely to loee their 
choir, ewept tlie board of the music committee, the 
memhers of which had lerved for years, and formed 
a new committee to snstain the musical prestl|^ of 
the church. In the Episcopal churches a reduction 
of salaries has been effected ; but music playa, we are 
told, far top important a part to admit or the employ- 
ment of a precentor, unaided by a paid choir, or at 
least a salaried quartet of rocafists. 

It must be admitted that the change from elabo- 
rate to confcre^^tlonal sing^lni^ is one for the better ; 
but a mixed serrice, such as is adopted in many c»f 
our Anglican churches would surely be better still. 
Take, for instance, the ease of the Foundlinjp^ Chap- 
el, to which we have before had occasion to allude 
in these columns. At the Foundling the congrega- 
tion joins heaKily with the choir throughout the 
service, with the exception of the anthem sung im- 
mediately before the sermon. The responses are 
chanted, in the Litany they are spoken, the prlosc 
does not intone, the Ptelms are chanted, and a njnnn 
is sung before the Litany and a Eyrie before the 
Holv Communion. There are six paid vocalists to 
lead the choir, which is formed of the boys and girls 
of the Fouiidling Hospital, a great majomv of whom 
sing plain but good music from notes. The congre- 
gation Joins heartily in this service, which in its 
way and despite a few defects affords, we foncy, 
about as good a model as could be found. The ob- 
ject of a church choir is to lead the congregational 
singing, to improve it, and to make it worthy of a 
place of worship, thereby disproving the moi attrib- 
uted to a certain sensational preacher, that a cer- 
tain personage had all the best music The singing 
of church choirs ought certainly not to be made a 
means of display, an attraction which offers battle 
under heavy disadvantages to the secular concert 
But a good quartet, or even better, a thorough 
good vMuntary choir led by an effldent muridim, 
whether as organist, precentor, musical director, or 
leader, la quite sufficient to keep an ordinary con- 
gregation from stumbling; while, with proper 
training, even Bach's * Passions-muidken,' and other 
devotional worka, might be included in the scheme; 
We should indeed be sorry to see the entire aban- 
donment of more elaborate music, believing that, 
inasmuch as part of the Church service is mrected 
to be said by the priest and part by the people, 
even so pari of the music coula with advantage be 
sung by the choir and part by the congregation. 
But we should, on the other hand, regret to see the 
musical portion of the Church service converted en- 
tirely into a mere medium of display, or that music 
should be used solely of so elaborate a nature that 
an ordinary congregation would be afraid to deal 
with It lest It should spoil it. The change which Is 
now progressing In the American churches will be 
watched with Interest, hut It will have but little e^ 
feet upon our own churches. Although we have a 
somewhat exaggerated idea of the dispoeltlous of 
our American cousins. It la yet certain tnat they are 
not without a dash of sensationalism, and that which 
is neoeesary for then might not be good for us. 
Many of our churches. Indeed, stand in need of re- 
form, but hardly In this direction. What we chief- 
ly require la a certain amount of levelling up, while 
our American friends appear to need a pretty con- 
siderable dose of Wvelling down. 



Craatiiig the Boimd. 

It Is an accepted custom for anybody who wants 
to become a great singer either to gp to Italy, be- 
fore either he or she comes out, or to do so after 
several years study with other than Italian mas- 
ters. 

Whenever there is a question of fashion or supe- 
riority between the diffSM-ent operas, German, 
French, English, or Italian, the latter Is sure to car- 
ry off the prise, though It has been stated, time 
and again, tnat the great stars of the Italian opera 
are, mh very rare exceptions, not Italians. 

What is the reason that the Italian singers are 
believed to be so superior to those of any other 
oountry that Germans, French, Belgians, etc., usu- 
ally add an I, or an o, or a little syllable to their 
namea, so as to be thought Italians T And why should 
people make peregrinations to Italy as the only 
land where singing can be learned to perfection T 

That It is a prejudice kept up against the clearest 
evidence can be proved by the fkct that the great 
prima donnas of the moroeut^Patti. Nilsson, Lucca, 
Tletjene, Trebelli, etc..— are not only not Italians, 
but that they have never been in Italy to take one 
lesson. Patti comes from Italian parents, but that 
Is all. She made her d^bul here, and went from 



here to London, where her first season was Imme- 
diately a success. Tlettens, one of the most dra- 
matic singers on the lyric stage. Is a German ; so is 
Lucca, and both these ladies never had but German 
teachers. Nilsson and Trebelli began and finished 
their studies with Wartel in Paris ; neither of them 
has ever seen an Italian professor, the few lessons 
which Mile, yilsflon lately took from Delle Sedie 
amounting to very small Importance. 

This being so, we ask again, why has this preju- 
dice In favor of the Italian school lasted so long 7 

For a very simple reason. The Italians taught 
their pupils to open the mouth and sing straight 
onidi petto, fVom the chent ; not, like most Germans, 
ftrom the throat, or the French through the nose. 
The language has of course much to do with this, 
.the German pronunciation being rather guttural, 
and the French dipthongs of "In** "en,** etc., 
being nasal. 

But though this may be an extenuating circum- 
stance for Md emission of voice, there Is not the 
slightest n^essity for it ; as we have above men- 
tioned, German and French ringers having very 
well succeeded in appropriating to themselves the 
correct method of Italian singing, and entirely ov- 
ercoming the impedimenta of the language. The 
great afbir, the all-Important affair, the only real 
difficulty, is to know how to produce the sound. 
And that it is upon which the Italians insivted be- 
fore all. Thrir great masters insisted on the pupils 
forming this emission of the sound for many years, 
going through all the studies, •o{/*mi, vocalUiit etc, 
before they were allowed to touch a song. But 
when the voice was firmly set, /Mt^, when the emis- 
sion came clear from the chest ; when the ineqnali- 
tiea inherent to nearly every uncultlvaM voice, 
usually to be found in the first and second third of 
the voice's extent, were overcome ; when they had 
learned how to produce properly their scales and 
shakes, and how to sing strictly legato and ttaceat6 ; 
when they had passed, like Rnblnl and Lablache, 
seven years In forming, setting, and plying the 
voice, then there was no difficulty for them to be 
found In any opera. All the difficult passages had 
been foreseen, prepared, studied, so that, when 
they came to want lt» It was all child's play to 
them. 

If pupils would consent to studying under a con- 
scientious and competent master, so seriously, with 
seal and perseverance, until they can sing, instead 
of beginning where they ahonld end, with learning 
how to sing a ballad or an air, there would be no 
need for them to make the pilgrimage to Italy. 

But there is the whole secret How many voices, 
good, foil, fresh voices, are spoiled because the 
teacher, anxious to bring the pupil out, Instantiy 
makes her sing compositions wnlch she Is no more 
fit for than a bisby to ride before It has learned to 
walk t Another fktal disadvantage Is the eagerness 
of ladles themselves to sing and force high notes. In 
order to astonish the natives ; and the natives are 
astonished, and applaud, and the voice Is forced, 
strained, broken, and so ends the whole game and 
denly. 

The first thing, therefore. Is to set the voice, well 
to know, before all, what timbre of voice it. Is, not to 
sing a meiso-eoprano up to high notes, nor, what is 
eanally often done, down to a contralto register. 
Tne voice once well fixed as to extent, which re- 
quires an experienced ear and an able teacher, then 
go to work and fix It In the limits recognised to be 
correct 

But rushing Into ballad singing, to maki a few 
dollars at once, tfe killing the gooee with the golden 
egg, and to sing at once airs with JSeriture instead 
of studies, is evidently to do a thing without having 
learned how to do It, and this, moreover, by blun- 
dering and struggling before an audience, with the 
unavoidable anxiety consequent upon a first appear- 
aece, so that these young ladles break a career, 
which, with proper training, might have led to 
highly satisfactory, in some instances even to glo- 
rious resi\\ts. 

We give this bit of advice to a number of young 
lady beginners in the art of singing, who with 
pleasant appearance, sympathetic voice, and Intelli- 
gent conception, stop their own career by not tak- 
ing sufficient care to avoid the temptation above 
mentioned. — Mtme Tnde Rgvitw, 



Carl EoiA Opera Company. 

nouAJiD^s **joconi>B.*' 

By the production of Joeonde ; or, the Adventnre 
Seekere, Mr. Carl Rosa taught all but the very few 
who were previously acquainted with the fact that 
a musical composer named Nicolo Isouard once 



lived. Possibly the enterprising manager did more, 
and excited a mild curiosity with regard to the man 
and his works. In which case a few biographical de- 
tails will prove acceptable. Nloolo Isouard — bet- 
ter known in France oy his Christian name alone — 
formed one of a g^op of musicians who came Into 
the world about the middle of the last century, and 
chiefly distinguished themselves In opi&ra-comique 
between the advent of Napoleon and the overthrow 
of the restored Bourbons. The names of the rest 
were Dalayrac, M^hul, Berton, Catel, and Boidl- 
dieu, two only of whom acquired what may be re- 
garded as European fame; Nicolo was born at Mal- 
ta in 1776 — the year In which BoiSldieu first saw 
the light — and made his dSbvt on the stage of the 
great world as a banker's clerk. In that capacity 
he snatched a musical education how and where he 
could, finally abandoning the desk of commerce for 
that of composition, and trying his '*prentice han' ** 
at Florence upon an opera entitled Awito m Jfari- 
tatL From Italy, Nicolo went back to his native 
island, removing to Paris on the capture of Malta 
by the French, and there meeting Rodolphe Kreut- 
aer, by whom he waa much assisted. Nicole's name 
first appears In the repertory of the Op6ra-Comiqne 
under date 1801, when he produced X0 Tonnefier. 
In 1802 it appears again, and again In 1 809 and 1805, 
when VlfUrigne anx Fenitrn made him popular. 
Between the last-named year and 1811 Nicolo pro- 
duced fourteen operas, many of which were written 
with more haste than Judgment the composer hav- 
ing scarcely a rival to dispute his sway or put him 
on his metal. In 181 1, however, BolSldleu re- 
turned to Paris from a long residence at St Peters 
burg, and Nicolo was ousted from his position of 
leading favorite, after a strunle, amid the excite- 
ment of which he produced /oo&iii« and other of his 
beet works. Subseauently he gave way to habits 
of dissipation, and died In 1818, at the early age of 
forty-three, his rival surviving him sixteen years. 
Joeonde, produced at the Feydeau. Feb. SO, 1814. a 
year after Auber's difnU with Le Sifomr MUitaire, U 
a choice example of the composer, who, anxious to 
checkmate BoiSldieu, lavished upon It aU his skill 
Mot only so, but It affords a conspicuous proof of 
the influence which Mosart at that time exerdaed 
over the French school Only a few years previ- 
ously Berton had intntdnced Ze None di Figaro to 
Pariji, and every page of Joeonde shows how power- 
fully that masterpiece affected Nloolo. Save, In- 
dee<l, that the French opera does not bear the stamp 
of commanding genius which the German compoeer 
Impressed on all his dramatic works. It might be 
sigfned by Moiart ptge after page and scene after 
scene recalling hU style and form. Joeonde comes 
to us, therefore, with a certain historical Interest m 
marking both a personal and artistic episide In the 
annals ill the French lyric stage. 

The story of the opera has the merit of simplici- 
ty. A certain Count Robert an I his friend Joeonde, 
fancying that they are lilted by their ren>ectlve 
fair ones, Mathilda and Bdile, resolve to go forth in 
disguise, and make a raid upon the entire female 
sex. Dressed as troubadours, they begin by attack- 
ing a rustic maiden, Jeanette ; but not only doe4 
the claim of the one clash with that of the other and 
lead to disagreeables, but the village beauty, aided 
by Mathilda and Edile, who have followed their lov- 
ers, also In disguise, outwits them both, and the 
village mayor puts them In the lock-up as rogues 
and vagabonds. This business gives vivacity and 
dramatic Intereat to the secon<) •r'i , bho third being, 
of course, devoted to setli..^ all things right And 
spreading happiness over castle and cottage. As 
only the first act takes place In the Count's halls, 
the prevailing element Is bucolic. Across a pasto- 
ral scene, where Strephon pipes to Chloe as she 
spins, ranges a couple of wolvea, seeking whom 
they may devour, and getting caught in a trap 
which el^ectually apoils their game. All, therefore, 
is appropriately idyllic. There are trees, cottages, 
rustic bridges, dancers, beer barrels, Jorial peas- 
ants, rural /9faf, plenty of ribbons, and much blow- 
ing of hautboys. An old-world simplicity pervades 
the scene, together with the flavor of the pastoral 
poetry in which our grandfiithers delighted, and, 
really to harmonise with it the audience should 
dress d la Watteau, and carry crooks. The music 
is quite In keeping. It contains nothing of the 
SiMrm und Dr^tng element which now-a-days seems 
to best agree with public taste. Rather does It 
suggest the precise and studied elegance of the "p*.g- 
tait and powder " school. An air of graceful repose 
prevails, and even in animated moments the llie Is 
carefully measured out like poison in medicine. 
Nobody, therefore, will go to Joeonde in search of 
excitement Gn the other hand. If anybody has 



If 



340 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



been too mach stirred by 7%8 Flyitg Dutchman^ 
Nicolo's opera may be recommendea tsannnfuilini^ 
sedative, equivalent to a spell of quiet country life. 
Joconde is a corrective in another sense, as affordinia^ 
very a}in*eeab1e proof tbat the dramatic music which 
satisfiecl a past feneration has still a raitton ^Hre in 
its own native and» let us hope, ineradicable charm. 
No reformer of the lyric drama, even with the pow- 
er of twenty Wafi^ners, can reason away the attrac- 
tion of a beautiful melody, symmetrically developed 
and tastefully scored. He may gain the absent of 
our reason in the discussion forum, and convince us 
that such a thing is a crime afl^ainst art; but, hear- 
ing it m the theatre, we cheerfully put ourselves 
among those who " know the right, yet still the 
wrong pursue." As long as this possibly very 
wicked yet, somehow, natural disposition lasts, 
Joeonde will have admirers, fur nearly all its music 
is charminsr. Nicolo*s themes, ever appropriate, 
flow on with an easy grace that delights both ear 
and mind, while his orchestral and concerted music 
has a clearness and a play of modeat color that, in 
our limes of glare and confusion, come like a breath 
of fresh air into a room heavy with perfume. For 
modern musical development we are bound to be 
thankfnl ; but a well-known couplet in Joconde ap- 
plies to art as well as love : — 

" Et Ton revient toujourt 
A ses premieres amours." 

By the way, the familiar song of which these ttnes 
are the refrain — a sons: long known amongst as by 
the name of '* We've lived and loved tosrether " — 
stands very well as representative of the entire 
work. Its suavity, grace, and melodic attractive- 
ness are found in an almost equal degree from the 
pretty opening duet to the last Jinale, This being 
the case, we need hardly state that Mr. Rosa de- 
serves thanks for the production of Joeoiide. The 
opera may not become naturalized among us, but 
as an occasional visitor it will surely meet with a 
welcome. 

In speaking of the performance, credit is first due 
to Mr. Santley for undertaking, and accomplishing 
with a measure of success unusual to inexperience, 
the task of preparing the English version of M. 
£tienne*s libretto. Ifa better artist in tones than 
in words, Mr. Santley has yet done that with words 
which is more than equal to the average of its kind. 
He cannot be congratulated with equal warmth upon 
his assumption of the title rdU, Mr. Santley excels 
in such parts as the Water-Carrier and the Dutch- 
■inan, but when he essays to be a court gallant he 
goes beyond his miHer, Wherever he goes he 
makes himpelf welcome by hia singing all the same, 
and his delivery of the air before mentioned may be 
cited as perfect. He was encored in this, and else- 
where applauded with heartiness Miss Yorke as 
Mathilde and Miss Corani as Edile sang pleasantly, 
the second lady obtaining a special round of ap- 
plause by her clever assumption of the g^psy char- 
acter; while, as Jeanette, Miss Gaylord played with 
a mingled archness and simplicity that established 
her in the favor of the audience. Mr. Nordblom as 
Robert, Mr. Turner as Lucas, Mr. Stevens as Ly- 
randre, and Mr. AyYisley Cook as the Bailli — a part 
he assumed at short notice in consequence of Mr. 
Lyairs illness — severally contributed to the strength 
of the cast. The chorus and orchestra were, as us- 
ual, Quite equal to their work, and, under Mr. Ro- 
sa's sole direction, Nicolo's music received justice. 
There were unanimous calls for the principal per- 
formers afier each act — D. T. 



I \mt I 



Testing Choir Boys in Vew Tork. 

At the dear-toned melodeon in the choir-room of 
Trinity Chapel, West Twentv-sixth Street, Thurs- 
day afternoon, sat organist Walter B. Gilbert, Ox- 
ford Bachelor of Music, testing the voices of three 
trembling boys, aspirants for two vacancies in the 
choir of tne chapel. 

" Some of the sweetest voices in the world are in 
New York, and we should be glad to have them in 
our choir," said Mr. Gilbert; "but mothers and 
fathers keep boj's at home that can sing, when, if 
they were here, they would earn from 8 dole, to 6 
dols. per week, be thoroughly trained in music, and 
receive a good education To the chapel established 
for choristers. Now, boys, how old are you f " 

" Thirteen, sir," replied both in a breath, their 
wide-open eyes fixed steadfastly upon Mr. Gilbert s 
firm, but kind, fsce. Their hands meanwhile trav- 
elled at a 2*10 gait around the brims of their hats. 

" My brother Marcus is in the choir, sir," returned 
the smaller. 

•* Oh, indeed," obJ«erved Mr. Gilbert, " I thought 
I recognized your face. The brother may be a 



splendid singer, while the other i^ as unmusical as 
possible. Musical talent runs in a family some- 
times for three generations, and then dies out You 
are both a little above our standard of age. We 
do not want boys much over eleven, but I will try 
you. Cluny, sing with the instrument," beginning 
a middle octave. 

Cluny cleared his throat nervously, and followed 
the tone of the melodeon up the scale very sweetly. 
The other boys were tried, and he whose brother 
Was already in the choir, was found wanting. He 
hurried out of the room. 

" Cluny, try again. Open your month wide. It 
is no more possible for sound to come out of your 
chest and throat if you keep your mouth closed, 
than it is for me to go out of this room if the door is 
closed. Stand up straight ; every live singer does ; 
the voice must come out." 

Cluny tried again the musical ascent, and accom- 
plished it satisfactorily. 

Three more boys, the larger very good-natured 
looking, in a white linen coat, entered. He (the 
lan;erl>oy) was under the convoy of his father, a 
smiling German. 

** How old is your boy T " asked Mr. Gilbert 

" Twelve years, sir." 

'* He is well grown for twelve. I>on*t say that 
he is younger than he is. Some folks say that they 
are not so old as they are, and few people know 
better. But the voice shows how old boy.« are, 
for it beeins to crack at fourteen. Has he sung 
anywhere ? " 

" In the school, sir." 

" That don't amount to anything," said Mr. Gil- 
bert " The singing^ in the public schools is unwor- 
thy. It might be made pleasanter than any other 
child-singing in the world. The children, some of 
whom are the brightest in the world, are only half 
taught music. Follow the instrument, MuUer." 

Muller did, smiling a faint smile, to make Mr. 
Gilbert and his father believe he liked to do it, and 
WM quite at ease in doing it But he was not, as 
was shown unmistakeably by his treatment of his 
hat. " Your voice is sympathetic, and you have a 
g^ood ear. Give me German sympathy and Ameri- 
can quickness combined. You must be part Aroer- 
can. English boys* voices are excellent, German 
boys have the best ear for music, and American 
boys' voices beat the world. But the climate of 
this part of America ravages voices frightfblly. I 
hare had boys that sang superbly at rehearsals, and 
like frogs when their best was most needed. The 
thermometer had fallen, thirty degrees perhaps, and 
the boys were knocked out of voice. We have had 
boys of almost all nations here. Some of our boys 
are now among the worthiest men in the city. They 
form a sort of class, and love to meet one another. 
Employers can come here and learn the qualities of 
boys that have been here. We discipline them 
thoroughly, and put the names of the best boys upon 
a scroll that will be perpetuated so long as Trinity 
Corporation exists." 

Having thus spoken, Mr. Gilbert tackled one of 
the boys that had entered with Muller. His coat 
was of the highest order of bobtails, and his Pioca- 
dilW collar stood up about his shrewd, tanned face. 
" FUve you been to school?" questioned Mr. Gil- 
bert " No, sir," replied the boy, *' not in a city." 

•'Where, then?" 

"Oh, nowhere, sir, particular — ^in Newark. I 
can't sing, I guess, sir." 

" Did you come from Newark to tell me that, my 
boy T Sing this," playing on the melodeon. 

" 1 don't think I can hit the notes very near," ob- 
served the boy doubtfully. 

*' Well, I do not think I will need you, my boy," 
said Mr. Gilbert, " because we want Doys here who 
can hit very near the notes." And thellttle New- 
arkian went out juat as confidently as he had en- 
tered. 

Three more boys, who applied without backers, 
and two boys that did not, oelng supported in thci. 
aspirations by their mothers, whose repcBsentations 
of the former musical achievements of their off- 
springs were very eneourafring, were tried, and all 
but a little fellow in sailor blue, William Goodwin, 
a mother's pet, were invited to retire. Willie 
joined the elect, Cluny and Mnller, amid a salute of 
smiles from his proud* mother. At this point the 
choir boys bustled in, fresh from a run in the crisp 
air, to be in time, and smoothing their hair with 
hands and buttoning their coats. 

** Form in line,** directed Mr. Gilbert And they 
stretched, fourteen boys long, in front of the black- 
board. Two boys handed instruction books to their 
fellows, who stood like soldiers in line, neither stir- 
ring nor speaking. 



" Begin." said Mr. Gilbert And the choristers, 
in school -boy sinz-song, went through a chapter in 
the book, beginning " Music is composed of five 
lines, called the stays." etc. And then they marked 
notes upon the blackboard, none coming up in that 
line to Smith, the head chorister, probably because 
he was the oldest and largest At command the 
choristers sans: the service in D, flowing into the 
Jubilate, and then leaping into a gnve calming air, 
wherein Smith sang s solo finely. When they had 
done, Mr. Gilbert distributed tickets, valued at from 
eight to thirty cents, and redeemable on every 
quarter day, each boy receiving in prop<irtion to 
his standing in the choir. Then they went home. 

Mr. Gilbert then sent Goodwin's mother, Mullpr*s 
father, and Cluny away exulting. Muller and Clu- 
ny being elected to the prized vacancies, and Good- 
win added temporarily, on probation, to the choir. 
^yew York Sun, 




uit %hTu)t. 



Lnpzio. The customary Gewandhaus season of 
20 concerts began Oct 6. The programme offered : 
Mendelssohn's Rny Bla» Overture ; a Recitative and 
Cavatina from Reinecke's King Manfred (sung by 
Fran Peschka-Lentner) ; Max Bruch's Violin Coo- 
cert.o, played by Concert-meister Schradiek ; Scena 
and Aria (" So schnode, Barbar ") by Spohr (Pesch- 
ka-Leutner) ; Pastoral Symphony, Beethoven. The 
orchestral performances, under Carl Reioecke, are 
pronounced fully up to the high standard of Leip- 

The aecocd Concert (Oct 12) offered two noyel- 
tiea, via. : four pieces for string orchestra, entitled 
"Novelettes," by Gade, and a new pianist Prof. 
Anton Door, of Vienna. The pianist seeme to have 
caused the greatest pleasure and surprise by hts 
" eminent virtuosity united with the finest taste and 
feeling." But not the same praise is accorded to 
hts principal selection, the G-minor Concerto of 
Saint-SaSns (a composition not unknown here in 
Boston.) " The laat movement (says the SignaU), 
with its heaping up of hideous absurdities, stands in 
most cutting contrast with the preceding AUe^ro 
Schertando, which forms so neat a cabinet picture, 
and partly also with the first movement which is 
too much like an extended prelude." But the Neme 
Zeit$ehrift thinks the first movement " animated by 
a surprisingly grand and noble spirit for a modem 
Frenchman ; by Its sombre, demoniacal reaolvednesa 
reminding one of the introduction of the Don Jnan 
Overture." " After the necessary oonoeasion to the 
sustained element has been Aiade by ita Andante 
wotfennio, the author moves only in the swift and 
animated rhythms in which he is most at home. 
The second movement Allegro aehertando, fascinates 
by its verve, ita deft and frequently poetic make ; 
some passages are taken very unconcernedly from 
Weber's ConeertaiQek, The weakest is the Finale ; 
here the composer cuts many queer faces, and al- 
most grimace^; his inventive wit expresses itself 
more powerfully here. For the musician this moye- 
ment contains several original instrumental effects 
of peculiar interest" Herr Door's solo selections 
also are found fault with : a Song without Words 
(Op. 2. No. 8) and *'■ Hnmoreske " (Op. 10, No. 2) by 
Tschaikowsky, and "German Dances" by Rubin- 
stein. The vocal part of the concert was by Fran 
Schimon-Regan, who aang the Aria: "Zeffiretti 
lusinghiere ^ from Moiart'a Idomeneo, and songs by 
Schumann and Heinrich Hoffmann. The aeoond 
part was filled by Schumann's B-flat Symphony, 
exquisitely rendered." 



<« 



Drxsdik. Here are the programmes for the 
winter's Symphony Concerts, which we commend 
to many of our own music-lovers, and even •f oar 
best musicians, who manifest almost superstltioaa 
horror at the very thought of two Sympbonlas in 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, NOV. 26, 1876 



Ml 



the uma enncarl Theaa oonoerU ar* ftven bf tha 
CoDrt Eapalle In tha hall of th« OawarbehaDi. 
1(1 Conctrt, Not. 10. 

OnrMrato'-Obenin'' Wahac 

iynpltonT (T mftjor), nntttma Hem. GWi 

" L« Ronst d'Omplula : " Potaw flrmpboDique. 

rflrM tlnid) SalDt^itOni 

SymphODT, No. I, Id D BsethoTen 

ind CovKTt. Da. 1. 

0*artDTe,Op. m BMlhoTsn 

STopbanTi inF, (AiRtliae) J. Rhalnbarger 

BulM Miulc from - Parla uid Uclana " i%nt 

Mm) Olm* 

BpBplioD]PlnO("'°pltar") Hnaait 

id Conctrl, Jan. B. 
irmpbofir In E Oat, Bnt Una, {No. I, of Andrt'i 

•dltmn) Hajdm 

LHBdllcbe ainf onla, (Ant Clma). Ooldmkik 

Of smiTB, Scbano uid noBla Behnmuin 

iA Cvnctrt, Jan. M. 
nrartaia to Um " VahartBhtar," fliM tlnia..B«rtlaa 

Bri>P>KiDf IB B IM Mourt 

Onrtnn: '< Znr Bi^httnen Mclulu ". ..Ucndcliaolui 
ejuplioBri No. I. In F BHtboTen 

tik OoivxH, FA. IS. 
eTBphoaf In C, (No, > at RiflWr-BtadamuiB Xd.) 
Fnsenl Mareb Iram " (KCterdKnmeniDg " (Bnt 

Hnnphos7,'No.l.'ta BUM HehnmaoB 

OHrcnn. No. I. to'- Laotujra" B«aUiOT<a 

%lk Cmuert. ittvdi 9. 

ConmtOTenara: "Mi#h«1 Aneelo" Qui* 

SnnpbaBT. Mn.l. BratUnw JadMSOhn 

BIbIobI* knisB BaaUwTaa 

BATBBvra. ITata hnti In ona of ooi fanlKn ai- 
okBnKaa waread; 

Tbe aaaaitlan tbac lbs JHn^ <fM jnMw^r«> ii lo b* »- 
peatad neil j<u If opan to graTa donbta. It la tnu 
that tba Garparuloa bava olTsrad tn make icood tba pc- 
tranlaiy deflclt otN,OMniatkareniltiBgfrDmtha Featl- 
Tal Farfonuancca In Ancaat. bnt aDl]r an condition tbM 
fterr Wacnar itaall prodnca In I«Tt at bla Qrand- 
Nadonal-recUTal-Btagv-PlaT'Tbaatn gli apena, name- 
It: rUiUn, Oifmpla. Aaands. fibtnm, Don Jtian. and 

tbe TriloeT wai tcot up. tinclsi tba dlrecMnn of Harr 
Bani Rlebter. Tbe price of a plt-MM for tbe aailea la 
to b* 100 maika. 

KoinioaBBBO.— Had. Pauline LncKa win aaMnln tba 
paita of MM-[aretbe, frau nutb. and Chenbino, 
Favl, DU huUen WHttr. and U Mm napecUTelj 
tta BMdUheaier In rebrnaiy. 

HAmuBO.— idUa and Dtr JIUendi ITBlUnitr b*Ta 
bean altenatlnK lalelji at tbe Btadtiheatar, md diswlag; 
(OOd bonaea. K. Anion Bublnateln'a new op«t*, ITtn, 
la to be produced In Haroh or April. Ibeaecond 
e( tbe Hambarn Canoert Union, whlcb, Bnder Herren 
[«nbe and BaalSndli. haa so qnicklf aaaumnl a biR 
place In pnblle aatlmaflon. wai inaocaraled \ij Baetbt 
Ten'a Oremra, Op. IM. A new Cantata, b; Rhelnlhi 
lar, " Goa, da blat main Oott," for chonia aud oicbeatn 
(be Biat BOTelCy of tbeerenlng, bat piadnoed 
I. It waa followed by Itopfff 
•—-lomaand orchetitn. 1 

tta lonl ain>i«aae. Tbe purely orebcetral 

1 tba raiMriil Marcb from lilt OfUmlllmmrr- 

■Miri and BaS^ SnupbODT : " Im Walde ." Tbe Te«p- 
ttra Mcorded to tba former waa very cold Indeed. Tbe 
BympboBT fared batter during tba Bnt three i 



The Bilrtfd FutinL 
(From tba London Mnalcel Tluea, Not. 1.) 
Tba eaplul of the Weac Gonntrr haa bald Ita aecond 
Triennial Uoelcal FeatlTal, not wltboDl anooeaa. A lot 
of |0od mnalo waa mora or leaa well performed, aad tbe 
atUteUo*. both of attendanee and mooej retnna, oom- 
pare tamraU; with the gBUHTlni el tin. 

Leeklnf dawn tbe pragramine, one la atmok bj tba 
prermlllDf famlllailtj of Ita adeotiona. Tba "Mnialeb." 
" Bijah,'* " Labjpeaang,'^ " larael," " Uonnt of OUfea," 
tbe " Faatoral *' and *' Jnplter " ejrmplKmlee, tba ere^ 
tnfaa to "Obenn," " nnnhlnaer," and "JeaaondB^ — 
all tbaaa ara *o commonly glTen on featlial oocaaloiu 
I facia night reaion- 
ajtblng alae of aqoal 

na Buke-Bp of Um mlaeallaBeone uleetloai haa been 
■hwply orittclied, and not *lthont good reaaon, IT ancb 
tbiBga are to aarra In aay degree tbe high pnrpoaewblch 
•n teetlTal dointi ahonld hare in Tiew, One of tbe 
woiat lecaclea beqaaatbed to na by our moalcal fMbera 
oonalata in tba noUon that a hodge-podfa of aonga^ bal- 
aympbanlea, eta., haa a Tiloe great 



1 iHth lo 



■h to sarre on a panij artlatki occaalon. It haa 
ig of the kind, and, looked at from any other point 
of Tlew than that of a meana pour patur U Umpt, po^ 
I no nine wbatmer. Aa jet the Briatol managera 
It awaka to thia faet, Tber go apoa tba bad old 
plan of pennlttlait aitlata to Iniart a lot of ahnw and 
toyaJtr plaeai, tctt good in their place perbapa, but 
■imply bannful whan doTCUlled with worka of oiaaalo 
rank. Tbat tha FeatlTal public are prepared for a bet- 












accordance witb aonie guiding art! 
prindpla. 

Tha axacatlTe reaoareea of the FeatlTal 

in all re^iecla. Hr. Chatlea Halle ti 

brlnga tn hia work an artUilc taate, and who, o^reover, 

ciftiiuntly playing under 

'a, tbarafore, beyond carll 

atBrlalol. Tb> Featlral otaoir, trained with leal. eara, 

id akUl by Ur. Alfred Btona. waa eqaally up to tbe re- 

quired meaaure of eicellenee. Indeed, the weateru blty 

IB a right to be prond of a body of Toloea ao para In 

lalliy and » capable of "going anywhere and doing 

lything" aa that orer whlcb Ur. Stona pretldea. If the 

■olr lack tbe great power of Ita rlrala farther north. It 

ore than atonee for thIa deHclency by a raflnemeDt and 

reetneaa >uah aa are barely equalled, certainly notgor- 

paaaed elaewtaere. Tbe principal yoivllgta were Uee- 

ocB Tltlena, Albani, Wynne, Paley, and Trebellli 

■n. Cnnunini^, Lloyd, Kaybrlck, and Behreni-a 

rly atrong body ; and with these thetcetlral monrcea 

were competent to the higheat thlngi. Unhappllyi the 

Briatol aa at Blnnlngbam; that li toaay, howcTar oora- 
peteot baiid, cboma, und prlncipala may be In tbelr In- 
dlTtdnal cBpaclty, no nwana of aecnrlng oolleotlra exoel- 
* allowedi the more unfamiliar thlnga being 
acrambled through aa far aa time pennlta, all otbera 
haTlng to take Ihair chance. Such a ayatetn aa thia 
knowa no poaaibla defenoe. It la abanrd on the face of 
It— a tUng pew rin, and one wbleb patriotic aa well aa 
arUatle XngUahmen oaier mention In preaence of the 
lorelgnar. 

Had tbi ~ .... - 

"Xlljahi ■' 

of Terdl _ ._. _. ,. 

abort interval aeparatea na from tha date of Ita llrat per- 
fonnance at tbe Soyal Albert Hall, when, oondneted by 
the compoter In peraon, end glren under eTery poeslble 
advanlace It made a deep Impreeatcn, and waa ex- 
hauatlTely diacnaeed. Enough nowchattheHaaa.albeit 

ceaa. Vbethet It will take a place txelde the " Htabat 



iintrr were nnu anally cloee. 
MliElatSpohr'i Oratorio haa ii 
at of good fortune. Barely li- 
reaenEed. The Eieter Hull n 



by ronnequpHce 



)plly. lo auperMde noF a llIUo worttay of ■ bette 
Betore it tbe lleht of Spohr grew blat, and at 



iwlIhKnelisbt 
. reede ooE a III _ . 
the lleht of Spohr grei 
rk gurviTn wherein be E 



ait la emphatically true, fo 
irth. I know wen enoDgh 



'iaJt thlnga, "CBlTBrr" and 
" are rarely heard and lluie 
there haa undoubtedly been a 
a of the oralorloa Jutt named 



9 of the "Fall of Babylon 



jnatic genlua, the iyrli 
lerythlBE be did. Bnt I a]., 
in libretto. Proloaaor Taylor, 



■K be did. 

;». PialeaaoT Taylor, appear 

■■ ■■ Flew of the tact. The " 



rrleal or reflectlTe 



r Babjlor 



I ,>actcon.lalln.of 
^pobr dellKhtafta < 

h the Faaal of 



ireptetalta. and Spohr deala wftb nothing bul 

if sratltude and praiae. Undonbtedly (hli \fi> a 
30 the libretto prrn, but, having regard to ib< 
i>f the Fompoeer, It IB an adTantaee, uieaaurabl« 



cred story than ae tbeeipiei 



aUvaiy 1 
andiitu 



whole. Thua looked BBoD, It ; 
•"- ■'■atSpiibr-- •-— " * - 



.t nf tlua oaqroar- 
vitb tba irwtWH 



other great maaiara of oratorio. One majr, of couhl 
wlih that he had Klven Id ttw Tarlon* otai^ataia aia 
Bcenea a more decided and IndlTidual phyMooiOBifrbM 
It would be wnug beoauaa he haa sot done lUa to an)- 



•re aabordlnata. Tbe ■• Fall of BabrlaB " mast be ealt- 
matad by lia didwtio and ijrlc BBmben, a^ln tbea* 
tbera can hardly be • doobt the naalar appaaia at hit 
beat. Take, tor exanpla. tk* tenor ak "^enember, 
Lord," tbe baaaaong and choma "Ulrhty Ood, Thin* 
awful mandate," tha tirfi m , - PBar ifflld of band«n." 
the dBat'Jadab.aiUl tbe chosen nadop," asd tMidt 
I'NokiBgeraballJudah'achUdran wandar." AU UuM 
are gema which exalt* the blgbeat admlrMtou bMana* 
full of deep aenttmeDtaadlntenaeBinaloalbeaaty. Tbe 
wander with regard to them la, tn poUit of fact, tbat 
ther bare not liocora* geoanl faroillaa dlstiBat froro 
theIraBiTaundlnKa,aomaTkwlanUM]rbT (luBa quail 
flea whieta tbe popnlar mind OMiat •^U; anrwiilataB 
Tlie ImprcaaloB nade at Brlnol omld baldly line haea 
greater, and It nujr be aaanmed tbat btmdredt o( wwu 
oonniry amatanra an now niaklnjr themaalTes fa^Uat 
wlibtbeaacharainE example* ofSpobr'a lyrie geolB*, 
Altbongh aoroa of the chnmae* lu tba -FaU of BAvton" 
are dlaanEUiAed by reqnialt* Ineadth and grandenr— 
wltneaa "^od of onr father*" and "Lord, TO»e ana 
hath been npllfted'--lt moat be admlUed tbat otban 
exhibit in (oo forcible a aiyle the oompooer'a »«■>«. 
lama: retererywhere amualdanflndaplen^loi 



g and nothings 

lan the algna oteialied 




E' 



sultot thelaw wbereb^, inmalteraat tMtanalB all 
"■ be again. BUeUil did 

. _ 1 " a hearing, and to aa- 

[ theworkBpeifarmaBceadeqaBiaanthe who!* 
■rlu. Let na hope Ihat now tba Oratorio will IM 
itntn to the obaenrtly In which It haa ^ >«"• 
Tbere la room forlt.andall thlngaof iSi 
.lelaneed that recant placeaabor'-"-" 
ptcieniioai, vapid, and [nartlaUo e 
■ — *-~- by theBnIabed produ 



lixa 



genlna Ilea cntalde dlaputa. 



Cbtvtai. Paiaob. Tha Proapeatna of the Satnrday 
aftemoon concerta aoBopncMl to commence on tbe Ktb 
Sept., promlaas many blgbly-intereating woika during 

place before, and 13 afur, ChilatmM. Tbe foUowlDg 
compoelClona will be given for the firat Ome : Paleatdna. 
—Are Maria. FnrceU.— TbeYoriublre Feaat-aom, for 
solos, ehoms, and orcbestni. Bach.— Concerto for or- 
shestra. Haydn.—Two Andanlea from hIa earlleat aym- 
phonlea. Moaart.— Concerto for vlalln In Hflal, Concsr- 
■o tor pianoforte In K Bat, recitative and aria for aopra. 
no, " Ahl lo previde," being centennial work! compoaed 
within lin-TT. Beethoven.— Dances for orchestra, eom- 
poaadfartbe Redootenflaal at Vienna, and a fragment 
of a violin ooneeno witb oreheatn. Bchubert.— ranta- 
ale In C, Op. li (adapted for pianoforte and orohaotra by 

Llait). Stamdaie Bennett Orennre, "Merry Wlveaof 

Windeor." BeriloE.- Overtun and aelection from Ben- 
edict and Beatrice, Salt.- Overtnre on " XIn feate 
Burg" |Op. 117), andhianeweat eympbooy or other or- 
Gbeitral work. 'Wagner.—" Der WalkOren Kitt," from 
"DeiBlBgdea Nlbelungen ; >* tha Centennial Philadel- 
phia March. Bnbinatelu.— Bymphony, Ocean; piano- 
forte ooooerto, No. 1, 1b F, with other oompoaltlona In 
pnnnanoe of his artangamaDt to appear ni pianist and 
oonduotot at two concerta. In addition to tbeee nord- 
tlet,CDmpaaeiB of every school will be fully represented, 
aud an aogagemant baa been offered to Herr Brahma on 
tbe oeeaaion of bli visit to Bn^and to reeelve hia degree 
M Doctor of Mnale at Camtirldge. The orcbealra will 
maintain Ita nsnal standard of effldency ; and tbe per- 



1^ Mr. A. Hums, whose leal In organlalnt and dlrei-£ 
glnm.— JVM. HiHt, Oct. 1. 

The Crratal Palaos baa alwaya been dlallngalahad tor 
tba attention paid to tbe worka of Xngllah eompoaen. 
It waa llkerefore only appropriate that tha llrat conoert 
of the pieaent aeaaon ahonld open with an Overture hj 
the late atemdala Bennett, the one aalected being that 
to " Tbe Heny Wlveaof Wlndaor," wtitoh had not belar 
been heard at Sydenham. Tbe Overture we are Inclined 
to conaldei one of Bennett'! beet works, full of pleasing 
iileaa, and marked by (hat finish of detsll which waa one 
of his ohaiacterlatlcs aa a compoeer. Two other noiel- 
Ilea ware given at thia cmostt— the one aKdidaadwall- 
wrttten, though rather heavy, Conceno by Hana Ton 
Bronaart, admirably played by Mr. Frili SartrlgsoBi 
(he other, a aelection from a Snlle by tbe Trench eom- 
poset Biseet Onliand, aaanredly neltber aoUd nor baBTy. 
but on the contrary veiy light and piquant, though with 
no great depth of Invention, On the lame aflemoou a 
superb performance of Beethoven'* Symphony in A waa 
■Ivaa. TlMTOcallat* atlhl* concert <rcre Madame Mad 
Blgnor Campobello. 



DWIGHT^S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



}^ln wl^il'tbli^tt 



'idPllKhtrul"MI1- 



« ol tbekftemMiD, bawerei 



l^'urbUkMpblm. OtbcHi 

flrMUiraa hare of Un basn pnrloualr beard In aur fnn- 
o«n-TOOiU0; we need hi>t Uwreforc dwell Qpon iherq now. 
Tba Fonenl llitrcb, followlDic tba deatb □( Sleefrled. 
wttb Ita tnilj wondntul InitraiBflDtuloii. wbi splencltri . 
lTKl>«aDiiderlfi.lIiinn'*dlrsctlan, uideniiwdi pra> 
Ibond Imp mil nn, enm Bput from tb* aujifl. The Cen- 
tennUI Mueh. on tba otMr butdi I* *llk« anwortriT of 
tba oeoulon tor wblcb It m* wrlttm ud of lUa reputx- 
tkm of IM eompoBOr. Tba roeklloti M tbia concan were 
HIM Bopbla LAre and Hr. W. Bba]»apur& 

Tb« ooneart on tba Mill ull, commeooadwltb Mendeli- 
■ob>>« •• Babrldea " OTertara, and Mndodert with a Ter)> 
■paikUnft and plaaaing Orsttar* In Koni. Oeiaert (the 
TKliwlpalof tbeConairTalotte Rt BrniHli) to bla Open 
'•LatnilMdaManCoarita." Bchnnuuin-* Srmphonr la 
B Sat waa pla}«d ai It la placed nowhere bnt at the 
Crrata) FaUca. HetT WUbelmiwaa the Initniinenullat 
at thii eonetn. nawuhaardnn a Terr drr Coneenn 
for VIoIlD b; F. H«nr, and In bla own IranacripUon nt 
Walther"! »ong In waicnefa ■' MalatenlnRer." Borne 
Ten eirellent toriJ maidc waa >Uo oontilbutad br mIh 
Ciil>ieriiie penna and MIh Bndnaei. 

At the fourth coutert. tba CrTltal Palare Cbnlr ap- 

Cared fnr the Br» thne tblsMuoo: and, ta tar ai ean 
jBdnd from ailncle beirtnic, there aermi to be a 
uaAnTlmpronment ^ thsir pertonnuea Tbe ehlef 
fantni* nf tbe eoDoert waa Oade'a chamine CanUIa 
'■TbaKil'KlnK'iDanebUn',"awork, bythe waj, which 
may be reeoramendairto the utentton of Choral 8octe- 
tlea, aa belnit fnU of beanttfnl mnsle, and Dellher ton 
lone (It Boegplaa rather le« than an hour) nor too dllB- 
eolt. TIw aolo pBTta were aaDE hi HadaiDe I^>mmena- 
ahenlBKtoniMlaiBollnebroke.iDdMr, llayliridE. An 
Admlo. for alilDSi, Iram an unpaUifhed and Tary early 
xnnpboDjt of Hajaa'a. waa a noTelty of apeclal Ininmt. 
Tbe moTeineiit la clTea In the appendix to the firet pan 
of Pobl'a"LifeaftIaydn,'- aadlboUKh dKldedly old- 
faoblotied In atyle. 1( waa worth taTtirlnr, not merely 
fnnn ahlflortoal polntof Tiew, butforitaowniake. A 
■eoond DoTelly waa a " Harcbe H«rolnne," by Cam III e 
Balnt-Sotna, a bnUlant oompoaltlon. bat one In vhlch 
tbe woiknunahlp la more InleieaLloB than the Idsaa. 
Tbe Overtore to '• ndello," Uendelaaobn's " Rerorma- 
Uon " Sympbony, and two aonga completed the afier- 

ror Ibeflmicnnnert. (on Che IMh nit.), the ehlft worka 
annonncod ware RhITb " l^^ore " 9ympbany. SehuheTt'a 
Oreftnre tn ■■ Alfonao ind EacrelU,'' RntllTaD'a " Onfer- 
tura dl Ballo," and Beetho»n-K Vlnllo Concerto, to be 
played by H. WlenlaKslU. -fMd. Jfm. I. 



Jbriglfs ^mu\ of Stnsic. 



BOSTON, NOV. SB, 



t B7«. 



A Flethon of Hiuio. 

There ia snch a thing as Ino tnuch of a pood thing. 
CoDCprta in Boston, ever atiice the gloom; month 
came m, ha^e been an rrt^qneot as the atortnv dava 
»nd nlghta, and the few pleaaanL onee beelileB. Tho 
mualc loTer, who may fed in dnly bounj lo keep In 
the current, noon finds that be has no Bvenin^a IvH, 
for frienda or quiet tliought or other kind of recre- 
ation ; no lime to atDd) tnaslc in hie own prlcale 
way, at hia own lieanre, tailing thing! at hia own 
lempa; no lime lo eMmino and fairly acqnaint him- 
Bcir with one or two important oompoaitions.— sim- 
ply becaoae ho has to hear so many and ao multifa- 
rlona,— an eiperlenco Ilka that of the toiiri*L, who 
feela obliged to wander throngh intorminable ((al- 



latiea of Art in hia available oi 



0, gaiiog 



at BYBrjthing. remembering almost nothing. So it 
la with this nnflatrgln;:. awift succewiinn of great 
programmea of thing* cli! and new, good, bad and 
Indifforenl, in maslc. The [food alono._or those 
containing ennagh of the good, or of the interesting 
on the groand of tiovelty with high pretention, to 
make one loath to lose them. — are qnilo enough For 
one man or one woman to keep np with without 
Mnltlfylng the brain, like the " walkiat " who paces 
}inodreda af milea aroood a narrow circle for a 

— To notice all would be Impoasiblo; we can od- 
I; make a begiooing of the more Importaat 

H*»rian MtaiCAL Aaaociinon. The twelfth sea- 
■on of Symphony Concerts b-gao aatiafnctorlly and 



The day waa tfUyrtoj. yet tbe aiidieac« a blr one In 
point of nnmbera. of the beat ta character, and at< 
lentWe to the end of a pnhrramme of tha good aid 
aabatanltal. clostleal kiod, by do means laeblng 
contrast. U Is, we preanme, commonly Dbderatood 
that the chief and of tka eoncerti for the present, 
after the flnanclst lossss of the past two aeasoni, is 
to aare the orehoatra, — to keep a local Boston or 
eheotra In some aort of tralolnf; to the higher tasks, 
In the hnpe of hulldin; np a maeh more perfect oi^ 
chastra hereafter. The effort is dependent mainly 
on season anbaerlptlona, and the times are hard and 
ranoey scarce. Therefore the plan of the ooneert* 
la perforce an ooonomlcal one ; baynnd the tutiiH^ 
el a good Symphony Concert, little else Is promised 
aa*a as tba meana come in for giving It srlthout 
mDcb risk. There will be bo lack howoTer of ez- 
oellent artlata, pianists, singera, etc, to tertd Tariety 
and personal attraction. The orchestra la ver; 
nearly of tbe same sisa and proportions as last year 
(jnat abont the same with the present Thomaa or- 
chestra). With a larger share of pnblle snpport it 
conid be enlarged and made more sffleolive in to 
last'a Uasie Sail ; and, what ia itill more dadra- 
ble, much more time could be gtyen to rehearsal ; 
for time la money, aaya the proverb. 

I^onaidering the Tary short lime for practice, af- 
ter being acattrred for all monlha. the moalciaas, 
wa think it will be generally admitted, gaTca very 
tit Interpretation to the master-pieces which eom- 
poaed the proirrammc The siperienced condnctor, 
Cabl Zerkahr, bad brooght sympathetic anity and 
order Into the body in a short time. The i^Mning 
Oyerture, the romantic, brilliant one to Sohamano'a 
0OIOMM, wboae charm never falls, came oat with 
spirit and w'th freshness. Kuaarfa greatest Sym- 
phony, In C, (tbe " Japlter,') so Jubilant, so regal 
and so wholesome, was on tbe whole smoothly and 
«l«arl J played ; parUenlarly the wobderhil Andanta; 
and if there oeeroed any lack of eleamew tn tbe h- 
moos h^ed Floale, It was probably owing more to 
Uie Intrinslo complexity of the hinr interwnven 
themes, than to the reading by the tnstraments. 

The Heroic Usrch by Sohabart (in A minor, Op. 
M). arranged for orchestra by 0. Bach, and played 
here for the Hrst time last winter, donbtless wearied 
some of tbe audlance by lis length. In aplte of Its 
remsrkabla richness and grandeur, and the exqal- 
Site felicity of themes and treatmcot in ita two sort- 
er Trios. Huch ofthis prolixity could be remedied 
by omitting a number of the fonnsl repelltionaj 
and in this way we tmat the llar«b. which Is In- 
deed a master work, will yet baya another hearing- 
Tha pianist of the day waa Mrs. Vm. B. Sbu- 
wooD, whom many remembered as Hlu Mary Fay, 
of Boston, a pDpll eighteen or twenty yeara ago of 
Otto Dresel, and who evra than In her girlhood ex- 
cited admiration by the saae and brilliancy of her 
performances In pubtle. Retnrnlng now from stad- 
ias In Germany, the wife of a gifted pianist, ahe 
brings raoaicsl experience, a rich repertoire, and 
mora matarity of musical character and cnltnre. 
Seldom have we beard the oft-played llendelaaoha 
Concerto In O-minor played in a more simple, unaf- 
1 manner, with snch eaae and fluency, snch 
truth of tipree^ion — notably the Atuliuiie—tn6 tueh 
iUcacy of finish- Yet we'hesrd herdait tomuch 
ore adyantoge in rehearssl. Sbs msy hsve been 
TTous on tbe first reappearance before oo changed 
a Boalon Sodianca ; but there waa some lack of 
strength. Our publics bars become so scenttomed 
to a ronscnlar and maaruline style of playing, eran 
In lady pianists, that they are apt to overlook the 
merit of anything mora feminine and nnobtruslve. 
Of her aolos In tbe second part— Thalberg's Studt 
lb A minor, and the BallaiU In F, by Chopin, tbe 
former was most hsppily rendered, the bttor hard- 
b raachlng the Ideal Haarty applaosa, boweyer, 
(allowed all her elTbrla. 

VOftbeaaoondCouoartwamnstspeakaexltime. The 
tblrd(DBo. T)oSsn: Orertora. " Alfoasoaad Xsttdla," 
Scktitri; C-mlnorConoerto, JhMiwii, played by the 



ptanist trem Onelnnstl, M 

,- ,.rearaiioe In Hew Xonlanil); . 

from Thini Bymphnny, Oadt ; RbotMsdle V 
UM (Was ErrK); Wint Symphony (B flat). &■• 



Mc W. PBHtramnw;— Concert OTertnre,«(to,F-qilnor 
Ooneetto. Otrntm (Hdoo Lsokwabd).— Pastaral iyw- 
pbouy, XhHssm ,■ Tooal Bolo ; JaWlea Ovsatora, IMtr. 

TnioDoaB Tbohas's " Fivs Onwd Bad Popnlar 
ConcerU" in the Unrio Hall have met with good 
ancreas. The Orchestra shows man* changes In Ita 
membsrsblp, espfwlallyln its first violins; we mlsa 
the second leadsr, Hr. Arnold, the admirable ob>4st, 
Hr. Eller. and several more of tbe beat; and It is 
too true tbst the orcheatra as a whole does not 
sonnd aa It did In ita bast eatste; tbe ensemble of 
tons Is less perfect ; there is rongbneesa in the brass, 
*ach as we have been wont to bear comidalned of 
in our own orchestra*. B«t th« aeoompllshed lead- 
ing violin, Hr. Jaoobsohn, rematas at his post: ll>«ra 
Is the oame sUU and energy of oondactorshlp ; aad 
the g»aral style el perfarmanoe is still excellent 
eomporad with any other orchestral playing we 
have known in this ooantry. It will take some time, 
of coarse, for the perfect foslon of tbe new and cdd 
materials, and to raoovar al! that was loot of oon- 
tinnlty of bal>lt, of long astabllsbed mnlnsl rappoH, 
throagh tba dUastrons eipertraca im Thlladilpbia 
and the tareporarf disbandment. With plaoty of 
employment and a gniarons pabtle sapport, the old 
esosea will produos again the oaae reanlta. And 
thla anpport seam) likely to lie given. If wa may 
judge by the very large andlanoaa this post week in 
Husic Halt, even on itormv evenings. Eeonomy, 
retrenobment. haa Ikad a voloe In the mattar lian 
ton, it appesrs ; the hard timsa are for all ; the or- 
cheatra no longer boasts ita " sixty ;' tt Is reduced 
b> about the asms scale with oar own : right first 
violins, fiiur 'calloa, Ac Tbs prond distincUoa of 
tbe harp remains thongfa, 

A serious fanlt with these five mixed programinsa 
has been tbdr excesMve length, — two honra and a 
half, at Ifaat, each tlma.^-due In great neanre lo 
the almost too liberal array of solo attrtrttona. 
Where one suffices to " llgbtes op' the programme 
of ■ good Symphony ooDcut, here oa tha first 
evening there ware three. 

The first concert (Honday evening, lUh) bagaa 
with tbe Tmmiantr Overture, ptayad aflbotlvdy 
of cunrae, as was tlie overtore to Owroa at tha begin- 
ning of the second part. Of the other orebeetral pieces 
tbeleastf^iliar. and tha one of moat pretention was 
tbe Adsglo (" Ingeborg's Lament '^ and Bebeno 
(" Elves o[ Lightand Frost Giant'VfromHoffiDaD'n 
" Frllbjof " Symphony. Tha former seemed to 
aa too moch In the Tristan and Isolde vda, — 
yearning and lamantaUon without ranch relief; wa 
shnatd like Ingsborg bettar would she dry her tsars. 
There Is a tight and trtoksv fancy In tha Seberxo, 
and the frosty breath of tbeglantls madepalpsbla 
enough. "Nachtgesang." by YoiKt, and a Sidiirmn* 
from tbe old BoccherinT, played by all the strings, 
were Instances nf that ad ambwitdiiK kind otpiaiu*- 
nnw which many bearers think too ezqaldta lor thla 
poor world. Tbe orcbeatnl arrangement c< o«e« . 
the moat hmlliar BhaptetRn Bbufnum bv Licit, 
brought tha ooncrrt to a fanlastloal and orllliaot 
cloee-— Hr. It. W. VBtran was not in bis brat 
vMoa, yet his grand deep tones accorded with the 
eliaractor of Beethoven's "In qnesta toml<a;' his 
two Scandinavian Songs were rather oommonplaos. 
Mias BxKSK sang Ueadelasobn'a Cunoert Aria, " In- 
felios,' in fine artiaUo style sud with dramallo fer- 
vor and expression ; yet It needs a larger, grander 
voice; her English ballads, ton, were tMantlftalty 
aung. Hr- Via. H. SBiawooo'a randeriog of the 
Schubert Pantaaia in C.op. IK, (as arraitged with 
On^estra by Lisit) was raasteriy -"■ ■ ---- '— 



■a raasteriy sod moat aAsotlva. 



op- 4) showed hia varsstillty of expreadon, and hia 

inventive faculty, to good advantage. 

Swwuf Omkw*. ffba. IB. Part L was as follows : 
OTeTtara— Der Fiey-chaeti, Websc 

Alia— "Aa when tha Dove,'' (Ada and Oslatto), 



Andante OantabUa-Op. «f. 



uanuoue— up. 9i, o^ 

(Adapted tor Onibestn In LiBt.) 



To our feeling the old A-syaeUUc Overtore- wai 
worth all the rest; what an exparienoe It would be 
to hear that for tbe first Ume 1 Tba Bertbovan 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, NOV. 26, 1876. 



343 



Andante (from th« grtnt B-flat Trio) htrdly beiirs 
tmnsplitnting: from the iotimnte AppreeintiTe sphere 
of theChamher concert room to the ffreat Music 
Hsil, even with all the ezoiinsion, the enhanced In- 
tenMty, and the contrasted coloring of Liszt's pkil- 
fill instmmentation ; yet sereral of the yariations 
made a deep imprcMion. " Les Preludes ** never in- 
trrMted us very much except by its injBcenious efTects 
of instrumentation ; pretcuAnt musical themes (ideas), 
spontaneous development from such as from vital 
trerms, we miss. The piece was beautifully played. 
The Russian Scherxo was unmistakeably national, 
full of quaint vivat^ity and dash. Miss Brsbb sansc 
the Ilandel Aria in a most liquid, pui% and birdlike 
style, winning an encore from which its lemcth 
should have saved It and us. Mr. Wnrnfrr, also, 
had to repeat the elsborate Aria from '*The Jew- 
esH," which is well suited to his voice and was sung 
with unusual fervor and expression. 

Part H. gave u« our after-share of the luangnra 
tion pmsp-amme of the Centennial Exhibition. The 
famous (** 16.000.") Wagner March, as now given 
by full orchestra, seemed to us just as empty and 
commonplace in themes, just as forced, spasmodic, 
ineffective in Its working up. last as nnjubilant, de- 
pressing, and destitute of any lift for a proud nation- 
al occasion, as it did some months ago. when we de- 
scribed the impression which it made upon us in 
the pianoforte arrangement. We find the general 
cdticisra abroad confirming us.^It needed hardly 
more than the rich, sonorous volume of the Shar- 
land Choms, with full orchestra, to make Prof. 
Paine's simple, pMilm-llke setting of WhiUier's 
Hymn Impiesslve. . Mr. Dudley Buck's Cantata 
shows a very senfllhle, stra{ght-f«>rward. ingenious 
and olerer way of dealing with the perplexing prob- 
lems which Mr. Sidney Lanier's " Centennial Medi- 
tation of Columbia " must have offered to the com- 
poser. As we have said before, his music is always 
dear, however bewildering the poem ; It has much 

SKid writing both for instruments and Yoloes. is 
U of fellritous. efltBCtlve contnuiu, and is indeed 
throoghfmt fresh and pleasing. The Hallelujah 
Chorus from the JKbmmA was well sung, though 
hardly with the overpowering grandeur of the grwit 
Handiel and Haydn enolr. 

The MaiinSe of Saturday had the following pro- 
gramme : — 

Overture^Ali Baba Clienihlnl 

Adaffo— Promeihens ....Beethoven 

Yloloneello Obllgato by Mr. Chas. Hemman. 

Aria— 'Ls pre anx Oleros'' Kalevy 

Miss Xmma C. Tbnrsby. 

Faatasle on Hungarian airs Ltsta 

Mme. MatfiUne Scblller aadOreheaira. 

a . I Bongf oglame (Singing Blids) LIndblad 

b. i Melodlf fans AtalstioB 

Swedish Ladles* <)nartatte. 

Suite L' Arlesleime, (new) Georges Blast 

1. Prelude. 2. Minnetto, (Allegro CMoMto) 

S. Adagietto. 4. OarlUon. 
xpreghieraX Barcarole"— La Stella del yo nl. ^ 

• ..*••• ...•••... ...... Meyeibeer 

Miss Bmma C. Thnrsbf . 

Traenmerel Sebnmann 

StuiUenne Boeeb eri ni 

Orchestra. 

Solo fur Plana— Maroben Bag 

Madame Madeline ScbiBer. 

a. ) Waldaadaebt Abt 

b. i Skyndd PafHnrry up) WabUa 

Swedish Ladles' <|naitette. 
Intrednetioa. i 

Nuptial Cboras. > Tblrd Act Lohengrin Wagner 

March Tempo. I 

Cherubini's rather trivial and noisy Overtnro, 
Ml of " Janissarr music," Is not without traits of 
the master's subtle power. It Is the work for which 
Mendelssohn, somewhero In his letters, takes Cher- 
nbini to task for eoodesoeBdiBg to tueh clap-trap. 
The Adagio from Fromtihrnu, with its lovely vio- 
loncello melody, and sweet solicitations of the fiute 
and harp, we have not heard for several years ; it 
was nicely played, renewing its old charm. The 
Suite by the French composer, Biset, had so much 
of fresh and piquant charm and contrast, that we 
should be glad to know It better. Why speak of 
" Triumerei T " It is moro than many of ns can do 
(tay alter the hundredth time) to hear It 

Three notable attractions had this concert In the 
way of solo artists. The freshest and most unique 
was the singing of the four Swedish ladies. Their 
pletureeque appearance won the audience already ; 
two of them blonde and tall (contraltos), two shoK 
and dark (sopranos), all with genial, expressive foo- 
es, and an air of untaught rofinement Their voioes 
aro singularly pnro and musloal ; the first soprano 
reallT exquirite, while thero Is a firm and solia tone 
la the contraltos, as If It wero an organ, or tho 
low tones of a clarinet or middle tones or a bassoon. 
Their intonation is perfect, though they sing with- 
out any accompaniment, or any apparont taking of 



the pitch. The sympathy is p4>rfect, the execution 
smooth and finished, full of li?ht and ffhade and 
true expression without any affectation or overdo- 
ing. We cannot say so much for the compositions 
which they snni;. thonsrh most of th^m have a cer- 
tain Northern (hut rather mo'lern) >Aavor. 

Miss Tbursbt's voice and siniring were deliKht- 
fnl. especially hor bird-like florid execution in the 
his/her tones. All was in good taste and spontane- 
ous, while she has gained in power and firmness. 
Mme. SrHiLLCE*s performance of the difiinult Hun- 
garian FatUoMte was simply superb ; we thought the 
Raff piece hardly worthy of her powers. 



New Yobk, Noy. 20. The d^bnt of Mme. Essi- 
poff at SteinWay Hall, on Tuesday evening last, and 
her yery remarkable performance at the succeeding 
concerts, have been the leading top ics of discussion 
in mns{ca\, circles here. The arrival of this lady 
was not heralded by the amount of trumpeting and 
puffing which is usually deemed essential to the in- 
troduction of an artist who ylslta us for the first 
time ; the articles announcing her arrival in Amer- 
ica being addressed to a discriminating few rather 
than to the public at larg^ One statement, how- 
eyer, was made in her behalf which seemed Injudi- 
cious, namely : the publication of what purports to 
be a remark made by Rubinstein, Implying thbt he 
considers Mme. Essipoff as a pianist equal or supe- 
rior to bimselC Rubinstein being the best player 
who had yisited this country, such a comparison 
seemed like raising expectations destined only to be 
dashed to the ground. 

Notwithstanding the threatening aspect of the 
weather a very large and brilliant audience greeted 
the pianlste on her first appearance at Steiaway 
Hall on Tuesday evening, Nov. 14. The pro- 
gramme was well calculated to display the yersatll- 
ity and extraordinary talent of the performer, em- 
bracing the following works : 

Concerto, B minor. Cbopfn 

Toccata Baeb 

Mennet Mosart 

OavotteaadVariatlona Rameau 

Nocturne Obopin 

Traameswlrren Scbumsnn 

Onlurro Htlter 

Alonettes LesehetlAy 

Valse Rnbtosteln 

Taatssie HOngroise, No. IS Lisat 

The performer was tapported by an orohestra of 
aboat S6 musicians, among whom could be rooog- 
niied Bergner, Arnold and other well known foces. 
Mr. Richard Sehmets conducted the orohestra, and 
the performance begaa with the fVmaehUiM Oyer- 
tnro, upon the eoaclusion of which Mme. Essipoff 
came forward, made her first bow to an American 
audience, and sat down to the piano. 

A few words as to her personal appearance. If 
written at all, must come hero, as all such details 
aoem doubly trivial when mentioned in connection 
with her wondeHul talent. In person she is of me- 
dium staturo and graceful fignro. The effect of her 
dark hair and eyes and fine complexion was height- 
ened by her costume, which was entiroly of white, 
unredeemed by any color. Her features aro fine, 
but not regular, and her fsoe, seen In profile, inter- 
esting rather than beautiful. Her shapely arms, 
baro to the shoulder, show a romarkable deyelop- 
ment of the forearm and wrist, and this it is which 
enables Her to play, as she does, entiroly from the 
elbow and wrist, avoiding the awkward appearance 
of moving the shoulders or the body. Her attitude, 
while playing, is one of perfect repose, while the 
simplicity and graceful abandon of her manner aro. 
alike; charming. Beforo she has played many bars 
of the Concerto we know that we aro listening to a 
performer of no ordinary type. At the end of the 
first moyement the feeling of skepticism, with which 
we had received the yery extraordinary statements 
made concerning her merits. Is somewhat dimin- 
ished, and beforo she has finished the composition all 
such feelings have vanished into thin air, leaving on- 



ly emotions of wonder and dellcrht. She played the 
Concerto, as we are inftrmed nhe plays nearly all 
of the two hundred compositions comprising her 
ropertory. entirely from memory : and a more sat- 
isfactory performance we never haye heard. Her 
technique is simply immense ; every note is played 
with that distinctness gained by striking each key ex- 
actly In the middle., thus avoiding the possibility of 
striking two notes instead of one (a fault which we 
have noted in writing of some of the most distin- 
guished of pianists), while her perfect command of 
the pedsl is at once apparont The importance of 
a proper use (not abuse) of the loud pedal Is almost 
invariably underestimated by pianiMtea ; and yet 
when this is not understood there can be no good 
performance. Add to the merits already enumer- 
ated, a most amazing brilliancy and ease of execu- 
tion, perfect accuracy and a touch altogether phe- 
nomenal, and you will have a faint idee of some of 
the least of those qualities which mark the playing 
of this groat artiste. Without dwelling too long 
upon those qualities which are, to the roal worth of 
her playing, only as the stepping stones to the 
sanctuary, mention must be made of her touch, — 
t. e., of the quality of the tone which she produces 
from the instrument; since Qnttschalk sang his way 
Into our heart with syron fingers we h%ve heard 
nothing to equal it. Mme. Essipoff Is able to pro- 
duce from the piano, to suit the varying moods of 
a composer, a great yarlety of tone, as if she had 

changed her instrument repeatedly. Her runs and 
arpeggios are as clear and sparkling as the musical 
glasses ; her chords aro like a single not-e ; while 
her legato must be heard to be appreciated. The 
sum of all these qualities of virtuosity is sufficient to 
place Mme. Essipoff in the front ranks, among the 
oest pianists who haye visited this ountry. All 
this was shown In her performance of the v<!»'ry diffi- 
cult Concerto of Chopin. But the pianist, like the 
poet, must be born, not made, and the successful 
rendering of a Chopin Concerto demands a much 
higher and rarer merit than any of those which we 
haye enumereted. It was eoaally a surprise and a 
delight to find the artiste fully up to the mark In 
those higher qualities neceasary to make the per- 
formance rounded and complete. Of such qualities 
the music of Chopin is the touchstone. One who 
plays Chopin can play anything. But it is no mean 
test, for his music traverses the whole gamut of hu- 
man emotions and experiences. In Mme. Esslpoff's 
interpretation nothing seemed wanting. There was 
breadth of sentiment, intensity, ^re, passion ; and 
in some mysterious mnnner she placed her audience 
sa rapport with the yery spirit of the work. It was 
the same in the lovely i^octurne in D flat ; it may 
have been our good fortune In being placed very 
near to the piano, hut It certainly impressed us as 
being altogether a wonderful interpretation. 

In the Organ Toccata, by Bach. arran«rod for pi- 
ano by Tausig ; the familiar Menuethy Moiart, and 
the other pieces enumereted in the list, the planiste 
showed great yersatllity, each selection being ex- 
quisitely treated ; and it is a romarkable proof of 
her power that she reserved the pi^ de r^hdnnee, 
the great Fantanu Honprout of Liszt, for the last. 
This piece, which we have recently heard performed 
by Von BQlow, Is one of immense difficulty, and is 
well calculated to display every merit that a pian- 
ist can possess. It was perfonned in magnificent 
style and apparently without the least efforts 

M. Vivien, a yiollnlst, also appeare at the Essi- 
poff concerts, at the firat one of^whlch he played a 
Concerto by Paganinl, and the Yieuxtemps Fantas- 
ia, which has been played so frequently here of late. 
After a certain roughness of tf>ne, due doubtless to 
nervousness, had worn off, he appeared to be an ex- 
cellent player, worthy of the distinguished company 
in which he is found. 

At her secon 1 and third appearances, Mme. Essi- 
poff confirmed the excellent impression which she 
had made at firat; but we must reMrve Isrther com- 
ment for a future occasion, simply saying now, that 
whatever may be her position as compared with 
Rubinstein, Lisit. Von BQlow and Clara Schumann, 
she must be ranked with these, and not among the 
lesser gods. 

At the second and third concerts, the following 
selections were rendered : 



; 'MmU 



344 



DWIGHT»S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



Second Coneert, Nov. 16. 

1. Grand Concerto (in D minor) Rubinstein 

Madame Ann#»tto Buipoff and Orchestnu 
S. (a) Pr«Iade and Fagae(wlth Gliorale).MenaeiMohn 

WOlRue •« ••?*\^? 

(e) Sonate, in A mnjor Scarlatti 

Madame Annette Bwdpoff. 
8. IVKUtli Ck>ncerto (First time in America), 

Leonard 

a. Becltative et Prikre. A, All«»|fro et Cadensa. 
Monsiear Alfred Vivien. 

4. Barmrole ) ^^ , 

EtndepinF S Chopin- 

Valse ) . 

5. (a) Nocturne •; •••^^.^y 

(A> Serenade 8chnl>ert-Ll»xt 

(c) Etude, Dflat Ji\««* 

(d) Gavotte y- ••• Sllaa 

Madame Annette Esslpoff. 

6.Folonaise Wienlawskl 

Monsieur Alfred Vivien. 

7. Polonaise Weber-Llsst 

Madame Annette EssipoiT. 

7%ird Concert, Nov. 17. 

1. Grand Concerto G major Beettioven 

a Fanta«ie Pastorale (violin) ;?"*"l? 

8. Grand Concerto ■ft?^** 

4. I>netto, (Violin) w 'Vy u" 

6. Grand Cunoerto, G minor MendeUsonn 

At the Saturday roatin6e the programme of Tues- 
day evening: was duplicated. 

Next week the concerts will be continued, bat 
the Orchestra will be dispensed with, and, remem- 
berlnjp the way in which the pianist was hampered, 
in Beethoven's G major Concerto, by the incompe- 
tency of the conductor, wo think it will be no ^eat 
deprivation. A. A. C. 

CmcAOo, Nov. 16.— We have a new pianist 
in Chicaico, Mr. Emil Lieblinfi^. Mr. Liebling form- 
erly resided hero, but returned to his home in Ber- 
lin for two years study, chiefly with Kullak. Dar- 
ing the last year he was teaching there for Kullak. 
He had a great deal of execution and was a remark- 
ably facile reader before he left here, and before his 
departure gave a ioir^ in which he played Jensen's 
" Wanderbilder," Schumann's Krels^leriana No. 2, 
Chopin's Nocturne in G minor, a Lisst Rhapsody, 
etc. 

Some weeks ago he gare a solrde at Standard 
ball with this programme : 

1. Bonata, Op. 81, D minor « Beethoven 

2. Tenor Soto—'* Salve diraora ** Fknst Goonod 

Mr. Alfred Wllkle. 
8. Soncs without Words, Nos. 1 and 6. .Menddsanhn 
Octave Study Kullak 



4. Contralto—'* O Ife Grarions. Lord, 



••••>• 



.Merkel 



MIPS Ella White. 
5. Etnde Op 10. No. 8,. 

Prelude in Dllat,..., _ . 

Valite In D flat, J-Caopln 

Nocturne, •• 

Scberan in C sharp minor 

8. THo— (Plane, Violin, *OeUo), in D minor, 

Mendelssohn 
(Metsrr. Liebllnsr, Lewis, and Eichhom.) 

7. Duet—*' Onward, honny boat,** Kucken 

(A 9op to Cerebtts.) 

8. Solrte de Vienne. I r i^^ 
Polonaise Berolque, j 

Later he played a recital at the Seminary in 
Highland Park, with this programme : 

1. a. Prelude, ) _ ^ 

6, Gigue, } Back 

e, Gavotte,) 

S. a, Air and variations, (Harmonious Blacknnith). 

Ilandel 

b, Sonata, (arranfc«Nl by Tanslg) ScarUttl 

8. a. Songs wtthont Words, Nos. 1 and 6, 

Mendel«8ohn 
ft, Intermezso Seiss 

c, Iropromptn Henselt 

*• »; oSSsrstnd,. I "^"^ 

S. a. Preludes in D flat, ) 

6, Etudes, 0|). 10, Nos. 8, 4, and 6, I Chopin 



c, Scherso. C sharp minor, 



«. a, Solrto de Vienne, 
ft, Polonaise Heroiqiie, 



} 



.Lisst 



On the whole I find little to record except praise. 
Mr. Liebllng has a great deal of execution, and a 
remarkably delicate touch ; and as a concert player 
I should nahesitatingly place him higher than any 
one else here, and higher than any except AiVery 
small namber of the best in the conntry. But I 
could not g^ so far as many of his friends do and 
claim for him a place above any pianists that have 
appeared here except Rubinstein and Von BQlow. 
To my mind, fine as the playing Is. It lacks some- 
thing of being the best And I find it difficult to 



point out this lack satisfactorily, for as regards the 
execution, phrasing, power, delicacy, etc.. scarcely 
anything lacks. I should say that it was in the 
mental ^rit/) on the music, that the lack existed, if 
anywhere. I notice between him and Miss Riv^ 
(whose playing I had the opportunity to hear enough 
of last year to know it pretty well) a curious differ- 
ence between the tenacity with which they respect- 
ively remember music. In speaking with Miss 
Riv6 of what I supposed roust be the immense diflS- 
culty of remembering such a list of works as she 
played last year, she replied : " Oh no I It is not 
at all difficult to remember them ; but I find it very 
hard to keep them all up so as to be able to play 
them to my own satisfaction.** Now Miss Riv6*s 
memory in spite of its accurac}* (in which it resem- 
bles a photograph) doe« not seem to me the highest 
type of musical memory. For on inquiring, I am 
informed that she plftys from a sort of mental pho- 
tograph of the. nota of the piece, — while playing she 
sees p^ge after page before her. Whereas in the 
highest musical memory I have an idea that the 
player plays from a memory of the musical thought 
as such, the mental picture of the notes of the piece 
no longer existing in consciousness. And this way, 
I imagine, Rubinstein remembers. I don't see how 
he can play in his peculiar manner as to fire and 
faults in any other way. But even Miss Riv^s way 
gives her great confidence, and enables her to per- 
fectly absorb herself in her music, and this is where 
a part of her success lies. Now Mr. Liebllng, on 
the other hand, forgets very easily. Whenever he 
plays an old piece after several weeks, he is oblicred 
not simply to exercise his fingers in it, (everybody 

has to do that) but he has to learn It all over aflrain 
— which, ^owerer, he does very easily, by simplv 
lookinflT it over once or twice. It comports with 
this that h e forgot two or three bits of his pieces In 
his first recital, and was obliged to splice in a little 
of Liebllng. which, excellent as it was. did not im- 
prove the Beethoven Sonata. I mention this not 
with a view of drawing personal comparison, but on 
account of the interesting psy<rhologlcal question 
involred. Any way, wherever he may be placed, 
in Boston. New York, or Chicago, Mr. Liebllng will 
occupy a high place, and I am very flrl^d to be able 
to record our giood fortune in possessing in Chicago 
so fine a pianist. 

He has announced a series of recitals beginning 
Dec. 8, of which the first pr<^p*amroe contains Lisst's 
arrangement of Bach's ipreat G-minor Fugue, a We- 
ber Sonata (Op. S9). Liszt's 12th Rhapsody. Cho 
pln*s F-mlnor Concerto (with second piano), etc. 

Last night Mr. C. E. R. M&ller, formerly «n or- 
ganist here, and lately returned from five years 
study In Stutt^rt, gave an or&:an recital in the first 
Methodist Church (Clark St,) with the following 
programme : 

1. Passacafflia, C minor. Bach 

8. Fugue on B-A-C-H, Op. 60, No. 8, Schumann 

5, Sonata, No. 3. Op, 4i2, Merkel 

7. Sonata In D minor, C. E. R. MiUler 

The even numbers were occupied with vocal se- 
lections by Schumann, Lisst. etc. which I haven't 
space to comment on. Mr. Bf Qller is a painstaking, 
studious flrentleman, well known throaeh his trans- 
lation of Lebhert and Stark's Pianoforte Method. 
The organ last nisrht was shockingly out of tune and 
sounded very badly indeed, a streak of "cussed 
ness " which nothing in the playing went to oorreet 
or cover up. The proirramme. as yon can see. was 
very severe, and Mr. Miiller, although evidently of 
of fine attainments, has not composure in playing 
before an audience, for which reason I prefer to 
bear him again before expressing myself more fully. 

We have also another organist, Mr. John White, 
who has been playing a series of recitals in St. 
James church, with very fine programmes indeed. 
Mr. White has not hestitcted to " tackle " the heav- 
iest jobs in organ playing (like the Thiele pieces, 
Btcy, but whether the result justified his courage 
and ambition, perhaps admits of doubt. I have not 
had the pleasure of bearing him, hence my inability 
to say anything especially to the point 

Strakoech has been here with Italian opera (as 
was alleged), and, from what I hear, it must have 
been pretty near the bottom of the scale of excel- 
lence. Yours, 

Dm FEcrsoHum. 



DE9CBIPTIVB LIST OF THE 

: T7 s z o 

Disarm 4k C«. 



rr s s T ^A 

iMlali«« Ur •llv«v 



» < •» « 



Vocal, with Piano AooompaiiiasBt. 
What Song shall it be? For Baritone or Con- 
tralto. E. 4. E to 0. Eayrt, 40 

**Shall it be eay, or bi\A? 
BHfflit as the Linnet's strain r* 

The player here has plenty to do, and contri- 
butes to the sncce^s of a fine sonfc, which can 
easily be suufr by Basa, Tenor Baritone, Alto 
or Soprano voices. 

A Gift of Flowen. (Un invio di flori./ E. 

3. E to E. Gounod. 85 

"CotestI llor." 
<*8obriA;httoviewr* 

Hm Gounod^ peculiar brlf^htness of «ettinfc, 
and, being easiM' tlian many others, will be a 
favorite. 

When the Com is gently waying. Song and 

Chonu. Bb. 2. d to F. Beniley, 8> 

'-Wa will wander in the valley. 
My own sweet angel dear.*' 

An answffr or comnanlon to ** When the com 
is wavine, Annie dear,*' and is simple, sweet 
and pleasing. 

Nobody*s darling bnt mine. Illustrated 

title. B«. 3. d to g. I>atOu. 40 

*'29'oho'1v*s darling bnt mine, love. 
Nobody loves yon like me." 

FIrst-r»te, melodious sons, which evervbody 
will like. * 

Flow on, sad Stream. A minor. 8. d to 

F. BootL 80 

**\ m^ke my monn, by her frrsve alone. 
For the violets have her breath.'* 

Venr beanHful. Words by Story. Half the 
sons: in the Key of F. 

The First Cricket F. 8. F to F. BooU. 80 

**Oh me! \% it then tme 

That the year haa waxed unto- waning?" 

Words bv HowaIIs, and the mnsic is a most 
sweet musical recitation of a charming poem. 

Tliree Songs. Ity Franx Aht, Op. 8i7. 

1. Loye is like the summer dew. E. 4. 
E tog. 80 

*'Llebchen glelcbt dem Morsenthan." 

S. In every Song ru sing to thee. A. 4. 
d to g. 80 

"In Jedao LIcdchen will ieh hanchen." 

Two fresh and solidly good german songs, 
wen translated. 

laotruMstalt 

The Oi^^istPs Bellance. By 

Eugene Thayer. Per Number, $1.25 

YoL 1. No. 2. Contains Minuet fVom Sam- 
son. Andante In F. from Hease. 
Adagio, by Beethoven. Festtval 
March, bj Hatton. Senrloe Preludes, 
by Defesch, Haydn and Handel, and 
Offertoire, bj Wely. 

ToL 1. No. 3. Contains Seryloe Pre1udi>«, 
by Battishin. Festiyal PosUnde by 
Hatton. Pastorale, by Schneider. 8 
Reaponses, by Batiste. Postlnde, by 
Batiste. Andante, by Moaart and 
Offertoire, by Wely. 

Vol. 1. No. 5. Contains f^enrice Preludes, 
from Sussanna by Handel. Servlee 
Prelude, by Hesse. 2 Responses, by 
Battman. Serrice Preludes, by Lem- 
mens. Fisher, Haydn, and Batiste, 
and Offertoire, (for Featiyal days) by 
Batiste. 

Vol. 1. No. 6. Contains Chorus from Mi. 
of Olives, hj Beethoyen. Service Pre- 
ludes by ^esse, Andre and Goodbau. 
Prelude (Elevation) by Collin. Pre- 
lude (Eleyatlon) by Collin, and 
Prelude (Communion) by Batiste. 

Tol 1. No. 7. Contains Service Preludes 

by Harrison, Hatton, Hesse and 

Batiste. (Communion) and Festival 

Muroh, by Gladstone. 

All these are capital nnmben, all moderately easy* 
and may be played on either pipe or reed organ, or evsn 
•oa pianoofortes, with good efleot. 



ABBBBviATioirs.— Decrees of dlAcnlty are maiked 
from 1 to 7. The key is denoted by a capital letter, as C, 
Bfr, etc. A Unre Roman letter marks the lowest and the 
highest note if on the staff, small Roman letters If be* 
low or above the staff. TnAs : *' G. 6, c to B ** means 
** Key of C, Fifth degree, lowest letter, c on the added 
line oetow, highest letter, E on the 4th space. 





uxml 





Wholb No. 930. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, DEC. 9, 1876. 



Vol. XXXVI. No, 18. 



Tribute to Carl Bargmann. 

BT DR. R. OODEK DORSSCUS. 

At the Bergroann Memorial Concert, at 
Steinway Hall, Inst Sundav evenin<y. Dr. Dor- 
emus, ex-president of the New York Philhar- 
monic Society, paid the following thoughtful 
and touching tribute to the memory of one 
whose services to the cause of music in New 
York can hardly be over-estimatH : Ladies and 
Gentlemen: Members of the ''Philharmonic." 
" Liederkranz" and **SaeDger-runde" Societies : 
As a cordial friend of the departed Bergmann, 
and an ardent admirer of his genius, and be- 
cause of my official relations with him in the 
Phiiharmonio Society during the most brilliant 
part of his professional career. I have been hon- 
ored with the request to participate in these 
sad memorial services. On the day appointed 
to sacred thoughts, when the hum of business 
and political strife is checked ; when the sun 
has set, and the stars of Heaven yield us their 
celestial light, how appropriate that we should 
gather ourselves together and with heart give 
atterance to our profound n-grets. 

"Time has laid his hand upon his heart 
gently, not smiting it. But as a harper lays 
bis open palm upon bis harp to deaden iU vi- 
brations.*' 

Carl Bergmann was one of the choicest gifts 
of Germany to America. 

He was bom in Saxony in 1831. One of his 
ichcK>lmates says, •* he was a musician from 
childhood." When but 18 years of age he be- 
came a musical director I The rebellion of 1848 
induced him to cross the Atlantic in search of 
a new home. 

As the conductor of the celebrated "Germa- 
fiS.*®??*®*^ '' ""y of us first knew him. Since 
1857 his name has been familiar to us in con- 
nection with the "New York Philharmonic 
Society," (the oldest association of profession- 
al instrumenUl musicians in America), at one 
time dividing the honors of conductorship with 
the renowned Eisfeld ; but for the last fourteen 
years in sole charge of the baton, now so suc- 
cessfully wielded by his distinguished succes- 
sor Dr. Damrosch. As conductor of the great 
German festival in 1855, Bergmann added fresh 
laurels to his name. A year later he presented 
ns with the first troupe of German Opera sing- 
ers. He has occupied the position of leader of 
several of our great singing societies, as the 
"Anon," the "Liederkranz" and the "Saenger- 
runde." Bergmann was a man of progress. 
To him we are indebted for our first lessons in 
the so-called " Ifuiie of the Future,'' 

Tn 1 8 5fi with t he ^ppmunt i^\ ^ nf »h^ kri^^ 
gocietv. he intrniTnn<>/l 7/^^-^ hfl flnt time in Araer- 



w». Wagner's "Tannhftuser." Other works 
■oonjr^ntrwed: racb Wthe Faust overture^- 
TrUfan andTsoiae-^Lohengrtn— Meistersinger. 
Under"his Conductorship we heard first in this 
city the intricate compositions of Liszt: The 
Paust Symphony— Dante-^Berg Symphony— 
Tlie PreIude»->Tas8o. But I leave to my dis- 
tinguished fellow citizen, Herr Klamroth, who 
follows me, to tell you the full story of this re- 
markable life. 

Yon, gentlemen, (turning to the Philhar- 
monic and other societies) who have been 
swayed by the power of his magic wand, as he 
has triumphantly led you through the intricate 
harmonies of the almost inspired composers, 
keenly feel his loss. You fully comprehend 
the rare qualities requisite in a successful con- 
ductor, which he so pre-eminently possessed. 
A musical organization combining the compre- 

hensive brain to grasp the poetic conception of ^,^ „ , - 

the author, with its varyinglights and shades; I it la God." 



a thorough familiarity with every instrument 
of the orchestra: a quick and delicate ear. so 
acute that each and every performer, whether 
instrumi^ntalist or vocalist, knows and feels that 
he is cnder strict surveillance, a glance of the 
fiashing eye of his leader giving approval or 
the reverse; and superadded to these rare gifts 
the " Sacrrd Fire;'* and the gnnius to commu- 
cate the inspiration to all under his control, 
that auditors may thrill with the electric ren- 
dering. A conductor, though he he like the son 
of Ccelns and Terra ef Greek Mytholc»gy, Bria- 
rent, with his hundred hands and fifty heads, 
labors in vain if he lacks this magnetic infiu- 
ence. Those to be swayed must have complete 
confidence in the knowledge of the controlling 
spirit ; a respect almost amounting to fear; and 
there must emanate from the conductor a mys 
terious power, never yet analyzed by the chem- 
ist, the physicist or the physiologist, but simi- 
lar to that possessed by a great military chief- 
tain as he triumphantly leads his army to vic- 
tory. This city mourns the loss of a great 
teacher. In the midst of the engrossing labors 
of this busy mart, the human brain needs and 
often craves relaxation, in the development of 
its finer and higher capacities. Two genera- 
tions have had the pnvilege (availed of by 
many now before me) of this education nnder 
the fostering care of the Philharmonic Society. 
For the fifth of a century the name of Carl 
Bergmann has been indissolubly associated with 
it ; and the proud laurels it has won have been 
achieved under the potent influence of his con- 
trolling genius. I aoubt if our citizens fully 
appreciate the disinterested labors of this soci- 
ty. Jjust before visiting Paris in 1847 I was 
told by one of its members, M. Boncher, a dis- 
tinguished violincellist, that notwithstanding 
the variety and superiority of the music in that 
brilliant European capital, I should be unable 
to hear any of the grand compositions of Bach, 
Beethoven, Weber, Handel, Haydn or Mozart, 
for they were not offered to the public. This 
I found to be true. The faithful services of 
this society, with which our lamented one was 
so long connected, should be rewarded by the 
advocates of a higher culture in music, with a 
hearty responsive patronage : a suitable music 
hall; and with means to aid the suffering and 
at times indigent musician. 

I cannot but feel that we delaj too long our 
expressions of appreciation, until the honored 
ones have passea beyond the need of human 
sympathy. The sad fate of one of the found- 
ers of the Philharmonic Society weighs heavily 
on my heart. This community owes him a 
debt of gratitude. High honors are conferred 
on military heroes, and on those distinguished 
ih the political arena; while the gifted teacher 
to whom is entrusted the moulding of the hu- 
man brain, sometimes asks for bread, and we 
give him a stone. Our souls may be too petri- 
fied to grant this memorial tribute. 

True, there may be imperfections of charac- 
ter. These are spots on the face of the sun. 
The gorgeous hues of the solar spectrum are 
crossed by dark lines. Every star that glitters 
in yon heavens, when criticized by the prism, 
exhibits similar peculiarities. 

"He who is innocent, let him cast the first 
stone." These habiliments of mourning sel- 
dom decorate this hall. 

We meet to honor the dead. "DbadI A 
world of sorrow lies in the word," (says Hans 
Christian Andersen.) "It is a two-edged 
sword, which while it sonders the beloved of 
our heart, penetrates our own bosom. A sin- 
gle word, as short, only can btal the wound-^ 



**The departed, the departed, they visit us in 
dreams, 

" And float above our memories as cloudlets 
over streams." 

If the bright spirits of those who have gone 
before are permitted to revisit these earthly 
scenes, may we not invoke the presence of him 
we mourn ? 

Ye artists, who are gifted with the power to 
produce sweet harmonies, foretastes of celes- 
tial bliss; and we who are privileged to listen, 
may we all feel that the beloved Bergmann is 
with us once more! 

In our loss of his bodily presence let us be 
submissive and respond with the sacred writer: 
" The Lord hath given, the Lord hath taken 
away, blessed be the name of the Lord." — The 
American Art Journal, Not, 18. 



HUler's " Koiical and PenonaL'* 

(From the Monthly Xnsleal Record.) 

MuHhnlieehee und Pereordiehee, Von Fbdikahd 
HiLLER. Leipzig: Breitkepf ft Hftrtel. 

Excepting Wagner, there is, probably, no 
living German musician who, in the double 
capacity of composer and writer on musical 
subjects, has employed his pen more actively 
than Dr. Ferdinand Hiller. It would, doubt- 
less prove an interesting task to speak at length 
of his many fine compositions which, though 
widely known and esteemed in Germany, can- 
not be said to have met with the recx>gnition 
they deserve in England. That they have not 
done so can only be put down to some strange 
fatality, such as that arising from the infre- 
qnency of his visi^ to us and the consequent 
absence of personal influence. From his book 
on Mendelssohn, and the many fugitive arti- 
cles, translations of which from time to time 
have appeared in the Muiieal World and else- 
where, he may be said to be better known here 
as a writer on musical subjects than as a com- 
I poser. By degrees, it is pleasing to note, he 
seems to be publishing his most important 
writings in a collected form. Three volumes, 
" Aus dem Tonleben nnserer Zeit" — the first 
two of which were issued in 1868. have been 
before the world for some time. Quite recent- 
ly he has edited a volume of letters by Moritz 
Hauptmann, in addition to the book which 
heads this notice. It is of this latter that we 
have now to speak. 

Like its predecessors, issued under the title 
" Aus dem Tonleben unserer Zeit," this latest 
contribution of Dr. Hiller*s to musical litera- 
ture consists of a series of articles which for the 
most part have been suggested by some passing 
occasion. Some of them we remember to have 
already read in the Kolnieehe ZeUung, but are 
glad to meet with them again in a collected 
form, and to find that they have thus been res- 
cued fram the oblivion which contributions to 
a daily paper usually meet with. 

" Musikalisches und PersOnliches " — "Ma- 
sical and Personal " — Few, perhaps, will so 
readily recognize the pertinence of the title 
adopted by Dr. Hiller for his book as review- 
ers in searoh for a convenient mode of classify- 
ing its contents. A better or more distinctive 
title could hardly have been devised. All the 
articles which it contains are more or less mu- 
sical ; all are more or less personal — that is to 
say, they have been suggested by passing events, 
such as the deaths of men of note with whom 
he had come in personal contact, or by matters 
in which he has himself taken an important 
part, or has felt so much interest in as to ba 
obliged * to express an opinion upon them> 



346 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



Thus his book furnishes ns with biographical 
or obitaary notices of Chembini.t Ferdinand 
David, Etienne Joseph Soabr^ Moritz Hart- 
mann, Bir W. Stemdale Bennett, and Louis 
Napoleon, with all of whom he was more or 
less intimately acquainted. Under the title 
** Dramas as Operas, ** he gives us the text of a 
lecture delivered in Cologne, in 1874. We 
have also the speech he made on the occasion 
of the removal of the Cologne Conservatoire to 
new premises ; a report of the Concoun Inter' 
tuUumdl of male vocal societies at Yerviers in 
1873 ; and accounts of a tour in Scandinavia, 
and of a day and a halfs stay in Botterdam. 
Among the most interesting of the more criti- 
cal notices are papers on HandeVs borrowings ; 
conducting by tieart; HandePs Theodora ; Ver- 
di ^siZiA^Mm; Fergoleae's Stdbat Mater ; Baches 
OhriitmaM Oratorio ; Carissimi*s Jona$ ; togeth- 
er with reviews of F. A. Gevaert's **Hi8toire 
etThtoriedela Musique de I'Antiquit^;" C. 
F. Pohl's ** Joseph Haydn;" and Otto Gum- 
precht*s ** Neue Musikalische Characterbilder." 

The short account of the life and works of 
Cherubini, for some particulars of which Dr. 
Hiller acknowledges his indebtedness to M. 
F^tis, is specially valuable as on expression of 
his own opinion of the worth of this master, 
and as containing several anecdotes derived 
from a personal acquaintance with him, which 
are not to be found in previous accounts of his 
life. Of his powers of originality as a compo- 
ser, Dr. Hiller speaks in the warmest terms, 
but without exaggeration. He says: — *^Our 
musical historians have repeated, one after the 
other, that Cherubini, the Italian, did well to 
turn to Germans as his examples and instruct- 
ors. It is my conviction that Germans have 
learnt far more from Cherubini than he from 
them. For bis clear mode of treating the or- 
chestra he may owe something to Haydn ; in 
its liveliness it coincides with that of Mozart, 
whose greatest master-works were com- 
posed only a few years before the most famous 
of Cherubini^s operas. But the undeniable af- 
finity which one has always recognized between 
Cherubini and Beethoven, can only be attrib- 
uted to the choice of the latter, except so far 
as it might be affected by the similarity of their 
natural genius. One must remember that at 
the time of LodoUka and Medea, Beethoven was 
still quite a young nian, who, though he came 
forward with his first trios about the same time 
as an instrumental composer of the first rank, 
had not yet written a single work which bears 
any afilnity to those of Cherubini. It is clear 
enoujfh, however, that in the subsequent com- 
position of Fiddio he lai^ely drew upon the 
great Italian^s dramatic ssyle of writing, and 
this he himself openly and honorably avowed." 

We must pass over Dr. Hiller's illustrations 
of some of Cherubini^s characteristics, which 
he says are reflected in his works and inee tend, 
and which he discusses fully and pleasantly, 
to repeat one or two anecdotes of the Italian 
master, which we hsve met with for the first 
time. It was Hiller's first wish (he. tells us) on 
his first visit to Paris as a youth of seventeen, 
to make acauaintance with Cherubini, to whom 
he was furnished with a letter of introduction 
from his master, Hummel. At first sight he 
was difMppointed with the lean little man's ap- 
pearance, which he had anticipated would be 
as imposing as his music. This soon wore off, 
and his piercing eye and noble bearing soon 
seemed more like that of a famous statesman 
than of a musician. Acquaintance ripened in- 
to friendship, and many were the acts of kind- 
ness received from Cherubini, for which Dr. 
Hiller expresses his gratitude. As an instance 
of the good-nature which underlay the severity 
with which, to its great advantage, he ruled 
the Conservatoire, Hiller relates that on asking 

^MntOeiMohn, LeUert and BecoHecUont, By Dr. Fer- 
dlnand Hiller. Itmnslated bj M. S. von Olenn. (Mso- 
miUan A Go.) 

t Since the above notice of Dr. Hfller*B eketeh of Cber- 

^n^inrs life has been in type, It has been bitmgbt to oar 

recollection that his Mtlcie avpeered In an SnglUh drees 

in JtacMiBcm'e Mafftnttu tot July, 187S, eome months pre- 

vIOQS to its imbUeatlon In Oennany. 



permission one day to borrow a couple of books 
from the library of the institution, he was met 
with the stem rejoinder, ** Ca ne se peut pas. 
c'est d^fendu." The conversation took anoth- 
er turn, and as he was leaving the room Cher- 
ubini called him back, and asked, **What. 
then, are the books you wish to borrow from 
our library ? •' ** Palestrina's Motets.'' he re- 
plied. ''Well, then." said, the old man, in 
Kindly tones, •*! will have them fetched for 
myself — and then you shall have them." 

On leaving Paris, Hiller beirgcd for a manu- 
script as a remembrance. Cherubini offered 
him his choice of two. Without considering 
much their contents he seized the thickest, and 
was abont to pocket it, when he was met with 
the usual '*Non, ga ne se peut pas. *' for the 
pieces which were lettered and numbered had 
their respective places in his library, and might 
not be removed under any pretence. Three 
days afterwards he received a copy of the cov- 
eted score — a very beautiful Agnu$ Dei — which 
the indefatigable old man, with trembling 
hand, but with extreme neatness, had in the 
meantime made himself. 

The following testifies to Cherubini's strong 
sense of order. He had his pocket-handker- 
chiefs marked with consecutive numbers, indi- 
cating the order of rotation in which they were 
to be used. While on his death-bed, and racked 
with pain, a fresh handkeruhief was handed to 
him. Noticing even then that it was given to 
him out of its proper order, he threw it aside, 
and asked for No. 7:— the one whose turn it 
was. To the last he showed the strong deter- 
mination of his spirit, dying with the words 
** Je ne veux pas mourir*' almost upon his lips. 
Eleven years after his demise Hiller had the 
rare delight of being allowed to examine bis 
reliquieB ; the rich result he has detailed in one 
of his previous volumes — *' Aus dem Tonleben 
unserer Zeit." 

The articles '* Dramas as Operas," and **0n 
Conducting by Heart," together with the re- 
view of Verdi's Itequiem, may be classed as po- 
lemical; but their polemical character will 
hardly be recognized by the worid at large. 
Indeed, those who have been wont to regard 
Hiller as the '*Altmeister" of Germany, and 
consequently a conservative musician of the old 
school, and a staunch opponent of Wagner and 
the disciples of the new, will be surprised at 
the temperate manner in which he delivers him- 
self. Only once (in his review of Otto Gum- 
precht's work) does he approach severity. 
Therein he avers that Wagner has much in com- 
mon with Napoleon HI. Will he yet meet with 
his Sedan f he asks. Hardly, he thinks; but. 
at the same time, he predicts that his works 
will meet with their Sedan, because, like those 
of the once mighty Emperor, as he at least re- 
gards them, they are based upon untruth. 

The favorable view taken by him of Verdi's 
Requiem — his review of which some, perhaps, 
will be inclined to regard as a counterblast to 
Dr. von BOlow's famous letter to the AUffemeine 
Zeitung — will, probably, surprise many. Tet 
it must be said that Dr. Hiller by no means 
stands alone among German musicians of emi- 
nence who have expressed admiration for Ver- 
di's work. 

In the article, *' Handel's Borrowings," sug- 
gested by some remarks of his biographers and 
critics, especially Schoelcher and Chrysander, 
upon Handel's appropriation of somewhat more 
than occasional passages from the works of Er- 
ba, Urio, and others, Handel has found a vig- 
orous advocate and supporter. Far from blam- 
xxif him for what some have regarded as his 
thievish propensities, and consequently as 
marks of weakness, Dr. Hiller makes out a 
good case in his behalf, which, did space per- 
mit, it vould be interesting to follow from 
pcint to point. Regarding Handel's borrow- 
ings from these composers as a mere drop in 
the ocean, in companson to what he oriflrinat- 
ed, he avers that It is Handel they have to t lank 
for the little notoriety they at present may be 
said to enjoy. 



The sketches of travel, necessarily more per- 
sonal than muftical, written in HiUer's gener- 
ally genial and lively manner, will he found 
entertaining, and by no means devoid of in- 
terest. 



» %%% I 



Large and Small Conoert Halln 

(From the Atlantic Monthly, Dee. ISTS.) 

One of the qoeetions which the frrnirih of mnaie 
during the last hslf-contory hss hmai^ht into peco- 
lisr prominence is that of Ursre nn<1 em II conrert- 
hfllla. Since the varions departments of music — 
the fkymphnny, the opera, the oratorio. an<l vocal 
and inatr omental ehamber-mnftic — have followed 
snch widely divergent pathn, this qaestion ha^ aa- 
snmed greater and flrreater importance. Tt may he 
safely naid that almost all mnaic may be completely 
kferd in any hall of good acooetic properties, no 
matter what the aize of snch a hall may be. Of 
course this proposition, like all others in art, mn*t 
not he submitted to the redwHo ad akMnrdttm, hot 
within reasonable limits (and they are by no means 
narrow) It U safely to be asserted. But it mott bo 
borne in mind that merely being disUnctly heard 
is hat one of the many conditiona that are indispen- 
sable for mnific to produce its full effect npon the 
hearer. Leaving aside the queHion of favorable 
and congenial sarroondinsts, which appliea with 
eonal force to the other arts, there is this point in 
which muMc essentially differs from its lister arts. 
So lonf; as we can distinctly see a pietnro or a stat- 
oe, so lonj; as the Il^ht is of snch qiiantltv and qnal 
ity as to make its outlines and colors easily discern, 
ibie to the eye, the conditions for onr enjoyment of 
it are fnlBllMl ; hot it Is not enoash for the ontlines 
and colors of mnsic (to use a not too forced meta- 
phor) to be clearly discernible to the ear. When 
the observer stands in the beat place to view a pic- 
ture, the diminution of his enjoyment that wonld re- 
sult from his leaseninir or increasinj; the distance 
between it and himself is caused solely by the undne 
prominence of unessenlisl details on the one hand, 
or by the growing indistinctness of outline and light 
and shade on the other. In either case it is a mat- 
ter of more or less distinct viMon. But the ehanfrs 
in our enjoyment of music that results from greater 
nesmess to or distance from the point of departnre 
of the sound has (except in very 'extreme cases) a 
iSir other cause. The nest snrument that we know 
of on this subject Is in Berllos's "A Trsvers Chants." 
Whatever may be thought of Berlios's genius, or 
his rsnk as an artist, there can be no doubt about 
his having had one of the most delicate ears for all 
effects of tofitf that ever existed, and his qualifica- 
tions for discussing subjects relating to muneal eownd 
sre unquestioned. He ssys :«- 

" People sre alwsys read}* to answer, when the 
question comes up of the sonority of an opera-house 
or concert-room, thst nwry noU eon be heard werif 
we^ But I can slso hear very well from my study 
the cannon that is fired on the esplanade of the In* 
valides, and yet that noise, which is moreover oni- 
sideall musical oonditions, does not in sny way 
strike, move, or shock my nervous fystem. W«li, 
it is just this stroke, this emotiouithls shock, that 
sound absolutely must give the onran of hearing in 
order to act upon It musieslly, and which we do not 
receive from even the most powerful masses of voic- 
es and Instruments, when we listen to them from 
too great a distance. Some scientists think that 
the electric fluid cannot traverse js distance greater 
than a certain number of thousands of leagues; I 
don't know how true this may be, but I am sure 
that the musical fluid (I beg leave to thus desijcnate 
the unknown cause of musical emotion) is without 
force, heat, or vitality at a certain distance from its 
point of departure.* We hear, but we do not v£- 
brate. Now, we maui oureetvte vibrate with the In- 
struments snd voices, snd by them, in order to ex- 
perience true musical sensations. ^othin$c is easier 
to demonstrate. Place a smsll number of well-or- 
gsnixed persons, gifted with some knowledge of 
music, in a room of moderate sise, n<it too much 
furnished or carpeted ; play worthily before them 
some true mssterpiece, oy a true compoeer, tmly 
inspired, a work aaite free from the insufferable 
conventional beauties that pedavrognes snd bi2nte<l 
enthusiasts admire — a simple piano-forte trio, iVret- 
hoven*s trio in B-fkt, for instance ; what will hap- 
pen ? The listeners will, liUle by little, find them- 
selves seised with an unaccustomed agitation, they 

• It must not be siinpofed ftom this that Berllot was 
barf physicist enough to disesnl the uadnUtoiy theoiy 
in favor of a ** musical fluid ** as a theofy of sound, as 
Chomet did. Be merely uses tbe the term that 
flist to hand, to denote the cokm ^wnukai wwo tfe w. 



mi^m 



Nw^^p 



'"^fmtf^itMtF 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, DEC. 9, 1876. 



347 



will experience en intense, profonnd enjoyment, 
which will now excite them Mtronglj, now plun^ 
them into a delicious calm, a veritable ecstasy. . . . 
There you have a muf ical effect 1 There you see 
the listener seiiecl and intoxicated by the art of 
tones, and raised to an incommensurable hei«rht 
above the common rejpons of life Now sup- 
pose that in the midst of the same piece, played by 
the same artists, the room in which it is played 

could jEcradnally enlars^e. and that, in consequence 
of this prf^resffive ehUrirement of the foom, the 
audience is, little by little, removed to a i;reator 
distance from the performers. Well, suppose our 
room to have reached the size of an ordinary thea- 
tre ; our listener, who but the mf>ment before felt 
his emotions risinjr. i>egins to red^ain his previous 
tranquility: he still Aeart. but he hardly ^ibratet 
any more ; he admires the composition, but by rea- 
eoning^, and no lonf^er from feflin*;, nor in conse- 
quence of an irresistible impulse. The room [^ows 
still lararer. the listener is farther and farther from 
the musical focus. He is as fur diMtant as he would 
be if the three performers were (rrouped ton^ether in 
the mitldle of the stage of the Opera,f and h^ hitn- 
eelf were sittinjsr in one of the first boxes in the bal- 
cony, opposite the stage. He still heam, not a note 
escapes him. but he is no longer reached by the mu 
nenljtnid, which cannot reach so far ; his agitation 
la dissipated, he throws cold again, he even experi 
enees a sort of disagreeable anxiety, which is the 
more painful because he makes greater efforts to fix 
his attention and not 1<»S9 the thread of the musical 
discourse. But his efforts are In vain ; insensibili- 
ty paralvxes them ; he begins to be bored, the great 
master tires him, annoj's him, the mast«ri>iece is no 
lonser anything more than a little ridiculous noise 
in his earsv the giant a dwarf, art a deception ; he 
growa impatient and stops listening." 

In the passage just quoted Berlios merely consid- 
ers the influence uf distance from the point of de- 
parture of the sound upon the intensity of the musi- 
cal impression that the sound produces upon the 
listener. It stands to reason (as Berlioz goes on to 
say, though we will not quote his words) that this 
diminution of musical force is in part to be referred 
to another cause, namely, .to the greater diffusion of 
the sound in Isrcre halls than in small ones. This 
latter cause will affect the musical impression pro- 
duced upon any listener in a large hall, no matter 
at what distance from the performers he may bo ; 
even if ho sit very near the musical focus, his ear 
will receive the ''musical fluid" much less con- 
df'nscMd in a large hall than in a small one. X)f course 
it is a fair subject for debate, how intense It is desir- 
able to have this mnsical impression, how concen- 
trated the musical fluid should be when It reaches 
the ear. We are, however, spared the necessity of 
discnssing this point here, from the fact that the 
principal musicians in both Europe and America 
are of one opinion on the subject, however much at 
Tariance they may be on other points relating to 
the art of muriic 

It may be taken for granted that, In general, 
those compositions for which a large mass of per- 
formers (either vocal or instrumental) Is required 
are more suited to large halls than works which re- 
quire a more modest number of executants. Wag- 
ner*s prelude to Tristan nnd Isolde, or Liszt*s Tassb, 
will produce their full effect upon the listener in a 
hall where a Haydn symphony would lose much of 
its brilliancy. But here we come to a point con- 
cerning which the musical public at large has. It 
must w admitted, very unmusical ideas. There is 
no lack of musical persons who will readily admit 
that a targe hal) is no proper place for piano-forte 
aonatas, string quartet^, or other chamlier music ; if 
a Rul>i ostein or a Von Buelow Is forced by outside 
circumstances to give chamber-concerts in large 
halls, tJiey are glad enough to go to hear him, yet 
they will at the same be as ready to appreciate how 
much they lose from th^ size of the hall, as any mu- 
sician can l>e. But when it is a question of listen- 
ing to symphonies or concert overtures, the public 
seems to lose sight of distinctions which are yet of 

great importance. A symphony Is a symphony, i' 
\ said, and the ]ar;;est hall must of necessity suit 
the largest form of orchestral compoaiUon. The 
fallacy or this doctrine is easily shown. Largeness 
of form In a composition does not necessarily Imply 
larreness of orchestral means. Compare the scores 
of the two following compositions, one in the larg- 
est symphonic form, and the other in a compara- 
tively amaii musical form. 

' t The old operataouse in the Hue Le Pelletier, C' 



Beethoven's Symphony 
In A major is scored for 



Wood.- 



t Fintes, 
3 01>oes, 

2 ClorlnetSt 

2 Bassoons. 



' 2 Horns, 
2 Trumpets. 



Brass. • 



1 pair of Kettle-dmms. 



Wof^ier's Prelude to 
Tristan und Isolde is scored 
for 

S Flutes, 
2 Oboes, 

1 KnfEllsh Horn, 

2 Clarinetn, 

1 Bass Clarinet, 
S Bassoons. 



4 Horns, 
3 Trumpets, 
3 Trombonei, 
1 Bass Tuba, 



1 set of Kettle-drums (3.) 



Strings.- 



f First Violin*, 
Sncnnd Violins, 
Viola, 

Violoncello, 
Basses. 



A fair proportion of the strings to the rest of the 
orchestra would l>e: ten violins on a part for the 
Beethoven symphony, and fifteen violins (at least) 
on a part for the Wasrner piece. Doubling* the re- 
mtiininir string-parts in a corresponding ratio, we 
should have in one case an orcliestra of fifty-five 
performers, and in the other case an orchestra of 
eighty-seven performers. This is at least a prima 
facie evidence that Wagner^s prelude is suited to a 
larger hall than Beethoven's symphony. When wo 
compare the masses of brass instruments in the two 
scores, this difference is all the more striking. Of 
course it is possible to put a larger force of strings 
upon the symphony ; this is often done ; but it must 
be remembered that this will destroy the dyntmic 
halance of the score. If we are to have as larc^e a 
moss of strings in the symphony as in the Wagner 
piece, the wind-parts (with the possible exception of 
the trumpeU) will be covered up. The orchestra 
of the Royal Opera in Berlin is the only one we 
know of in which the flutes and reeds in classical 
scores are so arranged as to counterbalance a large 
mass of strings in strong passasfps. Each pair of 
wooden wind instruments is re€nforeed by a second 
pair {ripieni) which play only in the <»i/^' passages. ( 
If this method were ndopte^'in all large orchestras, 
the question of playing classical orchestral works 
in larere halls would be solved satisfactorily at once ; 
but it Is not. In America, where we have the lars:- 
est concert-halls, it is very rarely that we have ev- 
en a large body of strings. We continnally bear 
works given by orchestras of fifty or sixty per- 
formers in halls that would require an orchestra of 
very unususl size. The reader will notice that we 
have hinted that the usual four pairs of wooden 
wind instruments are unable to cope with, a large 
mass of strings in sironff poMogw. This brinsTS n4 
to a very delicate point, which is too little noticed. 
The strings, especially the violins, are the part of 
an orchestra which roost loses in intensity of tone 
by being heard in a larsro hall ; or, as Berlioz would 
say, the musical fluid icenerated by the strings los- 
es its power at the shortest distance from its point 
of departure. Thus it happens that, although the 
dynamic balance of the strings and reeds in an or- 
chestra of fifty-five perform ers.f playing at its mean 
degree of loudness (that is, mezzo-forte) may be 
perfect in a small or moderate-sized hall, this equi- 
librium will be destroyed in a large hall. The vio- 
lins lose the telling quality of their tone before the 
wind instruments do. Many delicate passages for 
the strings are thus covered up the wind. * * * 

The strings in sn orchestra can play as piano as 
need be, ami In all tlie degrees of loudness, ranging 
from the softest pianissimo to mezzo-forte ; no mass 
of strings, no matter how large, need cover up even 
a single flute. But when we pass beyond the mez- 
zo-forte Ui f<'rtc and fortissiir.o this mutual dynamic 
relation of the instruments changes. Although the 
quality of tone of the violins is, of itself, inferior in 
penetrating power to that of many other instruments, 
the accent that can be obtained by a strong stroke 
of the bow upon stringed instruments is unrivalled 
in intensity except by the instruments of percussion. 
This stirring force ot accent gives the stnngs a com- 
manding power of tone In strong passages, which 

• We use the term ** doubling** here and afterwards In 
ita musical, not in lu mathematioal aense, tfi denote in- 
creaolng the number of performers on a single Instru- 
mental part. 

t ThU wa<i the case In 1842, and we suppose the custom 
bos been kept up. And even here this strengtheninp: of 
the flutes and reeds was not done for the purpose ef 
oonnterbalaoelufc a large mass of strincs in classical 
works, but to counteract the verv strong bodies of brus 
instruments in the scorea of Meyert)eer*s and Spontlni a 
operas. The effect, however. In classical works was very 
satisfactory. 

t Vide supra. 



one would hardly expect from instruments that can 
te so readily subdued to a scarcely audible plaDia- 
simo. • • • • *.* * * 
An orchestra which is suited to a small hall not 
only loses its specific intensity" of 'effect (the forc4 
of its musical fluid) in a large hall, but also the dy- 
namic equilibrium of Its component instruments Is 
often shaken. Taking an orchestra of from fifty to 
sixty performers as the standard for the performance 
of classical works in small or moderate-sized halls, 
when the same works are given in large hails the 
number of executants should be increased in the ra- 
tio of the cubic contents of the two balls. This does 
not refer to orchestral works of the present day, in 
which the greater brilliancy of instrumentation fits 
them for performance In large halls with no larger 
orchestra than would result from a sufficient doub- 
ling of the string parte (only In some few casea of 
the flutes and reeds) to counterbalance the mass of 
brass instruments with a single player on each part. 
The very full scores of Wagner, Liszt, and Berlioz, 
with their large masses of brass instruments, find 
their proper sphere in large halls. With a body of 
strings sufficient to counterbalance this brars, they 
cannot fail to produce their full effect. But when 
orchestral works of the classic period are trans- 
planted from the smaller halls for which they were 
intended by the composers, into large concert-halls, 
a mere increase in the number of strings is not 
enoujrh; every part should be doubled in a corre- 
sponding ratio. Were it possible for us to get at 
the exact statistics of the dimensions of some of the 
most noted concert-rooms in Europe (such as the 
Gowandhaus in Leipzig, the concert-room of the 
Schauspielhaus in Berlin, or the hall of the Paris 
Conservatoire), we could furnish the curious reader 
with an array of fij^uros that would prove beyond a 
doubt that the number of executants necessary for 
a correspondingly effective performance of classical 
orchestral works in our large halls far exceeds the 
limits of any orchestral means we have habitually 
at command in this country. But these statistics 
we have found, after much fruitless searching, to 
be beyond our present reach. We only know that 
the halls we have mentioned are very much smaller 
than the large music-halls In which we hear (or try 
to hear) orchestral works in this country; so much 
smaller, in fact, as to make any Idea of compensat- 
ing for the difference by increasing our orchestras 
little better than chimerical. 



Wagner at ths Vew Tork PhiUiarmomo. 

The JTiMie TVorfe Beolew, in a criticism on the first Con- 
cert of the New York Philharmonic Society, at which the 
first set of the WcUkUre was performed, arrives at the 
following conclusion about the ** leading motivee,** the 
" infinite melody,** etc. 

As to this act of the WaUcuere performed by the 
Philharmonic band we have got to say, as indicated 
in our last article on the subject, that Wagner's mu- 
sic 14 so difficult to appreciate that it wants special 
study and unusual attention on tha part of a 
trained musician to fallow all his Intentions. We 
have to praise inthe work the immense brains, the 
clever calculations, the clearness of the intentions, 
and the well-pointed indications witli which through 
the much mentioned Leitmolive the hearer is contin- 
ually reminded, musically, of the entry or the move- 
ment of any person represented by this little motif. 
But the grand and genius-like inspiration, the all- 
pervading warmth and fire of creative genius, can 
not sufficiently be reptsced by all these auxiiia- 
lies, which wo will not call clever tricks, but which 
are nothing but clever auxiliaries, with which art, 
in the strict sense, has nothing to do, for they are 
no creation by which art has anythini; grand to fSAxn. 
We deny that this so called uruudliehe melody is 
son^ething new, or that this tetralogy constitutes * 
new art. The Greek unity, which, confessedly, 
Wagner has in his own words acknowledged to have 
imitated, the series of recitatives, which are the sin- 
gle expressions of the unendlirhe melody, where we 
can see the nnendliche but not the melody, are not 
new, except in the new but not exactly desirable 
unending suspense in which the hearer ia held, to 
this uoutteraole and unpleasant Impresaion : and al- 
together, after having devoted all possible time and 
study to reading the orchestral score and the piano 
score, and reading the immense amount of Toiumet 
and articles written on the tetralogy, we have come 
to the conclusion that Wagner, undoubtedly an ex- 
cessively clever man, a musician of rare acoom- 
CUshments, talent and knowledge, deified beyond 
is deserts and ridiculed by people who did not un- 
derstand une bar of his watk, has out-lived himself; 



348 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



thilt like a number of other composers, the inflpirn- 
tlon. the yoath, the creative vi^^or, has gradusUy 
dried up. and that with an immense , a gen- 

ius in malcins; his anrees^ equal to the s^eniti^ thnt 
made his worlts*. he has pretended to turn his liaclc 
on melody* which had turned its back on him. and 
that he hss invented, if we may call it so. a new 
art., which it would be deplorable to see followed by 
ail those who are poor in ideas, and do not pos^es^ 
the immense knowled;^ and resources of Richard 
Wajfner. It is very easy to turn np yonr noJ»e at 
melody. But melody is music, and music is har- 
monious melody. Of course, in the vnl<;ar adapta- 
tion of the word, every little common sons: is called 
melody ; but the true decLimation, the noble inspira- 
tion, the clear, rhythmic beauty, the precise accent 
expressinsT yonr inmost fcelinjr. that is melody as 
the fpreni masters wrote it, and without wiiich it is 
aa impossible to write fgond music, as without ideas 
and feelini^, yon can, with empty words, write a 
poem. Yon Diilow. when here, said that he thonsrht 
opera was dead, and that Wagner is the last expres- 
sion of it. 

Let us compare other composers', particularly op- 
eratic compoeerV, careers, and we will find the same 
result. Bach. Handel and Beethoven, wrote to the 
end of their lives with the same train of melody : 
but what small place takes opera in their life':* work I 
In this centnry, we find only two celebrated com- 
posers who wrote on to the age of Wagner, and both 
came to the same result. 

Mozart died yonnnr. ani we cannot know what 
would have become of him had he lived to an old 
acre. So did Brllini. Donizetti got mad, and Ros- 
sini ceawd writinsT for the stnere when he was 32 
Tears old. But Meyerbeer and Verdi wrote on, and 
both came to scientific writins^ when the rich stream 
of original ideas with which their youth was blessed, 
came to dry out. The same thins^ happens to Was:- 
ner, who, it is impossible to conceal the fact, de- 
lights his audience with the duct between Siesfn^^nd 
and Sieglinde, full of streamins:. charming melody, 
which comes in like a God-sent relief after the ex- 
cruciating tedionsnes« of a lonsT series of recit-ativos. 
the originality of which consists in excessively diffi- 
cult intervals and nnconcluding hsrmonies. which 
keep the hearer in a continually anxious desire and 
eagerness after 8<ime sort of conclusion, which nev- 
er in his suspense he seemed destined to reach. It 
is like the barrel of Sisiphus. o<»ntinually hoping to 
reach the Inst stage of repose, and when yon feel 
you can wait no more, down rolls the barrel, and 
you have to go through all your anxiety afresh, it 
Is perfectly true that what is immortal has no end, 
but it is not true that what has no end, is immor- 
Ul. 

All that a grent mind, an ingenious and inventive 
cleverness can do to cover these defects and invest 
them with the brilliant glittering of a new art, has 
been successfully done. Wagner is an extraordinary 
man, in so manifold directions, that he can make a 
defeat look a victory ; but as fur as we are concerned, 
we say that if a work to be appreciated wants all 
that study, all these preparations, all these com- 
bined efforts of so many different branches, and then 
does not universally please, in any way comparative 
to the immense outlay of preparation, sod if by the 
side of all this scaffolding, we take the parts of the 
C-minor symphony, put them on the desk of the 
musician, and i* produces such an extraordinary ef- 
fect by its own intrinsic value only, without any 
addition, preparation, mechanism or scenery, then 
we say that the fifth sj'mphonv killed, and alwa3*s 
will kill, the WalkUre, and no Wagner will dethrone 
Louis von Beethoven. 



• • 



Koiic at the Perkini Institntion and 

Maoachnsetts Asylum finr 

the Blind. 

(From the Annual Report of the Director, Miohakl 
Ahagnos, Oct. 18, 1816.) 

DEFARTMEKT OF MX78IO. 

The love of music is a universal gift from God 
to man, and its moral effects and practical bearings 
upon a system of education are of such vast impor- 
tance as to deserve more than a passing mention. 

From the fabled times of Orpheus and Apollo to 
the present day, music has alwas been regarded as 
the great hanifmaid of civilization and moral refine- 
ment It 18 one of the fine arts which appeal to the 
imagination as well as to the feelings. Through its 
instrumentality the sentiments of love, reverence, 
patriotism, and philanthropy can be k ndled, and the 
loniidationa of an earnest and sincere, a pure and 
lofty charaeter laid. It quickens the activity of the 



intellect, and furnishes it with imnsres of beauty. It 
leads the mind to think and act of itsM It develops 
and fosters a sreneral taste for ss^thetics. It is a kind 
and gentle discipline which purifies the passions nnd 
improves the underRcanding. It has a powerful in- 
fluence in renderinar children susceptible of govern- 
ment; and finally it lifV^into ascendency the moral 
and intellectual over the animal nature, by substi- 
tuting the elements of harmony and order in place 
of discord and contrariety. In the languasre of the 
srreat educator of Massachusetts, Horace Mann, 
" Music is a moral means of great efficacy ; its prac- 
tice piH>motes health ; it disarms anger, softens 
rousrh and turbulent natures, socializes and brings 
the whole mind, as it were, int^ a state of funion, 
from which condition the teacher can monld it into 
what forms he will us it cools and hardens." 

Such in brief are the moral effects, and such the 
general considerations, which call for the cultnreof 
musical ta»te in all children. But besides these, 
the social advantages obtained from it. and the prac- 
tical bearings of mu^ic upon the condition and pros- 
pects of the blind are of such immense value, that 
they demand with tenfold force a thorough course 
of mnsicai instrnction in a'l schools established for 
their benefit. Persons bereft of sight may find in 
the practice of music sufficient means not only to 
beguile their solitary hours, but to increase and 
strengthen their social relations by contributing to 
social enjoyments. Here they can compete sncce^s 
fully with the seeing. Here they lab<ir nnder no 
disadvantage; for. althou«;h the contrivance of em- 
bossed notes can never eqnnl the value of those read 
by the sight, 3'et the blind have a positive advan- 
tAcre over the seeing in the greater quickness and 
delicacy of their ear, and in their nicer faculty of 
measuring time. Paganini, on visit ina: the Institu- 
tion for Blind Yonth at Paris, and hearing the mu- 
sical performances, declarud that he had never had 
befor«» an idea of correct accord in time. 

Ilnmane thousrhts and economic considerations 
like these have always had due weisrht in the ad- 
ministration of our Inf^titntion; and its sa<;acinus 
founder, easier always to increase the capacity of 
the blind for self-support, never spared either ex- 
pense in providing all \he necessary musical in- 
struments, or pains in secnring the services of able 
and talented teachers. Thus our musical depart- 
ment continued from 3*ear to year to grow in use- 
fulness and importance, until it becsme a comple'e 
conservatory in itself, where the piano, chnrch ar d 
reed orsran, flute, clarinet, and the various kinds of 
brass instruments, class and solo singins:, harmony, 
and the history of music are thoroughly and scien- 
tifically tausrht. 

The number of pupils connected with this depart- 
ment during the past year was ninety-two. ana the 
time devoted by them to musical instruction and 
practice varies from one to eight hours per diem. 

We have five competent and zealous resident 
teachers and one assistant (all, with one exception, 
graduates of our school), and three experienced mu- 
sic readers. Beside these, the services of three em- 
inent non-resident professors are regulsrly employed 
for special instruction on pnrticular instruments or 
in particular brsnches. Mr. George L. Osgood 
gives lessons to some of the advanced pupils in the 
art of singing and vocal training. Mr. Henry C. 
Brown, of Brown's Brigade Band, devotes two hours 
per week to individual instruction on brass instru- 
ments ; nnd Mr. Ernest Weber teaches the clarinet 
and flute three hours per week. The department is 
under the immediate direction of Me. Thomas 
Reeves (himself blind), than whom there is no more 
cnrnest and devoted instructor of the blind in the 
country. 

DuHng the psst year several new pianofortes and 
instruments of various kinds have oeen added to 
our collection, and a number of the older ones re- 
paired and put in good order. The number of our 
pianofortes has reached forty, seven of which are 
exclusively used in the tuning department. 

Musical notation according to the Braille system 
has been constantly used by our classes in harmony, 
of which there are five in nnmber, nnd all their ex- 
ercises arc written in it. This system is pronounced 
by the most cf>mpetent and impartial judges far su- 
perior to all others. It is ingeniously contrived and 
scientifically arrang^ed. Its method' is simple and 
its acquisition extremely easy. The characters oc- 
cupy less space and are more legible than those of 
any other contrivaoce of embossed notes. A sys 
tern of musical notation, by which the blind them- 
selves can write and read, is, of course, a great as- 
sistance to those who have no opportunities for reg- 
ular recourse to a seeing reader .* but In our estab- 
lishment there is ample provision for thia latter 



f)nrpose, and thus much valuable time and ardaona 
abor are saved. 

Thus the internal means and facilities afforded by 
onr Institution for a thorough musical education are 
complete and excellent. 

External advantasres for musical culture and re- 
finement have also been amply enjoyed by our stu- 
dents during the past year. They have had fre- 1 
quent opportunities of hearing the works of the best 
masters mterprfted by prominent artists. Time J 
and space forbid my invinsr a detailed statement of 
these advantages. NeveKheless, I must seize the 
opportunity to express my heartfelt thanks, as well 
aa the gratitude of the whole school, to the variooa 
societies and artists to whom we are indebted. 

To the Harvard Musical Association, for forty 
season tickets to their ten symphony concerts, and 
the public rehearsals to the same. The«*e omrerta 
have for ten years been gratuitously accessible to 
a sufficient nnmber of onr music students, and 
have contributed much to their pleasure and raasi- 
cal culture. 

To Mr. C. C. Perkins, president of the Handel and 
Haydn Society, for allowing: a nnmber of the pupila 
to attend three of the oratorios. \ 

To Mr. Orlando Tompkins, for admitting large j 
parties of onr inmates to seven operas. 

To J. B. Sharland, for the privilege of hearing 
his chorus and the Thomas orchestra. 

To Dr. von Bnelow, Mr. Ernat Perabo. and Mr. 
George L. Osgood, for similar favors ; and. through 
the latter, to the Boyleton Club, for the privilege of 
attending two of their concerts and rehearsals. 

To Mr. J. B Lan$r. for his usual hearty invitation 
to as many of the pupils aa could attend bis Are 
concerts. 

Finally, to Mr. Eugene Thayer, for giving, with 
the assistance of four of his pupils, six clasaical or- 
flfan recitals in the hall of the Institution expressly 
for the benefit of our inmates. These concerts were 
of a high order, and Mr. Thayer's appropriate and 
witty remarks on the various pieces performed, as 
well as his brief reference to their composers, ren- 
dered them so instructive and interestinsr* that onr 
hall was sometimes crowded to its utmost capacity. 
Mr. Thayer's free organ recitals in the city were 
also regularly attended by our pupils, who constant- 
ly remember with pleasure and gratitude bia kind 
efforts in their behalf. 

The internal advantages afforded by the establish- 
ment ff>r a thorough mnsical education are within 
thn reach of all pupils, and every one has a fair and 
faithful trial in elementary instruction; but the 
higher fields of music are opened only to those who 
are endowed with a sufficient deerree of talent, and 
who have sufficient patience and determination to 
make a profession of it, the remainder devoting their 
time to other callings for which they are more^r- 
ticularly fitted. There is no lack of appreciation of 
these advantasres among our pupils. On the con- 
trary, they influence the imagination of the leaa 
thoughtful to such an extent that they manifest a 
strong desire to apply themselves to music without 
much regard to the other branches of education. 
This is a mischievous tendency, arising from a nat- 
ural error of judgment, and should be strenuously 
and effectually resisted. It is important that per- 
sons who are to devote themselves to the science of 
music should liave well developed and disciplined 
minds. They should t>e acquainted with the ele- 
ments of mathematics and natural history, and 
should possess a fair knowledcre of languages, the 
sreneral rules of logic, and, if they intend to beconoe 
instructors, of the principles of pedazogy. No rean 
can rise to eminence in the profession of music 
without a thorough cultivation of the mind, where- 
by all the natural talents become broadened and 
well directed. 

THte TUIflWa BSFARTMKNT. 

The particular attention which has long been paid 
in this Institution to the art of tuning and repairing 
pianofortes has suffered no relaxation during the past 
year. On the contrary, it has increased ; and the 
means and facilities K>r thorough instrnction and 
practical training in this important calling have 
been improved and multiplied. 

The number of pianofortes exclnsively devoted to 
the practice of tuning Is seven, two of which have 
been added during the past year. 

Nineteen pupils have reoeWed instruction in this 
department, eight having been admitted at differ- 
ent periods during the year, and three graduated at 
the close of the term. These have already com- 
menced business for themselves, and they have thus 
far met with such favor and encouragement from 
the public as to warant the belief of their uliimats 
success. 









BOSTON, SATURDAY, DEC. 9, 1876. 



3.9 



The progress of the pupils in tuning has been very 
ssttsfactory, and the preAstire for admission into tliis 
department lias been as strong as ever. There has 
been more attention than nsnai paid to the practical 
stady of the art of tuning; ann a complete cnlleC' 
tion of all the tools and appliances necessary for 
making ordinary repairs, ana for the acquirement 
of a thoronsrh knowledge of the mechanism of the 
piano, has been snppHed. Upon this latter subject 
too much attention cannot be bestowed. Here the 
blind ore Uio often found to be deiicieni; and to en- 
able them to become acquainted with the form and 
working of all parts, and their relations to each 
other and to the whole mechanism, models of the 
various actions sre employed and carefully studied. 
\^Mtliout tliese a tuning department for the blind is 
as incomplete and inefficient, as a school of chemis- 
try for the seeinir would be without a lab«rati'>ry. 
To the firm of Chickering and (tons we are indebt- 
ed for three of these models, to Henry F. Miller 
for one, and two oihers have been made on the 
premises. 

Those of our pupils who have received instruc- 
tion in music, ana have had their taste for it culti- 
vated, but who, owing to the lack of natural tak-nt, 
fail to become g^ood teachers or performers, are well 
prepared and eager to learn to tune ; and, if en- 
dowed with a good ear and a fair amount of me- 
chanical skill, they become experts in this lucra- 
tive art, increasing thereby their prospects of self- 
support. 

That the blind succeed wonderfully well as tuners, 
we have abundant proof in the annals of the Insti- 
tution for Ulind Youth at Paris, and in the experi- 
ence of our own. It was a pupil of the former es- 
tablishment, Claude Montal, who wrote the best 
treatise on the art of tuning pianofortes, and pre- 
pared the way for the development of the most sys- 
tematic and efficient course of instruction for its ac- 
quisition ; and it is a graduate of our own Institu- 
tion, Mr. J. W. Smith, who has organized and 
conducted the most successful tuning departments 
in this country and in Great Britain. Both of these 
gentlemen stand high ; but they are not alone in 
their profession- There Is a great number of very 
successful blind tuners in France, some of whom 
have been very popular with the pianoforte makers 
of Paris ; and "th§re are many in New England who, 
on the whole, are better qualified in their art than 
the average of their seeing competitors, and who, 
despite the difficulties and prejudices wliich they 
have had to encounter, have won favor with the pub- 
lic, and are earning a good and honorable liveli- 
hood. Several of our tuners, moreover, have been, 
during the past year, emplo^'ed in manufactories in 
the city, and their work has in every instance giv- 
en satisfaction. 

Careful observation and long experience have 
proved that a high standard of excellence in th« 
study of the vrt of tuning, both in theory and prac- 
tice, and a certain degree of business talent and 
natural refinement, ab well as disciplined manners, 
lie at the foundation of all success. These are rig- 
idly required here. No pupil will ever be supplied 
with a certificate as tuner unless he is of a stainless 
character and good address ; nor unless he is fully 
able to takCfOut the aetlon from the pianoforte and 
put it iu again without assistance, to replace a bro- 
sen string in any part of the instrument, to describe 
the form and office of every part, and to make all 
incidental repairs. Let me add in this connection, 
that every blind tuner who intends to seek employ- 
ment in the country should secure the services of 
an intelligent seeing person to act as guide and to 
assist In such repairs as would be too difficult for 
one entirely deprived of sight to attempt alone. 
This has been done by the most successful blind tu- 
ners in Paris, and in some cases in this country. 

The business of tuning pianofortes outside of the 
Institution has been increased during the past year, 
and more than fifty names have been added to the 
list of our patnins. This work is done by the pu- 
pils, who, oesidex gaining in practice and experi- 
ence, receive fifty per centum of the net earnings. 
To some of them tne money thus earned is a great 
help. In acknowledging gratefully all past favors, 
I Would ask for our tuners a full share in this busi- 
ness. They can tune in the best style, and In many 
cases more correctly than the average seeing tuners. 
They will iraR upon customers in any part of the 
city or the neighboring towns. Pianofortes will be 
kept in order by the year at a reasonable rate, and 
the work is warranted to give satisfaction *to com- 
petent {udges. 

Most of the graduates of our tuning department 
become agents for the sale of pianos and organs. 
A number of them are already established as such 



In various parts of the country, and derive hand- 
snme incomes from this business. 

Our tucing department is under the able manage- 
ment of Mr. J. W. Smith, who, after an absence of 
three years in Great Britain, where he organised 
and put into operation a similar one in the Royal 
Normal College and Academy of Music for the 
Blind, has returned to his old post with renewed 
zeal and enlarged experience. 



Kme. Eaiipoff. 

FOETA NABCITUR, VOV FIT. 
(From the Music Trade Review, Nov. 18.) 

When we announced Mme. EssipoiTs arrival in 
our last number, we quoted from a letter directed to ui* 
by one of the greatest musical authorities in Europe, 
tiie following words : " She is a ma£:nificent pianist 
of the school of Liszt and Rubinstein ; far more 
able than von Billow, and not nearly so incorrect." 
This seemed no trifling praise, and yet how far it 
falls behind the real truth. At last — at last, we 
can say wo have heard a great, admirable, perfect 
artist I 

A pianist need no more of necessity be an artist 
than an artist i.s bound to be a pianist. The fact 
is that so very few pianists are artists, that is to 
say, that so very few represent in their mechanism 
more than a certain sum of hours passed in prac- 
tising, and soul, real art, g<^nius. are out of ques- 
tion. It is not in mere execution that we find the 
artist. 

In Madame EsslpoflT we discover such a combina- 
tion of all that makes a irreat artist, that we might 
as well say ** she is perfect,** and save ourselves the 
trouble of indicating every quality in detail. But 
that would not be fair. We must try, however diffi- 
cult it may be, to give our readers an idea of what 
they are g^>ing to hear whenever their good foKune 
will bring them within the radius of Mme EssipoflTs 
performances. 

Everything Is extraordinary in Mme. EsslpoflT— 
the most extraordinary thing, in our opinion, beine 
that the people understood her (which we very 
much feared would not occur), though it took them 
the whole evening to leach that point, seeing that 
she was called back bv the applause to the plat- 
form once after the lirst piece, twice af^cr her 
second appearance, and three tiroes after the 
third. 

Never have we heard an artist with such a high 
degree of poesy, with such an unequalled touch, ca- 
pable of innumerable deirrees of /> to pppp, »nd forU 
to jy. She caresses the keys ; her fingers drop 
sometimes like a catspaw, only just touch them, and 
though she has the most powerful tone any man or 
woman can hope to produce, her /liaatMimo, and the 
way she produces it, is an interesting study by it- 
self. She has the specialty of elevating her wrist 
so as to bend the finger nearly perpendicularly, and 
then the wrist gr)es gradually' down until it is on a 
level with the keys, and all the tints of light and 
shsde are brought out in a manner never heard 
before. 

No wonder she plays C?hopin better than anybody. 
Chopin is before all the poet among piano compo- 
sers. To understand him and interpret him ai as 
to do him full justice, it absolutely wanted a lady — 
and to the best of our experience, having heard all 
the great pianists of the day, the Princess Czartor- 
iska, his favorite pupil, was the only one who ap- 

f»roached the solution of this nearly insoluble proo- 
em. Mme. EssipofF, however, who combines with 
the most poetic touch and conception that we ever 
heard, a facility, not of playing difficrilties, but of 
playing with the difficulties which never, however 
accumulated they may appear, cause her the slight 
est effort, is. of course, the greatest exponent of this 
mot't difficult school. 

Our readers who never have seen us give so un- 
conditional an acknowledgement to any artist*s 
claims, will now acquire the certaiiity that when we 
have a truly great artist before us, it is oar delight, 
with all our heart, to say so. 

To those who have not heard her and will have to 
wait some time before hearing her, wo will try to 
describe, as far as poor words will go, what she does 
and how she does it. 

We said that everything is unusual in her. She 
sits so high and so far away from the piano that we 
should have thought her outstretched arms would 
soon get tired. Sut that is a condition which she 
seems not to admits for when we asked her manager 
why she had put down for Friday evening three 
immense concertos, with orchestra, an effort that 



would be extraordinary for any man, he replied 
with the greateH simplicity: '*That is no effort; 
she has done it tihie and again." 

Once seated, her small and graceful foot seeks the 
pedal, of which she makes a more careful and Judi* 
clous use than we have ever heard any pianist do, 
for, through the whole evening, we oould not dis- 
cover a pedal on different chords, or, anyway, the 
use of it where not absolutely indicated. The way 
she puts her fingers on the key-board, the five or six 
diflferent ways of the bending, the movements of the 
wrist alluded to above, and the different effects 
thereby obtained, are an exclusive specialty of her^s, 
and explain the immense power with which she dom- 
inates the orchestra, although nobody ever pro- 
duced a more delicate and tender pp. than she does, 
every now and then. All these movements are 
made with an unstudied, natural grace, which alone 
it is a |)Ieasure to observe. She played a great 
many different composers' works, but it would not 
be an easy task to point out one that had not been 
interpreted in the most accomplished manner. Dif- 
ficulties do not exist for her. She plays the most 
rapid octave passages, third or sixth passages, ar- 
pcggios or scales, with such Immense 'equality, with 
such extraordinary independence, not only with re- 
gard to each hand of the other, but with the most 
marked independence of each finger by itself. The 
wonderful tone-painting in her ereteeitdfM and deeret- 
eendo, naturally is most astounding in her shakes 
with the last two fingers, whereas her shske with 
the first two fingers is of an eqnality which leaves 
you to wonder, has she so weakened her thumb, or 
so strengthened her index, that it is impossible to 
hear any difference in the touch of the two fingers ? 
Her left hand in single runs, thirds, or octaves, does 
exactly what her right hand does, and still, with all 
these marvellous advantages of the best cultivated 
mechanism, it is not her play with difficulties — the 
greatest triumph, as it has rightly been stated, the 
art to conceal her art — it Is not this which makes 
her rank so high in our opinion. It is the complete 
abandonment of her inner soul to the spirit ot the 
composer — the most touehingly poetic conception 
and interpretation of every phrase — the deepl v felt, 
and nevertheless never sentimental expression of 
her singing her phrases, and the perfect ease with 
which she shows herself equally at home in Taria- 
tions of Rameaa, which require so great a clearness, 
and so perfect an execution in both hands, as in a 
toeeaia of Sebastian Bach, which she handled with 
the utmost superiority and correctness, through all 
the complicated development. The sweet, thought- 
ful, dreaming style of Chopin's Andante, and the 
crushing dash of Liszt's Hungarian /an/osia, all this 
combined, the extraordinary versatility, which eim- 
ply means that she can play everything with the 
same mastery, that she stands beyond any difficul- 
ty, not only of execution, but of understanding and 
entering into the spirit of so various and so differ- 
ent composers, — it is this universal, unequalled tal- 
ent of performance, which makes us say that she 
stands hish beyond any pianist that ever came to 
this country, with the exception of Rubinstein, whose 
superior she is, not in power and execution, because 
that cannot be, but whose superior she is in adorable 
poetry and interpretation, since Rubinstein broke, 
so to say, every composition to his andaunted 
frenzy, when such frenzy occasionally got hold of 
him, while she remains continually, and with a re- 
serve and modesty that never goes for effect, the 
interpreter of the great work she has nndertaken 
to perform. Her whole nature is grace and poetry, 
anu the expression of her face, evidently unknown 
to herself, changes while the inspiration comes over 
her, and she b^mes the propheteaa of the erced 
to which she has devoted herself. 

We do not want to be accused of the exaggera- 
tion of putting Mme. Essipoff beyond Rubinstein ; 
that is not our opinion, for Rubinstein had a wild, 
savage, but irresistible dash, with which, in crazy 
moments, he rushed through every note, but which, 
in an inspired moment, carried everything irresist* 
bly before him, and in this he is Mme. EssipoflTs su- 
perior, as she is his superior in poetic and irre- 
proachable interpretation. 

If people wish to establish fome idea of her play- 
ing by comparison, we will only say that she stan&t 
nndottbtedly higher than any lady pianist here or 
in Europe, including Madame Schumann, even when 
•he was Clara Wieck, and then at the age of Mme. 
Essipoff (24). Liszt is the only pianist whom sha 
oould not crush; with Rubinstein she has many 
qualities in common— she is, as wa mentioned, hfs 
superior In some regards as he is her superior in 
others- One of the critics, whose poverty of judg- 
ment is an established fact, has stated that she is 



■bwa 



••«•*• 



350 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



mott like BQlow The same crreat 

eritie speaks alnint *' skilfully ronnded harmonies." 
If he understands what that means, it would be 
charitable on his part to let us know. Concerninfif 
his comparison we can only say that never was 
there a greater contrsst between the schoolmsster- 
like pedantry of the one and the poetic unconscious 
ness of the other. Billow represents the steady la- 
borious worker with a (rreat amount of brains; 
where, therefore, work and brains would notsuffice^ 
where it wanted inspiration (Beethoven) and poesy 
(Chopin) he failed and failed, too, In the very part 
of the performance where Mmo. EsuipofF. from op. 
poeite reasons, stands highest That with all these 
uncommon advsntages she combines a memory 
which it will not be easy to maf«h, playini; as she 
does doiens of pieces each time by heart, is one of 
those details that disappear in the immensity of her 
artistic grandeur. And what a ronsician she is. I( 
is wonderful to hear Ji<>v she marks the time and 
holds the band to herself, and wo have been told 
that at the rehearsals it is she who gives all the 
necessary indications ; and when we see that the 
moment she has done and the orchestra enters she 
never looks at the people, but instantly at the in- 
strument whose turn it is to come in, we can readi- 
ly believe it Among the perfections of her touch 
are the sfocoo/o, light, shai^, determined, and, nev- 
ertheless, never dry ; and the le^*»to, with whif^h her 
1e(t:hand accompanies the riffht one, and which we 
can^only compare to one man*s ^H/o/e, and the man 
was Rneeini, who, at the age of 65 years, accompa- 
nied Ifyato on the piano in a way thai defied any 
pianist-w Under the circumstances the reader of the 
MHMff Trade Btino will understand that there is 
no talking about single pieces. Of course she plays 
everytliing marvellously. What could yon expect? 
She gives with the same hand that so poetically 
caresses the keys such whippiiigs (eou^ d« frntei), 
and then again such Incredioiy clear f^anintimM as 
in Chopin's Valse, as to make a real revelation of it 
In the study of Lisit, for instance, the difficnltv is 
to sing a melody played in continuous change or the 
two hands. Well, her touch is so well trained and 
eqnal that she plays the whole on, and unless you 
see the hands yon can never detect any difference 
between the finger of one hand find the finger of 
the other hand. Such is Mme. EsaipofTs play all 
through old, classical and modern composers. 



Jlotg^fs |0iirnal of ^nsk 



BOSTON, DEC. 9, 1876. 



Orehegtnl Coacote 

Saitdves Thbateb, Cambeidob. Those who made 
their way that stormy Tuesday night (Nov. 21), to 
old Harvard's g^nd Memorial Building, to listen tc 
the first concert ever given on that classic ground, 
and in the most beautiful of amphitheatres, i^ere 
richly rewarded; and the number who went out 
from Boston was quite Icrge. Of course all Cam- 
bridge was there, whether of the College or the 
town, eager to ostttf at this auspicious new depart 
ore in the musical life of the University. Thesub- 
•eripUon for a series of six concerts, three of them 
with Orchestra, had been prompt and generous. 
Alma Mater offered her most exquisite new hall for 
the purpose, her Theatre for academic exercises, the 
worthy complement to that noble building raised 
in (^teful memory of Harvard*s sons who gave 
their lives for their country in the war of the re- 
bellion. Through the august trausept, whose walls 
bear the memorial tablets, and which forms the ves- 
tibule to the great Alumni (dining) hall on the left, 
and to the Theatre on the right, we entered a scene 
of light and beauty, where reverent sentiment, pure 
tasto and architectaral art had done their best ; and, 
though the room was not designed with principal 
refcrenct to musical performances, yet It bad proved 
tt the last Commencement so convenient and good 
for hearing, that the idea spontaneously suggested 
itself to many, that here Harvard has a hall fit and 
attractive for good music, as she has for a year past 
bad a musical Professor, than whom none could be 



more fit to take the organisation of some good feasts 
of harmony in hand. 

It was a good beginning, a success in every way, 
although it might be rash to say a quite unqualified 
success ; for in truth to our own experience, sitting 
as we did upon the floor in front of the orchestra, 
we are bound to confess that the acoustical effect 
was not entirely satisfactory ; there was a certain 
dead^eas in the sound, and indeed some blur, — less 
troublesome, however, ss the concert went on and 
the ear became accustomed. Ponbtless many shared 
this feeling, and many others did not, according to 
the place from which they listened. But we are 
well aware that the acoustic qualities of a new hall 
are not to be fully judged at once ; we believe that 
the walls of a room bec<ime attempered gradually 
by much music-making, like the body of a violin.— 
The concert this time was by the Thomas Orches- 
tra, and this the progrtmme : 

Oreitnre.— "Consecration of the Houfle,** in C 

malor. Op. 124 Beetlwven 

Unflnisbea Symphony, In B minor dchaliert 

Allegro modfimto.— Andante eon moto. 

Tlolln Concerto. In E minnr. Op. 64 Mendelssohn 

Mr. S. S Jaeobeohn. 
Overture to Shakiineare'e '* As Too Like It,*' in 

F major. Op. 38 J. K. Paine 

Andante eflpresslvo.— Allegro vivace. 
Symphony, No. 7» in A, Op. 02 Beethoven 

An admirable and most appropriate programme, 
but too long. A good song, in the place of the 
Schubert movements, which with all their peculiar 
beauty and their fascination for the general audi- 
enoe, are extremely mournful.— or else, of a portion 
of the CoLcerto, would, we fancy, have relieved the 
too much of a good thing. A fine orchestral exe- 
cution throughout was a matter of course, although 
something of the old charm undeniably is missing 
In that once perfect orchestra, now changed in many 
of its elements. The Seventh Symphony, even if 
we allow it faultless in execution, was not so in in- 
terpretation ; there was an unnatural rapidity of 
tempo, particularly In the Finale, and even in the 
Introduction, which takes the life out, instead of 
putting new life Into music all-tnspired, and setting 
its own time. — Mr. Jacobeohn's rendering of the 
Mendelssohn Concerto was masterly and won great 
applause. The one novelty of the concert, and the 
theme of greatest interest, was Prof. Paixb*s truly 
beautiful and genial Overture. It is not important 
that the listener should trace Shakspeare's scenes 
and characters through the unfolding music Enough 
to suppose that the impressions left on the mind by 
reading of the play dictated the mood, or moods, in 
which the music was conceived. In the Andante you 
may think of the shady forests of Ardennes and the se- 
rious love plot of the story ; while the AUegro vimiee 
Is full of hunting strains, and fresh wood life, sun- 
shine and gayety, with now and then a tonch of 
humor, not without passing reminders of the "winter 
wind " and " man's ingratitude,** but on the whole a 
fair musical commentary on the text : 

Under the greenwood tree, 

Who loves to lie with me, etc., eta 

If Shakspeare's play does not need the Overture, 
neither does the Overture need Shakspeare. Taken 
as music purely, witht>ut poetic key or programme. 
It seemed to us a work that may stand for itself, rich, 
varied, musical, consistent and symmetrical, with a 
more genial flow than anything we have yet had 
from its accomplished author. The orchestra, too, 
played It eon amore, and the audience received it con 
furore, the composer being compelled to rise in his 
seat and bow acknowledgment. 

The second concert is set down for Thursday etening, 
Dec 21. It will consist of Cluunber mnsie, thn»>- 

Strlng Quartet in major, Moaart Boston Phii.- 
HAaiio!nc Clou, Mr. B . Lf stxm an v, Leader : Son^s : 
•< nrst Sorrow,'* *• The Absent One," MendeheoAn, 
Mr. Obobob L. Osgood; Piano Quintet In B flat ma- 
jor, Op. 44, Schmmnnnt madakr ICadblimb Sohil- 
LKR and Pbilr ARMovio Club ; "Song of the Bride," 
Schwmannf «*The Fost,*' Schmbert, Mr. O. L. Osgood; 



Piano Solo. Madamb Sohtli.bb; Sextet for Two 
Home and Strings, Op. 81 b. BeeiKooen, Pbilbabkob- 
xc Club. 



Bbooitd Habtabd STMPHomr Cokcbbt, Thursday af- 
ternoon, Nov. 2S.~The programme, as printed, was as 
follows:— 

Overture to •< txidolslca " Cbemblnl 

Scena and Romania from " The Hnsuenot*.** 

1st Act r 

I>r. S. W. Lanirmaid. 
(Vlnla ohllfiratn, Mr. J. C. Mollaly.) 

Overture : " The Ilehrides " Mendelsohn 

SoDflTs, with Pianoforte: 

a. *<Dein AnxMlrht** Srhnmann 

k. Journey Sonir ( Wandeilied) Mendelssohn 

I>r. S. W. Langmaid. 

Seventh Symphony, in A, op. 93 B ee t hoven 

We feel assured,— and we are eonflrmed hy the opin- 
ion of the best mnsloal authorities in the andleDee(mnch 
larger than the first, and of the most mosleal character, 
and tfloeely attentive to the end) that the tempi taken in 
the Seventh Symphony, this time, were just the right 
ones. Moreover the whole ezacntlon and treatment of 
the work in aA ita movements, was one of the most sat- 
isfactory ever heard from any orchestra in Boaton. The 
instruments were all in tune, the wood band sweet and 
smooth and sympathetieally hlHided in Its tones, the 
phrasing both of wind and stKnga dear and expressive; 
and It was the general feeling of all present that the 
dear old Symphony wss broaght near to na and home to 
ns. so that all felt it, in a most enjoyable way. How to 
account for such ** improvement** we are at a loas; the 
material of the orchestra was no better than beforr, the 
numbers somewhat smaller, and the amount of rehear- 
sal leas than nanal in past yeara. We think It most be 
credited to moral infloencea; that the tone and pnrpoee 
of the orchestra Is raised; that every musician felt the 
responrtbillty that rested on himself to save the Boston 
orchestra, so that all tKed, all did their best; and so too 
in a higher, an inspiring and controlling degree, waa it 
with the Conductor; Mr. Zebbaab may well feelprond 
of that day. 

The rendering of the two Overtures was also nnezcep- 
tlonable ; and in themselves, intrinsically, each was much 
enjoyed, but with a difference. That to Lodottka waa 
the freshest to the present generation ; sincere, sound, 
nnstrained, nnaiRpcted music, full of «ihe same sort of 
simple charm, and often vividly reminding one of paa- 
•ages in the " Water-Carrier *' (the play itself, not the 
Overture), with all the mastery, the line sense of lltceaa, 
the are eelare artem, possessed in so high a degree by 
Chembini. Mendelssohn's romantic, seashore Overture 
has more depth of poetiy, more ideal wealth, more of 
modem color contrast, snd Its charm la ever fresh. 

The Scena and Bomansa from the nufptende was p«> 
euliarly well fitted for Dr. LAvoMAiD*a Toioe and style. 
It is not a " heroic " Aria (as some of the critics said of 
-it the next morning), made for your robust tenor; it la 
simply a delicate and tender love song, most of the time 
with no accompaniment save that of a single viola (orig- 
inally slol d'ememr), with ita soft aerial arpeggio ; the or- 
chestra enters in the panses of the song, with bits of 
chorus in the play. It ia a very lovely melody, fall of 
fervor, as of grace and sweetnesa. And in that aense it 
waa sang, and sung effectively, in a beantif nl and qrm- 
pathetic quality of tone, with tme artistic tolsh and re- 
finement, aa well as honestly and simply. The alleged 
falsetto high tones (what matter how we call them If 
they are only good tones?) were In fact not faiaetto, with 
the exception of pwhaps once or twice; they may have 
been ni«Mb tones, tones methodlcaBy developed, bat they 
were musical, substantial, pleaaing tonea. The pieoo 
waa sung precisely as Me y e ib eer Wrote it, with all tho 
dlftcult cadeniaa, and no note avoided. The "^noln 
eWgaio waa beantifnlly played. The heat appro- 
dated of Dr. Langmaid>s efforts waa that perfect melodj 
of Schnbert's : " Do bist die Rnh," wfaieh he snbstitnted 
for the song 1^ Schumann, and which indeed he saag 
with exquisile pnnty and truth of feeling, to the jodi* 
cloos and tasteful piano accompaniment of Mr. Pabkbb. 
The " Wander lied*' was hardly so effective. 



Trb Last Thomas CovcBBre. Turning back to ro* 
cord the fourth and fifth of the seriea (Nov. » and BO, 
we can hardly do more than name the pieces. 

The fourth concert opened with the lovely Symphonj 
from Bach*B Christmaa Oratorio, of which the rendering, 
though delicate and nice, waa not entiibly janaflbeted; 
the excessiveplcmiMlaie, too often a fault in these Con-^ 
certs, seemed not m the spirit of Sebastian Bach. Tlio 
'* No. 1 *' of Beethoven's leonore Overtures (thongh thero 
is reason to suppose that it waa composed some yenrs 
after the great No. 3, of which it seems to be a fainter 
sketch) was beauttfhlly played. The other orchestral ao- 
lections were new or nearly new to to na. Sehnmann*B 
*• Bilder aus Osten,'* Opv e6, (adapted for Orehestra by 



^^m 



BOSTON. SATURDAY, DEC. 9, 1876. 



351 



neinceke) have a certain oriental sedttctWeness, and the 
pictures are qnlte varied. Mr. Arthur Sullivan's Pasto- 
ral Introduction and Overture to his Oratorio, "The 
L*g'itof the World,** seemed to us stronf;, impressive 
wittinf, with a well-marked individuality. The other 
]piec.w v:we Ain d0 Balht by TschaikowsKy, Gourod's 
grotesque and pretty " Funeral March of a Marionette," 
and a rich and brilliant Polonalae from Meyerbeer*s 
5.'fif«iM««.— The Quartette of Swedish Ladles nng sever- 
al of their unaccompanied pieces in such admirable 
manner that the public called for more. A new tenor 
singer, Mr. Oeorob Worbbxaath sang •» -A-ria from 
Handers SoMrnu in a chasre, well studied style; but in 
a dramatic English song: *'The Sands of Dee,** and the 
Scotch " Roy*s Wife," the interest In his voice and sing- 
ing rather flagged. 

The last concert began with a highly dramatie, tragi- 
cal, and in parts declamatory Overture to Othello, by 
Prof. F. L. Ritter, of Yassar College. It is a strong, im- 
pressive work, and richly scored. The Adagio snd 
Scherzo from Beethoven*8 fourth Symphony came in. in 
the midst of the miscellaneous programme, like *' the 

sweet of the night.** The •' PhaMon *' of Saint-SaSn^ 
was Ju«t the thing for such an orchestra, and was of 
counie encored. Mr. and Mn. Wm. H. Shbrwood 

?)lave<t a Orand Dno Concertante by Weber, arranged 
or'two pianos by Henselt (from the Clarinet Concerto, 
op. 48):— it was a brilliant pf^ce of vIrtuoMty. full and 
sonorous, but on the whole tedious. Mrs. Sherwood 
played, with orchestra, the Canritdo BrWantot Mendels- 
sohn, and very finely. The SweUlRh Ludies and Mr. 
Werrenrath snng as before, ami the Concert ended with 
the ** Merry Wives of Windsor " Overture. 



auuaber Conoertc 

'Hugo Lboxrard'b Mati!! bbs. Hardly a more poetic 
Interpreter of what Is best in pianoforte music, or one 
more deeply imbued with the spirit of the great master*, 
or more uneompromising in his loyalty to truth in Art, 
haa lived among us than Mr. Leonhard. He always found 
sympathetic and admiring audience for his renderings 
of such rare tone-poems as the O-msJor Concerto of 

Beethoven, the F-mlnor of Chopin, and of the Fugues, 
Sonatas, Fantaisles, Nocturnes, etc., of Bach, Beethoven, 
Schumann. Chopin and the rest. He always makes ad- 
mirable programmes; always studies and prepares them 
consclentionslv. It would seem this time almost loo con- 
scientiously; for In the flnt two mattn«es, of which we 
have already given the programmes, with all that there 
was fine in his intentionii, and partly also In his render- 
ings, it became too evident that his nervous system was 
unstrang, or in someway out of the normal condition, 
so that one's sympsthy with the endeavor became pain> 
ful. The wise physician Intervened to put a veto on his 
playing more in public for the nresirnt— we trust a short 
sea-on of rest will make all rignt again. Meanwhile tl>e 
remaining Mating, Dec. 1, was kindly taken in hand by 
a number of his brother artists (Messrs. Lano, Parker. 
Pbbaro, Foots and DRRsrx) who, with the kin*J aid of 
the charming singer. Miss Nita Gab rAHo. gave the con- 
cert for him, involving of course an entire change of 
plan. This beautiful tribute to Mr. Leonhard, with its 
thoroughly unique programme, and the complete suc- 
eess of the performance, make the occasion memorable. 
A more notable concert has not occurred here, and prob- 
ably, will not occur, this winter. 

1. Concerto for three Pianos, D minor.... J. 8. Bach 

(Aroompaniments arranged Ibr a fourth Piano.) 

First movement. 

Messrs. Lang, Peratio, Parker and Dresel. 

S. Songs, a. " Ave Maria ** Oonnod 

b, "Barcarolle** Oordiglani 

e. ** An Prlntemps" Gounod 

Miss Mlta Oa«tano. 

5. Duet for two Pianos, on a theme by Beethoven, 

C. Saint-Safins 
Messrs. Lang and Foots. 
4. Songs, a. " Wild was the day when he came,*' 

(op. 4, No. 7 Roll. Frans 

b, "How truly thine*' (Op. 14, No. 6). Rob. Frans 

e. •< Spring Night ** Schumann 

MissNlUOaCUno. 

6. Concerto for three pianos, C major J. S. Bsch 

[Accompaniments arranged for a fourth Piano ] 

Allegro— Adagio— Fugue. 
Messrs. Lang, Perabo, Parker and Dresel. 

The audience, of the highest charscter, completely 
mied Weslevan Hall, and musically the satisfaction wss 
complete. The wonderful freshness, the vitality, the 
richness, the clearneM [with all its fascinating polv- 
phonic intrlcac yl of tho^e Concerto movements by Bach, 
was never felt more vividly Itefore. Such wholesome 
music, and so full of genius i We sll drank music in at 
every pore. For the performance, by such a combina- 
tion of artists, was singularly perfect, and not one ef- 
fect was blurred or lost. Bach's string accompaniments 
were played by Mr. Dresel on a fnurth piano. The sin- 
gle movement from the D-mlnor Concerto was to us the 
best of all, if best there oould be where all was so good ; 
and we could not but regret that we had not the whole 
Concerto. 

The Duet by Saint-Safins on the Trio from o'he of Beet- 
boven*s Sonatas, is a very skilful, ipgeniuus and effec- 
tive piece of variation writing; many of the variations 
being much after Beethoven's own manner; though one 
or two of them are decidedly French, and there is some 
prolbtity In the concluding portion. The lntroducti«>n 
also seemed to us superfluou«, indefinite, such as might 
lead to anything; would It not have been better to pro- 
ceed at once to the business in hand, the statement of 
the theme? It Is a work not easy of performance, and 
If -we say that Mr. Arthur Foote proved not ill matched 
with Mr. Lang, the rest wVl lie understood. 



And now for the sincer— In some respects the most no- 
table and charming fresh appearance In that character 
that we have hid for some time. Miss Gsfitnno, not un- 
known here seven or eleht yesrs ago as Miss Mackle. 
from New Orleamt, has In tlie mean time been studying 
with Wsrtel in rari*, and forsev*»ral years past has 
lived in England, singing in Gounod*s and in other con- 
certs with success. She is on a short visit to he** friends 
here now. She has a wonderfully rirh, sweet. S3rmpath- 
etlc soprano voice, especially in the lower tones, which 
have a sort of sunset purple hue. Occasionally a high 
tone WAS a little over-ioud and hard : but for the most 
part her singing was exquisite, and she entered fully In- 
to the spirit of the sonr*. with the exception pertisps of 
the first by Franz (" Er ist gekommen '*] which she did 
not seem to hsve marie so eompletelv her own that she 
rould sing It out with freedom. " How truly thine *' wss 
fsultles*. And the Schumann song was m> beautiful In 
itself, so finely snng. and so exquisitely accompanied 
(AS were all the rest) by Mr. Dresel. that the delight of 
the sndienee knew no 1>onnds. She responded to the 
encore with the *' Im Wald " by Franx. 

We heard the question ssVed on all sides: Why csn 
we not have concerts like this by the same artiste, once 
a week or fortnight through the winter? 



New York, Dec. 2. — In the week end^nj Not. 26 
Mme. EasiroFr srnve two evening concerts and two 
matinees. At the first matin6e she played Beetho- 
ven's Sonata, op. 68, " Dea AbendH** and " Spring- 
brunnen." by Schumann, a Gavotte by Raff, a Nt»c- 
turne, a Mazurka and a Vnlse by Chopin, and Liszt's 
Rhapsodic Hongroise, No. 8. M. Vivien plaved the 
" Fantaaio Caprice" of Vienxtemps, and Wieniaw- 
ski*s Polonaise : and Mdlle. Reher ^ang ** Ah ! mon 
fila" by Meyerbeer, and Clay's ballad '* She wan. 
dered ilown the mountain side." 

At the concert on Wednesday evenin.;, the follow- 
ing^ programme was rendered : 

1. Fantalsie Chopin 

Mme. Esslpoff. 

2. Ballad— *< It was a dream ^ Cowen 

Mn. Louise Oliver. 

5. Concerto Leonard 

M. Ainred Vivien. 

4. a. Barcarole Rubinstein 

b. Mennet Schubert 

e. Voeel als Prophet Schumann 

<r. Scherzo Chopin 

Mme. Esslpoff. 

6. Legende Dulcken 

M. Alfred Vivien and the composer. 
o« o* i^ong. ............................. KOiiert rrnnz 

h. Nightingales* Trill Gans 

7. Paraphase.snr des Motifs de RIaolPtto Liszt 

Mme. Annette EssipofF. 

The lelnctiont above named are sufficiently 
diverre to afford a fair field for testing the merits of 
f ny pianist, but Mme. Essipoff has already proved 
herself superior to all tests, and criticitim of her 
performance is metely enumeration of her merits. 
Her playing Is absolbtely faultless. un1(>84 an occas- 
ional deviation from geni*ral1y received notions of 
tempo, in certain classical compositions. Is considered 
as a lan!t. Mme. Esxipoff undoubtedly takes llber 
ti^s with the terop<», as she did in the case of the 
Minuet by Sc'.'.utiert, which she dashed off in a 
manner that would have astonished the old-time 
votaries of that stately and slow-going dance. Nev- 
ertheleps not a not« was slighted, and the inspira- 
tion, the delicate aroma of the piece, which would 
have efcaf>ed nnder a rude hand, was not loeU We 
have said that Mme. Essipoff can play Chopin. To 
describe her reading of the Fantasia and of the 
f'cherzo it is only necessary to repeat that assertion. 
But what a catalogue of great and wonderful quali- 
ties is embraced in that ainrple statement ! Aprop<)e 
of compoters. there is a mot of the French : " In 
order to succeed at the Omservatoire it is ufoessary 
to be dead :" and mt it may be thai, to interpret the 
music of Chooin, as i*. should be interpreted, would 
be to die. as Chopin himself died of bis own genius. 
We hear, no-v and then, of a true expounder of 
the gifted Pole, usually some far away Princess, 
with an unpronounceable name, but now we have 
the Princess at our very door. 

The Liszt Paraphrase which came at the end of 
the bill wai probably intended aa a sop to the pop- 
ular Cerberus. Aa a display of virtuosity it was 
remarkable, bat it was not received with marked 
enthnsiaam. Perhaps oar Cerberoa is beginning to 
rate such trash at ita true valae. 

On Friday evening, Nov. 24th. Mme. Essipoff 
played Schumann's " Carnival,'. Nocturne by Field, 
V on Billow's inlsrmezso, and pieces by Chopin and 
Schubert. 

On Monday evening, Nov. 27th, the programme 
was made up almost entirely of selections from Cho- 

1>in, opening, however, with a Sonata by Rubinstein 
or piano and violin, (in A minor), rendered by 
Mme. Eaalpoff and M. Vivien. Rubinstein's genius 
is shown In this, as in all of his composition* ; but 
there is too much of the untamed Cos«acV in the 
piece to suit our taste. The per ormance wa^ not 
isnti. ely aatialactory, inasmach as M. Vivien, in his 



effort to read the music. — with which he seemed not 
thoionghly familiar, failed in his bowing, producing 
a har^h and very unpleasant tone. In Wieniawski's 
*' Caprice Fan test iqne." which came later, he did 
much better. The Chopin numbers were : 

Bsllsde, O minor: Bercense; Polonst e. Op. 26;. 
Mazourka, in A : Valse; Nocturne, in E: and Taran- 
telle. 

Each piece was exquisitely rendered, and it is 
hard to praise one more than another. 

On Wednesday evening, Nov. 29, the lelections 
were entirely from Beethoven : 

8 onata, Op. 80. No 2. C minor, 

Mme. Enaipofl and M. Vivien. 
" La Vito Felice," 

Miss Lllisn Norton. 
Sonata— « Qns«l una f antaala,** Op. 27, No. 2, 
Romanxs for Violin in O, 
Song—" Mlffuon.** 
Sonata in D minor. Op. SI, No. 2. 

In the Sonata for piano and violin, M. Vivien man 
ifest^'d the same defects which we had before no(«d* 
viz : rough and nnequal bowing ; thinness where a 
fnll. hrosd tone is reqnired. and inaccurate stopping. 
Altogether the favorable impression which he made 
at his fir^t appearance is not confirmed, although 
there is still much to be aaid in his favor. 

Mme. Essipoff in her Interpretation of Beethoven, 
showed an amaz*ng power of execution, aabdnlng 
all technical difficulties so completely as to conceal 
thfir very existence. A» for her poetic conception, 
no Nnguage can describe it. 

Berlioz was nndoubtedly risrht in Myln? that 
there are not six pisnisis In the world who can 
play the " Moonl^irht " Sonata as it should be play- 
ed. No one who heard the ineflhble Adsgii», of tfie 
opening — that divine melody, soaring faint and 
clear as the "horns of Elflsnd." above the fateful 
arpeggios, ran doubt that in Mme. Essipoff we have 
a true interpreter of Beethoven's music. The beau- 
tiful episode which ffirms the second parttof this 
Sonata, and which Li^zt has compared to a " flower 
between two abysaess." is like the remembrance of 
happineas in a time of grief; and Ita interpretation 
was a triumph of the art which conceals art; while 
the great Finale, that funeral hymn of hope, was 
truly a revelation. 

On Friday evening. Dee. l.the programme was 
miscellanous, not altorether satisfactory frc»m an 
artistic point of view, but doubtless calculated to 
draw a full house. Mme. Essipoff's selections were 
aa follows : 

Andante et Scherzo. 

Impromptu, [de la Rosamunda] F. Bchnbert 

Prelude and Fugue, Dflat Barb 

Gavotte, D minor Gluck Brahms 

La Sonnambuls, [fsntaaie] Thalberg 

Chant des Pecheurs, Mazourka Leachetizki 

Valse [d'apres Johsnn Strausul Tttuslg 

** Man Uht nur etnmal.** 

Mile. Oomien sang a Scene and Cavatina *'Romeo,'' 
by Bellini and the Romance, " Knowest thou the 
land," from the *' Mignon " of A. Thomaa. 

M. Vivien played the " Introduction, Cadensa, and 
Adagio Religioso ** by Vienxtemps, and Lttfende by 
F. Dulcken. In which he was accompanied on the 
piano by the composer, who is a thorough musician, 
and an excellent accompanist. M. Vivien displayed 
considerable facility of execution in this piece, \>ut 
his violin was uot strictly in accord with the piano, 
and this waa no accident, for we hsve shown the 
same fault in his performances on several other oo- 
caaions. 

The managers of the Essipoff Concerts have se- 
cured the oodperation of Theo. Thomas and hia or- 
chestra for the coming week and we shall enjoy the 
pleasure of hearing the great pianiete in two con- 
certs and one mating with an adequate orchestral 
support. She will play Beethoven's 4th C<mceKo ; 
the 0-minor Concerto of Mendels!<ohn : the 2d Con- 
certo, in O minor, Saint-Sains ; and Chopin's Con- 
certo in E minor. a. ▲. o. 



Lcfpzia. The fourth Oewandhaus Concert, (Oct. 2«), 

had for programme: Overture to JEWryo«IA«, Weber; 

Cavailna: "OHiekleIn im Thale,** from the same, sung 

by Fran KSlle-Murjahn from Carlsrube; Concerto In B 

minor for violoncello, by DsvldofT, phived bv a member 
of thn orchestra (Jul. K'ensel); Song* with piano: snd a 
new Symphony by Raff (No. 7, in R flat), '• In the Alps.** 
This last named novel^, according to the SignnU, 'made 
Umt bonnement a Htnico,'* ** That It deserved thia fate, it 
cannot alaal lie denied: for in all four movementa (bear- 
ing the special tiller : a, ** Wandering in the high monn* 
tolns:*' ft, "In the tarem;** e. "On the Lake:** if,"At 
the swinging fest; Leave taking**) it contains far too 
little of what, in reapeetto Invention, fascination or at- 
traction, is calculated so give pleaanre snd far too much 
of what la odd and angular, faulty in form, empty and 
dry in fact, but raised by all sons of mancsuvras to a 
semblance of slgniffcance and weight; in short far too 
much of what is to be reaehed on the one kaad by mml* 



352 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



luting itid leflcctlng, nn tbc otiiei by rami 
of hand; quilt lies wliicb ntst UrEfljr tn 
ud wblch, vbPB «> wbolly anrelleveU na 1 



Uiillt/ii Xriig, Live been revived >E ibe SUulutaeai 

P.ima. The c-nr respond on I of the London }S»tl.^l 
andard.Oet. SI, writes: 

ndif. will Dot nsdilj be forpi'tUD ellber bj H Pude- 
ip or bis Ruilience. A remirliiljl; fntureiilDi; pro. 
iinme. ioctudtnjt the Beo-tch Bymphony, snd Aii d< 
DM of tbc Uli raitrettBd FeUclen Dmtd. Blicfi Ail*- 

raoted ■ more iban uiusIIt Iifga number of penoni 
the Cirque. Whfn tbo preparstory up of M. pMile. 
ip win br»rd. lU^re nere prebably not fcirer (hiui 



lelen 



torelEneri. Thei 



>n »M plRlnly nol 



Buppref 



eicltemoDt only noticealile on t 

pleuM undeistud the woril lilentily. To riplaln, I mu 

lell you that Ihe two novelcln let down fur ei«UII< 

drl'I 41b Con»r(a, ind The Funeral March tiuin il 
Giiiterdilniineronit. Handel'i Andantefeli flat.lbcMl 

cordlnl reoepllon. II ia Elpar Ihai the slmiillcKy of II 
Mexaiah " li nol heartily apprei 






1 [-"ne nmoothiy en 



uch.b 



mull. ^ >troniE majority aC ibe audienn evldenlly haii 

u lienEon the proeramuu'ielnEorrlHtoiititilMlnlee- 
rlif. Svenlually the tutter canleil iha day, and, amlilai 
a 'llatiirbani.'e. which procMdlne Inim Ihe Ralierv of n 
HewCufpennvitaS" (If ihey ban nllerlea). wonid 
hare been ■■ontur«lMeomln((romlh«b«nchei of the 
Paris Clrfiuo; It waa ridlciiloii* and misplaced. Th* 
tnueb talked «l Uareh ws* allowed to eonlfnue. 
On » siOElB bearing. I must say, the Mnrv h does nol 

ly unlntel liable to anyone wlio has nol f^owcd^lhe'de^ 

Bay)«Ulfa w«Te. Thehanhneaiof Wacner-i bmu had 
uolhlnic to soften tiBiUieUlniue, and tRe overwhelming 
InlHiS came W our ear* nnteniprnd by the merciful me- 
dlomahlpnf distance, toalinot hat iblnlc thai from sn 
anIsilopointotTlew, It waa ao oiler miatika to idicb 
npoa at^M uanicntsr Bamiier for perfomanee. To un- 

deniandUaialLoDeshDr'-"- — — - 

lean hare read It GuietuI); 
nuin a mysUrr to ibe mai 

■K>doBbt,toaI«ni«iDr ., 

Ihe IKrs, It wa> quite UDsuTtable fur a iwpnlar com 

olLy of [oimlne sa ides of Hie tetrsloj^ niiulD. 

London. 

cvenlnt-iNovemberS). and will coniiDue, witbs maDi 



unn. Mdlle Wurie Rre] 



cello, DoiiMe Bala, Clnrlonec, French Hi 

MW. etrr>u., I.. KI»,'zeVhl'Dl\'i'<uamai'Wendt' 

Wlnierhottoni Rvynoldsand rialU. 
rrelude and Fupie lu E minor, Op. W, Ho. I. 



lalrii Slucnllon snd to 



1I1«B AgDei Zlmmermann and GExnor Pialll. 
Qoartel in C malor, 'lu. M, No. 3, for two Violins 

Viols su.l Wol.mMilo HaVdB 

UU. HtrsuB. L Kies, Zerblul and Piatil. 
Coinkictor Mr.ZgrbJnl. 

OBATObio. The prospcclas of the rorty-flrtta sesaon 
efilie Sacred Harmonic Society provea tlisl the roniicr- 

Hla of this AsiDCUlinn is SEIU to he adbored to. Men. 
deJsdilin'i "81. Paul," " Elijah," and " Aihalic;" H<in 
del's "Itrael In Egypt," " Messiah," and "Solomon;" 
Haydn's ■'Sesson9i"Coau'a "Ell;" and Bpohr'i-Lut 
Jad(ment,"aretbeOralariaa promised; snd the pisn 
Dtiliirlne a selection from Ihe leseer-knowu works ol 
"--'•'— '-■liercomnoBeni.lnsucurated last season, 



Handel ni 



ial.UMlllrmlU(hsm FestiTBl, itionld nt 
e, eapeeially ai Sir MldUKl Ooau, tbe c 



I St the conclUKkin 
"Israel In Ejypt."— /SW, 



inoirledted 

. The season 
ie»tbln*t., with Han- 



Chrirtine NiluDa'i Viait t 
plaee. 



T bit to her 



rliich ahe has n 






seen since afae .._ ^ _..... 

is ailuated an the msin road between WeilS and 
ChrlsUsnstad, In Smalaiid. 8he hnd promised to 
jiTe a concert in the chareh at We»l5. the pr-ictfeds 
of which were la so tn ■ fund (or the errctlnn of 
workmen's dwelllnei in ffeii5. AlUr her ar.ival 
In thie town the proceeded im Tneoday, Sept ii. to 
Hera A. Widi^an's to reheame thailuet with Uerr 
Olunn, which was one of the pieces on '.he pro. 
^mme ftir the concert next day. Aa soon as Fru 
Nllsaon's voice was beard by the penple pisKin^ the 
hoose. a crowd eoilected niitsldr. On loi.kins ont, 
Fru Nilsson rer<«i,iied one of her brothers. Andre- 
aa, who with bin tittle son had come tn town, snd 
now with mot pride showed bim " Annty Rlina," 
The friendly and hearty wsv In whleh Frn NilsAon 
saluted her brol bora thniogb the window mads a 
Rood impression nn the crnwJ ootside. Laler in 
the day she and her husband were seed walking tn- 
eether with these relations in the marketplace. In 
the efenlne she dined with M. Schandes. where ahe 
met tbe Bishop and some ot the prTnclpsl Inhabi- 
Unts of the town and the c.nnty. Kelt dsy, the 
was a hnlidsy la Wexid. All 
t. and sll the slreeta and places 
were crowded by the Weiiii people in tbelr holiday 
attire. At one oVIock the church opened Its doora, 
and was soon filled to eieesB. ChrUline Nilason 
sang Ave soDKa snd two Swedish bnllads, with wliich 
ahe enraptunsd her audience. At the and of tiia 
concert the was presented wiih a hmrel wreath. On 
her way to the hotel slie waa hearllly cheered by 
the piipiilace. and greeted with a shower of flowera 
from the houses she passed. In the evening; a laitpi 
and a lull were ((ivi n lo the town hall In honor uf 
the celebrated singer. 

Thursday forenmm ahe departed from Weiio in 
Herr BrakspatFOn Dalil's csrTiaur, accompanied in 
abulher by Herr Rchandea and her nephew. On 
her way through Vederslof and Dinnlnrelanda she 
paid a Tisit to Vederslof Church, where she was 
net by her brother Mngnui, who showed her the 
grayea of their parents. Bhe proniiaed to erect 
monumenta over their Knves, and In have a railioi 
placed r.mnd them. She then entered the old par- 
ish church, which U loun tn be pulled down. She 
desired to be informed when this would take place, 
aa she wiahed to purchase the old peculiar decora- 
tions around the alUr. When the new eburch 
would be ready, she declared herself willing to pre. 
sent it with an organ or a church harmr.nlum. At 
Ihe church ahe waa Joined by her sister Inlaw and 
her youngest daughter, who aceompantsd her to 
thrir borne. 

On her arHval there (the farm is called Hjoabohl) 
ahe found that the llltle house had been decornled 
both outside and inside, and that all har relatione 
had assembled to nneive their celebrated hina- 
woman. The bouse ia now owned by her eldest 
brother. Anders. They pnrtoolt of dinner and 
Chfistine Xllsaon proposed the health of all her re 
laMone, and drank with each of them. She expressed 
her joy at finding all her brother* and aisters alive 
and in good heslth. Her husband oould not, nf 
course, converaa with his wife's relations, but he 
made a good Impression on them all by hla friendly 
manners. To her moat distant relatione he presented 
•matl amounta of money. 

On her return tlirough Nobbeled, where she In the 
brenoon had been received by a choir of twenty- 
five ach'Kil children, she Invited the children to 
eotae relreshmenU In the inn, msde some preeenla 
to them, and sang some verses for them. Tho win- 
dows wtre open, and the crowd of people colleeled 
outilde had thna also an opportunity of hearing her. 
On the road to Wetio there were people assembled 
everywhere tn gel a aight of the famons Swedish 
nightingale. By the beneficence of ChHsline Nils- 
son, her brothers are now alt In possession of their 
own furma. she having psid off the mortgages with 
which most lenanta inSwedunand Korwav arebui- 
ilrneil. She has five brothers and one sister alive. 
She is herself the youngest of tlie family, bavins 
been born in 18M. * 

Her visit wtll long Le remembered by all elaaiea 
In ber cative place. H L. B. 

■LimdoH MunMl WifrU. Nn. 11. 



Sptrial |l0iires. 



DMCBIPTIVB LIST OF THK 
PaMUfesi^ k* •llrar Dllawa * C*. 

Taeal, with nana AiasBpanfmast. 
My Deareat Hewt Aft. «. o to «. fliniemi. 35 

TF?e''n'I'l,?S.ri"SiS' wh ''■ '''"' "" "' -''' "" """' 
A song thai captnrea you at Brst bearing. Al- 
ready very pupuar. 

Sweet be thy Dreama. F. 3. o to D. SlrinL 30 



"I p. 



« whst 



rtblul 



A smooth EainK song with a 

Wnyfuera. A6. E to E. Itazrav. 30 

" The wsy Is !onjt, my darllnc, 

Tbe rosd la ron^b snd steep." 

Very charming, every way. 

L»te to Church. E4. 3. b to E. Cot. 80 

For eyaTT one seemed ssyPnar: Kats, 



The n 



w why y. 






-and Ton. 
ongeBt way. 



« late I ■■ 

Kitremely 

F. TTilmet. 30 



A nice little story, and nlua little aong. 
Silent .Speech. F. 3. c to F. WtlmoL SO 

". ^•^!' *'' "" "" '"°'' "' sw-et prlmrMea m 
And Uat tn the >on« of tbe mill.'' 
Tery wall imagined snd sweet aong. 
lastnaaatlli 
FintJXp Sckott'achB. C. 8, Rottitig. 40 



Very pretty plcure title, a 



1 equally pleaalag 



From M True Hekrt. (Atu traem Herxen 1 
Ee. 8. lojun. S5 

A " tme besrt " aecerds. In this piece, wlib 
perfect grace and taste. 

Alhnm for OrgMnlata. Bt Eugena Thayer. 

No 8, Tnriationi od ''Pl^l'a Bymn." 
(One performer. ) CfrrtsH. «0 

No. 1.1 Festintradfl. (FeatinI Overtnra.) 
(Two performen.! Volckmar. LIS 

TWO more anmben of this valnabl* ctraoert 

ttanefng SunbMun. Schottiache. Eft. 4. 

EttreM. I 
Bnony and brlrht enongh for t' 
sddltion.hM a%>nd of"dsneiri„, , 
movement wbleb only partly belongs to 
Spinnrtdchen. (Spinning WhreL) Db. 4. 

Spindtrr. OB 

Ofooni«e.lihsathe"whlrT'orth <^ ■ ■ 

mo«t grarefull* Mend-d with a II 

whlcb il scoompanlea tbrougbont 

Uerry HAiden Waltc E». 4. Lodce. SO 






malady. 



bright and " merry" pleea. 



Very smooth and graoenil piece of maeh iKaaiy. 
X0OK8. 
Thb WonLD OF Sons. 

This Is a new vol o me of tHe "Rome Mnslciil Llhrarr" 
Perics, which now indndea I> books. The Worid baa 
3M niuns Bhr«t Uadc slie, and a remarkably good eat- 
lection of San|t> and l><iela, sii g'Od In tbemsdvea aad 
sll already popular. tl-DelDBoards,' ^la(;lath;M fuU 

Qehi of thi Dakck. 

WallMM, Polkas, Halopa. Maiurkns. «d , 

poBcn as Btmitss. [.amulhe. Zlltoff. Onni 
IS.MIu Boards; »1 in Cloth; 14 full Ollt. 

BiOaRAPBICAL SKKTCHKfl DF ElfnriHT MlTRt- 

CoMPOBans. Price 91. 7S. By L. B. Ur- 






wtaieb 



:lden 



-' I'lfe of a 



_, .he promtnrDt hi- 

-.. life of about IM ceiebritlta. wl» have 
principal niuaieisns of the Isat three and a 
.._ <• > nuf..i — 1 i_i nj„j work. 



A a BB BVi ATioxa.— I>egreea 



Key of C, Fifth 



IKi 




big&fs 




mml 





Whole '^o. 931. 



BOSTO:eT, SATURDAY, DEC. 23, 1876. 



VoL.XXXVI. No, 19. 



On the Employment of the Orchestra 
in Chnreh Mniia 

BT B. H. TURPIN. 

(Prom tha lx>ndon Hualcftl SlandAnl ) 
The folloirlnj^ U the text of a paper recently read 
at the London CoUesre of Orji^nUts, by the able 
Honorary Secretary :«- 

♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ In callinir to the aid of the 
charch, such a powerful and fascinating ele- 
ment as tliat of orchestral colon njif. it is well 
to rememlier that the highest utterances have 
ever, and must ever, proceed from human voic- 
es. Again, it is evident that the vast and va- 
ried powers of the orchestra must always be 
held^ subordinate to the noblest function of 
religious music, the reverent and fitting expres- 
sion of the words: the enunciation of the 
words, aided but not created by the music, be- 
ing an act of worship, and not a mere perform- 
ance of artistic labor. Further, it is clear that 
the calm depths of organ tone must ever per- 
meate and modify the brighter colors of the 
orchestra in church. In the proper employ-, 
ment of the organ as an essential element of 
the church orchestra, it will be shown that 
composers have, to a serioi's extent, failed to 
recognize its large and profoundly reflective 
f>owers, by assigning to it, in such combina- 
tions, but a poor and almost completely secon- 
dary part. The saying that the organ is a king 
and the orchestra an emperor, and that they 
cannot well occupy the same territory, has, 
under certain circumstances, some force in the 
concert room ; but sorely both king and emper- 
or may fittingly aid, side by side, in the wor- 
ship of the King of kings. Indeed, such a 
companionship is necessary to accompany the 
noblest forms of worship music. Let me now 
say a few words on the apparently divergent, 
but really convergent functions of the organ 
and orchestra; the complete harmonization of 
which in Divine Service will be, we all trust, 
the glory of some future school of sacred mu- 
sic. In the organ we find a grand body of 
earnest, but not exciting tone, a profound depth 
and calm produced from its large array of ev- 
enly blown pipes. But in this very mechani- 
cal evenness of tone surface, this fixed pressure 
of wind, while tending to produce in the lis- 
tener's mind deep reflective thought, self abne- 
gation, and that sublime uplifting which comes 
from the contemplation of masses of calm, ev- 
enly piled colors or tones, there is an absence 
of emotional warmth, a coldness which must 
be modified before the highest conditions of 
art are realized. In the orchestra we find ev- 
ery single note has had the concentrated ex- 
pression of a mind engaged in its production. 
Here, then, we stand before a magnificent mu- 
sical vitality, overflowing and glorious with the 
never ending transmutation of thought into 
tone and tone into thought. Now this life in 
the orchestra, under certain circumstances, is 
in excess of our reouirements, and begets rest- 
lessness, and such is the case in church. There 
the living idioms of the orchestra become its 
difficulties, and the colder and far less perfect 
mechanism of the omn becomes, in the hands 
of thoughtful men, us source of peaceful, re- 
flective power. So it appears that we want the 
orchestra in church, to carry in its living 
sounds, emotion, earnestness, and devotioniS 
warmth ; the duty of the or^n being the sup- 

Slyiuff of reflective, self -sacrificing thought and 
evotlonal calmness. Thus we call to the ser- 
vice of the Most High, the two musical chiefs; 
neither of them servant to the other, but each 



in his distinct place. Now, I would repeat, 
composers have not gfenerally done justice to 
the distinct powers of the orchestra and the 
orsran : in de-rrading the latter to a condition 
of servitude by only calling upon it to support 
the band, rarely seeking to develop its higher 
capabilities, and its modifying influence over 
the often too strongly expressed individualities 
of the orchestra. Another subject must be con- 
sidered to some extent, before we can satisfac- 
torily examine the influence and position of 
the orchestra in church music. I allude to 
that great subject, the difference in religious 
thought and impulses of faith, which, broidly 
speaking, has since the Reformation separated 
the Saxon from the Celtic nations, and which 
is expressed imperfectly in the two words, 
Catholicism and Protestantism. While the 
worship of the Celtic race, as observed in the 
ritual of the Roman church, has ever soucrht to 
express itself in realism, gorgeous ceremonial 
and powerful emotional art, the Saxon people 
incline to adore the Maker of all with a sim- 
pler, calmer faith, of which the strongest out- 
come is the spidt of Puritanism. It is, indeed, 
a matter of history that the orchestra has been 
the favored expression of Catholicism, as the 
organ has l)een the chosen medium for the mu- 
sical worship of Protestantism; even though 
both orchestra and organ have been larfrely 
used together in both of the two great divisions 
of the western church. The cause of these 
preferences can be clearly seen by comparing 
the emotional realism of the Roman church 
with the calm, philosophical, religious thought 
more peculiar to Protestantism, and by remem- 
bering how the distinct characteristics of the 
two musical powers adapt themselves specially 
and severally to the expression of tne two 
schools of religious feeling. Yet, there are so 
many idioms of praise and prayer which touch 
all in common, and which are to be most pow- 
erfully expressed by the combined musical for- 
ces, that we must accept the conclusion that 
such a combination is the loftiest illustration 
of the musical worship of the church universal. 

As a corollary to these remarks upon the two 
large types of religious impulse and their mu- 
sical expression, I will in passing call your at- 
tention to the distinct styles of organ playing 
to be found, say, in Catholic France and in 
Protestant Germany. I do not propose to in- 
spect the music of the Ancient Jewish Church 
in the course of these remarks, because the or- 
gan then had ne well defined existence, and 
further, though the Jews may have possessed a 
school of sacred orchestral music of power and 
eloquence, their instrumental combinations 
were, so far as we know, of an elementary kind. 
But we learn at least from the Bible that the 
orchestra, primitive as it then was, had from 
early times been engaged in the coloring and 
deepening of religious music, and that such 
use of orchestral instruments had the highest 
sanction. Considering the difRculties and per- 
secutions which on all sides met the Christian 
church in its earliest years, we may safely con- 
clude that its musical services, as is still the 
case in the Eastern churches, were sung with 
little or no instrumental accompaniment. Nor 
was such assistance g^atly sought until the or- 
gan was considerably developed. It has been 
observed that mnsic is the one art which has 
grown up with the Christian religion, and it 
might be added that the organ is the one in- 
strument which has grown up in the church, 
and still remains the grandest single-handed 
exponent of the best worship thoughts which 
have at yet been assigned to any musical in- 
strument made by hands. We read that even 



before the labors of St. Ambrose in the West- 
em church in the establishing of the authentic 
Plain Song modes, the congregations of the 
churches in Asia were instructed by a Council 
held about the year 860 to leave certain por- 
tions of the Service music to be rendered bv 
the trained choirs. Such a regulation would 
betoken a proficiency in the choral department, 
at least commanding: the respect and consider- 
ation of the ecclesiastical authorities; but we 
lack evidence as to the character of the music 
used. The probabilities are that it was bor- 
rowed from Hebrew sources, and possibly may 
occasionally have been adorned and strength- 
ened by the accompaniment of instruments. 
For centuries little or no progress was made 
in the application of instrumental music to the 
service of the church, and we must take the 
gradual introduction of the organ during the 
eighth and ninth centuries as the starting point 
of the history of instrumental church music. 
Our old friend Sir John Hawkins in his ** His- 
tory of Music '* notes a few particulars from 
various authorities bearing directly or indirect- 
ly on our subject. About the year 740 the use 
of the Roman Plain Song, then esteemed as the 
purcst in the Christian world, and the employ- 
ment of instrumental music, sprcad through 
France under the fostering care of Pepin, the 
father of Charlemagne, and by the direct en- 
coura^ment of the then Pope, Stephen the 
Second. Now, though we have no informa- 
tion as to the nature of the instruments used, 
or respecting the music performed upon them, 
it is, I think, safe to conclude that they were 
used in the Services of the church, remember- 
ing the then existinv: power and splendor of 
Rome, the marked efforts of the clergy to avail 
themselves of the best obtainable musical ef- 
fects, and the strong probability that the in- 
strumental music just spoken of was introduced 
into France by the train of learned ecclesias- 
tics accompanying Pope Stephen during his 
long sojourn in France. I am here reluctantly 
compelled to acknowledge the existence of an 
antagonism, or rather rivalry, between the or- 
gan and the orchestra which even now remains. 
During periods in which the mechanism of the 
organ has been rapidly improved, the orches- 
tra has been kept more in tne background, or 
banished entirely from the church. Such was 
the case about the period of which I have just 
spoken, when the advance in organ buildfing 
greatly raised the king of instruments in the 
estimation of the Christian nations of the west, 
and enabled it substantially to assert the calm 
grandeur it still can best express. Not only 
did the organ practically keep other instru- 
ments out of the church during the middle 
ages, but we find the orchestral use restrained 
in Germany from shortly before Bach's time, 
when an illustrious race of organ players arose, 
and in their way an equally famous race of or- 
g^n builders were at work. Similarly we note 
that the brilliant and splendid organs built in 
Paris, and in many of the chief towns of France 
and Belpfium, during the last 50 years have 
rather displaced than assisted the once numer- 
ous orchestral services in those countries ; and it 
is hardly necessary to remind you of the success- 
ful crusade of the organ against the instrumen- 
talists in almost every town and village in our 
own country during the same period. 

Now turn hack to the consideration of the state 
of instrumental music before the Reformation, 
when the broad lines of demarcation in the 
practice of religion were as yet only dimly 
shadowed forth. It would seem that the or- 

San enjoyed for several centuries a nearly nn- 
isturbed monopoly in the field of charch ma* 



354 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



sic ; tnd it was probably not until about the 
be^inniniiC of the sixteenth century that these 
instruments were fairly enlisted into the ser- 
vice of the church. Further we may conclude 
that the instniments gradually bcinj; intro- 
duced at this period were all of the wind funi- 
ly, as the string bow instruments do not appear 
to bare found their way into church until 
something; like a hundred years later still, when 
the modern art of orchestration came into ex 
istence. Cornets and sack huts M'erc the first 
instruments employed to join the organ. The 
first named instruments played for generations 
very important parts in the church orchestra. 
They were commonly made of wood covered 
with leather. The tone, which was coarse and 
uneven, was produced from a conical mouth- 
piece, and the notes of the scale were chiefly 
regulated by the stopping of notes with which 
the body of the instrument was perforated. 
The highest pitched member of the family was 
the zincke, and the lowest toned of the group 
enjoyed from its curved form the distinctive 
name of the serpent. This specimen, by far 
the best in tone, has come down to our own 
day, being, I believe, last written for in the 
score of Mendelssohn's ^*Bt. Paul." Some of 
yon may remember that two serpents were, not 
many years ago, employed in the orchestra of 
the Sacred Harmonic Society. According to 
the authority of Kircher, a species of cornet 
was used by the Jews. We know that several 
members of the family were in usd until towards 
the close of the seventeenth century, and the 
serpent is still to be found in a few old French 
towns, accompanying the Plain Song: though 
generally it has now given way to the ophe- 
cleide and sax bass tuba or euphonium. Prob- 
ably snch a length of service in the church 
may be equalled by that of sundry members of 
the trumpet family. The sackbut, bass trum- 
pet, or to use the modern word, tromlmne, is 
one of the mostancientof musical instruments, 
and was for a long period the almost invaria- 
ble companion of the cornet. Doubtless these 
instruments were at first only employed, as in- 
deed the limited and imperfect regals and or- 
gans were, in strengthening the Plain Song in 
the unison. Afterwards it would seem that 
the early simple counterpoints, first assigned to 
the organ, were also given to the cornets and 
sackbuts'. One is disappointed not to find any 
notice of the instrumental use in the accounts 
which, however, are but slender, of the Annual 
Festival of Minstrels instituted in the rci^n of 
Richard the Second at Tutbury, and continued 
for several centuries. Divine service in the 
parish church was a leading feature of these 
meetings, and I think we may assume that the 
instrumentalists were not silent at such special 
Services. A ray of light comes from Canter- 
bury Cathedral, in the statutes of which pro- 
vision was made for players on comets and 
sackbuts. Records of high and solemn Ser- 
vices held in this Cathedral shortly aft«r the 
Reformation specially dwell upon the impres- 
sive music of the ** voices, organs, comets, and 
sackbuts. '* History has recently been repeated 
at Canterbury; for the present esteemed or- 
ganist, Dr. Longhurst, introduced brass instru- 
ments to strengthen the vocal parts at a Choral 
Festival. 

The services in the Pope*s chapel were 
in the sixteenth century, as they have been 
ever since, almost entirely vocal, though it ap- 
pears that great ceremonials in St. Peter's were 
characterized by the employment of wind in- 
stmments, as is still the practice on Easter day, 
and upon other Festivals. The mighty genius 
of Palestrina, in raising counterpoint to be •ne 
of the most exalted of musical expressions, did 
not seem to contemplate the want of an accom- 
paniment; and the Roman ecclesiastics, like 
the authorities of the Greek church, probably 
considered that the most devotional musical ut- 
terances must be breathed forth by highly 
trained and unaccompanied voices. This opin- 
ion has since been entertained by many thought- 
ful musicians ; and at present there is a move- 
ment in Germany which has gained the ex- 



pressed approval of that great master of or- 
ch«*stral resources. Wacrner, for the banishment 
of instrumental music from the church, and the 
restoration of the pure vocal counterpoint of 
the early Italian school. We can hardly con- 
ceive the spiritual, delicate texture of Piilestri- 
na's Musses being decently expressed bv the 
coarse, blaring tones of the comets and sack- 
buts of his time. However, about this period, 
orchestral eff<»cts were bcginninsf to command 
attention. The violin had attained its perfect 
fonn ; the group of viols were getting massed 
together; from the ancient typical instrument, 
the chalemeau. had sprang the double reeds, 
the oboe, bassoon, and several intennediat-e 
members of the familv, and the different flutes 
wore already much used. Accordinsr to an 
Itnlinn writer who described the Low Countries 
in a work printed at Antwerp in 1550 and in 
1581, not only was vocal music then greatly 
advanced in Flanders, but instruments were 
handled with great skill and played in harmo- 
ny. The services in Antwerp cathedral, and 
other grent churches of the rich and hisrhly 
oulti rated Low Countries, were orchestral from 
an earlv period. In 1570 a Spanish Domini- 
can, Thomas & Sancta Maria, wrote probably 
the oldest treatise on orchestration which we 
know of. He, at some length, refers to the 
cxi'«tence of harmonized instrumental music. 
Still the old instruments held their places for 
a time. Upon a state occasion in the reign of 
James the First, of England, anthems were 
sung in the Chapel Royal, to the accompani- 
ment of organs, comets, sackbuts, and other 
excellent instraments of music: these last be- 
ing very likely string l>ow instruments, just 
then finding their way into the church orches- 
tra. Again, we note that Charles the First 
heard service in Oxford cathedral, accompanied 
by a combination of instraments like the one 
just referred to. Further, we learn that in the 
dearth of trained boys* voices, immediately after 
the Restoration, cornets were used to specially 
sustain the upper part. Before I dismiss this 
ancient and useful instrument I should add 
that its tones bore no resemblance to the shrill 
mutation stop found in old organs under that 
name. Tlie old comets produced a body of 
firm, hard tone of medium pitch for the most 
part; the highest member, the zincke, not be- 
ing much employed. Upon the establishment 
of orchestral harmony, we have to contemplate 
a remarkable feature in the treatment of the 
various wind families. Each representative in- 
strument was one of a group of different sizes, 
and consequently of various compasses; thus 
there was the oboe, the tenor oboe, now called 
the cor-anglaiae, the tenoroon, or baritone mem- 
ber of the set of double reeds, the bassoon, and 
later on, the contra fagotto. Similarly with the 
flutes. Certain members of each family, being 
found ineffective and difficult of perfonnance, 
were in time rejected; thus the modern orches- 
tra has only one complete group, that of the 
strings. Of the trampet family, we have, with 
the trumpets and three of the trombones, also 
a fairly represented interest. Now the old 
plan of employing whole families of instru- 
ments suggests considerations of importance in 
connection with our subject. A sedate, seri- 
ous breadth of tone could thus be produced ; 
an assimilation to the calm even registers of 
the organ, a special adaptability for contra- 
puntal writing, and a comparative absence of 
that restless change so incessant in modern or- 
chestration, were among its advantages. Trae 
to his contrapuntal, and I should add, organ 
instincts, John Sebastian Bach employed fam- 
ily groups in his church oratorios and cantatas, 
and he was the last composer of distinction 
writing in this manner. The wealthy ecclesi- 
astical establishments' largely encouraged the 
employment of instruments, both in and out uf 
church. We can, to some extent, realize what 
could be done at a festival, in the account of 
the reception at a convent in Ferrara, of Mar- 
garet of Austria, and Philip the Third of Spain 
m 1598. The voices of the ncns were accom- 
panied, at a sort of concert, by violins, viols, 



double harps, harpsichords, lutes, flutes, cor- 
nets, and trumpets. Not a bad army to place 
in the hands of a master of orchestration! I 
mav observe that the double harps mentioned 
were instraments of limited capacity, and as a 
matter of curiosity that the lute, the original 
of the guitar, appears for. I believe, the last 
time in the score of one of Flanders earlier or- 
atorios. The use of instraments in hannony 
progressed nipi-lly in the latter half of the sit- 
teeoth centurv. as we might expect in n pcrio I 
of such splendid contrapuntil activity. At the 
Reformation the ritual of the Roman church 
was in the zenith of its ceremonial splen lor. 
yet the orchcstnil U'le was still cunfined to the 
primitive wind instruments. It is further re- 
markable th.-it the religious stra&rglen of the 
time did not check the groNvth of churcJi music, 
though the spirit of the movement did in the 
end place mnsic somewhat in the background. 
No greater proof of the caraest love of the 
English peoplu for the art can be shown than 
the speedy employment of choral worship in 
the refonne'1 church, and the resumption of 
choral service at the restoration, with, in high 
places, the frequent aldition of orchestral ac- 
companiments. It was not until long after tlie 
Refonnatiou that the crrowing spirit of Puri- 
tanism was able to stifle choral worship with 
its attendant instrumental adoraings. In fact 
the nation, convulsed with religious agitation, 
found it easier to mo<lify doctrines and to 
change practices than to give up choral wor- 
ship. 

pro be Oontinaed.1 



The Late Henry Phillipe. 

(#V0iii '* 77U Atkenmum,** 

The death, st Dalston. on the 8th ioAt., of the once 
fsinoua Ui-itish hAritr>Qe-bi84, Ilanry Phillips, who 
for more thsn forty year* occtipie<l snch a prominent 
position in the wurl^ of English opera, oratorio, and 
concert, reqirires more thsn s mere passing notice. 
He was a Jew by birth,' if not by iiersaa«ion ; hU 
mother, once a sinirer at Vsuzhall uardeni, was uf 
German extraction ; his fit her left him destitute at 
an early age. Henry Phillips was born in Bristol 
on the'lSth of Ao^ust. 1801 ; his parents st that 
period were acting: in that town and in Bath. The 
son was scantily educated, but at nine years of as^ 
it was discovered he had a voice. Ho was called 
the " singing Roscius,** and his first appearance on 
any stas:e was at Harrogate, when he sang the "Bay 
of Biscay" in character, with tlie set scene of a 
storm. His snccss decided his fnture career. He 
accompanied his father and mother during their 
theatrical tours in the North, singing at concerts. 
Taken to London, the youthful singer found a friend 
and teacher in the late Sir George Smart His di- 
hut in London was st the Havmarket Theatre, ss 
the Robber's boy in The /•tm Chenl, the Sir Edward 
Mortimer beintc Charles Young. The next season 
he was with ]i\n futher at Drury Lane, and sang in 
the music of Macbeih, receiving lessons from Mr. 
Looni Lee, and Mr. Price, chorns-master of the 
theatre. He then made the acquaintance of Mr. 
John Barnett, the still living composer of the 
Mountain Sttlpk. With Edmund Kean, in Matnriu's 
tragedy of Bertram, Henry Phillips played as a page 
in the trajredy. When his voice broke, at sixteen, 
he essayed the career of an artist, being fond of 
sketching;, and Ackerman employed him to t^lor 
en^ravin*.^ ; but he contrived to practise on a piano- 
forte, and wishing to imitate three bass sini^ers of 
that time, George Smith. Ilii^an, and Tinney. 
whose voices went down to D and double C, he tried 
to force his organ to the low notes of Handel's songn, 
but Nature would not have it, and made him a pure 
baritone. Lotd Bynm noticed his talent in the 
green room of Drury Lane, as also did Dr. Kitch- 
ener ; and the late Dr. Arnold, of the Lyceum, en- 
gaged him as a chorus-si ni^er. At that theatre he 
was articled for two yearA to Broadhurst, the ten- 
or, who introduced bis oupil to the dinoers of the 
city companies. His voice, from being a light bari- 
tone, got gradually down, and he acquired the com- 
pass of a baritone-bass. From the Lyceum he went 
to Covent Garden, appearing as a Dutchman ia 
Bishop's opera, T!u Land of Jaw, and singing ia 
the still popular glee, *' Mynheer Vaa Dunck.** For- 
tunately be fell into the hands of Sir. George Smart, 
who. surfirised that Phillips could sing the tenor, 
soprano, and contralto songs as well as the bass 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, DEO. 23, 1876. 



355 



onM \n the Me^ttt'uxk. becnmc his firm supporter. His 
defnit in oratorio wa^ eminently flncces«fu1, and lie 
sansT at the Lnnten sacred concerUi at Drnry Lane 
and Covent Garden. He appeared as Arta1)anes in 
Dr. Arno*s AHtturx^^ with Misa Paton (Lady W. 
Lennox, and Mrs. Woo i afterward>«), Mdme. Veiu 
tris and Braham. Tlii^ led to hi.s re eng^a^nient at 
the Lyceum a9 principal hass when Hawea was the 
mttairal director, who, with Arnold, the proprietor, 
had the coura!;e to pro'Iuce Weber's /)er Ftti»chu*t 
ivit the first time in this country. The roU of Cas- 
par, beiii^ re{;arded as an actins^ part, was inven to 
a trage<lian : hut PhiliipA, who was Rolio, alxo ^an{i^ 
the mn^ic of Caspar. On the first nis^ht of the op 
era (July SOth, 1824), Ikr FreMiii/x was a failure, 
but eventually a danco which Phillips introduced tL*- 
the end of each verse in Ca«par*s drinkins; sohj^ 
saved the Wf>rk. and tiiis dance was imitated from a 
war-dance of American Indians. From that time 
the name of Henry Phillips was a^40ciat«d with 
opera and oratorio. He for rears had the first place 
at the Lyceum, Covent Garden, and Drury Lane ; 
he was cngajfed for every provincial T'Stival ; he 
waa the leadinjD^ bass at the Ancient and Philhar- 
monic concerts; in short, no programme of any mu- 
sical ent«*rtainment, private or public, was consid- 
ered complete without his bein'x ensjrai^d. He cre- 
ated the chief characters in his line In all the operas, 
native or foreisr^, for many years, and he diAiin- 
jrnished himst<]f in music of every school, Italian, 
German, Frenrh. and Enelish. His reputation 
spread in every direction ; no Hmtiah^ no hraef m 
Egitpt^ no Creniian without Philli^M. He revived 
the sonsrs of Purcell ; composer* of note, such as 
Spohr, Mendelssohn, and Neukomm, wrote specially 
for hire ; he also composed for himself, siid sravo 
lectures on Hebrew melodies. His farewell concet t 
was g^iven in St. James's Hall, on the 2Sth of Feb- 
ruary, 186S, at which he had the aid of every arti«t 
and composer of note then in the metropolis. In 
1864, he published his Mimical and Prmmtol liteoL 
Uetunu dnriMff Half a Cmturif, in two volumes. He 
sans: afterwards in the provinces oecjisionally, and 
resided for some years at Rd;;baston, near Birmini;- 
ham, but latterly he lived at Dal.<(ton. He was 
present at the inaus^aration of Balfe'* statue in Dru- 
ry Lane Theatre. Sepfeml>er 25th, 1874, for he had 
sustained the bshs parts in all the operas produced 
by that composer, as well as in those of the late 
Edward Locler, Mr. John Barnett, Sir JuVms Bene- 
dict, Mr. Hatton, the late Wallace, Mr. G. Macfsr- 
ren, etc. ; ^nt he was nnt f<»rtnnate in his own opera. 
The Harvt^t Qneen, bro'.ijifht out on April 22'id, 1838, 
at Drnry Lane. He was a very remarkable artist, 
the legitimate successor of Bartleman. His voice 
waa of the richest and most sympathetic quality', 
and in the ballad style, acer»inpanyin;r himself on 
the pianoforte, he was uorivnIlHl ; he was truly 
great in Ms own wsllr. and. if his cla^s as a singer 
in the lyric drama and in oratorio wa« nut the fir.tt, 
he was, at all events, the first i4 his class. He was 
the connecting link between the singers of his gen- 
eration and those of the pant ; and, if his tendency 
towards tbe music of his period was too pro- 
nounced, no arti.<t has ever done more to popular- 
ize Handel, Haydn, and other anoiettt masters. 



« s^t ■ 



TiolLukowiky's Bomso and Juliet 

In speaking of the Crystal Palace Concert of 

Nov. 4, the Athmmum thus refers to the Russian 

composer's programme-overture on our Shakspcare's 

exquisite love-drama :-^ 

■^ In tlM Athenftnm of the IStb of last March, No. 2jn&, 

a brief reference was made to the music of Russian 

composers, In the notice of the first performance in this 

eonntry of a pianoforte concerto t>y Peter Von Tschai- 

kowsky, for the Introdaetion of which remarkable work 

London musical circles are Indebted to Mr. Dannreuth- 

•r, who placed the pianoforte part. When expressing 

the opinion that the concerto ought to be repeated, we 

added that other compositions by the same hand might 

well be Imported. Such waa the case on the 4th last., 

when the Saturday af temoen programme included the 

Overture to Romeo and Juliet, which is not the only 

Shakspearean subject set by Yon Tsehaikowsky, as he 

baa also chosen the Tempest for a fantaala. 

" As no key has lieen supplied by the composer to his 
selection of scenes from the tragedy, the Sydenham au> 
dienoe had to trust so their Imagination to realise the 
musician's Intentions. Naturally enough amatenra ae- 
qnainted with the poetic and dramatic symphony, with 
solos and chorus, by Hector Berllos, instituted a com- 
parison between his treatment of the story and that 
adopted by the Russian professor. And this compari- 
son was the more suggestive, inasmuch as the prodno- 
tlon of TMhalkowskv neither In form nor development 
can rightly be callea an overture. It Is more of a free 



fiintaMi than a prelude to a drama, and the most cor- 
rect title, to give a rieht Idea of the orclieitral piece, 
won Id tie the dealcnntlon, *')*ymphon1c poem," employed 
by l>r. Franis LIstt. The general tone of the overture Is 
M> Rtormy that the tale of the TfmptH neems to t>e Illus- 
trate I. rather ihnn thn lore-strains of Romeo and JhIUU 
Tt m'%y be a«aumed that the street combat (*f the Mon- 
taeuSa and CapnIets, the/l/« at the mnnslon of .Tullet*s 
father, and a dirge at the ending of the tragedy, were 

?redomlnant in thn fnncy of tne Rii«slsn composer, 
here i^. in fart, more povver than pathos In the orer- 
tnre. Prom'smme music It U, ot course. Tf the techni- 
cal trcMtment bo examined, the evident resolution to be 
orfffin:)!— the determination to ansert individnallty— 
cannot be mistaken ; and thin ambttions tendency alone 
will snffloe to create Interest In thl<4 aspiring compo«er. 
.\re we to look to the Xeva for the coming composer? 
It Is not imnosailile : for Iwith the concerto and the over- 
ture are evidence of the exiatence of an original thinker, 
who defies rule and note when ha has effects to achieve 
nis overtnre does not terminate in the startlnir kev of 
F sharp minor, but it ends in B major; thin Is not with- 
out iTood prece<lent, bnt still it is not orthodox. His 
Idendlnc of Instrnments has some novel pointji, snd he 
turns the striufcei, the wind, the percntislon, indeed, all 
the resources of modem orcheatrM Ion. to fa*l accoant: 
he emp^oya the hari>, not In isolated pasnages, bnt aa If 
It constituted a portion of the regular band ; cymbals 
are also put In requisition. The overture la nnuonally 
long, and there Ih thin peculiarity, that often when a 
clone Is expected, f ro«h imagery is heard, as If the com- 
poser hail some additional Incident of the tragedv to 
treat, ao that the overture comes to a sudden termina- 
tion, after more than one seeming coda." 

Mr. Ebenexer Prout, in the Aeadtmif^ speaks aa 
ffliows: — 

'* The second novelty was Tschalkowsky*s overture to 
Romeo and Juliei. which had not been previously hesrd 
in England. The Russian musician is undoubtedly one 
of ihe most original living composers. His overture, 
which is of symphonic proportions, taking nearly twen- 
ty m'nutes In iterfonnince, is avowedly an illnstrnt!on 
of Shakspcare*s tragedy. It 's fnUof most charming and 
poetical Ideas; but It is so absolutely novel Itoth in 

thought and trostment tliat, except by a small minoritv 
of the audience. It nltovether falltsd to be appreciatoo, 
and was received coldly, and even with h\f^n of disap- 
proval. 6]>eclal praise ought to be given to Mr. Manns, 
for aeenring a really mifcnlflnent rendering of a mo«t 
difllcuit work. No su<^h performance oould have been 
heard elsewhere than at the Crystal Palace.** 

The fact is that (rightly or wrongly, we have no 
pretension to decide) the overture was very ill re- 
ceived. That it came at the end of the concert is 
true; bnt the same place, with very difTfrent re 
suits, has oft^n l>een given t-o masterpieces by Beet- 
hoven, Mendelssohn, and others. For ourselves 
we were not amon? "the small minority of the au- 
dience,** and failed to appreciate Tschaikow!*ky*s 
work. The Rn«aian composer may lie poJ«slldy the 
coming Beelhoven : but, aa Li^zt makes coming 
Reethovens by the d'>2i*n, wo prefer to know some- 
thing more of Tschalkowskv before venturing npm 
a decided f»pini<m. What, \yy the wav. i^ the opin- 
ion of " O,** on this same overture ? We should like 
to know, because everything he d»»e« n'>t himself 
choose t.o writ^ about, i.i the admirable analytical 
pro^rnrames of the Crj-stal Palace, we are g eatly 
inclined to suspect. We doubt, indeed, if ** O!** 
would feel moved to dignify the subjoined galima- 
tias with the title of theme : — 



::t?,-i:=:1 









t 



4 ' ' 



Yet " E. P." (Ern«t Pauer ?) so styles it in hin anal- 
ysis. To our ear it sounds hidef/us. Perhaps it i* 
intended for a " Leitmotif.* Oh. Wagner ! Wag- 
ner 1 Thy most devoted apoatles mn«t admit that 
thou hast led astray divers aspiring gentlemen who 
possess not a tithe of thy farsightedness, and yet 
think they can do as thou dost, and as eftly — un- 
happy gentlemen t And thou, Wagner, art unhap- 
py; for thou art besieged of parasites, who fatten 
on thee, to thine own detriment and ours. — " Oh, 
man of genius I** — why didst thou encourage them 
to begin in F sharp minor and end In B msjor. and 
permit their historiographers to clt^e thy much lie- 
loved Mendelssohn, whose Athalie, it is true, begin* 
with one of thine adored Hebrew synsgogue tunes, 
in F, but is bodilv in D minor, arid tfierefore has 
every right to end in the major of that same key T 
And why — exterminstor of the " tone families !" — 
dost thou allow thy disciple (who has read HuelTer) 
to compare Tschsikowsky with Beethoven, l>ecsu<*e 
his overture is long and so Is Buuthoven*s ? True, 
as *• E. P." (Ernst Pauer ?) says, " he suddenly flat- 
tens his A ; ** but any tyro can flatten his A ; and 
true, as the more straightforward AthencBHm asserts, 
** he defies rule and rote, when he has effects to 
achieve*' (what "effects ** may signify in this par- 
ticular instance is left to the iraaginktion) — as if 
to " defy rule and rote,** and '' the determination to 
assert individuality,** were evidences of " an origi- 



nal thinker.** At that rate, any one who disre- 
gards, or is ignorant of, the grammar of his art be- 
comes ** an original thinker.** Save us from such 
original thinkers! The Iste Dr. Gauntlett was 
wrath al)out the indiscriminate employment of the 
term " enharmonic.** What would he have said to 
the phraae *' enharmonic mndnlatioH^ made use of 
by " E. P.** in his Tschaikowskisn elucidation T "/ 
hate ih». vine man to htmttelf Hnwige," sa^'S Euripides; 
and so might have said Dr. Gauntlett (alluding to 
quite a different matter); for when, ere while, he 
smote " our analysts ** under the fifth rib, he did it 
with a stern sense of duty. But what, again, would 
the iconoclastic doctor have ssid to one who, ac- 
quainted with ail the devices of art, from counter- 
point downwards, as is " E. P.,** yet takes np cud- 
gels for men that set every one of them at defiance. 
When Dr. Gauntlett said, '* the illostrions Yerdi,** 
he meant it ; jnst as he meant It when he smote 
"our analysts** under the fifbh rib. Peace to his 
ronnes ; for he could not " Think one thing, and 
ayiother (ell.** 

The words <»f Theognis are in everybodjr's recol- 
lection ; but whj- plough upCyllarabis? — ^why con- 
tinually cite Beethoven, whose field of thought and 
artiim, being sacred to the gods, was exempt from 
the plough T Between the men that are likened to 
Beethoven there is no sort of comparison ; they are 
as inferior to him as lead to silver, brass to gold, 
anemone to rose, ape to man. Let Beethoven alone, 
and discuss the claims of our adventuresome new 
heroe.4 on their owu merits. The indiscriminate use 
of Beethoven's name in onr actual criticism should 
be checked. It has occasioned, is occasioning, and 
must occaaion. infinite mischief. That mighty spir- 
it slionid be left to its repose, while dwarfs may 
wrangle o>r his grave. Ischaikowsky and Beet- 
hoven ! Liszt and Beethoven 1 even Wagner and 
Beethoven ! O Nimini Pimini I 

" Tarn vacui capitis populnm Phteiea putavit.** 

The Phnaeians. by which we may understand the 
world at large, are after all not quite such credulous 
noodles. Mr. Ebeneser Prout forgeta the ancient 
feud between Ombi snd Tentyra. The Ombltes 
worshipped the crocodile, the TentyKtes worshipped 
the ibis. Sane musicians worship neither ; they 
worship Beethoven, their Jupit%.r Ol3*mpu«; and, 
as the Alhen(9um silly hints, in speaking of Mozart's 
great symphony, Jupiter will always he a cut above 
Wotan. Ahab and Jezebel may bow down to Baal, 
but, sooner or later. Elijah will have to be taken in- 
to account, and the test of fire must then resolve the 
question. Thbopilus Qurb. 

— lA}nd. Afim. World, 



Tambnrini. 

(From an orfffinal eource.) 

The above artist, formerly one of the leading co- 
lebritieM of the Italian lyric stage, died at Nice on 
the 8th inat. He was born at Pacnza. on the 28th 
March, 180rt. lie first studied the horn, under his 
father, a miiitacy bandmister. But he soon aban- 
doned that instrument to follow the ctror of a sing- 
er. When he was eighteen, he made his first ap- 
p«>aranee in General l*s opera, Li fontetuta di Co'U 
Erbono^ in the little theatre of Cento, whence he 
went successively to Mirandola, Correggio. Piacen- 
zi, and Nsples. From Naples he pniceeded t^i 
Florence, Le'^horn, Turin, Milan. Trieste, Rome, 
Yonice, and Palermo. On the 7th Octolier, 1832, 
he made his dehtU at the Th^tre Italien, Paris, as 
Dandini in //x Ctnereitola. The beauty of his 
voice and his manner of uiing it at once rendered 
him a prodigious favorite with the Parisians, and 
for many years he sang regularly every reason in 
thn French capital. A'nonj; hiri fi.dlow artists there 
may be men'i'»n'vi Persian!, Gri*i. MHlibrnn, Rubini, 
Lablache, and Roneoni. In 1841 Tamburlni re- 
turned to Itidy. After visiting Russia and II ilUnd, 
he again sant; in Paris, where he sppeared for the 
last time in 1855. In the following rear he con- 
eluded his artistic career in London. For a consid- 
erable period before his death hu lived at Sevres, 
where he h^d purchase^i an estate. It was by the 
order of his physicians that he recently went to 
Nice. 



Oaliffnani announces the death at Nice, on Thurs- 
day last, of Antf)nio Tamburlni, the celebrated bar- 
itone, in his 77th year. " He was the son of a 
bandmaster at Faenza, and at the age of nine years 
was engaged in an orchestra as a bugle player; 
but, a serious illness having obliged him to diso-m- 
tinue playing, he turned his attention to sin;in^. 
He made rapid progress, and at eighteen made a 



■Ariafa 



■Am 



356 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



Bticccssfnl dehiii nt BnloirnA. lie appenrod in snc- 
cession at all the principal theatres at Turin, Rome, 
Naples, Milan, and, in 18^2, after havine: visited 
Ene:land, where he was warmly received, he ap- 
peared in Paris atlhe Italiens, in Cetiereuiola. For 
more than twenty years he continued a favorite 
with the French pnblic, and as late as 1854 he Mn^r 
in Don Giovanni. He had acqnired a comfortable 
independence, and retired many years ago to Sev- 
res, where he nsaally resiled." 

How Tamhnrini was esteemed in Engfland. no fre- 
quenter of the Italian Opera can have forcrotten. 
He bei^an his caieer amont; as at Her Mnjesty's 
Theatre and ended it nt the Royal Italian Opera. 
He was one of the lonsr time "mnfipc four ** — Grisi, 
Rubini (afterwards Mario), Tambarini, and La- 
blacbe, besides bein^ the father-in-law of that excel- 
lent operatic singer, Italo Gardoni. — Mna, World. 



^•^ 



"The MessialL" 

FRAXZ'S ADDITIONS TO ITS ORCHCSTRAL 
ArCOMFANIMKNTS. 

(From Sunday's Courier.) 

The orchestral accompaniments of T^e Afetunah^ 
as they have come to ns from the hands of the com- 
poser, sound poor and thin to ears accnstomcd to 
the wealth and richness of modern orchestras. 
Handel's score reveals no parts other than those 
written for the strinsrs, oboes, trumpets and drums, 
the wind and perrnssion instrumenta being very 
sparingly used. It should be noted, however, that 
tnis light instrumentation is no proof of iho poverty 
of orchestral resources at the command of the mas- 
ter in 1741. There are scores by Handel which in- 
clude parts for flutes, bassoons, harps, harpsichords 
and horns, besides those which lay within the accol- 
ladeof The Htnttiah. Furthermore, Handel employed 
a number of instruments, both stringed and wind, 
DOW unknown or unused. He was ready to use any 
utensil of a musical sort which would produce an 
effect — the brazen, throats of cannon even being 
drawn into his service. This willinfrncss, some- 
times eajrerness, on Haudel's part is worth remem- 
bering when the purist rises to object to any emen- 
dations of, or additions to any of his scores. Schoel- 
cher, Handel's biographer, maintains that " if the 
instrumental portions of Handel's oratorios, as they 
were executed under his direction, had not been 
burned at the destruction of Covent Garden Thea- 
tre, in 1808, we should doubtless have been aston- 
ished at their amplitude,** adding that *' a few scat 
tercd frsf^ments serve to show that he sometimes 
added extra accompaniments." Be this as it may, 
Mozart thought it necessary to amplify the orches- 
tration when, in 1789, the work was brought out at 
Vienna. The parts were then in existence and 
could, without doubt, have been easily procured. 
Mozart's additional instrnment«tion was, nowever, 
partly made necessary by the want of an organ in 
the Great Hall of the Imperial Court Library, where 
the oratorio was performed. 

The mention of an organ carries us back to Han- 
del, who, at all public performances of his oratori- 
os, given under his direction, was accustomed to 
sit at the organ, by the aid of which he could, and 
presumedly did, add the coloring not found in his 
score. His manuscripts are copiously noted with 
indications for the use of instruments for which no 

Eirts can be found. Schoelcher says that in the 
uckingham Palace collection there is a score of 
the chorus IJfl np y&fir HeadM with parts for horns, 
oboes and basroons — written antiphonally, to agree 
with the choral responses — in addition to the string 
qnartct The enthusiastic biographer declares that 
the master's orchestration was in some instances 
very full — too full, if one may believe the gibes of 
the satirists. £^^ pa»Mant, the unprejudiced reader 
would be amused to note the wonderful resemblance 
between these p»t»quinade8 and those which Wagner 
has called forth a centnry and a half later. He 
cautions students against placing too great trust in 
the Walsh scores, the publisher being " used to 
economize the expenses of engraving by suppressing 
the accompaniments,** while Handel, " to save time, 
only wrote the leading parte when he composed, 
leaving it to the copyists to multiply them accord- 
ing to his instructions." Whatever Handel might 
have done for the enrichment of his most famous 
work, the fruits of Mozart's labors have been of 
real value to the musical world. His score includes 
parte for flutes, clarinets, oboes and bassoons, for 
trumpets, horns And trombones, and for drums, all 
being additions to the original score. Besides these, 
he added in several instances parts for second vio- 



lins and violas, altered here a violin to a flute part, 
there an oboe to a clarinet, and re-wrote entirely 
in some cases parts for first violins, for trumpet^} and 
for drums. It was rarely that Handel's forms or 
harmonies were disturbed, the additions in many 
cases followins: the figured bass as written by -the 
composer. Sometimes there were gaps which had 
to be filled out. 

Still, with all the pains, the work remains incom- 
plete so far as the accompaniments are concerned. 
Or so, at least, it rf'mained until about a year ago, 
when Robert Franz, at the express request of the 
Handel and Haydn Society, tendered to him throutjh 
Mr. Otto Drej»el, who was then in Europe, under- 
t4)ok the task of snpplyinfr the deficiencies of Mozart's 
score. The new score was received from Dr. Franz 
la«t fiprinsr. On examination and comparison with 
the Handel and Mozart scores it is evident that the 
Mozart method has been followed — that is, the fig- 
ured bass has been worked out in parts for clarin- 
ets or bassoons, or both, in phrases where no wind 
instruments have been employed by either prede- 
cessor. In some instances, gaps, which Mozart had 
left unfilled, are closed np. In others, the entire 
coloring of the score has been freshened and bright- 
ened. The following list pives some idea of the ex- 
tent of the additions and alterations. The numbers 
are from the Novello edition : — 

Two clarinets and two bassoons : 

Part I. Numbem 2. 3 4. A, 7, 12. and 18. 
" TI. « 23, 96, 32 and 43. 

*< III. «* 45 and M. 




Two clarinets and one bassoon : 
Part II. Number 38. 

Two horns : 

Part I. Numbers 9 and 18. 



The organ accompaniment has been writt*»n out 
for the string quartet in the following recita- 
tives ; — 



Part T. Numbers 8, 14 and 15. 
" II. " 34 and 42. 

" III. «* 68. 



A better man than Dr. Franz could not have been 
found. His studies of, and researches in, the works 
of Handel and of his great contemporary and fel- 
low-country man. Bach, pre-eminently fitted him for 
thts work. The accompaniments for several of 
Bach's oratorios and cant«tas. and for many of 
Handel's operatic arias, have been made available 
for modern n.se by his new scoring. Three of Bach's 
works, suns: in Music Hall last season, were so re- 
constructed by him. 

There remain other improvements to be ftoted. 
These have been made by Mr. Zerrnhn, and consist 
mainly of chanjres — in some cases quite radical — in 
the phrasing of the orchestral parts. It can not 
well be believed by any intellicrent musician that 
so great a master as Hnndel should have permitted 
his string players to perform ttaccato against the 
Ugnlo movement in the vocal score. The unmnsi- 
cal effect of this mixed method — sanctioned though 
it ma}' be by long usage — ^induced Mr. Zerrahn to 
newly phrase not only the string parte, but also 
those for the wood and wind instruments throusrh- 
out nearly the entire work, — a long and tedious 
task, but we believe the result will amply repay the 
labor spent. A prominent feature of this improv- 
ing — ^ptrhaps it would be more nearly correct to 
say this restoring — process is the reduction of or- 
chestral and vocal parts to something like a uniform 
consonance in phrasing. The attentive listener will 
discover the use of the new method in the following 
numbers: Part I. Numbers 1, 2, 8, 4. 6, 7, 9, 11, 
12, 17. 18, 20 and 21. Part II. Numbers 23, 24. 
26, 26, 28, 32, 83 and 41. Mr. Zerrahn's work will 
make itself plainly felt especially in the choruses 
numbered 4, 7, 12, 21, 26 and 41. and in the sopra- 
no solo numbered 18. In adapting the organ ac- 
companiment of the recitatives for string quartet, 
Dr. Franz unaccountably overlooked Numoer 19, 
Part I. Mr. Zerrahn has, therefore, arranged it for 
the strings. He has also transposed it to a lower 
key in order that it may be aung by an alto voice, 
the change being completely justified, if not demand- 
ed, by the fact that the first half of the succeeding 
aria. Number 20, to which it serves as introduction, 
is, in accordance with long-established custom, as- 
signed to the alto soloist. 

The additions to, and emendationa of, the score 
of Handel s best known work, of whose extent and 
importance we have endeavored to g^ve some idea, 
will be heard for the first time in public on Christ 
mas eve, when the Handel and Haydn Society will 
give, under Mr. Zerrahn's direction, its sixty -sixth 
perfornfance of The Metnak. F. H. J. 



nsit Jbraalj. 



PARra. " Great music all along the line," save 
Le Menestrel, for Sunday, Nov. 26. The Soci^ 
des Concerts of the Conservatoire that day celebrat- 
ed its fiftieth anniversary by the Heroic Symphony 
of Beethoven, which formed a part of the Society's 
first programme half a century ago. The other se- 
lections (this time) were : Adaramua te. Motet with- 
out accompaniment, by Palestrina ; Overture. J/«/«. 
tine, Mendelssohn ; Chorus of elves in Weber's 
Oberon ; Symphony in D. Mozart. The concert 
was conducted by M. E. Deldevez. 

At 2 o'clock on the same day, at the Wint-er Cir- 
cus, was the sixth Popular Concert of M. Pasdc»loup. 
Programme: Symphony in G minor. Mozart; Rec. 
and Aria from Fiddio, Beethoven, eunir by Mile. 
Krauss; Dana la Ford, Symphony, by Raff; Sere- 
nade, by all the strinsrs, Haydn ; Finale of 2nd act 
of the opera, Sigurd, by fi. Rcyer (symphonic pre- 
lude, recit., air, recit.,) sung by Mile. Krauss and 
M. Verg^et ; Overture to Oberon, Weber. 

Same day and same hour, fifth Concert at the 
Chatelet. Programme: "Surprise" Symphony, 
Haydn ; Overture to Maieppa (rederaanded), Geor- 
ges Mathias ; Offertoire from the Mass dn Sam 
Cceur (Ut time), by Gounod, under his own direc- 
tion ; Air dn Ballet from Iphigenia in AuttM, Gluck ; 
"Danse Macabre," Saint-Saeas; Andante and Va- 
riations, Scherzo and Finale, from Beethoven's Sep- 
tet Conductor, M. Ed. Colonne. 

— ^The fifth Popular Concert was made notable by 
a remarkably fine performance of Schumann's Man- 
frrd Overture ; by the first Orchestra] Suite of J. 
Masaenet ; and by the successful d^but of a yonng 
violinist, M. Paul Viardot, son of the great canta- 
trice. and pupil of L^nard, who played the Men- 
delssohn Concerto " with much taste and charm." 

If. Edouard Batiste, one of the oldest Professors at tb« 
Paris Conservatory, died suddenly on the 9th Inst. Hs 
was bom in 1820, and for a time was a Page of the Chap- 
el under Charles X. After 1880, he was aent to the Con- 
servatory, where he studied solfeeglo, harmony, the or- 
gan, counterpoint, and fugne. lie waft a pupil of Hale- 
vy*s. In 1836 he was nominated a professor, so that be 
held that position for forty yeara. For more than half 
the time be was organist at the church of Saint-Bustaehe. 

He tielonfced to an artistin family. His father was a fa- 
vorite member of the Th^tre-Francals, and his nephew 
la M. Lto DeUbea. 

The Paris Association of Artlstes-Muslciens was, ae- 

cordiufc to cu»tom. celebrated the 22nd Nov., St. Cecilia's 

Day, in the church of Saint-Eustacbe. M . Oounod*s new 

mass, the M^9W du Sacri CaurdeJ^tHt. conducted by the 
coropo!<er himself, was performed on this occasion for 
the first time. The proceeds of the collection wUl be 
handed to the relief Aind of the Asaoclation. 



WrssBADinr. The winter season has made a good be- 
ginning, and fcreat activity is manifeated in musical cir- 
clea. Besides the two concerts a day of the *• Kurorcbes- 

ter** (one of the two belnj;, evenr Friday, a Symphony 
Concert), there are most Interesting performances at the 
Theatre, where, among other worka, Schumann's Oen»- 
wva and Ommmann s Jieiwiine have recently been 
revived, and where Kretaehmer's VoUMnger is proml»ed. 
The pron^ramme of the first Symphony Concert, under the 
direction of Kerr Jahn, Included Schumrmn's " CSsar- 
Onvertare:" Pianoforte Concerto, Julius Buhta; Air 
fmoi Iphigtniat Oluck: Foneral March from the GW^r' 
dUmmfTunff ; and Beethoven's A major Symphony. With 
one of the two novelties, namely ; the Funeral March, 
the audienoe appeared more puzzled than pleased. The 
other novelty, namely : the Pianoforte Concerto, played 
by Herr Bohts himself, waa loodly applauded, aud the 
composer called on. 



PRA?rKPo«T-oH-Ti«-MAnc». The programme of the 
set'ond Musenms-Conoert Included Serenade. D minor, 
Volkmann; <* NachUied,** for chorus and orchestra, 
Schumann; Scenes from Marschner's Nant Utfinu ; D 
major Svm phony, Beethoven; and a new work, **Meer- 
fahrt,** for barytone solo, chorus, and orchestra, by a 
hitherto unknown connposer, named i. Hencbemeer. Tlie 
vocallats wnre Mdlle. Oungl, from the Stadttheaterbere, 
and Herr Hrommada, from Stnttfipirt.— On the Slit Octo> 
ber, the members of B&hrs Gesan«nr«re{n gave a per- 
formance of Mendelssohn's St. Pcntl. Among the sing- 
ers were If ad. HanfsUngl-SchriSder, Mdlle. Gmnd, and 
Dr, Guns. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, DEO. 23, 187C. 



357 



YiKKif A. The fo IlowliiK Is HellmMbenrer's Quartette 
erenlii); proerainme for the season of 1876-77. I. 8oir6c. 
lAth November, 1S76 : Quartette hy Mozart (6 ina)or>, and 
Beethoven *E flnt. Op. 74). Volkmann: piano trio, B 
minor; solo, Berr Door. 11. 80th November. 1876: 
Brahm*8 Qtiarterte. new. Bach, concert fiir 2 Claviere (G 
major). 8c1i: Herr and Fran Jaell. Obllfcat, double 
ba«s: HerrSimamll; Rchnbert: Octett, clarionets : Herr 
Otter, bassoon ; Herr Krankenhafiren, horn ; Herr Schantl, 
double baiis; HerrBimandt. III. Uth December, 1876 : 
Quartette by Schumann (A major), and Beethoven (F 
minor). Brshms: Claviur trtn. B major, solo: the com- 
poser. rV, 31d February- 1877: Qnartetts by Haydn (O 
minor), and Beethoven (B flat. Op. 130); Grtfdener, piano 
quintette, new. solo: Herr Epstein. V. 8th March, 1877; 
Quartetteby.Herbeck(Dminor), and Beethoven (B flat, 
Op. 18): Brahma, Clavier Quartette (Q minor), solo : Herr 
Schenner. VI. Ooldmark, Quartette, (B fiat), Beetho- 
ven, Quintette, (C majorX 

The Philharmonic Society, under their f amons leader, 
Hans Richter, publish their projcramme for the oominir 
el|(ht concertN : Bach, chaconne in D minor, orchentrated 
by J. Raff; Barsriel, three Oerman dances; Beethoven, 
svmphonles In D.B flat and F; Berlioa, Symphonic ^Vinlat- 
tupte. overture to Kln^ Lear, and to the Onmawtlliomain; 
Bmhm*B variations for orchestra on a mot{f of Haydn; 
Fuchs, serenade No. 2, for strinjred Instruments; Gade 
overture to Osnian ; Haydn, two symphonies : Herbeck, 
XUnMer/ahrtt in five parts for orchestra; LIsxt, />«<- 
kidnge spmphony poem: Mehul. overture to Adrien ; 
Mendelssohn, symphony in A flat, and frairments from 
the " Midsummer Nisht's Dream ; '* Moxart, variations 
for quartette and wind instruments; Schubert, sympho- 
ny in O, and divfrtUi^m^nt if<mqroi9, orchestrated by F. 
lilflzt: Schumann, fourth symphony (D minor); TscnaY- 
kowskl. overture to *' Romeo and Juliet:** Volkmann. 
aerenade No. 1 in C ; Weber, overture to Euiyant^, 



London. 

Cau. RoeA*8 Opbra OoMPAirr. The prodnction of 
the late Mr. Thomas Ollpbant's English adaptation of 
FUMU> adds another to the fairly-earned successes of 
Mr. Carl Rosa at the Lyceum Theatre. We do not say 
that this adaptation is the best that could be wished; 
but It is by no means a bad one, and may stand favora- 
ble comparison with many other things of the kind that 
oould be named. To hear JFideUo, moreover, as origi- 
nally designed, with spoken dialogue, in place of accom* 
panied recitatives, for which Beethoven was not answer- 
able, is always agreeable. Beethoven, in short, is most 
welcome when left to himself. Had ho intended the 
more familiar passages in his work to be set to recita- 
tive, he would in all llkellbood have adopted the reeUatt- 
vo parlanU of the Italians. At all events, any plan that 
hit his fancy would have been carried out more con- 
formably by him than by any one else. Fideliot it should 
be remembered, does not belong to the category of 
" grand opera,** so denominated. It is a pure story of 
human devotion, made up of a few incidents, and the 
music simply gives intensity of expression to the situa- 
tions leading step by step to the dinouemeni. 

The performances of the Marriage of Figaro and the 
Water Carrier sufRced to show that all the means indis- 
pensable to adequate representations of high-class op- 
era were at Hr. Rosa's command ; and what he achieved 
for Mozart and Cherublni he has now achieved for 
Beethoven. About the power of his orchestra to deal 
with such work th^re oould be little question, while 
the thorongh efficiency of his chorus under similar elr> 
cumstances was early proved in the Water Odrrier, nnd, 
quite recently, in Wagner's Flying /HiteAman, a still 
more exacting test. In so far as these important acces- 
sories are concerned, the realisation of Beethoven's in- 
tentions is for the most part beyond reproach. 

The distribution of the chief characters in Fidelia Is, 
all circumstances regarded, singularly good. In Mdlle. 
Ostava Torriani we do not look for a Scbroeder-Devri- 
ent, a Malibran, a Sophie Cruvelli, or aTietjens ; we find, 
nevertheless, an artist intelligent, earnest, and pains- 
taklng. with much dramatic sensibility united to com- 
prehension and thorough mastery of the vocal text. 
This is no slight praise, but is amply merited, and we 
award it without hesitation. Mdlle. Torriani had al- 
ready, by her impersonation of Senta, in the Fl}fing 
DuteKman^ given a tolerably good idea of what she 
could do in serious parts; but the Impassioned devotion 
of Leonora soars far above the mystic sentiment of 
Wagner's heroine ; and her success in the two is a strong 
proof of the versatility of her powers. She has yet to 
throw more of what the French expressively term 
'* abandon " into her acting— as, for example, in the great 
scene where Leonora reveals herself as the wife of Fis- 
laro's intended victim . Here, after the discovery, turn- 
ing her back to Piszaro, she pays so much attention to 
her husband, that, in spite of the threatening pistol, his 
designing enemy might get rid of both of them without 
difficulty. Even while caressing Florestan, Leonora 
should never take her eyes off PIzarro. But such minor 
deficiencies are easily rectified by experience, and we 
hope to welcome in Mdlle. Torriani one who has done 
something towards permanently establishing the great- 
est opera of its kind upon the English boards. In Leo- 
nora's superb soliloquy, the young Austrian imparts as 



much expression to the slow movement (the *' Invoca- 
tion to Hope ") as animation to its vigorous sequel. In 
declamatory recitative she has still something to acquire. 
This. too. however, will come with time. MiAS Julia 
Gaylord is an attractive Marcellina, acting the character 
naturally, aitd giving point to the air in which the gaol- 
er's daughter expresses her love for the supposed Fide- 
lio. She does equal justice to her share of the concerted 
music, and In the opening duct is fortunate to be associ- 
ated with so excellent a representative of Jacqu<no 
(Marcellina's, for a time, disconsolate lover), as Mr. 
Charles Lyall, who in this, as In other characters, proves 
himself one of the best 1)^10 cnmedlann on our stage. 
Mr. Lyall's long Italian tr.ainlng has been of infinite use, 
and serves him to good purpose in whatever he essays. 

Always attentive to the business of the scene, with a 
quaint individuality of his own, Mr. Lyall boasts, more- 
over, the qualities of a trained vocalist, and no music 
comes smfss to him. Mr. Ludwlc: hss to contend with 
uphill work In the character of PIzarro: but he accom- 
plishes his task with genuine earnestnean. and does not 
quail even before the nir in which the despotic Governor 
exults in the coming sacrlfloe of FloresUn. In his duet 
with Pizarro. he has an able coadjutor in Mr. Aynsley 
Cook, whoae Rocco, like that of Tlerr Formes, the best 
of our time, underneath a roagh exterior, revoals a ten- 
der-hearte<1ness which gives a certam poetic interest In 
the character. We have on more than one occasion had 
to praise the efforts of this gentleman, who, a humorist 
In his way, knows how. in such a part as that of Rncco, 
to tone down his exuberance in order to suit the exig- 
encies of a drama which Beethoven thought good enough 
to net to music. The flne voice of Mr. A. Stevens is of 
essential service in the grand Jinale which brings the 
opera to a conclusion. But he should a.<tsnme more dig- 
nity in a situation where the Minister is supposed to act 
ss presiding judge. Mr. Packard, ton, possesses a voice 
fitted to impart due effect to the music of Florestan, but 
he might throw more passion Into the duet with I>H>no- 
ra. He sings the recitative and air In the dnneeon scene 
extremely well, the lant part (with thn oboe ohbligato ac- 
companiment) especially so. In conclusion we may say 
that no performance, as a whole, has conferred more 
honor upon Mr. Rosa and his company than that of 
Beethoven's Fidelio. 

The Flying Dutehtnan maintains its vogue, and drew a 
crowded audience on Satunlay afternoon. In the even- 
ing the onera was Aut>er's Fra Dinvolo. with Miss Gay- 
lord as Zerllna. A fortnight hence the Lyceum will 
have closed its doors upon drama with music, to re-open 
them once more for drama without music. 

On Wednesday night, FauJine, the new opera by Mr. 
Frederic H. Cowen, libretto by Mr. Henry flersee, was 
produced before a crowded audience with complete suc- 
cess.— 7Vm<«, No9. 20. 

MowDAT Popular Cokobbts. The first appearance of 
Mdme. Norman-N^ruda and Mr. Charles Hal14 conferred 
an Interest apart upon Monday's Popular Concert. Both 
artists received a hearty greeting. The accomplished 
lady violinist. In her most finished and graceful style, 
led Schumann's first quartet (A minor) and one of the 
freshest and liveliest of the many works of the same 
kind bequeathed to us by Haydn, father, alike, of the 
quartet and of the symphony. Mr. Hall^ played a piano- 
forte sonata by Beethoven (also in F), second of the se- 
ries of three. Op. 10; and, with Mdme N^ruda and Sig- 
ner Platti, the E flat trio of Schubert, which, though 
numbered " Op. 100 " In the published catalogue of his 
works, was composed a year in advance of the trio In B- 
fiat, marked ** Op. 99," of which Schumann speaks in 
such rapturous terms, as not only " Schubert's last *' 
(written In 1828, the year of his death) " but most indi- 
vidual work." The fact is, that a preference for one of 

these trios over the other can only be a matter of feeling, 
so closely allied aro they in idea and treatment. Neith- 
er Mdme N^ruda nor Mr. Hall^ has ever played more en- 
tirrly up to the standard of excellence for which they are 
distinguished; nor could their efforts have been more 
thoroucrhly appreciated. The vocalist at tills concert 
was Mdlle. Sophie L^we, who gave songs by Beethoven 
and Rubinstein with her accustomed taste, accompanied 
to perfection, on the pianoforte, by Sir Julius Benedict. 
—Graphic. 

Cherubino, the well-known distinguished critic of the 
London Figaro, stating the decreasing success of the 
Monday Fo mlar Concerts, says that he, as well as other 
papers has warned Mr. Arthur Chappell against the ob- 
noxious custom of introdueing stars into the pops. The 
consequence of this mistake is, that, instead of coming 
to hear the works, the public came to see this or that 

artist, and on the evening without star, the audience «ot 
thin. We deplore the decline of the audiences to that 
admirable Institution, the Monday Popular Concert, but 
the star system, against which we have written so ener- 
getically. Is proving a failure everywhere in the end, and 
particularly undesirable in a solid, quiet, solely musical 
enterprise like these concerts. 

Mr. Arthur Chappell has issued a catalogue of the 
works performed at the Monday Popular Concerts during 
the 18 seasons vblch have passed between Feb. 14th, 
1806, when the concerts were first established, and April 
18th, when last winter season was concluded. This list 
includes 1 work by Asioll, 49 by J. 8. Bach, 2 by W. F. 
Bach, 1 by Bargiel, 96 by Beethoven, 1 by Benedict and 
Piattl, 6 t)y Stemdale Bennett, 8 by BoccherinI, 8 by 
Brahms, 1 by Brahms and Joachim, 4 by Cherublni, 14 



by Chopin, 6 by Clement!, 2 by Corelll, 1 by Donizetti, 10 
1^ Dussek, 6 by Ernst, 2 by Creminianl, 2 by Gemsheim, 

1 by Grieg, 15 by Handel, 46 by Haydn, 3 by Stephen 
Heller, 1 by Hiller, 10 by Hummel, 1 each by Kiel, Krom- 
mer, Lejeune, Locatelll, S. J. Loder, Lotto, and Alfred 
Mellon, 2 by Leclalr, 3 by Macfarren, 2 by Marcello, 51 by 
Mendelssohn, 4 by Molique, 51 by Mozart, 1 by Nardini, 

2 by Onslow, 1 each by Paganlnl, Pinto, Porpora. Rheln- 
berger, Romberg, Rust, and Saint-Sa^ns. 6 by Raff, 3 by 
Rossini, 3 by Rubinstein, 6 by Scarlatti, 29 by Schubert, 
42 by Schumann, 2 by Smart, 25 by Spohr, 1 by Stelbclt, 

3 by Tartinl, 4 by Veracinl, 7 by Vieuxtemps, 1 each by 
Viotti and Vitali, 10 by Weber, and 2 by Woelfi; that Is 
to say. In all alwut 670 works, of which 66 have been add- 
ed to the repertory during the last two years. The cata- 
logue also contains the dates of the various performances 
of each particular work, thus forming a valuable index 
to the collected volumes of the Monday Popular Con- 
certs' analytical programmes.— i^aro. 

Miss Abka Mehug has been winning fresh laurels in 

Tx>ndon lately. She gave a pianoforte recital at St. 

James's Hall on Friday afternoon, Nov. 24th, when the 

programme included a Prelude and Fugue In C minor. 

Bach : fifteen variations and Fugue in E flat, Beethoven ; 

Fantaisie, Haydn; Gavotte, Boeder; Impromptu in E- 

flat. Schubert: Toccata in E Major, Schumann; Trols 
Etudes, Chopin ; Nocturne In E flat. Field ; Gnomentanz 
in E flat, Seeling; Don Juan Fantasie, Liszt. 

The Figaro has reason to believe that there will be 
great doings at Cambridge when Herr Brahms and Herr 
Joachim will attend, in the course of the spring, to be in- 
vested with their degrees of Doctor of Music. As Is well 
known, it is usual for those admitted to the degree to 
contribute an " exercise," or musical work, to prove 
their fitnens for the honor. Herr Brahms has expressly 
written for the occasion a new symphony (which was, by 
the way, recently produced at Mannheim), and Herr 
Joachim will contribute a new work of important dimen- 
sions for violin and orchestra. There will, of course, l>e 
a full orchestra, and Herr Joachim will play, and Herr 
Brahms conduct. Th's event, ** which we shall, of course 
all look forward lo, bids fair to be by far the most im- 
portant of the present winter season." 



^^^h lournal of S^usk 



BOSTON. DEC. 23, 1876. 



Harrard Musical AModation. 

The third Symphony Concert (Thursday after- 
noon, Dec. 7) was as follows : 

Overture to " Alfonso and Estrclla »• Schubert 

Piano-forte Concerto, No. 3, In C minor.. Beethoven 

Allegro con Brio— Largo — Rondo. 

Miss Julia Riv6. 

Allegretto, from Symphony No. 3 Gade 

Rhapsodic Hongroise, No. 2 Llszt 

MtsH Julia Rlv4i. 

First Symphony, in B flat. Op. »8 Schumann 

Andante ; Allegro vivace— Larghetto— Scher- 
zo— Allegro animato. 

The appreciative audience, the largest of the sea- 
son so far, was uncommonly responsive to the car- 
nest and Buccossiul efforts of the orchectra, and 
seemed to feel the spirit and intention of the music, 
and enjoy it heartily. Certainly there is no mistak- 
ing the improved tone and temper of the orchestra. 
The Schumann Symphony in B flat, — ^the freshest 
and most unflagging in its inspiration of all the four 
(and they are all gteat) received a very spirited and 
brilliant, as well as discriminating, delicate nnd just 
interpretation, — ^the fruit quite as much of careful 
practise in past years, as of the special rehearsals 
for this concert. It was exciting and absorbing, 
through every one of ita elaborate movements, and 
g^ve no one a chance to Ihink it was too long. 
Possibly some one came prepared to think of it as 
" eld : "- did he feel older white he listened T 

Schubert's strong, grandiose, and very animated 
Overture, for the moat part heroic, but relieved in 
the middle part by a bright and charming melodic 
subject, thoroughly original, and which does hot 
recur too often, wa« well played and pnt the audi- 
ence in good mood to welcome what might follow. 
It has not Schubert's common weakness of prolixi- 
ty, but is remarkably concise, well rounded and ef- 



358 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



ftfciive. This Overture wts first heard here in the 
seventh season of these concerts, snd has been re- 
peated in several seasons since ; bat it is one of 
those things not likely soon to lose its freshness. — 
In that same seventh season wks ^vcn. for the first 
and only time in Boston, 6ade*s third Symphony, 
in A minor, Op. 15. It has a delicate, poetic beau- 
ty throughout, though as a whole it was not felt to 
have the stamp of decided power, and ^o has never 
been repeated ; wo seldom or never meet it in the 
European programmes. The best part of it, a fine 
little gem in its way, is this delicatA and fairy-like 
AUfffret'o, all in a subdued tone, with muted strings, 
and yet swelling now and then to such full, rich so- 
nority, simply by the intrinsic resources of harmon- 
ic structure, as may convince any one that the blaze 
and imnderosity of modern instrumentation are not 
essential to true power in music. It was a dainty 
morsel in the middle of the feast, and delicately was 
it presented. 

But the point of freshest interest in the Concert 
was the first appearance in this city of a young pi- 
anist, who during the last three years has won al- 
most unstinted praise throu^rhout the cities of her 
native West, as well as by two performances before 
the New York Philharmonic Flociety, and during 
the past summer at the Centennial in Philadelphia. 
M)s8 Julia Rive, born in Cincinnati, U a young lady 
of twenty-one, of an artless, unsophisticated charac- 
ter and manner, full of musical enthusiasm, devoted 
to her instrument from esrly childhood, and pos- 
sessing a remarkably quick, sure and retentive 
memory of most of the Important pianoforte works 
BOW current among concert players, which reminds 
us of Rubinstein and Billow. Her father, whose 
sudden death a few years ago cut short her studies 
and her opening career in Germany, was French ; 
her mother is an Alsacienne, at one time a distin- 
guished concert singer and teacher in the West ; 
and to her the child owes the first musical impulse 
and training. She had instruction from S. B. Mills 
and others in New York, and at the age of about 
sixteen she visited Europe, studying at Dresden un- 
der Blassmann, at Leipzig with Reinecke, and with 
Liszt at Weimar. At Leipzig and Dresden she ap- 
peared in concerts, and had numerous flattering of- 
fers for her services in Europe, when she was called 
home by her fathers death. 

By her quiet, unaassuming air the young artist 
took with her audience at once. In the Allegro of 
the Beethoven ConceKo her fine touch and remark- 
ably clear, sure, finished execution, equalled the 

highest anticipations. Her scale passages, however 
rapid, and arpeggios were beautifully pure and even, 
the full chor Js firmly planted, and all the ornamen- 
tal graces very delicately felt out There was only 
wsnting somewhat more of power, at least for such 
a hall. Her execution of the very elaborate and 
diflicult cadenza by Reinecke was brilliant in the 
extreme, and we have hardly heard her rapid oc- 
tave passages surpassed. Yet as an interpretation 
the performance was not faultless ; there were lib- 
erties with tempo, especially too much ritnrdando in 
the more singing passages, which must have been 
embarrassing to any orchestra. It would seem that, 
with all her rare accomplishment, she is yet in some 
Important respects a child in art, and has something 
yet to learn in the way of musical conception in . 
dealing with such master works. With more expe- 
rience she will play more steadily. Perhaps it is 
that her life so far has been preoccupied in the ac- 
quisition of all this remarkable technique and in an 
immense amount of memorizing (for we are assured 
she could have played any other Beethoven Concer- 
to, or any other Rhapsodic of Liszt at almost a mo- 
ment's warning,) so tnat the real intellectual life in 
music has but oegun for her. But there is no de- 
nying that she plays eon amore and with fervor, and 
snows a nature truly musical. This was more evi- 
dent in her beautiful rendering of the deeply poetic 
Largo, and in the point and finesse whicn she re- 
vealed In the Ronao, so often treated as a simple 
commonplace affair. She is much at home in Liszt, 
and played the Hungarian Rhapsody with remarka- 



ble brilliancy and sn^tjiin«»d power. Since the first 
app«>arsnce of Miss Mehlig, no pianint in these con- 
certs has called forth such demonstrative applause ; 
and her rendering of that strange and difficult first 
Allegro from the "Viennese Carnival Pranks" of 
Schumann, with which she answered the encore, 
seemed to us the best nf all. — We shall all be glad 
to hear more of Miss Riv6. 

The fourth Concert Is postponed to Tue^datf (the day 
after Christmas), and has the following profffamrae: 

Part f . Concert Overtnre. In A. Kiftm; Plsno Con- 
certo, In A minor, Sckmnann (Wii. H. Sherwood).-^ 
Part IT. Pastorsl ffjrmphony. B^fthnftm ; Tenor 
Rone: '• Adelfll'le,'* Beetkovtfn (W.J. Wxxon); Jubi- 
lee Overture, HVftrr. 



Annette EodpoC 

The young Russian pianist (wife of her Russian 

teacher Leschetiski). who has risen to such Europe. 

an fame within the last two or three years, came to 

us last week, modestly heraldfd and advertised, — 

came, gave four concerts and, slowly, it must be 

confessed, but surely, conquered. And that, Uto, 

in spite of the extravagant laudations of the New 

York critics, who prnnouneed her equal and even 
superior t-o Rubinstein and Yon Bulow. We think 
such comparisons sre idle and even misehievous; 
they render a would-be discriminating audience in- 
crc<lulons and slow t^ bn convinced ; besides, that 
is not the point of which one cares to be convinced, 
so much as of the positive artistic virtue of the ar- 
tist in herself. We do her wrong to judge her look- 
ing at another. This incredulity may have been one 
cause of the comparatively small and cholly listen- 
in? audience in the Music Hall, on the first night 
(Monday. Dec. ll>. — a coolness, too, which seemed 
to be reflected in her own performance ; for, won- 
derfully perfect as it was in many ways, the witch- 
ery of an inspired Art was scarcely felt that night. 
Not that she slighted anything, not that her mental 
concentration on each task seemed not as complete 
and real as her consumn^ate technique and the quiet 
self-poasession of her manner, which was altofrether 
lady-like and charming; but, somehow, the magnet- 
ic current did not seem to flow. Yet even then 
there was enough to make it easy to accept her as 
facile prineepti among female virtuosos. Then too 
there was a certain disappointment in the meaere- 
ness of this, and all the programmer, for a public 
spoiled by the lavish opulence of Rubinstein and 
Bulow. Here is the first one : 

1. Overture—'* Nowse dl Fliram " Mosart 

Orchestra (Ifr. Ferillnsnd Duicken), Condnrtor. 

8. Grand Concerto E MsJor Chopin 

Madame Annette SsslpofT. 

8. Bonf 

If Irs Afrneae Palms. 

4. Concerto for the Violin Leonard 

Monsieur Alfred Vivien. 

6. a Des Abends 5tchnmsnn 

ft Oavotte Olunlc-Brabm* 

e liCs Deux Alonettes TjCiiehetlxkl 

d Inlermeno Hans von Buelow 

Madame Annette Bsslpoff. 

6. Song —^ 

7. Caprine FantaJitlqne. (Violin) Wlenlawski 

8. Fantalsie Ron8Toi«e» No. 14 LIsst 

Dedicated to Hans von Buelow. 

The orchestra was small, such only as can be 
picked up here on theatre nights, and, under indiff-, 
erent conductorihip, did not conspire very sympa- 
thetically toward a satisfactory performance. Tn 
the Chopin Concerto what we first felt in Madame 
EHsipofTs playing was the wonderful elasticity, 
force, delicacy and certainty of her touch. She 
seems organixed for the piano ; the beautiful move- 
ment of her hand and wrist is worth watching for 
itself. The stroke, with a fine cat-like strensrth and 
subtlety and certainty, liehts on the key infallibly 
with just the needed shade of power, whhether of 
utmost softness, or lightning-like incisive accent. 
And each note, even in the most rapid passages, is 
so beautifully rounded and so individual, the quality 
of tone so shaded and so colored, if we may say 
that of an instrument of fixed tones. Then we 
thought of the consummate technique, the perfect 
evenness and beauty of the running passages, the 
masculine firm grasn of chords, the finished execu- 
tion every way, and the quiet ease, the even poise, 
with which everything is done as by one who had 
long since ceased to think of difliculties. Her 
phrasing is as faultless as her precision is infallible ; 
every figure, every motive stands out for itself, 
while it is stit loyally in right relations. We must 
remark here, however, what we perceived all 
through the week (perhaps she has cultivated the 
habit for concert eflect) that she is apt to set the up- 
per part, the melody, in almost undue prominence, 
shading the accompanying harmony so much that 



the left hand seems weak in comparison with the 
rirht. That she felt the Chopin music and con- 
ci i/ed it in a true artistic sense, we saw no reason 
to doubt, although we cannot say it was the most 
in<piring interpretation we have ever heard of that 
Concerto. 

Her rendering of Schumann's " Des Abends " fthe 
first of the eight PhaHtMie-Sfueke, op. 12) did not 
quite give us all that we are wont to expect from it: 
either she or we were not just in the mood of it. 
The other little pieces were a* bright and winsome 
as could be desired, especially the two AUmcUeM, 
The 14th Jihnpeodie Hongrmae of Liszt, which wa4 
with orchestra (but half rehearsed) wa^ a most bril- 
liant piece of vlrtnosity. Mme. E'tslpoif was re- 
pentediy recalled, but honored no encores ; the ex- 
ample command** respect at least. 

We pass to Wedne^sy evening's programme, 
when the orchef^tra was droppcl, leaving it a Cham • 
ber Concert In the spacious Mu^ic llall. The audi- 
ence ws« even smaller than before, the weather 
beine: fronty and not kindly. But hnw can anyone 
expect a Chamber concert andience to crowd that 
Hall T Neither Rubinstein nt>r Bulow did it. and 
the smallest audience of either of the three would 
be counted a large one in any hall for music of that 
kind in Europe. 

1. Grand SonaU. C major, opna ft3, Beethoven 

Ifadame Annette RMipoff. 

S. Introduction — "Cadensa ed Adisio/*. .VIeaxterapa 

Mnnsleur Alfred Vivien. 

3. MIsero, che faro Pacini 

Ml** Aene«e Palmn. 

4. a» Noetnme, Field. A,Tranmeswlrrea..Pchnm4nn 

5. *' Reat in the Lnrd. ' Mi-ndel«sohn 

6. a. Berceuse, opus 63, b. Maxnrka, e, Vata'« Chopin 

7. Polonaise Wietdawakl 

Monsieur Alfred Vivien. 

8. Scherso, C sharp minor.. Chopin 

The op. 63 of Beethoven, one of the most original 
and imaginative of the Soni^a«. we have more than 
once heard more satisfactorilv interpreted. Tt was 
begun too loud, when it should steal up«>n ns with a 
distant murmur, swiftly developing in force and 
purpose. The short Adagio, which is but the pre- 
lude to the fairy-like and fascinating Rondo, was 
rather stiflTly phrased ; but the Rondo itself was ex- 
(^uisitely rendered ; it wns like a play of Northern 
lights with stars gleaming through them. The 
Nocturne by Field, one of the simple originals of 
that form, required no great art; it was gracefully 
and simply played, the melody (as we have said be- 
fore) being stronely msrked and set forward in a 
strong light. The Schumann piece (another nnm- 
ber of op. 12), expreasing dream bewilderment, is a 
most Jack-o'-lantern little fancy, and was most deft- 
ly execnted with a light and rapid fairy tonch. The 
Liszt Eindf. which we ditl not admire as a coropon- 
Uon. displayed the fair srtlit's virtuo^Wy in asaston- 
ishint; a degree as anything. Tiie Brree**^ of Chcv 
pin wss given with a lovelv evenness and delicacy, 
though we nerer forget Rubinstein in that. The 
MazHrka{\ti B minor,' op. 8S) eeenfed t^ us attacked 
in rather too pert a style ; but afterwards the lead- 
ing theme recurred in a more subdued poetic shad- 
ing, its brightness more suffused with sentiment. 
The Waltz (in A flat, op. 42). was exquisite play for 
her fleet, even fingers. But to our mind the great 
performsnce of that evening was the last, the ylgor- 
ous, impassioned Scherzo by Chopin, which waa 
brouglit out with the most impressive power and 
breadth. — Again the audience admired, but was not 
carried away ; again plenty of resalls, but nothing 
added or r 'peated in response. 

Third Concert, Friday evening. This time the 
fire did burn, the listeners (still fewer than before) 
were all aglow; and so too seemed Mme. EssipoflT; 
they thought her " in the mood** for once ; we likn 
her all the better that she is not always so; it 
seems more real and more human ; we cannot but 
suspe'^t the inspiration that is always at its heights 
Programme : — 

1. Toccata Baeb-Taoaig 

Madame Annette EssfpoiT. 

2. Song 

Miss Affnese Palma. 

3. Andante and Sclieno, B minor Mendelssohn 

Impromptu Scbnbcit 

4. Orand Concerto* D major Paffaaint 

Mons. Alfred Vivien. 

6. a, Variations Ramean 

ft, Znr Qultaxre.. •...••.••■.. •■ ............. ritller 

c, uravocce ...•..•.*............................ miaa 

Miss Agnese Palnuu 

7. Legende/arranged expressly for Monsfenr Vivien), 

Doldcen 
Mons. Alfred Vivien and the Compoaer. 

8. Valse,Aflat RuMnstela 

Tausig's remarkably effective tran9cription of 
Bach's great Organ Toccata in D minor waa superb- 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, DEC. 23, 1876. 



It p1«Te(I, eivine It an c.rr"i "kfi briliii»ncy unci 
bniillli. Tlie Andunta nnJ Sclierco bv McindeU- 
«uhd (the Init two of tlie aeTcn pieces in Op. 7). >l>e 
fi>nner Id E minnr. the Istlpr In K insjor, were fini?- 
1t rendoreil. etpecinlly the light itncrBto, ■Immt the 
flntlar of Inxvct w'mi^, ot Kha elRreiKnirly rapid 
Scliprio. Tpt wo dun) m.t suv it on* qal(i- ii|i to 
BijIoWi rrnderlne fin Hint Binrniv nii;ht wlili-h lie 
devuled tn UrpieUfuAm «nd ^cliiiiiinnn I Tl» 
Sehunmnn Impmrnpln wm (fiven to |>erfpi.-l,inn, wilh 
■II Its pnetrj- and Krare. each varialioii eottAag with 
a new. irf^^^ Ritarm, The otiier llirle riei-M. all ex 
qiiiiitsin the jxTrnrinancp, demand litllu notice nf 
ttiemielvFa. Sn vc paca nn, npidty. to fUlurdayV 
MBlinta. when Hma. E«ip<iff lie^fan with a vtrv 
fine, pppreelolive rendering uf raii»t nf thu little 
Stinrt iligvoffrt nt Rcliumann'a "Cami>al.' mnit- 
Mnc a Tew whleh cnuld tw apnpfd. Then a en>ii|> 
from Chnpin: a Niielnme, and Malurkn. bntli Tav- 
(irlte*. and the leia fnmil'ar P.tnde In flat ninjnr, 
that rapid fli;;lit of tri|.leti ulnyed liere ni,t loa^ 
tinee by Hr. SlitTWnml. and here *et dnwn ae • 
" Study nn the black key* ; ' ve ean riincel'rc or 
nntliiR); finer tlinn her rendering ol alt Iheaa. The 
"Ui>c>nU2lit3<»iaU''l«> wa* winderritlly well In- 
terpreled, vlth inch Health of tone, unci uicb ei- 

Ereative aecenkln tlie fimt movement, that the great 
■II wai inxthiet with Its deep sentiment and (xietry. 
She GloMed the concert with ■ Wilti aler Strausi ; 
■■ Wlr leben nnr einmal," l>j Tauiie. Immenaely dif- 
ficult and Tar from lieautifni wo thon^ht, Tt sei-meil 
to US that Tirlnoaitj could go n» lorther, but ••t 
audi feata we cannot pretend to aet the liinlta. We 
would bave preferred a nMiler work fi>r the laM hn- 
pmulon of su rare and interesting an artist. 

We hare not mentioned her a«il*lant>. Of the 
singing the leant Mid the better. Uons Vittix in * 
good, sound rloliniat nf the Belgian achDol. who 
doe* all in a atralghtrorward. honest and efTectlve 
manner, with plenty of exerntlnn. Ii'tefiil and bril- 
liant, wlthonl afTeutiitlnna, albrit mther e-'ld. 

—We feel tliat we have l>y no meana heard the 
whole of Mme, EuipolT. She haa left n> with a 
strong desire to hear her more, and in belter pro. 
gramiDCS. «ad lo know her better. If Ruhinsleln 
and BQlow gare us ratlier n nnrfelt with their lin. 
Inensa programmee. ahe hai left u* witli an appetite. 
We fear It will be Ion; l>ef.ire wo hear any piano- 
plajingto compare with it, unleu she coiue again. 

Chamber Coneerti. 

The UnniELLSsonN Qui:<TEnc Cldb gave two 
good Concert* In Bumitaiid Hall, on Satnrdiiy ar- 
enlnga, Nov. SE, and Dec. S, Each began and end- 
ed with a eoncerted work for strings In classical 
form, two of which were new, the other two eetab- 
llahad fitrorltea. Each offered a naw ainger, freah 
■nd full of promise. A few ioatrnmeotal anlria filled 
out the remainder of the programmea. TheSeitet 
(Op. IB, ia F) by Brabms icnpreaaed oa on this lirat 
hearing aa ooe of the beat of the new worka we 
have heard for some time ; strong, conaUtent. full 
of thooghta well developed. — an the whole, matic 
one could readily enjuj and wi»h to hear again.. 
We confess it opened not ao prumiringly : bnt, a* it 
developed, it grew more and more interesting. The 
AndanU has a noble seriea of variati'ina. The 
Btringa sounded s.HiiewhKt ronshly in tlist hall, but 
un the whole the rendering wan good. That Con- 
cert cloKd wilb the beautiful and genial elglith 
Quartet of Beethoven, Iho E minor of the Itason 
mowabv set, reniirrlinbly well led by Hr. Allcm, 
whose Violin plaviiiK Is better than ever. The olng- 
er, Uisa Ella C.'Liww. of Purllan.l. won Imniedialc 
favor by the rich, aymiiatlietie quality of her voice, 
not large in ci)mpaB», and by the elmpli-, warm ei- 
presaiun with wlilch she aHDg a Sanda Maria by 
Faure, a Serenade by Rnffand a Song by Tauberi. 
Hr. Enwikan Hkiidl's dule hlajing (Pantaiaie on a 
Slavonic Air) was "f maolrrly perlevtlnn. 

The a«:i>nd concert opened with B Q'lartet (G- 
mtnor. Up. 90) bj Rnbliiatein, of which we could 
make nothing. Short, apasmndic paasngea and 
phrase*, like the rhaflng of a caged wild lieaiit. — 
beginnlnga leading to nothing,— fruitless Impulse 
and endeavor, souod and fury with but little niusli-, 
— iaall we can recall vt the first (nuvemenL The 
rhythmical oddtly of the second niuvenient (Alle- 
gro) in Jiae-tight time, waa only a enriudty. It 
might have been Buggested by eoma Rnaalan dnnee ; 
but rrally five-beat rhythm la no rhythm ; it would 
pniile any ear to tell where any mcaaura began, or 
tu mark any regularity of accent. The Adagio waa 



more like mniic; the Finale lull of the wild Cos- 
aack. — ITow rerreshini;, aatiafying, after this, to hear 
the noble Schubert Quintet wilh two 'Cellos I This 
waa finely played. 

Hiaa E. A. HiiHpnaiT. still a pupil. Ihoiigh rhe 
has travelled with the Club, has a soprano voire of 
much power and sweetnew and good cnmpwa, re- 
markably Irne *nd even tlironghont; and she wins 
the trying '■ Infgllce ' of Mendel*sohn with cwmI 
conception and a high degree of style and eiCL-ntiim. 
She aroini to he in the right way to make a ain^er 
Her two aonir* by Prana: "On a Thorn bu'h " and 
'■ In May," were v..ry nieolv eiin-,', tlie littrr warm- 
iy encored.— Mr . nrsSIO irnve nn ailmlrable render- 
ing nf a Serenade tor the Vhil'.nrello liy Lindner; 
and Mr. Allik played " Le T<im>H-au." one of the 
m^ny Sonata* bv one of thi^ bM of the old violin 
pnmprKem. Li^lnir, who flourished under I.auU 
Quini- in a vorv fii.i-h-d and arli^tic manner. 

—These were' vervenjovahle concfrla. and more 
of the same Mirt woiild he welcnma. But nnw thi< 
Pleiad group (ihe finger makea the aevrnth itxr) is 
travellint; away westward to Its remote aphelion. 

Ha. a:(d Maa. W. H. Sncnwonn'a Pitxn REorrALi. 
Wa were compelled to lusa the first, (Nov. 27), of 
wliiuh the reiHirt wa« flntterlnir, (he prn!;ram-nH re- 
mnrkahle. hut much too I-inir. Mr, Shi>rw<io<l nlaved 
a Prvhide and Fugue of Barb : Sonata, dp. 31. No. 
S. of tWthoven ; ■ Prelode. Walu and Song with- 
out Worclii of hl« own ; Fugue bv Rheinhereer. Ser- 
enade bv Bnblnaleln. and Linit'a arranirement nf 
the T'lnnAJuvr March. Hra. Sherwoml plaved : 
Thalherc'a Etude in A minor: Barcamla, On.' B3, 
Bk. 4. bv Itnbinstein : Etude, bv Chopin, in F. Op. 
in, Bk. a; Scherao, Op. 1. by 'M.wfcow.kl : " Kv- 
prlK " (new) by .lensen ; andtoccatina. G minor, hr 
Rheinberger. The arllstcnnple alio plaved. on two 
planoo. Ihe Andante and Variations, in B flHt. bv 
Schumann, and Henselt's Arnni;-Tn>-nt of IheGrand 
Duo ConcerUnie by W-her. Op. 48. 

The secnnii Recital (Union Ilail.) laat Tuoday. 
had thia programme: 
Cbromatlcrantalileanit Fngrne Bach 



Sonau, Op. 1*1 Bestlii 

If la. AtierwaAfl. 

a. Taeal,"r>er Nni 

b. "Uarfo". 

c. OldOcrman Snrini; Song 

Mr. fleo. L, Oaiinnil. 
Bondn, Op. 13. C majnr. fortwoplann* Cfaopln 



3 Sctauliert 

...Uut- Wagner 

. . . Frani Llait 



— But we muat take another opportnnity to tell 
of the fine impres.i|on which tlie perrinnancfw. al- 
most without exception, made upon a cultivated au- 
dience.— " Special attreetinnK " will ho ofTered for 
the tliird Reclul, vet to be announced. The Phil. 
harmonic CI nb will appear In tbe fourth, Feb. S. 

Hali Pait-So^o. Wo ean hot allude to the very 
beautiful atnging of the Botutom Cluh at ita fi 



ensemble so finely blended, and the harmony so 
pure. The reud-rtng of nearly every number En a 
pr'iicramme simply of part-song*, hut choice, was 
such as lu do tlic highest eredit to tbe choir (now 
rained to very noar IDU voIcck). and lo lu capable 
onnductor, Geo, U Oaoonn. — But there Is a limit lo 
the charm of mern men'* voice', which tbe alntcers 
Iheniselvea, the beat of them, are beginning more 
and more to feel : and we are triad to learn that the 
BovlsUm Club is Ukln^ Ihe Initiative in affiliRting 
with itself a chorus of mtzed voices, which will b«' 
both numerciua and aelect, compntent to perform 
CanUUs, tie., with orche«ra. 

CnniatHAS OaAToaio. The perTormaneo of the 
" Usstlah' tomorrow evening will probably be in 
many respects aocli as lo give a fresh Intorest to the 
grand old work. It will be done with the adi^d 



a::cnnipnniinente by Robert Frani, and wlUi a new 
and truer phrB«ing fnr the inalrumsnts carefully 
marked by Mr, Zerrahn, of which we copy an ac- 
count nn annther page. The solo singers are named 
in nil the newspappra. 

The fourth IIabvard Concert iap.-ittpnneil to Tuea- 
dny, the 2Slh, (d:iy after CbriHtmns). The pro. 
in-amme we have eiven.— In tile fifth (Jan. i). Mad- 
ame Cappusi will sing •• Son piu di fiorl.- from 
M")^art'.>. Tilo, bexidr* songi. The Svmnhonv will 
heOnd.-'. N... 4, inBfl:it.— Mi"triT.tOAr.TWOwill 
sin? In Ihe Oth concert. F.-b. 1 ; and Mme. ScniLLiB 
will play lu one of tlie follnwlDg cimcerts. 



[•lanil. ladeeil they weri a m'lsenil. fi-r the luvj wi-nther 
In winter and tbelUntlni lee In ttie lur, na-le tlie l<>ur- 
ner tn New Yiirtc not onlj le thm* and Ait aareeslile, hot 
, ... . jiu^ . ^ iiijt Invera of tnxe 

rom enjnylng tbsir TiVoriCe 
origin of the Philharmonic 
n oriinnlnd mto s uonpsBv. 
Mvrn in (he courwi of tbe 



ra often delnrred 1 



uf tills wepro|io«to Mmii a sliort eritlrl>m, 

Ttispcrfo'inera hnveh-xl manf iliAlmltlealoovereonit, 
not Ihe smnllest being Ihe retj limited 'lie of Ihe hall. 
The ■cnustl'! smno<m*nta are pn-ir, and Che platfonn, 
with a ETsndpiann. Isslngularlyorsraped, ■llowlngonly 
aeveu n^rormers to bo upon tbe pisiform at inir one 
lime. This or eoiirne tlea the hiinilB <>f (he innalcal man- 
nirer Mr. Werner verr much In the choice of ma-lc, 
■llowliiff nnPT nunneira. irfna. s-iloa, oraeptetlea to be 
pli.r«1. sod lie deserre* sll prslae Int his able aelectkin. 

m i eviflentir made to driw sn andlencel 



ucii promlnenoB wasjrlven to the piano, 

.1,1.11^ or the yiolnneejlo. whteh abould )i]aj 



itnKly ab^wn In the Ballad 
was I'lmlralily piKTeri. bow- 

rmtr ilenclenclea : ihe trip- 

BUK timo or Ihe hiionai-- — - -.~.ii— •!. >—* --j 
r, Hsmm kent hll on. 

vented them fnmi fee le Hnmlln 



Bi<-ell'nt1> marked and 



. After the eieellen 



-le which 



,-, , ,,- — - _ — jh had preceded 

'lias musin stnoiront In It* ime llirht of slar- 
ine ononrwi. It la Um raahMn to artmira flerllna and 
Oirmhnch. we know, Imt atlar all tbev are hot clap-irap, 
nnJ talne to all tnie mD«lcil Idoaa. MlBs Henne*, voloe 
Is a heiutirul Contral'o, bnt apoile I b^ bad taachltw. 
Bhe ha* a wretehe<l method and that o'lloait titch of drag- 
line' no fmin one Dots to another, rivtnx one (he lienefit 
ofiheentlre camnu Shonld Iha iniervalbe from the 
tnnic to the dnmlnnni, ahe makea you heir ihe Iblrd md 



iwonleoeaofblBnwn.an 
mil finlwtic. HlasRem 
■anKB. anmethlne at 
— voia IbB'-Trattrat.-. 
il flnlBheil Ihe conce 



■ inueinil'r, Hoirui.inn plavert 



ivenlDgvnia lbe"TTallmerei"Dr&cliun 



Cnic.ioo. T>KC. 8. — Since mv last letter we have 
loid th- Ki-lloKg Endi"h Opera ft>r two weeks. 
They played to overftowlng houaes in. UcVlekar'a 
Uieatre. All their representaiioiis were enjoyable. 
No repetlliims were given. Their mmi serious sf- 
liirls were devoted to Wajner's " Flying Dutch- 
man " and Heyerbcfcr's " Star of the Niirth." I find 
both these works stupid. Of course both of ihem 
are beyond the resources of thia truupe, still the 
performances were enjoyshle. The managenwnt ia 
entitled to great credit (ar the llherallly and oonr- 
Agc ditplayed In these serious nndertaklngi. The 
7K'.M« prononncea the Znei's repreaentation the 
beat they gave here. The Kellogg people were very 
fortunate in coming ao aoon after Strakosch's Ital- 
ian troupe, for that waa so tntslly and frlghtrolly 
bad OS to maks the mnit ordinary singing sound 
wall by contrast. Bat Uisa Kellogg neada no audi 
allowance, her perscnalions evincing caref^il study 
and oonslderabis Intelliganr - '' ' ' 
uf course, very enjoyabre. 



r ainglng w 



DWIGHT'S JOUKNAL OF MUSIC. 



Lut HoDiilif night Mr. JuliugFuchSKavnaaolr^e 
of hii paptU at Binr'* masic store, iioticeable Tor tU 
great IcDgth and the monoloay ot the progratame. 
The playing waa Tsrj good and spoke welt for the 
teacher. Ilr. Fachs I had occaaion to mention, I 
thinlc. some yeara ago, aince when t have lost sight 
of him. He came here in ISSS or '69, and has 
plajed in public seter^l timea since on the organ 
and piano. I believe be leada ■ (lerman singing so- 
ciety, and at one time he organiied an orchestra, 
d la Bllse, Straost, Gllmore, Thomas, with beer ob- 
l^alo. But It did not soccoed. Hr. Fuchs Is a floe 
maaieal icholar and a good organist and pianist: 
and t eannot'help thinl^ni{ that under a dllFerent 
atate of things (that ii, with raon encooragpment to 
ehamber music) bis ability might be used more 
productively. 

Mr. Florence Zlegfeld gave a solr6e with some of 
the pupils oF his so-called " Maslcal College.* at the 
Hethodlst Church, about ten days agn. T«u who 
there appeared play remarkably well : Miss Wich- 
ard (who baa a fine toucli). and UIh Clara Murdoch 
(who has more technique.) Bath these are leach- 
era In the "College." 

I have taken the liberty of placing the name "col- 
lie" between inverted commas, not because I wish 
to Inslnnate anything against the thoroughneaa or 
otherwise of the aehiKit, but simply to signify my 
disaffection toward all saeh high-sounding, inappro- 
priate titles, to which we run entirely loo much In 
America (thouKh Hr. ZiegFvtd and hit teachers are 
Germane.) For. to apply the term " Cnllege" to a 
private academy, having neither stated courses oT 
■tadv, public exam I nation a, nor any kind of college 
maehinerv except the name, seems to me entirely 
unwarranted and in bad taste, although imfortunate- 
1y not illegal. I say all this, It will be observed. 
without the slightest intention of disparaginir the 
teaching there, for I ]»rionally know some of the 
teacbere and Mr. ZWfeld himnelf to be well-educat- 
ed ninslclant: bat also e<|UBl1y without Intenllon of 
traleing. for it Is Impossible for an outsider to reallv 
rarn anything deflnlte about the qnality oF work 
dons at such schools. Once In a while they pro 
duce a good player. This, however, does not signl- 
qnestion Is : What Is the oMrojrr work done 



Ihere? And to this q 



istion 



ible ti 

the great wcakaeaa of nearly all onr music schools. 
Kot>ody Is allowed to visltaclaas. Therels no pub- 
lic examination. Courses of study are not published. 
I suppose the schools in Boston are better mansged ; 
and I have also found Oberlln leas reticent. It must 
also be admitted that the public cares very liltle for 
Ihomugbness; nr rather, perhaps, It is too good- 
natuied, and, like charity, " tliloketh no evil." 

The first concerts ot the Apollo Club tooV place 
on Tuesday and Thursday of this week. Owing to 
the Urge number of associate members, the concert 
hnd to be duplicated, half the members coming one 
night, and half 'he other. I suppose the two audi- 
ences would '■i^i.iunt to very nearly all thousand 
fiople. UoUiirmick liall waa crowded both nlghla. 
he programme was this; 

«. Bj C.lla'i Sli.r.... V.'-.V. '.v.. '.'.'.'-. '.'.'.'.'.v. Morsley 
t. a. flrHllngloChicsgo{MaTobe1 KunkS 



Franke 

Ileiald 

IlKatolir 

....Bacli-Ooiinad 



:■ ''?"'; 



<,pli.no 



Orei.tls Jetaovnh(Dle.lllmitctit) Schubert 

Diifs arrBnjtemcnl. 

B. Pansl Qruid F:Lntaide '.Kunkel 

e. Berenade^ ' SunllRhi bath begnn" Abt 

10. n. Hlrdie'B Gooil-liye Taobert 

b. Bird Song Taabeit 

HIM Tboriby, 
(Bncore— Bubtnste1n'B"'TIiaur'ttlkealovelT 

11. etoraiSDd Blaasing Kalllwoda 

The programme was too long, and too many » 

cin-n were allowed. Tbit club numbered sovenly 
two nndei the direction of Hr. Wm. L. Tomli 



fesled throuchont their very fine training. 
On the second night the first tenors went down a 
little from the pitch toward the close, but as a whole 
the intonation waa unaaaally good. The attack 
waa fine and the shading very delicate. The pian- 
'wimo was perhaps made something too much of. 
The volume of lone and the solldily of It In the 
fortfM and -tighiia" (as the girl said) were most ad- 
miral.le. Si.lll aometbing remains to do. When 
the Apollo Club becomes able to sing such a chorus 
as Schubert's " Die Allmacht ' with the same solid 
inUmatlon that they produce on simpler works. fAsM 
t shall know that summer Is nizht. If any leader 
can aecure this, Hr. Tomllns will ; and I wsit to re- 
port bis success. What seems to be lacking is a 
thorough appreciation of the modulatory structure 
of the music, and in this direction every concert 
shows some advance- I have not availed myself of 
an Invltalien to attend a rehearsal, but purpose do- 
in|T an presently. It speaks well for the choir mu- 
aic of this city tbst every ffood leader is a member 
of this carefully trained club, and so la In a way of 
coastant Improvement. 

The Club has lately occnplad new rooms in the 
American Express Company's building, where they 
have a readingroom and a ball. Financially and 
■oelally, as well aa musically, the Apollo Gob is in 
a fine cimdllion. 

Miss Thursby made a splendid snecesa (and even 
a furor on the second evening.) I find her sinring 
-ery enjoyable Indeed, although her voice Is hardly 



form 

The duet playing of the Runkel brothers waa very 
accurate and spirited. Thry have considerable 
technique, and In the Saint-9aens variatlona on a 
Beethoven theme appeared to great advantage ; for 
there tliey manifested no smsll refinement. The 
second evening they played a Polacca of Weber's 
arranged hr Lisit, ti> whose arrangement, where It 
lacked in brilliancy (I), they had themaelvea added 
pasaagra. The result was a very brilliant and dash- 
ing piece, though somewhat wanting In the reserve 
of true art. i'o pnt It mildly, these gentlemen 
are not noticeable for feellnft and sonl In playing: 
and In their own pieces. I must confess. I was re- 
minded of some new and very superior kind of 
hand-organ. — such were the mechanical precision 
and anlomnton like qualities of the play. Thepre-s 
here with one accord gave them "particular fits," 
aa the saying is. 

And speaking of the preas reminds me that the 
7Tm<a here spoke of the Bach-Oounod " Ave-Harla" 
aa being from Oounod's '' Faust." 

Hr. Emil Liebling gave his first recital tA-day. 
I will speak of hia playing more fully 



Dut tai 



Fa. The Philadelphia Inquinr, of 
Dec, 15. has tlie Mlowing. Tfae vocal soloist 
ferred to Is the daughter of the late president of' 
Boston Handel and Haydn Society, now a reald 
of Philadelphia. 

Thb Abior Hooibtv Cosobbt,— The Arlon Boelely, of 
Oennaulowa, Is one of the nnmnrooa male cfaorui 



whli'h have spruBK np In this eitr durl 

ade. The Arlon haa been orgaDlaed r< 

ive last evenInK lis openlns entertainment of tbe 

■■— — '--ew leader, THr. Hichael H. Crosa, 

ipetltorlD this braiiah ot mustcal 



Gr::'.r 



nd mom; auditorium, w 
[ceedintrly good, ai 



qualliieinfthi 

A lion Solely i 

The selecilnns oHered embraced 

and tliedLfTeTencea of expression ..._ , ._ 

■erred. Tbe bodvorTDlceslnoarponiIea(?1remarkabl!r 
well, and tbe varied aubjeeu of &e different seV— — 
were quite skllfullv represented, Ttai' "Exile's 
bv Curacbmaon.wlib Hr. Peabody's baritone sc 
Hacfarren's "Autumn." call tor particular pratf 

The vocal sololat of the evening was MIh Ta 

Banes. TblaTODnglady baaan agreeable preaence, a 
very Kood mice, and, evidently, a mualcal ndncatlan. 
BelnEietqolteyoung, ibe poasaasea more poaalbtil"-- 
tbanaclnalltleB; but her voice baa a wealth of po 



■ere amoag tbe moat genuine plea, 



IptM Uotitts. 



rBkllakoai »v •llrer OltavK * C*. 



Teeali witk Kaao Aeaaupaaliunt, 
Song of th« Sen. For BasB Voice. BA. 4. 
ftod. CBmi Staff.) EeetTt.¥l 

"Backward and forward, nsder the mnnn. 
Bwlngetli tbe tide In Its ttme-wnm swajr." 
A Krand, KroRnd^wetlswinsto It. Carrrttto 
aea with you.Jollj jacbtameni 

Don't (arset to Wrll« me, Darling, tllna- 
tnted Title. O. 3. o to D. Xmmfn-. « 

" Write, If onlr but a line." 
PleaaluK ballad, In popular ityle, 
A Song to \t.j at the Feet of ra; Love. 

F, S. c to F. OdbHO. M 



tolay 



Mof wi 



To leave 


W^t: 


•z 


raeteriaed with the taato 
wordi, and of TlrKlola 


Ocoan Toicea. 


u. 


i. 


ctoE. Ft»lUL 


Aw 

gan«s 


;ii>kinV™uS 

rr KOod kind of 


see tbe Saa-foda 

■pray." 

nng, nnltlnir Italian ele- 



The Path by the Brook-aide. Song and 

Choral B6. SL f to 7. Fyfce. ao 

" Our beirta were aa litrht as the HIImi, 
That aprlHK from the soft dewy aod." 
Words bj Oeo. Cooper. Smooth and Rood moale. 
Fat o'er die Wentem Hills. Even'g Hymn. 
SoloB and Q't D. 4. a to a. JohtMo*. tH 
" Bonn to my mental slEhl 
Kartb will be ahaded." 
A very beantlfnl hymn, and emtetlve mivin. 
Tenor, and fui Baritone or Baa^ 
Only a Glance. C. S. o to F. WoUf. U 

" But I know that mv beait. In the years to conw. 
Will beat true aa It iloea today .- 

Should be a verv effective sonfc (or a parlor or 
pBbllD pfrlbmunoe. 

laatfiantal. 
Tone Pictures. Six InatruotlTe Plecea by 

J. Lnye, each M 
], Good Homing, (UorgengniM.) 
S. Hemorr. 4. In the Free Air. 

3. Happy Play. 5. Evening Rest. 

6. Spring Tiding*. 
These are nsativ srtannd for nuiD hmdt. are 
fingered, and well oontrlved to make stQdj agre< 

Twelve Eaiy Pieces for Tlolin (l«t Posi- 
tion) and Plaiio. By ^cAfrenr, each, 4u 

I, CaniODotta: S, Nocturne; 3. Bon- 
groiae; 4, Wild Rose; 6, Gavotte; 6, 
Saltarella; T, Polonaise; 8, Andante 
and Rnndino; 0. Themasnd Tar; 10, 
Uenaetto; II, Fairy Legend; 12. Hanh. 
Zleicant little Instmotlve places. 
ida. " Beyer's Repertoire." S. I 

This Is No. M of the Rapeitolre, and each nnm- 
her contains a few of tbe best alr> of on* opera. 
Thns tbe set intTodn«e us to SS opcma,wlileb 
are about all of any preaent promlneDce. 

Trnpromptu. Op. 143. Ab. 4. ScAuftert 30 
A well thoUElit out impromptn that will well 
repay acquaintance. 
The Happy Return (L'henrenx Retonr.) 
Caprice UrllUant. For 4 Handa. E6. 4. 

Shervxiod. l.H 
Of a bright, rlancine brilliancy, reqnIriB I an 
eaayanriiiiHnKliand. Tbna It differs from moiit 
4 band pieces, that (bow power rather than llght- 

Tariationa on Sicilian Hymn. 3 Perfonn- 
en on the Organ. I.OC 

^' 11 of Eugene Thayer's "Albnm." 



U,elc. Alarge Romanletler markalhelowealand tbe 

iiahest note If on the slafl, small RomsD letters It btloW 
ff sbnve the SMB. Thii>:"C. B. c to X," meana " Key 
If C. Fifth dcRTTe, lowest leiur c on the added Uoe be- 





nxml 





Wholk No. 932. BOSTON, SATURDAY, JAN. 6, 1877. 



Vol. XXXVI. No. 20. 



For Dwlffht's Journal of Ma«io. 

To the Tone-Art 

Translated from the German of CmintAir Fktvdbioh 
Davzu. Sohubabt, Mnalcian and Poet. 1780-1791. 

BT KATHAK BA8KKLL DOLS. 

Ooddess of Music, on pinions of axnre, 
Cam'st thoQ from Heaven, 'monfj^ mortals to dwell, 
Tan&rbtest them piping and harping and measure, 
Playd'st on Jove's gfift. the magical shell. 

So that the l^easts and trees 

Danced to thy melodies. 
Sorrow and Sadness, in cloudy array. 
Fled from thee, powe^nl Goddess, away. 

Then to the harp*s exalted measures 

The tender passion thou dld'st sing, 

IMd*Bt sing of love's eternal pleasures. 

And fire with feeling every string. 

Goddess of Music, on piaions of azure, 

Cam*st thou from Heaven 'mong mortals to dwell 

Then did*st thou touch the chords 

Of grief too deep for words. 

And sweet teartf followed pain, 

And hearts grew light again. 

Goddess of Music, on pinions of azure, 

Cam'st thou from Heaven, *mong mortals to dwell. 

The strings then uniting 

To gleeful delighting. 

There came in a blooming throng 

The joys of German dance and song. 

Goddess of Music, on pinions of asure, 

Cam'st thou from Heaven, 'mong mortals to dwell. 

Then up to Heaven the Goddess rose. 

And joined the blissful choir of those 

Who sing before the Eternal. 

With mighty power she touched the Organ keys. 

And glorious harmonies, 

In majesty supernal. 
Like Ocean's waves, with Hallelujahs rolled. 
And fugue-like, stmck Heaven's vaulted roof of 

gold! 
Goddess of Music, on pinions of asure, 
Cam'st thou from Heaven 'mong mortals to dwell I 



■ ^mm > 



On the Smplojment of the Orehertrm 
in Chiueh Muiie. 

BT B. H. TUBPnf . 

(From the London Musical Staadavd.) 

(Condnded from Page 354.) 

It if interesting to note, that in the middle 
of the sixteenth century instrumental compo- 
sitions were taking definite forms. Fantasias 
were fint written when instrumental harm ony 
came into use, sometimes for comets, but gen- 
erally for Tiols. From such brief and simple 
pieces were developed in Italy the ** Sonata di 
Cbiesa" and the «' Sonata di camera.'* The 
sonata of the church was distinguished from its 
worldly neighbor by a graver style, and con- 
sisted of short slow movements intermingled 
with fugues. These compositions were at first 
written only for stringed instruments, and they 
date back to about 1680. It is a matter of sur- 

Erise that the sacred or church symphony should 
ave but one modem representatiye, the intro- 
duction to Mendelssohn's **Lobgesang." 'The 
general want of orchestral means in ohurchea, 



and the proper distrust of too large a use of 
music, may account for such neglect. The 
** Sonata di Chiesa," evidently sugsrested to 
Bach the forms of his great organ pieces, and 
afterwards to Mendelssohn his organf sonatas. 
Bach, it is acknowledged, took many hints in 
the composition of instramental music from 
the Italian composers still living in his earlier 
period, CorelH and Vivaldi, though their works 
were intended for the chamber and not the 
church. From the latter half of the sixteenth 
century we may trace the growth of the orato- 
rio, a musical institution of a value and inter- 
est at least equal to that of instramental form. 
In the seventeenth century composers of real 
power wrote oratorios, as Stradella, and that 
great inventor, Carissimi, to whom Handel is so 
much indebted. 

The proper plaee for the oratorio is the 
church, though in England, its modem home, 
its character was somewhat changed by Handel, 
and it was, I think unfortunately, transferred 
to the concert room. Recent revivals in St. 
Paul's cathedral and elsewhere have shown us 
what a powerful means of creating religious 
impulse and thought the oratorio'of the church 
is still. The festivals on St. Cecilia's day held 
during the latter part of the seventeenth and in 
the first half of the next century, in France and 
England, were to a g^at extent church festi- 
vals. The Te Deum and Jubilate by Henry 
Purcell, in D. used upon such occasions here, 
are interesting to us at this moment, as illus- 
trating the kind of sacred orchestration then 
employed upon special days. The score was 
for 2 violins, viola, bassi, and 3 trampets. To 
these. Dr. Boyce in 1755 added 3 oboes, 2 bas- 
soons, and drams. Purcell's organ part was 
in accordance with a fashion which has pre- 
vailed far too long, a figured bass part. 

By the end of the seventeenth century a great 
school of church orchestration had arisen in 
Italy, and one which, to my mind, offers ex- 
cellent models to the church composer. This 
S'oup of illustrious Italians included Carissimi, 
urante, Clari, and Leo, and following these 
weie Pergolesi, Martini, Jomelli, and others. 
These men were great contrapuntists, yet writ- 
ing with elegance, pathos, and sentiment. 
Their instramental parts display great inven- 
tion, but are never overloaded. Relying chief- 
ly on the strings, strengthened by the figured 
bass of the organ, their coloring was sedate, 
and not too frequently heightened by the use 
of 2 oboes, 2 trampets, and sometimes 3 horns. 
One of the Psalms of Leo, a composer possess- 
ing large grasp and lofty thoughts, is set for 
two choirs and two orchestras. Each of the 
instramental bodies has its complement of 
strings, the oboes playing in one mass, the or- 
gan and trampets acting with the other. At 
this period the trampets were always written 
for in D, but the horns were crooked in all the 
keys in frequent use. The music then written 
for the thin tubed trampets played with shal- 
low mouthpieces sorelv tries the players on the 
modem instraments of that name. 

To Bach, to whom it is now time to tum, we 
are indebted for several orchestral improve- 
ments. We And in his scores the orainary 
flute, the flauto d'amore, or alto flute, playing 
a minor third lower than written for, clarinets, 
bassoons, besides the more commonly used 
oboes, trampets and drams. He also employed 
trampets crooked in other keys than D, some- 
times, as in one of the church cantatas, intro- 
ducing three of these instraments. He likewise 
used several kinds of alto and tenor oboes now 
obsolete, the parts for which have, in recent 
perfonnances, been rendered by viols. Even 



Bach only assigned to the organ chords from a 
figured bass, and with the exception of one or 
two movements, as in Handel's ''Ode to St. 
Cecilia, " we meet with no fully written organ 
part, before the one in the score of Mendels- 
sohn's '' Hymn of Praise." As I before stated. 
Bach, to a certain extent, orchestrated, espec- 
ially the accompaniments to solos, with groups 
of the same family. Thus we sometimes find 
the harmonies of a piece sustained by two or 
even three and four flutes of different kinds; 
sometimes he would employ the oboes in a sim- 
ilar manner, the bass, however, being always 
sustained by the strings. Such a method gives 
an organ -like quietness to the orchestration. 
When the Lutheran church was founded, little 
or no provision was made for musical worship, 
but very soon chorales and the Psalm chants 
were used. The organ quickly became the fa- 
vored instrament of Protestantism; and by 
Bach's time the orchestra had no place in the 
usual services, being only specially employed, 
as in his great church works. 

In England the orchestral anthem held its 
place at the Chapel Royal for a while. Han- 
del, when chapel-master to the Duke of Chan- 
dos at Cannons, wrote a number of anthems 
and some services, scored as his oratorios were 
for strings, oboes, bassoons, trampets, and 
drams; though in the concert room he some- 
times used flutes, horns, and other less common 
instraments. Though invented in Germany 
about 1604. that most valuable instrament, the 
clarinet, (which being played with a single 
reed, nevertheless springs from the chalumeau 
as the oboe family did), appears flrst in the 
scores of some of Bach's church cantatas, and 
it found no place in the English orchestra be- 
fore about 1780. 

Orchestral use continued to flourish in the 
Roman Church, especially in Austria, some 
parts of Italy and Germany, and in Belgium ; 
m fact hardly a single Mass was written with- 
out orchestral accompaniments. How differ- 
ent has been the musical treatment of the Com- 
munion Services of the English and German 
Lutheran churches I The scores of the Masses 
of the great German composers from Haydn's 
time were based upon those of the Italian 
school immediately preceding the labors of the 
father of the modern erchestra. The combi- 
nations and the peculiarities of Bach's scores 
were neither reproduced nor imitated, and the 
low pitched flutes and oboes were speedily dis- 
used and forgotten. Haydn generally em- 
ployed the complete group of strings, two 
oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, two homs, 
two trampets, and drams. It is curious to ob- 
serve the marked absence of the flutes from the 
church orchestra after Bach's time until quite 
recently, though the instrament was fairly cul- 
tivated elsewhere. In the interesting score of 
Haydn's Fourth Mass we flnd the organ spec- 
ially employed in the not very dignified auty 
of imitating the absent flute, pretty groups of 
demisemiquavers being thus inserted in the 
** £t incaraatus est." This is almost the only 
special use Haydn made of the organ. Mozart 
usually had to write for churches with but lim- 
ited means. His church scores include two 
violin parts, bassi, oboes, trampets, and gener- 
ally drams. The viola is often missing, and 
the clarinets are usually absent. Handel's skill 
in making the most of two violins has been 
commented upon, but for artistic work in this 
directioif, he must give place, I think, to Mo- 
zart. His remarkable treatment of the two 
parts is specially seen in the complete harmony 
produced, the sonorous distribution of the 
chords, and great mastery ever the technicali- 



•»^^m 



362 



DWIGHT»S JOUENAL OF MUSIC. 



ties of the violin. Two of Mozart^s church 
scores deserve special notice. That of the mo- 
tet ** Splendente Te Dens,** which is written 
for full orchestra, including the flutes, clari- 
nets, and probably for the flrst time in modern 
church music the long banished trombones. 
The noble Requiem Mass is scored for the full 
set of strings, two comi di bassetti, or tenor 
clarinets, two fagotti, two trombe, three 
tromboni, and tympani. I am not going to en- 
ter into the question of the authorship of cer- 
tain parts of this sublime work, but my con- 
viction is that only Mozart could have conceived 
the poetical effects of the score. Everyone re- 
members Uie remarkable trombone obbligato 
part in the ** Tuba minim," the first solo for 
the instrument ever placed on paper, I believe. 
This is only one feature of many. JX is less 
satisfactory to note that Mozart lent his great 
powers to an abuse of the church orchestra. 
The employment of artists in the private chap- 
els did lead naturally to special performers be- 
ing specially written for. In Mozart's Twelfth 
Mass, the authorship of which, however, is dis- 
puted, we note his efforts to display not only 
the principal sinsers but the oboist, witness 
the Benedictus. I do not wish to say that in- 
dividual excellencies are not to be utilized, but 
I protest against the obvious display of mere 
executive skill in a church score. The subdued 
and poetical violin obbligato to be found in 
one of Mozart's motets, it is only fair to point 
to, as showing how well he knew how to judi- 
ciously avail himself of real artistic worth. 

Beethoven viewed the Mass from his own se- 
verely conscientious point of sight. The inde- 
cently noisy ** Kyries ' and other jubilantly 
set solemn passages of Haydn and Mozart find 
no places in his scores ; though we may fairly 
protest that his setting of the '*Dona nobis 
pacem " is in both his Masses over-strained and 
over-orchestrated. The score of the Mass in C 
is for full orchestra, without the trombones. 
It is a model score, for the colors are every- 
where carefully subordinated ; and though one 
or two brief solo passages are given to the clar- 
inet and other instruments, there is nowhere a 
too marked display of individuality. The 
score of the Mass in D is a gigantic conception ; 
full of breadth, tenderness, majesty, and pa- 
thos. The whole of the resources of the mod- 
em orchestra are here employed. An instance 
of the instrumental obbligato occurs in the 
Benedictus, the violin having the special part. 
In the ** Sanctus " we find, after the manner of 
Mozart, the gnn^ sacerdotal accent of the 
trombones. These instruments were but little 
used before this period ; and though employed 
by Handel in his Funeral Marches, ana men- 
tioned by Haydn as being newly introduced 
into the orchestra, we owe to Mozart the som- 
bre grand pronunciation of the heavier brass 
instruments. Gluck had previously used them, 
but with a fierce and savage expression. As a 
fine instance of the organ-like use of a mass of 
strings, I would notice the prelude to the Ben- 
edictus of Beethoven's greatest church work, 
from which Wa^er probably took a hint in 
scoring an exquisite passage descriptive of a 
peaceful old world Sunday morning. Beetho- 
ven makes no provision for the use of the or- 
gan in either of his Services. Such neslect is 
not only to be regretted as an overlooking of 
the special faculties of the organ to which I 
have alluded, but because such a master 
would have given us thoughts worthy of the 
instrument. 

Schubert wrote several fine masses. These 
were scored for bands of the calibre which Mo- 
zart had to write for. One indeed has, like 
Purcell's **Te I>eum," only two trumpets to 
represent the wind department. It is curious 
to notice also, as in Mozart, the absence of the 
viola in several works, and the nearly equal 
skill with which Schubert makes two violins 
cover almost the ground usually taken up by 
three upper string parts. This composer's first 
church score is the Mass in E flat, written for 
full orchestic including trombones, but curi- 



ously excluding the flutes. One movement 
contains a fine and early employment in church 
music of the upper register of the violoncelli. 
Weber's two Masses are crowded with well 
considered instrumental points ; his pet instru- 
ments, the clarinet, bassoon, and horn, being 
specially cared for. The score of the well 
known Mass in G has two points of importance 
to the student, the religiously-toned chords for 
two bassoons and two horns accompanying the 
soprano solo ** Et incamatusest," and the lofty 
burst of harmony from four horns resting upon 
the low notes of the bassi in the Sanctus. The 
attempt to sustain the flrst chorus of the Credo 
with only two clarinets and two bassoons is a 
failure . Some of Hummel's church scores are 
of interest. The Mass in 6 flat employs strings, 
most of the wood wind, but only two brass 
instruments, with the drums, the two trumpeta. 
Splendid service to the cause of church music 
was rendered by Mendelssohn in different ways ; 
he, however, wrote little orchestrated service 
music, possibly through his Lutheran predilec- 
tions. As a charming piece of scoring his * 'Da 
pncem Doroine " should be mentioned. The 
wind used, clarinets, bassoons, and horns, are 
employed in a broad organ-like manner. 

The orchestral use has been for ages only oc- 
casional in France. Grand Mass is still cele- 
brated there with only the unison Plain Song, 
at times relieved by an indulgence in a little of 
the old feeble '* faux bourdon:" accompanied, 
however, generally by bass brass instruments, 
and otherwibe by a number of violoncelli and 
contrahassi for the most part used in the uni- 
son. Of course the chancel and nave organs 
are employed in these services. An orohestrjil 
mass is there a distinct musical service, and is 
regardeil as a specially artistic display. The 
great church scores of Cherubini, written for 
his adopted country, are of interest. He em- 
ployed the full orchestra, but was sparing in 
the use of brass. The March written for the 
Coronation of Charles the Tenth is a favorite 
instance of his broad, simple, earnest manner 
of orchestrating for the church. The only 
brass instruments here employed are two horns,* 
and that instrument favored of France, the 
ophicleide. The scores of his Requiem Mass- 
es are extremely picturesque, not to say dra- 
matic ; yet throughout there is a subdued man- 
ner and an absence of restless love of tone 
change, only realized by the master who knows 
what to leave undone as well as what to do. 
Cherubini's string parts are splendid models to 
church composers of solid, elegant writing. I 
add with regret that Cherubini also neglected 
the organ. 

There is in the library of the Roman church, 
as elsewhere, a strange want of appropriate in- 
strumental movements corresponaing with the 
organ voluntaries. There is in this direction 
great scope for composers. The custom abroad, 
as here at present, is the use of Symphony 
movements for such purposes, and I am sorry 
to add even marches and opera overtures. 
Haydn's pathetic movements originally written 
for strings only, and afterwards remodelled as 
the Oratorio *'The Seven Last Words," must 
be mentioned as the almost solitary contribu- 
tion to the stores of instrumental church music 
made in modem times. These touching ada- 
gios were written to be played during a Good 
Friday meditative service in Seville Cathedral. 
During Advent and Lent the Roman Church 
denies herself the use of instrumental music, 
at least during Mass. However, several set- 
tinffsof the grand old hvmn **Stabat Mater 
Dolorosa " should be mentioned. That of Per- 
golesi, for two voices only, is scored for strings 
with an ** ad libitum " dgured bass. Haydn 
and others, setting this same hymn, employed 
larger orchestral means. I need not say that 
RoMini's popular but very theatrical setting 
was scored for an orchestra of the largest size, 
and was written for a wealthy Spanish Monas- 
tery. The oratorio of the church became the 
property of the Protestant branch, but was al- 
most completely neglected from the time of 
Bach, until its revival in Mendelssohn's '* St. 



Paul." It is unnecessary to say that its peca- 
liar feature was the congregational chorale. 

The real home of the oratorio is the church. 
Spohr was greatly struck with the effect of bis 
own work **The Last Judgment " when heard 
thus. In England the Oratorio did not appear 
in church until late in the last century, when a 
number of festival meetings were instituted or 
held as separate events. But in these cases the 
Oratorio was too much regarded from the ea- 
tertainment point of sight. We owe a large 
debt of gratitude to Mr. Bamby, Dr. Stainer, 
and others who have assisted in the late Bach 
revivals, in placing the Oratorio in its true po- 
sition as a meditative and uplifting form of 
service music. I sympathize with those who 
deplore the extinction of our old village church 
orchestras; for notwithstanding their incom- 
pleteness and defective ezecution. they might, 
with care, have been of use in naving the way 
towards a better recognition of orchestral use. 
It is a matter of curiosity that the darinet, so 
recently introduced into England, should so 
soon have found Its war into the country 
church bands. The clarinet, however, is a 
pre-eminently useful instrument, and its tone 
oeing more subdued and less piquant than that 
of the oboe, it is a more satisfactory aooompan* 
iment to the voice. 

Very little orchestral church music was pro- 
duced in this country during the first half of 
the present century. Attwood wrote for the 
coronation of Geoige the Fourth an effective 
anthem, admirably scored for the complete 
modem orchestra. Coronations and Royal 
Weddings seem always to have been celebrated 
with orchestral use. I most onoe more turn to 
France to notice the remarkable score of M. 
Gounod's flue Grand Mass written in 1853. 
Among much of interest must be noticed the 
poetical restoration of that ancient instrument, 
the harp. Its employment in the work I am 
speaking of to the words *'Bt vitam ventori 
ssBCuli," is a stroke of genius, even though one 
allows it is ouite a French attempt tu realize 
prevailing ana orthodox notions of the celest- 
ial music. One of the many good things Dr. 
Stainer has done for the art was the. re-intro- 
duction of the orchestra into St. Paul's Cathe- 
dral at the *' Sons of Clergy '* Festival of 1878. 
He then, too, attempted to solve the rather 
difRcult question as to the use of the orchestra 
in chanting. The experiment was, I think, ja- 
diciou9ly confined to the ** Glorias" of the 
Psalms. It is not desirable that instruments 
should be used with the organ for chanting, 
the words being rendered more indistinct by 
instrumental additions, and the players* diffi- 
culties in following the recitations are not 
slight. But it is possible effectively to use the 
orchestra in the Psalm ** Glorias." The band 
in many ways can be grandly employed in ac- 
companying hjmn tunes, and where procession- 
al and recessional hymns are used, certain of 
the wind instruments, as in olden times, caa 
with advantage attend the choristers. Baches 
oratorios are now rapidly taking their places ia 
church. Haydn's '* Seven Last Words" has 
been heard satisfactorily in Manchester Cathe- 
dral under Mr. Pyne, the organist, and at St. 
Peter's, Bays water, under the direction of Mr. 
F. M. Lett. 

Orchestral use has found utterance at St. 
Stephen's, Lewisham, St. James's, Hatcham, 
and many other churches. Some few yeara 
ago Dr. Sullivan experimented at Holy Trini- 
ty Church, Brompton, with trumpets and trom- 
bones; the same instraments had, indeed, been 
previously use«l with the organ in one or two 

Krovincial towns. Among a now goodly num- 
er of orchestral services mention must be made 
of useful and highly effective settings of the 
evening canticles by Dr. Stainer, Mr. Gadaby, 
Mr. E. Prout (who has also contributed a fine 
organ concerto to the store of instrumental 
music available in church), and very recently 
by Mr. H. J. Stark. Mention must also hie 
made of a communion service by Mr. W. S. 
Hoyte. Lately we have had in the way of ac- 
companying Plain Songy bold attempts to in- 



BOSTON, SATUEDAT, JAN. 6, 1877. 



tTodnce mwiea of modem valre brast inatrn- 
menta. Such ft return to the old comet tail 
•ackhnt pnctiees mAv have some (tood results; 
but it is not the snlutido of the charcb orcbes- 
tm qnettiou. Only k jiidleioui ate of the full 
orchestra, wisely tempered b; the organ, can 
Kftliie the artiitic conception of a complete 
and perfect mDiiuil service. Tfiere are tiro 
difflcultiea not to be passed orer: these are 
taninfC of JDfltraments, and their position in 
chnrch. Strings brint; the mnat senoas tunini; 
dlfficaltJM with them, and are played with 
what, in chnrch. looks like an nnseemlj amount 
of action. With discreet artists the tuninn 
SifflcDitj maj be fn^atlj rednced ; especially if 
snch care is backed by a little firmness on the 
part of the director. If the music is really to 
be aatisfactiiHly rendered, the instruments must 
be tuned first, before enterinf; chnrch; and 
then tried with, il should be, m tittle ostcntk- 
lion a* possible after the players hare taken 
thrir places. In ancient times both sin^ters 
and pjayera occupied In great churches, at In 
fn«At hails, the minstrel frsUery, which In 
church, however, wu usually placed on one 
side of the chancel. There are three ways of 
facing the difllcnity of poaitioo satisfactorily. 
One IS to pince the orchestra out of sif^ht. 
another to boldly fli the orchestra with the 
choir; and, if surplices are the rule, to surplice 
the instrumentalists ; and another, and common 
p<Mitinn abroad. Is that of the western (mllery 
with the orftan, in which position the players 
are bat little seen, having the congregation In 
front of them. For many reasons I prefer to 
tee the orchestra placed with the choir in the 
chancel. One serions point must not ha over- 
looked, tf orchestral use is to be encouraged ; 
that is, the importance of taakingthe pinjera 
actually take part in the service, and not, so 
to speak, play outsideit. 

Notwithstanding differences of chnrch dis- 
cipline, and types of retii^nus feeling which 
have in one direction tended towards the or- 
chestra, and in the oiher sanctioned the use of 
the organ alone, there has ever bem a yearning 
for the nas of all instruuients la the grandest 
acta of public worship, and a strong belief that 
snch worship must be the hi;;hest type we can 
offer of that complete and final wursntp which 
ahatl be heard in the sang of the Redeemer. 
Orchestral nse should be the rule, not only at 
festivals, bnt on every Bundav in the Cathe- 
drals and principal churches. In no case should 
ItMtmments be employed, however, otherwise 
than In a subordinate sense ; thus it is first cec- 
ewary to ^reatlv Btrensthen our choirs. The 
custom of introducing into small churches com- 
plete orchestras without either sufficient voices 
or strings, is to be earnestly deprecated, as 
liable to turn a solemn act before Ood into an 
exciting revel of vulgar sounds. Now the re- 
ligions world is awakeninif toa better estimate 
of the real valne of worship music, let ourcom- 
poaers bestir themselves, and with a deep sense 
of reapoDsibility and a complete knowledge of 
tha effects of orchestral coloring on the henrts 
and aouls of men, raise up a noble school of 
orchestral church music Such music should 
be unfettered in style, yet gtuidly contrapun- 
tal in detail; vivid in expression, yet ever re- 
served in manner. To this end the strings 
should be chiefly relied upon, and the organ 
mnst be specially written for. It may be urged 
that a eompoaer finds bis hands full enough in 
handling only the orchestra; but the success- 
ful writer of church music must lesm to place 
the king and emperor side by side, as the nigh 
conditiona to be fulfilled in wonhip music are 
only to be realized by perfectly combining the 
emotional life and splendid colors of the or- 
chestra with the calm majesij and abiding 
•otemnitj of the organ, and by subordinating 
both these vast powers to the fitting and rever- 
ent expression of tbe words of life, which ei- 
■reteion mnst now, and for ever, spring from 
^~ *nd voices. 



nuk i-lac», last nlchl, st ih* Cnllfce n»II, In Bhai 
lltcot. nnrt affnrdsd jr«»t d*1lcht t" • "T largB aiirli 
<ne>: Wtlh Ih* ciooplion nf ■ few oiRUi performanre 
>j the IndffatLBahle Ut. Juile. tlie progromin? rOBilBtc 
inlirplrotPurMirsanthMM. wid tbese were remletp 
rim treat ability bj Ih* smill hut well drilled «n 
riH-aDy powerful choron of He new Boclely, s«tsled i> 



najatr ol oi 



muilii of tiio hieh"" 

A concert commenced, Ur. W. L. Ratblon 
the enterprise In a brief apeMh, In whli'.h bo 
lony to (be leal of the lenmed and eothuilis- 
or, Mr. Jade, snd tn t)w earmul tin Jlea of the 
r the locLetx. thus ermine utlolpatlona 
Mtlffictnry la luij were not dliappolnled, 
ul perfnrnied Sir Geofge ElT« 



iltrch, It 



■■Rejui. 



" vu t^ilteii. It Is for threo ioIhm an^lcborui, 
la taag with EOod eSeet. thn reraes beln^c nt^ 
lij Ueun. J. I,, and T, J. H.iRhe» and Mr. C. W. 

ek of tbe maslDul nnd aoEeUi henair of Furcrtl's 
IralmnslcwhlPh. If one closes one's eye»,speni.i 
a fairy fubrto all tbe much- 






tlalad. 



le detlcioua rspetltion In the " ReJolOB " aotham 
orrl. "AEalnl my rejoice," and the niuilol 

which they are set. Simple as !< the nwonrre. 
issthlBgloar^anior In thenecond nnthem, 
Thon art niy Ood," was altonlrrt a fine BpwI- 
'arcell-a taller ityli 



rclMllIt 
le work which told hes 












preteion 
heartsU 



(or each otber. One of Pnrcell'a : 



JnEenbnIilaoDapTolaiiKed "nU wbQe ih 
e Tn aottly and aisUDAiIy with the wor 
M eoDchidlnE chorni ■• exiibamnt In lis re» 
nnclonded naMiadaand Inry. In the eoor- 
1 nnct of tlieprvKnunme. Mr. Jude render 
; StewsrCa concert fanin^a tn D minor w 
Illy nnd nrletr. and the oholea or It dlil 

Jiiit'^'o'enio perfarm^ncea by reeonllpg hia tharougU 



The second part of Ibe pnigrai 
wirno'S the gnut achleTement ot 

niiWtiieLofd" had not only tbsai „ 

flrrnni. KDd at the aarae Una the tooat popular antbem 

•1 hiy^lal awMtneu and point, uartlcularly by Mn. Holwrt, 
wIki hutaveivehaTnirnKToIce.afldan artlBIlo mannef 
or uilnz It. 'ItwiB imperaUvely eneoied, and repeateil 
thrniiichanc. Tblaanthem Is almorta saered drama, — 
■■; !■■»« a very eUboniW aDBDe of maalcsl triumph.' 
tlii'iooBtmiimillcentaaale; and It* vartetjr I* not W 
tiiiblnzthulupowsr. The paswue lor Hw ti>ar v< 
o ■, Inwhloblheworda-'tMllnc orhl* ealratlon frc 
dav w day" are so woDdeitully trealod, Is a marvel nt 
IK i'lerly simplicity, or uf aiaple elemenU gclraUBotltf 
o->mbtned iDUa perfect eiiireealon of aentlmeni; but 



Dui cKunot om aB«iii««. t* "■■ '■■ "■» "«* «■-. .■"- 
birt parUoalarly dlatlngolahad benell; and het sartnei. 
tlipa1i«,lboUKbaerTou,u«Kln very oiceUeol apirli, 
and made many polnii fcry aalubly. The baaao bad a 

!i>i>d voice, bat hii alnclnit decidedly lacked flnUh. In- 
'fiU l( Oie concert of raiTntitht left anythlnR eonspieii- 
o^islv to be desired; it oas (hat one mliibt hear tbe ssma 



..n.crlrnVwith tie splendid power with 

I hi* conoeptlDDt evlitently ■b'V"!!*!,^^.^'^' 



Purcell 

^ ^_.j of hH 

ooDsertcoaolnded with the oiqnlslU'lr 



p,ii'tlcal '■ MylKloTed ajHdw." 

iri<i~t licauElful lm>KSB drawn , 

ersoloraon. Wliiif coald be tnara ItaTlliltii' than th; 
ll.ilf.monmrnl, "Tbe rain l« over and jpinB." rollowfl 
bv tiiBhooyani,"Theflowiirssppo«f?'^ Therompn-er 
iikisi bate had adramUlG niiKlcal faculty >uch ts let 
hi'.-c rivalled himln. tliouitb be never tlrMed from the 

ittlmlci7 of lesaar aicrsd lyrists.— Zlsfrpool Do1» /^•t- 



The Oaenenioh Concerts at Cologne. 



of vverydsy thooglita, and, st one atroks. thi 
thp public into an exalted musical frsnie of n 
This comltlerstlnn. probably, decided the aelct 
ot the EttrganHu Overture ; for, il any overl 



ever forced their way by tholr splendid and heroic 
nature Into the musical heart, Weber's overtures dn 
" r when perfi 
by which o' 

Lve rendered them their own. Bnt the 

imber. "Palm-Sonnt«g-Mor([en" (" Palm 

■ninR.") br Ferdinand Hiller. for lopra- 

nn. female chorus, and orchestra, aosrcely required 

hsve the way thus prepared for It. It eonqnrrs 

by iUeir, thanka to lU nnforeed, flowing, natursl 

melody. Hiller'a pecolisr talent for combinlnR the 

irious tone^iolori, more eeueclsliy of women's 

ilees. reqnirea no special acknowledeTnent here ; 

imerous crestlona of hIa In thla branch of the srt 

e lovinely remembered by everyone fond of mu- 

X Whenever we hear one of them, onr senses are 

ptivnto'l afresh. 

To psM frnm the eomposer to the solo player. 
Hiller now seated himself at the piano, and played 
Hoiarl's Pianoforte Concerto in D minor (complet- 
Ihe 10th February, 1T85, and entered as Op. 
64). Considered In reference to the pianoforte tech- 
lies of the present day, Hoiart's Concertos are. It 
s true, shnoit child's play, for Moasrt did not strive 
ifter technical difficnltlea — tboy would have oh- 
lenred In him beanty of form and clearness of 
.baiisrht; but it requires, nevcrtheleas, a thoroas;h 
tisaler, a truly musical mind, capable of spprecist- 
ing M'isnrt, to convey to us all the poetry of Mo- 
sarl's laniuaire. Hiller poa«es«ea thli qnallHcatlon 
In the hij;he<i decree : he po«seascs. also, technlcnl- 
ly, the precise eilt which Morart needs In those 
who plav his cncertoi ; a qni"t. steady hand, under 
which the qnick psssa^s " flow like oil." For 
these reasons we know no better interpreter of Mo- 
zart's Cnneerto< than Ferdinand Hiller ; with hia 
eolt touch the notes Bins. The cadences In the first 
movement and the third were eitemporlied. We 
have often fuuilit sgnlnat the pedantry o[ cadences 
—but we IlVe cadences of this description ; they are 
tributea to the purport nf the tone-lannua^e, and not 
tn pnrportlesa virtuosity. Thnt the liveliest gratl- 
tnde rewarded the master for his performaoce Is S 
fact we need not mention ; the pabllc here oon^rat- 
ulate themselves beforehand whenever Hiller seats 
himself st " / 

Hdme. Anna RetranSchimon. from Leipsie, took 
part US soloist In Hiller'a w<irk. but not so audibly 
■nd dlatinctly aa to enable ua to form an opinion of 
her rthrt*. It was not till ahe now ssng Id. really 
solo vocal Domp'MHInnB. withnnt any ehoras to 
drown her notes, that her good qnalltiee were fnily 
apparent. She flrat ecstc an aria. " Zephyretten, 
lelcht gekU'idet.' from Hurart'a Jdomtiua. than a 
Csnsonn of the last century, tnd. lastly, two eongs, 
"Nachkltngen''anil '■ Verglss mein nicht" — very 
pretty pictures of feeling — by Helaricb Hofmann. 
Any one of ns in Cc)loffne heaiinz the name of Anna 
Recan thinks at nnce of Schubert's " Haideroalein," 
with which the lady once transported oa at the 
inimann Concerts, and ImmediatelyS we heard tha 
first note nf the present Hdme. Regsn.Sehininn, we 
Immedlstolj recoRnlied her who was once simply 
Anna Regan. Still the same voloe. small, and in 
Its thinness, almixt sylph-like, but clear, crystaline, 
and pure as a bell — nnly with a tendency, formerly 
not eharaclerl4tlc of It. toward] a warmer vibrato, 
a fact which does not strike us aa a step in the 
rone direction. There la aomethlnii especially 
live and almost childlike in the qualliy of Udme. 
:faim'>n'a or(;an. and when she sln;^ Oerms" songs 
aa ahe does sins them, with a slielit tremor in her 
voioe. WB feel under the influence of a partlcnlaf 
spetl. Mdme. Ri^sn^chlmon knows nothing of 
over-powering pathos, or of dBmoniaoal fervor ; she 
merely looks at you with her mild, tpiielle eyes. 
But her Rcntle glance discourses an eloquent lan- 
(Tusge. Even the sunniest picture, however. Is not 
free from shade. When vociferous sppUiiae de- 
manded more, and the " Haideruslein " probably 
floated like a coveted prlae before tbe cyra of all 

Ereeent, Mdme. Regan-Schimon sang — a Romance 
y Victiir Ms*s4, the new mnsicsl genius of tbe 
French, very pleaaing. with a great deal about 
"foapirfr" and " oiowr,' but not a German song. 
poseessing "soul" whleh one cunld noderstand. 
Why this miilne np of the Cologne Oarientcb and 
a Pariaian salon t 

lu theFirat Par), of the Concert we muat yet men- 
tloD as a eoneerted piece a Choraa of Druids, from 
Sacchinl'a unflniahed opera, .^rrtri<ro «iJ Ettlitvt. 
Antonio Usrls Onspsro Sacchlni was born in llSt, 
at Paiinoll, near 'flaplea, and died In ITSfi, at Par- 
is, where he was hlifhly esteemed »s the principal 
composer for the Italian Opera. He was a pupil of | 

" Immedlal^ we heard,"- 



364 



DWIQHT»S JOUENAL OF MUSIC. 



Diininte*8, and imbseqaently, tn lonsr m he was at- 
tached to the OoneerTatory of St. Maria of Loretto, 
at Nap1e«. Cimarosa's maMer. Thoosrh he belonsred 
exclasivelj to the Neapolitan school fonnded by 
.Scarlatti, which t^ve andue prominence to the can- 
tilena in Italiiin opera, as known to ns at the pres- 
ent day, we cannot fail to recosrnize in Sacchlni's 
worbi'the Oernisn influence of Olnck. The choral 
piece : " MiMe, nfiMe Harmanie,* does honor to its 
openinc: words, while it is marked by snch nobility 
of treatment, and so free from Italian manner, that 
it miffht. without offence, be inserted at the present 
day in a high mass. Such music was formerly 
called operatic I 

To conclude the concert there was a new Sym- 
phony. No. 2, in C minor, by Carl Reinecke, the 
director of the Leipeic Oewandhaos Concerts, a 
musician who, as teacher in the Coloflcne Conserra- 
tory in the years 18621 854, is well known to, and 
esteemed by all the older musical amatenrs in this 
city. From Cologne. Reinecke went as Mosioal- 
Director to Barmen, thence to Breslan, and finally 
to Le1p«ic, to enter npon the duties le at present 
fulfils there. On hearinir the Symphony, we were 
involuntarily struck by the thoui^ht that there must 
be some sort of a prosrramme at the bottom of it 
We afterwards learned that we were correct In our 
sormise. In the preface to his scoi e, Reinecke says 
that the latter owes its existence to his haTinjg^ read 
a drama, ffaeon Jarl, by Oehlenschliger. ThoujB^h, as 
he informs us, he had no wish to write absolute 
profl^rome*music, it would, he adds, perhaps facil- 
itate oar comprehension of the work if we in^ribed 
the first moTcment : " The Hero : Hacon Jarl ; " the 
second (Andante, B major): "Thora;" the third 
(Intermetso): "In Obin's Orove ; " and the fourth 
(Alia breve, C major); "OlnPs Victory,"* These 
titles sufficiently explain a tp^ett deal ; but we would 
fain ask why wss not the requisite information 
printed with the programme T It was certainty the 
Interest of the composer to render the comprehen- 
sion of his work as easy as possible for the public. 
The third movement and the fourth convey, it is 
true, their meaning pretty clearly, bnt that a hero 
stood sponsor for the first, and a woman for the sec- 
ond^-* picture in Brahms's manner^ is net so self- 
evident. , The Symphony, however, is the clever 
production of a clever musician. It is masterly in 
form, nay, a perfect model, though, perhaps, not 
particularly original as regards the thoughts. The 
way in' which the motives are carried out is in the 
highest degree captivating: we recognise a master 
exercising full sway over the language of music and 
never at a loss for the proper expression. In our 
public, the Symphony found appreciative hearts. — 
London MutAoai World, (from As Kolnittht ZeUunff.) 



m-^ 



Woman as a MmioiaiL* 



• • 



* * Music, though in one wnse a math- 
ematical abstraction, and based on exact science, 
like other arts, is wholly original and eelf-existent. 
It is not reproductive and imitative, as are the plas- 
tic arts to a certain extent ; its object is higher than 
that of mere reflection ; it aims at expressing those 
emotions and aspirations, which are awakened in 
thinking and feeling humanity by the passions and 
events of life and time, or by the contemplation and 
comprehension of the order, proportion, unity, vari- 
ety, power, terror, beauty, symmetry, profundity 
and immensity of the universe. It is the roost tran- 
scendental of all arts, for it is a purely metaphysical 
outward manifeatation of the inward soul ; it is the 
most complex of all arts, for at once it is vague, def- 
inite, and infinitely precise ; it is the meat ideal of 
all arts, for it is the beautiful result of unshaken 
faith in progress towards perfection, and is itself 
almost a religion, in its purity and sublimity. In 
the evanescent, intangible form of music, from small 
materials yet vast possibilities, the human heart 
and mind have gradually evoked a language, a sci- 
ence, an art, compared with whose simple means 
and immense results, the miraculous creations of 
the fabulons magicians of antiquity would appear 
cold, pale, aimless and meaningless. 

I shall now endeavor to sketch the share of wom- 
an — which art history has until now neglected to 
point out, fullv and separately— in this gradual, 
historical development or music to the point ofpre- 
eininence where we find it in our own day. Wom- 



•From '* Woman as a MusldaB: an ▲rt-Hlstorlcal 
Btxkdj/* by Favst Raymond RnrsB. Bead before the 
Centennial Congress, in Fblladelplita, of tbe " Associa- 
tion for the Advancement of Woman.** Published in 
pamphlet torn by Ed%rard Bchnberth & Co., New York. 



an's voice certainly united In the chants and hymns 
that echoed throncrh the caves and deserts to which 
the early Christians fled in order to celebrate their 
worship; though afterwards, In the 16th centnry, 
she wss cast out as an official musician from the 
proapfrout church, we know that in the ei rly, psr- 
Meeuied church, she bore her part m singer as well 
as martyr; whether she had any share In the com- 
position of those early chants in which she practi- 
cally united, is donbtful, and will forever remain 
unknown. In the middle ages, woman was the uni- 
versal martyr; forgot by others, she forgot herself. 
It was not until the end of the 14th century, that 
women began to be anything more than the toys (if 
the higher, the beasts of burden among tbe lower 
classes. That medieval epoch must have been an 
epoch of darkness, ignorance, oppression and de- 
spair for women of low station — the great majority 
of women, in short, who, finding themselves almoet 
wholly unprotected by law or opinion, fled for safe- 
ty to the pretended practice of magic. Discovering 
that the snperstillons fears of men would invest 
them with a sort of protection, they affected to be- 
come witches, though they knew that torture and 
death awaited th^m if they were betrayed. The 
early church even oonderoned those women to the 
death of the sorceress, who dared " to mrv other 
sick than those of their own fkmiliea, nnlees they 
had previously studied medicine." And to what 
opprobrium wonld they not have been subjected 
then, had those anxious mothers, wives, sisters, then 
dared to enter a school of medicine for the pnrpoee 
of studying the healing art ! Yet, when the famous 
doctor Paracelsus burned the tomes oi Arabic, 
Oreek, and Jewish medicine, he declared that he 
had not learned anything of physic worth retaining, 
except from the sorceresses, whose medicines were 
pflncipslly vegetable. The few historical dnea we 
possess, lead ns most unwillingly to the conclnaion 
that the flrst timid steps of woman within the por- 
tals of this new art were rather trammelled, than 
enoouraged and assisted ; and if any trace of wom- 
an as a musician remains from the era of medl«val 
sorcery, witch-burninff, and tbe slow overcoming of 
popular superstition by means of philosophy and 
natural science, it is to be found in the folk-songs, 
those beautiful memorials of individual and nation- 
al life, compoeed and written by anonymous singers 
and poets smong the people. It is almost impossi- 
ble t(> believe that women traversed that long peri- 
od of persecution, struggle, despair, hope, and aspi- 
ration, without giving voice to their emotions ; and 
as national and peasant folk-songs are traditionally 
said to have been nearly always oompoeed by the 
persons ^ho first sang them, and as women have 
always been their moet sealous performers. It is 
only fair to suppose that they have also had some- 
thing to do with their composition as well as with 
their poetry. It would be unnatural to think that 
the beautiful lullabies and cradle songs, of which 
hundreds exist, in different languages and nutional- 
ities, were composed by martial barons, rough serv- 
ing-men, or rougher peasants, and not by their 
wives or daughters ; we know that in Btern, in 
Ireland, in the Basone provinces, and elsewhere, 
women have always lieen preferred as the vocal eu- 
logists of the departed, in funeral songs ; nor could 
the sibyllic utterances of Druid prieatessea, the ter- 
rible incantations and magic songs of tbe early sor- 
ceresses, have been invented bv others than them- 
selves. And the melancholy wife of the serf, watch- 
ing her flocks on the green bills, or gathering wood 
for her hearth amid the implacable brambles,— and 
the lonely lady of the castle, spinning or embroid- 
ering her cunning Upestries while she waited, 
sometimes for years, the return of her father, 
husband, brother, lover,— and then the anxions 
women of the fisher people,— <lid they indeed endure 
their sorrows voicelesslyT— I cannot believe it; I 
have no doubt but that many of those simple, 
touching, heart-breaking melodiea and poems were 
of women's creation. This question is a novel one ; 
but, since the comparatively recent study of philo- 
logy hss been the source of many unexpected revel- 
ations, further study of the musical branch of his- 
torical investigation will throw light on many 
points that have hitherto remained obscure. 

But, though woman's share in the authorship of 
these folk-songs Is uncertain, she has had consider- 
able part in their compilation from the mouths of 
the people, who, unable to read or write, have 
handed them down, viva voet^ through centuries. 
Fernan Caballero (recently deceased) hss collected 
a number of Spanish popular songs ; tbe Countesa 
of Dufferin and Miss Brooke have translated many 
Irish folksongs from tbe original Celtic into iTng* 
liah ; tbe Countesa de la YillemarquA was of tbe 



greatest assistance to her son in making bis frmoos 
collection of Breton aongs; Coossemaker wrote 
down the larger part of his intereeUng Flemish 
songs from the lips of the poor laoe makers of Hol- 
land ; Madame George Sand says that she has seen 
Chopin and Madame Vlardot Oarcia spending boars 
in noting down tbe wild melodiea sung by thepeaa- 
ant women of the French provinces ; Rivar^ in 
his collection of B^amals folfc-songs, gives a funeral 
song improvised by Marie, one of the moet ftimoae 
recent songstresse s of the valley of Aspe In Btara. 
Marie's ttrlking, healthy beauty, whieb, as well m 
her voice, she preserved to a great age, her lively 
imagination, her lofty character, and Uie high opin- 
ion she entertained of the noUlity of her proifeaaaon, 
rendered her a lovely modem embodiment nf tbe. 
antique Pythoness. When Goethe's fine transla- 
tion of a »rrvian folk-song, " The complaint oX tbe 
noble wife of Hassan Af^" drew the attention of 
poetical and mnsleal Europe to the wonderfol beau- 
ty of Servian folk-songs, a lady was among the first 
A those who attempted to preserve thMe nKmn- 
menta of national character, tradition and enotlop, 
from the invading or efhoing infiuenoee of change 
or oblivion, by means of the i»rinting pres». FraO- 
lein von Jakob, afterwards the wife of an Amerleaa 
professor, collected and published a large nnrober 
of Servian folk-songs, which she tranMated Into 
German from the original. In her compilation, aa 
well M in those made by subsequent Slavonic, Ital- 
ian and German litterateurs, It Is Impossible not to 
be struck by tbe indescribable poetic lovelineas of 
the Servian " Women s Songs,* bearing, as these 
do, the stamp of Hindoo and Greek antiquity, aa 
well as after Invasion, conquest, emigration, and 
naUonal change. And in atodying the folk-songs 
of the Arabiane— which, being yet unversed in 
Arable, I only know by means of Spanish, Italian. 
German or French translations, scattered, few and 
far between, through scarce and rare old eollectiona 
of national music now In my posseasjon,— -I have 
been stmck by the poetic delicacy qH feeling In re- 

Ssrd to women, which these fragments oX the an- 
que glory of a people who held poetic toumamenta 
at Mecca and elsewhere, before the 5th century, die- 
play ; but which, perhaps, need not so mnon sor- 
Srise us when wis rememoer that an Arabian qneen, 
lalkis, of Saba, or Shebe, possessed knowledge 
enough to ventnre on viaitiag king Solomon, son of 
the musical king David, for the pnrpoae of proving 
the genninenesa ot hia learning "by hard qaestion^* 
and that the reputation of that literary and ertiatic 
queen impelled the royal amateur to make splendid 
and tastefnl demonstrations for her reception and In 
her honor. Was queen Balkia a feminine, unique 
phenomenon, or was she only one of a class of col- 
tivated women among the Arabian arlstoomcy of 
that day ? 

It is well known that the subtle vein of feeling in 
regard to women, which permeates Celtic and Arn- 
bic folk song, was in part appropriated by the tron- 
l)adours dunng the epoch of the crusades. With- 
out pursuing this psrt of my subject further at 
present (which I have alrwidy treated in a series of 



lys " On the music and poetry of the tronbe- 
donra," orlglDally pabllahed hi the New York 
Weekly Review, and shortly to appear In collected 
form), 1 mnst observe the remarkable fact that a 
number of ladiea of rank, wivea, ristera, or dangh- 
ters of troubadours, generally, became trooversss e a» 
as they were called. Marie de France, and Clara 
d'Anduse, were among the most fomoos of these. 
In spite of the narrow .educational reaonreea then 
open to ladies even of the highest rank, and the re- 
stricted circle of their lives, we find, in the poetry 
of the trouveresses, as much apparent truthfolmeaa 
and impasslonsd depth of feeling as in that oX the 
troubadonrs, though betraying more negligence of 
treatment; while their melodies evince a greater 
want of finiah and clearness of form than do thoae 
of the troubadonrs. Among the minstrela, follow- 
era of tbe troubadonrs, a few songstresses, general- 
ly the wlyaa or daoghtera of minstrels, were trained 
to sing their male companions' songs by roteu 
From some of the old minstrel ballads it is possible 
to form an idea of the characters of these women ; 
in a song by Colin Muset, a minstrel who flourished 
in the 18th oenttury, he mentions his settled home, 
oook, groom, valet, etc., and represents his wife and 
daughter as industriously engaged in spinning, oa 
his return from one qH his tours ; but the language 
with which they greet him, and which be doubtless 
copied from life withoot reflection, betrays anedocat- 
ed minds, and oommonplaoe bablta of tboqgbt and 
action. 

By a singular contradiction, thoogh tbe ehnroh 
forbade women, thronghout mediavM times, and by 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, JAN. 6, 1877. 



366 



aetaftl proMbHIoii In the I6II1 centiiry, to Uk« aiiT I 
MtlTe masical pMt in its ienrioet,— «• I hmrt tl- 
TMdy roentioneo,-^ frmioiae Mint was adopted as 
r^**Aneee of roasio, and eapeeialW of church mnaic 
The life 01 SalDt CfclUa, though narrated In the 
Golden Legend, la, howoTer, partly mjtbical. We 
know that the ladj so fSunlllar to all foyers of art 
and poetry as Satnt Gedlla. really existed and died 
a martyr; bnt it is nncertain whether Rome or Sic- 
ily waa the scene of her death, and the date of that 
OTent ▼aries in the narrations of rarloas anthoritiea. 
In regard to her ronsieal attnlnments, we only know 
with any certainty, that she was in the habit of 
•weetly *singinff plons songs. If we search M\ fhr- 
ther back In what I may term the primeral epoch 
of musical art, we find ihe Greek poetess Sappno to 
have been credited as the Inventress of the so<«alled 
mlzolydian mode in music, anl also of a (then) new 
musical instrument, the pectis or magadls. And 
Miriam, the prophetess, wno went out dancing and 
singing, the tlmorel In her hand, who can say that 
her song of triumph waa not her own composi- 
tion T 

But, to advance to the early days of modem mu- 
sic,— -banished from active musical participation in 
the church service, woman's practical career as a 
public artiste only began with the invention of the 
opera, about A. D. 1600. It was not until her su- 
periority as an actress and singer had been undeni- 
ably and triumphantly established on the stage, 
that she reconquered her musical share In the relig- 
ious service. And what great distinction in such a 
position woman haa won for herself during the pant 
100 years 1 Volumes have been written on thoee 
opera ningers, many of whose very names, as they 
echo through the pages of history, are in themselves 
romance and poetry, recalling as they do, the gifts, 
charms, accomplishments, charities, virtues, errors, 
adventures, and capricea of their possessors. 

I shall only allude to a very few of these ladles ; 
and one of the first mentioned In history we find to 
have been Vlttoria Arehtlel. a highly accomplished 
musician at the court of Florence in 1600, and who 
took part in the first Italian opera tJiat was com- 
posed and represented In public. Faustina Bordoni, 
iMm In 1700, wife of the famous composer Hasse, 
was one of the greatest artists that ever lived ; med- 
als were struck in her name, and societies estab- 
lished In her honor. Her rival, Regina Mingotti, 
whose portrait now stands in the Dresden Gallery, 
delighted the historian. Dr. Barney, by her fresn- 
nese of voice at a very advanced old age, as w^ll as 
by her power of convening with equal elegance in 
five langnagee. ' Madame Mara, the favorite singer 
of Frederick the Great und of Marie Antoinette, en- 
chanted Europe for nearlv fifty yeara ; at the age 
of seventy she still sang In pobllc, though the pow- 
er of her voice had vantly declined ; some yean af- 
terwards, the great poet Goethe wrote a poem in 
honor of her birthday. Caterina Gabrielli, the pu- 
pil of Metast«8io, excited her andiences to alternate 
n^nsles of admiration and anger, with her voice, 
beanty, caprices and adv^ntureis. When Oatharine 
of Russia complained to the singer that her emolu- 
ments wen far higher than thoee of the Field Mar- 
shals of the Empire, Madame Gabrielli relied, 
"Then your Majesty must try to make the Field 
Manhafs sin? ! *^ Madame Gatalanl, bom in 1779, 
possessed a trompet-like power of voice ; In London 
she received twelve houdred dollan for singing the 
solo in " God save the King," and twelve thousand 
dollan for aasisiing at one musical festival. Mra. 
Billington, a blooming Englishwoman, fer removed 
in physical and mental characteristics from the pop- 
ularly rec( Ived idea of n so rceress, was accused by 
ihe supentitlous Neapolitans oi causing the erup- 
tion of Mount Yesuvlus in 1794, bv her wonderful 
vocal powera, and the excitement they prodnced In 
Naples. M. Thien haa translated the autobiogra- 
phy of Mrs. Billington into the Fnnch language. 
Another gifted and beautiful singer, Agnes Sohe- 
best, pobHshed an interesting antobiography {'*Am 
dem Zthtm eimsr XHntUerimJ*} about twenty yeara 
ago. Mrs. Sheridan, too (the wife of the drama- 
tist), whose person^ beauty and thrilling voice 
have been celebrated by poeta and painters, was 
also remarkable for her poetic talent. Of Miss Ste- 
phens, the ballad singer. It was said that her power 
over the hearts of otoera arose from the depth of 
her own feeling, and the warmth and sensitiveness 
with which this informed her charming voice. 
Miss Stephens afterwards married the Earl of 
Essex. If I am not mistaken, the countess is still 
Uvlng. 

I might long continue to enumerate such Instan- 
oee of genius and success In public songstreeses ; 
bnt any musical student can search for them In the 



standard Italian, Franch, German, and English dic- 
tionaries and biographies of mnsleal art 

And who cannot recall, from the descriptions of 
older persons, or from memory, the accomplish- 
ments of mora recent artists T who has not heard 
or heard of the rich voiced Mra. Wood, the fesclna- 
ting Malibran, the impassioned Madame Devrient— 
of whom it has been said that " she never sang an 
inferior song In public during her whole life." — ^the 
charming Sontag and Patti, the Intellectual Madame 
Lind, the exqnimte Madame Nilsson T 

Madame George Sand, In her art-novel "Consue- 
lo," has drawn, with that poetic charm and persna- 
sive force of style that belong to her snpramely, the 
Ideal character of a pura and noble artist woman, 
too deeply imbued by lofty enthusiasm for her fine 
vocation, to barter its true principles for transitory 
raccess. social flattery, or pecuniary advai^tasre. 
This character has been in some measiire raalUed In 
the persons of two ladles yet livlnir. Madame Vlar- 
dot-Garda, the singer, sister of Malibran. and Mad- 
ame Clara Schumann, the pianist, nnd widow of the 
oompoeer Schumann. 

That many of the famous aongstrasses of past 
days wera capable of Interprating the works of com- 
posers in an almost independently creative manner, 
the scores of old operas prove. In many of these 
the melody is reduced to a mere thraad, tn order to 
give the songstrass perfect liberty in varying the 
theme according to the passion and action of the 
poetry she was to interpret Bnt it is impossible 
for the moet ardent disciple of woman's prograss to 
point to snch a galaxy or celebrities among femsle 
eompoeers, as m«y be plsced, without losing their 
brilliancy, beside the namea that add lu«tra to 
womanhood In other branches* of art, and in literat- 
ure. In ronsieal ooropoeition we cannot boast stara 
of such distinction ss Mra. Browninsr. Heloise. Mra. 
Lewes, Mrs. Siddons, Mdme. Ssnd, Rosa Bonhenr. 
Aspasia, Miss Cashman. Mdme. de Stafll, Miss 
Brontd. Dora d'Istria, Miss Thompmn, the nun Ros- 
witha, Fernan Caballero, and all the rest The list 
of feminine oompoeera is a brief one, and most of 
its meml>era are now living. Then was the prin- 
cess Amelia, of Pmsria. sister of Fraderiok the 
Great, who composed operas and cantatas; Leo- 
poldine Blahetka (danarhter of a professor of mathe- 
matira in Vienna), who published mora than 70 
pianoforte pieces and songs, some of which wera 
greatly admired by Beethoven ; Joeephine Lang, 
the friend of Mendelssohn, who composed a number 
of charming songs ; Mddaroe Parrano, whoee Inspl* 
ration and science attained masculine proportions ; 
Mrs. Fanny Hensel, sister of Mendelflsohn ; Louise 
Puget, whoee vocal romances lately enjoyed an enor- 
mous popularity in France, and won a large fortune 
for their composer ; Mdme. Schnmann and Mdme. 
Garcia, who have composed some fine works, though 
few; Madame Dolby in England ; Ylrcrinia Gabriel, 
the balladlst ; Ellse Poiko, who, carafnlly educated 
as a singer, loet her voice prematoraly, then wrote 
for many yeara a number of novelettes, and now ap- 
peara bsfora the world as a song composer ; and a 
few other ladies. 

Bnt women havsi only lately raalised the depth 
and strangth of the science of music, and what long 
veara ofsevera mental discipline and scientific train- 
ing ara necessary in order to msster the art of com- 
poeitlon. This is not much to the dishonor of their 
courage and patience, indeed, for a comparatively 
small number of musical students among the other 
sex In America ara willing to devote themselves to 
such self-sacrificing study ; too many who do com- 
mence it become discouraged when they begin to 
understand the amount of labor required, and the 
thorough training neceasary to insnra perfect devel- 
opment to their talent for composition, and lasting 
feme to Its results. Mathematics, acoustics, psy- 
chology, languages, as well as general literary ao- 
qnirements, the practice and technlcalltlea of sever- 
al instruments, and the science of music, must all be 
mastered by the aspirant in composition, and grad- 
ually, through the application and assimilation of 
long yeara of study, become the " second natura " of 
his mind. It may be some encouragement to the 
sincera student to know that the grandeat original 
idea of a Handel or a Moiart demanded as perfect 
working out, as fine polishing, as the smallest fan- 
cy that ever issued from the Drain of a ballad writ- 
er. And why should not women of suiBcient Intel- 
lectual and eapedal ability to warrant the possibil- 
ity of their obtaining honorable distinction, make 
an effort and, discarding the absurd idea that 00m- 
positloo Is an aiMr of instinct study to compose for 
immortality also T There is suraly a feminine side 
oi compoaltlon, as of every other art And I would 
suggest the adoption of the science of compoeition 



as an elective. If not obligatory, branch of the high- 
er course of study In ladies* colleges. From actual 
personal experience, I do not hesitate to pronounce 
it eoual-— merely as a mental disciplino-— to mathe- 
matics, while it enriches the mind to a far higher 
degree, and Is far more likely to prove of practical 
benefit to women in after life, than the study of the 
other science. 



Slnsuxl Carrtsiraitknn. 



Grioaoo, Dno. 2S, 1876. Since my i»revtons eomnranS- 
cation quite a number of mnsleal eventf reqnira atten- 
tion. Fimt of tbese Is the concert of tbe Beetboven 
Society friven in McOormick hall, Dec. 14. The pro- 
gramme was : 

1. '< Toneenbnrir.*' a cycle cf ballads (for solo 

Tolee* and ehoras) RheinlteriBer 

S. Romsnsa for *OIIo Popper 

Mr. Btcbhelm. 
8. *« T^andfng of the Ptl^ms " (Chorus). .F. W.Root 

4. "Abl RendlmlqnelCor'* Rossi 

Miss Btla A. White. 

5. Concerto for Pianoforte (in O minor), (with 

Quintet aocomiMuiimmit) Hendelssohn 

Mrs. Tj. H. Watson. 

6. " Comala,"— (Dramatio Poi^m) Oade 

8010 voices and Chorus. 

This programme was noticeable for Its novelties; for 
snch were all the numbers except the fifth ; and in this 
respect it does great credit to the director, Mr. Wolf- 
sohn. ft wtis. howerer, too lonff, nnd espeoislly placed 
Oade*8 beautiful cantata at a dlsadvantaice by bringing 
it so late In the srenlng, it lacking but abont ten min- 
utes of ten o'clock when the Cbmato was begun. 

Strictly speaking, the performancea at snch concerts 
as this, and those of the Apollo clnb, do not form a 
proper snbject of crltlciam, since they ara not pablic, but 
given l>efora the associate members only ; besides, in the 
present case they wera the wortc of amateurs. Never- 
theless they may be diseussed from an educational 
stand-point, in which eaae some consideration of the 
quality of the performance oomes in, beesni« the quali- 
ty of the interpratatlon has so much to do with render- 
ing the works intelllglhle end theraby Instractive. 
Hence, while I may not fesi free to speak of tbe sole 
singing on thin occasion as I woold if the liogers wera 
profsssionsls, I am at least at liberty to considsr the 
merits of the choras wotk, and the judgment of the con- 
ductor In assigniaff solo parts to singers unable to deal 
with them properly. 

The choras on this occasion numbered something less 
than two hundred, the parte being quite well balanced. 
The accompaniments wera at first a pianoforte, and a^ 
terwards (In Cbmo/a) a quintet and piano. In point of 
attack, intonation. shadlniTt and contrast the ehoros 
work waa of a very Indifferent quality. The raloes wera 
not well together, the tone was not elastic, and the gen- 
eral effect was monotonons. At the snme time the voices 
wera good, and thera waa no reason why efficient re- 
hearsals would not have preparad an effective perform- 
ance. On the whole, I confcee thara feeling of sadnees 
comes over me when I think of it. For tbe work done 
by thia soolety has been of considerable value to tbe 
musical tests of the town, and it is mdaneholy that now, 
when they have rirals in the field, young, energetic, and 
capable, they should not rise to the new demands this 
competition lays upon them. Z would be glad to proph- 
ecy smooth things, but really I cannot, and so I beg to 
say that nnless the Beethoven Society of Chicago can 
attain to a higher standard of choral work they must 
content themseivss with a second-class position. 

The solo work was unequal. In the "Toggenbnig" 
the bass and alto parts wera taken by Mr. Carl Beig- 
stein and Mrs. J. Bsllbnr, both of whom sang admira- 
bly, a] Aough the voice of the former is not quite what 
ft was twen^ years ago. The soprano, however, Vn. 
Bond, was inadequate to the part. Miss ma White 
sang her arias from Bossl (one of the old Italian Roesl's, 
I understend) In a very beautlfnl manner. The air it- 
sdf Is musical and pleasing. Ths string accompaniment 
was arranged by Mr. H. Clarence Bddy. Of Mn. Wat- 
son's piano playing I have formerly spoken. She lacks 
the repoee indispensable to a pablic performer. 

Considerable exception might be taken to the tempos 
in (hmaUf the chorus of spirits, for instance, being rary 
mnch too slow. In consequence of the feeble contrasu 
and the heaTy, inelastic, tone of the choras^ this perform- 
ance loeea mnch of its proper sducational value. 

On several oeeasions when I luiTe sxpissssJ myself 
privately to the foregoing effeet, I hara been met with 
the suggestion that it is worth mora to the musical taate 
of the town to have new and Important works even In- 
differently rendered, than to haTU a few short Ohoruses 



D"VriGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



■ug ara to pofMUon. TIw point of thu ItM In the 
^t>lleMtOB of It, wbleb li to tba iboit shornMi *• p«T- 
teaUT'*pafonWdbTUw Apollo Club. BntlumTopli 
lontbealtanuUlTalisatpreporlrpnwRiMd. Tborowi 



IDod sat tbo preffruDma wltb two or tbnt wambt 
km from tbo *■ Tklporicta Hlfht," or Boethorm't Uua 
InCorinroItlwoUHrworkttboTbJtte (iTni, Ih« «d 
matlitiHil nlnt ot tb« pTOgrnKiio wonM.m rnroplBtan 
■POM, (or IsttuBB, tbe pro- 



1. Bplanlac Cbopw from " Ftjiuc DdlBhmao." 
noul* VolCM. 

n«n voald bmre IkOen a perftinniuiee qnlu lonff 
•Mngh. liaHnit fnll7 an hoar BBd ■ iMlf, jM(ir tb( 
nna hkd boon iMlI itiHIIad) thnrooihly njnralile: and 
If tha tcnileff DK of Ormala hi^ rail If liHB to tha dlKDl^ 
of an fafcrjintaHim (ctamnicb flae cboniB ihadlnE. alu- 
ndtj et tnaa, broad eonlnit*, proxier tampoa, and 
pateat acdoa) tba eSaot opon the taata of tbe aad 
woaM ba*e been nni^ ireater. 

IbaTeparanadtbaaaKnurki at aoina lenith ba< 
tbt aama dllamna irf Kood mnala and IndUIareDt per- 



aaenii to praaant Itaelf In VTeir anC 
pnperlj ipeaklns, no eonrioetor la ledoaerf to an fatal 
an alternatlTa. Tor wbataver nur be tba Unltatlon of 
bla naonnaa, there axliM aomawben mndc a/tapted to 
hiaoaM; and a Bna pcTfarmanca la msrel; aqaeatkm of 
competent dim, prorlded. of eonrae, the maBaffomenl 
nle« alnfNii. 



[,(ntt 



Tbe KdlogB CiwHib Opera ti now tfrtOK a two i 
•eaaonbere. TbeHat waa: TVsesiin.Tba "Mairlaceof 
man," Tba ** Tljfnc Datcbnan," Tba " Bobei ~ 
Qlrl," Tba " Star of tbe ItoRli.'' JforMa, JVaMoKlo, 
■ ouUlnte not annonDcad. Tba papera tpaak of If lu 
■anon aa ponr tn Tttmttrt. t attended the "MarrUee 
of FlRaio " and the " Fifing I>olebman," The far 
wentteoellnitlr, axcept a tew allpa on tbe put of 



and i* qiitte IncaiiaMe of the part. 

CarletoQ, who Mni bU part van well, !»■> unn 
tbiDS too atlir In BU manner. ■'«■ Becnin wu 
tmg M nana! In ObemMno. and Hlaa Esllan'* 




as&ot apeak an faTorahly. 

aa erade and tlTaanae. 

~ and that I* eoniethlnc 



. Tlia flrebaatra eontalaed 

the flrat parfonnanae, ana on tna rape- 
RSr. TIh tint Tlolint were bnt tonr. 
■erg, ware iba Babrew eblldnn" who 
en paflnr far ■ larcet i i m li c a tia for 
Tba rinRint waa not hadi j dnna. HIh 

■-■--*»Bcb«pma«lbatof Ban- 

ibe DBwl a ttemnlo enntio- 
ahade be- 

— ,- .-Bderdeek 

.-- K. and hta part and Mi. 

lu.un. ,...»_«..i the beat thima of the whole. 

Ami yrt l< 'i^itiht itt lio nit down to tba oredit of Mlia 
K-Uoee»nil iirranwUti'i that Iher ban added annthn 
nprra ta tbe hirlinfyp'l Kit; and while tbelt oraheatia] 
andthoril resonrpw wn^not ade<iBate tadeltwell,aiie 
roa)datlfiut]<i'lEri>f ihraaMect-niatter of the maale 
liaclf. and In upltp nl "hai I aald abme I foand th* ebo- 
nijofnntinensiiO [iiim'f »on«ln tboOralact romarka- 
tiY iTftoil. .1^1 <"'■--■ -I"' 'fiaof taodneea all alooK, In 
of wbat Catlyla aaya nbODt 



whliber llhe a rlrer.bot 



naHetabeyXnileaaniiaBmidl ban holdlUR elrbt 
knndrad, Jntt abom completad, la tbanrToentre of the 
(Itr CoMMlta ICeVlaker'e Theatre, sear State and Madl- 
aoBli£) nwinwItWnanoatb eonialna Bna eoneert 
otnaa nt altotelhar It aCocdi an adnlnUe plaoe bir 
amaM oenee n a. adltMe leetaree. ete. It la oooopted b* 
lbe''BaTAar8«hoo)o(KBaloalArt,"aiid the Beelbo. 
TMBoele^. VlWBDOtiraBtedfcTlbaealt lalOr not. 







flinjllfs 


Intntal of Pnsic. 


BOSTON. JAN. ,. 1111. 



Chrtitimi Ontorift 

The Haodal and Hajdn Bodetji gt-n tta alitf. 
■>ztli periormanea of n* MmtiiA <1U SMtli Conecrt 
Sn ei aaaaoDi) on Sonde; erening, Chriatnai Zt«. 
Aa tuaal at that JoTtol fntlval, the Xnala Hall wa« 



crowded. Tbe perfnnnaaee on the whole waa one 
of the beat. Certainly the Kreat ehnma haa ealdom, 
if «Ter, done Its work aa well. The ehoniiee, nn- 
der Condnolor Znikiaw, aided hj the orKanlat of 
the Sodatj. Hr. B. J. Line, at the ptano. had been 
rehear*M) with lealoni ear* and eren with enthnit- 
amn. Borne of tbe moat difficott and hitherto baf- 
fllTWC cbomaea went with ■ oarlaint;, a amoolhneei 
and dirtlnetnaaa which we bare hardlj known be 
fore. Such wore: "HIa yoke ii eaay.' " Thrir 
aonnil la gone ont," and " Let na break their bonda 
aaander.* Oenn-allj tbe attach waa prompt and 
deddad. the baUnm nf parta gnnd, the ennemble 
rich and moalcHT, and the effiset (rrand or beantlfiit 
■a the compoaltlon require^. There wae morwirer 
an Important Improrement in the treatment ot the 
orcheatral arrompai.lment. The phradnr and haw. 
Ing nf th* vloltne, and all the etrlnK", whicli hither- 
to haa roTlowrd an abenrd traditton,— in abort a 
eoarae and careleas babfl nf piayinr nrarlj rrn-T 
fifnra with a haeblnx taaato. had been earefnlly 
eonhrmrd by the conductor to the erident Intentione 
of Hand«r> acor* ; ao that we no lon^r heard the 
Inoo^rmona and stilted aepamta aooflnt on each nata 
aeoompanjins the /i^ito of the Toictw. 

And here li the place to <ipcak of the additlnnal 
accorapaniraenia which Rnbrrt Frani hm fnrnUhed 
toaereral nnmberaofthe worli which Hoiart had 
omitted to complele In the adminible munner In 
which he had fitted the reatirf th* oratorio fof pub- 
Ik performanoe. It can hardly hr mpp^aed that 
the maaa of the andlence. not technically mnalnil, 
notloed particnUrly wherein the paua^en in qnee- 
tlon aonnded better than before; and yet nncnn. 
adonnty they mart hare experienced a freah plejii- 
ara in the™. To mneirat atndenta and ohwrTon 
thelraprfiTnnentmort have been palpable. A mof^b 
richer and warmer colnrine waK Imparted to the 
ilr; " He ahali feed hie Unclt." hy the addltlnn of 
wo clarlneta, two baiwoonn. and pirflmlarW two 
inma. thooKh thie had been eoseeattd hrrrtofnreat 
l»ai>t npon tbe Onpin. In Ilk* manner lb- lulr of 
clarineUand of ha»««ona flUed ont Ihe ml MIe bar. 
'. 10 IiHB left to tbe Orean. with excellent rf- 
a oonaiderable number of the chornae*. aria* 
be more srr.phin redUtiTe*. aa -Thna rallb 
tba Lnrd, And I will ahake," etc. And Mrerat 
timea the fine conlrapnnUl art of Trani wati beantl- 
fnlly manlresbtd In the anewerinK phM'ri^ Imita- 
tion*, which he haa i^li-en to thoae mlddl* Inatrti- 
nent«, or Inntrnmental voleea, keeping np the noly- 
.honic continuity. Who can donht that Handel 
ilmaelf did that whan he prealded at hi* orvan ? A 
nnmber of the ihorter redtatlrea, heretofore left 
with only a fiicnred t.aw, hare been written out by 
Prani for the qnartet of atrinn, and certainly theV 



idsd better. 

tbine nirnrl*ed and pniiled ni 



Bnt 



einoe learned Ihe pjplanarlon. Va listened 
with the Uoiart aoore In hand : and In pnlt* a num- 
ber of paaMK** of eeveral meaanrea. where Haurt'a 
Initmmentatinn la full, we heard no mnnd of It.— 
only tbe deep base mnrmnrinor with the voice. 
Theae ware mo*tly end iwssai;**. or eadeneea: ami 
It would aeem that Enrll^h tridltlon haa been fol. 
lowed In thla modification of Hoaarfa anm. Of 
eonrae Iteonnded nansnally meagre: trntwensder- 
itand that It baa been cnslomary intll now to Mrry 
ont the InatrameDUl parte to their eonelnslon oa tba 
-Ttan. 

The aoina avrrared well. If there wa* no stnfrer 
oranperlatiterxcellenoe, DO famoas prima donna 
The Soprano pleoe* were divided between Mr^ J 
W. Vanon. and a new aapirant. Hiss Liiiit B 
NoBTOS. The latter haa a pore, laree. powerfnl 
Totee, which she haa a tendency to n*e {probabtv In 
the over-anxiety of a debutante In that lar^ hall] 
Bomewbat too powerfaily. Her vocal cnltnre. loo. 
eeemad hardly eqnal to her eympathrtlc mnalciU 
ftellng, her dramatic intensity and Bood conception. 
She Kara "There were Shepherds* and "Rejoioa 
RTMUy " with fine efTect, and pmmleea to Ube very 
hiirn rank amon)r onr alofen In theee nobler tasks. 
Mrs, Teston sang " Bat tboo did'at not leave - and 
"I know that my Redeemer" very Bweetly, bnt 
with rather Indlatlnot ennnclatlnn. Wis IIatildi 
Psnxipra. who made ao good an Impression in the 
opera of SanirMttidt a yaar ago, won great Sivor la 



the contralto aoloa. Her rieh and sympath*ti« 
voice, and her larse, evenly anatalned. eipresRiva 
delivery, appeared tn excellent advantage in "O 
thon thatteI1eet'andln"He was deaplaed.'— tbe 
latter brinKK^ren In a chaste aad nnafhctad man- 
ner, wlthoDt any of that eentimeotal overdoinx of 
exprenlofi which has been too enmmnn In that 
aan((, and wlthnnt that mannish quality In the deep 
tone* ao oflhndve In many of tba powerful oont.ral- 
toa. Hr. Wm. J. Wnon sang the more pathetic 
tenoraoloa with great reBnement and true fnellnir, 
and with a awaet qnality of tone. And in the enar- 
getie and tryioK " Thou ahelt dash them ' he waa 
remarkably sueeeaKful ; szcept thst the high A on 
"da«h,"ln hia strenoonaefRirtfo ^Ive Itallpoa^ble 
emphasis, was rather robbed nf ton*. Hi-. IL W. 
Wnrr»«v was in grand voice, and rendared the baaa 
so1oa very Impressively. By thewsy, theqnartets; 
" Sinoe hy man came death." etc. war* snnv < f- 
pJIn. qnite wltboDtaocompnnlment, In spite nf Jfo 
tart's score,— a questionable Innovadon, we Inclioa 
to think. 



> atte-nonn Oan- 



Cbiiitmas Oratorio. 



Coneerti. 

HAa*««DHinirAL AaaociiTtos. The fnnrth Sym- 
phony Concert, (Tnesday, Dec 2«), postponed from 
Its reirnlar dale, and eomln? the dav fArr Christ- 
mas, showed but a sllghl falling off In stlendsnca. 
Th* progrsmme. compnaed entirely nf good things 
wbloh never grow haokni*d, nnleat we ezeept the 
eonrlnding portion of the laat Overtarv, was as 

fVineert ni;ertnr». In A. Op. f Rlpta 

Plano-frrfe rnnnertn In A min.ir. Ori.M.Srhnmann 

Wnilasi 



-.Beethoven 



Pnslont Rvmphnn* mo. S) 

Song— "Adelaide'^ 

wmian J. Winw. 
JobOae Overtore Weber 

Tbe orchestra labored under ather dlasitTsntacna 
bealdea the general distraction and demoratlmtton 
nf the holidays. Hisfrirtnnes never come stn-'la. 
The reheamls. too fi.w at best, had to be held In 
a diflhrent ball from that of the final parfor-nano* ; 
and then the first oboist wai taken sick, ao that his 
psrt had to be played bv the second (wIth'Hit re- 
bsarsal). with a mere Ante to represent tbe second, 
—*o poor are we bar* In tht* Important tittle la- 
atrumentl Vcrilv the whole fata of th* mnoerts 
his saemsd moro than ones to hang npon an oboe. 

Nevert.heleas there was a spirited and ijnit' sflWs 
Hve rendering nf th* two Overtnrea : that by RIpla , 
one of the very beat of modem compositions of the 
elaaa of which Hende'esnhn' nrnisbed the mndela. 
one which always comes np tk^sh and Interesting; 
and the " Jubilee' by Weber, brillisot and buoy. 
ant. which we have not heard too nllen nf late, and 
which made a stately and exhilarating eadlng to the 
concert, although, coirpnsed as It waa fbr an En:- 
llsh patriotic occasion. Its noisy serrlng up of "Qnd 
save th* KIni; ' hr a finale partakes rather of the 
character nf etap-trap. The Paalorat Simplu>H</ 
was at all event* refreshing as a sweet tnmmer 
dream In this bleak and l*y season, as if the roas- 
ter tonr-pnet had stolen ao^ preserved (br ua the 
very tune out of tbe heart of summer and tbe oonn- 
try. Some of th* rrndering waa a little rongfaer 
than of late : bnt the besatifnl Amhii't " by the 
broohaide ' and the clearing up after the thnnder- 
storm. with tba finale, iDade clear and ohanning 
picturea. 

Kr. SsiBWoop gave a verr aura, strong, d«dded 
rendering of the wonderful Schumann Concerto. 
There Is Brest strtmgth. and at tbe aame time elas- 
tidt.y In his touch ; on the whole we think we nnta 
a growlne tendency to loo mnch strength, to the 
d^jcrea that mudcal tone anllen; it la too common 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, JAN. 6, 1877. 



867 



with the most modem tchool of plaobtii brlllUn- 
ey, tflecUvnicM, unflAigtlnK MrtatDty lo emnyiag 
tbraui^h long feals of difflculty, M«m pnrchued at 
■Imoat loo dear a eoet. Tbli artltt, howeTer, raadi 
«n Intetlltiently, phruM dearly and mluei no 
pointa. Kar ii there any lark of mnilea) teellnK. 
The JWUmufn wia interpreted with ■ poetic, dell- 
rale appreaiatlon ; and he atrnek Into the rapid At- 
Ifffro vivaa, brlatllng with dlfficnlllea, and taxing 
the ntmnet flexibility and itrangth of moat fiaeera. 
with a tll'ii'loni eaiw and confldeooe that triumphed 
(a the end. Mr. Sherwood pUj* entlrrly irllhoat 
notea, and to thia habit we cannot help atcrlbtnr Id 
part the too mnch hamorln^ of tempo In the flr«t 
movement We Intendrd to make the aUDC nv- 
ftfatlon wttb regard to Hln Rlri'i parfornunea of 
tba C-mlnor Coaoerto of BeethoTen. la It not bet- 
tor, aafer on the whole. In plajtng wl^ an orchea- 
tra. or In any concerted mnalc, to pnt one'a aelf on 
Ml eqnaltty with the reat ao far as poaalble, and play 
with lbs notea before one f— Mr. Wwoa'a ilnging of 
"Adelaide' was benutifully tender, sympalbetlc, 
chaste, refined. HU virfee is sweeter and more sen- 
ritl*e than ever ; the accompaniment, too. by Mr. 
Dkian, was maaterly; and tbere was DOlhing to 
dittnrb or clog a pnn. warm reprodnettnn of Uiat 
perleet love sona:. eiorpt the Eogllsh words, which 
refoMd free and easy pa«8«ite to the last moTcment 
taken at a quick, entbuslMlic tempo, tf the slnfer 
be nnt snfflcirntly at bonie in the Oerman langaaKa, 
the Italian (erslon la a very fine one, cloaa to the 
tboSKht of the ori^sal, beantllnl Id aonnd, and eMi- 
est of aU lo Aug. 
Ot tbta week's CoBeertcnmndar, Jan. Owe can only 



RnnpbOTi*Ko.l,lBBIht, flMi,' Bee^and Alia, 
•■N«B pi* df ftOTl.'^ tram Hosan-s ■- La Ckassaia dl 
TtiD" WiKUnu LcKA CArruNi): Orertnra (a "Atha- 
lla," jrndtlHeAs.— Andante and Ilnala (rem 8t»m- 
ttrtt Onnd Dno, Op. \¥t, arraniced for Orebanra br 
jaacMlm; eonrswltbnam-rnne; a. •• The Tlolet.^ 
JTamrt, t. "VBgaOaU,' St/nit^i Onttanta-tg- 

Tha Blitk OoBsert will ooma afUi a fonr waeka' Inter 
Tal, on Feb. 1, whan Was Km OABriao'i torelj toIci 
will be beard, and HendelsSBbo's " Ital 



SjtKPiu TuKatki, CanniDec The second Con- 
cert was of CbamtMr Hnale (Tharaday evening. Dee. 
II). It was a very stormy night, bnf the thea- 
tre was all lixht and beaoty. — nnshlnB of the aon] ; 
in that genial apbsrs of Art all outside was brfcot- 
ten. A chapter of acddent* kept tbe Meodly andl- 
cnce wsltine fnr smie time. In the first place, Hme. 
ScaiLLsn's lllncM was annonnccd, and the appear- 
ance or two eicellent pianists, Hetsra. Pcktao and 
SninwooD In her place. Then It leaked oat that 
the Tinloncelllst, while enterlpfc the Teetlbnte, had 
slipped npon the icy at«i and brokea hia Indra- 
mcDl ; aaather had to be procored from an ama- 
Icvr ; Anally the Liamun party, rather than wait 
longer, began tbrir Hntart Qaartrt wlthmit mnal« 
(tanda, — a wut snpplled before the second mora- 
ment. The prof(ramme, as printed, was the follow- 



1. Qurtel(oTTV>llna,ete., InO. 

Adaflo— AUwo-Aiulaiite a 

eno-^AIleno mo 

Uwoa. B-LlBlemuie, r.L4at . 

and A Handwea. 
L Boors: a, "Irenliur;'' A- *'t1h Woods *...Frnu 

Mr-Qtornl^OiCoad. 
t. Qnln^et for Ptano ana Btrfan, In X Bat mAJor- 

Up.44 Bobnmanm 

AnetcTO farillaDte-tn Hodc d'nna llarsla 
—itcheno— Anefrra nia nan Rnppo. 



il«Uls— Hlni^ 



Kartams Hsdellns Bchiller and Heait*. B LIsM- 






maiiB, jr. Uilenu 



. PliBo floln, '• iDiitatloB to tit* Danoa." irrund 

brTan^ Von Wibm 

lIsdJinM Hadfllua Bnblllflr. 
Ssxtat for Two Uoma ami BulnES, In E Bat, 



AdsKlo— Roodn, Allrnro. 

Meaan. A Bel*.C. SL^hamana. B. Un tcmaoa, W. 

Uilaaiann, E. Welnar, and A. Hutdeseo- 

ir wp had any donbts about the acoustic ezeel- 
Irnce of the room on lisleuin; to the orcheetra be- 
fore, thry entirely Tanintied from odf mind npon 
this iul ooaiioD. Nerer have wti heard the riollo 
or the planritorte render a more pnre and lovely 
qaality nf txne In any rmim than both did here. 
The tune nf Mr. Listcmann's leading violin in the 
Qnanct by Mou r ,— a dear iild favorite— waa 
nigb perfticti ai>d It would be too much lo ei 



hear the beanty of the whale work bronght nnt 
ire aattsfactorily than It wssthatavsnintc- There 
Is a well establlahad understanding and quick sym- 
palliy between the initrumsnia. To our taste that 
Qoartat waa the best thing of the evaning. Of 
eonrse the aonga do not come into tbe eomparlson. 
Mr. Oaooop waa remarkably happy In thetwrnmnea 
by Frani. particularly the joyons " 7m HUi / tm 
Wald." whleb gave full chance for his beat tonee; 
and he sang them wttb the most InsplrtnE of accom- 
piblmenta, that of Otto Dnian.. who finds a mnalc 
In tba very tonaa nf Ihe piano fonnd by very few. 
Warmly recalled, Hr. O^^ood alao sane the delicate 
SMunmerlUd at Frana, to words by Tieck, with Its 
wonderful low mnrmnring aecompanlment. 

In place of Mme. Schiller and the Schumann 
Quintet (which we ihall have another tima), Hr. 
Perabo played, with Hcsars. Llstemann and Hart- 
dcgen, tbs Trio In A minor, Op. ISS, by Raff, which 
we like about as well as any of his eompostUona In 
this form ; for. though we cannot qnlte aeqnlt It of 
modem extravagances, it la a bald, fiery, original 
aeriee of Invantloni and contrasts. — some of the 
movemenUbeantlful; and It lacked nothing In the 
execution or the Interpretation, both artiste i.lsying 
with fire and thoroiirbly absorbed and happr In It 
— Mr. Osgood's voice did not nerve him quite sn 
well for the delivery of the exquisite "9iIIIb Llebe ' 
of Schumann: that la. it does not lie in hi* beat 
tones; but he sang nnt atnon, and the plann mar- 
vellously sanr in the few notea of prelude to the 
venes. Schubert haa caught all the ecstacy of 
Shakespeare's " I^rk " aong, and It waa iriven to ni. 
Hr. Sherwood gave a strong and earnest rendering 
of Chopin's noble Noctnrne In C minor, Op. 48. be. 
aides a rather dry but brilliant Octnve atndy by 
Knilak.— The Sextet by Beethoven althongh It is 
registered as Op. S1&. sonnds like one uf his verv 
early works, much In the vein of Uoaart. simple 
and naive, yet very freah and charming. The two 
horns have a t»k which Is no child's play and ad- 
mirably were they played by Ur. Beli and Ifr. 
Schnmann; their rich, warm, golden Duality of 
tone waa of Itself enough to charm the aenaes 
thronghout several movements, eo long aa tba eom- 
postlloe aa a whole was sound and honeat. 

Tba tMrd Cnnoert will take plane M Wednesday aven* 
lag, Jaa. IT, wHb this piofmiinie ; 

Trio tor Piano, Ttolln, and Ttohncelto, In B flat, 
Whlth- 



After listening attentively to this artist's playing. 
I must eonfeea that It atrikes ms thst be has often 
met with very nnealled fur hard treatment at tbe 
hands of critics. I think that, npon the whole, we 
Americans are too proas to sat down any personal 
pacoiiarlty of manner, gesture, or dress to thesoore 
if affectation. Every artist must from the natore 
of hU position strive to produce soma effeo'.; if the 
effect prodneed does not itrike ni aa a high or ar- 
tistic one, we cry out agalnM clap-trap and charla- 
tanry, catering to the depraved taste of tbe 



Is it Improbable that an artist should 

CI to tbe clans of listeners whose Ideal in art 
des with bis own r It eeems to me that Ole Bull 
talent, call It gwiiua If you will, for giv- 
ing the lotenaeat expreaalon to the moat commoB- 
placa mnnlcal sentiment Ha la At tVitia Btmomt 
of Ou nuilin (/) The sentiment Itself may be mawk- 
ish and nhsllow. Its expression ^veratralned, but It 
may be very genuine for all that. Bo man can pro- 
duce inch powerful sffecta upon hia baarara as 01* 
Bull often does withoot having some very genuine 
link of sympathy between himself tnd them. Here 
claptrap cannot do such things. Aa for eriticlsing 
his playing. I do not think that any eritichas a right 
to expresi an opinion on what he dnea not under. 
Btanil. ir a man tella ma that he like* and enjoyi 
LiUy liaU and 71U LtH Ron of S'oiuiitr, I can nn- 
derstand bim well enough ; there Is a tangible pdnl 
on which our nympathies meet But when I see a 
man pourinr out his whole snnl over LUg DaU; 
when I find that Lil)t DoU arouses feelings' in hln 
aa Intenw aa my own are In hearing ^e adagio In 
Brcthoven's great B-fiat a'inata. and tliat ha ran 
work himsrlf up to such a dollrinm of angaisb that 
he la well nigh ready to " ilis of a rose in aromatio 
pain." then I feel that I do not nnderstand him, I 
cannot conceive In what relation he stAnd> to music 
in general. I oanunt Imagine any point of xthetie 
■ympathy that we have in onmmon. and npon which 



!w, M& Clara 



s. PicaAno. tjariKA 



PxBAlK) and Hastdi 



tat. Op. 1^ 3M<iteiwi.BoaTOHPHiuiAniii>iiicCLDn. 

In tlie fonrtb OoBoan Hmn. SoHiLLan will plav tb> 
■niatScbnnann Qnlntet witti the mihanaoole blob 
and, for a aoln, Tanala's anmncemeBt ef Weber's " Invl 
tadon to tbs Danes."" 

Ha. fid's Two CoMOaaia drew targe andlencn 
to the Music Hall, witb Oti Btnj. for principal at- 
traction, on Thursday svaniag and Saturday after 
noon of last week. There were the Swediih Ladies 
also, and the Philharmonic aub. and Hiss Pixv 
Eaixoao. who aang finely in music of a highly fln 
id and exacting character ; and there was lo bai 
been Hiss Julia Rivi. but that intere<tlng y.un 
artiat ii aerinualy HI, thsy say, at homa in CIncli 
nati; and her place waa supplied by Hr. W. E 
SaaawouD. who wems over prepared for all smei 
gendes. Ole Dull stiti hnlda the crowd as ever . 
and the same things which many others do, the 
•ame arte and tricks of the vinlln. the same hack. 
nied eadenrea, leem finer to the crowd when done 
by him. To ns the remarkable thln^ is that aa an 
artiat, as a virtuoso, he Is siltl preriselv what end 
where be was when he Brut came lo this country 
over thirty years ago, and dies precisely tbe same 
thln;{s, plays precisely the same music, anil witli aa 
Intense an Interest Bp[iarenllv as if It wer« the pres- 
ent moment's inspiration. There Is a cerUin Nurae 
romance sbont his life and whole uppesrance, which 
doahtlesa acconnls for a great part of the charm. 

His " Chrnival * Is indeed the funniest of all tbe 
funny versions of it ; they all grew on one tree, of 
Pagan! nl's planting. 

Of him, and uf the concerts generally, Hr, W. P. 
Apthorp writ* u follows In the ClMrirr of Sun- 
day: 



the lever of an argument. Our i. 
conjugal afllbetioii and floricnllure may very likely 



be the SI 



srbowan'laBatbrldee. wbieh Elves him areat laell- 
-> lor dODl'Ie and trable-siopplnK. bat (be one thing 
• — "■— ■•' eally phenomenal licm In Ibe list nf 

.- , -,finr. Ai 

Eh marked favor liy the sndlencr — .,. .„_, „„,„ 

ani'sffJroJtfBcitramelirwcll- Rer volne hi a ticbi so. 
iiioofpleaaantqnnlltji ami nmsiderable Beilli litv, 
inirh nf nnjrreai illMlnelton of Umbr*. Her tone li 
ilrnilr halfMl S'n-tnc and I know f i* irtnten who 
isiirpaashsrln ihl- hrar.ch. Ur, WIIHua 19. Kher- 
jxl>hDwedhimsrlttb*tra«aTtlsllMli awlwaawann- 

-■■-' *-- "- -TS piBfInc of Lisit-s tnnBDtfpHna 

■: 'Ii- HlaplaTlnrartbelUhlnateln 

id the CItopIn Jttwti Mmek me aa even nwr* 

re, aa the Ma It HnB iafir tnolarveforlhe Ltm 
a make mach effect In, but the selantlnn- did ont 

ang pU]«d a venr brilllnnl Harp-rintaata of his 
rrinKenMiiI. on Themr rron Halevy'a jHmtt, moat 
aiiTji. TbFSwedlaWLaillesl^nMte were charrr- 



IXt rjtfwi'and Saitrrittot whinh be played on latn r- 



Uip ptiuaneji of MTikineoL 
Ih^ ficlnaclDg FtjrlnB-btitobuuiii Biitnnlnf: Soncverj 
br'iiinnilv,in(ntlMT with ORhnmann'a MMairnpkrL 
ail I s uMne little eaprtoa of bis own. Mr. KrerpTf 



ail lo pla* aomethliiE man 
Mliifannle KelloegaanE 



the Polonaise tr 



inre of snob good put alneini; hv rnnale voleei. 
»>n«rta »ie_^I%llliuTBODlc_Cliih played admtr- 

lathynj 

[m'IIi"""'"'™"'" "" 

at such concert*. Let iii ralber ron^ralnl 
Bpon thesDCCma DfbLiennivru wiijchbai 
plaasius to a laiga Bomber trf penoM. 



» moil etiamher masLe amid •« manf IwwlMeriM 
.llooi." anil we fnar that unless the synpaf- - 
? mnalc lovers and IbHrown artistic aelNn 
H them anfflolenUy, the nercinna at Ibti i 



DWIQHT'S JOURNAL OP MUSIC. 



CanTAt. Pavlov. L*at wMk If r. SoUitu look Ou 
plMMof boDor:— 

1. Onrtaia to tlie Tncpd; of SCrne ^_ 

I. RanUDU. '■ Donaa Q«odl " (" II Ifanante dl 

1. TIdIIb Bolo, •• ChwoDii* ud Variatloiu ' 
Hsrr wiincliD]. 

4. Ouitata, " On Bhor< and 8m '' 

HadadM Lenment'BlictT'OgMn, Ur. Va 
and (ba Or7*tal FalaM Obolr. 

5. TMka Bolo," Air HoocTOU" 

HorrWIIbcImJ. 

«. CaTAtlna. "Dona Rou U bel Tmnlallo" 

anca a rillrn.") "..... 

Kadama Lsmoieno-iUMrilutoo. 

T. Onrtn», -LRiDora. Ko. 3" I . 

CoBduDior. AUQUdT MAKKB. 

Mr. BnlllTan'i siuCalai oompoiod. ai will probabl; bo 
rmacnband, for ttae opaainc of Uw iDiomatloDal Eibi' 
blUoa of 11> took tb( plaoo lo Um profrannna aiaallj 
CIM bj ■ ajnpbom;. FImm " wrltton to order" rank 
•aldom unoDC ■ oompoMT's beat prodaoUoM ; wa mar 
(barafora, paibapt ba pudonad tu vhalarar lask of In- 
tarot wa may ba cniltr of faallnc tor tbla work. Th 
opanlDc ud oloalDK Bbomm ara tba bast nnmbani In 
the Uner a Terj pleaetig Uume, whlah wal tlie oblaf 
■abjectoftbeformar.reappean In tba orstaaatn with 
food efleot. Ifoet people wilt probably acree at tbe 
proeent moment with tbe HBUsent of tbe final abonu, 
■Ten U tbej do not alwaji quite Bsdaretand wbat tba 
poet ueani, owlnf to tbe eomewbat peonlUr natbod ba 



Bida tke land In i 
BIwtlhalMidwb. 
Taaoafal proeiaaa t 



H pennies d 



muilo, Tba racluiira (DDKb/ the lady ■aleilm. an 
«lng tbat— " From 3i>hnE c>me on lo Humnier drav 

h prefaced br * •Ft]' prcity'uidKTel)' lDtroiiurtl< 
then ptctnrea tba approiKh of the km?-«ipec1ed P' 
€enae»ianon,reuimlnf from warfare with the V 
■Icnali arellred, with beeomlnfrwaiarliy, hut al:ii 
JOTar-eahlp Is nlaslnE, bar lore -li lost or kI; 
Wtthont, bowerer, wnlilnc loaser than wu aecrsa 
Uk« bmlh after somlai to tbispalnfiil eoBclasi'ii 

■noBS olher tblnn. heroanTlctlaB tbal "aiennon 
YOlM will " be sad** " slong tbe shora/' One C4 



•S.-&2 



Dl all tbe while thai 
I end. Tbe inatrn- 
pf Moors foUowlrw, 
Hint Qf v«c Kuilia 
ik It probil>l<< .hat 



xnanul " Hores^ib" i 

Mr. SalllTui li right It be 
parent senseless nsllni 
lies. <Mdlr enonjcb.lt wi 

23w iSi? Dr. BMm^ni 

fultartD of tbs minor sealei. What _ 

the loraduet tbai praoedaa tba floalobomsf TherDdid 
not appear to be anf faalt In (ha performaniv. bm \trrw~. 
talniT MDTejred to lU aii)rtblTi|F, or aothlne, 
the aipressloD of the words "tiere an tbe 
lore let m* lie. Here In m; Jor. I«i ma lire. I 












Herr WUhelml't manalluoi p« 
Cbaoonne,ln wbWb tba TtolLn bee 
flbaali*, wai tboreajthlT aupresUt 
€l tbe aadtaooai and bla ddlf bti 
natodlasaB Ua InntmBiaiu wasesp 



, ... __ w_ joBtaln woiks of Oks WgbaM Imiart- 
e : lbs Pastoral •rmpben* waa aanoniiaed for Hon- 
"-^-' -ifa utaUfiad sjmpboBj and Bealbo- 
to for Wtdneaday, sod Spobr^ Power 
ST. eaeb— to haar parfomwd undar Mr. 

Tt^iLXM COBOtMT*. Tba A'qiAlaofDw.>,aaTai 
Mr. ArOiar CbappaO has baoa Inmlshlnf taia patrona 
with man qsartati bf Hajdn. Tba prasnuama of Bst- 
onlar attsmoon tnolodad tba qaaitet in r minor, bafln. 
alnf wltb tke fatfanlcNis aat of TarlaUOBs opon an nrlit- 
nallbaaie ; that of Honda* nlfbt ooapriwd anotbatln 
Ba«ma]or, of a Ton different character, bnt equall* 
iBlarasMnc. Ob botfi oooaalonB Mad. Norman-mruda 
plarad fltA rlolln. In iba siaaef ol, anallaoted aiTia which 
In*«a(i hor feadlon of Eurdn and Moiart with a obarm 
..J-...,- itatthoDsnlsbartJsi also etsalslB tba 



faoltleas ereouclon of Ooreni's 5iitl* In D, on Xoodaj, 
and ber leadlof of Boaihoran^ (somewhat Mosart-llke) 
Bemade for violin, Tlola, and rkilonoella, lo tba same 
ber, with Mr. Zarblnl and aiKnar FlattI (■' the inimita- 
ble,") as assoclaiea, on Satardaj. HererAas this aocont- 
plbbad ladj DWia emphattoallr asserted hor claim K> tba 
Utl f q aa TiollBlst " than during tba sarlaa of pat- 



i feslW ciTinc the rarely (nlroilu™ 

~V M Tie, IfehllKobouaiBic tba m 

(pp. SI), which somobodT, ■ 



bercer, played 
)■ tlrneattbel 
Mr. Hall« sod 



can ' Young Oermai 



^L^sii 



la toaddihatlbeTOnllslonMiin- 
eiieT Krs. OaKOOd.ihesamepoeiilDn t-jiitl 
tordax bv oar promising ronna barlionf, 
F Ur. Wok iDiroduaed aebarmlng '■mi, 
el " tbe oonqMHltlon of Blfoar PIulu. 
fa psrt tor tboilotuBoello. played by Lba 
planoforts saoompaBlmant antm>t«il to 
d I. Ttae eotiaaiii anBoenoed for ta-dar 
en D(«TlUbrfaBthapr*4%rfsinuaseHi* 
T eoulil bardix narabaan better of their 
to ( a« Mr. Cbappell penlals In sh*b>..i 

quartals (mora than forlTuf the 
al eady bam produced at Si. James's 
VoDni ficimuiy" to lift up lb. . 
whioover he flnilB It advisable. " p 

music may always rely for safeiy. li 

bat whan tbe name of Haydn come: 

iiiwnfrom the proKrammcs ot clnSrikaJ t 



tx 



BraBUDALB Bsnvrra Tomb. 

Hy lba way, tba Hay InsorlpttoB apos rnroaU'B fnra 
In Westmlaatar Abbey bas been re-ont. bnt It la plaosd 
lo tba plaoa of dlsbonor on tbe floor, and tba aothoil- 
ika alata tbat no room ean poastbly ba finnd fcr tba 
smalMit tablet lo mark tb« renalns of Stemdale Ben- 
oeU. wblch Ua within a tew taet ot Psraall. Tet opto- 
sita tbe iTBTe of tbe (raac Kofltsb lanalalan I* an enor- 
moag siid noently craelad Insorlpuon— all fsal aqoara, 
at iBsat-msjklBK the fray* of a nobis Isdy of whom lew 
bar* «p«r enn beard, and wblcb InsarlpHon la. It la bold- 
ly Stated In Its ted, ■* anoMd In bar dasoandant and la- 
drOar," eno ol the eanooa it tba Abbey. Btandala 
Bennett Beads bo iBacilptioB; bla works are his moat 
Bttlnc monnmenL Bat ft isaa u almost a bnrlasqne of 
pnqDisly to r«f nsa a tew Inobeiot room to Staradali 

BanBOtt, aad to flM sersral taat to a lady who ' 

lo bsTO left a oanoD mmb* money. 




and gentlBBMn who praontad^a per 
fotmanoa of tbe maaa last T*ar. ban lasolTad lo alTa 
Iwoorlbraa eono et ia duttnB the early aprlnc. wulch 
win ba damMd lo iba parformanas ot tM mass and otb- 
srsalaetadaboial vaikaaf Imporuuwa llttla known la 



bnndTsd Mtara. and written by Cbopli 
nresaed Is blin by listt. Barlloa. Thslbarw, 
otber oelabriHea, hare \r~ '— ■i'—- — • 
been snppoosd they wer 



idlsooTarad. IthadloDc 

-J deslmysd. It aow a_p- 

'ed by the oompoecr's slstar, wbo 



isloal publlabar In IM 
of OfiM titam, and a Osr- 
>n is lo appear very Bbortly. ITby outthe' 
oTiglna] sh^ie as well? 



RAlioynu ThecraatattraetlonattlntUrdBabacilp- 

erammad. He playad Baalhoran^ VMIn Oongatto(wltb 
orcbaslral aeeoinpanlmant) ; a ''Nonamo," with orebaa- 
Ira (ot bla own eompoaUloB): a "Barabaada and Taia- 
lMHuln,"byLMlalr; and vanooa ''Uncailsaba Tkasa," 
addinib In eempllanea wmi tba atioti|ay.«kpta nad daalta 
of tba publbi to bear asmatblnr mora tram bUt. a 'Oa- 



a nixtara of admlnllon sod Irony : ■■ He la as brilliant 
as a Oaab of llriitlni ; babniataoa yon Ilka Ike erasbof 
IbDadeti and be laaTaa behind klB a ttrenc imall of 



S^tttsI ^otitis. 



BBSOBIPTtTK LMT OP THB 

<A.TSST 2.CTTSIO, 
Pabllahatl kr •ll**r Vl«a*i> * 0«. 



Tamil vhh Plana 



■peak kindly to me." 
Una HUa page, and rery plaasinc sonf . 

I Enow my Lon Lovm um. D. S. a to |t- 

" Sweat was the slndnit of tba Mrd, 
O, fall of love tbe i«Be> 
Onaof Ibebastof oonean aoasa. 
I'M <Mns Hoaia. Soog sod Cbo. F. S. 

o to F. Let. VI 

" Vt a eomlnr,— m ba dar." 
A pt«tty pIsBtatJoB aoag. 

Carina Song nnd Cbo. D. 4. d to K. Kemu. tS 

■■ Adieu Ibaa, Oorloa I no morv will t llrutar 
For a amlla that my fond heart elalmaO aa IM awn." 
BnB( by a calebraMd Barltoiw, asd la nf bl|b 
ebaraoter. poetry sad maale silks bsaatlf at 

Snn of my SooL Qiurtat. Ok 4. d to ff. 

Hmomi U 
" AMde with me from mom tfll e*a. 
For witboBt tliae I oannot liTe." 
Oaeof Bareu' ■• f nserad Quattata," and la an 
sdapta H oB of a faiorila hymn to sew muala. 

Tb« Wkitior kad Uu Uniden. C. & n to B. 

FineeaLSS 
" 'Hie warrior erossed thn noean^ foam 
Por the stormy soenas of war."* 
A l-eaBtHol "TroBbadeai Bou,*' worda by 
Mr*.HemaBa. ^ ^ 

Id the Smet Long Asa, Song and CbonH. 
Bt. 8. dtoE. Pytfl. 

- When tba hricbaat of Tisloaa float by 
In a nuclcal dream, to and fro." 
Ooldon wnrda, aad a sweat nalody. 

lastnmMttL 
Lea NiOads, Take Capitoe. A. 4. BarmaUM. U 

- e)anntwalta,whtoblsib " 



pleea, with m 

School U(b Weltaae. Bk X. 




Dlxlo'i Land Marab. C. *. 



BttUvrnthu 6o 

aUel>ru"htnesrMd~icnihF' 1 
la fun SlstshT tbe dlOeal^. 

Fontainebleao. Talae Fanfan. C. 4. 

Balnea "Panfare" of at 



"nwTwoLaT^e. (Lee deu AloaeEtee.) 

ImpromptD. A. S. XeedUMctir. CO 

Played by Madame Bmtpof . probably baeaass 
Hlssofrwieful,aa U la not so dlAenlt as mart 

Der Hidalgo. Op. 9H. D. S. Xowre. «3 

"tier nidalfo" Is a sooe by SehBmana, bare 
flBslyBaBBonCsdsndTulaa. ftay ba a llttla mora 
diacnlt ibao 0) to soma ptayara, bnt Bis easily 
to tba llngars. 

Lobengrin. FkotaUre Brillant*. EA. E. 

LryhaiX 1.00 
Aire fmm WaKnST*s opera, end Is worked na 
with Leybaoh-s aiqaUle skill and lasts. 

M'aimeatuT Faotaiale Bonunoe. O. 4. 

DaJoken. 4^ 
Thiouhoat, wa bear the ms l ody o< 
aoBK, wltb rarlons barmoBla addllto 



NoeegBT Polka. (D ramUlatte.) Kb. S. 

BamjotL. SO 
Very brlcht and piquant polka. 



AbbiItiatio:!*.— Decreea of dUBemty are but 
fnmlial. TbekeylsdMoted by aoaplial IsCtsr. a 
Btfeta. A larie Romaa Mter marks the lowest and 
hiEhaat note ifon tba staS. smsll Boman letters If h« 
or aboTe tba staff. Thuai ■■ C. h. a to K," means " 
ef C Plftb dearee, loieast latter o na tba added line 
low, hlfbaet letter, I on the Kb apaaa." 





mm\ 





Whole No. 933. BOSTON, SATURDAY, JAN. 20, 1877, Vol. XXXVI. No. 21. 



A Haydn Xonorbd. 

Among the impreMions rtceiTed in the dt^yn 
of our yoath, who' does not remember with 
pteasqre— provided & sense of reyerence for oar 
gn^t tone-poets have been e^rly instilled in- 
to tlie mina — the keen eniojment deriyed from 
the flrit Acquaintance with the life of a Haydn, 
a Mozart, of a Beethoyen t In this respect we 
were then much indebted to the Holle edition 
of these three classics, which included a bio- 
erapbical sketch of each of the three masters 
oy way of appendix to their respective compo- 
sitions. However much the outward appear- 
ance of these publications, both in style of 
print and quality of paper, might have left to 
oe desired, the contents were eagerly devoured 
by us, and pleased us all the mors if amply in- 
terspersed with little anecdotes, minor incid- 
ents, etc. Although far from being modelf of 
biography, according to our modem notions, 
these sketches were, nevertheless, valuable to 
us at that time, inasmuch as they undertook, 
with pleasing eloquence, to direct our atten- 
tion to these three '*' stars of the first ma{|^i-> 
tude in the musical heaven ** — a phrase which, 
much worn as it now. appears, was wont to fill 
our youthful minds with awe. 

Tears of riper development brought with 
t^em the exercise, on our part, of a clearer and 
nipre critical judgment. If, in the light of 
this, those first biographies began to look some- 
what primitive and out of date, still less could 
we be satisfied with the so-called Artist-Biog- 
raphies of a Heribert Rau, which had been, in- 
judiciously enough, recommended to us by a 
friend as likely to gratify our thirst for inform- 
ation on the subject;. The literary fireworks 
with which this author delights to surround 
his heroes, Mozart and Beethoven, dazzled our 
eyes but for a short time, to be soon recognized 
as mere tricks of the romance writer. It was 
tjien, ^t last, we were reminded of better guides 
o|i our path--in search of Mozart we found Ot- 
to Jahn ; in search of Beethoven, Marx. Under 
such direction, how soon was our enthusiasm 
kindled; how eager we grew to study their 
works; what new aspects opened up before 
our view I Then, for the first time, the truth 
became revealed to us, that by the side of uni- 
versal and literary history there is also an art 
history, and that it requires at least as much 
to understand a Beethoven or a Mozart as it 
does to appreciate a Ooethe or to fathom the 
c.haracter of a Wallenstein. Mozart and Beet- 
hoven having in these literary works found the 
only representatioiui worthy of their genius, 
that of baydn a)pue was still wanting in order 
to oomplete, in biographical literature also, the 
great trio which, ui Uio enumeration of Qer- 
man Orand-masters of musical art, we instinc- 
tively name in one breath. It is therefore with 
particular gratification that we hail the appear- 
ance of a ** Jofeph Haydn,*' by C. F. Pohl, of 
Vienna (published by 8acco*s Nachfolser, at 
Berlin), a work which, in reference to the two 
others mentioned above, would seem to be en- 
titled to the claim, in Schiller's wotd#— 

■• Idh aei, gawKbrt Mir dto Bitt6» 
In euwB Bands der Drtttel" 



In his new work 0. F. Pohl has not only 
rendered a great service to the memory of 
Havdn ; he has also commenced to fill up a gap 
•p long keenly felt bv all. And unless the suc- 
ceeding volumes — ^whosa appearance is prom- 
ised at intervals, not too far apart — should fall 
short of the certainly high-strained expecta 
tions which this first instalment ha^ raised, he 



will have created a work which will do honor 
to the Qerman name, and be one more lasting 
example of German thoroughness and patient, 
yet enthusiastic research. To many an idle 
prattler in art matters, it is true, the name of 
Haydn mav call to mind little more than the 
** good old Papa," with his bob-tail wig, whose 
music will at best provoke only a pitiful smile 
or doubtful shrug of the shoulders. To them, 
Pohl's task may appear a superfiuous one, and 
it will possibly be a matter of surprise to them 
that anyone should have been found ready to 
bestow so much labor and zeal upon the repre- 
sentative of a period in art long since surmount- 
ed. Fortunately, however, there is another 
portion of the public who, if only out of mere 
gratitude, take the liveliest interest in anything 
connected with Haydn, and long for an ex- 
haustive picture of his life. For was it not he 
who, as Herr Pohl aptly remarks, formed the 
connecting link between our great musical he- 
roes of the last century; who took his first 
youthful steps into fame just at the time when 
the career of Sebastian Bach had come to a 
close ; who experienced under his very eyes the 
first reforms of Oluck, his triumphs and de- 
cease after glorious achievements f Again, 
was not the entire life of Mozart — with whom 
he had formed the closest friendship— enacted 
before him, passing away like a wondrous 
droam ; and was it n6t still reserved for him to 
witness the glowing sunrise of a new day in 
Beethoven, whose precursor in many respects 
he had himself been f But even supposing all 
these i^^sociations of Haydn*8 with the musical 
way-makers of the past century to have never 
existed— if, indeed, such a man as Haydn had 
never been, living merely in the imagination of 
his portrayer— the work now before us would 
stilljustly claim pur admiration, inasmuch as 
it affords an example of how to proceed in or- 
der to make th«! personality of a man become a 
reality to the reader, and of the minute care re- 
quired in studying countless minor circumstan- 
ces which may, in some manner, haveinfiuenced 
the life in question. To write a genuine artist- 
biography IS, in truth, a most difllcult task, 
provided the author does not place himself on 
a level with the compilers of many-volumed 
"art-novels," wherein the writers' iamgination 
claims full elbow-room, and positive truth is 

Sushed into a comer. Among such authors, 
owever, who, possessing the necessary ftcien- 
tific knowledge of t\keit subject, approach it 
with earnestness of purpose and in full con- 
sciousness of the responsibili^ of their under- 
taking, different ways have been adopted bj 
which to reach the desired goal. Some aim 
chiefiy at the realization of a complete picture 
of the artist*s outward life Bjad ezp^rieace; and 
in this respect all our admiration is due to the 
glittering, fresh-colored picture of the life of 
G. M. von Web^, from the pen of his son. 
Others again lay more stress upon the ^iifMr 
Hfe, following the artist into the mysterious 
working of his genius, while only the leading 
features of his outward career are touched upon ; 
and in this form of biography Marx unques- 
Uonablv manifests his mastery. There can be 
no doubt, however, that the b^t and most n- 
liable method — ^because at the same time the 
most exhaustive and thoroughgoing — would 
be that which succeeded in combining the Ad- 
vantages of both modes of procedure; which 
united to the keen eye of the historian a true 
artistic feeling, not merely showing us the man 
in the vicissitudes of his Ufe, nor explaininff to 
us what he was only from hb works, but doing 
the one without leaving the other undone; in 
short, giving a clear conception of the ^hoU 



personality. This was the plan adopted by 
Otto Jahn in his masterly work on Mozart, and 
C. F. Pohl proves himself, in his "Haydn,*' to 
be his worthy pupil and follower. Jahn him- 
self, at whose instance Herr Pohl had underta- 
ken the task, knew, no doubt, well that the 
latter would be peculiarty fitted to carry it out. 
He had already given ample proof of this in his 
valuable monoirraphy. entitled "Mozait and 
Haydn in London,*' and, moreover, the writer's 
residence in Vienna, his ofilcial position there' 
of archivist, seemed to point to him as the f u- 
tu re biographer of the great master. The mod- 
el after which Pohl appears to be constructing 
his work is one highly to be approved of. If 
his aim is to represent the life and doings of 
Haydn in such a manner as to enlist for it the 
sympathies and attention of even a non-musical 

Sublic; if he is convinced that his place is to 
eal not with Haydn alone, but with the whole 
period in which he lived, so far as it affected 
his artistic development* as well as with the 
local and personal circumstances in which he 
moved ; he will have all those on his side whose 
good opinion is worth having, and who will an- 
ticipate the best results from the practical exe- 
cution of so excellent a plan. 

In carrying on the "chronicle" of events, 
forming a continuous chain of all the more im- 
portant moments in his hero's life, our author 
gains, at the proper time and place, :a rallying 
point, from whence he may indulge a view 
upon much that is interesting in the general 
history, social and artistic, of Vienna, without 
straying to«3 far from his primary object. For 
•did not EEaydn oling to Vienna like the child 
to the bosom of its mother f Was there not a 
constant freindly intercourse between the two, 
sufficient to justuy the conclusion that anything 
which, in matters of art or public life, affected 
the ancient Eaiserstadt, would not be passed 
by unnoticed by the other f He who, in this 
part of the book, would be inclined to see a 
mere freak of the librarian, a passion for stir- 
ring up the dust of some queanonable antiqui- 
ties, would do wrong tq the f uthor, and at the 
same time overlook the gain thus accruing, not 
only to musical but to general culture, in the 
elucidation of facts concerning the social his- 
tory of the time. It is scarcely necessary to 
remark, considering the well-known conscien- 
tiousness of Pohl and his habits of librarian, 
that he has made full use of the printed mate- 
al relating to Haydn, omitting not a single lit- 
erary source which might in aay way further 
his object; a glance at the text and the numer- 
ous accompanying notes will at once dissipate 
any lingering doubts on this point. The col- 
lecting of an abundance of facts ii, however, 
one thingt ^nd the correct interpretation of 
their vsjue and bearings is another. 3y tbe 
aid of a aareful combination and blending of 
such facts, the biographer isenable4 tQ fet 
right wrongly formed conclusions, to admit % 
ray of light into much that hitherto had been 
doubtfulor obscure. While admiring, there- 
fore, the scrutiny exercised by Pohl m exam- 
ining literary landmarks, s^nd testing th^r vv 
lidity as ev(ae|ice, we must fairly be amafed ft 
the zeal manifested bv him in the discovery 6t 
fresh source and in their due application. On 
pu[es Iff and 17 of the preface, fll ^he wm 
and mean^ are enumerated by which he lias ob- 
tained this end. bxapching out i^to a jranejnU 
expression of the anther's sense of bblulntlojigi 
to all those persQus, private and oAcis£ v^o. 
had in OUB way or another rendered ^ssistaniy^ 
to him. We venture to assert that, spcMking 
m^ groi, no keepw of archives is to be fbun^ 
in ;A>n>tria or Cfermany, to whom minutq qqaf- 



^^^ 



^^■iF 



nnKT 



370 



DWIGHT»S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



I 



I tions concemiDg^ Haydn have not been ad- 
1 1 dressed ; no music-cultivatinjir Austrian monas- 
tery can be named in whose libraries Pobi has 
not, directly or indirectly, instituted inquiries 
after original manuscripts of his hero, not un- 
f requently crowned by success ; no collector of 
autographs, the fortunate possessor of Haydn 
treasures, has succeeded in hiding such relics, 
howeyer jealously guarded, from the searching 
eye of the determined discorerer. In addition 
to this, the confidence with which Prince 
Nicholas Esterhazy, of Galantha, honored the 
biographer was, unquestionably, a matter of 
the greatest adyantaffe to him in the further- 
ance of his undertaking. Considering the sig- 
nificance of this truly noble family for Haydn 
and for art in general, it was a matter of para- 
mount necessi^ to look upon the archiyes of 
Eiseastadt as the primary source of many au- 
thentic documents. Although these family 
lecords^ had been hitherto closed against all 
inspection, the descendant of the great Mosce- 
nas of artists has now thrown open the doors 
to the Haydn biographer, in eyery way facili- 
tating his ino uiry. Herr Pohl has been amply 
rewarded in nis search there by many an agree- 
able surprise, and resting upon such reliable, 
precious material, he wrote the present first 
yolnme. Fayoring the poeitiye element through- 
out, he yet manages to steer clear of all pedan- 
tic dryness. The author's poetic ana sym- 
pathetic nature reyeals itself in more than one 
inctance; and in those cases where, in spite of 
minnte inyestigation, positiye proof for certain 
phases in Haydn s life had not been forth- 
coming, he allows some scope to imagination, 
without, howeyer, losing himself in the region 
of the impossible or the improbable. Herr 
Pohl does well to attach no mean importance 
to the influence exercised upon the deyelop- 
ment of Haydn^s mental deposition by the 
scenes of nature surrounding him. Foolish 
though it would be to maintain, with certainty, 
the fiction, in an equally strong degree, of the 
beauties of nature upon all men, yet there can 
be no doubt that, ffiyen a susceptible, open- 
eyed mind like Haydn^ ^ counteraction upon 
the individual would be extremely probable, 
thus justifying the conclusion that, surrounded 
by wild rugged scenery, the composer of the 
*' Creation " would not have become that which 
a mild, graceful, smiling country had designat- 
ed him to be by anticipa^on. 

The portion of the work which has so far 
been puolished represento Book I. of the first 
yolume, and is diyided into seyen chapters. 
In the first of these Herr Pohl makes us ac- 
quainted with Haydn's ancestors, commencing 
with his ^reat-gmndfather; an introduction 
which, haying a tragic historical event for ita 
background, at once arresta our attention. In 
the second and third we have yiyid pictures of 
Joseph's *' childhood, *' spent under the paren- 
tal roof at the little market-town of Rohrau, 
and of the * 'School at Hainburg. " The fourth, 
headed ** At the Chapel-house in Vienna," de- 
scribes the organization of that institution, by 
which opportunity we also learn something of 
that, in many respects, remarkable man, the 
Dome-Capellmeister Reuttor, while in a sub- 
diyision we are told all about Haydn as a 
'"singing-boy." His industry, his teachers, 
seyeral important court festiyities, and, finally, 
the lad*s expulsion from the Chapelhouse, are 
here dealt with. The fifth takes up the '"Chron- 
icle," the purport of which, ita appropriateness 
in relation to the particular subject in view, 
we haye already bnefiy pointed out. With the 
sixth chapter, entitled '"Lehr und Wander- 

J'ahre," we enter upon the toilsome years of our 
lero's first experience in the school of life, that 
imfiortant penod during which we find him la- 
boring steadily for the deyelopinent of his tal- 
ents, and anon taking his first youthful flight 
into regions where he should, ere long, become 
a tliscoyerer, yiz., the stringed Quartet and 
the Symphony. In the seyenth and last chap- 
ter, we see the young musician at Eisenstadt, 
duly installed in the orchestra of Prince Ester- 
hazy in the capacity of second, and later on, 



after the death of the aged Werner, of sole 
Capellmeister.* This first book, therefore, if 
we commence our reckoning with the great- 
grandfather, embraces the period lying between 
the years 1688 and 1765. The supplements, 
seyen in number, contain matter of yaried in- 
terest. The most yaluable appeare to be the 
autobio^phical sketch of Joseph Haydn, and 
next in interest, the enumeration of all the im- 
portant eyents in matten artistic enacted in 
Vienna during the yean 1740-1766. The list 
of theoretical works, ete., found among 
Haydn's books after his death, merito attention 
in so far as it tends to show that genius eyen 
like his new disdains to learn of others, in or- 
der to obtain a ready command oyer faculties 
which otherwise might remain slumbering with- 
in. Glancing oyer the '"Decree of Appoint- 
ment" as Capellmeister, we are startled by the 
multitude of ofilces which a hundred years ago 
the conductor of a princely orohestra was ex- 
pected to perform, and our admiration for the 
man who held that post increases when we con- 
sider that, far from ^froaning under the load of 
so many ofilcial duties, he, on the contrary, 
manifested an almost incredible creatiye actiy- 
ity, maintaining throughout a delightful seren- 
ity of mind, which peryades his works in the 
most refreshing manner, and which — to such a 
degree^is to be met with in no other artist. 
For the musical addenda the biographer de- 
senres our especial gratitude. The reeUatwo 
extracted from the Symphony composed in 
1761 comes upon us as a surprise, seeing that 
in no other of his numerous symphonic compo- 
sitions he has made use of the instrumental 
reeitati90, and we had hitherto looked upon 
Beethoyeni in bis "Ninth," as the innoyator 
in this direction. The Adagio in E fiat, select- 
ed from a Symphony in E of 1768, shows that 
charming simplicity, which seems to remind us 
of a 6-8 Adagw in one of his minor Sonatas in 
F. In the Andante from the Symphony in B, 
the adoffie of which is written for the stringed 
quartet only, the composer assigns to the yio- 
loncello the office of supporting the melody 
throughout in the lower octaye, an effect, which 
was much admired at the time, of which, how- 
eyer (not to the detriment of his music), he has 
afterwards but rarely ayailed himself. In an 
appendix, the biographer gives ns the genealog- 
ical tree of the Haydn family, the difficulties 
surmounted in the compilation of which were 
infinitely more real than apparent According 
to an intimation emanating from the publish- 
ers, three more yolumes will follow this first 
one at moderate interyals, and are to be 
adorned respectiyely with portraita of the com- 
poser and % facsimile of his handwriting. The 
cost of the complete work is estimated at about 
M 80 (£1 10«.), and considering the yariety of 
interesting matter it oflfera, as well as the lib- 
eral style In which it is being published, the 
price certainly appeare a moderate one. 

In the compilation of the numerous lista of 
themes of Haydn's compositions from his earli- 
er period, Herr Pohl's scrupulous and untiring 
care becomes again apparent; and although 
some few mistakes in the examples quoted haye 
crept in here and there, they are of no great 
importance, and may be easily rectified by any 
musician. 

• A consldenble portkm of this chsptsr wfll bs found 
tnn«latediiii?io<^Arf/o«nM/<t/'JAM<e [Ifaj and Jum, 

ISTO.J 

rrabe Oonttnaed.] 



■^>» 



Crjital Palace Coiioert% Lcmdon. 

The twelfth and coqclading performance of the 

Kre-Chriftmas leaaoa was given on Saturday. It 
ring the 16th of I>ecemb«r, the day of Beethoven's 
birth (at Bonn, 1770), a programme devoted ezcln- 
rivoly to compositions, vocal and instramental. from 
his pen was hot an appropriate homage to the illns- 
trtotts mnsioian, whose name has figured so oon- 
•picnously at the Crystal Palaoe conoerte from their 
earliest institution, and whoee tympbonles, over- 
tures, concertos, oto., have done so much towards 
helping them to the position they occupy, by unan- 
imous consent, as the best entertainments of their 



kind. With the inereaslniir taste of the general pub- 
lic for instrumental rouste of the highest order 
Beethoven has had more to do than any other com- 
poser. He has been, indeed, the most eloquent of 
teachers. The growing appreciation of his mnsie 
has led to further inquiry, justifying the frequent 
introduction of works by other masters, his con- 
temporaries and successors, before such large mixed 
audiences as are accustomed te assemble on Satur- 
days at the Crystal Palace, and, twice a week, at Stw 
James's Hall, attracted by the quartets, sonatas, 
etc, prepared by Mr. Arthnr Chappell, whose 
Popular Concerts, no longer ezdnsively " Monday 
Popular," but " Saturday PnpnUir " as well, owe not 
lees of their vogue te Beethoven. With Weber, 
Spohr, Meodelsoohn, Sterndale Bennett^ eta, the 
old Philharmonic Society, which did so mneh for 
Beethoven, and for which BeeUioyen did still more, 
had already made a seleet and privileged public at 
the now defunct Hanover Square Rooms — where 
Haydn, Moiart, and Cherubim had long remed^ 
sufficiently familiar. The New Philharmoi^ Soci- 
ety, when (in 1862) Hector Berlioz anperintended a 
memoreble perforaMnoe of the Ninth Symphony of 
Beethoven, at Exeter Hall, first disturbed this mo- 
nopoly, by appealing te a larger public ; and, later 
on, the Musical Society of London, with Mr. Alfred 
Mellon as condueter, set up another formidable op- 
position on similar a^ronnds. In speaking of the 
Crystal Palace, we refer especially te the sympho- 
nies and overtures of Schubert and Schumann, te 
the adeonate appreciation of which a thorough eom- 
prehension of Beethoven, who greatly inflnenced 
them both, was essential. These have been played 
oftener under Mr. Angnst Manns than under any 
other known conductor, at home or abroad, and the 
public are fast becoming as intimately acquainted 
with them as with those of their great prototype. 
With regard to Beethoven hhnaelf, it would be 
enough to say that on more than one occasion the 
nine orehestrel symphonies have been included in a 
single series of Crystal Palace Concerts, but for the 
fact that, if we except the " chamber " pieces and 
other things not lying within thMr immediate 
sphere, few oompositions by the great master oonld 
be named which have not, from tittie to time, been 
accorded a place in the programmes. The seleetioo 
on Saturday, which, beginning with the overtore 
to PromtiJutu^ and ending with the " Choral Sym- 
phony," included the pianoforte concerto In E fluA^ 
the fifth, last, and grandest, besides some songs, 
was admirehly suited for the intended purpose. 
The instmroental part ailbrded examples of Beetho- 
ven's *' first, second, and third styles," as they have 
been termed— absurdly enough, seeing that, as the 
development of the masters creatiye power ad- 
vanoeo, one grew natarally oot of another, and that 
virtually the overtare to Salvatore Vigaao's alle- 
gorical ballet, DU GmMpf^ dm FmmdKtm, has as 
good claim to be aooepteo for a representative work 
as the Ninth Symphony itsell However, apart 
from speculation, the overture was written in the 
Ist year of the present century, when Beethoven 
was just thirty, tne pianoforte conoerte in the 9th, 
and the symphony, which occupied him for a com- 

Santively long time (no wonder I)^ in Uie 2Srd. 
o that a tolerably good notion was offered of the 
compo8er*B power throughout the most inoeesantly 
creative period of his artistic life, which ended, as 
eveiy musician knows, or ought to know, in 18S7, 
on the 26th of Mareh, barely short of half a oenta- 
ry ago. The FmmMktu* overture must always be 
interesting, as probably the first orchestral work by 
Beethoven that ever won something like wide pop- 
ularity in England^especially, it should be cl>- 
served, through the two-band pianoforte arrange- 
ment so early made known to ns. It exhibltoinits 
construction all the symmetry of form by which the 
overtures of Moiart are distinguished combined 
with a fcoroething more emphatically proclaiming it 
the work of Beethoven, ana no other. The oonoer- 
to has been the eftrvoi de balaUU of fint-dasa pian- 
ists during the last half-centary, and Is likely to 
engross the attention for a louff period hence of 
those who are to follow, nothing like It having been 
written before or since. For this reason it has heen 
nicknamed "The Emperor," at which Beethoven, 
who held emperora in light es t e em — ^witaess his 
tearing off the superscription, " Napoleon," whioh, 
if we may believe the anecdote, till the news of the 
hero's assumption of the Imperial dignity, had been 
affixed to his third symphony, afterwar<u generally 
known as Sin/onia Jmt«a— would have stormed nai 
a little. About the Choral Symphony we need say 
nothing. As it was Beethovea's Isst, so it is la ev- 
ery respect his greatest; and it is difficult to imag- 
ine that the prcjected '* No. 10 * eould have sor- 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, JAN. 20, 1877. 



371 



puted it It Is bot Jvst to call attention to the note 
npon this •3rniphonv contained in Saturday's pro- 
gramme, and signea " G ** — not only as a masterly 
analysis, but historically no less than analytically 
interestinfl:. We can remember on no pre v tons oc- 
casion a more erenly balanced and generally admi- 
rable perf«>rmance of overtarfe. concerto, and sym- 
phony. Mdme. Arabella Goddard, who, not for 
the first time by many, took the pianoforte part in 
the concerto, was '* recalled," and applauded with 
genuine enthusiasm ; and Mr. Manns waa siroilarl}* 
complimented after the 9tkerto and finale of the S3*m- 
phony — which last, by the way, ofrared satisfactory 
proofs of the steady advance towards excellence re- 
cently observable in the performances of the Crys- 
tal Palace choir. It Is also but juNt to add that the 
very difficult solo voice parts in thtJinaU h ive not 
often been i*itru9t(>d to artiste more careful and in- 
telligent than Mdm^L Blanche Cole and Antoinette 
Sterling, Messrs. Edward Lloyd and H. A. Pope. 
To give them all the eflTect contemplated is barely 
poesible, for in his later works, especially in this 
symphony and the g^reat i/ttsa SoUnnia in D (No. 
2), Keethoven, in consequence, probably, of the in- 
firmity which was the bane of nearly half his life, 
took little heed of the ordinary capabilities of the 
human organ for the emission of musical aounds. 
How in earlier days the great musician could write 
for the voice is well shown in " Adelaide," which im- 
mortaliced the poet Matthisoa, who, but for the musi- 
cian Beethoven,- might long since have been forgot- 
ten. Thi9 queen of love aongs was published at 
Vienna — ^four years before the Prtmuiheu$ music, 
the first orchestral symphony (C major), and the 
oratorio, CftrMfns am Odber^e {The Mount of OU 
ivm) ; so that It took us thus further back into the 
youth of a composer for whose maturity so much 
remained in store. Though there is something of 
the impassioned expression of Mozart in this canta- 
to(for *'canUta" it is originally styled), it is in 
other respects as unlike Mosart. and as purely 
Beethoven as conceivable. Mr. Edward Lloyd was 
the fortunate artist to whom ** Adelaide ** was en- 
trusted on so Important an occasion — ^the more for- 
tunate in being able to sing it with such true ex- 
pressien, and to be appreciated as. he was by his 
Bearers. By the way, the piauoforte accompani- 
ment was well played, the accompanist — in the case 
of ** Adelaide,** an agent entitled to aome considera- 
tion — being Mr. B. Beringer, wliose name should 
have been mentioned in the bills. The song^ con- 
fided to Mad. Antoinette Sterling were "Wonne der 
Wehmuth," one of three lAeder to Goethe*s text, 
oompoeed in 1810, and " Neue Liebe, neues Leben ** 
(also to Goethe's words, "Hers, mein Herx,") be- 
longing to a set of six published in the same year. 
Mad. Blanche Cole also gave the solos in the eavoH- 
ma (with chorus}—" Praise of Music." A better or 
a more comprehensive selection from Beethoven's 
works could not easily have been made, so as to 
fit in with the inevitably narrow eompaaa of a sin- 
gle programme. 

The Crrstal Palace Concerts are to be resumed 
on the tra of February, when, in commemoration 
of Mendelssohn's birthday (1809), the progpramme is 
to be exclusively devoted to his compoaitions- 
among the rest oeing the violin concerto, to be 
played by Herr Joseph Joachim, and a slow move- 
ment from one of the unpublished symphonies. 
Why not tlie entire symphony, with the date of its 
production attached? — TtnuM, 



■ «^» % 



Berli]i.~Vew Gomie Opera— lOn 
Mianie Hank. 

Herr G9ta*s four-act comic opera, Der Wtdenpeor 
tHffen ZSkmumr, has at length been produced at the 
Royal Operahouse, and achieved what in the opin- 
ion of competent judges will prove a lastllig success, 
a very large portion of whicl^ by the way, it will 
owe to the admirable manner in which the part of 
the heroine waa sustained by that great favorite. 
Miss Minnie Hauk. * 

The libretto is, as its author, Herr Joseph Victor 
WIdmann, announces in the bills, a " free version 
of Shakespeare's Tamintf of the 8ktt»» Everyone 
knows that, as a rule, tlie original form of tragedies, 
dramas, and comedies, has to l>e greatly modified, 
before such productions are suitable for operatic 
purposes. K obody, therefore, can blame Herr Wid- 
mann for omitting several oi the original charac- 
ters, much of the original play, or erea for adding 
something of his own ; but everyone must regret 
that he has not displayed more tact in carrying out 
the process. His aim was, of course, to produce a 
gooa and effective libretto. In this he has been 



only partially sneoessful. The composer has done 
his best with the opportunities furnished him by his 
literary fellow-laborer, though he must, at times, 
have found his task very uphill work. He has, 
nevertheless, written a score which contains some 
excellent music, interesting, characteristic, and 
original. The greatest danger with which the op- 
era had to contend was the iSrst act, which is spun 
out bv the librettist to a fearful length, and must 
have imposed a terrible strain upon the composer. 
It is monotonous and wearisome, despite two very 
good specimens of the compoSer*A style, the chorus, 
" Nichts als Schelt«n alle Tage " (*' Nothing ev*ry 
d.<iy but scolding,**) and the concerted piece : " Bel 
Nacht die Ruhe so su stdren, Man kann sein eignes 
Wort nicht h9ren (" All nlgbt one's rest is rudely 
broken. One cannot hear a word that's spoken.") 
The pruning knife is here sadly needed, and should 
be liberally employed. Luckily, the overture had 
put the audience in a good humor. The second act 
cannot boast of such pieces as those just named in 
the first act, but then it \n much shorter and. taken 
all in all, more pleasing. The third act is superior 
to both the preceding acts, and sparkies with musi- 
cal beauties of no mean order. In the fourth act, a 
comic quartet between Katharine, Petruchio, Grn- 
mio, and the Tailor is i specially worthy of rre ition. 
as is also Katharina's song, and the succeeding love- 
duot. The great fault of Herr Gots is that he has 
treated his subject too much in the style of grand 
opera. He wants lightness. He is too fond of em- 
ploying all the resources of the orchestra, which 
frequently quite overpowers the voices of the sing- 
ers. Then, too, he is, perhaps, a little too musicisn- 
ly to please the great masses — though that, I may 
be told, is a fault in the right direction. With all 
ita shortcomings, however, Der Widerepenetiffen 
Zdhmnng Is a welcome addition to the list of German 
comic operaa. 

No pains had been spared in placing the work 
upon the stage. Great credit is due to the conduc- 
tor, Herr Radecke, for the way In which the or- 
chestra fulfilled its duty. The chorus, also, had 
evidently been well trained, and did eon amore what 
they had to do. Herr Beck waa an excellent Petru- 
chio, vocally and dramatically. Mdlle. Grossi, aa 
Bianchi ; I^rr Ernst, as Lucentio ; Herr Fricke. as 
Baptista ; Herr Salomon, as Hortensio ; Herr Ober- 
hauser, as Grumio ; and Herr Sachse, as the Tailor, 
were all frequently and deservedly spplauded. 
But the largest share of praise is certainly due to 
Mlsr Minnie Hauk, who, as the wayward, self-willed, 
and subsequently obedient Katharina, presented a 
picture worthy to rank with the best comic Shaks- 
pearian creations on the stage. The audience were 
charmed, and justly to. Had the character, words 
and music, been expressly written for her, it could 
not have suited her better, and to her rendering of 
it is assuredly dne a goodly portion of the excep- 
tional triumph achieved by the opera. Der Wider- 
epenaHgen ZSJununp has already been performed in 
Vienna, Leipsic, Mannheim, and other towns, with- 
ont anywhere making such a " tall " hit as here. 
But then Minnie Hauk was was not the Katharina. 

The papers speak very hiurhly of this young lady. 
I will give you a few specimens. Here is one from 
the KreuM-ieUmtg : — 

<Tbe new opera, as performed here, haa, in the per- 
ron of Miss Minnie Hank, a Katharina who, tMth by die 
natarsi freshness and power of her grand voice, and by 
her naerrlng sway ovar all the requirements for fine 
dnging, Is equal to her high task. If the ton*-form of 
the opera is to bear any resemblance to Its oricinal la 
8hakspeare*8 comedy. It can do so only by the help of a 
fait singer possessing such a thoroughly sound, strong, 
and, at the ssme time, flexible voice as that pos sess e d 
by IClss Minnie Hank. How would it Im possible to ring 
out with the dull tones of a weakly organ the unsubdued 
and Impetuous nature of the Shrew who Is to be tamed? 
Miss Hauk's voice Is of the metal in which we can caat 
8hakspeare*s Katharina, whom Petni -hlo addrsftMs as 
his ' golden Kate,* previously to freeing her by a terrible 
ordeal from the dross of her bad hablta. It was not on- 
ly as a refined vocal virtuosa, but also as a skilfni ac- 
tress, who points her delineation with Intellectual aen- 
men, that this talented lady satisfied the high expecta* 
tfc>ns pec^le had formed of her. The combat which 

Katharina had to fl^ht for the dellveranoe of her better 
nature with herself and her humorous despot was fought 
by her with well-polished and artistic weapons. The in* 
bom comlMtlveness of the pretty virago, and then the 
way in which the feelings of her maiden heart rise lov- 
ingly towards the roan who has succeeded in Inspiring 
her with respect, were two pointe brought out by the ar- 
tist with especial force and dramstio effect In the aio^y 
graduated ooloring of her tone-picture. In the presence 
of such great exceilenoe, a critic would become a petty 
carper were he again to censure certain isolated unpleas- 
ing tones. We musty we think, make as much allow- 



ance for those tones In the esse of this great singer as 
we do, in the ease of others, for the frequent Instances 
of singing Aut of toni», of the tceiroto, and of the hollow 
and withered sonnds of fading voices, from all which 
blemishes Hiss Hank Is frse. We fiatter ourselves with 
posflessing some acquaintance with Shakspeare*s writ- 
ings, ana we must aay that, of all the performers. Miss 
Hauk approached mot^ uearty the poetic original.*' 

The TaghlaU remarks, among other things :-* 

'< The part of the heroine had fallen to the lot of Mias 
Minnie Hank, who proved herself as eminent an actreaa 
as singer. The bold, self-assertive character of the ter- 
magant Kate appears created expreasly for her; and, aa 
regarda the young lady more especially as a ainger, we 
gladly overtooked on this occasion the little defects of 
her vocal method, as well as the laurel wreath. iVhieh 
was stupidly flung her at the very begtnnfag of the prr> 
formanoe. That, however, she should succeed In mak- 

ing so mueh out of a part musicany so ungrateful stamps 
her, bevond a question, as a great artlsc. The part Is 
mu8ii*ally nngiatefnl, beeause, speaking generally, snd- 
den and violent anger cannot lie expressed musically, 
and. in my own personal opinion, the compoAer commft- 
tf»d a tenriUe error when he selected a vixen for the 
principal personage of an opera. The part, moreover, 
p -esents colossal dlfllcnltles; snob tickllAn airs as those 
of Katharina In the fourth act cannot probably l>e found 
a second time in the entire range of operatic literature, 
yet If Iss Hauk ovemame them most brilliantly. For this 
let me here give her an especial bravo : Honor where 
honor is due I ** 

Dr. Gumprecht informs the readers of the Natum- 
al Zeilnnff tliat : — 

" The part of katharina is a gem In the repertory of 

Miss Rank, who broughtont the quarrelsome defiance of 

the self-wtUed maiden with the samo con^lctlon-bearing 

skin she exhibited in tlie sabmlsslon and fervent sIDbo- 
tion of the loving wife. With the moat praiseworthy 
care she had thought the part out, even to Its smallest 
characteristic details.'* 

Der WlderepemaUgen Zdhmnng is the first dramat* 
ic effort of Its composer, and it will be his last, for 
he is no more. He died in Switserland, a week he- 
fore his work was produced at the Royal Opera- 
house. Hermann Goti was horn at Kdnigsherg. 
While fltill a youth, he came to Berlin for the pur- 
pose (^ pursuing Ms musical studies at Stem's 6on- 
servatory. He subsequently accepted the post of 
organist at Winterthur, in the Canton of Zurich. 
The disease to which he succuml>ed was consutnp- 
tion. but he worked on to *' the bitter end," and, ac- 
cording to a notice inserted in the libretto, the last 
song for Katharina was composed for Minnie Hank 
Only a very short time before his death X^Corr, 
Lond. Jr«M. World, 



*'Lb CluuivMi " on Lint 

Tall as the poplar swayed by the breeze, long and 
diaphonous [tj; a broad and high forehead, eyes lua- 
trous in their dusky sockets, a straight and strong 
nose, arched eye brows, almost always contracted, 
masculine features, a large and impei^ous mouth, a 
swarthy complexion, and those wnnkles that denote 
a powerful organization. In a word, an ascetic face, 
framed with long gray hair ooming down to his 
collar. Thus appeared to us the humble and aua- 
tere Abb^ Liszt, ex-infant prodigy, ex-illustrious 
pianist, ex- Wagnerian expositor, now a religious 
composer, travelling to distribute indulgences and to 
perform his masses. 

His secular costume does not detract from the 
fascination of his person. His profile one would 
judge to be that of a Mephistopheles, who, touched 
by the death of Marguerite, was meditating a slow 
conversion. When you see his full face, his exprea- 
sion changes snd becomes energetic and manly. 
His gesticulation is ample and commanding, and his 
smile is sympsthetic and beguiling. While treat- 
ing grand pecsonages with all his moral and physi- 
cal £ivtfewr, Llszt*s conveisation is at first a little 
embarrassed, but it is soon succeeded by fiashes of 
wit and charming phrases, although he preaerves 
his dry and cola tones. One might compare his 
conversation to champagne /ra/jp^. 

Although rich and generous, he lives frugally and 
feigns an aged and impoverished air. Do not be- 
lieve in it ; it is merely the affectation of humility, 
and his cassock can scarcely contain the bounding 
of his still youthful soul. His nature Is essentially 
grave, but at present he coquets with honors, and 
feigns to be a mistiotuure ineogniio. You should see 
him issue from the Pasdeloup concerts with lowered 
eyes snd modestly enter a princely eqnipaee that a 

nt name has placed at his disposal. I do not 
kt the conviction of the Abb6 Liszt, for in hit 
youth he gave many proofi of mystical aspiration ; 
but this dioble tThomme will neyer abdicate the vir- 
tuoso, and his conviction and gentleness beoominir 
new tiUea to the public eorioaty, he replaces his 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OP MTJSIO. 



■word of boAor bj ■ roMTT. ud basU ■ dram iMfbrv 

At Mch tUp th« mm of tlit Wftrld mppMn ud 
•tr^ltln *f'b Dm prl*^; >> *■!> Ih* wUh« tn fly 
from the crowd; H ittncu knd Intoxtcatrs hlni. 
BcaeToltnt kod ■mlibl*. liking every Rort nrnmile, 
Ll«t can be prrsoadwl to play t* pM etmia — ihit 
li. tf among tha aad!ton than are no harctici. 
foraxrly he entarwl ■ hIm whh a nub, thraw 
down hla hat anywhere, ramoTod the eandlaa from 
tba pUno, and baftnfo commeDclnK to play broka a 
dnacn itringa la a fantastic pralnda. Now ba reo- 
ollrcta himaalf, draw* off hU blKk (tliTCa, and altar 
■ nMMal btrtditiU be)[lDa tha explanatory tait, kr, 
parbapa, yon da sot knnw that UnM writ** 
rooiaMaa that ara apoken and pUyad «t tha tame 

- laarepli 

harliw rwd bia braTlary, ha braakAula rrogally 
Dpon balf a dona Of iter*, or, if It U a Jmr grat, 
apon a amall plrce of haa, and then paya riait* 
dnrinK tha rMoalnder o( tha day. HIa two worldly 
pr^llectl..na are for eafi Mir anil for email and 
Tary bad Roman cl^ra, bat cheap <f not gratoluiua. 
Bala naMtlsd by manmaa who wlah blm to cWe 

Cmo iMaoaa (a tbrir interesting protcany. They 
va gone ao br a* to offer him a whole dollar a 
laaaon. Vpott daya whan he haa do engairemeBt*, 
Llait dlnea Mt-mMi with hit aon-ln-taw. H. Oillvier. 
andatde»erttbeyoonT»™eoflemporaI affair*. Ai 
be tnt*»da to remain come time in Perls. Llpit Is 
rebearaleg Mutfipm, Jtinm* tArt, the Danti Sym 

Ebony, and etaren oraturlo*. the ahurteat of which 
I B*cb loag*' than tha opera of the BigMnett. Hi 
kaa antt far hla n.BerDnn, who bad ■ limb froan 
In thdr RoaaiaB campaign. SIsrnor Benonl, the h- 
moM Aatoorlll of tVi papal ^^enlst. 

Uaat apeaka all lanKiuutee and eoplea his wmka 
htmaair. Hb mamucripia are wHhoat erunre or 
vorreoDoM. md hia wrillag la at onoe fine, frva, 
tanalBgandfantaatla Baekfng the moat anforeaaen 
on haatral comMBattona. hta aoorea are pntdlgin", 
and tt Tcqnlrea a at^laddM l» go from the Mnfra 
Aaoa l« Uia piettl*. Hla ay etem la tha nagatloo of 
trtH melody; be nilaa ohnrdl npon eborde. pratand- 
1^ thna to ■atablUh the direct rapport of the nioeic 
wJtb tbc philoao|ihlo thonght. In short, hla than- 
derlnc (Mcntton and hla prlndplaa of eiaggeratcd 
graudfar Inaplra auch dramatle aaoenta •.hat, hear 
log hla Ifaaa. one would imagine that they wer 
golnK to onnqner Cocbin China, ratbar than to ra- 
dte llUnlaa. 

One Isit word : LIsit'a bea la adorned wl 
molra, polltaly called gtalai of geniiia. Formerly 
he had four, now their number la mure than desb- 
led; Itiaaald thatitiahiaralthoomlngont.— JAu. 
AwAAeuw. 



ilttmay fren aDrbadj elsa'i A. Tba chsrm of Sade'e 
imliestral colortag Is Indeed unmt ; we flud Itnle of tbat 
lesteni fBrgeauinem la II that tha aeoiea of Warner, 
ttair, narllos and aaBa other irret maatera of tba or- 
ebeatn an fun ef; fiadc'i Instramantatlon la mora 
Hie fai Bptrit 1 Inl hnw fraocrnll; each Inatrament la 
orn h si t r s lenJa Itaaif to the flenra It has la plajl 
how admlrablf aaah daKdooa oteheatral effect Is blend- 
tbe fraat bamontoiu wbo)«, HndlnK ItaeU trntftf 



Iming n. 
laetlT addhif 111 irtm eluum to i 
t think we ehstl sll be (led ti 
a irmpbonj asaln- Henilelesol 



t of tbe 



the Hebrew apbU. that m 
I aopefNy pr 
ofUaotben 



r at hla woiln sr« loll of, 
ban la tidi evemr*. !■ 
vaaMa. 



(■Mm of tlM Jewlah 
HeolnLelT blood-thli 



enu lAwtailf «n 



cer;,,r, .■.^ni]r)u«oe«1n writinf Ihiil often led 

Ki.ii.f- iii^rrnipo»lilonheTondMllw»rr«" 

to utop ; perbapa no onmpoper of hie time 
— •■- '- tbe tvo Kuwementt la qoaatioa : 






■btnctT cnH^ol tfaKB tbe 

, -OdaVwbitaleiwthl Wh^ 

kwl, sod worted antHltMpmililT^yi 



M dWclM 

ithli« 



tblDk Josehlm would ban 
Inrr scon- of lb 
Jiat SA cloaelT 

mentaUoB, Hk ... 

Scbabart'a at^le Id ireatlDK Iba . _ — 

judged on Ita own merits eaa In aowlaa Itaeatled ■ i>- 
maikaMe seoraL It la rety USdbH, awl niny of (ba 
Inetramenta oReo have to anpa wlih dBgratefal pbraaea. 
Of TailetT of orcbasttal eolorinc (whlin n aiime tn me 
™ _— ..^^ 1. — -^jr. . ^Itheie hnij llute. 



Th«nfth Hwraid Canont 

(Tram tbe Conrler.) 
The ruib nympbony Ooseen of tbe Hamid 
AaMMlaiioa waa clTan at the Hnsie Hall OB TI 
aAanooB. Tba fait BBmbar en tba 
eadi'*B-«atBym|A0By.Ilo.4. It Is s> 
tUa4eU||btfBlweifc baa bean bewd la B 



u In C-ml>or 



aad C To ba esia tha giaat C-ntnor, witb Ita gread 
sltacnaHoM of taadarBas* and brIUluoy In tba flrat 
■III I Winn I. K* tordj, dreamy AiulamU, It* idorlaaa 
aeberso wItb tba bewlUhlBc, faliy-llke THa, esd tba 
graikd nunlaltbeBie, snufby tba wlBd lasttnmeBta In 
_. . ._ t^ ,0„Qp(BrlBK urines seem to bave 
great harp wboaa awept 
[ 10 tbe berole melody— 
OS with aQ the preallBe of 




TbTooabottt tbe week Oadaabowa bla iBlmltaUa n 
teiyaTar tba an:baatrB. I ttatak It wja ' 
aaoe said tbat fea batlered that. It Oada w 
9nly a aLacla A. (or a olaiinat. It wsBld aaa 



at noIMM more. 

ao flne a prnsfHime a* it did, bad "Sa aT 

snalla Beetbinea't warfea, of balnrabU., , - 

raatlBllapoehetaad widk off wi& It. Tbe Tery flrat 

grand oborda In F-mlnor aamaed (o Uow -** -' *—* 

Jnat bees haarlar 

waa tba iliiceraf t 

preaaloa. Bar Toiea k powerfnl, of 
^ and Kieat eompaaa. She atiga 

msaieiy hniA oTfr ber vote* aad on.. 

alnidiiElbit rlTeabarllatanara a eomf u jtabla 

eeearlty. We feel that wo are Uatenhv lo an — 

whom we eaa trmi*. Har atroox a>d aulborltatl>e a^le 

giraaoalbalaenaaof repoaatbatal-'— *- ■— ■*— 

Aedln tbaMTonicarmaefltttatbar. -—,, ,^ 

a oeitalB trMdaney ta namnratleii In bar rinalBf , but 
abaaangaomDcbllkaeBarUKto tba aaanaet bum. so 
■ore of attaining Uw aSieta aba alasad at tbat my eajey. 
meat of tbe mmlo waa bBtnnie Impaired br It. Tbm 
are few artlata In tba world wbo can ■!■«: ae that we eaa 
Imitine notblnKmora; tt t* a meat thlnit If tbey do not 
make na f«el tbe want of aooMtblnc awre for tbe me- 
mest. Tet. Bnely aa li wsi ibbk, FtblBk that nooe at 
na woBld be aoriy to aae Hoaart'a JTsa nfb Mjhr* latd on 
tbaabaHlBdaOnhdy. Momrt waa icreat, aBd tber* la 
mmb of gteafu fn tMa anna of hfi. bat whr need It 
take (be Waoa of better and Aesbar tbInRs. Tbaie are 
tMnga of Moaart'a tbat are aa bloomlBg now aa ever, but 
Ibia one baglBa at last lo abow lla wrinklea. 

WiLUAM W. Airaoar. 



eeedlBf aria, "EToa 




Tba flfth cDBsert of the Hanrard 

oo Tharaday aftenoen. Tba 
procnuBme iBelodad Rada'a ebamlnc aad iiaceful 
SynpboBy ITo. 4, In B^lat, HandalaKibn-i "Athalfe" 
onrlnre, tbe ABdnnie and PlBale from ftebnbart'e 
OrBBd Duo. op. 1*1, artaoged for orebeetra by Joachim, 
aad Baelboraa'a omtare (o " Ifmout." Tbe orchestra 
baa Bo( beea beard to so piod sdTanlaee tbie seuon aa 
bi tMa ooDcert. Tbaaympbony waa alraoet faoltleesl^ 
glren la point of atyle asd e»pi miloo. tba strlncs ao- 
qnltUag tbatnaalTea to epedal aeeep (ability. TbeSchn- 
bart mnala, IbooKb gesetany plaasinR, la apnn ont to 
sBCb a lai«(ta tbat tba dtf Igbl It wantd otbarwlse aflbrd 
liBaBlniMKdby (bewearineailtexcltwtntbe listaBer. 
It wae perftmned with exeeDeM etaanieaa and praoi- 
akm. Tba two ovaitBre* werealaD clreB with adaitra- 
ble effect. Wb think tbe coBoert as a whole may be 
ptonooDced tba nwal aailalaclory sad most enoenrac- 
iD^lbaaoeiaVbaaslreBineometlme. Tba auMat on 
tta oeaaaMD was Slfnar* Lnlia OpplaBl, an artiit of 
anunalabniqr.wlihartab.fiill roioe.i 
bat BilU sweet, ftUl. and deeply eapraalTe. Her style 
•• laria and nNnManly, and ber metbod erlncea blgb 
onMratWiB hi tbe baat aobool of her art. Rer alnidnic of 
tba beaBilfBl ladtailre, ■<(WB 11 panto," and tbe 



, bfToaal. Thfa 

bowa*er, wae not so plaalnt In lla lesb 
tha axanerated eandment wtib wUcb It 
Tbia aMM la ready an aoialaitloB to oar 

itaeara. (be tai^ part of whom mar lean 

«aOB frvm berla an Ibal relntaa to bnadtta 

inproprlata dranatleexpn-aelOB.i '" 

re M>Mld like aa bear ber In o 



Tht Opcm ViUobkI LTrlqu. 
It I* not often that a oompoaar who hna pmwed 
hta flfUeth year can achlare a Ereat rncoen In grand 
opera la Paria, aepecially If Ma cafaer ha beea oon- 
flbed to the " Optra Cntnlqne gmn,' which ie tha 
specialty of the French mnaidana who write lor 
the IrHe drama; bat lf.TIrt<r Maai« has rertdnir 
beeo fortnnafe enoaih to haTa Mtinfled the oodl- 
moe ofoelabrittee eoliectad at the Op«ra Rational 
Lvriqnc. on tbe nieht of Wedneaday, KoTembor tba 
15th, that If his ' Paul st Ylrginle ' had been pn> 
dnced by M. Hulaneier at '-he Grand Opera bonse. 
or by li. Eacndler at the ThMtre lUITen (Salle Ten- 
t dnir), tbe work wnold hare Bet with a trlnmph- 
aa prononnred aa Ihat which haa attended tbc vent- 
nre of M. Tlientfnl. who, like H. CeH Boaa. at tbe 
Lveonm. onmblnee the poat of Condnctor witb that 
o/ Impreearlo^ A word or two aboat tha astecnl- 
eola of M. If aaa«, who waa a popil of the Conaerra- 
toire. and who won tbe firat grand prlie fbr «inip» 
■lUon at <he Inatltnto. He paaaed his two yeara of 
free Mndy in Rome, aad then made a loar In Italy 
and Oermanj. He eat Mna poeme by H. Victor 
Ilacco; bnl bis firat aaeeeaa waa la 18B1, at the 
Optra Comiqna, In ' Ia CbaatMse Vollie,' aad thia 
waa followad by hia ' If oce de Jeanaatte,' whieb haa 
trcTelled far. Ha had the adTaDl^^o ol MadanM 
Xinlan Carralho ta dng the now pnpntar dra ol 
that operMta. Hie neit eeeay waa tbe two«cl op- 
era, -aalathfe.' Hie 'Flaseiadn EKBhIa,' in ihraa 
acta. • La FaroriU e U SeblaTa.' ' Waa FaorHK' 

■ Qnatre Saisonn,' made no ipceial raark ; bat nt tba 
Lrrlqae. In lasS. his ' lUlne Topatt' Came oat, in 
wbicb he aeai-i had the aid of Hadabie Carralho, 
which had a tons nm. The ' Chalaa a Portenra/ 

■ Iji F«e Caraboea* ' followed, but with iw grant aoe- 
eeaa. At the Roe Lepelleiler Grand Opera-hooea 
his twojict ' Mnle de Pedro ' Waa prodneed ; bat H 
wa remarked that it owtht to have been beard ol 
the Batle Favart. In IBftO, he auooaeded U. DIetaefa 
(the noforlnnale oompoaer of the 'Flying Dnlcb- 
man.' baaed on H«rr Wagver'a libretto, which wm 
aceeptMl, but not hla mmlcl et the Grand Opera- 
hooae aa aocompanlat and tti^ it <*■■•'. M. H aaai 
waa br yeara livinc is hopes that hla aoore of -Paol 
•I Vlrvltile' woold ba aoeeptad either at the lullaa 
Opcro-hoaaa or at aome Frrnidi tbeatre. He. at oaa 
time, iater«4ed Ibdana AdeHaa Patti ao maeb Ib 
Ibe moaio that ah* waa etrongly dlapoaMl to be tha 
Virglaia; bat ba ooaM aot get a director bold 
enowth to bring ool tba Dparn. He thonght of tbe 
Opera Comlqaa ; bat he eoald And no odnnrnta Tlr- 
glnle, and the Pan! be o(»tMnplal«d, H. Copoal. hoJ 
cone on the lullan opera atme. After bo and <rf 
difflonltleaand dlaappnlntmenta. H. Viaentlnl came 
to tha reaeoe. and reeolred to aUke tha aacoaae tX 
hie nndertakinK on the opera of U. Maaat. H. 
Caponi, hhrinB been peiwuded to nAnm to tba 
French operatic itaga, was, of ennrae. prnpoaad for 
PanI, He haa tbe advantage of looking the ebarao- 
tw. brddee bdng aa admirable actor, with a sra- 

CiheClo vidM. and with ■ style Improved bV atag- 
(la lullan ooara. Altaratoii«asarch, a Yirgia- 
Inofeer *"— ' 



bmiiy. 

er, H.Thendnre Hitter, tbe pianiet. 

iog attempt For the yoam lUWAwlt. but abe haa 

been enccesalni ; and it tnnct be gratifying to tbe 

oompoaer who. In torn, had tried for Uadwne FatH, 

Hedame ITilaMMi. Hdlis. Alh.nl, and Mdlle. Chapny. 

to find at left Mdlle. Ceelle RHter. Hrt very Hi 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, JAN. 20, 1877. 



373 



6f ¥n QinbrelU Tonhed of {Mi1m-teiivc%. Het Toiee, 
ftMarftlly, is hoi yet matured ; bat her method la 
good, and the qoakity of the on^n !a moat eyropath- 
etic. Mdlle. £ngal1y, MlaU the ytgrm ; Meadamea 
SalUM and Leoni aa the two motnera ( Madam$ de 
Ca 2fb«f imd Marffti^riUi); M. Boohy, DorhiniqHi ; 
and M. Helchtaaedee. StUnte Cr&iz (the JielraecatiDii^ 
and m«ll|cnfluit planter), were adeonate repreaonta- 
Uvea oT their reapectire parte. On the plot it la 
iliMdleaa tb dwell The two practised librettists. 
MM. Cam and Bsfrblisr, have iulhe)^ blosely to 
th« idyll of Benardin d« Saint-Ptert^, the champion 
6raniYek«kl peace; the poets hate hot altefed the 
atory as did Favi^rM for the opera of Rodolphe 
KrsntkeV, produced in 1791, and as did Dobrenil fo¥ 
Leiraeai's setting In 1794. The teakv which have 
been abed by the readera of Saint-Pierre's touching 
tale were not less apparent at the first #epYesenta- 
tloo — the shipwrecK profoundly affected the audito- 
ry. The BCQire ef M. Vietor Masse Is finely oon- 
eelTed throuKhont, melodious themes abound, and 
the ilreheatration la raaaterly. If at times the 
treatment of Meyerbeer lind M. Gounod Isreealled, 
M. Maase haa esUbliahed his own individuslity in 
the majority of the numbers, which haYb the merit 
6f ine^eaaing iu interest up to the/nale. To ehtef 
Into details would require an analysis nf .each act ; 
but as a gem of inroiratlon, the dreaiH of Paul, 
where he sees Virginvn In Paris in a rich saloon, 
playing the harp, surrounded by admirers, and ahe 
ezclaima " Pkiul I " to which he responda *' Virgin- 
le I " may be mentioned. Re awakek, to hear that 
the ship Is off the port, but that there Is a dreadful 
storm. The melody which pervaded the opera U 
heard agaln,-<-the " Chant d* Amour,* — ^It is the song 
of the nwah, and the curtain deacen Is on the bro* 
ken-hearted Paul leaning oyet the body of Virglnle. 
There was a question at one time of changing the 
eatastrophe, but the adapters hare adhered rightly 
to the ending of Bernardia de Saint-Pierre. — AtM- 



4 mi 



FoHowtAgup their recent productions of "Antig- 
one " and " (Edlpus at Colonaa,** the directors of 
the Crystal Pklace brought forward on the 12th nit. 
Snrlbldesi' " Alcestis," with mmlc specially com 
poaed for the ooeaaion by Mr. Henry Gadsby. Mr. 
Gadabyia no atrani^er at the Crystal Palace, sever- 
al of hU eompoeltlons having been given with snc- 
eeaa on varidua ocoaalone at the Saturday conoerta. 
The preeefet la, however, so fat aa we IraoW, the 
meal importaht work that he haa at present written, 
oomprising In all ten numbers, several of them of 
eenslderable extent Ih the genera] outline, he has 
almost of neeeosity Mlowed the path laid down by 
Mendelssohn, who was. We believe, the first to set 
to ihualc any of the oM Greek tragedlea. It must 
be said, 1ft Mr. Gadsby's pralAe, that he la no mere 
slavish Imitator. Indeed, throogbout the whole of 
his mnilc w» find nothing whicih can be called a 
remlnlscenee of elthef "Andgone," or "(Bdipns.** 
In aeme veepeeta his treatment diflferi from that of 
hia great predecessor ; he has entirely dIscaHed 
the eflbet of solo voices, and though he has thereby 
sacrificed sere opportunities fur musical contrast, H 
la probable that he has on the other hand eon- 
j^Dtrmed more nearly to the plan of the ancients. 
There la no reason to anppoae that any part of the 
Oreek chomaee was aang either by a aofo yoloe or 
by n quartet 

" Aleestis^ eommenoea with a rcgnlarly-developed 
Overture, Instead of the short Instrumental prelude 
which Mendelaaohn adopted In a almilar situation. 
The Introdnotion oonsiats of the chief theme of one 
of the most important choruses (the "Fate* chorus), 
which occurs later In the work ; this la fbllowed by 
rnjnA moio In A minor and major, well written, but 
leaa atriking than aome of the succeeding numbera. 
The first chorus, " Before this royal mansion all Is 
etm," Is ehiefly a dialogue between the first and 
eeiKwd eholt, in which the redUtive style predom- 
Inntes. It leads immediately Into No. S, ** In vain. 
Mr plona vowa are vian,** a fine and veiry effective 
edioraa In C major, equally praiAewoKhy thm a ma- 
ttnnl Md drattalie point tyf view. Ko. 4, one of the 
longeat pieces in the work, Is partly chorus and 
partly melodrama. A point that strikes us, with 
regard to Mr. Gadaby*s seUlng of the choral por- 
tions of the music. Is the large predominance of 
vnisott paasagea. We think the composer is right 
ift his treiatment^ because with a small choir the 
melody certainly oomes out much niore clearly 
i^net the oreheetra than If the tnuslc wem writ- 
taoi In Aill harmony ; and as the work was designed 
lo be snug by h ehoms of only forty, egeleet at 



least an equal number of InstrtiroentAlistn, unless 
great Judgment Were shown In the distribution oif 
the parts, the volcee would certainly be overpow- 
ered. The melodramatic music, both In this and In 
subsequent numbers, is excellent Here, perhaps, 
even more than in the ohornses, it was diilScnlt for 
Mr. Gadsby to avoid the Mendelssohn infiiience. 
We think, nevertheless, th%t he has completely sue 
ceeded in doing so. His acooropanlments to the 
spoken dialogue are always appropriate and taste- 
ral. and yet quite .different In style from those In 
" Antisone." No. fc. the chorus in F major, " Im- 
mortal bliss be thine," Is musically one or the moat 
important numbers of the whole work, and is 
throughout full of interest Here we find snother 
innovation of Mr. Gadsby's — this time, we think, 
hot an Improvement Instead of setting, as Men- 
delflsohn mostly does, the first and second strophe 
and antistrophe to the same (or very nearly the 
same) music, Mr. Gadsby gives them entirely differ* 
ent subjects, lliis is, we cannot but think, 4 mis- 
take, because the two poKlons of the tett so exactly 
correspond to one another that there Is at least a 
strong: probability that they were intended to be 
sung to the same music. By adopting a different 
course, Mr. Gadaby obtains greater variety, but the 
unity of the piece suffers. The following ehorus, 
" Tes, liberal houae " (In A major), is one of the 
best specimens of its oomposer^s style — thoroughly 
InneiTul, and excellently written. Here Mr. Gadsby 
has for the aecond strophe repeated the theme of 
the first, greatly, in oui> opinion, to the advantage 
of the music No. 8 Is a movement consisting 
chiefiy of melodrama, interspersed with short cho- 
ral passa0«s, mostly in unison. The followinsr cho- 
rus (in D majoir), ** My venturous foot deHj^hts," 
which stnArt of Fate, is Ancther very g6od number, 
though, like No. 6, It suffers from the want of cor- 
respondence in the mnsic of the strophes and antl- 
atrophica. The dosing portion. In which the 
praises of the departed wife are aung, la of special 
merit A abort and effective finale i^oncludes thh 
work. 

We have dwelt in anch detail upon the mualc of 
" Alceatis ** that a few words must suffice concern- 
ing the performance. This waa on the Whole excel- 
lent, especislly as regards the music. The chorus- 
es were capitally rendered by the aame choir (under 
the direction of the composer's father, Mr. W. Gads- 
by) which did such sooa service at the revivals of 
'* AntiflTone " and " tEdipus ; " while the oreheatra, 
under Mr. Manna, waa aimply perfect The cast of 
the play, which was satlanctory throughout was 
as follows : Alta/ta, Miss Emily Cross ; loh. Miss 
Emily Yining; Admeiu§, Mr. Arthur Matthison ; 
fftremim, Mr. W. Rlgnold; Phfrm, Mr. Edmund 
Leathes; .^po2{o, Mr. J. H. Barnes; Tftmalos, Mr. 
Henry Moxon; Mtdon, Mr. Bruton Robins; and 
Chorus Speaker, Mr. W. Holman. Mr. RIgnold's 
BercnUu must be partloalarly mentioned as an ad- 
mirable and eiiRMtiye piece of aeting.-^LoMlMi Mtm- 
etU Timm, 



■ ♦ ■ 



Voreigii Votei^ 

It is intended, on the part of enthusiastic admir- 
ers of Herr Wagner, to make the Bayreuth Theatre 
the property of the nation. Herr Hahn, the ener- 
getic advocate of the " party of progreas^ in musical 
mattsrs, and editor of the Journal Tbnibdu^, haajnat 
opened a subscription for the purpose of rising the 
necessary funds, and with a view also of defraying 
the expense of annual standard perfbrmances of mu- 
sical stage works at that building. It la now poai- 
tlvely aettled that a repetition of the performaneea 
of " Der Ring dea Nibelungen " will Uke place dur- 
ing the present year. 

Herr Wagner haa been much fctted at Rome, 
whither he had gone in search of rest after his late 
fhtigue. Among other honors of which he was the 
recipient, the Royal Aeademla dl Sa. Cecilia has 
nominated hlro Socio JUttttrt, being the highest dig- 
nity confiBrred by that institution. 

while ^he principles which at present predomi- 
nite in the mantgement of our own operauc estab- 
lishments would ieem to exdnde afiogether that 
educational element which the performance of tbe 
masterpieces of a bygone period cannot fail to sap- 
ply, our German neighbors, whose art institutions 
sre for the greater part subsidised by the Govern- 
ment, are eeftalnly more fortunate in this respect 
Thus, at the Royal Opera at Berlin two works of 
Gluek, " Armida ^ and " Iphigenia In Tauris," have 
recently been perfbrmed within a Week, snd. ac- 
cording to the AtlgtfMme DetOtehM Mutih-Zeitkng, 
In a manner worthy of the fSither of the itaoderh 



music-drama. There can be no queation that such 
revivals of atandard works by older . masters are 
of the highest importance at the present day, when 
thefuhdamental principles upon which (h>era should 
be constructed are being discussed on all sides. At 
the same establishment' Schumann's opera "Geno- 
veva ** is in course of preparation. 

Rubinstein's " Die Haccab&er." which opera haa 
been repeatedly performed at Berlin and Munich, 
waa to have been given for the first time on the ISth 
ult at the Russian capital. 

Madame Schumann has lately made her appear- 
ance at a concert at Barmen, before an enthusiastic 
audience. Special homage was rendered to the 
great artist on the occasion, the pianoforte on 
which she played being adorned with flowers and 
evergreens. 

At Leipsic the Subscription Concerts of the Ott- 
tMmdkaHM continue their standard performances of 
classical music, while at the same time duly resrard- 
Ing the claims to obtain a hearing on the part of the 
works of contemporsry composers. Among the 
novelties lately introduced may be mentioned a 
Symphony (No. 8) by Jadassohn, and a vocal and 
instrumental work by H. Hofman, entitled " Das 
Miirchen von der sch5nen Melosine." Madame 
Schumann, M. L. Brassin, Herr WieaiawAy, and 
Herr Joachim have successively made their appear- 
ance : the latter was to have performed a ica. Con- 
certo by Herr Reinecke at the eleventh concert on 
the 2l8t ult 

Opera, in one form or ahhther, haa been In de- 
elded demand at Paris during the past month, and 
the various institutions dedicated to that species of 
dramatic performaiice have been nightly filled to 
overflowing. " Robert le Diable," " Aida,*' " Fille 
dn Regiment,** " Oberon," have all proved alike at- 
tractive to the music-loving public. At the same 
time the new opera by Victor Masse, ** Paul et Vlr- 
ginie,** Is maintaining the popularity it ao quickly 
attained since Its first perrormanee at the Thiiiirt 
Ljfiiqm in November last There has been a revi- 
val, too, at the Thidtr$ Lffriqtu of a very interesUng 
little work by Herold, an early production of hia 
genius : the operetta ia entitled " Lea Troqueura," 
and its pertormanee Iras evidentiy much appreciat- 
ed by the tadie'niee. 

The doors of the Ccnmrwaloirt having reopened 
at the beginning of labt mon^h, to admit the publie 
to its annual performaneea of high-claaa music,- the 
concert season of 1876-77 may be aaid to have defi- 
nitely commenced at Paris. The President of the 
Republic was breaent at the first concert, which was 
inaugurated with the " Erolca** of Beethoven. At 
the same time, the performaneea, chiefiy of daaalcal 
mnaic, at the ConcerU Ptmulairu are continuing to | 
do excellent work In the intereata of true art It la 
a curious fhct» however, that whereas the works of 
Gluck, Moaartk Beethoven, and even Weber, invari* 
aUy meet with the fullest appreciatloa of the audi- 
ence at these concerts, the modern German achool 
aeema, at present, to have but a poor chance of suc- 
cess. We have lately heard of the nolay demon- 
atratlona of diaeent which the performance of Wag- 
nerian mualc produced at the aame institution. The 
works of Joacnim Raff, too, seem to be equally dow- 
erless in attracting the attention of French ama- 
teurs,^ in spite of the determined perseverance of the 
conductor, M. Pasdelonp, whose very name — the 
French equivalent of the German " WoUi^ang^^s, 
In consequence, being suspected of German origin 1 
Thus, according to Ta Mknhird^ RafTs charming 
Symphony *' In the Forest** which has been repeat- 
edly performed at the /\>p«i^trm, has made Httle or 
no progress in the favor of the public. On the oth- 
er hand, a pamphlet entitled " Richard Wagner et 
lea Parisiens," recently published at the French cap- 
ital. Is Just now being eagerly read. It need hardly 
be added that its tendency is not favorable to the 
German operatic reformer ; nor does M. Pasdelonp 
escape some smsrt attacks directed agalnat hia un- 
patriotic impartiality In having produced works of 
that repreaontative of modern Germany at hia con- 
oerta. Setting aaide the artistic merits or demerits 
of the queation. It certainly aeema somewhat para* 
doxical that^ under the derice of " Popular Con- 
certa," music should be forced upon the Parialan 
people which happena to be Just now peculiarly un- 
popular with them. 

A manuscript Mass by M. Gounod was performed 
at the Church of St Eustache on St Cecilia's day, 
under the direction of the composer. According to 
the Retme de la Mutiome, this new work of the com- 
poeer of *' Faust " will sustain, though not increase. 



374 



DWIQHT'S JOURNAL OP MUSIC. 



hl« repuUtioD. It ii uld that M. OoDDod hu ittrMd 
to write an Opara tor the forthoanlD^ Int«rnatlnnai 
EzhiUtlim «t P*t1>. the libretto of vhlch vtU be 
fron the pen of H. Sardoo, — Landen Mtitical TTnui, 



jgfoig ^l's loanral of P gsit. 

BOSTON, JA.V. 10, 1S7T. 



Tiftli H«raid Conoert 
The SjraphoDy CoBcert (Jan. 4), though the fo- 
element weather kept aome people away, was re- 
eelTed with more than niual IkTor. We hare eop- 
led elsewhere from two weekly paper* to ihow how 
critic* are eoinlng (o appreolate Uie eflbrta of onr 
local oroheitra, u4 with how mneh Intereat they 
can write of the worhi aelsetad for iMrfbnnance, 
QotwlthatuidlDg that theae are not new; for 

BTinphoBT, Vo. 4, Id B Oat Oade 

Aunro TtTiioe--Aiiilante con moto—Bcbenir— 

TlD-l-- 

BeciL " Eooo U puito I " 

Aria; "NoBpfblUflaTl." 

BlaooralniJ 

Orertore to " Athalla ''. . . 



...ItendelaeohB 






BlgDOT&LDUaCappluiip 



..Behnbert 
Beetboren 

We qnito agree with what U aaid In pralae of the 
little gem of a Symphony by Qade, If it be not bj 
an]* roeaoB to great a work, or eo decidedly original 
■* the (arorite No, 1, in C minor. All (he (bur 
of thl* one in B flat are abort ; the flrat 
partieolarly belog eait In ■ imall form. 
It opena, for a few ban, with what might lead to 
anything or nothing, bnt aoon nnfolda a clear and 
baclnating pnrpoee ; the aecond mbject has • fresh 
id the iDBtrnmentaUon, which la 



alwaye Oade's strong point, la moat masterly ; finer 
and richer lone coloring, happier Mending and ooQ' 
trast of lostniments, more pcrTadlng vitality of 
tone, whether oT thrilling, penetrating power or 
softest delicacy, one hears from bw composers. Tha 
AnJanUia altogether loTely ; the Sdurto hll of 
grace and sobtletj, of life and sparkle; and the 
F\naU has plenty of energy and "go" to II, altboogh 
the aobjtct matter (/nAo/l) does not srrm to be of 
any marked Importance ; jet there U In the middle 
of the movement a syncopated melody for the tIo- 
lina most d^nty and allaring. It win hardly be 
denied, we think, that the whole Symphony sonnd- 
ed well, at leaet In spile of tha often abased orohei- 
tra, 1( not (aa we bdleTe) throngh Ita aympathette 
•eoonding of oarefol leadership. 

Ifendelssohn's strong and stately Overture to 
AlSalia formed a nod eontraat, and waa eflfeotWe In 
the rendering. Taatea will always differ, we snp- 
poa*, abont the enloyableness of even these two 
moat Indlvldnal and strihing. and least lengthy>'"< 



u of the bar m 



nanta of Schnberts op. 



Tet all agree that both ai 
beMtlrnlldese. • 

oTSchnbert; bnthad he net a right to fall In 



notweT Tet thls.,l>u£»i'>andlhU^iHbarsneith- 
er o( them In^ ideoei : each lasts ten mlnntea, the 
length of on ordini 
Is MMOgh in the 



horen's »seorf"8ymphony,— enongh In the 
■Udy didnty, subtle chief theme of the nnale, and 
1b the alwtllng forMialmos iritioh intermpt It ever 
and anon, espedally thoe* Titanic chromatic ayn- 
copatione near the end, — to reward the best attan- 
tioa. The Jgrmoni Orertnre, of coarse, Is In its way, 
for oondeenesa, for concentrated fire and energy. 



for much told la little, Incomparable, nnleis per- 
haps we conple with it that to OorioUi. It ii 
scored for a comparatively amall orchestra ; yet 
oomblnstloa we have ever heard of alt the Berlioi 
and Wagner Instrnnicnte hai yet reached the bril- 
liancy oflta eanclndlog passage. 

Madame Ci.TrtMii le a singer somewhat past her 
prime ; bnt bar targe voice, at onoe aweet and pow- 
erhil, and of great compass, still retains Its ft-esh- 
ness to a reTaarkahle degree, at least Is never harsh. 
She Is an artist, trdned In the beet school, in short 
a tme Italian prima danaa, and of mnoh ezperii 
tboogh her repertoire (ontalde of Italian opera^ may 
be rather limited compared with Bndersdorff 
othsrs. Tet she is evidently at home In Hoiart. 
A few phrases of " Eeco tl ponto," proved her mis- 
tress of noble reoltatlve ; and the Aria was anng In 
a large, well snataloed and even style, with Intona- 
tion' almost fanltlesB, admirable phrai^ng, and a 
freedom trota all false ornament or claptrap. The 
frequent leape from the loweet to the hiEhest voice, 
which that Aria demands, were made with perfect 
certainty and wlthont portamento, and all the flor- 
id passages beanUFnlly finlsbsd. The dramatic dec- 
lamation la imprevWe ; yet she i* not a partieolar- 
ly lympathetic or Imaginative singtr. Her style le 
that of Parepa-Rosa, of whom ehe ramlnda i 
many waya. If* trifle cold aad matter-of-hrt. It 
waa good, artietic, honeat aingfng. Mr. Wdd 
played the florid clarinet eUliffole beantifnlly, as be 
always doea what fstla to bis part in the orchestra. 
Jfroe. Cappisnl gave fitting Indlridnallty to "The 
Ttolrt," and to the more Impaaaloned little "Unge- 
dnld" by Schnbert, the piano accompaniment being 
carefnlly and nicely played by Mr. O. W. Brwra 
All her efforta were received with Emt applansi 
■nd we only regret that the good Impression w 
Injnred at the last by the over-atralned eipressb 
of the Indifferent song she sang In English fori 

The saoond half (or aKenuNiD) at tin Brmpbonj sarlas 
beielss on Tlinndaj. Feb- 1. wImb tbe programme offen : 
Port I. Overtara to "Ueilea," XarfUt; Soena from 
"ridello," innic bj Miss Km OaiTAiroi "Itallsn" 
Symphonj.Jfntfifwmdi.— Paitn. Aria and SlpK from 
the orohestnl BniU In D, by JIatk; Bonfi wltb Piano; 
" LeoDOre >* Ovamre, No, S, X—tliom*. 

Kme. ICADSuira Bcbillib Is to be tbi tHaBlst of tha 
eighth Concert {Manb t.) Olber BTnphonlaa Hieeiad 
antba"Bar7rlia"brlIir(ln: the second, in C, by BV> 
Deter bnt once befor* given In Boston; and the -■ Co- 
logaa " Symphanj, In K flat, bjr aati—aaa. 

11a. iND Has. Shkbwood's Puho KncirALa. The 
"special Bttractlanl'o'f the third Recital, Monday, 
Jan. 8, appear In the following programme : — 

Sonata for two pianos. Op. U, Q major Vosart 

AUeoro oon Iplrito, Andante, Allecm molto. 
Mn. and Kr, Shvwood. 

"Hicnon" Usst 

HlH Fanny KellocK. 
Sonata for piano and violin, Op. S, F n^or. 

Allegneon brio, Allecntta qnoal Andantl- 

Xra.Bbsrwood and Ole^UU. 

a Olne, B-flRt major Bach 

t. " Smg wlthont Worda," So. «, M minor, 

Hendalaaefan 
t Wammr[Wbyr)rnim'>PbBiita^StaEke," 

Op. 11.11a. n Bohnmann 

d. Xtode. Op. 10, So. 4, C4barp ndaor CbopUi 

Mr. Bnerwood. 

'•milll" TsBlMTt 

HlH Fancy KeUon. 
a. " In der Koehi," from '' Fhaniaale Btfleirr," 

a. 17, Ko. -,-..-..-..-..,.,.,. AcnnmsBn 
imoresken," Op. ejKos. t, a and 4. ,Kdv. Orieg 
" L'henreox Betonr," bIsbo doetjdcar H. Bharwood 

a. " Splnnerilod " from ttae '■ Flying Dntehman," 

Llan-WuBsr 
». " I»1den>a Uebes-Tod," (ram " THstsa awl 

Isolde." (ByreonestJ LlBt-WsfiMr 

llr, SberwDod. ^ 

TKt ipedal attraction, we snppose, waa Ota Bull, 
who seemed strsogely not at home In a concerted 

Eiace of eloaoical form, although at home of course 
1 ita Norse epIHL In his reading h* seemed 111 at 
ease, in intonation often faulty, and in aocedt wilful 
■nd extravagant ; so that we would not undertake 



to say whether we liked the work ttaelC There 
were admirers who reeslled him ea);erty. and would 
reoall him anywhere at any time; who never seem 
to have eon<i2h of Mm, aa if bis muaio were a new 
and special dispensaUon. a revelation to A*m where 
all the other oracles are sealed. Hereaponded with 
a rambling Improriaatian— ao It aeemed. although 
it may have been prepared, — begtnnlug with one of 
those short Mssogea of part-playing. In tfas rich low 
lonee. and the part* moving somewhat eontrapuB- 
Ully, which we always thought one of hie happiest 
art* ; then came fantaatic (Ignrea, oo ' ' 
oea. etc. In his nsual way, nntll you 
ognlsa Ktmlltar (e■tn^e^ vaguely, de 
the melody; £a fi darem, which he proeeaded 
travesty In moat prepnoleroaa fashion ; this may be 
"irenlns." It Is not Art, not beanty. 

The opening number wa* to as the moat edlfytag 
thine In the concert That genial, real muaic of 
Mosart. wMrh seems eo simple sad Is aa InlmltsUe. 
was dellKhtrnlly rendered, though the touch and 
feeling of If rs. Sherwood aeemed to us mors Uoiart- 
Ish than her husbaniT*. who la more al the new 
echool. Of Llsst'g *' Iflgnon * we must say that It 
Is almost the worst song of any pretention that we 
ever heard : — overstrained, unnataral, ngly. and la 
Ite sentiment too sick to Jngltfy eiprtasloa. Chu 
this be Goethe's Mlgnon T A creature so unohild- 
likr, so sophisticated, so devoid of aay native trae 
heart melody! Miss FiintT Kauooa haa a Sue 
voice, and seeme to have great promiae as a singer, 
which was better shown In Taabert's " Bd» " aong, 
nf which aha etecntes the birdlike psm^ia with 
flneacy and brightness ; and she can reader aeriooa 
CmlaiSt with not a tittle beauty and trus fosUng; 
although there is ■ cert^a inequality and cmdeosss 
In her elK>rtB,wlth certain manDerisms.whi(ii aeen to 
be the resnlt of frequent alnging bdbra not very 
cuitivalad audiences; how much the pnbllcs edu- 
cate the singer, or performer la whatever art, and 
onmiranly how hiaely I Bnt we nuy hop* rood 
things of Ulss Kellogg. 



menu's deep-felt, earasst qnaatioDing of fate, "War- 
nm t " wblcb we think, however, abouM be played 
In connection with what goea bafora to make ita 
— aning clearer; and eopMl ally effective wa* M* 
idering of tha brIllUut Chopin JDwk Tbe vir- 
tnosltv displayed in his performance of the two 
ilssUWagner transcriptions, especially that ftiom 
Tristan and Isolde.' was prodigioos ; a remarka- 
ble feat that on the part of tiie arrauer al*^ tho^tfa 
we cannot learn to love snch mnrto. Mr*. Sher- 
wood played very heantlfully th* ITo. ■ of tli* 
Rchnmann /^nluw Sicti, and the grscefol JTam 
oraqMt* of Grie«. Tbe piano duet : " L'heorenz 
Ratonr ' Is a florid concert ■how-pleoe, clever In its 
wty. such as might have bean written for the C«b- 
tannlal piano competition at Philadelphia. 

We maet turn back to the aecond Bultal ouly to 
record the good impraesion left on ssby Kr*. SlMr- 
wnnd'* really artiatic rendering of that poetie a*d 
difficult Beethoven Sonata. Op. 101, of which abe 
only locked the man'* force and Are br the qid<A 
march in the second movement ; the fbgned aaala 
came out very clearly. Alao to say how drilght- 
ftilly the Cbopin Rondo for two jSaaam soodiM ; 
what fervor Mr. Oaooon threw Into the aoag* by 
RnUnitein : "Acra" and "Do Mat wle etne Blnma.^ 
That Lhot'e arrangeraaota, of hia own '"Taaao" far 
two piano*, and of" laolden's Uebea-Tod* for two 
han Ja, (repeated In the last conoert) wars Impoatng, 
goe* without saying.— OS all tbe r«at mnat go even 
without mentton. 

Tooal OIsIm. 

Tbe flrvt cooeert (elxtli season) giveu by tb» Apcixa 
> IB friends, Tuesday evening, Jan. 1, placed this wdl 
selected and well tntned body of nvw Marty one han- 
dnd il^er* Ib a brightsi 11^ than av*r as an luteDca 
of what perfection may be reacbed,Bllk* of iniibnluas 
- - -* -jtpreaalon. In the exacBIInn of nart-sona and dbo- 
for mere male vdcaa. For the moat van, tbia 
It was (be Buonar of pteaaMltaa. mocs^afi tka 
r. umcUlDsdattaolfaa. Wkk the axeeMlea irf 
m xn.llast pleiga ((be noble doable eberaa ftm 
• I'v Meaddaaoha, and SchuiMBB'a'' Luck c(Sd- 

■ '^^^£ 

love ' e u i Tt 



a uQand^ 



MW1l(i Hi ___„., 

"- ly luuE by a ouoitat ct vol t s* i 

rlne,''^br8ehliM,iBWbWi we 

nor b(au'y;>On the Ulna," by KMwn (ebmus wtth 
iiuct. uviimny aad dellcaldy snii| by Dr, Bhu-abu ud 
Dr LA^-n>lA^^; "■vonlBg,''b7 Caohner.— a riek, sab- 
-— — ' '-'•elyplsoaof feaimoay with flUlBg pntad* 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, JAN. 20, 1877. 



376 






fitly pl»red IvYlffr. LAita, wtth a solo Artistically miiiK by 
Mr. H. JW. AiKBir, and with sweetest, finest blendlnc of 
the chorus Toices ; a *' fterenade/* by Storch, in the tenor 
solo ofwhich that steadily rlpenlnft artist, Mr. Wm. J. 
WzNOH, surpassed hlmnelf; a rinfdng ''Rhine Wine 
Song,*' by Llsct, ^Ten with great spirit and effect; and 
*' The Woodland Boee.'* by Fischer. In all these the 
choral execution was refined to well niefa utmost nleetr. 
If anything could make whole protrrammes of mere msle 
part-songa ever fresh, suoh e<eeutlon, or interpretation 
would. But there are slprns enouich that one may weary 
even of perfection, and ttiat a reaction has beffun. The 
fresh laniels of <* The CecUia," the •• mixed chorus " in 
which the Boylston dub la about to find its oompleoient, 
•to., etc., promises sweets more inexhaustible. 

*' The Luck of Bdenhall " interested us gceat1y,but we 
need to hear it more than once, and we lost the renetl- 
tion of the Ooncert. It is a Cantata ballad ot considera- 
ble leufcth, with tenor and baritone solos, ehorasea, and 
hii^hly poetic and suftKeotire accompaniment and little 
snatones of symphony which the aceomplished Director 
of the dab supplied on the pianoforte. 

We must take another time to speak. In admiration 
and conipratalatlon. of the very decided luocees of the re- 
orfcaniaed Gbctua in its first ooncert,~the unexpected 
lengtiiof ourNew York letters leaving us no further 
space. But this wiU enable us to speak after a seeond 
hearing. 

In and About Vew Tork. 

]r«w TomK, Jaw. 1ft.— At the second Concert of the 

Philharmonio Boeietyi Deo. 9, the programme was: Part 

1. Symphony, No. % in C, Op. •!• Schumann; Concerto, 

No. S. in O minor, piano and orchestra, 8tiini-Sain»t (Mr. 
B. J. Lang).. Part S. Grand Scena, from the " GJitter- 
dlmmenwg; ** the fourth part of the ** Bini: dea Nibel- 
ungen," -1^ B. Wagner, a. Siegfried's Narrative, b, 

Siegfried's Death and Death Song. c. Marcia Fnnebre. 
Overtufe, ** Leonora," No. 3, JUethitven, 

Although the performance of the Philharmonio orches- 
tra under the direction of Dr. Damrosoh has been praised, 
by some of our eritioa, rather more than the merits of 
the performance seem to warrant, it cannot be denied 
that there has been much improvement under the new 
conductor, Tnere is more clearness and precision of at- 
tack in the violins, and less of eoeentrldty on the part 
of the wind instruments than last season ; and the per- 
formance of Schumann's great work, if not specially in- 
splrad. was not marred by any gluing inaccuracy. 

Mr. Lang's performance of the Satnt-SaSns Concerto 
was not even moderately suocessfal.* He has not the 
mechanical force necessary to the rendering of this 
showy *' piece de resistance,'^ and beaide this he had the 
disadvantage of playing q/ter Mme Bssipoff . whose per- 
Ibrmanoe of the same ooneerto at Steinwsy Hall, on the 
evening previous waa a marvel of perfection. 

The programme of Theo. Thomas's second Symphony 
Ooncert, Dee. % was aa follows : 

Overture, Scherso and Finale. Op, fit Schumann 

Torsplel: <« OStterdlmmerung " Wagner 

Symphony, No. 4, in Bfiat Beethoven 

Xme. Bssipoff , after returning from Boston, gave one 
evening concert and one mating. At the concert, Dec. 
2S, she played: 

Kreislerlana Schumann 

Nocturne, O major Bubinsteln 

Btnde de Concert LIsxt 

Andante et S<dieno Mendelssohn 

<*Si oiseau J'etaia," Henselt 

Grande Vabe ChrcHBatlqae LeeeheHiiky 

And at the matinte, Dec i8:« 

Sonata, Op. S, C msjor Beethoven 

Sarabande and Passepled Bach 

^'Harmonious Blacksmith," Haendel 

Le Boselgnol, ) 

«Anbordd*une source,'' I Llsat 

Chant polonaise. ) 

Impromptu, Yalae, and Stude Chopin 

During the series of concerts which Mme Bssipoff has 

Sven in this city, she has played from memory no fewer 
an ninety compositions, many of which are intricate 
and difflcnlt worxs for piano and orchestra : and of these 
she seems to know the score ss well ss her own part. 
Her memory Is not the least of her remarkable gifts: and 
It to said that her only preparation for a concert la in 
playing once through tne pieces on the bill. 

On CnrUtmaa evening the oratorio of the JAstioJt waa 
performed at Steinway Hall by the Oratorio Society of 
Slew York under the direction of Dr. Dammech. 

At the first ooncert of the Brooklyn Philharmonic, 
Dec 16, the following programme was presented : 

Smpbony, No. 7 Beethoven 
rgefrom •' G^ferdltmmening " Wagner 

*' Invitation a la Valae" Weber-Berlioi 

Vantasla In C, (adaptation by Lisst) Schubert 

Polonaise in B Ltost 

Mme. Madeline Schiller was the piantot. The pro- 
gramme also included songs of Schumann and some 
part-songs by the Swedlah Quartet. 

The third Symphony concert, by Theo. Thomaa, Jan. 
6, opened with the charming G minor Symphony ot Mo- 
sart ; which was followed m Gade's JToeilfcttet for string 
orchestra, Op. 68, (new). TUs is divided aa follows : i. 
Andantino, Allegro vivaoe, Graslose: S. Scherso, 
(Moderato); 8. Andantino con moto;A. Allegro vivace. 
The impression produced by this work is favorable, and 
the effect of the maaterly Instoumentation of Gade was 
increased by the brilliant playing of the orchestra. Bar- 
glel's overture to " Medea," Op. 22. ended the firat part 
of the programme. Part second was entlrdy taken up 
by Schumann's Symphony in B fiat. Op. 97, which took 
the hearers into quite another worid of music. Ftor 
those whose ears are opened what a lifting up of the 
spirit waa there t How easily were they borne upon that 
sweUIng tide of harmony, far from the stormy night to 
tiunmer and the seven mountaina of the Rhine. 

A. A. C 

•It certainly was much more than moderately success- 
ful here In Boston a year ago : can no good come out of 
Nasareth?— Sd. 



W. Nkw Briohtoit, Statkn Islaitd, N. T., Jan. 
IS. — ^The second concert of the Philharmonic Soci- 
ety of Staten Island came off on Friday, the 6th 
inst, and was. Id some respects, better, and in oth- 
ers lesa truly artistic than the last. 

The soloiste were Miss Emma Thnrsby, Madame 
Teresa Carreno-Sanret, and Monsieur Emile Sauret. 
Mr. Carl Hamm had the fiist yiolln in the quartet 
of stringed instruments, Mr. Gautiberg, the 2nd, 
while Mr. Bisch played the yiola, and Mr. Werner, 
the yioloneello. The performance opened with the 
Schumann Quintet, dp. 44, in E flat, and we have 
never heard it better played. 

The first movement, "Allegro brillante," was 
fresh and sparkling; the melody always falling 
newly upon the ear, as each instrument took its 
share. Mme. Sauret appreciated the value of ear- 
ing her powers, and gave her fellow workers a share 
of the triumph by accompanying them instead of 
being entirely the soloist of the piece. The stately 
chords of the " MarcIa " in the second movement 
gave one a rest after the excitement of the Allegro ; 
the " Scherso " and " Molto Yivace " were as dain- 
tily and clearly cut, as though they had been chis- 
elled. But the real artistic power of the musicians 
was shown in the last movement; those long reach - 
ea of scales, with octave chords in unexpected 
places, were no easy matter to accomplish well, and 
the instruments joined in with a precision and 
smoothness, delightful to listen to. 

After the Quintet, Miss Thursby sang the "Batti, 
Batti " from Don Giovanni, We were informed by 
the programme that it was for the Soprano with 
violoncello obligato, and we looked forward with a 
thrill of real pleasure, knowing full well what a 
master of the instrument Mr. Werner is, and with 
what taste and quick response he would perform 
his part. Instead of the Tiolonoello alone, there 
was also a four-handed acoompaniment on the pi- 
ano, and these two gentlemen did their best to drown 
Miss Thursby's voice ihroughont. Had she been 
less of an artist than she Is, she would have suc- 
cumbed to that po>nderous rendering, and the whole 
thing would have been ruined. She, however, rose 
to the occasion, and manag^ her delicious, though 
not powerful Toiee, in such a way as to be heard in 
spite of every drawback. She has a beautiful meth- 
od, has been well taught, and is exquisitely finished 
in style and roundness of tone. 

The Nardini Sonata for violin, which followed, 
was played by Mr. Sauret He is a young ylolin- 
ist of great promise and executed well, but there 
was a want of that tone and feeling, in his render- 
ing, which only comes with experience. We have 
since heard that he played this piece against hb 
wishes, which might perhaps account for its cold- 
ness. He was enthusiastically applauded, however, 
and as an encore, played a solo on the " Chi mi 
htuh " of Ltuia, There was a great deal of varia- 
tion, the execution of which was even and clear, 
while the air was sustained in a really masterly 
way. This ended the first part of the concert. 

After an intermission of eight or ten minutes Mo- 
sart's Quartet for stringed instruments in C, No. 18, 
was performed. The " Allegro moderato " went off 
capitally ; it was delicate and fresh, the phrasing 
was good and the instruments kept well together. 
In the " Allegretto " movement, however, the 2nd 
violin turned a shade rough, uneven, and just a tri- 
fle false ; they retarded the tempo and instead of 
following up the fresh, breezy daintiness of the first 
movement, the piece dragged a little from this 
point, through the Mennetto and Allegro move- 
ments 

Madame Sauret then played the Fantalsie on 

Ftnut by Llsxt. Her style is generally clear, though 
florid, and sharply cut, and she has a marvdious 
amount of strength. In their performance, lUthough 



she brought out the air grandly in the left hand* 
there were very evident signs of fatigue towards 
the end ; she scrambled, and moved about a great 
deal, and there was neither the distinctness nor the 
artistic taste shown in the Schumann Quintet The 
audience applauded immensely and brought her out 
again, when she played the Berefute of Chopin. 
The technical difficulties were as nothing to her; 
the runs were beautifully finbhed ; but it was hard. 
The cradle movement of five-notes in the left hand 
was jerky and there was no " heart* or " singing" 
throughout that delidous cadence towards the eiid. 

Miss Thursby sang an Air and Variations by 
Proch, which showed off her voice to great advan- 
tage. As a rule, variations are apt to be uneven 
and tedious ; but Miss Thursby sustained the air 
perfectly and executed the variations in the most 
artistic manner. Her voice is not naturally very 
powerful, bnt it is so sweet and sympathetic as to 
leave nothing to be desired. For encores, she sang a 
Scotch bsll^, which brought the tears into our 
eyes and showed great pathos and tenderness ; and 
a Bird song (Taubert^s, we believe). She sang thb 
very carefully, and executed it well as for as tech- 
nical difficulties went ; but it was hard, and a trifle 
labored. The almost ventriloauistic effect of the 
Lind rendering ef the famous Bird song was want- 
ing, in the bird*s trilling and distance. 

Mr. Sauret played a Caprice de Concert, oompesod 
by himself, to his wife's accompaniment on " Amer- 
Ictn Aim," which proved to be "Old folia at home;* 
and which did not amount to very much, except as 
" padding." And the ooncert ended with a 6Ke^ 
ienne of BoccherinI, which left a bad taste in our 
mouths, and which we could have wished unheard 
Altogether, however, the concert was a success, and 
we have no doubt that each of the three yet to 
come will be more and more successful, as they are 
thoroughly enjoyable and instructive. 

The last rehearsal for the third concert of the 
New York Philharmonic Society, which will take 
place to-morrow evening January 18, was given thb 
afternoon at the Academy. The programme b an 
attractive one : Haydn's " Tempest* orchestra with 
chorus of the.Oratorio Society of New York, given 
for the* first time in America. The "Ruins of 
Athens ** of Beethoven with the Urt movements : 
" Overture,* " Duet for Soprano and Baritone,* per- 
formed by Mrs. Emily Butman and Mr. Stoddard, 
" Chorus of Dervishes,* which had so marvellous a 
swing to the rhythm that everybody kept time to 
it unconsciously ; " Marcia alia Turca * and '* Mar- 
cia Solenne.* 

Mrs. Butman then sang a Romance by Berlioz, 
with the orchestra, (called Absence). Then followed 
the " Quintuor, Septuor and Chorus * from Berlios's 
opera of the " Trojans.' Miss Emma Cranch, who 
sang the contralto parts, has a beautiful voice, flex- 
ible, strong and well trained ; her method is good 
and her style severely classical; we were much 
delighted w'ith It, and trust that she will be success- 
ful, and that we shall hear her often. 

Mr. Bernard Bockelman performed the Beetho- 
ven fantalsie, op. 80, for pianoforte, soli, chorus and 
orchestra. But the event of the concert was the 
*' L&ndliche Hochzeit * (Country Wedding) of Gold- 
mark, which was intended to be given at the first 
concert but which did not arrive in time. It b a 
Symphony in five movements, light and delicious, 
sparkling and bright and veiy Schumannesque in 
style. The first movement is the " Wedding 
March,* which for the first two bars reminds one of 
the March in Zampa, and then changes. The air 
is begun by the violoncellos, then taken up consec- 
utively by the bass viols, trumpets, flutes and oboes, 
piccolo flutes, and first and second violins. The /«- 
termegxo is a most delicious Bridal song. The third 
movement a Sckerto, is the Serenade ; then follows 
an Andante called, *Mn the Garden,* which m time 
has the effect of Schumatin'a " Warum,* and there 
is a flavor of the Garden scene in Fauet, In the 
last movement '* The Dance,* there is in the middle 
a most artistic introduction for a few bars of the de- 
licious Garden melody and again you hear the peas- 
ants dancing and the church bells ringing. 

The orchestra of the Philharmonic has improved 
greatly under the new leader. Dr. Damroscb, who 
is a very particular director, but who inspires his 
orchestra with something of his own musical fire 
and taste. During the latter part of poor Berg- 
man n's life, the tone of the Philharmonic ran down, 
and it was the fashion to condemn the society and 
to praise the Thomas orchestra. The latter is un- 
doubtedly in excellent training and plays admlra- 



we 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OP MUSIC. 



Uy; ■Ilmaiia]oTer«mii«tb«rnlte(uI to Mr, Thom- 
w f»r all ha hu dnoe lut Hnilc in Naw York, nnd 
■hoold atmonnge him u he soblv dearr*fla. But 
let Q* not forgi^ the man, who, when Thomaa uris 
not, mtaed ap thU Philhamicinla aodety in Ke« 
Tork, when tdhIc wm at ■ Twy law ebb in that 
•Uy, and kept It (or twant; year* In a ■I]OM•l^I 
oonditlon. He had hia (anlta. certainly, and they 
were frare onea, but let na glre hlin that "Charity, 
which anffereth long and la kind,' and laD;; may 
the Phllbarmonlo •oatlnne to eoTar hIa memory 
with glory [ 



BoiuinM BsTTxa iMMw Tibt JCxmw. 
^taajer, tbaar^nJat, makaa the lolknrliig 

TtauXdUtrtfOt TrmmKrljH: Allow me to luka 




dtrt in7«u>tlMrD0tKlTeBaaciaa(if 
usaaoaa, air tn or Bim, for Iha benaflt ot tiN 
■KMaaaaaCpMlilawhobaTaDeTaT jet t 

Uften to tha Iniplred eruUoiu of tha r^t\: 
tenr I^t tbs admUaioa ant aiceed tlfty cf 
Ave woDid be better) ao that any and all mn 
llera that not onlv aoood and creaKrork w 

teltlialltwoiiMVAcabaoi&Hnei-Huiila 

Utoea wbo abould nnderiaika II. TtaeHan<l<^^Jln<1 Hajrdn 
oonld^lTKlTa.ahalf dMen tlmei ea--- ■■'-'- "-—- ■ 
an," " Hiiab^ aiid " Jnitu Muoaben* 
ud with lltUa or no npeiiM of Hme 

apeak a wold, If r. editor, that thla opo , 

«»anr. eonfortlBg and apllftlai of onr rommon people 
>e Bol lest. If anjr tmtct of mine on bo nl vktne it 
■hall be rlTOB ([ladljr to ihe extent of mj^ tirrn^b and 
•blUtj. 1 oITar theiDijKeiikin mattreipcctriill; rnrllie 









tajvamaaMtiamam BwmU of. ay It 
aratvpaaiadlnlhe TVaMcH^ legardlnK iba aftar^Me 
o|tthalIoodrTawpla,roa nniDBantloDallj mMBierptM 
Vjaagfcatiaa, raamltmaafDittar word la babaU e( 
tke Haaaea tt Boatoa. Tea aay that ■; plan '• la an 
fV' I»t> pnMtloBl tboDgk It mK) be, It 



*•* n« JTualoJt alone dnn one, two oi 
nntn arvirbodr (thafa tha word) In BMon wbe had the 
aUctataat wlab to bear fiaat oboTBl moaie eoold hear thi* 
aiai l eia a il t M leaM enaa. After that nlEbt oome M»- 
JaA, ». KbO, fl^BM tfPrml- or eran /hwI fa Mnpt and 
Iba Auifaa JAdlg. ITaw,Daarlr«qnlta aUof tbaaetba 
HaadalaM Bafdn Soalety haM laadr at a momafa 
BotlM. If DOtallof tbaaboTamanUoBed, tb^eontdat 
laaat sin Uu people ttMireatWDTfcather wQI pradiue 
■t Ikeic TilennlBl Teettval In U»j wlUtont an boor-a ax- 
trarebearaal. 80, thai nndnatood, pardon me It I lar 
tkatltlapnoUeablelntheblKhcaidtCTee. No one ao- 
daVetooaraeioald alnc ararj erenlns wltbrat arer- 
wotUnttbaalaiara. On idtemata erenlnga lei aome 
oMHCToealaooletle* gin tbli or any other food and 



oreat Biinio. Or, irhj- n _.. _ ..._ 
Aaaoclation jItb thn peopla-ih* comi 
Beelhor^D BjoiphnQln* and other gn 



loftl 



pnrated pro reuc<ll]> F 



andupho'ldlDi 

ey: two ihlngalowblchttaerbaTi noi 
progreaa Id *o tut. I hope to k« (nrgl 
llona are liapemnent, or It thay are to 
high-tone' — ' — '-■ ■- — — '— 



S 



bey ahill bs ao cannidered. they have only 

len unfeu they are ilooe tor Manklnd-toi 

Ity. A« my hrnnble olTBrlnj on ihe . _ 

leat of my wordi (If there be an arjraa oi !<iinr-]m 
the place, or If any orfan-baildetln Amprlrji oil 



la noiitba), I will rin d 
-flte ocnn radtali at all ili 
lay haoda lo.^and tbla •rlt. 



PT'oM'handi 

TO Au, raoFLi. rich and poor, black and white, hl^b 
^d low, who will gonteand Ualentotbe Klnir <il iMita- 
menn, tJie one shaeenof tlMLord and hiippupir - . iln 
laay.it l« praeileaUa to K^ the hard-ioillni: i^.i-n 
tbaae taaareiManlred ereMlona ot mualc. iiiy 

ahaUbaltftodnpaDdatrenxtbaned.becIiMrF.I <■■■'.,-. ..i 
forladtbe made wlaer awf twtler. and t„ ii-.v. •..-■h 
Bonn ot foadneaa and mercyln their bCKri', t^/.n^tnr 
the KlDg of Xinca lor tlu bleealng and enr blcrMU fii 
of mualc. Pardon ma for ao many wordt: I huve odIt 
the psople'i welfare ai heart. 

_ xvam Tmatu. 



PBiLADKLTniA. On Batorday etenlnf 
JarrlacaTabla aeeond olaialoal aoMa at Katatorlam 
Hall, and notwIlhalandlnK the Inclemency of iha wei 
arltwM well attended. The concert opened wiih a I 
lart Trio, the one In K flai, for piano, vMa and elailMt, 
and was effeotlTely rendered. Mr. H. Behnalder, the 
pattormar on the clarinet, did not appear to the eaaa ad- 
TAntaga aa In the Weber Doo. when Ua Bueatlon waa 
Teiy spirited and (bowed a tboroucb aeqnaintaBea wiiif 
hIa Instnmant. Mr. Jarrls Ea*e tbe fantaatle Beha- 
■BBBTooBata, op. •,wlth Tlnor, and alx oCUenMaaekn-a 
soncB wltbaDtword*,peifom(actheme»iibilteIy. Be 

bh technical mastery aeeowd eoeaplete— Just that n- 
pna^Ta pbradns, I'Kbt. ahade. Ire, fOroa and dellaan 
werapr«Hntwbenrw]nlr«ti*hlletba narre and brtl- 
liK^ ''Jili'g ""-???y *'?'^-. tro^delphla ts 

Ifr. Jarrla.— JWalii« MalUtlm. 



A DiMiHuny 0/ ifuriecd Ttrvu. 2dlt«] by J. 

Stalner, H.A., Una. Doc., and W. A. Barrett, 

Mni. Bao. (Novello, Ewer * Co., Londoa; O. 

Dlteon A Co., Boston.) 

AlthoDith small works cxplsoatonr of tbe vari- 
ona technical lorrns In niiiaic, of the qualities r>f 
Toloe and of Instramanta, eilat. a oompreheniHTa 
dictionary of theoretical and aoientlflc phruealn«y, 
which shoold combine with tbst, aa many eoHoe- 
tlona by fbrrlKn anthors do, blhllograpb'iosl and 
blomphieal Inrunnation, was wantlDg In this con n- 
Uy. To a i|;reBt extent, tha anthars of tbe Tolnmr 
of 'Unocal Terms' hare supplied tha drfloteoey. 
Their work. If It does not extend to the proportloni 
of those of the Oerman, Italian, and French oom- 
pliers, eapeclally of the ' CnnTersations-LeKlkon,' 
left nnflnlahed by the late Hermann Uendal. Is i 
most TBlnable oontrlbatlon to onr musloal lltorat- 
ara. Dr, SUincr, who is the ort[anI>t of St. Pail'i 
Cathedral, and Mr. W. A. Barrett, who U ■ mem 
bor of the 8t. PaoFs Choir, and author of ' The 
Chorister's Guide.' have twan loo modest in the 
title they have gtren to their book, whleh extenda 
hr beyond a simple Tocabilary of "UnslaaT TeiBi,' 
The writers have treated almost erery satjeet coo- 
nectad with music practically aa weU as theorcti- 
oslly ; and In order to rebder thslr dIeUonary not 
only a book of ready referenos, bnt also a hey for 
the stndent who wlahes to use the vast resosroM of 
Ihe Hnalcal Llbrarr in our BHtlsb Hosenm. they 
hare enlisted the oo-operatlon of matbematldans as 
well as randoiana, of hiatorioal writers ss well as of 
Instmment-maker*. Thus tbs artloles on Dnodene, 
or the Relatlona of Harmony, Modulation, and Pltoh, 
bv Mr. A. J. Ellis, F.R.S. ; on Temperament, by 
Mr. Boaanqnet, M.A. ; on Aoonstica. by Mr. Don- 
kin ; OB Chnrch Mosle, by the Re*. T. Eli 
Mr, W.ttMoBk - - • ■ - 

lab ; on LIcenaint, 

M.A.; on Toning- , .^ _. ,. 

HipUns; besides able oontribnUona from other 
aonrc**, show Um ears and aonadsBtUnuneas of the 
compilers. It wlH be Dstarallr sappoaM] that, ow- 
Ing to the belUgereat tandendM of mnddana, tha 
moat morUdly aensltlve and qnarralioma of all pro- 
fcMliHMl raoaa. the deflnlHons af the <Mentlal ele- 
meola of mode, melody, hamoay, and fbrm, will 
not Ind nalreraal MOtptaBoe ; bat that the dlMent- 
iBK aectlou af oompoaen wttl approre of all the ax- 
itanatlona offered It fs hopeless to e "" 



Sftchl Bttitts. 



DiaoBirnvB list or tarn 
VaMtakad br •llvav »!«■•■ * O*. 



: ; on NomeDoIatnre, by Prof. Hnl. 
i; and Copyright, by Mr. J. Bollev, 
ig-Forks and Pitch, by Mr. A. J. 



Itlve a pleasing effect or to be eipreswd by 

kind of sentiment," It may beaaid that thia is a 

pUtltnde. Tha mastermlndi of mnslo, Inoltiding. of 
coarse, Herr Taner, dsaplU the ' ITlbalnngen,' 
hare proaonnoed Melody to be tha poetry of tonaa : 
It is certainly not easy to make a poet, and It Is still 
more dlffiealt to make an original melodist. It Is 
very natural that the two sdltora shoald atate their 
— -1 theorle* In definitions, and It la not here that a 

troTsray ahoal^ be proToked by dlapatlng the 

iracy of their «^nlona. If teachers or stadsnta 
any oaaae to diapate the Interpretations, they 

aadly relin to tha etaborata treatlaet whloh ex- 
It Is the c«Mr«l ebsrHter aad tons of tha toI- 

I that ooooems generd amatenn, who, atalltUe 
cost of lima, can obtain from this rolnme informa- 
tloo on theoredoal and aeientifie tobieota without 
baring to wade throof b complex worfci. Tbe Dic- 
tionary displays oare^l reaearch generally, aqd It 
Is alro imbued with u Impartial qiirit, which goes 
Ear to htgal conBdenoe In the writers. The book Is 
UlustratBd with diagrams ot itutrnmcntal work- 
maoshlp, and Is prlalad In rery large and clear 
type.- ''' 



Teaal. wMb Flaaa AsaaMpaalmsal. 

by«rarUiilpBQniliis,RiyBTotlMrF BonK 
SBd Cho. K. a E to E. BmtUg. W 

" Then lift rnnr Tamo hlibsr, nr btasher, 
Leat I sboafd make fatal delay,'- 
One of the Impraaitre aoaia, aa aCaettr* la 
HTiral aMean^a. 

Four Songa by Fnmx LarJater. aaeh 

Wo, 1. JoTona SoDga (Prohe Uedar). 
F. 4. d to F. 

- With the lark toward tbe akles." 



TXo. t. CloDda at Erentlda (Abend-wel- 
kan). S. 4. btoE. 

■■ Olaamtaf In a flood of llffbt.'* 

V0.4. LifrhtBaartedfLalehtlBHei- 
■en), a, 8. dtoK. 
"Manyl BMny I not taarftl, bnt obawfal." 
1%eas are aswly truaelatad Oerasan lonn tt 
tiaal merit, and wan woTtbenmlnatlon. 
The Poor Old Bam. B«1« Conlo Sobk 

and Choral. F. 1 F to F. fibsJUer. SO 

■• (». ay sarse It has beaa ram.*< 
Tbla dtaolate old bBmiaer b^a rhnara a ran 
tahlna: melody fnr his " wamfnt," which wlU be 
aaafalln temperance meeUnfa. 

Tha Happy Matt. M. 8. (BaM Staff.) 
Atoa. r 

rrny bsait, n Is a dUdem, 



Staff.) 
Ora^. 1 



Good bass ot baritone anna. In whleh tbe •§•■ 

C manifests aome boettte^tnUsna towards 
tsnanalamaa. 

Kama, Why doot Papa come P Book and 

Chonia. S. I. E to g. Wlikan. K 

•^bat makaa yao orr so. Maasma dear, 
Why dont yoo anawar lee * " 
A toaahlni, sweet and a(m|rie ballad. 

IwtTOMfW. 

OmpoalUoio tdayad WXm*. Awsttd 
impniF, in her Ccwoarta. 
No. 1. Intamwizo Scbanoaa. (Ia 
Caomnatara). Op. SI. Ka •. Dh. B. 

Foa IKIew. K 
ItpUjradrteMa, 



No. 4. Souranlr d'laohL Talaa. Db, 



A sort of " Bong wllbont words," leptste witb 
meaning. 

No. T. Dea Abanda. [At Baenlngl. 



No. 8. flarottB. B nioor. 4. AIm 3 



No. 11. ChtTotte. (Air. hr BrtOmt). 

A. B. atutt. w 

Pu^oBlstaSa. n^end b; hrafeo. Tssy 

Hms. ■sslpofl', Hke ToaBUow, la saA a sopis^ 
latl«slrKOodpla7«T,that ■he aaa aCwd topes* 
farm easy pfocea. One wm hare M aeanb a 
long tttae to diacsrar aaothsr est of pleeaaso 
parfeoUy tneafnl as these. Bay Ikea with all 



B letMrslf 



.. — s key Is denoted by B c^i^ lettar, as O, 

i, ete. A lanra Bomaa Irtter marks tbs lowest and ibe 
Bhest no«a i! on tba^staO, small Beotati — "* — 




toigbfs 




0Enial 





Whole No. 934. 



BOSTO:^, SATURDAY, FEB. 3, 1877. Vol. XXXVI. No, 22, 



An Inoantatloii. 

BT 0. P. OftANCn. 

Wrlttan for the Anniul Dinner of the Harrurd Mnsl- 
otl Anoolatfon, Jan. », isn. 



TWg. Xa, VliL 

At mldttlf^ht, noar tlM Mnale Hall, I walkeA- 

Or alid— benaatta % wintry moon that aliono 

On whlu deaarted airaata, and hoard, mochoofht, 

Btrango Toioaa gattaorlnff In tlie f raoiinff air— 

Bo stoppad and Uatonod; wlian a nolao aonfluod 

Foil on mjoar, ai of orclieatral din 

Bef ora a oonoort, whon oaoh plnjor sporti 

HIa llttia privata acalo of melody 

All by Mmaolf . But aoon roae olaarer notao 

Tiom oat tha nnrortaln dlaeord ; and I anw 

A group of wltehea ronnd a oanldion hogo— 

Kot wQd and wlthorod like Maoboth'a— bat fkir, 

As though they might be Mnaea. Bonnd about 

Tha oaoldron hand in hand they paoed— then aang: 

r lU the eaaldion..||ght the llrat 
Poor the ingradlenta higher, higher. 
Though It eoet ua toll and troable» 
Btir them till th^ fbam and bubblel 

Throw In themea of aolemn meaeora» 
MoTlng ua to tender pleaanre ; 
Gmre Adagloa, acherzo-f anclee, 
Ifarehea, mlnueta and dnnoea, 
Vt\gne8 and tripping Allegrettoa, 
Oroaning basaea, ahrlll f alaettoe. 
Chorda and raata and modnlatlona, 
Soothing aire and Intonntlona. 
BtIr them well, and add the anror 
Of an inaplration'a flavor. 

Come, ye generooa rldi iubeoilberi, 
Kuaknl In an your flbrea— 
Pay your money, faJce your atatleos; 
Flayera, alngera of all natlona, 
Oome, and join our incantatlona I 

Prom all monater-concert blunden— 

Onna and goaga and Gllmore thnnderi ■ 

Prom all tydlan atraina of Verdl'a 

Operatlo hordy-gurdlea-^ 

Prom the popular Roaainl 

And the aonowing awect BdUaly 

And theraat who end In <« Inl," 

{Not however Cherublnl) 

May the Muaea, who attend ua 

In our eoneerta, here defend nal 

May DO Wagner e^er torment ua 
WICi hia Nlbelung portentona; 
May no Llast enliat your leadera 
Uatleaa loat *mld young Moadera ; 
May no Baff br rUTraif bora ua 
With thalr weird demonie ehoma. 
Though aome bold tm-doobtlng ThooMM 
Lara our ticket-buyera from na. 
Keep the programmea pure and aunny, 
Olaaalc aa Hyblman honey. 
Though It ooat you time and mon^. 
Clear the miztttre from lenaation 
Of new-fanned oroheetration, 
True to that authMitlo standard 
Whenoe aooM heretlea have wandered. 
BtIr It— skimming froth and bubble^ 
'Twill repay ua for the troublew 

Pkom old Barope*8 homea anee a tr a l 
Bring the beet of skfll orchestral; 
Prom the New World alngera, playeia^ 
Bring them on In aqnada and layen. 
Ylola, TtoUna and *oel]oe~ 
Home, and all yoa braaay f ^llowa— 
Come fkom out your eoflin cae aal 
Itumpeta, flutee and double-baaaee, 
Haut-boya, olarlneta, fkgottoa. 
Come fh>m eloeet-ahelToa and gr^ttoea t 
Kettle-drums with thunder toiling 
Add, to keep our kettle boiling; 



Let there be no crude distortion ; 
Mix them well in doe proportion, 
PHI the HaU with Boaton nobUea; 
Light the gaa, and clear the lobbies; 
Let there be no empty apacea ; 
Band, and leader— take your plaoea I 
Grave baasoons preluding stutter-— 
Beedy pipes oadensaa utter- 
Warble flutea, and aaz-homs mutter; 
DouUe-baaaes growl and mumble; 
Piddles squeak, and *Celloa grumble! 
Btir the broth, and pour it steady; 
Take your aeata;— the oonoert*B ready. 

We weird slaters at our station 
Btill intone our incantation : 
Double, double, toll and trouble! 
Make the Muaio boll and babble! 
Though the aoore be hard and harder, 
Mualo la ita own re warder; 
Art alone be your endeavor, 
Art Is Xiabor's Joy forever I 

Come then, elves and falriea tripping, 
Blowly gliding, swiftly skipping; 
Bprltee of grottoee, woods and mountains, 
Sunlit streams and moonlit ftmntalns ! 
Come, ye thunder storm-BestrldersI 
Come, ye wild Walpurgie-Bidera t 
Powera of earth and air and ocean. 
Bet the aoeordlng atraina In motion. 
Aa ye may, oome mlni^e, mingle, 
TIU our aoola and aenaee tingle. 

Come ye Maatera and Bnchantera I 
To are wine, and we deeantera; 
Of our beat ye are the mizera. 
Pill na up with lif e*a eUxirs ! 
Come old Baoh with Ibgaes aaoendlng, 
Btill beginning, never ending; 
Come thou soul of great Beethoven 
With thy harmonies Inwoven;* 
Handel with thy aaeied ehoroa. 
Cheerful Haydn, hover o'er ua ; 
Come, Mosart melodloua, tender; 
Meodeiaaohn, of Joy the aeader ; 
Behnbert, Bohumann, Chopin, Weber— 
And all ye wboee Joyoua labor 
Has with Mualc's blessings crowned na, 
Bcatterlng rich delights around na— 
Come, and tone oar festive pleasure 
To a eonaeorated meaaure. 

To who, led bf Mnale, gather 
Hera In aplte of wintry weather. 
May Apollo grant, propltloua. 
All sneoesa our f rienda may wlah us. 

May this good Assoclati<tn 
Keep an elevated atatlon, 
Priendly atand in each rdatien, 
'Bcape the eemmrea of the * Nation '— 
Or whatever other paper 
Holds aloft lu orltlo-Uper. 

Now by aU good aprltea attended. 
By harmonious powers befriended, 
Qo ye henoe— In friendship blended. 

charm Is ended I 



• I may state that thia rhyme waa written long before 
I had seen Dr. Holmes's poem In the AHmMc 



i i%% I 



Tha SiBB of OpenL 
L 

It is noteworthy that it wm only after the 
decay of painting and sculptore that the art of 
nmsio rpee into full importance. Bnt music 
had in some form or other existed from the ear- 
liest asee. Without doubt the Greeks and Ro- 
mans had their musical era. That of Rome 
ended with Nero, himself a would-be-musician, 
and performer. The Greeks cultivated music 
thoroughly, and considered it an art of great 
di|rnity : but it was among the higher classes 



alone that the taste prevailed, and they seem 
to have recognized in some degree its import- 
ance as a moral agent — an importance too lit- 
tle maintained and less understood. Of ^cient 
Greek music a few fragments alone have come 
down to us, and we are not sure that we have 
properly interpreted these even — ^nevertheless 
they form the Dasis of the church music of the 
middle ages. 

Some writers think that the opera has been 
derived from the tragedies of classic times. 
We see, in the recitative, a copy of the musical 
declamations of these plays, and they consider 
a chorus of the modem opera exactly similar in 
function to the chorus of the ancient Greeks. 
But ages before the rise of the opera, the full 
understanding of the ancient trag^y as a thea- 
tre-piece had been lost, the mode of putting it 
on the stage, the importance of the actor, and 
the amount of musical aid giren, — all these 
were unknown. Far more likely is it that the 
opera was a gradual development of those 
strange mystery and morality-plays, which ex- 
isted among all nations in the dark ages, the 
precise origin of which cannot be traced, as 
they were probablv the expression of the natu- 
ral love 01 man for spectacle, for show, for 
mimicry and impersonation. 

The opera began in Florence towards the end 
of the 16th century, some say with *'Il Satire** 
of Catalisrx (about 1590), others with the 
"Dafne," of J. Peri (1597). "Orfeo" was 
the first opera published. This was by Momt- 
BYBBDB (1617, at the court of Mantua), a bold 
adrenture in the hitherto untrodden domain of 
harmony. Peri and Caraliere had their operas 
accompanied by orchestra, and both the or- 
chestral and vocal parts were by them increased 
by the introduction of preludes, interludes, and 
ensemble pieces for the singers. Honteverde 
did more. He much improved the orchestra, 
introduced new instruments, and anticipated in 
some degree the principles of instrumentation 
now adopted, that all the instruments in the 
orchestra should not play at one time, but 
should be brought in, in different combinations ; 
their united force being reserved for some par- 
ticular occasion. 

The first public performance, in a regular 
manner, of a musical piece was in 1637, when 
** Andromeda," written by F. Mabckllo, was 

£ut on the stage. Next year appeare«i *.* La 
[aga f ulminata ** and between 1641 and 1649 
thirty different operas, by different composers, 
saw the light. The last of this series was the 
**Orontea** of M. Cesti, which was played at 
Venice, and which lived forty years. This 
city took the lead in musical performances, and 
from 1687 on for three-quarters of a century, 
three hundred and fifty operas were given 
there. The *^ Berenice *' of D. Fuschi, given 
at Padua in 1680, may be be taken among, 
these as a specimen of the wonderful spectacu- 
lar effects which then were produced on the 
stage. In this piece there were choruses of 
100 virgins, of 100 soldiers, of 100 horsemen ; 
40 comet players, 6 trumpeters, 6 drummers, 
6 players on great fiutes, 6 on octave fiutes 
helped to make what must have been but a din ; 
6 pages, 8 Serjeants, 6 cymbalists, 13 hunts- 
men, 12 grooms, 16 coachmen, were among the 
actors; there was a triumphal car, drawn by 
four horses, 6 other cars, 6 coaches, 9 elephants, 
9 lions; the scenery was splendid; at one time 
the stage was transformed into a stable, con- 
taining 100 live horses, then again into a for- 
est, with every beast of chase, then into a 
grand allegorical representation, in which an 
enormous globe descended from the sky . 
A. Stbjldblla, a Neapolitan, wrote oratori- 



378 



DWIQHT'S JOURNAL OP MUSIC. 



OS imd an opera, called '*La fona delPamor 

Eaterno," which was to be perfonned at Genoa, 
ut the composer met with an untimely 
death there in ltf70. Cayalli may also be 
styled one of the fathers of the Italian opera. 
In his first work of this kind, ''Giasmo," he 
introduced arias, and modulation, or change of 
key to represent change of feeling. Scarlatti 
(1650—1761) wrote about 113 operas. The li- 
bretto was then formed to suit the music, and 
consequently it was yeir dull and absurd. Po- 
etry and music must be allied; if not, they 
both forget their high artistic aims. 8carlatti*8 
son and grandson were also musicians and com- 
posers. A. Oaldeba passed his life in the im- 
perial service, and died at the seat of the em- 
pire in 1768, where also his last opera, **Achille 
in Seno*' was performed. These were the 
principal composers of that day. It no lonser 
Decame imperative that subjects should be cho- 
sen from mythology ; men and women came on 
the stage, and spoke as men and women: the 
whole thing gradually became more rational 
and more artistic, and those who helped more 
than others were Scarlatti and Caldera by abol- 
ishing fugues, canons, and contrapuntal con- 
trivances, and Zeno and Metastasio by linking 
with dramatic music true poetry. 

The Italian opera then was, according to com- 
mon ideas, a story told by numerous songs, set 
to beautiful airs and intended to vindicate the 
emotional against the merely scientific side of 
music. It was divided into opera seria, sacra, 
and bulla. Of the sacra or the oratorio, we 
have nothing to do here. 

Now to turn to Germany. Operas, it is said, 
were performed in this country early in the 
seventeenth century, but all traced of these 
have been lost. About 1630, Martin Opitz 
translated the **Dafne'* of Rinucci, and it 
was performed at Dresden . He was called the 
Father of German drama. About twenty years 
afterwards,' the time of the Emperor Leopold, 
music and foreign artists were patronized at 
Court, and it was in 1678 that tne first opera 
was publicly represented. This was Thielb*8 
*^ Aaam and Eve,** at Hamburg. About twen- 
ty-eight years afterwards, Keiser composed 
for the same theatre. His day was splendid, 
but short-lived; he wrote 118 operas, andke^t 
an undisputed popularity for forty years. His 
originality was great, but the state of the Ger- 
man stage was not high and required the to- 
tal reformation which Metastasio brought 
with him when he came to pass all his life at 
Vienna. 

In France, the opera was also derived from 
Italy, through the works of Rinucci (1577). 
About half a century afterwards Cardinal Maz- 
arin brought over an Italian company, who 
played *^La flnta pazza,** of Strozzi, and a 
musical theatre was established in Paris (1655). 
But French ballets were the fashion, and by 
these LuLLi first made bis name ; and then, as- 
sisted by QuiKAULT, he ventured on the opera, 
which made his fame. '' Proserpine,*' ' 'Phae- 
ton,** **Amadis,** ''Roland,** are some of the 
works for which Lulli got all the renown, and 
poor Quinault but little credit. Finally the 
friends quarrelled, and Quinault retired to 
atone by a devout life for his past sins. Lulli*s 
best opera is «' Armide ** (1686). It did not at 
first meet with success, but later on, by one of 
those capricious turns of popular favor, it rap- 
idly became the *^rage.** The libretto of it 
was afterwards reset by Rameau, and again, 
mora recently still, Marthe le Rochois, one of 
these singular instances of success not being 
intoxicating, was Lulli^s principal singer. La 
Maupin also came out in Lulli*s pieces. ''Psy- 
che,** and " Acis and Qalatea,^* were others of 
his works. " Achille and Polyeuzes ** were at 
his death finished by another. Though Lulli 
was an Italian, he formed a style entirely for 
himself. His airs were easy and natural, but 
his recitatives pleased his adopted countrymen 
more. Voltaire considered them inimitable. 
His music is very rare. Purcell did " not dis- 
dain to imitate the compositions of the favopte 
of Louis le Grand,*' and Handel i» said to 



have copied Lulli's style in his overtures. Cer- 
tain it is that Lulli made great improvements 
in the form and style of this part of the opera 
performance. 

At his death, the operatic company was car- 
ried on by CoLASSB, Destouches, and Caxfba, 
assisted in the libretti by Fontenelle, Dauchet, 
La Fontaine. Of all this music little now re- 
mains, though it held its sway till the middle 
of the last century, when it was displaced by 
Rameau. This great theorist and composer 
was bom in 1688. He reached the are of fifty 
before he composed his first opera, "Hippolite 
et Aricie,** ana gained possession of the French 
stage. Nevertheless, when in 1753 an Italian 
company c^n^e to Paris, it met with some suc- 
cess, and made some sensation, playing "La 
serva padrona,** of Pei^lesi. This rival com- 
pany caused a great paper war ; Rousseau took 
up the cudgels for the Italian school, saying 
tne French language was so unmusical, that it 
was incapable of being used on the operatic 
stage — (he himself composed an opera, "Le 
Devin du Village,*' a little, simple, melodious 
piece, which is still performed in France 1). 
The Chevalier de Murky 's pamphlet was the 
princi pal one on the other side. The King and 
Queen took sides, and openly espoused the dif- 
ferent schools. The partisans of the Italians 
sat on one side of the theatre, and were called 
"Coin de la Reine ;** the French party sat on the. 
opposite side, and styled themselves "Coin du 
Roi.** The departure of this foreign company 
was celebrated by the performance of Rameau*s 
ekrf d'auvr^ "Castor et Pollux.** Rameau 
was considered to have begun a new era in mu- 
sic, but his system is now thought false, and 
his works are forgotten, even in France. 
Though the foreigners themselves had gone, 
they left many supporters in Paris, and for 
years sent over composers to settle them, so 
that the rivalrv became as it were a national 
one, and continued fiercely. A native con- 
temporary composer of Rameau^s, Menden- 
YiLLE, when he was ffoing to bring out his 
" Titan et Aurore,** had to call in the support 
and protection of the powerful Pompadour. 
His chief work was "Dafhnis et Alcimadure;** 
it was written in the patois of Languedoc, a 
dialect much fitted to music Duhi (a success- 
ful rival to Pergolesi at Rome) now arrived to 
support the Italian Theatre. His first work 
was " Le peintre amoureuz : ** then, after some 
years, he wrote " L*ecole de la jcunesse,** one 
of the first specimens of the "Opera i ariettes,** 
such as our own ballad-opera. The best writ- 
er of this style was Favart (1710 — 1792), who 
wrote many comic operas. It will be sufficient 
to mention the names merely of Ledaine, Mon- 
signy, and Philidor, as writers of these pretty 
light operas, but Grbtrt (1741—1793) de- 
serves a larger notice. Leader of the Italian 
school in France, he became, after an early 
and well-nigh quenching struggle, very popu- 
lar. Marmontel, Ledaine, D*Hele, an English- 
man, wrote for him. "Lucile Le Huron,** 
"Le Ubleau parlant,*' "Ztoire et Azore,** 
were his successful comic pieces ; his tragedies 
of " Andomaque,** and "C6phale et Procris,** 
did not take. ' ' Zemire et Azore, ** and ' 'Rich- 
ard Cosurde Lion,** were afterwards success- 
fully adapted to the English stage. His works 
were produced in regular succession down to 
the year 1797. His last was "Anacreon.** 
We shall now see that the French are indebted 
for their present excellent school to the compo* 
sitions of Italians and Germana« J, 8, 

— LQnd, Mu$. Standard. 



Three Opinimuk 

(FSram Brslnard's liiul«Al WorM, Ctov«huid» Ohio.) 

Oar musical progress Is a sulyect of interest to all 
lovers of art and ooaotry. Maoh has been saki 
aboot itp and men, nsturally enough, do differ in 
their opioioos. Much might be said in regard to 
our future progress; comparisons might bo made 
between as and other nationalities ; but this is not 
the object ef this article. Mr. Ritter will give 



this topic his attention in the third volume of his 
history. 

Oar object, now, is simply to (Hve the opinions 
of different individaals oonoemini^ oar present 
mnsicsl status. Let ns first learn what men abroad 
My of as, and then let as slso hear the worda of 
one, who has, as it were, seen oar mueical stmetore 
grow, who hss helped to build it, and who has, 
since 1846, been identified with mnsical joamal- 
ism. . 

The New York Tribune staff eorrespondent who 
attended Wagner's festival, at Baynmth, had the 
pleasure of meeting Lisst. Of eourse, the conver- 
sation soon turned upon America and the prog r e s s 
of mnsical art la our country. The reporter in- 
formed Liszt of the fact, that the new "German 
School " was making rspid pro^^ress In these Unit 
ed States, and that special attention was hetnc paid 
to Llsxt*8 ani Wagaer^s works. When mention was 
rasde of Thomas and his orchestra. It was found that 
Lisst was well aoquahitad with Thomas's doings. 
(We suspected so I) Dudley Back's proi^rarame to 
Lisst's Dante Symphony was slso mentioned, and 
after learning as to how the Svrophony was per- 
formed, Lisst expressed himself gratified, saying, 
" bMtwemr§$iiOi 9o/mrad9anfetd^ in OtrmoMff / jrmi 
do mart ihan im dare attinurf. Tlu e xp l an aiory pro- 
gramme fooT The writer reports that Lisst 
showed his gratification with the frankness of a 
ehild. 

The same reporter also met a number of mnsical 
conductors, and found that they too had heard of 
Thomas, (and why shoold they noiT) He showed 
them five or six programmes o^Thomas's concerts in 
Central Park Garden, and, ssys the reporter, " Ton 
would have been sorpriied at the astonishment with 
which they were read." '*And pray," said the 
leader of an orchestra in an important 'city, " how 
often did Thomas give tiiese concerts T As often 
as once a week T' When he was informed thai 
these concerts were given every night, they all 
a^rreed that in some respects America was far In 
advance of Germany. 

But then, just about the time when the 7Vt&im# 
report reached us, we slso received a copy of the 
Vienna Theatre Journal, in which we found a repoK 
written by Mr. Bonawits. fonnerly of Philadelphia, 
but now residing at the Austriaa capital In this 
report, our musical status is slso the subject under 
consideration, and firom the differences of opinions, 
we may learn, at least, how men may dUlBr and for 
sll mean it well with their country and the trath. 
No matter what eoocluslo»s we may arrive at, after 
comparing these reports from abroad, it is to be 
hoped, that these very different views of two intel- 
ligent men will cause us to study ourselves more 
thoroughly. 

We can only giv^ Bonawltx's Ideas, the republi- 
cation of the entire article would, make ours too 
lengthy. He starts out by saying, that Boston is 
the principal musical city of these United States, 
and that in a measure she deserves this boncnr. He 
fiirther says, that men have lived there for years, 
who meant it honestly with classic mnsic, who 
spared no pains, nor considered any labor too greats 
to make It known among the people. Bonawits re- 
lates an insunce which is worth repeating. Some 
thirty years ago. he says, a German, bv the nhme 
of Sohmitt, made the first attempt at playing In a 
concert a Beethoven Symphony with an orchestra. 
Buttheday following, he (Schmitt), was dismissed 
from his position as eondootor. The cause was 
this : In the rehearsal he took the tempi ss slow as 
his musicians then could stand them, and thus It 
came, that the first part of the 5th Symphony was 
performed in Andantino time. In the concert how- 
ever, he, the rash leader, dared to start in Allegret- 
to time, and, to his sorprtse, neither the mosidans 
nor the audience liked the Symphony In that har- 
ried time, in eonseqaence of which he wss uncere- 
moniously dismissed. Bonawits considers the faot^ 
that Bostontans worked themselves up to the Alle> 
gro eon brio, a sure indication of an earnest' striv- 
ing. The writer also mentions the fsct, that Bostoa 
Is the city In whlc^ Puritanism flonrishes most, and 
that the musical perfc»rmances, therefore, are main- 
ly of a religious character. (I) Bnt, nevertheless, 
he coatinoes, there it was where Strauss sad his 
wsltaes met with most remarkable results. Booa- 
wita now applies the knife, aad says, that all Amer- 
ican mnsic life ends In Boston. Nowhere else is a 
trace to be found of that love for music, which Boa- 
tonlsas cherish for the art Experiments with, and 
attempta at the performance of dassio music have 
been made here and there, but they do flot survive. 
The concertlst who provides a Symphonic part, or 
an overture in the first part of hb programme, most 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, FEB. 3, 1877. 



379 



offer potponrrlet and waltsee in the seooiid as an 
apolofcy for such rash attempts. The writer also 
praises Thomaa, and says, it is fortanate for Ameri- 
ea that this conductor, in order to sostsin his or> 
chestra, is oblliced to travel, else the little love for 
f(ood mosic which does exist, would have died out 
It is to be deplored, he contlnoes, that Americans 
lack that solid basis for a musical education, which 
Is necessary, in order to understand those .composi- 
tions, whicli Thomas's orchestra perfurms, as well as 
to comprehend their object 

Among a thousand music teachers, nine hundred 
and ninety«nine, he asserts, use nothing; but dance 
music with their pupils, or at farthest they use Go- 
rla, Ascher, etc ClementI or Mozart is seldom 
heard, and, says the writer, with such culture there 
Is talk of latereat in, and comprehension of mu- 
sic! 

Bouawits, however, makes a few fuMe ezccp- 
tiotts. He mentions naroea of teachers in lana^r cit- 
ies, who mean it well with art These few, howev- 
er, he claims, cannot stem the tide. Many years 
will yet have to pass, says B., until every large city 
will have its permanent orchestra. 

So much of BonawitsI In an article, entitled 
'"jruneafi/alerf a/Mm," written by Mr. John 8.D wight 
and published in his Jhmmal of June 26, 1876. he, 
also, touches upon the subject of our musical status. 
It will, no doubt, be of interest to our readers to 
hear what a writer like Mr. Dwlght haa to say. 
Once, he remarks, we loved fine music, now we seem 
to care more about the way in which it is present- 
ed. Once wt were thankral to get at the soul acd 
meaning of a noble composition, through whatever 
means of roott inadequate performance, by slow de- 
grees, striving to meet the intention half way, thus 
exercising our own brain, and spelling out as it. 
were, the divine word from an obscure and faded 
copy with a perseveraaee pretty sure to he reward- 
ed with an undying love of the ideal treasure, when 
we had once reached it We of the past generation 
owe all our love of Beethoven to the repetition 
year alter year of — not indiflforent, for they were 
nearty — ^bnt of quite Imperfect performances. Nor 
could the most technically penect rendering of a 
Symphony by an ideal orchestra, say that of Thom- 
as, add one lota to the love and feeling for It in 
which these persons had grown up before. Kay, 
many of them loved those Symphonies too well, — 
not to be able to convict Tlioraas's renderings, in 
spite of all their wonderful precision, their search- 
ing accent their euphonious blending of pure tone 
qualities, their light and shade, their exquisite ele- 
canee of finish,^H>f frequent perversions of the spir- 
it, tempo and intention of their movements. A pho- 
tograpn, says Mr. Dwight may be wonderfully fine 
as such, and yet produce the dear fa^ as we never 
wbh to see it llie writer evidently puts the whole 
in a nutshell when he says that in Music, as In all 
arts, the moment tht manner, the execution, comes 
to be thought of more account than the nuUier, than 
the composition, the ideal contents of the work— 
the rendering than the programme— (and that we are 
guilty of this fault, Mr. D.^lainly intimatea.) that 
mommf, he says, we ar§ mMt^ progrmt m tkt deoa- 
dsneeof art 

Here we have thnse opinions, each differing from 
the other. The first .is, that we are pronounced to 
be in advance of Germany ; the second that we are 
yet like babes, and lack that basis of education, 
which makes us a musical people ; and the third, 
that we are degenerating. The first writer, of course, 
had the advantage of showing programmes, and the 
advantage of speaking to people who could judge 
only by these. ' Concert progprammos are, however, 
only an evidence of what has been performed, and 
not of what has been comprehended or appreciated 
by the masses. Thomas's programmes are as near 
fruitless as programmes can probably be made ; and 
that New Yorkers, as well as the thousands who 
visited his concerts In other cities, went to hear his 
music, does not prove that they comprehend it 
Yet it shows an unmistakable desire on the part of 
our people to be instructed, a determination to hear 
Iks Msf, so as to form correct and pure taste. To be 
aoxions to learn, is the first step towards learning, 
though we do not wish to say, that where there is 
a demre to learn, there must necessarily be also suo- 
oess in learning. Of course, no one would doubt 
Bonawits*s sincerity, nor would we question the 
truthfulness and sincerity of the 7W6ttfM reporter, 
when we say that the virtue of patriotism, which 
we very much admire, often leads men to see their 
eountry as they wish it to be,' just as' he, whose 
heart ueks those noble impulses, Caila to see the 
good of his fellow-citixens. We are glad to see the 
reporter of the able New York journal erring, if 



he does err, on the side of patriotism, and if we dif« 
fer with him as to whst our status now is, we' will 
not be found to differ when it comes to expression 
of hopes for our future progress, snd well wishes 
to our growth in all that will make a people good 
and noble. And here we leave our Reporter. 

Mr. Bonawitz says much thst is true, and much 
in which we cannot agree with him. He is right 
when he says, that Boston is our ropsical capital, 
and that for many years men hsve lived there who 
meant it honestly with art He is also correct In 
saying thst men, teachers with correct taste and 
earnest seal, live in other cities. But when he as- 
serts, thai musical life ends with Boston, when he 
charges that out of a thousand teachers, nine hun- 
dred and ninety-nine use hut dance mosic, that 
those who anpire higher, will only riRC to the nse 
of Ooria's and Asher's muftic, that Mozart and de- 
menti are not used, etc., — then he is too severe on 
his country. We do not sttribnte this^to a lack of 
patriotism, but rather to those high art* views whleh 
our friend Henry entertains, and with which he 
measures everythinsr, tfigether with the fact, thst 
while he lived in this country he had but limited 
means of gathering information, although we know 
that he will deny this. We receive, year in year 
out programmes of concerts and recitals given in 
conservatories, in seminaries, even in smaller towns, 
which prove that Mr. Bonawits underrates our 

f progress. Doubtless there is a terrible amount of 
gnorance prevailing among teachers of music, but 
we know, also, that there are teachers in smaller 
towns, and we could name some of them, who have 
for years made honert efforts to raise their pupils to 
a higher grade of music As editor, we have am- 
ple opportunity of judging of the doings of teachers, 
and whiie by far the OMiority nse poor music, the 
proportions are not as alarming as Mr. Bonawits 
gives them. 

If Mr. Dwight is correct, then we are, in a sense, 
up«m the downward course. In this we do not 
agree with him ; we go further, and ssy, that as a 
people, we have not yet reached the zenith of our 
musicid growth. We do not know the editor of the 
«/buma/, out we regsrd highly whst he has done for 
the cause of music, and would not dare to differ with 
him, except with the assurance of respect, which is 
due to one, who has done as much for the refine- 
ment and culture of his country as he hss. 

If we do read right between the linea of his arti- 
cle, we believe much of that feeling displays itself, 
which pioneers cherish against modern Improve- 
ments ; or in another comparison, we thiuk we can 
read those objections, wnich old christians often 
make against the modern temple, with its fine pews 
and windows, rich carpeting a'fid pulpit, organ and 
chandelier, simply because they ttiemsolvea became 
converted, and worshipped God holiestly and sin- 
cerely in the old log church, and because they fear 
that the love for truth, for God and religion, will be 
no longer as pure, as unselfish, and as humble as it 
once was. 

Such feelings and suspicions are not always un- 
just Modem civilization, is not always calculated 
to strengthen men's characters, nor to refine their 
heart's emotions. Modem eiviliitHon u noi faoora- 
bU to mrt progrea»t says Wagner. Of course no one 
would suspect that Mr. Dwight would return to the 
time, when Schmitt made his rash attempt at tak- 
ing the first part x>f the fifth Symphony in Allegret- 
to time, but we can underatand how, some thirty or 
more years ago, the noble few, (and the enthusiaatic 
lovers of music — Dwight among them,) diligently 
searched for the truth in music, how they found ft 
and nherished it, and how, for many years they 
were tlie prime movers in all that was good in the 
direction of musical advancement T^y ^^rt the 
priests, who had entered the inner temple, and, no 
doubt, they were sincere when they regarded them- 
selves as &e servants elect of Apollo, and as the 
keepers of the truth, [tl] We . ean also Imagine the 
feelings of those priests, when they see in these 
latter days, how the masses rush into the Sanctuary, 
many of them acting and speaking, as if they had 
no regard for it while still others fail to recognise 
the fact that these men have for years guarded and 
garnished the temple, offering up incense silently 
and sacredly, while yet the masses without wor- 
shipped the golden cslf. It .cannot be denied, that 
there are many among the maasea, that have of late 

1>ressed their way into the temple, who have neither 
ove for. nor conception of tie truth itself ~wha are 
yet In darkness, it Is, therefore^ but natural, that 
these aged priests should tremble for the future. 
But then there are, no doubt also those who are 
drinking in the word, and there Is hope, that the 
good work will continue, until the masses, as Ikr as 



their education will allow them, shall have learned 
the truth. Music is designed for the masses. It be- 
longs to the masses, it is one of the principal means 
outside of Christianity, to refine the masses, and we 
are glad that the gospel of music is preached by 
Thomas, in a manner that leavea nothing to wish 
for. Snrely, it is better thst the Gospel should be 
offered to the people In its most attractive and effeo- 
tive form, rather than in a defective manner, forcing 
the people to spell It out for themselves. Wo fear 
that not many would take that trouble. 

We well remember what music and musical art 
was in this country, only 22 years ago, and rejoice 
to say, that the art has made gigantic steps in the 
advance, without wishing thereby to imply, that 
we are the most musical people in the werML 



i^i*- 



PnrcelL 

(From the London Maslcal Times, Jan. 1.) 

The following is the substance of a paper read 
before the MuMcal Association (London) on Monday 
the 4th nit The musical illustrations performed 
were — Airs, " Sweet tyranness ; " " When I am laid 
in earth;** Fugue, G minor; Motett, "Jehovah 
quammultl;" Song, "Nymphs ani Shepherds;* 
Scene from " The Libertine: "— 

A most pleasant and pli^uresqne Introduction to 
the Purcell family Is to be found in PepysT Diary, 
under date Feb. 21, 1659, where we find this entry : 
" After dinner I hack to Westminster Hall with him 
(Mr. Crewe) in his coach. Here I met with Mr. 
Lock and Pnrsell, Masters of Musique, and with 
them to the Coffee Houne. into a room next the water 
by ourselves, where we spent an hour or t%o. . . . 
Here we had variety of brave Italian and Spanish 
songs, and a canon for eight voices, which Mr. Lock 
had lately made on these words, Domins SalvHrn/ae 
lUffem, an admirable thing. .... Here out of the 
window it was a most pleasant sight to see the City 
from one end to the other with a glory about it so 
high was the light of the bonfires, and so thick 
round the City, snd the bells rang everywhere." 

Lord Braybrooko's edition ot Pepys has a note 
which is reprinted In the new one now in course of 
publication, to the effect that the two gentlemen 
named In the text were " Matthew Lock and Henry 
Purcell. both celebrated composers ; " bnt this is an 
undoubted err^r, to which I nave called the atten- 
tion of the learned Editor, the Rev. Mynors Bright 
It certainly could wA have t>een Henry Purcell the 
composer, for sithongh we know that he commenced 
his musical career at a very early a^o. he was only 
one year old at the date Pepys made the entry In 
his alary ; and %dmittlng he might have had a very 
lovely voice even at that pi'rlod, I cannot believe he 
wonid have been considered a desirable addition to 
Mr. Pepys's musicsl party. As no mention Is made 
of the Uhrlstian name of Pnroell, we must conclude 
that Pepys met either the uncle, Thomas Purcell, or 
the fsther, Henry PnrcelL 

The uncle was undoubtedly a musician of reputa- 
tion and ability. 'Various entries in official and 
Court records testify to the numerous appilntraents 
he held, such as Gentleman in Ordinary of the 'Voice 
and Lute to His Majesty, Ctimpos^r to the Violins 
to His Msjesty, and Lay 'Vlcsr of Westminster Ab- 
bey. His compositions are now lost with the ex- 
ception of two chants in freonent use in our pathe> 
drals. A year before his aeath, probably feeling 
age or infirmities creeping on, he seems to have re> 
tired from active service, for he then executed a 
power of attorney authorizing his son Mattkew to 
receive all payments due from His Majesty's Treas- 
firy. Exchequer Cofferr Office, " or any other place 
or office whatsomever. On his death in 1682 he 
was buried in the cloisters of Westminster Abbey. 
The power of attorney I have brou 'ht for inspec- 
tion ; it is interesting, on sccount of the autograph 
signatures of Thomas Purcell and of his niece Fran- 
ces, the wife of the celebrated Pnrcell, and I am In- 
clined to think that Pepys met 7%om^ Purcell, from 
the little drcunutanee that the son of the latter was 
named Matthew, possibly out of oompliment to 
Locke ; but it may after til have been his brother, 
Henry Purcell. the father of the great Henry, for he 
also was a musician of reputation, a member of the 
Royal Band, a Gentleman of the Chapel Royal, mas 
ter of the chorister boys of Westminster Aboey, and 
music copyist of the last-named church, an appoint- 
ment of considerable Importance at that time. He 
Is generally accredited with the composition of one 
chant still in use bearing the name of PureelL He 
died in 1664, and was buried In the cloisters of 
Westminster Abbey. His wife survived him five 






380 



DWIQHT'S JOURNAL OP MUSIC. 



jeafs, and a1tboa|rh we haTc no record of their re- 
BpectWe ages, U is probable they were both yoang 
at the time of their deaths. 

We now e»me to the son« Henry Parcel!, '* the 
boast and pride of £n|[:Iish tnusicians," who was born 
in St Anne's Lane, Old Pye Street, Westminster, 
in 1658. 

Pnrcell was only six years old when deprived by 
ddatb of his father's care ; bat his ancle Thomas, of 
whom I hare been spealcing^, bestowed on him all 
the lovinfc devotion of a parent, and immediately 
placed him where his precocioas genius wonid re- 
ceive nnrtare and cnitivation. It was an early a^e 
to commence life as a choriHter-boy' in the Chapel 
Royal, but at that time and for lons^ after children 
generally entered choirs at the age of six or seven. 
When yonng Parcell joined the Chapel Royal estab- 
lishment he nad the advantage of instrnction from a 
most able roaster, Captain Cooke, a man who had 
won laarels in the battle-field fighting for his kins:, 
and also in the more peaceful arena of mu^ic. He 
was composer, actor, and singer, and is frequently 
mentioned by Pepys. On the death of Cooke, his 
pupil Pelham Hnmphrev — or Hnmphries — ^became 
master of the boys ; and he, a men of considerable 
genius, must have done much to develope the pow- 
ers of the young prodigy under his charge. He 
lived two years to carry on the work, and was suc- 
ceeded by Blow, also a pupil of Cooke, who doubt- 
less did something towara educating Purcell. At 
the age of eighteen Purcell, probably through Blow's 
interest, was appointed music-copyist to Westmin- 
ster Abbey, and four years later Blow resigned the 
poet of organist in his favor, from which fact we can 
imagine how highly he must have estimated the 
genius and ability of Purcell. Blow was himself a 
remarkable musician and composer, and fifteen 
years afterwardn, when Purcell aied, he was re-ap- 
pointed organist of the Abbey. Blow must have 
possessed a most amiable and generous disposition, 
devoid of Jealousy or mean envy, for, in addition to 
this instance of self-sacrifice on behalf of Purcell, he 
similarly resigned his post as master of the boys of 
St. Paurs Cathedral in favor of another remarkable 
pupil, Jeremiah Clark. Purcell's triumphs rapidly 
increased, and we soon find him occupying the dis- 
tinguished post of Orginist of the Chapel Royal 
and Composer in Ordinary to his Majesty. He 
wrote music for the Church, the Court, and the thea- 
tre, producing works for each In great number. 
But, alas I his sunshine was all too phort, for at the 
early age of thirty-seven (a period which has proved 
fatal to more than one great musical genius) ho 
ceased from his labors, and was borne to an honored 
grave in Westminster Abbey, beneath the organ 
which had so often resounded to his divine harmo- 
ny. This was in the year 1695- I must now re- 
trace my steps to speak of Purcell's married life. 
He took to himself a wife when twenty-two or twen- 
ty-three years of age. about the time he succeeded 
to the orsanistBhip of Westminster, and had six 
ehildren, four of whom died young. I have already 
referred to the probability that Purcell's parents 
were short-lived. Coupling these significant facts 
together — the brief lives of father, mother, son, and 

Srandchildren— we have presumptive evidence of 
eredltary delicacy of constitution. Purcell's wife 
Frances survived him eleven years, and, dying in 
1706, she found a quiet resting-place by bis Aide in 
the old Abbey. 

I suppose most of you are familiar with the asper- 
sions which have been cast on the memory of Pur- 
cell's wife— the idle tale which attrlbutea, with such 
particularity of detail, harsh and unfeeling conduct, 
resulting at last in the premature and untimely 
death oiPorcell. 

It is always easy to promulgate a scandal, but 
very difficult to trace its origin, and ofttlmes still 
more difficult to refute It. In this case, I have lit- 
tle doubt, the whole story is a base and wicked in- 
vention ; but, reflecting as it does on the memory 
of both Purcell and hb wife, I propose briefly to. 
state ray reasons for the opinion I have formed. 
Sir John Hawkins, the muucal historian, printed 
the narrative, and although he doubtc<l its authen- 
ticity, and suggested that Purcell might have died 
of decline, yet be added some grave reflections on 
PnrceH's presumed habits of dissipation, and of the 
bad company he associated with, particularly the 
notorious Tom Brown. On Hawkins, therefore, 
rests a large share of responsibility for perpetuating 
the slander. Miss Hawkins, his daughter, indig- 
nant at some idle stories in circulation respecting 
her mother's treatment of Sir John, wrote thus : 
" Mrs. Purcell, I should conjecture, had other modes 
of attracting Mr. Purcell, j^tperhajm thtwhoU story 



may hane be^n as .(7*vm faWJietUion at that by which 
Lad^ IfnwkinM m vilified.'* 

The late Richard Clarke cannot be considered 
blameless In this Purcell matter. He was an enthu- 
siastic and kind-hearted man, but wantlnj; in dis- 
crimination, and too ready to draw conclnsitm^ from 
unproved and insufficient evidence. His volume of 
Olee Poetry contains the words of Purcell's catch. 
" Jack, thou'rt a toper." I will read the lines and 
Clarke's comments thereon : — 

** Jack, thou*rt a toper, let's have t'other quart; 
Ring, we*re so sober, 'twere » shame to part; 
If one but a coward, bal1y*d by his wife 
For eomins Ute, fears a domestic strife; 
I'm free, uid so are yon, to call and knodc. 
Boldly the watchman cries, past two o'clock." 

Clarke informs us that the *' Jack " apostrophised 
as a " toper " was Dr. John Blow, ana goes on to 
say : " There is a tradition that Purcell's death was 
occasioned by a severe cold, which he caught wait- 
ing for admittance into his own house. It is said he 
used to keep late hours. He appears to have spent 
much time with Tom Brown, who wrote the words 
ot most of his catches. The wits of that day used 
to meet at Owen Swan's in Bartholomew Lane, and 
at Puroeirs Head in Wych Street. His wife bad 
g^ven orders to the servants not to let him in if be 
came home after midnight Unfortnnately his com- 
panions had got hold of this and kept him late, as 
usual, which was the cause of Tom Brown writing 
the words of the above catch, which Purcell set to 
music before he went home. Being refuted admit- 
tance at home, he sat down on the step of his own 
door and fell asleep, and through Uie inclemency of 
the night contracted a disorder of which he died. 
This bnt ill agrees with the expressions of grief she 
makes use of in the Orpheus Brittanicus, for the loss 
of her dear lamented hueband." 

These interesting particulars are so precise that 
It would seem to be almost impassible to attempt to 
controvert them, but fortunately they can be shown 
to be untme from beginning to end. The words of 
the catch were not written by 'Tom Brown, and are 
of course not to be found In his works ; moreover, 
instead of Brown having written most of the words 
of Purcell's catches, it is tolerably certain that Pur- 
cell never set a line of Brown's poetry. 

In the year 1768 Dr. Arne gave a concert at Dru- 
ry Lane Theatre, the programme consisting of glees 
and catches ; and for that concert he published a 
book of the words, which I have here. In it we 
find Purcell's " Jack, thou'rt a toper," with the fol- 
lowing note : " The words of this last catch are said 
to be written by Purcell, wherein, it is obvious, that 
he meant no elegance with regard to the poetry, 
but made it intlrely subservient to his extream pret- 
ty design in the music." 

" Jack, thou'rt a toper " is to be found in Purcell's 
opera " Bonduca," composed by him the year before 
he died. The libretto was an adaptation from the 
play of the same name by Beaumont and Fletcher, 
but the alterations and additions were made anony- 
mously ; it is therefore, highly probable that Arne 
is correct in assigning the wards and the music of. 
that particular catch, *' Jack, thou'rt a toper," to 
Purcell. 

Now let us deal with Purcell's alleged intimacy 
with Tom Brown. I" the year 1698. about seven- 
teen or eighteen months before Purcell died. Brown 
wrote and printed some very complimentary verses 
addressed to the great musJclan, which he headed 
thus: " Lines addressed to his unknown friend, Mr. 
Henry Parcell." These were reprinted after Pur- 
cell's death without note or addition, and we may. 
therefore, reasonably conclude that Purcell and 
Brown never beacme acquainted. Brown's lines are 
too long to quote in cxte/iso, and the following must 
suffice : — 

" What ptalses, Purcell, to thy skill are due, 
Who bast to Judak^t monarch been so true t 
9y tbee be moves our bearts, by thee be reigns. 
By tbee shakes off bis old Inglorious ebains» 
And sees new honors done to hie Immortal strains. 
In thy performance we with wonder find 
Corelll's genius to BassanI Join'd. 
Thus T, unknown, my gratitude express, 
And conseious gratitude could do no less. 
This tribute firom each BrUtA muse is due; 
The whole poetick tribe's obllg'U to you. 
For where the author's scanty words have fail'd, 
Tby happier graces, Paroell, have prevail'd. 
And surely none but you, with equal eaeOf 
Could add to David, and make D'Urfey please.** 

Purcell, in his last will and testament, signed on 
the day of his death, bequeathed to his loving wife 



Frances all his estate, real and personal, for ber 
sole use. and also nominated her executrix. We 
cannot find evidence here of anything but mutual 
affection an<l confidence. Many of yon can call to 
mind how differently Shakespeare treated his wife 
in his will.* 

Purcell's widow made frequent public reference to 
the dear memory of her husband, and the following 
extract from her last will b specially interesting, as 
it shows how mindful she was of his wishes, and 
also that Purcell himself did not cultivate convivial 
society to the n(|^leet of his family and their world- 
ly interests. Mrs. Purcell says : " According to 
her husband's desire, she had g^ven her dear son 
Edward g^ood education, and she also did give him 
all the books of music in general, the oi^n, the 
double spinett, the single s^nett, a silver tankard, 
a silver watch, 3 pairs of gold buttons, a hair ring, 
a mourning ring of Dr. Busby's, a larum clock, Mr. 
Edward Purcell's picture, handsome furniture for 
a room, and he was to be maintained nntil proyided 
for." 

I have now said sufficient respecting Purcell's 
domestic life, and will only add that his fellow-pu- 
pll. Dr. Tudway, has borne written testimony to 
the studious habits of Purcell, and of his constant 
endeavors to excel in eyery branch of his profes- 
sion. 

(To be Oontiniied.] 



« ^1 



Vnemplojed Maaagnn, Aeton and 
8ing«n in Vtm York. 

The haunts of actnrs and musicians In this city 
are now unusually full of unemployed artists. Since 
the " hard times ''^ set in with the panic of 1878 there 
have not been ao many professional people without 
ensragements as at the present time, anu many ex- 
cellent performers on both the lyric and dramatic 
stag^ are vergring on alMolute want. At Moretti'a, 
a cheap caf6 in Fourteenth street, exhibiting the 
marks of roaccaroni all over it, there gathers from 
day to day a host of singers bearing distinguished 
names, who can only unite in sinsring " Waiting " 
and " Sweet By and By." At the Belvedere House, 
in Irving place, there is a fiunily of prime donne 
hoping that some mansger will appear to demand 
their sweetest notes. At the Albion Club, in Fif- 
teenth street, and at the Union Place Hotel, there 
is always a host of nnemployed managers and act- 
ors. It is impossible to torn one of the angles In 
Union square without jostling an idle tenor, only to 
be tossed agpiinst an equally idle " leading man ;" 
and in crossing Broadway there is more dsnger of 
being run down by an aimless "heav]^'' than a 
maddening stage. "Old men" and "juvenilea," 
" old women," and " walking ladies," baritones and 
bassos, sopranos and contraltos, crowd the thor- 
oughfares, meeting their old-time managers without 
hcpe that anything will turn up to relieve their dis- 
tresses. The managers are as oadly off as the ar- 
tists, and one of Uiese, just returned from "the 
road," declared the other day that it would be im- 
possible to succeed with a travelling oora«*any, even 
If the actors were willing to work without pay. 
TIm theatrical and mnsicalbusiness has not been so 
bad in many years. Most of our theatrea are emp- 
ty. With the exception of Theodore Thomas's or- 
chestra, the Philharmonic and oratorio socletiea. 
the Essipoff ooncerU and a week's musical festival 
given by Mr. James Morrissey at the Academy of 
Music, there has been no music In New York this 
season. The travelling opera companies, with the 
exception of the Kellogg troupe, nave diabanded, 
and nearly all the draroalio companies on the road 
have fillen to piecea. The members of these unfor- 
tunate combinations have found their way to the 
metropolis to swell the army of the unemployed, 
and Chicago is as full of idle actors as New York. 
In every direction the outlook is a gloomy one, and 
the worst feature of the prospect Is that nobody can 
tell when the clouds will break. 

miiX M AITAOEBS IH HXW YORK. 

During the war it used to be said that it was Im- 
possible to shake a stick at a dog without striking 
a brigadier general. Now it is impossible to trav- 
erse half a block in Broadway without enoonntering 
half a dosen theatrical and operatic managers with 

• Subsequent to the reading of this paper, a friend di- 
rected my attention to Kntgbt's able remarks on Sbakes- 
peara's wlU. satisfactorily proving tbat 8bakeq»eara*a 
widow was well provided for, aniftbat^tbe special be- 

Siest to ber, wblcb has comroonlv been regarded aa a 
gbt, was, on tbe contrary, an addiUonal indication ta 
favor and regard. I am i^ad to have this opportanlty sC 
expressing my regret for tbe injustice done to tlie i 
oryof ShaiM 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, FEB. 3, 1877. 



381 



nothing to do bat view the beanttet of that splendid 
thoronghfare. Even our best known operatic man- 
agers are Idle. Max Maretsek, to whom New York 
owes mocb for good opera, is compelled to teach to 
eke out a Hvollnood. bnt he is looking younger and 
fresher than in his halcyon days.' Maurice Stra- 
kosch is busying himself with his colossal opera- 
house, but he has no immediate operatic projects. 
Max Strakosch has just returned from an uof ortun 
ate campaign in the West, and is waiting for better 
Umee to bmn again. These brothers are excellent 
examples of men who made money bv good manage- 
ment and lost it by bad. Among the idle are Mr. 
Carlberg, who lost his all with the Fltfinf Jhiich- 
fium ; De Vivo, just back from the antipodes, with 
" nothing to do," and James Korrissey, who lost so 
largely and so patienUy in his Aeademjr of Music 
Tenture that he Is likely to wait a lone time before 
he again tempts fortune with a colossiu concert. As 
a matter of course, none of these people are abso- 
lutely idle, but it is dull work trimming their sails 
to catch the first farorable breeae. Leonard Gro- 
rer has been in the city for some time with a head 
foil of projects, bnt none of them seem to be destined 
to a Minerva-like birth. Qeorge H. Tyler, whose 
Humpty Dumpty troupe collapsed the other day. Is 
also here looking for orders, and has, it Is said, -de- 
signs upon an uptown theatre, where some of the 
daring people are smashed to "smithereens." When 
times are better all these people will be busy again, 
but for the present the idle managers present even 
a more doleful appearance than the idle artists. 

8ILSHT BIHOERt. 

The number of silent singers in New York at this 
time is larger than ever was known before. Mroe. 
Pappenheim aad Mme. Palmteri made a' little mon- 
ey early in the season, but, although both of them 
are good singers, there is no prospect that either of 
• them will be hired this winter. Mme. Onlagt* r and 
Mme. Brignoli are both anxious for an appearance, 
bnt there Is no indication that either will find an 
opportunity to be hoard. At the Belvedere House 
are any number of really endowed ladies, including 
raca artistfr as Anna Drasdil, Antolnotte Henne, 
Henrietta Beebe and Clara Perl, who are sniferers 
on account of the unusual stagnation. Miss Emma 
Thursby Is fortunate in holding the leading position 
in the Tabernacle in Thirty-fourth street in these 
hard times. Miss Gertrude Corbett, who obtained 
an appearance as Norma last year, is still studying, 
but without present prospects of exhibiting the re- 
sults of her studies. Then there is the latest Amer- 
ican singer, with the stamp of European success. 
Miss Emma Abbott, to whom the times afford little 
real encouragement. In addition to the ab<ive array 
of prime donne, we have for tenors, baritones and 
bassos, Signor Brlg^oll, still the silver-voiced after 
so many campaigns; Mr. Charles Fritch, a fine 
German singer, wno slso does the Italian and Eng- 
lish ; Mr. William CanJe, long a New York favorite 
in English opera ; Signor Palroleri, Signor Taglla- 
pietra, Mr. George Simpson, of Brooklyn ; Mr. Tom 
karl, Mr. Romaine, Jacob Muller, Mr. Sohst, Herr 
Blum, Signor Reyna and Alberto Lawrence. In 
this bundle of artists there are singers enough to 
fdrm two or three opera companies, and yet, even 
with the best of them, no manager has the cour- 
age to risk one abort seaion at the Academy of 
Music 

THE PABT AND THB PRBflXnT OOIVTBASTBD. 

In singular contrast with all this dullness is the 
activity of only three or four years ago. Up to the 
present year a season without opera would ha\e 
been considered a calamity to be averted at every 
haaard. Not only was the Academy of Music bril- 
liant with grand opera, but the minor theatres were 
all musical to the echo. Toet^ came and went, and 
other stellar attractions in opera honffe followed 
until Aim^ almost succeeded In establishing her- 
self a permanent New York fovorite. The question 
which had been agitating us—" Are we a musical 
pacmle?" — seemed answered in the affirmative. 
Knoinstein came and gained a great triumph, and 
Von BQlow was tempted to come after him. Offen- 
bach nearly believed that New York was almost 
like Paris, and came in during our Centennial for a 
se as on of mutual felicitations. The only wonder is 
that Verdi has not been here. Suddenly, however, 
all tbb brilliancy was extingnbhed, and musical art 
Boi only languished, but died. Eminent artists who 
had learned to regard New York as their home, and 
the scene of certain and long-to-be-continued tri- 
umphs, found themselves compelled to sing to empty 
benches, while managers like the Strakosch broth- 
era were in despair oyer an empty treasury. En- 



forced idleness followed only too quickly, until now 
the prospects of an engagement, even for the best 
singers, are far In the dim and misty future. Th^re 
is no sign of revival in the present, and the danger 
is that for some years at least music In this country 
will cease to.ie a profession. — N, Y. Herald, 



^•^ 



The Organ at Trinity Chiireh, 
Bofton. 

This org^n is manufactured by Mr. Hilborne L. 
Roosevelt, of 40 West Eighteentli street, New York. 
It is of three manuals, compass C C to a, 68 notes ; 
pedals coQipass, C C C to F, 80 notes, and the follow- 
ing b the scheme : 

GREAT ORGAN. 



9 ^ 

• 

1— Open DbpMon, 

metal 16 68 

S— Open Diapason, 

metal 8 68 

6— Open DiapMon, 

English metal.. 8 68 
4— Violoii Open«metal 8 68 
6— Doppel Flute, 

wTOd 8 68 

S—Melodia, wood.... 8 68 



s ? 

S I 

f 

7— WeM Flute, wood 

and metal 4 68 

8— Principal, metal. 4 68 

9_Twcirth. metal.. 8 68 

10 -Fifteenth, metal. S 68 
U— Mixture, 4 ranlcs, 

metal 2 82 

12— Trumpet, metal.. 16 68 

13— Trumpet. metal.. 8 69 

14 -Clarion, metal ... 4 68 



SWELL ORGAN. 



1— Bourdon, wood... 18 68 
2— Open Diapason, 

metol 8 68 

S—Sallcioiial, metal.. 8 68 

4 -Dolce, metal 8 68 

6— Stop Diapason. 

wood and metal 8 68 
8— Flute Hsrmonic, 

wood and metal 4 63 



7— Principal, metal. 4 68 

8— Cornet, metal .... 2 90 
9— Contra Fagotto, 

metel 18 68 

10— Cornopean, metal 8 68 

11— Oboe, metal 8 68 

12— Vox Humana, 

metel 8 68 



CHOIR ORGAN. 



1— Open Diapason, 

metal 8 68 

2— Concert Flute, 

wood 8 68 

S— Gamba, metal.... 8 68 
4— Dulciana, metel.. 8 68 
6— 4top Diapason, 

wood and metal 8 6S 



6— VIoiana. wood and 

metal 4 68 

7— Rohr Flute, wood. 4 68 

8— Piccolo, metal.... 2 68 

9— Clarionette, metal. 8 68 



PEDAL ORGAN. 



1— Contra Bourdon, 

wood 32 80 

2— Open Diapason, 

wood 18 80 

8— Dulciana, metel ... 18 30 



4— Bourdon, wood... 18 80 

6— Violoncello, metel 8 30 

8-Flute, wood 8 80 

7— Principal, metel.. 4 80 

8 —Trombone, wood . . 16 80 



Swell to Great. 
•• " redal. 
" " Choir. 



Couplers. 



Great to Pedal. 
Oiiolr " •• 



Tremulant Swell. 
Bellows Signal. 

Combination Pedals. 



Swell Forte. 



Great Forte or Full Organ. 
•* Mezso. 
*• Piano. ** Piano. 

Reversible Pedal for Great to Pedal. 

Balance Swell Pedal. 

The Pneumatic Lever is applied to the Great Organ. 
(« .( M 4. f« gwell " 

« •« f u u Choir ** 

u «i fi M «« Pndal " 

«« *• " «• " Draw Stop Ac- 

tion. 

This instrument will stand in an organ chamber 
on one side of the chancel, one set of front pipes be- 
ing In the chancel and another in the transept. The 
keys are In the transept on the level of the gallery. 
The organ may be said to be five stories his^h. The 
first in the basement being occupied bv the bellows, 
levers and hydraulic engines (which supply the 
wind); the second floor is occupied by the two 
large bellows and a portion of the pedal organ ; the 
third floor conteins the great and swell organs and 
the remainder of the pedal organ ; the fourth floor 
contains the choir organ ; the fifth contains the echo 
organ, which is placed over the celling of the church, 
and connected to the malir body of the organ by 
electricity. Thia device was first used in the cele- 
brated Roosevelt organ in Chickering Hall, New 
York. The echo org^n conteins the Vox Humana 
stop, the measnremente of which were teken by the 
builder from the fsmous one in Freiburg, Switser- 
land. Ite imiution of a choir singing In the dis- 
tence is quite remarkable. The construction of the 
wind eheste is novel, compressed air beinr employed 
to a certein extent in the place of mecnanical ac- 
tion. Each pipe has a seperate valve, which mate- 
rially asslste in the voicing and tuning of the in- 
strument, and owing to the peculiar construction of 
wind-cheste they are not liable to stick or "cypher." 
The combinations on the combination pedals can be 
changed by the organist at any time. From out 



stop to the full organ can be set on any pedaL The 
reeds and mixtures of the great organ are placed in 
the swell-box, thereby greatly adding to the cres- 
cendo effecte. The greatest care has i>een teken iu 
the matter of the voicing, the aim being to combine 
in one instrument all the finest eflfocte of the differ- 
ent European organs. For Instence, the English 
diHpasons. the French reeds, the German gambas 
ano flutes, etc, in some cases slightly modified, in 
order that there shall be a perfect blending of the 
full organ, as well as distinct character of tone for 
each stop. The mixture stops have also been careful- 
ly btudied. in order that they may add a certein bril- 
liancy, without being too prominent (as is often the 
case). Ample passage ways traverse the instru- 
ment in different directions, rendering all parte easy 
of access for tuning and adjustment. The pedal 
wind-cheste are the Invention of Mr. Thomas Win- 
ans of Baltimore, and were first used in the organ 
built for him by Mr. Roosevelt, which is at his villa 
in Newport, R. I. — Traveler, 



"The Flying Sntdunaa ** in Vew 

Tork. 

(From the Tribune, Jan. 27.) 

Wagner*8 " Flying Dntehman,*' which Miss Kellogg 
presented in an Bnglish dress last niffht, is something 
very unlike the " muiio-drama ** of the composer's later 
years. Ite form does not differ materially from that of 
the conventional open. It has ite due succession of 
arias and concerted pieeea. It is rich In separate num- 
bers which even a public pampered exclusively with the 
tunes of •' Martha " and ** The Bohemian OirJ '* might 
recofrni's as melodious. It came into the world before 
Wagner had developed the peculiar theories which make 
hU best title to fame, and it is keenly relished by the 
old school of musicians, to whom **Tristan" and **Taun- 
hitoser " are a terror uid an abomination. Nevertheless 
to the devoted followers of Wagner it is equally • work 
of deep Interest. They trace in It the germ of nearly all 
his later ideas. They And bore his first protest against 
the frivolities and absurdities of the stage, his first de- 
mand for freedom In poetic expression, his first demon- 
stration of the peculiar adaptebility of legendary sub- 
jecto for lyrks purposes^ and the first maniAstetlon of 
hie extraordinary power of blending verse, action, and 
musi<^ in one harmonicus and eloquent whole. In ** The 
Flying Dutehman '* he did not free himself entirely from 
the trammels of his predecessors; he did not discover 
the full capabilities of the reform he therein began ; he 
did not rise to the grand elevation atteined in such cre- 
ations a« *- Lohengrin *' and the Trilogy; but he gave us 
scenes of a romantic beauty which hardly anybody but 
he himself [?] has surpaesed, and he suffused the whole 
work with the glow of genuine and hnalthy sentiment. 
The central point of the opera Is the gloomy and pathet- 
ic figure of the Duteh captain, who sails for agea over 
tossing seas, driven onward by the curse until he shall 
find a faithftil woman to share bis fate and so to bring 
him rest. The melancholy character of the story tinges 
even the lightest portions of the music. The resounding 
curse is heard again and again from overture to finale, 
ikbove the whole hangs an atmosphere of storm. The 
work indeed came out of the midst of tempest, for Wag- 
ner tells us that he imagined it while he waa dashed 
about in furious gales of the North Sea, But with the 
mnsle of the angry ocean mingles a strain of the gentlest 
and sweetest fancy; beside the datk figure of Vander- 
dedUn stands SeniOt simple, trusting, innocent, the ideal 
of unselfish love. We have sometimes thought that of 
all the wonderful types of female character with which 
Wagner has enriched the stage— Elsa, Elizabeth, Isolde, 
Brunnhllde, and the re st S e nta, though neithier the 
greatest nor the most earefully elaborated, Is the most 
sympathetic and most charming. He haa told us himself 
what he meant her to be,— a modest, unaffected village 
gill, who has mused over the story of the Phantom Ship 
nntn it has taken possession of all her heart— not turned 
her head with sentimental dreams, bnt filled her boeom 
with divine oompaaaion. Bo her fate Is the logical end 
of a process traceable in all her thoughto, and the slight 
thread of evente woven into the clear and direct sto- 
ry of the libretto leads straight to the final catas- 
trophe. 

The three acta into which the drama is diyided are 
beautiful and picturesque each in a different way. In 
the llrat we have tlie howling winda and dashing wavea. 
and the daric form of the accursed sailor in his pitiful 
yeamingfor rest is thrown into bold rSlieC. His mono- 
logue, ** The Time haa come,'* is in Wagner's noblest 
manner: his duel with ikOand Is a worthy sequd to it: 
the mnsle of the sailors is all striking ana original; and 
in the midst of these sterner measures oomes the exqui- 
site little dreamy love-«ong of the Hdmmum t like the 
breath of Spring amid blasto of Winter. The second 
act, beginning with the famiUar spinning choma, haa 



i 



382 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



for Ita lufaject ibii Rmlls ind iccDaronii Fiiu<tlo 

> delljrhtf dI poelle tntjtnrt. In Iliit Iblnl tbc cltr 
npldl* renoheil br • mienlBcml doobH chom« ol ...- 
on uid TUian nulden*. % Ht utuIiu tor dinls'i Invar 
A4, ud ■ cODCened fluls In which orcan ■ lopTli 
4«UiaUarf punnfor Finufrftffetn, In thneotirtf Bi 
tliBViirkmBiidWMni'rslmdT nuklns gimilTC uW 
ot " tokdlBc BoUTca," ud Tentarins npon « f rMdnni if 



of It br such BCudu^ 



th[i InierMMnc nrii, Kvejndn 
PI the Kellon ooiapaur ■>•■ Uu- 
l«ut CTsdlUbl*. «Oil mv b* w* 



wMobWMplsaMDtMtbear* *iid tbs car, hihI In tba 
■*la wan eonoalMd. Parhu* >h* allawHl the Mmpllei- 
t«sf Aiaatob««U«gerM«llotlMpal<<tof nikBMa; 
Wd la oM HMW, namrir tbat wb«r« Att mill bn tail 
tWob, (bB dMwnOd -wldMT troot tba opnpoMr'i dlns- 
tloBS, aod iMtoad at ItHlng Into a draun wt llatcnlnK 
■111! Mill warir faiwi nf ■ ntiflil- iTit Tlln Kallaci alurari 
MMbM tlw itTonK polnu of a riUe. and bar oSBil aento- 



. b« »tia bowonr tbat Iha 

, , a* a whole waa aBTtbliw U». u ■oc- 

Inurpratatloa of Wanra^ lIioi«bn, nor will It 
■--- -^1 aajtblna to Wat^er'a ponnliritr- Mr. 
..^^^--^bntafalntahadow ol Foa^fnlHtn. and 
Ht.CoDlT an onlnMnattna CataaA Tba SrU '' "- 
If aai and tba AbnHMB of ICt. TonMt 



n wen better. Tbe 






m. tboBKb nod enouh <bi aa otdlaary opera, tdl abort 
of tba nqalrenHBt* i2^a work Ilka lUa. A larRe part of 
tba tact act, iDolodlBctba weird abona of the Dntoh 
aallon, waa eat oat. Tba Mechanical aBMM were am- 
UUona and not iJtoMtber nin uK aia ftiL TM deariea- 
«le* of the partonuBOa aia the more (a ba lamenlad be- 
eanaa Mr. Oarl Bona In London hai Jaat (bown tbat 
"Tba Fljinf Datebnun" can be admlrablr Kiran In 
Enallih br ■ conpanT wbloh la not exIravucantlT az- 
pMuIre, bat tboraaKhlr and IntalllMiitlr drilled. 
Tb( AoaAanr waa crowded laat algbt, and tbe paennl- 



■*s lonmal of S^nsic. 



BOBTOIT, FEB. I, IS77. 



Conearti. 

Satobu TniAns, Cuuaioe*. Onr venerable 
DMthar Hnrrard** ooncerta — one of the fraahait 
alpia of ber reJiiTeneaoaiioa — conllnaa to increaae 
In Intertat, while ber beantitiil new hall, nealltng 
•o annglr ""l ■<> bappllj a^lnat her grand Memo- 
rial Building (may Iti ehadow naTar ba leai t) more 
and more command* ItMlf sa one of tbe aweeleat, 
flUaat home* of claaalo harmony. — Tfaere, Alma Ha- 
ter, U a aaDteoea after the lesson* yon hare taught 
na I — And so, harlnf dona onr preltleat in the way 
of compHmeot, WB begin anew paragraph In eom- 
log to tha potnL 

n« third of the sarlct (Wtdoeaday evening, 
Jan. 11) waa another Chamber conecrt, and, to onr 
leellng, th* moat dallghtfal one of all so far. Thr 
only hpit was, that It laatad two honra and a half, 
and that U mainly to be chai^ad to ineontlderate 
•ncora*. The rlob programme raried bat slightly 
from the original annoancemsnt, which we baTS 
already glTcn. First came a Tory admirable per- 
tbrmanoe of the great B Oat Trio of Beethoven, Op. 
97, — the moat laqilrod, th* moat ilgnlfioant and 
beanHfnIofalleompoellionaof Its clas*,-by Kes- 
(T*. PaBATC, LtarnfjiaN and HAatDMCN. The |d- 
ani*l. In eameat yet anbdned ezpreaelon, as well as 
1b technical msatery and rsSnement of style, was at 
hta beA Tb* AiiJaiiU was pnrttcnlarly Impres- 
dve, and we mnst note certain tanlabile paasagea of 
tbe "Cello as ringnlarly r>ch and aympatheUc ; th* 
tading violtn laft hardly angbt to be dealred. 

A Bomanaa and Scbeno. In A, for Piano and 
■Cello,— Prvt PuK^e Op. 17,— which had been 
played but onoe before, lo on* of Mr. Perabo'* con. 
carts, improved npoa a aeoond bearing, and gave 
deddcd plsaenre ; especially tbe Boherso {Alltgnf 
cpk/mmo), fall of genial life and fire. The Roman- 
Mi, loo, (Adaffie) moves on in a broad, foil stream 
of deep and tender melody, well barmonised, and, 
It less original. Is for from wearisome. — For a via. 
lin solo Ur. Llstamann plajed a traoacrlplioik by 



WUhdml of Chopin'a well koown Noctame Id D 
flat. Op. IT. It psnont be dtnled that theae thlnj;^ 
sonnd well on the violin, played with each exqolt- 
it« grace and bellnR aa thie wsa, and yet tliey be- 
long to Chopin's instmment. for which he seems lo 
havabern born end annarcralad by peoaliar gentnr. 
Ur. Liatemann seemed tn gnrpass himself that ev. 
■ning. Belne rrcalled, he played too long a thing 
by Ernst. Ur. Perabo, f'lr anliia, tnve a fine intrr- 
pretation of ane of the moat pleasing and not tx. 
Iravatcaat llUle pleecr by RabinsteU (ffoctorne, la 
O, From the "Soiree* lie Psteraboarg.'*} and a moet 
rapid, tight aod airy Sketch, in G minor, by lien- 
delssohn. 

The rich feast closed with the entire Septet (Op. 
30) of Beethoven, —all the e^ht oontrailcd move- 
a. Tbe time waa. and has bera more thnn 
In an experience ao long aa onra, when, liear- 
Ingtbi* work commnnly In fragments, and in ar- 
rangements lor olbar Instrnmenti, we har* fonad 
Ita beantiea cloying. It ia lung ainee we have had 
opportunity of hearing it preaented by tba In- 
nments for which It was eompnasd; and never, 
we may say, with seven anch oompelent mniidans 
to give all the Indtvldaatity, tbe tone-cnlor of the 
several parte. Besides the members of the Phil, 
hsrraonio Clob, tbe brolhera hmwxAH-i. for violin 
id vlnlt, Ur. II«aTDia>K for 'Cello, and Ur. Bau, 
oat masterly of born playem, Uiere was an eioel- 
lent coQtralMMiat, Mr. H. A. O-aisxi. while the two 
reed parts (clarinet aod basaooo) were represented 
by Hesars. Vnsa and Elvs, of onr Bbaton firches- 
tra, each nnsnrpaased, so far as we know, in the 
ecnntry. It was last heard here in ssveral perform. 
of several portions of it, as expanded for the 
full Thoma* nrcheetra. Bnt never 1-efor* have we 
iijoyed tbe whole work with to freah an appetite aa 
this time; never before hsve we ao fully apprsd- 
ated all Its wonderftil variety of beanty ; never haa 
the work seemed ao freeh, so genial, eolnatlnct with 
imaginative life and charm. Tears ago we had 
Sated it and tnnted It, and hammered oat lla move- 
ments on the pianoforte, nntil we knew the moat of 
it by heart, and came to have a eense of wearincs* 
henever we aaw it. or any of it, on a programme. 
Bnt thla time it was all new agidn and vivid ; thU 
time, and at the end of a long oonoert, the long 
work (or ooce seemed short lo ns. It natorally 
saggeated comparison with the " new ' mnelc, wiih 
which we have been so qiuoh " bnll-doiad " of late ; 
and it !a seldom that we find our own feeling ao com- 
pletely eipreamMl as in the following passage Irom 
the AniHv OaiiUt : 



expenditure otideaa. Tbe eomporiUon Btaa^ anaqnallad 
»[ woiba of Ita elaaa,and It Is not froB BuaMans o( 
new school that w* oan hope to took tor lu rival. 
Tbs writhing dlaeordaat harmonies, tbe banen Inv^- 
lultj In Idea, tba oitentatlou pad- 
antrr, and tbe •trvnllng after Uaarra effrats that obap. 
actailse tbe moale of to-d»T, ars not lo be fennd hate. 
On the eonmrr, everTtblng Is flowing, natoral. giaee- 
f ntiT artlatlc, ajmmetrlcal and aatlat;lBg. One la nevar 
aBbarraaaad r^ardleg O* maater'e meaning Unllka 
tbe eompoaera at bar time, Beetbovan nerer mns awa; 
tmt a ut of mekidr after the Biat tbw bare, as tbowgh 
he trei* afraid of U; never aaema to have tsaraJ thatbia 
Indnlglulilsheania by an ear-plnslBg thane wuald 
datrai't from Ms dlcBlty IS aa artut. Itls una that In 
conseqosBce we liMea to him wlihent havlna oar niten- 
ta'aoaUanaUrdiawntotliaunnsrlBwhlah helalwrs, 

'--WadoftstberMnltai 

wire* b* wl ' ~ ' 
willen'aki 
all th* jrreatcr.for onrmlndaa 
tbeworkerandhliwoiK. All 

ir pan; and, alBue we ais Id for It, wa wl , 

> wonld not axchaas* tbis composttion for all that baa 
en wrlRanbyUunewaobool fnm tu flnt labelllon 
alnat th* old canona of art to tb* preaeat monent." 
Now for th* aonge, by Ulss Cuia Dobia, with 
the eiqulalla acconipanlment of Ono Dana. In 
tbe Bnt part ah* tang (in German) Sehaberrs fa 



by whieh be prodnee* h& elleota, as one mod- 

....k. — .1. '■ill; bnt onr plaasare li 

' not dlscraeled between 
ink banar, no donbt. on 



miliar "Trochna- Blnmen,* and tbat charmingly 
eimple, limpid melody: "VohlnT" (WhltberT) 
from hie 8dttn» HfStlltrin, using Longfiirllaw's v 
eion : " I heard a Brooklet gnshing.'' Both were 
flven with the finest taste and feeling, every phrase 
and accent showing a mnrical nature thoroughly In- 
formed and trained In Irna Art. Her voice, too 
evrmed Dnuanslly traetahle and gaye ont its swaet- 
est qnality, with scarcely any of the tartnee* aome- 
timaa felt in Its higher notes. It was allogether a 
brautifol performance and gave rare delight, so that 
a recall waa inevitable, and (to our mind, In eplte of 
onr ol^ectinn to the " eneore ' aa a general rvle) la 
each a care qnlta seasonable. The two or three 
mlnutea of another little song, provided tbat the 
charm rontinne fre>b, make no appreciable addttioB 
to the pnigramnie'i length, — partlcutariy If, aa la 
this caw. th* added element be pure and sparkling 
ennablne— Schnmann'a " O Sonnenacheln,' of which 
the ainger gave ns all tbe glory and the raptor*, 
making (to far a* tUt went) the onncert, morally, 
seem aburter. II it were really longer,— la the eee- 
ond part Ulaa Doria **ng Ur. Palne'e lender and 
melodion* -" llatln Song." publiahed la the AlUiiUt 
UviMt, and a very qaalat and pretty little StSmd- 
<A« by Frrdlnand Ulller: " Battel el n. atlll and 
klein, Btlnbe aanlt im Sl^rnenacbein." Here tot 
the Irrepreatible enoora bronght a eo'newhat length- 
ier edill^on,- the wonderfol BanmnlU of Schobert. 
which It la a rar* prtTilcge to bear ao sung aud so 
accompanied. 

The loorth ODaoert wHI be on next Tkaredlr evenlnii, 
Feb. S, when Mme. Bchillib will pUj ibe cnat Bebn- 
eaann Qolatet.lnE flat, with tbe PhllbamaaleClnb,be- 
ides a plaao aole. Tbe Ctnh win pla; SshnbeTfa D-ml- 
DTQaartct (poathnmoa*)! and tbe new mixed etaoraa 
ribeBojlainn aub (IW vnlaw, nndar Ifr. 6- L. Oa- 
OOD) wUl alng cboruea awl part-songs. 

Thi Canu*, tbat fin* chorus of miind voieea, 
'bleb lent so mnch charm to the last two teason* 
[ th* Symphony Concert*, but wliich I* now reor- 
ganiied upon an Independent fiioting. — meny of It* 
member* feeling not quite at home In singing with 
an orchratra — gave ila first concert lo Ita aiauciata 
members, in Horticultural Hall, on Thursday even- 
ing. Jan. li, and repealed the same programme one 
week later. Tbe eboir hat been nnslderably 
BtrengtbrDed, Ull It numbers about ISO swevt and 
tffscUve voices, finely balanced, and very earefnlly 
trained under their old dirartor, Hr. B. I. Lun. 
A more perfect body of sopranos we bare not yet 
heard ; they aing with one voice. Tho ContralUia, 
too, aound very rich and masical; and It is a rare 
thins indeed to hear bo many para, sweet tenors, 
singing so smnothly, with no harab dlstarbing rle- 
Tbe Bass part only, needs mora strangth 
and snbatance, thoogh the v<dcea seem to be all 
md. 

The programme was la two parts, tbe^'ift A rr- 
tiUnct, Qade's CanUU: "The Crvsaders." filling 
oat the second ; the first oouelsled o( Part^oma 



1. Part^mjf-" Welonm*,"..- 
>. Boag~"l]ymnio Bao^ua,' ... 
I>r. K. O. Bnllard. 
S. PBrtSOBg-"The Water LUr."' 




Killer's bright and cheery " VelcooM " 
aelf Instantly felt In the prompt, crisp, clear aad 
cordial way In which the voieea, with fin* unity and 
precision, yet with nut stiBbess, took up and carried 
through the atrala. The ton* was muaical, tba 
phraainf Hcelicnt, and so was 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, FEB. 3, 1877. 



though there mast s1it*7« remsln lomethlni; yet to 
lecrn in thii napect, G«de"» " W«ter Lily " wu 
^Ten with i^rest dellwc;. Bat the two BpeclDieni of 
pert-eong which carried the aadlence «wa; end bad 
to be repeated, were the " llaj Soa^ " b; Frani 
and Hauptmann. The former U about u perfect a 
part-MDZ aa we know. In lla apontaiieoua eprln^ 
like oialod;. In the fine oontrapantal art with which 
the melodic nbject reappeuv In all tha roloee, ell 
uf their own tree will, not furoed, and la the reautt' 
Idk unity and charm. And it wai gf ren to a charm. 
Hanptmasn'* Maj Song la a (etUng of Qoethe** 
"Zwiachas Welaea nod Kuro,* ete., not ao exquU- 
ite a rcprodueltoB of Ita aplrlt aa the aoug tor a ala- 
{[le voice by Prani, bat yet a rary beaollfui and 
aalmMlng part-tong. In which teeora and baaaee 
anawer aopranoi and altoa In a Tory pleailag man- 

— The Songa were all Bnely anng, wltli llr. 
LaD|;'i ocRHnpaniment. The Aria by Handel, from 
" Alexander'! Fnat," was glraa by Dr. Btituan Id 
hta naoal TeftDCd and taatefnl manner, althoagh he 
■a sat in hi* beet Toice. HIh Doha, of Murae, 
entered fully into the aplrit of her three adkalrihly 
contraatrd ]iiecee, givlDg each Ita trna eipreaaloB; 
A l>r. LjkusKAit), by that qaalat and hearty old 
Italian melody, created quite a A«*h Mnaatlon, and 

I compellnd to repeat It. 

lada'a " (TruMdera ' l* prnbably hla beat ahoral 
work 1 certainly It has far moni variety, more fraah 
imaiciaallve beauty than the "Cumala;" butao haa 
Taaso nor* than Oaalan. It had been given snn 
or twice behire hare, many yeara (jo, with fewer 
vuicca, by the Parker Club, when Mn. Uarwood 
ntng the pait of Armlda in a manner nut to be for- 
gotteu. Thia time It «■■ glvm with greater meaua, 
and after lir. Lang had heard it perfumed under 
the compoacr'a baton, at the lait Birmingham Peat- 

I. Bnt there of courae It waa given with an or- 
eheatra, and the Inatrumantation la alwaya Oada'a 
strung point. Ilarr «e bed only the plana, with 

I aid of a rablni-t organ, played by Hr. Foote, to 

(Dgthcn the Iibh part and bald out the nota In 
the retlgiou* choruaaa and in the recitative* and 
•t of Peter the Hermit. The eflect oo the whole 
waa quite imprcaalTa. 

The work la in three divistona. The firat U en- 
tltlvd. " In the Dewrt.' It opena with • chora* of 
Cruiaders, fiiint and weary, traveraing the burn- 
ing Band ; the mivlo palnta tha aeene moat traly. 
The Hermit (Dr. Ballard) in ■ grand itndn of er- 
bnrtation rouea their flagging courage ; and Rlnal- 
do, tlie youDg hero (Dr. Langmatd), fill* them with 
hla own uoeunquered ardor, by railing the Crnaa- 
der'a Song : " Shine, holy Min, ahlne on my Irnity 
BWord," which. If a little ooromonplaoe, la full of 
spirit. The first part ends Imprcaalvcly with the 
Uarmlt'* fervent eibortatloa to prayer, In which 
all the volcaa julo with beautiful effect. 

n completa eunlraat to thia rellgtona and hendc 
pert is the music of part second. " Armlda,' which 
la by far the moat original, imaginative and bactn- 
ating portioo of the work. The Instrumental Intru- 
dncUuB. played with delicate Jtmut by Mr. Lang, 
makea yon feel a atrange and magic element aboat 
fuo. The aoft, fluttering, mnrky danee and choroa 
of tha Splrita of Darknesa la atriklugly original 
Armlda (Itli* Doria) iflmmooa them to do her will 

I build a palaoe and inrruund the young Chrl*- 
dan hero with enchaotment, hoping (hu* to defeat 
the army of tha Croaa. Tha Imperloua declamatioa 
waa Ktvec with great power. Then come* the se- 
ductive chorus of the Sirena, a most eiquiatle pieoa 
of melody and harmony for famsle volcea; what 
Rloaldo eoulJ raslat It t It waa ciqulaltaly suag 
too, and had to be repeated. The duet of Armlda 
and Rinaldo, all bnt completely won over by the 
temptreaa, with the sinw atrain returning, keep* up 



the faiclnatSon of tha scene; until the distant eong 
of the CruHdare wake* Rinaldo from his dream nod 
scatter* tha phantoma. The whole part at Armlda, 
both the Imperloua ani the tender and seductive 
paasagts, were given with Gne ripresflnn by HIsa 
Dorla ; and Dr. Langmsld waa no Ira* luccmaf"!. 

Part third : " Towani* Jeriualeni ' nwumB* tha 
march, and la hernle and rellfrlous, lilie the first, 
but with a more Intense enthusiaam and tha ring of 
victory. Hualeally, however, it Is by no means 
equal to the second part, although the cloaing solo 
and chorua' "Ye knl|;hta, upraise the banner," 



.• It > 



ng, and s 



well did Dr. Bullard msinta{n the part of Peter.— 
On the whole it waa a great triumph for the Cadi- 
la, and warranla hope of Gne things hereaflar. 
In the second concert, the part-aoiiga did not go 

3nlte BO perfectly ai in the firat ; bift " The Crusa 
era' was sung even better, Tha only change of 
prograroce was In Dr. Ballard's song, who snbsti- 
toted an Aria from Hayarbeer'i ■• L'Afrloaine," for 
the one by Handel, and sang It in his best voice and 
atyla. 

Qonowtsto C0111& 

The Mventh Habtaid Stmihokt Comosbt, for 
Feb. IB, haa for programme : 

Pabt I. Ovrrtun to " Iphlgenlaln Anili," Oliut; 
Wo. tr'i 'Tphlce'n'llln T.iuHi " ( 



Faki 



le Chnn 



■. (Ca« 



"ni,-in<:5if'clc ('ro«i-npe" j:pup(ll of UmF. RUOEHS- 

In the eighth Concert (March 1) Mr. B, J. Laha 
will play the Concerto In E flat by SaintSaina. 

Mlath Concert, piano coni-erto and snloi by Hme. 
ItiDiuaa 80BIIXIB; Symphony In C, Mo. 1, by 
Rati; etc, et& 

Tenth and last Concert: Haydn's "Surprise" 
Symphony ; Beethoven's Violin Concerto (all three 
movements) to be played by Dr. Laoroui Dinoaoa. 
the distinguished violinist and composer, and oon- 
ductor of the New York Philharmonic S<iclety ; an 
Overture by Joax K. PAiva, probably a new ima on 
which he Is now engaged, to Shakaspeare'p "Tem- 
pest; " and other worka not yet dedded on. 

Mr. Enxsi Pibabo will give an extra chamber 
oonoert at Wealayan Hall on Friday afternoon, Feb. 
Mfa, the Philharmonic Club aaalstlng. The novel- 
Ues announced are Raff's 4lh Trio for piano, violin 
and 'oello, a Moiart ooncarto for bora and piano 
(for many year* ont of print,] the onihevtral perta 
tranafernd by C. Ralneehe, and two trio movementa 
by J. K. Paine, written for this matinee. Rubln- 
iteln'a Berceuse, arranged for strings, and Schu- 
bert's poatbnmona quartet movement will alao be 

A complimentary concert to Uadama Uadblike 
Scmxaa will be given at Eorticoltural Ball, on 
Vcdneaday afterno<Mi, Feb. 18th, 1877, at > P.M., 
with the aaalatanea of amateura. 



Hra. Louis Agaada, 
Mrs. BoVt C. Wlnthrop, 
Mrs. W. W. Tucker, 
Mr*. J. IL BeU, 
Mrs. Janua Lodga, 
Mia. E. v. Codman, 
Mrs. Jamee T. FUlda, 
Mrs. Oao. D. Howe, 
Mr*. 3. B. SehlMlnger, 
Mra. I. L Oardner, Jr., 
Mrs. F. W. Falfrey, 
Mile E. Maaon, 
Mlaa U. C. Jaekwin. 
MlM A. A. Blgalaw, 



Hla Excellency thi 
emor of Haaaach 
Hla Honor, the Mayor of 

Mr. Jnelah Bradlee, 
Mr. H. L. HIgglnson, 
Mr. John C. Pbllllpa, 
Mr. SebaMian B. SoUaa- 

Mr. Q«i. P. King, 
Mr. Theo. Chase, 
Mr. J. S. Dwlght, 
Mr. C. C. Perklna. 
Mr. C. F. Shlmmln, 
Mr. B. aebleslnger, 
Mr. Jamea SUirgls, 
Mr. Cbarlea P. Borton, 
Mr. Z. Roltlas Morse. 
Mr. P. B. Peabody, 
Mr. O. W. Peabody, 
Mr. H. P. Kidder, 
Mr. C. L. Pleraon, 
Mr. R. M. Coahlng, 
Mr. Edward BoWdileh, 
Mr. Otto Draaei, 
Mr. F. R. Bwua, Jr., 
Mr. F. Shaw, 



Mr. C. A. Prince. 
Mr. C. J. Whittemore, 
Mr. Jere. Abbott, 
Mr. W. B. Bacon, 
Ur. Franda BartletL 
Ticket* at two dollar* each, may be obtained 
from the undersigned, or wlU be sent by addreadng 
either oF them ; 

Hr. P. R. Saara. Jr., Bl BeaooB atreaC 
Mr. F. Shaw, I Joy atreet 
Mr. C. A. Prince, til Beacon street. 
Mrs. S. B. Bchlealnger, S OUver straat. 
Seata will not be raaerved. 

"Blnginf-lntluEtn. 



Kb. Xditob:— AskUnituito 
ir " (tafbif I* tU aers " »aH « 
tllurt " Blnglng In the 



tsamlnillnit of nlnut* 



le ilBglsf of a tea kaltla, eaaaad 
bj pressura of the blood from over-exertlan. etc. 

In mr own eaae the mlnata (ones seem to lie aetoeu, 
and UlrA taAJtfOu apart, lormlns Ebocda and pragras- 
slve Interval*. 

In InvestlcaUnK the relation of mosla to the phyaiole- 
gj of heating. I And tbia a very important qneathra, de- 
manding a mnlbpllaltj of evidenoe. Will att <ajtiat 
reader* wlio have IntonuUaa on tU* matter (poaltiv* 
or negative, liat oec*} wrlie le net I ahall nuke as- 
knowledgesMnt upon pnUleatlcsi. 



Mr. Lans at thb New Tobx PunHABHflxia. We 
truat tiie brief Bale we appended to that portion of 
our New York Corrcapondant's letter which related 
to Mr. B. J. Lang's performance of the SalntBalns 
Concerto In (hat city, made It plidn enough that we 
mistroated both the jostlce and the candor of so 
disparaging a critldsm, — or rather of ao sweeping 
and Incredible a statement. Omiadun of tha paa- 
*age, utter slIcnce,would have seemed equally signifi- 
cant of fatlura; and, as we hold ourselves In no 
way reaponslbls for the opinion* of our corraapond- 
snts, onrtrne coarse seemed to be to print tha let- 
ter as it was, bnt with a note of protest. Weknow 
how admirably Mr. Lang can play, ha* played, th*t 
difficult Concerto (in one of our own Harvard Con- 
certs) ; and we were snrprieed to hear of a alroog 
prejudica In Ifrw York agalnit any Boaloa artlit 
who should venture to use a Beaton piano In tha 
Academy of Music. Syatematio disparagement In 
■evaral musical Juumal* was too evident; particu- 
larly In their rebuke nf "rashness" lor appearing 
with Uie same piece which Mme. Esaipoff had just 

Cred In a Thomaa Concert, the fact being that tiie 
ipolf perfbrmanee wa* an aftertbonght, long af- 
ter tlie aanouocemeat of Mr. Lang, and cutting In 
before hlin.— Bnt that. In aplte of pr^udice, ha did 
meet with a narked anoceaa, ^nd woo the bearty 
appecislion of the Philharmonic aiidiiflicc, K not of 
every party, let tha following extracts from Haw 
York [Mpers of the morning after the ooncert taa- 



(Trom the Tritanne, Dec. llj 



tiiy. 



arto which waa givca flrst In JTaw 
York on Mda/ alleraoon laBoteoBattiictedtntlianaaal 
form. Hum an tbrae movnnenla, bat the alow en* Is 
at the buUmlng Instead oC IB Ita middle, aa to ■••• 
eraUjthBease,a>dtliewbolslhcaeai«wTaDgadla the 
font ot a tuaOj taaatnai a (sndanta, aUano acbat> 
Mndo. preaM), fomlBg a canttaiaaiu nreaissaluu la Ib- 
lerestaitbscllniur" -. -— -•^^ - - 

TBiT g^lrlalnR, fall uf grace 1 
bat witti iiJentv of spine and 
dineull. TlieaTctaHlrilpiut 
tbe pLino ibraachDnt meat »• 
wndmltip; It. Mr. Lang &cqu 
Hla siF.:>itlun U neat, clean, a 



iponsa playod a piMe of Tuctiallioi 

(rrem the Ivenlog ICallO 
Mr. B.J Lang,a<Boitoa.piBndbliBseUtobaapUa- 
— "ht Ugbeat order. Hie raodeilBg of tlta Balat- 
SMscurif wa* npaib- Ka haa great braadth of 







with wMnh^pta th 



■peelallj w 

oftUmawhleheocUTSlnihafniSs. 1 

oelvad a heaity ranall, and plafcd In Taaponaa a c: 



(From the Dally Times, Dec. 10.) 

Mr. B. J. Leng, of Beaton, played the new concerto by 
Saint-8«ltns, to which saflluiently extended allusion was 
made In yesterday's notice of Mme. EssipofTs concert. 
Without establishing comparisons between the two ar- 
tists— and, indeed, it is questionable if comparisons 
could fairly be made when the difference between Stein- 
way Hall and the Academy of Music, and sundry other 
points, are taken into consideration— it can with justice 
be Said that Mr. Lang acquitted himself handsomely of 
his Tery dlfflcult task. His performance of the exacting 
third moyement impressed us as particularly dear and 

powerful, and if the allegro scherzando was rather want- 
ing in variety, and. so to speak, transparency of tone, 
we are not indined to lay tno whole blame upon the pi- 
anist. Mr. Lang, who strikes us as an earnest and ac- 
complished perf onn«r» was recalled at the clowe of the 
concert, and, we believe, will be heard again in New 
York with pleasure. 

(From the Sun, Dec. 10.) 

Madame Bsilpofl played it on Friday erening with the 
Thomas orchestra at Steinway Hall In a way that excit- 
ed her audience to a greater enthusiasm and admiration 
than she had at any prerious time commanded. Last 
evening the piano part was played by Mr. B. J. Lang, 

one of the roost talented and reliable of Bostnn resident 
artists, and the organist of the Handel and Haydn Socl- 
eiety. While he did not. perhapa, arouse the same en- 
thusiasm that Madame Bi«i|>off did, he certainly played 
the concerto In a manner to win the highest esteem for 
his Intelllgenee and technical excellence, giving to it all 
a eharmleg rendering, and being fully equal to its many 
and great difflculties. 



LoxDON. The thirteenth Monday Popular concert of 
the season, and the first after the Christmas recess, 
took place on the 1st instant, when a very attractive se- 
lection of music was presented. The artists were Mes- 
srs. Strauss, Mes, Zerbini, Wendtluid, Standen, Rey- 
nolds, and Signer Plattl; the pianist was Marie Krebs, 
and tlie vocalist, Mlle.Thekla Friedllnder. Mr. Zerblni 
conducted. The programme began with one of the most 
charming of Mozart's chamber compositions, his "Diver- 
timento," in B flat msjor, Ko. S, for two violins, viola, 
violoncello, contrabass, and two French horns, written 
when he was Just twenty-one years of age. The work is 
somewhat long,— consisting of six movements— and with 
its two allegroe, two minuetts. and trios, and andantes, 
seems almost like two works wedded together. It 
abounds in beauty throughout. How graoetnl is the 
theme of the first andante in Fl With what excellent ef- 
fect ai^ horns treated in the six variations! And who 
but a great maeHro would have written two such distinc- 
tive minuetts in the same key. uid in the same work! 
Theadl^Sio in E flat, in which the horns are unem- 
ployed, was exquisitely played: indeed of each move- 
ment wo can only record a faultless perfoitnance. The 
executants were recalled with enthusiatm. Beethoven's 
sonata* " Appasslonata," was floely interpreted by that 
clever, refined, oonscientlous pianist, MUe. Krebs. 

Mile. Krebe re<«ppeared in a very early work of Beet- 
hoven, the sonata in P major. Op. 6, No. l,for piano and 
violoncello, in which she was joined by Signer Piatti. 
It is interesting to have at the same hearing. Beethoven 
in his youth and in his matnrity : It would however have 
seemed more fitting perhaps had Op. 6 preceded Op. 67 
in order of performance. The duet sonata Is now well 
known to Mr. Chappell's audiences, it being played on 
Monday for the ninth time. The first movemeiit, alle- 
gro—for the adagio Is merely introductory— Is rather 
long, and the roudo forms a pleasant contrast with its 
very bright and rhythmic themes, and spliited climax. 
Mile- Fiiedlander, who has a very sweet and clear voice, 
gave a refined rendering of Bach's quaint and pretty 
Song, *' Willst du dem Hen mir schenken,** and receiv- 
ing an encore repeated the last verse. She sang also 
one of Schubert's little gems, ** Der Jfingling an der 
Ofielle," and Bchumann'a *' Mailenwiinnchen,'' a kind 




moet eharaoteristio works of this iiiexbanstibl«f compos- 
er, not the least among whose many merits Is that 
while seeking '* fresh fields and pastures new." he never 
has reeonrse to eceentrlei^ for the sake of variety*' 
MutUai Siandardt Jan. U. 



M. Kuhe's Brighton Festival will commence on the 
13th of next month, with '*Acis and Galatea," and «Lalla 
Rookh," for the first performance. Verdi's *' Requiem" 
will be given on the 15tb. A miscellaneous programme, 
including Schubert's *'B Minor Symphony," and some 
other Interesting works, will be given on the 16th. On 
the 19th, there will be a mondng performaiMie of " The 
Creation." and another miscellaneous concert. A Wag- 
ner programme will be given on the 90th ; snd a dasdcal 
one on tbe 21st. Mdme. Sainton Ltolby's cantltta, *' The 
Lf^end of St. Dorothea." and Mr. Bamett's ** Andent 
Mariner,** will have a place on the SSnd; and •* Tbe Mee- 
•iah " wiU condude the festival, on the Mth. 



VlndependencM Btlgt states that King Leopold has 
giv«n to the Bnissds Conservatoire an admirable coUoe- 
tlon of the musical instnunents, in nse la India, whieh 



had been sent him by the Bajah Soorindro of Fagore. 
This collection, of inestimable ralne. and unparalleled 
by any other collection in Europe, is divided into the 
following dght series:— 1st, Instruments played with a 
bow; 3nd, InstnimenU played with a plectmm; Srd. 
wind instruments (horn fHmlly); 4th, wind Instruments 
of reeds, rush, or straw; 6th, Instruments employed In 
religious ceremonies (among which are to be found the 
great serpent-formed trumpets, whose sonorous tones 
serve wdl to hide the heartrending cries of women burnt 
upon the funeral-pyrs of their husbands, according to 
the barbarous custom which prevails in India) ; 0th, Pas- 
toral Instrumenta (double pipes, etc.); 7th, Bells, tem- 
Ums, drums, kettle drums, (Including some very cnri- 
ona kettle drums of eztraordinarv ■onorlty); 8rh, A set 
of •hells of extreme beauty. In all M inatruments. The 
Kajah. who Is a distinguished mnsicologint, haw added to 
this ooUectlon three parcels of his own writings. In 
twenty volumes: the first as a gift to the king, the sec- 
ond for the Academy, and the third for M. Oevaert. A 
deUiled list of these Interesting works, quite unknown 
in Eirrope, will be published la the next report of the 
Academy of Belgium. 



Opera nr Italt. Miss Anna Brewster writes to the 

Philadelphia BuUMn : 

I was looking over the Joamals this morning fi«m 
Milan, Turin, Florence, Venice, etc., to see the notices 
of ttie opening nighu of the Opera in the various cities. 
as all o) ened on the 20th of December. I was anxioiu 
to know what the result was of the Arrieaitu, at the Pei^ 
gola (Florence), which was the opera selected for the 
26th. The Dnrand wss the prima donna. She is Mrs. 
Hitchcock, you probably know, and it Is said she is go- 
ing to have a brilliant career as a singer. A friend of mine 
heard her in Bologna, when she had her great triumph 
there. The stage was literally a bed of floweis. and atop 
the fiowers were placed elegant and valuable gifts. She 
sang'X*4/HcalM there also. Although tbe 4/Vicates was 
received rather ooldly on the 20th at the Pergola, all the 
joumalc say that La Dnrand was rapturously applaud- 
ed ; so she is •< aU right." The same friend, who Is very 
musicd, writes me from Florence, in a letter I received 
a day or so ago, that a Boston dnger, Anna Rensi, has 
been singing latdy in Florence, at the little Oddoni 
theatre, to moet respectable audiences with great sno- 
oees. It is not her first appeara-ice ; for my friend beard 
her in Florence last year. I remember, in Lucia. This 
season she has been dnging Unda and FHHianL She 
was very brilliant in PmrOani, and drew crowded houses. 
" Her school Is good," writes my friend, " her voice most 
agreeable, and her exeention very satiafaefory. She Is 
extremely consdenttous and painstaking, but her acting 
is too mechanical. She was called ont the other night 
three times in the middle of the third act." 

Tbe carnival season at Turin was inaagurated by Bol- 
to*s Me^ak/tU, at the TMtro B^o, and the opera was a 
great success. Boito was called out fifteen Umee. The 
prima donna, PantaleonI, had great applause, and the 
audience also was pleased with the tenor, BoeeettI, and 

l!S.'*5fl?' ^^J?""!?^- Pedrotte directed the orchestra 
sn.endidly. The OifonoM had a rough time of it on the 
night of the 20th, at the «« Scale," Milan. Tbe orehestra 
and choruses were fine, of eourae. with the famous di- 
rector Facclo. The prima donna, Foesa ( Valentina). and 
the tenor, Gayarre, were applanded, but the other sine- 
ers were not successful. At Venice the clever, careful 
sineer De Olnll, also sang In the UffonoUt, on the 2Bth, 
and owing to her abilities the opera wss saved fiom a 
complete jla«eo, as the otlier dngers were so poor. The 
Pffonom also opened the Camlvd season at G«noa (Car- 
lo Felice), with much success. Prima donna Berini, the 
CohU Fm/« of Msestro LIbanI, had a great triumoh at 
Vicenza on the 20th. '^ 



The funeral service for Tamburini was odebrated with 
great pomp at the Madeleine, Pails. Tbe entire church 
was hung with black doth, ornamented with sUver 
palnu, and shields with tbe initids of the deceased. In 
the middle of the nave towered an immense eatafalqne, 
surrounded by wax-ti^ers and lampadariec. The musi- 
cal part of the ceremony was unnsnaliy fine. After the 
organ had pli^ed the funeral march from La Gaaaa La- 
dra, and the bass air from the Stabai, m which Tambu- 
rini used to be especially good, It gave a " Kyrie " by 
Handel; a "Pie Jean," by Alary; another, by Nieder- 
meyer; a •• Sanctus,'* by Th. Dubois; and a •'Libera," 
by the same compoeer. The soloe were sung by MM. 
Miguel and Lanwers; the choir and orchestra were un- 
der the direction of M . Th. Dubois, ehapehnasur of the 
Maddelne. At the condnsion of the service. M. C. 
SalntpSaSns performed Chopin's ** Funeral Mareh " upon 
the organ. Among the persons present were General 
Ctaldini, Italian ambassador; all the Lablaehe family; 
Strauss, and a flne looking man with a full patriarchal 
white beard. The last-iuuned person was no other >i»f^ 
the Duke of Candia, more famous as SIg. Mario, the foi^ 
mer collttague of Tamburini. A ftineral ctr drawn by 
fcmr horses afterwards conveyed tbe body to Montre- 
tout, where it was finally depodted In a family valdt. 



Sjeti»I '$ntUts, 



DBSCBIPTIVX LIST OF THX 
*«Mielisi4 Ur •llr«v l»ite«B dk C«. 



» t m I 



Yoeal, with Plaae Aoeoflipaaiaent. 
Sonffi of the Swedish Ladies' Quartette. 

Each, 40 
'The title page presents to nsthe charming 
portraito of the four ladies. Two of these sonoS 
are: ^ 

Ko. 1. 'Twao a Sonjf of my natire Land. 
O. ^. dtoF. Keens. 

•* There came to me o'er the water's crest 
A sound so wild and grand." 

No. 2. The Angeltia Bell. O. 4 £ to |r. 

.BTeenJi. 
'* Hall the bright and glorious momine." 
•• Ave Maria, gratia plena.' ' 

Bach song has a solo and ehoms, the latter for 
mixed voices. 

Don't make a Noise, or yoa'll wake the 
Bahj. G. ». d to E. Hunt 85 

" Do'nt make a row. 
Or else you'll wake the infant.." 
A lot of very agreeable nonsense. 

nome Treasures. Soug and Chorus. F. S. 
<1 to ic. DankM. 90 

** The sweetest gems on earth to me. 
The Jewels tbst are detfist." 
Beautiful home song. 

MoUie AToaineen. Song and Cborus. F. 

8. d to P. Pyke, 80 

** Mollis AToumeen, the Boae of my Heart.** 

Ballad in popular style. Words by Geo. 
Cooper, snd sweet melody. 

Shall I wear a White Rose f O. a dtog. 

Farmer, 40 
*' I shall need no roses. 
If his heart be true." 

A song quite as cweet as the rose, white or red. 
O Swallow, sailing Ughtiy. D minor. 8. 
d to £. Eiehberg. 40 

** With flashing wings that lightly 
Glitter the sunshine throogh/- 

Xxqnisitel Words by Celia Thaxter. 

lastruMBtsh 

Blossoms of the Opera. Jo9qi>h Andrf, em. S5 
No. 1. La ci Darem. (Don GioTanni). 

The first of a neat series for beginners. 

Irresistible SchotUsche. For Piano or Or- 
gan. C. 8. sudd$, 80 
A bright Bchottisshe, which Is a little like a Polka. 

Trial hj Jury Waltc D* 8. Femald. 85 

A pretty waltz, introducing the airs of ««8oiig 
of the Judge," and *« Love sick boy." 

Beform Marclu C. 8. OiannetiL 85 

Marches are considerably re-formed, at preeent. 
This one has the measure of a march, and the 
brilliancy of a quickstep. 

Durham Terrace Polka. E. 2. Blanehard. 86 
Very neat, sweet and easy polka. 

Chimes of the Deep. Morcoau de Salon. 

A6. 8. Ooerdeler. 60 

A charming mnslcal interpretation of an old 
l«;end, which legend (In verse) acoompaniM the 
piece. 



YUi Vis Polka. Eb. 8. 



Knight 80 



A polka which Is the "Oppoelte*' of daU:~ 
Indeed, quite brilliant. * 

Dancing on the Green. Polka Bondo. F. 
8. G. D. Wilson. 00 

Bright polka, with a little of the gliding chai^ 
acter belonging to the author's other pieces. 

Betum from Abroad. Waltz. (Heimkehr 
aus der Fremde). 8. AroHMm. 00 

Aronson has acquired a good repatatioa. which 
this elegant walu-set will not diminish. 

Anniversary March. E5. 

Powerful and brilliant, with plenty of octaves 
and chords. 



Phelps. 50 



ABBKBviATtosrs.— Degrees of difflculty are marked 
from I to 7. The key Is denoted by a capital letter, as C, 
B6, etc. A large Roman letter marks the lowest and the 
highest note if on tbe staff, small Itoman letters if be- 
low or above the staff. Thus: -'C. 6, c to B" means 
'* Key of C, fifth degree, lowest letter c on the added 
line below, highest letter, E on the 4th space. 





mnl 





Wholb l!fo. 935. 



BOSTOIT, SATURDAY, FEB. 17, 1877. Vol. XXXYI. No, 23. 



L 



Translated for this Joamal. 

Olnek*! Overture to '* Iphigenia in 

Aulis." 

(Letter from Richard Waowkk to the Editor of the 
" Neue ZeltMhrlf t fttr Mutlk/* Leipzig, Jane. 1854.) 

♦ ♦ * ♦ A worthy friend, who neither 
makes a pursuit of music nor reads the musical 
journals, expressed the wish to me one day, 
that he might hear for once something of 
Gluck, so as to gain some impression of his 
music, which he had nowhere had a chance to 
hear. I found myself in despair, because at 
first I could think of nothing else but the per- 
formance of an act out of one of Gluck^s op- 
eras, and that only in a concert. Between our- 
selves, I cannot imagine a worse travesty of a 
dramatic, especially a tragic, musical piece, 
than to have the death agonies of Orestes and 
Iphigenia, for example, sung down to us from 
a concert orchestra by people in dress coat and 
ball toilette, with the huge bouquet and the 
part held between their shiny gloves. Now 
such IS the ''one-sidedness*^ of mv nature, 
that, where the artistic illusion is not complete, 
I cannot feel even half satisfied, — a thing so 
easy to every professional musician. Forced 
to abandon the representation of an opera scene 
of Gluck for my friend, I found nothing left 
to choose, but the most perfect instrumental 
composition by Gluck, the Overture to *' Iphi- 
genia in Aulis.** 

But here again I met a difficulty : This Over- 
ture, it is well known, passes with its last 
measures into the firat scene of the opera, and 
has no conclusion for itself. But I remem- 
bered to have heard in concerts in my youth, 
as well as later, before the performance of 
Iphigenia in Tauri$ in the Court theatre of 
Dresden, under the direction of my former col- 
league Reissiger, this overture with a conclu- 
sion made by Mozart. It remained in my 
memory, too, that at that time it always pro- 
duced on me a cold, indifferent impression: 
but I believed this wholly owing to a complete 
mistake, afterwards made clear to me, of the 
true tempo (which I held now in my hand), and 
not to the Mozart ending itself. Accordingly 
I took up the Overture, in the Mozart arrange- 
ment, in a rehearsal with the orchestra. But 
when I came to the appendage, after the firat 
eight ban it became impossible for me to let 
it go on any further. I felt at once, that, if 
this Mozart ending harmonized very unsatis- 
factorily with the peculiar thoughts of the 
Gluck overture, it would be utterly intolerable 
performed in the right tempo of the preceding 
piece. — Now with this tempo, according to my 
experience, the case stands as follows : — 

In the last century, the standing cut of all 
overtures, especially to serious operas, con- 
sisted of a short introduction in a slow tempo, 
followed by a quicker movement of greater 
length. They were so accustomed to this, that 
in Germany, where Gluck*s Iphigenia itself for 



a long while was not performed, this Overture, 
which was given by itself in concerts, was in- 
voluntary regarded as a thing composed accord- 
ing to the usual cut. Indeed it does contain 
two distinct pieces of originally different 
tempo, namely a slower one as far as to the 
19th measure, and from that point on another, 
which is just twice as fast. But Gluck had in 
mind, with this Overture, to introduce at once 
the firat scene, which begins with the very 
same theme with the Overture; accordingly, 
in order to avoid all outward interniption of 
the tempo, he wrote the Allegro movement in 
notes twice as short as he would have done if 
he had indicated the change of tempo by the 
term '* Allegro." This is very obvious to any 
one who keeps on in the score, and there in 
the first act considere the scene of the tumult- 
uous Greeks with Calchas; here we find pre- 
cisely the same figure, which in the Overture is 
executed in sixteenths, written in eighths, and 
precisely because the tempo is here marked **A1- 
legro." To each of these eighth-notes the chorus 
has several times to utter a syllable, which is 
quite in character with the uproarious army. 
Now, with a slight modification, determined by 
the character of the rest of the themes, Gluck 
took this tempo for the Allegro of his Overture- 
only, as we have just said, changing the mode 
of writing, so as outwardly to retain the open- 
ing "Andante" tempo, which returns after 
the Overture. And so in the old printed Paris 
edition of the score there is no trace of any 
change of tempo indicated; but the original 
*' Andante *' goes on through the overture and 
over into the beginning of the firat scene un- 
changed. 

Now the German concert directora overlooked 
this peculiarity of writing, and at the point 
where the shorter notes begin, with the up-beat 
to the twentieth bar, they let the old tradition- 
al quicker tempo enter; so that finally the au- 
dacious sign "Allegro" passed into German 
eclitions of the Overture (perhaps after them 
also into the French).— How incredibly Gluck's 
overture has become disfigured by this twice 
too quick style of performance, any person, 
who has taste and underatanding, can judge if 
he listens to a rendering of the piece conducted 
in the correct time, as Gluck intended it, and 
then compares this with the trivial noise com- 
monly presented to him as Gluck*B masterwork. 
That he did not always feel this, that it never 
before occurred to him how different the case 
ought to be with this much praised Overture, 
which one could stupidly and indifferently play 
as an introduction before a wholly different 
opera (a thing impossible had it been rightly 
underetood), is only to be explained from our 
general experience, from youth up, of dragging 
about with us such a load of inculcated, pas- 
sively accepted respect for authority, that, 
when at last a definite impression scares away 
the phantom, we can scarcely comprehend how 
we were ever able to regard this as anything 



essential, genuine and real. — But there are 
many very happy persons, to whom this im- 
pression and this recognition never comes; 
who keep so tight a rein upon their feeling, and 
can hold every involuntary determination of it 
through any new phenomena so far aloof from 
them, that in spite of every experience they 
cherish a pride in remaining what they were, 
or what they have been made to be in some 
earlier single period of development. Of this 
I will relate to you an example in connection 
with Gluck^s Overture. 

When I was preparing for the Dresden thea- 
tre the Iphigenia in Aulie, then so very seldom 
put upon the stage, I sent for the old Paris edi- 
tion of the score, so that I might not be misled 
by certain single arrangements by Spontini in 
the Berlin score that had been placed at my 
command. From that I learned the original 
intention -of Gluck for the Overture; and 
through this only correct conception of the 
tempo I came at once to feel the grand, the 
powerful, inimitable beauty of this composi- 
tion ; whereas formerly — as I have already re- 
marked — it always left me cold, although I 
naturally had never ventured to express it. So 
I saw the necessity of an altogether different 
rendering; I recognized the massive breadth 
of the brazen unitono, the splendor and the en- 
ergy of the succeeding violin figures over the 
powerful movement of the basses up and down 
the scale in quarter notes ; but especially I now 
firat comprehended the significance of the ten- 
der passage : 




with the touchingly g^raceful second half: 




which, as it used to be played, without expres- 
sion (how else could it be ?) in doubly rapid 
time, had always made on me the ludicrous 
impression of a mere scroll or flourish. — The 
excellent orchestra, which had already gained 
full confidence in me, entered — although at 
firat with wonder and possessed by habit — into 
my conception, and by its fine performance of 
the Overture worthily introduced the warm and 
vividly colored representation of the whole 
work, which gained the most popular, that is 
to say the least affected success of all the op- 
eras of Gluck in Dresden. — But now I fared 
strangely with the critics, above all with the 
then principal reviewer of Dresden, Herr 
0. Banck. What he had never heard before, 
to-wit, the whole opera, found in my arrange- 
ment, and in spite of his antipathy to all my 
past leading, his pretty unqualified applause ; 
but the changed rendering of the Overture, 
which he had often heard, was an abomination 
to him. Here the force of habit operated; ao 



386 



DWIQHT»S JOURNAL OP MUSIC. 



that I had the singular experience of appearing 
the most confused just where I meant to work 
the most conscientiously and with the most com - 
plete conviction ; of passing for entirely spoilt, 
just where I believed I was giving the most 
distinct satisfaction to sound feeling. Besides 
that, I put another weapon into the hand of 
my adversary ; in certain passages, where the 
opposition of the principal motive rises to a 
passionate, violent pitch, especially toward the 
end, in the eight bars before the last return of 
the great unisono, it seemed to me indispensa- 
ble to quicken the movement, so that with the 
last entrance of the chief theme I might niiu up 
the tempo, equally necessary again for the 
character of this theme, and hold it to its form- 
er breadth. But unfortunately the critic, lis- 
tening only superficially, and siezing not the 
purpose, but only the material of the purpose, 
found in this a proof of my erroneous idea of 
the principal tempo, since at the close I well 
nigh abandoned it myself. From this I per- 
ceived that the critic mustalwaya be right, be- 
cause he is a stickler for words and syllables, 
but is never struck by the spirit itself. ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ 
We come back now to Mozart, whose con- 
clusion to the Iphigenia Overture made me al- 
most despair of giving my Zurich friend any 
idea of Gluck^s music through a performance 
of this work. I, uninitiated into the myster- 
ies of the regular musical art guild, perceived, 
as I have said, that even Mozart only knew the 
overture according to the mutilated manner of 
delivery which I have censured ; and the clear- 
est proof that a distorted rendering must lead 
even the most genial musician to an entirely 
false conception of an unfamiliar musical work, 
imposing as its excellencies may be otherwise, 
was furnished mo by Mozart, who certainly 
would not have written his brilliant, but whol- 
ly unfit ending, had he rightly understood the 
overture.— What was I to do ? Make a con- 
clusion myself I That were child's play for 
every musician by profession, but not for me, 
poor dilettante, who could prudently trust my- 
self in music only so far as I might hope to 
realize poetic purposes in it.— Now was there 
a poetic purpose lying at the foundation of 
Qluck*8 overture ? Of course there was; and 
just such a purpose as rejected every arbitrary 
musical conclusion. 

To me, one-sided layman, the subject matter 
(InhaU) of this overture, extremely character- 
istic and determining its whole artistic plan, so 
dawned upon me, that in it the chief motives 
of the expected drama were brought together 
with the happiest distinctness in their effect 
upon the feeling. I say: brought togetlier; 
placed beside each other; for out of one another 
they could be developed only in so far as each 
one singly makes its distinctest impression by 
having its opposite placed close beside it, so 
that, through this sharp and immediate con- 
trast, the impression just received from the 
preceding motive is of great importance, nay 
of decisive influence, for the peculiar effect of 
the motive which follows it. Accordingly the 
entire contents of Qluck*s overture appeared to 
me the following:—!) a motive of appeal out 
of deep sorrows gnawing at the heart; 2) a mo- 
tive of authority, of an imperious, all-powerful 
command ; 8) a motive of grace, of virgin ten- 
dercess; 4) a motive of sad and painful sym- 



pathy. Now the whole extent of the Overture 
is filled out by nothing else hut the continued 
alternation of these last three main motives,' 
bound together by little secondary motives de 
rived from them ; in themselves there is noth- 
ing changed except the key. Only in their 
significance and in their mutual relation, they 
are made more and more impressive through 
this varied, characteristic alternation, so that, 
when finally the curtain rises, and Agamemnon 
invokes the ruthless goddess with the first mo- 
tive, who will only be propitiated and grant 
favor to the Grecian host at the price of the 
sacrifice of bis tender daughter, we are trans- 
ported into a state of sympathy with a sublime 
tragic conflict, which we expect to see unfold- 
ed out of these distinct dramatic motives. 
rConclnslon next time.} 



* <^> ■ 



The Rise of Opera. 
II. 

Sir W. Davkxaiit introdnned n kind of opera into 
Enerlnnd In 160A; thiR was twenty-two years before 
the fintt public production of opera in Oermfiny. In 
theFe playp. female performern first appeared on the 
Rtiige. "The Tempest," miide into an opera by 
Rh«dwel1, and set to miiBic by Matthew Lock. w«8 
firRt 8:1 ven in 1678. Lock also wrote the " Mac- 
beth " muMc. and "Circe." Lulli beinar then in 
fashion. Loclc imitated him largely. Grabdt came 
to Enflrland and composed the allegorical opera of 
"Albin and Albaniue.'* to Dryden's verses. The 
Duchess of Mazarln introduced a stronjr taste for 
foreifirn mnsic, which prevailed till H. Purobll came 
before the world (1658*1696.) This celebrated man 
needs some special notice. At the a^^e of 18 he he- 
came omranist of Weetminftter Abbey and wrote the 
mnsic of a play, called " Dido and EneaSp" at about 
the same age. This Is most excellent mnsic. He 
wrote and composed other musical plays. "Indian 
Queen " and " Boadicea " are two of the best remem- 
bered ; for in them occur the well-known airs, " To 
arms." "Britons, strike home." and "Come unto 
these yellow sands." Purcell also composed the 
mnsie to Beaumont and Fletcher's " Dioclesian." 
AcoordincT to Mr. Haweis, PurcelKs mnsic ** stands 
between the past and future : he felt his relation to 
the one by sympathy, to the other by a kind of al- 
most prophetic intuition." His music is foil of 
rhythm and melody, and is of great beaaty. His 
songs are particularly admired. " Fairest isle," and 
" Let the dreadful engines of eternal will," are typl- 
cal sonsrs, as specimens of his flrreat expressive pow- 
er. His was, indeed, a genius; for he had no 
predecessor in England, and little acquaintance 
with Italian works, except by bare perusal. His 
orchestral resources were also very poor. The first 
opera performed on the Italian model was " Arsin- 
oe " (1706). About this time, Nicolini appeared in 
Enerland and made his debtti in " Pyrrhus and De- 
metrius," originally composed by A. Scarlatti, and 
noticeable as being the last opera in which the 
singers all spoke in their own languaire, so that an 
Italian song was answered by an English recitation, 
etc. This absurd fashion roust have made a fcro- 
t^sque eff'ect. Nicolini was both actor and singer, 
and made a name for several other operas. It was 
at this time that Handel appeared. Of him we must 
treat separately, and now follow out the course of 
Enzlish opeia, properly speaking. 

The establishment of Italian opera caused the ne- 
glect of English drama for the time. In 1712 
Hughes and Oalliard produced ** Calypso," but 
were unsuccessful, and until the year 1728 nothinj^ 
worth noticini^ appeared. Then came out the fa- 
mous "Begi^ar^s Opera," Gat writing the words. 
Dr. Pkpusch bindinir together the airs. It was of- 
fered at fi'>st to the house at Coven t Garden (origi- 
nally built by Sir C. Wren^; refused here, it was 
accepted by Rich, lessee of Drury Lane, and was a 
complete success, notwithstanding; the dictum of 
both Pope and Swift, before it appeared, that " it 
would be a failure." It was said to have made Gay 
rich and Rich ffay, for it brought the authors 
£2.000 profit. Lavinia Fenton, first mistress, then 
wife, of the Puke of Bolton, won her laurels by act- 
ing Polly Peachnm. It was full of hiU against 
those in power, and retained its popularity for a 
hundred years ; but now it is rarely performed, ow- 
ing to its great licentiousness, and to a diflSeulty in 



fretting a fittins: hero and heroine. Every sort of 
vice is depicted in the most temptinsr colors. Mac- 
heath, the principsl character, U a hij^hwayman of 
the worst type ; Polly alone remains pure,, and is 
thence an impossibility with such surroundinsfs. 
Dr. Johnson ssys of it, "There is in it such a lnl>e- 
factation of all principles, as to be injurious to mo- 
rality ; " and we mnst rest satisfied with this jndi;- 
ment, thousrh Swift and others have tried to make 
it out a piece harml«>ss in its effects. The sacress 
It met wi^h caused C. Johnson to bring out "The 
Villasre Opera." The music consisted of old tunes 
set to new words. " Tereminta," written by Cary, 
and composed by one SMrrn. was a failure. " Amc- 
lis " snrceeded better. Miss Arnecanie out in this. 
Her brother, the great Dr. Aaxs (1710-1778) com- 
posed music to Addison's " RrMtamund." and to 
Fielding's "Tom Thumb;" hut it was "Comus" 
which fixed his fame. This did not see the lii^ht 
till 1781, a year after the "Dragon of Wantley," a 
burlesqne on the Italian opera, written bv Carey, 
composed by Lampb. The mnsic of this piece is ex- 
cellent, and it is a matter of great regret that it 
should have been suffered to decay. 

To retnrn to Arne. " Artaxerxes" was the Sfreat' 
est of his works, and by far the most celebrated of 
Eniflish operas. The words were a bad translation 
from Metastasio. The dinlogne is entirely In reci- 
tation ; the airs are what have fixed its long re- 
nown, for almost down to, the present day there 
have been performances of it. It was written to 
emulate the Italian school, to bring English mnsic 
forwartl asrsin. Mrs. Cibber. Miss Brent, worthily 
carried out Arne's ideas, and san*; passages fiiU of 
what now would be considered great difficulty. 
The lovely airs, " In infancy our hopes and fears'" 
" If e*er the cruel tyrant," and " Wati^r parted from 
theses" will long 'be prize<1. In 1786, appeared 
" Love in a village." written by Bickerstaff. The 
airs were partly by Arne, partly selected from 
those popular at the time. He tried, and fiiiled, in 
an Italian opera, the " Olympiade " of Metastasio. 
AfW this Arne contented himself with making ad- 
ditions to Purceirs works. To the " Tempest," he 
added " Where the bee sucks." He also wrote mu- 
sic to some of Shakespeare's songs, and two orato- 
rios. These last were unsnccessfnl. His was not 
such an original genius as Purcell's; he copied 
more from the Italian, and by this, thon?h he 
gained in sweetness, he lost in grandeur and true 
feeling. He had very few rivals, but at his death 
many pasticcio operas arose in the style of " Love 
in a village," "The maid of the mill," " Lionel and 
Clarisse," and others. 

T. LtirLXT. lessee of Dmry Lane Theatre, aboat 
this time, with the help of i^heridan, his son-in-law, 
wrote "The Duenna." W. Jacksox. of Exeter, 
wrote very little dramatie music, except "The 
lord of the manor," in which Mrs. Crouch attained 
celebrity. In it occur the beantiful airs, " When 
first this hnmhle roof I knew," and " Eneompasa'd 
in an angel's frame." Dr. Aknold wrote for Coveat 
Garden and the Haymarket C. Dibdiw (1768), and 
W. Shield also. The works of all these are light, 
sometimes comic ; the musical portion consisting of 
songs and duets, with occasionally a very slight 
connecting piece or chorus. 

The first step towards the modern opera was 
made by Dr. Stokace (1788). His first work was 
" The Haunted Tower." then " The Pirates," " Lo- 
doiska," " The Iron Chest" He was the first to 
put connected pieces and finales on the English 
stage. His music is in the Italian style of that day. 
He left "Mahnr.ond" unfinished, a piece which he 
was writing for the pnblic appeaiance of the after- 
wards celebrated Braham,who himself wrote ephem- 
eral pieces. Incledon. Mme. Mara. Mr«. Billington, 
were also on the boards at this time. Bisrop wrote 
"The Circassian Bride," which gained him his 
name, and immediat«ly after it appeared he was 
made Director of Music at Covent Garden, and 
brought out " The Maniac." 

With the advance of taste, consequent on the ap- 
pearance of the music of Mozart, Weber, and R'Hl^I- 
ni, English composers soon withdrew. About 
1884 a revival was attempted at the English Opera 
House. Baknbtt's " Mountain Sylph " was tl e 
lonscest in favor of the pieces performed ; but event 
ually this house left off* representing operas and 
turned into the Lyceum. Since then Covent Gar- 
den and Drury Lane have reigned supreme rivals ; 
Miss A. Kemble, Macready, Bunn, have been their 
best known directors. In 1842 Mr. Maddox opened 
an English opera-house, where chiefly versions of 
Italian operas were performed ; but this house last- 
ed only eight years, and with it endeii all attempts 
at English opera for very many years. Michaxl 



' -j:. ? .^. ** i i 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, FEB. 17, 1877. 



387 



Balfe (1808-1870), hnrn in Dublin, studied in lUly, 
Aiid wrofo At Milan the* music of the bftllt^t of " Pe- 
poui^e." His firwt complete opera was *' I Rivall " 
for Palfrmo. On his return to London he com- 
posed " The Sieg:e of Rochelle ** for the Lyceom ; 
out that theatre having been closed jnst before its 
performance by the Gankruptcy of the manaa^er, 
the opera was taken by the manaii^er of Drary Lane 
Theatre. Here it proved a great success, and held 
the stage for three months. His " Maid of Artois '* 
was supported bv the singing of Malibran. One 
of the songs. " The light of other days," was uni- 
versally sung in England. "Catherine Gray." 
'* Joan of Arc," " FalsUflf (the first opera, English, 
brought out at Her Majesty's Opera since the days 
of Arne) *'Diadeste," and "Kedenthe." These 
were ail of secondary merit. His best was ** The 
Bohemian Girt," which spread his fisme to foreign 
countries. ^The " Castle of Aymon." " Danghter of 
St. Mark," " Enchantress " were written for Drnry 
Lane. In 1846, he wrote '* L'Eto*le de Seville " for 
L*Academie Royale, Paris. During his six years 
of tenure of the conductonhip of Her Majesty's 
Theatre, he brought out his " Bondman " and 
" Maid of Honor." After this came '* The Sicilian 
Bride " and " The devilV in it." The " R<»so of 
Castile " and *' SaUnella" were written in 1867 and 
1858. His last opera, " II Talismano," was given in 
1876. J. Babxitt is best known by his "MounUin 
Sylph," J. F. Barwiett by the " Ancient Mariner." 
Maoparren's" Robin Hood" and "Helvellyn" are 
his principal dramatic works. A. Holmes in his 
opera of *' Ines and Castro " has established a strong 
claim to " dramatic power and fine orchestration.*' 
"Fair Rosamond** by Barnctt, and "The Out- 
poet' by HuLLAH, have met with well-merited 
success. 

But we must now go back to Handel. Born in 
1685, in an unmusical family, his natural musical 
genius was well-nigh quenched by a father who des- 
tined him for the law. But his great talents early 
revealed themselves, and he received the patronage 
of the great Elector of Brandenburg. He left his 
native place of Halle, and settled in Hamburg, where 
he became violinist in the Opera-house. In his 
twentieth vear, he wrote " Almira," which proved 
so successful that it was repeated thirty nighu fol- 
lowing. This opera was quickly succeeded by 
•• Dafne," and " Florinda." Turning his thoughU 
to perfecting his art by travelling in Italy, Handel 
went to Florence, where he was patronised by the 
Grand Dake of Tuscany, and wrote " Roderigo." 
Thence he went to Venice, where he wrote "Agrip 
pina," which made a perfect furore, and gained for 
Dim the title of " II caro Sassone.'* At Rome he 
gained the friendship of Cardinal Ottoboni, and 
composed " The Triumph of Time." After dawd- 
ling about Italy, he took up his quarters for some 
time at Hanover, where he received £800 from the 
Elector; and, at the same time, permission to visit 
England. Finding the Havmarket under the man- 
agement of Aaron Hill, and London gone mad for 
music of the Italian school, he had to follow the 
fashion, and A. Hill writing the libretto, he com- 
posed " Rinaldo." The air " Lascia ch'io pianira " 
still liveSk The romantic int-erest of the suHect, 
the charms of the music, and the splendor or the 
rpectacle, made the opera an object of general at- 
traction ; and its success was sufficient to counter- 
act the strictures and sarcasms of Addison, smarting 
under the failure of his " Rosamund." Handel re- 
turned to Hanover ; then revisited London, where, 
on the accessicn of the Elector of Hanover (whom 
he had by his neglect so highly offended,) as George 
I., Handel ran the risk of losing favor ; but his hold 
on the people was too strong, and a reconciliation 
between the King and the musician had to be effect- 
ed. While a guest of the Esrl of Burlington, he 
wrote " Amadigi," which marks a great decline in 
dramatic art— ^reat attention being given to stage 
fixings, and other subordinate matters. While with 
the Duke of Chsndos at Cannons, he composed his 
fine anthems, the serenota of " Acis and Galatea," 
and the oratorio of " Esther.* For three years now 
followed a total suspension of operatic performances. 
In 1720 the Royal Academy, of Music was estab- 
lished. A sum of £60,000 was subscribed for the 
carrying on of the Italian opera. Handel from 
Cannons, Ariosti from Berlin, Bononcini from 
Rome, were summoned to attend, and give their 
services. 

In 1721 the opera of" Mncio Scnvoln," the joint 
work of the three, appeared, and in 1723 " Otho," 
by Handel alone, the most popular of his works. 
In it sang the celebrated Cuzaoni, with whose voice 
the oompoeer was so charmed that for her he wrote 
his moat beautiful airs. " Affani del Pensier " was 



the best of the!«e. Cuzzoni*s praises drew large 
crowds, and the ticket-s rose to four guineas a-n!ght, 
but she oonn wore out Handel's patience with her 
airs and self-will, and he turned to Bordoni and 
Faustina. "Radamistus" was given in 1720. Han- 
del thought " Ombra Cara " in this opera one of the 
finest he ever wrote ; it is still heard. In this piece 
acted Donastanti and Senesino. In " Flavio " there 
is " Dona pace," the first scenic quintet ever com- 
posed. In " Glulio Cesarc " " Alma del gran Pom- 
pio" is still admired. In the few years Nucceedinsr 
1725 " Scipio," " Siroc." and " Ptolemy " appeared. 
With these came the decline again of the Italian 
op'tra, and in 1732 Haiidel began his immortal ora- 
torioe, though a year afterwards he made another 
short and Ill-fated attempt to succeed in opera. 
" Orlando " belongs to this period. From thirty- 
two to forty he had twelve years of incessant strug. 
gling with the fashion of his age. In this time he 
composed sixteen operas and five oratorios. Some 
of these operas, known hardly except by name, are 
"Ariadne," " Arisdante,' "Alcina," " Atelsnta," 
" Arminius." " Justin," " Berenice," " Faramonda." 
With " Imenico " and " Deidamio " he finally quit 
ted the dramatic stage. 

Handlers is a strange career. Three times, de- 
spite of opposition, he gained his way, forced his 
works on the public, and made a fi)rtune; thre) 
times he failed and retired. His last years were 
spent in honorsble independence, saddened, inde(*d, 
by his infirmity, but full of satisfaction that at Isst 
his great works had prevailed over sickly Italian 
and homely English musia His manuscripts, 
which were left to his friend Smith, were by his 
SOD handed over to his admirer, George HI. He 
died In 1769, and was buried in Westminster Ab 
bey. 

III. 

The beginning of the 18th century was the Au- 
gustine Age of Italian music, when no loss a poet 
than Mbtastatio (1698-1782) delighted to write for 
the stage. Porpora (1^89-1767). a pupil of Scar- 
latti, and a man of hi?h reputation, composed for 
Metastasio ; ** Esio" aud " Semiramide " were their 
joint productions. Porpora composed "Ariana e 
Teseo," and h<^lf ^ hundred other operas. But it is 
by his cantatas that he is best known. They are es- 
teemed for the goodness of their recitatives, and the 
melody of their airs. He came to England, and 
attempted in vain to rival Handel. Of Perez, and 
Hasse, who at this time wrote many operas, only 
the sacred music is now remembered. Sarro com- 
posed " La Didone Abbandonnta " to Metastasio's 
poetry. Nicolini, and Balgarini. sangin it. Leon- 
ardo Vnfci, for his " Catone in Uttica." Vinci and 
L. Leo belong to the Neapolitan school, and were 
musicians of do mean talent N. Looroscimo. of the 
same school, gave additional variety and effect to 
music, by the invention of finales ; but his works 
have all \>een lost^ Of Prroolbsi (1704-1787) more 
can be said. His first operas were comic ; one of 
them. " La Serva padrona," was in great favor in 
Italy for many years. He composed the music to 
Metastasio's " Olympiade," but it met with complete 
neglect, and he nearly broke his heart. He died at 
the early age of 88. His sacred works are still 
more beautiful ; his " Stabat Mster " most of all so. 
"Orfeo and Eurdyce," "Salve Regina." were others 
of his compositions. His sacred music is natural, 
and most expre<<sive, though perliaps a little monot- 
onous; but it is a faithful accompaniment to the 
words. With Pergolesi passed a way from Italy to 
Germany the high culture of music. But very 
many composers followed him, in Italy, and deserve 
some mention. But, perhaps, it ma^b be as well to 
add here some notes as to the structure of the op. 
era at this time. The number of characters was 
generaliy limited to six, three of each sex — who 
were made always to be in love with one another. 
Each singer must have a principal air; the piece 
must be divided into three acts. There was ascena 
in the second and third acts, consisting of an ac- 
companied recitative. There might be a duet ; but 
there never was a trio, or other concerted piece. 
The air was divided into several kinds; the "aria 
Cantabile " was the pre-eminent one : its object is 
to express tenderness, aud pleasing sadness. The 
"aria di portamento " was to display the sin«rer*s 
voice ; and was ta illustrate the opinion of the Ital- 
ians that sound by itself, and ittelf, was the most 
beautiful of all sounds. The " aria di mezzo cirat- 
tere * takes in all the medium feelings, and U 
" andante " time. The " aria parlsnte " expresses, 
passion and agitation. The " aria di bravura," or 
" aria d'agillta." merely afford the singer an oppor- 
tunity of displaying great powers of voice. The 



effect of such airs is more often wonderful than 
beautiful. This classification of melody is, accord- 
ing to Hogarth, complete — and not capable of any 
improvement. Among those composers whc tried 
to introduce German style in respect to vocal har- 
mony and instrumental accompaniment, Jomklli 
may be taken first in order (1714-1774). He wrote 
" L'errore amoroso." and " Odoardo," also "Achilla 
in Seno," for Metastasio, whose favorite composer 
he became. This last, and "Armida." were success- 
ful : but " Demifoonto," and " Ififlrenia."in which he 
tried to introduce German peculiarities, failed en- 
tirely ; and the mu«ic was termed " scelerata." His 
" Men>pe " is a good piece. All his works are full 
of elaborate counterpoint. Galuppi composed for 
tlie church, the ehsmber. and the theatre. His in- 
fluence was felt on English music The air " How 
blest the maid," in " Love in a Village." is his. In 
his " Sofonisba " appeared, for the first time, the 
celebrated Gabrielli, who afterwards gained her 
laurels in the air " Son regins e sono amante," from 
Jomelli's "Didone." She came to London, and 
sane in Sacchini's "Didone." Picdni's "Cajo Mario," 
and Vento's "La Vest^le." Picci!f[ wrote mostly 
comic oporas. His "La Cecchina" is one of the 
most successful pieces ever published. He also 
composed " La hnona figltuola " t.o Goldoni's words 
— who to'»k the story from Richardson's " Pamela." 
The "Olvmpiade," of Metastasio wHs also set by 
him, as well as by Galuppi and Jomelli ; but Pieci- 
ni's version of the air " Se cerca, se dice," is con- 
sidered the mo9t beautiful, and the most expressive. 
Sacchixi. a genius equal to Piccini, CAme to Eng- 
land in 1772. By his great tact in discerning the 
peculiar qualities and power of each singer, he made 
every piece a work of merit. The air " Henry 
cull'd the flowret's blo«im," in Ro.«ina, is a good 
specimen of his style. But in our country, and in 
France — for which he composed several of his best 
work« —he is now qidte forgotten. In Germany, 
his " (Edipus zn Colono^ " is still performed. Pass- 
irllo (1741-1816) was Hke many other gr.^at musi- 
cians, educated at Naples. During an ensrsgement 
in Russia, he composed "II B%rbl»redi Siviglia," 
and the comic intermezzo, " II moodo nella Lnna." 
In the service of Ferdinand IV., he composed " II 
Pirro." remarkable as being the first serious opera, 
in which there were concerted finales. In " La 
Molinara," and " Ls Prascatana." Madame CaUlani 
enchanted the English public ; and In " La Pazza 
per Amore." Madame PastA. He spent some years 
in Paris, under the first Napoleon ; and at Naples, 
under Joseph Bonaparte. Bnt. at the fall of this 
family, he ftU into neglect and poverty. He wrote 
about seventy-eight operas, eight intermezzi, and sn 
immense number of oratorios and messes. His 
style is eminently simple; but yet to no composer 
more fully than t/> him may be applied the words 
of Carissirai— " Ah, qnesto facile quanto e difficile." 
His "Pazza per Amore" will always gain a hear- 
ing as long as there is a singer worthy to take the 
part of Nina. Paesiello introduced many improve- 
ments in orchestral composition : he introduced the 
viola, clarinet, and bassoon. Ci¥arosa (1754-1801), 
after a visit to Russia, settled at Venice, under the 
Emperor Leopold, as director of the Italian opera. 
Here he composed his " [1 Matrimonio Segreto." 
The reception of this piece was so unparalleled, that 
it had to be repeated the same ni^ht His " Matri- 
moni p*»r Sassnro." " Ls Peoolopc," " L'Olimpiade," 
and "Gli Orazi," are also thougrht very fine. The 
Iftst is taken from Corneille's " Le« IIo -aces," and is 
full of noble simplicity. The piece is so free from 
antiqusted forms, that it want<i nothing but an or- 
chestral score of greater fulne«« and variety to sat- 
isfy the most modern ears. Tt ix the finest tragic 
opera of the lUlian school ; just a^ " i: Mntvimonio 
Seereto" is the finest comic. Ir U founded on our 
comedy of "The Clandestino Mnrriajre,'* and hai 
been performed lately by Grisi, Liblache, and Tam- 
burinl. 

Zi:fOAaKLLi composed " Montezuma." and 
many other operas; hut. a^er he succeeded Gu^jliel- 
ml In the chapel of the Vatican, he wiote'only 
church mu.sic. His " Romeo e Giuletta " has been 
kept alive to the present time by the powers of 
Mdme. Pasta. Mercsdnnti*, Donizetti, Bellini, were 
his pupils. His oratorio, *• La Distrn-iione di Geru- 
snlemme," is his finest eeclesiastic work. The Inter- 
val from Zingarelll to Rossini was filled up by the 
career of S. MATca, who composed " Meden," the 
seene of Mdme. Pasta's greatest triumph ; F. Pake, 
who composed " La Griseldn," "CamiHo," and "Ag- 
ncse;" and others. P. WiTTsa composed princi- 
pally for the London stage. At the a^e of twenty, 
Rossm produced hts "Taneredi." and esUhlished 
his fame. Before that, of the operas he had com- 



posed, only " L'in^anno fellce " is known. He tra- 
velled about Italy, composins: operas for the differ- 
ent theatres, and receiving: £40 for each. He visited 
London and Paris. He is now thought to belong to 
the past, bnt still holds a high rank ; and " La don- 
na del Lago," *' OuDIaaine Tell." " Otello." " La 
Ohsza Ladra." " Moe4 in Efi^itto," will Ions: remain 
favorites on the stage. Y. Bellini's (1806-1836) 
mnsic made its way all over Europe. " II Pirat a " 
was his first snccessful opera. The libretto was 
written by the poet Romani, and Rubini first ap- 
peared in it. A number of similar works followed ; 
of these, the best known are- " La Sonnambula," 
" Norma," and " I Puritani," with their snal-melting 
melodies. Donizetti was a most prolific writer. 
He produced in all sixty-four operas ; the* best of 
which are " Anna Bolena," " Lucia di Lammer- 
moor." " La Favorite," *• Linda da Chamonni," "La 
fille da Regiment," *' Don Pasquale," *' Betly," and 
" Maria dl Rohan." Of these, the six latter' far ex- 
cel the others in solidity and strength ; and as they 
were written near his end, it is to be regretted that 
Donizetti did not live longer, to develop his artis 
tic powers. He was beginning to be influenced by 
the German school, and to improve much in his in- 
strumentation and counterpoint. Vbrdi is most 
popular in Italy ; though "I due Foscari," "Nabuco," 
and " I Lombardi," have been heard in other coun- 
tries. Though the Italian opera still receives a 
great amount of support, and, with regard to this, 
IB still in a most flourishinir state, with reference to 
the quality of the productions it brings before its 
audience, it is in a stage of decay. Rossini*s imita- 
tors have degraded the art, by copying from him 
what was most inartistic They will all — Bellini, 
Ricci, Mercadante, Donizetti — sink into oblivion. 
The poetry, too, is at a low ebb ; and, where this 
is the case, the dramatic excellence of the opera 
must be on the decline ; and so it will continue, un- 
til some musician will arise who possesses sound 
views on art., together with a poet not afraid to com- 
mit himself by association witn a genius equal to his 
own in a different walk. J. S. 

— Lond, MusiaU Standard, 



^-M 



What Haniliok says about Christine 

ITilsson. 

The above eminent critic thus expresses himself, in the 
Vienna Ifleue FrtU Prttw of Jan. 7 :— 

** Christine Nllsson commenced her starring engage- 
ment at the Imperial Operaliouse as Ophelia, In A. Thom- 
as's ffamlei. A densely crowded liouae awaited her ap- 
pearance with evident eagerness. The first view of her 
prepossessed them in her favor, and augured most ans- 
picionsly for the result. Mad. Nilsson has a tall, well- 
proportioned flK°re, a noble and finely chiselled counte- 
nance. In which two latfi^e light-blne eyes now touchlngly 
giancci and now flash with passionate expression ; her 
bearing Is upright and calm, and every movement har- 
monious. She opens her lips, displaying her pearl-like 
teeth, and murmurs the first notes of the duet with 
Hamlet. In scarcely any other opera does the prima 
donna enter so unpretendingly as Ophelia enters in ZTarn- 
Itt ; nay, strictly speaking, the entire first three acts 
constitute simply an . humble and ungrateful introduc- 
tion to the fourth act, which first permits the full devel- 
opment of the fair artist's musical and dramatic art. 
Bnt even the little preliminary duet revealed Mad. Nils- 
son's marked and genuinely artistic individuality. No 
one can give the duet more unassumingly and simply, 
but no one can give it more effectively or with greater 
feeling. Her voice, a high soprano, brif^ht, (Wink, and 
marvellously equal, does not possess imposing power, or 
even the first full freshness of youth, but, with its soft, 
pure, fiute-like tones, it insinuates Itself irresistibly into 
one's ear and heart. A slight veil rests upon the middle 
notes, as was the case with Jenny LInd, to whom Mad. 
Nllsson is linked not only by the same native land, but by 
the fundamental features of her musical nature. We 
like the soft, dull haze which is generally spread over 
voices destined to pour forth a rich store of deep feeling 
in song. In the second act, Ophelia has only one piece ; 
Mdme. Nllsson, with delicate taet, kept the two stro- 
phes of it, the first before, and the second after, Ham- 
let's entrance, distinct from each other, and then found 
the most simple and most touching expression for her 
grief at his disappearance. The most simple and most 
touching expression— that is the talisman by means of 
which Hdme. Nllsson everywhere and always captivates 
us, even when the composer does not come to her aid 
with any effiect. Her action Is limited to what is abso- 
lutely necessary, but it is conceived with the instinct of 
genius and perfectly realized. Surprisingly beantiAiI, 
true, and, at the same time, all her own, is her concep- 



tion of the trio in the third act. It is by Hamlet's 

crushing adjuration: *Oet thee to a nunnery!' that 

Ophelia Is first driven to the brink of insanity, and It is 

here that Mroe. Nilsson sufn^sts the fir«t approach of the 
mental night which encomnwises Ophelia in the fourth 
act. In the great scene of the fourth act, Christine Nils- 
son displayed the highest vlrtuositv which we can con- 
ceive in so tragic a situation ; virtuosity which we do 
not notice, bravura which we forget, on account of the 
profound feeling in which every note Is steeped. All 
those who, from numerous accounts, bad expected mere- 
ly a great virtnoea, now beheld— a great artist. Thanks 
to the most expressive mimetic talent, action, and tone- 
coloring. JAAmt. Nllsson surceeded in supplying a dra- 
matic motive for IsnUted florid psssagf^s, of greater or 
less length, apparently dedicated to firavara alone— they 

gushed forth from Ophelia's snal. and not simply from 
er throat. Ophelia thoroughly corresponds tn Mdme. 
Nlls9on*s whole appeamnce and style of singing, and, 
therefore. It would be dangerous to hazard a conclusive 
jndgroent on the lady from this one part. How far her 
power of dramatic metnmorphosis extends, and whether 
she will be equally sncces^ftil in infusing her tender and 
dreamily gentle individuality Into other characters. Is 
something which time alone can show. One thing mean- 
while is certain : We never met a more perfeftly poetic 
incarnation of Ophelia, and probably never shall. We 
look forward to Mdme. Ntlsson's next performances 
with joyous expectation such as we have not experienced 
in operatic matters for a long time." 



Joaehim at Stuttgart 

Which of us would ever have thought that any one 
could fill up a programme with nothing but violin pieces 
and that we should sit and listen, as we were accustomed 
to sit and listen for whole evenings to pianoforte music? 
Certainly It was possible only for such an artist as Joa- 
chim to play every piece without resting. And what 
playing I During a period of fifteen years we have 
heard all the violinists of importance who have appeared 
at concerts here, and there are not a few. How often, 
too, have we not been carried away and had our enthu" 
siasm excited by the magnificent performance of our 
great artist, Singer I But who will, who can, contradict 
us when we boldly assert that Joachim, the " King of 
Violinists," surpasses them all— all I Of the brilliant 
qualities which adorn this unique artist— powerful tone, 
grandiose execution, blameless correctness, grand re- 
pose, and deep feeling— of these qualities this or that vi- 
olinist may possess one or the other; bnt never, never 
before have we heard them all so closely connected and 
so thoroughly blended in the same person. Joachim is, 
our ideal picture of a great viollniat. If we think of the 
dilferent pieces he played, what shall we say and where 
shall we begin ? With the exception of his own Romance, 
we were familiar with all the pieces, down to the small- 
est details, and we know the passages which Joachim 
played dilTerently— dilTerently, indeed, from the way tn 
which he had heard them played. How marvellously 
lovely was the second movement of Beethoven's C minor 
Sonata, and how charming the scherzo of the same 
piece I If in the Barcarolle by Bpohr, the Barabande by 
Leclair, the Romance by Beethoven, the first movement 
of the " Devil's Sonata," by Tartlnl, and, also. In his 
own Romance, the artist displayed his greatness in the 
sustained style, he shone in Spohr's Scherzo, Leclalr's 
*'Tambourin," the "Devil's Sonata," and the piquant 
Hungarian Dances (arranged likewise by Brahms fo^ 
four hands), by his wondrous execution, by a staccato 
which cannot be surpassed, and at the same time by bis 

astounding composure. Through all he does there runs 
something which we shall never hear in «o great a de- 
gree again, a charm which seizes powerfully on every 
heart: this is the wonderful singing of the violin, or, in 
a word, what we call soul. To pUy with soul is not a 
thmg which can be learned ; it Is a gift from heaven. 
Luckv is he who possesses it. and lucky is be, too, who 
can listen to it. If a never-ending, constanllv-recom- 
menclng storm of applause was ever Justifiable, It was 
so on this occasion. Of this let Joachim rest assured. 
Professor Pruckner played the pianoforte part of the G- 
mi nor Sonata i n a fl n Ished man ner. The accompan I ment 
to the other nieces was confided to Herr Hlrschbergei, of 
Berlin, who knows what aocompanying really means. 
Bnch self-efboement to the advantage of the soloist is 
X9in.— Stuttgart AugenUiek. 



■ » » 



The Opera^Honse Bubble. 

MAURICE STRAZ080H*8 DRBAMS OF A GREAT TEMPLE OF 
MUSIC — WHY RIB VISIONS CAME TO HAUOHT. 

For a considerable time journals of this and other 
cities have been publishing accounts of a wonderful 
opera-house, of enormous dimensions, and appointed 
in the most complete and costly manner, to be built 
by Maurice Strakosch, on land owned by the Har- 
lem Railroad Company, at Forty-third street and 
Madison ave., from funds placed at his disposal by 
prominent capitalists. Aft<lr his nnprofitable vent- 
ure last fall with Mile. Belocca, in this city, Mr. 
Strakosch took her West on a starring trip. A 
gentleman familiar with musical enterprises in this 



country said yesteniay : " Mr. Strakosch seemed to 
have opera houses on the brain." He proposed to 
build one for the mastc-lovers of Chicago, and 
another for those of San Francisco. The local pa- 
pers described his projects, and in some instances 
strongly supported them. Upon his retarn to New 
York he revived a plan which he is said to have had 
in mind for a considerable time, and announced the 
erection of the structure above referred to. His 
proposals were on so magnificent a scale that most 
persons suspected the airy nature of the founda- 
tions, and expected to see the '* insnbstantial pai;- 
cant " fade away. It was, however, asserted that 
the ground had been purchased, and the amount 
paid for it was named. There ia probably no doubt 
that nef;otiations wore entered into with William 
H. Vanderbilt. through George C Sherwood of the 
Flth Avenue Bank. It is now claimed that the 
chance was lost through the indiscreet annoanoe- 
ment that the purchase of the land was secured. 

Persons, however, well acquainted with Mr. Stra- 
kosch, say that his disposition is so sanguine as to 
be esj«ential1y visionary, and that there was never 
the alifrhtcfit real prospect that the money for the 
erection of the opera-house would be secured. They 
add that his tendency to business mistakes is so 
well kn/)wn that the enterprise conducted by Mm 
could not have gained credit and support. There 
teem to be two views regarding the matter. Many 
person^ while doubting the f»*a8ibtlity of the plan, 
do not question Mr. Strakosch's sincerity, and be- 
lieve that he really expected to be able to provide 
the city with an opera-house corresponding in sise 
and elegant completeness to his ambition. They 
say that the actnal beirinning of negotiations for the 
land would surely indicate so ranch. On the other 
hand, persons perhaps as well acquainted with the 
roana$rer. some of whom lave had various busineas 
transactions with him, stat« that he merely blew a 
bubble which burst sooner than he expected. They 
assign several reasons why he should desire to cre- 
ate the impression that he was about to bvild a 
large opera-house in this city. Mr. Mapleson, of 
London, will probably bring his opera company to 
New York next fall, after the close of the London 
season. It is said that Mr. Strakosch Is jealous of 
all operatic enterprises with which he is not eoo- 
nected, and that he has frequently given foreign 
manogers to understand that they could do nothing 
in this country without his co-operation, stating 
thst the American public would support no compa- 
ny without his name as a guarantee. Those who 
take this view of the mstter believe that Mr. Stra- 
kosch desired either to frighten Mapleson from the 
field or into combining foroes with him. Moreover, 
it is asserted that he owes large snms of money in 
London and l*aris. and that his debta in thoae cit- 
ies, besides rendering his presence there personally 
unpleasant, render it impossilile for him to make 
further contracts with leading foreign singers. 

Mr. Kingsland. of the Academy of Music, says: 
" Although Mr. Strakoech has been very Iil>eral1y 
treated by us, he claims to believe that we have in 
some respecta used him hardly. He has always 
complained that it was unfair thai his receipts 
should be so largely reduced by the free admittance 
of those owning boxes. I think this has had infla- 
ence with him in the announcement of a project for 
a new opera-house. Perhaps he expected os to 
make him still further concessions. The singular 
part of it is that one feature of his plan was a large 
number of boxes to be subscribed for in advance by 
wealthy (gentlemen, and owned by them, with the 
same privileges of admittance which those owning 
boxes at the Academy of Music enjo}'." 

Those who laugh at the whole enterprise claim 
that it was ridiculous on the face of ik It had been 
demonstrated that opera-houses were not a profita- 
ble investment in this city. The Academy always 
wavered between slight gains and heavy losses, 
sometimes losing $10,000 in one year. What 
ground then was there for believing that a building 
costing, according to the announcement^ about 
$2,000,000, could ever be made to pay ? 

There were many, a gentleman remarked, who 
would regret to learn that Mr. Strakoech's project 
had fallen through — ^persons who had not realised 
the obstacles in the way of erecting so eoaUy a place 
of amusement, and merely thought of it as an ele- 
gant addition to the city and a pleasant place to 
spend an evening. Those, however, poesessing 
some experience in opera management, and many 
more who foresaw no possible return for money 
thus invested, had never expected to see the walls 
rise, and would therefore not be disappointed at 
never sitting within them.— iVMP York iSribun*, 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, FEB. 17, 1877. 



389 



Piflniflts a8 Advertiilng Agenta. 

" The ContribtitorB' Glob " in the last namber of 
the Atlantic Monthly cod tains, among other things, 
the following : 

An Arcadian thinker might imagine that the 
piano-forte was an instrument invonted and made 
solely to further the ends of the art of music t 
have no doubt that some such Idea existed in the 
brains of the first inventors and makers of the in- 
strument. Piano-forte makers, indeed, still vie 
with one another in making more or less snccessfnl 
attempts at improving the Tniitrtiment. and pianists 
are certainly not behindhand in pushing the art of 
playing upon it t«> its uttermost limits. But Music, 
after innocently dreaming for years that all these 
commendable endeavors were made in her service, 
has awakened to the fact that she and her servants 
have in some unaccountable wav exchanged places ; 
that the pianoforte has been the while cunningly 
binding her, hand and foot, and now asserts its own 
mastership in a very loud, jingling manner. Pian- 
ists who have done their utmost to fit themselves 
for the service of Art, perhaps even to be the high 
priests in her temple, and who naturally look upon 
the piano-forte as £A«tr servant, now find themselves 
in the inconi^ruons position of mere advertising 
agents for the manufacturers. Before going into 
details, I will give two anecdotes, which I know to 
be true. 

Some years ago a gentleman of my acquaintance 
was walking in the streets of Bonn on the Rhine 
with one of the leading London pianists. They 
were met at a street corner by a man who had a few 
minutes' conversation with the pianist; after he had 
gone away, the pianist said to our friend, "That 

was a member of the firm of , in , in the 

United States. He has just renewed an offer he 

made me yesterday of dollars per month, with 

all my expenses paid, to give a series of concerts in 
America with hU fimC$ piano-fortn.^ The second 
story is this. Not many years ago a well-known 
impresario brought a concert troupe to America, 
one of the members of which was a pianist of some 
note in England. After a month the pianist severed 
his connection with the troupe and returned to Eng- 
land. To fill his place the impresario engaged a 
distinguished American pianist for a certain num- 
ber of concerts. The pianist expressing a decided 
preference for the A |*iano-fortes, the manager said 
that it was perfectly immaterial to him what instru- 
ments were used at his concerts. The next day, 
thinklncr over his engagements, the pianist remem- 
bered that, somehow or other, nothing had been 
said about how much he was to be paid ; so be called 
upon the manager. 

" You must be the most confiding of men ! Here 
yon have engaged me for so many concerts^ and have 
not even asked what my terms are ! " 

" Well I I am sure I don*t see what I have to do 
with that.'' 

" I should imagine that, as you are to pay me, it 
might be of some importance to you to know how 
much I ask." 

" I P'^y yon ? Nothing of the sort t Mr. A pays 
yon, as you use his piano-fortes." 

"You had better see Mr. A before we go any 
fnrther ; for I am sure he will not agree to that ar- 
rangement." 

" You are ioking 1 I have given concerts in this 
country for the last ever-so many years, and have 
never paid pianists a single cent in my life. The 
piano-rorte makers alwayt pay them." 

It was found, however, that Mr. A, although per- 
fectly willing to furnish instruments, charge and 
carriage free, would not agree to pay anything. He 
knew that it was the custom of many makers to do 
so. but he had never done it, and never would. The 
manager was in a huge rage, cut down his engage- 
ment with the pianist to five nights, and on paying 
him, vowed that he had never been so swinaled in 
his life. 

The custom of piano-forte makers' paying pianists 
to play exclusively upon their instruments has, it 
must De admitted, one good side. Very probably 
many of the great pianists who have visited this 
oonntry would never have come here at all, except 
for the enterprise of piano-forte makers in bringing 
them for their own ends. In the beginning, when 
the public did not know, or care to inquire, about 
the practice, the " preference " of a great pianist 
for one piano-forte over all others was a most capi- 
tal advertisement for the maker. But now that 
every one knows perfectly well that it is a mere 
matter of business contract, and that pianists play 
upon a certain firm's piano-fortes simply because 




they are hired to do so, and not because they pre- 
fer to do so, the excellence of the arrangement as 
an advertisement consists solely in the A, B, or C 
piano-forte's stAnding on the platform at concerts 
with the maker's name, In large gilt letters, staring 
the audience out of countenance, and doing its best 
to put all thoughts of music to fiight and impress 
the public with the all-important fact of its exist- 
ence. The evils of the system are great. 1 saw 
the other day a letter from a noted pianist to the 
president of one of our musical societies, somewhat 
to this effect (I quote from memory): " I find my- 
self in a very strsngce position, t am under con- 
tract to Mr. A to play only upon his piano-fortes. 
I cannot play at the X concerts in Baltimore, be- 
cause they use only the B piano-fortes : I cannot 
play at the Y concerts in Cincinnati, because they 
use only the C piano-fortes ; it is the same thing 
with the Z or w concerts In New York and Phila- 
delphia, where the D a^d E piano-fortes are used. 
Unless your society and Mr. F are willing to let me 
play on the A instrument, I do not see how I can 
play at your concerts either." Here you see how a 
pianist can hft debarred from a most important mu- 
sical field all over the country, and the public de- 
prived of the pleasure of hearing him except nnder 
very narrow conditions. The fault, no doubt, lies 
wit.i the pianists themselves who enter upon such 
engagements. And 3i:et the yearly income of only 
too many American pianists would be seriously af- 
fected for the worse if they did not make these very 
pernicious contracts with manufacturers. 



usital <!D0rrtspirkirte. 



Nxw YoBK, FcB. 12. In reviewing that portion 
of my last letter which relates to the performance 
of Mr. B. J. Lang, at one of our Philharmonic con- 
certs, the Journal disputes not only the justice of 
my opinion, but also the candor of my statement, 
assuming it to be colored by local prejudice. In 
the brief paragraph which is called in question I 
did not attempt to discuss the general merits or de- 
merits of Mr. Lang's playing; had I done so I 
should have found much to commend. His high 
reputation as a musician and a pianist is known to 
all the readers of the Journal ; therefore when he 
played the Concerto of Saint Sadns, as I think bad- 
ly, I felt no hesitation In saying so. In forming 
this opinion I had the advantage of a comparison, 
which, although it may be odious, is inevitable. In 
my letter I said that Mr. Lang had the ditadvantage 
of appeanng after Mme. Essipoff, who played the 
same concerto at Steinway Hall on the eyening pre- 
vious. Under other circumstances my opinion of 
Mr. Lang's performance might have been modified. 
As it was, I found his conception of the work entire- 
ly different from hers, and very weak compared with 
the magnetic and brilliant interpretation which I 
had in mind. In point of execution too he seemed 
unable fairly to meet and master the mechanical 
difficulties of the composition. Having these im- 
pressions it became my duty to state them and I 
did so, I am confident, in exactly the same spirit in 
which I should have written of one of our resident 
artists, not forgetting that in Art there is neither 
time nor place. 

I resume my concert record with the fourth Sym- 
phony concert by Theo. Thomas, on Feb. 8d. The 
bill was as follows : 

Suite, No. 3, in D Bach 

Overture— Air— Gavotte— Bonrrte—Offfne. 

Svmpbony, No. 6, in F, Op. 68 Beethoren 

Sieirtrieds* Death, and Finale, from the Gtftter- 
dttmmemng Wagner 

The Suite in D is one of thvse charming diver- 
sions of a great genius which serve to delight both 
the cultivated and the popular ear. The musician 
finds in it a noble symmetry of form, harmonious 
and consistent development of ideas, fertility of me- 
lodic invention, matchless skill in counterpoint, 
everything at the best ; while the average hearer is 
captivated by its very simplicity and listens with 



respect and pleasure if not with understanding. 
Good seed must be sown when such music is played, 
and Mr. Thomas has frequently performed portions 
of this suite in his lighter and miscellaneous pro 
grammes. Of the performance of this music I can- 
not speak too highly. During the earlier part of 
the season the playing of the orchestra, although 
fine, fell somewhat short of the high standard which 
had been maintained for several years previous. 
Good reasons for this were not lacking. A few of 
the best players were missing from the ranks ; and 
the concerts, which had before taken place in regu- 
lar and constant succession both in summer and 
winter, were sadl}* broken np last season. It would 
have been ungraceful to criticise such shortcomings 
as were plainly due to a lack of the usual constant 
practice, particularly as Mr. Thomas was In no wise 
to be blamed for this, the fault being in the people 
of New York who have failed to provide for him a 
suitable concert room. The performance of the 
Bach suite however was faultless, and the same may 
be said of the Beethoven Symphony. I have never 
heard the orchestra play better. The Pastoral 
Symphony, thongh not written in Beethoven's 
greatest sty In, will always be a particular favorite 
in the concert room and it is one of those works 
which we would not willingly miss hearing at least 
once every season. Its interest, too, is quite inde- 
pendent of its descriptive character in the ordinary 
sense of the term, although the scene by the brook, 
the country merry-making and thunder storm are 
very ingeniously suggested, without any theatrical 
or common-place eflects, unless the imitation of the 
cuckoo-song is open to that objection. The merit 
of the work lies in the treatment of the varied and 
graceful themes by which one is led from the very 
beginning by a succession of delightful changes to 
the perfect climax in the Allegretto of the laat 
movement. One feels that all the foregoing por- 
tion of the work, beautiful as it is, is only prepara- 
tory to this Allegretto, which Is in itself one of the 
finest and most effisctive pieces of composition on 
record. 

When in the course of human events it becomes 
necessary to write something about the OdtterdOm- 
mirung of Richard Wtgner, the critic has no easy 
task. There are two kinds of critics now, those 
who have been to Bayreuth, and those who have 
not been there. Those who ha\ e made the pilgrim- 
age are easily recognized ; when Wagner's music is 
performed they look very wise, nod approvingly, 
and talk of dramatic unity and the like ; while the 
unfortunate beings who have remained at home can 
only listen and bit^ their thumbs, regarding the 
music in somewhat the same light in which the 
heathen is said to view his idol ; " he knows that it 
is ugly, but he feels that it is great" 

The selections which formed the second pari of 
the programme opened with the Funeral music 
which occurs in the opera when the body of Sieg- 
fried is borne by his companions back to the Hall 
of the Gibichungs. This music is very impressive 
and, with its proper dramatic accessories, must pro- 
duce a great effect. The orchestral part which fol- 
lowed is the accompaniment of the intermediate ac- 
tion of the drama leading to BHinnhilde's song of 
lamentation over the body of her husband. This 
song and the remainder of BrQnnhilde's music was 
rendered by Mme. Eugenie Pappenheim, who ac- 
quitted herself remarkably well notwithstanding 
the difficulty of the music, which is written with an 
utter disregard for the capability of the human 
voice. The orchestral performance was magnificent 
and this fact was felt and appreciated by the andi- 
dience, as was shown by the hearty applause given 
at the close, very little of which, I fear, was due to 
the music alone. A. A. C. 



390 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



^ Crioaoo, Feb. 6.— Daring the long interim In tfala 
oorrespondenoe, the Ltebltng reduli c*me and went, 
theSssipoff season, and the opening of the Henhey 
Masio Hall. 

Mr. Llebling's recitals (three in number) broaght an 
interesting and rery trying selection of pieces, includ- 
ing the Liszt transcnpttAna of the great Bach Fngnes in 

minor, and A minor; the Belnecke Concerto io F- 
sharp; the Chopin Concerto in F minor; a part of the 
Schumann "Kreisleriana;" the Lisst " Hezameron," 
etc. In all these, as well as in the smaller things inter- 
TOnlng, he showed himself the possessor of a splendid 
t§ehniqus and of considerable musical feeling. He plays 
Bach extremely well, making it inUrttiUtff (where Bssl- 
poff made it eharmimff). I do not find Mr. Llebling die* 
tinetirely a poetic player—though this may be noty own 
fault. 

We also hare had the pleasure of hearing the fair Rus- 
sian pteaM*. She has played here seven times, with 1 
suppose her usual programmes. Her first season here 
was Jan. 8, 10, 13, and IS. Her last, Jan. 29, 81. and Feb. 
9. As her first programme brought the Beethoren Son- 
ata, Op. 68, and (he Sehubert Air and Variations (/m- 
prompim), we had at the rery beginning the faults which 
yon had pointed out in Boston, brought prominently be- 
fore us. On the other hand the Tausig arrangement of 
the Bach Toccata brought her in her better light. Why 
she should bring out the melody so oTer>much is certain- 
ly a mysteiy. But that she does so was uniformly no- 
ticed by good Judges. Certainly she is a beautiful 
player. In point of elegance and refinement and finish 
of playing I doubt whether we have had her superior. 
During her last season here she played the Saint-SnJIns 
Concerto, and Ohopin*s in E minor, with second piano. 
In both these, I need not say, she was all that could have 
been dsalred. On the other hand she gare a rery shabby 
performance of the LIsxt-Wagner TanHMu^er March, 
and a rendering of the LIsxt second Rhapsody that was 
little b'^tter. 

In summing all up the TWftime critic (who is not only 
the leading authority here, but one of the yery best 
crttles on the daUy press In America) gave Bsstpoff the 
credit of having sounded " the whole gamut of piano 
music.** She gare of Beethoven only two pieces ; the C- 
sharp minor SonaU, Op. ST, and that In C, Op. 63; and 
of Chopin only three important pieces : the Polonaise in 
A fiat, the Barcarolle, and Concerto in E minor; and of 
Schumann nothing great (the Cbmaeal being chief); 
while her selections of virtuoso tasks were not at all co- 
ploas. Considering this, I find It dlttenlt to agree with 
the 7yUmn€. To my mind the gamut here sounded seems 
strangely lacking in the more weighty and profound 

notes. 

As I mentioned before, the Hershey Music Hall was 
opened Jan. iS and 25, with loeal asslstanee, and Miss 
Drasdll of New York and Mr. Wm. H. Sherwood of Boe- 
ton. Mr. Sherwood made a fine impression on the pub- 
lic and critics, except on one of the morning papers, 
whose critic accorded him a fine technique but denied 
everything else— especially any musical quality in his 
playing I This entire criticism was one of the most sa- 
gaciously wrong-headed pieces of writing I ever saw, and 

1 regret that I haven*t It by me for the sake of some 

extracts. 

My own opinion is that in Mr. Sherwood you have a 
treasure For although It is plain enough that he is not 
y«tmataie,there are such decidedly good qualities In him 
^l i^t I cannot but hope hi4 name is to be added to the 
small but creiltoble list of American planisu who play 
good music well -at the head of which stands the nams 
of Julia Rlv6. If we had ten sueh players, or rather ten 
unlike players of equal excellence, music would become 
better known and loved here. What I liked about Sher- 
wood was his eUan playing and his original and inter- 
esting readings, together with his fine touch. As a com- 
poser, his notions of form seem rather misty, but the 
ideas are many of ihem fresh and freshly treated. In 
the way of virtuoso playing I have seldom heard better 
work than his performances of ihe LIsxt-Wagner ' < TVraa- 
jUUuer miiich,** and the ** l8olden*s Llebes-Tod,'* the lat- 
ter In particular being extremely Impressive. 

The older I get the more artistic it seems to me to open 
a ptano-concert with something from Bach. Not entire- 
ly for the reason I once heard assigned, that «' anything 
sounds wea after Bach "—though this also Is not with- 
out weight. But because, owing to the Intellectual In- 
terest of the Bach pieces (especially the great LIsst 
transcriptions), a pianist can fully absorb himself In them 
and produce a certain effect upon the audience, without 
depending on a fortunate emotional stote which may or 
may not oome. After the Ice Is once broken in this way, 
everything warms up. I noticed this again in E«slpoff*s 
oonoert, opening with the Bach-Tausslg " Toccata,*' and 
in Sherwood*s Bach-Llsxt O-minor Fugne,aa weU as in Mlr. 
Llebling's example with the two Bach pieces. Never- 



theless it is indispensable to the success of such an ex- 
periment that the Bach selection be of a decided and 
pronounced flavor. To open with such a piece as the 
long and rather monotonous prelude to the third English 
Suite (as Mr. Llebling did once) Is to miss It in a con- 
cert. 

The Hershey Music Hall is 70x80 f**., and seats eight 
hundred. It is an elegant and every way attractive 
place, and located In the very, heart of the city. The or- 
gan is now going In, and when done I will speak of It. 

Next week we have the concert of the Apollo Club, 
this time with a mixed chorus. They give Bach's '< Let 
us wrestle and Pray," Schubert*s t8rd Psalm, and so on, 
with Miss Riv4 for solo pianist. For their third concert 
they give '* St. Paul '* with orchestra. 

I came near forgetting the first concert of the Chicago 
Philharmonic Society, which came about two weeks ago. 
The principal numbers were the Weber «• Jubilee" Ov- 
erture, the Chopin F minor Concerto (by Miss Bertha 
Burg), Beethoven's Fifth Symphony, and a Meyerbeer 
F\BKkellan§. The orchestra numbered about forty, under 
the direction of Mr. A. Liesegang. who seems to have 
something in him; the playing was good for the first 
concert. The Concerto was rather thin, the young lady 
being not yet a virtuoso. The audience was small, but 
I hope they'll try it again. Meanwhile I remain 

Dbk Fbbtschuktx. 



JfangKs Itnirnal rf Slnsk 



BOSTON. FEB. 17. 1877. 



Concertii 

Harvard Musical AssociATioir. It is safe to saj, 
that not hair a dozen finer concerts of orchestral 
music have been heard at any time in Boston, than 
the sixth Symphony Concert, which occurred on 
Thursday afternoon, Feb. 1. The andience was 
larger than usual, and the satisfaction universal. 
This was owing partly to the happy construction of 
the programme ; partly to the excellent manner in 
which nearly every number of it was performed ; and 
partly to the fresh attraction of a peculiarly inter- 
esting singer. So far, then, as It concerns the in- 
strnraental pieces, it is enough simply to record the 
programme with little or no special comment. 

Overture to "Medea" Bsrglel 

Recit. : " Ab«cheu1icher I wo ellst dn hin? " Aria: 
(Adagio) ** Komm Hoffnnng," ( Allecro) " Ich 
folg* dem innem Triebe,** from " Fidelto,*' 

Beethoven 
Miss Nlta (laStano. 
Symphony, in A major (" Italian,**) No. 4, 

Mendelssohn 
Allegro vivace— Andante— Menuetto->8altarello. 

Aria and Oigue, from the Orchestral Suite In D. 

J. S. Bach 
Songs, with Pianoforte :~ 

a. "Osni Pena" Pertrolese 

b. ** Barcarolle *' .....Gordleianl 

e. « Au Printempd *' Oounod 

Miss Nlta OaCtsno. 
Overture to *< Leonorr," No. 8, in C Beethoven 

BargieVs Miedsa Overture Is one of the best prod- 
ucts of the modern school, and it improves on repe- 
tition. The theme Is tragical and sombre, to be 
sure ; but the work Is not monotonous, and in the 
development has not a few strong points of iuterest, 
as well as complete artistic unity. The genial grace 
and sunshine of the *' Italian " Symphony was in 
welcome contrast, and we know not when we have 
heard It more delicately or appreciatively repro- 
duced. The exquisite beauty and the sweet, deep 
tender feeling of the Aria by Bach were not at all 
dulled by familiarity. The Oiffiie, which was given 
instead of the usnal OavoUe, has much of the same 
hearty, sturdy jollity ; but this, we own. did suffer 
somewhat in the execution ; more rehearsal would 
have made it clearer. And what could have ended 
such a oonoert wtth the certainty of holding every 
listener to the last chord, but the great Lt(mor€ Ov- 
erture ? The only want felt in the bringing out was 
of a much greater mass of strings for the immense 
cmeendo near the dose. 

Miss NiTA Gara!io, if not quite equal to the in- 
spired and thrilling passion of the great Aria In 



Fiddio, being alike in Toice and style and nature of 
a gentler character, and losing confidence a little at 
the start, nevertheless showed a true conception of 
the task, and sang it artistically, with a fine senti- 
ment and faultless taste. For she has a lovely 
voice, of very sympathetic quality, rich and evenly 
developed, trained in the best pchool ; her execu- 
tion is exquisitely finished and refined In the b^st 
sense, free from every affectation. And the good 
impression is helped by the quiet, aerious, modest 
manner, which is as much a part of her as her own 
rich Southern beauty. It is not at all a "stage 
manner," but that of the drawing room and home of 
true refinement. Strength was the main thinjr 
wsntin«r ; feeling, expression, taste were there, and 
every tone was pnre and sweet and musical. But 
in those pas8a<res where the voice rushes upward to 
a thrilling climax, the ear sometimes lost the inter- 
mediate notes before the splendid tone was reached. 
To be sure, the orchestra Is very full here, and it 
could hardly be more subdued than it was and yet 
be what Beethoven meant. The choice of such an 
aria certainly did honor to the artistic aspfratlon of 
the singer. — But what was wanting here was more 
than made good In the songs she sang with the in- 
irpiring accompaniment of Mr. Drkskl. Here she was 
in her element and Mng with a charming freedom 
and with fervor. The group was chan<r<^d some- 
what ; the song by Porgolese was dropped out. and 
she began with the graceful Barcarolle by Qordtgi- 
ani ; then the " An Printerops " by Qounod ; and 
for a third, another Barcarolle, or rather Gondo- 
lier's song, by Meyerbeer, a quaint and subtle 
blending of sentiment and humor. The applause 
was more and more enthusiastic after each little 
piece, and finally she was obliged to reappear and 
sing again the song by Gounod. 

So general was the desire to hear Miss OaStano once 
mors before her return to England, that Mts4 Fanny 
Kellogg obligingly made place for her last Thursday, 
postponing her own appearance till the next (eighth) con- 
cert, Mareh l,for which the programme is as follows: 

Part I. Overture to *1phigenia in Anils,'* Ohiek ; 
Recit. and Aria, with rhom^ of Prieatrsses. frtmi 
Oluek't ("IphlgenUIn Tauris" CMIwi Fahky Kkl- 
i/>oo): Rvmphony No. 8 In F. B^Hhovn —Part II. 
Fem>i1e ChornA, In three parts, with Orchestra, from 
CkenMnV» •• Blanche de Provence.'* (pnnlls of Mme. 
RnoBRsnoRFP) : Piano Concerto In G minor. 8*fini' 
SaltnM, (B.J. Laho): Soncn, Mim Krlumo; Over- 
ture to *• Fidelio," in E, No. 4. Reetkcven. 

Sbkrwood RiorrALS. Tlie fourth (Feb. 2) had the 
most interesting programme so fir, namely : 

Concerto, C minor, for two pianos and atring in- 
struments J- S. Bach 

Mrs and Mr. Sherwood, and Messrs. Bemhard 

Listemann, F. Listemann, Ad. Bds and 

Ad. Hartdegen, 

Of the Boston Philharmonic Club. 

Four Songs Bdv.Orieg 

Miss Jnlle W. Thornton. 

** Kreutzer" Sonata, for piano and violin. Op. 47, 

Beethoven 
Mr. Sherwood and Mr. B. Listemann. 
«. Imoromptu. F minor. Op. i42. No. 4 • . . • Schubert 
ft. " Kassandra," Op. 44. No. 1 (moln Buhle war er ! 

nnd er hst mlch lehr gelleht) A. Jensen 

e. Stude, F sharp major. Op. I , No. 1.. .Carl Tausig 

Mrs, Sherwood. 
Song. Selected. 

Miss Thornton. 
«. Sonata, F m^nor (arr. by Tausig) Allegro 

vlvarlsslmo Scartatti 

b, Hoctume, C minor, Op. 48 Chopin 

Mr. Sherwood. 

Quintet, E flat maior. Op. 44 Robert Schumann 

Mrs. Sherwood, and Messrs. LIstemanu, etc. 

The Bach Concerto, a cheerful, wholesome, every- 
day sort of composition (but Baek*» every day is 
somethini^ finer than a common mortars or musi- 
cian's best),— a work full of vigor and of life, the 
best of tonics at the beginning of a feast, was bril- 
liantly and clearly executed, although we felt some 
lack of poetic sentiment and shading in the alow 
middle rdovement. The two movements of the 
"Kreutzer" Sonata were superbly played, espec- 
ially the contrasted Tariations of the Adagio. Of 
Mrs. SanwooD*s group of pianoforte aoloa the 
Schubert Impromptu was incomparably the most in- 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, FEB. 17, 1877. 



391 



tar»t)n£;, and wm pUjed with a plqnancj tnd 
gnice qoita cnptivallnj. The "KuMndra" piece 
(whilever Ihe nanie may mean) seemed to be a piu- 

late lament of lore bereft, of irboee merit we are 
not prepared to judm. It was exprpssivelj ren- 
dered. The Elude by Tausig, a turbulent and rap- 

ptream of crowded and itranga liarraoniea, ap- 
peared to have no motire for lU eiletcnca but the 
heaping Dp i>r dlfficultlea. which reHly the ladf ov- 

ame with thoroughness and a auflieient i.ho« of 

e to make it not sreni painful. Ur. Shkrwoou's 
•oloa, particularly llial fine Kiwturn* by Chopin, 
were ainonE lila liippirat iuterpretuliune. Uut t)ie 
great feature iiftiie gimgramme — pity ariiy that It 
oanie ao late (the cuncerl was too liinic) — was (he 
Schnoiann Qxintet, an Inspired creation from llie 
beginning to tiie end. In hi-r rvndvrini; of tlila 
Urs. SherwiHid placed herreirin lier beat ilglit as a 
competent and conscienlions artist: It was spirited 
and effeulive lhrou|;huut. with good lislit and shade : 
and tiint the stringa did well their part may pus 
without saying. 

UisaTHOBitTo:! has a clear and pleasing voice, of 
,q;oodpoKer; but her singing was crurle, and with- 
out lile or particnliir eipresslon ; nor were the B«n(j» 
Miected of much iuterett in tliemselves.-LThe fifth 
and laat Bedlal will be oa the S3d of this month. 

Form Cldb. Choral loclellea. orc1nba,of mined 
Toices, tin recan tly so rare, are gettinfc to be tin- 
order of thg day. But the Foster Ciub \a older than 
■t of them, only it has conrled the sliade. The 
t concert of lU ninth season, befiire Invited 
friends, tiwb place It Hechanica Hall on Friday 
•Tcning, Feb. t. Adhering to lla chusen specialty, 
that of studying and bringing out new muaic, it hud 
fur the main features of the programme the Thir- 
ith Psalm by Lisit, and a setting of " John Gll- 
,' the whole poem, as * Canl«ta for Solas and 
Chorus, by Tbomaa Anderton, besides a sprinkling 
of part-songs and aolos also new lo moat of us. 

The Psalm bj Llsit. opening with tbe Tenor aolo 
(finely ssug by Dr. LaksmiUd) is a characteristical- 
ly strange and overstrained production. The an- 
guish and tba agony out of which it cries: " Lord, 
fiir how lung wilt thou forget me,' la more dlttreu- 
tul, more intense, than Maalo ever dreamed of when 
ahe, heavenly Maid, was youog ; this is turning the 
"jrnustit SeAnuTMii" into '• Liidtr' with a ven- 
geance, aegravaling every pang. There are some 
grand and brilliant paxaagci, however; particular- 
^ thoae clear, brh;lit S'lprano btrmonic* (remind- 
ing you of the " Holy, holy ' in Elijoh) near the be- 
ginning 1 and It ends more cheerfully with song of 
praiacL But as a whole the work impreasod us ■■ 
dlajulnted, wilful, forced, and fatlgulngly lung. 

As for ths English setting' of " Johu Uilpin,' it is 
a long piece of musical rendy writing, wiili very 
few signa of real musical iris comiea, tliuuKli It has 
■ome graceful and effective Dumbers. Tliti humor 
seemed Lu tie entirely In the words ; it neeiled a fel- 
low like Koasinl to belter tbem by musiu. Theung- 
Inic of the chorus was tiirougliout excellent, reflect- 
ing credit on the conducttirablu of Mr. O. E Wbit- 
t SI. The aolua, lou. by Urs. K. F. Knowlis, Ulas 
1t< Wkuii, Mr. Ciaus Bkioeam and Dr. E. C. Bui. 
LAan, were all well given. Indeed the cbural work 
throughout the evening was of a superior order ; 
attbongh tlia body oT sopranos sounded * little 
faarah in comparison with those of the Cecilia, nor 
was tbe chorus large enough for the full effect of 
the LisM P>alin. 

The part-aongs were: "We roam and rule Ihe 
Sea," by Henry Leslie, and " Wlieu handa ineel.'' 
by Pinsutl.— bolh nicety sung, the latter encored. 
" Guinevere," a Contralto song, by Arthur Sullivan, 
waa given with Intelligent eiprmslon by a yiiung 
lady wilh a clear and (ellin^ voice, Mlsa Fuiaaari 
HoUlia; and Ur. Langmaid aaug "Stars of the 
Summer Kight," by Bertbuld Tours, in a very taste- 
fill manner. 

Sakdcbs Taciktftii. CAM«Bii>ai. The fourth sub- 
Bcription concert (Feb. S) proved the most attractive 
of the season, jod)ring from the very few seats uu- 
occapled. and the pi'i);(ramme was of the bent. It 
began with the p utbuiaoun Quartet by Schubert, in 



D minor, of which only the dirge-like reennd move- 
ment {ATtdanlt ton taoto), with its fine variations, 
had become tn any degree familiar here. But tbe 
first AUegto. and '".he Schtno. and the /Vfsto, too, 
are full of fire ind beauty and of the Imaeinatlve 
quality ; so that the whole work la one of Schubert's 
best, while far less than most of them It is open to 
the charge of prollxitv. It was exqulsilelj ren- 
dered by the brothers Listemani) and Meurs. Bela 
and Harldegrn. Next came a Mendelssohn part- 
Bone for male voices: "Waken, lorls and ladies 
gay," from Walter Scott, sunic with spirit and pre- 
el'inn under the direction of Mr. G. L. Oi^rood. 
This was followed by a Vlolono-llo («>lo, a aweet 
csnUbile meto<ly, by Huher. in which Mr Hartde- 
gen diitinE^uhihed himself by the remarkable rich- 
ness, purity and sym pathetic, searching quality of 
hia tone, as well aa by iiis tasteful and expressive 
piiraslngi we hove few such maslera of this emi- 
nently human instrument, which ws alwaya prefer 
tn hear in its own native character, and not when 
scramblintc throngli diliirnllies in imilatton of less 
noble Inatrumeiita. Oade's " WaU'r Lily." ■ part- 
sung for mixed voices, exhlbiled Mr. Odgood'a choir 
(of shout a hundred) in Ihe best lieht We never 
heard so large a body of tone so fresh and aweet nnd 
pure, without the least perceptible alloy ; and nev- 
er belter blending, finer shading, or more Hne-feit 
Individualiiatiun. yet perfect Interweaving, of th( 
piria; truly our Cecilia muat lonfc to her IsureUl 

Tbe great Schumann Qiiinl*t. in E flat, of which 
we have just before had occasion to apenh, I 
duced Mine. Madeline Schiller, with the Llotei 
party. Her execution was most brilliant, surpass- 
ing in the Sehtrto anything that we have heard ; 
mure sure and finished technique one could hardly 
wish ; and yet of the poetic, vital quality wo have 
heard more from some whose fingers were less equal 
to IL There were moreover now and then aceeler- 
Blions and retardations, to which no amount of bril- 
liancy or fluency can altosether reconcile na, Even 
more of this wa Felt In iier otherwise extremely 
beauiiful performance of the Chopin Polonaise in E- 
flat (Op. S!) : why Polonaise, why any dance at all, 
If rhythm is lo know no law? 

The remainder of the programme consisted of 
part-songs: vlx,. a "Ni^ht Song" by Fran a, for 
male Quartet and chorns. in which Mr. Ow>od's 
owd voice told with remsrkablc effect ; " Birdling," 
by Rubinsttin, a two-part chorus lor Soprano mid 
Contralto voices, with String qusriet and imitative 
flute obligato, a very bright and pleasing piece; 
and. for conclusion of the whole, Mendelssohn's 
" Early Sprlnc;," fi>r mixed voices. Thla was the 
first public effort of the new chorus, and seemed 
very like the germ of a fair fblure. 

Dixr Recitals. One element of no small Inter 

est, for years but little represented in our mu^ic. 
has reappeared among ns lately in the person of 
Mr. Aptoiimab, one of the most gifted and accom- 
plished harpists living, nnd who still aiserta all his 
old mastery over this difficult and now rare Instru- 
ment. He Is a Welshman, who seema born lo this 
art, snd he does wonders wilh it. His execution, 
ns well as his ran;re of auhjecla. seams unbounded ; 
wllnena the following programme, one of three, 
wliicb he performed a few werks sincein a series of 
mHtln^es In Mason and Uanillu's Or^an Wa.e 

Prelude. Mlsfrllsneoiis 

Moonllebt Sonata Beethoven 

A dae ID— Alleireiio— Trlo^PreaCa— A Eltaia. 

EDtfilsh MeJoaies: "Ttie Bailiri Dnuehler of lo- 

llnRtan." "The Curir-Hmicd Plough-Bar," 

"Come Lassn and Lads," "The Sailor's 

ttomplpe,'' and '-.Tack's the Lad." Apcomniu 

La BoDice, (Uaiceaa Csracleilillque) Hliimenlhil 

Grand ruusla on Ttaemea from Montacchl e 
CspulettI Alv«rs 

a. Soii|^ witboui: Wordi, (Dtiet and Spring Sons^ 

h. Harmon Ions Blscksmlth Handel 

Soundafiom Home. Aptommai 

■'Codlad jr Hiinl." "Rhrfelgyrch Owyr Har- 
lech," " AbSbenkln." 
His preluding was wonderlully clever. It was a 
bold noilertaking ti) play the "Moonlight Sonata" 
on the harp; but he did it. accoratrly and com- 
pli-tely. though the work of course lost much by the 
transcription. The Adagio sulTered pai ticularly, 
sounding in parts feeble and eoofnsed, while there 
lei'med to be a practical difficulty in rendering the 
pointed notes. The middle movement came out 
wilh a clearnesa which we had not thought possi 
ble, and so did purtluna of tlie very swift Snala. 
But what proved to ua most freah. and sdemed most 
in the character of the ioatrument. waa the medley 
of old English melodies. He played other Sonata* 
in the following rcciuls. 



Mb Eanr Pbbabo gave an extra Chamber Con- 
cert (the fourth of hla eleventh season) in Wesleyan 
Hall, on Friday afternoon, Feb. B. The room ' 
crowded to a degree more flattering to the art- 
ist than comfortable to hia audience. Tba pro- 
gramme bad Ihe nsunl fault of extreme length, ag- 
gravated by ihs strain It costs to hear rightly, and 
with endeavor to appreciate, so many new tb'nga 
in immediate auccestion. We think ths generous 
ardor uf the interpreter carries bim a little too 
In this direction, defeating Its own end. He would 
be hospitable lo new eomposenii he would gratify 
our natural cnrlosity about their works. Exeallant 
motives both ; but a whole concert full of new an 
by no means simple things becomes a surfeit to tl 
passiire listener, while it seems short enough to tba 
performer In the actual work and glow of reproduo- 

Mr. Perabo's programme this time Included Pre- 
ludes and Fngiies, N.«, SI and 8, Book I. Bach ; 
Larghelto and Scberio. for piano, violin, and 'cello, 
op. 80 (new), J. K, Paine ; Berceuse, op. 60. No. 6, 
Rubinatein, arranged for strings; Trio. No. *. for 
piano, violin and 'cello, op. 168, Raff (first time) ; 
Postbnmons quartet movement (Allegro assal) In Q 
minnr. Schubort; Concerto In E-flat, for horn, the 
orchestral Kcore condensed Into a piano accompani- 
ment by Carl Reineche : Adagio, for piano and 'cel- 
lo, hyBargiel: Allegro Appassionato, for piano and 
'cello, by Salnt-Snifls fbolh new), and RonJo Bril- 
lani . for pisno and violin, op 70, Schubert. 

The Bach Prelndes and Fugum were clearly a 
beaotif ully played, tho Fuzue In E minor with great 
feeling. Mr. Psinc's two trio movements were gen- 
ial, refined and Intoresllng. and finely played with 
Mr. Lislemann and Mr. Hsrtdegen. The siring 
quartet arrangement of Rubinstein's Bttet'Oe sound- 
ed Ftrangelv out of tune. 

The new Trio by Raff intareaUd us ao much that 
we should like to hear it again : except perhiips tba 
ImtMtnous Finale which seemed loo full of " sound 
and fury." But the third movement (Andante quasi 
Larghetto) had depth and tenderness; only the 
conclusion seemed oeedlessiy held back. All the 
performsncea were admiralile. But the most inter- 
1- - ijj^j. j,^, yg[ lo come, and just here, by an 
■-'-'" ■ 'iged to leave. 



in welcome fatality, we wero oblige 



Huaic !■ Salin, Mass. Ren are the programme* of 
same concerts given thla winter at the Essex Inalltole. 
Tbe MendelisobD QuinUcu Club opened tbe aerlca oi 
Monday evenlDf , Nov. 71. as follows : 

1. QulntatlnC,On-l«a 



. DansBMacabre 

, ranlaiaeFoIonslseCCello) 

Rudolph Hennlg. 



Ldaglo troi 
'loltn Sulo 



S. VloitnSuIo: "\*t 



WDIlam Sc but tie. 



The*econdoon«rt(Deo. IB) washy tbe Cecilia Qoar- 
ette <lllss Alible Wblnnery, Un. J. W. Weslon. Hrs. 1. 
I, Long and Urs. H. E. Sawirer). with Mr. A. W. root* 
orpianlsli and this tbe proKramme: 
1. QnarleE-" Ave Uarla." 
t. Song— "Tlie Carrier Dove." 
. 1, ....... „""■ Sawyer. 

a. Duet—" As It fell upon ailav." Blaha 

^ „_ MtsaWhlnnEIV and hr.. Long. 

i Piano Solo-Fifth Kungarlan Rhapsadv....Llsi 

6. Quartet-" The Flowers' Lullabj.''^ ' 

8, BfDc-" SancM Maria," Faoi 

I. Trio-" Paalmol Ufa." 

piannsoio*. {?; £SJ3?1^W«;:"-) [ <^«I" 

Q .,„ ...... ^binstel 



a Whtone 



. Song. 

. Quanat-'i La Zingarei 

, Bong— " Absence,' r a. 

krs. Long. 
. Qnartet—" To Spoiled Bnakas." 
a tbe third concert, Jan. B, Ur. B. J, Lang 
. ULsa Grace Bampson. appeared a* pianist 
a. Oosa, aoprano, as vocalist, In tbese sele< 
, Variations for two Pianoforte*. (Op. 
, Ave Harla 



SSi™... 



(Andanle— Alli^io' Bctai 



(Op. Ml... 



392 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OP MUSIC. 



Tbe fourth concert (Jan. 22) was made up by Miss 
Clara L. Emlllo, Mr. Geo. W. Sumner, and Messrs. Au- 
gust and Wulf Fries : 

1. Trio in Oroajor Haydn 

An Jante—Adag!o— Rondo all'Dngarese 
(I^resto). 

2. "Sojmal." Schira 

8. Violin Solos Joachim Raff 

Cavatina and Tarantella, (Op. 86, Nos. 3 
snd 6.) 

4. Piano Solos, a. Study in C major on false notes, 

Rubinstein 
*. " Dn bist die Rnh." Schubert-Liszt 

5. " Orpheus with his Lute." Arthur Sullivan 

8. Polonaise in C major, for 'Cello and Piano. 

(Op. 3) Chopin 

7. a—" Tre (riomi son che Nina," Perp^>Iese 

fc— "Du hist wie elne Blnme," Rubinstein 

n. Trio in D minor, (Op. 49) Mendelssohn 

Scherxn— Andnnte con moto tra-iquIUo. 
Finale, allegro appasslonata. 



New York. The 7Hftiin«, Feb. 10, speaks of the close 
of the Kellogf; Opem season : 

The three weeks* season of English opera at the Acad- 
emy of Music comes to a close to-day. '* MIkuou ** was 
represented last ni^rht for the beneflt of Miss Kellofrg. 
and the prima dnnna made her reappearance on that 
occasion after the brief illness which has lately kept her 
in retirement. She personated the title r61e after her us- 
ual eifectlTe manner, overacting it, as we think, in sev- 
eral scenes, and making the mental aberrations of Miff- 
non unpleasantly and unnecessarily prominent. There 
can be no doubt, however, that her voice is well suited 
in the light, graceful, and sentimental music of the 
French composer, nor. considering the care and intelli- 
gence which she has bestowed upon the part, can we 
wonder that she ha« made this opera one of the most 
popular In her repertory. Site was well seconded last 
night by Mr. Maas as WiUulm and indilferenilV support- 
ed by the Fttina of Mrs. Rosewsld, while the pretty char- 
acter of Fredfriekt so often intrusted to an Incompetent 
performer, was charmlnGrly rendered by Mrs. Seguln. 
The Lothario was Mr. Henry Peakes. The house was 

full, nnd «o a singularly successnil season comes to an 
appronrinte end. The popularity of English opera in 
New York hsu been strikln?1v cohflrmed bv th<» recent 
ventures of the Hess and Ke11o?g company ,'and it seems 
now to have reached a point where the mannger mny be 
expected to show a icesl for artistic and thorough per- 
formances and the critic may be expected to be some 
what exacting. 

By the same paper we learn, that: 

The second appearance of Miss Emma Abbott In this 
country since her return from Europe was made at 
Chiekerlng Hall last evening, before an audience which 
in point both of numbers and sympathy was all that 
oould be desired. So much has been written of late 
about both the business and domestic difficulties of Miss 
Ablmtt, of her marriage, and the unfortunate connection 
which she had with London managers, that public curi- 
osity was widely awakened, and a desire was felt on all 
sides to know whether she was really all that her friends 
have claimed for her, and whether she would prove to 
be the representatire American prima donna that we 
had l)een led to expect. It must be confessed that we 
have experienced some feeling of disappointment in 
hearing her. Miss Abbott has naturally a good voice- 
not liy any means a phenomenal one, elthe in point of 
quality or volume or range— but one of those useful, re- 
liable soprano voices, of which we already have several 
in the city. It is fairly flexible, light but generally 
agreeable In quality, but In the upper register there Is 
an edge which grates very unpleasantly on the ear, and 
It is eseentially metallic. In matter of cultivation. Miss 
Abbott seems to have been well taught, yet she has un- 
pleasant tricks, such as ** pumping " the voice on partic- 
ular notes, and an excessive nse of diminuendo effects, 
and her runs are of ten slovenly. She has intelligence^ 
howerer, and sings with taste and feeling, and her work 

is almost always careAilly done. But she Is not great in 
any way, and ft Is not to be wondered at that she met 
with no greater nuccess in England than she did. If she 
pursues her career, she will in all probability remain a 
useful and respectable concert sincer; we doubt if she 
ever will become anything more than this. Miss Abbott 
sang last night an aria from Qomex's opera. *'Ouarany.** 
the romance *' Nnn conosci.'* from '* Mignon,** and Ar- 
diti*s duet, '< A Night In Youice.** with Brignoll. The 
last of the three was altogether the best. Miss Abbo't 
has the assistance of Signors Rrignoll and Ferranti, 
who were good as usual, of Mr. W. R. Case, a promising 
pianist from Paris, and of Emil Seifert, a violinist who 
did not impress us at all favorably. The troupe as a 
whole is a strong one. There was an orchestra, conduct- 
ed by Max Mareizek, and it was very poor. 



Philadblpftia. The third classical soiree of Mr. 
Charles H. Jarvis took place on Saturday evening last, 
and the flne programme presented was attentively lis- 
tened toby an appreciative audience. The Beethoven 
trio in B Hat for piano, clarinet and *ceIlo. was given 
in a spirited manner, the clarinet playing of Mr. W. H. 



Scheider lieing unexceptionable. Mr. Engelke played a 
*celIo solo by Ernst, and. unhappily, on account of the 
band music at the meeting on Broad street, could not be 
heard very distinctly. Tbe event of the evening was the 
Weber sonata in C, for pisno, which was rendered per- 
fectly by Mr. Jarvis. Tbe immense difficulties of this 
work seemed but to call forth his varied resources, and 
the last movement, generally called the " perpetual." 

was so resolutely played, and with such electric precis- 
ion, that it carried the audience away with enthusiasm. 
The two Lisst solos were as successfully conquered, 
while, in bin Interpretation of the Chopin numbers, he 
had the subtle sentiment and delicate touch so much 
needed in the works of that composer. The concert 
closed with a novel duo for two pianos by St. Salens, be- 
ing variations on a theme (the trio of the Menuetto, Op. 
31. No. 3) by Beethoven, and was effectively rendered bv 
Messrs. Jarvis and Warner. February 24 w the date of 
the next soirto.— ihi/^Mn, Jan. 29. 



l!c his book upon America. Off enbach says that "while 
on nil sides intelligence and labor have produced won- 
ders. It is sad to notice that America has neglected to 
cultivate those arts which charm the mind." The aad- 
ness with which the m>u1 of Offenbach is clouded as he 
contemplates our neglect of those arts which charm the 
mind is of a kind calculated to All Americans not only 
with sympathy but with deep remorse. When we reflect 
how much Offenbach has done to encourage in us a love 
for art by sending us musical jimcraekery, by occupjrlng 
our stage with oltscene dramas, and by securing as inter- 
preters of them women with insufficient clothing, 
cracked voices and no morals, we can hardly be sur- 
prised at his reproaches. No wonder hfs ereat heart is 
fl'led with pain, and it will be no wonder if he •hall turn 
from the melnnrholy sp«wtscle of a people losthing art, 
and find relief from 'his feelings in writing out another 
onera in which adultery will be adorned with musical 
fireworks and sin will hop about to the fantastic screech 
of fiddles. -i%<2a</f/pAla BulUUn. 

» <•» « 



A Good Orchestra for Boston. 

Mr. Hassard is out in the New York TVfftims with a 
suggestion. Since Strakosch's opera house has proved 
what he calls the ** bursting of the enormous bubble 
blown by the most prismatic of managers *- he would 
suggest the building of a music hall for Theodore Thom- 
as. It is perfectly true, as be says, that New York capi- 
talists can comprehend the value of painting or statuary, 
or see the beneficence of founding free libraries ; but the 
place which music ough t to hold hss not been yielded to 
it. It is perfectly certain that It is a calamitous state of 
affairs which allows one of the first orchestras in the 
world, built up by fifteen years of hsrd work, to be dis- 
banded for want of ** a room to play in,'* and it Is like- 
wise time that the great public appreciated what Mr. 
Tbomas has done for general musical culture. If the 
capitalists can be made to see these two points, perhaps 
they wi:i compensate for the loss of the Central Park 
Oarden by providing some support for the orchestra 
which shall be more stable than purchasing tickets to a 
few symphony concerts. So much for New York. Now 
as to our own city. It is no more than proper to say t^a^ 
we need a first-class orchestra as well as Gotham. There 
has been an honest endeavor. It would seem, on the part 
of the orchestra at the Harvard Symphony concerts this 
year, to provide us with the desideratum so far as they 
were able. They utter no new cry when they ask for lib- 
eral patronafte. So far as we have learned, they have 
not asked for a garden to sell beer or to give the people 
a chance to promenade, but for a hearty co-operation on 
the part of the public. There seem yet to be several 
things needful to complete the desired end. In the first 
place our recognised artists, such as the Philharmonic 
Club or the Mendelssohn Quintette, ought always to fill 

a place in the ranks; no jpains should be spared to have 
them arrange their outside trips so as not to interfere 
with playing at every Boston symphony concert. Then 
there ought to be some scheme aev'sed by which we 
could have more than one musician of a kind in town. 
If, as at a recent concert, the first oboe man should be 
taken ill again, there ought to be some one readv to take 
his place, without resorting to such lame exvedlents as 
the necessities of the case nave often enforced. As to 
thorough rehearsals, we have no doubt that they are now 
the order of the day; but there ought certainly to be 
something like a dictatorial will in conducting them, 
irrespectire of manifold suggestions from the less-in- 
formed. Then there should lie a most ready desire to 
please the public and to satisfy their demands so far as 
a generous ninpatby goes. And further, said public 
should exercise a lenient charity rather than proflter a 
critical coldness. In this everybody Is concerned. To 
provide instrumentalists snd mnke it worth their while 
to stay here, is something about which the moneyed part 
of the population should be consulted. These things 
have perhaps been said a hundred times, but the hun- 
dred-and-first may show the importunity with which it Is 
hoped the matter will be urged till we are better off mu- 
sically than we are now: till we have as good and as 
large a force of orchestral as of piano players, and till 
we shall gain what New York lacks— the sympathy of the 
people of meana, and acquire what she alreaidy has— the 
sympathy of the people with their own orchestra.— 



Sperial 'Bntitts. 



DESCRIPTIVE LIST OF THE 

Ta A, rr :b Q T XbOrTTszo 

P«bllali«»4 l»T Oliver 1»lta«a dk €•• 

• * «»» * 



Tooal, with Piano Aoeompanimant. 
The Message to Heaven. G. 4. b to E. 

TOUTB, 40 
" So I whispered, very sof tlv. 
Little Sky-lark, when you flr,— " 
A sweet, touching child's tong, of the right 
pitch for an Alto voice. 

Summer Friends. C. 4. ctoE. PinguU, 85 

•* Ye swallows eay, I love you not, 
Y«» are hut *nmifner f rienda." 
Something like the German " Ye merry birds,*' 
and will please the lovers of that song. 

Hark I how sweet the thrushes sing. E. 4. 

E to E. Mchberg. 80 
" Summer's glorv Is begun. 
Beautv. beautv hold« the world f " 
A gem. Words by Celia Thaxter. 

Wliat we have loved, we love forever. F. S. 

c to D. PinmUL 85 

" It dwells with the tears of darker days, 
But fills all the past with a golden hsie." 

Boantlful throughout. Words ttom "The Af- 
terglow." 

The First, tbe Early Love. (Was du znerst 

ireliebt). F sharp. 4. f (bass staff) 

to d. Bartseh. 80 

" Doch, nimmermehr vergehtdas 8ch9ne.,* 
*• It ne'er will pass away;" 

A very ^'worthy'* bass song^ of rich sentiment. 
Kick him when he*s down. Sg and Clio. 

F. 3. d to E. Elmwood, 85 

•• They |rn for him, eo for hfm. c^'rtain." 
"What's the use of i eing moral or honest." 
Capital comic song, almost too true to be funny. 

When gentle Winds. Duet F. 3. c to F. 

SchumaniL 85 
" Aealn we breathe the evening gale. 
And list the song-birds In the vale." 
New and musical duets are not plenty. This la 
surely one. 

A Kiss for a Soncr. SgandCho. F. 3. 

o to E. GianneUL 80 

*' If the kiss is not enongh. 
Yon esn give It back, yon know." 
Very graceful trifle, which will surely please. 

InstrameataL 

Beved' Amour. Yalse. C. 3. Lamothe, 76 

A waits, (not a set) of great beauty, f^m the 
now famous *' danoe" composer. 

Juliette Yalse. 8. Lamothe. 76 

A fine set of waltses (4) with introduetiou and 
Coda. 

On Mountain High. 8. WeiMenbam, 60 

Gracefully brilliant set of (61 waltjses. The 
title is sometimes varied to '< On High Mountaina." 

Good-Night, my Only Child. Transcr. Op. 

281. Eb. 4. Jun(fmann. 80 

Opus 281 shows that ' ' Jungmann" is a *• Yonng- 
msnn " no longer. But his music loses nothing of 
iu grace and beauty. 

Phantom Dance. Moroean de Salon. C. 

minor. 4. O, D. WiUon, 50 

Fantastically beautiful. 



Secret Love. Gavotte. G. 4. 



Bueh. 86 



A hearty, bmsqne sort of danoe, whieh Is venr 
inspiriting. 

With Chime and Song. Concert Polonaise. 

£. 4. Bohm. eo 

Very wide-awake polonaise, which should draw 
applause from an audience. 

Reminiscences of Philadelphia Waltz. C. 

3. Hardee, 40 

Very pleasing memories, if this agreeable moaio 
interprets them. 

Awaking of the Lion. (Le Beveil du Lion). 
Caprice Henrique. For four hands. 
D&. 4. deKanML 1.26 

A celebrated piece, now rendered more power- 
ful by the four-hand arrangement. Good practice 
and grand exhibition piece. 



Abbrkviatioks.— Degrees of difficulty are marked 
from 1 to 7. The key Is denoted by a capital letter, as G, 
B6, etc. A large Roman letter marks the lowest and the 
highest note if on the staff, small Roman letters if be- 
low or above the staff.- Thus: '' C. 6, c to B" means 
** Key of C, Fifth degree, lowest letter, c on the added 
line oelow, highest letter, B on the 4th space. 




toighfs 




nxul 





Wholts :N"o. 936. B0ST0:N", SATURDAY, MARCH 3, 1877. Vol. XXXYI. No. 24. 



Translated for thU Journal. 

Olnck's Orertore to ** Iphigenia in 

Aiili&" 

(Letter from RrcRARD Wagnkr to the Editor of the 
" Neae Zeitachrif t fttr Mnsik/* Leipzifr* June. IBM.) 

(Concluded from Pap^e 386.) 

Th«t Glnck ^ave no conclusion to this Over- 
tnre, is evidence not only of a poetic purpose 
lyin^ at tlie foundiition of it, but also of the 
hiffheBt artistic wisdom of the master, which 
knew precisely that which only can be repre- 
sented throup^h an instrumental piece. Fortu- 
nately for his purpose he had no need to require 
anything: else from his Overture, but just what 
every Overture at best can only give: incite- 
ment. Had he, like later masters, wished to 
round off the introductory piece to a satisfac- 
tory conclusion, it would have led him away 
from his hij^her artistic end, which lay in the 
drama: and moreover, the instrumental piece 
itself could only be brought to such a presump 
tive conclusion by the imposition of most 
arbitrary claims upon the imagination of the 
hearer. 

Now one who undertakes to furnish this ov- 
erture with the necessary musical conclusion 
for a concert performance by itself, is met, so 
soon as he rightly comprehends its subject- 
matter, by the difficulty of bringing about any 
satisfying close which will not, in view of the 
plan of the whole, as well as of the individual- 
ity of the motives, be forced and arbitrary, and 
prove altogether fatal to the right impression 
of the work. Shall one of the motives finally 
become so paramount, as to crowd out the oth- 
ers, or triumphantly subdue them f That were 
a very easy matter for all the Jubilee-Overture 
writers of our day; but I should have felt that 
thereby I had given my friend just no concep- 
tion of Gluck*s music, which was my only mo- 
tive in the undertaking. 

And so it suddenly occurred to me, as the 
best escape from the dilemma, that I would not 
attempt a conclusion in the sense of the cus- 
tomary overtures of to-day; but, by the final 
resumption of the very first (slow) motive, I 
would close the course of alternating motives 
in such a way, that we should reach at last a 
truce, if no full peace. Besides, what sublime 
Art work ever gives a full and comfortable 
peace f Is it not one of the noblest effects of 
all Art, simply to excite in the highest sen.se 7 

It was a very favorable circumstance for my 
undertaking, that the Overture actually leads 
back into that earliest motive with the first 
scene of the opera. Surely then I should do 
the least possible violence to pure musical fit- 
ness, by taking up the original thought, just 
as the master himself did, only bringing it to a 
simple conclusion in the tonic. 

* * * Perhaps this or that conductor of 
concert performances may share my view of an 
overture, which on account of its celebrity of- 
ten appears in programmes; perhaps too he 



will follow my advice in regard to' the tempo, 
which, conceived in my sense, — and, as I think 
I have shown, the right one — gives of itself the 
right clew for the rendering of the overture. 
I will only add, for any such sympathizers in 
my views, that, in the last performance in Zu- 
rich, I felt moved by an inward necessity, and 
for the satisfaction of my excited feeling for 
the subject, to take the first eight bars of the 
introduction in a fine and gradual ereseendo, and 
the eleven following bars, on the contrary, in 
an equally almost imperceptible deerescendo. 
Then in the f^rcat forte theme, after I had made 
the violinists execute the figures in sixteenths 
with as large a stroke of the bow a possible, I 
held to the expression marks here added for the 
tender passage: 

■♦— •- - f— "—^ i^^ ^"~*^ "■'*'*«^ f^ •^^ 

JDetc. 

by which means this motive seemed to me to 
preserve its peculiar charm, not possible in a 
rapid tempo. For the third theme, and the 
transition to it, I gave the following render- 
ing:— 

•^^ dim f)^^ — "'• '" -^ ^ 





Some further nuances in this sense, particu- 
larly in the connecting motives, suggest them- 
selves. The place toward the end, where I felt 
myself compelled to a momentary acceleration 
of the time, I have already referred to. The 
all-important matter, as to all these sugges- 
tions, is, that they be not executed in a sharp 
and glaring manner, but always with the 
greatest fineness; and so with all similar 
nuaneei, 

Tou see, my worthy friend, from this attempt 
at a performance of a Gluck overture in a con- 
cert hall, that I, who for the most part wish to 
know nothing of concerts, do know how to 
adapt myself to circumstances ; but that I do 
this out of no respect for the circumstances 
will become clear to you, if you consider the 
above account of what led me to perform the 

Iphigenia overture Perhaps you 

think it gives me satisfaction when people hold 
me a destroyer of our musical religion, and 
think they must cry me down for an audacious 
denier of the glories which the musical heroes 
of the past have created, — to feel that I punish 
them right sensibly, by being, to their shame, 



the first to teach them the right understanding 
of their own heroes and their works. But 
there you mistake my motive; so far from 
seeking to shame or teach these happy souls, I 
loathe the utter fruitlessness of such an under- 
taking, and I feel the greatest desire to shelter 
myself against every such imputation by here 
declaring openly and loudly that, in my view, 
the most rational course wottld he^ to perform noth- 
ing more of Oluek and his associates^ for the rea- 
son^ among others, that their creations are for the 
most part performed so lifelessly^ that their im- 
pression^ coupled with the respect ice have "been 
taught to feel for them from our youth up^ can 
only make us utterly eonfusedand rob us of our 
latest productivity, ***** 

Yours, 

RiCHABD WaOKER. 

Zurich, 17 June, 1854. 



-•-♦■ 



A Haydn UemoriaL 

(From the JTeut ZeiUehri/l/Or MuM.) 
(Concluded from Page 870.) 

In dwelling upon Haydn^s compositions, the 
biographer proceeds with as much warmth as 
justice. A penisal of his analysis of the first 
eighteen quartets will sufficiently convince the 
reader of this. As regards the early sympho- 
nies, the point of view from which he would 
have us consider them must meet with our ap- 
proval. He says : ** Inasmuch as it will always 
be a source of enjoyment to us to watch the 
development of genius, these symphonies, be- 
longing to Havdn*s first period.likewise afford 
ample material for serious reflection. Granted 
the objection, that their resuscitation would be 
of but little use as far as the general public is 
concerned, we cannot but regret that at least 
some of their number, which are worthy of a 
better fate, should have fallen victims to Time. 
For, apart from their unpretentious instrumen- 
tation, they have still in them sufficient vitali- 
ty to be able to interest and delight smaller 
circles; only it would \ye necessary to approach 
them in the right spirit, not forgetting that 
they were, in the first place, intended only for 
recreation at social gatherings, and for a very 
limited number of performers, for which rea- 
son their execution by a full orchestra of mod- 
ern pretensions wouM only cause them to swell 
at the expense of their natural proportions. It 
was the custom of the time to which they owe 
their origin to perform several of them on the 
same occasion ; they had, therefore, to be com- 
pact in form, and modest as regards the means 
employed. A quarter of an hour's duration, a 
double complement of violins, hautboys, and 
horns, were the normal conditions, which were 
rarely permitted to be exceeded. Nor did 
these compositions attempt to raise the expec- 
tations by striking effects, or to appear more 
important than they really were. It is an inter- 
estmg fact that symphonies by Haydn (proba- 
bly the slow movements only) have frequently 
been played at church in place of graduals, 
previous to the introduction, by his brother 
Michael, of vocal graduals . Thus in the musi- 
cal library of the Convent of G(5ttweih the 
orchestral parts of Haydn's Symphonies show 
the days marked on them on which such per- 
formances had taken place, either in the con- 
vent itself (in the crypt) or in neighboring 
churches. J3y this opportunity we also learn 
how frequent and manifold had been the culti- 



i*aa 



394 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



vation generally of these symphonies in Austri- 
an cloisters, where the lore of music formed, 
of old, an especial feature. Numerous indica- 
tions as to place or time of performances are 
recorded ; thus we read in teatro (in the thea- 
tre), adprandium (at breakfast), inhorto (in the 
earden), po»t eanam (after dinner), in re/ectario 
(in the dining-hall), in Begens-ckoTiatu (in the 
rooms of the choirmaster). Very remarkable 
appears to us the Trio from Haydn^s Eleventh 
Symphony — quoted on pa<?e 305 — in which the 
composer has apparently made use of an ori^d- 
nal Slavonic melody — a supposition which 
brings it into close relationship with not a few 
of Chopin's Mazurkas, which are likewise 
founded on similar subjects. Possibly never 
before have points of contact been traced be- 
tween these two composers; as shown, how- 
ever, by the example quoted on pages 805-306 
— which, notwithstanding the peculiar interest 
attaching to it, we have not space here to in- 
sert — they are to be met with, if only in rare 
instances." 

Upon Haydn's importance to art it is hardly 
possible to say much more that is new ; noth- 
ing, however, can be more to the point than 
the characteristic given us by Herr Pohl: 
^* Haydn's merits in relation to instrumental 
music are universally recognized. He has 
raised the crude forms from the primitive state 
in which be found them, giving them that firm 
basis from which alone further development 
was possible. The forms themselves have ex- 
panded under his bands, have become enriched 
oy fresh elements of vitality and expression ; 
from the Sonata he transplanted them into 
Quartet and Symphony, enlarging indefinitely 
the sphere of the orchestra by imparting to it 
greater depth of thought, and by assigning its 
due place to every instrument according to its 
character. Most justly, therefore, is he looked 
upon as the father, the true originator, of all 
instrumental music ; for no other composer of 
the past century has done so much for its prog- 
ress and development as he, who had been both 
a witness and a mediator in all the phages of 
modem musical history — from Bach to Oluck, 
Mozart and Beethoven. On the other hand, 
the fact that from the very beginning of bis 
career he had interwoven his works with healthy 
and simple (volksliedmftssig) melodies has im- 
parted to the creations of his genius that char- 
acter of unobtrusive, yet deep and intense, 
feeling which has, at the same time, stamped 
him as the most popular of composers. The 
leading features in Haydn's works are truth 
and unaffected simplicity. Hearing them, we 
breathe the fresh air of health and cheerful- 
ness. His artistic organization favored a bright, 
sunny display of poetic emotions, and his 
works, in consequence, are the expression of a 
cheerful, childlike mind, of an unssauming, 
complaisant self-contentedness(Behaglichkeit), 
which, however, if more immediately touched 
by a sense of the surrounding joys of life, may 
at any moment break forth into manifestations 
of the most sprightly humor. . According to 
Haydn's own admission, these musical droller- 
ies emanated from a distinct trait in his char- 
acter, and were owing formerly to an exuber- 
ance of health — 'one is seized by a certain 
waggishness which will not be subdued.' Be- 
cause of this never-failing source of humor, 
which he so well knew how to impart to his 
works, Haydn has often been called the Ger- 
man Sterne. Although in his later years this 
playfulness, this almost unbounded merriment 
preponderating in his earlier works, was kept 
more and more within its proper limits, this 
characteristic element in his music still sufficed, 
in the eyes of superficial observers, to make 
him appear little more than a musical jester. 
The comic element was not as yet recognized 
as having a legitimate place in music. Thus 
for a long time the Vienna professors of the art 
would not acknowledge Haydn as their equal, 
still less their superior, looking upon his hu- 
moristic style as an absolute fault, and serious- 
ly discussing the question whether the ignoring 
of established rules, so deliberately persisted in 



by the great ( omposer, could be at all tolerat- 
ed. They were unable to discover that below 
this play f ally-rippled surface there was an un- 
dercurrent of earnest thought which, at the 
right moment, would rush to the surface too, 
although in but rare cases it would lend itself 
to the expression of deep, genuine sorrow. 
Wit and humor (the latter, however, never de- 
generating into caprice) would still be upper- 
most, growing more refined, more manly, as it 
were ; and thus to the present day Haydn re- 
mains the greatest humorist in the realms of 
sound, he who, already greatly advanced in 
age, still knew how to preserve the freshness 
of yoiith, and to conquer our hearts by his 
naive kind-hearted cheerfulness, expressed by 
means the most simple and the most natural. 
It is impossible not to admire the moderation 
which guided his hand at all times, the wise 
economy he practised, in the whole ns well as 
in the detail of his works, and which invaria- 
bly taught bini to stop at the right time; for 
hazy and ambiguous passages were as distaste- 
ful to Haydn as aimless wandering or empty 
phraseology in masic. Finally, we may point 
out his never-ceasing flow of ideas, his fruitful 
iniagination, which constantly supplied him 
with new conceptions. Innumerable as are the 
compositions of the master, he has but very 
rarely repeated himself, while every one of his 
works bears the unmistakable stamp of his 
genius, and of his truly German spirit, in depth 
of feeling and richness of humor. 'Truly in 
Haydn's vein ' we eay ivhenever we hear the 
first bars of one of his compositions, and we 
know then that for the next moments to come 
the cares of life will be dispelled in a manner 
refreshing t^ both our heart and mind." 

We have given these extracts in order to kin- 
dle among our readers the desire to become ac- 
quainted with the whole of this first volume of 
a work the merits of which we cannot insist 
upon too emphatically. If they have, with us, 
perused its contents, they will, doubtless, like 
ourselves, receive with delight the author^s sa- 
lute at the end of the book, '^ Au retair at Es- 
terbazl" and the promise thus implied of our 
soon meeting ngain the master upon his further 
onward career! P. W. 



Mr. W. H. Cimiinlngg on PucelL 

(From th« London Uoslcal Times.) 
(Goncluded from Pace 880.) 

Let me now direct year attention to the portrait 
of Purcell kindly lent for this occasion by that ad- 
mirable and benevolent institation the Royal Socie- 
ty of Musicians. This interesting picture has some- 
what of a romantic history attacncd to it, which 
has never before been made public. A parchment 
deed in possession of the Royal Societv of Musicians 
runs thus : " Redmond Simpson having presented 
the portraits of Handel, Corell!, Geminiani. and 
Purcell to the Directors of the Ancient Concerts 
(now held in Tottenham Streets of which Sir Wat- 
kin William Wynn. Baronet, is Treasurer, so long 
as the paid concerts shall continue, upon condition 
that when the same shall break up then the por- 
traits are to be given and delivered over to the Roy- 
al Society of Musicians, to be by them kept for ever 
after. In witness and testimony whereof the said 
Redmond Si mi son and Sir Watkin William Wynn 
have hereto set their hands this 26th day of April 
1785." Mr. Simpson, the donor of the pictures, left 
a statement In writing that the portrait of Purcell 
was painted by Closterroan in 1694. and was many 
years in possession of Purcell's son. Edward, who 
said it was very like his father, but ih it the latter 
had grown very thin before he died. From the son, 
Edward, the picture passed to the grandson, Ed 
ward Henry, who sold it to Dr. Bnvce, from whom 
it was bought by Mr. Simpson, nnd at the dii^solu- 
tion of the Ancient Concerts it cari.e to the Royal 
Society of Musicians.* 

1 have only time to say that the son, Edward 
Purcell, became an or&ranist, report says, of moder- 
ate ability, and that nit son, £dw-arJ Henry, was 
educated in the Chapel Royal ULdi r Bernard Gates, 

• An admirable enmvlng by Zobel from this picture, 
orifcSnally Intended for private oirculatlo i, i» now pub- 
lished, and copies may be obtained by aU admirers of 
Purcell. 



and succeeded his father in his organ appointments. 
So much for the family of Purcell, mosiclana, as we 
have seen, for four generations. 

Pureell was pre-eminent above all his predeces- 
sors and contemporaries — a composer of vocal and 
instrumental, orchestral, harpsichord, and orgpan 
music — mcred, secular, and dramatic. He was en 
scoompllshed or^nist and also a finiabed vocalist 
How early he commenced the practice of composi- 
tion we cannot tell, but I will now play a little mel- 
ody or sons:, " Sweet Tyranness." of his, published 
wlien he was only nine years of age. To be able to 
appreciate the value of his work, we must first con- 
sider what was the state of music j'ol prior to bis 
day. The civil wars and the Protectorate had de- 
stroyed ors^ans, mu<*ic books, and dispersed and 
banished choirs so effectual tr that at the Restora- 
tion of Charles, muAie had to b<) composed for men's 
voices only, or if soprano parts could nut be dis- 
pensed with they were played on cornets, for there 
were no treble boys capable of singing. Dramatic 
mnslo there was none : it is true Locke had attempt- 
ed something in that line, but the very piece on 
which his fame has been chiefly sustained was really 
not his at all, but the composition of Henry Purcell 
when a youth. I refer to the well-known ''Macbeth 
njusic." This music, however, sinks into inslgnifi- 
oance when placed in comparison with later works 
of Purcell's. Take, for instance, his little Opera 
" Dido," composed when he was 22 years of a^e, 
not 19, as sUted by Sir John Hawkins. This 
Opera is complete, with recitative, solo and chorus 
— not cne word of dialf^ue; it is foil of beaotiful 
music, and one of the airs, " When I am laid in 
earth," althouzh constructed on the confined limits 
of a fijound Imus. is most touching in its pathos. 
It may be noted io paming that S. Bach has used 
nearly the same ground in his B minor Mass for the 
chorus to the words *' Crucifixus." 

Purcell was f^fied with a s^iul for melody, and 
possibly it was the dn wonted exhibifion of this 
neaven-born faculty In his works which first attract- 
ed and captivated the public ear, for before his time 
we Enftlish as a nation had cultivated madrigals 
and part-songs with dilifirenee and success ; but in 
all solo songs, till those of Purcell appeared, the 
chief effects were pro«luced by the words, not by 
the melody. As for the airs, " they were, till this 
time, in general as unformed and misshapen as if 
thej* had been made of notes scattered about by 
chance." This last quotation, from Burgh's " An- 
ecdotes of Music,** is loo sweeping:. Dowland had 
f printed si-me most melodious songs in 1597. Mor- 
ey, his contemporary, and other names could also 
be cited as melodists ; but the Puritans had proba- 
bly swept away both the memory and practice of all 
such compositions, and Purcell's immediate prede- 
cessors were not remarkable for tunefulness. As a 
scientific musician and harmonist Purcell was equal- 
ly great and successful. At the age of twenty-four 
years he published a set of " Twelve Sonatas for 
Two Violins and Bass, with Organ or Harpsichord.* 
From that work I have selected a fiig^e, which I 
will now play. One of the favorite exerciaes of 
learned musicians In his time was eanon-writing, 
and you need only examine the four volumes of his 
sacred music, collected and edited by Vincent No- 
vello, to see that Purcell was not a whit behind the 
most aceomoUshed of his brethren io that cramped 
and fettered school. The volumes published by 
Novello contain 128 sacred compositions, chiefly 
anthems, and there are many still remaining in 
MS. Purcell's harmonica! progressions were so 
remarkable that they may truly be termed discov- 
eries ; so much in advance of the age were they 
that I have frequently heard ftirelirn musicians to 
whom his works were previonsly unknown exclaim 
on examinina: them. ** Uh, that is Schumann ; that is 
Beethoven," etc. There are some remarkable har- 
monies In Purcell's Latin Psalm '* Jehovah quam 
multi." When you hear them you may possibly 
doubt their authenticity, but as I enjoy the friend- 
ship of the present owner of the original autograph 
MS., I can vouch for their correctness. 

Purcell wrote more music than we caa ever hope, 
after these long years of neglect, to recover. Still, 
fresh material is turning up in various quartero, 
and I trust before longp it will be possible to point 
to a considerable series of his published composi- 
tions. I have made a catalogue or list of works for 
which he composed mu-ic, and it includes 47 operas 
or dramas, 28 odes, and 202 short fuifitlve pieces of 
various kinds, vocal and Instrumental I have spo- 
ken of his skill tA composer, organist, and vocalist. 
In the latter capacity he assisted in the choir at the 
coronation of James II , and thore is a quaint record 
of his havinjr sung one of his own songs at Station- 



SS 



«fti 



i^PWtM 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, MARCH 3, 1877. 



395 



era* Hall wHh 'MncrcdiKle jrmcM." W© nrnrt not 
fontet also that he stood at the head of hfs profes- 
sion AS A t.eAcher. One of hfs pupils — Ms brother 
Daniel, older than himself— • was no mean composer, 
bat he has suffered partial eclipse by the superiori- 
ty of the eenins of the younger Henry. Another 
pnpil — Weldon — ^is renowned ft»r his exquisite com- 
positions. Witness his anthems "Hear my crylni^ 
and " In thee, O Lord.* Pnrceil's Lenons for the 
Harpaichord formed the model for most of the sne- 
ceedinfl: writers for that instrument, and his treatise 
on ** The Art Descant ** Is remarkable for its clear- 
ness and conciseness. 

Dr. Crotch has said of Pareelt : " He was the 
greatest master tXls country ever prodnred. and the 
grreateet composer of the latter part of the 17th cen- 
tury. Eminent both in the sublime and the beauti- 
M. stylet, and blended with them a considerable 
propoKlon of the ornamental, he composed for the 
Church, oratorio, stasre, and chamber, and thns 
rested his character both on his individual and on 
his collected talents. His productions are some- 
times simply beautiful, but are generally In a irr^^t 
degree pathetic and sdentliie, and that without any 
apparent effort; but when he manifestly endeavora 
to exert all his powera of expression, and to shew 
the whole depth of his learninir, then indeed he sur- 
passes all his rivals." I wish we had the means at 
nand for immediately proviufl: the truth of this elo- 
quent passage, but tlhat Is of couree impossible. I 
trust before long frequent opportunities will be af- 
forded of hearing Purceirs music with the coloring 
of orchestra and chorus. To make this practicable, 
publication is the firat and chief necessity. To res- 
cue and publish what remains to us of this master- 
musician— described by all who hare had the oppor 
tunlty of Judging as the greatest we ever posaessed 
— is a work which commends Itself to the sympathy 
of all — to us Englishmen in particular, for the honor 
of our Fatherland, and to the universal nationality 
of musicians generall}', for the glory of their art, 
which alone has the power to-* 

** Dissolve us Into ecstasies, 
And bring all heaven before our eyes.*' 



The Biae of Opera. 

(Contintted fmn Page 888.) 

A few words may be said about the Conservato- 
ries where the great Italian musicians were instruct- 
ed. There were schools of this sort at Bologna, 
Naples, Venice, and other cities. The Conservato- 
rio dl Santa Maria di Loretto, at Naples, was -the 
most famous of them all, and was intended for boys, 
who were admitted from the asre of eight to twenty. 
and received teaching in composition, singing, and 
playing on varioa^ Instruments. Leo and Durante 
were mastera at the above Conservatorio. Tlie 
principle was, for the master to give lessons to half- 
a-dozen of the most advanced pupils, and each of 
these repeated his lesson to othere below them, and 
so on, to the lowest grade. The pupils composed 
and per ormed oratorioa, operas, and smaller pieces 
of masie. and performed the musical services in the 
different churches; and, in this way. gained money 
for the support of the institution. The Conservato- 
rios at Venice were for girls ; and they also learnt 
all manner of instruments. The hours of practice 
were very long, and the discipline severe. 

In a preceding paper we have given a sketch of 
the Oermaii opera till the time when If etastasio ar- 
rived in Vienna ( HSOy. He was here received with 
evefy respect and attention by the Emperor Leo- 
pold, who was a patron of the arte, and who had es- 
tablished the Italian opera In Germany. His suc- 
cessor, Charles VI., supported it, and Maria There- 
sa was a great admirer and friend of Metastasio. 
Caldara set a great deal of his poetry to music, and 
died at Vienna, after being 60 yean in the Imperial 
Service. Fnx, now only known by his treatise 
" Oradus ad Parnasanm,** was at that time one of the 
ootnpoeers at Court, and wrote music for Metastasio. 
Such was the state of things, foreign opera, foreign 
nusie, whto Christopher Oluck, the founder of 
Oerman opera, perhaps we may say of modem op- 
era, was born (1714-1787). Finding his way in 
great poverty to Bohemia, he came to Vienna and 
studied under Fux, Conti, and Caldara, and then at 
Milan under Sammartinl. His first o|)era, '* Arta- 
zerxea," was brought out here in 1741. It was suc- 
cessful, and procured for him engagements In Turin, 
Venice, and Cremona. Thence he was summoned 
to London by the managera of the Haymarket. 
Here he failed before Handel, who, after hearing hta 
" Cadnta del GIgantI," said " hi, knew about as much 



of counterpoint a^ his cook." This was of the worat 
^tvle of the then bad Italian opera ; with the fallnre 
of " Piramis e Thisbe." Oluck left the country. He 
began lo see his defects, the defects of Italian music: 
he tried the superior French deo'amatory excita- 
tion, and he set to work to cultivate his own mind, 
his taste in poetry an well as in music. From 1760, 
when he wrote "11 Teleraacco," to 1766, when he 
wrote ** n rd pastore ** he continued in a transition 
state verginsr towards the new German opera stylo. 
The intermediate operas are, **La Clemensa di Tito," 
** Antisrone," " Clella," " Baucis e Philemone." and 
" Aristeo." At this Juncture he met Casslbigi, a 
man who understood him, and ai^reed fully with 
him, in thinking that in the lyrical Drama music 
had hitherto attained so great an ascendancy over 
poetry that the two must be united. "Orpheus 
and Enrydice" was porformed at Vienna in 1762. 
It met at first, so different was it to the ordinary 
style, with but doubtful success ; but Ut\le by little 
it made its way. It Is the most characteristic of 
Gluck*s operas; its structure is very simple, its 
characters few — only three- besides those who 
make the choruses, 'it contains the ever beautiful 
air "Che far6 sensa Euridlcel" Compared with 
his predecessors, GlucVs style Is wonderfully bold, 
original, and Independent; "Alceste," ••Pnridee 
Elena," quickly followed, and were both successful. 
"Orfeo" was 'firat performed in England in 1770. 
when Guadagni sustained the principal part. But 
the opera was spoilt by all sorts of emendations and 
interpolations. Dissatisfied with German actora 
and German stage, GInck turned his eyes to Paris, 
and was easrerly received by the manaj^r there, 
who since the deat.li of Gretry hid i>een brinsring 
out the works of Sacchini. his contemporary : " Ri- 
naldo." '*Chimene," founded on the name of Corneille's 
Cid, " (Edipe a Colonne," and " Erdina." N. Dal- 
ayrac also lived at this time, and composed "Nins,'* 
which was the foundation of Paesiello's piece of same 
name. Gnssec, who wrote " Le Faux Lord," " Les 
Pdchenrs." Salieri. who composed "Les Dana- 
ides," and " Tararc." To return to GInck, who now 
devot/^d his talents for the rest of his life principally 
to the French Stage. " Iphigfinie," founded on Ra- 
cine*8play, was t>rnnght out in Paris in 1774. Pat 
roniaed by royalty, armed with a libretto by 
one of their great poets, simplified by Dii Rollet, 
Gluck had it all his own way. The Abb^ Arnault, 
one of his enthusiastic admirera, is said to have ex 
c*nimed on hearing it" With such music we misrht 
fonnd a new religion." " Orfeo " he dedicated to 
Marie Antoinette, who descriiv^ in a letter to her 
sister, the success, the strnsrvle of this work. Bnt. 
enemies were not far off. The opponents of GInck 
got over from Italy Piccini, a mnsician of some 
repute. Both he end GInck produced an opera on 
"Iphig^nie in TauriO Gluck won the victory; 
hut his next piece, " Echo and Narcissus," fell flat. 
Marie Antoinette in vain implored him tn stay and 
redeem his fortunes. Disarusted with France, he 
left it and sank into complete inactivity. Notwith- 
standing his great opinion of himself, and confidence 
in his powera, Gluck was thoroughly generous to all 
other musicians, and to the cause of music general- 
ly. About this impnt-ed vanity, and inordinate 
sense of his own power, Haweis says : " If ordinary 
men are permitted to be anxious of life, why should 
we grudge to srenius the anxiousness of ita own Im- 
mortality?" Gluck's chief excellence lies Jn the 
dramatic truth ani power he lent to operatic music. 
Some say he sacrificed melody in these hizh artis- 
tic aims. At any rate, he first conceived the germ 
of those ideas, which under Mosart blossomed into 
the classical school of opera. 

Franz Joseph Haydn (1780-1809) was bom in 
Hungary, and was the reforvner of instrumental mu- 
sic, and the father of symphony. At the age of 
eighteen he wrote his firat stringed quartet, and 
•uppftrted himself by teaching. At Vienna be com- 
posed his firat German opera " Der Rummer Ten 
fel ; " at the age of twenty-eight, his firat symphony. 
Then he filled the p«>sitton of kapell-musious, and 
karomermusicus to the Princes Esterhasy ; and 
then lived a life of dnlness, and yet great activity. 
At the death of his patrons he caibe to England, 
and after a second visit to this country retired with 
a fortnne, and the degree of Doctor of Music from 
the Univeraity of Oxford, an honor which Hand«(| 
in his impatiebce had refused. Alter a life singu- 
larly free from the trials of a public character, 
though unhappy in its domestic arrangements, 
Haydn died at the age of seventy-eight. He left 
behind him an Immense number of symphonies, 
oratorios, masses, a Stabat Mater, eight German, 
and fifteen Italian operas ; but it Is uot by his op- 
eras that we ought to judge him. 



IV, 

It was time now for the world to see Mozart. 
Born in 1766, at Salzburg, he early showed a great 
musical talent, and when only six, he and an elder 
sister with their father set forth on a musical tour 
through Germany, and were patronized and petted 
by the Empress Maria Theresa, as they were later 
by Marie Antoinette at Versailles. A visit to Eng- 
land and Holland followed, then a year's serious 
study of Italian and German composera, after which 
Mozart received the appointment of concert-raelster 
from the Prince- Archbishop. According to the 
fashion of the times, he made an Italian tour, re- 
ceiving at each great town, Bologna, Verona, Mi- 
lan, the honor of being received into the member- 
ship of the Philharmonic socieUes, and at Rome he 
accomplished the " extrnordinary feat of transcrib- 
ing from memory Allesrri's Miserere." which the 
P(»pe had strictly forbidden to be performed any- 
where bnt in the Papal Chapel, or copies of it to be 
kept anywhere but in the sacred precincta At 
Rome he had the title of Cavaliere with the order 
of the Golden Spur g^ven him, the same that was 
bestowed on Gluck. At Milan he wrote " Mitrid- 
aie. Re di Ponto," which was performed twenty-one 
nights in succession. " Lucio Silla," " La finta 
Giardiniera" quickly followed with others ; but of 
all these the name only remains, and though exceed- 
ingly popular at the time, there is no doubt that 
they were very immature. The two years he passed 
in France were most distasteful to him. He dis- 
liked the pciiple, and he did not admire their music, 
and this visit cured him of any leaning he may have 
had to Italian or French style. Henceforth, ne de- 
voted himself to the cultivation of real German mu- 
sic, and wrote " Idomeneo." His marriage with 
Constance Welter, a cousin of the musician, took 
place about this time. " II Sersglio " was produced 
in tho same year. 1782. The " Goose of Cairo," a 
comic operi'in 1783; in the ten subsequent years 
the " Le Nozze di Figaro," "D«m Gioxanni," " La 
Clemenza di Tito." the " Flauto Masrico," and the 
Requiem. His intention of following his old friend, 
Hiiydn, who had the most idolatrous attachment for 
him. to London, probably occasioned his being 
offered the post of Imperial Chamber Musician in 
succession to Gluck. For this, his salary was 800 
flTulden. "Too much for what I do and t^o little for 
what I could do," he writes himself. Worn out by 
disease, ><y penury, by disapv^intment, by profes- 
sional peraecution f^om the Italian p%rty at Vienna^ 
with Salieri at their head, Mozsrt died at the early 
aire of thirty-five. To his wife he continued to bear 
his firat trreat affection ; she seems to have returned 
it but coldly, and to have been wholly unworthy of 
him. Of his two surviving children, the one who 
bore his name of Wolfgang Amadeus, Inherit^ 
some part of his father's talent and was patronized 
by Albreehtsber^rer. Haydn and others. Mozart 
was great in everything that concerned his great 
art; his melody, his harmony were perfect, his 
knowledge of the theory perfect. His " Idomeneo " 
is founded on a st/try of the Trojan war. In this 
early opera he adhered closely to his Italian mod-« 
els and carried on the dialogue of the drama In 
recitation ; he gave each character a long scena, 
and the long drawn out alra took away from the 
artistic effect of the whole. The great beauty is its 
choruses " O vot.o tremendo I " and " Scenda, amor," 
each in its different subjects. In no other of his 
(»p«jra8 is the instrumentation finer. Nevertheless 
" Idomeneo " has never been performed in this coun- 
try. Mozart's " II Seraglio" is his oldest German 
opera which Is still performed from time to time. 
Of its reception, when it appeared, the composer 
writes himself, " They say people are qnite wild 
about my opera." It Is still occasionally heard in 
Germany. In 1627 an English veraion of it was 
brought out at Covent Garden, very much altered. 
The words of the " Nozze dl Figaro" were by Da 
Ponte and It was composed at the Emperor Joseph's 
request on the story of the Beaumarchais comedy, 
" Le Marriaire de Piiraro." Michael Kellv. Madame 
Camporese, Berenlci played In it, and of no opera 
was the success more complete. The alra are short 
and simple, frae from the florid ornamentation of the 
Italian school. The only objection to the piece is 
that the music is not gay enough, it Is all taken too 
much " an grand s^rieux." " Don Giovanni " was 
as a subject favorite with many dramatists of other 
countries. It li'as written for L. Bassi; and the 
gifted Mesdames Camporese, Damorean, and Foder 
acted in It-w This drama was also received with 
success, which came' up to the composer's hopes. 
The action of the piece is carried on by means of 
long and highly wrought concerted pieces : the alra 



396 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



" n rolo tesoro" and " Non rai dif, bell idol mlo " 
Are the only oDes in the Italian style. Beelhove", 
in a posthumons work, blames Mozart for thus per- 
petuatinc: this false syle and makint; the concessions 
to it, which he oHen did, introdncinji^ bravura pas- 
sages to please Italian taste. " CosT fan tutte " is 
most farcical and little consistent with Mosar^'s turn 
of mind. Hence, though, it has great musical beau- 
ties, the comparative unpopularity of the piece. 
The " Flauto Ma^ico " is most consonant with Mo 
cart's German mind. Beethoven says "it is his 
greatest work, for in it he showed himself the true 
German composer.** The subject beinsr of such a 
mystical stamp, it is popular nowhere but in Ger- 
many, as a whole; but ita airs are universally fa- 
miliar, and it-8 concerted pieces and choruses are 
the delight of all. During its composition, Mozart 
was seized with his fatal malady, and in his last 
days he often repeated " Oh that I could hear my 
'FUuto Magico.' ^ "Titus Andronleus'* [TI] and "La 
Glemensa di Tito ** were brought out at Prague, the 
latter for the Emperor Leopold's coronation ; and 
Braham, Mdme. Foder, and Mrs. Billington (who 
first introduced Mozart's operas to an English audi 
ence^ sang in it. This, ezceptinsr the Requiem, his 
deatn-aoog, was his last work, and is as dramatic as 
it is beautiful ; and though not nearly meetinsr with 
the same success as his other operas, it is a fitting 
clooe, in its grand subject and grand treatment, to the 
great composer's life. J. S. 

— London Mutical Standard. 



-^►^ 



Mr. Frank Marshall, who is well known in the 
dramatic world as a student of Shakespeare, has 
broached a theory about,ihe relationship, more or 
less near, between the supernatural part of ' Mac- 
beth' and the Scandinavian legends — that is, he 
supposes that while Shakespeare has stamped his 
own individuality on the three Withes, there is yet 
a marked affinity between the Witches and the 
Scandinavian " Drei Nornen,''the three great Fates 
or Destinies. This notion prompted Mr. Marshall 
to select the subject of supernatural influences prey- 
ing upon an ambitious nature (the key-note of 'Mac- 
beth ') for musical illustration in a libretto which, 
while it preserved the main action of ' Macbeth,' 
transferred the venue to Norway. This variation of 
the locality necessarily involved many changes of 
scene, characters, and incidents, but still maintained 
the Shakespearean drama as a basis. Inasmuch as 
Mrs. Frank Marshall, formerly of the Haymarket 
Theatre, possessed a voice which had been cultivat- 
ed in Italy, on the advice of Sir Michael Costa, the 
setting of the Norwetnftn ' Biorn ' (Macbeth) was 
assigned to Signor Lauro Rossi, who succeeded 
Mercadante as Principarof the (jonservatoriuro at 
Naples. Signor Rossi was a pupil at the institu- 
tion with Sir M. Costa, under Zingarelli. and it need, 
therefore, scarcely be said that Rossi is not a juve- 
nile professor striving to win fame ; at an ik$^ ap- 
proaching three score and ten years, to compose a 
five act spectacular opera — for such is ' Biorn ' — is 
indeed a tour deforce. Although several musicians, 
native and foreign, have treated the tragedy of 
' Macbeth, the music of our own composer (whoev- 
er he was, for it is a disputed question) has kept its 
position in the riverioire^ and no stronger instance 
•f its power neea be cited than that Herr Band- 
mann, who is now playing Macbeth in Germany, 
has retained the choruses attributed to Locke. 
Chelard, the French compf)8er, and Signor Verdi 
have set ' Macbeth/ but their versions have not 
reached London, nor are they likely to do so, for 
their librettists have mangled Shakespeare's tragedy 
awfully. M. Ronget de Lisle, in his translation of 
the scene of the cauldron, makes the child appari- 
tion thus 'speak: "Monsieur Macbeth, Monsienr 
Macbeth, Monsienr Macbeth I prenez garde de 
Monsieur Macduff." In Signor Verdi's opera. Lady 
Macbeth, in the banquet scene, sings a drinking 
song of the Traviata type, of a dancing rhythm, 
exciting enough to make even Banquo's Ghost 
pirouette. 

Mr. Frank Marshall's book is a clever paraphrase 
of Shakespeare's play. It is * gofid idea to render 
the three Norns syrens, or tempters to evil, and 
their reappearances during the stages of crime are 
well Umea. The chief changes are the introduction 
of Rollo (in place of Banquo'). who is enamored of 
Elfrida (Lacy Macbeth). King Duncan becomes 
Sigurd, Hecate is Hela, Malcolm is Magnus, and, 
with his army, triumphs over Biorn. B^llo is no 
ghost, however, for, through Hako's aid, be is not 
murdered. Biorn, at the banquet, imagines that 
Rollo is a spectre, and in an access of fury attacks 



him, but kills Elfrida, who seeks to save Rollo^ and 
the latter, in turn, puts an end to Biorn. With 
the acknowledgment of the rightful monarch the op- 
era ends. 

Signor Rossi's score is not at all difficult to anal- 
yze, for it Is utterly unpretentious. It is quite fr^e 
from Intricacy; it has no subtle meaning; it indi- 
vidualizes no character; it is neither uncouth nor 
vgly; it is not learned, much less severe; it is. in 
fact, an opera of the purely modern school, full of 
tune from besinnins; to end. and can be converted 
into exhilarating qnadrllles and waltzes for the ball- 
room, whilst it will supply some charmlns: airs for 
the concert halls, and for the drawin<;-room. The 
more terrible the dramatic situation, the more pleas- 
ant is Sisrnor Rossi's music. H«* has followed Don- 
izetti's example in * Lurrezia Borgia.* which was 
" poison in jest" There is hut one mould for snch 
settings: Vaccaj and Bellini, in * Rnmeo and Jnliet:' 
Pacini, in 'SafTo;' Carafa. in 'Joan of Arc:' and 
the operas of maiiy composers of the period, in 
Italy, are all more or less alike. Melodious phraaes 
are snnfc by soprano, contralto, tenor, and bass, 
whether the characters be virtnons or villainous. 
Sifirnor Rossi wa^ no doubt familiar with the trans- 
lation of ' Macbeth ' into Italian verse, made by Sisr- 
nor Carcano, for Madame Ristori, and nt all events 
the composer had a crood prompter in Mr. F. Mar- 
shall, but a change of style was out of the qnesf ion ; 
and Signor Rossi, therefore, who has composed the 
tra^ric opera of * CJleopatra.' and the comic oi>era of 
the ' ContessA di Mons,' in ' Biorn ' Ia qnite himself; 
exceedingly agreeable from besrlnninsr to end ; 
there is not a yawn, indeed, for a sincrle bar. The 
admirers of Meyerb*»er and of Ilorr Waarner will, 
of course, be horrified nt such a specim«>n of the 
lyric drama; but is there not a larg^ public atill.in 
almost every capital, who will accept operatic mn- 
sic which does not require them to think, and which 
it is really delightful to hear T ' Biorn ' is qnite as 
eood artistically as Verdi's ' Mscb<*th,' for it is on- 
ly In his later operas that Verdi has sousht aitt r 
Meyerbeer's dramatic variety and power. It is in 
the fanciful sections of ' Biorn.' whenever the three 
Norns are on the stage, that Rossi's lack of ittia^i- 
nation is most apparent ; but his concerted pieces 
are often highly dramatic, especially the trio and 
finale of the first act, which Verdi would he srl id to 
claim. The ballet music is ingenious and piquant. 
To Rollo, a soprano part, some charmlnfl: solos are 
allotted, especially in the first and third act«. Lsdy 
Elfrida has a beautiful ballad. " Beneath the noble 
oak tree's shade ; " but In the sleep-walking scene 
the composer l« very weak. Signor Rossi \n g^ener- 
ally happy in his part-writing, as is proved partic- 
ularly in the chorus of wait! psr- women in the f<«nrth 
act.. A military band is put in requisition in the 
diverHuement In honor of Sigurd's visit to Biorn's 
castle, and in festive choral music It would seem as 
if the composer had been infected with Offenbach's 
strsins. 

One curious feature in the score of ' Biorn * is 
the introduction of Scotch tunes in the choruses. 
As the action of the opera passes in Norway, it 
would have been more characteristic and con- 
sistent if the composer had turned to account 
some of the eharminsT Scandinavian melodies, such 
as M. Ambroise Thomas has used in his ' Hamli't,' 
and which have been made so popi\lar by Madame 
Nilsson. 

The mounting of ' Biorn * at the Queen's Theatre, 
where it was produced on Wednesday night, is 
characterized by picturesque scenery ; the stasre 
" sets" are remarkable for their completeness — ^the 
artists are Messrs. Gordon and Harford ; the pine 
forest in Norway, with the stormy effects, and the 
castle scenes are fairly well paint<e<). and would serve 
for ' Macbeth ' as well aa for ' Blom.' Mr. Alfred 
Thompson has designed the costumes, which, if im- 
aginary, exhibit good taat^ in the disposition of col- 
ors and ornamenta. 

The cast of ' Biorn ' introduces several singers 
who were unknown. Elfrida is sustained by Mrs. 
Fitzinman Marshall, Hela by Mdlle. Oorandi, the 
three Norns by Mesdames Riccobuono. Warwick, 
and Clare; Biorn by Signor Mottino (baritone- 
bass); Rollo, Miss 0>ra Stuart; UK by Mr. 
0>ventry (tenor); Eric, Mr. Stone (bass); Hako 
by Mr. Howard; and Sigurd (bass) by Mr. 
Dymott. 

The execution of the work was attended with 
mishaps and vicissitudes after the first act, which 
was a signal suocosa. Before the second act com- 
menced came an apology from the acting manager 
(Mr. Everett), claiming indulgence for Mrs. Mar- 
shall, who had been indisposed for some days, but 
bad consented to appear rather than allow the opera 



to be postponed. It would have been better had a 
second postponement taken place, for ' Biorn ' had 
been already put off from the Mondny to the Wed- 
nesday. Elfrida was by no means badly supported 
by the Biorn of Si|rnor Mottini, who possesses a fine 
stasre presence, acU with intelligence, and sings like 
an able artist, although the quality of the voice is 
not ao sympathetic as coula be desired. There 
were, however, disastrous failures, which operated 
most prejndicionsly. The representatives of ffila 
and the T^ree Nornn (Hecate and the Three Witch- 
es) completely failed to realize the aupernataral 
type of the Fates ; they moved like automatons, ' 
and they sang very imperfectly. The subordinate 
male paHa were fairly auMtained by Messrs. 0>veD- 
try. Howard, Stone, and Dymott; but the honora 
of the night, both vocally and dramatically, were 
srained by Miss Cora Stuart, who waa JinUo (Ban- 
quo). This young lady was a member of Mr. Carl 
Ro«a*s company, and appeared as Amina, in the 
' Sonnambuia.' There i^ ineouality in the timhre of 
her voice, the lowf-r not«s being unsaM^factory, but 
she hu some lirillisnt hi^h notes. What is still 
more prorolsinfl: and satisfactory. Miss Stu*rt poa 
ses«es rare energy and no little sensibility ; her ex- 
press! -^n in the serenade, " Wind, idle wind.* with 
harp ohh/fffoto in the third act. the undercurrent of 
orchestration in which Is charming, was remarka- 
ble. It was a great trinmph for her, and there were 
recalls after every one of her aolos, but she rightly 
declined the encores. The choral sinsring waa ex- 
cellent, that of the lady choralists specially, and the 
instrnmentalista were efficient. In short, there were 
all the elements for a sncce«s for * Biorn.* had the 
east of the principals, with the honorable exeep. 
tions referred to, been op to the mark. — London 
AOunctumy Jan. 20. 



••-^ 



Jakdexjianikineren. 

A Waffnertan Teatraylogyt or Ari-poem-ft/nrUo, wUh a good 
deal €(f Cmpnn Sorcfrif in U, accompanied by eome indi- 
cation of <^ giorioue UkeonoenHonai Mneie of As 
Folture. 

{From " Mr. Punch's Pocket BookS) 

Prkfacx. 

This Teatraylogy consists of three parts* and oecnples 
about as many weeks to perfbnnaaoc. Of course what 
Is here fdven can be no more than an inadeqoaAe speei- 
men of the whole oooipositlon of the All-poet-muslcfan. 
8tfn we have no doobt bat that It wtll be foand guiie 
enough /or tKe preeent, without entering fully Into the Mu- 
sic of the Future. 

The First Part partakes of the character of a Preludf- 
an Frolojrno, and Introduces the Hero,.T4k, and the chief 
characters, with what maj be termed the baeeo-motiwo of 
the OpersF-Poem. 

The Oecond Part nhows how the Hero J4k, determined 
to rescue his Lady-love, attacks the Jiants in their 
Castles. 

The Third Part, which Is subdivided, shows how J4k , 
having sUn to find his Lsdy-love, Leetelred Rldinoodi 
seeks the Storrhaosen of La M^re Robbard, who lends 
him her learned Dog, ITo^^ii^r. to icuide him on hL« trav- 
els. Waggner is soon on the Wolfs trail, bat unfortu- 
nately J4k*a object ia ilefoated by the elevation of ihe 
JIant WolTs Oaatle on the rook, whlrh ia some 60,000,000 
ftet above the sea-level. This introdnoea the Sclavonic 
Legend of the Beanstalk. Jak goea out Beanstslkinfif. 
And, aa he climbs, the «leroents are aet in commotion, 
the animal woild goes mad, the astronomical system 
gets hopelessly muddled, and a hitherto inanimate ob- 
ject, suddenly beoomini^ endned with life and motton, 
elopes with, as mifrhthave been expected. Its own spoon- 
ey one. All this oObrs a aplendid aoope for the genius of 
the All-Poet All Musician Wajpier. 

The Orehcatral Finale of thia part la pertii^ the finest 
thing that even this Great Maater haa eter written. It 
commences with a tonio description of the *« Lofty Did- 
dle diddle," or *• Hlffh Dlddle-diddlo " morement by all 
the •trtogedlnstranents In fugue. Tliadlapaaonlskept 
on throQirhoat, and the ooeaalonal Instataaoe on the mi- 
nor seventh produces a diacord which la now startling, 
now plaintive, according to the variations on the 
Theme. 




^N^tt i 



Then follows the moat exquisite, the moat perfeet bit of 
animal painting ever known In harmonica, dearly por- 
traying— if notes can ever portray anything. If there la 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, MARCH 3, 1877. 



397 



M indeed there it, a true Langaage In Notes, a genuine 
ezpresslon of undying Narrative in Mnslc— the first ap- 
pearance of the Cat. The legend takes her» in the hand 
of the All-Poet, thns far :— 

<• High Diddle, IMddle, 

The Cat. . . .** 
The first Diddle is carried as high as fingers which (were 
made before tunfaag-forks) wOl go on a rlolin, Tioloncel- 
lo, or double-bass. Bat the second Diddle is taken as 
low as the first was high. Thus prodacing a striking 
eontrast, and preparing the audience for what is imme- 
dla^ly to follow. 



:l?:8oa.... 




but he oTftrcomes them one br one, paming from nharps, 
flats, double sharps, and incidentals Into the key of a 
enlm C major. Then with onn great discord, one Olgan- 
tlo Bang on the Big Drum, the Art-Poem concludes. 

rTo be Continued.] 



I^8ea Icwer, 



Then oomes the last solo (Der Katxkey), and here Rerr 
Riehard Wagner's llews truly inspired him. Richard 
Wagner makes no secret of his descent from Richard 
Whittington, whose family were originally Oerman» and 
who, had hia parents but aUyed in their own native land, 
would never have been Lord Mayor of London. But 
this by the way; the cries of the Cat are marvelloasly 
rendered, piercing and plaintive, fierce and ferooloDS. 
Then Jast at the most intense point of the eympbony is 
heard the the first atrain of the soothing violint 

««Hlgh Diddle, Diddle, 
The Cat, and the Fiddle.** 

The Fiddle remonstrates with the Cat. The Cat objects 
to the Fiddle speaking at all, when, thereupon, the Fid- 
dle reminds the Cat of their relationship, and points out 
that both Fiddles and Cats owe their powers of music to 
the same cause. This leads to a disquisition on the rela- 
tive value of Cats and Fiddles, and each discuases his 
and her own peculiarities In speeches (of course to tonch- 
ingly and thrillingly descriptive music) of tome 896 lines 
apiece. Finally the Cat and the Fiddle Join In the near- 
eat approach to what the *< All-Poet^* ever admits into 
his work as an Operatic Duet, which, however, Is sud- 
denly broken in upon by a Olgantio Discord, introduc- 
ing a lovely pastorale. It is night, the moon Is thining, 
the shepherds are slumbering, the fio^s are sleeping, 
the heifers are in the paddock, the cowt are In the cow- 
house, all save one, which, overcome by the loss of its 
calf, is careering about the country rvf uting all consola- 
tion. Thus far have we now got in the legend which 
forms the finale of the first part of the third Act, or Di- 
visional Poem of the Teatraylogy. 

«< High Diddle, Diddle, 
The Cat, and the Fiddle ; 
The Cow. , , .*• 

Of course this maddening and exdtlng scene, musical- 
ly expressed, brings us to the tablean pictured in the 
words 

"Jumped over the Moon." 

And here, of course, all the resources of a stage arranged 
for the greatest mechanical eirects are brought Into 
play. Of the remainder It would be diflicult to speak 
Meflj. 

•* The Little Dog laughed to see such fun.'* 

The Laughing Chorus of Dogs, all assembled in the 
Isle of Dogs, is one of those marvellous compositions of 
which a Mendelsm>bn might be proud, a Moxart boast, 
and which would cause a Beethoven to be astonished at 
his own genius. The Big Newfoundland's BartaroU is 
a magnificent specimen of the Composer-Puet'a art of 
expressing anlmiU sorrow and fury. While 

"The Dish ran away with the Spoon" 

brings this part to a satisfactory conclusion, amid the 
roar of the waves, the howling of the winds, the terror 
of the Man in the Moon at seeing his reaidence leapt ov- 
er liy a fijrlng Cow. as Jak places his foot on the first 
projection of the Beanstalk, snd commences his perilous 
ascent. On this picture the curtain descends. 

The eeeond Dlviaion of the Third Part, which is sgaf n 
subdivided (but only takes ten days In petformanoe), 
shows how J4k, having climbed the Beanstalk, attacks 
Jiant Wolf , rescues Leetel-red-Rldlnood and is Joined 
hv all the characters who have ever appeared, at any 
time, in the piece from its oommencement. This affords 
an opportunity for one of the mostrffecilve finales, both 
mnstcally anddnunaticaUy considered, in the whole of 
music. 

The FlitaU atone lat4» Mtm daytt and Is divided Into 
acts, deeds, and processions. All kinds of dlfllcultles— 
expressed by a perpetually reou'ring chromatic scale, 
interwoven among a perfect network of chords, fugues, 
and symphonies— are placed in the way of JAk's wedding. 



An Italian on Wagner. 

We are Indebted to the first number of a new Ihuieal 
BevUWf published in Chicago, for the following:— 

Francisoo Florimo, a bierh musical authority in 
Itslv, published an article in an Italian paper re- 
cently on Wairner^s mnsie. It is extremely inter- 
estinsT as it reflects the ideas of the Italians on the 
subject. The following article is composed of short 
extracts from the original, and embodies its substan- 
tial points: 

In their battle against the true principles of mu- 
sic these innovators seek obtrusive, discordant, and 
extravflgant means of carrying out a conventional 
idea which, however highly colored, is cold and al- 
most incomprehensible to the general pnhiic who, 
anxious onlv for emotionsi effects, are indifferent as 
to whether they are produced by technical skill or 
reclcless melodies. When music which should be 
idealistic, descriptive, and natural, as conceived by 
the author of musical reform and his co-religionists, 
exceeds ite powers it becomes ridiculous and nega- 
tive. Even the beantifnl itself has limits wliich are 
not to be passed unless the art be in its decline. 
Wagner, by force of cresting, has exceeded those 
limits, and is urging his genins toward a goal un- 
known perhaps to himself. He sava that to be a 
musician one must also be a pnet. This is true, but 
he should know also that in one single note of mu- 
sic is concentrated a greater intensity of feeling 
than in many pages of writing. And Darwin tells 
ns that the ideas or sensations evoked by music ap- 
pear from their vague extent and profundity as 
though they were menial efToris toward thoughts 
and emotions of a very remote period. Italy has 
never hsd so many composers as to^^ay, and never 
have Appeared so many operas which, enthusiasti- 
cally received at first, are condemned at the third 
or fourth representation, or if they outlive a season 
ore hardly introduced in other cities, and the next 
year are consigned to oblivion by popular disappro- 
bation. Now why is it that after the lapse of half a 
century thnee works are still called for wliich, ac- 
cording to the believers in progress, have already 
had their day t Have "Barbiere." "William Tell," 
" Sonnambnia," "Norma." "Puritani," "Elisire 
d' A more," and " Lncia," gone ont of fashion T "We 
ask no reply nor raise any argument ; men of heart 
and understanding will pronounce whether such 
productions will ever be eclipsed in the artistic 
world. It must be reserved for future generations 
to decide upon the merit and advi«iability of a new 
style of harmony and a new method of composition. 
Nevertheless, it Is beyond all doubt that the art of 
music is at present passing through a very grave 
crisis, and one endangering even her future ; but I 
dare hope that the brilliant Wagnerian meteor will 
be obscured even at its senlth, as soon as the star 
of melody appears again on the horison In all 
ita purity, When an art declines so rapidly it is 
because the very principles have been falsified, and 
the only way to effect a revival is by returning to 
those principles in' all their integrity, and accepting 
both tne progress made in the path pursued and all 
the harmonic developments to which musio has at- 
tained from the first attempts at a characteristic 
style up to the present time. What do yon believe 
is Wagner's aim in endeavoring to upset all that has 
been done hitherto, and giving to music a totally 
different direction ? Is it progress T No ; he wish- 
es to create a theatre and a music entirely national. 
With his powerful and far-seeing genius, he has 
reviewed the history of his nation, and found that 
it possesses a literature, a philrisophy. its owd pecu- 
liar tendencies, everything. In short, except a 
national school of music. Mozart is termed by the 
Germans themselves the Italian among native com- 
posers ; Haydn is eminently symphonial, the pre- 
cursor of that immense genius,Beethoyen,ttnequalled 
up to the present time. Weber has composed one 
opera in which he has attempted the ^sion of the 
two schools. Wagner's desire is to give the drama 
a national physiognomy and to create a German 
musical theatre. By the force of his genius he has 
commenced the reform, but will he succeed in com- 
pleting it ? We cannot say. Wagner declares Ital- 
ian music to be delightful but perverse, exciting, 
and corrupting; a princess, perhaps, but certainly 
a courtesan ; bc«ntiful as Titian'a '* Venas," and im- 



modest as the nymphs of Pietro d'Aresso. Its only 
aim. he declares, is to please and enfeeble the mind ; 
to triumph over strong^ natures by its very weak- 
ness, roaRing winning and enticing advances, tut 
lowering the eflfect of its beauty by trivial conces- 
sions. It is in this connection that Wagner does 
not understand Italian music. Instead of being a 
siren who destroys by her fatal charms, it Is the 
daughter of that divinUy whose influence inspired 
the G reeks to comprehend and portray the eternal 
type of beauty in their plastic arts, and ourselves to 
perceive and bring forth the saxe In song and har- 
mony. Those restless souls who have tenderness 
and evince a spasmodic sympathy for the music of 
the futnre. will leurn by comparison to respect in a 
continually increasing degree the treasures of the 
Italian musical Parnassus, and will be taught that a 
school like ours may be reformed, but not extin- 
guished. Italy is the cradle of the sublime and 
beautiful. Here art is a worship ; talent and inspi- 
ration the priests, and the public the admiring ap- 
preciators of their performances. The palladium of 
our music will be ever revered. History declares 
that from Pergolese to Piilsiello, from Cimarosa to 
Rossini, from Bellini to Verdi our march has been 
from glory to glory, fiom triumph to triumph ; and 
it is a crime of nationality to attempt to bring into 
discredit the sacred dogmas of our art. It Is said 
that we may learn from history the true secret of 
all arts and sciences, since she is the faithful mirror 
of humanity, in which every art. science, or human 
undertaking Is shown in its proper place and in its 
proper light, and with its proper degree of import- 
ance absolute or relative. Italian music confirms 
the maxim of the illustrious naturalist, and will find 
in the experience of the past the way of traversing 
the future. 



Xendeliiohn'i Birthday at the Crygtal 

Palace. 

(From the London Tines.) 

That Mendelssohn was born on the 8rd of Febru- 
ary, 1809, all who. appreciating his music at its 
worth, rank him among the very greatest of com- 
poeers. are aware ; and it was no less fitting than 
graceful on the part of thoee in authority so to ar- 
range their programme as to make it, to the best of 
their ability, commemorative of an event of such 
importance to art. Beethoven alone exceptei, no 
one has helped more towards making the Crystal 
Palace Concerts, in their most legitimate features, 
attractive to the public than Mendelssohn. The 
programme of Saturday offers an excellent Idea of 
the varied phases in the composer's many-sided tal- 
ent, but might with greater advantage, we think, 
have been so devised as to represent his progress 
from early youth to maturity. It is, at any rate, 
well worth quoting: — 

Overture, Rmt BIom; Part-song, "For the New 
Year;" Air, *Then shall the righteous*' {SlikUk;) 
Concerto for violin and orchestra; Part-song, " The 
Wandering Minstrel ; ** Bong. < The Garland ; ** Ada- 
gio in B flat, from an unpublished symphony, written 
for quintet of strings and solo violin (first time of 
performance); Part-song, "Bemembranoe;*' The 
Bcotch Syippnony. 

The adagio In E flat, from the early symphony — 
the " No. 12," in F— should certainly have come 
first, and doublless would have headed the pro- 
gramme, bat for the sake of Herr Joachim, who un- 
dertook the violin solos, and had also the more re- 
sponsible task before him of playing the concerto. 
Beyond that, little mattereo. First, or last, the 
unknown movement would have been welcome, and 
doubly so had the entire symphony been produced 
— an example of preoodty for which scsrcely a par- 
allel could be cited. In his remarks upon this ada- 
gio^ '* G," the always well-informed annotator of the 
Crystal Palace programmes, furnishes his readers 
with a very Interesting catalogue of the twelve ear- 
ly symphonies of Mendelssohn, now, with the re- 
mainder of his manuscript compositions, depoeited 
in the Imperial Library at Berlin, where every 
amateur may obtain access to them. The specimen 
brought forward on Saturday can only have engen- 
dered a strong desire on the part of the audience to 
know the entire work} of which it forms the third 
in a series of five movements. Beautiful from be- 
ginning to end, it is not the less valuable on account 
of the manifest indications as to how the aspiring 
young musician was influenced by the example and 
attracted by the ideas of composers whom he natu- 
rally must have regarded with veneration. S«)red 
for quintet of stringed instruments, with solo obbii- 
gaSo for violin as principal feature, the adagio has 
quite a solemn effect, mod the studied carefulness of 



398 



DWIQHT»S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



the ezeeatioD bronght all its ixieHts conffpicaoasly 
into light. Heir Joaehim*t interpretation of the 
■olo part for leading yioiin was worthy himself and 
the master to whom in his early youth he owed so 
mnch, and who entertained forlilm so deep and last- 
ing a reirard. 

How Herr Joachim plays the violin concerto^ 
the only one published, atthongh we find another, 
in D minor, among the mannscripts — ^is nn necessary 
to say. To render it more perfectly seems to as 
impoesible. A peculiar interest mast always be at- 
tached to this concerto when publicly introduced by 
the Hnngarian violinist. The last concert to which 
Mendelssohn himself ever listened wan held at the 
Leipsic Oewandhaus in 1847, a very short time be- 
fore his death, when Joachim, still a boy, was the 
executant Often as it has bc«n heard in this coan- 
try, where it was first brought forward at a Phil- 
harmonic concert, in 1846. by the Italian viWmmo. 
Camillo Sivori (shortly before the production of 
JBtiJnh at Birmingham), it always sounds fresh and 
young, and on Saturday, as may be imagined, was 
more than ordinarily welcome. The warmth of his 
reception appeared at first somewhat to disturb the 
constitutional equanimity of Herr Joachim ; but he 
was soon thoroughly master of his exceptional 
means, and played more magnificently than ever. 
Hia delivery of the exquisite andani€ in C major 
sonnded almost like an elegiac tribute to the master 
whom he loved so much, and the irresistible JSnale 
given, in accordance with Mendelssohn's own idea, 
" as quick as possible,** an essential condition of the 
Mendelssohnian family of scherzos, where rapidity 
and accuracy can be combined, both astonished and 
enraptured everybody, and the customary enthusi- 
astic demonstration f )llowed. About the Rny Bla» 
overture and the symphony In A minor (" Scotch **) 
to write a single word that has not been written 
over and over again woold be diflicult : but to say 
that they have never in our remembrance, here or 
elsewhere, been more splendidly executed than on 
the present occasion, by the orchestra under the di- 
rection of Herr August Manns, is only a just tribute 
to the admirable conductor and the skilled profes- 
sors who follow the indications of his MAm. The 
overture was. indeed, as impressive a beginning as 
the symphony was a triumphant climax. The two 
solo sonflTS, Wh familiar, were given by Mr. 
Edward Lloyd with the utmost care and artistic 
taste. 



Sloig^fs lonrnal of JUnsk 



BOSTON, MARCH 8, 1877. 



ConcerU 

Harvabd Stupboxt GoifoxnTt. The seventh 

programme (for Feb. 16X ss finally remodelled to 

gratify the general desire for more of Miss Oaita- 

vo's singing, was as follows : 

1. OTertafeto"ranPt" Bpobr 

9. Bedt.: •* Solltudlnl amiolie,*' and Aria: **Zef- 
flretti lusinghlerl,'* from ** Idomeneo/'.Mosart 
Miss Nito OaSbino. 
8. Flano-Forte OonoertOf No. 4, in D minor. 

Op 70 Rnbinstetn 

Xodeiato— Moderato assal— Allegro 

awial. 

Carlyle Peterslloa. 

1. Songs, with Piano-Forte :~ 

«. '« Autumn 8ong^ R.Frani 

>. <* Come Into the Garden, Maud " . . O. Drapd 
0. *' Venetitin Gondolier's Song "... Msverbeer 
Miss Klu Gallcano. 

8. Syinpbony In B flak Ko.S Schoaumn 

vivace— Seherao— Andante— Beliidoeo 
(SQfffcested bv a religious ceremo- 
nial in the Colninie Cathedral) 
—Allegro. 

The audience was notably the largest of the sea- 
ton, and none, apparently, were dlMippointed. The 
brilliant Overture to Spohr*s Famt—ti work -con- 
taining other instances of his happiest and freshest 
inspiration — was played with spirit and precision ; 
and it was warmly received. The breadth and maj- 
esty, the depth of feeling, wealth of imagination, 
perfect consistency, and gorgeoua coloring of Schn- 
mann's "Cologne, or "Rhenish" Symphony, grows 
upon one with erery hearing. There is no grander 
opening than this has, with its broad syncopated 
rhythm; indeed the whole first movement gives 
you a buoyant and triumphant sense of floating 



down the broad stream of father Rhine. The easy, 
independent swing of the Scherzo is full of health 
and high spirits as of a young party of foot travel- 
lers upon its banks. The AndanU, serious and ten- 
der, is of exquisite beauty. The RdigiMo Is inex- 
pressibly solemn, a very palpable reminder of the 
scene, the tone, the atmosphere of high Mass in a 
Cathedral like that of Cologne, of which we can 
speak from experience; in the startling parage 
where the trombones enter in long, bold chords it 
reaches the sublime and almost takes your breath 
away; there is a strange little nr.elodic figure (a 
sort of " Leitmotive.") echoed about from bassoon 
to various instruments, which seems like the voice 
of ofllciating priests. The final Allegro takes you 
out into the free air and sunshine, and yon seem to 
go off down the river-side together, full of talk and 
humor, reminding one another of this or that in 
what has jnst been witneMed, some one of the party 
now and then qunintly imitating (in a playful, rapid 
manner) that quaint motive in the JUtipio§o, The 
rendering of the Symphony was for the most part 
very satisfactory, although the chances for rehear- 
sal had been very few and the work had not been 
given here for several years ; but there is this vir- 
tue in these great things, that the musician who has 
once played them never loses the impression. 

Miss Gaxtano's singing confirmed the fine impres- 
sion of her lovely voice, her refined taste and ex- 
pressive art The Mosart aria, to be sure, is of too 
uniformly quiet a character for concert effect in a 
large hall ; besides that the melody Is somewhat too 
sustained for her best power ; yet it was beautifully 
sung and sincerely enjoyed by those whose tastes 
are least corrupted by the high artificial flavors of 
the modem music. The songs were simply perfect 
both in singing and accompaniment (by Mr. Das- 
sel). That by Franz : " Im Herbst," is one of the 
moet passionate, intensely sad, yet thoroughly beau- 
tiful souses which even he has written ; and the 
singer threw her soul into it with superb effect Mr. 
Dresers charming "Maud" song was sung com amort, 
with most delicate appreciation ; and the quaint Bar 
carolle of Meyerbeer had all the subtle grace and 
piquancy required. In response to a persistent en- 
core Miss Oadtano sang a pleasing song by Gounod. 

Mr. PxTEXSiLRA played the Rubinstein Concerto, 
not to be sure with the fire (not to speak of the 
original improvising force) of its composer, bnt with 
a straight-forward, thorough, conscientious execu- 
tion, avoiding all extravagance, and bringing out 
its outline and whole structure clesrly, winning 
great credit by the effort The work itself is full 
of interest ; an earnest consistency Is felt at least 
In the first two movements ; although the Cossack 
breaks out in the freakish and rather frivolous Fi- 
nale. There are passages of extreme difficulty, to 
which Mr. Fetersilea proved himself fully equal. 



Tbiodobi Thomas. The return of this celebrated 
leader with his admirable orchestra has given us 
more concerts during the last fortnight than any 
common musical appetite could easily digest: —."our 
in his own name, two in aid of the Old South pres- 
ervation fund, one with Misses Adelaide and Ma- 
thilde Phillipps, and two In the Sanders Theatre 
course at Cambridge — ^nine conoerts in nine days t 
The first was on Monday evening, Feb. 19, when 
the Music Hsll was but sparsely filled; it would 
seem that people felt fatigued in the mere anticipa- 
tion of so great a surfeit The orchestra showed 
the same strength as on tha previous viait^^^ght 
first violins, eight second, 'cellos and basses four 
each, etc The string department has been brought 
up again to the unity and precision which it had 
before so many members left the organisation ; the 
reeds have all the smoothness, if not all the vitality 



of tone they had before ; the brass is still a litde 
coarse, thongh much improved in the past few 
months. The programme was as follows :— > 

Overture.) 

SAhenv, sop. n Sehumaan 

Flnnle. J 

Morelletten for String Orchestra, Op Ofl. Hew. 

Oade 

1. Andmtino^Al l e ar o rivaes e grasioao. 

S. Scherso (moderate). 

8. Andantino con moto. 

4. AIl«srm rivane. 
Symphonio Foam, Daaae Macabre Salnt-Saftis 

Siegfried's Death, Die Odcterdlmmerung. (IVftw). 

Wagner 
From *' Der Bing der Nibelungen.*' 

Overture, FIdelio Beethoven 

SIcilienne. l«»««-Mm« f Bach 

BixodundeDsrdanmi. ?""*•'■*••( Bamean 

Ballet If uaie. Queen of Saba. New Oolaonrk 

Tor der Gsarda, (In from of a Hungarian Inn,)..Balf 

Schumann's Op. 62, — almost a Symphony, al- 
though it lacks the breadth and weight of thought 
which characterise his four great Symphonies — haa 
not been heard here for quite a number of yeara, 
with the exception of the Sduno, which is much 
the most interesting part of it, and which is often 
played by itself. We confess to feeling a certain 
dryness in the other two parts, masterly as they 
are In treatment The work waa finely rendered. 
Gade*s " Noyellettes " are very graceful, ^roooihly 
fiowing little pieces, full of sentiment; yet they 
seemed monotonous, and to lack p^^sltiveness of 
character as well as color ; affecting us somewhat 
like the old drawing* in India ink, or messotint en- 
gravings. They were very beautifully played. The 
"Danse Macabre** always startles and even delights 
on a first hearing by its quaint audacity ; we con- 
fess the charm of such things does not last for us. 

Of course Mr. Thomas would do his possible to 
gratify the general curioaity to hear the liunous 
Funeral March in Wagner's OdIttrdMmmtrmtff, 
though the attempt might be beset with as nmny 
prsctical diflScnIties as Wagner himself found in 
trying to give his friend an Idea of Gluck's mtuAo 
[See first pag^ of this number]. We had expected 
a whole Mcene with the Dirge in its connection. 
Instead of that we had It isolated ; moreover, thoao 
who experienced It in the orthodox way ^ of the 
Bayreuthian baptism assure us that the Instrumen- 
tation exoeeded'the means of the Thomas orchestra, 
while, eren had that been oomplete, a tru^ idea 
could only be formed of it in the midst of Its theat- 
rical surroundings. Anyhow, It left the audience 
In a kind of vague wonderment and stupor. No 
one knew what it meant mtuieally, although dram- 
atically the story had been told us. No one dared 
to say he did or did not like it; none applauded. 
In truth the only impression was of a strange, vague, 
formlesa maes of most dark, sepulchral tonea, with 
wild bursts of passion, sudden tremendous fortlssi- 
mos, here and there the mdimenta of a march 
rhythm for a bar or two, but for the most part no 
march discernible ; a vast " wide weltering ohaoa ** 
of crude harmonies expressing grief and rage, but all 
tending nowhere, without course or progress, like a 
land-locked sea upheaving in a storm, fldetio Ov- 
erture after It waa like passing out of a dark cave, 
haunted by terrific groans. Into a world full of light 
and beauty, — ^though the juxtaposition was a strange 
one. — ^The graceful, unpretending littie SaUtKmt of 
Bach was highly enjoyable; and the Rtgodom of 
Baiheau seemed so perfect in its quaint^ prim way, 
and was so perfectly executed, that a repetition 
could not be refused. Ooldmark's Queen of Sheba 
music rather pusiled us ; some of It seemed more 
like tragedy than ballet It was quite Oriental In 
its coloring, richly and ingeniously instrumented, 
full of melodic themes ; but this one bearing left us 
rather In the vague. The single movement firom 
the Hungarian Suite l»y Baff (of which Mr. Thomaa 
gave us the whole last year) confirmed the Imprea- 
sion we then got of it aa one of the most interesting 
of BaiTs composttiona. 



) 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, MARCH 3, 1877. 



399 



A '* be^e^rly array of empty boxes '* greeted the first 
of the concerts for the Old South (Tuesday eTenlnj;, 20th), 
nor was there much more manifestation of sympathy at 
the second (Wednesday afternoon). The first began 
with on the whole a fine Interpretation of the O-mlnor 
Symphony of Moxart, thoofh some exception mlg^ht be 
taken to the tempo and to eertaln details In the render- 
ing of the Andante. The other orchestral selections 
were : Prof. Paine's Overtore to *• As yon like it,*' which 
confirmed the irood Impression that it made at Cambridge; 
Asger Hamerik*8 Jfordta<h4 SuiU, of whose five little 
ptecM the second is the most interestinfc on aooonnt or 
ihe old Swedish bnllad which forms Its theme, while the 
work as a whole does not improve with nsnpon acqualn* 
tance, but seems to strain after orli^nality like most of 
the newest mustc; some ballet music (** Dance of Baya- 
deres '* and " Torchlight Dance of the Brides of Cash' 
• mere **) from Rubinstein's F^ramon^ of which opera 
some of onr readers may remember an account by Am- 
bros which w» printed last September.— musio full of ro- 
Inptuous charm and splendor; and finally the uproarious 
Ride of Wagner's Walkyrles. Miss Mathildb Phil- 
Lirps, with a Contralto Tolce of great eompasn and 
which rivals her sister*S in power and richness, sang a 
long leeitatlve and Aria in O (** Addlo, O miel so^irl ") 
from Oluck's Or/to, with great foroe and spirit, display- 
ing a remarkable bravura in the elaborate, exceedingly 
diffloult Cadenxa put to It by Viardot Oarela. She also 
sang *' Ah quel glomo '* from Rosini's 8emlramide to 
great acceptance. Miss MathUe has splendid qualities 
for a singer; nhe has had good training; yet we feel In 
her a somewhat dangerous tendency to carry points by 
storm ; noUbly the way she has of exploding those solid 
great low tones of hers gives them an exaggerated sound 
as If they were not meant quite seriously, which certain- 
ly is not the case with her. Her reception was a very 
warm one. 

In the Wednesday Concert the elder sister. Miss Adr- 
ULIDK Phillitps, In her rich, ripe, finished and expres- 
sive style sang •* Verdt PratI '* from Handers Aleina, and 
Donisetti's *< O mto Fernando," which we could willing- 
ly part withal for the rest of our mortal life, although 
there is a pleasure in hearing anything so admlralily 
sung. Mr. Jaoobsorv In his correct and finished man- 
ner played a not particularly edifying Violin Sonata by 
Yltali. The orehestra played the entire Bach Suite In 
D, and very finely ; and the *< PhaSton " of Saint-SalSns, 
—a work from the Aniipodes— with immense verve and 
energy. After the intermission a Serenade of Beetho- 
ven, cleverly arranged for orchestra from the Trio, Op. 
8, for violin, viola and 'eello, a work in several move- 
ments, ending in a lovely Andsnte with variations, was 
presented in a most enjoyable manner. The concert 
doeed with the humorous and pretty *' Funeral Mareh 
of a Marionette " by Oounod, and the Tannhaeuser Ov- 
erture* 

On the evening of that Wednesday the Thomas Or- 
chestra bore the chief part in the fifth Cambridge oonoert 
at the Sanders Theatre, of which every seat appeared to 
hare Its occupant. It opened with a fine performance 
of Mendelssohn's Overture to AthaUa^ followed by Cho- 
ptn*s F-mlnor Concerto, In which the pianist Miss Amy 
Fat, of Cambridge, made her first appearance here* 
abouts with orchestra. A certain nervousness appeared 
to check the free motion both of hands and spirit In the 
opening Ma»alom> ; and In this condition It was no won- 
der that she had to learn the lesson of the danger, to 
which any mortal memory is liable in some degree, of 
playing in coneerted music without notes, as we Inferred 
from one or two otherwise unaccountable *' fiashes of 
silence" In the orchestra. She gained courage, and 
with it freedom, however, as she went on ; the broad 
rtcUaUwo In the Larghetto movement was well empha- 
sised, and the rapid finale was plrtyM firmly, brilliantly 
and elearly. Tet it is the brilliant rather than the poet- 
le side of Chopin that she represents. The effort was 
heartily applauded. LAter in the evening she was very 
successful In a piano solo: *<Elflu Danre," a concert 
study by LIsxt, and w:is oompelle<l to reappear and giro 
another piece.— The 8iegfrl«d Funeral March made 
about the same Impression that it did in Boston. 
But for a glorious, wind-up of the feast came a superb 
performance of the Fifth Symphony of Beethoven, In the 
treatment of which nothing presented itself as question- 
able except the slow and strongly aoc«fnted assertion of 
the first three notes,— a point about which authorities 
differ. To us it seems that those '* three knocks of Fate 
at the door " ought to steal In quietly In the same Alle- 
gro tempo with the whole movement. Mr. Thomas even 
treated in the same way the three notes of the horns en- 
eringwlth the eountertheme. 

We were unable to attend the sixth and eloslng con- 
cert of the series ^ttldai^ evening); though the spirit 
was willing, unfortunately the flesh was weak I And 



X»i»»4m^ 



onr desire to renew acquaintance with Palne's Sympho- 
ny was great. All we can do, therefore. Is to record the 
interesting programme : 

1. Overture to Fair Melnslna Mendelssohn 

Theclorfl Thomas's Orehestra. 

2. Piano Concerto in A-mf nor Schumann 

Mr. William R Sherwood. 

8. Svmphony in C-minor, No. 1 Paine 

4. Piano «olo: 

a— Fuffue In G-mlnor Rhelnberger 

^ — ffer<^nade .Rubinstein 

e— Wal iesrananhen (Concert Etnde) Lisit 

Mr William H. Sherwood. 
6. Overture to Leonore, No. 8 Beethoven 

Here, for the present, our review must pause in the 
middle of the long list, so that we may give some brief 
glimpses of the rich music still In prospect for us. Next 
time we must resume the record and speak of the remain- 
ing Thomas concerts, the last Sherwood matinAe, the 
very successful concert of the Mlases Philllpps, the 
complimentary concert to Madame Schiller, and some 
others. 



First In consequence Is the Tbirnnial Festival 
of the Handel AND Hatdn Society, next May, fop 
which the pro|rramDie is full of interest and novelty, 
and the rehearsals are going on In real earnest 
There will be six performanoes, as followi?: 

Wetltientlay evtning. May 16. A new Festival Ov- 
erture and Chorus by Prof. J. K. Paine ; " Spring,** 
from Haydn's Seaaont ; 95tli Psalm by Mendels- 
sohn. 

7%ur9datf a/temomtf 1 1fh, Solos ; orcliesi ral se- 
lections ; Redemption Hymn, for Contralto Solo and 
Chorns. composed expressly by J. C. D. Parker; 
Marcello's 18th Psalm : " The Heavens are telling" 
(ffieli ftarrofio — the one described in Mme. George 
Sand's ConMuelo). 

TTiHrtday eveninp, Bacb's Chriniman Oratorio (2 
or 8 parts) ; Hlller's Song of Vidory, for Soprano 
Solo and Chorus. 

Friday evening, HandeVs Sam$&n, 

fikUurday a/femcon. Solos, etc. — "NoSl," a 
ChHstmas Cantata by Saini-SaSns. 

Sftnday evening, Mny 20. HandeVs grandest cho- 
ral work, the oratorio Jtrael in Egypt, 

Among the solo singers secured are : Miss Clara 
Louise Kklloqo, Miss Emma C. Thursbt, Miss An- 
nie Louise Cart, Mr. Charles R. Adams, tenor, 
from the Imperial Opera in Vienna, Mr. Wm. J. 
WiNOH, Mr. John F. Winoh, and Mr. M. W. Wbit- 

NET. 

Meanwhile, at Easter, the Society will perform 
Handel's •/osAtMi, with Miss Thursbt, Miss A. Pril- 
ijrr%^ Mr. Maas and Mr. M. W. Whttnbt for the 
Boloa. 



Madame Essirorr retaros to ns next week and 
will g;ive two evening concerts (Tuesday and Frl- 
dsy) and two Matin6es'(Thnr8day and Saturday.) 



The twelfth season of the Harrard Symphony 

Concerts will conclude as follows : 

Kinlh Coneerif Thuredmy 4ftemoon, March IB. 

Part L Overture to *< Hem and Leander,'* ltM» ; 
Piano Concerto In P minor, Chopin (Madsme If ado- 
line Schiller). Part II. Overture to Promethe- 
us,** Beethaoen ; Piano Solos; Symphony Mo. 8, In C, 
Baf, 

7*«MM(2a«0 Ctmcerit Thureday Afltmoon, March 29. 

Part I. Symphony ("Militalre ') in O, Hayan; 
Violin Ooncerto(the three movements), Beetheoenijit, 
Ijcopold Dsmrosch, conductor of the New York Phil- 
harmonic Society). Part II. Symphonic FRnusIa 
on Sbiik<»speare'fl " Tempest,** John K. IWne* com- 
posed expressly for this concert; Songs, by Charles 
jl. Hay den; Overture: <* Mceressttlle, etc., Mendeto- 
eohn. 



We have a proppect of some very interesting mn. 
sic of a kind which Boston seldom has an opportu* 
nity to hear. We mean the larger forms of elsssl- 
cal Chamber music, such as Octets, Septets, Sextets, 
etc., for strings and wind instrnmcDts oorobioed. 
The New York Mozart Club, ooopoied of oina or 
ten superior artists, most of whom hare long been 



members of the Thomas orchestrR, devotes itself to 
this speciality. Among the names we notice the 
admirable Oboist, J. Eller, who was with Thomas, 
R. Arnold, one of his two leading TloUnists, H. 
ScHMrrx. the homist, etc Tliey have already giv- 
en a taste of their quality in several excellent con- 
certs in New York, in which they hare played an 
Octet by Mosart for 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 horns 
and 2 bassoons; Hummel's Septet; Beethoren's 
Septet ; the Nonet by Spohr, and many other inter- 
esting works too seldom heard. We copy from the 
proepectns of the Club : 

The unexpected interest which has been accorded to 
our attempt, encoursftes us to continue these entertain' 
ments, and to solicit for them the patronage of Art-Lov- 
ers, Students, snd the peneral public. It is our deter- 
mined aim to win the spprobation of the most exacting 
by performance* technically perfect, and reflecting 
faithfully the spirit of the originals. Our preparations 
being almost complete, we can promise a very Intnest- 
in^ repertoire. Works of Hsendel Bach. Haydn. Mosart, 
Beethoven. Schubert, Onslow, Schumann ond Mendels- 
sohn, will alternate with the contemporaneous tone-po- 
ems of Liszt, JMc Instein , Brahms, and others. We shsU 
bring out a selection of Solos, Sonatas, Duos, Trios snd 
String-Quartets, by many of the Masters. Our ehief ef- 
forts, however, will be devoted to those eompo^tions 
embracing from flre to nine instruments, which, by vir- 
tue of their Intellectual scope and graceful form, are 
Justly considered the crowning beauties of Cbamber- 
Mnsio. In our country, up to the present time, the 
works mentioned have been but Incompletely rendered ; 
hardly ever before hss a club of well-known perfonners 
unitedly endeavored to solve our high task. This con- 
sideration warrants us m assuring patrons of a truly 
rare enjoyment. 

Our music-lovers will no doubt welcome the an- 
nonncement that the Mosart Club propose to visit 
Boston and give a short subscription series of 
three concerts in one of our smaller halls. Sub- 
scription lists will soon be ready in ihe masic 
stores. 



(Crowded out last time.) 
Misa LiLUAN Bailey's Concert at Union Hall, Sat- 
urday afternoon. Feb. 10. was a charming affsir, and 
was appreciated by a large and cultivated audience. 

This gifted young lady, yet In her teens, shows a 
remarkable improvement since her first semi-pri- 
vate appearances a year ago. Her fresh, sweet, 
penetrating voice has developed into larger volume 
and eapacitr of varioua expression. The tone is 
frank and birdllke, and, though there is of coarse 
much to learn,' yet she is subftantially a pleasing 
sinsrer even now, and full of promise. For she has 
intellectnal talent likewise, and seems prompted by 
a genuine musical enthusiasm. Her first piece: 
" Softly sweet in Ly^ian measures," from Handel's 
Alrxander^t Feant, was simply and gracefully sung, 
with 'cello obbligato (Wvlv Friks). Two songs by 
Frans (** To Music," and " Birdling, whither thy 
flight"! ^^'^ charmingly fresh, and song in the 
trae spirit. Being encored, she bat down at the pi- 
ano and, to her own nice accompaniment, sang the 
Mignon song of Ambroise Thomas In verv fitting 
style. The buoyant "Spring Song" by Mendels- 
sohn, and a song by Jensen displayed her versatili- 
ty still further to advantage. 

Mi^s Bailey's teacher, Mr. C R. Hatden, to whose 
judicious training the yonng maiden bore such tes- 
timony, enriched the concert further by his own 
admirable singing of three songs by Mendelssohn 
(" Oruss." " Auf Flilgeln des Oesanges," and " Es 
ist beetimmt in Gottes Rath,") in which his voice 
seemed richer and sweeter, and his delivery more 
artistic and refined than ever before. For a Mcond 
group he gave " Du blst wis elne Bluroe." by Lisst, 
a song of questionable beauty, and a wild, dashing 
stirrup-cnp song by Rubinstein : " Auf dein Worn 
trink' ich. Marl," which had to be repeated. 

The concert opened with the Andante and Rondo 
of Mozart's E-flat Concerto, and closed with the 
Mendelssoho-Moscholes Variations on the Bohemian 
March from Preeioea, — ^both for two pianos — ^finely 
played by Mr. G. W. SuMNxa and Mr. Arthur 
FooTE, who also shared between them the song ao- 
companimcnis. Mr. Fries and Mr. Foote played al- 
so a Romance, op. 86, and an Allegro Afraasslonato, 
op. 4S, for 'cello and piano, by Saint-SaCns, with 
acceptance. 



Hayt>x axd Booorsriki. Our oM frieod '* the Diar- 
ist ** wTitea us : 

TYle^t Jan. 24. 1877. 

It \h certainly qneer Iiaw often an old error ra-iAt he 
kniftd before It will nm\ n dead. Here nomes a Boston 
AdveriUtT with a letter from Rome, in which I read : 

** If Haydn was the Waiter of the Symphony, Boccber- 
ini was certainly the inventor.'* and again : 

** But Hsydn took Boccherlni*s Idea and created oat of 
it concerted mnslc." ....** Haydn gave to the 
qnartets all the value of a symphony. Bnt at the same 
time the credit of the Invention rests with the Italians, 
etc." 
Now: 
I. Haydn neither did nor could know any thing of 
Boccherlni's works, until his own style both in 
quartet and symphony was formed, 
n. This style was formod on the works of C. P. B. 
Bach: that is: Bach h»d iriven the world the 
modern sonata form, and Haydn adopted it in 
writlns for combinations of orchestral instru- 
ments, 
ni. In 1763 Hiyln wrote a qnintet. 
17B5-9— etjrhteen quarteta. 
1750 -the first orchestral symphony in our mod* 
em form. 
IV. To Pii*quot*H blojirmphy of Boccherlnl. the book, 
which, no far as I know, ftr^t frave him the cred- 
it of beinp: the *' Inventor ** of the qnartei and 
symphony— there Is appended a ** eatalogue gen- 
eral des Oeuvres '* of that composer. 
I extraet the following: 

Op. 1. 8el Sinfonle Ha Quart^tUt etc., cM>mpos^ en 

1761, oomme OBoere S— pnlilM en 1768. 
Op. 9. Bix Trios a 3 V. e violoncellos; manuscript 

dated 1760. 
Op. 8. Six Trios, etc 
Op. 4. Sci Sinfonle a tre, per dne violons e violoncelle 

composes en 1766. 
Compare these dales and tell me how ** Haydn took 
Boccherlnl** Idea?'* And where was the OrekeHral 
symphony of the latter from which he took it? 

A. W. T. 
> f » < 

Nrw Hatbn, Feb. 16.— The New Raven Oratorio So* 
elety gave a perform «nce of the *' Blijah *' on the even- 
ing of the 13th . The accompaniments were renrlered by 
the Thomas orchestra. The sol • parts were sustained by 
ML«s E. L Sanford, Miss C. A. Phelps, Mr. Wm. Castle, 
and Mr. M. W. Whitney. Mr T. G. Shepard, the con* 
dttctor, performed h s difficult task admirably, and to 
him as well as to Messrs Jepson and Marston, the other 
members of the board of managers, the thanks of our 
eltixens are due for the opportunity of hearing this maa- 

ter*pieoe under such favorable clreumstancea. 

M. 



VAssAm CoLLKOK. Mrs. Fanny Raymond Ritter, in 
the F^tiffhkeepHe Newt, gives an Interesting account of 
the first concert of the season ; of which we copy the 
greater part. 

This concert opened fitly with a work of peculiarly 
eharming character— Moxart's qnintet for pianoforte, 
oboe, clarinet, horn and bassoon— fltlled with beautiful 
surprises and contrasts of tone-color pure euphony from 
beginning to end. It was written by Mozart at the age 
of twenty eight, and he wrote to his father concern ng 
It, ** I consider this the finest work I have yet written." 
Beethoven when thirty years old, wrote his quintet 
(opns 16). In emulation of Moxart's, yet did not excel It; 
we must reroeml)er however, that the genins of Mozart 
arrived precociously at maturity, wliile that of Beetho- 
ven required many more years to reach its fullest ripe- 
ness and originality. 

Mr. Franz Remmertz, the admired baritone, then sang 
Schumann*s exquisite romance, " Flvihenreirher Ehro/ 
No. 5 of the cy<'le of Spanish lovcsongs. This rich melo* 
dy, this flowing, pulslof accompaniment, lietrny no weak 
attempt at any imitation of th*) eager rhythms, alternat- 
ing wirh phrases of self-contained, melancholy passion, 
•o eharacteristio of the national Spanish canto; this 
lovely romance is more than that; it is a poet's Ideal 
dream of Spanish lovo on the banks of a Spanish river. 
But, as he dreamed of Ebro, he sat beside the stream of 
Castsly. 

A Vienxtemps reverie.— a delightful composition by 
one of the greatent of violin masters,- next succeeded, 
performed in the most satisfactoiy manner by Mr. 
Arnold. 

Mr. Remmertz again appeared, and gave us an admi- 
rable rendering of Wolfram's " WU Todetahnung** from 
Wagner's Tannhmiur, This air approaches so much 
more nearly to previously received forms than almost 
any other vocal Wagner taori.Mv of such brevity, that it 
has been a favorite for many years^ though a composi- 



t'on of too lofty a stamp ever to sink Into ponnlaHtv. 
There Is a passsge In the rerltntlve, at the words, *« Da 
tckeinMt Z>tt,o fUbJich»Urd^ SUm^ /" aecompanled hy 
a trtmnlando of the violins wh'ch reminds ns. oven in l*s 
orchestral coloring, of the vlolin-^remolo In flfth« In the 
prologue to " Lohengrin,** where the Holy Gra>1 Is sup- 
posed to appear: the whole paa^nge sneroeats a snper* 
natural effect of distance, tremulous light, snd the deep- 
est, yet elearest atntoapheric pnritv, amid which the 
sacred Chalice appears to the kneeling knight. Even 
snch slight touches betray the hand of gen'us, and pro- 
duce a similar result as when we see, on the canvass of 
a great master, not the attempted representation of the 
form of Deity, bnt the wondrous effect of that preseDce 
In the eyes of some gazing disciple, enraptured by a ee- 
lectlal revelation, invislt)1e to us. 

The brothers Eller then played two romansas of pasto- 
ral chnracter for oboe and niano, two of three composed 
by 8ohnm'>nn as la^e as 1849 yet displaying that clever 
mastery of form which Bchnmsnn poasessed more ful*y 
at sn earlier period, and filled with all his own dreamy, 
poetic, meloifon^ beautv. 

Another vfew Af Sehnm^nn*s genins was preaentM In 
his dramatic setting of Heine's poem ** D<ei>elr1en Gren* 
aii-re," ren«leTed by Mr. Remme-tz with thst snHt snd 
fl le'ity to the vsry'ng dem^n'^snf the text, whirh. when 
displsyed by the slncrer plsce this well-known Xi>«f In Its 
true position a-s one of the most ln«piring In the whole 
baritone rfp^rMm. The culmlnstlnff point of Interest i'l 
the concert wss the performance of Beethoven*s septet 
for string instmmenta. dsrinet, horn and bassoon. Thia 
woric was probably the last written hy Beethoven In 
what Is called h*n first style, and marks that epoch, when, 
at the ace of thirty, the end of hie flm youth (as an ar- 
tist), be becran to emnn4*lpate his style from the infla« 
ence of tradition and nf his predeeessors, and to become 
altogether himself. The woric. Indeed, resembles spring 
and yonth.— the yonth, however, of genins,— all beauty. 
freahnes«, vieor. health of body and soul ; conscious of 
boundless resources It gives with regal generosity; It 
abounds with novel ideas, harmonious purity, and ele- 
gance of workmanship. Lens has prettily said of this 
septet : " It Is an apotheosis of the serenade." In meas- 
ures 66 to 79 of the adagio, we perceive an echo of the 
**Adelalda"— written af about the same time as this 
work. Beethoven afterwards far surpassed the powers 
he displayed In his septe% so fir ss regards poetic depth 
and impa.«slnned grsndenr ; but no composer has exceed- 
ed him In the irroiinfng cf material. In the e.harmlne 
union of tone-contrasts which th's creation disniays It 
wa« ne«fonned In wibllc for the first time, at VIenna.on 
the 2nd of Aor'l, 18ftft. At the same concert, the Mis-er 
produced hia Flrnt Symphonv (comnosed 1mmedlat«'lv 
after the sep*et) and imp"ovii«d st the plsno-forte. The 
'cpfet ohta'n«»«l such a andd**n and gener?»l success aft'T 
Its pnldic nrodnction, that Beethoven told Caamv he al- 
most desi>lsed the work, and was Indignant at the uiil- 
rer«al pral«e It received. This anirer mav have apnesred 
nnreasonable, even to 'hose among Beethoven's friends 
who po«sesaed canacltv enotieh to be aide to appreciate 
his Intelleetnsi gifts, so far as thev had then b#en made 
pnbllc.1v manifest; buK we may now sormlae that he then 
felt within him the nower of soaring to tar greater 
hel<rhts. He already felt vague presentiments of the 
*• Fidello," of the awftil glories or the Missa Solencls, In 
D : perhaps on the mli ror of his mind, the fonns of the 
Fourth Avmphonv ( * that slender Thslia amon? Beetho- 
ven's nine," said Achnmann), ol the Rrolea. of the Rer- 
enth. were already gathering: perhaps healrctd) hesrj 
within him the approach of the Choral Rymi>hony, that 
tocsin of revolution In mnaleal art, destined to vibrate 
throngh the eentnriea, with manifold echoes and '* a 
grent voice of a mnltitnde. as the vn|ce of many waters, 
ss the the voice of mighty thnndertngs I '* 

The effiN^t of snch a high o-der of <*oncerts as this, on 
student life and development, cannot be otherwise than 
tteneflcial and elevsting. The Inflnence of any noble art 
is not a tranaltorv one: and noble music, the most vis- 
ionary and fndtfve of all arts. In one sense. Is al<o the 
mo«t lasting In Its Infl'ience on the mind and leaves be- 
hind it Indelible impressions 

The qnintet and septet were well performed by the New 
York Mozart Club, which contains some of the best in- 
strumentalists in America, memiters of the New Toric 
Phflharmonlc. and of the Thomas orchentra. 

The entire concert wss recelve<l by the lady students 
with the applause it deserved, and a demand was made 
for the repetition of four of the shorter nnml>ers on the 
programme kindly responded to on the part of the ar- 
ti ts, by the snbMtitntlon, in each caf*e, of a different, but 
approp'riate m&rr^tu. Snch demonstrations of enthnsi- 
asm are delightfully In place on »>ach an occasion as this 
and excite artists to put forth their best powers; but if 
the ontwani manifestation of approval be careless and 
indifferent, how shall they know that any artistic sym- 
pathy, or even understanding of art, exists amonsr their 
audience? It Is so easy, especially for Invi ions incom- 
petence, to find fault with artists and their artl It Is so 
difficult, even for the mo«t refined connoisseur, to praise 
with Justice and discrimination I According to Goethe'a 
aothoritv, *' whoever praises a beautiful or worthy ob- 
ject, raises himself, though but for a moment, by the 
lofty Impulse of generous admiration, to an equality with 

^le oblect praised." 
The lady student's ei\Joyment and understanding of thia 
incert wss greatly Increased by Professor Ritter's ex- 
planatory lectura on a previous day. when he gave an 
analysis of the form and contents of the works wblch he 
had Sfleeted for the programme, as well as a description 
of the Instruments used In those works, and the manner 
of performing on them. 



Special ^ntitta, 

DRaCRIPTIVB LIST OP THE 

TSST 2yCT7SZO, 
»«l»lloli«»4 by Oliver 1»lto«a * G«. 



Tooali with Plaao Aooompaaimsnt. 

How could I forget yon. Darling? Sjr and 

Clio. Ef«. a. c to F. GUmetiL » 

'* And bine eyes. *neath golden lashes." 
Pretty ballad In popular style. 

Kagniflcat. (Easter Anthem). D. 8. 

<1 to g. Havens. 40 

" Glory to Cod. in full anthems of lov. 
The being he gave u* death cannot destroy." 

A very spirited bnt e«sy entheni, appropriate to 
any service, bnt uLode for Ifiaster. 

Whither, little Maiden ? Quartet and Solo. 

A. 4. E to a, 8coU, 35 

"Diisv, with a ffn«h of lanirbter. 
Llorhtly lo«sed her pretty bead.** 
A solo nsrt, wtth fonr others secnmpapvlng, 
which will do nicely for quartet or chorus. Grace- 
ful movement. 

Twilljrlit in the Park. For Guitar. Brochway. 40 
Coui-ting on the Staim, O. 8. d to E. Pffke, 90 

•• 8hv yonng Cnpld's nef , 
Catches ua unawares." 
Pretty comic song. 

'TU a Face with the Fea-Gull. Song nnd 

Cho. G. 3. d to E. Bitihcp. 40 

" There she swings ! To vonr stations f 
We're heading away from the shoie.*' 
A grand glee for the yachtsmen. 

Kitty 0*Eeefe. Song and Cho. G. 3. d to 

E. Porter. 30 

•• Good !»nge1s, guard from m1«forsnne and vriet. 
The girl of the poet, sweet Kitty O'Keefc." 
Melodious Irish song. 

InstrsnoBtal. 

Souvenir de ycnise. liorceau Poetique. 

G. 6. Softer. 60 

L*ght. brilliant snd tnsti^fnl. snd Is, moreover 
snlendld practice for a light touch, and for nice 
playing of extensions and chromatics. 

Mairlo Flute. (La Flute Enchantde. Op. 118, 

No. 18. Divertimento. £6. 4. iLeykpdk. 60 

Graceful arrancrement of air* from one oi the 
most graceftil of operas. Belongs to the set of 
** Oeuvres Oei^bres " by Leybach. 



Angelic Waltz. D. S. 



Lyle, 30 



Has *' Lyis's " customary brOllancy of arrange- 
ment. 

Guillaume Tell. Op. SO, No. 11. Fantaaie. 

G. 4. Dam. 65 

A few of the best airs are here brilliantly repro- 
duced. Kine exhibition piece. 

The Devil's Dance. Grand Galop Fantastlqne. 
For 4 hands. 3 Votm. 75 

In three keys, and fantastic enough. Pleases 
by Its oddity. 

Ballad of the Weaver. . Vb. 5. Hoffman. 40 

The right hand weaves and weaves bnslly through- 
out, bnt flnd« time to aa«lst the left in bringing 
out the melody. Propeily played, is a channlng 
piece. 

Musical Fori;et-me-not Op. 200. Moritz- 

hutg. Hunting Fanfare and Gondellied. 

£6. 4. Spindler. 50 

A very peculiar and original anion of dissimilar 
airs. 

All the Year Bound. Waltzes. 8. S^ddM, 60 
Fine set of waltxes. 

Shepherd Boy. For Violin and Piano. G. 3. 

Winner. 30 

Pretty combination, giving yet a new bean^ to 
the favorite air. 

BOOKS. 
MATsniAL FOB Earlt Piano iKBTRtrcnox. 

By G. D. Wilwn. Book 2. $2.00 

This welcome " Book" contains abnnt S8 easy 
and pretty pieces (of the 2d and Sd degree of dif- 
ficulty). Teachers will at once appropriate it, 

AnBasviATioxa.— Degrcea of dilllculty are marked 
from 1 to 7. The key Is denoted by a capital letter, as C, 
HA, etc. A large Roman letter marka the lowest and the 
highest note if on the staff, small Komnn letters if below 
or almve the staff. ThuA: •• C. ft. o to K," means ** Key 
of G, Fifth degree, lowest letter c on the added line bih> 
low, highest letter, K on tlie 4th space." 



*M^ 





uxml 





Whom No. 937. BOSTON, SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 1877. Vol. XXXVI. No, 25. 



TendanoiM of Modern Xiifio. 

(Sdeotloiii tmiglated for this Joamal from tiM Lettoit 
of HAuPTHunr, HiLLBB and otiMn.) 

I. 

— ^In the concert of BchrOder-Oerrient sever- 
al interesting things were given: among others 
the Overture to "Ruy Bias" by Mendelssohn, 
and scenes from the Opera *' Rienzi *' by Rich- 
ard Wagner, which he himself diiected. In 
Wagner's mnsic I have found far more of 
stretching and straining than of solid satisfy- 
ing matter. One cannot judge, to be sure, of 
the effect of a whole Opera after a few single 
pieces; but the kind of mnsic is very manifest 
in them, and that pleases me not; it is again 
the unmusical kind, which clings to the expres- 
sion of the single details, which, where joy and 
sorrow are the subject, holds the two apart and 
seeks to express each musically by itself. That 
is setting things to music as the watch-makers 
understand it, when they speak of setting a 
watch in oil, where every peg is tipped with 
oil. But the word$ Aauid le^tt UmtuU oi ens 
9§U aJUh i$U0 the waUr^ taking them out of the 
dry and separating element of the understand- 
ing into the mediatiifg, fluid element of feeling. 
That is the way the Italians do it, and so do 
those who are artistically related to them, like 
Mozart, Spohr,— who will not take it ill of me 
that I connt them among these. When we 
speak of the Italians we are not to think 
only of Donizetti and Bellini, but of Raphael, 
of Leonardo and lltian, of the finest fiowers of 
Art that ever were.~(HAi7FTMA3iK, LeUer to 
Spohr, 1848. 

— ^The TannkAneor has been given three times 
here. The applause was still undecided in it- 
self; not that it was not loud; but one hears 
even in the clapping of hands whether it comes 
from a sure or a doubtful feeling of applause. 
The fnture alone can make it clear. I heard 
the Opera on the first performance, bad also 
heard it several yean ago in Dresden, where it 
was very well given; but just as little here as 
there was I at the end of it in such a mood as 
one ought to be in after a good work of Art: 
in a harmonic, satisfied mood. Such music 
costs the hearer a continual strain. An opera 
on which the composer has labored for months, 
we have to bear through in three hours; — he 
has had hours and days of recreation in the 
course of it, but to us is granted not a moment ; 
the Jv^arer also needs some rest,^ spine intermis- 
sion, but he does not find in such a work, 
which keeps on steadily without any moments 
of repose. The hymn of the Pilgrims, which 
returns so often in the opera, might have formed 
a moment of repose, against which the more 
passionate movement would be set off in strong- 
er relief; but even this hymn is tortured both 
in melody and harmony, and seems given to 
the chorus singers only to put them out of tune. 
It is perhaps designed to express the contrition 
and remorse of the pilgrims ; but this was hard- 



ly the place to make that prominent; a quiet 
element might have come in here quite fitly in 
a poetic and artistic manner. Even the song 
of the shepherd boy, after the first impassioned 
scene in the Venus-berg, is only a melodic, or 
an unmelodic, curiosity; and it is very im- 
proper in the youngster, after He has taken 
notice of the pilgrim procession and has 
kneeled down, to intrude his piping {Sehalnm' 
ffedudd) into the pauses of the choral strain. — 
The minstrels* contest with its continuous de- 
clamatory 4-4 measure, is now and then very 
tedious. In the third act, the long recited 
narrative of TannhSnser, about the result of his 
pilgrimage to Rome, is also not a fortunate 
dramatic moment. MuticdOy many things in 
Lohen/ffrin have pleased me better than anything 
in TamnhAueer. There we have some choruses 
of most beautiful sonority. Tet Lohengrin as 
a whole must be fatiguing in a high degree. 
But it is meant and done in earnest ; the Whole 
man is in it throughout; and that is respecta- 
ble. The poetic element certainly is very sig- 
nificant; but there is wanting an artistic ele- 
ment to bear up freely the impassioned subject- 
matter which so weighs upon us, which, being 
without form, as bare realism oppresses and 
torments us. When one eomee out ^ a drama er 
an opera feeUng ae if hruieed and eruehed, there 
ie eomdhing not qnUe rt^ht about it, — i^Hauft- 
XAKN to Bpdkr, Leipeig, 1858.) 

— ^We have nowthe|tu8sian Rubinstein here, 
who has let ns hear a Symphony: '* Ocean,'* a 
piano Fantasia with orchestra, and a Trio. 
These things were very imposing and have re- 
ceived g^reat applause. The Ocean wallowed 
and-fioundered about a great deal; but if one 
is to find fault with that, he will make nothing 
out of it. Less fioundering was the Fantasia, 
but also less interesting. The Trio is quite civ. 
ilized, brilliant, easy to listen to, and euphoni- 
ous, like altogether another man, escaped from 
the sea storm, refreshed, restored, his toilet 
made and entering a parlor. — ^What does not 
please me in the compositions as a whole is. 
that tfftA iho fui^lMmMt, iho in^triMie value 
eeemeto deereaee; that when the miete are eeat- 
tered the eountry ie leee heauHful than we ma/if 
ha/ee imagined U l^fore. But Rubinstein is a 
man of talent and an enormous player; few 
will be able to play his things after him. — 
(Hauftiiahk, 1855.) 



— ^I'take no pleasure in such .compositions. 
So many of our young composen have had no 
poetic, harmless childhood in their Art ; they be- 
gan in a state of desperation, with the Lost Par* 
adiie; and where are any reminiscences of the 
ii»-lost to oome from, such as recur so often and 
so beautifully in Beethoven's very last and 
most despairing things, like echoes from the 
''femen QMbten ** in the full bliss of the past. 
Instead of this we now get only dry disgust and 
loathing of all that is real, a haughty egotbti- 



cal mood, which has and can have no faith in 
itself, but would fain persuade itself and oth- 
ers that there is something in it. What ii not 
09ontrained eeeme to them fiat and ineign^fioant ; 
leauty^ in their Art doctrine, ie a thing of no ac- 
count. Theftneet Art material, for which ocory 
other Art maiy enny Mueic^ — TosE-^-ie ao tortured 
and eo cruehed hy them that it can only ehriek and 
whimper. And eo we get an unmueical and tone- 
le$$ muiie; and what in earlier compoeitioni hae 
eeemed dry and crMcd, now comee toueae para- 
dieaicaUy mild, compared to what we haoe to hear 
in the neweet compoeitiohi, — (Hauptmaxit, 
1855.) 

— ^There are times and epochs, in which al- 
most all sense of beauty seems to have deserted 
the producers in Art, and I fear, we live in one 
of these. They strive after the new, the excit- 
ing, the piquant and effective; they want to 
surprise, and even to dumbfound er you; cost 
what it will, they are determined to be deep, 
original and clever; they confound the beauti- 
ful with the conventional, with what has su- 
perficial polish; and they despise the beautiful, 
simply because they scarcely comprehend it. 
True, it has been given only to the rarest gen- 
iuses in Art and poetry, to be at the same time 
deep and beautiful; — ^but why not at least 
strive to reach them It The Beautiful, after 
all, is, and will remain, the moet beautiful. — 
(Fbrdinakd Hellbb, fiwn *^ Britfe an dns 
ZTngenannte,'* 1877.) 

(From Vienna).-— The second Philharmonic 
Concert opened with an Overture to '* Romeo 
and Juliet, ** by Tschiukowsky . In spite of the 
careful execution, the work found here no sym- 
pathetic response. In the first place, the pre- 
tentious title was an injury to it, justifying 
great expectations, which remained very much 
unsatisfied. With such a labyrinth of shrill, 
glaring sound, without any proper pith and 
substance, one paints no Shakespeare. — (Leip- 
Hg Signale, J^n, 1877.) 

(Leipzig.) The fifth Euterpe Concert, on 
Deo. 12th, had fur its principal numbers: the 
Concerto in G minor, for string orchestra, two 
obligato violins and an obligato violoncello, by 
Handel ; the Symphony *' Lenore *' by Raff; and 
the Fantasia for piano, chorus and orchestra, 
by Beethoven. The writer of these lines heard 
Raff*s Symphony for the first time. His im- 
pression of it is about as follows: The first 
movement seems, in matter and in form, to be- 
long to the best and most enjoyable that Raff 
has produced. The second movement (An- 
dante) has a very fair beginning, but in its 
further development grows more and more dif- 
fuse and rambling, and leaves at last an op- 
pressive sense of Irksomeness. The third move- 
ment (March) is, to our taste, somewhat vul- 
gar, and offers only in its middle part some 
weak amends for this vulgarity, nay almost 



402 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OP MUSIC. 



triviality. Finally the fourth movement— the 
direct musical illustration and description of 
B rger s Ballad, vrhile the other movements 
are only occupied with the hliss of love and the 
separation of Leonora and Wilhelm, that is to 
say, with what precedes all that is contained in 
the poem — was to us one of the severest musi- 
cal visitations that we ever yet experienced: 
th§ ratout materialism and rwdimn i$ here die- 
played, and the composer shrinks not from the 
most hideous, if only he may thus illustrate 
musically his underlying subject in the most 
drastic manner. — (Signale, Jan, 1877.) 



I^r DwIgtat'B Journal of Muato. 

Conoerning Xuical Piano-Playing; 

BT W. 8. B. MATHEWa. 

About three months ago I had the honor to 
lay before the readers of this Journal some ob- 
servations on the value of slow practice, espec- 
ially on the piano; pointing out therein the 
fact that all practice has for its object the es- 
tablishment and co-ordination of a series of 
muscular actions, so that the entire series may 
be produced by a simple act of the will. I 
have reason to believe that quite a number of 
teachers found the ideas there advanced ration- 
al and serviceable ; and this emboldens me to 
pursue the subject in the following paragraphs, 
which ought indeed to have formed part of 
that article. 

Within a few days after that piece had been 
sent to the Editor, a friend of mine. Dr. J. 8, 
Jewell (Editor of the '* Chicago Journal of 
Nervous and Mental Disease ") called my at- 
tention to an article by Dr. Onimus, translated 
from the ^^ Journal d^Anatomie et de PhyeioUh 
gie " 1878, pp. 645-^64. The title of the trans- 
lation was '* Speech as a Reflex Act," and it 
appears in Dr. JewelVs Journal for April, 1874. 
There the writer took up the question of ''re- 
flexes*' from some former discussion of it in 
its general bearings, and proceeded to point 
out the fact that speech was also a reflex act, 
the various muscular contractions necessary to 
phonation being presided over by a subordi- 
nate nerve-centre, which he called the ''phono- 
motor " centre. 

By " reflex ' Dr. Onimus means nothing else 
than what I called " automatic '* acts. He dis- 
tinguishes two kinds of reflexes: those of in- 
stinct (like breathing), and those of education. 
For instance, old pigeons continued to pick and 
smooth their plumage after the removal of the 
brain ("the ruling passion strong in death;**) 
in young pigeons, on the contrary, these mo- 
tions were never observed. 

Without delaying to cite his article more in 
detail, I may say that the notion of a "phono- 
motor ** centre is an eminently rational one, 
and not only fits in admirably with the testi- 
mony of consciousness, but also serves to take 
in and explain a large catalogue of musical 
facts, and in consequence of so doing deserves 
to exercise a very important influence on meth- 
ods of teaching. 

Whoever appeals to consciousness knows that 
in the act of speaking he endeavors merely to 
articulate certain sounds. The entire mechan- 
ism of speech is generally outside the control 
of volition. Volition, indeed, "turns it on," 
and sometimes (fortunately) "turns it ofl";*' 



but, once a-going, the talking presents itself to 
the mind merely as the expression of a mental 
disturbance or irritation commonly supposed 
by the talker to be on idea. This generalized 
conception of speech is also to a considerable 
degree true of all reflexes, like, e, g,^ the work 
of the shoemaker, as I remarked before ; where 
the entire process seems to him not so much 
movements of the arm, as "making shoes." 
But in the case of speech the reflex was ac- 
quired before the dawn of self-consciousness, 
and very few persons ever give it a thought. 
That speech really does take place in the effort 
to articulate some sound existing in the mind, 
is corroborated by a multitude of observa- 
tions: such as, e. g., the fact that persons with 
an impediment in their speech are not general- 
ly conscious of the imperfection of their artic- 
ulation. The sound being properly formed in 
their mind, they are actually unable to hear 
the imperfect form of it, as they really express 
it. Only when they hear some one else with 
the same defect, do they realize how defective 
their articulate performance really is. This I 
think is true of all forms of defective articula- 
tion. One of my children was unable to pro- 
nounce *<k" sounds, but instead of it used 
"t," "tit" for kick, "tandy" for candy, 
"tart" for cart, etc., and it was not until 
he was nearly six years old that he was taught 
to pronounce this element properly. 

When a boy I noticed that young people 
sang very differently from old, especially 
in the matter of nasal tones, slovenly articula- 
tion, etc., and supposed that this arose from 
the difference in age. Hence it surprised me 
very much to observe in the South that young 
negro girls of ten or twelve sang exactly like 
the old " aunties " of sixty. On reflection, of 
course, it was easy to see that the resemblance 
was the necessary result of the young ones im- 
itating the old ones; and the difference I had 
formerly observed arose from the young hav- 
ing acquired their singing from the singing- 
master, and not from the old ladies. I once 
taught in a seminary where the singing teacher 
had a most ridiculous tremolo, as well as, also, 
"the Italian wiggle," and although she used 
to condemn both these absurdities in the strong- 
est terms, all her pupils had them — though per- 
haps not in BO great perfection I 

The Phono-Motor centre is the musical one. 
While it may be difficult to convince a skeptic 
that speech is always performed in the effort 
to realize certain eounde, there can be no ques- 
tion whatever when we come to song. The 
child with a musical ear catches and repeats 
melodies like a mocking bird. They get the 
long words most absurdly twisted, but the tune 
is there. We all know that "nonsense verses" 
are easier to remember than real poetry. IiV- 
erybody oan repeat '^Hickory dickery dock," 
and the like. Here there can be no intellect- 
ual effort, for the words scarcely contain an 
idea. What man is there who has forgotten 
the formula: 

" Onery, ewery, ickery Ann, 
Fillacy, follacy, Nicholas John, "etc.? 

Or take the musical act of whistling. Who 
taught the youngsters how to pucker and pout f 
I once caught one of my young lady pupils 
playing Beethoven's Sonatas for piano and vio- 



lin for her own gratification, and whistling the 
violin part. I always thought more of her af- 
ter that. 

But to my mind the most singular phenome- 
non connected with this phono-motor centre is 
that of playing the piano by ear. That a child 
should ever be able without instruction to play 
a tune by ear is indeed remarkable. Here we 
have this impression of sound so powerfully 
made in the mind, that the sound-producing 
centre is able to go beyond the organs of speech 
and seize upon the unpliant fingers (taught 
only to pry into things awkwardly and un-cun- 
ningly,) and with these to work out the inner 
musical conception ; — this is to me a wonder. 
I have a pupil at the present time who plays so 
well by ear that I could make her read music 
only by giving her musical pieces of such subtile 
structure that she could not unravel them by ear 
(Schumann especially, and such things as Wm . 
Mason's "Au Matin.") It has frequently hap- 
pened to her to play a piece in an entirely dif- 
ferent key from what she had learned it in, 
(as, e, g., in A flat instead of E flat), and not to 
discover her mistake until nearly through. 
This shows, also, how small a part muscular 
sensation has in the act of playing by ear, for 
in a change of key the chords fall differently 
under the fingers. 

For several years past I have been observing 
how artists play. It is very difficult to find 
out their mental conception of munc, or rather 
their mental operations while playing. I would 
have liked particularly to have learned how 
Von Bfllow played, whether by the memory of 
the nctee as such, or of the musical idea. If the 
latter, it must have been, I think, by a pretty 
clear intellectual conception of the form of the 
thoughts and modulations and the order of their 
succession. 

Miss Riv0 told me that when she played 
without notes she did so from a sort of mental 
photograph of the notes, every page of the mu- 
sic standing clearly before the mind. Her 
playing comports with this in its uniform cor- 
rectness; yet she must sometimes rise above 
this state of mere intellectual reproduction of 
the printed page, for she frequently plays with 
great passion. 

Mr. Wm. H. Sherwood interested me very 
much in his recent visit to Chicago. He, as 
yon know, also plays without notes. But he 
says that in playing, the natee do not appear to 
him at all : but the mubical idea and impres- 
sion; that he never thinks of the letter names 
of the keys he touches. According to his no- 
tion he plays in obedience to a distinctly mu- 
sical impression existing in his mind. I can 
very well believe this, for in spite of the enor- 
mous amount of difficult music he has read and 
played, he does not read rapidly at sight at all, 
even in quite easy pieces. 

We have here in Chicago three pianists who 
read remarkably well. There may be others, 
but three I know of. They are Mr. Falk, Mr. 
Liobling, and Mr. Eddy. Mr. Falk reads any- 
thing, but he frequently plays too fast and 
without good effect. Mr. Liebling not only 
reads very rapidly but remembers a piece after 
two or three times playing it. Nevertheless I 
have heard him several times lately play the 
bass so heavily as to cover up the melody. 
This seems to me to indicate that the playing 






BOSTON, SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 1877. 



403 



does not take place in obedience to the desire 
of producing such and such sounds, or if so, 
that the performance is not adequately super- 
vised by the ear. The only person I have ever 
known who was distinctively a "good reader/* 
and at the same time played as if he was repro- 
ducing a musical effect distinctly present in 
consciousness, is Mr. H. Clarence Eddy, the or- 
ganist. I am aware that the essentially musi- 
cal character of Eddy*s playing is denied by 
many, who affirm it to be merely an intellectu 
al performance devoid of feeling. This mis- 
take arises, I think, from their not giving due 
weight to the elaborate structure of the pieces 
Mr. E4dy loves to play, especially ^on the or- 
gan ; and to the grave and impassive tone of 
the organ itself. At all events, this much is 
true, that Mr. Eddy rarely fails to phrase clear- 
ly, to play his piece in suitable tempo, and to 
set the prominent ideas in a proper co-ordina- 
tion. Now be tells me that between the per 
eeption of the notes and the performance of 
them an entirely complete conceptien of the 
music intervenes, so that he hean the mune be- 
fore he jUay it. Everything in the playing 
conforms to this idea. 

I have no hesitation, therefore, in advancing 
the idea that in all playing the musical effect 
ought to be conceived before the performance ; 
that is, that the act of playing must resolve it- 
self into an effort to produce an external copy 
of the musical impression in the mind of the 
player. In my opinion the great failure of 
common players is here. They do not think 
their mune^ but play in the mere effort to repro- 
duce certain combinations visibly represented 
before their eyes. 

If time and space served I woqld be glad to 
enter into the question of ordinary musical in- 
struction, and to inquire how far it seems like- 
ly to foster and increase whatever musical per- 
ception the pupil may naturally have had. Is 
not the habit of playing exclusively by notes 
necessarily detrimental to the player*s concep- 
tion of the playing as music t Can the musi- 
cal influence of dry etudee be otherwise than 
bad 1 In this connection one should read 
Wieck*s ** Piano and Song." The unmusical 
quality of the average pianist is well under- 
stood. Why should this be true of pianists and 
not of violinists t 

If the existence of this phono-motor centre 
be admitted, and the consequences to which it 
leads be fully traced oat,. it will effect a revo- 
lution in current methods of instruction, a few 
points of which I think I see. It will lead to, 
for instance, (1) the practice of technical exer- 
cises by rote; (2) the disuse of unimaginative 
etudee such as Czemy's ; and (8) the habit of 
memorizing music, eepeddUjf in the earUer stoffee 
of imtrueUon, 



^M4 



JakdwjIantMllemt 

A WaffnerUm Teatreniftogf, or Art poem libretto, wUh a ffood 
deal of Qm^o$i Bcreery in U, aeeo mp anUd by tome indi' 
ctMon of the gloriomo Ukeo noemH o noi MutU of the 



{From " Mr. Ptmeh'i Poekd Bookr) 
(Oondaded from Tegfi 897.) 

We will now fvrooeed to glvo vary brieflj some indlea- 

tlon of Its stylo. 
AC3T L 

8CXNS 1.— The Oaves of the Yokefen. Invitlble chorus. 

Then the three Vokesstatert are seen spinning on 

one leg eeoh. Th^jr are followed bj the OenU Bow* 



DIBS, MaSTBSDVOKBS, UXDBKDOmVOXXS, RaW- 

DoiTKVOKBS, and QurrxDONBVOKSS. Trio by Rnsi- 
voKBv (dancing), yiOTOBLA.voKB8, and Jbssxb- 

VOKBS. 

Chorut, 

Doorllane we fill I we fill 1 

FUl highl Fill! Fill! 
VoMee etpraUrta nU ! 

Nni Nil! NQl KU! 

CThere are abont 800 more lines, giving some aoconnt 
of the PhamiUi Yokesen, and of the rapid steps 
they've taken to secure snecess. It ends, however, 
after an hour, when Haxfbbdvokis expresses his 
loftiest sentiments by throwing bis leg over the head 
of ViCTOBiAVOKBS whUo Spinning, and catching it, 
for doing so, on the other side. Without any paose 
In the music, or in the action, Wagner continues to 
this unceasing strain 




fe: 



^^^^^* 



which is known in Wagnerian circles as Dor KUre.) 

Kow suddenly mists euTelope the scene, and the 

notes of a fog horn (a wonderf ol effect) are heard. 

The mUts dear, and Jardbbjiabtkillbrbb enters 

mounted on his war steed, Basketoss. He canters 

round, followed by the Yolkesen, and then strikes 

an attitude. 

i9o'o. 

J9k I am J4k der Jiantkmer, 

And I live in a litUe willa. 

In the Und that I love best (M«). 
My name is J4k, 
With a crack and a whack 
I hit, I hit 
The Jiants in the back. 
Att {dancing). With a crack (tfrnMU) and a whack, 

[Dryms and cymbaUfor at leatl ha^fan hour, 

J9k. I hit! I hit! 

AU, He hits! he hits I 

[TKeyhUeatkcUier, Drum. AUoKO^JJLiLfaU, 

Threnody (in S minor). 

Strewn on the ground 

Before his conquering hand 

We lie! we lie! a very helpless band! 

OentUmenofihe Orcheeira (furkmely joining in a moef 
oarpfiHng and elartling tocal ^ect.) 

Too lie! yon lie! we're noi a helpless band! 

[Tremendous excitement. Discords everywhere. At 
last the storm Is allayed by the Compoeer, who 
distributes notes profusely. The Yokbsbh rise 
and bend the knee to JAk. •« • This sudden 
mOUe of orchestra-vocal and singero-vocal is one 
of the most striking features of the opera. 

JWt (recUaUoe). I wish to know my fate 

Before It to too late. 

[This is thoughtful of the All-poet, as already three 
hours have been consumed In getting thus far. 

Matijired Voteeen (beckoning wOh Me leg). 
Come hither! come hither! 

In9leibU.8plriU (tDithoui). 

From whither? from whither f 

%* Here follow 2,000 lines of question and answer cho- 
rus on the subject of spiriti generally, the advantages of 
temperance, and the relative merits of the KIrschwasser 
and Schledlmmering spirits. 

iT%and€r,Hghining. Tkeeaoetdieappearanddieeooer— 

8CENS 3.— Halls by the Bea of Dassling Nlght-Ugfats. 
The Genius-King Pahtommi to abdicating in Ikvor 
of hto Oreat Unkel, Bublbsoo thb Bold. 

Ohorue. Pantommi, make room for your unktf I 

[A magic fawn runs swiftly across the stage. Thto 
to a beautifully charactertotic Wagnerian Idea 
cleverly introduced for the sake of IQastrating 
the second line of the chorus— 

Chorue, There's a little deer! 

Pantommi, make room, etc., etc. 

[Jak kneels, and Pabtommi's uncle, the Good Gen- 
ius of FStes, BUBLBsoo tbb Bold, thus address- 
es him; of course, to music: 

AcriMoo. Take now this ring, 'tto thine, 
Fredy 'tto given thee, 

For tto not mine. 
Take It! Wed 
Leetelred 

Ridinood. What mote's to be said? 
She has no lore, can scarody spell. 



Can neither read nor write too well, 
And having no knowledge In her head 
*Tis why she's called the Leetel-BBo! 

AU, Take now thto ring, and take the sword and 

cap! 
Cut with the sword. Thou art a lucky chap I 
The cap will make thee Invtolble, 

Jdk. Bxcitlng my faculties risible. 

Barleeeo. For (soIemfUy) what art thou but man ? 

Pantommi, And what to the mystery ? 

Thehtotory. 

AIL Why should we toil? 

Why should we slave? 
Why on earth should we, etc., etc. 

[Here Wagner introduces a sort of sacred oratorio de- 
scriptive of the serious troubles of life, from shav- 
ing to foreign stocks, and gives one inexpressibly 
touching bit. where the hero to supposed to have 
some difficulty with his sUppers— a remarkable 
compoeitlon, arranged for three shoe-stringed 
instruments. After thto, Jak returns to the sub- 
ject of the opera, and asks where he niay find hto 
future bride. 

JBarleeeo (anewering). 

Over the hills ! and up and down 1 

Bhe lives with her mother in Kamden Town. 

^e back of the stage opens, discovering LBvrBi*- 
BBD RiDiifooD in the cottage of Mothbb Hub- 
BABD in Kamden Town. 

Jdk, I love her ! I love her I To her I incline 1 
Answer me dearest, wilt thou be mine? 

leetelred {/)rom tike back). 

Whoever thou art, 

I never will part 
From old Mother Hubbard, my dear Mother Hubbard, 
Until she haa got nothing more In her cupboard. 

Then Fll be thine^ 

nen-ril be thine! 

[Here follows one of those mad passionate duets, at 
once powerfulandpathetle, dismal and dellgbt- 
ftal, in which all Herr Wagner's force to most 
apparent. It is interrupted by thunder, light- 
ning, storm— the scene dUappears— a shower of 
lire deseends— flames burst out— and in the cen- 
tre, at back, on a rook, appears RocKnsTuaoKBB, 
the King of the Flrewiiikers, holding Lbetblbbd 
RroiBooD in his grasp. The cottage of Mother 
Hubbard to in flames in the background. 

RodtU, She is mine I I claim her. Now away! 

Spirits of Fire, obey I obey t 

[Magnifloent chorus of the Firewflrkers. Jak rush- 
es towards Rockitstitbokbb and attempts to at- 
tack him, but to powerless, as the can and sword 

musical effeet to grand, be- 



ars ot no avail. The 
Ing thus produced— 

iBoekUid^nt,) 
Lee(elred({ 
Jdk {deepa 



3Wo. { Leeielredlimplorinfflp,) Oh, not thine I 

tiringliff) Nei 
Clkorue (aeeompimytng otf tnlervale.) 



Thou art mine I 
Oh, not thine 
Never mine! 



She to hto I 

Is she his? 

Is she? (withtrumpote.) 

Hto to she? 

fSSSIZni } ^^^^-^^'^'^'^tlng on the beetmoane to 

Mp Jak. 

[Boc Bi wr u B UKBw is seen bearing her off, and ascend- 
ing In flre In the dtotance, when suddenly Bub- 
LBSooand Pabtommi seise Jak and bring him 
forward. In an excited trio they give him the 
following information— 

J%e Trio. There to a house that Jlk built. 

There to a eow, a^d a moon, and a dog. 
To live in the house that Jak bnflt. 

JWt. But the spoon? and the dish? 

The Drio, For the spoon you may wish. 
Bhe to yours. 

(Oioing another ring.) 

Thto secures 

Her for ever for you. 

JWL But what must I do ? 

They then tell him. in a duet of about 000 lines and 
lasting during the best psrt of sn hour, how that. In or- 
der to gain the only talisman whirh will take him un- 
scathed through the flre to rescue Leetelred, he must go 
to the Salamander's Home. Whereupon jak rubs the 
ring^hto nng to Immediately answered, and the scene 
changes to— 

SCBNB 8 and last of Act 1.— The Salamander's Home. 

The Great Magician, Jobob Okovstus Sala-mab- 

DBB discovered surrounded by hto Winged Genii the 

Pbhholdbbbb and Gusquillbb. 

In a majestic solo description, or rather prescription, 

of the taltoman which he is about to make up for Jlk In 

a packet, the Great 8al»-inander gives him a history of 

the Past, Present, and Future, with accounts of a great 

many things not generally known, and when known not 

much understood. Here, of course, to a genuine theme 

for Wagner's genius, and he reveto in the opportunity. 

The Oreat Salimandsr. 

Take thto taltoman of flre-wasser 



404 



DWIGHT»S JOURNAL OP MUSIC. 



Thitrngh ths Hi*, like a patt§r; 
That !■, like a bird yoani go- 
Do yoQ hear me? Hoi ho! hoi 

Whereopon all Join in the moat sublime triumphant 
laughing ehoms of *' Hoi hoi hoi" that has ever been 
heard on «nx stage. Demons in the distance derisively 
sing the same words. The thunder roars, the lightning 
flashes, the Salamanders sing, the Yokesen dance mad- 
ly. The Firewiirken King in the distance (there Is a long 
way to go) is seen bearing off the fainting Leetelred Rid- 
faiood, who stretches ont her arms towarda JAk, when 
suddenly they are met, right at the baok, at the very ex- 
tent of the stage, by the figure of a Radiant and Beautl- 
ftil Woman, the Queen Catherine Wheel, who, Jealous of 
her husband's choice (the subjee* I* unpleasant,but that's 
the worst of Wagner, he te/ff do It even when he's been 
asked not to— and It reafiy does keep a great many fam- 
ilies from taking lodgings at Bayrenth to see the plsy), 
stops him at the threshold of the Fire Xlngdon, and de- 
mands the expulsion or deatii of LeeteUed. This sltna^ 
tion is watohed wltb the deepest interest by the charac* 
ters below, and by ete i y b o d y generally, speeiaUy by the 
gentlemen in the orchestra, who, being tired, and want- 
ing to go ont for refreshment, are afradd that this sudden 
Introduction of a new character Into the dramatU per- 
tonmwm open up an entirely new plot, but luckily this 
is not the Art-composer's idea : for, with a banging and 
clanging of eymbals, alr-machlne pumping, and fire- 
works, the Flnt Act concludes, and the curtain ffells on 
one of the most magnificent and exciting spectacular 
tableaux erer pr e sen ted on any stage. 

JhMoiMr red /In. Xnd^f Adl^ BaHOU FknL 

Up to now we have not, as may be seen, made anr con- 
siderable progress with the atima Legend of J4k der Ji- 
antkiller. The first part Is but a prelude to the story, 
and, of course, is, as may have been already surmised, 
absolntelir essential to the development of the All«Poet's 
consistent design. 

The last bars of the act are ove rp o w ering in their 
great significance— 

fbr an the Strings and Brass. 





Drams, Ac. ^ 



Cymbals: A very pretty effect. 



^^^^^^^^ 



And with this simultaneous passage, this portion of the 
Teatraylogy ts brought to a conclusion, which must have 
been satbfaetory whenever It came. 

The second act is qoenpied with Jik's prowess among 
the Jiante, when he Is on the point of rescuing Leetelred, 
but fails, as sbe Is carried off bv the Wolf Jlant to his 
castle. Here we have the animals Introduced for the 
first time. 

The last part we have already briefly described, and 
there is not now, we deeply regret to say, sufflolent space 
at our command to give onr readers more than a mere 
toupgon of the taste of Herr Wagner*s quality and quan- 
tity. It is hoped, however, that before long the Au-Po- 
et and composer may be able to induce some company 
to listen to nis musical proposals and build him a theatre 
in Sngland— say in Leicester Square, where the premlies 
have Seen vacant for years— when will be product for 
the flrst time In this or any other country, the Opera- 
Poem of which the foregoing rUmiU has oeen but the 
merest indication, entitled 

JAKDEMJJANTKILLMREV, 



Londoii Popular Gonoerto te 1877. 

(RETROSPECT.) 
(Wwm the London Times.) 

At Monday's Popular Concert. Janaary 8tb, first 
of the new year, Mr. Arthur Chappell made his 
patrons sn acceptable gift In the shape of another 
previously unheard quartet by Haydn — ^the C ma- 
jor. Op. 60 (No. S). As fresh, ingenious, and charm- 
ing ss any of its companions, this quartet, finely 
played by MM. Straus. Ries, Zerbint. and PlaUi, 
was heard with undiminished interest from one end 
to the other. No fitter antfdote fbr much that has 
recentlT tended to corrupt the public taste could be 
found than the ylgorous musle of Haydn, the fre- 
quent recourse to which Just now is a healthy and 
re-assuring symptom. '* The more of Haydn the 
better " cannot be urged too often in the interests of 
genuine art. Mosart's Divtrtimenio in B flat for 



stringed instruments, one of his early Salzburg pro- 
ductions, but not the less firracefnl and attractive on 
that account, was also in the programme. The pi- 
anist was Mdlle. Marie Krebs, who gave weight and 
dignity to her first appearance by what was on the 
whole an admirable performance of Beethoven's 
** Sonata Appassionata " — thus baptised by Cranz, 
the Hamburg publisher, though styled simply, 
" SonaU in F minor. Op. 57," by its composer. We 
thought that Mdlle. Krebs made a little too much 
ont of the unpretentious andante, as thouirh to ex- 
hibit what Moli^re, in the P^^entm RuHeuhi, de- 
nominates *< le beau de la chose ; " but the first and 
third movements (the last taken at a prodigious 
pace) were beyond criticism. Mdlle. Krebs also 
Joined Signor Piatti in Beethoven's early sonata for 
pianoforte and violoncello (P major)— a performance 
in all respecte excellent. The vocalist was Mdlle. 
Thekia Friedlfinder^ who gave songs by J. 8. Bach, 
Schubert, and Schumann In a pure and 'expressive 
style, accompanied by Mr. Zerbini. 

An important new feature at the concert on Mon- 
day, the 16th, was the Z«e6€s2i0d^- ITaZs^r of Johan- 
nes Brahms. This consists of no fewer than eight- 
een numbers, arranged for two performers on the 
f>ianoforte, with a quartet of voices ad liMium, So 
ong and uninterrupted a series of movements in 
three-four measure might threaten to become roonot- 
«mous; but Herr Brahms has so cleverly varied 
their character and rhythmical structure, and so 
svmpiitheticallv caught the spirit of the verses (from 
the i'o/jy«ft>raof Daumer) to which they are allied, 
that little or no sense of monotony is incurred. The 
idea Is happy, if not auite new, Spohr, in his charm- 
ing Ztdcf, " Beneath the silver besms of Luna,** and 
others of the hind, having anticipated it. The per- 
formance was excellent on all hands, the pianoforte 
part being very efl'ectively played by Mdlle. Marie 
Krebs and Miss Agnes Zimmermann, and the parts 
for voices admirably rendered by Mdlles. Ldwe and 
Redeker, Messrs. Shakespeare and Fyatt. The au- 
dience were evidently pleased both with the compo- 
sition and ita rendering. Another novelty was 
Chopin's Rondo in for two pianofortes, which, 
however brilliantly executed by the two ladies just 
named, did not impress us greatly. Far better than 
either Brahms or Chopin was Mendelssohn, repre- 
sented by his early quartet in £ flat (Op. 12), which 
could hardly have been interpreted more conforma- 
bly with the spirit of its composer than by Messrs. 
Henry Holmes, Ries, Zerbini, and PiattL The de- 
licious etmatmeda in G minor was, as usual, encored. 
This was the eighteenth performance of the same 
<]|nartet at St James's Hall. Two of Schumann's 
charming " Spanlsches Liedersplel " (to Geibel's po- 
etry), for four voices and accompaniment for two 
performers, were also contributed. The concert, 
one of the moet attractive of the series, ended with 
Beethoven's trio in O for pianoforte and strii^jed 
instruments j)layed by Mdlle. Krebe, Mr. Hohnes, 
and Signor Piatti. 

At the next Saturday afternoon's concert Signor 
Piatti introduced a somewhat dry sonata by Oiorgio 
Antoniotti, a Milanese v»r/iMMe of the seventeenth 
century. Originally composed for that almost ex- 
ploded instrument, the viol da gamba, it suits the 
violoncello just as well ; and Sirnor Piatti, accom- 
panied by Sir Julius Benedict, played it to perfec- 
tion. The pianist was Mdlle. Marie Krebs, who 
gave Beethoven's sonata, Im Aduwt, M&ssims, H U 
RMomr, about which so many Ikntastic legends have 
been written, with great soirit and brilliancy. The 
concert began with Mendelssohn's quintet In B flat, 
always interesting aa having been the first piece in 
the programme of the first Monday Popular Concert 
(Feb. 14, 1869). It was finely executed by MM. 
Straus, Ries, Zerbini, Burnett, and Piatti, two of 
whom by the way — the second and last mentioned 
— ^took part in the same quintet on the occasion to 
which we refer, eighteen vears ago, when M. Wien- 
iawski waa principal violin and Mr. IXqrle viola. 
Monday's concert (Jan. 22) began with tlie first of 
the three auartets dedicated by Beethoven to Count 
Rasnmowski (that in F), which, admirable as they 
are, is not excelled by either of Its followers. It 
was in this quartet, as in his Stn/imia IMea for 
the orchestra, that Beethoven declared his inde- 
pendence of all previous models, and Invented a new 
art-world of his own. The Thirty 4wo Variations 
on an original theme In C minor, for pianoforte 
alone, which immedlatdy succeeded the Raemnow- 
ski quartets, proclaim an equal Independence. On- 
ly Beethoven could have imagined them. These 
were given with wonderful spirit by Mdlle. Krebs, 
who also Joined Signor Piatti In Mendelssohn s TV- 
ma eon vartoftowf, for pianoforte and violoncello 
(originally composed for his brother Paul), and Herr 



Straus in one of the early violin sonatas (D) dedi- 
cated by Beethoven to his ^iMiM-instrnctor, Antonio 
Salieri. At both these concerts the singers were 
German^Mdlle. Redeker on Saturday, Mdllea. 
Thekia Friedlander and Redeker on Monday ; and 
at both we had exclusively Germsn songs, in the 
German language. Surely there are some English, 
French. Italian, and eiren Spanish songs worth aa 
occasional hearing. This perpetual adherence to 
the German Xt«f smacks a little too much of the 
" tow/emrt ptrdriz," We don't ob|ect to Schumann 
and Brahms— far lees to Schubert ; but a change 
now and then would be agreeable to Mr. (Aappell's 
audience, eiren at the sacrifice of LasMu, Rablnsteln« 
and others who could be named. 

At the concert on Saturday (Jan. 27) a hitherto 
unknown qoartc* by Moaart was introduced. By 
** unknown " we mean to a large majority of the 
English musical public, few of whom are aware thi^ 
besides the^uillar " ten," poblUhed in score, Mo^ 
sart wrote two«nd-twenty others. The one intro- 
duced by Mr. Chappell on the present ooomsIou waa 
composed in 177S, nineyears before the celebrated 
set of six dedicated to ^ydn, by which Mozart, aa 
a writer of quartets, is chiefly reoogniied. The key 
is D minor, and, though of aulte independent con- 
struction, tbe period at whicn it appeared bwne in 
mind, the quartet in D minor is a masterpiece. Tha 
JiiMU, an elaborately developed ftigae, will be leas 
readilv understood than what preceded it. The 
second movement, amdamU ^rosioeo, full of the Or- 
phean melody which invariably dAstingnishes the 
Salzburg mnslciaB, was enoorad, and the entire 
quartet warmly received. It is a welcome addition 
to a repertory already extensive without parallel. 
The LuhaiiMtr' WaUir, by Brahma, were repeated, 
with the same performers, vocal and instmroental ; 
and so was the duet for two pianofortes by Chopin 
(played again by Misses Krebe and Zimmermann}— 
though hardly, we think, with equally good reason. 
Monday evening^ concert (Jan. 29) began with 
Schumann's thira quartet (A major). In some re- 
spects the most labored and least engaging of the 
series of three dedicated to Mendelssohn. The /f- 
im/s, notwithstanding the several episodes, is intol- 
erably monotonous. The sonata was Beethoven's 
No. 2 of the set inscribed to Haydn, played with 
g^reat vigor and mechanical correctness by Miss Ag^ 
nes Zimmermann. Na 6 of Spohr's last aet of 
iSs/o» jfikfldb* fbr violin, a somewhat cloying compo- 
sition, was intiH^ailced by Mr. Henry Holmes (one 
of Spohr's most valued pupils) ; and the concert 
ended with Schubert's interesting trio In B flat for 
piano, violin, and violohcello, about which, and ita 
companion In S flat, Schumann, in his OtaammdU 
Sehriftm, indulges in such Angular rbapeodlea. 
Four vocal duets (all German, of course) were intro' 
duced by two German ladies (Mdlles. Friedllnder 
and Redeker), the last of which, Rubinstein's 
" Nachtlled," obtained an encore. Sir Jnliua Bene- 
diet was the aceorapasist. At the concert on Sat- 
urday (Feb. 8) Mdlle. Marie Kr^bs played Dusselifs 
magnificent sonata, the JPlui UUra. Better late than 
never. We may hope now to hear, occasiooally, 
more from the extensive repertory of Mdme. Ara- 
bella Goddard. 

The first appearance of Herr Joseph Joachim baa 
for very many years been the looked-for event of 
the early muAcal season. Among dl the- great vi- 
olinists who from time to time have appe are d at the 
Popular Concerts, or elsewhere among us, Herr 
Joachim is indisputably the g^reatest There are no 
differences of opinion about him; and in this re- 
spect, indeed, he may be said to stand alcme. Am*- 
teurs and musicians are here alike agreed. With 
reference to his technical proficiency and refined 
musical organisation it would be at this time super- 
fluous to speak ; but the noblest trait In Herr Joi^ 
chira's srtistic individuality cannot too often, or too 
earnestly, be dwelt upon. We allude to the utter 
forgetf niness el self in whatever he undertakes to 
play. He ie tM||enuine expounder of the writings 
of great mastert.' "When he comes before us, bow in 
hand and fiddle on shoulder, we only think of the 
composer ; and It is not till the work approaclies its 
conclusion that we have time to reflect upon the ir- 
reproachable character of the performance to which 
we have been Hsteninff. This, slt^r all, is the T«al 
triumph of executive art. It may seem strange to 
add, but It is, neirertheless, true, that, while the 
most practised of virtuosos, Joseph Joachim is liter- 
ally no virtuoso at all. Whether engaged with Baefa, 
Haydn, Moaart, Beethoven, Spohr, or MenddAohn, 
it is all the same; he ii never Joachim, but always 
the master whoee thoughts he is Interpreting. Gen* 
nine virtuosos— men Uae Liszt. Buelow, Rnmnstein, 
etc, — invite, nay, force us to consider almost exdn- 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 1877. 



405 



alvely the penonality and distingntshlDg eharftcter- 
ifltles of the execatant, withont reference to the mn- 
lie selected for the exhibition of their powers. With 
Joechim, however, the esse is predaely the opposite. 
His sole idea is to enforce the elftims to considera- 
tion of the master-works confided to his keeping:. 
At the Monday Popular Concert of Febmarv 8rd, 
to which the undiminished and undimlnishinK at- 
traction hi Herr Joachim's name had brought to- 
gether an enormous audience, he led two quartets 
— Beethoren'a " Raaoumowski," in G (No. Zy, and 
one of the sereral examples which Haydn has be- 
queathed to us, in the key of O. These haye noth- 
ing in common but the exquisite symmetry of their 
form, the methods of deyelopment being entirely 
different. Yet Herr Joachim won the strong sym- 
pathy of his hearers in both, and no wonder. His 
coadjutors were MM. Riee, Straus, and PiaUL The 
mysteriotts and wonderful aiulofile, in A minor, by 
Beethoven, thus rendered, was of itself something 
to briuff back any concert to memory^ The solo 
chosen oy Herr Joachim was Bach's tihaeonns with 
variations (twenty-nine in numberV, which, often as 
he has played it, lie never played in more magnifi- 
cent stvle. That he was rapturously encored may 
be readily believed, and thaft» as usual, he substitut- 
ed a shorter piece by the same composer. In fict, 
Herr Joachim's return to the Popular Concerts was 
a new gratification to the audience, and a new tri- 
umph for the artist Thepianist was Mdlle. Marie 
Krebs, who, by reviving Ciementi'sbeautifol sonata 
in C (No. 1 of Op. 84), which has not been played 
rince it was first introduced by Mad. Arabella Qod- 
dard, so far back as 184U), afforded general and un- 
qualified satisfaction. Though, In our opinion, the 
opening movement was taken somewhat too fost, and 
the andantt wanted a little more sentiment (pass the 
word), the rondo MnaU was given in perfection, and 
the whole marked by a correctness, combined with 
preeirion, that folly accounted for the unanimous 
applause bestowed. We should like to hear of this 
accomplished young lady oftener In music of the 
Glemefltl, Dossek. and W oelfi period. She has al- 
ready taken in hand the PUto UUra of Dussek ; and 
a vast field lies before her in the same direction. 
Such nimble, agile fingers as hers are equal to any 
undertaking. The singer was Mr. Edward Lloyd, 
whose chief success was deservedly earned in Beet- 
hoven's quaint and, at the same time, poetical song, 
" Der Wachtelsohlag," which he sanglo the English 
version of Mr. W. Hills—*' Hark I ^s the note of 
the quail." Mr. Zerbini was the accompanist. 

[Td be Continued.] 



Onr Mndc, Pait and Present 

It can hardly have been forgotten that some two 
years ago there was an announcement made of an 
impending bequest for the establishment in New 
York of what was to be called a Musical College, 
which was to be "dedicated to the daughters of 
America." They will also probably remember that, 
although the announcement took the somewhat for- 
midable shape of a pamphlet, and the sum men- 
tioned as forthcoming for the college was a trifle of 
three millions of dollars, a very considerable part of 
which was to be expended for an enormous building, 
*' with the statue of the founder over the entrance," 
we were not very profoundly impressed by the pro- 
Jeet» and indeed, to use a common phrase, did not 
take much stock in it. And thus for we believe the 
Faculty of the college has not been nominated; 
Herr Richard Wagner has not assumed the presi- 
dency ; the first stone of the building has not been 
laid ; nor has the statue of the founder been mod- 
eled. The daughters of America being thus bereft 
of their college, they turned, doubtless with eager 
expectation, to Mr. Strakosch, and looked for oon- 
soution in his to be-magnlficent opera house. Alas 
for the fate of America's daughters L Blessed are 
they that expect nothing, for Uiey shM^not be dis- 
appointed. The opera noose and the mn»ical col- 
lege are alike misty, nebulous, inchoate, not even 
aovanced to the dignity of chaos. The daughters 
must wait, and perhaps their daughters, or their 
daughters' daughters, may see with glad eyes the 
statue of the founder of a three-mUlion musiical col- 
lege to them dedicated. ^ 

We have no conservatory of music in Ntfw York, 
we have no such operatic establishment as may be 
found In most of the great cities of Europe, nor does 
it seem at all likely that we shall have either for 
many years. But it would be very wrong to Infor 
from the fact of onr lack of two such institutions the 
absence of a widely diffused taste for the best mu- 
sic The reasons of our deficiency In these respects 
are social and political, not natural or educational 



We. or a very large proportion of us, love music 
Instinctively, and of onr natural muslo-loveirs a v^ry 
large proportion have sufficient culture not only to 
enjoy out to appreciate performances of the works 
of the best masters in all the forms of music, from 
opera to symphony. Whoever doubts this, doubts 
in ignorance or'in prejudice, or in both. If we do 
not support opera — and undoubtedly we do not — 
and if we do not demand a school of music corre- 
sponding to the European conservatories. It is be- 
cause the distribution of wealth and the constitution 
of society here are so different from what they are 
in Europe. We have wealth and wealthy people, 
but no wealthy class ; and for the support of great 
musical institutions, such a class seems absolutely 
required. The manager of an opera-house in En 
rope is able to count upon the support of a large 
number of patrons of established wealth and posi- 
tion, who wlU pay largely through a.jyhole season 
and almost-every season. To them an opera-box is 
a part of the appanage of their rank. And even 
chance opera-goers there willingly pay a price 
which here cannot be extorted except for the infe- 
rior performances of amateurs, the sound of whose 
voices is supposed not to be heard outside a certain 
gilded circle of wealth, If not of fashion. Five dol- 
lars and seven dollars and a-half are common prices 
for stall tickets to the opera In Europe. Here such 
prices exclude all except the very richest people, 
and even of those there are not many who would be 
likely to take four seats on those terms through a 
whole season. Moreover, the most cultivated peo- 
ple are not generally to be found with us among 
the wealthy. They are found there, of course, but 
generally they are persons of moderate means, to 
whom tne expenditure of twenty dollars for the 
amusement of two or three people (which would be 
required for carriage, etc.,) Is a matter not to be 
thought of, except on rare and jpecial occasions. 
The newly-rich spend their money in other ways. 
As to government aid or aristocratic patronage, 
that with us is impossible. 

But the conclusions which some musical foreign- 
ers who come among us draw from these facts, even 
when they remain for years — that we are not a 
mnslo-lovhig or music-understanding people— are 
not only unwarranted, but often laughaoly absurd. 
A certain Mr. Bonawlti, who formerly dwelt in 
Philadelphia, but who has shaken the dust of broth- 
erly love ftrom his feet -and lives In Vienna, has 
lately made himself particularly ridlculoua on thla 
subject in the Tkeairs Jonmal of that city. He 
findfs that Boston is the chief city for music in 
America, and he also finds that, owing to the Puri- 
tanism of that place, musical performances there 
are chiefly of a religious character. Amaslng Mr. 
Booawlts I For yet, in this Puritanic, religjously- 
mnslcal town, he Is obliged to confess that Strauss 
and his waltaes were the most favorably received. 
He tells a story — ^that even in Boston, thirty years 
ago, one Schmitt made the experiment of playing 
the Fifth Symphony, and at renearsal toek the first 
movement In andantlno time, which was received 
by the performers with favor ; but that, at the per- 
formance, venturing to quicken the time to allegret- 
to, he f6und that neither the musicians nor the au- 
dience could endure it, and he was " unceremoni- 
ously dismissed " — ^from what f It Is possible that 
Mr. Bonawits may find believers of such a story In 
Enrope, for there are people there who would nave 
believed him if he had added that the audience rose 
in their war paint, scalped the luckless Schmitt, 
roasted him at the chandelier, and devoured his 
flesh amid bowlings, larao aotietnUo ; and that from 
that time to this no conductor in America has ever 
dared to play an allegro movement any faster than 
andantlno. Mr. Bonawits was not in Boston, prob- 
ably not out of the nursery, at the time of which 
this story Is told, and some demure Yankee, seeing 
the capacity of his swallow, crammed him with this 
monstrous fiction. Mr. Bonawits should have 
known that the Philharmonic Society of New York 
is nearly thirty years old ; and that before the for- 
mation of that society there were others here, some 
of them formed of amateurs, in which symphonies 
were performed, not in a very finished style proba- 
bly, but with the allegro movements In Just time, 
and with a keen enjoyment of their beauties, both 
by the performers and the audience. There Is an 
ilifinite deal of nonsense talked upon this subject by 
others than the Bonawities. The Cut Is that the 
numbers of onr lovers of the higher music •lave In- 
creased, partly f^m the natural growth of popula- 
tion, partly from advanced culture, and pMily from 
the immigration of foreigners, chiefly Oermans ; and 
that the precision, the mechanical finish of our or- 
chestral performances has notably improved. But 



as to real. Intelligent enjoyment and nnderstanding 
of the best instrumental, operatic; or oratorio per- 
formances, it may be doubted whether that was not 
greater twenty or twenty-five years ago than it is 
now. — y. T, Times. 



^^ 



The XoiiTiment to Auber. 

The eateer of Auber was almost unparalled in the 
history of the lyric drama. RoesIni abandoned op- 
eratic composition in the prime of life ; but it was 
not so long before 1871 that Auterhad brought out 
his last production, the " R^ve d' Amour," which, 
however, foiled to be of the same interest as his 
penultimate work. " Le Premier Jour de Bonhenr," 
the music of which Is so fresh and charming. Of 
his last moments, M. Wekerlin has written a touch- 
ing narrative. Had Auber lived a few months long- 
er, he would have reached his ninetieth year. He 
had the symptoms in 1869 of the illness which proved 
fatal to him In 1871, wheii he was broken-hearted at 
the misfortunes of his country. At his house in the 
Rue Salnt-Oeorges, he played on the pianoforte 
some string quartets he nai composed during the 
siege of Paris. Four days befbre nis decease he ex- 
pressed his regret at being unable to contlnne his 
compositions. He was consoled by the visit of 
Mdlle. Marie Rose (the prima donna of his "Premier . 
Jour de Bonhenr ; ") she told him that she had been 
asked to sins: for wounded Communists. He replied 
— " Ma petite . . . . U ne font pas chanter 
pour la Commune— je ne Falme pas." On the lith 
of May, 1871, in his deliriuhi, he called for the 
copyist: his last words were — ^" Mettes la pMale 
douce. Ah, mon Dien I que Je souflire ! je ne puis 
done pas mourir." Soon after, he was no more. 

No gprave was found, in 1871, for his remains. 
The Mdy was deposited — without prayer or cere- 
monial — ^in a vault in the eemetery Montmartre. 
But there were devoted friends, who, when calm 
was restored in Paris, resolved that doe honor 
should be paid to the memory of Auber ; and among 
these foithfol adherents was M. Brandus, a Oerman 
by birth, although long naturalised in Paris, and 
known as the publisher of Meyerbeer's works. A 
committee was formed of eelebrities in art and lit- 
erature, to raise a subscription for the remoysl of 
the remains to P^ro la Chaise, and to erect therein 
a monument. Amongst the members of the com- 
mittee are— 4he Minister of Public Instruction and 
of the Fine Arts ; the President, le Marqnis de 
Chennevl^res (Director of Fine Arte) ; M. Ambrolse 
Thomas (Principal of the Conservatoire); MM. 
Oounod, Reber, Mass^, Basin, Harold (son of the 
composer), Halansier (Director of the Grand Opera), 
Carvslho (Director of the Opera Comiqne), Deld^- 
ves (Conductor of the Conservatoire Coneerts), Al- 
exandre Dumas, Emile Perrin (Director of the 
Th^tre Fran^ln), Brandus, Baron Taylor (Presl. 
dent of the Association dee Artistes Mnslciens), M, 
Maquet (President of the SodM des Autenrs et 
Compositeurs Dramatiques), eto. IL Lefnel wis se- 
lected for the architect The tomb in P^re la Chaise 
is to the right of the grand avenue, opposite the 
grave of the unfortunate generals, Leoomte and 
Clement Thomas. And, during the month of De- 
cember, the body of Auber was removed to the finial 
resting-place. 

The ceremony was imposing. It had not the 
spectacular grandeur of Rossini's interment; but 
was remarkaole from the evident sorrow manifested 
by the thousands of mourners who filled the central 
avenue of PAro la Chaise firom the entrance gates to 
the summit of the steep ascent. Miich of the order 
and regularity which prevailed must be ascribed to 
the temperate conduct of the police, who were firm 
yet respeetfol In doing their duty. Those who re- 
membered the ruffianism of the police, under the 
imperial r^me, at Rossini*s foneral, eontd not but 
contrast with it the f^reedo m from tliaorder and vio- 
lence that exists under the republic The day's cer- 
emonial had two dirisions : the one, the Roman ser-* 
vice for the dead ; the other, the artistic ceremony. 
The former was confined to a single priest^ with 
five acolytes, bearing the cross, tapers, holy-water, 
etc But the latter was marked by the disoourses 
of celebriUec Punctually at three o'clock the fun- 
eral honors were commenced before the monument, 
which is not of a costly character. The grave is 
covered with the coflln-ehaped piece of stone of the 
Jura (like our Portland stone) ; at the extremity 
there Is a square block, wherison, on a kind of con- 
sole. Is the bust of Auber (by the late Perraud, the 
sculptor), with the date of b*rth, and of decease, ov- 
er the bust— (given, by the way, as the 12th of May, 
1871, and not the 11th, according to M. Wekerlin) 



406 



DWIGHT'S JOUBNAL OP MUSIC. 



—on a Mack marbla pyramid, «)ilcb it mnDaDntod 
bv a irilt croM. On this pyramid, or rather obe- 
lUh, are tnacribed tbg titlm of Anber's nnmOToa 
oompoaitions. Tha only ornament la a lyre en 
irraved on the (tons. Tb» tomb la eDcloaed witbii 
■n IroQ ralUoK. — Alhtmnait. 



OmOAOO, Mabob a.— etnce mr laat, tha moikal (tate 
baabeeoraUier drjhen, I ma^ eicspt, however, tbe 
Inaosoratlon of the coneert onaa in the Herabej Hall, 
•od two uatltiMa KlTBu then b; HUa BlT« the platitiL 

Tbs orcao Itaelf I* or (bi«e maanaJe, and wa> bollt by 
Jobiumi and Sod (Weatflel d). It wu dealBned aapnv- 
Ij lor ooncart lua. and althonxh nnt lante at tartt* oi- 
gutrn KO, It la ao Hnelj appointed ind ao well adaptwl to 



mltat 



lain I 



eal and antctlre loatniment. 

Tb* OasAT Oboah oontalna nine atopa : !«■ Bourdon, 
r Open dlapaaon, r Ounba, I' Rohr nste, V Oetare, 
tf Twelfth, r Fifteenth, S ranka lllitnre, and I' Tram- 
pet. 

Taa BwmiA. Omaxji: IV LIcblteh Oedackt, Baaa to 



4' TraTeias TtDt^ r 



IT, r Roeolo, V Clarlo- 



llolnn 
OalHta, ■- St. Diapason, V Vlalln 
Oboe, r Comopaon. 

TEiBoLoOnaAn: ■' Karaalopho 
lodla, 4' rnffam, 4' ri< 
■at(4aplpca). 

- Tn FiDAL OxoAH; IS* Open Dlapaaon, U* Boonlon, 
t* TMoncello, I' Tatotto. 

AoowsoBT Brora : Swell to Great, Solo to Oraat, 
Swan to Bolo, Bwsll anb-Deta*e vrapler, Bwen 
Solo to padaie, Oreat to pedale, Tieuolo, Pedal Cbeck. 
Total dnw-atopi, 40. 

ConnniATiOH Pbdali: 1. Oraat forte, S. Oteat plane 
(doable aetlBK), 1. Bwall forte. 4. Swell piano (doable . 
Ini). B. Boloforte, «. Solo piano (doable aatln|c>. T. Omi 
Fed. . (rerenthM), R. Fall orcan, >. F»dal forte, 19. Fedal 
piano, 11. Treiaole. Balanoad BwaU Pedal. Wind Indl 



OntanlaEs win readdf paroelntthat thia Initraraent af- 
forda opportnntty for the aatlalkdtory petfomanea of 
anylttfamate organ mnalo whaterar. The raid 
renarkably flue, the alopi bainc aa well Indlrldnallaed 
InanjInatnimantlhaTe arar examined. Were I to 
erltlolBe It at an It wonld be to daaire a certain addition- 
alJVardsaiaikd aarai In Ihelooaof thefall orcan. Here 
lonbtleaa, the bnltder waa hamparad too nncb bf 
>f Toldnr tooitioncfottheMtaat the room, which la 
onlT mm and a ft. high. 

Xr. Eddf haa commSDeed a leTlea of oi«bd recital* 
whiob lake place at 11 o'clock SatnrdaTi. The tlrtt 



tohaTec*tiiedtliioela>t)«ar,bi]tto be at the pteaant 
ttDM Id all Impoctant mpecta tjuat to tU btl. In 
bteadth and Hfor of InUrpretatloo, and aoaUlned pow- 
er In brilliant paaaatrea. and In olaarneaa, repoee. and 
mannetla qnalttlet of plajdng I place her abore any lady 
pUulat I bare orer beard.( I) A* between her and Eaelpeff 
there will alwayi ba aome Inclined to claim for the UUer 
a taperlor raflnement. Bnt by the acoldentof her piano 
not harlns been taned to the oixan. I happened to hear 
Mlaa BIi* rebeatae both coneertoa an a piano pteolaely 
almllar to the one lealpofl eaniea, and wlthont anrmlns 
that Inatmntent to be npariar to tha ana Mlaa KiT« 
haUtoally playa. I may be permitted to tay thai ibe qual- 
ity nt ton* <ibe UMfrn) 1i anllke, and tha dlSarenoe ti 
nioli aa to aaeonni for a gnu deal of the peenliar 
"iwaatneaa" and liquid qnallty of ^alporBlonoh! for 
on thl* ocoaatoD predaely tha aame Impreeakm of reflno- 
ment waa reeelred, bnt with Itamnch (treater force and 



« Vo. i. 



...Verkel 



- , _._,_ 8alnt-9>«i. 

X. TosDa In O minor (the little) Bach 

t. •• Song of Penltense " Beetborou 

Hra. Herebey. 

S. IntoiMloeilan and TarlaUona Archer 

a. CantneD* Fialorale Ooilmant 

'■ tssssriasMw..! ■-•».«.>».* 

Hi*. Henbey. 

■. Oooeert.8atB Id ■ flat minor Thlele 

Feb. an aad Mth Waa RIt< gare two nutlnAea In thia 
ban whh the foUowlng progmmuei: 
I. 
1. BeetboTen-Thlid Concrtn. 

{Orehtelral pirts un Ilic of gin by Mr. 
H- C. EJdy.l 

t. Onllmant-PHers In F. 
lachner-M.pche CeJibre, 
Mr. EddT. 
f. Knblniteln— I' Tha dew Ii Sparkling.' 

4. Chopln-= g;;'«^«„'"^n'^"°;;»P«- 
E. Rltter— Onrun Sinata in D minor. 

'■ ■»■«■— i.i.«-;: {2,°„ffiL"SiVa.. 

In tha eeoond eonsert the organ aoloa were OnOouDt'a 
" KoneaD de Conoert," and Baat^ arrangement of Ihe 
" Sobiner March," whlob aa w^l aa ibe acoaupaDlnnBt 
la the ooncerto wara played by llr. Bddy. HUt Bl*4 
War^: 

Snnatt In U. op. n Beethoren 

Marohe Fanabre, ) 

tmpromptn In C aharp mlDDr, 1 ....Ohoptn 

fkhano In B flat minor. j 

Oonoertoln Bdat IJaat 

These programmss, a* will be seen, ate no loagei ao 
axhasatln aa those Hla* RIt4 gare nt laal year, bat they 
are BtOl aomethlbg abore tbote SaelpolT gare na, and 
what they hare loat la length they hare more than made 
np In qnalt^ of playing. I waa very anilona to hear 
His* BlT« aiain aftac hearing Kaalpoff, and now that I 
hare had that pleaanra. I do not bealtile to re-afflrm all 
eae page* In her praise. 
For In all the polnta of good playing I And ber not only 



Boaslan planlMC AtallereDla.wltboatBaehlngtoi 
pare them, we may I lUnk aoospt Ulta R1t« as a itai of 
the flrst magnlMda, who in oonaeqaenee of the Imprra- 
Blbbi piano-maker la doing man ]n*t now to elerate the 
'of plano-playlagln tblaooantrythkn any oth- 
wbaterer.nn Laat week ahe played away np In 
n, at RIpoB and Hllwaakee. ih!* week at Kao- 
knk, BnrllnKton. and Boone. Iowa, next week at St. 
Lonla, the week after In iraw York. April Itth aha playa 
In Cincinnati, andaoltgoea; and ereiywheie the pro- 
meter, and played 
leaa, and with tbc same 



eharm. 




Sbijfefs 


lonmal of Slnsir. 


BOSTON 


MARCH 17. ISTJ. 



Conoeiti. 

EiOBTH HtaTASD Sthtboitt CoKtinT (Hoali 

Hall. March 1). A floe andienoe.and very ^Deral 

satiahotloD with the matter and the rendering nf 

the toUowlDg; pn^ramme : — 

OrertDra la "Iphlitenia In Anils" Oloek 

"*°ta'thr"' •°1?'* ' ■" ' """^ •"" «""• I**™" 
Cbonuof Prleateeses: "O land, ordained (or 



Fema1*Cbonu(tbT«e-part, wJthOrsh>: "Sleep. 
noble child," from '■ Blanofae de PrgTenoa," 

ChemblBl 
PopIU of Madane Rndeisdorff. 



M forte Oonoeito, > 



■■SS^i. 



Bonga, from "KIKnn ana derklnderwelt'*.Tanbert 
t. " nie hnn^ apaiTows begging at the wln- 

e. " The Fanner and the Plceona." 
UlH Fanny Kelton. 

OTeTtHSlo"Fldallo,"inS, No. 47. Beethoren 

aiDck** nobis Orertnre waa played wlthoet re- 
Itard to Wafcner'a InnoTatiiDs (see his Letter In onr 
Isat two Dnmbera). bnt in the old way ■* to tei^', 
aed »lth Hoiart'*(mDaiea11y) most spproprUta and 
eftetiye ending. Indeed we [eel, in spite of Ws);- 
ner, that tha AU^ro miKbt haye lieeD taken otcd a 
little faster to adrantaife, aed withoat aaoriGelni; the 
nOtilota character. To effiet Wagoner's argnmtnt 
for canUoalng the Andant« time thronghont, that 

xire in the first French edition beats no mark 
of changre, we may dte Olach'a oyertore to"AIceate,' 
where tlie short introdnotlon is marked Lmtmuml, 
ind the obriooalr qoick moyement which ancceeds 
it la marked AidanU, \o the old leoee of the word, 
which meant not alow, bat ^oinji, moring on. The 
IieaDty and the grandeur and dramatic truth of this 
OTsrtars, with its several contrasted themes lo wait 
deeorllwd by Wagner, were well brooghtont by the 
oreheatra. The Tooal eitraet from the aeoond JpU- 
gmitt fitly bllowed. And waa it not tranqnlllliing 
and rerreahing to hear for once some of thla traly 
claasical. sincere, eliaste. noble mnilc. lo lad and 

1 eleratlng. — grief traoiflgn red by the apeli of 
Art ! With what simple means haa Qlnck achieved 



eo maoh I Miss Fimrr Rilloim'b Toio* prored ad- 
equate to Irath the recitaUye and the slow, snbdoed 
and Bnatained Aria, which (sTery lovely; nor waa 
the spirit wanting, nor tlie artisUi: style and finish. 
Tha twcvpert choraa. which preoedes the Aria and 
■ccompanles its latter portion, was twttefhlly and 
eflVctlvely snng by dghtoen op twenty yonng la. 
dlei. papils of Mme. Rndertdorff, aweet. riehj eono- 
Tons vidccs all. 

If there was any ahadow of too much eombrsness 
CTTcplng orer the concert from the lerloa* Iphige- 
nia mtuic. it ws* loon dispelled by the sunniest of 
the Beethoren Sympboole^ which waa deilghtfnlly 
rendered, eepeeially the Minuet and Trio. 

Chemblnrscharrainglallaby: "Dots, noble en- 
fant,' in Ihrae-pnrt harmony for female yoloea, ha* 
been heard here onoe or twice )n some aehool hatl- 
Tsls. we think, hot never before with orchestral ao- 
companlmant ; and that acrorapanlment Iieing very 
delicate and lovely, and the einging eicelient, the 
alTect wan delightful ; althongh the wft violin mel- 
ody waa too maeh overshadowed by the 

We were aorry that onr Hew York 
was not present lo hear Mr. Laho's briiliant. fii 
lahed. taateful and attngetlier adpqnate Interpreta- 
tion of the SeinuSajn* Conoarto, which he Erat in- 
troduced in thla oiwntjy at one of these conesria ■ 
year aeo. Va qnality seemed wanting, whether of 
techniqne or conception. The appalling dlffionltlee 
of the tremendons climax In the Andante «er« ban- 
died with a masterly grasp. The middle move- 
cnt. with Its hunting rhythm, was most faaeinat- 
Z : and the Presto ( TarantJia) was carrisd through 
at snch a swift and aeonring tempo as to mske one 
almmt giddy, yet with per&ct evennew and dear- 
neas to the end. Evidently his ambition wa* 
roused ; he aeemed to put his whole sonl and will, 
his whole mntenlsr and nerroas ene^iy Into It, ao 
that at the end «nt wa ahonld hardly hare been 
Burprlsod to see Iiim drop In pieces like the. famotia 
"one-hoeg shay: ' bnt the thing waa done trlnm- 
phantly and fairly, and he came out of it all sound 
and whole amid enthnaiastic plandita.— The instru- 
ment on which Hr. Lang played oontribnted not • 
little to this aneoses. Few in tbs andlenoe proba- 
bly were aware at the time that the inperb "Orud* 
before them wa« the Jt/lfAmuaitdmri ot the 
Chickering manubctare, hastily flniahed for Uiia 
occasion. Think of the smonnt of labor, of costly 
material, and of brain work, that haa gone into 
thorn fifty thoneand 1 And never In that, or any, 
ball have we beard a noblar luatnimcnt ; It aeemed 
to emixidy In one example ail the fins ijualitiee that 
have from Ume to time distingiilahsd the piano* of 
thl* old firm of which Boston fasa saoh reaaon to b« 
proud. It ea<ml>lned rich aonorlty and telling pow- 
er with masieal Intrlniic sweetnea* and moat sym- 
pathetic qnality of tone; Ite scale thronghont wm 
remarkably even, bomegeneoos and well propor- 
tioned. It really seems a* if so lotereattng an Inci- 
dent, there among frlenda, ahoald have called brth' 
aooie outward sign of reoognitlon and of oompli- 
ment. 

Mlaa Eelhigg sang the obarmingly naive and 
graphic little Tani>ert songs. " oat of the world of 
childhood," with great dlMtrimlnatlnD. taste and 
delicate appreciation, and it la eocugh to say tliat 
the accompaniment* (so Ml of meaning and of 
beauty in thess little things) were played by Mr. 

Danii Beethoven fitly cloaed the concert with 

one of tha ever fresh, inspiring Ovsrtnrea. 

We oome back to the Tdoma* Covokbt^ vU«h 
were too many fur our ^mo« last timcL 

Friday evening. Fab. tl, waa for tha baneU 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 1877. 



pett wu the cnthiuUnn, and mmiitnonB tbii Oonl 
" ■. Min Adelaide, DiTcr In bolter Toica we CboaeM, 

nor," In the Ifmnfnolt, •nd In her moat milalnod 
ilibed style the bueltnLed "Oh mlo Ftmanilo." 
Tha TaungeriiMcriuiK KniIbeT DDlnteresilnf; Ronaa- 
'• II Prlgloiien)," bf Canapa, In bixe voice and style, 
I, for an encore, dlapla;ed her remarkable brarnra In 
(be Olnck ArU (from Orfio) crrn mora effectively than 
on. Sbe vaa blRblj aacceitfnl alio In Roaalnl'i 
[on pib lueata,-- althooKb iha did not glfe It In the 
ooth perfection that her slater might ban done. Af- 
ter all wa leet tbe ImpreaalDn tbat the speiatlc eUiee, 
lan the cancert room, li tba tme apban loi ttal* 
Id sifted, and we ahonld aa; alnecreij Burnett 
antat.— Ml*s NrTA Qastaho. erldentlj not well, and her 
TOlee veiled aomewbat b; ■ cold, raiber tban dlaappolnt 
her friend, aans " Bobert, lal qaej'alme" wicb obriout 
elhrt, jet otherwise MtlitlGallT wall. Tet Ootlecbalk's 
■■0 loTlns heart" (with ■Cello oblleato) conl:l 
hanilf hare been annc more Iweetlr: and In Ibe Teriet. 
to: "GloTlnetto Cavalier," from Me]rarheer'i early op- 
blanded very aalUfaFto. 
pleaaing aa it Is rarely 
beard. 

We need not paoM to tdl bow flnely the "Inimitable 
OTCbeMra " played Schnherl's Ovsrtiira to "Altnnaoand 
BMrella." tbe Keverle and Scfaeno from Ruff's "Im 
1e" liymphonj, theHnnjnrian I>ances by Bmbms, 
tbe very orl|(lnaI Franata Balu (rrelnde, Mlnnet, AdsRl- 
lo and CaiillOD) by BIset. tbe Berlloi arrangement of 
ebei'e " Invltallon to the Dance," and Bnolly, with 
capital effect, Ibe Turfelsb Marsh artsnfcd lor oicbasint 
from a H omt Sonxtft. 

Satorday'a natints (Feb. M) opened wlib a most per- 
fect randerlng of Haydn's largest Bymptaonj' In D, than 
wblcb nothing In all theee cooeerta haa given sash onsl- 
layed delight; here the strings of the Thomas orchestm 
appeued to the heel advantaca. The Blacfrled dlnra 
was played again, lea vlni abont the same bewlldend Im- 
pression as before, and fnUowed Immediately by the w 
ntnra to Bay nobler mualo of 
KendelHobn's Overture to AOUM*. Tbe Ballet raasla 
to Wagner's lUna< cloeed the eoncert._MlBt llATnTi.Dn 
PHiLurpa sang Soaalnl'a " Dl tanti palpiti " with the 
pTeeedlng recitative, which she did better than the mel- 
O'ly Iteelt. which denanda a almpler and mora even, 
qnlatatyle. Hisi AnaLAiDiiTepeated '■Nobll Slgnir." 
and (ha two Blaten sang a llgtht and elemnt Dnec from 
UoVTf ■ Cbil /an lutU very Bndy. Mme. SotnLLn 
played the dlOenlt Concerto by Raff magnlfleently. and 
" I TBaa<K*rTaBgBmen( of Weber's "Invllation." 
onday evening, Feb. «, the orsbeatral eeleetlons 
Cbemblnl's "Water Carrier" Overture i two 
enta from tbe Dramatic Symphony " Romeo and 
JdlM,''byBerlkn: one, aniniermlnable Adagio, rich In 
InatnunentatlaB, Tagoe In theme or pnrpose, called a 
" Love Bcene," tbe other an Inseel-llka snd Bntterlng 
Bcberso. rery entertaining, oalled " Qneen Hab ; *' a 
one " HDmoreeke " 



'e any very agreeabli 
from (he " Flying Dniebm: 
mottadmlnbly the Llsit arrangement, with orchestra, 
of tbe Bcbobert Fantalsle, Dp. IS,aDd for asolo Chopln'e 
early TariationB on "Je vends dea Beapnlalres," of small 

mat lieyoad tlie display of techniaal faotll^. Tlie 
Swedish Ladles' Qnatte(te tang dellgbif ally , Uwagh not 
altogether la «o guod voire *e oaaal. 



- If endelssohm 

:— • Abl perfldnr" B< ■ 

Hies Lillian B. Norton. 

(Adapiadtor Orcheatrahy'Lls^). 
O had I Jnhal'a lyre." Bamson 



(By request) .. 



Wrg^-dii 
Arla:- 

nerenade, op S. (Byreii 

Symphony. IIo. B. "Leaon." [By reqi 
M In HomroH (la the place of Hlsa OaEUao, too Dl Is 
appear), made an excellent impreaalon both la Beetbo- 
■■-■■'- 10 particularly. In 

the Aria by Handel. The Schnbert Dirge was Indeed 
In tbe extreme, bdt truly grand and aolema In 
ng part, while the Trio seemed rather oommon- 
d hardly serious, as well aa tlreaomely prolix. 
The Beethoven Bei«nade was welcome aa ttefore. Tbe 
" Lenore " eympbony of Rsff Btlll hie Itl warm adnilr- 
eis, but after half a doaen hearlnja onr Impreaalon of l( 
la uacbanged. and may be found eaaentially rommed np 
n which we give on onr first page Iron Ibe 



Ifn. AtioMu. Wh. H.SHERirnoD's flfih and last Pi- 
ano RecItU, at TJniOD Hall, was the moat interastlng or 
the series. The profrromme, ■II>elt rather miiad, pre- 
sented a large abare of good slerllag matter;— 

I BInewl Uorltxl. 

Masikallscbe Rathsel." Z>l Bit.. 



Mlsa Fann 
le. Op- ir- 



Kellogg, 



t. s. "Tbon'rt tike a Invelv Flower" Schumann 

b. -•Maigarat at the Splnnlng-Wheel." 

MlH Fanny Kelloeg. 
I. Pretndea. B flat minor, O major, Omajor. E- 

mtoor, A major. D minor Ohopln 

I, a, "Novelette," from Op, s (new.l 



t. " Lohengrin's Terwels a 
e, Walta.Op.ai.Nn.Knfwl 



L'sat-Waener 



..Louis Haas 



lire, Sherwood waa at her best in the gnat Prelnde 
and Fn|(ua by Bach J andUr. Sherwood (aveone of tbe 
moat maalerly and satlatactory readerlngt of Gnhu- 
mann'a exceedingly exacUng "Bmdes Bymphonlqnet " 
(hat we hare erer heard. TiMne two great works, with 
(ha charming linie Cbi^n Pieladea, and the songs, were 
■ programme In themselvea. We found, bowever, rancb 
tbat waa fireeb and inlereatlai la tbe Waltses by Moask- 
owski and tbe Polacoa by Weltamana ; but nothing, or 
worse than nothing In the Walts by Billow and tbe Pban- 
tasle-StUckbyUnaa. Ur. Sherwood's "Novellette" baa 
apleaalng theme; and Llait's trantcriptloD of Lohen- 
grin's Repioot to Xlsa la delloalely tme to the spirit of 
(he original. Tbe Songs by Grieg, one or two of which 



ilngly SI 



liy Kiss Kellogg; and even more no tbe song by Bobn- 
mann. But sihubert's "Ontcben " was lees fortunate, 
partly la the accompaniment, partly beeause aung in 
English ; the word " kiss " Is a singularly poor veblela 
tbr a passionate high BOle. 

The Complimentary Concert (o Kme. MAnnLiHa 
ScniLLn, on Wednetdsy afternoon, Feb. 38, was a re- 
markably itilerestlngoceailan, HoTtieoltoral Hall was 
enmpletely mied with an andlence of (he highest culture 
and raHnenieat. It was a slacete token of adoilratlon 
for tbe artist and tbe woman. Hnslcally, of coniM, 
Mme. Schiller's own admirable inlerpntatlona of Cho- 
pin, Hnmmel Schubert, Llsit, formed the ehief attne- 
tlon in tike following programme:— 

Duet for two pianos. •'nomsgei[nindd".Koecl>atea 

Saog. "AvfUiri." _ I-nol 

nan 



■t heart".. 



Right's Dieam' 

Bong. "My' 

Bong. -My, 

InvitaUonalaTalse. Elghthands Weber 

Tbe other oontrlbntlons, eioeptlng Mr. Dreoel's ac- 
flompanlmenla to moat of the aonga, were all by frienda 
andamalaan,anddono(DBllfororltlclam. Weoannot 
refrain, liowever. from speaking of the noble voice and 
style In wblcb Mr S. B. Bchleetnger asug "The two 
Qrenadien;" and of tbe vary arediiable performance of 
the "Homage aHandel" by Kias Annelle Schiller witb 
MlssBllllngt,KpnpllotUme. Schiller, and of Weber's 
" tnvluUon " ih the same two ladles with Uma. Bchlller 
and Mr. Scblealnger. OrMUenI"- .— .. 



A very pleasant strur waa the Toeal Conoart glyen at 
Mechaalca Hall on SaUrday, March 3, by oar excellent 
Italian aMesm if I Onl^, SIg- Vntoaitso CluUiOi irltta hia 



. The I 



told mnalc, wiVlcb we have not beard^r' . 

and which It was a great rdesaon lo neall. The 



laikably well aung by (he 



G 

Choir of about twenty-tour sopranos and Dontraltna,— 
rich, sweet, well di'vetoped and well balaneed voicaa. 
One of them i Ac ut ariUal, was elj'en with great spirit, 
and entbiiaiaatlaally redemanded. The Soprano Soloe, 
by Miss 0- 8. Hayes and Mrs- T. U. Carter, and the Alto 
eolnsliyMlBaL.a. Cutler, Mrs. J- P. Brown and Miss 
A. L. WHsan. as well ss the Duets, gave token of flue 
voicee, rightly trained, and nice couoaptlan and axeao- 



sketob iif whi 
obaruT of its I 
lost night of I 



sic. Tbe meagre pianoforte aecompanl- 
it was playrd liy tbe maaatro, was but a 
tsach rannlc really requires; and yet the 



rang In tr 

in Ave M _, 

Ehoms; "Snldlen 



lUgDleuo," 
IS MeClore; 
nis:amale 
' Rataplan" 

Cii^D7ae1altiviritb"£)pnino'Boio (MnTcaner,) ' ' 

Abont Madame Axiottb XsetrorF's four ooneerts in 
le Music Hall— witb lamentably email attendance— 
hicb may be eatlly accountwi for wltbont tbe Idle 
Bwspaper cant abont (lie "fslsepretentiont of Boetou 
isto for Art"— ooneena wblcb exbtblied the virtuosity 
nil >be tnterpretative povrarsaf this really great pianist 
m a fallet llglit (ban before— Uterata much more 
- - ... -n . ... .. jp,j^ 



r notice. We muM take tl 



ta that have been awalt- 



Wbxt tji Obdkk. Two weeka of Bngllsh Opera (the 
Kklumjo troupe) at the Olobn Theatra, tbe repertoire 



"Lohengrin" 
irff will Ea till 



HlKnon." etc.— On the Mth, Oerman OiMra, al 
ne ncnion Thextre; where with exceptional mesnt ol 
irtlsts, orchestra, chnnil, aeenery. etc., Mr. Frayer It to 
epeat his great " Wagn-r Festival " now in succesaful 
■rogreasln New York, and give Boeton (he onportonitj 
if witnessing, for tbe fln'tllme, Ibe ■■ Walkyrie," bealdas 
nrh . n,«»<rgti„„ „i ■■ThB F lying DnEcbman, " "Tann. 
'-" as we have Barer liad before. 
I condoctOT. 



A concert of tbe clwlcestcharaoter baa bemi arranged, 
nnder the anaplcea of many of our leading friends of 
muale. In compliment to UlssgiTA OAn-mo. whose ei- 
qnlslleslnglnK has given so mnoh delight, and who Is 
very soon to leave lu and retom to England. It wDl 
take plsoa OD Friday evening, Maroh S3, at the ChrittlaB 
Union HalUtirketa. with reaerved aests, at tt.in, may lie 
bad a( No. Tt M(. Temon 8(reet). Hiss Claba Doiiia 
and Meesra. Oixo Dbeiu.. B. J. Laho. B. B. Soklisin- 
OEB and Dr. Lahohaid have kindly offered (heir aasitt- 
anoe. Mies OaStano will •inglwiOi Mr. Dresel'a accom- 

Knimen(]agroup of(lM Unset aonga by Frani (Includ- 
t "OewHiemacht,")eon(s by Uounod and Oordlglsnl ; 
"id with Kiss Itoria the Dae( from rrtyKMit; Dr. 

._ >sa"ofMoaart; and 

, . . - tbe Canon from ri- 

id Mr. Dreaal wBloooltlbate tmnt One 



The laei Harvard SymplianT OoDoert ot the nresat 
season eoniet on Thnrsday srienioon.tbe SHb Instant 
The Bymphonic Fantasia oa ShakmHara'a "Tenpeac," 

-..■-,. .w_, «.._. ,. osedfnrlbeAaaociaUon.nn- 

.^-.ad tO] (be beginiilag ot the 
of tbe Intuaioleni time for tbe 
It tbe amre and orebestnl parts 



K 



labor of writing 






. Bynphony ("MUltain") in a, 






-hnbarmonlc Society). 

Sliakeepeara't "As yon 1: 

by Charles R, Hayden: 0< 



It," Jakn K. Paltim, 



Ea(tib Obatobio. The Handel and Haydn Boeie^ 
will perform Handel's "Joshua" on Baalar Sonday, 
April 1. Tbeaololata win be MIta Bhka C. TfluianT, 
Hise Adslaidi PBuurrs, Mi, JoasrH Uaa> and Mr. 
H. W. WnnaBT. 

The plana of tbe BoyltlsD anb an ett foT(h In tbe 

following card from Ita Dineloi; 
TotStSdUoraflkt&ebU 

■i- '■■ ij .'1 editor's review of (be Boyliton 

" i: ■■■■- i:-i.-'ii">pfar»noBof the Bnylslon Cl^hM* 
ail 'niii-iv^iy molechome."' Will you kindly silow me 
low.mii the Impnuion you give thai the Boylston 
Clnl. 1. lobe benoefonb only a mixed chorus? This it 
ni>i rliefnei. Themembrra of IbeBojltton Club, wlth- 
onL t'i»|iIion. amo with me tliat pngrammes con- 

tifv may be, are neverthelesa comparallvely Jimlled as 



■ of female Tirieea, all freeb'ai 

of mixed to! 
implet* whole ot"iJ 



nc ibdse (wo separately-trained cboruset, Ibere [». 
n third and complete cnoms of mixed voicrs.knowii 



nir. glres, catohes, madrigals, and oecasianallv a 

■IT work, Tbemamben of ibe Boylslon Club alto 

ih me that In taking this step thay place Iheir 

.tlon on the highest poaaihle plane, and therein' 

iiaterial which enables them to draw from tha 



408 



DWIGHT*S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



Mmio in ParU 

A naw and orifftoil heroic, kllefroric, KTiphic, dt- 
abolie. atnioapharic, and sjinphanio comtHiildon, tn 
MTCral epiiodM. AntiUed " La J«Dn«u« d'Hereule," 
from the pen of U. Salnt-Saini, wu prodnced tt 
Um Chitdb a fortnight ago. The clauie limpllot- 
ty of the naniB Ktveo to the work olTerinK much 
■coperarbralnncktiiK. thecompilsrof H. CaloDne'i 

EroKramnea obliglnelj lapplement* it by the fol- 
nring iatareatinir detalU: — On entednK 1Ef> Her- 
catM Nv two pathi open to hitn — that of Ticc, bor- 
dered by 1^7 Dyiiiphi and bacchante! : and that of 
'VlrtDe, levert, ardnOD*, obstrnotcd bj dlfBealUea 
■nd dangera, bnt promlalBg the revird of Immor- 
tality. Heedleas of the Tictoiia blandtahmnita of 
Pleaenre, Hercnlea T«ao1nte1y chooaca the career of 
Ttrtne." Such ii. Id labatance, tb« legend which 
H. Saint-SaJaa ht« 8ttenipt4>d to lltnttrate. Ten 
mlniitea' orcheitral cloadlnese rcprnenta tha hero 
healtatlng b«tirmi the two roads. A aharp Ave 
mlnutn' of mDaical thander and lightoini;, In the 
form of ■ vlld bacchanal dance, ii Uiomght enffldent 
to deicribe the redaction* of vice ; another Bts of 



tv mlnntea the ■jrnphony ii orer; la twi 
ty daya It will be forgotten. " I« Jenneaee d'Her- 
en1e ' has the oanal bnlta and eood qaalttlea of If . 
Baint-Siena. Great AlIl In the harmonic effrcta ; 
vagneneM In the working ont of the Idaa ; and ni- 
ter want of originality wherever melody la required. 
If II. Saint Saini were well advlaed he would chooaa 
I«M pretentlona titlea (tor hia comporitlnnB. The 
DM11 by which it hM plaaaed him to dlitlngnUh 
bia teat work la both podantle and dtaappolnting. 
Rabiaiteln'a grand "0(«an' Bjmpnnny ~~' ~ 



lew Concerto by H. A. DuTemoy, ware the prlnd- 

it the OiatalM Concert or the 1th Inat. 

e programme of Snnday liat Included U. Siint- 



3al fpatorei atth 



Danaa Macabre," Hoiart'e graceful 
larle" (Op. it), and Oounod'a " Fnaeral March of a 
Marionette." from " JaaoDe d'Arc" There wa> no 
RVmphany. If. Colanneprobably wlihed toreaerTe 
all the Eoerglea of bU tbllowara for the great event 
oF next Snnday, the prodoctlon of Berlloi'i " Dam- 
nation de Float " in iM itiUniif. 

By the bye, H. Qonnod wai preaantat the Chal- 
Mt reheanal on Batnrday, and at the reqneat ot 
H. Colonne, oondnctad the azeeutlon of the 
" Hanh." 

Tba fint two p«na of the " Damnation de Panat ' 
were performed at the liet Coneart PopDiatre, be- 
fore an hnmanae and anthnalaatlo aadience. Ifext 
Snnday the whole work will be given, with anil, 
chomi, and full orcbeali*. under the dlrecUon of 11. 



There t* a eooilderable falllDg off in the namber 
otUiepriTateconoerta thie aeaun. It la onnecea- 
aary to go fiir In March of the reason. So many of 
tbeiH eaterlalnmenta are mare protaata for eitraet- 
Ing twenty frana pleoea from nnwllling pockata. and 
the pmgrammea eieented at them are ao oftao mot- 
ley gnni[^nga oTworthleaa Italian arUa and aewnd- 
rate plasofma bntaalaa, that It ia ao wonder the 
publle haa grown akaptlcally eold to the appeals <rf 
the pleading profoaaora. All the more agreeable. 
therefore. Is the task of chronicling a concert which 
lonna an honorable axceptloD to the mle. Bneh an 
•MeptiOD waa a very inUrastiiig aoir^e glren by 
H. L. Breltner, whoae name Is already familiar to 
London. If . Breltner Is a pupil of Llait and Rnbin- 
atetn. He haa borrownd of the one his fire and ei- 
•entlon ; of the other, a certain charm and poetry 
aeldom found united to the more mechanical taleot 
of a pianist. Let me see If. Breltner right tn one 
reapacl before I go further. He la in no way a 
blindly tbllowlng diaoiple of what is Ironically, a* 
well as aerioualy, termed the "higher derelopment" 
•cbool. He on, on oocaaloo, temper his transports 
with tenderness, and can make hIa piano ting, as 
wall aa sounds A. suffidant opportunity of Judging 
his powers In rery Tarlons ways was afforded by 
the programnw aelactad, whloh I glTe yon In 

1. OoneaTMenaolmi4-,a*«epolntad'orgneda 

BaMiinein rbaatboren 

U. Breftsar et VOtoheatre. 
a. Alrde-Jeaeph".-...^^^. >f*hul 

1. rantaateponnaaoMOrcbaatrr.Orebeatia 

pailMt Sobulieit 

H. BialtMi. 

iA. "Foaranot" Bchnmann 
B, Noetame Chopin 
C BareatnUe Belli 
D. HniBika " " 

H. Brettner. 

S. Alrda "Bi^Moi^" 

X. BOTM. 



. TaoUsie Hongralie ponr I 



H. Colonne'a orchestra wsa dedJeJIy too strong 
for the roam In which the concert took place It 
was erldent that M. Breltnei at momenU had great 
trouble In triumphing over the heavy bnwa and 
contrabasses. I dare say that, with a weaker band, 
or a larger room, he would have avoldiMl the only 
fault I perceived in hIa playing — a flight hardneas 
In the JTpaasagaa of the concerted music, more npec- 
Isllv noticeable at the banning of the evening. 
H. Erettner'a rendering of Schubart'a beautiful Fan. 
tasia waa well nigh perfect : but the band more 
than once epollt the general effect Apnpoi. H, 
Colonne ahonld realty try to Improve the quality of 
hia Mini instrnments. His horna, trumpet*, and 
cornet* are terribly offrnsive tn the ear. H. Brelt- 
ner was perhaps at hia beat in the fnup short aolos, 
notablv In Schumann's " Pourquoi." a delightful no- 
etic trifle, full of medlUtive fancy : and la Robin- 
stein's mamrka. I liked him lea* in the concerto. 
He appeared to me to lack the mtaimid power in- 
dispensable to a satisfactory rendering of Beetho- 

The Opera* have been pretty conatant to a policy 
of masterly inaction since the production of the 
Buoceaa of the year, " Paul at Vfrginle," The re- 
ceipt* at the Lyriqne continue to be satisfactory. 
averaging ten thousand franc* on Massj nights, and 
stalls are hardly obtainable for love or money, 
"Paul el Vlnrlnie" baa already been reprasented 
nearly forty times, without anv signs of declining 
interaaton the part of Ihe public. H. Balnt-Safina' 
fantastic opera, "LaUmbre d'Argent," was promised 
fertile 11th. but will probably not be ready for 
another week. To fill up the Interval If. Ylienttnl 
has revived " Ifarta," with a fair east. At the 
Orand Opera there has been no novelty elnoc 
" Robert 1e Dlable " waa remounted. If I eirept Jo- 
hann Stranse ind the three carnival balls. H. 
Halaniier aeeme Inelined, however, to atone for 
many idns by beatowlag unusual care on M. Maaae- 
net's "Rol de Lahore." We are entreated to believe 
that SOO.OOO/. will be spent in pntUng the work 
upon tba ataga. Rehearaal* will begin on Saturday 
next. Albanl Is still the reigning "atar" of the 
Itallena, where she is aioging In " Linda da Cha- 
mounl," and on the S7th Kaslnl is to resume the 
charscter of Radames, Ip " Aida." The seaaoa 
which threatened disaster to H, Escudler at the 
outaet. Is thus likely to terminate brilliantly after 

The FrascatI ooncert of the last Wednesday In 
January wa* almoat entirely devoted to the worka 
of Anber. The orchestra performed the overture* 
to "Fra DIavolo" " La Sirene,' and "LesDiaman* 
da la Couronne i^fantaaiaa bv Arban. It* conductor. 
on " La If uetta ' and " La Domino Xoir," and hi* 
valse upon the principal motifs of Anber, which pro- 
dnced a great affect. Ifdlle. Hlneur aang with her 
usual sueoeas the air frf— " " " 



WAoma's OLOSa OoaroaAnoii Omu. Tiuui. Wag- 
ber ia oertalnlj the moat unoompromlsfng naster of art 
In tba world. InMnd of bdn| gratelnl to the people 
who bonthi tickets to bia big BBbnentaatapial, and spent 
a* mnch more iban tbelr hlgli price In travelling and 
poor entertainment at Balrmtli, be anaei* at 'em. Be 
pnbllshe* a eaid lo uy that his appal li to <■ trienils ot 



.li I frr poorjoune rauitclmns. " Indiintrlout iikJ .■•I'ST 
r niliTire " This la subllmelr e|[nMfitlc. bul. TioTuiLb- 

he fiven la Ibat ^'bare-paying pnblla" w!iirh ba 
fpm», uolDnlylnNawTorfcbJ llf. Fryer, whl.'limljhl 

n. IahI sainincr. Manager JannernotLlled ths r-ompoa- 



^n theHtres *«re ready to pay bigb for Ibis panlcutar 

■i.ai ™ prooeedint! as abi'gbwiyman'i " vonr money or 
wi\tp-" OfcniimrWaEnerharttojIerd. InlhUnew 

Uriel Willi iiog Lndwig.— ^|H-^ii[iiWil 



SftrisI Sotitts. 



DUCSIPTITK LIST OT TUX 
riaklUhtiJ kr •llvwr Blsaww * Cw. 



ml, irltli »■■• Aof 



Little Blidie ICIdo. D. 3. d to E. Wafim. 90 
" Nentle olnaetv near to ma, 
LI ■ tie Uidle mine." 
Very sweet song. 

Think of He. O. S. d to g. GlwuUi. S5 

" In happy inoiBenla. think of me, 
Vorget my Hie of woe." 
QnlU a eompau of voloe, mnch variety, and a 
touob of IlalUo qnillty. 

ObmaUnillfotlierl Bb 3- FtoE. 

JUfeto. 90 

" Near thee, Madimna, 
Tondly we bover." 
Bweet " Kadonna" piece. 
The Twtltglit Hoar it aom«. Doattino. 

Bfi 4. TtoF. amoft. 40 

" Slni, brook I Told, flower I 
In tbe dreamy twiligbt hour.'' 
Oreat beauty and variety of an-angaaeat. 
AJwaya Bemember. Song uid Cho. Aft 

3. d to P. Cim: ao 

" TboQ art the aunbeim that chaen ma, 
8anllg)it that beams on my heart." 
Tsiy pleaalng asng and chonia. 
Bacrad PieoM for Eplaoopal Church. R. 

BnrdOi, 40 
Three OloTla PbCtIii. a Hymn Cbant, a Teolia, 



EvBrywher* 



D. 4. 



BilUiant air for high •opraao. 
The Littie Sbephenleai. C. S. a to g, 

Molb>t. 40 

■■ Bo BB the chlivney did they go. 
And It was dark and far." 
A ebarmlngdlMy, relating the liny sitrenturea 
at tbe llttia poroalaln ahepherdaas end hernalgh- 
bor, Itw ■little chimney man." 



St the other b^ say I 



CoraneopU Walte. 



C. 8. 



aireabbog. 80 
A simple manih foe baginners. 
RayoD de SolalL (Sunboun Oklop. ) Eb 

S. Don. 40 

A bright "aansblny" sort of plaoe, veir pleas- 
am to ptaetlee. About M of I»ni-apiaoea(b*tf 
of then Fantalilea). an to ba found m (ha aama 
Betas this. A most graealnl oompany. 
StlTsr Moon B«rari«- Afi. 4. Ooerdeter. SG 
Soma of tbe briicbt arpegglaa am almaat Hw 
brllllutforreverlea; bnt It 1* a flna piaoe all tba 

Spin&i&gSong In Flyjng Dntohman. A. 4- 

Owttw. » 
Qraoefol and flna praeUo*. 

BoDdo. Op. 10. Eb S. dtdpln. LS3 

One ot CboplB'a great pleaea. 
Evening Twilight Reverie. Db 4. Oltoer. 40 
Mr. Ollvar Interpreta very mnileally, pnrely and 
sweetly, tbe thwurht* and moods that belong in tbe 
" fal^ol Ihe day." On* of iba aet " Perloalluaic- 

Troli PenaeM Poetiqne*. by F. L. Crane, 
Ko. 1. Andante quaai Adagio, B( 4. 30 
" 2. Orwdoeo cod Deliut«is». Db 4. 30 
" 8. AUegro Appaaalonat*- F minor. 



Theae ar* short mnaleal "poems" wllbauc words, 
with musical Ihougbta arranged with good taale, 
and not of length suaolam to ba tetlgnelag. 



r, highest letter, Koi 





mmi 





Whole No. 938. BOSTON, SATURDAY, MARCH 31, 1877. Vol. XXXVI. No, 26. 



Fbr Dwlf ht*s JottrnAl of Miule. 

One by One. 

CSaKgestod by an Incident in the life of Hatdx.) 

Wftbfn astutely palace hall 
Tbe firreat mosician stood^and slgbed. 

The Are of isenlns lit bis eye. 
Bat in his heart dear hope had died. 

The last, unwelcome night bad eome; 

His mnslc throngh that princely ball, 
Like rhythmic waves of ocean's sonpr. 

No more might beat its rise and fall. 

Tet once again the master sonl, 
Oufpoored In harmonies dlvinOt 

Inspired each hand, and thrilled each heartp 
With music's pure, etherial wine. 

At last—ah I there must come a last 
Of all that's fair and sweet on earth— 

The end drew near, and to! there fell 
A hush of wonder on their mirtii, 

As, one by one, the players eeased ; 

His light blown out. each stole away, 
And left a gathering darkness there, 

Tin shone a single gllnunering ray. 

And one sad, dying strain was heard— 
The swan song of tbe tuneful band. 

That ended, and tbe last lamp out. 
Tears lUl in sllenoe on each hand. 

So die the lights of hope, first lit 
In Joywus youth ; so pass the friends. 

Whose Toloes our best music make. 
Whose lore our erory step attends. 

Tet stin abides the Master Mind, 
The spring of all earth's harmonics; 

And we shaU nobler music raise 
In near and far eternities. 



i «•! < 



I 



The Abuse of Mniie. 

BT HSNBT 0. LUIRI. 

Forkel saya, "The public requires ererj* 
thing to be human, and the true artist ought 
properly to make eyerything divine. How, 
then, should the applause of the multitude and 
true art eziet together t " The more we pon- 
der these lines the more conTineed we must be 
of their absolute truth. As faith in progress 
is one of the essential attributes of a real ar- 
tist, so is it impossible for him in creating a 
work to think for one moment of the manner 
in which it will be received bv those whose 
knowledge of the subject to which he has de- 
voted his life is merely picked up at intervals 
snatched from a daily occupation, the nature 
of which deadens those very faculties which 
are necessary for the due appreciation of the 
most subtle poetical compositions. Painting 
and sculpture appeal with a certain. power to 
the many; for, however ideal may be the pict- 
ures and statues submitted to the eye, the fact 
of their representing known objects acts to a 
great extent as a passport to popular favor; but 
the charm of music is in its pure, abstract na- 
ture-^as Goethe says, " it requires no material* 
no subject-matter whose effect must be deduct- 
ed ; it is wholly form and power " — and thus it 
happens that poets who speak to the world 
through the language of sound must wait until 
that world has been educated to comprehend 
tbe value of those treasures which have been 
gradually stored up for its benefit. 

But whilst the development of the art is 
healthilv progressing, it is obvious that for 
those who care but for music in a form demand- 
ing only a slight attention compositions must be 
duly providM, whose worldly success is too 
often paraded before^ the public in proof of 
their claim to artistic recognition; nay, it is 



even' urged by those who should know better 
that composers who write not for the people 
Are mistaken, but talented, individuals, who, 
had they but seen the error of their ways in 
time, miiicht have corrected their style and 
gained the suffragres of those who now treat 
their works with cold neglect. Against such 
a doctrine as this it is the sacred duty of all 
who believe in the true mission of art to pro- 
test. The use of music once understood, the 
abuse of it should be in every instance discour- 
aged ; for it is as absnrd to say that superior 
works do no good as that inferior ones do no 
harm. A gentle toleration of falsehood may 
be the best mode of action under certain cir- 
cumstances, but open praise of it is scarcely the 
method of advancing the truth. 

We have been especially led into this train 
of thought because we constantly see a tenden- 
cy in the present day to speak not only with 
kindliness upon musical compositions which 
obviously tend to lower the standard of art, 
but actually to dismiss them with a few lines 
of (jualified praise. Supposing that critical 
notices are in the slightest degree valued by 
the public, thifi mistaken leniency cannot but 
have a deleterious effect; for what can be the 
worth of favorable reviews upon productions 
of genius when the crudest works are thus en- 
couraged f And how can a composer without a 
particle of original thought judge of his true 
position when he is gentlv urged forward by 
those whose duty it shoula be to persuade him 
that he has mistaken his mission f Were we 
asked to give some examples of such reviews 
as we have been speaking of« they could be at 
once furnished by reference to newspapers, and 
even to some journals which profess to criti- 
cize music. An Open is performed for the first 
time — as a work ot art worthless ; but there is 
a pleasing ballad in it, an effective duet, a bold 
mareh, and a pretty dance-tune. All these are 
too often lauded with an excess of enthusiasm 
which would be simply absurd had such com- 
positions never been placed in an Opera; for 
the probability is that pieces as good,' or even 
mucn better, are daily published without ex- 
citing even a mark of recognition. An Orato- 
rio is produced — ^the choruses are cut to the 
prescribed pattern; two or three ** well-devel- 
oped *' fugues are introduced ; there is a pathet- 
tic qpng for the contrelto, and an unaccompan- 
ied trio. It is not considered right boldly to 
tell the composer that, skilfully as the work is 
put together, it does not contain a spark of 
genius; but the writing is learnedly discussed, 
the counterpoint preised, and everybody is 
made to believe that a new composition of en- 
during worth is added to the store of sacred 
art. Even in notices of songs and pianoforte 
pieces the most commonplace works are fre- 
<^uently extolled as if they were veritable crea- 
tions of genius: and seldom indeed is that 
truth spoken which, however ffalUng to a com- 
poser at the time, can never do him so much 
harm in the end as unmerited praise. Strange 
indeed is it to turn, as we have recently done, 
to fotvotten notices in newspapers and other 
periodicals where the triumph of mediocrity is 
duly recorded, and the verdict of a packed 
audience echoed in print, as if noisy success 
had anything whatever to do with art. Stran- 
ffer still is it to remember that, whilst such pro- 
auctions as these are placed before the public, 
innumerable works of solid value are utterly 
unknown, save to enthusiasts who endeavor to 
reveal their many beauties in the studio. 

In proof of the ill effects of even faintly 
praising what should be strongly condemned 
we may point to the extrscts from notices con- 



stantly appended to advertised instrumental 
and vocal compositions, the extravajn^nt eulogy 
upon which must indeed appear strenge when 
the works happen to be heard by those who, 
with a ripened judgment, can calmly gauge 
their merits. It may perhaps be urged, in jus- 
tification of thus ignoring the true aim of crit- 
icism, that young writers should be encouraged. 
Oranted ; but art must ever be considered be- 
fore artists; and, even if a composer has caught 
the popular ear. he may be the greatest foe to 
the progress of healthy music. The merit of a 
work consists in its intrinsic worth, and not in 
its power of attracting a number of ignorant 
admirers. *'The public,'* truly says Forkel, 
''requires everything to be human, and the 
tnie artist ought properly to make everything 
divine/* Shall the critic, then, range himself 
on the side of the public or the artist t — Lond, 
l£u9, Timei. 



^M 



Ferdinand Hiller^s Vew Symphony. 

The programme of the Ninth Gfirzenich 

Concert, Cologne, contained three Pieces for 
the Piano ; a new Symphony by Dr. Ferdinand 
Hiller; two overtures; an " Abendlied *■ by 
Haydn: and three choral pieces. by M5hring. 

The pianist was Mdlle. Vera Timanow, of 
St. Petersburgh, a pupil of Lisxt*s and Tau- 
sig*s. The first piece selected by her was M. An- 
ton Rubinstein*s Pianoforte Concerto in G ma- 
jor, in which she exhibited considerable talent, 
adorned or marred, according to the various 
tastes of her hearers, by the peculiarities which 
characterize the modern school to which she 
belongs. She was loudly applauded, though, 
perhaps, entitled to more praise for her reuJer- 
mg of Scarlatti's ''Pastorale," and the Inter- 
mezzo from Ferdinand Hiller^s *'Modeme 
Suite." Taken all in all, her first appearance 
at the Gfirzenich must be pronounced highly 
satisfactory. 

Tlie great attraction of the evening was Dr. 
Ferdinand Hitler's new Symphony. It is anoth- 
laurel leaf added to the noble wreath which 
already encireles his brow. The critic of the 
Edlnvishe Zntung thus dilates upon it 

" With his youngest and newest oomposltlon. the 
O major Symphony in four moTements, Ferdinand 
Hiller. celebrated, so to say, a jubilee as a coropo- 
Mr. It is exactly fifty years sinoe his Op. 1, n 
Pianoforte Quintet, appeared in print. In the spring 
of 1827, young Hiller, with his Pianoforte Qnintet 
in his pocket, accompanied his teacher. Hummel, on 
a visit to Vienna. The work was performed at an 
evening party in the Austrian capital, and the cele- 
brated yieanese publisher, Haslinger, who happened 
to be present, immediately offered to pubpsh it. 
The master must hsTS experienced a feeling of sat- 
isfactloa at producing, after a lapse of exactly fifty 
years, another composition before another STening 
party, rather larger, it is true, than the first, and at 
seeing it meet with a reception as joyfol and favor- 
able as that which instant! v procured a first-lass 
publisher for the early work. But, with this Sym- 
phony of his, Hiller has become really young again. 
His fancy, ftill of fire and eagerness, without a trace 
of fatigue, succeeds in presenting his thoughts In a 

Sirb ever new, ever more and more richly decked, 
ne thing which strikes us as highly eharaeteristie 
in connection with this iubllee of Hiller*s as a com- 
poser, is that, despite his sixty-five years, he has 
remained a son of tbe Present ; he rules with n cer- 
tain hand all the modern additions gains 1 for the 
domain of the orchestra ; his melodious aivosy sails 
proudly along with the stream of Time, it appears 
superfiuous t«i extol filler for thoroughly under- 
standing the lanfTuage of the orchestra and being a 
perfiset master of musical form. And he has not 
retrograded, as regards the earlier periods of his 
creative production ; on the contrary, it struck us 



410 



DWIGHT»S JOURNAL OP MUSIC. 



thnt in no former work huve we seen the colors so 
richly mixed. It is for this reason that we listen 
withpleasnre to his lanffnage, whether he abandons 
himself to sonowful or desponding thonji^hts, as in 
the early motives of the movement; narrates ro- 
mantic ballads (2nd movement) ; keeps np a piquant 
con vernation (8rd movement) ; or, lastly, in the fi- 
nale, celebrates, with eneri^etic rhythms, the victo- 
ry over the f^loomy mood of the first movement. 
Everywhere there appear the delicate traits of 
clever work, and sometimes, also, the varying play 
of mental color, which does not love to remain long 
in one and the same frame of mind. The pictures 
change rapidly, though the composer's fancy is loath 
to tear itself away from the fall orchestra, especial- 
ly in the first movement, the second part of which, 
by-th»by, is even too prodiirnl of its gifts ; it lavish- 
es them with both hands. The middle of the third 
movement contains, moreover, a certain stretch of 
less captivating thoughts. But these are details 
which scarcely weigh in ihe balance against a total 
impression truly flattering for the composer. The 
masterly treatment of the orchestra excited undivld 
ed admiration, to which the public gladiv gave tha 
most lively expression ; after tvery number, as well 
as at the conclusion^ the orchestra, likewise, were not 
to be restrained from paying their tribute of homage 
to their chief in the form of a clanging floarish." 

The Syiophony waa admirably performed, as 
were MendelB8oJiii*s '* Hebrides," and 8pohr*8 
overture to J€$9onda, The rocal pieces worthi- 
ly completed a most excellent concert. — Lond, 
JTkj. Wcrld. 



i <^> > 



London Popular Concerts fiur 1877. 

(RBTROSPSCT.) 
(From the London Times.) 
(Ooatinaed from Page 406.) 

There was nothing new to speak of in the pro- 
' gramme of Saturday, Feb. 10 : out it was, as usual, 
a pleasure to hear beethoven*s early quartet in B- 
flat (sixth and last of the Haydn set), played as it 
is invariably played by Herr Joachim, Signor Piat- 
ti, and associates. Tartini's " Trillo del DUvolo," 
was, for the twentieth time, so admirably executed 
by the Hungarian violinist as to create a legitimate 
desire on the part of many among the audience to 
know something more of the music composed by 
.the renowned Istrlan Wr/ueso. With so fortunate a 
dream as resulted in this sonata he must surely 
have dreamt again. Schubert's interesting sonata 
in A minor was extremely well rendered by Hiss 
Agnes Zimmerroann, whose recent appearanc«,s at 
the Popular Concerts have materially increased her 
repute ; and a new ringer, Miss Oowa, made a de- 
eiaedly favorable impression in lAtdtr by Taubert, 
Beethoven, and Franc When are we to hear an 
English song, too, at these performances f 

The programme on Monday evening, Feb. 12, 
would have been attractive If only on account of the 
very fine interpretation by MM. Joachim, Ries, Zcr- 
bini, and Piatti of the first of Chenibini's three quar- 
tets for stringed instmmonta. Perhaps this quar- 
tet, although its fellows in D minor and C major 
have inoontestably high merits, is also the brat of 
the series. The wckeno and irio were especially ad- 
mired ; and had not Herr Joachim with commenda- 
ble discretion refrained from compliance with the 
stroncly manifested wish of hia hearers they would 
have oeen played over again — much to the detri- 
ment of the final movement, which, as the genial 
Schumann happily exp re ss e s it, "sparkles like a 
di4mond when yon shake it." The snccess of the 
E fiat quartet will probably indoee the direetor of 
the Popular Concerts to revive one at least of ita 
companions during the sojonm of Herr Joachim 
among ua. At the same concert we had (only for 
the second time) Schumann's somewhat labored and 
diflfuae, but in parts very fine, sonata for pianoforte 
and violin in B minor, which at the hands of Mdlle. 
Marie Krebs and Herr Joachim could hardly fail in 
producing all the effect innerently belonging to it. 
As on previous occasions, we found the trio and 
^oi!f the most spontaneous and well wrought out 
period of the sonata, the /Eaa/it especially being in 
ritinct with wonderful life and spirit Mdlle. &rebe 
also played Sterndale Bennett's three sketch«>s, '*The 
Lake," *' The Millstrcam." and <* The FounUin," the 
la^t with bUt h freedom and exquisite delicacy as to 
eyoke an encore not easy to re^st. These charm- 
ing pieces, the inspiration of Bennett's Academy 
days, slways ionnd fresh and young, although it U 
over f( rty years since they were compose . Mr. 
Baiton Mc6nckin, a tenor who ha4 but r cen ly 
come before the pablio, madu a very li yorable im- 



pression in airs by Salvator Ro^a and Bunnoncini 
(Hnndel's Italian operatic rival), and in Mendf'ls- 
sohn's soner, " The Garland." This gentleman has 
an agreeable voice — a legitimate tenor — which he 
already uses to good purpose. Moreover, he sings 
with unimpeachable taste, never condescending to 
exaggeration. The fairest hopes may be reasona- 
bly entertained of Mr. McGuckin's future career. 
Sir Julius Benedict aocompani^d him in each of his 
songs ~an advantage not to be over-estimated. 

It is always a treat to hear Mozart's exquisite 
quintet for stringed instruments in G minor, with 
Herr Joachim as first violin and Signer Piatti as 
violoncello, especially when the other parts are so 
completely filled as by MM. Ries. Straus, and Zer- 
binl on Saturday afVerno<in, Feb. 17. Mr. Hall6. 
pianist for the day, played the first of Beethoven's 
sonatas, Op. 91 (in G). besides joining Herr Joschim 
and Signor Piatti in the same composer's E flat 
trio, Op. 70. Thesincer was Mr. Frank D'Alquen ; 
the accompanist, Sir Julius Benedict. 

More than ordinary Interest was attached to the 
concert of Monday evcniner the 19th Feb., on ac- 
count of the production of Herr Brshms's quartet in 
B fiat, his latest composition of the kind. About 
this elaborately constructed piece we are unable to 
speak with confidence after a single hearing ; but 
Inot it is written with as much muridanly skill, 
carefulness of design, and earnest purpose aa any- 
thing we know from its eminent composer's pen 
may be confidentially asserted. Each movement 
haa a distinct character, and yet all fonr divisions 
hang together as integ^I parts of a whole. For 
this reason alone it proclaims itself the work of a 
great musician ; and that Herr Brahms is a great 
musician, none can deny. Nevertheless, much se- 
rious consideration Is required to grasp the Inner 
meaning, and to become thoroughly familiar with 
the tecnnical details of any of the more Important 
compositions of this artist. Holding Herr Brahms 
in high esteem, as one of the genuine musicians of 
our time, we refhiin from any attempt at absolute 
criticism until better strengthened by further ac- 
quaintance with his new quartet. Nevertheless we 
are strongly Inclined to think that, for ingenious 
contrivance. If not for wealth and spontaneity of 
Ideas, It is entitled to rank among his very best. 
The qnsrtet was rendered con am&rt by MM. Joa- 
chim, Ries, Straus, and Piatti, listened to with close 
attention, and movemeut after morement loudly 
applauded. The pianist was again Mr. Charles 
HalM, who played Schubert's fine, if not somewhat 
diffuse, sonata in B flat, as few other pianists can 
play it, besides being associated with uM. Jc»achim 
and Piatti in Mendelssohn's first trio (D minor.) 
Herr Henschel, the yocalist of the evening, in an 
air from Handel's Binaldo and two Zudrr by Schu- 
bert, showed himself possessor of a capable voice, 
if not of a very refined style. The accompanist was 
Mr. Zerbinl 

The return of the eminent pianist, Mdme. Clara 
Schumann, to the Popular Concerts is always looked 
forward to by the many admirers of her genius 
with anxious expectancy. This may account In a 

Jreat measure for the crowded attendance at St. 
ames's Hsll, on Saturday afternoon, when Herr 
Joachim, the present absorbing attraction of the 
season, was engaged elsewhere (at the Crystal Pal- 
ace). Mdme. Schumann, as usual, was honored with 
an enthuslastie reception— a reception never accord- 
ed but to the highest fayorites or the public She 
played nothing ahe had not on several occasions 
played before ; but whatever she may choose, when 
bestowing upon It her earnest thought and care. Is 
sure to be more or less welcome. The VariatumM 
/SMiM9e$ of Mendelssohn, built upon an original 
theme in D minor, are exactly suited to her ener- 

getlo style. This piece, about which the composer 
Imself speaks wltn satisfaction, in a letter ftrom 
Leipeic, addressed to his friend Carl Klingemann 
(1841) approaches more nearly than any other com- 
pKoaltion of the kind, to the flsmous 82 variations of 
Beethoven on a theme in C minor ; and it is only 
to be regretted that instead of 17 (the letter men- 
tions " 18," doubtless including the eoda\ the num- 
ber of Mendelssohn's variatleAs had not been doub- 
led, in order to exhaust the canabilities of the theme 
as fully as Beethoven has exnansted the capabill* 
ties of his. The VarioHont Bhrieuaei, nevertheless, 
even admitting that the composer, had he elt so 
inclined, miffht have done stilf more with the theme, 
can hardly mil to please when rendered as Mdme. 
Schumann renders them— entering, as she does, 
heart and soul into their character and irignificanoe. 
Twice re-called after her performance, she aUo 
joined Herr Ludwig Strana and Signor Piatti in 
Beethoven's B flat trio— fifth, last, ami grandest o 



the merles of works for the same combination of In- 
struments which the illustrious mnsician bequeathed 
to his art. The quartet was one in D major, which, 
until the complete catalogue of Mosart'a corapoei- 
tions was published, was generally called *' No. 7," 
but Is now known to be his 26th. That it is one of 
his most melodious, graceful, and captivating need 
hardly be said ; nor is it requisite to dwell npcm its 
performance, by such practised experts as MM. 
Straus, Rles, Zerblni, and KaUt One of the strik- 
ing features of the proflrramme was aa *' Elegy," for 
violoncello (In E minor), composed and performed 
by Signor Piatti, accompantea on the pianoforte by 
Sir Julius Benedict. Though in dimensiens a bag- 
atelle, this " Elegy," played as it was, excited the 
utmost attention and interest, evoking as marked 
signs of approval as anything in the concert Why 
does not Slirnor Piatti -recognized, and iustly so, as 
the g^reatest of living violoncellista — wnte a aenata 
or concerto for his own instrument, and thereby 
add something of sterling value to its repertory T 
That repertory, as no one is more fully conscious 
thsn himself, stands in great need of replenishing. 
Mendelssohn, In 1846, had dealffned a violoncello 
concerto for Signor Piatti, but did not live to pnt it 
upon paper. More is the pity I The vocalist on 
Saturday was Mr. Barton McGuckin. a young tenor 
of genuine promise, who. In airs by Salvator Rosa, 
Buonondnl, and Mendelssohn, distinguished himself 
most favorably, and won the unqualified approval 
of the audience: 

Mdmo. Schumann made a second appearance en 
Monday evening, when, as might have been expect 
ed, her attraction, added to that of Herr Joachim, 
drew a very crowded audience. This time the il- 
lustrious pianist was heard in Beethoren's Sonata, 
Op. 81, best known as '* Les Adlenx, 1* Absence, et 
1e Retour "— >a work always rendered by her with a 
profound insight into ita meaning, and a careful 
avoidance of the exaggeration from which mnaie 
having an avowed ** poeUc basis " usually suffers. 
Mdme. Schumann combines true reverence for the 
genius of the composer with her own oommanding 
ability, snd is thus saved from the egotism into 
which ability without such reverence often falls. 
Again was she successful in enlisting the sympath- 
ies of her audience, whose applause, long and loud, 
compelled a return to the platform. Herr Joaehim'a 
solo— Handel's Sonata in A major — obtained a rec- 
ognition equally emphatic, played as it was to abso- 
lute perfection. For this work, in ro^ponding to an 
encore, the great violinist subatitutea a charming 
Romance by Spohr, and gave it with a daintiness 
and taate beyond praioe. Other works in the pro- 
gramme were Sponr^s melodious, if sometimes triv- 
ial, Nonetto, and Haydn's piquant Quartet in C, 
Op. 88. 

The pleasure of this concert — perhaps the most 
enjoyable of the series — was much enhanced by the 
sinking of Herr Henschel, a baritone-bass gifted 
with a beautiful voice, rare charm of style, and the 
natural and true expression of a genuine aKist. 
Alike in songs by Handel, Brahms, and Rubinstein, 
this gentleman asserted the uncommon power which 
has promptly made him a fisvorite. 



C4 



SnglidL Opera at the Globe. 
DebFubokhdb Hollahdeb** or Ehoubh. 

(From the Dally Advertiser, March 1ft.) 

Herr Wagner's opera of *' The Flying Dutchman" 
was performed in Boston for the first time at the 
Globe theatre last night It is less than six months 
— reckoning from October 8, 1876— siace the work 
received ita very first representation In English, the 
performance being given under the direction of Carl 
Kosa at the Lyceum theatre in London. The opera 
has a libretto of positive literary merit, — ^resembling 
all of its author's other works in this respect, — and 
Is founded upon a story almost unequalled fur weird 
and absorbing interest. A Norwegian skipper, 
Daland, Is driven by stress of weather into a small, 
rock-bonnd harbor. While he and his crew are all 
under hatches and heavy with toil-bom sleep, a 
strange craft, with blood-red canvas, slips Into an- 
chorage beside him, and upon his awakening he 
confronts Vandertleeken, the flying Dutchman, fa- 
mous in legend and song, who lor an impious defi- 
ance of Providence, and a threat that he would 
never desist until he had rounded a certain cape in 
a fearful storm, Lad been ffiven up to the power of 
Satan and doomed to sail ue seas forever. His des- 
pair Is lighted by a single ray of hope. Once ev-, 
ery seven years his phantom vessel is driven to the 
shore, and Vdndsrdeeken knows— though many tiroes 
he has tried and hoped in vain-— that, if he can win 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, MARCH 31, 1877. 



411 






the love of a maid who will be constAOt to him even 
QDto death, the spell will be broken at onee and for- 
ever. Daland is stroDflrly moved by the stranjirer's 
tale and by his cheats of i^old, and invites him home, 
with the hope that he will marry Stnia, the Norwe- 
gian sailor's only daaghter. SeiUiL, whose heart has 
long yearned toward the hero of the familiar legend, 
at once recognizes him as her fate, and plights hor 
troth to him. She discards her former lover, Erik, 
and he, going, in the fashion of rejected suitors, to 
say good-by and reproach Senta for her inconstan- 
cy, is interrupted in his interview by the gprim Hol- 
lander, who, misunderstanding the affair and deem- 
ing Senia false to her vows, sets off once more upon 
his weary cruise. 8mda, after agonised but vain 
attempts to stay him, throws herself into the sea. 
By this act of devotion the spell is broken, the 
phantom ship sinks with its crew, and the souls of 
Vanderdeeken and Senia are saved and reunited in 
their flight to heaven. This story is told in Herr 
Wagners text with continuous vigor and directness, 
and with freqnent bursts of eloquence ; and the dra- 
matic capacities of the tale are developed in a series 
of striking and impressive situations. A finer plot 
or " book " could not be asked for any. opera. A 
rood many <ji the numbers of the opera have been 
heard before in Boston at concerts, and years ago 
the overture, the sailors' choruses and the epinninsr 
chorus had been given here, so far as they could be 
given by an orchestra unhelped of voices ; and we 
suppose it will be admitted by the wildest Wagner- 
maniac that the orchestra can come extremely near 
to reproducing the entire effiect of those or any oth- 
er parU of the work. The music, therefore, is not 
wholly new to our audiences. But the effect of a 
first hearing of the work upon ears which have been 
introduced to " Tannh&user," to " Lohengrin,** and 
to some scraps of the Bayreuth trilogy, mmt be 
strange and confusing in the extreme. " Der File- 
gende HolUnder** stands chronologically second 
among Herr Wagner's operaa; was written. Indeed, 
in his artistic boyhood, so to speak; has many 
marks of the Italian school of composition, and is 
now reported to be scorned by its author for its dis- 
play of pltifol servitude to effect theories of musie- 
writing. It Is certoin that, as comparml with its 
successors, it is quite rich in defined melodies, that 
it may be actually said to have some tune* in it; 
that some of these tunes, especially in the first act, 
verge upon triviality, and that a good many passa- 
ges—noticeably in Erik's earlier musio— eeem like 
anticipations of Yon Flotow's " Martha." . But wtth 
all this— 4md the mixture, of course, produces the 
confused feeling in the listener's mind — there are 
in abundance and almost everywhere the sings of 
the same theory and of the sam«r wondrous talent 
and power which have found their completer expres- 
ston in later and more familiar works. Wagner has 
more than begun to cherish a feeling of scorn for a 
defined melody ; he has fully conoeived the idea of 
elaborate recitative as the substitute for such melo- 
dy, the latter appearing, if at all, in orchestration 
marvellously enriched and composite; he has al- 
ready entered upon the use of a great variety of vo- 
cal phrases which are later to be recognised as ear- 
marks of his style and to be called hackneyed by 
the unappreoiative ; in particular he has possessed 
himself of the germ of his pet idea, that " tunes" — 
the completed tenteneeg of musi<»l expression— are 
mere conventionalities, almost void of meaning, and 
that their place is to be Uken by disfointed cUnum, 
— 4o wit, by unsymmetrical phrases of recitative, in 
which all true musical thought is supposed to lie. 
As a result of this set of opinions and discoveries, 
many portions of this work have the harshness, the 
dryness, the long arid tracts of dulnesa and vague- 
ness which make them seem like mere unmusical 
Jargon to the ear and soul which are not yet per- 
verted or converted to the Wagner Idea of opera. 
The weiffht and the learning, too, are there,— an in- 
comparaole power of writing musical declamation, 
an unprecedented command of the resources of the 
orchestra, and in supreme moments an absolute mas- 
tery of the art of producing dramatic effects in mu- 
sical dialogue without the aid of symmetrical forms. 
The hand of a man of immense culture, of dramatic 
insight, tremendous force of character and will, is 
felt everywhere In the music of "The Flying Dutch- 
man," and the qualities thus impressed upon it join 
with its literary merit always to compel the atten- 
tion andgenerally the interest of the sensitive list- 
ener. There are brief bits of orchestration— like 
those in the first act, which precede the first men- 
tion of Stnta bv Daland to VafuUrdteten — which are 
exquisite as a love song of Shakespeare ; the sailor's 
choruses are brimfhl of wild sea-mirth, and are wor- 
thy of the descendants of tough Scandinavian he- 



roes ; and the music of the different parts is dis- 
criminated with absolute clearness, not merely by 
the employment of the Leitmotiven or characteris- 
tic phrases — which are peculiarly interesting in the 
case of VanderdedkenF—hvit by the general character 
and cast of the music assigned to each, that of the 
gprim hero having an awesome and gruesome quality 
exceptionally thrilling to the nerves, l/aJlnmii 
bearing always the mark of rough heartiness, and 
8enJUi^9 being pervaded by a sort of dreamy sweet- 
ness. "Lohengrin," indeed, seems often anticipated 
in the more mysterious music of that worlc. Of 
strong dramatic writing there are, as we have said, 
abundant specimens ; the greatest and most stirring 
of all bdng found in the climax of the duet between 
Stnim and Vanderdeeken in the second act, which 
concentrates within itself a deep passionateness, not 
often paralleled in operatic composition. 

(From the Evening Gasette, ICaroh 18.) 

The Kellog&r Opera Company began an engAge- 
ment at the Globe Theatre on iTuesdAy evening, ap 
peering in " Lncia di Lammermoor."' On Wednes- 
day evening Wasrner's "The Flying Dutchman." 
was g^ven for the first time in Boston, and on Fri- 
day evening •* II Trovatore " was performed. Of 
the performances of the two more nimiliar operas 
we shall say but little, save that they were ren- 
dered quite as well as at any previous time the com- 
1>any has visited us. Wagner's opera attracted the 
argest house of the week, and It may be added 
achieved an unquestionable success, if we may judge 
by the applause that was bestowed upon it. It is 
certainly an interesting work, exuberantly wild and 
eccentric at times, but always effective, often de- 
lightful. It is true that In point of style it is neith- 
er fish, flesh, nor fowl, but ft Is a curious admixture 
of Weber, Meyerbeer, Bellini and Spontini, with an 
occasional seasoning of Halevy, the whole tem- 

Sered by a soup^on of Berlios. It Is wonderfally 
ramatlo, however, and In spite of much that is 
bisarre and more that is extravagant, thoroughly 
engrosses the attention from' beginning to end, occa- 
sionally stirring the feelings with great power, and 
always impressing the attentive listener with the 
sense that he Is hearing the work of one whose 
mind is of no common order. What Is most sur- 
prising In this opera, though. Is the triviality to 
which the composer sinks now and then. Here and 
there. In the midst of a scene of intense passion 
treated witli a master hand, we are startled by a bit 
of commonplace of the most hackneyed description, 
— a fragment or some odds and ends of Italian op- 
era that were worn threadbare years before Wsgner 
began to write. This Is the more startling for the 
reason that we find it difiiouU to disassociate the 
composer from his later theories, or to forget that 
the opera la looked upon by him as one of the sins 
of his youth that cannot tie too deeply repented. 
The work, throughout, is large in design, and In 
many essentials clearly prophesies the course after- 
wards adopted by the musical Inoonoclast in his 
reckless assaults upon received traditions of art 
The orcheatration, tnough tending to noisiness, is 
wonderfully fine. It Is over-elaborated, and In the 
attempt to make It independent of the voices is often 
confused, but it is large in style and masterly in 
conception and treatment. Then, again, we have a 
strongly marked attempt to give a distinct and an 
appropriate Individuality to Uie diflbrent characters, 
and the reault is a fine discrimination between the 
rugged ronsie assigned to the rough old fisherman 
Ddand, the dreamy and impassioned music given to 
the morbid Senta, the weird and vague music of 
Yanderdecken, and the snave and •warm music of 
the lover Eria These distinctions are well main* 
talned throughout The sailor choruses are full of 
characteristic strength and spirit The second act 
is the best of the three into which the opera Is di- 
vided. The first act contains but little that is inter- 
esting, beyond the unflagging energy with which 
its wild and restless fervor Is sustained. But the 
second act abounds In beauties of every kind. The 
various styles essayed therein by the composer 
give it the air of a pasticcio, and consequently de- 
prive it of unity of sentiment bnt it is interesting 
both mnsically speaking and aa a curious example 
of the composer's ibdedsion before giving himself 
up to his more matured views of his mission. The 
opening chorus. In Its pure melody and treatment 
might eaaily pass for a bit of elevated Anber, so 
French Is it In character. The meeting between 
Senta and Yanderdecken is suggMtive throughout 
of Meyerbeer, and Is conceived in the eame spirit as 
the great scene between Yalentine and Raoul In 
" The Huguenots," and the fine trio In the last act 
of *' Robert le Dlable." It is marked by intense 



passion, and is not surpassed by anything In Its 
manner that modern opera has produced. There 
are many barren wastes in the work that are given 
up to eccentricities wliich jar upon both the ear and 
the understanding, and the general tone of the opera 
is feverish and unhealthy ; but when all is ssid that 
can be said against It, there still remains much that 
fosclnates. and much that exacts Involuntary adml- 
ration. We feel that we are In the presence of an 
original and an Independent mind, tiiat is struggling 
to find the proper ontlet for his thoughts, and the 
proper form in which to present them. 

The opera was very creditably performed. Miss 
Kellogg, as the Imaginative and romantic Senta, 
acted with more thought and skill than have ever 
before distinguiahed her efforts. Her impersona- 
tion was artistically conceived, and was, through- 
out consistent interesting, and able. She threw 
herself fully Into its spirit And as an actress and a 
singer fairly earned and deserved the cordial ac- 
knowledgment she received at the hands of her au- 
dience. Mr. Carleton played Yanderdecken, and 
looked the part to perfection. HU acting waa well 
conceived, and he sang the music of the part with 
strong Intelligence, devotion and ability. Mr. Maas 
merits praise, too, for the sweetness and the fervor 
of his singing as Eric, the lover of Senta. Mr. Coa- 
ly made an appropriately vigoroua and rugged Da- 
land, and sang the music of the old sailor with a 
heartiness and a strength that call for hearty com- 
mendation. The little that was given to the Helms- 
man was sung by Mr. C. H. Turner well, though it 
seemed to make severe demands upon his voice, as 
well it might for some of Its phrases are alsostun- 
slngable. The sailors' choruses were rendered with 
excellent spirit and correctness, and the Spinning 
Chorus was acceptably given, saye for an occasion- 
al falseness of Intonation. The orchestra, consider- 
ing the trying difficulties of the work and the limit- 
ed number of rehearsals It had, acquitted itself in a 
praise-worthy manner. The opera was mounted In 
an effective and careful manner, though we could 
have well spared the map of Pittsburgh that ap- 
peared upon the walls of the fisherman's hut. In 
the second act The work was enthuriastlcally re- 
ceived. 

(From the Courier.) 

Throughout the work breathes the spirit of spon- 
taneoua naiveli. This opera was certainly not man- 
ufactured, bnt created. There are weak* points In 
It undoubtedly. Wagner was not yet able to always 
hit his mark with that unenlng aim, with that 'ti- 
tanic force that he has since developed ; but the aim 
throughout la high, pure and noble, there is nothing 
of unworthy trickery or clap trap in his method, 
nothing done for the sake of mere sensation and 
stage-effSact Let us go into details a little. The 
opera begins with a regular overture built up on 
themes that afterwards are recognizable as the 
germs of the whole music of the opera Itself. After 
lannhduter Wagner gave up wri^ng set overtures 
to his musical dramas, as Incompatible with his 
theory of art He even cut off the latter half of the 
fsmons overture to ThnnhdnMer, and connected the 
Allegro movement Immediately with the music of 
the opening scene, when he remodeled the work 
for Its performance at the Paris Opera In 18A1, thus 
changing its form from that of overture to a mere 
Instrumental Introduction more in keeping with his 
later views. His return to the overture form in the 
MtUttr9i$tffer is easily explained by the character of 
the work, which Is a sort of parody or satire on 
Tmnhduaer, Conoeming the overture to the Fly- 
img IhUthman, I can do my readers no greater ser- 
vice than to quote from the criticism of one of the 
greatest musical critics the world has ever known 
— Hector Berlios. He says : " The overture b<^ns 
with a lightning-like outburst of the orchestra la 
which we seem to recogniie at once the howling of 
the storm, the cries of the sailors, the whistling of 
the cordage and the tempestuous noises cnf a ragrlng 
sea* This opening Is magnificent ; It imperiously 
seises upon tne listener and carries him away ; but 
as the same method is constantly employed after- 
wards, tremolo following upon tremolo, chromatic 
runs ending only to make way for other chromatic 
runs, without the faintest ray of sunshine piercing 
through those dark clouds charged with electric 
fluid podring down their torrents without trace or 
end, without the slightest melodic figure to brighten 
those black harmonies, the listener's attention grows 
tired, disoonrazed, and finally auccumbs. . . . The 
overture, of which the development seems to me, 
upon the whole, excessive, is vigorously scored, and 
the composer has at Ita bc^nnliiff drawn an extra- 
ordinary effect from the Interval of the bare fifth. 
This interval, thus employed, assumes a strange aa- 



412 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OP MUSIC. 



peei. th«t mtkes one shudder." The opening ffcene 
of the operm. in which Pnland's Khi|> comes to anchor 
in a little bay on the Norwesrian cMst to secli ref 
ns:e from the storm, U peculiarly fascinatinj^. The 
cheery sinjnnfl: of the sailors furlinp^ sai1«, coilinfr 
ropes, mmliinfl: the ship secure, the echoes their song: 
awakens iu the snrroundinfc cliffs, the noise of the 
storm, Daland's short sentences of self-conrratnla- 
tion on having escaped the tempest and the nemr 
prospect of seeinfiT Senta afrsin, all sro to malce up a 
scene to which I can compare nothlnflr that I know 
of in the whole raniore of dramatic music. Thesoojj^ 
of the helmsman, whom Daland has left in charge 
of the ship, is admirable, one of the best and roost 
admirable bfts of melody that VftLf^er ha^ ever 
written. The arrival of the ship of the Flyinjr 
Dutchman " with bloodred sails and black masts," 
the half waking up of Daland's drowsy helmsman 
who has crone to sleep over his chars^e, and tries in 
vain to drive off slumber by si nginsr snatches of his 
song, are wonderfully vividly painted by the or- 
chestra ; it is a scene tiiken right from life. The 
landing of the Dutchman himself, with his first 
grand air, in which he alternately half scornfully 
bewails his fate and tries to revive his long-lost 
hope of salvation, is the first time that we find any- 
thing of the latter Wagner in the opera. The 
whole scene is immensely difllicult, and unless the 
singer is a thorough actor as well, and has com- 
pletely mastered every shade of Wagner's intention, 
it will always fall flat on the audience. I remem- 
ber coming out of the Globe Theatre some years 
ago, after witnessing Miss Charlotte Cushman's won- 
dferfnl acting of Queen Catharine's death scene in 
ffenty the Eighth, and meeting a certain great opera 
singer in the lobby, I was impelled to s«y, " Only 
think what opera wonld be, if we could have such 
acting as that!" "Very true." was the reply. 
** but you see the music never gives us time for all 
that sort of thing." Now in this scene of the Fly- 
ing Duichma'x the mnsic does, for once, give time 
for " all that sort of thing ; " nny, more, it absolute- 
ly demands it of the actor. There is not an orches- 
tral phrase in the whole scene that is not intended 
to accompany some pantomimic expression of sor- 
row, despair, resignation, hope, longing, passion, on 
the ictor's part. And. mark this well, nnless both 
actor and orchestra are in perfect accord, the gist 
of the whole is lost. This scene is entirely superb. 
Wagner calls it the key to the understanding of the 
Dutchman's character, and throusrh it to the un- 
derstanding of the whole opera. The remainder of 
the act is hardly up to this high level, but it con- 
tidns much that is distinctly fine. The music dur- 
ing Daland*s meeting with the Dutchman, the lat- 
ter*8 description of a part of his misfortunes, his dis- 
playing his riches before the astonished eyes of the 
nearty old Norwegian skipper, his first half-timid 

Suestion, *' Have you a daughter f " mnd the ensuing 
ialogne that results in the exclamation. " Let her 
be my wife," is wonderfully gmphio. The duet be- 
tween the two men Tergeii more on the common- 
place, but the act doses brilliantly with Daland's 
ship weighing anchor after the storm, amid the sing- 
ing and cheers of the crew. The opening scene of 
act second, in which we are shown the interior o 
Daland's cottage, where Sentu and her young 
friends sit spinning, is absolutely charming. The 
spinning chorus for female voices is certainly one of 
the most charming things of its sort In all music. 
Benta's ballad. In which she relates the legend of 
the Flying Dutchman to her comrades la superb. 
I know of nothing that equals it in a certain weird 
power. Erik's song of expostnlation seems less 
good. In fact none ot the music of Erik's part 
strikes us as up to the standard of the rest of the 
work. It recalls the unhappy Italian Tenore di 
Orasia too strongly. To be sure Wagner says of 
him: "Erik roust be no sentiroental whiroperer; 
on the contrary he is stormy, violent and morose. 
Whoever singa his Cavatina in the third act in any 
sugary sweet way, renders me by so doing but a 
poor service, as ft ought to breathe nothing but mel- 
ancholy and sorrow." The musie, however, reach- 
ea its highest point of power and dramatic intensity 
in the following scene, where the Dutchman meets 
Senta and she Joyfully consents to be his wife. In 
this scene, as in the Dutchman's air in the first act, 
Wagner has done his uttermoat. It will always re- 
main one of the greatest duetf on the stage; per- 
haps not to be compared with the great duet In the 
fourth act of Meyerbeer's Huguenots or with the 

Keat dueta in Lohengrin or the WalkQre ; but to 
great a thing need not be greatest. Certalnlv 
this scene alone would suffice to prove Wagner's 
commanding genius. The sailor's chorus in the 
third act is a mast spirited piece of writing. If per- 



haps rather noijiy. but that is. after all, not out of 
keepincr with the character of the scene. The grad- 
ual working: out of this scene is indeed one of Wasr- 
ner's triumphs. The hilarious jollity of Daland's 
sailors, their Jeering invitation to the crew of the 
phantom ship to join them in their revel, the alt«r- 
nilte singing of the men on ship-lMard and the 
women on shore, the awakenins: of the ghostly crew 
of the Ftifing Dutchman, their demoniac song accom- 
panied by the raging of the tempeat, the vain at- 
tempts of Daland's sailors to drown out their horrid 
chorus by striking up their own aailors' song, and 
the ultimate fliirht of both sailors and women, leav- 
ing the field to the phantom crew, make up a scene 
of surpassing dramatic brilliancy. After a second 
attempt by Erik to induce Senta to look favorably 
upon his love, the opera hurries to its end. This 
final portion is full of dramatic and musical inter- 
est, and is a worthy close of the work. Senta's 
frantic proclamation of her constancy as she throws 
herself from a cliff into the sea is really great. 



Betthofen at the AqnariiiiiL (!) 

There can scarcely be much discussion con- 
cerning the highest art-aim of symphony writ- 
ing, and we have Beetboven^s own words to 
show what he meant when he composed the 
*'Sinfonia Pastorale, No. 6, Op. 68." Sym- 
phonies snch as Beethoven wrote are sorely the 
most invigorating stimulants to the imagina- 
tion, and the great master, althonsrh he gave 
in this Ycry work the keynote to his impres- 
sions, yet declared that his Pastoral Sympriony 
was rather the record of impreaioju thin actual 
repre9mtation of fact$. We can well imagine 
the horror caused to some minds by the exhi- 
bition of a moving illustrative panorama dur 
ing the execution of Beethoven's sublime work. 
We can forgive the scorn occasioned by the 
dull declaration that such music cannot inspire 
without assistance, and that the mind is dead 
to fancy before such enchantment. But horri- 
fied as we may be, and scornful as we may be, 
still we are brought face to face with the fact 
that no gates to enchantment are unlocked by 
the genius of the musician, and that when he 
pipes there are some who will not dance. The 
question, therefore, resolves itself into this, are 
we to leave unimpressionable minds in a state 
of darkness and chaos, are we to reserve Beet- 
horen and his symphonies for snch as under- 
stand and appreciate them, or may we in all 
gentle kindness suggest their beauty in a round 
about and, artistically speaking, an heretical 
fashion t Xot much harm can snrely be done 
by scenic illustrations to the Pastoral Sympho- 
ny, and if any chance conyerts are made to the 
imaginative school, the honest design of the 
Aquarium authorities may well be spared some 
of that '* scorn of scorn" to which it is at the 
outset exposed. There will be some who will 
listen to the music and shut their eyes, and 
many more who will |^ze at the panorama and 
shut their ears; but if music and scenery in 
combination suggest to any mind the refining 
and ennobling influence of Beethoven, it may 
be possible that such humble inquirers may be 
spared some of the lashes inflicted by an aveng- 
ing lestheticism. But now that the thing has 
been done, now that Beethoven's ** record of 
impressions " 6as been taken up to the paint- 
ing-room, now that his adorable fancy has 
been exposed to the harsh rigor of reality, now 
that his May meadows and sun-lit fields, and 
carousinjif villagers, and thunder-storms, and 
thanksgiving prayers have been measured out 
by rule of thumb and canvas, it is indeed cu- 
rious to observe how differently one sublime 
subject can appeal to varied minds. Mr. Juli- 
an Hicks has painted a beautiful panorama; 
but to sav that the panorama touches the mus- 
ical sentiment or the first principles of the 
idyll would be disloyalty to Beethoven and un- 
friendly to nature. We will allow, for the 
sake of ailment, that identical impressions 
are not created by the same touch, but if this 
magic symphony was not meant to suggest the 
exquisite simplicity of nature and the purity of 
rural innocence, it meant nothing. Mr. Hicks 
has discarded the purely pastorale, and direct- 



ed the mind to the abstract classical. He does 
not take his audience with the music through 
meadows, by the side of rivulets, amongst the 
villagers. When are the ** pleasant feelings 
aroused in the heart on arriving in the country" 
in this unreal world of classic temples, broken 
columns, and impossible citadels ? It was the 
country that God made, and not the palaces 
built by man that Beethoven described. Tt is 
as true now as then. The blue-bell fields of 
Kent, the solemn shade of the beeches and oaks 
of England, the villagers of our own time, the 
rural charms of England, all come before as 
with the first notes of Beethoven's pastoral mu- 
sic. Could not Mr. Julian Hicks nave led as 
among the hedge-rows and thatched villages 
of oar own land instead of conducting ut to the 
stately grandeur of an unknown world ? We 
see an Acropolis on every hill, and a ruined 
Palmyra in every valley . The carousing vil- 
lagers are attired like Paris on the hill of Ida, 
the dances are suggestive of fauns and satyra. 
Pan and Bacchus, (Enone and Adonis, are the 
figures in the panoramic picture, and the red 
storm-sun sinks upon a wild plain scattered 
about with Corinthian columns. The manage- 
ment has done well in its honest effort to edu- 
cate the taste ; the scenic artist has painted a 
moving picture distinguished for its boldness 
and beauty. Mr. George Mount has done his 
best for Beethoven's music, but picture and 
music are distinct and apart. The mind re- 
fuses to take them together. — London Mtmeal 
World. 



Beethoftn— with lUiutnitioiii. (!) 

The recent performance, at the Westminster 
Aquarium, of the Pastoral Symphony, with scenic 
effects, is to be deplored as a v{f>lation of the high- 
est principles of musical art The orchestral sym- 
phony is a distinctive form of musical expresalon, 
which can neither be added to. nor taken from, 
without deslrojring Its very nature and essence. 
Put words to it, and it beooraes a cantata ; again, 
add the stage, and It becomes an embryo opera. To 
appeal to the eye aa well as to the ear is to trench 
upon the true province of the symphony, which is, 
tOidepict by sound alike the varying panorama of 
nature and the emotions of the heart Taking the 
Pastoral Symphony as the best instance to be found, 
Beethoven's music brings before us with ample dis- 
tinctness the smiling landscape, the almost sudden 
darkness, the burst of the storm, the heavy but liq- 
uid patter of the rain ; the gpradnal departure of the 
thunder-clouds, and the thankful repose of nature 
when the storm Is spent To appeal forcibly to one 
sense Is to distract the other, and it is impossible, 
in the presence of a gorgeous and shifting pano- 
rama, to give an adequate attention to the orches- 
tra. This was fully exemplified in the case of the 
performance at the Aquarium. The applause of the 
audience was in chief directed, to the scenic effects, 
and the result of this was the occasional interrup- 
tion of the noble work they were Intended to illus- 
trate. We fear, neverthdess, Uiat the performance 
is regarded by Ita prqfecton as "a 8Qcoess."^Xoiuf. 
Mua, Standtra, 



IDm JiUa Btn't 8^1«. 

(From the Mnslsal B«vlew» Chicago.) 

We cannot imagine why it is that some of the 
local newspaper critics and contribntora on mnsloal 
subjects should go so far out of their way as to 
declare that Miss Julia Riv6 la a greater artiste 
than Mme. Annette Essipoff. We can understand 
how criticism can be so thwarted and warped as to 
bury out of sight all regard for what Is just We 
do not a^ocuse any critic of bias in making this ooo*. 
parison. They may have been actuated l>y honest 
motives. They may conscientiously believe that 
Miss Rlv6 is the greater artist of the two. But we 
repeat that we cannot appreciate or oomprahend the 
critical perapicaclty whieh shall find in the one any- 
thing to oompara to the other. It Is a thankless 
and not an easy task to write a eritidsm upon so 
accomplished a pianlste as Miss Biv6. Her method 
no one can diaparage and her teohnlone is magnifi- 
cent But with all her fine gifta In the nceehMlcal 
part of her execution thera is aomething wanUng in 
ner playing. If we were to Judge piano mnsic sole* 
ly by the dnterity with which certain eombbtatloos 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, MARCH 31, 1877. 



413 i 



of chords are fingered, then the hle^hest praise 
should be accorded to Hiss RiT6. Bat to properly 
interpret the $n*eat masters in nautical art a per- 
former should have the keenest sensibilities and the 
most refined perceptions. This sensitive feeling for 
tone in the mind will rapidly and completely find 
expression at the finger ends. We do not wish to 
be construed as meaning that Miss Riv6 does not 

Cossess these necessary qualifications. Unless she 
ad them in some degree and a largely developed 
degree, too, she never could be the artist that she 
Is. Without any desire to be captious, or to raise 
frivolous objections to Miss Riv^^s style, we think 
that she givea us music with more of the mechani- 
cal element in it than the spiritual ; and for this 
reason bravura music is that in which she displays 
the abundance and the thorAUf^h cultivation of her 
natural talents. This metaphysical essence in mu- 
sic is undoubted. Every composition means some- 
thing, and, unless that something is reached, it can- 
not wholly satisfy. The true sphere of music is the 
emotions. Music creates emotions more than it 
portrays them, and it does not give ripe to these 
emotions if it is not intensely expressive; and to 
be intensely expressive requires great versatility 
and grace in touch. These traits we do not think 
that Miss Riv6 has so much as the ability to over- 
come the most difficult technical passages. Miss 
Julia Riv6 Is a thorough artist, an artist who com- 
bines with a perfect technique a hif?h degree of in- 
telligence. Her skill in the mechanical require- 
ments of piano music is as perfect as it is surpris- 
ing. She plays the most intricate music with the 
same ease that she would bestow upon an ordinarily 
difficult composition. There is no woman in this 
country, and perhaps net in any other, who can 
play Liszt*s complicated music so well as Miss Riv6. 
She was, we believe, under the instruction of that 
great maestro for the period of twenty-one months, 
and the influence of her illustrious teacher is evi- 
dent in her style. Essipoff showed to the greatest 
degree her skill in bravura music in her execution 
of the magnificent Saint-Sadns' concerto, which she 
played during her last week in Chicago. Saint-Sa- 
Ins, who is unquestionably one of the greatest mod- 
ern composers, gives to this composition a great 
deal of the character of Lisst's heavier music, com- 
bined with that fineaee and melodiousness w^iich is 
the feature of the romantic school. As played by 
EssipofT, it was pne of the most superb performan- 
ces ever given in this city. Essipoif is par excel- 
lence the poet of the piano. Under her manipula- 
tion there is a warmth, a grace and an eloquence in 
piano music which no musician has before imparted 
to it — at least within the range of our knowledge. 
This we can say without in the least compelling a 
comparison with Rubinstein and Yon BQlow, both 
greater musicians. Rubinstein impresses one with 
tAe greatness of his musical genius : Von Bulow by 
his great intellectuality and Essipoffby her bewitch- 
ing poetry. The reader will pardon this momentary 
digression. Inasmuch as critics have insisted that 
Miss Riv6 is as great and sometimes greater than 
EssipoiT, we wish to show wherein, in our opinion, 
she is deficient. Miss Riv4 is lacking in that poet- 
ical quality, that graceful feminine insight, which 
was the charm and singularity of EssipoflTs playing. 
Miss Rive, as we have said above, as an interpreter 
of brilliant, Intricate music, deserves all the praise 
that can be lavished npon her. But aa a reader of 
the romantic and poetical styles of musical compo- 
sition she is below onr ideal In Miss Rive's nature 
we do not think. Judging from her personal appear- 
ance, that the idealities and poetic faculties are 
lararely developed. And this we say without in- 
tending any imnttioe to this gifted ladv. She can- 
not Impart to her music that which she evidently 
has not herself If the reader will agree with us in 
the premises he or she will certainly agree with us 
In the deduction. Miss Rive's execution of compo- 
sitions similar to those of Chopin, Schubert, Beet- 
hoven, and, indeed, all sentimental music, reminds 
us of a paintinff in high colors where the lights and 
shadows, which are as necessary to the perfect mu- 
sical idea aa to the painting, have been sacrificed 
ibr brilliant effects. We are aware that many will 
dissent from us, but this is our honest opinion. 



N»» 



Bofton Audiences 

XADAUB E88IPOFF*8 CONCERTS. 

Tn the BdU9r» tffhe Sotton DaO^ AO^eriUer ;— 

With all dne respect to Mr. William Lloyd Garrison, 
hia refleetioas upon Madame EsslpolPs lUlure here in 
Boston do not reveal much understanding in artistic 
matters. As other articles have appeared, written In a 



similar strain, ft may not be out of place to say some- 
thlnfjT on the other side. To be brief and to the point, 
and far from wishing to detract from Madame EssipofTs 
admirable playing, we contend that it requires some- 
thing more than this admirable playing to make an ev- 
ening concert at the Music hall interesting. In the first 
place we object to the hall for performances which pos- 
sess the character of chamber concerts. It Is too large, 
and two pianos on that pjeat stage, without any sign of 
an orchestra, wear a most melancholy aspect. To hear 
a concerto by Chopin or Balnt-SaSns In the Music Hall, 
with accompaniment of a second piano, no matter how 
well played, cannot possibly inspire us. To have It 
followed by the vocal performances which the audience 
had to listen to next, was calculated to counteract any 
possible charm that the playinjc might previously have 
given. To haVe these vocal performances followed by 
solo compositions like the *' Melanoholle** by Prume, and 
others of the kindi however fair the playing, was hardly 
endurable. 

We may not be as i^predatlve as wo should be ; but 
we think we compare not unfavorably with the best au- 
diences in European cities, and are far more good-nat- 
ured. At all events, if we are to be considered unartls- 
tiCy we claim that these concerts a« a whoU were unartis- 
tie also, and wonld not be patronised, even If tolerated, 
by cultivated audiences In any respectable European 
city any more than in Boston! When Mr. Rubinstein 
engaged HorticnUural hall and alone at the piano played 
to ua carefally*selected programmes from different 
schools of music, we listened to him with unbounded 
interest, and he certainly conid not complain of his au- 
diences nor of any want of appreciation ou their part. 
When we are a^ked to listen to piano-forte playing in 
the MukIc Hall with an orchestra, we want that orchestra 
to be good, or at least passably good. The better the 
playing is, the better the orchestra should be ; and it is 
hardly ftAr to expect uii to pat up with worse than medi- 
ocrity, for the orehedtra that did acrompany Madame 
Bflslpoff was worse than mediocre. We could not blame 
Madame Essipoff for dispensing with sach an orchestra 
If she conld not give ns a better one. but a hall of the 
size of the Music Hall is not, In our opinion, the proper 
hall for a series of solo performances on the piano. 

In any large city the concert-going public form, of 
course, a smul portion of it. If statistics (to be practi- 
cal) could be made up showing the number of concerts 
that have been given in Boston this season, and the 
nnmber of people who have attended them, we think 
they would demonstrate that, in view of the fkct that 
people generally feel poor in these times,— and as a rule 
the more cultivated In mind the poorer In purser— we 
have not be4>n lacking in patronising them. 

We have fkr too distinguished artwts among us to fail 
in our appreciation of pianoforte playing and of Mad- 
ame BMlpoff's performances. Although we may not be 
able to accord to her that superlative praise which some 
of the critics have indulged in, and though we have 
heard those among us whose conception and rendering 
of some of the compositions she played impressed us 
much more favorably, we do accord to her our enthusi- 
astic admiration, and respectfully suggest to her that, if 
she should favor us again with a viait, she will engage a 
smaller hall and willpermlt ns to listen to her alone. 
8he will then do herself and her audience justice, and 
her audience will do Justice and pay homage to her. 

Om OF THB AUDixsca. 



[From the Saturday Evening Oaaette.] 

Madame EssipolTs shabby treatment by the Boston 
public during her recent engagement here has called 
forth the following appreciative and kindly letter from 
William Lloyd Garrison, who manifests a Just and man- 
ly indignation at the neglect with which the artist was 

treated here:— 

Boston, March 10, 1877. 

Happening to be In New York last November, I was 
Induced, by the exalted encomiums bestowed upon yonr 
proficiency as a pianist by the leading Journals of that 
city, to attend several of your concerts; and though, in 
consequence, my expectations were raised to a high 
pitch, they were transcended not only by the wonderful 
precision and perfeotness of yo«r execution, but by the 
superlative Judgment, taste and skill yon displayed in 
your interpretation of the various productions of the 
most eminent musical composen— the modesty of your 
deportment also greatly enhancing the pleasure of list- 
ening to your performances. 

When, a few weeks afterward, you made your d^bnt in 
this city, the comparative smallness of your audiences 
could be easily accounted for by local circumstances es- 
pecial to the season: but by what Influences— malign, 
xortultoua or otherwise— you have been left, on this your 
second visit, to exhibit your phenomenal powers to a 
most inadequate attendance, it is dilBoult to conjecture. 
The fact Is simply discreditable to the musical preten- 
sions of Boston, but detracts nothing from your own ex- 
ceeding meritoriousness. 

I am led to offer this tribute of my respect and high 
appreciation by the profound Interest I take in whatever 
relates to the elevation of your sex, the enlargement of 
their sphere of usefulness and activitjr, and the vindica- 
tion of their claim to equal rights, privileges and possi- 
ble attainments with those of my own sex. Too long 
have they been assigned to an inferior position. 

Beapectfully yours, 

Wm. Llotd Oabbison. 



For Dwight's Journal of Music. 

An Appeal 

When In Rome last year, I found there teaching Music, 
in a very humble way, a lady whom I had known many 
years before, as a brilliant and popular singer,— Elisa 
BiscAcciANTi, fUe Ostinelll. I am sure that many of 
the readers of the Journal must remember her, for she 
was Boston-bom. Her father. Signer Ostlnelll, waa a 
violinist of rare genius; her mother, an American lady, 
waa a flue professioial pianist. Miss Ostlnelll, a warm- 
hearted, enthusiastic girl, possessing a voice of remark- 
able purity and power, was early taken to Europe by her 
father, and placed under the best musical and dramatic 
Instruction. In five or six years she returned to us, as 
Bignora Biscaccianti, a C<mU%9a^ " but that's not much** 
—an Inspired singer, and that*8 a great deal. By the 
way, she was the flrst American Prima Donna singing in 
Italian opera— in America, at least. She was eTer3rwhere 
enthusiastically received— everywhere successful, in op- 
era and in concerts, and especially after some years of 
practice and a second visit to Europe had ripened her 
voice and given richness and breadth to her style. She 
was quite unspoiled by success and adulation ;— her 
manner, as she used to stand for a moment regarding 
her audience, with her large, dark, melancholy eyes, 
was very charming— a singular mingling of timidity and 
dignity— a childlike appealing and artistic self-reliance. 
The voice which poured from the sHcht chest and deli- 
cate throat of the littie woman astonished every one by 
Its power, its soaring, careering, exultant character. 

Previous to her second pmfessional visit to America, 
Biscaccianti sang with great acceptance In London, Par- 
Is, Rt. Petersburg, and several Italian cities. Subse- 
quently she visited the Pacific coast and South America 
—twice, I believe, remaining several years. At last, 
drawn thence by her maternal heart, she came to Italy, 
where her son was at school, hoping there to continue 
her career. But sorrow came with her, and misfortune 
soon met her, in the form of a long and terrible illness, 
from the effects of which she has not yet entirely recov- 
ered. For ten years it has not been possible for her to 
pursue her profession— and though I hear that her voice 
is now coming back in a marvellous manner, she can 
hardly rely upon it again In the old way. But certainly 
time and sickness have left uninjured her rare artistic 
knowledge and experience, and her ability as a teacher, 
which she ought to be able to utilise. 

In this country she would do well, I doubt not; but er- 
en if she had the means to come, she feels that she can- 
not be again separated from her son— a fine young man 
—now serving in the Italian army. But Bome swarms 
with singing masters, and she, humble and heart-broken, 
has made her way very slowly, never having pupils 
enough to Insure her a support. Her best friend in 
Rome is Mrs. Marsh, the noble wife of our Minister; and 
to her, when about to return to America, I applied for a 
littie statement which I could append to an appeal, in 
case I should be unable sufllciently to relieve onr poor 
friend by my own labor, and by soliciting aid In a strictly 
private way. Illness and a press of imperative duties have 
prevented me from carrying out the plan which a regard 
for the d^cate feelings of the artist suggested, and now 
there seems no other way but this. The only assistance 
I have hitherto received for Madamo Biscaccianti, has 
been from that ** Grand Almoner** for unfortunate gen- 
ius and worth, George W, Chllds, whose generous dona- 
tion has helped her through the fUl and winter. 

I can testify that, when the great singer was at the 
height of her popularity, she was most sympathetic and 
generous— always responding to appeals for charity, and 
delighting to assist all young aspirants for lyric faune, 
and broken-down artists. Now she, in her sad turn, needs 
help, which we ask for her. We wish and we intend to 
raise for her a moderate sum— not so great as she often 
gave away in a single night,— but sufficient to procure 
for her more suitable clothing and more comfortable liv- 
ing than she can now afford. We desire to put her be- 
yond the apprehension of cruel want, should she again 
fall ill . 8o» good friends, you with art-loving, and there- 
fore charitable hearts— with musical, and therefore mer- 
ciful souls, send your contributions to the Biscaccianti 
fund, to John 8. Dwight, Esq., Boston, or to George P. 
Marsh, U. 8. Minister, Bome, Italy, or to 

Yours trustingly, 

Gbaob Gbxbxwood. 

232 New Jersey Ave., Washington, D. C. 



LSTTXB FROM MBS. MABSR. 

Rome, May 1870. 

I>earMrs.Lipplncote:— Being extremely anxious that 
Madame Biscaccianti shall be relieved from her present 
embarrassments and in the hope that you may be able to 
excite an interest in her, among her former friends, I 
gladly comply with your request. It is unnecessary to 
recount the clroumstances which have placed her in thia 
trying position— and with her career as a singer, you are 



iw^ 



414 



DWIGHT'S JOUENAL OF MUSIC. 



better Acquainted ttaan I^so I may conflne myself to 
wbat I have known of her dnrinff the past year and a 
half. She case to Rome in the winter of 1874-ft, abeo- 
Intely without means, and in the hope of flndinff employ- 
ment as a teacher of nngini;. Several American ladles 
interested themselTeB for her— but here only maUrtt <U 
ehani are in fashion, and she, thoagh having been taught 
in the great old school, by the great masters, was nnable 
to secure more than one steady pupil. This was a niece 
of mv own, and in her case the snccets of Madame Bis- 
eacciand was most wonderfal. She showed at once 
great skill as a teacher and much womanly tact. During 
the summer, she could And nothing to do Qny niece hav- 
ing returned to America) and she would nave suffered 
from abeoluie want but tor the kind help of Americans, 
then in Rome. Upon means furnished by them she lived 
in the country, with the utmost economy, and in the au- 
tumn came baek. to try arain. Though more fortunate 
than laat year, the has still been far from able to meet 
her simple wants. In a vear or two, I feel confidant that 
she will have acquired a reputation as a teacher, which 
will enable her to support herself. In the meantime, ahs 
muH het9$h4ip, and I slncerdy hope, dear Madam, that 

Jou may be able to rouse the nympathies of those who in 
appier days have listened with delight to the rare mu- 
sic of her voice, so far as to induce them to extend that 
help. Painful and humiliating as has been her situation, 
since mv acquaintance with her, I have always found 
her a lady, in msnners. feeling and conduct, and yet at 
all times ready and anxious to do anything to help her- 
self. I am deeply interested in ber behalf. It is sad to 
see one who has done so much for the pleasure of others, 
reduced to a condition so distressing. 

Yery truly yours, 

O. C. Maxsh. 



Jloig^fs lanrnHl of ^nsir. 

BOSTON, MARCH 81, 1877. 

TwENTT-FivB Years! — ^The present num- 
ber (038) completes the Thirty-sixth Volume, 
and the Twenty-J^fth year of our Journal of 
Music. The title page and Index for the last 
two Volumes will take the place of the usual 
pages of Music in the next number* 



Hjne. Essipoff's Coneerta 

Rather a silly stir, it seems to us, has heen made 
in the newspapers ahout the small attendance upon 
the last concerts in our city of this admirable, in 
some respects superlative, pianist. The accidental 
fact has been made the criterion of Boston musical 
taste and Boston ** culture " {generally. As if peo- 
ple, to prove the sincerity of tkeir pretention to a 
love for what is hest in Art, were bound to turn out 
en matte, crowding the biggest hall, whenever, and 
under whatever circumstances, and in whatever 
manner, any speculating manager may please to 
bring a famous virtuoso within our reach. " Ex- 
ceptionally " fine the artist may be, to be sure ; but 
then, in these days, the exceptional is fast becoming 
the almost too common. One new prodigy follows 
so closely on the heels of another, that we get no 
rest, and nothing any longer seems wonderful at all. 
In this matter of piano playing the passion and the 
appetite for wonder were pretty well exhausted 
here by Rubinstein and BQlow ; it could not rea- 
sonably be expected that a third already, even if in 
some sense more remarkable, oould sUll increase 
the fever of excitement ; nor is it by such fevers 
that we live the healthy life of Art. The impresa- 
rios, the speculators in Art and artists, would 
have things their way ; it Is their cue to keep 
us all the time on the ^Mt vive for the exceptional ; 
but the real, sincere, enlightened taste of a commu- 
nity cares less and less for the exceptional, finding 
its gratification more in the quiet, temperate efijoy- 
ment of what is Intrinsically good and true and edi- 
fying in a wholesome everyday and easy sort of 
way ; and manifesting its seal for Art by steadily 
fostering the means of Art within its owa borders, 
rather than by running afUr every new sign and 
wonder. We count ourselves among the admirers 
of Mme. Esslpoff's playing ; we listen with sincere 
delight to all she does ; we shall always be glad, 
season and circumstances favoring, to hear her 
•gala. But we protest against the assumption of 



these critics and soeerers at Boston taste, that Bos- 
ton society Is bound, at all times and in all drcnm- 
stanoes, to crowd the vast Music Hall to hear even 
the ne plus ultra of pianists play. We protest that 
the small audience complained of has nothing at all 
to do with the question of Boston's degree of musi- 
cal culture and appreciation as compared with that 
of other places. Indeed the really musical Boston 
makes no pretensions, and does not occupy itself 
with chil^sh comparisons or rivalry with other 
cities; this idiotic, idle talk all oomes from the re- 
porters, letter writers, quid nnncs of thenewspspers. 
What matters It whether Boston, or New York, or 
Philadelphia be the most musically cultivated city f 
If we have any real music lovers among us, they 
are too much occupied with making the most of their 
own opportunities, to be disputing the palm with 
any other place. 

Now it is very easy to account for Mme. Essl- 
pofPs small audiences without any reflections, just 
or unjust, on the musical character of Boston. One 
reason, of a general nature, we have already hinted. 
Here are others : 

1. The most important, as bearing on cases of 
this kind, has been very truly stated by " One of 
the Audience '* in a communication which we copy 
from the Advertiser, It is simply unressonable to 
expect that crowds of people, suflBcient to fill the 
Boston Music Hall, will ever be persuaded, more 
than once or twice, to attend mere piano recitals or 
Chamber Conoerts. Such a thing is not known any- 
where in Europe: why should it be in America? 
Oratorios, Orchestral concerts. Operas, address the 
larger crowd ; but the number who find frequent 
pleasure in Chamber music is comparatively limited 
and select. Now your speculative impresario, with 
mind ever bent on " big Bonansas," takes a famed 
pianist, and tries to put him before as big a crowd 
as he would a Lind, a Nilsson, or a Wagner opera. 
It is out of all reason, — against nature. — And then 
again, piano-playing is never heard to advantage, 
never well appreciated in so large a hall ; nor Is It 
In itself so good, because the performer, instead of 
playing as he feels, and as he would, thinks he must 
try to conquer the vast space by using extra pow- 
er. A Chopin or a Beethoven Concerto in the Mu- 
sic Hall, vnthout an Orchettra, Is simply an absurdi- 
ty. Is it not time that we had learned this lesson f 
We surely did not need to wait for Essipoff to learn 
It ; It was the same experience with Rubinstein and 
BQlow, and naturally only more so now ; the num- 
ber of music lovers who are kept away by such ex- 
perience is and must be steadily Increasing. Were 
the Abbate Lisst himself to come, be probably 
would fill the g^reat hall once or twice, until his 
figure became quite familiar ; after that, the small 
hall, the quiet nook of pure, Intrinsic musical de- 
light, would be the place for him. 

3. This artist's second rlsit was unfortunately 
timed. It came right after a long continued and 
exhausting round of concerts :— eight or ten Thom- 
as concerts In ten days, with many more besides. 
One cannot be a concert-goer aU the time. Even a 
poor musical Editor, with the seasoning of a quarter 
of a century, finds it more than he can well digest, 
and is often tempted like a sentinel to sleep npon 
his post. 

8. Indifferent, or unattractive programmes. 
How little they oflbred as compared with those of 
Rubinstein and BQlew 1 They, perhaps, overdid It 
sometimes, giving us too much of a good thing. 
But in these four concerts of Mme. Essipoff we had 
two Concertos, with^tU or^ettra ; not a Sonata, nor 
any work at all, of Beethoven, nor anything what- 
ever in Sonata form except one for piano and violin 
by Rubinstein ; one short selection from Bach ; two 
Chopin Polonaises, and one of Lisst's Hungarian 



Rhapsodies ; and fbr all the rest a multitude of lit- 
tle pieces by Chopin, Rubinstein, Henselt, Raff, 
LeschetiskI and other Russians, with only one by 
Mendelssohn and one by Schumann:— all very 
pleasing la their way, but not of much aeooant for 
a "grand" concert In the Music Hall. Further 
than this, by no means a relief, there were over- 
doses of for the most part rather hacknied and in- 
diffsrent violin solo music, albeit played by a roas- 
ter of his Instrument, and some singing to which it 
was simply pain to listen ! 

4. Another drawback may be mentioned. The 
instrument on which she played — a Stelnway ''Cen- 
tennial Grand," we believe — was one of exceptional, 
prodigious volume and power of tone, as if to fit it 
for the great hall ; but also one in which the sweet 
intrinsic music of the tone, the singing quality the 
Stelnway Instruments once had when not forord, 
seemed all sacrificed to power. The tone was thick, 
dry, unsympathetic ; so that In delicate and subtle, 
and particularly rapid passages (say the Giffue from 
Bach) the effsot of Mme. Esslpoff's exquisite phi 
Ing and interpretation was obscured. 

Other reasons might be named ; hut are not th< 
sufficient? We have left oorselves bnt little room 
for a review of the concerts In detalL Of Mme. Es- 
sipofTs whole style of playing — her perfect certain- 
ty, — ^her touch so clear, so vital, so exquisitely mod- 
ulated. — the wonderfiil ease with which she executes 
the hardest taskf, — ^the fine oonoeption and good 
taste pervading all, — we can say no more than we 
have said before, except to add that the charm of 
the whole In Its unity seems greater than before and 
Inexhaustible. Her opening performance, of the 
Saint-SaSns Concerto in G minor, wal snperb 
throughout, — not clearer, nor in conception truer, 
than that by Mr. Lang, its chief advantage being in 
the perfect ease with which it was done, and some- 
thing more of telling power. On the other hand, 
the poorly played aeoompanlments on a seoond pi- 
ano were rather a distraction than a help to the in- 
tegral impression of the work. As to the E-minor 
Concerto of Chopin (in the last ooaoert), we dafe 
not say we ever heard it played more perfectly. 
The same of the g^eat Chopin Polonaises, Barca- 
rolle, etc. And all the smaller things were, each 
after Ita kind, exquisitely polished gems under her 
hand. The very pronounced statement of the mel- 
ody throughout, with the shaded acoompantment In 
the left hand, was still obvious ; and so wera sever- 
al other alight defects which have been pointed out 
by many critics, snraly in no kplrlt of detraction. 

One word for the violinist, Mons. Yrrmr. More 
and mora we all became convinced that In him we 
had a very superior master of his Instrument. The 
difficulty was that many of his selections wera hack- 
nied and inopportune; though thera Is hardly a 
composition of Yieuxtemps without true artistic 
merit and great charm In its place. Bnt the mor- 
bid, sentimental, fade and shallow " Melaneholle " 
by Prnme seemed only ravived to show that the 
world has had the best of reasons for forgetting It. 
For two fine exceptions, however, we must give cred- 
it One was the Sonata fWmi the great old creative vi- 
olin period, by Rust (179S), which was rafireshing by 
Its breadth and power, and its imaginative and va- 
ried charm. The other was the Sonata-Duo, in A- 
mittor, by Rubinstein, which was played to a charm 
with Mme. Essipoff. ThU last headed the purely 
Russian programme of the third oonoert,^^ bouquet 
less nnqlue than might have been expected, and 
made up apparentiy ont of no very great abundance 

of resources. 
We trust that we shall yet again hear Mme. Essi- 

poff, in a hall of moderate else, and as the bringer 

forth of other treasures new and old of her rich rap- 

ertoira,— as an interpretress of great works of the 

greatest mastera, Beethoven at all events included. 



BOSTON, SATURDAY, MARCH 31, 1877. 



415 



Conosrtj of the Lait Fortnight 

Tho ninth Haitakd SvHFnoNT Conoekt had thU 



Tha Hen ol Pramettwaa/' 

r mlnar. . Qiopin 



1. Orcrtan to 



1. Fluii>-tnTtii B<ilo 
t. lTe.1 
c. Sont wf ibout Word*, from Booh Til. 

>. Sjmphnnr.^o. 9. lnC,Op. IM B»ir 

1. Allecro.— 1 ABdnnuconmotfl.-S. Al- 
legro Tinea.— 4. ADdinwmaMtoM; 
AUepo eon iplrlto. 

The ihort, briftht Onrtare to BMthoren'i Ballet 
ronde, k ■mall OvBrtara for him, U ilvkT' fruh in 
B|dl« of ita hmilUritj, truiaporting the hearer at 
OOM tnto the clear Olympian ttmo^hera of Art. 
Utdame Sohiluk waa at her beet In bar renderinf 
of the Uhoptn Concerto. It wa* Indeed anperb. Not 
only wu tlie technical eiecntion. phraalng, light 
and ehade, eta., atn^larlf perfect, and the Interpre- 
tation conadenUona and impreuiTe, free from libcr- 
Uea of tempo and all affectation ; bat U wae all giv- 
en with an Intercating fervor, winning the general 
■ympathy; althoogh the poetio aoni and spirit of 
anch a work hardi; takee that entire poaaeaaion of 
her whieb We have felt in lome other inlerpretoi 
whoae command of the mean* of expreaelon la Infe- 
rior to here. She played the Hvndrluohn plecee 
with adelightrol eaae and finish, and ■ dear cbar- 
•cteriution of each. Particularly charming waa 
her rendering of that light, airy fancy, the Preato 
from Op. 'J, which ihe repeated in reaponae to an 
entbnaiaitical recolL 

The orcheatra for the moet part did their worh 
remtrkkbly well. Tlia Overtare by Rlet£ to "Hero 
and Leandar" was never before heard in Boatoo — 
perhapa never in America, though it ia atiU played 
from time to time in Germany. Leea perfM than 
hia Concert Overture In A, It la atill the work of a 
genial maalclan, maater of hi* Art The alow inlro- 
doction la trnly bpanlifiil and graphic, — nnnaic of 
the beat kind ; bat tha Alli^jcrv, though It acta oat 
well, ia too prolix and does not leave a very marked 
Impreeston.— The Symphony ia C by Raff— one of 
hia earlier onee, though numbered Op. 140, hiabeen 
heard here only onoe before (la the aavanth aeuon 
of theae eoncerte.) It doea not run tnto the eitrav- 
aganciea of hia mora recent " programme" Bympho- 
uiM, though it la laid out on an equally large, am. 
bitloua plan. It ahowa great graap of all the avm. 
phonic maana, rather than any very origlaBl or fine 
jnapiratloa. The liiBtritmentalloo la extremely rich 
and full of Intoresting oontraat and ingenious ef- 
fecta. The Bret movement, while it give* a aenae 
of power, Mem a to na aomewhat dry; and aleo 
TBgne, except In technical developmeat and form ; 
pregnAnt mnalool tdaaa or eeed-thonghta he doea 
not seem to be Inaplred with. The Andante la Im- 
pre«t4ve with a deeper eentiment and ha* not a lit- 
tle noble beauty. The mingling of reed laatm 
menta, horoa, etc, in the third movement la qnite 
tiucinatiDg: andtheRnale ha* ■ very graadloae 
and atately Introdnctloo, whuee promise Is bat half 
fulfilled In the spirited Allegro which socceoda tt. 
Throoghoul the' work you reeogoiia the great form 
and the great style of tha master*,—" the large ut- 
termooe of the older Qod*,' bat not their inaptra- 



The Testimonial Concert to Hlaa ITit* GiBiAito, 
at the Union Halt, on Friday evening, March it, 
waa a moet delightful and purely artlaUo mnaical 
oceoiion, thoroughly inspiring to tha reSned and 
appreciative andlenoe. Mlaa Qaetano was kindly 
aadtted by Hiaa Cu>a Doau, Hr. Otto Dausl, 



Mr. D. J. Lawo, Dr. S. W. Lakohaid and Mr. S. B. 
ScnLmnain. The pri^;nimme was eiqnisilely 
choice; every number was a gem, and set to bast 
advantage. Firat came the Quartet (Cnnon) from 
Flddia, beautifully aang by the two ladles, with Dr. 
Langmald and Mr. Sclileslnger. with the orchestral 
accompaniments very fully and suggestively repre- 
eenled la an arrangement made for two pianoa by 
Ur. Dreael and played by him and Hr. Lang. 
Neitcame the delicala and loTely tenor Aria: "Ua 
aura amoro«a.' from Moinrt'^ Con /an tutte, aosg 
with the aweet sad sympathetic quality of voice and 
the reSned expression that beRts it, by Dr. Lang- 
maid. The Duet for two Snpmnns from Hendela- 
eohn's BSth Psalm was finely sung by Miss Gnetann 
and Misa Doria. . And then came Miss Gagtano's 
voice alone In • group of the most Impassioned 
Bonge by Robert Prant. The firat, " In Autumn," 
which she had already sang in a Symphony Con- 
cert, one of the most Intensely dramatic song* we 
know of, original and great of its kind, waa sung 
with tbrillin? tone and accent, with such fire and 
beauty, that the whale audience were trnniported 
and earnest for a repetition. The second, "Lament 
of the Kose ' [& hat dii Rmi ticKgtklagt), a strain of 
gentle aadneaa, was feelingly rendered ; 
third, tha exciting and almost sublime " Gewltter 
nacht," or Night of storm and lightning, in w1 
raging winds and flashing fires the betrayed Ir 
seeks for sympathy {AUtgre appaaimaliii) ; then 
monrna over the " dreams of yoUth soon vanished," 
In a softer strain alternating with the fitful bants 
of rage ; and finally ia an eiqnisitely tender and 
anbdoed Adagio atorm yields to gentle rain and 
rage toteara, and he praya foE the return of love. 
This too was sung superbly, with sU the changes of 
expreasian ; and the marvellous accorapanimenl was 
played aa only one can play It. 

The first part ended with snothsr glorious selee. 
tlon from ^ddUf, — the Trio, sung by Hies Doria, 
Hiss GaSUno and Ur. Scblesinger. with the aame 
admirable two-piano accompaniment, setting forth 
the intrinsic beauty of the music, ao abonnding In 
fine motives, and so masterly in treatment, about as 
satisfactorily, and even more so, than any hut an 
etcepUonally perfect stage performance. It waa 
both anng and played to a charm. 

At tha beginning of the aecond part — by which 
time both audience and artiata had become com- 
pletely warmed up,— dividing and relieving the vo: 
eal efforts, came an exquipite performance by Hr. 
Lang and Hr. Dresel of Hoiart's Sonata In D for 
two pianos, which, despito the length of Ita three 
movements, was received with about as much en- 
tbusiaam as the ainging. This was fellcltonsly fol- 
lowed by that ever fresh and charming Uinna and 
Brenda daetln Der FrigteAaiw, In which tha eerioua 
^r and temperament of Ulas Oaetano found fit con- 
traat in the cheerful healthy nature of HIaa Doria, 
who sang Aeunchcn'a light and florid melody with 
rare artistic grace and finint. Bot On the whole 
HIaa GstUno's most complete sncoes* was In the 
Air of Alice from Sofurt It Dialb, which suited her 
most admirably, and of wbloh aha gave all the reo. 
Itativea, the naive, piquant melody, the changes and 
returns, and the eadenns, with flue dranuUo truth 
id beaoty, enhanced by Mr. Dresel's singularly 
gropfaio accompaniment, which brought the acene 
iplete before ua, with all ita tfdsodical diablerie 
and torror.— The Serenade In Dm OiommHi, with 
it* piiilcato quad-gnllsr accompaolment, la always 
murdered oo tha atage ; but here It wa* not only 
very 6Bs)y euog by Hr. SchleelDger, but the two 
pianoa again made the beauty of the oompoaltion m 
whole nor* palpable to most hearer* than It hid 
ever been before. MIsa GaStano (by requeat) now 
offered a few flower* from lesa ela«*lc field* of song. 



recalling a remeinhered pleosurs. These were 
Barcarolle by Gordigionl, and " An Printcmps ' by 
Gounod, fallowed for an encore by one oFher witch- 
ing Spanish songs (mneic in which she waa first cra- 
dled, — learned from her mother'e lips), aung to her 
own accompaniment. Three fourpart songs by 
FrsuE, I" Swiss Song," " Volkslled " and "May 
Song ") dismissed the audience with an appetite. 

Te liAve ;et to Jot down our veij pleasant Impres- 
sions of tbe "Cecilia." concert, and our mixed, lial( be- 
wildered filings atler a weak at Wagner Opua (Mr. 
Frajer"s Wacner FsstlvaL) 



HbwTokk, Mahcr z8. The founb concert of tbe 
Fbllbannonto society (Peb. IT) bCRsn with Uendelssoho's 
flnebreesjnvertnre: " Zam UJircben von der acbOnen 
Ueluslne," composed at Berlin tn 1833. Veaielndebtsd 
' It In part to tbe medlocrltf of snotber a 



Contadin K rentier, wbi 
Hkhnel appaued as a iDerr 

vatedbf a ashes bean tlful 



which 






LSldM) 



andlec 



which Mils, 
lint her hair. CapU- 
a;ed bjr the appIauM 
X bestowed upon a 



ejbritotwn 



tnaptrsd witb a wish to wills an overture ' 
pie mlRlit not tnan, but wblcb would car 
solid pleasnre." Thus the 'loTelj Kelnsl 

Ifextoame a Serenade for atriags(antt 

Vncbs, la llvs parts as follows: Andai , 

Menuetto,— Allegro Scbetxando,— Adagio,— Allegro lln> 
ale. The composer has evidently formed bis itTls bv the 
stud)- of the best orebeatral works, and the Sereuda, If 
not stdklaglT ort([ln»l, Is very pleaaing and contotna 
BOOS beautUnt eltBctt, particularly in tho Anduite snd 
the Bnol Allegro. The AUeero Scbenando, which Is the 
weakest part, appeared to please Ihe andlence the moat 
of all, and It hid to be repeated entire. Tbe w<Kk was 
Dnety performed, tbe eicellenoe of the violins belag 
stzlklnglyappBrantIn a remarkable Otrntmuitdt at tbe 
end of tbe foortb movement. 

After this cams another novelty. In the shape ot a Con. 
oerto tor Piano with oreheitni. by Hans van Bronaart, 
with Mr. e.B. Mills at the piano. Tbe Concerto Is dlil- 
dedai follows; Allegro ina«etoeo,—Adig1o,~F1nale alia 
itell*. Tblslsavlgoronsaadbrlniantconiposltlon, 



ano Is happily treated, b 



; theci 



heavy. Mr. Hllli played ulth the crisp, delicate, y 

Hrm and even hsndllDK which he never fills to msnifee 
and he also showed a very nice dlKrlmlnatlon and lnt< 
leetoal perception of lbs oumposer's Ideas, the nn 
thine lacking beln^ Ihe poetic aenae, wltbont which i 
onJatcon be really great iDresponaeto in encore t 
played tbe " Ende vom TJed " of Bchumuin. 

The second patt wai taken up by Becihavei 
phonylnA, No. T. It waa wise thus to Uolate ■ 
work, for all ituv mnit pale before this snn. Ibe per. 






formance was geneiolly cc 
deaarved a much larger audleni 

The Bdli roncert (Haich M) 
give the programme: 

euphony, E flat, No. ] . 

Two ales from "Allegme 

HEa Ida Hnbbell. 

I-aTrlompha; FanVriil dn "riuw ' ... 

RecltatlTe and Aria from ridello Beethoven 

Uvertnre: "Ob.rDn," w.ber 

At tbe Ufth Symphony Ooncert of Theo. Theoia* 
i was filled to overflowing, the 



lot attend, but 

.,. Bsydn 

Usrt 



erbillbi 












■.ilea by Ihe orchestra o( thl> work. 
TU K»»dn to Uourt li & natural iransltlon, and ac- 
ndj the neil piece on the il.t waa Mo.in-ii R^cl- 
und Aria; " Hiche vl fees," sungbvUiis Thun- 
br."h.ibuacl*ar, bleb soprano voice o/gtml gmUliy 
»ji I i.-k>raWy well imTned. She !• likely to m^e IipV 

S'lrnns m*"' w'h "'h'"" """'"^^B "' ">» dS«ik co°' 
St.,-. hPt'volcebelneunHieaj'yln cerloin paisacen and 

owing thia came Bevlhoven's overture to Ftdrlio 
Kii. 1, the one usnallf played at tha repreKntstloii of 

k'th'^MnoeniSS^ItlslSff™"^'"'"''^''"'"""'" 



of orjl nwT operatic compoeBt 



era. Itii, 

onUnaiy opera. 



A. A. C. 
Correspoadenfs descriptloo of 



tiony. which rotmed the ai 



416 



DWIGHT'S JOURNAL OF MUSIC. 



The Most PerfMt Theatre in the 

World. 

The principles on which the Thentre Francis rests 
are & good deal like the common law of England — 
a Taernely and inconveniently registered mass of 
regulations which time and occasion have welded 
together, and from which the recnrrinip occasion can 
nsually manage to extract the rightful precedent. 
Napoleon I., who had a finger in every pie in his 
dominion, found time during his brief and disas- 
trous occupation of Moscow to send down a decree 
remodellinflT and regulating the constitution of the 
theatre. This document has long been a dead let- 
ter, and the society abides by its older traditions. 
The tradiiiona of the Comedie Fran^ais — ^that is the 
sovereign word, and that is the charm of the place 
— the charm that one never ceases to feel, however 
often one may sit beneath the classic, dusky dome. 
One feels this charm with peculiar intensity as a 
newly arrived foreigner. The Theatre Fran^ais has 
had the good fortune to be able to allow its tradi- 
tions to accumulate. They have been preserved, 
transmitted, respected, cherished, until at last they 
form the very atmosphere, the vital air ef the estab- 
lishment. A stranger feels their superior influence 
the first time he sees the great curtain g^ up ; he 
feels that he is in a theatre which is not as other 
theatres are. It is not only bettor, it is different. 
It has a peculiar perfection — something consecrated, 
historical, academic This impression is delicious, 
and he watches the performance in a sort of tran- 
qnil ecstasy. Never has he seen anything so smooth 
and harmonious, so artistic and complete. He 
heard all hia life of attention to detail, and now, for 
the first time, he sees something that deserves the 
name. He sees dramatic effort refined to a point 
with which the English stage is unacquainted. He 
sees that there are no limita to possible " finish," 
and that so tri\ial an act as taking a letter from a 
servant or placing one*s baton a chair may be made 
a suggestive and interesting incident. He sees 
these things and a great many more besides, but at 
first he does not analyie; he gives himself up to 
sympathetic contemplation. He la in an ideal and 
exemplary world — a world that has managed to at- 
tain all the felicities that the world we live In miss- 
eM. The people do the things that we should like 
to do ; they are gifted as we should like to be ; they 
have mastered the accomplishments that we have 
had to give up. The women are not all l>eautiful-^ 
decidedly not, indeed — ^bntthey are graceful, agree- 
able, sympathetic, lady-like; they have the beat 
manners possible, and they are delightfully well 
dressed. They have charming musical voices, and 
they speak with irreproachable purity and sweet- 
ness ; they walk witti the most elegant grace, and 
when they sit it is a pleasure to see their attitudes. 
They go out and come in, they pass across the 
stage ; they talk, and laugh, and cry, they deliver 
long tirades or remain statuesquely mute ; they are 
tenaer or tragic, they are comic or conventional ; 
and through it all you never observe an awkward- 
ness, a roughnesss, an accident, a crude spot, a 
fulse no'e. [ffenrif Jamet, Jr,, i/i 7%e Qafaxy, 



4 mi 



JosspR Joachim, Mus. Doo. The honorary degree of 
Doctor of MusiCi granted to Joachim, by grace of the 
senate la«t May, was conferred on him at Cambridge on 
Faraday. Joachim was fnteodaced to the senate In an 
eloquent Latin speech by the Public Orator, Mr. J. S. 
Sandys. 

In the evening a concert took place in the Oulldhall. 
Dr. Joachim, the hero of the evening, war greeted on his 
etUrU with uproarious api'lanse, which was renewed 
with Inereased warmth after his magnifleent perform- 
•nee of Beethoven's Concerto. Dr. Joachim's new Ov- 
ertare, and Brahma' Symphony in C minor, were given 
with great success.— XotMlen JAMlcai World, March 10. 



RnroBT OP Mnsicix AlcmiOA. We give place with 
pleasure to the following Card of Prof. Rrrrn: 

Headers of my " Histobt or Music'* (In the form of 
lectures), are awarb that I have been for some time en- 
gaged on the continuation of that, work, to be entitled 
<* Music ih Ambbica." Though the past history of mu- 
sic in America is by no means rich, yet much has already 
been accompliahed, which offers aunple subject for re- 
flection and Instmction to the thonghtful and unbiassed 
observer. It is my object to place this In an Impartial 
light before the student or admirer of art; to render 
justice to those genuine laborers whose serrioes may 
have been overlooked; to put apparently successful ef- 
forts to the test of their after influence on artistic prog- 
reas, social and public; and to give a complete, though 



general, view of the present musical situation on this 
continent. 

Being anzloQc to render my work as complete as pos- 
sible in regard to contemporary labors, I now request 
conductors, heads of concert institutes, and music 
schools, aa well as amateurs practically interested In 
music, to favor me by forwarding to my address the pro- 
grammes or constitntions of their societies, or any doc- 
umtots bearing a genuine relation to musical culture In 
America. 

FBEDERIC LOUIS RITTER, 
March, 1877. 



-•-•- 



MIm Thonby'fl Hew Engas^ment 

A contract has Just been concluded between Mr. Maur- 
ice Strakosch and Miss EmmaC.Thnrshy, said to be the 
most liberal any American sin^r ever made with a man- 
ager. Its provisions require Miss Thursby to sing in 
concerts and oratorios, both here and In Snrope. for 
three years from the 3d of April next, while Mr. Stra- 
kosch agrees to pay her a sum dependent for its exact 
amount on certain contingencies, but which Is estimated 
to exceed $100,000. Further, It prorides that Miss Thurs- 
by shall have the months of July and Aufenst of each 
year for recreation, and that she may fulflll all her pres- 
ent engagements, Inoludinfr that for the forthcoming 
Handel and Haydn festival in Boston; and be at litterty 
to sing at as many private concerts in Snrope as she 
chooses— this last proviso belnfr estimated aa worth fully 
$4,000 to her. Mr. Strakosch also undertakes to pay all 
the traveling, hotel, and other incidental expenses of 
Miss Thursby and her chaperon. An additional eon- 
tract engafces Miss Thursby to sing in a concert tour 
throuf^b the West, beginning next Monday, In company 
with Ole Bull and Mme. EsslpolT, under Mr. Strakosch's 
direction. She Is at present under sn enisagement with 
the Broadway Tabernacle Charch— Dr. Taylor's— where 
she receives a salary of $3,000 per annum, but it Is un- 
derstood that, in spite ut the congregation's anxiety to 
retain her, they will place no obsUde In the way of ful- 
filling her new contracts. 

Miss Thursby Is a native of Brooklyn, where her moflh 
er, two slaters, and a brcther are now residing, support- 
ed mainly by her. She first displayed her musical tastes 
and abilltiea while a member of the Sunday-school class 
of Dr. Potter's church in the Eastern Dlntrlct. From 
there she went to Plymouth Church, obtaining a position 
in the choir. After that she was engaged as the leading 
singer by Dr. Potter's congregation, and remained there 
until Dr. Cbapin's church, in this city, induced her to 
come to thrm. From there she came to Dr. Taylor's 
church. During all of these engagements she patiently 
studied her art. Her first master was Errani, of thia 
city, and her last, Mme. Rudersdorff, of Boston. She 
went to Italy, and studied there for some ten months 
nnder several teachers, but without any remarkable 
progress. In 1876 she came to Mme RudersdoriT, who, as 
she says, at once perceived Miss Thuisby's great superi- 
ority to the ordinary run of pupils, took an especial In- 
terest in her, and got her to sine In a concert given bj 
the Harvard Musical Association in Boston, where she 
made her first hit. Since then she has sung in neariy all 
parU of the country, everywhere meeting with high 
praiae. Last year the traveled with Mr. P. S. Oilmore to 
California. At Salt Lake City her reception was of the 
warmest character, Brigham Toung Inviting her to sing 
In the great Tabernacle, and bringing his entire honee- 
hold to hear her. At San Francisco Dom Pedro, of Bra- 
sil, heard her, and was so charmed with her voice and 
manner that he nuule her the most flattering offers to 
come to Rio de Janeiro, and a few days before his de- 
parture for Europe he asked her as a favor to come and 
sing for him one evening at least. Since then Mr. Max 
Strakosch has frequently urged her to enter into an en- 
gagement with him to appear in opera, but thia she has 
refused to do, replying to all entreaties that she had rea- 
sons which forbade her to think of appearing on the 
stage. 

Personally Miss Thunby is of petite figure, a very ex- 
pressive face, and a most charming and modest bearing. 
She ascribes all her snccesa to Mme. Rudersdorff, saying 
ttiat she never had a real miutc lesson until she met 
her. As far as her contract with Maurice Strakoeeh Is 
concerned, she savs she had very little to do with its 
making, having left the whole matter with Mme. Ru- 
dersdorff, and neing entirely guided by her. She ex- 
pects to appear In oratorio early next month, and thinks 
she win remain m America for another year, provided 
Mr. Strakosch does not deem it advisable to take her 
abroad sooner. 

Mme. Rudersdorff herself is highly enthusiastic abont 
her pupQ, saying she Is « Just a Itttle darling." She aays 
Miss Thursl^ has promised to come and spend every Ju- 
ly and August, which Mr. Strakosch has given for rest, 
with her, receiring such further instruotlon as she can 
give.^JMiirle TWhIs Barter, I 



Sperial Sotires. 



DB8CBIPTITB LIST OF THE 
T S S V 






▼ooali with Plane AoeompaBimeat. 

The King's Highway. D. 3. c to E. Molhy. 40 
"Who rides yonder, proud and gav. 
Spuming the duat on the King's Highway." 
Glorious song for Baas, Baritone or Alto voice. 

Good-bye, Old Year. Song and Cho. Pic- 
tare title. 6. 8. c to g. Bice, 40 
*'A year to add to all my years." 

A fine aong. appropriate for birth daya, annl- 
versaries and Kew Tears*. 

The Song that I loved long ago. Q. 4. d 

to E. Lutx. 85 

•<Whlle paesion surrivea and while memoiy 
lingers. 
My fast throbbing heart, aa these melodies fiow.** 

A very intent song, which should be a very 
suooessfal concert one. 

My Dariing's Last Smile. Song and Cfho. 

F. a d to F. OpertL SO 

<«Only a smile» a smile of affection.'* 

•M^T ™^<>dioua song and chorus. Wonts by 
P. Yokes. 

Colored Recmlta. Song and Chonu. F. 
2. a to D. Larue. 80 

*' A rub-a-dulMlnb and away we go I" 
Comic. Nonsensical. Pretty melody. 

Wanderer's Song. Duet A. F to e (Baas 
Staff.) AU. 40 

"Marschlren. Ilebe Gesellen." 
"March on, march on, my brother.'* 

A ttright, tripping donble song for a "wan- 
derer" and his comrade. One of F. Abt's "Dneta 
for Baritone and Bass." 

InstnuDSBtal. 

Soirees de Yienne. Valset Caprices. A 

minor and major. 4^ LiazL 00 

Does not at first appear to be diflcolt: but one 
cannot call a Llsst piece easy. Strikfns and ef- 
fective. 

In the Forest E. 8. HeUer. 80 

A few eweet Forest lonnds are wove into a 
very sweet harmony. One of the eet, "Peiles 
Masicales." 

Home on the Rhine. (Heimath am Rhein.) 

Waltzes. 8. KrqfL 76 

Melodious set of Walties, that will recall to 
mind the ancient river. 

Flying Dutchman. (Fliegender Hollander. ) 
4. Beffer. 80 

Choice f ra<nnents of Wagner's Opera. No. «8 



of ^'Beyer's Bouquet of Mefodl 

Tvrolienne, from William Tell. C. S. 
L*Amo, L'Amo, from Capuletti. D. 2. 



26 

, ^ _. _ 25 

Deh ! con te, from Norma. C. 2. 26 

No. 2. No. 4 and No. 6 of Andr6*s "Blossoms of 
Opera." There are 36 numbers, all short pieces, 
and contain as many airs of Ikvorite Operas. 
Capital for beginners. 

L'm^tene. Morcean a la Gayotte. G. 8. 

ArdUL 86 

A very pecnlar "broken" movement which 
will please, both by its oddity and beanty. 

Over Field and Meadow. (Ueber Feld nnd 
Wiese.) D. 8. Strcnue. 85 

Strauss-like. Very brilliant. 

Pennington Seminaiy March. A6. 8. PomL 86 

The title Is ornamented with a pictnre of the 
instltiftlon, which is evidently a very large af- 
fair. Fine March. 

Blushing Mom. (HIus. Title.) Polka Re- 
verie. E. 8. (Solo.) Meyer. 00 

A beaatif u1 piece with a pretty title. There is 
also a 4-hand arrangement for TO eta. 

Fruhlingsboten. (Messengers of Spring.) 

Waltses. & Schi^arih. 00 

Four wide-awake waltses, with Intiodnetion 
and Finale. 



A BaRKVTATiows.— Degrees of dlfflcnlty are marked 
from 1 to T. The key Is denoted by a capital letter, aa G, 
Bb, etc. A large Boman letter marks the lowest and the 
highest note if on the st^^ small Roman letters if be* 
low or above the ataff. Tnna : •< C, 6, c to ■ " means 
" Key of G, Fifth degree, lowest letter, c on the added 
line oelow, highest letter, Bon the 4th space. 
















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^O'SIC LIBRARY 



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